Shloka 2
The Orbit of the Sun, the Measure of Day and Night, and the Sun-God’s Chariot
एतेन हि दिवो मण्डलमानं तद्विद उपदिशन्ति यथा द्विदलयोर्निष्पावादीनां ते अन्तरेणान्तरिक्षं तदुभयसन्धितम् ॥ २ ॥
etena hi divo maṇḍala-mānaṁ tad-vida upadiśanti yathā dvi-dalayor niṣpāvādīnāṁ te antareṇāntarikṣaṁ tad-ubhaya-sandhitam.
Wie ein Weizenkorn, in zwei Teile geteilt, die Größe des oberen Teils aus der Kenntnis des unteren erschließen lässt, so lehren kundige Kenner der kosmischen Geographie: Aus den Maßen des unteren Bereichs versteht man die Maße des oberen Bereichs des Universums. Der Himmel zwischen Erdsphäre und Himmelssphäre heißt antarikṣa, der äußere Raum; er grenzt an den Gipfel der Erde und an den unteren Rand des Himmels.
FAQs
This verse explains antarikṣa as the intervening region between two domains, compared to the space between the two halves of a split seed—connected to both sides.
He uses a simple, visual analogy to help the listener grasp how learned teachers describe the measure and divisions of the celestial sphere and the ‘in-between’ region.
It encourages careful learning through clear analogies—approaching complex spiritual or philosophical topics with humility, structure, and intelligible examples.