पतङ्गैः पतगैरश्वैर्भ्रममाणो दिवस्पतिः
The lord of the day moves, drawn by winged steeds and celestial horses.
वामदक्षिणतो युक्ता दश तेन चरन्त्यसौ
Ten are harnessed to him, five on the left and five on the right, and thus he moves.
ह्रासवृद्धी तथैवास्य रश्मीनां सूर्यवत्स्मृते
His rays, like those of the sun, are said to wax and wane in the same way.
अपां गर्णात्समुत्पन्नो रथः साश्वः ससारथिः
His chariot, with horses and charioteer, arose from the waters.
दशभिस्तु कृशैर्दिव्यैरसंगैस्तैर्मनोजवैः
With ten slender, divine, untiring, mind-swift horses,
संगृहीतरथे तस्मिञ्श्वेतश्चक्षुःश्रवाश्च वै
On that assembled chariot are Śveta and Cakṣuḥśravā,
यजुश्चण्डमनाश्चैव वृषो वाजी नरो हयः
Yaju, Caṇḍa, Manas, Vṛṣa, Vājī, Nara, and Haya.
इत्येते नामभिः सर्वे दश चन्द्रमसो हयाः
Thus, these are the ten horses of the Moon, each by these names.
देवैः परिवृतः सोमः पितृभिश्चैव गच्छति
Soma, surrounded by the gods and also by the ancestors, proceeds.
आपूर्यते परस्यान्ते सततं दिवसक्रमात्
He is continually filled at the end of the half-month, in the course of days.
क्षीणं पञ्चदशाहं तु रश्मिनैकेन भास्करः
When waning, for fifteen days, the Sun with one ray diminishes him.
सुषुम्णाप्यायमानस्य शुक्ला वर्द्धन्ति वै कलाः
When nourished by Suṣumnā, his bright digits increase.
इत्येवं सूर्यवीर्येण चन्द्रश्चाप्यायितस्ततः
Thus, by the Sun’s power, the Moon is nourished in this way.
एवमाप्यायितः सोमः शुक्ल पक्षे दिनक्रमात्
In this way, Soma, nourished, waxes day by day in the bright fortnight.
अपां सारमयस्येन्दो रसमात्रात्मकस्य तु
The essence of the waters, which is the very substance of the Moon, is indeed composed entirely of sap.
संभृतं त्वर्द्धमासेन ह्यमृतं सूर्यतेजसा
Within half a month, this nectar is gathered together by the radiance of the Sun.
एकां रात्रिं सुरैः सर्वैः पितृभिः सर्षिभिः सह
For one night, all the gods, along with the ancestors and sages, partake of it.
प्रक्षीयन्ते पिदृदेवैः पीयमानाः कलाः क्रमात्
Gradually, as it is consumed by the gods and ancestors, the portions are diminished.
त्रयश्च त्रिसहस्राश्च देवाः सोमं पिबन्ति वै
Three and three thousand gods indeed drink the Soma.
क्षीयन्ति तस्माच्छुक्लाश्च कृष्णा आप्याययन्ति च
Therefore, the bright phases wane, and the dark phases are replenished.
पीत्वार्द्ध मासं गच्छन्ति चामावास्यां सुरोत्तमाः
After drinking for half a month, the best of the gods depart at the new moon.
ततः पञ्चदशेकाले किञ्चिच्छिष्टे कलात्मके
Then, at the time of the fifteenth day, when a little portion remains,
पिबन्ति द्विलवं कालं शिष्टास्तस्य कलास्तु याः
Those who remain drink for two more days the portions that are left.
तां स्वधां मासतृप्त्यै च पीत्वा गच्छन्ति ते ऽमृतम्
Having drunk that Svadhā for the satisfaction of the month, they go to the nectar.
कृष्णपक्षे सुरैस्तद्वत्पीयते वै सुधामयः
In the dark fortnight, in the same way, the gods drink the nectarous essence.
काव्यश्चैव तु ये प्रोक्ताः पितरः सर्व एव ते
And all those ancestors who are called Kavyas,
सौम्यास्तु ऋतुवो ज्ञेया मासा बर्हिषदः स्मृताः
The gentle seasons are to be known, and the months are remembered as Barhishads.
पितृभिः पीयमानस्य पञ्चदश्यां कला तु वै
On the fifteenth day, the portion that is drunk by the ancestors,
अमावास्यां तदा तस्य तत आपूर्यते परः
At the new moon, then, that portion is replenished again.
एवं सूर्यनिमित्तैष क्षयोवृद्धिर्निशाकरे
Thus, due to the Sun, there is waning and waxing of the Moon.