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Chapter Twenty-two
The Orbits of the Planets
In this chapter the orbits of the planets are described. According to the movements of the moon and other planets, all the inhabitants of the universe are prone to auspicious and inauspicious situations. This is referred to as the influence of the stars.
The sun-god, who controls the affairs of the entire universe, especially in regard to heat, light, seasonal changes and so on, is considered an expansion of Narayana. He represents the three Vedas--Rg, Yajur and Sama--and therefore he is known as Trayimaya, the form of Lord Narayana. Sometimes the sun-god is also called Surya Narayana. The sun-god has expanded himself in twelve divisions, and thus he controls the six seasonal changes and causes winter, summer, rain and so on. Yogis and karmis following the varnasrama institution, who practice hatha or astanga-yoga or who perform agnihotra sacrifices, worship Surya Narayana for their own benefit. The demigod Surya is always in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana. Residing in outer space, which is in the middle of the universe, between Bhuloka and Bhuvarloka, the sun rotates through the time circle of the zodiac, represented by twelve rasis, or signs, and assumes different names according to the sign he is in. For the moon, every month is divided into two fortnights. Similarly, according to solar calculations, a month is equal to the time the sun spends in one constellation; two months constitute one season, and there are twelve months in a year. The entire area of the sky is divided into two halves, each representing an ayana, the course traversed by the sun within a period of six months. The sun travels sometimes slowly, sometimes swiftly and sometimes at a moderate speed. In this way it travels within the three worlds, consisting of the heavenly planets, the earthly planets and outer space. These orbits are referred to by great learned scholars by the names Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idavatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara.
The moon is situated 100,000 yojanas above the rays of the sunshine. Day and night on the heavenly planets and Pitrloka are calculated according to its waning and waxing. Above the moon by a distance of 200,000 yojanas are some stars, and above these stars is Sukra-graha (Venus), whose influence is always auspicious for the inhabitants of the entire universe. Above Sukra-graha by 200,000 yojanas is Budha-graha (Mercury), whose influence is sometimes auspicious and sometimes inauspicious. Next, above Budha-graha by 200,000 yojanas, is Angaraka (Mars), which almost always has an unfavorable influence. Above Angaraka by another 200,000 yojanas is the planet called Brhaspati-graha (Jupiter), which is always very favorable for qualified brahmanas. Above Brhaspati-graha is the planet Sanaiscara (Saturn), which is very inauspicious, and above Saturn is a group of seven stars occupied by great saintly persons who are always thinking of the welfare of the entire universe. These seven stars circumambulate Dhruvaloka, which is the residence of Lord Visnu within this universe.
TEXT 1
TEXT
rajovaca
yad etad bhagavata adityasya merum dhruvam ca pradaksinena parikramato rasinam abhimukham pracalitam capradaksinam bhagavatopavarnitam amusya vayam katham anumimimahiti.
SYNONYMS
raja uvaca--the King (Maharaja Pariksit) inquired; yat--which; etat--this; bhagavatah--of the most powerful; adityasya--of the sun (Surya Narayana); merum--the mountain known as Sumeru; dhruvam ca--as well as the planet known as Dhruvaloka; pradaksinena--by placing on the right; parikramatah--which is going around; rasinam--the different signs of the zodiac; abhimukham--facing toward; pracalitam--moving; ca--and; apradaksinam--placing on the left; bhagavata--by Your Lordship; upavarnitam--described; amusya--of that; vayam--we (the hearer); katham--how; anumimimahi--can accept it by argument and inference; iti--thus.
TRANSLATION
King Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami: My dear lord, you have already affirmed the truth that the supremely powerful sun-god travels around Dhruvaloka with both Dhruvaloka and Mount Sumeru on his right. Yet at the same time the sun-god faces the signs of the zodiac and keeps Sumeru and Dhruvaloka on his left. How can we reasonably accept that the sun-god proceeds with Sumeru and Dhruvaloka on both his left and right simultaneously?
TEXT 2
TEXT
sa hovaca
yatha kulala-cakrena bhramata saha bhramatam tad-asrayanam pipilikadinam gatir anyaiva pradesantaresv apy upalabhyamanatvad evam naksatra-rasibhir upalaksitena kala-cakrena dhruvam merum ca pradaksinena paridhavata saha paridhavamananam tad-asrayanam suryadinam grahanam gatir anyaiva naksatrantare rasy-antare copalabhyamanatvat.
