Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 14 May 2011 05:28 and updated at 14 May 2011 05:28
RIG VEDA
MANDALA 8
HYMN X. Asvins. 10
1. WHETHER ye travel far away or dwell in yonder light of heaven,
Or in a mansion that is built above the sea, come thence, ye Asvins, hitherward.
2 Or if for Manuye. prepared the sacrifice, remember also Kanvas' son.
I call Brhaspati, Indra, Visnu, all the gods, the Asvins borne by rapid steeds.
3 Those Asvins I invoke who work marvels, brought hither to receive,
With whom our friendship is most famed, and kinship passing that of Gods.
4 On whom the solemn rites depend, whose worshippers rise without the Sun:
These who foreknow the holy work of sacrifice, and by their Godhead drink the sweets of Soma juice.
5 Whether ye, Lords of ample wealth, now linger in the cast or west,
With Druhyu, or with Anu, Yadu, Turvaga, I call you hither; come to me.
6 Lords of great riches, whether through the firmament ye fly or speed through heaven and earth,
Or with your Godlike natures stand upon your cars, come thence, O Asvins, hitherward.
HYMN XI. Agni. 11
1. THOU Agni, God mid mortal men, art guard of sacred rites, thou art
To be adored at sacrifice.
2 O Mighty Agni, thou must be glorified at our festivals,
Bearing our offerings to the Gods.
3 O Jatavedas Agni, fight and drive our foes afar from us,
Them and their godless enmities.
4 Thou, Jatavedas, seekest not the worship of a hostile man,
However nigh itbe to thee.
5 We sages, mortals as we are, adore the mighty name oof thee,
Immortal Jatavedas' name.
6 Sages, we call the Sage to help, mortals, we call the God to aid:
We call on Agni with our songs.
7 May Vatsa draw- thy mind away even from thy loftiest dwellingplace-,
Agni, with song that yearns for thee.
8 Thou art the same in many a place: mid all the people thou art Lord.
In fray and fightt we call on thee.
9 When we are seeking strength we call Agni to help us in the strife,
The giver of rich gifts in war.
10 Ancient, adorablie at sacrifices, Priest from of old, meet for our praise, thou sittest.
Fill full and satisfy thy body, Agni, and win us happiness by offering worship.
HYMN XII. Indra. 12
1. JOY, Mightiest Indra, known and marked, sprung most from Somadraughts-, wherewith
Thou smitest down the greedy fiend, for that we long.
2 Wherewith thou bolpest Adhrigu, the great Dasagva, and the God
Who stirs the sunlight, and the sea, for that we long.
3 Wherewith thou dravest forth like cars Sindhu and all the mighty floods
To go the way ordained by Law, for that we long.
4 Accept this laud for aid, made pure like oil, thou Caster of the Stone,
Whereby even in a moment thou hast waxen great.
5 Be pleased, Songlover-, with this song it flows abundant like the sea.
Indra, with all thy succours thou hast waxen great.
6 The God who from afar hath sent gifts to maintain our friendships' bond,
Thou. spreading them like rain from heaven, hast waxen great.
7 The beams that mark him have grown strong, the thunder rests between his arms,
When, like the Sun, he hath increased both Heaven and Earth.
8 When, Mighty Lord of Heroes, thou didst cat a thousand buffaloes,
Then grew and waxed exceeding great thine Indrapower-.
9 Indra consumeth with the rays of Surya the malicious man:
Like Agni conquering the woods, he hath grown strong.
10 This newest thought of ours that suits the time approaches unto thee:
Serving, beloved in many a place it metes and marks.
11 The pious germ of sacrifice directly purifies the soul.
By Indras' lauds it waxes great, it metes and marks.
12 Indra who wins the friend hath spread himself to drink the Somadraught-:
Like worshippers' dilating praise; it metes and marks.
13 He whom the sages, living men, have gladdened, offering up their hymns,
Hath swelled like oil of sacrifice in Agnis' mouth.
14 Aditi also hath brought forth a hymn for Indra, Sovran Lord:
The work of sacrifice for help is glorified.
15 The ministering priests have sung their songs for aid and eulogy:
God, thy Bays turn not from the rite which Law ordains.
