Chapter 22 - Description of the divine luminaries (jyotis / jyotiṣa)

Summary: The Description of the Divine Luminaries (jyotis / jyotiṣa); Varieties of clouds (megha): Divisions of Stratosphere (divamaṇḍala): The chariot of the Sun-God.

Notes: This chapter corresponds to Vāyu-purāṇa chapter 51.

Sūta said:

1. All the Antaras (i.e. Manvantaras) during the creation of Svāyambhuva have been recounted. I shall recount all the future ones in due order.

2. On hearing this, the sages asked Romaharṣaṇa about the movement of the Sun, the Moon and the planets.

The sages said:

3-4. “How do these luminaries revolve in the stratosphere without any clash or confusion or without any structural formation? Does any one make them revolve or do they revolve of their own accord? O excellent one, we wish to understand this. Narrate this unto us.

Sūta said:

5. This is something that confounds all living beings. Understand this even as I tell you. Although this is visible and directly perceptible, it perplexes the people.

6. The star that (diffuses light) in the four quarters and is established at the tail of the Śiśumāra (i.e. a collection of stars resembling a dolphin or a Gangetic porpoise) is Dhruva, the son of Uttānapāda.^[1] He is, as though, the main pivot to which all the stars and planets are attached.

7. It is reported that it is he who perpetually makes the. moon and the sun revolve along with the planets. As it (the sun) revolves like a wheel, the stars also follow it.

8. The group of luminaries, the sun and the moon, the stars and constellations along with the planets move about, at the will of Dhruva.^[2]

9-10. They are fastened to Dhruva by means of bonds in the form of rows of winds. Their junction, difference, time, movement, rising and setting, portentious phenomenon, the southern and northern transits, the equinox and the colours of the planets (?)—all these function, due to Dhruva.

11. Rain, heat, snowfall, day, night, the twilight, the welfare and woes of the subjects—all these take place due to Dhruva.

12. Presided over by Dhruva, the sun takes up water and showers it.^[3] This sun whose rays are ablaze, is the fire of the destruction of the universe.

13-15. In the course of his revolution, O Brāhmaṇas, he illuminates the quarters. With the mass of his rays and accompanied by the wind all round, the sun takes away the water of the entire world, O excellent Brāhmaṇas. The moon transmits the entire water drunk by the sun. The torrential current of water (Downpour of rain) functions through Nāḍis (veinlike vessels) accompanied by the wind. The water that oozes out of the moon remains in the food (i.e. plants and food crops).

16. Being obstructed by the wind, the clouds scatter water over the earth. Thus water is continuously thrown up (i.e. turned into vapour) and dropped down.

17. There is no total distruction of water. The same water gets transformed. It is for the sake of sustenance of all the worlds that this cosmic Māyā has been created (by the lord).

18-19a. The three worlds along with the mobile and immobile beings are pervaded by this Māyā. The sun is the lordly creator of the worlds. Endowed with a thousand (innumerable eyes) he is the lord of the universe. He is the mighty lord of the subjects, the creator of the entire universe.

19b-20. The water that has fallen down from the moon, from the sky, is conducive to the welfare of all the worlds. The entire universe has the moon as its support. This has been truthfully recounted. The Uṣṇa (hot virility) oozes out of the sun, and the Śita (chill virility) functions from the moon.

21. These two, viz. the moon of cool virility and the sun of hot virility, sustain the world by means of their combination.

The river Gaṅgā with the Moon as support, is holy. Its waters are free from impurities.

22. (The Gaṅgā), the great rivers beginning with Bhadrasomā and the waters (humids) that flow within the bodies of all living beings mobile and immobile, become smoke (i.e. vapour).

23. When the mobiles and immobiles get heated (and burnt) they spread everywhere as vapour.

24. Clouds are formed thereby. It is remembered that the abode (waters) is full of clouds (or, is in the form of clouds).

With his rays the sun takes up water, the very splendour, from all living beings.

25. In combination with the wind, the rays (of the sun) carry the waters from the ocean that water (then) becomes the nectar-like life-giver unto the plants.

26. Then, as the season approaches at the proper time, the sun changes (the saltish water into sweet water) and gives water to the clouds by means of his white and non-white rays.

27. The waters stationed in the clouds fall down when they are wafted by the wind. Accompanied by the wind (they spread everywhere), for the welfare of all living beings.