SYNONYMS
sah--Sukadeva Gosvami; ha--very clearly; uvaca--answered; yatha--just as; kulala-cakrena--a potter's wheel; bhramata--turning around; saha--with; bhramatam--of those turning around; tat-asrayanam--being located on that (wheel); pipilika-adinam--of small ants; gatih--the motion; anya--other; eva--certainly; pradesa-antaresu--in different locations; api--also; upalabhyamanatvat--due to being experienced; evam--similarly; naksatra-rasibhih--by the stars and signs; upalaksitena--being seen; kala-cakrena--with the great wheel of time; dhruvam--the star known as Dhruvaloka; merum--the mountain known as Sumeru; ca--and; pradaksinena--on the right; paridhavata--going around; saha--with; paridhavamananam--of those going around; tat-asrayanam--whose shelter is that wheel of time; surya-adinam--headed by the sun; grahanam--of the planets; gatih--the motion; anya--other; eva--certainly; naksatra-antare--in different stars; rasi-antare--in different signs; ca--and; upalabhyamanatvat--due to being observed.
TRANSLATION
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami clearly answered: When a potter's wheel is moving and small ants located on that big wheel are moving with it, one can see that their motion is different from that of the wheel because they appear sometimes on one part of the wheel and sometimes on another. Similarly, the signs and constellations, with Sumeru and Dhruvaloka on their right, move with the wheel of time, and the antlike sun and other planets move with them. The sun and planets, however, are seen in different signs and constellations at different times. This indicates that their motion is different from that of the zodiac and the wheel of time itself.
TEXT 3
TEXT
sa esa bhagavan adi-purusa eva saksan narayano lokanam svastaya atmanam trayimayam karma-visuddhi-nimittam kavibhir api ca vedena vijijnasyamano dvadasadha vibhajya satsu vasantadisv rtusu yathopa-josam rtu-gunan vidadhati.
SYNONYMS
sah--that; esah--this; bhagavan--the supremely powerful; adi-purusah--the original person; eva--certainly; saksat--directly; narayanah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana; lokanam--of all the planets; svastaye--for the benefit; atmanam--Himself; trayi-mayam--consisting of the three Vedas (Sama, Yajur and Rg); karma-visuddhi--of purification of fruitive activities; nimittam--the cause; kavibhih--by great saintly persons; api--also; ca--and; vedena--by Vedic knowledge; vijijnasyamanah--being inquired about; dvadasa-dha--in twelve divisions; vibhajya--dividing; satsu--in six; vasanta-adisu--headed by spring; rtusu--seasons; yatha-upajosam--according to the enjoyment of their past activities; rtu-gunan--the qualities of the different seasons; vidadhati--he arranges.
TRANSLATION
The original cause of the cosmic manifestation is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana. When great saintly persons, fully aware of the Vedic knowledge, offered prayers to the Supreme Person, He descended to this material world in the form of the sun to benefit all the planets and purify fruitive activities. He divided Himself into twelve parts and created seasonal forms, beginning with spring. In this way He created the seasonal qualities, such as heat, cold and so on.
TEXT 4
TEXT
tam etam iha purusas trayya vidyaya varnasramacaranupatha uccavacaih karmabhir amnatair yoga-vitanais ca sraddhaya yajanto 'njasa sreyah samadhigacchanti.
SYNONYMS
tam--Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); etam--this; iha--in this world of mortality; purusah--all people; trayya--having three divisions; vidyaya--by the Vedic knowledge; varna-asrama-acara--the practices of the varnasrama system; anupathah--following; ucca-avacaih--higher or lower according to the different positions in the varnasrama-dharma (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra); karmabhih--by their respective activities; amnataih--handed down; yoga-vitanaih--by meditation and other yogic processes; ca--and; sraddhaya--with great faith; yajantah--worshiping; anjasa--without difficulty; sreyah--the ultimate benefit of life; samadhigacchanti--they attain.
TRANSLATION
According to the system of four varnas and four asramas, people generally worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, who is situated as the sun-god. With great faith they worship the Supreme Personality as the Supersoul according to ritualistic ceremonies handed down in the three Vedas, such as agnihotra and similar higher and lower fruitive acts, and according to the process of mystic yoga. In this way they very easily attain the ultimate goal of life.
