Text 13]
The Movements of the Sun
329
stars. The Vedic literature informs us that within this universe there is one sun, which is moving. The Western theory that all the luminaries in the sky are different suns is not confirmed in the Vedic literature. Nor can we assume that these luminaries are the suns of other universes, for each universe is covered by various layers of material elements, and therefore although the universes are clustered together, we cannot see from one universe to another. In other words, whatever we see is within this one universe. In each universe there is one Lord Brahmā, and there are other demigods on other planets, but there is only one sun.
TEXT 12
एवं मुहूर्तेन चतुर्स्त्रिशल्लक्षयोजनान्यष्टशताधिकानि सौरो रथस्वयीमयोऽसौ चतसृषु परिवर्तते पुरीषु ॥१२॥
evam muhūrtena catus-triṁśal-lakṣa-yojanāny aṣṭa-śatādhikāni sauro rathas trayīmayo 'sau catasṛṣu parivartate purīṣu.
evam—thus; muhūrtena—in a muhūrta (forty-eight minutes); catuḥ-triṁśat—thirty-four; lakṣa—hundred thousands; yojanāni— yojanas; aṣṭa-śata-dhikāni—increased by eight hundred; sauraḥ rathaḥ—the chariot of the sun-god; trayī-mayaḥ—which is worshiped by the Gāyatrī mantra (oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur, etc.); asau— that; catasṛṣu—to the four; parivartate—he moves; purīṣu—through different residential quarters.
TRANSLATION
Thus the chariot of the sun-god, which is trayīmaya, or worshiped by the words oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, travels through the four residences mentioned above at a speed of 3,400,800 yojanas [27,206,400 miles] in a muhūrta.
TEXT 13
यस्यैकं चक्रं द्वादशारं                      षण्नेमि त्रिणामि                      संवत्सरात्मकं समामनन्ति तस्याक्षो मेरोर्मूर्धनि कृतो मानसोत्तरे कृतेतरभागो यत्र प्रोतं रविरथचक्रं तैलयन्त्रचक्रवद् भ्रमन्मानसोत्तरगिरौ परिभ्रमति१३।