5. Atharv Veda — Kanda 5

✦ Sukta 1 · 9 verses ✦

5.1.1

ऋध॑ङ्मन्त्रो॒ योनिं॒ य आ॑ब॒भूव॒मृता॑सु॒र्वर्ध॑मानः सु॒जन्मा॑। अद॑ब्धासु॒र्भ्राज॑मा॒नोऽहे॑व त्रि॒तो ध॒र्ता दा॑धार॒ त्रीणि॑ ॥

Brahma, Lord of infinite thought and mantric word of knowledge, who first manifests Prakrti as self- generative self-evolving power, one with immortal pranic energy pervasive in the expansive universe, holy spirit in every thing born, redoubtable power, refulgent as the sun, ever existent in the three orders of time and space, mainstay of the universe and all forms of life, sustains the three worlds of heaven, earth and the middle regions.

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5.1.2

आ यो धर्मा॑णि प्रथ॒मः स॒साद॒ ततो॒ वपूं॑षि कृणुषे पु॒रूणि॑। धा॒स्युर्योनिं॑ प्रथ॒म आ वि॑वे॒शा यो वाच॒मनु॑दितां चि॒केत॑ ॥

He, the primal power that floats and superintends the laws of nature, then shapes the many forms of existence, is the all sustainer that first enters the cosmic womb of nature and knows the Word of Knowledge yet unspoken.

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5.1.3

यस्ते॒ शोका॑य त॒न्वं॑ रि॒रेच॒ क्षर॒द्धिर॑ण्यं॒ शुच॒योऽनु॒ स्वाः। अत्रा॑ दधेते अ॒मृता॑नि॒ नामा॒स्मे वस्त्रा॑णि॒ विश॒ एर॑यन्ताम् ॥

O lord, whosoever the person that cleanses his personality of material opaqueness to realise your light divine, his crystalline pure faculties turned inward concentrating on the golden light at the heart core, the heaven and earth for sure bear here itself immortal robes of light for him while all his seventeen faculties of sense, mind and energy inspire him.

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5.1.4

प्र यदे॒ते प्र॑त॒रं पू॒र्व्यं गुः सदः॑सद आ॒तिष्ठ॑न्तो अजु॒र्यम्। क॒विः शु॒षस्य॑ मा॒तरा॑ रिहा॒णे जा॒म्यै धुर्यं॒ पति॑मेरयेथाम् ॥

When these faculties, covering and stablising through every step (i.e., bhumi of the yoga consciousness) of the path to clairvoyance, reach the eternal unaging light of the saviour spirit, the man becomes a kavi, a visionary soul, and heaven and earth, both caressing mother spirits of mighty omniscience, reveal the supreme master and burden bearer of the universe for the sister spirit and inspire the visionary.

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5.1.5

तदू॒ षु ते॑ म॒हत्पृ॑थुज्म॒न्नमः॑ क॒विः काव्ये॑ना कृणोमि। यत्स॒म्यञ्चा॑वभि॒यन्ता॑व॒भि क्षामत्रा॑ म॒ही रोध॑चक्रे वावृ॒धेते॑ ॥

Thus do I, O lord of universal motion, I, the poet, offer great homage to you with poetry while both heaven and earth, moving together in unison like two gear wheels, inspire and energise me towards realisation of my ultimate haven.

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5.1.6

स॒प्त म॒र्यादाः॑ क॒वय॑स्ततक्षु॒स्तासा॒मिदेका॑म॒भ्यं॑हु॒रो गा॑त्। आ॒योर्ह॑ स्क॒म्भ उ॑प॒मस्य॑ नी॒डे प॒थां वि॑स॒र्गे ध॒रुणे॑षु तस्थौ ॥

Seven are the paths and bounds of the good life which wise visionaries have created and set up. Of these, let the sinner follow even one, steadfast in life as the pillar and the goal post, and he would be saved, and at the end of the journey he would rest in peace under the shelter of the lord, the closest and the highest master. On the other hand, if a man violates even one of them, he would be a sinner, lost and gone.

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5.1.7

उ॒तामृता॑सु॒र्व्रत॑ एमि कृ॒ण्वन्नसु॑रा॒त्मा त॒न्व१॒॑स्तत्सु॒मद्गुः॑। उ॒त वा॑ श॒क्रो रत्नं॒ दधा॑त्यू॒र्जया॑ वा॒ यत्सच॑ते हवि॒र्दाः ॥

Vested with immortal pranic energy, committed to my vows of discipline, I go forward in life. This way, prana, the soul and the body, all together, rise higher, and the Lord Almighty too bears the jewels of life for the person who, with offers of homage and yajnic devotion, serves the Lord with all his power and potential without reserve.

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5.1.8

उ॒त पु॒त्रः पि॒तरं॑ क्ष॒त्रमी॑डे ज्ये॒ष्ठं म॒र्याद॑मह्वयन्त्स्व॒स्तये॑। दर्श॒न्नु ता व॑रुण॒ यास्ते॑ वि॒ष्ठा आ॒वर्व्र॑ततः कृणवो॒ वपूं॑षि ॥

Child of divinity, I pray to Almighty Father for protection. People call upon the highest for all round happiness and well being, the Lord who sets the bounds of discipline and life’s values. O Varuna, revealing what your bounds of order and discipline are, pray show us those bounds, for you alone shape those forms and classes of Being to which the soul moves from one to another in the course of existence.

