RIG VEDA

HYMN LXXXVI. Soma Pavamana.

1. THY gladdening draughts, O Pavamana, urged by song flow swiftly of themselves like sons of fleet-foot mares.
The drops of Soma juice, those eagles of the heavens, most cheering, rich in meath, rest in the reservoir.

2. As rapid chariot-steeds, so turned in several ways have thine exhilarating juices darted forth,
Soma-drops rich in meath, waves, to the Thunder-armed, to Indra, like milch-kine who seek their calf with milk.

3. Like a steed urged to battle, finder of the light; speed onward to the cloud-born reservoir of heaven,
A Steer that o’er the woolly surface seeks the sieve, Soma while purified for Indra’s nourishment.

4. Fleet as swift steeds, thy drops, divine, thought-swift, have been, O Pavamana, poured with milk into the vat.
The Rsis have poured in continuous Soma drops, ordainers who adorn thee, Friend whom Rsis love.

5. O thou who seest all things, Sovran as thou art and passing strong, thy rays encompass all abodes.
Pervading with thy natural powers thou flowest on, and as the whole world’s Lord, O Soma, thou art King.

6. The beams of Pavamana, sent from earth and heaven, his ensigns who is ever steadfast, travel round.
When on the sieve the Golden-hued is cleansed, he rests within the vats as one who seats him in his place.

7. Served with fair rites he flows, ensign of sacrifice: Soma advances to the special place of Gods.
He speeds with thousand currents to the reservoir, and passes through the filter bellowing as a bull.

8. The Sovran dips him in the seain and the streams, and set in rivers with the waters’ wave moves on.
High heaven’s Sustainer at the central point of earth, raised on the fleecy surface Pavamana stands.

9. He on whose high decree the heavens and earth depend nath roared and thundered like the summit of the sky.
Soma flows on obtaining Indra’s friendly love, and, as they purify him, settles in the jars.

10. He, light of sacrifice distils delicious meath, most wealthy, Father and begetter of the Gods.
He, gladdening, best of Cheerers, juice!hat Indra loves, enriches with mysterious treasure earth and heaven.

11. The vigorous and far-seeing one, the Lord of heaven, flows, shouting to the beaker, with his thousand streams.
Coloured like gold he rests in seats where Mitra dwells, the Steer made beautiful by rivers and by sheep.

12. In forefront of the rivers Pavamana speeds, in forefront of the hymn, foremost among the kine.
He shares the mighty booty in the van of war: the well-armed Steer is purified by worshippers.

13. This heedful Pavamana, like a bird sent forth, hath with his wave flowed onward to the fleecy sieve.
O Indra, through thy wisdom, b thy thought, O Sage, Soma flows bright and pure between the earth and heaven.

14. He, clad in mail that reaches heaven, the Holy One, filling the firmament stationed amid the worlds,
Knowing. the realm of light, hath come to us in rain: he summons to himself his own primeval Sire.

15. He who was first of all to penetrate his form bestowed upon his race wide shelter and defence.
From that high station which he hath in loftiest heaven he comes victorious to all encounters here.

16. Indu hath started for Indra’s special place and slights not as a Friend the promise of his Friend.
Soma speeds onward like a youth to youtlitial maids, and gains the beaker by a course of bundred paths.

17. Your songs, exhilarating, tuneful, uttering praise, are come into the placns where the people meet.
Worshippers have exalted Soma with their hymns, and milch kine have come near to meet him with their milk.

18. O Soma, Indu, while they cleanse thee, pour on us accumulateds Plentiful, nutritious food,
Which, ceaseless, thrice a day shall yield us hero power enriched with store of nourishment, and strength, and Meath.

19. Far-seeing Soma flows, the Steer, the Lord of hymns, the Furtherer of day, of morning, and of heaven.
Mixt with the streams he caused the beakers to resound, and with the singers’ aid they entered Indra’s heart.

20. On, with the prudent singers, flows the ancient Sage and guided by the men hath roared about the vats.
Producing Trita’s name, may he pour forth the meath, that Vayu and that Indra may become his Friends.

21. He, being purified, hath made the Mornings shine: this, even this is he who gave the rivers room.
He made the Three Times Seven pour out the milky flow: Soma, the Cheerer, yields whate’er the heart finds sweet.

22. Flow, onward, Soma, in thine own celestial forms, flow, Indu, poured within the beaker and the sieve.
Sinking into the throat of Indra with a roar, led by the men thou madest Surya mount to heaven.

23. Pressed out with stones thou flowest onward to the sieve, O Indu, entering the depths of Indra’s throat.
Far-sighted Soma, now thou lookest on mankind: thou didst unbar the cowstall for the Angirases.

