
The Rig-Veda - Book III

HYMN I. Agni.
1. THOU, Agni, who wilt have the strong, hast made me the
Soma's priest, to worship in assembly.
Thou shinest to the
Gods, I set the pressstones. I toil; be joyful in thyself, O
Agni.
2 East have we turned the rite; may the hymn aid it.
With wood and worship shall they honour Agni.
From heaven
the synods of the wise have learnt it: c'en for the quick and
strong they seek advancement.
3 The Prudent, he whose will
is pure, brought welfare, allied by birth to Heaven and Earth
in kinship.
The Gods discovered in the midst of waters beautiful Agni
with the Sisters' labour.
4 Him, Blessed One, the Seven strong
Floods augmented, him white at birth and red when waxen mighty.
As mother mares run to their new-born you ling, so at his birth
the Gods wondered at Agni.
5 Spreading with radiant limbs
throughout the region, purging his power with wise purifications,
Robing himself in light, the life of waters, lie spreads abroad
his high and perfect glories.
6 He sought heaven's Mighty
Ones, the unconsuming, the unimpaired, not clothed and yet not
naked.
Then they, ancient and young, who dwell together,
Seven sounding Rivers, as one germ received him.
7 His piles,
assuming every form, are scattered where flow sweet waters,
at the spring of fatness;
There stood the milch-kine with
full-laden udders, and both paired Mighty Mothers of the Wondrous.
8 Carefully cherished, Son of Strength, thou shoncst assuming
lasting and refulgent beauties.
Full streams of fatness and
sweet juice descended, there where the Mighty One grew strong
by wisdom.
9 From birth he knew even his Father's bosom,
he set his voices and his streams in motion;
Knew him who moved with blessed Friends in secret, with the
young Dames of heaven. He stayed not hidden.
10 He nursed
the Infant of the Sire and Maker: alone the Babe sucked many
a teeming bosom.
Guard, for the Bright and Strong, the fellow-spouses
friendly to men and bound to him in kinship.
11 The Mighty
One increased in space unbounded; full many a glorious flood
gave strength to Agni.
Friend of the house, within the lap
of Order lay Agni, in the Sister Rivers' service.
12 As keen
supporter where great waters gather, light-shedder whom the
brood rejoice to look on;
He who begat, and will beget, the
dawnlights, most manly, Child of Floods, is youthful Agni.
13 Him, varied in his form, the lovely Infant of floods and
plants the blessed wood hath gendered.
Gods even, moved in
spirit, came around him, and served him at his birth, the Strong,
the Wondrous.
14 Like brilliant lightnings, mighty luminaries
accompany the light-diffusing Agni,
Waxen, as 'twere in secret,
in his dwelling, while in the boundless stall they milk out
Amrta.
15 I sacrificing serve thee with oblations and crave
with longing thy good-will and friendship.
Grant, with the
Gods, thy grace to him who lauds thee, protect us with thy rays
that guard the homestead.
16 May we, O Agni, thou who leadest
wisely, thy followers and masters of all treasures,
Strong
in the glory of our noble offspring, subdue the godless when
they seek the battle.
17 Ensign of Gods hast thou become,
O Agni, joy-giver, knower of all secret wisdom.
Friend of
the homestead, thou hast lightened mortals: carborne thou goest
to the Gods, fulfilling.
18 Within the house hath sate the
King immortal of mortals, filling full their sacred synods.
Bedewed with holy oil he shineth widely, Agni, the knower of
all secret wisdom.
19 Come unto us with thine auspicious
friendship, come speeding, Mighty, with thy mighty succours.
Grant us abundant wealth that saves from danger, that brings
a good repute, a glorious portion.
20 To thee who art of
old these songs, O Agni, have I declared, the ancient and the
later.
These great libations to the Strong are offiered:
in every birth is Jatavedas stablished.
21 Stablished in
every birth is Jatavedas, kindled perpetual by the Visvamitras.
May we rest ever in the loving-kindness, in the auspicious grace
of him the Holy.
22 This sacrifice of ours do thou, O Mighty,
O truly Wise, bear to the Gods rejoicing.
Grant us abundant
food, thou priestly Herald, vouchsafe to give us ample wealth,
O Agni.
23 As holy food, Agni, to thine'invoker give wealth
in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.
To us he born a son,
and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to
us-ward.
HYMN II. Agni.
1. To him, Vaisvanara, who strengthens Holy Law, to Agni
we present our praise like oil made pure.
With thoughtful
insight human priests bring him anear, our Herald from of old,
as an axe forms a car.
2 He made the heaven and earth resplendent
by his birth: Child of two Mothers he was meet to be implored,
Agni, oblation-bearer, gracious, ever-young, infallible, rich
in radiant light, the guest of men.
3 Within the range of
their surpassinq power, by might, the Gods created Agni with
inventive thought.
I, eager to win strength, address him,
like a steed, resplendent with his brilliance, with his ample
light.
4 Eager to gain, we crave from him the friendly God
strength confident, choiceworthy meet to be extolled:
The
Bhrgus' bounty, willing, strong with sages' lore, even Agni
shining forth with light that comes from heaven.
5 For happiness,
men, having trimmed the sacred grass, set Agni glorious for
his strength before them here;
Yea, with raised ladles, him
bright, dear to all the Gods, perfecting aims of works, Rudra
of solemn rites.
6 Around thy dwelling-place, O brightly-shining
Priest, are men at sacrifice, whose sacred grass is trimmed.
Wishing to do thee service, Agni, they are there, desirous of
thy friendship grant them store of wealth.
7 He hath filled
heaven and earth and the great realm of light, when at his birth
the skilful held him in their hold.
He like a horse is led
forth to the sacrifice Sage, graciously inclined, that he may
win us strength.
8 Honour the oblation-bearer, him who knows fair rites, serve
ye the Household Friend who knows all things that be.
He
drives the chariot of the lofty ordinance: Agni most active,
is the great High Priest of Gods.
9 They who are free from
death, fain for him, purified three splendours of the mighty
Agni, circling all.
To man, for his enjoyment, one of these
they gave: the other two have passed into the sister sphere.
10 Man's sacrificial food hath sharpened like an axe, for brightness,
him the Sage of men, the people's Lord,
Busied with sacred
rites he mounts and he descends. He hath laid down his vital
germ within these worlds.
11 He stirs with life in wombs
dissimilar in kind, born as a Lion or a loudly-bellowing Bull:
Vaisvanara immortal with wide-reaching might, bestowing goods
and wealth on him who offiers gifts.
12 Vaisvanara, as of
old, mounted the cope of heaven, heaven's ridge, well greeted,
by those skilled in noble songs.
He, as of old, producing
riches for the folk, still watchful, traversesthe common way
again.
13 For new prosperity we seek to Agni, him whose course
is splendid, gold-haired, excellently bright,
Whom Matarisvan
stablished, dweller in the heaven, meet for high praise and
holy, sage and true to Law.
14 As pure and swift of course,
beholder of the light, who stands in heaven's bright sphere
a sign, who wakes at dawn,
Agni, the head of heaven, whom
none may turn aside-to him the Powerful with mighty prayer we
seek.
15 The cheerful Priest, the pure, in whom no guile
is found, Friend of the House, praise-worthy, dear to all mankind,
Fair to behold for beauty like a splendid car,- Agni the Friend
of men we ever seek for wealth.
HYMN III. Agni.
1. To him who shines afar, Vaisvanara, shall bards give precious
things that he may go on certain paths:
For Agni the Immortal
serves the Deities, and therefore never breaks their everlasting
laws.
2 He, wondrous envoy, goes between the earth and heaven,
firm seated as the Herald, great High Priest of men.
He compassethwith
rays the lofty dwelling-place, Agni, sent forward by the Gods,
enriched with piayer.
3 Sages shall glorify Agni with earnest
thoughts, ensign of sacrifice, who fills the synod full:
In whom the singers have stored up their holy acts to him the
worshipper looks for joy and happiness.
4 The Sire of sacrifice,
great God of holy bards, Agni, the measure and the symbol of
the priests,
Hath entered heaven and earth that show in varied
form: the Sage whom many love rejoiceth in his might.
5 Bright
Agni with the bright car, Lord of green domains, Vaisvanara
dweller in the floods, who finds the light,
Pervading, swift
and wild, encompassed round with powers, him very glorious have
the Gods established here.
6 Agni, together with the Gods
and Manu's folk by thought extending sacrifice in varied form,
Goes, car-borne, to and fro with those who crown each rite,
the fleet, the Household Friend, who turns the curse aside.
7 Sing, Agni, for long life to us and noble sons: teem thou
with plenty, shine upon us store of food.
Increase the great
man's strength, thou ever-vigilant: thou, longing for the Gods,
knowest their hymns full well.
8 The Mighty One, Lord of
the people and their guest, the leader of their thoughts, devoted
Friend of priests,
Our solemn rites' announcer, Jatavedas,
men with worship ever praise, with urgings for their weal.
9 Agni the God resplendent, giver of great joy, hath on his
lovely car compassed the lands with, might.
Let us with pure
laudations in his house approach the high laws of the nourisher
of multitudes.
10 I celebrate thy glories, O Vaisvanara,
wherewith thou, O farsighted God, has found the light.
Thou
filledst at thy birth both worlds, the earth and heaven: all
this, O Agni, hast thou compassed of thyself.
11 By his great
skill the Sage alone hath brought to pass a great deed, mightier
than Vaisvanara's wondrous acts.
Agni sprang into being,
magnifying both his Parents, Heaven and Earth, rich in prolific
seed.
HYMN IV Apris.
1. BE friendly with each kindled log of fuel, with every
flash bestow the boon of riches.
Bring thou the Gods, O God,
unto our worship: serve, well-inclined, as Friend thy friends,
O Agni.
2 Agni whom daily Varuna and Mitra the Gods bring
thrice a day to this our worship,
Tanunapat, enrich with
meath our service that dwells with holy oil, that offers honour.
3 The thought that bringeth every boon proceedeth to worship
first the Priest of the libation,
That we may greet the Strong
One with our homage. Urged, may he bring the Gods, best Sacrificer.
4 On high your way to sacrifice was made ready; the radiant
flames went upward to the regions.
Full in the midst of heaven
the Priest is seated: sirew we the sacred grass where Gods may
rest them.
5 Claiming in mind the seven priests' burntoblations,
inciting all, they came in settled order.
To this our sacrifice
approach the many who show in hero beauty at assemblies.
6 Night and Dawn, lauded, hither come together, both smiling,
different are their forms in colour,
That Varuna and Mitra
may accept us, and Indra, girt by Maruts, with his glories.
7. I crave the grace of heaven's two chief Invokers: the seven
swift steeds joy in their wonted manner.
These speak of truth,
praising the truth eternal, thinking on Order as the guards
of Order.
8 May Bharati with all her Sisters, Ila accordant
with the Gods, with mortalls Agni,
Sarasvati with all her
kindred Rivers, come to this grass, Three Goddesses, and seat
them.
9 Well pleased with us do thou O God, O Tvastar, give
ready issue to our procreant vigour,
Whence springs the hero,
powerful, skilled in action, lover of Gods, adjuster of the
press-stones.
10 Send to the Gods the oblation, Lord of Forests;
and let the Immolator, Agni, dress it.
He as the truer Priest
shall offer worship, for the Gods' generations well he knoweth.
11 Come thou to us, O Agni, duly kindled, together with the
potent Gods and Indra.
On this our grass sit Aditi, happy
Mother, and let our Hail delight the Gods Immortal.
HYMN V. Agni.
1. AGNI who shines against the Dawns is wakened. The holy
Singer who precedes the sages.
With far-spread lustre, kindled
by the pious, the Priest hath thrown both gates of darkness
open.
2 Agni hath waxen mighty by laudations, to be adored
with hymns of those who praise him.
Loving the varied shows
of holy Order at the first flush of dawn he shines as envoy.
3 Amid men's homes hath Agni been established, fulfilling with
the Law, Friend, germ of waters.
Loved and adored, the height
he hath ascended, the Singer, object of our invocations.
4 Agni is Mitra when enkindled duly, Mitra as Priest, Varuna,
Jatavedas;
Mitra as active minister, and House-Friend, Mitra
of flowing rivers and of mountains.
5 The Earth's, the Bird's
dear lofty place he guardeth, he guardeth in his might the course
of Surya,
Guardeth the Seven-headed in the centre, guardeth
sublime the Deities enjoyment.
6 The skilful God who knows
all forms of knowledge made for himself a fair form, meet for
worship.
This Agni guards with care that never ceases the
Sonia's skin, the Bird's place rich in fatness.
7 Agni hath
entered longingly the longing shrine rich with fatness, giving
easy access.
Resplendent, pure, sublime and purifying, again,
again he renovates his Mothers.
8 Born suddenly, by plants
he grew to greatness, when tender shoots with holy oil increased
him,
Like waters lovely when they hasten downward may Agni
in his Parents' lap protect us.
9 Extolled, the Strong shone
forth with kindled fuel to the earth's centre, to the height
of heaven.