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5.1.9

अ॒र्धम॒र्धेन॒ पय॑सा पृणक्ष्य॒र्धेन॑ शुष्म वर्धसे अमुर। अविं॑ वृधाम श॒ग्मियं॒ सखा॑यं॒ वरु॑णं पु॒त्रमदि॑त्या इषि॒रम्। क॑विश॒स्तान्य॑स्मै॒ वपूं॑ष्यवोचाम॒ रोद॑सी सत्य॒वाचा॑ ॥

O Lord of wisdom and omniscience, you complete the expansive universe with ever abundant food of life. You increase the universal potential with expansive power, leaving nothing wanting. O friends, let us exalt Varuna, protector, all potent, friendly, saviour of all, inspiring spirit of inviolable Mother Nature, and let us celebrate the heaven and earth, embodiments of the veracity of existence, and many forms of its various reality sung and celebrated by poets.

✦ Sukta 2 · 9 verses ✦

5.2.1

तदिदा॑स॒ भुव॑नेषु॒ ज्येष्ठं॒ यतो॑ य॒ज्ञ उ॒ग्रस्त्वे॒षनृ॑म्णः। स॒द्यो ज॑ज्ञा॒नो नि रि॑णाति॒ शत्रू॒ननु॒ यदे॑नं॒ मद॑न्ति॒ विश्व॒ ऊमाः॑ ॥

This Indra, Brahma, is the first and highest in the worlds of existence, of which is born the refulgent, blazing, potent sun, which, as it arises, destroys the enemies such as darkness and negativities which damage life, and by the existence and power of which all positive and protective powers and all people rejoice, celebrate life and exalt him.

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5.2.2

वा॒वृ॒धा॒नः शव॑सा॒ भूर्यो॑जाः॒ शत्रु॑र्दा॒साय॑ भि॒यसं॑ दधाति। अव्य॑नच्च व्य॒नच्च॒ सस्नि॒ सं ते॑ नवन्त॒ प्रभृ॑ता॒ मदे॑षु ॥

Mighty exalted in strength, immensely lustrous, destroyer of negativities, it strikes terror into the heart of those forces which cause damage to life and the environment. Bounteous friend and sustainer of the breathing and non-breathing world, all people and powers which receive growth and sustenance from you join to do honour to you in their joy and celebration of life.

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5.2.3

त्वे क्रतु॒मपि॑ पृञ्चन्ति॒ भूरि॒ द्विर्यदे॒ते त्रिर्भ॑व॒न्त्यूमाः॑। स्वा॒दोः स्वादी॑यः स्वा॒दुना॑ सृजा॒ सम॒दः सु मधु॒ मधु॑ना॒भि यो॑धीः ॥

And they all, celebrants of divinity, dedicate all their yajnic actions and prayers to you when they join in two and grow to three in the family. O lord sweeter than sweetness itself, join the sweets of life with honey, and with honey and with divine bliss create life over- flowing with sweetness, love and ecstasy.

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5.2.4

यदि॑ चि॒न्नु त्वा॒ धना॒ जय॑न्तं॒ रणे॑रणे अनु॒मद॑न्ति विप्राः। ओजी॑यः शुष्मिन्त्स्थि॒रमा त॑नुष्व॒ मा त्वा॑ दभन्दु॒रेवा॑सः क॒शोकाः॑ ॥

Thus with joy in every battle of life, on every occasion of life grateful people and vibrant sages celebrate and exalt you, winner, creator and giver of wealth and excellence. Illustrious lord of shattering power, expand the common-wealth of permanent values. Let not the crooked and fiendish forces on the prowl suppress the creative gifts of divine generosity.

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5.2.5

त्वया॑ व॒यं शा॑शद्महे॒ रणे॑षु प्र॒पश्य॑न्तो यु॒धेन्या॑नि॒ भूरि॑। चो॒दया॑मि त॒ आयु॑धा॒ वचो॑भिः॒ सं ते॑ शिशामि॒ ब्रह्म॑णा॒ वयां॑सि ॥

With your divine inspiration, well knowing the weapons of war between divines and demons, we fight out the enemies of life in the battles of humanity. I strengthen and calibrate the arms and ammunitions for battle by your divine words, and by the same divine formula I sharpen the target efficacy of the arrows and missiles of offence and defence.

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5.2.6

नि तद्द॑धि॒षेऽव॑रे॒ परे॑ च॒ यस्मि॒न्नावि॒थाव॑सा दुरो॒णे। आ स्था॑पयत मा॒तरं॑ जिग॒त्नुमत॑ इन्वत॒ कर्व॑राणि॒ भूरि॑ ॥

You sustain this physical world close at hand and visible to the eye and also the other invisible world of metaphysical and spiritual reality in which you protect and maintain every thing with your power in their very home and in their nature. O friends, stabilise the motherly presence of divine love, vibrant and victorious, in your heart and thereby win over all doubts and fluctuations and achieve your goals.

