
The Rig Veda Book 2 - Verses 21 to 30

HYMN XXI.
1. To him the Lord of all, the Lord of wealth,
of light; him who is Lord for ever, Lord of men and tilth,
Him who is Lord of horses, Lord of kine,of floods, to Indra,
to the Holy bring sweet Soma juice.
2 To him the potent One,
who conquers and breaks down, the Victor never vanquished who
disposes all,
The migbty-voiced, the rider, unassailable,
to Indra everconquering speak your reverent prayer.
3 Still
Victor, loved by mortals, ruler over men, o'erthrower, warrior,
he hath waxen as he would;
Host-gatherer, triumphant, honoured
mid the folk. Indra's heroic deeds will I tell forth to all.
4 The strong who never yields, who slew the furious fiend, the
deep, the vast, of wisdom unattainable;
Who speeds the good,
the breaker-down, the firm, the vast,-Indra whose rites bring
joy hath made the light of Dawn.
5 By sacrifice the yearning
sages sending forth their songs found furtherance from him who
speeds the flood.
In Indra seeking help with worship and
with hymn, they drew him to themselves and won them kine and
wealth.
6 Indra, bestow on us the best of treasures, the
spirit of ability and fortune;
Increase of riches, safety
of our bodies, charm of sweet speech, and days of pleasant weather.
HYMN XXII. Indra.
I. At the Trikadrukas the Great and Strong hath
drunk drink blent with meal. With Visnu hath he quaffed the
poured out Soma juice, all that he would.
That hath so heightened
him the Great, the Wide, to do his mighty work.
So may the
God attain the God, true Indu Indra who is true.
2 So he
resplendent in the battle overcame Krivi by might. He with his
majesty hath filled the earth and heaven, and waxen strong.
One share of the libation hath he swallowed down: one share
he left.
So may the God attend the God, true Indu Indra who
is true.
3 Brought forth together with wisdom and mighty
power thou grewest great; with hero deeds subduing the malevolent,
most swift in act;
Giving prosperity, and lovely wealth to
him who praiseth thee. So may the God attend the God, true Indu
Indra who is true.
4 This, Indra, was thy hero deed, Dancer,
thy first and ancient work, worthy to be told forth in heaven,
What time thou sentest down life with a God's own power, freeing
the floods.
All that is godless may he conquer with his might,
and, Lord of Hundred Powers, find for us strength and food.
HYMN XXIII. Brahmanaspati.
1. WE call thee, Lord and Leader of the heavenly
hosts, the wise among the wise, the famousest of all,
The
King supreme of prayers, O Brahmanaspati: hear us with help;
sit down in place of sacrifice.
2 Brhaspati, God immortal!
verily the Gods have gained from thee, the wise, a share in
holy rites.
As with great light the Sun brings forth the
rays of morn, so thou alone art Father of all sacred prayer.
3 When thou hast chased away revilers and the gloom, thou mountest
the refulgent car of sacrifice;
The awful car, Brhaspati,
that quells the foe, slays demons, cleaves the stall of kine,
and finds the light.
4 Thou leadest with good guidance and
preservest men; distress o'ertakes not him who offers gifts
to thee.
Him who hates prayer thou punishest, Brhaspati,
quelling his wrath: herein is thy great mightiness.
5 No
sorrow, no distress from any side, no foes, no creatures double-tongued
have overcome the man,-
Thou drivest all seductive fiends
away from him whom, careful guard, thou keepest Brahmanaspati.
6 Thou art our keeper, wise, preparer of our paths: we, for
thy service, sing to thee with hymns of praise.
Brhaspati,
whoever lays a snare for us, him may his evil fate, precipitate,
destroy.
7 Him, too, who threatens us without offence of
ours, the evilminded, arrogant, rapacious man,-
Him turn
thou from our path away, Brhaspati: give us fair access to this
banquet of the Gods.
8 Thee as protector of our bodies we
invoke, thee, saviour, as the comforter who loveth us.
