Atharvavedaparishishta 65.1

Om. Now, therefore, in the auxiliary section on signs, we shall explain the signs of immediate rain.

When the sun appears with a glossy, pure disk, radiant, intensely brilliant, with thick rays, resembling glowing fire, Parjanya rains immediately; and when the quarters are clear, the mountains resemble crow's eggs, with great dust ridges, plunged into lakes, appearing pure, vast, glossy, serene, and cheerful, when the constellations of lights seem low, and when the wind is favorable, auspicious, cool, and low. And here is a verse:

The east wind produces clouds; the other destroys clouds; / the north produces rain; and the south certainly rains.

When clouds have the shape of a whale, makara, mountain, serpent, alligator, aquatic monster, porpoise, conch shell, tree, turtle, wave, fish, buffalo, boar, quarter-elephant, fresh white water lily petal, lotus stem, pot, bud, garland, archway, whirlpool, swastika, vardhamāna dish, chariot, silver-colored, banner, horse, falcon, assembly hall, various aquatic creatures, bird-crying quadrupeds, soft as night blue water lilies and lotus leaves;

resembling pearls, crystal, silver, lapis lazuli, collyrium, black bees, and serpents; with the luster of honey, milk, flame-of-the-forest flowers, smoke, dūrvā grass, silver, gold, and coral:

When [clouds] are seen doubled or tripled, rooted, having high peaks, with great whirls, making sounds like trembling chariot-fellies, reverberating with the roar of ocean waters, booming like agitated kettledrums, or resembling lotus-filaments; or dark like white lotuses or peacock necks, resounding with masses of clouds; or when there are broken clouds, or clouds broken at the base; at times resembling gold or realgar, filled with golden [hues], in these waters and adorned within by [various] places; stirred and spread by the south wind, sounding with deep thundering within the planets; [or] in the middle of half [the sky], one should predict immediate rain. On this there are two verses:

clouds appearing as embryos at sunrise or sunset while the sun shines, / as if blazing on the manifold, uneven points of the sky;

five wind-couches, appearing like golden gems— / wherever they are observed, there it pours down rain.

Having observed a mass of clouds at the rising, ascending, or setting of the sun, and rain-giving [clouds] having the appearance of marine animals, ariṣṭaka-berries, beryl, blue lotuses, lotus leaves, smoke, moss, or herons, possessing a glossy rumble, deep rays, and lightning, increasing together with the wind and bending the wind-blown trees on the ground that have grown large trunks and branches, one should predict immediate rain. On this there are two verses:

"With clouds resembling blazing fire within, pure gold, / or resembling the lustre of blue lotuses, beryl, or collyrium,

growing with dark rays like branching trees— / wherever they are seen, it certainly rains there."