The Twelve Monthly Retinues of the Sun

Verse 1 (vishnu.2.10.1)

पराशर उवाच । अशीतिमण्डलशतं काष्ठयोर् अन्तरं द्वयोः । आरोहणावरोहाभ्यां भानोर् अब्देन या गतिः

parāśara uvāca aśītimaṇḍalaśataṁ kāṣṭhayor antaraṁ dvayoḥ ārohaṇāvarohābhyāṁ bhānor abdena yā gatiḥ

Parashara said: One hundred and eighty degrees is the distance between the two solstice-points — this is the extent of the sun's course through its rising and setting over the year.

Verse 2 (vishnu.2.10.2)

स रथोऽधिष्ठितो देवैर् आदित्यै ऋषिभिस् तथा । गन्धर्वैर् अप्सरोभिश् च ग्रामणीसर्पराक्षसैः

sa ratho'dhiṣṭhito devair ādityai ṛṣibhis tathā gandharvair apsarobhiś ca grāmaṇīsarparākṣasaiḥ

That chariot is mounted, in turn, by gods, Adityas, sages, and likewise by gandharvas, apsarases, gramanis, serpents, and rakshasas.

Verse 3 (vishnu.2.10.3)

धाता कृतस्थला चैव पुलस्त्यो वासुकिस् तथा । रथकृद् ग्रामणीर् हेतिस् तुम्बुरुश् चैव सप्तमः

dhātā kṛtasthalā caiva pulastyo vāsukis tathā rathakṛd grāmaṇīr hetis tumburuś caiva saptamaḥ

Dhata, and Kritasthala, and Pulastya, and likewise Vasuki, Rathakrit, the gramani named Heti, and Tumburu the seventh —

Verse 4 (vishnu.2.10.4)

एते वसन्ति वै चैत्रे मधुमासे सदैव हि । मैत्रेय स्यन्दने भानोः सप्त मासाधिकारिणः

ete vasanti vai caitre madhumāse sadaiva hi maitreya syandane bhānoḥ sapta māsādhikāriṇaḥ

O Maitreya, these seven always dwell, in the month of Chaitra (called Madhu), in the sun's chariot, having charge of that month.

Verse 5 (vishnu.2.10.5)

अर्यमा पुलहश् चैव रथौजाः पुञ्जिकस्थला । प्रहेतिः कच्छनीरश् च नारदश् च रथे रवेः

aryamā pulahaś caiva rathaujāḥ puñjikasthalā prahetiḥ kacchanīraś ca nāradaś ca rathe raveḥ

Aryaman, and Pulaha, Rathaujas, Punjikasthala, Praheti, Kacchanira, and Narada — these in the sun's chariot

Verse 6 (vishnu.2.10.6)

माधवे निवसन्त्य् एते शुचिसंज्ञे निबोध मे

mādhave nivasanty ete śucisaṁjñe nibodha me

dwell in the month of Vaishakha, called Madhava — know this from me.

Verse 7 (vishnu.2.10.7)

मित्रोऽत्रिस् तक्षको रक्षः पौरुषेयोऽथ मेनका । हाहा रथस्वनश् चैव मैत्रेयैते वसन्ति वै

mitro'tris takṣako rakṣaḥ pauruṣeyo'tha menakā hāhā rathasvanaś caiva maitreyaite vasanti vai

Mitra, Atri, Takshaka, the rakshasa Paurusheya, Menaka, Haha, and Rathasvana — O Maitreya, these dwell in the month of Jyeshtha.

Verse 8 (vishnu.2.10.8)

वरुणो वसिष्ठो रम्भा सहजन्या हुहू रथः । रथचित्रस् तथा शुक्रे वसन्त्य् आषाढसंज्ञिते

varuṇo vasiṣṭho rambhā sahajanyā huhū rathaḥ rathacitras tathā śukre vasanty āṣāḍhasaṁjñite

Varuna, Vasishtha, Rambha, Sahajanya, Huhu, and Rathachitra — these dwell in the month called Ashadha.

Verse 9 (vishnu.2.10.9)

इन्द्रो विश्वावसुः स्रोत एलापत्रस् तथाङ्गिराः । प्रम्लोचा च नभस्य् एते सर्पश् चार्के वसन्ति वै

indro viśvāvasuḥ srota elāpatras tathāṅgirāḥ pramlocā ca nabhasy ete sarpaś cārke vasanti vai

Indra, Vishvavasu, Srota, Elapatra, and Angiras, Pramlocha, and Sarpa — these dwell in the sun in the month of Shravana.

Verse 10 (vishnu.2.10.10)

विवस्वान् उग्रसेनश् च भृगुर् आपूरणस् तथा । उम्लोचा शङ्खपालश् च व्याघ्रो भाद्रपदे तथा

vivasvān ugrasenaś ca bhṛgur āpūraṇas tathā umlocā śaṅkhapālaś ca vyāghro bhādrapade tathā

Vivasvan, Ugrasena, Bhrigu, and Apurana, Umlocha, Shankhapala, and Vyaghra — these dwell in the month of Bhadrapada.

Verse 11 (vishnu.2.10.11)

पूषा च सुरुचिर् वातो गौतमोऽथ धनंजयः । सुषेणोऽन्यो घृताची च वसन्त्य् आश्वयुजे रवौ

pūṣā ca surucir vāto gautamo'tha dhanaṁjayaḥ suṣeṇo'nyo ghṛtācī ca vasanty āśvayuje ravau

Pusha, Suruchi, Vata, Gautama, and Dhananjaya, Sushena, and another, Ghritachi — these dwell in the sun in the month of Ashvina.

