
Hymns to Soma From the Rig-Veda - Book I

HYMN XCI Soma.
1. Thou, Soma, art preeminent for wisdom; along the straightest
path thou art our leader.
Our wise forefathers by thy guidance,
Indu, dealt out among the Gods their share of treasure.
2
Thou by thine insight art most wise, O Soma, strong by thine
energies and all possessing,
Mighty art thou by all thy powers
and greatness, by glories art thou glorious, guide of mortals.
3 Thine are King Varuna's eternal statutes, lofty and deep,
O Soma, is thy glory.
All-pure art thou like Mitra the beloved,
adorable, like Aryaman, O Soma.
4 With all thy glories on
the earth, in heaven, on mountains, in the plants, and in the
waters,-
With all of these, well-pleased and not in anger,
accept, O royal Soma, our oblations.
5 Thou, Soma, art the Lord of heroes, King, yea, Vrtra-slayer
thou:
Thou art auspicious energy.
6 And, Soma, let it
be thy wish that we may
live and may not die:
Praise-loving
Lord of plants art thou.
7 To him who keeps the law, both
old and young, thou givest happiness,
And energy that he
may live.
8 Guard us, King Soma, on all sides from him who
threatens us: never let
The friend of one like thee be harmed.
9 With those delightful aids which thou hast, Soma, for the
worshipper,-
Even with those protect thou us.
10 Accepting
this our sacrifice and this our praise, O Soma, come,
And
be thou nigh to prosper us.
11 Well-skilled in speech we
magnify thee, Soma, with our sacred songs:
Come thou to us,
most gracious One.
12 Enricher, healer of disease, wealth-finder,
prospering our store,
Be, Soma, a good Friend to us.
13
Soma, be happy in our heart, as milch-kine in the grassy meads,
As a young man in his own house.
14 O Soma, God, the mortal
man who in thy friendship hath delight,
Him doth the mighty
Sage befriend.
15 Save us from slanderous reproach, keep
us., O Soma, from distress:
Be unto us a gracious Friend.
16 Soma, wax great. From every side may vigorous powers unite
in thee:
Be in the gathering-place of strength.
17 Wax,
O most gladdening Soma, great through all thy rays of light,
and be
A Friend of most illustrious fame t6 prosper us.
16 In thee be juicy nutriments united, and powers and mighty
foe-subduing vigour,
Waxing to immortality, O Soma: win highest
glories for thyself in heaven.
19 Such of thy glories as
with poured oblations men honour, may they all invest our worship.
Wealth-giver, furtherer with troops of heroes, sparing the brave,
come, Soma, to our houses.
20 To him who worships Soma gives
the milchcow, a fleet steed and a man of active knowledge,
Skilled in home duties, meet for holy synod, for council meet,
a glory to his father.
21 Invincible in fight, saver in battles,
guard of our camp, winner of light and water,
Born amid hymns,
well-housed, exceeding famous, victor, in thee will we rejoice,
O Soma.
22 These herbs, these milch-kine, and these running
waters, all these, O Soma, thou hast generated.
The spacious
firmament bast thou expanded, and with the light thou hast dispelled
the darkness.
23 Do thou, God Soma, with thy Godlike spirit,
victorious, win for us a share of riches.
Let none prevent
thee: thou art Lord of valour. Provide for both sides in the
fray for booty.
HYMN XCIII. Agni-Sona.
1 Agni and Soma, mighty Pair, graciously hearken to my call,
Accept in friendly wise my hymn, and prosper him who offers
gifts.
2 The man who honours you to-day, Agni and Soma, with
this hymn,
Bestow on him heroic strength, increase of kine,
and noble steeds.
3 The man who offers holy oil and burnt
oblations unto you,
Agni and Soma, shall enjoy great strength,
with offspring, all his life.
4 Agni and Soma, famed is that
your. prowess wherewith ye stole the kine, his food, from Pani.
Ye caused the brood of Brsaya to perish; ye found the light,
the single light for many.
5 Agni and Soma, joined in operation
ye have set up the shining lights in heaven.
From curse and
from reproach, Agni and Soma, ye freed the rivers that were
bound in fetters.
6 One of you Mitarisvan brought from heaven,
the Falcon rent the other from the mountain.
Strengthened
by holy prayer Agni and Soma have made us ample room for sacrificing.
7 Taste, Agni, Soma, this prepared oblation; accept it, Mighty
Ones, and let it please you.
Vouchsafe us good protection
and kind favour: grant to the sacrificer health and riches.
8 Whoso with oil and poured oblation honours, with God-devoted
heart, Agni and Soma,-
Protect his sacrifice, preserve him
from distress, grant to the sacrificer great felicity.
9
Invoked together, mates in wealth, AgniSoma, accept our hymns:
Together be among the Gods.
10 Agni and Soma, unto him who
worships you with holy oil
Shine forth an ample recompense.
11 Agni and Sonia, be ye pleased with these oblations brought
to you,
And come, together, nigh to us.
12 Agni and Soma,
cherish well our horses, and let our cows be fat who yield oblations.
Grant power to us and to our wealthy patrons, and cause our
holy rites to be successful.
Suggestions for Further Reading
- The Rig Veda translation by Griffith, Introduction
- Hymns of the Sama veda translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
- Yajur Veda: The Veda Of The Black Yajus School
- Hymns Of The Atharva-Veda
- Anugita English Translation
- THE Sanatsugâtîya, A Spiritual Dialogue
- Dharmashastras, the Sacred Law Books of Hindus
- The Hindu Dharmashastras, Subject Index
- The Grihya Sutras, The Vedic Domestic Ritual Texts
- The Sankhya Sutras of Kapila, Index page
- Translation of Upanishads by Swami Paramananda, Index
- A History Of Indian Philosophy - Chapter Index
- The Upanishads translated by Max Muller
- Vedic Reader for Students
- The Bhagavad-gita in a nutshell
- Essays On Dharma
- Esoteric Mystic Hinduism
- Introduction to Hinduism
- Hindu Way of Life
- Essays On Karma
- Hindu Rites and Rituals
- The Origin of The Sanskrit Language
- Symbolism in Hinduism
- Essays on The Upanishads
- Concepts of Hinduism
- Essays on Atman
- Hindu Festivals
- Spiritual Practice
- Right Living
- Yoga of Sorrow
- Happiness
- Mental Health
- Concepts of Buddhism
- General Essays
Source: An English translation of the Vedas by Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1896.