Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.23.7
Sthāna· The universe in orderNārāyaṇa Within the Śiśumāra’s Heart
“On the upper chin of the śiśumāra is Agasti; on its lower chin, Yamarāja; on its mouth, Mars; on its genitals, Saturn; on the back of its neck, Jupiter; on its chest, the sun; and within the core of its heart, Nārāyaṇa. Within its mind is the moon; on its navel, Venus; and on its breasts, the Aśvinī-kumāras. Within its life air, which is known as prāṇāpāna, is Mercury, on its neck is Rāhu, all over its body are comets, and in its pores are the numerous stars.”
What the purport teaches
- The sun is on the śiśumāra’s chest, and Nārāyaṇa is within the core of its heart. The moon is within its mind.
- Mars is on its mouth, Saturn on its genitals, and Jupiter on the back of its neck. Venus is on its navel, and the Aśvinī-kumāras are on its breasts.
- Mercury is within its life air, called prāṇāpāna, and Rāhu is on its neck. Comets extend over its body, and numerous stars occupy its pores.
Try this today
Quietly recall the sun on the chest, Nārāyaṇa within the heart and the moon within the mind.
Ask yourself
Which placement in this description most helps me remember the śiśumāra form?
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.