HYMN XIII
A benediction on a newly cut water channel
1As ye, when Ahi had been slain, flowed forth
together with a
roar,
So are ye called the Roaring Ones: this, O ye Rivers, is
your
name.
2As driven forth by Varuna ye swiftly urged your
rolling waves,
There Indra reached you as you flowed; hence ye are still
the
Water-floods.
3Indra restrained you with his might. Goddesses,
as ye glided
on
Not in accordance with his will: hence have ye got the
name of
Streams.
4One only God set foot on you flowing according
to your will,
The mighty ones breathed upward fast: hence; Water is the
name
they bear.
5Water is good, water indeed is fatness. Agni
and Soma, truly,
both bring water.
May the strong rain of those who scatter sweetness come
helpful
unto me with breath and vigour.
6Then verily, I see, yea, also hear them: their
sound approaches
me, their voice comes hither.
Even then I think I am enjoying Amrit, what time I drink
my
fill of you, gold coloured!
7Here, O ye Waters, is your heart. Here is your
calf, ye holy
ones.
Flow here, just here, O mighty Streams, whither I now am
lead-
ing you.
HYMN XIV
A benediction on a cattle pen
1A Pen wherein to dwell at ease, abundance
and prosperity,
Whate'er is called the birth of day, all this do we bestow
on
you.
2May Aryaman pour gifts on you, and Pūshan,
land Brihaspati,
And Indra, winner of the prize. Make ye my riches grow
with me.
3Moving together, free from fear, with plenteous
droppings in
this pen,
Bearing sweet milk-like Soma-juice, come hither free from
all
disease.
4Come hither, to this place, O Cows: here thrive
as though ye
were manured.
Even here increase and multiply; let us be friendly, you
and me.
5Auspicious be this stall to you. Prosper like
cultivated rice.
Even here increase and multiply. Myself do we bestow on
you.
6Follow me, Cows, as master of the cattle. Here
may this Cow-
pen make you grow and prosper,
Still while we live may we approach you living, ever
increasing
with the growth of riches.
HYMN XV
A merchant's prayer for success in his business
1I stir and animate the merchant
Indra; may
he approach and
be our guide and leader.
Chasing ill-will, wild beast, and highway robber, may he
who
hath the power give me riches.
2The many paths which Gods are wont to travel,
the paths which
go between the earth and heaven,
May they rejoice with me in milk and fatness that I may
make
rich profit by my purchase.
3With fuel. Agni! and with butter, longing, mine
offering I
present for strength and conquest;
With prayer, so far as I have strength, adoring—this
holy hymn
to gain a hundred treasures.
4Pardon this stubbornness of ours. O
Agni, the
distant pathway
which our feet have trodden.
Propitious unto us be sale and barter, may interchange of mer-
chandise enrich me.
Accept, ye twain, accordant, this libation! Prosperous be
our
ventures and incomings.
5The wealth wherewith I carry on my traffic,
seeking, ye Gods!
wealth with the wealth I offer,
May this grow more for me, not less: O Agni, through
sacrifice
chase those who hinder profit!
6The wealth wherewith I carry on my traffic,
seeking, ye Gods!
wealth with the wealth I offer,
Herein may Indra, Savitar, and Soma, Prajāpati, and
Agni give
me splendour.
7With reverence we sign thy praise, O
Hotar-priest
Vaisvānara.
Over our children keep thou watch, over our bodies, kine,
and
lives.
8Still to thee ever will we bring oblation, as
to a stabled horse, O
Jātavedas.
Joying in food and in the growth of riches may we thy
servants,
Agni, never suffer.
HYMN XVI
A Rishi's morning prayer
1Agni at dawn, and Indra we invoke at dawn,
and Varuna and
Mitra, and the Asvins twain:
Bhaga at dawn, Pūshan and Brāhmanaspati, Soma at
dawn, and
Rudra we invoke at dawn.
2We all strong Bhaga, conqueror in the morning,
the son of
Aditi, the great Disposer,
Whom each who deems himself poor, strong and mighty, a
king,
addresses thus, Grant thou my portion!
3Bhaga, our guide, Bhaga whose gifts are
faithful, favour this
hymn and give us wealth, O Bhaga.
Bhaga, augment our store of kine and horses. Bhaga, may we
be
rich in men and heroes.
4So may felicity be ours at present, and when
the Sun advances,
and at noontide;
And may we still, O Bounteous One, at sunset be happy in
the
Gods' protecting favour.
5May Bhaga verily be bliss-bestower, and through
him, Gods!
may happiness attend us.
