वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः सूर्योदयेधौम्यः कृत्वाऽऽछिकमरिंदम्। आर्टिषेणेन सहितः पाण्डवानभ्यवर्तत॥
Then, O tormentor of foes, when the sun rose, Dhaumya, on performing his devotions, visited the Pandavas, with Arstisena.
तेऽभिवाद्याष्टिषेणस्य पादौधौम्यस्य चैव ह। ततः प्राञ्जलयः सर्वे ब्राह्मणांस्तानपूजयन्॥
Having bowed down to the feet of Dhaumya and Arstisena, they then worshipped all the Brahmanas with joined hands.
ततो युधिष्ठिरंधौम्यो गृहीत्वा दक्षिणे करे। प्राची दिशमभिप्रेक्ष्य महर्षिरिदमब्रवीत्॥
Then the great sage Dhaumya, taking Yudhishthira by the right hand and looking towards the East, said this:
असौ सागरपर्यन्तां भूमिमावृत्य तिष्ठति। शैलराजो महाराज मन्दरोऽति विराजते॥
O Great king, covering the earth up to the sea reigns this Mandara, the prince of mountains.
इन्द्रवैश्रवणावेतां दिशं पाण्डव रक्षतः। पर्वतैश्च वनान्तैश्च काननैश्चैव शोभिताम्॥
O Pandava, this point, adorned with mountains, woods and forest, is protected by Indra and Vaisravana.
एतदाहुर्महेन्द्रस्य राज्ञो वैश्रवणस्य च। ऋषयः सर्वधर्मज्ञाः सद्म तात मनीषिणः॥
O child, it is said by the intelligent sages, acquainted with all duties, that this (region) is the abode of Mahendra and of king Vaisravana.
अतश्चोद्यन्तमादित्यमुपतिष्ठन्ति वै प्रजाः। ऋषयश्चापिधर्मज्ञाः सिद्धाः साध्याश्च देवताः॥
The twice-born ones and the righteous sages and the Siddhas and the Sadhyas and the celestials, worship the sun who rises from this point.
यमस्तु राजाधर्मज्ञः सर्वप्राणभृतां प्रभुः। प्रेतसत्त्वगतिं ह्येनां दक्षिणामाश्रितो दिशम्॥
And that righteous king Yama, the lord of all living creatures, presides over yonder southern point, the path of the spirits of the departed.
एतत् संयमनं पुण्यमतीवाद्भुतदर्शनम्। प्रेतराजस्य भवनमृद्ध्या परमया युतम्॥
This is Sanyamana, the abode of the lord of the departed souls, sacred, highly wonderful to look at and full of crowning bliss.
यं प्राप्य सविता राजन् सत्येन प्रतितिष्ठति। अस्तं पर्वताराजानमेतमाहुर्मनीषिणः॥
The intelligent ones denominate that prince of mountains Ashta, getting to which Savita ever observed the truth.
एतं पर्वतराजानं समुद्रं च महोदधिम्। आवसन् वरुणो राजा भूतानि परिरक्षति॥
Similarly, dwelling in this prince of mountains and the mighty sea, king Varuna protects all creatures.
उदीची दीपयन्नेष दिशं तिष्ठति वीर्यवान्। महामेरुर्महाभाग शिवो ब्रह्मविदां गतिः॥
O highly fortunate one, illuminating the northern point, there stretches the powerful and auspicious (Mountains) Mahameru-the refuge to those holding communion with Brahma.
यस्मिन् ब्रह्मसदश्चैव भूतात्मा चावतिष्ठते। प्रजापतिः सृजन् सर्वं यत् किञ्चिज्जङ्गमागमम्॥
There the court of Brahma is (held) and remaining where the universal soul Prajapati created all that is mobile and immobile.
यानाहुर्ब्रह्मणः पुत्रान् मानसान् दक्षसप्तमान्। तेषामपि महामेरुः शिवं स्थानमनामयम्॥
(This) Mahameru is the auspicious and blissful abode of Daksha and six others who are known as the mind-born sons of Brahma.