May Agni, Friend, adorable Matarisvan, as envoy
bring the Gods unto our worship.
10 Best of all luminaries
lofty Agni supported with his flame the height of heaven,
When, far from Bhrgus, Matarisvan kindled the oblation-bearer
where he lay in secret.
11 As holy food, Agni to thine invoker
give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.
To us be
born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy gracious
will to us-word.
HYMN VI. Agni.
1. URGED on by deep devotion, O ye singers, bring, pious
ones, the God-approaching ladle.
Borne onward to the right
it travels eastward, and, filled with oil, to Agni bears oblation.
2 Thou at thy birth didst fill both earth and heaven, yea, Most
Adorable, thou didst exceed them.
Even through the heaven's
and through the earth's expanses let thy swift seventongued
flames roll on, O Agni.
3 Both Heaven and Earth and Gods
who should be worshipped establish thee as Priest for every
dwelling,
Whenever human families, God-devoted, bringing
oblations; laud thy splendid lustre.
4 Firm in the Gods'
home is the Mighty seated, between vast Heaven and Earth the
well-beloved-
Those Cows who yield, unharmed, their nectar,
Spouses of the Far-Strider, everyoung, united.
5 Great are
the deeds of thee, the Great, O Agni: thou by thy power hast
spread out earth and heaven.
As soon as thou wast born thou
wast an envoy, thou, Mighty One, was Leader of the people.
6 Bind to the pole with cords of holy Order the long-maned ruddy
steeds who sprinkle fatness.
Bring hithier, O thou God, all
Gods together: provide them noble worship, Jatavedas.
7 Even
from the sky thy brilliant lights shone hither: still hast thou
beamed through many a radiant morning,
That the Gods praised
their joyous Herald's labour eagerly burning, Agni, in the forests.
8 The Gods who take delight in air's wide region, or those the
dwellers in heaven's realm of brightness,
Or those, the Holy,
prompt to hear, our helpers, who, carborne, turn their horses
hither, Agni---
9 With these, borne on one ear, Agni, approach
us, or borne on many, for thy steeds are able.
Bring, witb
their Dames, the Gods, the Three and-Thirty, after thy Godlike
nature, and be joyful.
10 He is the Priest at whose repeated
worship even wide Heaven and Earth sing out for increase.
They fair and true and holy coming forward stand at his sacrifice
who springs from Order.
11 As holy food, Agni, to thine invoker
give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.
To us be
born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy gracious
will to usward.
HYMN VII.
1. THE seven tones risen from the whitebacked viand have
made their way between the pair of Mothers.
Both circumjacent
Parents come together to yield us length of days they hasten
forward.
2 The Male who dwells in heaven hath Mares and Milchkine:
he came to Goddesses who bring sweet treasure.
To thee safe
resting in the seat of Order the Cow alone upon her way proceedeth.
3 Wise Master, wealthy finder-out of riches, he mounted those
who may with case be guided.
He, dark-backed, manifold with
varied aspect, hath made them burst forth from their food the
brush-wood.
4 Strength-giving streams bear hither him eternal,
fain to support the mighty work. of Tvastar.
He, flashing
in his home with all his members, hath entered both the worlds
as they were single.
5 They know the red Bull's blessing,
and are joyful under the flaming-coloured Lord's dominion:
They who give shine from heavenwith fair effulgence, whose lofty
song like Ila must be honoured.
6 Yea, by tradition from
the ancient sages they brought great strength from the two mighty
Parents,
To where the singer's Bull, the night's dispeller,
after his proper law hath waxen stronger.
7 Seven holy singers
guard with five Adhvaryus the Bird's beloved firmly-settled
station.
The willing Bulls, untouched by old, rejoice them:
as Gods themselves the ways of Gods they follow.
8 I crave
the grace of heaven's two chief Invokers: the seven swift steeds
joy in their wonted manner.
These speak of truth, praising
the Truth Eternal, thinking on Order as the guards of Order.
9 The many seek the great Steed as a stallion: the reins obey
the Lord of varied colour.
O heavenly Priest, most pleasant,
full of wisdom, bring the great Gods to us, and Earth and Heaven.
10 Rich Lord, the Mornings have gleamed forth in splendour,
fair-rayed, fair-speaking, worshipped with all viands,
Yea,
with the glory of the earth, O Agni. Forgive us, for our weal,
e'en sin cornmitted.
11 As holy food, Agni, to thine invoker,
give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.
To us be
born a son, and spreading offspring Agni, be this thy gracious
will to usward.
HYMN VIII Sacrificial Post.
1. GOD-SERVING men, O Sovran of the Forest, with heavenly
meath at sacrifice anoint thee.
Grant wealth to us when thou
art standing upright as when reposing on this Mother's bosom.
2 Set up to eastward of the fire enkindled, accepting prayer
that wastes not, rich in hero.
Driving far from us poverty
and famine, lift thyself up to bring us great good fortune.
3 Lord of the Forest, raise. thyself up on the loftiest spot
of earth.
Give splendour, fixt and measured well, to him
who brings the sacrifice.
4 Well-robed, enveloped he is come,
the youthful: springing to life his glory waxeth greater.
Contemplative in mind and God-adoring, sages of high intelligence
upraise him.
5 Sprung up he rises in the days' fair weather,
increasing in the men-frequented synod.
With song the wise
and skilful consecrate him: his voice the God-adoring singer
utters.
6, Ye whom religious men have firmly planted; thou
Forest Sovran whom the axe hath fashioned,-
Let those the
Stakes divine which here are standing be fain to grant us wealth
with store of children.
7 O men who lift the ladles up, these
hewn and planted in the ground,
Bringing a blessing to the
field, shall bear our precious gift to Gods.
8 Adityas, Rudras,
Vasus, careful leaders, Earth, Heaven, and Prthivi and Air's
mid-region,
Accordant Deities shall bless our worship and
make our sacrifice's ensign lofty.
9 Like swan's that flee
in lengthened line, the Pillars have come to us arrayed in brilliant
coIour.
They, lifted up on high, by sages, eastward, go forth
as Gods to the God's dwelling-places.
10 Those Stakes upon
the earth with rings that deck them seem to the eye like horns
of horned creatures;
Or, as upraised by priests in invocation,
let them assist us in the rush to battle.
11 Lord of the
Wood, rise with a hundred branches. with thousand branches may
we rise to greatness,
Tlou whom this hatchct, with an edge
well whetted for great felicity, hath brought before us.
HYMN IX.
1. WE as thy friends have chosen thee, mortals a God, to
be our help,
The Waters' Child, the blessed, the resplendent
One, victorious and beyond compare.
2 Since thou delighting
in the woods hast gone unto thy mother streams,
Not to be
scorned, Agni, is that return of thine when from afar thou now
art here.
3 O'er pungent smoke host thou prevailed, and thus
art thou benevolent.
Some go before, and others round about
thee sit, they in whose friendship thou hast place.
4 Him
who had passed beyond his foes, beyond continual pursuits, Him
the unerring Ones, observant, found in floods, couched like
a lion in his lair.
5 Him wandering at his own free will,
Agni here hidden from our view,
Him Matarisvan brought to
us from far away produced by friction, from the Gods.
6 O
Bearer of Oblations, thus mortals received thee from the Gods,
Whilst thou, the Friend of man, guardest each sacrifice with
thine own power, Most Youthful One.
7 Amid thy wonders this
is good, yea, to the simple is it clear,
When gathered round
about thee, Agni, lie the herds where thou art kindled in the
morn.
8 Offer to him who knows fair rites, who burns with
purifying glow,
Swift envoy, active, ancient, and adorable:
serve ye the God attentively.
9 Three times a hundred Gods
and thrice a thousand, and three times ten and nine have worshipped
Agni,
For him spread sacred grass, with oil bedewed him,
and stablished him as Priest and Sacrificer.
HYMN X. Agni.
1. THEE Agni, God, Imperial Lord of all mankind, do mortal
men
With understanding kindle at thesacrifice.
2 They
laud thee in their solemn rites, Agni, as Minister and Priest,
Shine forth in thine own home as guardian of the Law.
3 He,
verily, who honours thee with fuel, Knower of all life,
He,
Agni! wins heroic might, he prospers well.
4 Ensign of sacrifices,
he, Agni, with Gods is come to us,
Decked by the seven priests,
to him who bringeth gifts.
5 ToAgni, the Invoking Priest,
offer your best, your lofty speech,
To him Ordainer-like
who brings the light of songs.
6 Let these our hymns make
Agni grow, whence, meet for laud, he springs to life,
To
mighty strength and great possession, fair to see.
7 Best
Sacrificer, bring the Gods, O Agni, to the pious man:
A joyful
Priest, thy splendour drive our foes afar
8 As such, O Purifier,
shine on us heroic glorious might:
Be nearest Friend to those
who laud thee, for their weal.
9 So, wakeful, versed in sacred
hymns, the holy singers kindly thee.
Oblation-bearer, deathless,
cherisher of strength.
HYMN Xl. Agni.
1. AGNI is Priest, the great High Priest of sacrifice, most
swift in act:
He knows the rite in constant course.
2
Oblation-bearer, deathless, well inclined, an eager messenger,
Agni comes nigh us with the thought.
3 Ensign of sacrifice
from of old, Agni well knoweth with his thought
To prosper
this man's aim and hope.
4 Agni, illustrious from old time,
the Son of Strength who knows all life,
The Gods have made
to their Priest.
5 Infallible is Agni, he who goes before
the tribes of men,
A chariot swift and ever new.
6 Strength
of the Gods which none may harm, subduing all his enemies,
Agni is mightiest in fame.
7 By offering sacred food to him
the mortal worshipper obtains.
A home from him whose light
makes pure.
8 From Agni, by our hymns, may we gain all things
that bring happiness,
Singers of him who knows all life.
9 O Agni, in our deeds of might may we obtain all precious things:
Tle Gods are centred all in thee.
HYMN XII. Indra-Agni.
1. MOVED, Indra-Agni, by our hymn, come to the juice, the
precious dew:
Dr.ink ye thereof, impelled by song.
2 O
Indra-Agni, with the man who lauds you comes the wakening rite:
So drink ye both this juice assured.
3 Through force of sacrifice
I choose Indra-Agni who love the wise:
With Sorna let these
sate them here.
4 Indra and Agni I invoke, joint-victors,
bounteous, unsubdued,
Foe-slayers, best to win the spoil.
5 Indra and Agni, singers skilled in melody hymn you, bringing
lauds:
I choose you for the sacred food.
6 Indra and Agni,
ye cast down the ninety forts which DAsas held,
Together,
with one mighty deed.
7 To Indra-Agni eeverent thoughts go
forward from the holy task
Along the path of sacred Law.
8 O Indra-Agni, powers are yours, and dwellings and delightful
food
Good is your readiness to act.
9 Indra and Agni,
in your deeds of might ye deck heaven's lucid realms:
Famed
is that hero strength of yours.
HYMN XIII. Agni.
1. To Agni, to this God of yours I sing aloud with utmost
power.
May he come to us with the Gods, and sit, best Offerer,
on the grass.
2 The Holy, whose are earth and heaven, and
succour waits upon his strength;
Him men who bring oblations
laud, and they who wish to gain, for grace.
3 He is the Sage
who guides these men, Leader of sacred rites is he.
Him your
own Agni, serve ye well, who winneth and bestoweth wealth.
4 So may the gracious Agni grant most goodly shelter for our
use;
Whence in the heavens or in the floods he shall pour
wealth upon our lands.
5 The singers kindle him, the Priest,
Agni the Lord of tribes of men,
Resplendent and without a
peer through his own excellent designs.
6 Help us, thou Brahman,
best of all invokers of the Gods in song.
Beam, Friend of
Maruts, bliss on us, O Agni, a most liberal God.
7 Yea, grant
us treasure thousandfold with children and with nourishment,
And, Agni, splendid hero strength, exalted, wasting not away.
HYMN XIV. Agni.
1 THE pleasant Priest is come into the synod, true, skilled
in sacrifice, most wise, Ordainer.
Agni, the Son of Strength,
whose car is lightning, whose hair is flame, hath shown on earth
his lustre.
2 To thee I offer reverent speech: accept it:
to thee who markest it, victorious, faithful!
Bring, thou
who knowest, those who know, and seat thee amid the sacred grass,
for help, O Holy.
3 The Two who show their vigour, Night
and Morning, by the wind's paths shall haste to thee O Agni.
When men adorn the Ancient with oblations, these seek, as on
two chariot-seats, the dwelling.
4 To thee, strong Agni!
Varuna and Mitra and all the Maruts sang a song of triumph,
What time unto the people's lands thou camest, spreading them
as the Sun of men, with lustre.
5 Approaching with raised
hands and adoration, we have this day fulfilled for thee thy
longing.
Worship the Gods with most devoted spirit, a Priest
with no unfriendly thought, O Agni.
6 For, Son of Strength,
from thee come many succours, and powers abundant that a God
possesses.
Agni, to us with speech that hath no falsehood
grant riches, real, to be told in thousands.