28-29. Then for six months it continues to rain in order that all living beings may flourish. The thundering sound pertains to the wind and the lightning originates from fire. The Meghatva (the state of being a cloud) is indicated through the root ^Mih (to pour down), since the cloud showers (rain). The wise people know the cloud as Abhra because the waters do not fall down (na bhraṃśyanti).^[1]

30. The origin of the clouds is threefold.^[2] They are of different kinds in view of their sources of origin. They are Āgneya (fiery ones), Brahmaja (born of Brahma) and Pakṣaja (born of Wings).

31. The three kinds of clouds have been enumerated. I shall mention the manner of their origin.

Āgneyas are said to be originating from heat. They produce smoke (vapour).

32. Cold winds and winds on cloudy days are their characteristics. They take the shapes of buffaloes, boars and intoxicated elephants.

33. Assuming these forms, they come to the Earth, sport about and wander here and there. They are named Jīmūtas. Living beings are born of these clouds.

34. They are devoid of lightning streaks. They hang down with torrents of water. They are silent clouds of huge bodies. They are under the control of Āvaha (A kind of wind).

35. They shower rain from within one and a half to three kilometres. They shower rain on the tops and ridges of the mountains and roar out.

36. Those clouds named Brahmajas are born of the breath of god Brahmā. They cause impregnation of the white cranes and they sustain their young ones in the womb.

37. Indeed they are endued with streaks of lightning and reverberations of thundering that are pleasing. Due to their continuous rumbling sound, the earth expresses horripilation in the from of (plants and trees) sprouting from it.

38. Like a queen who has been installed (on the throne of) a kingdom, she attains the freshness of youth once again. Strongly attached to the rains, she becomes the source of the life of beings.

39. Those clouds depend on Pravaha, the second type of wind. These clouds (shower rain) from within twelve to eighteen kilometres.

40. Those clouds named Puṣkarāvartakas are born of the Wings. Its conception is threefold. The shower is glorified as continuous downpour.

41. The wings of very powerful mountains that had increased in size and who used to go wherever as they pleased, were chopped off by Indra who wished to secure the welfare of all living beings.

42. Those clouds named Puṣkara (were born of those wings). They increased in size competing with the waters. For the reason, they are termed Puṣkarāvartakas (revolving Puṣkaras).

43. They assume many forms. Their thundering sound is very terrible. They are the creators of the torrential rain at the end of the Kalpas. They control the Saṃvartaka fire (which burns down the universe then).

44. These (clouds) shower rain at the close of the Yugas. (Thus) those third (sets of clouds) have been recounted. They have many forms, configurations and aggregates. They fill the Earth.

45-46. They carry the wind ahead. On being resorted to, they conclude the Kalpas. Aṇḍa-Kapālas are the pieces of the shell of the cosmic egg (evolved out of Prakṛti) which were formed when the egg was broken and the four-faced, self-potent god Brahmā was born therein,—those very pieces of the cosmic egg are all known as clouds.

47-48. Smoke is conducive to development of all of them without any distinction. The most excellent among them is Parjanya. The Elephants of the quarters are four in number. (Although) these are separate, the source of origin of elephants, mountains, clouds and serpents is the same and water is remembered as that origin.

49. On being directed to make the plants and trees flourish, Parjanya and the Diggajas (Elephants of the quarters) shower snowdrops during Hemanta (early winter), born of cool virility.

50-52a. The sixth wind named Parivaha is their support. This powerful (wind) holds up the Gaṅgā of the firmament, the holy divine river of exquisite nectar-like water. The Gaṅgā is situated in the path of Svātī (i.e. firmament) in three currents. With their huge trunks, the elephants of the quarters receive the waters oozing from the Gaṅgā and scatter them in the form of water spray. That is remembered as dew-drops.

52b-53. There is the mountain remembered as Hemakūṭa in the southern region. To the north of the Himalaya mountain, there is the extensive city mentioned by the name Puṇḍra stretching from north to south.

54-56. The rain that falls over it has originated from snow-drops. Thereupon the wind named Vaha flows over the Himalaya, sprinkling the great mountain with water. It brings the mountain under its control by means of its own effort. After crossing the Himalayas it utilises the balance of rainwater for the development of the western region.

(Thus) two types of rain for the purpose of development of two types of vegetation have been recounted.

57. The clouds and their activity of causing the development (of various things)—all these have been recounted. The sun alone is mentioned as the creator of showers.

58. The rainfall has its root (source) in the sun water; proceeds from (functions on account of) the sun. It is after being presided oyer by Dhruva that the sun works for rain.

59-60. The wind presided over by Dhruva withdraws the shower once again.

The planet comes out of the sun, wanders throughout the entire assemblage of the stars and constellations and in the end enters the sun presided over by Dhruva.

