
Hymns to Rbhus from the Rig-Veda - Book I

1 FOR the Celestial Race this song of praise
which gives wealth lavishly
Was made by singers with their
lips.
2 They who for Indra, with their mind, formed horses
harnessed by a word,
Attained by works to sacrifice.
3
They for the two Nasatyas wrought a light car moving every way:
They formed a nectar-yielding cow.
4 The Rbhus with effectual
prayers, honest, with constant labour, made
Their Sire and
Mother young again.
5 Together came your gladdening drops
with Indra by the Maruts girt,
With the Adityas, with the
Kings.
6 The sacrificial ladle, wrought newly by the God
Tvastar's hand-
Four ladles have ye made thereof.
7 Vouchsafe
us wealth, to him who pours thrice seven libations, yea, to
each
Give wealth, pleased with our eulogies.
8 As ministering
Priests they held, by pious acts they won themselves,
A share
in sacrifice with Gods.
HYMN CX. Rbhus.
1. THE holy work I wrought before is wrought
again: my sweetest hymn is sung to celebrate your praise.
Here, O ye Rbhus, is this sea for all the Gods: sate you with
Soma offered with the hallowing word.
2 When, seeking your
enjoyment onward from afar, ye, certain of my kinsmen, wandered
on your way,
Sons of Sudhanvan, after your long journeying,
ye came unto the home of liberal Savitar.
3 Savitar therefore
gave you immortality, because ye came proclaiming him whom naught
can hide;
And this the drinking-chalice of the Asura, which
till that time was one, ye made to be fourfold.
4 When they
had served with zeal at sacrifice as priests, they, mortal as
they were, gained immortality.
The Rbhus, children of Sudhanvan,
bright as suns, were in a year's course made associate with
prayers.
5 The Rbhus, with a rod measured, as 'twere a field,
the single sacrificial chalice. wide of mouth,
Lauded of
all who saw, praying for what is best, desiring glorious fame
among Immortal Gods.
6 As oil in ladles, we through knowledge
will present unto the Heroes of the firmament our hymn,
The Rbhus who came near with this great Father's speed, and
rose to heaven's high sphere to cat the strengthening food.
7 Rbhu to us is Indra freshest in his might, Rbhu with powers
and wealth is giver of rich gifts.
Gods, through your favour
may we on the happy day quell the attacks of those who pour
no offerings forth.
8 Out of a skin, O Rbhus, once ye formed
a cow, and brought the mother close unto her calf again.
Sons of Sudhanvan, Heroes, with surpassing skill ye made your
aged Parents youthful as before.
9 Help us with strength
where spoil is won, O Indra: joined with the gbhus give us varied
bounty.
This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra,
and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CXI. Rbhus.
1. WORKING with skill they wrought the lightly
rolling car: they wrought the Bays who bear Indra and bring
great gifts.
The Rbhus for their Parents made life young
again; and fashioned for the calf a mother by its side.
2
For sacrifice make for us active vital power for skill and wisdom
food with noble progeny.
Grant to our company this power
most excellent, that with a family all-heroic we may dwell.
3 Do ye, O Rbhus, make prosperity for us, prosperity for car,
ye Heroes, and for steed.
Grant us prosperity victorious
evermore,
conquering foes in battle, strangers or akin.
4 Indra, the Rbhus' Lord, I invocate for aid, the Rbhus, Vajas,
Maruts to the Soma draught.
Varuna, Mitra, both, yea, and
the Asvins Twain: let them speed us to wealth, wisdom, and victory.
5 May Rbhu send prosperity for battle, may Vaja conquering in
the fight protect us.
This prayer of ours may Varuna grant,
and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CLXI. Rbhus.
1 WHY hath the Best, why hath the Youngest come
to us? Upon what embassy comes he? What have we said?
We
have not blamed the chalice of illustrious birth. We, Brother
Agni, praised the goodness of the wood.