7 Whatever,
God, in sacrifice we mortals have wrought is all for thee, strong,
wise of purpose!
Be thou the Friend of each good chariot's
master. All this enjoy thou here, immortal Agni.
HYMN XV. Agni.
1. RESPLENDENT with thy wide-extending lustre, dispel the
terrors of the fiends who hate us
May lofty Agni be my guide
and shelter, the easily-invoked, the good Protector.
2 Be
thou To us, while now the morn is breaking, be thou a guardian
when the Sun hath mounted..
Accept, as men accept a true-born
infant, my laud, O Agni nobly born in body.
3 Bull, who beholdest
men, through many mornings, among the dark ones shine forth
red, O Agni.
Lead us, good Lord, and bear us over trouble:
Help us who long, Most Youthful God, to riches.
4 Shine forth,
a Bull invincible, O Agni, winning by conquest all the forts
and treasures,
Thou Jatavedas who art skilled in guiding,
the chief high saving sacrifice's Leader.
5 Lighting Gods
hither, Agni, wisest Singer, bring thou to us many and flawless
shelters.
Bring vigour, like a car that gathers booty: bring
us, O Agni, beauteous.Rarth and Heaven.
6 Swell, O thou Bull
and give those powers an impulse, e'en Earth and Heaven who
yield their milk in plenty,
Shining, O God, with Gods in
clear effulgence. Let not a mortal's evil will obstruct us.
7 Agni, as holy food to thine invoker, give wealth in cattle,
lasting, rich in marvels.
To us be born a son and spreading
ofrspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to us-ward.
HYMN XVI. Agni.
1. THIS Agni is the Lord of great felicity and hero Strength;
Lord of wealth in herds of kine; Lord of the battles with the
foe.
2 Wait, Maruts, Heroes, upon him the Prosperer in whom
is bliss-increasing wealth;
Who in fights ever conquer evil-hearted
men, who overcome the enemy.
3 As such, O Agni, deal us wealth
and hero might, O Bounteous One!
Most lofty, very glorious,
rich in progeny, free from disease and full of power.
4 He
who made all that lives, who passes all in might, who orders
service to the Gods,
He works among the Gods, he works in
hero strength, yea, also in the praise of men.
5 Give us
not up to indigence, Agni, nor want of hero sons,
Nor, Son
of Strength, to lack of cattle, nor to blame. Drive. thou our
enemies away.
6 Help us to strength, blest Agni! rich in
progeny, abundant, in our sacrifice.
Flood us with riches
yet more plenteous, bringing weal, with high renown, most Glorious
One!
HYMN XVII. Agni.
1. DULY enkindled after ancient customs, bringing all treasures,
he is balmed with unguents,-
Flame-haired, oil-clad, the
purifying Agni, skilled in fair rites, to bring the Gods for
worship.
2 As thou, O Agni, skilful Jatavedas, hast sacrificed
as Priest of Earth, of Heaven,
So with this offering bring
the Gods, and prosper this sacrifice today as erst for Manu.
3 Three are thy times of life, O Jatavedas, and the three mornings
are thy births, O Agni.
With these, well-knowing, grant the
Gods' kind favour, and help in stir aiid stress the man who
worships.
4 Agni most bright and fair with song we honour,
yea, the adorable, O Jatavedas.
Thee, envoy, messenger, oblation-bearer,
the Gods have made centre of life eternal.
5 That Priest
before thee, yet more skilled in worship, stablished of old,
healthgiver by his nature,-
After his custom offer, thou
who knowest, and lay our sacrifice where Gods may taste it.
HYMN XVIII. Agni.
1. AGNI, be kind to us when we approach thee good as a friend
to friend, as sire and mother.
The races of mankind are great
oppressors burn up malignity that strives against us.
2 Agni,
burn up the unfriendly who are near us, burn thou the foeman's
curse who pays no worship.
Burn, Vasu, thou who markest well,
the foolish: let thine eternal nimble beams surround thee.
3 With fuel, Agni, and with oil, desirous, mine offering I present
for strength and conquest,
With prayer, so far as I have
power, adoring-this hymn divine to gain a hundred treasures.
4 Give with thy glow, thou Son of Strength, when lauded, great
vital power to those who toil to serve thee.
Give richly,
Agni, to the Visvamitras in rest and stir. Oft have we decked
thy body.
5 Give us, O liberal Lord, great gtore of riches,
for, Agni, such art thou when duly kindled.
Thou in the happy
singer's home bestowest, amply with arms extended, things of
beauty.
HYMN XIX. Agni.
1. Aow, quick, sage, infallible, all-knowing, I choose to
be our Priest at this oblation.
In our Gods' service he,
best skilled, shall worship: may he obtain us boons for strength
and riches.
2 Agni, to thee I lift the oil-fed ladle, bright,
with an offering, bearing our oblation.
From the right hand,
choosing the Gods' attendance, he with rich presents hath arranged
the worship.
3 Of keenest spirit is the man thou aidest give
us good offspring, thou who givest freely.
In power of wealth
most rich in men. O Agni, of thee, the Good, may we sing forth
fair praises.
4 Men as they worship thee the God, O Agni,
have set on thee full many a brilliant, aspect.
So bring
Most Youthful One, the Gods' asserrigly, the Heavenly Host which
thou to-day shalt honour.
5 When Gods anoint thee Priest
at their oblation, and seat thee for thy task as Sacrificer,
O Agni, be thou here our kind defender, and to ourselves vouchsafe
the gift of glory.
HYMN XX Agni.
1. WITH lauds at break of morn the priest invoketh Agni,
Dawn, Dadhikras, and both the Asvins.
With one consent the
Gods whose light is splendid, longing to taste our sacrifice,
shall hear us.
2 Three are thy powers, O Agni, three thy
stations, three are thy tongues, yea, many, Child of Order!
Three bodies hast thou which the Gods delight in: with these
protect our hymns with care unceasing.
3 O Agni, many are
the names thou bearest, immortal, God, Divine, and Jatavedas.
And many charms of charmers, All-Inspirer! have they laid in
thee, Lord of true attendants!
4 Agni, like Bhaga, leads
the godly people, he who is true to Law and guards the seasons.
Ancient, all-knowing, he the Vrtra-slayer shall bear the singer
safe through every trouble.
5 I call on Savitar the God,
on Morning, Brhaspati, and Dadhikras, and Agni,
On Varuna
and Mitra, on the Asvins, Bhaga, the Vasus, Rudras and Adityas.
HYMN XXI. Agni.
1. SET this our sacrifice among the Immortals: be pleased
with these our presents, Jatavedas.
O Priest, O Agni, sit
thee down before us, and first enjoy the drops of oil and fatness.
2 For thee, O Purifier, flow the drops of fatness rich in oil.
After thy wont vouchsafe to us the choicest boon that Gods may
feast.
3 Agni, Most Excellent! for thee the Sage are drops
that drip with oil.
Thou art enkindled as the best of Seers.
Help thou the sacrifice.
4 To thee, O Agni, mighty and resistless,
to thee stream forth the drops of oil and fatness.
With great
light art thou come, O praised by poets! Accept our offering,
O thou Sage.
5 Fatness exceeding rich, extracted from the
midst,-this as our gift we offer thee.
Excellent God, the
drops run down upon thy skin. Deal them to each among the Gods.
HYMN XXII. Agni.
1 THIS is that Agni whence the longing Indra took the pressed
Soma deep within his body.
Winner of spoils in thousands,
like a courser, with praise art thou exalted, Jatavedas.
2 That light of thine in heaven and earth, O Agni, in plants,
O Holy One, and in the waters,
Wherewith thou hast spread
wide the air's mid-region-bright is that splendour, wavy, man-beholding.
3 O Agni, to the sea of heaven thou goest: thou hast called
hither Gods beheld in spirit.
The waters, too, come hither,
those up yonder in the Sun's realm of light, and those beneath
it.
4 Let fires that dwell in mist, combined with those that
have their home in floods,
Guileless accept our sacrifice,
great viands free from all disease.
5 Agni, as holy food
to thine invoker give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.
To us be born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy
gracious will to us-ward.
HYMN XXIII. Agni.
1. RUBBED into life, well stablished in the dwelling, Leader
of sacrifice, the Sage, the youthful,
Here in the wasting
fuel Jatavedas, eternal, hath assumed immortal being.
2 Both
Bharatas, Devasravas, Devavata, have strongly rubbed to life
effectual Agni.
O Agni, look thou forth with ample riches:
be, every day, bearer of food to feed us.
3 Him nobly born
of old the fingers ten produced, him whom his Mothers counted
dear.
Praise Devavata's Agni, thou Devasravas, him who shall
be the people's Lord.
4 He set thee in the earth's most lovely
station, in Ila's place, in days of fair bright weather.
On man, on Apaya, Agni! on the rivers Drsadvati, Sarasvati,
shine richly.
5 Agni, as holy food to thine invoker give
wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.
To us be born
a son and spreading offspring Agni, be this thy gracious will
to us-ward
HYMN XXIV. Agni.
1. AGNI, subdue opposing bands, and drive our enemies away.
Invincible, slay godless foes: give splendour to the worshipper.
2 Lit with libation, Agni, thou, deathless, who callest Gods
to feast,
Accept our sacrifice with joy.
3 With splendour,
Agni, Son of Strength, thou who art worshipped, wakeful One.
Seat thee on this my sacred grass.
4 With all thy fires,
with all the Gods, Agni, exalt the songs we sing.
And living
men in holy rites.
5 Grant, Agni, to the worshipper wealth
rich in heroes, plenteous store,
Make thou us rich with many
sons.
HYMN XXV. Agni.
1. THOU art the sapient Son of Dyaus, O Agni, yes and the
Child of Earth, who knowest all things.
Bring the Gods specially,
thou Sage, for worship.
2. Agni the wise bestows the might
of heroes grants strengthening food, preparing it for nectar.
Thou who art rich in food bring the Gods hither.
3 Agni,
infallible, lights Earth and Heaven, immortal Goddesses gracious
to all men,-
Lord through his strength, splendid through
adorations.
4 Come to the sacrifice, Agni and Indra come
to the offerer's house who hath the Soma.
Come, friendly-minded,
Gods, to drink the Soma.
5 In the floods' home art thou enkindled,
Agni, O Jatavedas, Son of Strength, eternal,
Exalting with
thine help the gatheringplaces.
HYMN XXVI. Agni.
1. REVERING in our heart Agni Vaisvanara, the finder of the
light, whose promises are true,
The liberal, gladsome, car-borne
God we Kusikas invoke him with oblation, seeking wealth with
songs.
2 That Agni, bright, Vaisvanara, we invoke for help,
and Matarisvan worthy of the song of praise;
Brhaspati for
man's observance of the Gods, the Singer prompt to hear, the
swiftly-moving guest.
3 Age after age Vaisvanara, neighing
like a horse, is kindled with the women by the Kusikas.
May
Agni, he who wakes among Immortal Gods, grant us heroic strength
and wealth in noble steeds.
4 Let them go forth, the strong,
as flames of fire with might. Gathered for victory they have
yoked their spotted deer.
Pourers of floods, the Maruts,
Masters of all wealth, they who can ne'er be conquered, make
the mountains shake.
5 The Maruts, Friends of men, are glorious
as the fire: their mighty and resplendent succour we implore.
Those storming Sons of Rudra clothed in robes of rain, boon-givers
of good gifts, roar as the lions roar.
6 We, band on band
and troop following troop, entreat with fair lauds Agni's splendour
and the Maruts' might,
With spotted deer for steeds, with
wealth that never fails, they, wise Ones, come to sacrifice
at our gatherings.
7 Agni am I who know, by birth, all creatures.
Mine eye is butter, in my mouth is nectar.
I am light threefold,
measurer of the region exhaustless heat am I, named burnt-oblation.
8 Bearing in mind a thought with light accordant, he purified
the Sun with three refinings;
By his own nature gained the
highest treasure, and looked abroad over the earth and heaven.
9 The Spring that fails not with a hundred streamlets, Father
inspired of' prayers that men should utter,
The Sparkler,
joyous in his Parents' bosorn, -him, the Truth-speaker, sate
ye, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN XXVII. Agni.
1. IN ladle dropping oil your food goes in oblation up to
heaven,
Goes to the Gods in search of bliss.
2 Agni I
laud, the Sage inspired, crowner of sacrifice through song,
Who listens and gives bounteous gifts.
3 O Agni, if we might
obtain control of thee the potent God,
Then should we overcome
our foes.
4 Kindled at sacrifices he is Agni, hallower, meet
for praise,
With flame for hair: to him we seek.
5 Immortal
Agni, shining far, enrobed with oil, well worshipped, bears
The gifts of sacrifice away.
6 The priests with ladles lifted
up, worshipping here with holy thought,
Have brought this
Agni for our aid.
7 Immortal, Sacrificer, God, with wondrous
power he leads the way,
Urging the great assembly on.
8 Strong, he is set on deeds ofstrength. In sacrifices led in
front,
As Singer he completes the rite.
9 Excellent, he
was made by thought. The Germ of beings have I gained,
Yea,
and die Sire of active strength.