Strike,
O Brhaspati, the Gods' revilers down, and let not the unrighteous
come to highest bliss.
9 Through thee, kind -prosperer, O
Brahmanaspati, may we obtain the wealth of Men which all desire:
And all our enemies, who near or far away prevail against
us, crush, and leave them destitute.
10 With thee as our
own rich and liberal ally may we, Brhaspati, gain highest power
of life.
Let not the guileful wicked man be lord of us:-still
may we prosper, singing goodly hymns of praise.
11 Strong,
never yielding, hastening to the battle-cry, consumer of the
foe, victorious in the strife,
Thou art sin's true avenger,
Brahmanaspati, who tamest e'en the fierce, the wildly passionate.
12 Whoso with mind ungodly seeks to do us harm, who, deeming
him a man of might mid lords, would slay,-
Let not his deadly
blow reach us, Brhaspati; may we humiliate the strong ill-doer's
wrath.
13 The mover mid the spoil, the winner of all wealth,
to be invoked in fight and reverently adored,
Brhaspati hath
overthrown like cars of war all wicked enemies who fain would
injure us.
14 Burn up the demons with thy fiercest flaming
brand, those who have scorned thee in thy manifested might.
Show forth that power that shall deserve the hymn of praise:
destroy the evil speakers, O Brhaspati.
15 Brhaspati, that
which the foe deserves not which shines among the folk effectual,
splendid,
That, Son of Law I which is with might refulgent-that
treasure wonderful bestow thou on us.
16 Give us not up to
those who, foes in ambuscade, are greedy for the wealth of him
who sits at ease,
Who cherish in their heart abandonment
of Gods. Brhaspati, no further rest shall they obtain.
17
For Tvastar, he who knows each sacred song, brought thee to
life, preeminent o'er all the things that be.
Guilt-scourger,
guilt-avenger is Brhaspati, who slays the spoiler and upholds
the mighty Law.
18 The mountain, for thy glory, cleft itself
apart when, Angiras! thou openedst the stall of kine.
Thoul
O Brhaspati, with Indra for ally didst hurl down water-floods
which gloom had compa-sed round.
19 O Brahmanaspati, be thou
controller of this our hymn and prosper thou our children.
All that the Gods regard with love is blessed. Loud may we speak,
with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXIV. Brahmanaspati.
1. BE pleased with this our offering, thou who
art the Lord; we will adore thee with this new and mighty song.
As this thy friend, our liberal patron, praises thee, do thou,
Brhaspati, fulfil our hearts' desire.
2 He who with might
bowed down the things that should be bowed, and in his fury
rent the holds of Sambara:
Who overthrew what shook not,
Brahmapaspati,-he made his way within the mountain stored with
wealth.
3 That was a great deed for the Godliest of the Gods:
strong things were loosened and the firmly fixed gave way.
He drave the kine forth and cleft Vala through by prayer, dispelled
the darkness and displayed the light of heaven.
4 The well
with mouth of stone that poured a flood of meath, which Brahmapaspati
hath opened with his might-
All they who see the light have
drunk their fill thereat: together they have made the watery
fount flow forth.
5 Ancient will be those creatures, whatsoe'er
they be; with moons, with autumns, doors unclose themselves
to you.
Effortless they pass on to perfect this and that,
appointed works which Brahmanaspati ordained.
6 They who
with much endeavour searching round obtained the Panis' noblest
treasure hidden in the cave,-
Those sages, having marked
the falsehoods, turned them back whence they had come, and sought
again to enter in.
7 The pious ones when they had seen the
falsehoods turned them back, the sages stood again upon the
lofty ways.
Cast down with both their arms upon the rock
they left the kindled fire, and said, No enemy is he.
8 With
his swift bow, strung truly, Brahmanaspati reaches the mark
whate'er it be that he desires.
Excellent are the arrows
wherewithal he shoots, keen-eyed to look on men and springing
from his ear.