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5.2.7

स्तु॒ष्व व॑र्ष्मन्पुरु॒वर्त्मा॑नं॒ समृभ्वा॑णमि॒नत॑ममा॒प्तमा॒प्त्याना॑म्। आ द॑र्शति॒ शव॑सा॒ भूर्यो॑जाः॒ प्र स॑क्षति प्रति॒मानं॑ पृथि॒व्याः ॥

O dedicated man of generous heart, worship and adore the lord of universal presence, self-refulgent, glorious, omniscient wise over all the wise self-realised sages, closer at hand than anything else. That lord of infinite might shines by his own light all round, and sym- bolically takes over the image of the vast mother earth.

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5.2.8

इ॒मा ब्रह्म॑ बृ॒हद्दि॑वः कृणव॒दिन्द्रा॑य शू॒षम॑ग्रि॒यः स्व॒र्षाः। म॒हो गो॒त्रस्य॑ क्षयति स्व॒राजा॒ तुर॑श्चि॒द्विश्व॑मर्णव॒त्तप॑स्वान् ॥

Enlightened sage, eminent, most wise of divine vision, having realised heavenly light, offers these songs in honour of Indra who, self-refulgent ruler of this mighty dominion, awfully blazing in glory, faster than the fastest, radiates and vibrates in the infinite ocean of space.

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5.2.9

ए॒वा म॒हान्बृ॒हद्दि॑वो॒ अथ॒र्वावो॑च॒त्स्वां त॒न्व१॒॑मिन्द्र॑मे॒व। स्वसा॑रौ मात॒रिभ्व॑री अरि॒प्रे हि॒न्वन्ति॑ चैने॒ शव॑सा व॒र्धय॑न्ति च ॥

Thus does the great sage of exalted vision and wisdom, his mind and heart at peace in samadhi, address the infinite spirit of Indra, immanent in his own self. These two, heaven and earth, rotating in the mother presence of Indra, both sinless, address and exalt that lord with all their might. Thus also the mind and intelligence of the sage, both free from pollution and fluctuations, celebrate and exalt the spirit of the sage.

✦ Sukta 3 · 11 verses ✦

5.3.1

ममा॑ग्ने॒ वर्चो॑ विह॒वेष्व॑स्तु व॒यं त्वेन्धा॑नास्त॒न्वं॑ पुषेम। मह्यं॑ नमन्तां प्र॒दिश॒श्चत॑स्र॒स्त्वयाध्य॑क्षेण॒ पृत॑ना जयेम ॥

O light of life, Agni, let my lustre and splendour shine in battles of the brave and assemblies of the wise. May we, lighting and exalting you in yajnic contests, strengthen and advance ourselves in body, mind and soul in the open social order. Let the four directions of the earth recognise and accept me with due honour and felicitation. Let us all win all round in the struggles for higher life under your leadership and watchful eye.

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5.3.2

अग्ने॑ म॒न्युं प्र॑तिनु॒दन्परे॑षां॒ त्वं नो॑ गो॒पाः परि॑ पाहि वि॒श्वतः॑। अपा॑ञ्चो यन्तु नि॒वता॑ दुर॒स्यवो॒ऽमैषां॑ चि॒त्तं प्र॒बुधां॒ वि ने॑शत् ॥

O fire and passion of life, Agni, leading light of humanity, challenging and throwing out the power and passion of those others, our adversaries, be our guide and protect us all round for our advance. Let our abusers go down and out, and let the morale of those too who are awake and alert in their position be cast down to naught. (The struggle is both for higher personality in the individual context and social advancement in the collective context of humanity, and the prayer is for conquest of the ego and egoistic divisive interests for the attainment of higher and universal values.)

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5.3.3

मम॑ दे॒वा वि॑ह॒वे स॑न्तु॒ सर्व॒ इन्द्र॑वन्तो म॒रुतो॒ विष्णु॑र॒ग्निः। ममा॒न्तरि॑क्षमु॒रुलो॑कमस्तु॒ मह्यं॒ वातः॑ पवतां॒ कामा॑या॒स्मै ॥

May all the Devas, divine powers and faculties, be with me when the battle begins: Maruts, i.e., pranic energies, the best of men and all the fortynine orders of the wind, Vishnu, all pervasive personal, social and environemental commitment, Agni, personal enthusiasm, social passion and universal enlightenment, all in top form of passion and energy. May the Antariksha, middle region of space, moral awareness, and moderate people of balanced mind be vast and liberal for open ended possibilities of progress, and may the winds blow favourable for the success of this mission of mine.

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5.3.4

मह्यं॑ यजन्तां॒ मम॒ यानी॒ष्टाकू॑तिः स॒त्या मन॑सो मे अस्तु। एनो॒ मा नि गां॑ कत॒मच्च॑ना॒हं विश्वे॑ दे॒वा अ॒भि र॑क्षन्तु मे॒ह ॥

May success come to me in all I desire to perform. May all purposes, intentions and resolutions of mind be true and fruitful. May I never come to think of any sin or evil whatever against the self or society or nature or Divinity. May all divinities of nature and humanity, all my faculties of mind and sense protect and help in this battle of life here and now.