10 Thee have I stablished,
Excellent, O strengthened by the sage's prayer,
Thee, Agni,
longing, nobly bright.
11 Agni, the swift and active One,
singers, at time of sacrifice,
Eagerly kindle with their
food.
12 Agni the Son of Strength who shines up to the heaven
in solemn rites,
The wise of heart, I glorify.
13 Meet
to be lauded and adored, showing in beauty through the dark,
Agni, the Strong, is kindled well.
14 Agni is kindled as
a bull, like a horsebearer of the Gods:
Men with oblations
worship him.
15 Thee will we kindle as a bull, we who are
Bulls ourselves, O Bull.
Thee, Agni, shining mightily.
HYMN XXVIII. Agni.
1. AGNI who knowest all, accept our offering and the cake
of meal,
At dawn's libation, rich in prayer!
2 Agni, the
sacrificial cake hath been prepared and dressed for thee:
Accept it, O Most Youthful God.
3 Agni, enjoy the cake of
meal and our oblation three days old:
Thou, Son of Strength,
art stablished at our sacrifice.
4 Here at the midday sacrifice
enjoy thou the sacrificial cake, wise, Jatavedas!
Agni, the
sages in assemblies never minish the portion due to thee the
Mighty.
5 O Agni, at the third libation takewith joy the
offered cake of sacrifice, thou, Son of Strength.
Through
skill in song bear to the Gods our sacrifice, watchful and fraught
with riches, to Immortal God.
6 O waxing Agni, knower, thou,
of all, accept our gifts, the cake,
And that prepared ere
yesterday.
HYMN XXIX. Agni.
1. HERE is the gear for friction, here tinder made ready
for the spark.
Bring thou the Matron: we will rub Agni in
ancient fashion forth.
2 1n the two fire-sticks Jatavedas
lieth, even as the well-set germ in pregnant women,
Agni
who day by day must be exalted by men who watch and worship
with oblations.
3 Lay this with care on that which lies extended:
straight hath she borne the Steerwhen made prolific.
With
his red pillar-radiant is his splendour -in our skilled task
is born the Son of Ila.
4 In Ila's place we set thee down,
upon the central point of earth,
That, Agni Jatavedas, thou
mayst bear our offerings to the Gods.
5 Rub into life, ye
men, the Sage, the guileless, Immortal, very wise and fair to
look on.
O men, bring forth the most propitious Agni, first
ensign of the sacrifice to eastward.
6 When with their arms
they rub him straight he shineth forth like a strong courser,
red in colour, in the wood.
Bright, checkless, as it were
upon the Atvins' path, lie passeth by the stones and burneth
up the grass.
7 Agni shines forth when born, observant, mighty,
the bountiful, the Singar praised by sages;
Whom, as adorable
and knowing all things, Gods set at solemn rites as offeringbearer.
8 Set thee, O Priest, in, thine own place, observant: lay down
the sacrifice in the home of worship.
Thou, dear to Gods,
shalt serve them with oblation: Agni, give long life to the
sacrificer.
9 Raise ye a mighty smoke, my fellow-workers!
Ye shall attain to wealth without obstruction.
This Agni
is the battle-winning Hero by whom the Gods have overcome the
Dasyus.
10 This is thine ordered place of birth whence sprung
to life thou shonest forth.
Knowing this, Agni, sit thee
down, and prosper thou the songs we sing.
11 As Germ Celestial
he is called Tanunapat, and Narasamsa born diffused in varied
shape.
Formed in his Mother he is Matarisvan; he hath, in
his course, become the rapid flight of wind.
12 With strong
attrition rubbed to life, laid down with careful hand, a Sage,
Agni, make sacrifices good, and for the pious bring the Gods.
13 Mortals have brought to life the God Immortal, the Conqueror
with mighty jaws, unfailing.
The sisters ten, unwedded and
united, together grasp the Babe, the new-born Infant.
14
Served by the seven priests, he shone forth from ancient time,
when in his Mother's bosom, in her lap, he glowed.
Giving
delight each day he closeth not his eye, since from the Asura's
body hewas brought to life.
15 Even as the Maruts, onslaughts
who attack the foe, those born the first of all knew the full
power of prayer.
The Kusikas have made the glorious hymn
ascend, and, each one singly in his home, have kindled fire.
16 As we, O Priest observant, have elected thee this day, what
time the solemn sacrifice began,
So surely hast thou worshipped,
surely hast thou toiled: come thou unto the Soma, wise and knowing
all.
HYMN XXX. Indra.
1. THE friends who offer Soma long to find thee: they pour
forth Soma and present their viands.
They bear unmoved the
cursing of the people, for all our wisdom comes from thee, O
Indra.
2 Not far for thee are mid-air's loftiest regions:
start hither, Lord of Bays, with thy Bay Horses.
Made for
the Firm and Strong are these libations. The pressing-stones
are set and fire is kindled.
3 Fair cheeks hath Indra, Maghavan,
the Victor, Lord of a great host, Stormer, strong in action.
What once thou didst in might when mortals vexed thee,-where
now, O Bull, are those thy hero exploits?
4 For, overthrowing
what hath ne'er been shaken, thou goest forth alone destroying
Vrtras.
For him who followeth thy Law the mountains and heaven
and earth stand as if firmly stablished.
5 Yea, Much-invoked!
in safety through thy glories alone thou speakest truth as Vrtra's
slayer.
E'en these two boundless worlds to thee, O Indra,
what time thou graspest them, are but a handful.
6 Forthwith
thy Bay steeds down the steep, O Indra, forth, crushing foemen,
go thy bolt of thunder!
Slay those who meet thee, those who
flee, who follow: make all thy promise true; be all completed.
7 The man to whom thou givest as Provider enjoys domestic plenty
undivided.
Blest, Indra, is thy favour dropping fatness:
thy worship, Much-invoked! brings gifts in thousands.
8 Thou,
Indra, Much-invoked! didst crush to pieces Kunaru handless fiend
who dwelt with Danu.
Thou with might, Indra, smotest dead
the scorner, the footless Vrtra as he waxed in vigour.
9
Thou hast established in her seat, O Indra, the level earth,
vast, vigorous, unbounded.
The Bull hath propped the heaven
and air's mid-region. By thee sent onward let the floods flow
hither.
10 He who withheld the kine, in silence I yielded
in fear before thy blow, O Indra.
He made paths easy to drive
forth the cattle. Loud-breathing praises helped the Much-invoked
One.
11 Indra alone filled full the earth and heaven, the
Pair who meet together, rich in treasures.
Yea, bring thou
near us from the air's mid-region strength, on thy car, and
wholesome food, O Hero.
12 Surya transgresses not the ordered
limits set daily by the Lord of Tawny Coursers.
When to the
goal he comes, his journey ended, his Steeds he looses: this
is Indra's doing.
13 Men gladly in the course of night would
look on the broad bright front of the refulgent Morning;
And all acknowledge, when she comes in glory, the manifold and
goodly works of Indra.
14 A mighty splendour rests upon her
bosom: bearing ripe milk the Cow, unripe, advances.
All sweetness
is collected in the Heifer, sweetness which Indra made for our
enjoyment.
15 Barring the way they come. Be firm, O Indra;
aid friends to sacrifice and him who singeth.
These must
be slain by thee, malignant mortals, armed with ill arts, our
quiverbearing foemen.
16 A cry is beard from enemies most
near us: against them send thy fiercest-flaming weapon.
Rend
them from under, crush them and subdue them. Slay, Maghavan,
and make the fiends our booty.
17 Root up the race of Raksasas,
O Indra rend it in front and crush it in the middle.
How
long hast thou bebaved as one who wavers? Cast thy hot dart
at him who hates devotion:
18 When borne by strong Steeds
for our weal, O Leader, thou seatest thee at many noble viands.
May we be winners of abundant riches. May Indra be our wealth
with store of children.
19 Bestow on us resplendent wealth.
O Indra let us enjoy thine overflow of bounty.
Wide as a
sea our longing hath expanded, fulfil it, O thou Treasure-Lord
of treasures.
20 With kine and horses satisfy this longing
with very splendid bounty skill extend it.
Seeking the light,
with hymns to thee, O Indra, Kusikas have brought their gift,
the singers.
21 Lord of the kine, burst the kine's stable
open: cows shall be ours, and strength that wins the booty.
Hero, whose might is true, thy home is heaven: to us, O Maghavan,
grant gifts of cattle.
22 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious
Indra, best Hero in this fight where spoil is gathered,
The
Strong who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the
Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXI. Indra.
1. WISE, teaching, following the thought of Order, the sonless
gained a grandson from his daughter.
Fain, as a sire, to
see his child prolific, he sped to meet her with an eager spirit.
2 The Son left not his portion to the brother, he made a home
to hold him who should gain, it.
What time his Parents gave
the Priest his being, of the good pair one acted, one promoted.
3 Agni was born trembling with tongue that flickered, so that
the Red's great children should be honoured.
Great is their
germ, that born of them is mighty, great the Bays' Lord's approach
through sacrifices.
4 Conquering bands upon the Warrior waited:
they recognized great light from out the darkness.
The conscious
Dawns went forth to meet his coming, and the sole Master of
the kine was Indra.
5 The sages freed them from their firmbuilt
prison: the seven priests drove them forward with their spirit.
All holy Order's pathway they discovered he, full of knowledge,
shared these deeds through worship.
6 When Sarama had found
the mountain's fissure, that vast and ancient place she plundered
thoroughly.
In the floods' van she led them forth, light-footed:
she who well knew came first unto their lowing.
7 Longing
for friendship came the noblest singer: the hill poured forth
its treasure for the pious.
The Hero with young followers
fought and conquered, and straightway Angiras was singing praises,
8 Peer of each noble thing, yea, all excelling, all creatures
doth he know, he slayeth Susna.
Our leader, fain for war,
singing from heaven, as Friend he saved his lovers from dishonour.
9 They sate them down with spirit fain for booty, making with
hymns a way to life eternal.
And this is still their place
of frequent session, whereby they sought to gain the months
through Order.
10 Drawing the milk of ancient seed prolific,
they joyed as they beheld their own possession.
Their shout
of triumph heated earth and heaven. When the kine showed, they
bade the heroes rouse them.
11 Indra drove forth the kine,
that Vrtra-slayer, while hymns of praise rose up and gifts were
offered.
For him the Cow, noble and far-extending, poured
pleasant juices, bringing oil and sweetness.
12 They made
a mansion for their Father, deftly provided him a great and
glorious dwelling;
With firm support parted and stayed the
Parents, and, sitting, fixed him there erected, mighty.
13
What time the ample chalice had impelled him, swift waxing,
vast, to pierce the earth and heaven,-
Him in whom blameless
songs are all united: all powers invincible belong to Indra.
14 I crave thy powers, I crave thy mighty friendship: full many
a team goes to the Vrtra-slayer.
Great is the laud, we seek
the Princes' favour. Be thou, O Maghavan, our guard and keeper.
15 He, having found great, splendid, rich dominion, sent life
and motion to his friends and lovers.
Indra who shone together
with the Heroes begot the song, the fire, and Sun and Morning.
16 Vast, the House-Friend, he set the waters flowing, all-lucid,
widely spread, that move together.
By the wise cleansings
of the meath made holy, through days, and nights they speed
the swift streams onward.
17 To thee proceed the dark, the
treasure-holders, both of them sanctified by Surya's bounty.
The while thy ovely storming Friends, O Indra, fail to attain
the measure of thy greatness.
18 Be Lord of joyous songs,
O Vrtra-slayer, Bull dear to all, who gives the power of living.
Come unto us with thine auspicious friendship, hastening, Mighty
One, with mighty succours.
19 Like Angiras I honour him with
worship, and renovate old song for him the Ancient.
Chase
thou the many godless evil creatures, and give us, Maghavan,
heaven's light to help m.
20 Far forth are spread the purifying
waters convey thou us across them unto safety.
Save us, our
Charioteer, from harm, O Indra, soon, very soon, make us win
spoil of cattle.
21 His kine their Lord hath shown, e'en
Vrtra's slayer, through the black hosts he passed with red attendants.
Teaching us pleasant things by holy Order, to, us hath he thrown
open all his portals.
22 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious
Indra, best Hero in this fight where spoil is gathered.
The
Strong who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the
Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXII. Indra
1. DRINK thou this Soma, Indra, Lord of Soma; drink thou
the draught of noonday which thou Iovest.
Puffing thy cheeks,
impetuous, liberal Giver, here loose thy two Bay Horses and
rejoice thee.
2 Quaff it pure, meal-blent, mixt with milk,
O Indra; we have poured forth the Soma for thy rapture.
Knit
with the prayer-fulfilling band of Maruts, yea, with the Rudras,
drink till thou art sated;
3 Those who gave increase to thy
strength and vigour; the Maruts singing forth thy might, O Indra.
Drink thou, O fair of cheek, whose hand wields thunder, with
Rudras banded, at our noon libation.
4 They, even the Maruts
who were there, excited with song the meath-created strength
of Indra.
