भासा स एष उदगयनदक्षिणायनवैषुवतसंज्ञाभिर्मान्द्यशैघ्र्यसमानाभिर्गतिभिरारोहण
वारोहणसमानस्थानेषु यथासवनमभिपद्यमानो मकरादिषु राशिष्वहोरात्राणि
दीर्घह्रस्वसमानानि विधत्ते ॥३॥
yan-madhya-gato bhagavÄá¹s tapatÄá¹ patis tapana Ätapena tri-lokÄ«á¹ pratapaty avabhÄsayaty Ätma-bhÄsÄ sa eá¹£a udagayana-daká¹£iṇÄyana-vaiá¹£uvata-saá¹jñÄbhir mÄndya-Å›aighrya-samÄnÄbhir gatibhir ÄrohaṇÄvarohaṇa-samÄna-sthÄneá¹£u yathÄ-savanam abhipadyamÄno makarÄdiá¹£u rÄÅ›iá¹£v aho-rÄtrÄṇi dÄ«rgha-hrasva-samÄnÄni vidhatte
yat - of which (the intermediate space); madhya-gataḥ - being situated in the middle; bhagavÄn - the most powerful; tapatÄm patiḥ - the master of those that heat the whole universe; tapanaḥ - the sun; Ätapena - by heat; tri-lokÄ«m - the three worlds; pratapati - heats; avabhÄsayati - lights; Ätma-bhÄsÄ - by its own illuminating rays; saḥ - that; eá¹£aḥ - the sun globe; udagayana - of passing to the northern side of the equator; daká¹£iṇa-ayana - of passing to the southern side of the equator; vaiá¹£uvata - or of passing through the equator; saá¹jñÄbhiḥ - by different names; mÄndya - characterized by slowness; Å›aighrya - swiftness; samÄnÄbhiḥ - and by equality; gatibhiḥ - by movement; Ärohaṇa - of rising; avarohaṇa - of going down; samÄna - or of staying in the middle; sthÄneá¹£u - in positions; yathÄ-savanam - according to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; abhipadyamÄnaḥ - moving; makara-Ädiá¹£u - headed by the sign Makara (Capricorn); rÄÅ›iá¹£u - in different signs; ahaḥ-rÄtrÄṇi - the days and nights; dÄ«rgha - long; hrasva - short; samÄnÄni - equal; vidhatte - makes.
In the midst of that region of outer space [antarikṣa] is the most opulent sun, the king of all the planets that emanate heat, such as the moon. By the influence of its radiation, the sun heats the universe and maintains its proper order. It also gives light to help all living entities see. While passing toward the north, toward the south or through the equator, in accordance with the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is said to move slowly, swiftly or moderately. According to its movements in rising above, going beneath or passing through the equator — and correspondingly coming in touch with various signs of the zodiac, headed by Makara [Capricorn] — days and nights are short, long or equal to one another.
Lord BrahmÄ prays in his Brahma-saá¹hitÄ (5.52):
yac caká¹£ur eá¹£a savitÄ sakala-grahÄṇÄá¹
rÄjÄ samasta-sura-mÅ«rtir aÅ›eá¹£a-tejÄḥ
yasyÄjñayÄ bhramati saá¹bhá¹›ta-kÄla-cakro
govindam Ädi-puruá¹£aá¹ tam ahaá¹ bhajÄmi
“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead under whose control even the sun, which is considered to be the eye of the Lord, rotates within the fixed orbit of eternal time. The sun is the king of all planetary systems and has unlimited potency in heat and light.†Although the sun is described as bhagavÄn, the most powerful, and although it is actually the most powerful planet within the universe, it nevertheless has to carry out the order of Govinda, Kṛṣṇa. The sun-god cannot deviate even an inch from the orbit designated to him. Therefore in every sphere of life, the supreme order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is carried out. The entire material nature carries out His orders. However, we foolishly see the activities of material nature without understanding the supreme order and Supreme Person behind them. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ, mayÄdhyaká¹£eṇa praká¹›tiḥ: material nature carries out the orders of the Lord, and thus everything is maintained in an orderly way.