TEXT 5
TEXT
atha sa esa atma lokanam dyav-aprthivyor antarena nabho-valayasya kalacakra-gato dvadasa masan bhunkte rasi-samjnan samvatsaravayavan masah paksa-dvayam diva naktam ceti sapadarksa-dvayam upadisanti yavata sastham amsam bhunjita sa vai rtur ity upadisyate samvatsaravayavah.
SYNONYMS
atha--therefore; sah--He; esah--this; atma--the living force; lokanam--of all the three worlds; dyav-a-prthivyoh antarena--between the upper and lower portions of the universe; nabhah-valayasya--of outer space; kala-cakra-gatah--positioned in the wheel of time; dvadasa masan--twelve months; bhunkte--passes; rasi-samjnan--named after the zodiac signs; samvatsara-avayavan--the parts of the whole year; masah--one month; paksa-dvayam--two fortnights; diva--a day; naktam ca--and a night; iti--thus; sapada-rksa-dvayam--by stellar calculations, two and a quarter constellations; upadisanti--they instruct; yavata--by as much time; sastham amsam--one sixth of his orbit; bhunjita--pass; sah--that portion; vai--indeed; rtuh--a season; iti--thus; upadisyate--is instructed; samvatsara-avayavah--a part of a year.
TRANSLATION
The sun-god, who is Narayana, or Visnu, the soul of all the worlds, is situated in outer space between the upper and lower portions of the universe. Passing through twelve months on the wheel of time, the sun comes in touch with twelve different signs of the zodiac and assumes twelve different names according to those signs. The aggregate of those twelve months is called a samvatsara, or an entire year. According to lunar calculations, two fortnights--one of the waxing moon and the other of the waning--form one month. That same period is one day and night for the planet Pitrloka. According to stellar calculations, a month equals two and one quarter constellations. When the sun travels for two months, a season passes, and therefore the seasonal changes are considered parts of the body of the year.
TEXT 6
TEXT
atha ca yavatardhena nabho-vithyam pracarati tam kalam ayanam acaksate.
SYNONYMS
atha--now; ca--also; yavata--by as long as; ardhena--half; nabhah-vithyam--in outer space; pracarati--the sun moves; tam--that; kalam--time; ayanam--ayana; acaksate--is said.
TRANSLATION
Thus the time the sun takes to rotate through half of outer space is called an ayana, or its period of movement [in the north or in the south].
TEXT 7
TEXT
atha ca yavan nabho-mandalam saha dyav-aprthivyor mandalabhyam kartsnyena sa ha bhunjita tam kalam samvatsaram parivatsaram idavatsaram anuvatsaram vatsaram iti bhanor mandya-saighrya-sama-gatibhih samamananti.
SYNONYMS
atha--now; ca--also; yavat--as long as; nabhah-mandalam--outer space, between the upper and lower world; saha--along with; dyau--of the upper world; aprthivyoh--of the lower world; mandalabhyam--the spheres; kartsnyena--entirely; sah--he; ha--indeed; bhunjita--may pass through; tam--that; kalam--time; samvatsaram--Samvatsara; parivatsaram--Parivatsara; idavatsaram--Idavatsara; anuvatsaram--Anuvatsara; vatsaram--Vatsara; iti--thus; bhanoh--of the sun; mandya--slow; saighrya--speedy; sama--and equal; gatibhih--by the speeds; samamananti--the experienced scholars describe.
TRANSLATION
The sun-god has three speeds--slow, fast and moderate. The time he takes to travel entirely around the spheres of heaven, earth and space at these three speeds is referred to, by learned scholars, by the five names Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idavatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara.
PURPORT
According to solar astronomical calculations, each year extends six days beyond the calendar year, and according to lunar calculations, each year is six days shorter. Therefore, because of the movements of the sun and moon, there is a difference of twelve days between the solar and lunar years. As the Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idavatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara pass by, two extra months are added within each five years. This makes a sixth samvatsara, but because that samvatsara is extra, the solar system is calculated according to the above five names.
TEXT 8
TEXT
evam candrama arka-gabhastibhya uparistal laksa-yojanata upalabhyamano 'rkasya samvatsara-bhuktim paksabhyam masa-bhuktim sapadarksabhyam dinenaiva paksa-bhuktim agracari drutatara-gamano bhunkte.
