Vayu Purana

स हि भ्रमन् भ्रामयते चन्द्रादित्यौ ग्रहैः सह। भ्रमन्तमनुगच्छन्ति नक्षत्राणि च चक्रवत् ।। ५१.

Indeed, as he revolves, he causes the moon, the sun, and the planets to revolve; the stars follow his movement, like a wheel.

ध्रुवस्य मनसा चासौ सर्पते भगणः स्वयम्। सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ तारा नक्षत्राणि ग्रहैः सह ।। ५१.

By the mind of Dhruva, that group moves on its own: the sun, the moon, the stars, and the planets together.

वातानीकमयैर्बन्धैर्ध्रुवे बद्धानि तानि वै। तेषां योगस्व भेदाश्च कालचारस्तथैव च ।। ५१.

Bound to Dhruva by bonds made of wind, those bodies are indeed fastened; their conjunctions and separations, as well as their movements through time, occur accordingly.

अस्तोदयौ तथोत्पाता अयने दक्षिणोत्तरे। विषुवद्‌ग्रहवर्णाश्च ध्रुवात्सर्वं प्रवर्त्तते ।। ५१.

Setting and rising, portents, the southern and northern solstices, the equinoxes, and the colors of the planets—all proceed from Dhruva.

वर्षा घर्मो हिमं रात्रिः सन्ध्या चैव दिनं तथा । शुभाशुभं प्रजानाञ्च ध्रुवात्सर्वं प्रवर्त्तते ।। ५१.

Rains, heat, cold, night, twilight, and day, as well as the good and bad fortune of beings—all proceed from Dhruva.

ध्रुवेणाधिकृतांश्चैव सूर्योऽपावृत्त्य तिष्ठति। तदेष दीप्तकिरणः स कालाग्निर्द्दिवाकरः ।। ५१.

The sun, having received his assigned portion from Dhruva, stands apart; he, with his blazing rays, is the fire of time, the illuminator of the day.

परिवर्त्त क्रमाद्विप्रा भाभिरालोकयन् दिशः। सूर्यः किरणजालेन वायुयुक्तेन सर्वशः। जगतो जलमादत्ते कृत्स्नस्य द्विजसत्तमाः ।। ५१.

O best of twice-born, the sun, moving in order, illuminates the directions with his rays; with his network of rays, joined with wind, he draws up all the water of the world.

आधित्यपीतं सूर्याग्नेः सोमं संक्रमते जलम्। नाडीभिर्वायुयुक्ताभिर्लोकाधानं प्रवर्त्तते ।। ५१.

The water drunk up by the sun's fire passes to the moon; through channels joined with wind, it is distributed as the sustenance of the worlds.

यत्सोमात् स्रवते सूर्यस्तदग्रेष्ववतिष्ठते। मेघा वायुनिघातेन विसृजन्ति जलम्भुवि ।। ५१.

What the sun draws from the moon remains in the clouds; struck by the wind, the clouds release water upon the earth.

एकमुत्क्षिप्यते चैव पतते च पुनर्ज्जलम्। नानाप्रकारमुदकन्तदेव परिवर्त्तते ।। ५१.

Water is lifted up together and then falls down again; in many different ways, water keeps circulating.

सन्धारणार्थं भूतानां मायैषा विश्वनिर्मिता। अनया मायया व्याप्तं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ।। ५१.

This is the illusion created in the universe for the sustenance of beings; by this illusion, the three worlds, with all that moves and does not move, are pervaded.

विश्वेशो लोककृद्देवः सहस्रांशुः प्रजापतिः। धाता कृत्स्नस्य लोकस्य प्रभु र्विष्णुर्दिवाकरः ।। ५१.

The Lord of the universe, the creator of the worlds, the god with a thousand rays, the lord of creatures, the sustainer of the whole world, the master—Viṣṇu, the sun.

सर्वलौकिकमम्भो वै यत्सोमान्नभसः स्नुतम्। सोमाधारं जगत्सर्वमेतत्तथ्यं प्रकीर्तितम् ।। ५१.

All the worldly water that drips from the sky is called soma; the entire world is said to have soma as its foundation—this is the truth.

सूर्यादुष्णं निस्रवते सोमाच्छीतं प्रवर्त्तते। शीतोष्णवीर्यौ द्वावेतौ युक्तौ धारयतो जगत् ।। ५१.

Heat flows from the sun, and coolness proceeds from the moon; these two powers, heat and cold, together support the world.

सोमाधारा नदी गङ्गा पवित्रा विमलोदका। सोमपुत्रपुरोगाश्च महानद्यो द्विजोत्तमाः ।। ५१.

The river Gaṅgā, pure and with clear water, is the support of soma; and the great rivers, led by the sons of Soma, O best of twice-born.

