RIG VEDA

Translator Ralph T.H. Griffith

THE EIGHTH BOOK – Page 2

HYMN XXV. Mitra-Varuna.

1. I WORSHIP you who guard this All, Gods, holiest among the Gods,
You, faithful to the Law, whose power is sanctified.

2. So, too, like charioteers are they, Mitra and sapient Varuna,
Sons high-born from of old, whose holy laws stand fast.

3. These Twain, possessors of all wealth, most glorious, for supremest sway
Aditi, Mighty Mother, true to Law, brought forth.

4. Great Varuna and Mitra, Gods, Asuras and imperial Lords,
True to Eternal Law proclaim the high decree.

5. The offspring of a lofty Power, Daksa’s Two Sons exceeding strong,
Who, Lords of flowing rain, dwell in the place of food.

6. Ye who have gathered up your gifts, celestial and terrestrial food,
Let your rain come to us fraught with the mist of heaven.

7 The Twain, who from the lofty sky seem to look down on herds below,
Holy, imperial Lords, are set to be revered.

8. They, true to Law, exceeding strong, have sat them down for savran rule:
Princes whose laws stand fast, they have obtained their sway.

9. Pathfinders even better than the eye, with unobstructed sight,
Even when they close their lids, observant, they perceive.

10. So may the Goddess Aditi, may the Nasatyas guard us well,
The Martits guard us well,.endowed with mighty strength.

11. Do ye, O Bounteous Gods, protect our dwelling lace by day and night:
With you for our defenders may we go unharmed.

12. May we, unharmed, serve bountiful Visnu, the God who slayeth none:
Self-moving Sindhu hear and be the first to mark.

13. This sure protection we elect, desirable and reaching far,
Which Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman afford.

14. And may the Sindhu of the floods, the Maruts, and the ASvin Pair,
Boon Indra, and boon Visnu have one mind with us.

15. Because these warring Heroes stay the enmity of every foe,
As the fierce water-flood repels the furious ones.

16. Here this one God, the Lord of men, looks forth exceeding far and wide:
And we, for your advantage, keep his holy laws.

17. We keep the old accustomed laws, the statutes of supremacy,
The Iong-known laws of Mitra and of Varuna.

18. He who hath measured with his ray the boundaries of heaven and earth,
And with his majesty hath filled the two worlds full,

19. Surya hath spread his light aloft up to the region of the sky,
Like Agni all aflame when gifts are offered him.

20. With him who sits afar the word is lord of food that comes from kine,
Controller of the gift of unempoisoned food.

21. So unto Surya, Heaven, and Earth at morning and at eve I speak.
Bringing enjoyments ever rise thou up for us.

22. From Uksanyayana a bay, from Harayana a white steed,
And from Susaman we obtained a hamessed car.

23. These two shall bring me further gain of troops of tawny-coloured steeds,
The carriers shall they be of active men of war.

24. And the two sages have I gained who hold the reins and bear the whip,
And the two great strong coursers, with my newest song.


HYMN XXVI. Asvins.

1. I CALL your chariot to receive united praise mid princely men,
Strong Gods who pour down wealth, of never vanquished might!

2. Ye to Varosusaman come, Nasatyas, for this glorious rite.
With your protecting aid. Strong Gods, who pour down wealth.

3. So with oblations we invoke you, rich in ample wealth, to-day,
When night hath passed, O ye who send us plenteous food.

4. O Asvins, Heroes, let your car, famed, best to travel, come to us,
And, for his glory, mark your zealous servant’s lauds.

5 Asvins, who send us precious gifts, even when offended, think of him:
For ye, O Rudras, lead us safe beyond our foes.

6. For, Wonder-Workers, with fleet steeds ye fly completely round this All,
Stirring our thoughts, ye Lords of splendour, honey-hued.

7. With all-sustaining opulence, Asvins, come hitherward to us,
Ye rich and noble Heroes, ne’er to be o’erthrown.

8. To welcome this mine offering, O ye Indra-like Nasatyas, come
As Gods of best accord this day with other Gods.

9. For we, like Vyasva, lifting up our voice like oxen, call on you:
With all your loving kindness, Sages, come to us.

10. O Rsi, laud the Asvins well. Will they not listen to thy call?
Will they not bum the Panis who are nearer them?

11. O Heroes, listen to the son of Vyasva, and regard me here,
Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, of one accord.

12. Gods whom we yearn for, of your gifts, of what ye bring to us, bestow
By princes’ hands on me, ye Mighty, day by day.

13. Him whom your sacrifices clothe, even as a woman with her robe,
The Asvins help to glory honouring him well.

14. Whoso regards your care of men as succour widest in its reach,
About his dwelling go, ye Asvins, loving us.

15. Come to us ye who pour down wealth, come to the home which men must guard:
Like shafts, ye are made meet for sacrifice by song.

16. Most fetching of all calls, the laud, as envoy, Heroes, called to you
Be it your own, O Asvin Pair.

17. Be ye in yonder sea of heaven, or joying in the home of food,
Listen to me, Immortal Ones.

18. This river with his lucid flow attracts you, more than all the streams,-
Even Sindhu with his path of gold.

19. O Asvins, with that glorious fame come hither, through our brilliant song,
Come ye whose ways are marked with light.

20. Harness the steeds who draw the car, O Vasu, bring the well-fed pair.
O Vayu, drink thou of our meath: come unto our drink-offerings.

21. Wonderful Vayu, Lord of Right, thou who art Tvastar’s son-in-law,
Thy saving succour we elect.

22. To Tvastar’s son-in-law we pray for wealth whereof he hath control:
For glory we seek vayu, men with juice effused.

23. From heaven, auspicious Vayu, come drive hither with thy noble steeds:
Come on thy mighty car with wide-extending seat.

24. We call thee to the homes of men, thee wealthiest in noble food,
And liberal as a press-stone with a horse’s back.

25. So, glad and joyful in thine heart, do thou, God, Vayu, first of all
Vouchsafe us water, strength, and thought.


HYMN XXVII. Visvedevas.

1. CHEIF Priest is Agni at the laud, as stones and grass at sacrifice:
With song I seek the Maruts, Brahmanaspati, Gods for help much to be desired.

2. I sing to cattle and to Earth, to trees, to Dawns, to Night, to plants.
O all ye Vasus, ye possessors of all wealth, be ye the furtherers of our thoughts.

3. Forth go, with Agni, to the Gods our sacrifice of ancient use,
To the Adityas, Varuna whose Law stands fast, and the all-lightening Marut troop.

4. Lords of all wealth, may they be strengtheners of man, destroyers of his enemies.
Lords of all wealth, do ye, with guards which none may harm, preserve our dwelling free from foes.

5. Come to us with one mind to-day, come to us all with one accord,
Maruts with holy song, and, Goddess Aditi, Mighty One, to our house and home.

6. Send us delightful things, ye Maruts, on your steeds: come ye, O Mitra, to our gifts.
Let Indra, Varuna, and the Adityas sit, swift Heroes, on our sacred grass.

7. We who have trimmed the grass for you, and set the banquet in array,
And pressed the Soma, call you, Varuina, like men, with sacrificial fires aflame.

8. O Maruts, Visinu, Asvins, Pusan, haste away with minds turned hitherward to Me.
Let the Strong Indra, famed as Vrtra’s slayer, come first with the winners of the spoil.

9. Ye Guileless Gods, bestow on us a refuge strong on every side,
A sure protection, Vasus, unassailable from near at hand or from afar.

10 Kinship have I with you, and close alliance O ye Gods, destroyers of our foes.
Call us to our prosperity of former days, and soon to new klicity.

11. For now have I sent forth to you, that I may win a fair reward,
Lords of all wealth, with homage, this my song of praise. like a milch-cow that faileth not.

12. Excellent Savitar hath mounted up on high for you, ye sure and careful Guides.
Bipeds and quadrupeds, with several hopes and aims, and birds have settled to their tasks.

13. Singing their praise with God-like thought let us invoke each God for grace,
Each God to bring you help, each God to strengthen you.

14. For of one spirit are the Gods with mortal man, co-sharers all of gracious gifts.
May they increase our strength hereafter and to-day, providing case and ample room.

15. I laud you, O ye Guileless Gods, here where we meet to render praise.
None, Varuna and Mitra, harins the mortal, man who honours and obeys your laws.

16. He makes his house endure, he gathers plenteous food who pays obedience to your will.
Born in his sons anew he spreads as Law commands, and prospers every way unharmed.

17. E’en without war he gathers wealth, and goes hisway on pleasant paths,
Whom Mitra, Varuna and Aryaman protect, sharing the gift,of one accord.

18. E’en on the plain for him ye make a sloping path, an easy way where road is none:
And far away from him the ineffectual shaft must vanish, shot at him in vain.

19. If ye appoint the rite to-day, kind Rulers, when the Sun ascends,
Lords of all wealth, at sunset or at wakingtime, or be it at the noon of day,

20 Or, Asuras, when ye have sheltered the worshipper who goes to sacrifice, at eve
may we, O Vasus, ye possessors of all wealth, come then into the midst of You.
21. If ye to-day at sunrise, or at noon, or in the gloom of eve,
Lords of all riches, give fair treasure to the man, the wise man who hath sacrificed,

22. Then we, imperial Rulers, claim of you this boon, your wide protection, as a son.
May we, Adityas, offering holy gifts, obtain that which shall bring us greater bliss.


HYMN XXVIII. Visvedevas.

1. THE Thirty Gods and Three besides, whose seat hath been the sacred grass,
From time of old have found and gained.

2. Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Agnis, with Consorts, sending boons,
To whom our Vasat! is addressed:

3. These are our guardians in the west, and northward here, and in the south,
And on the cast, with all the tribe.

4. Even as the Gods desire so verily shall it be. None minisheth this power of theirs,
No demon, and no mortal

5. The Seven carry seven spears; seven are the splendours they possess,
And seven the glories they assume.