9 He brings together and he parts, the great
High Priest; extolled is he, in battle Brahmapaspati.
When,
gracious, for the hymn he brings forth food and wealth, the
glowing Sun untroubled sends forth fervent heat.
10 First
and preeminent, excelling all besides are the kind gifts of
liberal Brhaspati.
These are the boons of him the Strong
who should be loved, whereby both classes and the people have
delight.
11 Thou who in every way supreme in earthly power,
rejoicing, by thy mighty strength hast waxen great,-
He is
the God spread forth in breadth against the Gods: he, Brahmanaspati,
encompasseth this All.
12 From you, twain Maghavans, all
truth proceedeth: even the waters break not your commandment.
Come to us, Brahmanaspati and Indra, to our oblation Iiie yoked
steeds to fodder.
13 The sacrificial flames most swiftly
hear the call: the priest of the assembly gaineth wealth for
hymns.
Hating the stern, remitting at his will the debt,
strong in the shock of fight is Brahmanaspati.
14 The wrath
of Brahmanaspati according to his will had full effect when
he would do a mighty deed.
The kine he drave forth and distributed
to heaven, even as a copious flood with strength flows sundry
ways.
15 O Brahmanaspati, may we be evermore masters of wealth
well-guided, full of vital strength.
Heroes on heroes send
abundantly to us, when thou omnipotent through prayer seekest
my call.
16 O Brahmanaspati, be thou controller of this our
hymn, and prosper thou our children.
All that the Gods regard
with love is blessed. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXV. Brahmanaspati.
1. HE lighting up the flame shall conquer enemies:
strong shall he be who offers prayer and brings his gift.
He with his seed spreads forth beyond another's seed, whomever
Brahmanaspati takes for his friend.
2 With heroes he shall
overcome his hero foes, and spread his wealth by kine wise by
himself is be.
His children and his children's children
grow in strength, whomever Brahmanaspati takes for his friend.
3 He, mighty like a raving river's billowy flood, as a bull
conquers oxen, overcomes with strength.
Like Agni's blazing
rush he may not be restrained, whomever Brahmanaspati takes
for his friend.
4 For him the floods of heaven flow never
failing down: first with the heroes he goes forth to war for
kine.
He slays in unabated vigour with great might, whomever
Brahmanaspati takes for his friend.
5 All roaring rivers
pour their waters down for him, and many a flawless shelter
hath been granted him.
Blest with the happiness of Gods he
prospers well, whomever Brahmanaspati takes for his friend.
HYMN XXVI. Brahmanaspati.
1. THE righteous singer shall o'ercome his enemies,
and he who serves the Gods subdue the godless man.
The zealous
man shall vanquish the invincible, the worshipper share the
food of him who worships not.
2 Worship, thou hero, chase
the arrogant afar: put on auspicious courage for the fight with
foes.
Prepare oblation so that thou mayst have success. we
crave the favouring help of Brahmanaspati.
3 He with his
folk, his house, his family, his sons, gains booty for himself,
and, with the heroes, wealth,believing
Who with oblation
and a true heart serves Brahmanaspati the Father of the Gods.
4 Whoso hath honoured him with offerings rich in oil, him Brahmanaspati
leads forward on his way,
Saves him from sorrow, frees him
from his enemy, and is his wonderful deliverer from woe.
HYMN XXVII. Adityas.
1. THESE hymns that drop down fatness, with the
ladle I ever offer tothe Kings Adityas.
May Mitra, Aryanian,
and Bhaga hear us, the mighty Varuna Daksa, and Amsa.
2 With
one accord may Aryaman and Mitra and Varuna this day accept
this praise-song-
Adityas bright and pure as streams of water,
free from all guile and falsehood, blameless, perfect.
3
These Gods, Adityas, vast, profound, and faithful, with many
eyes, fain to deceive the wicked,
Looking within behold the
good and evil near to the Kings is even the thing most distant.