16 If, Indra, thou drink Soma by Visnus' or Trta Aptyas' side,
Or with the Maruts take delight in flowing drops;
17 Or, Sakra, if thou gladden thee afar or in the sea of air,
Rejoice thee in this juice of ours, in flowing drops.
18 Or, Lord of Heroes if thou aid the worshipper who shed; the, juice,
Or him whose laud delights thee, and his flowing drops.
19 To magnify the God, the God, Indra, yea, Indra for your help,
And promptly end the sacrificethis- have they gained.
20 With worship, him whom men adore, with Soma, him who drinks it most,
Indra with lauds have they increasedthis have they gained.
21 His leadings are with power and might and his instructions manifold:
He gives the worshipper all wealth: this have they gained.
22 For slaying Vrtra have the Gods set Indra in the foremost place.
Indra the choral bands have sung, for vigorous strength.
23 We to the Mighty with our might, with lauds to him who hears our call,
With holy hymns have sung aloud, for vigorous strength.
24 Not earth, nor heaven, nor firmaments contain the Thunderwielding- God:
They shake before his violent rush and vigorous strength.
25 What time the Gods, O Indra, get thee foremost in the furious fight,
Then thy two beautiful Bay Steeds carried thee on.
26 When Vrtra, stayer of the floods, thou siest", Thunder with might,
Then thy two beautiful Bay Steeds carried thee on.
27 When Visnu, through thine energy, strode wide those three great steps of his,
Then thy two beautiful Bay Steeds carried thee on.
28 When thy two beautiful Bay Steeds grew great and greater day by day,
Even then all creatures that had life bowed down to thee.
29 When, Indra, all the Marut folk humbly submitted them to thee,
Even then all creatures that had life bowed down to thee.
30 When yonder Sun, that brilliant light, thou settest in the heaven above,
Even then all creatures that had life bowed down to thee.
31 To thee, O Indra, with this thought the sage lifts up this eulogy,
Akin and leading as on foot to sacrifice.
32 When in thine own dear dwelling all gathered have lifted up the voice
Milkstreams- at worships' central spot, for sacrifice,
33 As Priest, O Indra, give us wealth in brave men and good steeds ana kine
That we may first remember thee for sacrifice.
HYMN XIII. Indra. 13
1. INDRA, when Soma juices flow, makes his mind pure and meet for lauds.
He gains the power that brings success, for great is he.
2 In heavens' first region, in the seat of Gods, is he who brings success,
Most glorious, prompt to save, who wins the waterfloods-.
3 Him, to win strength, have I invoked, even Indra mighty for the fray.
Be thou most near to us for bliss, a Friend to aid.
4 Indra, Song lover-, here for thee the worshippers' libation flows.
Rejoicing in this sacred grass thou shinest forth.
5 Even now, O Indra, give us that which, pressing juice, we crave of thee.
Bring us wealth manifold which finds the light of heaven.
6 What time the zealous worshipper hath boldly sung his songs to thee,
Like branches of a tree upgrows- what they desire.
7 Generate songs even as of old, give car unto the singers' call.
Thou for the pious hast grown great at each carouse.
8 Sweet strains that glorify him play like waters speeding down a slope,
Yea, him who in this song is called the Lord of Heaven;
9 Yea, who alone is called the Lord, the single Ruler of the folk,
By worshippers seeking aid: may he joy in the draught.
10 Praise him, the Glorious, skilled in song, Lord of the two victorious Bays:
They seek the worshippers' abode who bows in prayer.
11 Put forth thy strength: with dappled Steeds come, thou of mighty intellect,
With swift Steeds to the sacrifice, for it is thy joy.
12 Grant wealth to those who praise thee, Lord of Heroes, Mightiest Indra: give
Our princes everlasting fame and opulence.
13 I call thee when the Sun is risen, I call thee at the noon of day:
With thy carhorses-, Indra, come wellpleased to us.
14 Speed forward hither, come to us, rejoice thee in the milky draught:
Spin out the thread of ancient time, as well is known.