Henceforth, understand the structure of the chariot of the sun.^[3]

61-62. The sun-god proceeds by means of a golden chariot that has a single wheel with five spokes and three naves, and a single rim with six phases. I ts horses are green. The whole chariot embellished with gold, shines brightly.

63. The girth and the extent of the chariot is ten thousand Yojanas (1 Yojana=12 km.) In magnitude, its pole-shaft is twice the central cockpit.

64. His chariot is divine and golden. It is yoked with horses as swift as the wind. It has no impediment anywhere. It was for a specific purpose that it was created by Brahma.

65. The Cchandas (Vedic Metres) have assumed the forms of horses and are stationed in the direction of the wheel. The chariot has characteristics similar to those of the chariot of Varuṇa.

66. It is by means of this shining chariot that the sun traverses the firmament.

Now (know) that the following are the different parts of the chariot of the sun.

67-68. The parts are duly constituted by the parts of the year.

The day is remembered as the nave of the single wheel of the solar chariot. The five Ārtavas are the five spokes. The six seasons are remembered as constituting the rim. This is remembered as the inner seat of the chariot. The two Ayanas (transits) are the two poleshafts.

69. Muhūrtas and Kalās are remembered as the beautiful trappings and fittings. Kāṣṭhā is remembered as its nose and the Kṣaṇa (Moment) is its axle.¹

70. The Nimeṣa is its axle tree at the bottom. The Lavas are remembered as its shaft. The night is its wooden fender. Dharma is its flagstaff that has risen up to (a great height).

71. Artha (Wealth) and Kāma (Love) these two are remembered as the tips of the yoke and the axle.

The Veḍic metres in the form of the seven horses carry the yoke by the left.

72. The seven Metres are Gāyatrī, Triṣṭup, Anuṣṭup, Jagatī, Paṅkti, Bṛhatī and Uṣṇik.

73. The wheel is fixed to the Axis and the axis is laid on Dhruva. The Axis whirls along with the wheel and Dhruva whirls (?) along with the Axis.

74. Propelled by Dhruva, the great wheel whirls along with the Axis. Thus is the structure of his chariot in view of specific purpose.

75. Similarly, by means of combination the shining chariot has been evolved. By means of that shining chariot, lord sun-god traverses the firmament.

76. There are two rein-cords fixed to the extremities of the yoke and the axis of the chariot. Those two rein-cords revolve in Dhruva (and perform the function) of a pair of wheels.

77-78. The extremities of the yoke and the axis of the chariot that move in circles in the firmament are caught hold of by Dhruva. Both the rein-cords whirl on the axis and they follow Dhruva who too revolves.

79. The extremities of the yoke and the axis of the chariot revolve all round along with the rein-cords like the rope fixed to a peg.

80. During Uttarāyaṇa the rein-cords become reduced (in length) as they move in circles. During the Dakṣiṇāyana they increase in size.

81. The two rein-cords of the chariot fixed to the extremities of the yoke and the axis are caught hold of by Dhruva and the two rein-cords lead the sun.

82. When presided over by Dhruva, those two reincords are dragged, the sun revolves in circles within (the orbit).

83-84. The intervening distance between the quarters is eight thousand circles (?) When the rein-cords are released by Dhruva, the sun once again revolves in circles outside (the orbit). It moves round in quick circles.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

For a better and detailed description how all the stars and constellations are located as different parts of the body of this heavenly porpoise (Śiśumāra) vide Bh. P. V. 23.4-7. This system of heavenly luminaries is poetically compared to the body of a porpoise and Lord Vāsudeva is stated therein to have assumed the form of the Śiśumāra.

[2]:

Bh. P. ibid V. 2 attributes the power of setting in motion this stellar system to the Almighty Kāla (Time) and not to Dhruva.

[3]:

VV 12-17 describe the ancient concept of the water-cycle. Their belief in the indestructibility of water (V.17) is surprisingly modem, but the later description from 19b ff shows old climatological concepts.

[4]:

This is a fanciful derivation of Abhra ‘a cloud’. Normally Abhra is derived from √ahhr—+suffix—ac (i.e.—a) or from ap+bhṛ—suffix—a, meaning “bearer of water”.

[5]:

VV. 30-46 give the pseudo-scientific classification of clouds as believed by the ancients. Some of the poetic flashes of imagination herein are interesting. Āvaha, Pravaha, Vivaha, Udnaha, Saṃvaha, Parivaha are wind-bearing clouds of different types and functions.

[6]:

VV. 61-62 give a symbolic description of the Chariot of the Sun. The significance of each part of the chariot, the horses yoked etc. is given in VV. 67 ff below.