देवा ह वै प्रजापतिमब्रुवन्महाचक्रं नाम चक्रं नो ब्रूहि भगव इति सार्वकामिकं मोक्षद्वारं यद्योगिन उपदिशन्ति स होवाच प्रजापतिः षडरं वा एतत्सुदर्शनं महाचक्रं तस्मात्षडरं भवति षट्पत्रं चक्रं भवति षड्वा ऋतव ऋतुभिः संमितं भवति मध्ये नाभिर्भवति नाभ्यां वा एतेऽराः प्रतिष्ठिताः ।मायया वा एतत्सर्वं वेष्टितं भवति नात्मानं माया स्पृशति तस्मान्मायया बहिर्वेष्टितं भवति ।अथाष्टारमष्टपत्रं चक्रं भवत्यष्टाक्षरा वै गायत्री गायत्र्या संमितं भवति बहिर्मायया वेष्टितं भवति क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रं वा मायैषा संपद्यते ।अथ द्वादशारं द्वादशपत्रं चक्रं भवति द्वादशाक्षरा वै ज-गती जगत्या संमितं भवति बहिर्मा-मया वेष्टितं भवति ।अथ षोडशारं षो-डशपत्रं चक्रं भवति षोडशकलो वैपुरुषः पुरुष एवेदं सर्वं पुरुषेण संमितंभवति मायया बहिर्वेष्टितं भवति ।अथद्वात्रिंशदरं द्वात्रिंशत्पत्रं चक्रं भवतिद्वात्रिंशदक्षरा वा अनुष्टुबनुष्टुभा संमितंभवति बहिर्मायया वेष्टितं भवत्यरैर्वाएतत्सुबद्धं भवति वेदा वा एतेऽराः पत्रै-र्वा एतत्सर्वतः परिक्रामति च्छन्दांसिवै पत्राणि ॥ १ ॥
In plain words
The gods asked Prajāpati directly: 'Tell us about the wheel called the Great Wheel, the door to liberation that grants every wish, the one the yogis teach.' And he told them. Picture it as a wheel within a wheel within a wheel. First, six spokes, six petals — the six seasons of the year, turning at a hub. Wrapped around it, māyā covers the whole thing, but never touches the hub itself: māyā can dress the Self, it can never reach it. Then the wheel grows: eight spokes now, matched to the eight syllables of the Gāyatrī, wrapped again in māyā — this layer is called simply 'the field.' Twelve spokes next, matched to the Jagatī's twelve syllables, wrapped the same way. Sixteen spokes after that, matched to the sixteen parts that make up the Person — because the Person, Prajāpati says, is this whole universe — wrapped in māyā once more. And finally, thirty-two spokes, thirty-two petals, matched to the thirty-two syllables of the Anuṣṭubh meter, wrapped in māyā like all the rest. The spokes that hold it together are the Vedas themselves; the petals that let it turn on every side are the meters of the Vedas. A wheel of scripture, spinning around a center that nothing can touch.
Close to the Sanskrit
The gods indeed said to Prajāpati: 'Tell us the wheel named Mahācakra, O Lord' — thus [they said], [of] the universally-desired door to liberation, which the yogis teach. He, Prajāpati, then said: 'This Sudarśana Mahācakra is indeed six-spoked; therefore it is six-spoked, it is a six-petaled wheel. There are indeed six seasons; it is measured by the seasons. In the middle is the hub; and on the hub these spokes are fixed. By māyā indeed all this is enveloped; māyā does not touch the Self; therefore it is enveloped on the outside by māyā. Next, the eight-spoked, eight-petaled wheel: the Gāyatrī is indeed eight-syllabled; it is measured by the Gāyatrī; it is enveloped on the outside by māyā. [This is] the field; indeed this māyā becomes the field. Next, the twelve-spoked, twelve-petaled wheel: the Jagatī is indeed twelve-syllabled; it is measured by the Jagatī; it is enveloped on the outside by māyā. Next, the sixteen-spoked, sixteen-petaled wheel: the Person indeed has sixteen parts; the Person indeed is all this; it is measured by the Person; it is enveloped on the outside by māyā. Next, the thirty-two-spoked, thirty-two-petaled wheel: the Anuṣṭubh is indeed thirty-two-syllabled; it is measured by the Anuṣṭubh; it is enveloped on the outside by māyā. By the spokes indeed this is well bound together; the Vedas indeed are these spokes; and by the petals this revolves on every side; the Vedic meters indeed are the petals.' || 1 ||