15 If, Sakra, Vrtraslayer-, thou be far away or near to us.
Or in the sea, thou art the guard of Soma juice.
16 Let songs we sing and Somadrops- expressed by us make Indra strong:
The tribes who bring oblations find delight in him.
17 Him sages longing for his aid, with offerings brought in eager haste,
Him. even as branches, all mankind have made to grow.
18 At the Trkadrukas the Gods span sacrifice that stirred the mind:
May our songs strengthen him who still hath strengthened us.
19 When, true to duty, at due times the worshipper offers lauds to thee,
They call him Purifier, Pure, and Wonderful.
20 That mind of Rudra, fresh and strong, moves conscious in the ancient ways,
With reference whereto the wise have ordered this.
21 If thou elect to be my Friend drink of this sacrificial juice,
By help whereof we may subdue all enemies.
22 O Indra, Lover of the song, when shall thy praiser be most blest?
When wilt thou grant us wealth in herds of kine and steeds?
23 And thy two highIylauded- Bays, strong stallions, draw thy car who art
Untouched by age, most gladdening car for which we pray.
24 With ancient offerings we implore the Young and Strong whom many praise.
He from of old hath sat upon dear sacred grass.
25 Wax miglity, thou whom many laud for aids which Rsis have extolled.
Pour down for us abundant food and guard us well.
26 O Indra, Caster of the Stone, thou helpest him who praises thee:
From sacrifice I send to thee a mindyoked hymn.
27 Here, yoking for the Somadraught- these Horses, sharers of thy feast,
Thy Bay Steeds, Indra, fraught with weal tb, consent to come.
28 Attendants on thy glory, let the Rudras roar assent to thee,
And all the Marut companies come tothe feast.
29 These his victorious followers bold in the heavens the place they love,
Leagued in the heart of sacrifice, as well we know.
30 That we may long behold the light, what time the ordered rite proceeds,
He duly measures, as he views, the sacrifice.
31 O Indra, strong is this thy car, and strong are these Bay Steeds of thine:
O Satakratu, thou art strong, strong is our call.
32 Strong is the pressstone-, strong thy joy, strong is the flowing Soma juice:
Strong is the rite thou furtherest, strong is our call.
33 As strong I call on thee the Strong, O Thunderer with thy thousand aids:
For thou hast won the hymn of praise. Strong is our call.
HYMN XIV. Indra. 14
1. IF I, O Indra, were, like thee, the single Sovran of all wealth,
My worshipper should be rich in kine.
2 I should be fain, O Lord of Power, to strengthen and enrich the sage,
Were I the Lord of herds of kine.
3 To worshippers who press the juice thy goodness, Indra, is a cow
Yielding in plenty kine and steeds.
4 None is there, Indra, God or man, to hinder thy munificence,
The wealth which, lauded, thou wilt give.
5 The sacrifice made Indra strong when he unrolled the earth, and made
Himself a diadem in heaven.
6 Thine aid we claim, O Indra, thine who after thou hast waxen great
Hast won all treasures for thine own.
7 In Somas' ecstasy Indra spread the firmament and realms of light,
When he cleft Vala limb from limb.
8 Showing the hidden he drave forth the cows for the Angirases,
And Vala he cast headlong down.
9 By Indra were the lumirious realms of heaven established and secured,
Firm and immovable from their place.
10 Indra, thy laud moves quickly like a joyous wave of waterfloods-:
Bright shine the drops that gladden thee.
11 For thou, O Indra, art the God whom hymns and praises magnify:
Thou blessest those who worship thee.
12 Let the two longmaned- Bay Steeds bring Indra to drink the Soma juice,
The Bountiful to our sacrifice.
13 With waters' foam thou torest off, Indra, the head of Namuci,
Subduing all contending hosts.
14 The Dasyus, when they fain would climb
by magic arts and mount to heaven,
Thou, Indra, castest down to earth.
15 As Somadrinker- conquering all, thou scatteredst to every side
Their settlement who poured no gifts.
HYMN XV. Indra. 15
1. SING forth to him whom many men invoke, to him whom many laud.
Invite the powerful Indra with your songs of praise.