As such with all my might I call and call thee: as such be
thou
our leader here, O Bhaga.
6To this our sacrifice may the Dawns incline
them, and come to
the pure place like Dadhikrāvan.
As strong steeds draw a chariot may they bring me
hitherward
Bhaga who discovers treasure.
7May the kind Mornings dawn on us for ever with,
wealth of
kine, of horses, and of heroes.
Streaming with all abundance, pouring fatness,
Do ye preserve us evermore with blessings!
HYMN XVII
A farmer's song and prayer to speed the plough
1Wise and devoted to the Gods the skilful men
bind plough-ropes
fast,
And lay the yokes on either side.
2Lay on the yokes and fasten well the traces:
formed is the
furrow, sow the seed within it.
Virāj vouchsafe us hearing fraught with plenty!
Let the ripe grain come near and near the sickle.
3The keen-shared plough that bringeth bliss,
furnished with traces
and with stilts,
Shear out for me a cow, a sheep, a rapid drawer of the
car, a
blooming woman, plump and strong!
4May Indra press the furrow down, may Pūshan
guard and cherish
her.
May she, well stored with milk yield milk for us through
each
succeeding year.
5Happily let the shares turn up the ploughland,
the ploughers
happily follow the oxen.
Pleased with our sacrifice, Suna and Sira! make the plants
bring
this man abundant produce.
6Happily work our steers and men! May the plough
furrow
happily,
Happily be the traces bound. Happily ply the driving-goad.
7Suna and Sira, welcome ye this laud, and with
the milk that ye
have made in heaven,
Bedew ye both this earth of ours.
8Auspicious Sitā, come thou near: we
venerate and worship thee.
That thou mayst bless and prosper us and bring us fruits
abundantly.
9Loved by the Visvedevas and the Maruts, let Sitā
be bedewed.
with oil and honey.
Turn thou to us with wealth of milk, O Sitā, in
vigorous
strength and pouring streams of fatness.
HYMN XVIII
A jealous wife's incantation against a rival
1From out the earth I dig this Plant, and
herb of most effectual
power,
Wherewith one quells the rival wife and gains the husband
for
one's self.
2Auspicious, with expanded leaves, sent by the
Gods, victorious
Plant,
Drive thou, the rival wife away, and make my husband only
mine.
3Indeed he hath not named her name: thou with
this husband
dalliest not,
Far into distance most remote we drive the rival wife
away.
4Stronger am I, O stronger one, yea, mightier
than the mightier;
Beneath me be my rival wife, down, lower than the lowest
dames!
5I am the conqueror, and thou, thou also art
victorious:
As victory attends us both we will subdue my fellowwife.
6I've girt thee with the conquering Plant,
beneath thee laid the
mightiest one.
As a cow hastens to her calf, so let thy spirit speed to
me,
hasten like water on its way.
HYMN XIX
A glorification of the office of a king's household
priest
1Quickened is this my priest rank, quickened
is manly strength
and force,
Quickened be changeless power, whereof I am the conquering
President!
2I quicken these men's princely sway, the might,
the manly
strength and force;
I rend away the foemen's arms with this presented
sacrifice.
3Down fall the men, low let them lie, who fight
against our
mighty prince,
I ruin foemen with my spell, and raise my friends to high
estate.
4Keener than is the axe's edge, keener than
Agni's self are they,
Keener than Indra's bolt are they whose Priest and
President am I.
5The weapons of these men I whet and sharpen,
with valiant
heroes I increase their kingdom.
Victorious be their power and ever ageless! May all the
Gods
promote their thoughts and wishes.
66Let their fierce powers, O Maghavan, be
heightened, and upward
go the shout of conquering heroes.
Apart and clear, let shout and roar and shriek and
lamentation
rise!
Let the Gods led by Indra, let the Maruts with our army
go.
7Advance and be victorious, men I Exceeding
mighty be your
arms!
Smite with sharp-pointed arrows those whose bows are weak.
With your strong arms and weapons smite the feeble foe.
8Loosed from the bowstring fly away, thou Arrow,
sharpened by
our prayer.
Assail the foemen, vanquish them, conquer each bravest man
of
theirs, and let not one of them escape.
HYMN XX
A prayer for riches and general prosperity
1This is thine ordered place of birth whence
sprung to life thou
shinest forth.
Knowing this, Agni, mount on high and cause our riches to
increase.
2Turn hither, Agni, speak to us, come to us with
a friendly mind.
Enrich us, Sovran of the Tribes! Thou art the giver of our
wealth.