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5.3.5

मयि॑ दे॒वा द्रवि॑ण॒मा य॑जन्तां॒ मय्या॒शीर॑स्तु॒ मयि॑ दे॒वहू॑तिः। दै॒वा होता॑रः सनिषन्न ए॒तदरि॑ष्टाः स्याम त॒न्वा॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

May all divinities of life and nature bear and bring me wealth, honour and excellence of life. May their blessings and good wishes ever be showered on me. May I too be able to sustain my mind and will to invoke the divinities for help and grace. May the divine performers of life’s yajna bless us with all this power and good will for success, and may we all be brave and inviolable in body, mind and soul.

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5.3.6

दैवीः॑ षडुर्वीरु॒रु नः॑ कृणोत॒ विश्वे॑ देवास इ॒ह मा॑दयध्वम्। मा नो॑ विददभि॒भा मो अश॑स्ति॒र्मा नो॑ विदद्वृजि॒ना द्वेष्या॒ या ॥

O divine six-dimentional spaces of expansive nature and time, help us grow all round without strain in person and humanity. O divinities of life of all the world, rejoice and be here with us to bless us with the glory and ecstasy of living. Let no depression, no malignity or imprecation, no alienation, no jealousy or hostility, ever touch and pollute us in body, mind and soul against nature and society.

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5.3.7

तिस्रो॑ देवी॒र्महि॑ नः॒ शर्म॑ यच्छत प्र॒जायै॑ नस्त॒न्वे॒ यच्च॑ पु॒ष्टम्। मा हा॑स्महि प्र॒जया॒ मा त॒नूभि॒र्मा र॑धाम द्विष॒ते सो॑म राजन् ॥

May three mother divinities, Ida, Mother Nature and Wisdom of the absolute state of existence, Sarasvati, mother spirit of dynamic knowledge and enlightenment, and Mahi, mother earth and the universal values of her children, provide us great expansive joy of peace and well being, and bless us with whatever is good for the growth and advancement of our personality and our people. May we never feel depressed or alienated on account of our health and personality and our people. O Soma, refulgent ruler and ordainer of peace and living joy, let us never be subjected to the forces of jealousy and adversity.

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5.3.8

उ॑रु॒व्यचा॑ नो महि॒षः शर्म॑ यच्छत्व॒स्मिन्हवे॑ पुरुहू॒तः पु॑रु॒क्षु। स नः॑ प्र॒जायै॑ हर्यश्व मृ॒डेन्द्र॒ मा नो॑ रीरिषो॒ मा परा॑ दाः ॥

May the great lord of glory and Infinity, omnificent and universally invoked, give us peace and prosperity in a happy home. O lord omnipotent, Indra, controller of the dynamic forces of life and nature, be kind and gracious to us, for our people, pray never hurt us, never alienate us, never forsake us to the other forces of evil and negativity.

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5.3.9

धा॒ता वि॑धा॒ता भुव॑नस्य॒ यस्पति॑र्दे॒वः स॑वि॒ताभि॑मातिषा॒हः। आ॑दि॒त्या रु॒द्रा अ॒श्विनो॒भा दे॒वाः पा॑न्तु॒ यज॑मानं निरृ॒थात् ॥

May Dhata, lord sustainer of life and the universe, Vidhata, controller and director of the course of history and natural evolution, Savita, self-refulgent creator and inspirer who is the parental protector of the world and destroyer of adversity, negativity and enmity, Adityas, twelve phases of the sun over the year, Rudras, powers of love and graces, destroyers of suffering and injustice, and all the pranic energies of life, both the Ashvins, twin forces of nature’s complementarity operative in existence, and all the divine brilliancies of natural and human powers: may all these protect and promote the yajamana against adversity and fall from grace.

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5.3.10

ये नः॑ स॒पत्ना॒ अप॒ ते भ॑वन्त्विन्द्रा॒ग्निभ्या॒मव॑ बाधामह एनान्। आ॑दि॒त्या रु॒द्रा उ॑परि॒स्पृशो॑ नो उ॒ग्रं चे॒त्तार॑मधिरा॒जम॑क्रत ॥

Whoever be our adversaries, opponents and enemies, let them all be out. We keep them off by the power of Indra and the light and leadership of Agni, omnipotent and omniscient, both our powers of defence and advancement. May Adityas, power of light refulgent as sun, Rudras, powers of love, justice and relentless law, all rising and touching the heights of possibility and divinity, raise us to the state of the power, passion and enlightenment of self-rule, social governanace and superhuman knowledge and wisdom, vision of divinity ultimately.

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5.3.11

अ॒र्वाञ्च॒मिन्द्र॑म॒मुतो॑ हवामहे॒ यो गो॒जिद्ध॑न॒जिद॑श्व॒जिद्यः। इ॒मं नो॑ य॒ज्ञं वि॑ह॒वे शृ॑णोत्व॒स्माक॑मभूर्हर्यश्व मे॒दी ॥

We invoke Indra, lord omnipotent, from there on top of divine sovereignty and yet present here right in front at the universal human level, Indra who is the winner of lands, cows, culture and enlightenment, who is the winner of wealth, honour and excellence, and who is the winner of horses, advancement and attainment of the highest goal for us. May the lord hear our invocation and prayer in this yajnic battle of progress. May the lord be gracious, who commands all the contrary- complementarities of nature and humanity and raise us to the level of divine love and grace.