By them impelled to act he reached the vitals Of
Vrtra, though he deemed that none might wound him.
5 Pleased,
like a man, with our libation, Indra, drink, for enduring hero
might, the Soma.
Lord of Bays, moved by sacrifice come hither:
thou with the Swift Ones stirrest floods and waters.
6 When
thou didst loose the streams to run like racers in the swift
contest, having smitten Vrtra
With flying weapon where he
lay, O Indra, and, godless, kept the Goddesses encompassed.
7 With reverence let us worship mighty Indra, great and sublime,
eternal, everyouthful,
Whose greatness the dear world-halves
have not measured, no, nor conceived the might of him the Holy.
8 Many are Indra's nobly wrought achievements, and none of all
the Gods transgress his statutes.
He beareth up this earth
and heaven, and, doer of marvels, he begot the Sun and Morning.
9 Herein, O Guileless One, is thy true greatness, that soon
as born thou drankest up the Soma.
Days may not check the
power of thee the Mighty, nor the nights, Indra, nor the months,
nor autumns.
10 As soon as thou wast born in highest heaven
thou drankest Soma to delight thee, Indra;
And when thou
hadst pervaded earth and heaven thou wast the first supporter
of the singer.
11 Thou, puissant God, more mighty, slewest.
Ahi showing his strength when couched around the waters.
The heaven itself attained not to thy greatness when with one
hip of thine the earth was shadowed.
12 Sacrifice, Indra,
made thee wax so mighty, the dear oblation with the flowing
Soma.
O Worshipful, with worship help our worship, for worship
helped thy bolt when slaying Ahi.
13 With sacrifice and wish
have I brought Indra; still for new blessings may I turn him
hither,
Him magnified by ancient songs and praises, by lauds
of later time and days yet recent.
14 I have brought forth
a song when longing seized me: ere the decisive day will I laud
Indra;
Then may lie safely bear us over trouble, as in a
ship, when both sides invocate him.
15 Full is his chalice:
Glory! Like a pourer I have filled up the vessel for his drinking.
Presented on the right, dear Soma juices have brought us Indra,
to rejoice him, hither.
16 Not the deep-flowing flood, O
Much-invoked One! not hills that compass thee about restrain
thee,
Since here incited, for thy friends, O Indra, thou
breakest e'en the firm built stall of cattle.
17 Call we
on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in this fight where
spoil is gathered,
The Strong who listens, who gives aid
in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXIII. Indra.
1. FORTH from the bosom of the mountains, eager as two swift
mares with loosened rein contending,
Like two bright mother
cows who lick their youngling, Vipas and Sutudri speed down
their waters.
2 Impelled by Indra whom ye pray to urge you,
ye move as 'twere on chariots to the ocean.
Flowing together,
swelling with your billows, O lucid Streams, each of you seeks
the other.
3 I have attained the most maternal River, we
have approached Vipas, the broad, the blessed.
Licking as
'twere their calf the pair of Mothers flow onward to their common
home together.
4 We two who rise and swell with billowy waters
move forward to the home which Gods have made us.
Our flood
may not be stayed when urged to motion. What would the singer,
calling to the Rivers?
5 Linger a little at my friendly bidding
rest, Holy Ones, a moment in your journey.
With hymn sublime
soliciting your favour Kusika's son hath called unto the River.
6 Indra who wields the thunder dug our channels: he smote down
Vrtra, him who stayed our currents.
Savitar, God, the lovely-handed,
led us, and at his sending forth we flow expanded.
7 That
hero deed of Indra must be lauded for ever that he rent Ahi
in pieces.
He smote away the obstructors with his thunder,
and eager for their course forth flowed the waters.
8 Never
forget this word of thine, O singer, which future generations
shall reecho.
In hymns, O bard, show us thy loving kindness.
Humble us not mid men. To thee be honour!
9 List quickly,
Sisters, to the bard who cometh to you from far away with car
and wagon.
Bow lowly down; be easy to be traversed stay,
Rivers, with your floods below our axles.
10 Yea, we will
listen to thy words, O singer. With wain and car from far away
thou comest.
Low, like a nursing mother, will I bend me,
and yield me as a maiden to her lover.
11 Soon as the Bharatas
have fared across thee, the warrior band, urged on and sped
by Indra,
Then let your streams flow on in rapid motion.
I crave your favour who deserve our worship.
12 The warrior
host, the Bharatas, fared over the singer won the favour of
the Rivers.
Swell with your billows, hasting, pouring riches.
Fill full your channels, and roll swiftly onward.
13 So let
your wave bear up the pins, and ye, O Waters, spare the thongs;
And never may the pair of Bulls, harmless and sinless, waste
away.
HYMN XXXIV. Indra.
1. FORT-RENDER, Lord of Wealth, dispelling foemen, Indra
with lightnings hath o'ercome the Dasa.
Impelled by prayer
and waxen great in body, he hath filled earth and heaven, the
Bounteous Giver.
2 I stimulate thy zeal, the Strong, the
Hero decking my song of praise forth; Immortal.
O Indra,
thou art equally the Leader of heavenly hosts and human generations.
3 Leading, his band Indra encompassed Vrtra; weak grew the wily
leader of enchanters.
He who burns fierce in forests slaughtered
Vyamsa, and made the Milch-kine of the nights apparent.
4
Indra, light-winner, days' Creator, conquered, victorious, hostile
bands with those who loved him.
For man the days' bright
ensign he illumined, and found the light for his joy and gladness.
5 Forward to fiercely falling blows pressed Indra, herolike
doing many hero exploits.
These holy songs he taught the
bard who gaised him, and widely spread these Dawns' resplendent
colour.
6 They laud the mighty acts of him the Mighty, the
many glorious deeds performed by Indra.
He in his strength,
with all-surpassing prowess, through wondrous arts crushed the
malignant Dasyus.
7 Lord of the brave, Indra who rules the
people gave freedom to the Gods by might and battle.
Wise
singers glorify with chanted praises these his achievements
in Vivasvan's dwelling.
8 Excellent, Conqueror, the victory-giver,
the winner of the light and Godlike Waters,
He who hath won
this broad earth and this heaven, -in Indra they rejoice who
love devotions.
9 He gained possession of the Sun and Horses,
Indra obtained the Cow who feedeth many.
Treasure of gold
he won; he smote the Dasyus, and gave protection to the Aryan
colour.
10 He took the plants and days for his possession;
he gained the forest trees and air's mid-region.
Vala he
cleft, and chased away opponents: thus was he tamer of the overweening.
11 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight
where spoil is gathered,
The Strong, who listens, who gives
aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers treasures.
HYMN XXXV Indra.
1. MOUNT the Bay Horses to thy chariot harnessed, and come
to us like Vayu with his coursers.
Thou, hastening to us,
shalt drink the Soma. Hail, Indra. We have poured it for thy
rapture.
2 For him, the God who is invoked by many, the two
swift Bay Steeds to the pole I harness,
That they in fleet
course may bring Indra hither, e'en to this sacrifice arranged
completely.
3 Bring the strong Steeds who drink the warm
libation, and, Bull of Godlike nature, be thou gracious.
Let thy Steeds eat; set free thy Tawny Horses, and roasted grain
like this consume thou daily.
4 Those who are yoked by prayer
I harness, fleet friendly Bays who take their joy together.
Mounting thy firm and easy car, O Indra, wise and all-knowing
come thou to the Soma.
5 No other worshippers must stay beside
them thy Bays, thy vigorous and smooth-backed Coursers.
Pass
by them all and hasten onward hither: with Soma pressed we will
prepare to feast thee.
6 Thine is this Sorna: hasten to approach
it. Drink thou thereof, benevolent, and cease not.
Sit on
the sacred grass at this our worship, and take these drops into
thy belly, Indra.
7 The grass is strewn for thee, pressed
is the Soma; the grain is ready for thy Bays to feed on.
To thee who lovest them, the very mighty, strong, girt by Maruts,
are these gifts presented.
8 This the sweet draught, with
cows, the men, the mountains, the waters, Indra, have for thee
made ready.
Come, drink thereof, Sublime One, friendly-minded,
foreseeing, knowing well the ways thou goest.
9 The Maruts,
they with whom thou sharedst Soma, Indra, who made thee strong
and were thine army,-
With these accordant, eagerly desirous
drink thou this Soma with the tongue of Agni.
10 Drink, Indra,
of the juice by thine own nature, or by the tongue of Agni,
O thou Holy.
Accept the sacrificial gift, O Sakra, from the
Adhvaryu's hand or from the Hotar's.
11 Call we on Maghavan,
auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered,
The Strong, who listens, who.gives aid in battles, who slays
the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXVI. Indra.
1. WITH constant succours, fain thyself to share it, make
this oblation which we bring effective.
Grown great through
strengthening gifts at each libation, he hath become renowned
by mighty exploits.
2 For Indra were the Somas erst- discovered,
whereby he grew strong-jointed, vast, and skilful.
Indra
, take quickly these presented juices: drink of the strong,
that which the strong have shaken.
3 Drink and wax great.
Thine are the juices, Indra, both Somas of old time and these
we bring thee.
Even as thou drankest, Indra, earlier Somas,
so drink to-day, a new guest, meet for praises.
4 Great and
impetuous, mighty-voiced in battle, surpassing power is his,
and strength resistless.
Him the broad earth hath never comprehended
when Somas cheered the Lord of Tawny Coursers.
5 Mighty and
strong he waxed for hero exploit: the Bull was furnished a Sage's
wisdom.
Indra is our kind Lord; his steers have vigour; his
cows are many with abundant offspring.
6 As floods according
to their stream flow onward, so to the sea, as borne on cars,
the waters.
Vaster is Indra even than his dwelling, what
time the stalk milked out, the Soma, fills him.
7 Eager to
mingle with the sea, the rivers carry the well-pressed Soma
juice to Indra.
They drain the stalk out with their arms,
quick-banded, and cleanse it with a stream of mead and filters.
8 Like lakes appear his flanks filled full with Soma: yea, he
contains libations in abundance.
When Indra had consumed
the first sweet viands, he, after slaying Vrtra, claimed the
Soma.
9 Then bring thou hither, and let none prevent it:
we know thee well, the Lord of wealth and treasure.
That
splendid gift which is thine own, O Indra, vouchsafe to us,
Lord of the Tawny Coursers.
10 O Indra, Maghavan, impetuous
mover, grant us abundant wealth that brings all blessings.
Give us a hundred autumns for our lifetime: give us, O fair-checked
Indra, store of heroes.
11 Call we on Indra, Maghavan, auspicious,
best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered,
The Strong,
who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras,
wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXVII. Indra.
1. O INDRA, for the strength that slays Vrtra and conquers
in the fight,
We turn thee hitherward to us.
2 O Indra,
Lord of Hundred Powers, may those who praise thee hitherward.
Direct thy spirit and thine eye.
3 O Indra, Lord of Hundred
Powers, with all our songs we invocate
Thy names for triumph
over foes.
4 We strive for glory through the powers immense
of him whom many praise,
Of Indra who supports mankind.
5 For Vrtra's slaughter I address Indra whom many invocate,
To win us booty in the wars.
6 In battles be victorious.
We seek thee, Lord of Hundred Powers,
Indra, that Vrtra may
be slain.
7 In splendid combats of the hosts, in glories
where the fight is won.
Indra, be victor over foes.
8
Drink thou the Soma for our help, bright, vigilant, exceeding
strong,
O Indra, Lord of Hundred Powers.
9 O Satakratu,
powers which thou mid the Five Races hast displayed-
These,
Indra, do I claim of thee.
10 Indra, great glory hast thou
gained. Win splendid fame which none may mar
We make thy
might perpetual.
11 Come to us either from anear, Or, Sakra,
come from far away.
Indra, wherever be thy home, come to
us thence, O Thunder-armed.
HYMN XXXVIII. Indra.
1. HASTING like some strong courser good at drawing, a thought
have I imagined like a workman.
Pondering what is dearest
and most noble, I long to see the sages full of wisdom.
2
Ask of the sages' mighty generations firm-minded and devout
they framed the heaven.
These are thy heart-sought strengthening
directions, and they have come to be sky's upholders.
3 Assuming
in this world mysterious natures, they decked the heaven and
earth for high dominion,
Measured with measures, fixed their
broad expanses, set the great worlds apart held firm for safety.
4 Even as he mounted up they all adorned him: self-luminous
he travels clothed in splendour.
That is the Bull's, the
Asura's mighty figure: he, omniform, hath reached the eternal
waters.
5 First the more ancient Bull engendered offspring;
these are his many draughts that lent him vigour.
From days
of old ye Kings, two Sons of Heaven, by hymns of sacrifice have
won dominion.
6 Three seats ye Sovrans, in the Holy synod,
many, yea, all, ye honour with your presence.
There saw I,
going thither in the spirit, Gandharvas in their course with
wind-blown tresses.
7 That same companionship of her, the
Milch-cow, here with the strong Bull's divers forms they stablished.
Enduing still some new celestial figure, the skilful workers
shaped a form around him.
