Linga Purana

आग्नेयानां श्वासजानां पक्षजानां द्विजर्षभाः जलदानां सदा धूमो ह्य् आप्यायन इति स्मृतः

O best of twice-born, the smoke arising from fire, from breath, from birds, and from clouds is always known as nourishment.

पौण्ड्रास्तु वृष्टयः सर्वा वैद्युताः शीतशस्यदाः पुण्ड्रदेशेषु पतिता नागानां शीकरा हिमाः

All the rains in the Pundra region are lightning-born, bringing cold and abundant crops; the dew and frost that fall there are the droplets of the serpents.

गाङ्गा गङ्गाम्बुसम्भूता पर्जन्येन परावहैः नगानां च नदीनां च दिग्गजानां समाकुलम्

The Ganges, born from the water of the Ganga, is filled by the rain and the mountain streams, crowded with the rivers of the mountains and the elephants of the quarters.

मेघानां च पृथग्भूतं जलं प्रायादगादगम् परावहो यः श्वसनश् चानयत्यम्बिकागुरुम्

The water separated from the clouds is mostly carried away by the wind called Parāvaha, which brings it to the teacher of Ambika.

मेनापतिमतिक्रम्य वृष्टिशेषं द्विजाः परम् अभ्येति भारते वर्षे त्व् अपरान्तविवृद्धये

O twice-born, after surpassing the lord of Mena, the remaining rain comes to the land of Bharata for the increase of the western regions.

वृष्टयः कथिता ह्यद्य द्विधा वस्तु विवृद्धये सस्यद्वयस्य संक्षेपात् प्रब्रवीमि यथामति

Today, the rains have been described as twofold for the increase of things; I will briefly explain, according to my understanding, the two kinds of crops.

स्रष्टा भानुर्महातेजा वृष्टीनां विश्वदृग् विभुः सो ऽपि साक्षाद्द्विजश्रेष्ठाश् चेशानः परमः शिवः

The creator, the sun of great brilliance, the all-seeing, the pervader—he himself, O best of twice-born, is truly the supreme Lord Shiva.

स एव तेजस्त्वोजस्तु बलं विप्रा यशः स्वयम् चक्षुः श्रोत्रं मनो मृत्युर् आत्मा मन्युर् विदिग् दिशः

He himself is the energy, the vigor, the strength, O brahmins, the fame, the eye, the ear, the mind, death, the self, anger, the directions, and the quarters.

सत्यं ऋतं तथा वायुर् अंबरं खचरश् च सः लोकपालो हरिर्ब्रह्मा रुद्रः साक्षान्महेश्वरः

He is truth, order, the wind, the sky, and the one who moves in the sky; he is the guardian of the world, Hari, Brahma, Rudra—indeed, the great Lord himself.

सहस्रकिरणः श्रीमान् अष्टहस्तः सुमङ्गलः अर्धनारिवपुः साक्षात् त्रिनेत्रस् त्रिदशाधिपः

He is radiant with a thousand rays, glorious, eight-armed, most auspicious, with a form half-female, manifestly three-eyed, and the lord of the gods.

अस्यैवेह प्रसादात्तु वृष्टिर्नानाभवद्द्विजाः सहस्रगुणमुत्स्रष्टुम् आदत्ते किरणैर्जलम्

By his grace alone, O twice-born, rain arises in many forms; with his rays he draws up water to release it a thousandfold.

जलस्य नाशो वृद्धिर्वा नास्त्येवास्य विचारतः ध्रुवेणाधिष्ठितो वायुर् वृष्टिं संहरते पुनः

There is neither destruction nor increase of water as he considers; the wind, established in the pole star, gathers the rain again.

ग्रहान् निःसृत्य सूर्यात् तु कृत्स्ने नक्षत्रमण्डले चारस्यान्ते विशत्यर्के ध्रुवेण समधिष्ठिता

Emerging from the planets, from the sun, and throughout the constellation circle, at the end of the journey, it enters the sun, established by the pole star.

सौरं संक्षेपतो वक्ष्ये रथं शशिन एव च ग्रहाणाम् इतरेषां च यथा गच्छति चाम्बुपः

I will briefly describe the solar chariot, and also that of the moon, and how the other planets move, as well as the bearer of water.

