Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 6
Kāla-cakra and the Motions of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Grahas
Bhāgavata Jyotiṣa Framework
Devanagari script
अथ च यावतार्धेन नभोवीथ्यां प्रचरति तं कालमयनमाचक्षते ॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration
atha ca yāvatārdhena nabho-vīthyāṁ pracarati taṁ kālam ayanam ācakṣate.
Translation
El tiempo que el Sol tarda en recorrer la mitad de su camino por el firmamento se llama ayana (su curso hacia el norte o hacia el sur).
Synonyms
athathen
atha:
Sambandha-bodhaka
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatha (अव्यय)
FormDiscourse particle
caand
ca:
Samuccaya
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction
yāvatāby the extent that
yāvatā:
Karaṇa (करण/measure)
TypeAdjective
Rootyāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTṛtīyā, Ekavacana; measure-relative 'by as much as'
ardhenaby half
ardhena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootardha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुṁsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana
nabhaḥ-vīthyāmin the celestial path
nabhaḥ-vīthyām:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootnabhas (प्रातिपदिक) + vīthī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'in the path/track of the sky'
pracaratimoves
pracarati:
Kriyā (मुख्य-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra + car (धातु)
FormLaṭ lakāra, Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana
tamthat
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
kālamtime-period
kālam:
Karma (कर्म/apposition to tam)
TypeNoun
Rootkāla (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
ayanaman ayana (half-year course)
ayanam:
Karma (कर्म/predicate object)
TypeNoun
Rootayana (प्रातिपदik)
FormNapुṁsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; predicate accusative with ācakṣate
ācakṣatethey call/describe
ācakṣate:
Kriyā (मुख्य-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā + cakṣ (धातु)
FormLaṭ lakāra, Ātmanepada; Prathama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana
FAQs
It defines ayana as the duration in which the Sun traverses half of the celestial pathway.
To explain Bhagavatam’s Vedic cosmology and how time (kāla) is understood through the Sun’s course within the universe.
It helps one align life with sacred time—seeing time as a divine order and using seasons/half-years to structure sādhana, festivals, and disciplined living.