Vayu Purana

एवं सूर्यनिमित्तैषा क्षयवृद्धि र्निशाकरे। ताराग्रहाणां वक्ष्यामि स्वर्भानोश्च रथं पुनः ।। ५२.

Thus, this waxing and waning of the moon is due to the sun; now I will describe the stars, planets, and again the chariot of Svarbhānu.

तोयतेजोमयः शुभ्रः सोमपुत्रस्य वै रथः। युक्तो हयैः पिशङ्गैस्तु अष्टाभिर्वातरंहसैः ।। ५२.

The chariot of Soma's son is composed of water and light, shining and pure, yoked with eight tawny horses, swift as the wind.

सवरूथः सानुकर्षः सूतो दिव्यो रथे महान्। सोपासङ्गपताकस्तु सध्वजो मेघसन्निभः ।। ५२.

It is equipped with a yoke and a pole, with a divine charioteer, a great celestial chariot, adorned with side standards and flags, resembling a cloud.

भार्गवस्य रथः श्रीणांस्तेजसा सूर्यसन्निभः। पृथिवीसम्भवैर्युक्तो नानावर्णैर्हयोत्तमैः ।। ५२.

The chariot of Bhārgava among the illustrious is radiant like the sun, yoked with excellent horses of various colors, born of the earth.

श्वेतः पिशङ्गः सारङ्गो नीलः पीतो विलोहितः। कृष्णश्च हरितश्चैव पृषतः पृष्णिरेव च। दशभि स्तैर्महाभागैरकृशैर्वातवेगितैः ।। ५२.

White, tawny, spotted, blue, yellow, reddish, black, green, dappled, and speckled—these ten noble, sturdy, wind-swift horses draw it.

अष्टाश्वः काञ्चनः श्रीमान् सोमस्यापि रथोऽभवत्। असङ्गैर्लौहितैरश्वैः सर्वगैरग्निसम्भवैः। सर्पतेऽसौ कुमारो वै ऋजुवक्रानुचक्रगः ।। ५२.

The splendid golden chariot of Soma also has eight horses, unattached, red, all-pervading, born of fire; the youth rides it, with straight and curved wheels.

ततस्त्वाङ्गिरसो विद्वान् देवाचार्यो बृहस्पतिः। शोणैरश्वैः काञ्चनेन स्यन्दनेन प्रसर्पति ।। ५२.

Then the wise descendant of Aṅgiras, the divine teacher Bṛhaspati, advances in a golden chariot drawn by red horses.

युक्तस्तु वाजिभिर्दिव्यैरष्टाभिर्वातसम्मितैः। नक्षत्रेऽब्दन्निवसति सवेगस्तेन गच्छति ।। ५२.

Yoked with eight divine horses, swift as the wind, he resides in the constellation for a year and moves with great speed.

ततः शनैश्वरोप्यश्वैः शबलैर्व्योमसम्भवैः। कार्ष्णायसं समारुह्य स्यन्दनं याति वै शनैः ।। ५२.

Then Śanaiścara, too, rides slowly in a chariot of black iron, drawn by dappled horses born of the sky.

स्वर्भानोस्तु तथैवाश्वाः कृष्णा ह्यष्टौ मनोजवाः। रथन्तमोमयन्तस्य सकृद्युक्ता वहन्त्युत ।। ५२.

Similarly, Svarbhānu's horses are eight, black, and swift as thought; they draw his chariot, called Rathantama, all at once.

आदित्यान्निःसृतो राहुः सोमं गच्छति पर्वसु। आदित्यमेति सोमाच्च पुनः सौरेषु पर्वसु ।। ५२.

Rāhu, having emerged from the Ādityas, approaches Soma at the junctions; from Soma he again reaches the sun at the solar junctions.

अथ केतुरथस्याश्वा अष्टाष्टौ वातरंहसः। पलालधूमसङ्काशाः शबला रासभारुणाः ।। ५२.

Now, the horses of Ketu's chariot are eight pairs, swift as the wind, dappled, resembling the color of chaff smoke, and of the donkey species.

एते वाहा ग्रहाणां वै मया प्रोक्ता रथैः सह। सर्वे ध्रुवनिबद्धास्ते प्रबद्धा वातरश्मिभिः ।। ५२.

These are the steeds of the planets, described by me along with their chariots; all are fixed to the pole star and bound by the threads of the wind.

एते वै भ्राम्यमाणास्तु यथा योगं भ्रमन्ति वै। वायव्याभिरदृश्याभिः प्रबद्धा वातरश्मिभिः ।। ५२.

These indeed, being whirled about, move according to their order, bound by invisible threads of wind.

परिभ्रमन्ति तद्बद्धाश्चन्द्रसूर्यग्रहा दिवि। भ्रमन्तमनुगच्छन्ति ध्रुवन्ते ज्योतिषां गणाः ।। ५२.

