Vayu Purana

एते योजनमात्राच्च सार्द्धार्द्धान्निष्कृतादपि। वृष्टिसर्गस्तथा तेषां धारासाराः प्रकीर्त्तिताः। पुष्करावर्त्तका नाम ये मेघाः पक्षसम्भवाः ।। ५१.

From a distance of a yojana and a half, even farther, their rain is produced; their streams are described as continuous; those clouds born of wings are called Puṣkarāvarttakas.

शक्रेण पक्षाश्छिन्ना ये पर्वतानां महोजसाम्। कामगानां प्रवृद्धानां भूतानां शिवमिच्छता ।। ५१.

Their wings were cut off by Indra, those of the mighty mountains, who moved at will and grew, for the welfare of beings.

पुष्करा नाम ते मेघा बृहन्तस्तोय मत्सराः। पुष्करावर्त्तकास्तेन कारणेनेह शब्दिताः ।। ५१.

Those great clouds are called Puṣkaras, vast and filled with water, full of rivalry; thus, for this reason, they are called Puṣkarāvarttakas.

नानारूपधराश्चैव महाघोरतराश्च ते। कल्पान्तवृष्टेः स्रष्टारः संवर्त्ताग्नेर्नियामकाः ।। ५१.

They assume various forms and are exceedingly fierce; they are the creators of the rain at the end of an age and the regulators of the fire of dissolution.

वर्षन्त्येते युगान्तेषु तृतीयास्ते प्रकीर्त्तिताः। अनेकरूपसंस्थानाः पूरयन्तो महीतलम् । वायुं परं वहन्तः स्युराश्रिताः कल्पसाधकाः ।। ५१.

These, the third kind, rain at the end of the ages, taking on many forms and appearances, filling the surface of the earth, bearing the supreme wind, and are established as the agents of the cosmic cycle.

यान्यस्याण्डकपालस्य प्राकृतस्याभवंस्तदा। तस्माद्ब्रह्मा समुत्पन्नश्चतुर्वक्त्रः स्वयम्भुवः। तान्येवाण्डकपालस्य सर्वे मेघाः प्रकीर्त्तिताः ।। ५१.

Whatever arose from the shell of the cosmic egg at the beginning, from that Brahma was born, self-existent and four-faced; all those clouds are said to be of the shell of the cosmic egg.

तेषामाप्यायनं धूमः सर्वेषामविशेषतः । तेषां श्रेष्ठस्तु पर्ज्जन्यश्चत्वारश्चैव दिग्गजाः ।। ५१.

Their nourishment is smoke, equally for all; among them, Parjanya is the best, along with the four elephants of the quarters.

गजानां पर्वतानाञ्च मेघानां भोगिभिः सह। कुलमेकं पृथग्भूतं योनिरेका जलं स्मृतम् ।। ५१.

The families of elephants, mountains, and clouds, together with serpents, are considered as one group, with a single origin, which is water.

पर्जन्यो दिग्गजाश्चैव हेमन्ते शीतसम्भवाः। तुषारवृष्टिं वर्षन्ति सर्वसस्यविवृद्धये ।। ५१.

Parjanya and the elephants of the quarters, in winter, arising from cold, pour down frost-rain for the growth of all crops.

श्रेष्ठः परिवहो नाम तेषां वायुरपाश्रयः। योऽसौ बिभर्त्ति भगवान् गङ्गामाकाशगोचराम्। दिव्यामतिजलां पुण्यां विद्यां स्वर्गपथिस्थिताम् ।। ५१.

Among them, the best wind is called Parivaha, the support of waters, who, as the divine Lord, bears the celestial Ganga, pure, sacred, and established on the path to heaven.

तस्याविष्पन्दजन्तोयं दिग्गजाः पृथुभिः करैः। शीकरं सम्प्रमुञ्चन्ति नीहार इति स स्मृतः ।। ५१.

From its motionless water, the elephants of the quarters, with their broad trunks, release spray, which is known as mist.

दक्षिणेन गिरिर्योऽसौ हेमकूट इति स्मृतः। उदग् हिमवतः शैलादुत्तरस्य च दक्षिणे। पुण्ड्रं नाम समाख्यातं नगरं तत्र वै स्मृतम् ।। ५१.

To the south is the mountain called Hemakūṭa; north of Himavat, and to the south of the northern region, is the city known as Puṇḍra.

तस्मिन्निपतितं वर्षं यत्तुषारसमुद्भवम् । ततस्तदावहो वायुर्हिमशैलात् समुद्वहन्। आनयत्यात्मयोगेन सिञ्चमानो महागिरिम् ।। ५१.

The rain that falls there, produced from frost, is then carried by the wind from the snowy mountain, bringing it by its own power and sprinkling the great mountain.

हिमवन्तमतिक्रम्य वृष्टिशेषं ततः परम्। इहाभ्येति ततः पश्चादपरान्तविवृद्धये ।। ५१.

Crossing Himavat, the remaining rain then comes here, later increasing the western region.

