
Hymns to Savitur From the Rig-Veda - Book I

HYMN XXXV. Savitar.
1 AGNI I first invoke for our prosperity; I call
on Mitra, Varuna, to aid us here.
I call on Night who gives
rest to all moving life; I call on Savitar the God to lend us
help.
2 Throughout the dusky firmament advancing, laying
to rest the immortal and the mortal,
Borne in his golden
chariot he cometh, Savitar, God who looks on every creature.
3 The God moves by the upward path, the downward; with two bright
Bays, adorable, he journeys.
Savitar comes, the God from
the far distance, and chases from us all distress and sorrow.
4 His chariot decked with pearl, of various colours, lofty,
with golden pole, the God hath mounted,
The many-rayed One,
Savitar the holy, bound, bearing power and might, for darksome
regions.
5 Drawing the gold-yoked car his Bays, white-footed,
have manifested light to all the peoples.
Held in the lap
of Savitar, divine One, all men, all beings have their place
for ever.
6 Three heavens there are; two Savitar's, adjacent:
in Yama's world is one, the home of heroes,
As on a linch-pin,
firm, rest things immortal: he who hath known it let him here
declare it.
7 He, strong of wing, hath lightened up the regions,
deep-quivering Asura, the gentle Leader.
Where now is Surya,
where is one to tell us to what celestial sphere his ray hath
wandered?
8 The earth's eight points his brightness hath
illumined, three desert regions and the Seven Rivers.
God
Savitar the gold-eyed hath come hither, giving choice treasures
unto him who worships.
9 The golden-handed Savitar, far-seeing,
goes on his way between the earth and heaven,
Drives away
sickness, bids the Sun approach us, and spreads the bright sky
through the darksome region.
10 May he, gold-handed Asura,
kind Leader, come hither to us with his help and favour.
Driving off Raksasas and Yatudhanas, the God is present, praised
in hymns at evening.
11 O Savitar, thine ancient dustless
pathways are well established in the air's midregion:
O God,
come by those paths so fair to travel, preserve thou us from
harm this day, and bless us.
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
HYMN XXXV. Savitar.
1 Agni I first invoke for our prosperity; I call
on Mitra, Varuna, to aid us here.
I call on Night who gives
rest to all moving life; I call on Savitar the God to lend us
help.
2 Throughout the dusky firmament advancing, laying
to rest the immortal and the mortal,
Borne in his golden
chariot he cometh, Savitar, God who looks on every creature.
3 The God moves by the upward path, the downward; with two bright
Bays, adorable, he journeys.
Savitar comes, the God from
the far distance, and chases from us all distress and sorrow.
4 His chariot decked with pearl, of various colours, lofty,
with golden pole, the God hath mounted,
The many-rayed One,
Savitar the holy, bound, bearing power and might, for darksome
regions.
5 Drawing the gold-yoked car his Bays, white-footed,
have manifested light to all the peoples.
Held in the lap
of Savitar, divine One, all men, all beings have their place
for ever.
6 Three heavens there are; two Savitar's, adjacent:
in Yama's world is one, the home of heroes,
As on a linch-pin,
firm, rest things immortal: he who hath known it let him here
declare it.
7 He, strong of wing, hath lightened up the regions,
deep-quivering Asura, the gentle Leader.
Where now is Surya,
where is one to tell us to what celestial sphere his ray hath
wandered?
8 The earth's eight points his brightness hath
illumined, three desert regions and the Seven Rivers.
God
Savitar the gold-eyed hath come hither, giving choice treasures
unto him who worships.
9 The golden-handed Savitar, far-seeing,
goes on his way between the earth and heaven,
Drives away
sickness, bids the Sun approach us, and spreads the bright sky
through the darksome region.
10 May he, gold-handed Asura,
kind Leader, come hither to us with his help and favour.
Driving off Raksasas and Yatudhanas, the God is present, praised
in hymns at evening.
11 O Savitar, thine ancient dustless
pathways are well established in the air's midregion:
O God,
come by those paths so fair to travel, preserve thou us from
harm this day, and bless us.
- 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.