✦ Sukta 4 · 10 verses ✦

5.4.1

यो गि॒रिष्वजा॑यथा वी॒रुधां॒ बल॑वत्तमः। कुष्ठेहि॑ तक्मनाशन त॒क्मानं॑ ना॒शय॑न्नि॒तः ॥

O Kushtha, strongest of the herbs born and growing on the mountains, destroyer of takman, come and cure the fever, psoriasis and leprosy from here.

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5.4.2

सु॑पर्ण॒सुव॑ने गि॒रौ जा॒तं हि॒मव॑त॒स्परि॑। धनै॑र॒भि श्रु॒त्वा य॑न्ति वि॒दुर्हि त॑क्म॒नाश॑नम् ॥

Born and grown on snowy mountain where herbs of beautiful leaves and golden efficacy with poisonous antidote grow, when people hear of it as the destroyer of takman, they go and get it even with money and lots of wealth.

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5.4.3

अ॑श्व॒त्थो दे॑व॒सद॑नस्तृ॒तीय॑स्यामि॒तो दि॒वि। तत्रा॒मृत॑स्य॒ चक्ष॑णं दे॒वाः कुष्ठ॑मवन्वत ॥

In the third highest level of the body is the brain, top of the human organism where the centres of devas, sense and will organs of the body are seated, and thus that is the top of the human personality. There the humans have the vision of divinity in meditation. There the divine efficacies of nature and of the sanative herb start the cure of the kushtha ailment as there the divine souls of humanity have a vision of divinity.

· · ·

5.4.4

हि॑र॒ण्ययी॒ नौर॑चर॒द्धिर॑ण्यबन्धना दि॒वि। तत्रा॒मृत॑स्य॒ पुष्पं॑ दे॒वाः कुष्ठ॑मवन्वत ॥

The golden boat of golden bands and tackle, i.e., the golden imagination of man, sojourns in the highest region of golden light. There too blooms the flower of immortality. And there in the golden region of the brain the divines cure the takman fever with the kushtha herb.

· · ·

5.4.5

हि॑र॒ण्ययाः॒ पन्था॑न आस॒न्नरि॑त्राणि हिर॒ण्यया॑। नावो॑ हिर॒ण्ययी॑रास॒न्याभिः॒ कुष्ठं॑ नि॒राव॑हन् ॥

Golden are the paths of manly sojourn. Golden are the oars of the boat, saviours from sin and disease. Golden are the boats to cross the seas. By these do the divines find and bring the kushtha herb for cure.

· · ·

5.4.6

इ॒मं मे॑ कुष्ठ॒ पूरु॑षं॒ तमा व॑ह॒ तं निष्कु॑रु। तमु॑ मे अग॒दं कृ॑धि ॥

O kushtha herb, raise this patient for me, raise him to freedom from takman, restore him to good health and freedom from suffering.

· · ·

5.4.7

दे॒वेभ्यो॒ अधि॑ जा॒तोऽसि॒ सोम॑स्यासि॒ सखा॑ हि॒तः। स प्रा॒णाय॑ व्या॒नाय॒ चक्षु॑षे मे अ॒स्मै मृ॑ड ॥

You are born for the divines, for their senses, mind and imagination, you are the friend and companion of soma for all good purposes. O herb, be good and efficacious for this patient of mine, for his prana and vyana energies of vitality and for his eye of inner and outer vision.

· · ·

5.4.8

उद॑ङ्जा॒तो हि॒मव॑तः॒ स प्रा॒च्यां नी॑यसे॒ जन॑म्। तत्र॒ कुष्ठ॑स्य॒ नामा॑न्युत्त॒मानि॒ वि भे॑जिरे ॥

Rising and growing from snowy mountains, it is brought to the people in the east where they distinguish its different names and best qualities and benefit from it.

· · ·

5.4.9

उ॑त्त॒मो नाम॑ कुष्ठास्युत्त॒मो नाम॑ ते पि॒ता। यक्ष्मं॑ च॒ सर्वं॑ ना॒शय॑ त॒क्मानं॑ चार॒सं कृ॑धि ॥

O kushtha, best is your name and quality, noblest is your producer and protector. Remove all consumptive and cancerous diseases. Make the takman fever totally ineffective.

· · ·

5.4.10

शी॑र्षाम॒यमु॑पह॒त्याम॒क्ष्योस्त॒न्वो॒रपः॑। कुष्ठ॒स्तत्सर्वं॒ निष्क॑र॒द्दैवं॑ समह॒ वृष्ण्य॑म् ॥

Ailments of the head and brain, weaknesses of the eye, infirmities of the body, kushtha cures all. Truly it is vigour and power of divinity in herbal form for man.

✦ Sukta 5 · 9 verses ✦

5.5.1

रात्री॑ मा॒ता नभः॑ पि॒तार्य॒मा ते॑ पिताम॒हः। सि॑ला॒ची नाम॒ वा अ॑सि॒ सा दे॒वाना॑मसि॒ स्वसा॑ ॥

O laksha, the night is your mother, the cloud in the sky is your father and the sun is your grandfather. Your name is Silachi, and you are sister of the divinities.

