Of the many fires that exist in the universe, there are three principal kinds to be understood: the electric, the aquatic, and the lotus-born. Let me now describe their characteristics. The electric fire, the digestive fire, and the solar fire, along with the aquatic fire—these three are known as the primary fires. It is thus that the sun, by drinking up the waters, shines forth with his radiant rays. The lotus-born fire dwells within the waters, yet, remarkably, fire is not extinguished by water. In the bellies of all living beings, the digestive fire continues to burn, undiminished; this blazing fire, though invisible to the eye, is driven by the wind and is known as the digestive fire. When the sun has set, there appears a white, circular, and cool radiance—this is the lingering glow of the sun’s own light. At night, the fire enters the orb of the sun, and so it shines from afar; when the sun rises again, the heat of fire returns to the sun. By the “foot” of the terrestrial fire, the fire continues to burn, and thus, in both their forms—light and heat—the solar and terrestrial fires shine forth. These fires nourish one another through mutual interpenetration. In the northern half of the earth, water predominates; in the southern, fire. The sun rises again and again, continually entering the waters, and thus the waters take on a coppery hue, due to the sun’s constant presence by day and night. When the sun sets, the waters enter the day, and so, at night, the waters appear white and shining. Through this ongoing process, in both the southern and northern halves of the earth, at sunrise and sunset, during day and night, the waters are always entering. The sun, who shines while drinking up water with his rays, is said to be the divine and pure one, mingling with the terrestrial fire. This fire is described as having a thousand feet and resembling a round pot; it draws in water from all sides through a thousand channels. These channels are the ocean, wells, clouds, stationary and moving waters, as well as tanks, streams, and the like. Through its thousand rays, it emits cold, rain, and heat; of these, four hundred channels pour forth rain, each with wondrous forms. These are known as vessels, garlands, banners, and falling streams; all the rays that cause rain are called “nectar.” Three hundred of the channels are rays that bring snow; among them are threads, clouds, and showers, which are cooling and produce snow. All these are called “moon-rays,” and include the yellowish rays, the white ones, the directions, and the cows that sustain the universe. All the white rays are named as three hundred rays that produce heat; through these, the moon nourishes humans, ancestors, and gods. Here, humans are satisfied with herbs, ancestors with oblations, and all the gods with nectar—each through these three means. In spring and summer, the sun burns with three hundred rays; in the rainy season and autumn, he pours forth with four hundred. In winter and late winter, he releases frost with three rays, presided over by Indra, Dhātā, Bhaga, Pūṣā, Mitra, Varuṇa, and Aryaman. Each month, different deities preside over the sun’s rays: Aṃśu, Vivasvān, Tvaṣṭā, Parjanya, Viṣṇu, Varuṇa in Māgha, and Sūrya in Phālguna. In Caitra, Aṃśu; in Vaiśākha, Dhātā the heat-giver; in Jyeṣṭha, Indra; in Āṣāḍha, Aryaman and Ravi. Vivasvān in Śrāvaṇa; Bhaga is remembered in Prauṣṭhapada; Parjanya in Āśvayuja; Tvaṣṭā and Ravi in Kārtika. Mitra in Mārgaśīrṣa; Viṣṇu, the eternal, in Pauṣa. Varuṇa’s solar work is said to have five thousand rays. Pūṣā, the god Aṃśu, shines with six thousand rays; Dhātā with seven thousand; Śatakratu with eight thousand. Vivasvān moves with ten rays; Bhaga with eleven; Mitra burns with seven; Tvaṣṭā is remembered with eight. Aryaman moves with ten rays; Parjanya with nine; Viṣṇu heats the earth with six thousand rays. The appearance of the sun changes with the seasons: in spring he is tawny; in summer, he shines with golden brilliance; in the rainy season, he is white; in autumn, pale. In winter, his color is coppery; in late winter, he is red. Thus, the colors arising from the sun are described. The sun imparts strength to herbs, oblations to ancestors, and nectar to the gods, placing these three gifts in the three realms. Thus, the thousand-rayed solar force fulfills the purpose of the worlds, distributing itself as it reaches them, releasing cold and heat through water. This radiant, shining orb called the Sun is the foundation and origin of all the stars, planets, and the Moon. All lunar, stellar, and planetary bodies are to be understood as arising from the Sun; Soma, the lord of the stars, is the left eye of the ruler. The Sun himself is the right eye of the ruler, and by their vision, all beings in the world are guided. The remaining five planets are to be known as sovereigns, moving as they wish; Fire, the Sun, Water, and the Moon are also recited among them. Now, listen as I properly describe the nature of the remaining ones: Skanda, the commander of the gods, is called Aṅgāraka among the planets. Those who know wisdom declare Budha to be Nārāyaṇa, the god; Yama, the lord of all worlds, is himself directly the lord of beings. O best of the twice-born, Śanaiścara, the great planet who moves slowly, is the teacher of gods and demons; the two shining ones, Śukra and Bṛhaspati, are both great planets. Śukra and Bṛhaspati are said to be the sons of Prajāpati. All the three worlds have the sun as their root—of this, there is no doubt.