3Let Aryaman vouchsafe us, wealth, and Bhaga,
and Brihaspati,
The Goddesses grant wealth to us, Sūnritā,
Goddess, give me
wealth!
4We call King Soma to our aid, and Agni with our
songs and.
hymn,
The Ādityas, Vishnu, Sūrya, and the Brāhman-priest
Brihaspati.
5Do thou, O Agni, with thy fires strengthen our
prayer and.
sacrifice.
Incite thou us, O God, to give, and send us riches to
bestow.
6Both Indra here and Vāyu we invoke with an
auspicious call,
That in assembly all the folk may be benevolent to us, and
be
inclined to give us gifts.
7Urge Aryaman to send us gifts, and Indra, and
Brihaspati,
Vāta, Vishnu, Sarasvati, and the strong courser
Savitar.
8Now have we reached the ordering of power, and
all these
worlds of life are held within it.
Let him who knows urge e'en the churl to bounty Give
wealth.
to us with all good men about us.
9May heaven's five spacious regions pour their
milk for me with
all their might.
May I obtain each wish and hope formed by my spirit and my
heart.
10May speech that winneth cows be mine. With
splendour mount
thou over me.
May Vāyu hedge me round about May Pūshan make me
pros-
perous.
HYMN XXI
In honour of fire in all shapes, to appease Agni of
the funeral pile and to quench the flames of cremation
1All Fires that are in water and in
Vritra,
all those that man and
stones contain within them,
That which hath entered herbs and trees and bushes—to
all
these Fires be this oblation offered.
2That which abides in Soma and in cattle, that
which lies deep in
birds and sylvan creatures,
That which hath entered quadrupeds and bipeds—to all
these
Fires be this oblation offered.
3The Fire that rideth by the side of
Indra, the
God Vaisvānara,.
yea all-consuming,
Whom, as the victor, I invoke in battles—to all these
Fires be
this oblation offered.
4The all-devouring God whom men call Kāma,
he whom they
call the Giver and Receiver,
Invincible, pervading, wise, and mighty—to all these
Fires be
this oblation offered.
5To thee, strength-giver, glorious, rich in
pleasant strains, whom.
in their minds the thirteen creatures of the world,
And the five sons of man regard as Hotar-priest—to all
these-
Fires be this oblation offered.
6To him who feeds on ox and cow, sage, bearing
Soma on his
back,
To all Vaisvānara's followers—to these be this
oblation paid.
7All fiery flames that follow after lightning,
flashing o'er earth,
through firmament and heaven,
All that are in the wind and skyey regions—to all these
Fires be
this oblation offered.
8The golden-handed Savitar and
Indra, Brihaspati, Varuna,
Mitra, and Agni,
The Angirases we call, the Visve Devas: let them appease
this
Agni, Flesh-devourer.
9Flesh-eating Agni is appeased, appeased is he
who hurteth men.
Now him who burneth every thing, the Flesh-consumer, have
I
stilled.
10The mountains where the Soma grows, the waters
lying calm and
still,
Vāta, Parjanya, Agni's self have made the
Flesh-consumer rest.
HYMN XXII
The taming and training of an elephant for a king
to ride on
1Famed be the Elephant's strength, the lofty
glory, which out of
Aditi's body took existence!
They all have given me this for my possession, even all
the Gods
and Aditi accordant.
2On this have Mitra, Varuna,
Indra, and Rudra
fixed their
thought.
May those all-fostering deities anoint and balm me with
his
strength.
3The strength wherewith the Elephant was
dowered, that decks a
King among the men, in waters,
O Agni, even with that strength make thou me vigorous
to-day.
4The lofty strength which sacrifice brings, Jātavedas!
unto thee,
What strength the Sun possesses, all strength of the royal Ele-
phant—such strength vouchsafe to me the pair of
Asvins
lotus-garlanded!
5Far as the heaven's four regions spread, far as
the eye's most
distant ken.
So wide, so vast let power be mine, this vigour of the
Elephant.
6Now hath the Elephant become chief of all
pleasant beasts to
ride.
With his high fortune and his strength I grace and
conscorate
myself.
HYMN XXIII
A charm to remove a woman's sterility, and to
assure the birth of boys
1From thee we banish and expel the cause of
thy sterility.
This in another place we lay apart from thee and far
removed.
2As arrow to the quiver, so let a male embryo
enter thee.
Then from thy side be born a babe, a ten-month child, thy
hero
son.
3Bring forth a male, bring forth a son. Another
male shall follow
him.
The mother shalt thou be of sons born and hereafter to be
born.
