Vayu Purana

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.

प्रभा हि सौरी पादेन ह्यस्तं याति दिवाकरे। अग्निमाविशते रात्रौ तस्माद्‌दूरात् प्रकाशते ।। ५३.

The solar radiance, by its movement, goes to rest in the sun; at night it enters fire, and thus it shines from afar.

उद्यन्तञ्च पुनः सूर्यमौष्ण्यमाग्नेयमाविशत्। पादेन पार्थिवस्याग्नेस्तस्मादग्निस्तपत्यसौ ।। ५३.

When the sun rises again, its heat enters the fire; by the movement of terrestrial fire, therefore, that fire burns.

प्रकाशश्च तथौष्ण्यञ्च सौराग्नेये तु तेजसी। परस्परानुप्रवेशादाप्यायेते दिवानिशम् ।। ५३.

Both the light and the heat are the energies of the sun and fire; through mutual interpenetration, they are nourished day and night.

उत्तरे चैव भूम्यर्द्धे तस्मादस्मिंश्च दक्षिणे। उत्तिष्ठति पुनः सूर्ये रात्रिराविशते त्वपः। तस्मात्ताम्रा भवन्त्यापो दिवारात्रिप्रवेशनात् ।। ५३.

In the northern half of the earth, and likewise in the southern, when the sun rises again, night enters the waters; therefore, the waters become coppery due to the alternation of day and night.

अस्तं याति पुनः सूर्ये अहर्वै प्रविशत्यपः। तस्मान्नक्तं पुनः शुक्ला आपो विश्यन्ति भास्करे ।। ५३.

When the sun sets again, day enters the waters; therefore, at night, the waters become clear as they enter the sun.

एतेन क्रमयोगेन भूम्यर्द्धे दक्षिणोत्तरे । उदयास्तमये नित्यमहोरात्रं विशत्यपः ।। ५३.

By this sequence and union, in the northern and southern halves of the earth, at sunrise and sunset, day and night, the waters enter.

यश्चासौ तपते सूर्ये पिबन्नम्भो गभस्तिभिः। पार्थिवो हि विमिश्रोऽसौ दिव्यः शुचिरिति स्मृतः ।। ५३.

That which burns in the sun, drinking water with its rays, is the terrestrial fire, mixed and pure, and is called divine.

सहस्रपादः सोऽग्निस्तु वृत्तः कुम्भनिभः शुचिः। आदत्ते तत्तु रश्मीनां सहस्रेण समन्ततः ।। ५३.

That fire, with a thousand feet, round, pure like a pot, draws in with a thousand rays all around.

नादेयीश्चैव सामुद्रीः कौप्याश्चैव सधान्वनीः। स्थावरा जङ्गमाश्चैव यश्च सूर्यो हिरण्मयः। तस्य रश्मिसहस्रन्तु वर्षशीतोष्णनिःस्रवम् ।। ५३.

The waters of rivers, oceans, wells, and also those of marshes, stationary and moving, and the golden sun—all these, through his thousand rays, emit rain, cold, and heat.

तासाञ्चतुःशता नाड्यो वर्षन्ति चित्रमूर्त्तयः। वन्दनाश्चैव वन्द्यश्च ऋतना नूतनास्तथा। अमृता नामतः सर्व्वा रश्मयो वृष्टिसर्जनाः ।। ५३.

Of these, four hundred channels pour forth, having various forms; some are venerable, some are to be praised, some are seasonal, some are new; all are named 'nectar,' and the rays produce rain.