SB 5.21.3 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यन्मध्यगतो भगवांस्तपतपतिस्तपन आतपेन त्रिलोकीं प्रतपत्यवभासयत्यात्मभासा स एष उदगयनदक्षिणायनवैषुवतसंज्ञाभिर्मान्द्यशैघ्य्रसमानाभिर्गतिभिरारोहणावरोहणसमानस्थानेषु यथासवनमभिपद्यमानो मकरादिषु राशिष्वहोरात्राणि दीर्घह्रस्वसमानानि विधत्ते ॥ ३ ॥

Verse text

yan-madhya-gato bhagavāṁs tapatāṁ patis tapana ātapena tri-lokīṁ pratapaty avabhāsayaty ātma-bhāsā sa eṣa udagayana-dakṣiṇāyana-vaiṣuvata-saṁjṣābhir māndya-śaighrya-samānābhir gatibhir ārohaṇāvarohaṇa-samāna-sthāneṣu yathā-savanam abhipadyamāno makarādiṣu rāśiṣv aho-rātrāṇi dīrgha-hrasva-samānāni vidhatte.

Synonyms

yat — of which (the intermediate space) ; madhya — gataḥ — being situated in the middle ; bhagavān — the most powerful ; tapatām patiḥ — the master of those that heat the whole universe ; tapanaḥ — the sun ; ātapena — by heat ; tri — lokīm — the three worlds ; pratapati — heats ; avabhāsayati — lights ; ātma — bhāsā — by its own illuminating rays ; saḥ — that ; eṣaḥ — the sun globe ; udagayana — of passing to the northern side of the equator ; dakṣiṇa — ayana — of passing to the southern side of the equator ; vaiṣuvata — or of passing through the equator ; saṁjṣābhiḥ — by different names ; māndya — characterized by slowness ; śaighrya — swiftness ; samānābhiḥ — and by equality ; gatibhiḥ — by movement ; ārohaṇa — of rising ; avarohaṇa — of going down ; samāna — or of staying in the middle ; sthāneṣu — in positions ; yathā — savanam — according to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; abhipadyamānaḥ — moving ; makara — ādiṣu — headed by the sign Makara (Capricorn) ; rāśiṣu — in different signs ; ahaḥ — rātrāṇi — the days and nights ; dīrgha — long ; hrasva — short ; samānāni — equal ; vidhatte — makes .

Translation

In the midst of that region of outer space [antarikṣa] is the most opulent sun, the king of all the planets that emanate heat, such as the moon. By the influence of its radiation, the sun heats the universe and maintains its proper order. It also gives light to help all living entities see. While passing toward the north, toward the south or through the equator, in accordance with the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is said to move slowly, swiftly or moderately. According to its movements in rising above, going beneath or passing through the equator — and correspondingly coming in touch with various signs of the zodiac, headed by Makara [Capricorn] — days and nights are short, long or equal to one another.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Situated in the middle of the antarīkṣa, the sun, master of heat, heats up and lights up the three worlds by its light. The sun moves slowing during uttarāyaṇa, ascending, moving through six zodiac signs starting from Capricorn, making the days long and the nights short. It moves quickly during dakṣiṇāyana, descending, moving through six zodiac signs starting with Cancer, making the days short and the nights long. It move at medium speed during the equinoxes, neither between ascending and descending, moving through Aries and Libra, making the days and nights equal. The sun is situated in the middle of the antarīkṣa. During uttarāyaṇa (udagayana), by slow speed while ascending in the sky and passing time, the sun moves through six zodiac signs starting from Capricorn, making the days gradually longer and the nights shorter. During dakṣiṇāyana, moving with quick speed and descending, the sun moves through six zodiac signs starting from Cancer, making the days shorter and the nights longer. By moving at medium speed during the equinox periods, with days and nights equal, the sun moves through Aries and Libra.

Purport

Lord Brahmā prays in his Brahma-saṁhitā (5.52) : yac cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ yasyājṣayā bhramati saṁbhṛta-kāla-cakro govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi “I 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.” Although the sun is described as bhagavān, the most powerful, and although it is actually the most powerful planet within the universe, it nevertheless has to carry out the order of Govinda, Kṛṣṇa. The sun-god cannot deviate even an inch from the orbit designated to him. Therefore in every sphere of life, the supreme order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is carried out. The entire material nature carries out His orders. However, we foolishly see the activities of material nature without understanding the supreme order and Supreme Person behind them. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ: material nature carries out the orders of the Lord, and thus everything is maintained in an orderly way.