8 Let no one here debar me from
enjoying the golden light which Savitar diffuses.
He covers
both all-fostering worlds with praises even as a woman cherishes
her children.
9 Fulfil, ye twain, his work, the Great, the
Ancient: as heavenly blessing keep your guard around us.
All the wise Gods behold his varied actions who stands erect,
whose voice is like a herdsman's.
10 Call we on Indra, Maghavan,
auspicious, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered,
The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays
the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXIX. Indra.
1. To Indra from the heart the hymn proceedeth, to him the
Lord, recited, built with praises;
The wakening song sung
forth in holy synod: that which is born for thee, O Indra, notice.
2 Born from the heaven e'en in the days aforetime, wakening,
sting aloud in holy synod,
Auspicious, clad in white and
shining raiment, this is the ancient hymn of our forefathers.
3 The Mother of the Twins hath borne Twin Children: my tongue's
tip raised itself and rested silent.
Killing the darkness
at the light's foundation, the Couple newly born attain their
beauty.
4 Not one is found among them, none of mortals, to
blame our sires who fought to win the cattle.
Their strengthener
was Indra the Majestic he spread their stalls of kine the Wonder-Worker.
5 Where as a Friend with friendly men, Navagvas, with heroes,
on his knees he sought the cattle.
There, verily with ten
Dasagvas Indra found the Sun lying hidden in the darkness.
6 Indra found meath collected in the milch-cow, by foot and
hoof, in the cow's place of pasture.
That which lay secret,
hidden in the waters, he held in his right hand, the rich rewarder.
7 He took the light, discerning it from darkness: may we be
far removed from all misfortune.
These songs, O Soma-drinker,
cheered by Soma, Indra, accept from thy most zealous poet.
8 Let there be light through both the worlds for worship: may
we be far from most overwhelming evil.
Great woe comes even
from the hostile mortal, piled up; but good at rescue are the
Vasus.
9 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero
in the fight where spoil is gathered,
The Strong, who listens,
who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers
riches.
HYMN XL. Indra.
1. THEE, Indra, we invoke, the Bull, what time the Soma is
expressed.
So drink thou of the savoury juice.
2 Indra,
whom many laud, accept the strength-conferring Soma juice:
Quaff, pour down drink that satisfies.
3 Indra, with all
the Gods promote our wealth-bestowing sacrifice,
Thou highly-lauded
Lord of men.
4 Lord of the brave, to thee proceed these drops
of Soma juice expressed,
The bright drops to thy dwelling-place.
5 Within thy belly, Indra, take juice, Soma the most excellent:
Thine are the drops celestial.
6 Drink our libation, Lord
of hymns: with streams of meath thou art bedewed
Our glory,
Indra, is thy gift.
7 To Indra go the treasures of the worshipper,
which never fail:
He drinks the Soma and is strong
8 From
far away, from near at hand, O Vrtra-slayer, come to us:
Accept the songs we sing to thee.
9 When from the space between
the near and far thou art invoked by us,
Thence, Indra. come
thou hitherward.
HYMN XLI. Indra.
1. INVOKED to drink the Soma juice, come with thy Bay Steeds,
Thunder-armed
Come, Indra, hitherward to me.
2 Our priest
is seated, true to time; the grass is regularly strewn;
The
pressing-stones were set at morn.
3 These prayers, O thou
who hearest prayer are offered: seat thee on the grass.
Hero,
enjoy the offered cake.
4 O Vrtra-slayer, be thou pleased
with these libations, with these hymns,
Song-loving Indra,
with our lauds.
5 Our hymns caress the Lord of Strength,
vast, drinker of the Soma's juice,
Indra, as mother-cows
their calf.
6 Delight thee with the juice we pour for thine
own great munificence:
Yield not thy singer to reproach.
7 We, Indra, dearly loving thee, bearing oblation, sing thee
hymns
Thou, Vasu, dearly lovest us.
8 O thou to whom thy
Bays are dear, loose not thy Horses far from us:
Here glad
thee, Indra, Lord divine.
9 May long-maned Coursers, dropping
oil, bring thee on swift car hitherward,
Indra, to seat thee
on the grass.
HYMN XLII. Indra.
1. COME to the juice that we have pressed, to Sorna, Indra,
bleat with milk:
Come, favouring us, thy Bay-drawn car!
2 Come, Indra, to this gladdening drink, placed on the grass,
pressed out with stones:
Wilt thou not drink thy fill thereof?
3 To Indra have my songs of praise gone forth, thus rapidly
sent hence,
To turn him to the Soma-draught.
4 Hither
with songs of praise we call Indra to drink the Soma juice:
Will he not come to us by lauds?
5 Indra, these Somas are
expressed. Take them within thy belly, Lord
Of Hundred Powers,
thou Prince of Wealth.
6 We know thee winner of the spoil,
and resolute in battles, Sage!
Therefore thy blessing we
implore.
7 Borne hither by thy Stallions, drink, Indra, this
juice which we have pressed,
Mingled with barley and with
milk.
8 Indra, for thee, in thine own place, I urge the Soma
for thy draught:
Deep in thy heart let it remain,
9 We
call on thee, the Ancient One, Indra, to drink the Soma juice,
We Kusikas who seek thine aid.
HYMN XLIII. Indra.
1. MOUNTED upon thy chariot-seat approach us: thine is the
Sorna-draught from days aforetime.
Loose for the sacred grass
thy dear companions. These men who bring oblation call thee
hither.
2 Come our true Friend, passing by many people; come
with thy two Bay Steeds to our devotions;
For these our hymns
are calling thee, O Indra, hymns formed for praise, soliciting
thy friendship.
3 Pleased, with thy Bay Steeds, Indra, God,
come quickly to this our sacrifice that heightens worship;
For with my thoughts, presenting oil to feed thee, I call thee
to the feast of sweet libations.
4 Yea, let thy two Bay Stallions
bear thee hither, well limbed and good to draw, thy dear companions.
Pleased with the corn-blent offering which we bring thee, may
Indra, Friend, hear his friend's adoration.
5 Wilt thou not
make me guardian of the people, make me, impetuous Maghavan,
their ruler?
Make me a Rsi having drunk of Soma? Wilt thou
not give me wealth that lasts for ever?
6 Yoked to thy chariot,
led thy tall Bays, Indra, companions of thy banquet, bear thee
hither,
Who from of old press to heaven's farthest limits,
the Bull's impetuous and well-groomed Horses.
7 Drink of
the strong pressed out by strong ones, Indra, that which the
Falcon brought thee when thou longedst;
In whose wild joy
thou stirrest up the people, in whose wild joy thou didst unbar
the cow-stalls.
8 Call we on Indra, Makhavan, auspicious,
best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;
The Strong,
who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras,
wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XLIV. Indra.
1. May this delightsome Soma be expressed for thee by tawny
stones.
Joying thereat, O Indra, with thy Bay Steeds come:.
ascend thy golden-coloured car.
2 In love thou madest Usas
glow, in love thou madest Surya shine.
Thou, Indra, knowing,
thinking, Lord of Tawny Steeds, above all glories waxest great.
3 The heaven with streams of golden hue, earth with her tints
of green and gold-
The golden Pair yield Indra plenteous
nourishment: between them moves the golden One.
4 When born
to life the golden Bull illumines all the realm of light.
He takes his golden weapon, Lord of Tawny Steeds, the golden
thunder in his arms.
5 The bright, the well-loved thunderbolt,
girt with the bright, Indra disclosed,
Disclosed the Soma
juice pressed out by tawny stones, with tawny steeds drave forth
the kine.
HYMN XLV. Indra.
1. COME hither, Indra, with Bay Steeds, joyous, with tails
like peacocks' plumes.
Let no men cheek thy course as fowlers
stay the bird: pass o'er them as o'er desert lands.
2 He
who slew Vrtra, burst the cloud, brake the strongholds and drave
the floods,
Indra who mounts his chariot at his Bay Steeds'
cry, shatters e'en things that stand most firm.
3 Like pools
of water deep and full, like kine thou cherishest thy might;
Like the milch-cows that go well-guarded to the mead, like water-brooks
that reach the lake.
4 Bring thou us wealth with power to
strike, our share, 'gainst him who calls it his.
Shake, Indra,
as with hooks, the tree for ripened fruit, for wealth to satisfy
our wish.
5 Indra, self-ruling Lord art thou, good Leader,
of most glorious fame.
So, waxen in thy strength, O thou
whom many praise, be thou most swift to hear our call.
HYMN XLVI. Indra.
1. OF thee, the Bull, the Warrior, Sovran Ruler, joyous and
fierce, ancient and ever youthful,
The undecaying One who
wields the thunder, renowned and great, great are the exploits,
Indra.
2 Great art thou, Mighty Lord, through manly vigour,
O fierce One, gathering spoil, subduing others,
Thyself alone
the universe's Sovran: so send forth men to combat and to rest
them.
3 He hath surpassed all measure in his brightness,
yea, and the Gods, for none may be his equal.
Impetuous Indra
in his might cxccedcth wide vast mid-air and heaven and earth
together.
4 To Indra, even as rivers to the ocean, flow forth
from days of old the Soma juices;
To him wide deep and mighty
from his birth-time, the well of holy thoughts, aIl-comprehending.
5 The Soma, Indra, which the earth and heaven bear for thee
as a mother bears her infant,
This they send forth to thee,
this, vigorous Hero! Adhvaryus purify for thee to drink of.
HYMN XLVII. Indra.
1. DRINK, Indra, Marut-girt, as Bull, the Soma, for joy,
for rapture even as thou listest.
Pour down the flood of
meath within thy belly: thou from of old art King of Soma juices.
2 Indra, accordant, with the banded Maruts, drink Soma, Hero,
as wise Vrtra-slayer.
Slay thou our foemen, drive away assailants
and make us safe on every side from danger.
3 And, drinker
at due seasons, drink in season, Indra, with friendly Gods,
our pressed-out Soma.
The Maruts following, whom thou madest
sharers, gave thee the victory, and thou slewest Vrtra.
4
Drink Soma, Indra, banded with the Maruts who, Maghavan, strengthened
thee at Ahi's slaughter,
'Gainst Sambara, Lord of Bays! in
winning cattle, and now rejoice in thee, the holy Singers.
5 The Bull whose strength hath waxed, whom Maruts follow, free-giving
Indra, the celestial Ruler,
Mighty, all-conquering, the victory-giver,
him let us call to grant us new protection.
HYMN XLVIII. Indra.
1. SOON as the young Bull sprang into existence he longed
to taste the pressed-out Soma's liquor.
Drink thou thy fill,
according to thy longing, first, of the goodly mixture blent
with Soma.
2 That day when thou wast born thou, fain to taste
it, drankest the plant's milk which the mountains nourish.
That milk thy Mother first, the Dame who bare thee, poured for
thee in thy mighty Father's dwelling.
3 Desiring food he
came unto his Mother, and on her breast beheld the pungent Soma.
Wise, he moved on, keeping aloof the others, and wrought great
exploits in his varied aspects.
4 Fierce, quickly conquering,
of surpassing vigour, he framed his body even as he listed.
E'en from his birth-time Indra conquered Tvastar, bore off the
Soma and in beakers drank it.
5 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious
Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;
The
Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the
Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XLIX. Indra.
1. GREAT Indra will I laud, in whom all people who drink
the Soma have attained their longing;
Whom, passing wise,
Gods, Heaven and Earth, engendered, formed by a Master's hand,
to crush the Vrtras.
2 Whom, most heroic, borne by Tawny
Coursers, verily none subdueth in the battle;
Who, reaching
far, most vigorous, hath shortened the Dasyu's life with Warriors
bold of spirit.
3 Victor in fight, swift mover like a warhorse,
pervading both worlds, rainer down of blessings,
To he invoked
in war like Bhaga, Father, as 'twere, of hymns, fair, prompt
to hear, strength-giver.
4 Supporting heaven, the high back
of the region, his car is Vayu with his team of Vasus.
Illumining
the nights, the Sun's creator, like Dhisana he deals forth strength
and riches.
5 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best
Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;
The Strong, who
listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins
and gathers treasure.
HYMN L. Indra.
1. LET Indra drink, All-hail! for his is Soma,-the mighty
Bull come, girt by Maruts, hither.
Far-reaching, let him
fill him with these viands, and let our offering sate his body's
longing.
2 I yoke thy pair of trusty Steeds for swiftness,
whose faithful service from of old thou lovest.
Here, fair
of cheek! let thy Bay Coursers place thee: drink of this lovely
welleffused libation.
3 With milk they made Indra their good
Preserver, lauding for help and rule the bounteous rainer.
Impetuous God, when thou hast drunk the Soma, enraptured send
us cattle in abundance.
4 With kine and horses satisfy this
longing with very splendid bounty still extend it.
Seeking
the light, with hymns to thee, O Indra, the Kusikas have brought
their gift, the singers.
5 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious
Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;
The
Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the
Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN LI. Indra.
