
The Rig Veda Book 4 - Verses 41 to 50

HYMN XLI. Indra-Varuna.
1. WHAT laud, O Indra-Varuna, with oblation,
hath like the Immortal Priest obtained your favour?
Hath
our effectual laud, addressed with homage, touched you, O Indra-Varuna,
in spirit?
2 He who with dainty food hath won you, Indra
and Varuna, Gods, as his allies to friendship,
Jayeth the
Vrtras and his foes in battles, and through your mighty favours
is made famous.
3 Indra and Varuna are most liberal givers
of treasure to the men who toil to serve them,
When they,
as Friends inclined to friendship, honoured with dainty food,
delight in flowing Soma.
4 Indra and Varuna, ye hurl, O Mighty,
on him your strongest flashing bolt of thunder
Who treats
us ill, the robber and oppressor: measure on him your overwhelming
vigour.
5 O Indra-Varuna, be ye the lovers of this my song,
as steers who love the milch-Cow.
Milk may it yield us as,
gone forth to pasture, the great Cow pouring out her thousand
rivers.
6 For fertile fields, for worthy sons and grandsons,
for the Sun's beauty and for steer-like vigour,
May Indra-Varuna
with gracious favours work marvels for us in the stress of battle.
7 For you, as Princes, for your ancient kindness, good comrades
of the man who seeks for booty,
We choose to us for the dear
bond of friendship, most liberal Heroes bringing bliss like
parents.
8 Showing their strength, these hymns for grace,
Free-givers I have gone to you, devoted, as to battle.
For
glory have they gone, as milk to Soma, to Indra-Varuna my thoughts
and praises.
9 To Indra and to Varuna, desirous of gaining
wealth have these my thoughts proceeded.
They have come nigh
to you as treasurelovers, like mares, fleet-footed, eager for
the glory.
10 May we ourselves be lords of during riches,
of ample sustenance for car and hones.
So may the Twain who
work with newest succours bring yoked teams hitherward to us
and riches.
11 Come with your mighty succours, O ye Mighty;
come, Indra-Varuna, to us in battle.
What time the flashing
arrows play in combat, may we through you be winners in the
contest.
HYMN XLIL Indra-Varuna.
1. I AM the royal Ruler, mine is empire, as mine
who sway all life are all Immortals.
Varuna's will the Gods
obey and follow. I am the King of men's most lofty cover.
2 I am King Varuna. To me were given these first existinghigh
celestial powers.
Varuna's will the Gods obey and follow.
I am the King of men's most lofty cover.
3 I Varuna am Indra:
in their greatness, these the two wide deep fairly-fashioned
regions,
These the two world-halves have I, even as Tvastar
knowing all beings, joined and held together.
4 I made to
flow the moisture-shedding waters, and set the heaven firm in
the scat of Order.
By Law the Son of Aditi, Law Observer,
hath spread abroad the world in threefold measure.
5 Heroes
with noble horses, fain for battle, selected warriors, call
on me in combat.
I Indra Maghavan, excite the conflict; I
stir the dust, Lord of surpassing vigour.
6 All this I did.
The Gods' own conquering power never impedeth me whom none opposeth.
When lauds and Soma juice have made me joyful, both the unbounded
regions are affrighted.
7 All beings know these deeds of
thine thou tellest this unto Varuna, thou great Disposer!
Thou art renowned as having slain the Vrtras. Thou madest flow
the floods that were obstructed.
8 Our fathers then were
these, the Seven his, what time the son of Durgaha was captive.
For her they gained by sacrifice Trasadasyu, a demi-god, like
Indra, conquering foemen.
9 The spouse of Purukutsa gave
oblations to you, O Indra-Varuna, with homage.
Then unto
her ye gave King Trasadasyu, the demi-god, the slayer of the
foeman.
10 May we, possessing much, delight in riches, Gods
in oblations and the kine in pasture;
And that Milch-cow
who ahrinks not from the milking, O Indra-Varuna, give to us
daily.
HYMN XLIII. Asvins.
1. WHO will hear, who of those who merit worship,
which of all Gods take pleasure in our homage?
On whose heart
shall we lay this laud celestial, rich with fair offerings,
dearest to Immortals?
2 Who will be gracious? Who will come
most uickly of all the Gods? Who will
bring liss most largely?
What car do they call swift with rapid coursers? That which
the Daughter of the Sun elected.
