32 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 18
Sronayam sravana-dvadasyam
muhirte *bhijiti prabhuh
sarve naksatra-tarddyas
cakrus taj-janma daksinam
Srondy4m—when the moon was situated in the Sravana lunar man-
sion; Sravana-dvddasy4m—on the twelfth lunar day of the bright
fortnight in the month of Bhadra, the day famous as the Sravana-
dvadasi; muhirte—in the auspicious moment; abhijiti—in the first por-
tion of the Sravana lunar mansion known as the Abhijit-naksatra and in
the Abhijit-muharta (occurring at midday); prabhuh—the Lord;
sarve—all; naksatra—stars; tara—planets; ddyah—beginning with the
sun and followed by the other planets; cakruh—made; tat-janma—the
birthday of the Lord; daksinam—very munificent.
TRANSLATION
On the day of Sravana-dvadasi [the twelfth day of the bright
fortnight in the month of Bhadra], when the moon came into the
lunar mansion Sravana, at the auspicious moment of Abhijit, the
Lord appeared in this universe. Considering the Lord’s appearance
very auspicious, all the stars and planets, from the sun to Saturn,
were munificently charitable.
PURPORT
Srila Vigvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, an expert astrologer, explains
the word naksatra-tarddyah. The word naksatra means “‘the stars,” the
word tara in this context refers to the planets, and ddydh means “the
first one specifically mentioned.” Among the planets, the first is Sarya,
the sun, not the moon. Therefore, according to the Vedic version, the
modern astronomer’s proposition that the moon is nearest to the earth
should not be accepted. The chronological order in which people all over
the world refer to the days of the week—Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday—corresponds to the Vedic
order of the planets and thus circumstantiates the Vedic version. Apart
from this, when the Lord appeared the planets and stars became situated
very auspiciously, according to astrological calculations, to celebrate the
birth of the Lord.