SYNONYMS
evam--thus; candrama--the moon; arka-gabhastibhyah--from the rays of the sunshine; uparistat--above; laksa-yojanatah--by a measurement of 100,000 yojanas; upalabhyamanah--being situated; arkasya--of the sun globe; samvatsara-bhuktim--the passage of one year of enjoyment; paksabhyam--by two fortnights; masa-bhuktim--the passage of one month; sapada-rksabhyam--by two and a quarter days; dinena--by a day; eva--only; paksa-bhuktim--the passage of a fortnight; agracari--moving impetuously; druta-tara-gamanah--passing more speedily; bhunkte--passes through.
TRANSLATION
Above the rays of the sunshine by a distance of 100,000 yojanas [800,000 miles] is the moon, which travels at a speed faster than that of the sun. In two lunar fortnights the moon travels through the equivalent of a samvatsara of the sun, in two and a quarter days it passes through a month of the sun, and in one day it passes through a fortnight of the sun.
PURPORT
When we take into account that the moon is 100,000 yojanas, or the modern excursions to the moon could be possible. Since the moon is so distant, how space vehicles could go there is a doubtful mystery. Modern scientific calculations are subject to one change after another, and therefore they are uncertain. We have to accept the calculations of the Vedic literature. These Vedic calculations are steady; the astronomical calculations made long ago and recorded in the Vedic literature are correct even now. Whether the Vedic calculations or modern ones are better may remain a mystery for others, but as far as we are concerned, we accept the Vedic calculations to be correct.
TEXT 9
TEXT
atha capuryamanabhis ca kalabhir amaranam ksiyamanabhis ca kalabhih pitrnam aho-ratrani purva-paksapara-paksabhyam vitanvanah sarva-jiva-nivaha-prano jivas caikam ekam naksatram trimsata muhurtair bhunkte.
SYNONYMS
atha--thus; ca--also; apuryamanabhih--gradually increasing; ca--and; kalabhih--by the parts of the moon; amaranam--of the demigods; ksiyamanabhih--by gradually decreasing; ca--and; kalabhih--by parts of the moon; pitrnam--of those on the planet known as Pitrloka; ahah-ratrani--the days and nights; purva-paksa-apara-paksabhyam--by the period of waxing and waning; vitanvanah--distributing; sarva-jiva-nivaha--of the total living entities; pranah--the life; jivah--the chief living being; ca--also; ekam ekam--one after another; naksatram--a constellation of stars; trimsata--by thirty; muhurtaih--muhurtas; bhunkte--passes through.
TRANSLATION
When the moon is waxing, the illuminating portions of it increase daily, thus creating day for the demigods and night for the pitas. When the moon is waning, however, it causes night for the demigods and day for the pitas. In this way the moon passes through each constellation of stars in thirty muhurtas [an entire day]. The moon is the source of nectarean coolness that influences the growth of food grains, and therefore the moon-god is considered the life of all living entities. He is consequently called Jiva, the chief living being within the universe.
TEXT 10
TEXT
ya esa sodasa-kalah puruso bhagavan manomayo 'nnamayo 'mrtamayo deva-pitr-manusya-bhuta-pasu-paksi-sarisrpa-virudham pranapy ayana-silatvat sarvamaya iti varnayanti.
SYNONYMS
yah--that; esah--this; sodasa-kalah--having all sixteen parts (the full moon); purusah--the person; bhagavan--having great power received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead; manah-mayah--the predominating deity of the mind; anna-mayah--the source of potency for food grains; amrta-mayah--the source of the substance of life; deva--of all the demigods; pitr--of all the inhabitants of Pitrloka; manusya--all human beings; bhuta--all living entities; pasu--of the animals; paksi--of the birds; sarisrpa--of the reptiles; virudham--of all kinds of herbs and plants; prana--life air; api--certainly; ayana-silatvat--due to refreshing; sarva-mayah--all-pervading; iti--thus; varnayanti--the learned scholars describe.
TRANSLATION
Because the moon is full of all potentialities, it represents the influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The moon is the predominating deity of everyone's mind, and therefore the moon-god is called Manomaya. He is also called Annamaya because he gives potency to all herbs and plants, and he is called Amrtamaya because he is the source of life for all living entities. The moon pleases the demigods, pitas, human beings, animals, birds, reptiles, trees, plants and all other living entities. Everyone is satisfied by the presence of the moon. Therefore the moon is also called Sarvamaya [all-pervading].