2 The chalice that
is single make ye into four: thus have the Gods commanded; therefore
am I come.
If, O Sudhanvan's Children, ye will do this thing
ye shall participate in sacrifice with Gods.
3 What to the
envoy Agni in reply ye spake, A courser must be made, a chariot
fashioned here,
A cow must be created, and the Twain made
young. When we have done these things, Brother, we turn to you.
4 When thus, O Rbhus, ye had done ye questioned thus, Whither
went he who came to us a messenger?
Then Tvastar, when he
viewed the four wrought chalices, concealed himself among the
Consorts of the Gods.
5 As Tvastar thus had spoken, Let us
slay these men who have reviled the chalice, drinking-cup of
Gods,
They gave themselves new names when Soma juice was
shed, and under these new names the Maiden welcomed them.
6 Indra hath yoked his Bays, the Asvins' car is horsed, Brhaspati
hath brought the Cow of every hue.
Ye went as Rbhus, Vibhvan,
Vaja to the Gods, and skilled in war, obtained your share in
sacrifice.
7 Ye by your wisdom brought a cow from out a hide;
unto that ancient Pair ye gave again their youth.
Out of
a horse, Sudhanvan's Sons, ye formed a horse: a chariot ye equipped,
and went unto the Gods.
8 Drink ye this water, were the words
ye spake to them; or drink ye this, the rinsing of the Munja-grass.
If ye approve not even this, Sudhanvan's Sons, then at the third
libation gladden ye yourselves.
9 Most excellent are waters,
thus said one of you; most excellent is Agni, thus another said.
Another praised to many a one the lightning cloud. Then did
ye shape the cups, speaking the words of truth.
10 One downward
to the water drives the crippled cow, another trims the flesh
brought on the carving-board.
One carries off the refuse
at the set of sun. How did the Parents aid their children in
their task!
11 On the high places ye have made the grass
for man, and water in the valleys, by your skill, O Men.
Rbhus, ye iterate not to-day that act of yours, your sleeping
in the house of him whom naught can hide.
12 As, compassing
them round, ye glided through the worlds, where had the venerable
Parents their abode?
Ye laid a curse on him who raised his
arm at you: to him who spake aloud to you ye spake again.
13 When ye had slept your fill, ye Rbhus, thus ye asked, O thou
whom naught may hide, who now hath wakened us?
The goat declared
the hound to be your wakener. That day, in a full year, ye first
unclosed our eyes.
14 The Maruts move in heaven, on earth
this Agni; through the mid-firmament the Wind approaches.
Varuna comes in the sea's gathered waters, O Sons of Strength,
desirous of your presence.
Suggestions for Further Reading
- The Rig Veda translation by Griffith, Introduction
- Hymns of the Sama veda translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
- Yajur Veda: The Veda Of The Black Yajus School
- Hymns Of The Atharva-Veda
- Anugita English Translation
- THE Sanatsugâtîya, A Spiritual Dialogue
- Dharmashastras, the Sacred Law Books of Hindus
- The Hindu Dharmashastras, Subject Index
- The Grihya Sutras, The Vedic Domestic Ritual Texts
- The Sankhya Sutras of Kapila, Index page
- Translation of Upanishads by Swami Paramananda, Index
- A History Of Indian Philosophy - Chapter Index
- The Upanishads translated by Max Muller
- Vedic Reader for Students
- The Bhagavad-gita in a nutshell
- Essays On Dharma
- Esoteric Mystic Hinduism
- Introduction to Hinduism
- Hindu Way of Life
- Essays On Karma
- Hindu Rites and Rituals
- The Origin of The Sanskrit Language
- Symbolism in Hinduism
- Essays on The Upanishads
- Concepts of Hinduism
- Essays on Atman
- Hindu Festivals
- Spiritual Practice
- Right Living
- Yoga of Sorrow
- Happiness
- Mental Health
- Concepts of Buddhism
- General Essays
Source: An English translation of the Vedas by Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1896.