मेघावाप्यायतश्चैव सर्वमेतत् प्रकीर्त्तितम् । सूर्य एव तु वृष्टिनां स्रष्टा समुपदिश्यते ।। ५१.

Thus, the expansion of clouds has been described; indeed, the sun alone is taught as the creator of rains.

ध्रुवेणा वेष्टितः सूर्यस्ताभ्यां वृष्टिः प्रवर्त्तते। ध्रुवेणावेष्टितो वायुर्वृष्टिं संहरते पुनः ।। ५१.

The sun, encircled by the Pole Star, brings about rain through these two; the wind, encircled by the Pole Star, again withdraws the rain.

ग्रहान्निःसृत्य सूर्यात्तु कृत्स्ने नक्षत्रमण्डले । वारस्यान्ते विशत्यर्कं ध्रुवेण परिवेष्टितम् ।। ५१.

Emerging from the planets and from the sun, at the end of the day, it enters the sun, which is encircled by the Pole Star, within the entire region of the stars.

अतः सूर्यरथस्याथ सन्निवेशं निबोधत। संस्थितैनैकचक्रेण पञ्चारेण त्रिनाभिना ।। ५१.

Now, listen to the arrangement of the sun’s chariot: it is established with a single wheel, five spokes, and three hubs.

हिरण्मयेन भगवान् पर्वणा तु महौजसा। नष्टवर्त्मान्धकारेण षट्‌प्रकारैकनेमिना। चक्रेण भास्वता सूर्यः स्यन्दनेन प्रसर्प्पति ।। ५१.

The blessed sun, of great brilliance, moves with a golden axle, a path lost in darkness, a single rim of six kinds, and a radiant wheel as his chariot.

दश योजनसाहस्रो विस्तारायामतः स्मृतः। द्विगुणोऽस्य रथोपस्थादीषादण्डप्रमाणतः ।। ५१.

Its length and breadth are said to be ten thousand yojanas; its platform is twice that, measured by the standard of the pole.

स तस्य ब्रह्मणा सृष्टो रथो ह्यर्थवशेन तु। असङ्गः काञ्चनो दिव्यो युक्तः परमगैर्हयैः ।। ५१.

That chariot, created by Brahma for a specific purpose, is unattached, golden, divine, and yoked to supreme, swift horses.

छन्दोभिर्वाजिरूपैस्तु यतः शुक्रस्ततः स्थितः। वरुणस्यन्दनस्तेह लक्षणैः सदृशस्तु सः। ते नाऽसौ सर्पतिव्योम्नि भास्वता तु दिवाकरः ।। ५१.

The meters, in the form of steeds, are stationed there, with Shukra at the front; the chariot of Varuna is similar in its features; thus the radiant sun moves in the sky.

अथेमानि तु सूर्यस्य प्रत्यङ्गानि रथस्य तु। संवत्सरस्यावयवैः कल्पितानि यथा क्रमम् ।। ५१.

Now, these are the components of the sun’s chariot, arranged in order, corresponding to the parts of the year.

अहस्तु नाभिः सूर्यस्य एकचक्रः स वै स्मृतः। आराः पञ्चर्त्तवस्तस्य नेमिः षढृतवः स्मृताः ।। ५१.

The day is the hub of the sun, which is called the single wheel; the five seasons are its spokes, and the six seasons are said to be its rim.

रथनीडः स्मृतो ह्यब्दस्त्वयने कूबरावुभौ । मुहूर्ता बन्धुरास्तस्य शम्या तस्य कलाः स्मृताः ।। ५१.

The year is remembered as the body of the chariot, the solstices as the two axles; the muhurtas are its bindings, and the shamis are said to be its parts.

तस्य काष्ठाः स्मृता घोणा ईषादण्डः क्षणांस्तु वै। निमेषाश्चानुकर्षोऽस्य ईषा चास्य लवाः स्मृताः ।। ५१.

The kashthas are called the pegs, the pole is the moments, and the nimishas are its measures; the yoke is said to be its instants.

रात्रिर्वरूथो घर्मोऽस्य ध्वज ऊर्द्ध्वसमुच्छ्रितः। युगाक्षकोटी ते तस्य अर्थकामावुभौ स्मृतौ ।। ५१.

Night is the covering, heat is its banner, raised high above; the two ends of the yoke are remembered as purpose and desire.

सप्ताश्वरूपाश्छन्दांसि वहन्ते वामतो धुराम्। गायत्री चैव त्रिष्टुप् च अनुष्टुब् जगती तथा ।। ५१.

The meters, in the form of seven horses, bear the yoke on the left: Gayatri, Trishtubh, Anushtubh, and Jagati as well.

पङ्क्तिश्च बृहती चैव उष्णिक् चैव तु सप्तमम्। अक्षे चक्रं निबद्धन्तु ध्रुवे त्वक्षः समर्पितः ।। ५१.

Pankti and Brihati, and Ushnik as the seventh; the wheel is fixed on the axle, and the axle is attached to the Pole Star.