4 Upholding that which moves and that which moves not, Adityas,
Gods, protectors of all being,
Provident, guarding well the
world of spirits, true to eternal Law, the debt-exactors.
5 May I, Adityas, share m this your favour which, Aryaman, brings
profit e'en in danger.
Under your guidance, Varuna and Mitra,
round troubles may I pass, like rugged places.
6 Smooth is
your path, O Aryaman and Mitra; excellent is it, Varuna, and
thornless.
Thereon, Adityas, send us down your blessing:
grant us a shelter hard to be demolished.
7 Mother of Kings,
may Aditi transport us, by fair paths Aryaman, beyond all hatred.
May we uninjured, girt by many heroes, win Varuna's and Mitra's
high protection.
8 With their support they stay three earths,
three heavens; three are their functions in the Gods' assembly.
Mighty through Law, Adityas, is your greatness; fair is it,
Aryaman, Varuna, and Mitra.
9 Golden and splendid, pure like
streams of water, they hold aloft the three bright heavenly
regions.
Ne'er do they slumber, never close their eyelids,
faithful, far-ruling for the righteous mortal.
10 Thou over
all, O Varuna, art Sovran, be they Gods, Asura! or be they mortals.
Grant unto us to see a hundred autumns ours be the blest long
lives of our forefathers.
11 Neither the right nor left do
I distinguish, neither the cast nor yet the west, Adityas.
Simple and guided by your wisdom, Vasus!
may I attain the
light that brings no danger.
12 He who bears gifts unto the
Kings, true Leaders, he whom their everlasting blessings prosper,
Moves with his chariot first in rank and wealthy, munificent
and lauded in assemblies.
13 Pure, faithful, very strong,
with heroes round him, he dwells beside the waters rich with
pasture.
None slays, from near at hand or from a distance,
him who is under the Adityas' guidance.
14 Aditi, Mitra,
Varuna, forgive us however we have erred and sinned against
you.
May I obtain the broad light free from peril: O Indra,
let not during darkness seize us.
15 For him the Twain united
pour their fulness, the rain from heaven: he thrives most highly
favoured.
He goes to war mastering both the mansions: to
him both portions of the world are gracious.
16 Your guiles,
ye Holy Ones, to quell oppressors, your snares spread out against
the foe, Adityas,
May I car-borne pass like a skilful horseman:
uninjured may we dwell in spacious shelter.
17 May1 not live,
O Varuna, to witness my wealthy, liberal, dear friend's destitution.
King, may1 never lack well-ordered riches. Lond may we speak,
with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXVIII. Varuna
1. THIS laud of the self-radiant wise Aditya
shall be supreme o'er all that is in greatness.
1 beg renown
of Varuna the Mighty, the God exceeding kind to him who worships.
2, Having extolled thee. Varuna, with thoughtful care may we
have high fortune in thy service,
Sinffing thy praises like
the fires at coming, day after day, of mornings rich in cattle.
3 May we be in thy keeping, O thou Leader wide-ruling Varuna,
Lord of many heroes.
O sons of Aditi, for ever faithful,
pardon us, Gods, admit us to your friendship.
4 He made them
flow, the Aditya, the Sustainer: the rivers run by Varuna's
commandment.
These feel no weariness, nor cease from flowing:
swift have they flown like birds in air around us.
5 Loose
me from sin as from a bond that binds me: may we swell, Varuna,
thy spring of Order.
Let not my thread, while I weave song,
be severed, nor my work's sum, before the time, be shattered.
6 Far from me, Varuna, remove all danger accept me graciously,
thou Holy Sovran.
Cast off, like cords that hold a calf,
my troubles: I am not even mine eyelid's lord without thee.
7 Strike us not, Varuna, with those dread weapons which, Asura,
at thy bidding wound the sinner.
Let us not pass away from
light to exile. Scatter, that we may live, the men who hate
us
8 O mighty Varuna, now and hereafter, even as of old,
will we speak forth our worship.