3 So many days do ye come
swiftly hither, as Indra to give help in stress of battle.
Descended from the sky, divine, strong-pinioned, by which of
all your powers are ye most mighty?
4 What is the prayer
that we should bring you, Asvins, whereby ye come to us when
invocated?
Whether of you confronts e'en great betrayal?
Lovers of sweetness, Dasras, help and save us.
5 In the wide
space your chariot reacheth heaven, what time it turneth hither
from the ocean.
Sweets from your sweet shall drop, lovers
of sweetness! These have they dressed for you as dainty viands.
6 Let Sindhu with his wave bedew your horses: in fiery glow
have the red birds come hither.
Observed of all was that
your rapid going, whereby ye were the Lords of Siirya's Daughter.
7 Whene'er I gratified you here together, your grace was given
us, O ye rich in booty.
Protect, ye Twain, the singer of
your praises: to you, Nasatyas, is my wish directed.
HYMN XLIV. Asvins.
1. WE will invoke this day your car, farspreading,
O Asvins, even the gathering, of the sunlight,-
Car praised
in hymns, most ample, rich in treasure, fitted with seats, the
car that beareth Surya.
2 Asvins, ye gained that glory by
your Godhead, ye Sons of Heaven, by your own might and power.
Food followeth close upon your bright appearing when stately
horses in your chariot draw you.
3 Who bringeth you to-day
for help with offered oblation, or with hymns to drink the juices?
Who, for the sacrifice's ancient lover, turneth you hither,
Asvins, offering homage?
4 Borne on your golden car, ye omnipresent!
come to this sacrifice of ours, Nasatyas.
Drink of the pleasant
liquor of the Soma give riches to the people who adore you.
5 Come hitherward to us from earth, from heaven, borne on your
golden chariot rolling lightly.
Suffer not other worshippers
to stay you here are ye bound by earlier bonds of friendship.
6 Now for us both, mete out, O WonderWorkers, riches exceeding
great with store of heroes,
Because the men have sent you
praise, O Asvins, and Ajamilhas come to the laudation.
7
Whene'er I gratified you here together, your grace was given
us, O ye rich in booty.
Protect, ye Twain, the singer of
your praises: to you, Nasatyas, is my wish directed.
HYMN XLV. Asvins
1. YONDER goes up that light: your chariot is
yoked that travels round upon the summit of this heaven.
Within this car are stored three kindred shares of food, and
a skin filled with meath is rustling as the fourth.
2 Forth
come your viands rich with store of pleasant meath, and cars
and horses at the flushing of the dawn,
Stripping the covering
from the surrounded gloom, and spreading through mid-air bright
radiance like the Sun.
3 Drink of the meath with lips accustomed
to the draught; harness for the meath's sake the chariot that
ye love.
Refresh the way ye go, refresh the paths with meath:
hither, O Asvins, bring the skin that holds the meath.
4
The swans ye have are friendly, rich in store of mcath, gold-pinioned,
strong to draw, awake at early morn,
Swimming the flood,
exultant, fain for draughts that cheer: ye come like flies to
our libations of-the meath.
5 Well knowing solemn rites and
rich in meath, the fires sing to the morning Asvins at the break
of day,
When with pure hands the prudent energetic priest
hath with the stones pressed out the Soma rich in meath.
6 The rays advancing nigh, chasing with day the gloom, spread
through the firmament bright radiance like the Sun;
And the
Sun harnessing his horses goeth forth: ye through your Godlike
nature let his paths be known.
7 Devout in thought I have
declared, O Asvins, your chariot with good steeds, which lasts
for ever,
Wherewith ye travel swiftly through the regions
to the prompt worshipper who brings oblation.
HYMN XLVI. Vayu. Indra-Vayu
1. DRINK the best draught of Soma-juice, O Vayu,
at our holy rites:
For thou art he who drinketh first.
2 Come, team-drawn, with thy hundred helps, with Indra, seated
in the car,
Vaya, and drink your fill of juice.
3 May
steeds a thousand bring you both, Indra. and Vayu, hitherward
To drink the Soma, to the feagt.
4 For ye, O Indra-Vayu,
mount the goldenseated car that aids
The sacrifice, that
reaches heaven.
5 On far-refulgent chariot come unto the
man who offers gifts:
Come, Indra-Vayu, hitherward.