· · ·

5.5.2

यस्त्वा॒ पिब॑ति॒ जीव॑ति॒ त्राय॑से॒ पुरु॑षं॒ त्वम्। भ॒र्त्री हि शश्व॑ता॒मसि॒ जना॑नां च॒ न्यञ्च॑नी ॥

Whoever drinks you lives healthy. You invigorate man’s virility. You are the sustainer of people for all times and dispeller of disease.

· · ·

5.5.3

वृ॒क्षंवृ॑क्ष॒मा रो॑हसि वृष॒ण्यन्ती॑व क॒न्यला॑। जय॑न्ती प्रत्या॒तिष्ठ॑न्ती॒ स्पर॑णी॒ नाम॒ वा अ॑सि ॥

You cling and rise by every tree like a loving maiden eager for a lover in marriage. You are Jayanti, covering all over the tree, conquering the disease, Pratyatishthanti, staying strong by the tree, and your name is Sparani.

· · ·

5.5.4

यद्द॒ण्डेन॒ यदिष्वा॒ यद्वारु॒र्हर॑सा कृ॒तम्। तस्य॒ त्वम॑सि॒ निष्कृ॑तिः॒ सेमं निष्कृ॑धि॒ पूरु॑षम् ॥

Whatever wound is caused by stick, by arrow, by violence or fire, of that you are the cure. O Laksha, cure this man and restore him to health.

· · ·

5.5.5

भ॒द्रात्प्ल॒क्षान्निस्ति॑ष्ठस्यश्व॒त्थात्ख॑दि॒राद्ध॒वात्। भ॒द्रान्न्य॒ग्रोधा॑त्प॒र्णात्सा न॒ एह्य॑रुन्धति ॥

You come from good Bhadra, laksha tree, Ashvattha, Khadira and Dhava, from good banyan and parna, the medicine that cures wounds and heals bruises.

· · ·

5.5.6

हिर॑ण्यवर्णे॒ सुभ॑गे॒ सूर्य॑वर्णे॒ वपु॑ष्टमे। रु॒तं ग॑च्छासि निष्कृते॒ निष्कृ॑ति॒र्नाम॒ वा अ॑सि ॥

Golden in colour, blissful, bright as sun light, good for body’s health, when applied to the wound, you heal and heal completely. Indeed, your very name is Nishkrti, the healer, the restorative.

· · ·

5.5.7

हिर॑ण्यवर्णे॒ सुभ॑गे॒ शुष्मे॒ लोम॑शवक्षणे। अ॒पाम॑सि॒ स्वसा॑ लाक्षे॒ वातो॑ हा॒त्मा ब॑भूव ते ॥

Laksha, golden hued, auspicious, powerful, hairy chested, you are the sister of waters as cleanser, and Vata, energy, is really your very soul.

· · ·

5.5.8

सि॑ला॒ची नाम॑ कानी॒नोऽज॑बभ्रु पि॒ता तव॑। अश्वो॑ य॒मस्य॒ यः श्या॒वस्तस्य॑ हा॒स्नास्यु॑क्षि॒ता ॥

Laksha, silachi by name, refreshing and energetic, your origin is Ajababhru, and you are

· · ·

5.5.9

अश्व॑स्या॒स्नः संप॑तिता॒ सा वृ॒क्षाँ अ॒भि सि॑ष्यदे। स॒रा प॑तत्रिणी भू॒त्वा सा न॒ एह्य॑रुन्धति ॥

Arisen from the showers of light from the protent and virile sun, you rest upon the trees as gentle mist, and thence soaring, oozing, trickling, you come to us, the healer, the restorative.

✦ Sukta 6 · 14 verses ✦

5.6.1

ब्रह्म॑ जज्ञा॒नं प्र॑थ॒मं पु॒रस्ता॒द्वि सी॑म॒तः सु॒रुचो॑ वे॒न आ॑वः। स बु॒ध्न्या॑ उप॒मा अ॑स्य वि॒ष्ठाः स॒तश्च॒ योनि॒मस॑तश्च॒ वि वः॑ ॥

Vena, lord supreme of existence, first generated and manifested the evolving Prakrti and refulgent forms of existence, existent in their essence since eternity. He also generated and manifested other spatial forms, reflections of its power, in their own forms and order of law. Thus does the lord generate and manifest the origin of that which has come into existence and that which has not yet come.

· · ·

5.6.2

अना॑प्ता॒ ये वः॑ प्रथ॒मा यानि॒ कर्मा॑णि चक्रि॒रे। वी॒रान्नो॒ अत्र॒ मा द॑भ॒न्तद्व॑ ए॒तत्पु॒रो द॑धे ॥

There are those among you who earlier were not wholly self-realised in knowledge and perfect experts in their job, but they did perform certain acts and created certain precedents. Let them and their work not mislead our children and harm our heroes. Therefore I place this knowledge and expertise before you for your guidance.

