HYMN CXX. Asvins.
1. ASVINS, what praise may win your grace? Who may be pleasing to you both?
How shall the ignorant worship you?
2 Here let the ignorant ask the means of you who know-for none beside you
knoweth aught -
Not of a spiritless mortal man.
3 Such as ye: are, all-wise, we call you. Ye wise, declare to us this day
accepted prayer.
Loving you well your servant lauds you.
4 Simply, ye Mighty Ones, I ask the Gods of that wondrous oblation hallowed by
the mystic word.
Save us from what is stronger, fiercer than ourselves.
5 Forth go the hymn that shone in Ghosa Bhrgu's like, the song wherewith the son
of Pajra worships you,
Like some wise minister.
6 Hear ye the song of him who hastens speedily. O Asvins, I am he who sang your
praise.
Hither, ye Lords of Splendour, hither turn your eyes.
7 For ye were ever nigh to deal forth ample wealth, to give the wealth that ye
had gathered up.
As such, ye Vasus, guard us well, and keep us safely from the wicked wolf.
8 Give us not up to any man who hateth us, nor let our milch-cows stray, whose
udders give us food,
Far from our homes without their calves.
9 May they who love you gain you for their Friends. Prepare ye us for opulence
with strengthening food,
Prepare us for the food that floweth from our cows
10 1 have obtained the horseless car of Asvins rich in sacrifice,
And I am well content therewith.
11 May it convey me evermore: may the light chariot pass from men
To men unto the Soma draught.
12 It holdeth slumber in contempt. and the rich who enjoyeth not:
Both vanish quickly and are lost.
HYMN CXXI, Indra.
1. WHEN Will men's guardians hasting hear with favour the song of Angiras's
pious
childern?
When to the people of the home he cometh he strideth to the sacrifice, the Holy.
2 He stablished heaven; he poured forth, skilful worker, the wealth of kine, for
strength, that nurtures heroes.
The Mighty One his self-born host regarded, the horse's mate, the mother of the
heifer.
3 Lord of red dawns, he came victorious, daily to the Angirases' former
invocation.
His bolt and team hath he prepared, and stablished the heaven for quadrupeds and
men two-footed.
4 In joy of this thou didst restore, for worship, the lowing company of hidden
cattle.
When the three-pointed one descends with onslaught he opens wide the doors that
cause man trouble.
5 Thine is that milk which thy swift-moving Parents brought down, a
strengthening genial gift for conquest;
When the pure treasure unto thee they offered, the milk shed from the cow who
streameth nectar.
6 There is he born. May the Swift give us rapture, and like the Sun shine forth
from yonder dawning,
Indu, even us who drank, whose toils are offerings, poured from the spoon, with
praise, upon the altar.
7 When the wood-pile, made of good logs, is ready, at the Sun's worship to bind
fast the Bullock,
Then when thou shinest forth through days of action for the Car-borne, the
Swift, tile Cattle-seeker.
8 Eight steeds thou broughtest down from mighty heaven, when fighting for the
well that giveth splendour,
That men might press with stones the gladdening yellow, strengthened with milk,
fermenting, to exalt thee.
9 Thou hurledst forth from heaven the iron missile, brought by the Skilful, from
the sling of leather,
When thou, O Much-invoked, assisting Kutsa with endless deadly darts didst
compass Susna.
10 Bolt-armed, ere darkness overtook the sunlight, thou castest at the veiling
cloud thy weapon,
Thou rentest, out of heaven, though firmly knotted, the might of Susna that was
thrown around him.
11 The mighty Heaven and Earth, those bright expanses that have no wheels,
joyed, Indra, at thine exploit.
Vrtra, the boar who lay amid the waters, to sleep thou sentest with thy mighty
thunder.
12 Mount Indra, lover of the men thou guardest, the well-yoked horses of the
wind, best bearers.
The bolt which Kavya Usana erst gave thee, strong, gladdening, Vrtra-slaying,
hath he fashioned *
13 The strong Bay Horses of the Sun thou stayedst: this Etasa drew not the
wheel, O Indra.
Casting them forth beyond the ninety rivers thou dravest down into the pit the
godless.
14 Indra, preserve thou us from this affliction Thunder-armed, save us from the
misery near us.
Vouchsafe us affluence in chariots, founded on horses, for our food and fame and
gladness.
15 Never may this thy loving-kindness fail us; mighty in strength, may plenteous
food surround us.
Maghavan, make us share the foeman's cattle: may we be thy most liberal feast
companions.
HYMN CXXII Visvadevas.