Verse 12 (vishnu.2.10.12)

विश्वावसुर् भरद्वाजः पर्जन्यैरावतौ तथा । विश्वाची सेनजिच् चापि कार्त्तिके चाधिकारिणः

viśvāvasur bharadvājaḥ parjanyairāvatau tathā viśvācī senajic cāpi kārttike cādhikāriṇaḥ

Vishvavasu, Bharadvaja, Parjanya and Airavata, Vishvachi, and Senajit — these have charge of the month of Karttika.

Verse 13 (vishnu.2.10.13)

अंशुकाश्यपतार्क्ष्यास् तु महापद्मस् तथोर्वशी । चित्रसेनस् तथा विद्युन् मार्गशीर्षाधिकारिणः

aṁśukāśyapatārkṣyās tu mahāpadmas tathorvaśī citrasenas tathā vidyun mārgaśīrṣādhikāriṇaḥ

Amshu, Kashyapa, and Tarkshya, Mahapadma, Urvashi, Chitrasena, and Vidyut — these have charge of the month of Margashirsha.

Verse 14 (vishnu.2.10.14)

क्रतुर् भगस् तथोर्णायुः स्फूर्जः कर्कोटकस् तथा । अरिष्टनेमिश् चैवान्या पूर्वचित्तिर् वराप्सराः

kratur bhagas tathorṇāyuḥ sphūrjaḥ karkoṭakas tathā ariṣṭanemiś caivānyā pūrvacittir varāpsarāḥ

Kratu, Bhaga, and Urnayu, Sphurja and Karkotaka, and Arishtanemi, and the excellent apsaras Purvachitti —

Verse 15 (vishnu.2.10.15)

पौषमासे वसन्त्य् एते सप्त भास्करमण्डले । लोकप्रकाशनार्थाय विप्रवर्याधिकारिणः

pauṣamāse vasanty ete sapta bhāskaramaṇḍale lokaprakāśanārthāya vipravaryādhikāriṇaḥ

these seven dwell in the sun's orb in the month of Pausha, for the illumination of the worlds, under the leadership of the finest brahmin among them.

Verse 16 (vishnu.2.10.16)

त्वष्टा च जमदग्निश् च कम्बलोऽथ तिलोत्तमा । ब्रह्मापेतोऽथ ऋतजिद् धृतराष्ट्रश् च सप्तमः

tvaṣṭā ca jamadagniś ca kambalo'tha tilottamā brahmāpeto'tha ṛtajid dhṛtarāṣṭraś ca saptamaḥ

Tvashta, Jamadagni, Kambala, and Tilottama, Brahmapeta, Ritajit, and the seventh, Dhritarashtra —

Verse 17 (vishnu.2.10.17)

माघमासे वसन्त्य् एते सप्त मैत्रेय भास्करे । श्रूयतां चापरे सूर्ये फाल्गुने निवसन्ति ये

māghamāse vasanty ete sapta maitreya bhāskare śrūyatāṁ cāpare sūrye phālgune nivasanti ye

O Maitreya, these seven dwell in the sun in the month of Magha; now hear who else dwells in the sun in the month of Phalguna.

Verse 18 (vishnu.2.10.18)

विष्णुर् अश्वतरो रम्भा सूर्यवर्चाश् च सत्यजित् । विश्वामित्रस् तथा रक्षो यज्ञोपेतो महामुने

viṣṇur aśvataro rambhā sūryavarcāś ca satyajit viśvāmitras tathā rakṣo yajñopeto mahāmune

Vishnu, Ashvatara, Rambha, Suryavarchas, and Satyajit, Vishvamitra, and the rakshasa Yajnopeta, O great sage —

Verse 19 (vishnu.2.10.19)

मासेष्व् एतेषु मैत्रेय वसन्त्य् एते तु सप्तकाः । सवितुर् मण्डले ब्रह्मन् विष्णुशक्त्युपबृंहिताः

māseṣv eteṣu maitreya vasanty ete tu saptakāḥ savitur maṇḍale brahman viṣṇuśaktyupabṛṁhitāḥ

O Maitreya, in these months these groups of seven dwell in the orb of the sun, O brahmin, each sustained by the power of Vishnu.

Verse 20 (vishnu.2.10.20)

स्तुवन्ति मुनयः सूर्यं गन्धर्वैर् गीयते पुरः । नृत्यन्त्य् अप्सरसो यान्ति सूर्यस्यानु निशाचराः

stuvanti munayaḥ sūryaṁ gandharvair gīyate puraḥ nṛtyanty apsaraso yānti sūryasyānu niśācarāḥ

The sages praise the sun; the gandharvas sing before him; the apsarases dance; and the night-wanderers follow along behind the sun.

Verse 21 (vishnu.2.10.21)

वहन्ति पन्नगा यक्षैः क्रियतेऽभीषुसंग्रहः

vahanti pannagā yakṣaiḥ kriyate'bhīṣusaṁgrahaḥ

The serpents, together with the yakshas, draw the chariot; and the gathering of his rays' reins is performed by them.

Verse 22 (vishnu.2.10.22)

वालखिल्यास् तथैवैनं परिवार्य समासते

vālakhilyās tathaivainaṁ parivārya samāsate

The Valakhilya sages likewise surround him and sit close about.

Verse 23 (vishnu.2.10.23)

सोऽयं सप्तगणः सूर्यमण्डले मुनिसत्तम । हिमोष्णवारिवृष्टीनां हेतुः स्वसमयं गतः

so'yaṁ saptagaṇaḥ sūryamaṇḍale munisattama himoṣṇavārivṛṣṭīnāṁ hetuḥ svasamayaṁ gataḥ

Thus, O best of sages, this sevenfold company in the sun's orb, each going to its own appointed time, becomes the cause of snow, heat, and rain.