The Vedas
Page 50
attained by any other.
They with perceptions of the heart in secret, resort to that which
spreads a thousand branches.
The apsaras brought the Vasishthas here wearing the clothes spun
for them by Yama.
You were a form of lustre springing from the lightning, when
Varuna and Mitra saw you.
Your one and only birth was then, Vasishtha, when from your stock
Agastya brought you here.
Born of their love for Urvashi, Vasishtha you, priest, are the son of
Varuna and Mitra;
And as a fallen drop, in heavenly fervour, all the gods laid you on
a lotus-blossom.
He, thinker, knower both of earth and heaven, endowed with many a
gift, bestowing thousands,
Destined to wear the vesture spun by Yama, sprang from the apsaras
to life, Vasishtha.
Born at the sacrifice, urged by adorations, both with a common
flow bedewed the pitcher.
Then from the midst thereof there rose up Mana, and thence they say
was born the sage Vasishtha.
He brings the bearer of the laud and Saman: first shall he speak
bringing the stone for pressing.
With grateful hearts in reverence approach him: to you, O Pratridas,
Vasishtha comes.
(7.33)
NOTE: This hymn refers to the battle of the ten kings against King Sudas. Vaishanta: possibly a river; Pasadyumna: a king.
To Savitr
On high has Savitr, this god, extended the golden lustre which he spreads around him.
Now, now must Bhaga be invoked by mortals, Lord of great riches who
distributes treasures.
Rise up, O Savitr whose hands are golden, and hear this man while
sacrifice is offered,
Spreading afar your broad and wide effulgence, and bringing mortal
men the food that feeds them.
Let Savitr the god be praised in song, to whom the Vasus,
even, all sing glory.
Sweet be our praises to him whose due is worship: may he with all
protection guard our princes.
Even he whom Aditi the goddess praises, rejoicing in god Savitr’s
incitement:
Even he who praise the high imperial rulers, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,
sing in concert.
They who come eagerly to our oblation, dispensing bounty, from the
earth and heaven.
May they and Ahibudhnya hear our calling: guard us Varutri with the
Ekadhenus.
This may the Lord of Life, entreated, grant us—the wealth which
Savitr the god possesses.
The mighty calls on Bhaga for protection, on Bhaga calls the weak to
give him riches.
Bless us the Vajins when we call, while slowly they move, strong
singers, to the gods’ assembly.
Crushing the wolf, the serpent, and the demons, may they completely
banish all affliction.
Deep-skilled in Law eternal, deathless, singers, O Vajins, help us
in each fray for booty.
Drink of this mead, be satisfied, be joyful: then go on paths which
gods are wont to travel.
(7.38)
NOTE: Varutri: the protectress, goddess of speech; Vajins: group of deities (according to Sayana) and the horses that draw the god’s chariots (according to Mahidhara).
MANDALA 8
To the Adityas
Now let the mortal offer prayers to win the unexampled grace
Of these Adityas and their aid to cherish life.
For no enemy molests the paths which these Adityas tread:
Infallible guards, they strengthen us in happiness.
Now soon may Bhaga, Savitr, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman
Give us the shelter widely spread which we implore.
Along with the gods are you, O goddess Aditi, who nourishes us with your fostering care,
Come, dear to many, with the Lords who guard us well.
For well these sons of Aditi know to keep enemies away,
Unrivalled, giving ample room, they protect us from sorrow.
Aditi guard our herds in the day, Aditi, free from guile, guard them at night,
Aditi, ever strengthening, save us from grief!
And in the day our hymn is this: May Aditi come near to help,
With loving kindness bring us wealth and chase our foes.
And may the Ashvins, the divine pair of physicians, send us health:
May they remove iniquity and chase our foes.
May Agni bless us with his fires, and Surya warm us pleasantly:
May the pure Wind breathe sweet on us, and chase our foes.
Drive all disease and strife away, drive away malignity:
Adityas, keep us ever far from sore distress.
Remove from us the arrow, keep famine, Adityas! far away:
Keep enmities afar from us, Lords of all wealth!
Now, O Adityas, grant to us the shelter that lets man go free,
Yes, even free the sinner from his sin, you bounteous gods.
Whatever mortal with the power of demons tries to injure us,
May he, impetuous, suffer harm by his own deeds.
May sin overtake our human foes, the men who speak evil,
those who cause our misery, whose hearts are false.
Gods, you are with the simple ones, you know each mortal in your
hearts;
You, Vasus, can distinguish the false from the true.
