BOOK VI
CHAPTER II
I Agni
1. Chant we a hymn to Agni while we go to sacrifice, to him
Who hears us even from afar!
2. Who from of old, in carnage, when the folk were gathered, hath preserved.
His household for the worshipper.
3. May that most blissful Agni guard our wealth and all ourfamily.
And keep us safe from pain and grief
4. Yea, let men say, Agni is born, even he who slayeth Vritra, he,
Who winneth wealth in every fight!
II Agni
1. Harness, O Agni, O thou God, thy steeds which are most excellent!
The fleet ones bring the rapidly.
2. Come hither, bring the Gods to us to taste the sacrificial feast,
To drink the draught of Soma juice!
3. O Agni of the Bharatas, flame splendid with unfading might
Shine forth and gleam, eternal one!
III Soma Pavamana
1. Let him, as mortal, crave this speech for him who presses of the juice!
As Bhrigu’s sons chased Makha, so drive ye the niggard hound away.
2. The kinsman hath endued his robe even as a son is clasped in arms.
He went, as lover to a dame, to take his station suitor-like.
3. That hero who produces strength, he who hath propped both worlds apart,
Gold-hued, hath wrapped him in the sieve to settle, priest-like, in his place.
IV Indra
1. Still, Indra, from all ancient time rivalless ever and companionless art thou:
Thou seekest friendship but in war.
2. Thou findest not the wealthy man to be thy friend: those scorn thee who are flown with wine.
What time thou thunderest and gatherest, then thou, even as a father, art invoked.
V Indra
1. A thousand and a hundred steeds are harnessed to thy golden car:
Yoked by devotion, Indra, let the long-maned bays bring thee to drink the Soma juice!
2. Yoked to thy chariot wrought of gold, may thy two bays with, peacock tails.
Convey thee hither, steeds with their white backs, to quaff sweet juice that makes us eloquent!
3. So drink, thou lover of the song, as the first drinker, of this juice.
This the outpouring of the savoury sap prepared is good and meet to gladden thee.
VI Soma Pavamana
1. Press ye and pour him, like a steed, laud-worthy, speeding through the region and the flood,
Who swims in water, dwells in wood
2. The Steer with thousand streams who poureth out the rain, dear to the race of deities;
Who, born in Law, hath waxen mighty by the Law, King, God, and lofty ordinance.
VII Agni
1. Served with oblation, kindled, bright, through love of song, may Agni, bent
On riches, smite the Vritras dead
2. His father’s father, shining in his mother’s ever-lasting side,
Set on the seat of sacrifice!
3. O active Jatavedas, bring devotion that wins progeny, Agni, that it may shine to heaven!
VIII Soma Pavamana
1. Made pure by this man’s urgent zeal and impulse, the God hath with his juice the Gods pervaded.
Pressed, singing, to the sieve he goes, as passes the Hotar to enclosures hoiding cattle.
2. Robed in fair raiment meet to wear in combat, a mighty Sage pronouncing invocations,
Roll onward to the press-boards as they cleanse thee, far-seeing at the feast of Gods and watchful!
3. Dear, he is brightened on the fleecy summit, a prince among us, nobler than the noble.
Roar out as thou art purified, run forward! Do ye preserve us evermore with blessings!
IX Indra
1. Come now and let us glorify pure Indra with pure Sama hymn!
Let milk-blent juice delight him made stronger with pure, pure songs of praise!
2. O Indra, come thou pure to us, with pure assistance pure thyself!
Pure, send thou riches down to us, and, meet for Soma! pure, rejoice!
3. O Indra, pure, vouchsafe us wealth, and, pure enrich the worshipper!
Pure, thou dost strike the Vritras dead, and strivest pure, to win the spoil.
X Agni
1. Eager for wealth we meditate Agni’s effectual laud to-day,
Laud of the God who touches heaven.
2. May Agni who is Hotar-priest among mankind accept our songs,
And worship the celestial folk!
3. Thou, Agni, art spread widely forth, Priest dear and excellent through thee
Men make the sacrifice complete.
XI Soma Pavamana
1. To him, praiseworthy, sacred tones have sounded, Steer of the triple height, the life-bestower.
Dwelling in wood, like Varuna, a river, lavishing treasure, he distributes blessings.
