Śaunaka said: O Sūta! Śukadeva explained to Parīkṣit about the seven associations of the sun god in the different months. Please describe to us, who have great faith in your words, the different sets of seven personal features and associates that the sun-god exhibits during each month, along with their names and activities. The associates of the sun-god, who serve their lord, are expansions of the sun, who is a form of the Supreme Lord, and are engaged by the Lord in their service. You have explained to us the conversation of Śukadeva and Parīkṣit constituting the Bhāgavatam, and after that, the story of Mārkaṇdeya our ancestor, and in answer to our request, a description of his method of worship. There is an example given of the sun, comparing it to Kṛṣṇa, the subject of the Bhāgavatam: kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate dharma-jṣānādibhiḥ saha kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa purāṇārko 'dhunoditaḥ This Bhāgavata Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purāṇa. SB 1.3.43 kṛṣṇa-dyumaṇi nimloce gīrṇeṣv ajagareṇa ha kiṁ nu naḥ kuśalaṁ brūyāṁ gata-śrīṣu gṛheṣv aham My dear Vidura, the sun of the world, Lord Kṛṣṇa, has set, and our house has now been swallowed by the great snake of time. What can I say to you about our welfare? SB 3.2.7 “Because the sun has been mentioned, I should now have Sūta explain about the sun, the king of all planets, with twelve forms, at the time of completion of the king of all Purāṇas, consisting of twelve volumes.” In this way, Śaunaka considered in his mind. In the Fifth Canto it was said concerning the sun: tathānye ca ṛṣayo gandharvāpsaraso nāgā grāmaṇyo yātudhānā devā ity ekaikaśo gaṇāḥ sapta caturdaśa māsi māsi bhagavantaṁ sūryam ātmānaṁ nānā-nāmānaṁ pṛthaṅ-nānā-nāmānaḥ pṛthak-karmabhir dvandvaśa upāsate. Similarly, other sages, Gandharvas, Apsarās, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas and devatās, in fourteen groups in some months and pairing up to make seven groups in other months, assume different names every month and continuously perform different ritualistic ceremonies to worship the Supreme Lord as Sūryadeva, who has many names. SB 5.21.18 Adhīśvaraiḥ means “engaged by the Supreme Lord.” “What is the use of asking about the sun?” Tell us about the expansions of the Lord whose form is the sun.