24. In thee, O Soma, while thou purifitedst thee, high-thoughted sages, seeking favour, have rejoiced.
Down from the heavens the Falcon brought thee hitherward, even thee, O Indu, thee whom all our hymns adorn.

25. Seven Milch-kine glorify the Tawny-coloured One while with his wave in wool he purifies himself.
The living men, the mighty, have impelled the Sage into the waters’ lap, the place of sacrifice.

26. Indu, attaining purity, plunges through the foe, making Ilis ways all easy for the pious man.
Making the kine his mantle, he, the lovely Sage, runs like a sporting courser onward through the fleece.

27. The ceaseless watery fountains with their hundred streams sing, as they hasten near, to him the Golden-hued
Him, clad in robes of milk, swift fingers beautify on the third height and in the luminous realm of heaven.

28. These are thy generations of celestial seed thou art the Sovran Lord of all the world of life.
This universe, O Pavamana, owns thy sway; thou, Indu, art the first establisher of Law.

29. Thou art the sea, O Sage who bringest alf to light: under thy Law are these five regions of the world.
Tlou reachest out beyond the earth, beyond the heavens: thine are the lights, O Pavamana, thine the Sun.

30.Thou in the filter, Soma Pavamana, art purified to support the region for the Gods.
The chief, the longing ones have sought to hold thee fast, and all these living creatures have been turned to thee.

31. Onward the Singer travels o’er the fleecy sieve. the Tawny Steer hath bellowed in the wooden vats.
Hymns have been sung aloud in resonant harmony, and holy songs kiss him, the Child who claims our praise.

32. He hath assumed the rays of Surya for his robe, spinning, as he knows bow, the triply-twisted thread.
He, guiding to the newest rules of Holy Law, comes as the Women’s Consort to the special place.

33. On flows the King of rivers and the Lord of heaven: he follows with a shout the paths of Holy Law.
The Golden-hued is poured forth, with his hundred streams, Wealth-bringer, lifting up his voice while purified.

34. Fain to be cleansed, thou, Pavamana, pourest out, like wondrous Surya, through the fleece, an ample sea.
Purified with the hands, pressed by the men with stones, thou speedest on to mighty booty-bringing war.

35. Thou, Pavamana, sendest food and power in streams. thou sittest in the beakers as a hawk on trees,
For Indra poured as cheering juice to make him glad, as nearest and farseeing bearer-up of heaven.

36. The Sisters Seven, the Mothers, stand around the Babe, the noble, new-born Infant, skilled in holy song,
Gandharva of the floods, divine, beholding men, Soma, that he may reign as King of all the world.

37. As Sovran Lord thereof thou Passest through these worlds, O Indu, harnessing thy tawny well-winged Mares.
May they pour forth for thee milk and oil rich in sweets: O Soma, let the folk abide in thy decree.

38. O Soma, thou beholdest men from every side: O Pavamana, Steer, thou wanderest through these.
Pour out upon us wealth in treasure and in gold: may we have strength to live among the things that be.

39. Winner of gold and goods and cattle flow thou on, set as impregner, Indu, mid the worlds of life.
Rich in brave men art thou, Soma, who winnest all: these holy singers wait upon thee with the song.

40. The wave of flowing meath hath wakened up desires: the Steer enrobed in milk plunges into the streams.
Borne on his chariot-sieve the King hath risen to war, and with a thousand rays hath won him high renown.

41. Dear to all life, he sends triumphant praises forth, abundant, bringing offspring, each succeeding day.
From Indra crave for us, Indu, when thou art quaffed, the blessing that gives children, wealth that harbours steeds.

42. When days begin, the strong juice, lovely, golden-hued, is recognized by wisdom more and more each day,
He, stirring both the Races, goes between the two, the bearer of the word of men and word of Gods.

43. They balm him, balm him over balm him thoroughly, caress the mighty strength and balm it with the meath.
They seize the flying Steer at the stream’s breathing-place: cleansing with gold they grasp the Animal herein.

44. Sing forth to Pavamana skilled in holy song: the juice is flowing onward like a mighty stream.
He.glideth like a serpent from his ancient skin, and like a playful horse the Tawny Steer hath run.

45. Dweller in floods, King, foremost, he displays his might, set among living things as measurer of days.
Distilling oil he flows, fair, billowy, golden-hued, borne on a car of light, sharing one hom-e with wealth.

46. Loosed is the heavens! support, the uplifted cheering juice: the triply-mingled draught flows round into the worlds.
The holy hymns caress the stalk that claims our praise, when singers have approached his beauteous robe with song.

47. Thy strearns that flow forth rapidly collected run over the fine fleece of the sheep as thou art cleansed.
When, Indu, thou art. balmed with milk within the bowl, thou sinkest in the jars, O Soma, when expressed.