TEXT 11
TEXT
tata uparistad dvi-laksa-yojanato naksatrani merum daksinenaiva kalayana isvara-yojitani sahabhijitasta-vimsatih.
SYNONYMS
tatah--from that region of the moon; uparistat--above; dvi-laksa-yojanatah--200,000 yojanas; naksatrani--many stars; merum--Sumeru Mountain; daksinena eva--to the right side; kala-ayane--in the wheel of time; isvara-yojitani--attached by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saha--with; abhijita--the star known as Abhijit; asta-vimsatih--twenty-eight.
TRANSLATION
There are many stars located 200,000 yojanas [1,600,000 miles] above the moon. By the supreme will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are fixed to the wheel of time, and thus they rotate with Mount Sumeru on their right, their motion being different from that of the sun. There are twenty-eight important stars, headed by Abhijit.
PURPORT
The stars referred to herein are 1,600,000 miles above the sun, and thus they are 4,000,000 miles above the earth.
TEXT 12
TEXT
tata uparistad usana dvi-laksa-yojanata upalabhyate puratah pascat sahaiva varkasya saighrya-mandya-samyabhir gatibhir arkavac carati lokanam nityadanukula eva prayena varsayams carenanumiyate sa vrsti-vistambha-grahopasamanah.
SYNONYMS
tatah--from that bunch of stars; uparistat--above; usana--Venus; dvi-laksa-yojanatah--200,000 yojanas (1,600,000 miles); upalabhyate--is experienced; puratah--in front; pascat--behind; saha--along with; eva--indeed; va--and; arkasya--of the sun; saighrya--speedy; mandya--slow; samyabhih--equal; gatibhih--the movements; arkavat--exactly like the sun; carati--rotates; lokanam--of all the planets within the universe; nityada--constantly; anukulah--offering favorable conditions; eva--indeed; prayena--almost always; varsayan--causing rainfall; carena--by infusing the clouds; anumiyate--is perceived; sah--he (Venus); vrsti-vistambha--obstacles to rainfall; graha-upasamanah--nullifying planets.
TRANSLATION
Some 1,600,000 miles above this group of stars is the planet Venus, which moves at almost exactly the same pace as the sun according to swift, slow and moderate movements. Sometimes Venus moves behind the sun, sometimes in front of the sun and sometimes along with it. Venus nullifies the influence of planets that are obstacles to rainfall. Consequently its presence causes rainfall, and it is therefore considered very favorable for all living beings within this universe. This has been accepted by learned scholars.
TEXT 13
TEXT
usanasa budho vyakhyatas tata uparistad dvi-laksa-yojanato budhah soma-suta upalabhyamanah prayena subha-krd yadarkad vyatiricyeta tadativatabhra-prayanavrsty-adi-bhayam asamsate.
SYNONYMS
usanasa--with Venus; budhah--Mercury; vyakhyatah--explained; tatah--from that (Venus); uparistat--above; dvi-laksa-yojanatah--1,600,000 miles; budhah--Mercury; soma-sutah--the son of the moon; upalabhyamanah--is situated; prayena--almost always; subha-krt--very auspicious to the inhabitants of the universe; yada--when; arkat--from the sun; vyatiricyeta--is separated; tada--at that time; ativata--of cyclones and other bad effects; abhra--clouds; praya--almost always; anavrsti-adi--such as scarcity of rain; bhayam--fearful conditions; asamsate--expands.
TRANSLATION
Mercury is described to be similar to Venus, in that it moves sometimes behind the sun, sometimes in front of the sun and sometimes along with it. It is 1,600,000 miles above Venus, or 7,200,000 miles above earth. Mercury, which is the son of the moon, is almost always very auspicious for the inhabitants of the universe, but when it does not move along with the sun, it forbodes cyclones, dust, irregular rainfall, and waterless clouds. In this way it creates fearful conditions due to inadequate or excessive rainfall.
TEXT 14
TEXT
ata urdhvam angarako 'pi yojana-laksa-dvitaya upalabhyamanas tribhis tribhih paksair ekaikaso rasin dvadasanubhunkte yadi na vakrenabhivartate prayenasubha-graho 'gha-samsah.