अत्रैव प्रतितिष्ठन्ति पुनरेवोदयन्ति च। सप्त देवर्षयस्तात वसिष्ठप्रमुखाः सदा॥
O child, here too the seven divine sages with Vasishtha at their head sit and rise again.
देशं विरजसं पश्य मेरोः शिखरमुत्तमम्। यत्रात्मतृप्तरध्यास्ते देवैः सह पितामहः॥
Behold that excellent summit of the Meru that bright region when the grandsire (Brahma) sits with the gods, happy in self-knowledge.
यमाहुः सर्वभूतानां प्रकृतेः प्रकृतिंध्रुवम्। अनादिनिधनं देवं प्रभुं नारायणं परम्॥ ब्रह्मणः सदनात् तस्य परं स्थान प्रकाशते। देवा अपि न पश्यन्ति सर्वतेजोमयं शुभम्॥
(And) next to the abode of Brahma appears the region of that original lord, the god Narayana who has neither beginning nor end and who is said to be the really first cause of the origin of the whole creation. Even the gods cannot behold that auspicious (place)) composed of all energies.
अत्यर्कानलदीप्तं तत् स्थानं विष्णोर्महात्मनः। स्वयैव प्रभया राजन् दुष्प्रेक्ष्यं देवदानवैः॥
(And) by reason of its own splendour surpassing the sun or fire in lustre, the place of the high-souled Vishnu is not visible to the gods and the Danavas.
प्राच्यां नारायणस्थानं मेरावतिविराजते। यत्र भूतेश्वरस्तात सर्वप्रकृतिरात्मभूः॥
The abode of Narayana lies resplendent to the East of the Meru where the lord of all creatures, the self-existent cause of the universe.
भासयन् सर्वभूतानि सुश्रियाभिविराजते। नात्र ब्रह्मर्षयस्तात कुत एव महर्षयः॥ प्राप्नुवन्ति गतिं ह्येतां यतीनां भावितात्मनाम्। न तं ज्योतींषि सर्वाणि प्राप्य भासन्ति पाण्डव॥
Displaying all creatures, appears grand with excellent gracefulness. Even the Brahmarshis cannot have and admittance there; how can the Maharshis? O excellent of the Kurus, only Yatis can have access to it. Nor, O Pandava, can all the luminaries shine (by him).
परेण तपसा युक्ता स्वयं प्रभुरचिन्त्यात्मा तत्र ह्यतिविराजते। यतयस्तत्र गच्छन्ति भक्त्या नारायणं हरिम्॥ भाविताः कर्मभिः शुभैः। योगसिद्धा महात्मानस्तमोमोहविवर्जिताः॥
Here the lord of incomprehensible soul reigns supreme. Here, on account of their souls being purified by pious deeds and devotion, the Yatis of rigid asceticism, approach Narayana (Hari). Those high-souled (beings) attaining to perfection by yoga and free from ignorance and pride,
तत्र गत्वा पुनर्नेमं लोकमायान्ति भारत। स्वयम्भुवं महात्मानं देवदेवं सनातनम्॥
Repairing thither and attaining to the selfexistent, high-souled and eternal god of gods. O Bharata, do not come back to this world.
स्थानमेतन्महाभागध्रुवमक्षयमव्ययम्। ईश्वरस्य सदा ह्येतत् प्रणमात्र युधिष्ठिर॥
O highly fortunate Yudhishthira, this place is eternal, without deterioration or end; because it is always the very life of that god.
एनं त्वहरहर्मेसं सूर्याचन्द्रमसौध्रुवम्। प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य कुरुतः कुरुनन्दन।॥
O descendant of Kuru, the sun and the moon, through eternity, make their tour around this Meru every day.
ज्योतींषि चाप्यशेषेण सर्वाण्यनघ सर्वतः। परियान्ति महाराज गिरिराजं प्रदक्षिणम्॥
O pure one, O great king, all the luminaries too turn round this prince of mountains in the self-same way.
