Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 5.21.18

tathanye ca rsayo gandharvapsaraso naga gramanyo yatudhana deva ity ekaikaso ganah sapta caturdasa masi masi bhagavantam suryam atmanam nana-namanam prthan-nana-namanah prthak-karmabhir dvandvasa upasate

SYNONYMS

tatha -- similarly; anye -- others; ca -- also; rsayah -- saintly persons; gandharva-apsarasah -- Gandharvas and Apsaras; nagah -- Naga snakes; gramanyah -- Yaksas; yatudhanah -- Raksasas; devah -- demigods; iti -- thus; eka-ekasah -- one by one; ganah -- groups; sapta -- seven; caturdasa -- fourteen in number; masi masi -- in every month; bhagavantam -- unto the most powerful demigod; suryam -- the sun-god; atmanam -- the life of the universe; nana -- various; namanam -- who possesses names; prthak -- separate; nana-namanah -- having various names; prthak -- separate; karmabhih -- by ritualistic ceremonies; dvandvasah -- in groups of two; upasate -- worship.

TRANSLATION

Similarly, fourteen other saints, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Nagas, Yaksas, Raksasas and demigods, who are divided into groups of two, assume different names every month and continuously perform different ritualistic ceremonies to worship the Supreme Lord as the most powerful demigod Suryadeva, who holds many names.

PURPORT

In the Visnu Purana it is said:

stuvanti munayah suryam

gandharvair giyate purah

nrtyanto 'psaraso yanti

suryasyanu nisacarah

vahanti pannaga yaksaih

kriyate 'bhisusangrahah

valikhilyas tathaivainam

parivarya samasate

so 'yam sapta-ganah surya-

mandale muni-sattama

himosna vari-vrstinam

hetutve samayam gatah

Worshiping the most powerful demigod Surya, the Gandharvas sing in front of him, the Apsaras dance before the chariot, the Nisacaras follow the chariot, the Pannagas decorate the chariot, the Yaksas guard the chariot, and the saints called the Valikhilyas surround the sun-god and offer prayers. The seven groups of fourteen associates arrange the proper times for regular snow, heat and rain throughout the universe.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness