RIG VEDA

Translator Ralph T.H. Griffith

THE FIRST BOOK – Page 4

HYMN LXXXVI. Maruts.

1. THE best of guardians hath that man within whose dwelling place ye drink,
O Maruts, giants of the sky.

2. Honoured with sacrifice or with the worship of the sages’ hymns,
O Maruts, listen to the call.

3. Yea, the strong man to whom ye have vouchsafed to give a sage, shall move
Into a stable rich in kine.

4. Upon this hero’s sacred grass Soma is poured in daily rites:
Praise and delight are sung aloud.

5. Let the strong Maruts hear him, him surpassing all men: strength be his
That reaches even to the Sun.

6. For, through the swift Gods’ loving help, in many an autumn, Maruts, we
Have offered up our sacrifice.

7. Fortunate shall that mortal be, O Maruts most adorable,
Whose offerings ye bear away.

8. O Heroes truly strong, ye know the toil of him who sings your praise,
The heart’s desire of him who loves.

9. O ye of true strength, make this thing manifest by your greatness – strike
The demon with your thunderbolt.

10. Conceal the horrid darkness, drive far from us each devouring fiend.
Create the light for which we long.


HYMN LXXXVII Maruts.

1. LOUD Singers, never humbled, active, full of strength, immovable, impetuous, manliest, best-beloved,
They have displayed themselves with glittering ornaments, a few in number only, like the heavens with stars.

2. When, Maruts, on the steeps ye pile the moving cloud, ye are like birds on whatsoever path it be.
Clouds everywhere shed forth the rain upon your cars. Drop fatness, honey-hued, for him who sings your praise.

3. Earth at their racings trembles as if weak and worn, when on their ways they yoke their cars for victory.
They, sportive, loudly roaring, armed with glittering spears, shakers of all, themselves admire their mightiness.

4. Self-moving is that youthful band, with spotted steeds; thus it hath lordly sway, endued with power and might.
Truthful art thou, and blameless, searcher out of sin: so thou, Strong Host, wilt be protector of this prayer.

5. We speak by our descent from our primeval Sire; our tongue, when we behold the Soma, stirs itself.
When, shouting, they had joined Indra in toil of fight, then only they obtained their sacrificial names.

6. Splendours they gained for glory, they who wear bright rings; rays they obtained, and men to celebrate their praise.
Armed with their swords, impetuous and fearing naught, they have possessed the Maruts’ own beloved home.


HYMN LXXXVIII. Maruts.

1. COME hither, Maruts, on your lightning laden cars, sounding with sweet songs, armed with lances, winged with steeds.
Fly unto us with noblest food, like birds, O ye of mighty power.

2. With their red-hued or, haply, tawny coursers which speed their chariots on, they come for glory.
Brilliant like gold is he who holds the thunder. Earth have they smitten with the chariot’s felly.

3. For beauty ye have swords upon your bodies. As they stir woods so may they stir our spirits.
For your sake, O ye Maruts very mighty and well-born, have they set the stone, in motion.

4. The days went round you and came back O yearners, back, to this prayer and to this solemn worship.
The Gotamas making their prayer with singing have pushed the well’s lid up to drink the water.

5. No hymn way ever known like this aforetime which Gotama sang forth for you, O Maruts,
What time upon your golden wheels he saw you, wild boars rushing about with tusks of iron.

6. To you this freshening draught of Soma rusheth, O Maruts, like the voice of one who prayeth.
It rusheth freely from our hands as these. libations wont to flow.


HYMN LXXXIX. Visvedevas.

1. MAY powers auspicious come to us from every side, never deceived, unhindered, and victorious,
That the Gods ever may be with us for our gain, our guardians day by day unceasing in their care.

2. May the auspicious favour of the Gods be ours, on us descend the bounty of the righteous Gods.
The friendship of the Gods have we devoutly sought: so may the Gods extend our life that we may live.

3. We call them hither with a hymn of olden time, Bhaga, the friendly Daksa, Mitra, Aditi,
Aryaman, Varuna, Soma, the Asvins. May Sarasvati, auspicious, grant felicity.

4. May the Wind waft to us that pleasant medicine, may Earth our Mother give it, and our Father Heaven,
And the joy-giving stones that press the Soma’s juice. Asvins, may ye, for whom our spirits long, hear this.

5. Him we invoke for aid who reigns supreme, the Lord of all that stands or moves, inspirer of the soul,
That Pusan may promote the increase of our wealth, our keeper and our guard infallible for our good.

6. Illustrious far and wide, may Indra prosper us: may Pusan prosper us, the Master of all wealth.
May Tarksya with uninjured fellies prosper us: Brhaspati vouchsafe to us prosperity.

7. The Maruts, Sons of Prani, borne by spotted steeds, moving in glory, oft visiting holy rites,
Sages whose tongue is Agni, brilliant as the Sun,-hither let all the Gods for our protection come.

8. Gods, may we with our ears listen to what is good, and with our eyes see what is good, ye Holy Ones.
With limbs and bodies firm may we extolling you attain the term of life appointed by the Gods.

9. A hundred autumns stand before us, O ye Gods, within whose space ye bring our bodies to decay;
Within whose space our sons become fathers in turn. Break ye not in the midst our course of fleeting life.

10. Aditi is the heaven, Aditi is mid-air, Aditi is the Mother and the Sire and Son.
Aditi is all Gods, Aditi five-classed men, Aditi all that hath been bom and shall be born.


HYMN XC. Visvedevas.

1. MAY Varuna with guidance straight, and Mitra lead us, he who knows,
And Aryaman in accord with Gods.

2. For they are dealers forth of wealth, and, not deluded, with their might
Guard evermore the holy laws.

3. Shelter may they vouchsafe to us, Immortal Gods to mortal men,
Chasing our enemies away.

4. May they mark out our paths to bliss, Indra, the Maruts, Pusan,
and Bhaga, the Gods to be adored.

5. Yea, Pusan, Visnu, ye who run your course, enrich our hymns with kine;
Bless us with all prosperity.

6. The winds waft sweets, the rivers pour sweets for the man who keeps the Law
So may the plants be sweet for us.

7. Sweet be the night and sweet the dawns, sweet the terrestrial atmosphere;
Sweet be our Father Heaven to us.

8. May the tall tree be full of sweets for us, and full of sweets the Sun:
May our milch-kine be sweet for us.

9. Be Mitra gracious unto us, and Varuna and Aryaman:
Indra, Brhaspati be kind, and Visnu of the mighty stride.


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.

18. 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.