Grant us the sheltering aid of mountains and of water-floods:
Keep us far from us iniquity, O Heaven and Earth.
So with auspicious sheltering aid do you, O Vasus, carry us
Beyond all trouble and distress, borne in your ship.
Adityas, you most mighty ones, grant to our children and their
descendents an extended term of life so that they may live long days.
Sacrifice, O Adityas, is your inward monitor: be kind,
For in the bond of kindred we are bound to you.
The Maruts’ high protecting aid, the Ashvins, and the god who
saves,
Mitra and Varuna we appeal to you for our welfare.
Grant us a home with triple guard, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna!
Unthreatened, Maruts! Grant us peace and give us fame.
And as we human beings, O Adityas, are mortals, prone to death,
Graciously lengthen our lives that we may live long.
(8.18)
To Varuna
To make this Varuna come forth sing you a song to the band of
Maruts wiser than yourself,
This Varuna who guards well the thoughts of men like herds of
cattle.
Let all the others die away.
Him altogether I praise with the song and hymns our fathers sang,
and with Nabhaka’s eulogies,
Him dwelling at the rivers’ source, surrounded by his Sisters Seven.
The nights he has encompassed, and established the mornings with
magic art; visible over all is he.
His dear Ones, following his Law, have prospered the Three Dawns for
him.
He, visible over all the earth, established the quarters of the sky;
He measured out the eastern place, that is the fold of Varuna: like
a strong herdsman is the God.
He who supports the worlds of life, he who well knows the hidden
names mysterious of the morning beams,
He cherishes much wisdom, Sage, as heaven brings forth each varied
form.
In whom all wisdom centres, as the nave is set within the wheel.
Haste you to honour Trita, as cattle haste to gather in the fold, even
as they muster steeds to
yoke.
He wraps these regions as a robe; he contemplates the tribes of
gods and all the works of mortal men.
Before the home of Varuna all the gods follow his decree.
He is an ocean far-removed, yet through the heaven to him ascends
the worship which these realms possess.
With his bright foot he overthrew their magic, and went up to
heaven.
Ruler, whose bright far-seeing rays, pervading all three earths,
have filled the three superior realms of heaven.
Firm is the seat of Varuna: over the Seven he rules as king.
Who, after his decree, overspread the Dark Ones with a robe of
light;
Who measured out the ancient seat, who pillared both the worlds
apart as the Unborn supported heaven. Let all the others die away.
(8.41)
MANDALA 9
To Soma Pavamana
Here, in this direction, have the Soma streamed,
the drops while they are purified:
When blended, in waters they are rinsed.
The milk has run to meet them like floods rushing down a
precipice:
They come to Indra, being cleansed.
O Soma Pavamana, you are flowing to be Indra’s drink:
The men have seized and led you forth.
Victorious, to be hailed with joy, O Soma, flow, delighting men,
To him who rules over mankind.
You, Indu, when, effused by stones, you run to the filter,
Ready for Indra’s high decree.
Flow on, best Vritra-slayer; flow worthy to be hailed with joyful
hymns of praise.
Pure, purifying, wonderful.
Pure, purifying is he called the Soma of the drink effused,
Slayer of sinners, dear to gods.
(9.24)
To Soma Pavamana
Pour down the rain upon us, pour a wave of waters from the sky,
And plenteous store of wholesome food.
Flow onward with that stream of yours, whereby the cows have come
to us,
The cows of strangers to our home.
Chief friend of gods in sacred rites, pour on us fatness with your
stream,
Pour down on us a flood of rain.
To give us vigour, with your stream run through the fleecy
straining-cloth
For truly the Gods will hear.
Onward has Pavamana flowed and beaten off the rakshasas,
Flashing out splendour as of old.
(9.49)
MANDALA 10
Surya
Pray to Varuna’s and Mitra’s eye: offer this solemn
worship to the mighty god,
Who sees far away, the ensign, born of gods. Sing praises to
Surya, to the son of Dyaus.
May this my truthful speech guard me on every side wherever heaven
and earth and days exist.
All else that is in motion finds a place of rest: the waters ever
flow and the Sun forever rises.
No godless man from the remotest time can draw you down when you are
driving forth with winged dappled steeds.
One lustre waits upon you moving to the east, and, Surya, you
arise with a different light.
O Surya, with your light you scatter gloom, and with
your ray impel every moving thing,
Keep far from us all feeble, worthless sacrifice, and drive away
disease and every evil dream.
