SB 5.20.30 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.20.30

तद्‌द्वीपमध्ये मानसोत्तरनामैक एवार्वाचीनपराचीनवर्षयोर्मर्यादाचलोऽयुतयोजनोच्छ्रायायामो यत्र तु चतसृषु दिक्षु चत्वारि पुराणि लोकपालानामिन्द्रादीनां यदुपरिष्टात्सूर्यरथस्य मेरुं परिभ्रमत: संवत्सरात्मकं चक्रं देवानामहोरात्राभ्यां परिभ्रमति ॥ ३० ॥

tad-dvīpa-madhye mānasottara-nāmaika evārvācīna-parācīna-varṣayor maryādācalo ’yuta-yojanocchrāyāyāmo yatra tu catasṛṣu dikṣu catvāri purāṇi loka-pālānām indrādīnāṁ yad-upariṣṭāt sūrya-rathasya meruṁ paribhramataḥ saṁvatsarātmakaṁ cakraṁ devānām aho-rātrābhyāṁ paribhramati.

[tad-dveepa-madhye maanasottara-naamaika evaarvaacheena-paraacheena-varshayor maryaadaachalo ’yuta-yojanochchraayaayaamo yatra tu chatasrishu dikshu chatvaari puraani loka-paalaanaam indraadeenaam yad-uparishtaat soorya-rathasya merum paribhramatah samvatsaraatmakam chakram devaanaam aho-raatraabhyaam paribhramati.]

Word-for-word

tat-dvīpa-madhye — within that island mānasottara — Mānasottara nāma — named ekaḥ — one eva — indeed arvācīna — on this side parācīna — and beyond, or outside varṣayoḥ — of tracts of land maryādā — indicating the boundary acalaḥ — a great mountain ayuta — ten thousand yojana — eight miles ucchrāya-āyāmaḥ — whose height and width yatra — where tu — but catasṛṣu — in the four dikṣu — directions catvāri — four purāṇi — cities loka-pālānām — of the directors of planetary systems indra-ādīnām — headed by Indra yat — of which upariṣṭāt — on the top sūrya-rathasya — of the chariot of the sun-god merum — Meru Mountain paribhramataḥ — while circumambulating saṁvatsara-ātmakam — consisting of one saṁvatsara cakram — wheel or orbit devānām — of the demigods ahaḥ-rātrābhyām — by the day and night paribhramati — moves around.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

tat-dvīpa-madhye

within that island

mānasottara

Mānasottara

nāma

named

ekaḥ

one

eva

indeed

arvācīna

on this side

parācīna

and beyond, or outside

varṣayoḥ

of tracts of land

maryādā

indicating the boundary

acalaḥ

a great mountain

ayuta

ten thousand

yojana

eight miles

ucchrāya-āyāmaḥ

whose height and width

yatra

where

but

catasṛṣu

in the four

dikṣu

directions

catvāri

four

purāṇi

cities

loka-pālānām

of the directors of planetary systems

indra-ādīnām

headed by Indra

yat

of which

upariṣṭāt

on the top

sūrya-rathasya

of the chariot of the sun-god

merum

Meru Mountain

paribhramataḥ

while circumambulating

saṁvatsara-ātmakam

consisting of one saṁvatsara

cakram

wheel or orbit

devānām

of the demigods

ahaḥ-rātrābhyām

by the day and night

paribhramati

moves around.

In the middle of that island is a great mountain named Mānasottara, which forms the boundary between the inner side and the outer side of the island. Its breadth and height are 10,000 yojanas [80,000 miles]. On that mountain, in the four directions, are the residential quarters of demigods such as Indra. In the chariot of the sun-god, the sun travels on the top of the mountain in an orbit called the Saṁvatsara, encircling Mount Meru. The sun’s path on the northern side is called Uttarāyaṇa, and its path on the southern side is called Dakṣiṇāyana. One side represents a day for the demigods, and the other represents their night.

Purport

The movement of the sun is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.52) : yasyājñāya bhramati saṁbhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. The sun orbits around Mount Sumeru, for six months on the northern side and for six months on the southern. This adds up to the duration of a day and night of the demigods in the upper planetary systems.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

In the middle of that island is a great mountain named Mānasottara, which forms the boundary between the inner side and the outer side of the island. Its breadth and height are 10,000 yojanas. On that mountain, in the four directions, are the residential quarters of devatās such as Indra. The wheel of the chariot of the sun-god, making up a year, going around Meru, travels on the top of the mountain with northern and southern courses, called the day and night of the devatās. Because Mānasottra Mountain is circular, there are two varṣas, one either side of it, also of circular shape. “By days and nights of the devatās” means with northern (from winter to summer equinox) and southern courses (from summer to winter equinox) of the sun.

Personal Guidance

Even the sun follows an orbit set for it; nothing in creation moves at random. Our days have rhythms we did not invent. Aligning with rhythms (sunrise, fasting days, prayer hours) connects us to a vast harmonized order.

Reflection Questions

Which natural rhythm could I align my practice with that I currently ignore?
Where am I living chaotically in a universe that is structured for me to flow with?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io