The lord of the day, radiant and resplendent, journeys across the heavens drawn by winged steeds and celestial horses. Ten noble horses are harnessed to his chariot—five on the left and five on the right—and thus he moves on his appointed path. His rays, much like those of the Sun, are said to wax and wane in a similar manner. This divine chariot, complete with its horses and charioteer, arose from the primordial waters. Upon it stand ten slender, divine, untiring horses, swift as thought. Their names are Śveta, Cakṣuḥśravā, Yaju, Caṇḍa, Manas, Vṛṣa, Vājī, Nara, and Haya. These are the ten horses of the Moon, each bearing its own name and divine quality. Soma, the Moon, surrounded by the gods and the ancestors, proceeds on his celestial course. He is continually filled at the end of the half-month, nourished as the days pass. During the waning phase, for fifteen days, the Sun with a single ray gradually diminishes him. Yet, when Soma is nourished by the ray called Suṣumnā, his bright digits begin to increase. Thus, by the Sun’s power, the Moon is both diminished and replenished. In this way, Soma waxes day by day during the bright fortnight, nourished by the Sun. The very essence of the waters, which is the substance of the Moon, is indeed made entirely of sap, the nectar of life. Within half a month, this nectar is gathered together by the Sun’s radiance. For one night, all the gods, along with the ancestors and sages, partake of this celestial nectar. Gradually, as it is consumed by the gods and ancestors, the portions dwindle. In truth, three and three thousand gods drink the Soma. Therefore, the bright phases of the Moon wane as the nectar is consumed, and the dark phases are replenished as it is restored. After drinking for half a month, the greatest of the gods depart at the new moon. Then, at the time of the fifteenth day, when only a small portion remains, those who are left drink for two more days the portions that remain. Having drunk this Svadhā for the satisfaction of the month, they go on to the nectar. In the dark fortnight, in the same way, the gods drink the nectarous essence, and all those ancestors known as the Kavyas partake as well. The gentle seasons are to be recognized, and the months are remembered as Barhishads. On the fifteenth day, the portion that is drunk by the ancestors is replenished again at the new moon. Thus, due to the Sun, there is both waning and waxing of the Moon. The chariot of the son of Soma gleams with radiance, made of pure light and shining white. The splendid chariot of Bhārgava is also resplendent, shining with brilliance like the Sun. The horses yoked to these chariots come in many colors—white, tawny, spotted, dark blue, yellow, and bright red—ten noble, strong, swift steeds. Some are unattached, red, all-pervading, and born of fire. Then comes the learned Brhaspati, the divine teacher of the Angiras lineage, drawn by eight celestial, swift horses born from water. Shani, too, proceeds with powerful horses born of the sky. Svarbhanu’s eight horses are black and swift as thought. And Rahu, emerging from the Adityas, approaches the Moon at the critical junctions, continuing this eternal dance of light and shadow in the heavens.