1. SAY, bringing sacrifice to bounteous Rudra, This juice for drink to you whose
wrath is fleeting!
With Dyaus the Asura's Heroes I have lauded the Maruts as with prayer to Earth
and Heaven.
2 Strong to exalt the early invocation are Night and Dawn who show with varied
aspect.
The Barren clothes her in wide-woven raiment, and fair Morn shines with Surya's
golden splendour.
3 Cheer us the Roamer round, who strikes at morning, the Wind delight us, pourer
forth of waters!
Sharpen our wits, O Parvata and Indra. May all the Gods vouchsafe to us this
favour.
4 And Ausija shall call for me that famous Pair who enjoy and drink, who come to
brighten.
Set ye the Offspring of the Floods before you; both Mothers of the Living One
who beameth.
5 For you shall Ausija call him who thunders, as, to win Arjuna's assent, cried
Ghosa.
I will invoke, that Pusan may be bounteous to you, the rich munificence of Agni.
6 Hear, Mitra-Varuna, these mine invocations, hear them from all men in the hall
of worship.
Giver of famous gifts, kind hearer, Sindhu who gives fair fields, listen with
all his waters 1
7 Praised, Mitra, Varuna! is your gift, a hundred cows to the Prksayamas and the
Pajra.
Presented by car-famous Priyaratha, supplying nourishment, they came directly.
8 Praised is the gift of him the very wealthy: may we enjoy it, men with hero
children:
His who hath many gifts to give the Pajras, a chief who makes me rich in cars
and horses.
9 The folk, O Mitra-Varuna, who hate you, who sinfully hating pour you no
libations,
Lay in their hearts, themselves, a wasting sickness, whereas the righteous
gaineth all by worship.
10 That man, most puissant, wondrously urged onward, famed among heroes, liberal
in giving,
Moveth a warrior, evermore undaunted in all encounters even with the mighty.
11 Come to the man's, the sacrificer's calling: hear, Kings of Immortality,
joy-givers!
While ye who speed through clouds decree your bounty largely, for fame, to him
the chariot rider.
12 Vigour will we bestow on that adorer whose tenfold draught we come to taste,
so spake they.
May all in whom rest splendour and great riches obtain refreshment in these
sacrifices.
13 We will rejoice to drink the tenfold present when the twicefive come bearing
sacred viands.
What can he do whose steeds and reins are choicest? These, the all-potent, urge
brave men to conquest.
14 The sea and all the Deities shall give us him with the golden car and neck
bejewelled.
Dawns, hasting to the praises otthe pious, be pleased with us. both offerers and
singers.
15 Four youthful sons of Masarsara vex me, three, of the king, the conquering
Ayavasa.
Now like the Sun, O Varuna and Mitra, your car hath shone, long-shaped and
reined with splendour.
HYMN CXXIII. Dawn.
1. THE Daksina's broad chariot hath been harnessed: this car the Gods Immortal
have ascended.
Fain to bring light to homes of men the noble and active Goddess hath emerged
from darkness.
2 She before all the living world hath wakened, the Lofty One who wins and
gathers treasure.
Revived and ever young on high she glances. Dawn hath come first unto our
morning worship.
3 If, Dawn, thou Goddess nobly born, thou dealest fortune this day to all the
race of mortals,
May Savitar the God, Friend of the homestead, declare before the Sun that we are
sinless.
4 Showing her wonted form each day that passeth, spreading the light she
visiteth each dwelling.
Eager for conquest, with bright sheen she cometh. Her portion is the best of
goodly treasures.
5 Sister of Varuna, sister of Bhaga, first among all sing forth, O joyous
Morning.
Weak be the strength of him who worketh evil - may we subdue him with our car
the guerdon.
6 Let our glad hymns and holy thoughts rise upward, for the flames brightly
burning have ascended.
The far-refulgent Mornings make apparent the lovely treasures which the darkness
covered.
7 The one departeth and the other cometh: unlike in hue day's, halves march on
successive.
One hides the gloom of the surrounding Parents. Dawn on her shining chariot is
resplendent.
8 The same in form to-day, the same tomorrow, they still keep Varuna's eternal
statute.
Blameless, in turn they traverse thirty regions, and dart across the spirit in a
moment.
9 She who hath knowledge Of the first day's nature is born refulgent white from
out the darkness.
The Maiden breaketh not the law of Order, day by day coming to the place
appointed.
10 In pride of beauty like a maid thou goest, O Goddess, to the God who longs to
win thee,
And smiling youthful, as thou shinest brightly, before him thou discoverest thy
bosom.