4With that auspicious general flow wherewith
steers propagate
their kind,
Do thou obtain thyself a son: be thou a fruitfu!
mother-cow.
5I give thee power to bear a child: within, thee
pass the germ of
life!
Obtain a son, O woman, who shall be a blessing unto thee.
Be
thou a blessing unto him.
6May those celestial herbs whose sire was
Heaven, the Earth their
mother, and their root the ocean.
May those celestial healing Plants assist thee to obtain a
son.
HYMN XXIV
A song of harvest
1The plants of earth are rich in milk, and
rich in milk is this
my word,
So from the rich in milk I bring thousandfold profit
hitherward.
2Him who is rich in milk I know. Abundant hath
he made our
corn.
The God whose name is Gatherer, him we invoke who dwelleth
in his house who sacrifices not.
3All the five regions of the heavens, all the
five races of man-
kind,
As after rain the stream brings drift, let them bring
increase
hitherward.
4Open the well with hundred streams,
exhaustless, with a thousand
streams.
So cause this corn of ours to be exhaustless, with a
thousand
streams.
5O Hundred-handed, gather up. O Thousand-handed,
pour thou
forth.
Bring hither increase of the corn prepared and yet to be
pre-
pared.
6Three sheaves are the Gandharvas' claim, the
lady of the house
hath four.
We touch thee with the sheaf that is the most abundant of
them
all.
7Adding and Gathering are thy two attendants, O
Prajāpati.
May they bring hither increase, wealth abundant,
inexhaustible.
HYMN XXV
A man's love-charm
1Let the Impeller goad thee on. Rest not in
peace upon thy bed.
Terrible is the shaft of Love: therewith I pierce thee to
the
heart.
2That arrow winged with longing thought, its
stem Desire, its
neck, Resolve,
Let Kāma, having truly aimed, shoot forth and pierce
thee in
the heart.
3The shaft of Kāma, pointed well, that
withers and consumes the
spleen.
With hasty feathers, all aglow, therewith I pierce thee to
the
heart.
4Pierced through with fiercely-burning heat,
steal to me with thy
parching lips,
Gentle and humble, all mine own, devoted, with sweet words
of
love.
5Away Lfrom mother and from sire I drive thee
hither with a
whip,
That thou mayst be at my command and yield to every wish
of
mine.
6Mitra and Varuna, expel all thought and purpose
from her
heart.
Deprive her of her own free will and make her subject unto
me.
HYMN XXVI
A charm to win the favour of all serpents
1Ye Gods who dwell within this eastward
region, entitled
Weapons, Agni forms your arrows.
Be kind and gracious unto us and bless us. To you be
reverence,
to you be welcome!
2Ye Gods who dwell within this southward region,
entitled Eager,
Kāma forms your arrows.
Be kind, etc.
3Ye Gods who dwell within this westward region,
whose name is
Radiant, Water forms your arrows.
Be kind, etc.
4Ye Gods who dwell within this northward region,
whose name
is Piercers, Vāta forms your arrows.
Be kind, etc.
5Ye Gods whose home is in this firm-set
region—Nilimpas is your
name—Plants are your arrow.
Be kind, etc.
6Ye Gods whose home is in this upmost region,
Yearners by
name, Brihaspati forms your arrows.
Be kind and gracious unto us and bless us. To you be
reverence,
to you be welcome!
HYMN XXVII
A charm consigning an enemy to the serpents for
punishment
1Agni is regent of the East, its warder is
Asita, the Ādityas are
the arrows.
Worship to these the regents, these the warders, and to
the
arrows, yea, to these be worship!
Within your jaws we lay the man who hateth us and whom we
hate.
2Indra is regent of the South, its warder
Tiraschirāji, and the
shafts the Fathers.
Worship to these the regents, these the warders, and to
the
arrows, yea, to these be worship!
Within your jaws we lay the man who hateth us and whom we
hate.
3Of the West region Varuna is ruler, Pridāku
warder, Nourish-
ment the arrows.
Worship, etc.
4Soma is ruler of the Northern region, Svaja the
warder, lightn-
ing's flash the arrows.
Worship, etc.
5Vishnu is ruler of the firm-set region, Kalmāshagriva
warder,
Plants the arrows.
Worship, etc.
6Brihaspati controls the topmost region, Svitra
is warder, and
the Rain the arrows.
Worship to these the regents, these the warders, and to
the
arrows, yea, to these be worship,!
Within your jaws we lay the man who hateth us and whom we
hate.
