तेजोर्ऽकः सर्वभूतेभ्य आदत्ते रश्मिभिर्जलम्
The sun draws up water from all beings by means of its rays.
संजीवनं च सस्यानामंभस्तदमृतोपमम्
That water, like nectar, gives life to plants.
यच्छत्यापो हि मेघेभ्यः घुक्लाशुक्लैर्गभस्तिभिः
The sun gives that water to the clouds by means of its bright and pale rays.
सर्वभूतहितार्थाय वायुमिश्राः समन्ततः
For the welfare of all beings, those waters, mixed with wind, are spread everywhere.
वायव्यं स्तनितं चैव वैद्युतं चाग्निसंभवम्
The thunder, the wind-borne sound, and the lightning arising from fire—
न भ्रश्यन्ति यतश्चापस्तदभं कवयो विदुः
—because the waters do not fall away from them, the wise know that as the abode of water.
आग्नेया ब्रह्मजाश्चैव पक्षजाश्च पृथग्विधाः
There are clouds of the fiery kind, those born of Brahma, and those born of wings, each of a distinct type.
आग्नेया स्तूष्णजाः प्रोक्तास्तेषां धूमप्रवर्त्तनम्
The fiery ones are said to be born from stillness; in them, smoke arises.
महिषाश्च वाराहाश्च मत्तमातङ्गरूपिणः
Buffaloes, boars, and those in the form of intoxicated elephants—
जीमूता नाम ते मेघा ह्येतेभ्यो जीवसंभवः
—these clouds are called Jīmūtas; from them arises the life of beings.
मूकमेघा महाकाया आवहस्य वशानुगाः
Mute clouds, vast in form, are subject to the will of the wind.
पर्वताग्र नितंबेषु वर्षति च रसंति च
On the slopes and peaks of mountains, they rain and trickle down.
ब्रह्मजा नाम ते मेघा ब्रह्मनिश्वाससंभवाः
Those clouds called Brahmajā are born from the breath of Brahma.
तेषां शश्र्वत्प्रणादेन भूमिः स्वाङ्गरूहोद्भवा
By their constant roaring, the earth, arising from its own limbs, is sustained.
तेष्वियं प्रावृडासक्ता भूतानां जीवितोद्भवा
In these, the rainy season is established, from which the life of beings arises.
एतं योजनमात्राच्च साध्यर्द्धा निष्कृतादपि
Even from a distance of a yojana, the Sādhyas are separated from them.
पुष्करावर्त्तका नाम ते मेघाः पक्षसंभवाः
Those clouds called Puṣkarāvarttaka are said to arise from the wings.
कामागानां प्रवृद्धानां भूतानां शिवमिच्छता
Of beings whose desires have grown, wishing for well-being—
पुष्करावर्त्तकास्तेन कारणेनेह शब्दिताः
Therefore, the Puṣkarāvarttaka clouds have been named thus for this reason.
कल्पान्तवृष्टेः स्रष्टारः संवर्ताग्ने र्नियामकाः
They are the creators of the rain at the end of the aeon, the controllers of the fire of dissolution.
अनेकरूपसंस्थानाः पूरयन्तो महीतलम्
Taking on many forms and appearances, they fill the surface of the earth.
यान्यण्डस्य तु भिन्नस्य प्राकृतस्याभवंस्तदा
Whatever arose then from the broken, primordial egg—
तान्येवाण्डकपालानि सर्वे मेघाः प्रकीर्त्तिताः
All those are called the shells of the cosmic egg, all are named as clouds.
तेषां श्रेष्ठस्तु पर्जन्यश्चत्वारश्चैव दिग्गजाः
Among them, Parjanya is the foremost, and the four elephants of the directions as well.
कुलमेकं पृथग्भूतं योनिरेका जलं स्मृतम्
There is one distinct lineage, and one origin, which is said to be water.
तुषारवृष्टिं वर्षन्ति शिष्टः सस्यप्रवृद्धये
The rest pour down snow and rain for the growth of crops.
यो ऽसौ बिबर्त्ति भगवान्गङ्गामाकाशगोचराम्
That blessed one who bears the celestial Ganga, moving through the sky—
तस्या निष्यन्दतोयानि दिग्गजाः पृथुभिः करैः
The elephants of the directions, with their broad trunks, draw the waters that flow from her.
दक्षिणेन गिरिर्यो ऽसौ हेमकूट इति स्मृतः
To the south is the mountain known as Hemakūṭa.
पुण्ड्रं नाम समाख्यातं नगरं तत्र विस्तृतम्
There, the city called Puṇḍra is said to be vast.