Vayu Purana

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.

सहचक्रो भ्रमत्यक्षः सहाक्षो भ्रमति ध्रुवः। अक्षः सहैव चक्रेण भ्रमतेऽसौ ध्रुवेरितः ।। ५१.

The axle rotates together with the wheel, and the Pole Star rotates with the axle; the axle, along with the wheel, rotates, driven by the Pole Star.

एवमर्थ वशात्तस्य सन्निवेशो रथस्य तु। तथा संयोगभागेन संसिद्धो भास्वरो रथः ।। ५१.

Thus, according to purpose, is the arrangement of the chariot; in this way, by their conjunction, the radiant chariot is perfected.

तेनाऽसौ तरणिर्देवस्तरसा सर्पते दिवि। युगाक्षकोटिसम्बद्धौ रश्मी द्वौ स्यन्दनस्य हि ।। ५१.

By this, the swift sun-god moves rapidly in the sky; the two rays of the chariot are bound to the ends of the yoke and the axle.

ध्रुवेण भ्रमतो रश्मी विचक्रयुगयोस्तु वै। भ्रमतो मण्डलानि स्युः खेचरस्य रथस्य तु ।। ५१.

As the rays revolve with the Pole Star and the pair of wheels, the circles of the chariot moving in the sky are formed.

युगाक्षकोटी ते तस्य दक्षिणे स्यन्दनस्य तु। ध्रुवेण संगृहीते वै द्विचक्रश्वेतरज्जुवत् ।। ५१.

The two ends of the yoke are on the right side of that chariot, held by Dhruva, and the chariot has two wheels with white ropes.

भ्रमन्तमनुगच्छेतां ध्रुवं रश्मी तु तावुभौ । युगाक्ष कोटी ते तस्य वातोर्मी स्यन्दनस्य तु ।। ५१.

Both those rays follow Dhruva as he revolves; the ends of the yoke are the waves of wind for that chariot.

कीलासक्तो यथा रज्जुर्भ्रमते सर्वतो दिशम्। ह्रसतस्तस्य रश्मी तौ मण्डलेषूत्तरायणे ।। ५१.

Just as a rope attached to a peg turns in every direction, so do those two rays shorten in the circles during the northern course.

वर्द्धेते दक्षिणे चैव भ्रमतो मण्डलानि तु। ध्रुवेण संगृहीतौ तु रस्मी वै नयतो रविम् ।। ५१.

And during the southern course, as the circles revolve, they lengthen; those rays, held by Dhruva, lead the Sun.

आकृष्येते यदा तौ वै ध्रुवेण समधिष्ठितौ। तदा सोऽभ्यन्तरं सूर्यो भ्रमते मण्डलानि तु ।। ५१.

When those two, established by Dhruva, are drawn in, then the Sun moves within, revolving through the circles.

अशीतिमण्डलशतं काष्ठयोरुभयोश्चरन् । ध्रुवेण मुच्यमानाभ्यां रश्मिभ्यां पुनरेव तु ।। ५१.

Traversing eighty hundred circles on both sides, when released by Dhruva from those two rays, he returns again.

तथैव बाह्यतः सूर्यो भ्रमते मण्डलानि तु। उद्वेष्टयन् स वेगेन मण्डलानि तु गच्छति ।। ५१.

In the same way, the Sun moves through the outer circles, swiftly turning as he goes through the circles.

स रथोऽधिष्ठितो देवैरादित्यैऋषिभिस्तथा। गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च ग्रामणीसर्पराक्षसैः ।। ५२.

That chariot is presided over by the gods, the Ādityas, the sages, as well as by Gandharvas, Apsarases, chiefs, serpents, and Rākṣasas.

एते वसन्ति वै सूर्ये द्वौ द्वौ मासौ क्रमेण तु। धातार्यमा पुलस्त्यश्च पुलहश्च प्रजापतिः ।। ५२.

These dwell in the Sun, two by two, in succession for two months each: Dhātṛ, Aryaman, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Prajāpati.

उरगो वासुकिश्चैव सङ्कीर्णारश्च तावुभौ। तुम्बुरुर्नारदश्चैव गन्धर्वौ गायतां वरौ ।। ५२.

The serpent Vāsuki and Saṅkīrṇa, both; Tumburu and Nārada, the two foremost among Gandharvas who sing.

क्रतुस्थल्यप्सराश्चैव तथा वै पुञ्जिकस्थली। ग्रामणी रथकृच्छ्रश्च तपोर्यश्चैव तावुभौ ।। ५२.

Kratusthaly and the Apsaras, as well as Puñjikasthalī; the chiefs Rathakṛcchra and Taporya, both.

रक्षो हेतिः प्रहेतिश्च यातुधानावुदाहृतौ। मधुमाधवयोरेष गणो वसति भास्करे ।। ५२.

The Rākṣasas Heti and Praheti, and the two Yātudhānas are mentioned; this group resides in the Sun during the months of Madhu and Mādhava.

वासन्तौ ग्रैष्मिकौ मासौ मित्रश्च वरुणश्च ह। ऋषिरत्रिर्वसिष्ठश्च तक्षको रम्भ एव च ।। ५२.

In the months of Vasanta and Griṣma are Mitra and Varuṇa, the sages Atri and Vasiṣṭha, Takṣaka the serpent, and Rambha.

मेनका सहजन्या च गन्धर्वौ च हहा हुहूः। रथस्वनश्च ग्रामण्यो रथचित्रश्च तावुभौ ।। ५२.

Menakā and Sahajanyā, and the Gandharvas Hahā and Huhū; Rathasvana and the chief Rathacitra, both.

पौरुषेयो धवश्चैव यातुधानावुदाहृतौ। एते वसन्ति वै सूर्ये मासयोः शुचिशुक्रयोः ।। ५२.

Pauruṣeya and Dhava, the two Yātudhānas are mentioned; these dwell in the Sun during the months of Śuci and Śukra.

ततः सूर्ये पुनस्त्वन्या निवसन्तीह देवताः। इन्द्रश्चैव विवस्वांश्च अङ्गिरा भृगुरेव च ।। ५२.

Then again, other deities reside in the Sun: Indra, Vivasvān, Aṅgiras, and Bhṛgu.