2 Whose lofty mightfor- doubly strong is hesupports- the heavens and earth,
And hills and plains and floods and light with manly power.
3 Such, Praised by many! thou art King alone thou smitest Vrtras dead,
To gain, O Indra, spoils of war and high renown.
4 We sing this strong and wild delight of thine which conquers in the fray,
Which, Caster of the Stone! gives room and shines like gold.
5 Wherewith thou also foundest lights for Ayu and for Manus' sake:
Now joying in this sacred grass thou beamest forth.
6 This day too singers of the hymn praise, as of old, this might of thine:
Win thou the waters day by day, thralls of the strong.
7 That lofty Indrapower- of thine, thy strength and thine intelligence,
Thy thunderbolt for which we long, the wish makes keen.
8 O Indra, Heaven and Earth augment thy manly power and thy renown;
The waters and thy mountains stir and urge thee on.
9 Visnu the lofty ruling Power, Varuna, Mitra sing thy praise:
In thee the Marut3' company have great delight.
10 O Indra, thou wast born the Lord of men, most liberal of thy gifts:
Excellent deeds for evermore are all thine own.
11 Ever, alone, O highlypraised-, thou sendest Vrtras to their rest:
None else than Indra executes the mighty deed.
12 Though here and there, in varied hymns, Indra, men call on thee for aid,
Still with our heroes fight and win the light of heaven.
13 Already have all forms of him entered our spacious dwellingplace-:
For victory stir thou Indra, up, the Lord of Might.
HYMN XVI. Indra. 16
1. PRAISE Indra whom our songs must laud, sole Sovran of mankind, the Chief
Most liberal who controlleth men.
2 In whom the hymns of praise delight, and all the glorygiving- songs.
Like the floods' longing for the sea.
3 Him I invite with eulogy, best King, effective in the fight,
Strong for the gain of mighty spoil.
4 Whose perfect ecstasies are wide, profound, victorious, and give
joy in the field where heroes win.
5 Him, when the spoils of war are staked, men call to be their advocate:
They who have Indra win the day.
6 Men honour him with stirring songs and magnify with solemn rites:
Indra is he who giveth case.
7 Indra is priest and Rsi, he is much invoked by many men,
And mighty by his mighty powers.
8 Meet to be lauded and invoked, true Hero with his deeds of might,
Victorious even when alone.
9 The men, the people magnify that Indra with their Slina. songs,
With hymns and sacred eulogies
10 Him who advances them to wealth, sends light to lead them in the war,
And quells their foemen in the fray.
11 May he, the saviour muchinvoked-, may Indra bear us in a ship
Safely beyond all enemies.
12 As such, O Indra, honour us with gifts of booty, further us,
And lead us to felicity.
HYMN XVII Indra. 17
1. COME, we have pressed the juice for thee; O Indra, drink this Soma here
Sit thou on this my sacred grass.
2 O Indra, let thy longmaned- Bays, yoked by prayer, bring thee hitherward
Give car and listen to our prayers.
3 We Somabearing- Brahmans call thee Somadrinker- with thy friend,
We, Indra, bringing Soma juice.
4 Come unto us who bring the juice, come unto this our eulogy,
Fairvisored-! drink thou of the juice.
5 I pour it down within thee, so through all thy members let it spread:
Take with. thy tongue the pleasant drink.
6 Sweet to thy body let it be, delicious be the savoury juice:
Sweet be the Soma to thine heart.
7 Like women, let this Somadraught-, invested with its robe, approach,
O active Indra, close to thee.
8 Indra, transported with the juice, vast in his bulk, strong in his neck
And stout arms, smites the Vrtras down.
9 O Indra, go thou forward, thou who rulest over all by might:
Thou Vrtraslayer- slay the fiends,
10 Long be thy graspinghook- wherewith thou givest ample wealth to him
Who sheds the juice and worships thee.
11 Here, Indra, is thy Somadraught-, made pure upon the sacred grass:
Run hither, come and drink thereof.
12 Famed for thy radiance, worshipped well this juice is shed for thy delight
Thou art invoked, Akhandala!
13 To Kundapayya, grandsons' son, grandson of Srngavrs! to thee,
To him have I addressed my thought.