11 Fair as a bride embellished by her mother thou showest forth thy form that
all may see it.
Blessed art thou O Dawn. Shine yet more widely. No other Dawns have reached what
thou attainest.
12 Rich in kine, horses, and all goodly treasures, in constant operation with
the sunbeams,
The Dawns depart and come again again assuming their wonted forms that promise
happy fortune.
13 Obedient to the rein of Law Eternal give us each thought that more and more
shall bless us.
Shine thou on us to-day, Dawn, swift to listen. With us be riches and with
chiefs who worship.
HYMN CXXIV. Dawn.
1. THE Dawn refulgent when the fire is kindled, and the Sun rising, far diffuse
their brightness.
Savitar, God, hath sentus forth to labour, each quadruped, each biped, to be
active.
2 Not interrupting heavenly ordinances, although she minisheth human
generations.
The last of endless morns that have departed, the first of those that come, Dawn
brightly shineth.
3 There in the eastern region she, Heaven's Daughter, arrayed in garments all of
light, appeareth.
Truly she fo1loweth the path of Order, nor faileth, knowing well, the heavenly
quarters.
4 Near is she seen, as 'twere the Bright One's bosom: she showeth sweet things
like a new song-singer.
She cometh like a fly awaking sleepers, of all. returning dames most true and
constant.
5 There in the east half of the watery region the Mother of the Cows hath shown
her ensign.
Wider and wider still she spreadeth onward, and filleth full the laps of both
heir Parents.
6 She, verily, exceeding vast to look on debarreth from her light nor kin nor
stranger.
Proud of her spotless form she, brightly shiming, turneth not from the high nor
froom the humble.
7 She seeketh men, as she who hath no brother, mounting her car, as 'twere to
gather riches.
Dawn, like a loving matron for her husband, smiling and well attired, unmasks
her beauty.
8 The Sister quitteth, for the elder Sister, her place, and having looked on her
departeth.
She decks her beauty, shining forth with sunbeams, like women trooping to the
festal meeting.
9 To all these Sisters who ere now have vanished a later one each day in course
succeedeth.
So, like the past, with days of happy fortune, may the new Dawns shine forth on
us with riches.
10 Rouse up, O Wealthy One, the liberal givers; let niggard traffickers sleep on
unwakened:
Shine richly, Wealthy One, on those who worship, richly, glad.
Dawn while wasting, on the singer.
11 This young Maid from the east hath shone upon us; she harnesseth her team of
bright red oxen.
She will beam forth, the light will hasten hither, and Agni will be present in
each dwelling.
12 As the birds fly forth from their resting places, so men with store of food
rise at thy dawning.
Yea, to the liberal mortal who remaineth at home, O Goddess Dawn, much good thou
bringest.
13 Praised through my prayer be ye who should be lauded. Ye have increased our
wealth, ye Dawns who love us.
Goddesses, may we win by your good favour wealth to be told by hundreds and by
thousands.
HYMN CXXV. Svanaya.
1. COMING at early morn he gives his treasure; the prudent one receives and
entertains him.
Thereby increasing still his life and offspring, he comes with brave sons to
abundant riches.
2 Rich shall he be in gold and kine and horses. Indra bestows on him great vital
power,
Who stays thee, as thou comest, with his treasure, like game caught in the net,
O early comer.
3 Longing, I came this morning to the pious, the son of sacrifice, with car
wealth. laden.
Give him to drink juice of the stalk that gladdens; prosper with pleasant hymns
the Lord of Heroes.
4 Health-bringing streams, as milch-cows, flow to profit him who hath
worshipped, him who now will worship.
To him who freely gives and fills on all sides full streams of fatness flow and
make him famous.
5 On the high ridge of heaven he stands exalted, yea, to the Gods he goes, the
liberal giver.
The streams, the waters flow for him with fatness: to him this guerdon ever
yields abundance.
6 For those who give rich meeds are all these splendours, for those who give
rich meeds suns shine in heaven.
The givers of rich meeds are made immortal; the givers of rich fees prolong
their lifetime.
7 Let not the liberal sink to sin and sorrow, never decay the pious -chiefs who
worship!
Let every man besides be their protection, and let affliction fall upon the
niggard.
HYMN CXXVI. Bhavayavya.
1. WITH wisdom I present these lively praises of Bhavya dweller on the bank of
Sindhu;
For he, unconquered King, desiring glory, hath furnished me a thousand
sacrifices.