Bound by those, the moon, sun, and planets revolve in the sky; as they move, the hosts of stars follow them, with Dhruva at the center.

यथा नद्युदके नौस्तु सलिलेन सहोह्यते। तथा देवालया ह्येते उह्यन्ते वातरश्मिभिः। तस्मात्सर्वेण दृस्यन्ते व्योम्नि देवगणास्तु ते ।। ५२.

Just as a boat on a river is carried along with the water, so too these abodes of the gods are borne by the currents of wind; therefore, all those hosts of gods are seen in the sky.

यावन्त्यश्चैव तारास्तु तावन्तो वातरश्मयः। सर्वा ध्रुवनिबद्धास्ता ब्रमन्त्यो भ्रामयन्ति तम् ।। ५२.

As many as there are stars, so many are the threads of wind; all are bound to Dhruva, revolving and causing him to revolve.

तैलपीडाकरं चक्रं भ्रमद्भ्रामयते यथा। तथा भ्रमन्ति ज्योतींषि वायबद्धानि सर्वशः ।। ५२.

Just as a wheel is made to spin by the pressure of oil, so too all the lights revolve, bound by the wind.

अलातचक्रवद्यान्ति वातचक्रेरितानि तु। तस्माज्ज्योतींषि वहते प्रवहंस्तेन स स्मृतः ।। ५२.

They move like a wheel of firebrands, driven by the wheel of wind; thus, the current carries the lights, and for that reason it is so called.

एवं ध्रुवनिबद्धोऽसौ सर्पते ज्योतिषां गणः। सैष तारामयोज्ञेयः शिशुमारो ध्रुवो दिवि। यदह्ना कुरुते पापं दृष्टवा तं निशि मुच्यते ।। ५२.

Thus, the host of lights, bound to Dhruva, moves along; this is known as the constellation of Śiśumāra, with Dhruva at its center in the sky. Whatever sin one commits during the day, having seen it, is released at night.

यावत्यश्चैव तारास्ताः शिशूमाराश्रिता दिवि। तावन्त्येव तु वर्षाणि जीवन्त्यभ्यधिकानि तु ।। ५२.

As many stars as are established in Śiśumāra in the sky, for that many years do they live, and even more.

शाश्वतः शिशुमारोऽसौ विज्ञेयः प्रविभागशः। उत्तानपादस्तस्याथ विज्ञेयो ह्युत्तरो हनुः ।। ५२.

Śiśumāra is to be understood as eternal and divided into parts; Uttānapāda is to be known as its upper jaw.

यज्ञोऽधरस्तु विज्ञेयो धर्मो मूर्द्धानमाश्रितः। हृदि नारायणः साध्यः अश्विनौ पूर्वपादयोः ।। ५२.

Yajña is to be known as the lower jaw, Dharma rests on its head, Nārāyaṇa the Sādhya is in its heart, and the Aśvins are at its forefeet.

वरुणश्चार्यमा चैव पश्चिमे तस्य सस्थिनि। शिश्रः संवत्सरस्तस्य मित्रोऽपाने समाश्रितः ।। ५२.

Varuṇa and Aryaman are at its hind thighs, Śiśra (the year) is at its genitals, and Mitra is established at its anus.

पुच्छेऽग्निश्च महेन्द्रश्च मरीचिः कश्यपो ध्रुवः। तारकाः शिशुमारश्च नास्तमेति चतुष्टयम् ।। ५२.

At the tail are Agni, Mahendra, Marīci, Kaśyapa, and Dhruva; the stars and Śiśumāra—these four never set.

नक्षत्रचन्द्रसूर्याश्च ग्रहास्तारागणेः सह। उन्मुखाभिमुखाः सर्वे चक्रीभूताश्रिता दिवि ।। ५२.

The lunar mansions, moon, sun, planets, and the host of stars—all, facing upward and toward each other, are established in the sky, forming a wheel.

ध्रुवेणाधिष्ठिताः सर्वे ध्रुवमेव प्रदक्षिणम् । प्रयान्तीह वरं श्रेष्ठमेधीभूतं ध्रुवन्दिवि ।। ५२.

All are established by Dhruva, and indeed move in a clockwise direction around Dhruva, who is the best and most excellent in the sky.

ध्रुवाग्निकश्यपानान्तु वरस्वासौ ध्रुवः स्मृतः। एक एव भ्रमत्येष मेरुपर्वतमूर्द्धनि ।। ५२.

Among Dhruva, Agni, and Kaśyapa, Dhruva is regarded as the best; he alone revolves at the summit of Mount Meru.

ज्योतिषाञ्चक्रमेतद्धि सदा कर्षत्यवाङ्मुखः। मेरुमालोकयत्येष प्रयातीह प्रदक्षिणम् ।। ५२.

This wheel of lights is always drawn downward, facing Meru; he observes Meru and moves here in a clockwise direction.