418 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 11
TRANSLATION
There are five different names for the orbits of the sun, moon, stars and
luminaries in the firmament, and they each have their own samvatsara.
PURPORT
The subject matters of physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy,
time and space dealt with in the above verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam are
certainly very interesting to students of the particular subject, but as far
as we are concerned, we cannot explain them very thoroughly in terms of
technical knowledge. The subject is summarized by the statement that
above all the different branches of knowledge is the supreme control of
kala, the plenary representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Nothing exists without Him, and therefore everything, however wonderful
it may appear to our meager knowledge, is but the work of the magical
wand of the Supreme Lord. As far as time is concerned, we beg to subjoin
herewith a table of timings in terms of the modern clock.
One truti—- 8/13,500 second One laghu - 2) minutes
One vedha_ - 8/135 second One danda - 30° minutes
Onelava - 8/45 second One prahara’ - 3 hours
One nimesa - 8/15 second One day - 12 hours
One ksana_ - 8/5 second One night - 12. hours
One kastha - 8 seconds One paksa - 15 days
Two paksas comprise one month, and twelve months comprise one
calendar year, or one full orbit of the sun. A human being is expected to
live up to one hundred years. That is the way of the controlling measure
of eternal time.
The Brahma-sarhita affirms this control in this way:
yac caksur esa savitd sakala-grahanam
raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah
yasyajiaya bhramati sarnbhrta-kala-cakro
govindam adi-purusarm tam aham bhajami
“1 worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, under whose control even the sun, which is considered to be
the eye of the Lord, rotates within the fixed orbit of eternal time. The
sun is the king of all planetary systems and has unlimited potency in
heat and light.” (Bs. 5.52)