· · ·

5.6.3

स॒हस्र॑धार ए॒व ते॒ सम॑स्वरन्दि॒वो नाके॒ मधु॑जिह्वा अस॒श्चतः॑। तस्य॒ स्पशो॒ न नि॑ मिषन्ति॒ भूर्ण॑यः प॒देप॑दे पा॒शिनः॑ सन्ति॒ सेत॑वे ॥

In the paradisal bliss of a thousand streams of light and generosity, divine self-realised souls sing and swim in joy, sweet of tongue, mind and will, in tune with the paradisal vision of heavenly light. Here, the instant watchful eyes of the dynamics of divinity, all enveloping and all beholding, are ever awake without a wink for the moment. Binding bonds are there at every step, and there are saviour bridges us well to pass on to the regions of bliss.

· · ·

5.6.4

पर्यु॒ षु प्र ध॑न्वा॒ वाज॑सातये॒ परि॑ वृ॒त्राणि॑ स॒क्षणिः॑। द्वि॒षस्तदध्य॑र्ण॒वेने॑यसे सनिस्र॒सो नामा॑सि त्रयोद॒शो मास॒ इन्द्र॑स्य गृ॒हः ॥

O conqueror of darkness to win the battle for the attainment of food for body, mind and soul, strike off all evil and sin. Conqueror by name and action you are who overcome all jealousy and enmity to cross over the sea and reach the land of bliss. Just as the sun crosses over twelve months of the year and enters the thirteenth month of the home of Indra, so does the human soul cross over the twelve stage-bonds of ten senses, mind and ego and attains to the presence of Indra, the soul’s own essential abode, the state of pure Being.

· · ·

5.6.5

न्वे॒तेना॑रात्सीरसौ॒ स्वाहा॑। ति॒ग्मायु॑धौ ति॒ग्महे॑ती सु॒षेवौ॒ सोमा॑रुद्रावि॒ह सु मृ॑डतं नः ॥

O soul, by this mantra of action and meditation, attain to your real state of perfection. This is the word of truth in faith. May Soma and Rudra, spirits of divine peace and resolute will and action, strong of arm, unfailing in strike of the target, and commanding commitment and adoration, be here with us, be gracious and lead us to fulfilment.

· · ·

5.6.6

अवै॑तेनारात्सीरसौ॒ स्वाहा॑। ति॒ग्मायु॑धौ ति॒ग्महे॑ती सु॒षेवौ॒ सोमा॑रुद्रावि॒ह सु मृ॑डतं नः ॥

By this mantra and action you ward off evil and win your real state of perfection. This is the word of truth in faith. May Soma and Rudra, spirits of divine peace and resolute will and action, strong of arm, unfailing in strike of the target, and commanding commitment and adoration, be here with us, be gracious and lead us to fulfilment.

· · ·

5.6.7

अपै॑तेनारात्सीरसौ॒ स्वाहा॑। ति॒ग्मायु॑धौ ति॒ग्महे॑ती सु॒षेवौ॒ सोमा॑रुद्रावि॒ह सु मृ॑डतं नः ॥

This way you ward off evil with arraignment of their default, and you win your goal. This is the word of truth in faith. May Soma and Rudra, spirits of divine peace and resolute action, strong of arm, unfailing in strike, and commanding commitment and adoration, be here with us, be gracious and lead us to fulfilment.

· · ·

5.6.8

मु॑मु॒क्तम॒स्मान्दु॑रि॒ताद॑व॒द्याज्जु॒षेथां॑ य॒ज्ञम॒मृत॑म॒स्मासु॑ धत्तम् ॥

O Soma and Rudra, release us from evil and reproach, join and bless our yajna, give us fulfilment with the attainment of immortality.

· · ·

5.6.9

चक्षु॑षो हेते॒ मन॑सो हेते॒ ब्रह्म॑णो हेते॒ तप॑सश्च हेते। मे॒न्या मे॒निर॑स्यमे॒नय॒स्ते स॑न्तु॒ ये॒स्माँ अ॑भ्यघा॒यन्ति॑ ॥

O evil of the eye, imprecation of the mind, chant-power of mantric vengeance, pride of austere ritual, know your limitations. O Agni, light and fire of life, you are the power-strike of power itself, super-thunder over all arms and missiles. May those who wish to malign, strike and torture us be disarmed of their weapons and power.

· · ·

5.6.10

यो॒स्मांश्चक्षु॑षा॒ मन॑सा॒ चित्त्याकू॑त्या च॒ यो अ॑घा॒युर॑भि॒दासा॑त्। त्वं तान॑ग्ने मे॒न्यामे॒नीन्कृ॑णु॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

O Agni, whoever the wicked person who wants to strike us with the evil eye, evil thought, evil mind, evil resolution, disarm them of their force and power by the strike of your fiery missile. This is our prayer in truth of word, thought and action.

· · ·

5.6.11

इन्द्र॑स्य गृ॒होऽसि॑। तं त्वा॒ प्र प॑द्ये॒ तं त्वा॒ प्र वि॑शामि॒ सर्व॑गुः॒ सर्व॑पूरुषः॒ सर्वा॑त्मा॒ सर्व॑तनूः स॒ह यन्मेऽस्ति॒ तेन॑ ॥

O lord of life, you are the centre of all power and potential, you are the haven and home of the soul, I come to you, I join your presence with all my faculties, all my people, with all my soul, with all my body and mind, with all that is mine, I surrender to you.