For in thyself, invincible
God, thy statutes ne er to be moved are fixed as on a mountain.
9 Move far from me what sins I have committed: let me not suffer,
King, for guilt of others.
Full many a morn remains to dawn
upon us: in these, O Varuna, while we live direct us.
10
O King, whoever, be he friend or kinsman, hath threatened me
affrighted in my slumber-
If any wolf or robber fain would
harm us, therefrom, O Varuna, give thou us protection.
11May
I not live O Varuna, to witness my wealthy, liberal dear friend's
destitution.
King, may I never lack well-ordered riches.
Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXIX. Visvedevas.
I. UPHOLDERS of the Law, ye strong Adityas, remove
my sin like her who bears in secret.
You, Varuna, Mitra and
all Gods who listen, I call to help me, I who know your goodness.
2 Ye, Gods, are providence and ye are power: remove ye utterly
all those who hate us.
As givers of good things deal with
us kindly: this day be gracious to us and hereafter.
3 What
service may we do you with our future, what service, Vasus,
with our ancient friendship?
O Aditi, and VaruVa and Mitra,
Indra and Maruts, make us well and happy.
4 Ye, O ye Gods,
are verily our kinsmen as such be kind to me who now implore
you.
Let not your car come slowly to our worship: of kinsmen
such as you ne'er let us weary.
5 I singly have sinned many
a sin against you, and ye chastised me as a sire the gambler.
Far be your nets, far, Gods, be mine offences: seize me not
like a bird upon her offspring.
6 Turn yourselves hitherward
this day, ye Holy, that fearing in my heart I may approach you.
Protect us, God; let not the wolf destroy us. Save us, ye Holy,
from the pit and falling.
7 May I not live, O Varuna, to
witness my wealthy, liberal, dear friend's destitution.
King,
may I never lack well-ordered riches. Loud may we speak, with
heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXX. Indra and Others.
1. THE streams unceasing flow to Indra, slayer
of Ahi, Savitar, God, Law's fulfiller,
Day after day goes
on the sheen of waters. What time hath past since they were
first set flowing?
2 His Mother-for she knew-spake and proclaimed
him who was about to cast his bolt at Vrtra.
Cutting their
paths according to his pleasure day after day flow to their
goal the rivers.
3 Aloft he stood above the airy region,
and against Vrtra shot his deadly missile.
Enveloped in a
cloud he rushed upon him. Indra subdued the foe with sharpened
weapons.
4 As with a bolt, Brhaspati, fiercely flaming, pierce
thou Vrkadvaras', the Asura's, heroes.
Even as in time of
old with might thou slewest, so slay even now our enemy, O Indra.
5 Cast down from heaven on high thy bolt of thunder wherewith
in joy thou smitest dead the foeman.
For gain of children
make us thine, O Indra, of many children's children and of cattle.
6 Whomso ye love, his power ye aid and strengthen; ye Twain
are the rich worshipper's advancers.
Graciously favour us,
Indra and Soma; give us firm standing in this time of danger.
7 Let it not vex me, tire me, make me slothful, and never let
us say, Press not the Soma;
For him who cares for me, gives
gifts, supports me, who comes with kine to me who pour libations.
8 Sarasvati, protect us: with the Maruts allied thou boldly
conquerest our foemen,
While Indra does to death the daring
chieftain of Sandikas exulting in his prowess.
9 Him who
waylays, yea, him who would destroy us,-aim at him, pierce him
with thy sharpened weapon.
Brhaspati, with arms thou slayest
foemen O King, give up the spoiler to destruction.
10 Perform,
O Hero, with our valiant heroes the deeds heroic which thou
hast to finish.
Long have they been inflated with presumption:
slay them, and bring us hither their possessions.
11 I craving
joy address with hymn and homage your heavenly host, the company
of Maruts,
That we may gain wealth with full store of heroes,
each day more famous, and with troops of children.
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.