एतं ज्योतींषि सर्वाणि प्रकर्षन् भगवानपि। कुरुते वितमस्कर्मा आदित्योऽभिप्रदक्षिणम्॥
The god Aditya too, the dispeller of darkness, attracting all the luminaries, goes round this (Meru).
अस्तं प्राप्य ततः संध्यामतिक्रम्य दिवाकरः। उदीची भजते काष्ठां दिशमेष विभावसुः॥
That author of the day, Vibhavasu, having gone down and then having passed the evening, takes the excellent northern point.
पर्वसंधिषु। स मेरुमनुवृत्तः सन् पुनर्गच्छति पाण्डव। प्राङ्मुखः सविता देवः सर्वभूतहिते रतः॥
O Pandava, that god Savita, bent on the welfare of all creatures, then coming near the Meru, again goes on his course facing the East.
स मासान् विभजन् काले बहुधा तथैव भगवान् सोमो नक्षत्रैः सह गच्छति॥
Similarly, the divine moon moves with the stars (round this mountain) dividing the mouth into many sections when he arrives at the Parvas.
एवमेतं त्वतिक्रम्य महामेरुमतन्द्रितः। भावयन् सर्वभूतानि पुनर्गच्छति मन्दरम्॥
Thus crossing the Mahameru unerringly and nourishing all the creatures (the moon) goes back to the Mandara.
तथा तमिस्रहा देवो मयूखैर्भावयञ्जगत्। मार्गमेतदसम्बाधमादित्यः परिवर्तते॥
In a similar way, the god Aditya, the dispeller of darkness displaying the universe by his rays, moves round this unobstructed path.
सिसृक्षुः शिशिराण्येव दक्षिणां भजते दिशम्। ततः सर्वाणि भूतानि कालोऽभ्यर्च्छति शैशिरः॥
When he takes the southern direction with a view to cause dew, then the cold weather comes upon all the creatures.
स्थावराणां च भूतानां जगमानां च तेजसा। तेजांसि समुपादत्ते निवृत्तः स विभावसुः॥
(Then) turning back, he, by his own energy, withdraws the energy from all beings both mobile and immobile.
ततः स्वेदक्लमौ तन्द्री ग्लानिश्च भजते नरान्। प्राणिभिः सततं स्वपो ह्यभीक्ष्णं च निषेव्यते॥
In consequence of this perspiration, fatigue, drowsiness and lethargy comes upon men and all living beings always feel inclined to sleep.
एवमेतदनिर्देश्यं मार्गमावृत्य भानुमान्। पुनः सृजति वर्षाणि भगवान् भावयन् प्रजाः॥
Then the god Bhanumana coursing that unknown path (i.e. the firmament) gives birth to rains reviving (all) creatures.
वृष्टिमारुतसंतापैः सुखैः स्थावरजङ्गमान्। वर्धयन् सुमहातेजाः पुनः प्रतिनिवर्तते॥
And having nourished all (creatures) both mobile and immobile by the comfort caused by rain, wind and warmth, that one of mighty splendour resumes his (former) course.
एवमेष चरन् पार्थ कालचक्रमतन्द्रितः। प्रकर्षन् सर्वभूतानि सविता परिवर्तते॥
Thus increasingly turning on the wheel of time and influencing all creatures, O Partha, Savita goes on his course.
संतता गतिरेतस्य नैष तिष्ठति पाण्डव। आदायैव तु भूतानां तेजो विसृजते पुनः॥
O Pandava his course is unremitting and he never rests. And withdrawing the energy of (all) creatures, he gives it back.
विभजन् सर्वभूतानामायुः कर्म च भारत। अहोरात्रं कलाः काष्ठाः सृजत्येष सदा विभुः॥
O Bharata, the lord (sun), always imparting life and motion to all living creatures, creates day and night, Kala and Kashtha.