14 Strong pillar thou, Lord of the home armour of Somaofferers-:
The drop of Soma breaketh all the strongholds down, and Indra is the Rsis' Friend.
15 Holy Prdikusanu, winner of the spoil, one eminent over many men,
Lead on the wild horse Indra with his vigorous grasp forward to drink the Soma juice.
HYMN XVIII. Adityas. 18
1. Now let the mortal offer prayer to win the unexampled grace
Of these Adityas and their aid to cherish life.
2 For not an enemy molests the paths which these Adityas tread:
Infallible guards, they strengthen us in happiness.
3 Now soon may Bhaga, Savitar, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman
Give us the shelter widely spread which we implore.
4 With Gods come thou whose fostering care none checks, O Goddess Aditi:
Come, dear to many, with the Lords who guard us well.
5 For well these Sons of Aditi know to keep enmities aloof,
Unrivalled, giving ample room, they save from woe.
6 Aditi guard our herd by day, Aditi, free from guile, by night,
Aditi, ever strengthening, save us from grief!
7 And in the day our hymn is this: May Aditi come nigh to help,
With lovingkindness- bring us weal and chase our foes.
8 And may the Asvins, the divine Pair of Physicians, send us health:
May they remove iniquity and chase our foes.
9 May Agni bless us with his fires, and Surya warm us pleasantly:
May the pure Wind breathe sweet on us, and chase our foes.
10 Drive ye disease and strife away, drive ye away malignity:
Adityas, keep us ever far from sore distress.
11 Remove from us the arrow, keep famine, Adityas! far away:
Keep enmities afar from us, Lords of all wealth!
12 Now, O Adityas, grant to us the shelter that lets man go free,
Yea, even the sinner from his sin, ye Bounteous Gods 1
13 Whatever mortal with the powe r of demons fain would injure us,
May he, impetuous, suffer harm by his own deeds.
14 May sin overtake our human foe, the man who speaketh evil thing,
Him who would cause our misery, whose heart is false.
15 Gods, ye are with the simple ones, ye know each mortal in your hearts;
Ye, Vasus, well discriminate the false and true.
16 Fain would we have the sheltering aid of mountains and of waterfloods-:
Keep far from us iniquity, O Heaven and Earth.
17 So with auspicious sheltering aid do ye, O Vasus, carry us
Beyond all trouble and distress, borne in your ship.
18 Adityas, ye Most Mighty Ones, grant to our children and their seed
Extended term of life that they may live long days.
19 Sacrifice, O Adityas, is your inward monitor: be kind,
For in the bond of kindred we are bound to you.
20 The Maruts' high protecting aid, the Asvins, and the God who saves,
Mitra and Varuna for weal we supplicate.
21 Grant us a home with triple guard, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna!
Unthreatened, Maruts! meet for praise, and filled with men.
22 And as we human beings, O Adityas, are akin to death,
Graciously lengthen ye our lives that we may live.
HYMN XIX. Agni. 19
1. SING praise to hiin, the Lord of Light. The Gods have made the God to be their messenger,
And sent oblation to Gods.
2 Agni, the Bounteous Giver, bright with varied flames, laud thou, O singer Sobhari-
Him who controls this sacred food with Soma blent, who hath first claim to sacrifice.
3 Thee have we chosen skilftillest in sacrifice, Immortal Priest among the Gods,
Wise finisher of this holy rite:
4 The Son of Strength, the blessed, brightly shining One, Agni whose light is excellent.
May be by sacrifice win us in heaven the grace of Mitra, Varuna, and the Floods.
5 The mortal who hath ministered to Agni with oblation, fuel, ritual lore,
And reverence, skilled in sacrifice.
6 Verily swift to run are his fleetfooted- steeds, and most resplendent fame is his.
No trouble caused by Gods or wrought by mortal man from any side overtaketh him.
7 May we by thine own fires be well supplied with fire, O Son of Strength, O Lord of Might:
Thou as our Friend hast worthy men.
8 Agni, who praises like a guest of friendly mind, is as a car that brings us gear.
Also in thee is found perfect security thou art the Sovran Lord of wealth.