सौरस्तु ब्रह्मणा सृष्टो रथस्त्वर्थवशेन सः संवत्सरस्यावयवैः कल्पितश् च द्विजर्षभाः

The solar chariot was created by Brahma for a purpose; it is composed of the parts of the year, O best of twice-born.

त्रिनाभिना तु चक्रेण पञ्चारेण समन्वितः सौवर्णः सर्वदेवानाम् आवासो भास्करस्य तु

It has a wheel with three naves and five spokes, made of gold, the abode of all the gods, and especially of the sun.

नवयोजनसाहस्रो विस्तारायामतः स्मृतः द्विगुणो ऽपि रथोपस्थाद् ईषादण्डः प्रमाणतः

It is said to be nine thousand yojanas in length and breadth; the axle, twice as long as the chariot's platform, is measured accordingly.

असङ्गैस्तु हयैर्युक्तो यतश्चक्रं ततः स्थितैः वाजिनस्तस्य वै सप्त छन्दोभिर् निर्मितास्तु ते

Harnessed to unyoked horses, wherever the wheel stands, there stand his seven steeds, fashioned from the meters.

चक्रपक्षे निबद्धास्तु ध्रुवे चाक्षः समर्पितः सहाश्वचक्रो भ्रमते सहाक्षो भ्रमते ध्रुवः

Bound to the spokes of the wheel, the axle is fixed at the pole; the wheel with the horses revolves, and the axle with the pole revolves as well.

अक्षः सहैकचक्रेण भ्रमते ऽसौ ध्रुवेरितः प्रेरको ज्योतिषां धीमान् ध्रुवो वै वातरश्मिभिः

The axle, together with the single wheel, revolves, set in motion by the pole; the wise, steadfast pole, driven by the winds, propels the lights.

युगाक्षकोटिसम्बद्धौ द्वौ रश्मी स्यन्दनस्य तु ध्रुवेण भ्रमते रश्मिनिबद्धः स युगाक्षयोः

Two rays of the chariot are joined at the ends of the yoke and axle; bound by rays to the pole, the yoke and axle revolve.

भ्रमतो मण्डलानि स्युः खेचरस्य रथस्य तु युगाक्षकोटी ते तस्य दक्षिणे स्यन्दनस्य हि

As it revolves, circles are formed by the celestial chariot; those ends of the yoke and axle are on the right side of the chariot.

ध्रुवेण प्रगृहीते वै विचक्राश्वे च रज्जुभिः भ्रमन्तमनुगच्छन्ति ध्रुवं रश्मी च तावुभौ

Held by the pole and by reins attached to the horses, as it revolves, both the rays follow the pole.

युगाक्षकोटिस्त्वेतस्य वातोर्मिस्यन्दनस्य तु कीले सक्ता यथा रज्जुर् भ्रमते सर्वतोदिशम्

The end of the yoke and axle of this wind-driven chariot is fixed to a stake, and, like a rope, it revolves in all directions.

भ्राम्यतस्तस्य रश्मी तु मण्डलेषूत्तरायणे वर्धेते दक्षिणे चैव भ्रमता मण्डलानि तु

As it revolves, the rays increase in the circles during the northern course, and as it turns to the south, the circles are formed.

आकृष्येते यदा ते वै ध्रुवेणाधिष्ठिते तदा आभ्यन्तरस्थः सूर्यो ऽथ भ्रमते मण्डलानि तु

When those rays, governed by the pole, are drawn in, then the sun, remaining inside, revolves in circles.

अशीतिमण्डलशतं काष्ठयोरन्तरं द्वयोः ध्रुवेण मुच्यमानाभ्यां रश्मिभ्यां पुनरेव तु

There are eighty hundred circles between the two sections; when the rays, released by the pole, return again.

तथैव बाह्यतः सूर्यो भ्रमते मण्डलानि तु उद्वेष्टयन् स वेगेन मण्डलानि तु गच्छति

In the same way, the sun moves in circles externally, swiftly unwinding the circles as he goes.

देवाश्चैव तथा नित्यं मुनयश् च दिवानिशम् यजन्ति सततं देवं भास्करं भवमीश्वरम्

Thus, the gods and sages worship day and night, always honoring the god Bhāskara, the lord of existence.