वसन्तो हिंकारो ग्रीष्मः प्रस्तावो वर्षा उद्गीथः शरत्प्रतिहारो हेमन्तो निधनमेतद्वैराजमृतुषु प्रोतम् ॥ २.१६.१ ॥
vasanto hiṃkāro grīṣmaḥ prastāvo varṣā udgīthaḥ śaratpratihāro hemanto nidhanametadvairājamṛtuṣu protam || 2.16.1 ||
1. Spring is the hiṃkāra, summer the prastāva, the rainy season the udgītha, autumn the pratihāra, and winter the nidhana. This Sāma known as Vairāja is rooted in the seasons.
Word-for-word explanation:
Vasantaḥ hiṃkāraḥ, spring is the hiṃkāra; grīṣmaḥ prastāvaḥ, summer is the prastāva; varṣāḥ udgīthaḥ, the rainy season is the udgītha; śarat pratihāraḥ, autumn is the pratihāra; hemantaḥ nidhanam, winter is the nidhana; etat vairājam, this [Sāma called] Vairāja; ṛtuṣu protam, is rooted in the seasons.
Commentary:
The clouds determine the seasons. This is why the Sāma is first worshipped as the clouds and after that as the seasons.