Linga Purana

बाह्यं चाभ्यन्तरं प्रोक्तम् उत्तरायणदक्षिणे प्रत्यहं चरते तानि सूर्यो वै मण्डलानि तु

The outer and inner paths are described for the northern and southern solstices; every day, the sun moves through those circles.

कुलालचक्रपर्यन्तो यथा शीघ्रं प्रवर्तते दक्षिणप्रक्रमे देवस् तथा शीघ्रं प्रवर्तते

Just as a potter's wheel spins swiftly, so too does the sun move rapidly in its southern course.

तस्मात्प्रकृष्टां भूमिं तु कालेनाल्पेन गच्छति सूर्यो द्वादशभिः शीघ्रं मुहूर्तैर्दक्षिणायने

Therefore, the sun traverses the vast earth in a short time, moving swiftly through twelve muhūrtas during the southern solstice.

त्रयोदशार्धमृक्षाणाम् अह्ना तु चरते रविः मुहूर्तैस्तावदृक्षाणि नक्तमष्टादशैश्चरन्

The sun traverses thirteen and a half constellations during the day, moving through those constellations in as many muhūrtas, and at night, he travels through eighteen in the same way.

कुलालचक्रमध्यं तु यथा मन्दं प्रसर्पति तथोदगयने सूर्यः सर्पते मन्दविक्रमः

Just as the center of a potter’s wheel moves slowly, so too does the sun move with slow progress during the northern course.

तस्माद्दीर्घेण कालेन भूमिमल्पां तु गच्छति स रथो धिष्ठितो भानोर् आदित्यैर्मुनिभिस् तथा

Therefore, in that lengthy period, the chariot of the sun, established by the Adityas and sages, covers only a small portion of the earth.

गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश् च ग्रामणीसर्पराक्षसैः प्रदीपयन् सहस्रांशुर् अग्रतः पृष्ठतो ऽप्यधः

Illuminating all, the thousand-rayed sun is accompanied in front, behind, and below by Gandharvas, Apsaras, chiefs of serpents, and Rākṣasas.

ऊर्ध्वतश् च करं त्यक्त्वा सभां ब्राह्मीमनुत्तमाम् अंभोभिर् मुनिभिस्त्यक्तैः संध्यायां तु निशाचरान्

Having withdrawn his ray above, he enters the supreme Brāhmī assembly, and at twilight, with waters abandoned by the sages, he confronts the night-dwellers.

हत्वा हत्वा तु सम्प्राप्तान् ब्राह्मणैश्चरते रविः अष्टादश मुहूर्तं तु उत्तरायणपश्चिमम्

Having slain those who approach, the sun moves on with the Brāhmaṇas, traversing eighteen muhūrtas in the latter part of the northern course.

अहर्भवति तच्चापि चरते मन्दविक्रमः त्रयोदशार्धम् ऋक्षाणि नक्तं द्वादशभी रविः मुहूर्तैस् तावद् ऋक्षाणि दिवाष्टादशभिश्चरन्

Thus, the day is formed, and he moves with slow progress; during the night, the sun passes through twelve and a half constellations in as many muhūrtas, and during the day, he traverses eighteen.

ततो मन्दतरं नाभ्यां चक्रं भ्रमति वै यथा मृत्पिण्ड इव मध्यस्थो ध्रुवो भ्रमति वै तथा

Then, the wheel turns even more slowly at the navel, just as the fixed pole in the center causes the mass of clay to revolve.

त्रिंशन्मुहूर्तैर् एवाहुर् अहोरात्रं पुराविदः उभयोः काष्ठयोर्मध्ये भ्रमतो मण्डलानि तु

Those who know the ancient ways say that a day and night consist of thirty muhūrtas, as the circles revolve between the two extremities.

कुलालचक्रनाभिस्तु यथा तत्रैव वर्तते औत्तानपादो भ्रमति ग्रहैः सार्धं ग्रहाग्रणीः

Just as the hub of a potter’s wheel remains at the center, so too does Uttānapāda revolve with the planets, being the chief among them.

गणो मुनिज्योतिषां तु मनसा तस्य सर्पति अधिष्ठितः पुनस्तेन भानुस्त्वादाय तिष्ठति

The group of sages who are masters of astronomy say that his mind moves along with them; established by him, the sun stands, having taken up his position.