2. Great conqueror, warrior girt, Lord of all heroes, flow on thy way as he who winneth riches:
With sharpened arms, with swift bow, never vanquished in battle, vanquishing in fight the foemen!
3. Giving security, Lord of wide dominion, send us both heaven and earth with all their fulness!
Striving to win the Dawns, the light, the waters, and cattle, call to us abundant booty!
XII Indra
1. O Indra, thou art far-renowned, impetuous Lord of power and might.
Alone, the never-conquered guardian of mankind, thou smitest down resistless foes.
2. As such we seek thee now, O Asura, the most wise, craving thy bounty as our share
Thy sheltering defence is like an ample cloak. So may thy favours reach to us.
XIII Agni
1. Thee have we chosen, skilfullest in sacrifice, immortal, Priest, among the Gods,
Best finisher of this holy rite:
2. The Waters’ Child, the blessed brightly-shining one, Agni whose, light is excellent.
May he by sacrifice win us in heaven the grace of Mitra, Varuna, and the Floods!
XIV Agni
1. Lord of all food is he, the man whom thou protectest in the fight,
Agni, and urgest to the fray.
2. Him, whosoever he may be, no one may vanquish, mighty one!
Nay, very glorious wealth is his.
3. May he who dwells with all mankind conquer in fight with steeds of war,
With sages may he win the spoil.
XV Soma Pavamana
1. Ten sisters, pouring out the rain together, the sage’s quickly
moving thoughts, adorn him.
Hither hath run the gold-hued Child of Surya, and reached the vat like a fleet vigorous courser.
2. Even as a youngling shouting with his mothers, the bounteous Steer hath flowed along with waters.
As youth to damsel, so with milk he hastens on to the settled meeting-place, the beaker.
3. Yea, swollen is the udder of the milch-cow; thither in streams. comes very sapient Indu.
The kine make ready, as with new-washed treasures, the head and chief with milk within the vessels.
XVI Indra
1. Drink, Indra, of the savoury juice, and cheer thee, with our milky draught!
Be, for our weal, our friend and sharer of the feast, and let thy wisdom guard us well!
2. In thy kind grace and favour may we still be strong: cast us not down before the foe!
With manifold assistance guard and succour us, and stablish us in thy good-will!
XVII Soma Pavamana
1. The three-times seven milch-kine in the loftiest heaven have for this Soma poured the genuine milky draught.
Four other beauteous creatures hath he made for his adornment when he waxed in strength through holy rites.
2. Enjoying lovely Amrit by his wisdom he divided, each apart from other, earth and heaven.
He gladly wrapped himself in the most lucid floods, when through their glory they-found the God’s resting-place.
3. May those his brilliant rays be ever free from death, inviolate for both classes of created things–
Rays wherewith powers of men and Gods are purified! Yea, even for this have sages welcomed him as King.
XVIII Soma Pavamana
1. Lauded with song, to feast him, flow to Vayu, flow purified to Varuna and Mitra!
Flow to the song inspiring car-borne hero, to mighty Indra, him who wields the thunder!
2. Pour on us garments that shall clothe us meetly, send, purified, milch-kine, abundant yielders!
God Soma, send us cbariot-drawing horses that they may bring us treasures bright and golden!
3. Send to us in a stream celestial riches, send us when thou art cleansed, what earth containeth,
So that thereby we may acquire possessions and Rishihood in Jamadagni’s manner!
XIX Indra
1. When thou, unequalled Maghavan, wast born to smite the Vritras dead,
Thou spreadest out the spacious earth and didst support and prop the heavens.
2. Then was the sacrifice produced for thee, the laud, and song of joy.
In might thou art above this All, all that now is and yet shall be.
3. Raw kine thou filledst with ripe milk. Thou madest Surya rise to heaven.
Heat him as milk is heated with pure Sdma hymns, great joy to him who loves the song!
XX Indra
1. Rejoice: thy glory hath been quaffed, Lord of bay steeds! as ’twere the bowl’s enlivening mead.
Thine, Steer, is Indu, Steer, the Strong, best winner of a thousand spoils.
2. Let our strong drink, most excellent, exhilarating, come to thee,
Victorious, Indra! bringing gain, immortal conquering in fight!
3. Thou, hero, winner of the spoil, urgest to speed the car of man.
Burn, like a vessel with the flame, the riteless Dasyu, conqueror!
