Vayu Purana

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.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु मुनयः पुनस्ते संशयान्विताः। पप्रच्छुरुत्तरं भूयस्तदा ते लोमहर्षणम् ।। ५३.

Having heard this, the sages, once again filled with doubt, questioned Lomaharṣaṇa further.

यदेतदुक्तम्भवता गृहाण्येतानि विश्रितम्। कथं देवगृहाणि स्युः कथं ज्योतींषि वर्णय ।। ५३.

That which you have spoken, please explain these dwellings in detail; how do the abodes of the gods exist, and how should the lights be described?

एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व ज्योतिषाञ्चैव निश्चयम्। श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तेषां तदा सूतः समाहितः ।। ५३.

Tell us all this, and also the certainty regarding the luminaries. Hearing their words, the charioteer then became attentive.

अस्मिन्नर्थे महाप्राज्ञैर्यदुक्तं ज्ञानबुद्धिभिः। तद्वोऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्भवम्। यथा देवगृहाणीह सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्गृहम् ।। ५३.

In this matter, what has been spoken by the wise, endowed with knowledge and intellect, I shall declare to you—the origin of the sun and moon, and how, among the divine abodes here, the sun and moon have their own dwelling.

अतः परं त्रिविधाग्नेर्वक्ष्येऽहन्तु समुद्भवम्। दिव्यस्य भौतिकस्याग्नेरथाग्नेः पार्थिवस्य च ।। ५३.

Next, I shall explain the threefold origin of fire: the celestial, the material, and the terrestrial fire.

व्युष्टायान्तु रजन्यां वै ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः। अव्याकृतमिदन्त्वासीन्नैशेन तमसावृतम् ।। ५३.

When the night had passed, from Brahma, whose birth is unmanifest, the unmanifest existed, enveloped by the darkness of night.

चतुर्भूतावशिष्टेऽस्मिन् पार्थिवः सोऽग्निरुच्यते। यश्चादौ तपते सूर्ये शुचिरग्निस्तु स स्मृतः ।। ५३.

When only the four elements remained here, that terrestrial fire is so called; and the pure fire that first burns in the sun is remembered as Agni.

वैद्युताख्यस्तु विज्ञेयस्तेषां वक्ष्येऽथ लक्षणम्। वैद्युतो जाठरः सौरो ह्यपाङ्गर्भास्त्रयोऽग्नयः। तस्मादपः पिबन् सूर्यो गोभिदीर्प्यत्यसौ दिवि ।। ५३.

The one called 'electric' is to be understood; I shall describe their characteristics. The electric, the digestive, and the solar—these three fires are born from water. Therefore, the sun drinks water and releases it in the sky.

वैद्युतेन समाविष्टो वार्क्षो नाद्भिः प्रशाम्यति । मानवानाञ्च कुक्षिस्थो नाद्भिः शाम्यति पावकः ।। ५३.

The fire in wood, infused by the electric fire, is not extinguished by water; and the fire residing in the bellies of humans is not quenched by water.

अर्च्चिष्मान् परमः सोऽग्निः प्रभवो जाठरः स्मृतः। यश्चायं मण्डली शुक्लो निरूष्मा संप्रकाशते ।। ५३.

That supreme fire, full of flames, is known as digestive in origin; and this circular, white, heatless one shines forth.