48. Winner of’ power, flow, Soma, worthy of our laud: run onward to the fleece as well-beloved meath.
Destroy, O Indu, all voracious Raksasas. With brave sons in the assembly let our speech be bold.


HYMN LXXXVII. Soma Pavamana.

1. RUN onward to the reservoir and seat thee: cleansed by the men speed forward to the battle.
Making thee beauteous like an able courser, forth to the sacred grass with reins they lead thee.

2. Indu, the well-armed God, is flowing onward, who quells the curse and guards from treacherous onslaught,
Father, begetter of the Gods, most skilful, the buttress of the heavens and earth’s supporter.

3. Rsi and Sage, the Champion of the people, cleft and sagacious, Usana in wisdom,
He hath discovered even their hidden nature, the Cows’ concealed and most mysterious title.

4. This thine own Soma rich in meath, O Indra, Steer for the Steer, hath flowed into the filter.
The strong Free-giver, winning hundreds, thousands, hath reached the holy grass that never fails him.

5. These Somas are for wealth of countless cattle, renown therefor, and mighty strength immortal.
These have been sent forth, urified by strainers, like steeds who rusg to battle fain for glory.

6. He, while he cleanses him, invoked of many, hath flowed to give the people all enjoyment.
Thou whom the Falcon brought, bring, dainty viands, bestir thyself and send us wealth and booty.

7. This Soma, pressed into the cleansing filter, hath run as ’twere a host let loose, the Courser;
Like a strong bull who whets his horns kpen-pointed, like a brave warrior in the fray for cattle.

8. He issued forth from out the loftiest mountain, and found kine hidden somewhere in a stable.
Soma’s stream clears itself for thee, O Indra, like lightning thundering through the clouds of heaven,

9. Cleansing thyselr, and borne along with Indra, Soma, thou goest round the herd of cattle.
May thy praise help us, Mighty One, prompt Giver, to the full ample food which thou bestowest.


HYMN LXXXVIII. Soma Pavamana.

1. FOR thee this Soma is effused, O Indra: drink of this juice; for thee the stream is flowing-
Soma, which thou thyself hast made and chosen, even Indu, for thy special drink to cheer thee.

2. Like a capacious car hath it been harnessed, the Mighty; to acquire abundant treasures.
Then in the sacrifice they celebrated all triumphs won by Nahus -n the battle.

3. Like Vayu with his team, moving at pleasure, most gracious when invoked like both Nasatyas,
Thou art thyself like the Wealth-Giver, Soma! who grants all boons, like song-inspiring Pusan.

4. Like Indra who hath done great deeds, thou, Soma, art slayer of the Vrtras, Fort-destroyer.
Like Pedu’s horse who killed the brood of serpents, thus thou, O Soma, slayest every Dasyu.

5. Like Agni loosed amid the forest, fiercely he winneth splendour in the running waters.
Like one who fights, the roaring of the mighty, thus Soma Pavamana sends his current.

6. These Somas passing through the fleecy filter, like rain descending from the clouds of heaven,
Have been effused and poured into the beakers, swiftly like rivers running lowly seaward.

7. Flow onward like the potent band of Maruts, like that Celestial Host whom none revileth.
Quickly be gracious unto us like waters, like sacrifice victorious, thousand-fashioned.

8. 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.


HYMN LXXXIX. Soma Pavamana.

1. THIS Chariot-horse hath moved along the pathways, and Pavamana flowed like rain from heaven.
With us hath Soma with a thousand currents sunk in the wood, upon his Mother’s bosom.

2. King, he hath clothed him in the robe of rivers, mounted the straightest-going ship of Order.
Sped by the Hawk the drop hath waxed in waters: the father drains it, drains the Father’s offspring.

3. They come to him, red, tawny, Lord of Heaven, the watchful Guardian of the meath, the Lion.
First, Hero in the fight, he seeks the cattle, and with his eye the Steer is our protector.

4. They harness to the broad-wheeled car the mighty Courser whose back bears meath, unwearied, awful.
The twins, the sisters brighten him, and strengthen-these children of one damethe vigorous Racer.

5. Four pouring out the holy oil attend him, sitting together in the same container.
To him they flow, when purified, with homage, and still, from every side, are first about him.

6. He is the buttress of the heavens, supporter of earth, and in his hand are all the people.
Be the team’s Lord a well to thee the singer: cleansed is the sweet plant’s stalk for deed of glory.

7. Fighting, uninjured come where Gods are feasted; Soma, as Vitra-slayer flow for Indra.
Vouchsafe us ample riches very splendid may we be masters of heroic vigour.