2 A hundred necklets from the King, beseeching, a hundred gift-steeds I at once
accepted;
Of the lord's cows a thousand, I Kaksivan. His deathless glory hath he spread to
heaven.
3 Horses of dusky colour stood beside me, ten chariots, Svanaya's gift, with
mares to draw them.
Kine numbering sixty thousand followed after. Kaksivan gained them when the days
were closing.
4 Forty bay horses of the ten cars' master before a thousand lead the long
procession.
Reeling in joy Kaksivan's sons and Pajra's have grounded the coursers decked
with pearly trappings.
5 An earlier gift for you have I accepted eight cows, good milkers, and tree
harnessed horses,
Pajras, who with your wains with your great kinsman, like troops of subjects,
have been fain for glory.
HYMN CXXVII Agni.
1. AGNI I hold as herald, the munificent, the gracious, Son of
Strength, who knoweth all that live, as holy Singer, knowing all,
Lord of fair rites, a God with form erected turning to the Gods,
He, when the flame hath sprung forth from the holy oil, the offered fatness,
longeth for it with his glow.
2 We, sacrificing, call on thee best worshipper, the eldest of Angirases,
Singer, with hymns, thee, brilliant One! with singers' hymns;
Thee, wandering round as 't were the sky, who art the invoking Priest of men,
Whom, Bull with hair of flame the people must observe, the people that he speed
them on.
3 He with his shining glory blazing far and wide, he verily it is who slayeth
demon foes, slayeth the demons like an axe:
At whose close touch things solid shake, and what is stable yields like trees.
Subduing all, he keeps his ground and flinches not, from the skilled archer
flinches not.
4 To him, as one who knows, even things solid yield: unrough fire-sticks heated
hot he gives his gifts to aid. Men offer Agni gifts for aid.
He deeply piercing many a thing hews it like wood with fervent glow.
Even hard and solid food he crunches with his might, yea, hard and solid food
with might.
5 Here near we place the sacrificial food for him who shines forth fairer in the
night than in the day, with life then stronger than by day.
His life gives sure and firm defence as that one giveth to a son.
The during fires enjoy things given and things not given, the during fires enjoy
as food.
6 He, roaring very loudly like the Maruts' host, in fertile cultivated fields
adorable, in desert spots adorable,
Accepts and eats our offered gifts, ensign of sacrifice by desert;
So let all, joying, love his path when he is glad, as men pursue a path for
bliss.
7 Even as they who sarig forth hymns, addressed to heaven, the Blirgus with
their prayer and praise invited him, the Bhrgus rubbing, offering gifts.
For radiant Agni, Lord of all these treasures, is exceeding strong.
May he, the wise, accept the grateful coverings, the wise accept the coverings.
8 Thee we invoke, the Lord of all our settled homes, common to all, the
household's guardian, to enjoy, bearer of true hymns, to enjoy.
Thee we invoke, the guest of men, by whose mouth, even as a sire's,
All these Immortals come to gain their food of life, oblations come to Gods as
food.
9 Thou, Agni, most victorious with thy conquering strength, most Mighty One, art
born for service of the Gods, like wealth for service of the Gods.
Most mighty is thine ecstasy, most splendid is thy mental power.
Therefore men wait upon thee, undecaying One, like vassals, undecaying One.
10 To him the mighty, conquering with victorious strength, to Agni walking with
the dawn, who sendeth kine, be sung your laud, to Agni sung;
As he who with oblation comes calls him aloud in every place.
Before the brands of fire he shouteth singerlike, the herald, kindler of the
brands.
11 Agni, beheld by us in nearest neighbourhood, accordant with the Gods, bring
us, with gracious love, great riches with thy gracious love.
Give us O Mightiest, what is great, to see and to enjoy the earth.
As one of awful power, stir up heroic might for those who praise thee, Bounteous
Lord!
HYMN CXXVIII. Agni.
1. By Manu's law was born this Agni, Priest most skilled, born for
the holy work of those who yearn therefore, yea, born for his own holy work.
All ear to him who seeks his love and wealth to him who strives for fame,
Priest ne'er deceived, he sits in Ila's holy place, girt round in Ila's holy
place.
2 We call that perfecter of worship by the path or sacrifice; with reverence
rich in offerings, with worship rich in offerings.
Through presentation of our food he grows not old in this his from;
The God whom Matarisvan brought from far away, for Manu brought from far away.
3 In ordered course forthwith he traverses the earth, swift-swallowing,
bellowing Steer, bearing the genial seed, bearing the seed and bellowing.
Observant with a hundred eyes the God is conqueror in the wood:
Agni, who hath his seat in broad plains here below, and in the high lands far
away.