SYNONYMS
atah--from this; urdhvam--above; angarakah--Mars; api--also; yojana-laksa-dvitaye--at a distance of 1,600,000 miles; upalabhyamanah--is situated; tribhih tribhih--with each three and three; paksaih--fortnights; eka-ekasah--one after another; rasin--the signs; dvadasa--twelve; anubhunkte--passes through; yadi--if; na--not; vakrena--with a curve; abhivartate--approaches; prayena--almost always; asubha-grahah--an unfavorable, inauspicious planet; agha-samsah--creating trouble.
TRANSLATION
Situated 1,600,000 miles above Mercury, or 8,800,000 miles above earth, is the planet Mars. If this planet does not travel in a crooked way, it crosses through each sign of the zodiac in three fortnights and in this way travels through all twelve, one after another. It almost always creates unfavorable conditions in respect to rainfall and other influences.
TEXT 15
TEXT
tata uparistad dvi-laksa-yojanantara-gata bhagavan brhaspatir ekaikasmin rasau parivatsaram parivatsaram carati yadi na vakrah syat prayenanukulo brahmana-kulasya.
SYNONYMS
tatah--that (Mars); uparistat--above; dvi-laksa-yojana-antara-gatah--situated at a distance of 1,600,000 miles; bhagavan--the most powerful planet; brhaspatih--Jupiter; eka-ekasmin--in one after another; rasau--sign; parivatsaram parivatsaram--for the period of Parivatsara; carati--moves; yadi--if; na--not; vakrah--curved; syat--becomes; prayena--almost always; anukulah--very favorable; brahmana-kulasya--to the brahmanas of the universe.
TRANSLATION
Situated 1,600,000 miles above Mars, or 10,400,000 miles above earth, is the planet Jupiter, which travels through one sign of the zodiac within the period of a Parivatsara. If its movement is not curved, the planet Jupiter is very favorable to the brahmanas of the universe.
TEXT 16
TEXT
tata uparistad yojana-laksa-dvayat pratiyamanah sanaiscara ekaikasmin rasau trimsan masan vilambamanah sarvan evanuparyeti tavadbhir anuvatsaraih prayena hi sarvesam asantikarah.
SYNONYMS
tatah--that (Jupiter); uparistat--above; yojana-laksa-dvayat--by a distance of 1,600,000 miles; pratiyamanah--is situated; sanaiscarah--the planet Saturn; eka-ekasmin--in one after another; rasau--zodiac signs; trimsat masan--for a period of thirty months in each; vilam-bamanah--lingering; sarvan--all twelve signs of the zodiac; eva--certainly; anuparyeti--passes through; tavadbhih--by so many; anuvatsaraih--Anuvatsaras; prayena--almost always; hi--indeed; sarvesam--to all the inhabitants; asantikarah--very troublesome.
TRANSLATION
Situated 1,600,000 miles above Jupiter, or 12,000,000 miles above earth, is the planet Saturn, which passes through one sign of the zodiac in thirty months and covers the entire zodiac circle in thirty Anuvatsaras. This planet is always very inauspicious for the universal situation.
TEXT 17
TEXT
tata uttarasmad rsaya ekadasa-laksa-yojanantara upalabhyante ya eva lokanam sam anubhavayanto bhagavato visnor yat paramam padam pradaksinam prakramanti.
SYNONYMS
tatah--the planet Saturn; uttarasmat--above; rsayah--great saintly sages; ekadasa-laksa-yojana-antare--at a distance of 1,100,000 yojanas; upalabhyante--are situated; ye--all of them; eva--indeed; lokanam--for all the inhabitants of the universe; sam--the good fortune; anubhavayantah--always thinking of; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; visnoh--Lord Visnu; yat--which; paramam padam--the supreme abode; pradaksinam--placing on the right; prakramanti--circumambulate.
TRANSLATION
Situated 8,800,000 miles above Saturn, or 20,800,000 miles above earth, are the seven saintly sages, who are always thinking of the well-being of the inhabitants of the universe. They circumambulate the supreme abode of Lord Visnu, known as Dhruvaloka, the polestar.
PURPORT
Srila Madhvacarya quotes the following verse from the Brahmanda Purana:
jnananandatmano visnuh
sisumara-vapusy atha
urdhva-lokesu sa vyapta
adityadyas tad-asrita
Lord Visnu, who is the source of knowledge and transcendental bliss, has assumed the form of Sisumara in the seventh heaven, which is situated in the topmost level of the universe. All the other planets, beginning with the sun, exist under the shelter of this Sisumara planetary system.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fifth Canto, Twenty-second Chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Orbits of the Planets."