HYMN CXXV. Vak.
1. I TRAVEL with the Rudras and the Vasus, with the Adityas and All-Gods I wander.
I hold aloft both Varuna and Mitra, Indra and Agni, and the Pair of Asvins.
2. I cherish and sustain high-swelling Soma, and Tvastar I support, Pusan, and Bhaga.
I load with wealth the zealous sdcrificer who pours the juice and offers his oblation
3. I am the Queen, the gatherer-up of treasures, most thoughtful, first of those who merit worship.
Thus Gods have stablished me in many places with many homes to enter and abide in.
4. Through me alone all eat the food that feeds them,-each man who sees, brewhes, hears the word outspoken
They know it not, but yet they dwell beside me. Hear, one and all, the truth as I declare it.
5. 1, verily, myself announce and utter the word that Gods and men alike shall welcome.
I make the man I love exceeding mighty, make him a sage, a Rsi, and a Brahman.
6. I bend the bow for Rudra that his arrow may strike and slay the hater of devotion.
I rouse and order battle for the people, and I have penetrated Earth and Heaven.
7. On the world’s summit I bring forth the Father: my home is in the waters, in the ocean.
Thence I extend o’er all existing creatures, and touch even yonder heaven with my forehead.
8. I breathe a strong breath like the wind and tempest, the while I hold together all existence.
Beyond this wide earth and beyond the heavens I have become so mighty in my grandeur.
HYMN CXXVI. Visvedevas.
1. No peril, no severe distress, ye Gods, affects the mortal man,
Whom Aryaman and Mitra lead, and Varima, of one accord, beyond his foes.
2. This very thing do we desire, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,
Whereby ye guhrd the mortal man from sore distress, and lead him safe beyond his foes.
3. These are, each one, our present helps, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.
Best leaders, best deliverers to lead us on and bear as safe beyond our foes.
4. Ye compass round and guard each man, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman:
In your dear keeping may we be, ye who are excellent as guides beyond our foes.
5. Adityas are beyond all foes,-Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman:
Strong Rudra with the Marut host, Indra, Agni let us call for weal beyond our foes.
6. These lead us safely over all, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,
These who are Kings of living men, over all troubles far away beyond our foes.
7. May they give bliss to aid us well, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman:
May the Adityas, when we pray, grant us wide shelter and defence beyond our foes.
8. As in this place, O Holy Ones, ye Vasus freed even the Gaud when her feet were fettered.
So free us now from trouble and affliction: and let our life be lengthened still, O Api.
HYMN CXXVII. Night.
1. WITH all her eyes the Goddess Night looks forth approaching many a spot:
She hath put all her glories on.
2. Immortal. she hath filled the waste, the Goddess hath filled height and depth:
She conquers darkness with her light.
3. The Goddess as she comes hath set the Dawn her Sister in her place:
And then the darkness vanishes.
4. So favour us this night, O thou whose pathways we have visited
As birds their nest upon the tree.
5. The villagers have sought their homes, and all that walks and all that flies,
Even the falcons fain for prey.
6. Keep off the she-wolf and the wolf, O Urmya, keep the thief away;
Easy be thou for us to pass.
7. Clearly hath she come nigh to me who decks the dark with richest hues:
O Morning, cancel it like debts.
8. These have I brought to thee like kine. O Night, thou Child of Heaven, accept
This laud as for a conqueror.
HYMN CXXVIII. Visvedevas.
1. LET me win glory, Agni, in our battles: enkindling thee, may we support our bodies.
May the four regions bend and bow before me: with thee for guardian may we win in combat.
2. May all the Gods be on my side in battle, the Maruts led by Indra, Visnu, Agni.
Mine be the middle air’s extended region, ani may the wind blow favouring these my wishes.
3. May the Gods grant me riches; may the blessing and invocation of the Gods assist me.
Foremost in fight be the divine Invokers: may we, unwounded, have brave heroes round us.
4. For me let them present all mine oblations, and let my mind’s intention be accomplished.
May I he guiltless of the least transgression: and, all ye Go-is, do ye combine to bless us.
5. Ye six divine Expanses, grant us freedom: here, all ye Gods, acquit yourselves like heroes.
Let us not lose our children or our bodies: let us not benefit the foe, King Soma!
6. Baffling the wrath of our opponents, Agni, guard us as our infallible Protector.
Let these thy foes turn back and seek their houses, and let their thought who watch at home be ruined.
7. Lord of the world, Creator of creators the saviour God who overcomes the foeman.
May Gods, Brhaspati, both Asvins shelter from ill thii sacrifice and sacrificer.