6
Here, Indra-Vayu, is the juice: drink it, accordant with the
Gods,
Within the giver's dwelling-place.
7 Hither, O Indra-Vayu,
be your journey here unyoke your steeds,
Here for your draught
of Soma juice.
HYMN XLVIL Vayu. Indra-Vayu.
1. Vayu, the bright is offered thee, best of
the meath at holy rites.
Come thou to drink the Soma juice,
God, longed-for, on thy team-drawn car.
2 O Vayu, thou and
Indra are meet drinkers of these Soma-draughts,
For unto
you the drops proceed as waters gather to the vale.
3 O Indra-Vayu,
mighty Twain, speeding together, Lords of Strength,
Come
to our succour with your team, that ye may drink the Soma juice.
4 The longed-for teams which ye possess, O Heroes, for the worshipper,
Turn to us, Indra-Vayu, ye to whom the sacrifice is paid.
HYMN XLVIII. Vayu.
1. TASTE offerings never tasted yet, as bards
enjoy the foeman's wealth.
O Vayu, on refulgent car come
to the drinking of the juice.
2 Removing curses, drawn by
teams, with 1ndra, seated by thy side,
O Vayu, on refulgent
car come to the drinking of the juice.
3 The two dark treasuries
of wealth that wear
all beauties wait on thee.
O Vayu,
on refulgent car come to the drinking of the juice.
4 May
nine-and-ninety harnessed steeds who yoke them at thy will bring
thee.
O Vayu, on refulgent car come to the drinking of the
juice.
5 Harness, O Vayu, to thy car a hundred well-fed tawny
steeds,
Yea, or a thousand steeds, and let thy chariot come
to us with might.
HYMN XLIX. Indra-Brhaspati.
1. DEAR is this offering in your mouth, O Indra
and Brhaspati:
Famed is the laud, the gladdening draught.
2 This lovely Soma is effused, O Indra and Brhaspati,
For
you, to drink it and rejoice.
3 As Soma-drinkers to our house
come, Indra and Brhaspati-and Indra-to drink Soma juice.
4 Vouchsafe us riches hundredfold, O Indra, and Brhaspati,
With store of horses, thousandfold.
5 O Indra. and Brhaspati,
we call you when the meath is shed,
With songs, to drink
the Soma juice.
6 Drink, Indra and Brhaspati, the Soma in
the giver's house:
Delight yourselves abiding there.
HYMN L. Brhaspati.
1. Him who with might hath propped earth's ends,
who sitteth in threefold seat, Brhaspati, with thunder,
Him
of the pleasant tongue have ancient sages, deep-thinking, holy
singers, set before them.
2 Wild in their course, in well-marked
wise rejoicing were they, Brhaspati, who pressed around us.
Preserve Brhaspati, the stall uninjured, this company's raining,
ever-moving birthplace.
3 Brhaspati, from thy remotest distance
have they sat down who love the law eternal.
For thee were
dug wells springing from the mountain, which murmuring round
about pour streams of sweetness.
4 Brhaspati, when first
he had his being from mighty splendour in supremest heaven,
Strong, with his sevenfold mouth, with noise of thunder, with
his seven rays, blew and dispersed the darkness.
5 With the
loud-shouting band who sang his praises, with thunder, he destroyed
obstructive Vala.
Brhaspati thundering drave forth the cattle,
the lowing cows who make oblations ready.
6 Serve we with
sacrifices, gifts, and homage even thus the Steer of all the
Gods, the Father.
Brhaspati, may we be lords of riches, with
noble progeny and store of heroes.
7 Surely that King by
power and might heroic hath made him lord of all his foes' posses-ions,
Who cherishes Brhaspati well-tended, adorns and worships him
as foremost sharer.
8 In his own house he dwells in peace
and comfort: to him for ever holy food flows richly.
To him
the people with free will pay homage-the King with whom the
Brahman hatb precedence.
9 He, unopposed, is master of the
riches.of his own subjects and of hostile people.
The Gods
uphold that King with their protection who helps the Brahman
when he seeks his favour.
10 Indra, Brhaspati, rainers of
treasure, rejoicing at this sacrifice drink the Soma.
Let
the abundant drops sink deep within you: vouchsafe us riches
with full store of heroes.
11 Brhaspati and Indra, make us
prosper may this be your benevolence to usward.
Assist our
holy thoughts, wake up our spirit: weaken the hatred of our
foe and rivals.
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.