338
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 5, Ch. 22]
cording to its waning and waxing. Above the moon by a distance of 200,000  yojanas  are some stars, and above these stars is Śukra-graha (Venus), whose influence is always auspicious for the inhabitants of the entire universe. Above Śukra-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 Aṅgāraka (Mars), which almost always has an unfavorable influence. Above Aṅgāraka by another 200,000  yojanas  is the planet called Brhaspati-graha (Jupiter), which is always very favorable for qualified  brāhmaṇas . Above Brhaspati-graha is the planet Śanaiścara (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 circummandulate Dhruvaloka, which is the residence of Lord Viṣṇu within this universe.
TEXT 1
राजोवाच
यदेतद्भगवत आदित्यस्य मेरुं ध्रुवं च प्रदक्षिणेन परिक्रामतो राशीनामभिमुखं प्रचलितं चाप्रदक्षिणं भगवतोपवर्णितममुष्य वयं कथमनु- मिमीमहीति ॥ १ ॥
rājocāca
yad etad bhagavata ādityasya merum dhruvam ca pradakṣiṇena parikrāmato rāśīnām abhimukham pracalitam cāpradakṣiṇam bhagavatopavarṇitam amuṣya vayam katham anumimīmahiti.
rājā uvāca —the King (Mahārāja Parikṣit) inquired;  yat —which;  etat —this;  bhagavataḥ —of the most powerful;  ādityasya —of the sun (Sūrya Nārāyaṇa);  merum —the mountain known as Sumeru;  dhruvam ca —as well as the planet known as Dhruvaloka;  pradakṣiṇena —by placing on the right;  parikrāmataḥ —which is going around;  rāśīnām —the different signs of the zodiac;  abhimukham —facing toward;  pracalitam —moving;  ca —and;  apradakṣiṇam —placing on the left;  bhagavatā —by Your Lordship;  upavarṇitam —described;  amuṣya —of that;  vayam —we (the hearer);  katham —how;  anumimīmahi —can accept it by argument and inference;  iti —thus.