HYMN XXVIII
A charm to change the ill-omened birth of twin
calves into a blessing
1This cow was born to bring forth offspring
singly, though they
created kine of every colour.
When she produces twins in spite of Order, sullen, with
groan
and grudge she harms the cattle.
2She brings destruction on the beasts, turned to
a flesh-devouring
worm.
Yes, give her to the Brāhman that she may bring luck
and
happiness.
3Be thou auspicious to our folk, bring luck to
horses and to kine.
Auspicious unto all this farm, bring luck and happiness to
us.
4Let there be rain and increase here, here be
thou most munifi-
cient.
Mother of twins, prosper our herd.
5Where, having left all sickness of their
bodies, the pious lead, as
friends, their lives of gladness
Nigh to that world approached the twin calves' mother. Let
her
not harm our people and our cattle.
6Where lies the world of those dear friends, the
pious, those who
have brought due sacrifice to Agni
Nigh to that world approached the twins calves' mother.
Let her
not harm our people and our cattle.
HYMN XXIX
On the means to obtain immunity from taxation in
the next world
1When yonder kings who sit beside Yama divide
among them-
selves the sixteenth part of hopes fulfilled,
A ram bestowed as sacrifice, white-footed, frees us from
the tax.
2He satisfies each hope and want, prevailing,
present and pre-
pared.
The wish-fulfilling ram, bestowed, white-footed is
exhaustless
still.
3He who bestows a white-hooved ram, adequate to
the place he
holds.
Ascends to the celestial height, the heaven where tribute
is not
paid to one more mighty by the weak.
4He who bestows a white-hooved ram, adequate to
the place he
holds.
Offered with five cakes, lives on that, unwasting, in the
Fathers'
world.
5He who bestows a white-hooved ram, adequate to
the place he
holds,
Offered with five cakes, lives on that, wasteless, while
Sun and.
Moon endure.
6Like a refreshing draught, like sea, the mighty
flood, he faileth
not.
Like the two Gods whose home is one, the ram white-footed,
faileth not.
7Whose gift was this, and given to whom? Kāma
to Kāma gave
the gift.
Kāma is giver, Kāma is receiver. Kāma has
passed into the sea.
Through Kāma do I take thee to myself. O Kāma,
this is thine.
8May Earth receive thee as her own, and this
great interspace of
air.
Neither in breath and body nor in progeny may this
acceptance
do me harm.
HYMN XXX
A prayer or charm to secure love and concord in a
family
1Freedom from hate I bring to you, concord
and unanimity.
Love one another as the cow loveth the calf that she hath
borne.
2One-minded with his mother let the son be loyal
to his sire.
Let the wife, calm and gentle, speak words sweet as honey
to her
lord.
3No brother hate his brother, no sister to
sister be unkind.
Unanimous, with one intent, speak ye your speech in
friend-
liness.
4That spell through which Gods sever not, nor
ever bear each
other hate,
That spell we lay upon your home, a bond of union for the
men.
5Intelligent, submissive, rest united, friendly
and kind, bearing
the yoke together.
Come, speaking sweetly each one to the other. I make you
one-
intentioned and one-minded.
6Let what you drink, your share of food be
common together,
with one common bond I bid you.
Serve Agni, gathered round him like the spokes about the
chariot nave.
7With binding charm I make you all united,
obeying one sole
leader and one-minded.
Even as the Gods who watch and guard the Amrit, at morn
and
eve may ye be kindly-hearted.
HYMN XXXI
A charm for the recovery of one dangerously ill
1May Gods release from failing strength, thou
Agni, from
malignity!
I free from every evil, from decline: I compass round with
life.
2May Pavamāna free from harm, and Sakra
from unrighteous
deed.
I free from every evil, from decline: I compass round with
life.
3Tame beasts have parted from wild beasts, water
and thirst have
gone apart
I free, etc.
4Parted are heaven and earth, and paths turned
to each quarter
of the sky.
I free, etc.
5Tvashtar prepares the bridal of his daughter;
then all this world
of life departs and leaves him.
I free, etc.
6Agni combines the vital airs. The moon is
closely joined with
breath.
I free. etc.
7The Gods have lifted up with breath the Sun
whose might is
everywhere.
I free, etc.
8Die not. Live with the breath of those who make
and who enjoy
long life.
I free, etc.
9Die not. Stay here. Breathe with the breath of
those who draw
the vital air.
I free, etc.
10Rise up with life, conjoined with life. Up,
with the sap of growing
plants!
I free, etc.
11We as immortal beings have arisen with
Parjanya's rain,
I free from every evil, from decline: I compass round with
life.
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