5    Brief on Planets- Sun, Moon, Sisumara and Bilwa Swarga

Now about the Planets: Bhu Loka as Planet resembling the form of a lotus flower comprises the Sapta Dwipas and Sapta Samudras over an area of one million yojanas or 8 million miles; Jambu Dwipa has an area of one lakh yojanas with Sumeru Mountain as the pericarp. Lokaloka is the border of Bhuloka controlled by four Gajapatis viz. Rishabha, Pushkarachuda, Vamana an Aparajita. From Meru to Lokaloka is billon miles and an equal distance from there is Bhurloka. The Planet of Sun is in between Bhurloka to Bhuvarloka, called Antariksha overseeing half of the Universe like a grain of wheat. Sun’s movement in the Antariksha (outer space) from North to South Dishas is Dakshinayana over six months and from South to North over another six months influencing fortunes of one and all is called Uttarayana. As Sun travels to North from South, nights become longer and from South to North, days become longer. Sun travels from Manasarovara Mountain in a circle. His set route is from the East of Sumeru to Devaloka of Indra; to his loka towards South is Yamaloka; to the West is Nimkolani of Varuna; and to North to Vibhavati the Chandra loka; Surya Deva’s Chariot called ‘Trayimaya’ thus performs Parikrama of the four Lokas of Indra, Yama, Varuna and Chandra and would have travelled 760 million miles approx.By the time one could utter the words Bhur Bhuvassuvah, Surya’s chariot would have travelled 16000 miles! Surya’s chariot has 2.8 million miles long and seven lakh miles wide. The Ratha Sarathi, Arunadeva (Brother of Garuda and younger son of Kadru, the daughter of Kashyapa Muni) controls the horses looking to Sun God and driving on the opposite direction. The Seven horses are named Gayatri, Bruhati, Usnik, Trishthup, Anushthup, and Pankti.

Chandrama travels faster and the distance between this Planet and Surya is of a lakh yojanas (800, 000 miles). Yet, Sun takes a year to travel through all the Rashis or Zodiac Signs while Moon takes a month for the Parikrama; in other words, in two and quarter days, Moon passes through a month of the Sun and hence the difference of Solar and Lunar calculations. Chandra is known as Jeeva (Praanadaata), Manomaya (mind alerter), Annamaya (potency provider from foodgrains, herbs and plants), Amritamaya (source of life) and Sarvamaya (all pervading). Moon fall day (Amavasya) and Moon rise day (Purnami) have their own significance in the Solar and Lunar Calendars. The distance between Moon and the twenty seven Stars is two lakh Yojanas. Distance from Stars to Shukra and is the same, which is a helpful Planet providing prosperity. Budha (Mercury) is also as distant from it to Shukra and is helpful except in nearness to Sun. Mangala is not considered as favourable.  Jupiter is generally helpful. Saturn is invariably unhelpful. Normally, each Planet is away by a distance of 16 lakh miles but the distance from Saturn is halfway to Sapta Riushi Mandala or the Constellation of the Great Bear (Ursa Major) the Great Well Wisher of the Universe connecting humans and Gods. Above the Constellation is the Pole Star (Dhruva) and Sisumara Planetary System or the Sisumara Samsthaana which has the shape of a Dolphin and represents Vasu Deva Himself. It is coiled with its head down, with the Pole Star as its tail, on the top of the tail as Prajapati, Agni, Indra and Dharmja; at the hip position Sapta Rishis, the body with various Stars, Upper chin Agasthi, lower chin Yama Raja, its mouth Mars, genitals Saturn, neck-back Guru, chest Sun, mind Moon, navel Venus, breasts Ahwini Kumars, neck Rahu, heart Vasudeva himself, life-air Mercury, and the body hair pores various Stars on the Sky etc. Thus Sisumara Chakra is a view of Bhagavan Himself! Beneath Sun are Rahu and Ketu the Sub-Heaven Planets.


Under the Earth is Bilwa Swarga of over an equal expanse comprising Seven Lokas called Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala and Pataala, and the residents of these Lokas being Daityas, Danavas, and Nagas are all fond of luxurious life with material enjoyments like wine, women and food, having no illnesses as they all enjoy ‘haataka’ or herbal juice and blessed with prosperity and wealth.                                                       Twenty eight Narakas exist like Tasmira, Arthamishra, Rourava, Kumbhipaaka, Asi Patra, Kalasutra, Andha kupa and Raktakta Bhojana, where retribution of justice is rendered against sins committed by various Beings.


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