Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 2
Kāla-cakra and the Motions of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Grahas
Bhāgavata Jyotiṣa Framework
स होवाच यथा कुलालचक्रेण भ्रमता सह भ्रमतां तदाश्रयाणां पिपीलिकादीनां गतिरन्यैव प्रदेशान्तरेष्वप्युपलभ्यमानत्वादेवं नक्षत्रराशिभिरुपलक्षितेन कालचक्रेण ध्रुवं मेरुं च प्रदक्षिणेन परिधावता सह परिधावमानानां तदाश्रयाणां सूर्यादीनां ग्रहाणां गतिरन्यैव नक्षत्रान्तरे राश्यन्तरे चोपलभ्यमानत्वात् ॥ २ ॥
sa hovāca yathā kulāla-cakreṇa bhramatā saha bhramatāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ pipīlikādīnāṁ gatir anyaiva pradeśāntareṣv apy upalabhyamānatvād evaṁ nakṣatra-rāśibhir upalakṣitena kāla-cakreṇa dhruvaṁ meruṁ ca pradakṣiṇena paridhāvatā saha paridhāvamānānāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ sūryādīnāṁ grahāṇāṁ gatir anyaiva nakṣatrāntare rāśy-antare copalabhyamānatvāt.
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī respondió con claridad: cuando gira la rueda del alfarero, las pequeñas hormigas que están sobre ella giran también; sin embargo, su movimiento parece distinto del de la rueda, pues a veces se las ve en una parte y a veces en otra. Del mismo modo, las constelaciones y los signos—como rueda del tiempo—se mueven con Sumeru y Dhruvaloka a su derecha, y con ellos se mueven el sol y los demás planetas. No obstante, el sol y los planetas se observan en signos y constelaciones diferentes en momentos distintos; esto indica que su movimiento es diferente del del zodíaco y de la propia rueda del tiempo.
FAQs
This verse describes kāla-cakra as a cosmic “wheel” marked by nakṣatras and rāśis, revolving around Dhruva and Meru, by which the planets’ motions are perceived as they pass through different constellations and zodiac signs.
He uses it to illustrate relative perception: a small being resting on a rotating system appears to move differently depending on viewpoint—similarly, planetary motion is perceived in relation to the larger rotating framework of time and celestial markers.
It encourages humility about perception: what we “see” can depend on the larger framework we stand on—so one should seek the Bhagavatam’s higher, time-transcending perspective and anchor the mind in devotion rather than shifting appearances.