8. Foodful, and much-invoked, at this our calling mty the great Bull vouchsafe us wide protection.
Lord of Bay Coursers, Indra, blew our children: harm us not, give us riot as prey to others.
9. Let those who are our foemen stay. afar from us: with Indra and with Agni we will drive them off.
Vasus, Adityas, Rudras have exalted me, made me far-reaching, inighty, thinker, sovran lord.
HYMN CXXIX. Creation.
1. THEN was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it.
What covered in, and where? and what gave shelter? Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?
2. Death was not then, nor was there aught immortal: no sign was there, the day’s and night’s divider.
That One Thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.
3. Darkness there was: at first concealed in darknew this All was indiscriminated chaos.
All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.
4. Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of Spirit.
Sages who searched with their heart’s thought discovered the existent’s kinship in the non-existent.
5. Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it?
There were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder
6. Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?
TheGods are later than this world’s production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?
7. He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,
Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.
HYMN CXXX. Creation.
1. THE sacrifice drawn out with threads on every side, stretched by a hundred sacred ministers and one,-
This do these Fathers weave who hitherward are come: they sit beside the warp and cry, Weave forth, weave back.
2. The Man extends it and the Man unbinds it: even to this vault of heaven hath he outspun, it.
These pegs are fastened to the seat of worship: they made the Sama-hymns their weaving shuttles.
3. What were the rule, the order and the model? What were the wooden fender and the butter?
What were the hymn, the chant, the recitation, when to the God all Deities paid worship?
4. Closely was Gayatri conjoined with Agni, and closely Savitar combined with Usnih.
Brilliant with Ukthas, Soma joined Anustup: Brhaspati’s voice by Brhati was aided.
5. Viraj adhered to Varuna and Mitra: here Tristup day by day was Indra’s portion.
Jagati entered all the Gods together: so by this knowledge men were raised to Rsis.
6. So by this knowledge men were raised to Rsis, when ancient sacrifice sprang up, our Fathers.
With the mind’s eye I think that I behold them who first performed this sacrificial worship.
7. They who were versed in ritual and metre, in hymns and rules, were the Seven Godlike Rsis.
Viewing the path of those of old, the sages have taken up the reins like chariot-drivers.
HYMN CXXXI. Indra.
1. DRIVE all our enemies away, O Indra, the western, mighty Conqueror, and the eastern.
Hero, drive off our northern foes and southern, that we in thy wide shelter may be joyful.
2. What then? As men whose fields are full of barley reap the ripe corn removing it in order,
So bring the food of those men, bring it hither, who went not to prepare the grass for worship.
3. Men come not with one horse at sacred seasons; thus they obtain no honour in assemblies.
Sages desiring herds of kine and horses strengthen the mighty Indra for his friendship.
4. Ye, Asvins, Lords of Splendour, drank full draughts of grateful Soma juice,
And aided Indra in his work with Namuci of Asura birth.
5. As parents aid a son, both Asvins, Indra, aided thee with their wondrous Powers and wisdom.
When thou, with might. hadst drunk the draught that gladdens, Sarasvati, O Maghavan, refreshed thee.
6. Indra is strong to save, rich in assistance may he, possessing all, be kind and gracious.
May he disperse our foes and give us safety, and may we be the lords of hero vigou r.
7. May we enjoy his favour, his the Holy may we enjoy his blessed loving kindness.
May this rich Indra, as our good Protector, drive off and keep afar all those who hate us.
HYMN CXXXII. Mitra. Varuna.
1. MAY Dyaus the Lord of lauded wealth, and Earth stand by the man who offers sacrifice,
And may the Asvins, both the Gods, strengthen the worshipper with bliss.
2. As such we honour you, Mitra and Varuna, with hasty zeal, most blest, you who sustain the folk.
So may we, through your friendship for the worshipper, subdue the fiends.
3. And when we seek to win your love and friendship, we.who have precious wealth in our possession,
Or when the worshipper augments his riches let not his treasures be shut up
4. That other, Asura! too was born of Heaven. thou art, O Varuna, the King of all men.
The chariot’s Lord was well content, forbearing to anger Death by sin so great.
5. This sin hath Sakaputa here committed. Heroes who fled to their dear friend he slayeth,
When the Steed bringeth down your grace and favour in bodies dear and worshipful.
6. Your Mother Aditi, ye wise, was purified with water even as earth is purified from heaven.
Show love and kindness here below: wash her in rays of heavenly light.
7. Ye Twain have seated you as Lords of Wealth, as one who mounts a car to him who sits upon the pole, upon the wood.
These our disheartened tribes Nrmedhas saved from woe, Sumedhas saved from Woe.
