Devanagari
पुरस्तात्सवितुररुण: पश्चाच्च नियुक्त: सौत्ये कर्मणि किलास्ते ॥ १६ ॥
Verse text
purastāt savitur aruṇaḥ paścāc ca niyuktaḥ sautye karmaṇi kilāste.
Synonyms
purastāt
—
in front
;
savituḥ
—
of the sun-god
;
aruṇaḥ
—
the demigod named Aruṇa
;
paścāt
—
looking backward
;
ca
—
and
;
niyuktaḥ
—
engaged
;
sautye
—
of a charioteer
;
karmaṇi
—
in the work
;
kila
—
certainly
;
āste
—
remains .
Translation
Although Aruṇadeva sits in front of the sun-god and is engaged in driving the chariot and controlling the horses, he looks backward toward the sun-god.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Although Aruṇa sits in front of the sun-god and is engaged in driving the chariot and controlling the horses, he looks backward toward the sun-god.
Though seated in form, he faces backwards. Vāyu Purāṇa describes the horses:
saptāśva-rūpa-cchandāṁsi vahante vāmato ravim
cakra-pakṣa-nibaddhāni cakre vākṣaḥ samāhitaḥ
The seven horses are the seven Vedic meters. They carry the sun from the left and are bound to the side of the wheel. The axel is connected with the wheel.
Purport
In the
Vāyu Purāṇa
the position of the horses is described:
saptāśva-rūpa-cchandāṁsī
vahante vāmato ravim
cakra-pakṣa-nibaddhāni
cakre vākṣaḥ samāhitaḥ
Although Aruṇadeva is in the front seat, controlling the horses, he looks back toward the sun-god from his left side.