1. HIGH hymns have sounded forth the praise of Maghavan,
supporter of mankind, of Indra meet for lauds;
Him who hath
waxen great, invoked with beauteous songs, Immortal One, whose
praise each day is sung aloud.
2 To Indra from all sides
go forth my songs of praise, the Lord of Hundred Powers, strong,
Hero, like the sea,
Swift, winner of the booty, breaker-down
of forts, faithful and ever-glorious, finder of the light.
3 Where battle's spoil is piled the singer winneth praise, for
Indra taketh care of matchless worshippers.
He in Vivasvan's
dwelling findeth his delight: praise thou the ever-conquering
slayer of the foe.
4 Thee, valorous, most heroic of the heroes,
shall the priests glorify with songg and praises.
Full of
all wondrous power he goes to conquest: worship is his, sole
Lord from days aforetime.
5 Abundant are the gifts he gives
to mortals: for him the earth bears a rich store of treasures.
The heavens, the growing plants, the living waters, the forest
trees preserve their wealth for Indra.
6 To thee, O Indra,
Lord of Bays, for ever are offered prayers and songs: accept
them gladly.
As Kinsman think thou of some fresh assistance;
good Friend, give strength and life to those who praise thee.
7 Here, Indra, drink thou Soma with the Maruts, as thou didst
drink the juice beside Saryata.
Under thy guidance, in thy
keeping, Hero, the singers serve, skilled in fair sacrifices.
8 So eagerly desirous drink the Soma, our juice, O Indra, with
thy friends the Maruts,
Since at thy birth all Deities adorned
thee for the great fight, O thou invoked of many.
9 He was
your comrade in your zeal, O Maruts: they, rich in noble gifts,
rejoiced in Indra.
With them together let the Vrtra-slayer
drink in his home the worshipper's libation.
10 So, Lord
of affluent gifts, this juice hath been pressed for thee with
strength
Drink of it, thou who lovest song.
11 Incline
thy body to this juice which suits thy Godlike nature well:
May it cheer thee who lovest it.
12 Brave Indra, let it work
through both thy flanks, and through thy head by prayer,
And through thine arms, to prosper us.
HYMN LII. Indra.
1. INDRA, accept at break of day our Soma mixt with roasted
corn,
With groats with cake, with eulogies.
2 Accept,
O Indra, and enjoy the well-dressed sacrificial cake: Oblations
are poured forth to thee.
3 Consume our sacrificial cake,
accept the songs of praise we sing,
As he who woes accepts
his bride.
4 Famed from of old, accept the cake at our libation
poured at dawn,
Forgreat, O Indra, is thy power.
5 Let
roasted corn of our midday libation, and sacrificial cake here
please thee, Indra,
What time the lauding singer, keen of
purpose and eager as a bull, with hymns implores thee.
6
At the third sacrifice, O thou whom many praise, give glory
to the roasted corn and holy cake.
With offered viands and
with songs may we assist thee, Sage, whom Vaja and the Rbhus
wait upon.
7 The groats have we prepared for thee with Pusan,
corn for thee, Lord of Bay Steeds, with thy horses.
Eat thou
the meal-cake, banded with the Maruts, wise Hero, Vrtra-slayer,
drink the Soma.
8 Bring forth the roasted corn to meet him
quickly, cake for the bravest Hero mid the heroes.
Indra,
may hymns accordant with thee daily strengthen thee, Bold One,
for the draught of Soma.
HYMN LIII. Indra, Parvata, Etc.
1. ON a high car, O Parvata and Indra, bring pleasant viands,
with brave heroes, hither.
Enjoy the gifts, Gods, at our
sacrifices wax strong by hymns, rejoice in our oblation.
2 Stay still, O Maghavan, advance no farther. a draught of well-pressed
Soma will I give thee.
With sweetest song I grasp, O Mighty
Indra, thy garment's hem as a child grasps his father's.
3 Adhvaryu, sing we both; sing thou in answer: make we a laud
acceptable to Indra.
Upon this sacrificer's grass he seated:
to Indra shall our eulogy be uttered.
4 A wife, O Maghavan
is home and dwelling: so let thy Bay Steeds yoked convey thee
hither.
Whenever we press out for thee the Soma, let Agni
as our Herald speed to call thee.
5 Depart, O Maghavan;again
come hither: both there and here thy goat is Indra, Brother,
Where thy tall chariot hath a place to rest in, and where thqu
loosest thy loud-neighing Courser.
6 Thou hast drunk Soma,
Indra, turn thee homeward; thy joy is in thy home, thy racious
Consort;
Where thy tall chariot hath a place to rest in,
and thy strong Courser is set free with guerdon.
7 Bounteous
are these, Angirases, Virupas: the Asura's Heroes and the Sons
of Heaven.
They, giving store of wealth to Visvamitra, prolong
his life through countless Soma-pressings.
8 Maghavan weareth
every shape at pleasure, effecting magic changes in his body,
Holy One, drinker out of season, coming thrice, in a moment,
through fit prayers, from heaven.
9 The mighty sage, God-born
and God-incited, who looks on men, restrained the billowy river.
When Visvamitra was Sudas's escort, then Indra through the Kusikas
grew friendly.
10 Like swans, prepare a song of praise with
pressing-stones, glad in your hymns with juice poured forth
in sacrifice.
Ye singers, with the Gods, sages who look on
men, ye Kutikas drink up the Soma's savoury meath.
11 Come
forward, Kusikas, and be attentive; let loose Sudas's horse
to win him riches.
East, west, and north, let the King slay
the foeman, then at earth's choicest place perform his worship.
12 Praises to Indra have I sung, sustainer of this earth and
heaven. This prayer of Visvamitra keeps secure the race of Bharatas.
13 The Visvamitras have sung forth this prayer to Indra Thunder-aimed:
So let him make us prosperous.
14 Among the Kikatas what
do thy cattle? They pour no milky draught, they heat no caldron.
Bring thou to us the wealth of Pramaganda;give up to us, O Maghavan,
the low-born.
15 Sasarpari, the gift of Jamadagnis, hath
lowed with mighty voice dispelling famine.
The Daughter of
the Sun hath spread our glory among the Gods, imperishable,
deathless.
16 Sasarpari brought glory speedily to these,
over the generations of the Fivefold Race;
Daughter of Paksa,
she bestows new vital power, she whom the ancient Jamadagnis
gave to me.
17 Strong be the pair of oxen, firm the axles,
let not the pole slip nor the yoke be broken.
May Indra,
keep the yoke-pins from decaying: attend us, thou whose fellies
are uninjured.
18 O Indra, give our bodies strength, strength
to the bulls who draw the wains,
Strength to our seed and
progeny that they may live, for thou art he who giveth strength.
19 Enclose thee in the heart of Khayar timber, in the car wrought
of Sinsapa put firmness.
Show thyself strong, O Axle, fixed
and strengthened: throw us not from the car whereon we travel.
20 Let not this sovran of the wood leave us forlorn or injure
us.
Safe may we be until we reach our homes and rest us and
unyoke.
21 With various aids this day come to us, Indra,
with best aids speed us, Maghavan, thou Hero.
Let him who
hatcth us fall headlong downward: him whom we hate let vital
breath abandon.
22 He heats his very axe, and then cuts a
mere Semal blossom off.
O Indra, like a caldron cracked and
seething, so he pours out foam.
23 Men notice not the arrow,
O ye people; they bring the red beast deeming it a bullock.
A sluggish steed men run not with the courser, nor ever lead
an ass before a charger.
24 These men, the sons of Bharata,
O Indra, regard not severance or close connexion.
They urge
their own steed as it were another's, and take him, swift as
the bow's string, to battle.
HYMN LIV. Visvedevas.
1. To him adorable, mighty, meet for synods, this strengthening
hymn, unceasing, have they offered.
May Agni hear us with
his homely splendours, hear us, Eternal One, with heavenly lustre.
2 To mighty Heaven and Earth I sing forth loudly: my wish goes
out desirous and well knowing
Both, at whose laud in synods,
showing favour, the Gods rejoice them with the living mortal.
3 O Heaven and Earth, may your great law he faithful: he ye
our leaders for our high advantage.
To Heaven and Earth I
offer this my homage, with food, O Agni, as I pray for riches.
4 Yea, holy Heaven and Earth, the ancient sages whose word was
ever true had power to find you;
And brave men in the fightwhere
heroes conquer, O Earth, have known you well and paid you honour.
5 What pathway leadeth to the Gods? Who knoweth this of a truth,
and who will now declare it?
Seen are their lowest dwelling-places
only, but they are in remote and secret regions.
6 The Sage
who looketh on mankind hath viewed them bedewed, rejoicing in
the seat of Order.
They make a home as for a bird, though
parted, with one same will finding themselves together.
7
Partners though parted, with far-distant limits, on one firm
place both stand for ever watchful,
And, being young for
evermore, as sisters, speak to each other names that are united.
8 All living things they part and keep asunder; though bearing
up the mighty Gods they reel not.
One All is Lord of what
is fixed and moving, that walks, that flies, this multiform
creation.
9 Afar the Ancient from of old I ponder, our kinship
with our mighty Sire and Father,-
Singing the praise whereof
the Gods by custom stand on the spacious far-extended pathway.
10 This laud, O Heaven and Earth, to you I utter: let the kind-hearted
hear, whose tongue is Agni,
Young, Sovran Rulers, Varuna
and Mitra, the wise and very glorious Adityas.
11 The fair-tongued
Savitar, the golden-handed, comes thrice from heaven as Lord
in our assembly.
Bear to the Gods this song of praise, and
send us, then, Savitar, complete and perfect safety.
12 Deft
worker, skiful-handed, helpful, holy, may Tvastar, God, give
us these things to aid us,
Take your delight, Ye Rbhus joined
with Pusan: ye have prepared the rite with stones adjusted.
13 Borne on their flashing car, the spear-armed Maruts, the
nimble Youths of Heaven, the Sons of Order,
The Holy, and
Sarasvati, shall hear us: ye Mighty, give us wealth with noble
offspring.
14 To Visnu rich in marvels, songs And praises
shall go as singers on the road of Bhaga,-
The Chieftain
of the Mighty Stride, whose Mothers, the many young Dames, never
disregard him.
15 Indra, who rules through all his powers
heroic, hath with his majesty filled earth and heaven.
Lord
of brave hosts, Fort-crusher, Vrtra-slayer, gather thou up and
bring us store of cattle.
16 My Sires are the Nasatyas, kind
tokinsmen: the Asvins' kinship is a glorious title.
For ye
are they who give us store of riches: ye guard your gift uncheated
by the bounteous.
17 This is, ye Wise, your great and glorious
title, that all ye Deities abide in Indra.
Friend, Much-invoked!
art thou with thy dear Rbhus: fashion ye this our hymn for our
advantage.
18 Aryaman, Aditi deserve our worship: the laws
of Varuna remain unbroken.
The lot of childlessness remove
ye from us, and let our course be rich in kine and offspring.
19 May the Gods' envoy, sent to many a quarter, proclaim us
sinless for our perfect safety.
May Earth and Heaven, the
Sun, the waters, hear us, and the wide firmament and constellations.
20 Hear us the mouatains which distil the rain-drops, and, resting
firm, rejoice in freshening moisture.
May Aditi with the
Adityas hear us, and Maruts grant us their auspicious shelter.
21 Soft be our path for ever, well-provisioned: with pleasant
meath, O Gods, the herbs besprinkle.
Safe be my bliss, O
Agni, in thy friendship: may I attain the seat of foodful. riches,
22 Enjoy the offering: beam thou strength upon us; combine thou
for our good all kinds of glory.
Conquer in battle, Agni,
all those foemen, and light us every day with loving kindness.
HYMN LV. Visvedevas.
1. AT the first shining of the earliest Mornings, in the
Cow's home was born the Great Eternal.
Now shall the statutes
of the Gods be valid. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion
-
2 Let not the Gods here injure us, O Agni, nor Fathers
of old time who know the region,
Nor the sign set between
two ancient dwellings. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
3 My wishes fly abroad to many places: I glance back to the
ancient sacrifices.
Let us declare the truth when fire is
kindled. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
4
King Universal, born to sundry quarters, extended through the
wood be lies on couches.
One Mother rests: another feeds
the Infant. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
5 Lodged in old plants, he grows again in younger, swiftly within
the newly-born and tender.
Though they are unimpregned, he
makes them fruitful. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
6 Now lying far away, Child of two Mothers, he wanders unrestrained,
the single youngling.
These are the laws of Varuna and Mitra.
Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
7 Child of
two Mothers, Priest, sole Lord in synods, he still precedes
while resting as foundation.
They who speak sweetly bring
him sweet addresses. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
8 As to a friendly warrior when he battles, each thing that
comes anear is seen to meet him.
The hymn commingles with
the cow's oblation. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
9 Deep within these the hoary envoy pierceth; mighty, he goeth
to the realm of splendour,
And looketh on us, clad in wondrous
beauty. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
10
Visnu, the guardian, keeps the loftiest station, upholding dear,
immortal dwelling-places.