सर्वभूतशरीरेषु आपो ह्यनुगताश्च याः । तेषु सन्दह्यमानेषु जङ्गमस्थावरेषु च। धूमभूतास्तु ता आपो निष्क्रामन्तीह सर्वशः ।। ५१.

The waters that are present in the bodies of all beings—when these moving and unmoving beings are burned, those waters become smoke and depart from here in every way.

तेन चाभ्राणि जायन्ते स्थानमत्राम्भसां स्मृतम् । आर्कन्तेजो हि भूतेभ्यो ह्यादत्ते रश्मिभिर्जलम् ।। ५१.

From that, clouds are produced; this is known as the place of waters. The sun, by its rays, draws water from the elements.

समुद्राद्वायुसंयोगाद्वहन्त्यापो गभस्तयः। यतस्त्वृतुवशात् काले परिवर्त्तो दिवाकरः। यच्छत्यपो हि मेघेभ्यः शुक्लाः शुक्लगभस्तिभिः ।। ५१.

From the ocean, by the union with wind, the rays carry the waters; then, according to the season and time, the sun causes change, and with white, shining rays, gives water to the clouds.

अभ्रस्था प्रपतन्त्यापो वायुना समुदीरिताः। सर्वभूतहितार्थाय वायुभिश्च समन्ततः ।। ५१.

The waters that are in the clouds, stirred by the wind, fall down for the benefit of all beings, spread everywhere by the winds.

ततो वर्षति षण्मासान् सर्वभूतविवृद्धये। वायव्यं स्तनितञ्चैव वैद्युतञ्चाग्निसंभवम् ।। ५१.

Then, for six months, it rains for the growth of all beings, with wind-borne thunder and lightning produced from fire.

मेहनाच्च मिहेर्द्धातोर्मेघत्वं व्यञ्जयन्ति च। न भ्रश्यन्ति यतस्त्वापस्तदभ्रं कवयो विदुः ।। ५१.

From the act of raining, the cloud's nature is revealed; because the waters do not fall away, the wise know that as a cloud.

मेघानां पुनरुत्पत्तिस्त्रिविधा योनिरुच्यते। आग्नेया ब्रह्मजाश्चैव पक्षजाश्च पृथग्विधाः। त्रिधा घनाः समाख्यातास्तेषां वक्ष्यामि सम्भवम् ।। ५१.

The origin of clouds is said to be threefold: fiery, born of Brahma, and born of wings—these are the different kinds. The clouds are described as threefold; I will explain their origin.

आग्नेयास्त्वर्णजाः प्रोक्तास्तेषां तस्मात् प्रवर्त्तनम्। शीतदुर्दिनवाता ये स्वगुणास्ते व्यवस्थिताः ।। ५१.

The fiery ones are said to be born of fire, and their activity comes from that; those with the qualities of cold, bad weather, and wind are established in their own nature.

महिषाश्च वराहाश्च मत्तमातङ्गगामिनः। भूत्वा धरणिमभ्येत्य विचरन्ति रमन्ति च ।। ५१.

Buffaloes, boars, and intoxicated elephants, after taking form, come to the earth, wander about, and take delight.

जीमूता नाम ते मेघा एतेभ्यो जीवसम्भवाः। विद्युद्गुणविहीनाश्च जलधारावलम्बिनः ।। ५१.

Those clouds are called Jīmūtas; from them, living beings arise. They are without the quality of lightning and are sustained by streams of water.

मूका घना महाकाया प्रवाहस्य वशानुगाः। क्रोशमात्राच्च वर्षन्ति क्रोशार्द्धादपि वा पुनः ।। ५१.

Mute, massive clouds, following the force of the wind, rain down from a distance of a krośa or even half a krośa.

पर्वताग्रनितम्बेषु वर्षन्ति च रमन्ति च। बलाकागर्भदाश्चैव बलाकागर्भधारिणः ।। ५१.

They rain and take delight on the slopes and peaks of mountains; and those that bear the womb of the crane, as well as those that carry the womb of the crane.

ब्रह्मजानाम ते मेघा ब्रह्मनिःश्वाससम्भवाः। ते हि विद्युद्गुणोपेताः स्तनयन्ति स्वनप्रियाः ।। ५१.

O clouds, we know you as born from Brahma's breath; endowed with the quality of lightning, you thunder, delighting in sound.

तेषां शब्दप्रणादेन भूमिः स्वाङ्गरुहोद्घमा। राज्ञी राज्ञाभिषिक्तेव पुनर्यौवनमश्रुते। तेष्वियं प्रीतिमासक्ता भूतानां जीवितोद्भवा ।। ५१.

By the resonance of their sound, the earth's vegetation springs forth, as if the queen, newly anointed by the king, regains her youth; to these clouds, this earth is attached with affection, for from them arises the life of beings.