Kāla-cakra and the Motions of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Grahas
Bhāgavata Jyotiṣa Framework
अत ऊर्ध्वमङ्गारकोऽपि योजनलक्षद्वितय उपलभ्यमानस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभि: पक्षैरेकैकशो राशीन्द्वादशानुभुङ्क्ते यदि न वक्रेणाभिवर्तते प्रायेणाशुभग्रहोऽघशंस: ॥ १४ ॥
ata ūrdhvam aṅgārako ’pi yojana-lakṣa-dvitaya upalabhyamānas tribhis tribhiḥ pakṣair ekaikaśo rāśīn dvādaśānubhuṅkte yadi na vakreṇābhivartate prāyeṇāśubha-graho ’gha-śaṁsaḥ.
Au-dessus se trouve Mars (Aṅgāraka), à deux lakhs de yojanas au-dessus de Mercure. S’il ne se meut pas en trajectoire courbe, il traverse successivement les douze signes du zodiaque, demeurant dans chacun trois quinzaines ; toutefois, il est le plus souvent un astre défavorable, annonciateur de malheur, notamment quant aux pluies et autres influences.
In Canto 5, the Bhagavatam describes Mars’ position, its time spent in each zodiac sign, and notes that it may move retrograde; it is generally regarded as an inauspicious planet (aśubha-graha).
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is explaining the cosmic arrangement and planetary motions to King Parīkṣit.
The verse presents traditional cosmic observations, but the Bhagavatam’s broader teaching is to take shelter of bhakti—devotion to the Supreme—so one’s consciousness remains steady beyond worldly omens.