9 That man, moreover, merits praise who brings, auspicious Agni, sacrificial gifts
May he win riches by his thoughts.
10 He for whose sacrifice thou standest up erect is prosperous and rules over men.
He wins with coursers and with singers killed in song: with heroes he obtains the prize.
11 He in whose dwelling Agni is chief ornament, and, alldesired-, loves his laud well,
And zealously tends his offerings-
12 His, or the lauding sages' word, his, Son of Strength! who Is most prompt with sacred gifts,
Set thou beneath the Gods, Vasu, above mankind, the speech of the intelligent.
13 He who with sacrificial gifts or homage bringeth very skilful Agni nigh,
Or him who flashes fast with song,
14 The mortal who with blazing fuel, as his laws command, adores the Perfect God,
Blest with his thoughts in splendour shall exceed all men, as though he overpassed the floods.
15 Give us the splendour, Agni, which may overcome each greedy fiend in our abode,
The wrath of evilhearted- folk.
16 That, wherewith Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman, the Asvins, Bhaga give us light,
That may we, by thy power finding best furtherance, worship, O Indra, helped by thee.
17 O Agni, most devout are they, the sages who have set thee Sage exceeding wise,
O God, for men to look upon:
18 Who have arranged thine altar Blessed God, at morn brought thine oblation, pressed the juice.
They by their deeds of strength have won diem, mighty wealth, who have set all their hope in thee.
19 May- Agni worshipped bring us bliss, may the gift, Blessed One, and sacrifice bring bliss;
Yea, may our praises bring us bliss.
20 Show forth the mind that brings success in war with fiends, wherewith thou conquerest in fight.
Bring down the many firm hopes of our enemies, and let us vanquish with thine aid.
21 I praise with song the Friend of man, whom Gods sent down to be herald and messenger,
Best worshipper, bearer of our gifts.
22 Thou unto sharptoothed- Agni, Young and Radiant God, proclaimest with thy song the feast-
Agni, who for our sweet strains moulds heroic strength when sacred oil is offered him,
23 While, served with sacrificial oil, now upward and now downward Agni moves his sword,
As doth the Asura his robe.
24 The God, the Friend of man, who bears our gifts to heaven, the God with his sweetsmelling-
mouth,
Distributes, skilled in sacrifice, his precious things, Invoking Priest, Immortal God.
25 Son of Strength, Agni, if thou wert the mortal, bright as Mitra, I worshipped with our gifts!
And I were the Immortal God
26 I would not give thee up, Vasu, to calumny, or misery, O Bounteous One.
My worshipper should feel no hunger or distress, nor, Agni, should he live in sin.
27 Like a son cherished in his fathers' houie§, let our oblation rise unto the Gods.
28 With thine immediate aid may I, excellent Agni, ever gain my wish
A mortal with a God to help.
29 O Agni, by thy wisdom, by thy bounties, by thy leading may I gather wealth.
Excellent Agni, thou art called my Providence: delight thou to be liberal.
30 Agni, he conquers by thine aid that brings him store of noble heroes and great strength,
Whose bond of friendship is thy choice.
31 Thy spark is black and crackling, kindled in due time, O Bounteous, it is taken up.
Thou art the dear Friend of the mighty Mornings: thou shinest in glimmerings of the night.
32 We Sobharis have come to him, for succour, who is good to help with thousand powers,
The Sovran, Trasadasyus' Friend.
33 O Agni, thou on whom all other fires depend, as branches on the parent stem,
I make the treasures of the folk, like songs, mine own, while I exalt thy sovran might.
34 The mortal whom, Adityas, ye, Guilelew, lead to the farther bank
Of all the princes, Bounteous Ones
35 whoever he be, Manruling- Kings! the Regent of the race of men-
May we, O Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman, like him be furtherers of your law.
36 A gift of fifty female slaves hath Trasadasyu given me, Purukutsas' son,
Most liberal, kind, lord of the brave.
37 And Syava too for me led forth a strong steed at Suvastus' ford:
A herd of three times seventy kine, good lord of gifts, he gave to me.
Rig Veda Mandalas:-
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