4 That Agni, wise High-Priest, in every house takes thought for sacrifice and
holy service, yea, takes thought, with mental power, for sacrifice.
Disposer, he with mental power shows all things unto him who strives;
Whence he was born a guest enriched with holy oil, born as Ordainer and as
Priest.
5 When through his power and in his strong prevailing flames the Maruts'
gladdening boons mingle with Agni's roar, boons gladdening for the active One,
Then he accelerates the gift, and by the greatness of his wealth,
Shall rescue us from overwhelming misery, from curse and overwhelming woe.
6 Vast, universal, good he was made messenger; the speeder with his right hand
hath not loosed his hold, through love of fame not loosed his hold.
He bears oblations to the Gods for whosoever supplicates.
Agni bestows a blessing on each pious man, and opens wide the doors for him.
7 That Agni hath been set most kind in camp of men, in sacrifice like a Lord
victorious, like a dear Lord in sacred rites.
His are the oblations of mankind when offered up at Ili's place.
He shall preserve us from Varuna's chastisement, yea, from the great God's
chastisement.
8 Agni the Priest they supplicate to grant them wealth: him, dear, most
thoughtful, have they made their messenger, him, offering-bearer have they made,
Beloved of all, who knoweth all, the Priest, the Holy one, the Sage-
Him, Friend, for help, the Gods when they are fain for wealth, him, Friend, with
hymns, when fain for wealth.
HYMN CXXIX Indra.
1. THE car which Indra, thou, for service of the Gods though it be
far away, O swift One, bringest near, which, Blameless One, thou bringest near,
Place swiftly nigh us for our help: be it thy will that it be strong.
Blameless and active, hear this speech of orderers, this speech of us like
orderers.
2 Hear, Indra, thou whom men in every fight must call to show thy strength, for
cry of battle with the men, with men of war for victory.
He who with heroes wins the light, who with the singers gains the prize,
Him the rich seek to gain even as a swift strong steed, even as a courser fleet
and strong.
3 Thou, Mighty, pourest forth the hide that holds the rain, thou keepest far
away, Hero, the wicked man, thou shuttest out the wicked man.
Indra, to thee I sing, to Dyaus, to Rudra glorious in himself,
To Mitra, Varuna I sing a far-famed hymn to the kind God a far-famed hymn.
4 We. wish our Indra here that he may further you, the Friend, beloved of all,
the very strong ally, in wars the very strong ally
In all encounters strengthen thou our prayer to be a help to us.
No enemy-whom thou smitest downsubdueth thee, no enemy, whom thou smitest down.
5 Bow down the overweening pride of every foe with succour like to kindling-wood
in fiercest flame, with mighty succour, Mighty One.
Guide us, thou Hero, as of old, so art thou counted blameless still.
Thou drivest, as a Priest, all sins of man away, as Priest, in person, seeking
us.
6 This may I utter to the present Soma-drop, which, meet to be invoked, with
power, awakes the prayer, awakes the demon-slaying prayer.
May he himself with darts of death drive far from us the scorner's hate.
Far let him flee away who speaketh wickedness and vanish like a mote of dust.
7 By thoughtful invocation this may we obtain, obtain great wealth, O Wealthy
One, with Hero sons, wealth that is sweet with hero sons.
Him who is wroth we pacify with sacred food and eulogies,
Indra the Holy with our calls inspired and true, the Holy One with calls
inspired.
8 On, for your good and ours, come Indra with the aid of his own lordliness to
drive the wicked hence, to rend the evilhearted ones!
The weapon which devouring fiends cast at us shall destroy themselves.
Struck down, it shall not reach the mark; hurled forth, the fire-brand shall not
strike.
9 With riches in abundance, Indra, come to us, come by an unobstructed path,
come by a path from demons free.
Be with us when we stray afar, be with us when our home is nigh.
Protect us with thy help both near and far away: protect us ever with thy help.
10 Thou art our own, O Indra, with victorious wealth: let might accompany thee,
the Strong, to give us aid, like Mitra, to give mighty aid.
O strongest saviour, helper thou, Immortal! of each warrior's car.
Hurt thou another and not us, O Thunderarmed, one who would hurt, O
Thunder-armed!
11 Save us from injury, thou who art well extolled: ever the warder-off art thou
of wicked ones, even as a God, of wicked ones;
Thou slayer of the evil fiend, saviour of singer such as I.
Good Lord, the Father made thee slayer of the fiends, made thee, good Lord, to
slay the fiends.
by Griffith 1896
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