Agni knows well all these created
beings. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
11
Ye, variant Pair, have made yourselves twin beauties: one of
the Twain is dark, bright shines the other;
And yet these
two, the dark, the red, are Sisters. Great is the Gods' supreme
and sole dominion.
12 Where the two Cows, the Mother and
the Daughter, meet and give suck yielding their lordly nectar,
I praise them at the seat of law eternal. Great is the Gods'
supreme and sole dominion.
13 Loud hath she lowed, licking
the other's youngling. On what world hath the Milch-cow laid
her udder?
This Ila streameth with the milk of Order. Great
is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
14 Earth weareth
beauties manifold: uplifted, licking her Calf of eighteen months,
she standeth.
Well-skilled I seek the seat of law eternal.
Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
15 Within a
wondrous place the Twain are treasured: the one is manifest,
the other hidden.
One common pathway leads in two directions.
Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
16 Let the
milch-kine that have no calves storm downward, yielding rich
nectar, streaming, unexhausted,
These who are ever new and
fresh and youthful. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
17 What time the Bull bellows in other regions, another herd
receives the genial moisture;
For he is Bhaga, King, the
earth's Protector. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
18 Let us declare the Hero's wealth in horses, O all ye folk:
of this the Gods have knowledge.
Sixfold they bear him, or
by fives are harnessed. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole
dominion.
19 Tvastar the God, the omniform. Creator, begets
and feeds mankind in various manner.
His, verily, arc all
these living creatures. Great is the Gods' supreme dominion.
20 The two great meeting Bowls hath he united: each of the Pair
is laden with histreasure.
The Hero is renowned for gathering
riches. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
21
Yea, and on this our earth the All-Sustainer dwells like a King
with noble friends about him.
In his protection heroes rest
in safety. Great is the Cods' supreme and sole dominion.
22 Rich in their gifts for thee are herbs and waters, and earth
brings all her wealth for thee, O Indra.
May we as friends
of thine share goodly treasures. Great is the Gods' supreme
and sole dominion.
HYMN LVI. Visvedevas.
1. NOT men of magic skill, not men of wisdom impair the Gods'
first steadfast ordinances.
Ne'er may the earth and heaven
which know not malice, nor the fixed hills, be bowed by sage
devices.
2 One, moving not away, supports six burthens: the
Cows proceed to him the true, the Highest.
Near stand three
Mighty Ones who travel swiftly: two are concealed from sight,
one is apparent.
3 The Bull who wears all shapes, the triple-breasted,
three-uddered, with a brood in many places,
Ruleth majestic
with his triple aspect, the Bull, the Everlasting Ones' impregner.
4 When nigh them, as their tracer he observed them: he called
aloud the dear name of Adityas.
The Goddesses, the Waters,
stayed to meet him: they who were wandering separate enclosed
him.
5 Streams! the wise Gods have thrice three habitations.
Child of three Mothers, he is Lord in synods.
Three are the
holy Ladies of the Waters, thrice here from heaven supreme in
our assembly.
6 Do thou, O Savitar, from heaven thrice hither,
three times a day, send down thy blessings daily.
Send us,
O Bhaga, triple wealth and treasure; cause the two worlds to
prosper us, Preserver!
7 Savitar thrice from heaven pours
down abundance, and the fair-handed Kings Varuna, Mitra;
And spacious Heaven and Earth, yea, and the Waters, solicit
wealth that Savitar may send us.
8 Three are the bright realms,
best, beyond attainment, and three, the Asura's Heroes, rule
as Sovrans,
Holy and vigorous, never to be injured. Thrice
may the Gods from heaven attend our synod.
HYMN LVII. Visvedevas.
1. MY thought with fine discernment hath discovered the Cow
who wanders free without a herdsman,
Her who hath straightway
poured me food in plenty: Indra and Agni therefore are her praisers.
2 Indra and Pusan, deft of hand and mighty, well-pleased have
drained the heaven's exhaustless udder.
As in this praise
the Gods have all delighted, may I win blessing here from you,
O Vasus.
3 Fain to lend vigour to the Bull, the siste.. with
reverence recognize the germ within him.
The Cows come lowing
hither to the Youngling, to him endued with great and wondrous
beauties.
4 Fixing with thought, at sacrifice, the press-stones,
I bid the well-formed Heaven and Earth come hither;
For these
thy flames, which give men boons in plenty, rise up on high,
the beautiful, the holy.
5 Agni, thy meath-sweet tongue that
tastes fair viands, which among Gods is called the far-extended,-
Therewith make all the Holy Odes be seated here for our help,
and feed them with sweet juices.
6 Let thy stream give us
drink, O God, O Agni, wonderful and exhaustless like the rain-clouds.
Thus care for us, O Vasu Jatavedas, show us thy loving-kindness,
reaching all men.
HYMN LVIII. Asvins.
1. THE Ancient's Milch-cow yields the things we long for:
the Son of Daksina travels between them.
She with the splendid
chariot brings refulgence. The praise of Usas hath awoke the
Asvins.
2 They bear you hither by well-orderd statute: our
sacred offerings rise as if to parents.
Destroy in us the
counsel of the niggard come hitherward, for we have shown you
favour.
3 With lightly-rolling car and well-yoked horses
hear this, the press-stone's song, ye Wonder-Workers.
Have
not the sages of old time, ye Asvins, called you most prompt
to come and stay misfortune?
4 Remember us, and come to us,
for ever men, as their wont is, invocate the Asvins.
Friends
as it were have offered you these juices, sweet, blent with
milk at the first break of morning.
5 Even through many regions,
O ye Asvins high praise is yours among mankind, ye Mighty-
Come, helpers, on the paths which Gods have travelled: here
your libations of sweet meath are ready.
6 Ancient your home,
auspicious is your friendship: Heroes, your wealth is with the
house of Jahnu.
Forming again with you auspicious friendship,
let us rejoice with draughts of meath together.
7 O Asvins,
Very Mighty ones, with Vayu and with his steeds, one-minded,
ever-youthful,
Nasatyas, joying in the third day's Soma,
drink it, not hostile, Very Bounteous Givers.
8 Asvins, to
you are brought abundant viands in rivalry with sacred songs,
unceasing.
Sprung from high Law your car, urged on by press-stones,
goes round the earth and heaven in one brief moment.
9 Asvins,
your Soma sheds delicious sweetness: drink ye thereof and come
unto our dwelling.
Your car, assuming many a shape, most
often goes to the Soma-presser's place of meeting.
HYMN LIX. Mitra.
1. MITRA, when speaking, stirreth men to labour: Mitra sustaineth
both the earth and heaven.
Mitra beholdeth men with eyes
that close not. To Mitra bring, with holy oil, oblation.
2 Foremost be he who brings thee food, O Mitra, who strives
to keep thy sacred Law, Aditya.
He whom thou helpest ne'er
is slain or conquered, on him, from near or far, falls no affliction.
3 joying in sacred food and free from sickness, with knees bent
lowly on the earth's broad surface,
Following closely the
Aditya's statute, may we remain in Mitra's gracious favour.
4 Auspicious and adorable, this Mitra was born with fair dominion,
King, Disposer.
May we enjoy the grace of him the Holy, yea,
rest in his propitious loving-kindness.
5 The great Aditya,
to be served with wor. ship, who stirreth men, is gracious to
the singer.
To Mitra, him most highly to be lauded, offer
in fire oblation that he loveth.
6 The gainful grace of Mitra,.
God, supporter of the race of man,
Gives splendour of most.glorious
fame.
7 Mitra whose glory spreads afar, he who in might surpasses
heaven,
Surpasses earth in his renown.
8 All the Five
Races have repaired to Mitra, ever strong to aid,
For he
sustaineth all the Gods.
9 Mitra to Gods, to living men,
to him who strews the holy grass,
Gives food fulfilling sacred
Law.
HYMN LX. Rbhus.
1. HERE is your ghostly kinship, here, O Men: they came desirous
to these holy rites with store of wealth,
With wondrous arts,
whereby, with schemes to meet each need, Ye gained, Sudhanvan's
Sons! your share in sacrifice.
2 The mighty powers wherewith.
ye formed the chalices, the thought by which ye drew the cow
from out the hide,
The intellect wherewith ye wrought the
two Bay Steeds,-through these, O Rbhus, ye attained divinity.
3 Friendship with Indra have the Rbhus, fully gained: grandsons
of Manu, they skilfully urged the work.
Sudhanvan's Children
won them everlasting life, serving with holy rites, pious with
noble acts.
4:In company with Indra come ye to the juice,
then gloriously shall your wishes be fulfilled.
Not to be
paragoned, ye Priests, are your good deeds, nor your heroic
acts, Rbhus, Sudhanvan's Sons.
5 O Indra, with the Rbhus,
Mighty Ones, pour down the Soma juice effused, well-blent, from
both thy hands.
Maghalan, urged by song, in the drink-offerer's
house rejoice thee with the Heroes, with Sudhanvan's Sons.
6 With Rbhu near, and Vaja, Indra, here exult, with Saci, praised
of many, in the juice we pour.
These homes wherein we dwell
have turned themselves to thee, -devotions to the Gods, as laws
of men ordain.
7 Come with the mighty Rbhus, Indra, come
to us, strengthening with thy help the singer's holy praise;
At hundred eager calls come to the living man, with thousand
arts attend the act of sacrifice.
HYMN LXI. Usas.
1. O Usas, strong with strength, endowed witli knowledge,
accept the singer's praise, O wealthy Lady.
Thou, Goddess,
ancient, young, and full of wisdom, movest, all-bounteous! as
the Law ordaineth.
2 Shine forth, O Morning, thou auspicious
Goddess, on thy bright car awaking pleasant voices.
Let docile
horses of far-reaching splendour convey thee hitherward, the
goldencoloured.
3 Thou, Morning, turning thee to every creature,
standest on high as ensign of the Immortal,
To one same goal
ever and ever wending now, like a wheel, O newly-born, roll
hi ther.
4 Letting her reins drop downward, Morning cometh,
the wealthy Dame, the Lady of the dwelling;
Bringing forth
light, the Wonderful, the Blessed hath spread her from the bounds
of earth and heaven.
5 Hither invoke the radiant Goddess
Morning, and bring with reverence your hymn to praise her.
She, dropping sweets, hath set in heaven her brightness, and,
fair to look on, hath beamed forth her splendour.
6 From
heaven, with hymns, the Holy One was wakened: brightly to both
worlds came the wealthy Lady.
To Morning, Agni, when she
comes refulgent, thou goest forth soliciting fair riches.
7 On Law's firm base the speeder of the Mornings, the Bull,
hath entered mighty earth and heaven.
Great is the power
of Varuna and Mitra, which, bright, hath spread in every place
its splendour.
HYMN LXII. Indra and Others.
1. YOUR well-known prompt activities aforetime needed no
impulse from your faithful servant.
Where, Indra-Varuna,
is now that glory wherewith ye brought support to those who
loved you?
2 This man, most diligent, seeking after riches,
incessantly invokes you for your favour.
Accordant, Indra-Varuna,
with Maruts, with Heaven and Earth, hear ye mine invocation.
3 O Indra-Varuna, ours be this treasure ours be wealth, Maruts,
with full store of heroes.
.May the Varutris with their shelter
aid us, and Bharati and Hotri with the Mornings.
4 Be pleased!
with our oblations, thou loved of all Gods, Brhaspati:
Give
wealth to him who brings thee gifts.
5 At sacrifices, with
your hymns worship the pure Brhaspati-
I pray for power which
none may bend-
6 The Bull of men, whom none deceive, the
wearer of each shape at will,
Brhaspati Most Excellent.
7 Divine, resplendent Pusan, this our newest hymn of eulogy,
By us is chanted forth to thee.
8 Accept with favour this
my song, be gracious to the earnest thought,
Even as a bridegroom
to his bride.
9 May he who sees all living things, see, them
together at a glancc,-
May lie, may Pusan be our help.
10 May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the God:
So May he stimulate our prayers.
11 With understanding, earnestly,
of Savitar the God we crave
Our portion of prosperity.
12 Men, singers worship Savitar the God with hymn and holy rites,
Urged by the impulse of their thoughts.
13 Soma who gives
success goes forth, goes to the gathering place of Gods,
To seat him at the seat of Law.
14 To us and to our cattle
may Soma give salutary food,
To biped and to quadruped.
15 May Soma, strengthening our power of life, and conquering
our foes,
In our assembly take his seat.
16 May Mitra-Varuna,
sapient Pair, bedew our pasturage with oil,
With meatb the
regions of the air.
17 Far-ruling, joyful when adored, ye
reign through majesty of might,
With pure laws everlastingly.
18 Lauded by Jamadagni's song, sit in the place of holy Law:
Drink Soma, ye who strengthen Law.
Suggestions for Further Reading
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith Book 2
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, Book 3
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith Book 4
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, Book 5
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith Book 6
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, book 7
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, book 8
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, book 9
- Rig Veda translation by Griffith, book 10
- Hymns of the Sama veda translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
- Hymns Of The Atharva-Veda
- Yajur Veda: The Veda Of The Black Yajus School
- 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: This is a translation by Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1896.