Sent forth, you guard well the universe’s law, and in your
wonted way arise free from anger.
When Surya, we address our prayers to you today, may the gods
favour our purpose and desire.
This invocation, these words of ours may Heaven and Earth, and Indra
and the Waters and the Maruts hear.
Never may we suffer want in presence of the Sun, and, living happy
lives, may we attain old age.
Cheerful in spirit, evermore, and keen of sight, with store of
children, free from sickness and from sin,
Long-living, may we look, O Surya, upon you rising day by day,
You are as great as Mitra is!
Surya, may we live long and look upon you still, O
Far-seeing One, bringing the glorious light,
The radiant god, the spring of joy to every eye, as you are
mounting up high, over the shining ocean.
You, by whose lustre all the world of life comes forth, and by your
beams again returns to its rest,
O Surya with the golden hair, ascend for us day after day, still
bringing purer innocence.
Bless us with shine, bless us with perfect daylight, bless us
with cold, with fervent heat and lustre.
Bestow on us, O Surya, varied riches, to bless us in our home and
when we travel.
Gods, to our living creatures of both kinds provide protection,
both to bipeds and to quadrupeds,
That they may drink and eat invigorating food. So grant us health
and strength and perfect innocence.
If by some grievous sin we have provoked the gods, O deities,
with the tongue or thoughtlessness of heart,
That guilt, O Vasus, lay upon the Evil One, on him who ever leads us
into deep distress.
(10.37)
Manas or the Inner Spirit
Your spirit, that went far away to Yama, to Vivasvan’s son,
We cause to come to you again so that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away, that passed away to earth and
heaven,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away, away to the four-cornered earth,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away to the four quarters of the world,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away, away unto the billowy sea,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away to beams of light that flash and flow,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away, went to the waters and the plants,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away, that visited the Sun and Dawn.
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away, away to lofty mountain heights,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away into this All, that lives and moves,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away to distant realms beyond our knowledge,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
Your spirit, that went far away to all that is and is to be,
We cause to come to you again that you may live and sojourn here.
(10.58)
Nirriti and others
His life has been renewed and carried forward as two men,
chariot-borne, by the skilful driver.
One falls, then seeks the goal with quickened vigour. Let Nirriti
depart to distant places.
Here is the holy song for wealth, and food, in plenty: let us do many
deeds to bring us glory.
All these our doings shall delight the singer. Let Nirriti depart to
distant places.
May we overcome o
ur foes with acts of valour, as heaven is over
earth, hills over lowlands.
All these our deeds the singer has considered. Let Nirriti depart to
distant places.
Give us not up as prey to death, O Soma still let us look upon
the Sun arising.
Let our old age with passing days be kindly. Let Nirriti depart to
distant places.
O Asuniti, keep the soul within us, and make the days we have to
live yet longer.
Grant that we still may look upon the sunlight: strengthen your body
with the oil we bring you.
Give us our sight again, O Asuniti, give us again our breath and
our enjoyment.
Long may we look upon the Sun uprising; O Anumati, favour you and
bless us.
May Earth restore to us our vital spirit, may Heaven the Goddess
and mid-air restore it.
May Soma give us once again our body, and Pushan show the Path of
peace and comfort.
May both worlds bless Subandhu, young Mothers of everlasting Law.
May Heaven and Earth uproot and sweep iniquity and shame away: nor
sin nor sorrow trouble you.
Health-giving medicines descend sent down from heaven in twos and
threes, or wandering singly on the earth.
May Heaven and Earth uproot and sweep iniquity and shame away: nor sin nor sorrow trouble you.
Drive forward you the wagon ox, O Indra, which brought
Ushinarani’s wagon here.
May Heaven and Earth uproot and sweep iniquity and shame away: nor
sin nor sorrow trouble you.
(10.59)
NOTE: Nirriti is a god representing destruction. According to Sayana, the first line of this hymn refers to the rishi Subandhu; Ushinarani: wife of Ushinara; the Ushinaras are a clan mentioned in later texts.
The Vishvedevas
What god, of those who hear, is he whose well-praised name we may
record in this our sacrifice; and how?
Who will be gracious? Who of many give us bliss? Who out of all the
Host will come to lend us aid?
The will and thoughts within my breast exert their power: they
yearn with love, and fly to all the regions round.
None other comforter is found save only these: my longings and my
hopes are fixed upon the gods.
To Narashamsa and to Pushan I sing forth, unconcealable Agni kindled