किरणैः सर्वतस्तोयं देवो वै ससमीरणः औत्तानपादस्य सदा ध्रुवत्वं वै प्रसादतः

With his rays, the god, along with the wind, draws up water from everywhere; by the grace of Uttānapāda, his constancy is ever maintained.

विष्णोरौत्तानपादेन चाप्तं तातस्य हेतुना आपः पीतास्तु सूर्येण क्रमन्ते शशिनः क्रमात्

By Viṣṇu’s Uttānapāda, and for the sake of the Father, the waters are drawn up by the sun, and then they proceed gradually to the moon.

निशाकरान्निस्रवन्ते जीमूतान्प्रत्यपः क्रमात् वृन्दं जलमुचां चैव श्वसनेनाभिताडितम्

From the moon, they flow down in succession to the clouds, and the host of water-bearers, struck by the wind, release their waters.

क्ष्मायां सृष्टिं विसृजते ऽभासयत्तेन भास्करः तोयस्य नास्ति वै नाशः तदैव परिवर्तते

The sun, shining with that, sends forth creation upon the earth; there is no destruction of water, for it is ever revolving.

हिताय सर्वजन्तूनां गतिः शर्वेण निर्मिता भूर्भुवः स्वस् तथा ह्यापो ह्य् अन्नं चामृतमेव च

For the welfare of all beings, this cycle was established by Śarva: earth, atmosphere, heaven, waters, food, and indeed immortality.

प्राणा वै जगतामापो भूतानि भुवनानि च बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन चराचरमिदं जगत्

Waters are truly the life-breath of the worlds, of beings and realms; what more need be said? This entire universe, moving and unmoving, is so.

अपां शिवस्य भगवान् आधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः अपां त्वधिपतिर्देवो भव इत्येव कीर्तितः

The blessed Lord Śiva is established as the ruler of the waters; indeed, the god Bhava is proclaimed as the lord of the waters.

भवात्मकं जगत्सर्वम् इति किं चेह चाद्भुतम् नारायणत्वं देवस्य हरेश्चाद्भिः कृतं विभोः जगतामालयो विष्णुस् त्व् आपस्तस्यालयानि तु

The entire world is of the nature of Bhava—what wonder is there in this? The divinity of Nārāyaṇa, of Hari, is established by the waters, O Lord. Viṣṇu is the foundation of the worlds, and the waters are his foundation.

दन्दह्यमानेषु चराचरेषु गोधूमभूतास् त्वथनिष्क्रमन्ति या या ऊर्ध्वं मारुतेनेरिता वै तास्तास्त्वभ्राण्यग्निना वायुना च

When all moving and unmoving beings are being burned, those that become wheat grains rise upward, driven by the wind; those that do so become clouds by fire and wind.

अतो धूमाग्निवातानां संयोगस्त्वभ्रमुच्यते वारीणि वर्षतीत्यभ्रम् अभ्रस्येशः सहस्रदृक्

Thus, the union of smoke, fire, and wind is called a cloud. The cloud, whose lord has a thousand eyes, pours down water.

यज्ञधूमोद्भवं चापि द्विजानां हितकृत्सदा दावाग्निधूमसम्भूतम् अभ्रं वनहितं स्मृतम्

Clouds arising from the smoke of sacrifice always bring benefit to the twice-born; clouds produced from the smoke of forest fires are considered beneficial for the forests.

मृतधूमोद्भवं त्वभ्रम् अशुभाय भविष्यति अभिचाराग्निधूमोत्थं भूतनाशाय वै द्विजाः

Clouds arising from the smoke of corpses will bring misfortune; and those produced from the smoke of sorcery fires, O twice-born, are for the destruction of beings.

एवं धूमविशेषेण जगतां वै हिताहितम् तस्मादाच्छादयेद्धूमम् अभिचारकृतं नरः

In this way, by the distinction of smoke, the benefit or harm of the worlds is determined. Therefore, one should cover the smoke produced by sorcery.

अनाछाद्य द्विजः कुर्याद् धूमं यश्चाभिचारिकम् एवमुद्दिश्य लोकस्य क्षयकृच्च भविष्यति

If a twice-born does not cover the smoke produced by sorcery, he will become the cause of destruction for the world.

अपां निधानं जीमूताः षण्मासानिह सुव्रताः वर्षयन्त्येव जगतां हिताय पवनाज्ञया

O virtuous ones, clouds, the repositories of water, rain for six months here for the benefit of the worlds, by the command of the wind.