Linga Purana

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.

सरथो ऽधिष्ठितो देवैर् आदित्यैर्मुनिभिस् तथा गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश् च ग्रामणीसर्पराक्षसैः

That chariot is presided over by gods, Adityas, sages, Gandharvas, Apsaras, chiefs, serpents, and Rākṣasas.

एते वसन्ति वै सूर्ये द्वौ द्वौ मासौ क्रमेण तु आप्याययन्ति चादित्यं तेजोभिर् भास्करं शिवम्

These dwell with the sun, each pair for two months in turn, and they nourish the radiant, auspicious Bhāskara with their energies.

ग्रथितैः स्वैर्वचोभिस्तु स्तुवन्ति मुनयो रविम् गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव नृत्यगेयैरुपासते

The sages praise Ravi with their composed words, and Gandharvas and Apsaras worship him with dance and song.

ग्रामणीयक्षभूतानि कुर्वते ऽभीषुसंग्रहम् सर्पा वहन्ति वै सूर्यं यातुधाना अनुयान्ति च

The chiefs, Yakṣas, and spirits gather their weapons; serpents carry the sun, and the Yātudhānas follow him.

वालखिल्या नयन्त्यस्तं परिवार्योदयाद्रविम् इत्येते वै वसन्तीह द्वौ द्वौ मासौ दिवाकरे

The Vālakhilyas lead the sun to his setting, surrounding him at sunrise; thus, these dwell here with the sun, each pair for two months.

मधुश् च माधवश्चैव शुक्रश् च शुचिरेव च नभोनभस्यौ विप्रेन्द्रा इषश्चोर्जस्तथैव च

Madhū and Mādhava, Śukra and Śuci, Nabhas and Nabhasya, O best of Brahmins, Iṣa and Ūrja likewise.

सहःसहस्यौ च तथा तपस्यश् च तपः पुनः एते द्वादश मासास्तु वर्षं वै मानुषं द्विजाः

Likewise, the Sahas and Sahasya, and again Tapasya and Tapah—these constitute the twelve months, which make up a human year, O twice-born ones.

वासन्तिकस् तथा ग्रैष्मः शुभो वै वार्षिकस् तथा शारदश् च हिमश्चैव शैशिर ऋतवः स्मृताः

The seasons are known as Vasanta (spring), Grishma (summer), Varsha (rainy), Sharad (autumn), Hemanta (early winter), and Shishira (late winter).

धातार्यमाथ मित्रश् च वरुणश्चेन्द्र एव च विवस्वांश्चैव पूषा च पर्जन्यो ऽंशुर् भगस् तथा

Dhata, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna, Indra, Vivasvan, Pushan, Parjanya, Anshu, and Bhaga—these are named.

त्वष्टा विष्णुः पुलस्त्यश् च पुलहश्चात्रिरेव च वसिष्ठश्चाङ्गिराश्चैव भृगुर्बुद्धिमतां वरः

Tvashtri, Vishnu, Pulastya, Pulaha, Atri, Vasishta, Angiras, and Bhrigu, the foremost among the wise.