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.
De même qu’un grain de blé, partagé en deux, permet d’estimer la mesure de la partie supérieure en connaissant celle de la partie inférieure, ainsi les sages versés dans la géographie cosmique enseignent que, par les mesures de la région inférieure, on comprend celles de la région supérieure de l’univers. Le ciel entre la sphère terrestre et la sphère céleste se nomme antarikṣa, l’espace, joint au sommet de la terre et au bas du ciel.
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.