Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.21.7
Sthāna· The universe in orderThe Sun Marks Work and Rest
“Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued; My dear King, as stated before, the learned say that the sun travels over all sides of Mānasottara Mountain in a circle whose length is 95,100,000 yojanas [760,800,000 miles]. On Mānasottara Mountain, due east of Mount Sumeru, is a place known as Devadhānī, possessed by King Indra. Similarly, in the south is a place known as Saṁyamanī, possessed by Yamarāja, in the west is a place known as Nimlocanī, possessed by Varuṇa, and in the north is a place named Vibhāvarī, possessed by the moon-god. Sunrise, midday, sunset and midnight occur in all those places according to specific times, thus engaging all living entities in their various occupational duties and also making them cease such duties.”
What the purport teaches
- The learned describe the sun’s circular journey around Mānasottara Mountain as 95,100,000 yojanas, or 760,800,000 miles.
- The four places are Devadhānī of Indra in the east, Saṁyamanī of Yamarāja in the south, Nimlocanī of Varuṇa in the west, and Vibhāvarī of the moon-god in the north.
- Sunrise, midday, sunset and midnight occur at specific times in these places. These changes engage living entities in their occupational duties and also bring those duties to a stop.
Try this today
Choose a definite time today to finish one duty and pause from that work.
Ask yourself
How do the changing times of day shape when I work and when I stop?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.