Text 30] The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata 57

anuparyakramat—circumambulated; dvitiyah—second; iva—like:
patangah—sun.

TRANSLATION

While so excellently ruling the universe, King Priyavrata once
became dissatisfied with the cireumambulation of the most power-
ful sun-god. Encircling Sumeru Hill on his chariot, the sun-god il-
luminates all the surrounding planetary systems. However, when
the sun is on the northern side of the hill, the south receives less
light, and when the sun is in the south, the north receives less.
King Priyavrata disliked this situation and therefore decided to
make daylight in the part of the universe where there was night.
He followed the orbit of the sun-god on a brilliant chariot and thus
fulfilled his desire. He could perform such wonderful activities
because of the power he had achieved by worshiping the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

There is a Bengali saying which describes that someone is so powerful
that he can make the night day and the day night. That saying is current
because of the prowess of Priyavrata. His activities demonstrate how
powerful he became by worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lord Krsna is known as Yogesvara, the master of all mystic powers. In
Bhagavad-gita (18.78) it is said wherever there is the master of all
mystic powers (yatra yogesvarah krsnah), victory, fortune and all other
opulences are present. Devotional service is so powerful. When a devotee
achieves what he wants to accomplish, it is not by his own mystic power
but by the grace of the master of mystic power, Lord Krsna: by His
grace, a devotee can accomplish wonderful things unimaginable even to
the most powerful scientist.

From the description in this verse, it appears that the sun moves. Ac-
cording to modern astronomers, the sun is fixed in one place, surrounded
by the solar system, but here we find that the sun is not stationary: it is
rotating in a prescribed orbit. This fact is corroborated by Brahma-
samhita (5.52). Yasydjraya bhramati sarnbhrta-kdla-cakrah: the sun is
rotating in its fixed orbit in accordance with the order of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. According to Jyotir Veda, the science of
