Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 14

Kāla-cakra and the Motions of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Grahas

Bhāgavata Jyotiṣa Framework

Devanagari script

अत ऊर्ध्वमङ्गारकोऽपि योजनलक्षद्वितय उपलभ्यमानस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभि: पक्षैरेकैकशो राशीन्द्वादशानुभुङ्क्ते यदि न वक्रेणाभिवर्तते प्रायेणाशुभग्रहोऽघशंस: ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

ata ūrdhvam aṅgārako ’pi yojana-lakṣa-dvitaya upalabhyamānas tribhis tribhiḥ pakṣair ekaikaśo rāśīn dvādaśānubhuṅkte yadi na vakreṇābhivartate prāyeṇāśubha-graho ’gha-śaṁsaḥ.

Translation

Phía trên nữa là sao Hỏa (Aṅgāraka), ở cao hơn sao Thủy hai lakh yojana. Nếu không vận hành theo đường cong, nó lần lượt đi qua mười hai cung hoàng đạo, mỗi cung trong ba nửa tháng; tuy vậy, nó thường là hung tinh, báo điềm dữ, đem ảnh hưởng bất lợi về mưa và các tác động khác.

Synonyms

• ataḥ: thereafter
• ataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), ‘thereafter/from this’

• ūrdhvam: above
• ūrdhvam: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative/अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग: ‘upwards/above’

• aṅgārakaḥ: Mars (Aṅgāraka)
• aṅgārakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• yojana-lakṣa-dvitaye: at (a distance of) two lakh yojanas
• yojana-lakṣa-dvitaye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-distance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yojana (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + dvitaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; dvigu compound ‘two lakhs (of) yojanas’ used as measure-location

• upalabhyamānaḥ: being observed
• upalabhyamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Descriptive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√labh (धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्), Masculine, Nominative Singular; agrees with aṅgārakaḥ

• tribhiḥ: by three
• tribhiḥ: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; numeral used with pakṣaiḥ

• tribhiḥ: by three (each)
• tribhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental Plural; repetition for distributive sense

• pakṣaiḥ: fortnights
• pakṣaiḥ: Karana (करण/Measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• ekaikaśaḥ: one by one
• ekaikaśaḥ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + -śas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Distributive indeclinable (शस्-प्रत्यय), ‘one by one’

• rāśīn: zodiacal signs
• rāśīn: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāśi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• dvādaśa: twelve
• dvādaśa: Karma (कर्म/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral, Accusative Plural agreeing with rāśīn

• anubhuṅkte: passes through/experiences
• anubhuṅkte: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Present/लट्, 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (निपात)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• vakreṇa: by retrograde motion
• vakreṇa: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental Singular; ‘by retrograde (motion)’

• abhivartate: turns back/returns (retrogrades)
• abhivartate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Present/लट्, 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada

• prāyeṇa: generally
• prāyeṇa: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indeclinable adverbial use, ‘generally’

• aśubha-grahaḥ: an inauspicious ग्रह (planet)
• aśubha-grahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśubha (प्रातिपदिक) + graha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; कर्मधारय: ‘inauspicious planet’

• agha-śaṁsaḥ: portending misfortune
• agha-śaṁsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agha (प्रातिपदिक) + śaṁsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; ‘foretelling evil’; agrees with aṅgārakaḥ

Characters & Entities

• Aṅgāraka (Mars)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Mars (Aṅgāraka)?

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).

Who is speaking this planetary description in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 5?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is explaining the cosmic arrangement and planetary motions to King Parīkṣit.

How should devotees understand “inauspicious planets” in spiritual life?

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.