· · ·

5.6.12

इन्द्र॑स्य शर्मासि। तं त्वा॒ प्र प॑द्ये॒ तं त्वा॒ प्र वि॑शामि॒ सर्व॑गुः॒ सर्व॑पूरुषः॒ सर्वा॑त्मा॒ सर्व॑तनूः स॒ह यन्मेऽस्ति॒ तेन॑ ॥

Centre and source of universal power and potential, you are the ultimate shelter of the soul. I come to you, I join your presence with all my power and property, all my people, all my soul, all my body and mind, with all that is mine, I come.

· · ·

5.6.13

इन्द्र॑स्य॒ वर्मा॑सि। तं त्वा॒ प्र प॑द्ये॒ तं त्वा॒ प्र वि॑शामि॒ सर्व॑गुः॒ सर्व॑पूरुषः॒ सर्वा॑त्मा॒ सर्व॑तनूः स॒ह यन्मेऽस्ति॒ तेन॑ ॥

You are the ultimate shelter and protection of the soul, I come to you, I join your presence with all my power and potential, all my people, all my soul, all my body and mind, with all that is mine, I come

· · ·

5.6.14

इन्द्र॑स्य॒ वरू॑थमसि। तं त्वा॒ प्र प॑द्ये॒ तं त्वा॒ प्र वि॑शामि॒ सर्व॑गुः॒ सर्व॑पूरुषः॒ सर्वा॑त्मा॒ सर्व॑तनूः स॒ह यन्मेऽस्ति॒ तेन॑ ॥

You are the ultimate shelter and defence for safety and security of the soul. I come to you, I join your presence with all my power and potential, all my people and relationships, all my soul, all my body, mind and senses, with all that is mine, I come. Nothing mine is left here. The surrender is complete.

✦ Sukta 7 · 10 verses ✦

5.7.1

आ नो॑ भर॒ मा परि॑ ष्ठा अराते॒ मा नो॑ रक्षी॒र्दक्षि॑णां नी॒यमा॑नाम्। नमो॑ वी॒र्त्साया॒ अस॑मृद्धये॒ नमो॑ अ॒स्त्वरा॑तये ॥

O miserliness, what is our due, bring us. Stay it not. Do not withhold our share that should be brought. Good bye to the love of desperation. Good bye to adversity. Good bye to illiberality.

· · ·

5.7.2

यम॑राते पुरोध॒त्से पुरु॑षं परिरा॒पिण॑म्। नम॑स्ते॒ तस्मै॑ कृण्मो॒ मा व॒निं व्य॑थयी॒र्मम॑ ॥

O niggardliness, good bye to the whining person you push up to the front. We offer him salutations to depart. Pray do not insult our heart’s desire for liberality and well being.

· · ·

5.7.3

प्र णो॑ व॒निर्दे॒वकृ॑ता॒ दिवा॒ नक्तं॑ च कल्पताम्। अरा॑तिमनु॒प्रेमो॑ व॒यं नमो॑ अ॒स्त्वरा॑तये ॥

May our liberality of mind created and gifted by generous nature and noble people grow and prosper day and night. Therefore we go forward to the uncharitable and say good bye to niggardliness and adversity.

· · ·

5.7.4

सर॑स्वती॒मनु॑मतिं॒ भगं॒ यन्तो॑ हवामहे। वाचं जु॒ष्टां मधु॑मतीमवादिषं दे॒वानां॑ दे॒वहू॑तिषु ॥

Coming upto the wealth, honour and excellence of life, we invoke and adore Anumati, good counsel, and Sarasvati, divine mother spirit of knowledge, wisdom and enlightenment. In the assemblies of noble people on holy occasions, I wish we speak honey sweet language of generosity loved by noble and generous people.

· · ·

5.7.5

यं याचा॑म्य॒हं वा॒चा सर॑स्वत्या मनो॒युजा॑। श्र॒द्धा तम॒द्य वि॑न्दतु द॒त्ता सोमे॑न ब॒भ्रुणा॑ ॥

What I pray for, with words of love of the heart full of knowledge and wisdom gifted by divine and generous mother Sarasvati, may my love and faith blest by generous Soma spirit of divinity achieve that wealth, honour and excellence.

· · ·

5.7.6

मा व॒निं मा वाचं॑ नो॒ वीर्त्सी॑रु॒भावि॑न्द्रा॒ग्नी आ भ॑रतां नो॒ वसू॑नि। सर्वे॑ नो अ॒द्य दित्स॒न्तोऽरा॑तिं॒ प्रति॑ हर्यत ॥

O misery, O adversity, do not shake my words of prayer and dedication of the heart. Do not deprive me of the gifts of Sarasvati. May Indra and Agni, divine power and light, spirit of confidence and light of wisdom, bring us wealth, honour and excellence. Let all our powers of generosity and love today drive out meanness, misery and niggardliness from our life.

· · ·

5.7.7

प॒रोऽपे॑ह्यसमृद्धे॒ वि ते॑ हे॒तिं न॑यामसि। वेद॑ त्वा॒हं नि॒मीव॑न्तीं नितु॒दन्ती॑मराते ॥

Get off, adversity. We counter your onslaught right away. I know you are demoralizing, and you pierce at the heart’s core, total deprivation as you are.

· · ·

5.7.8

उ॒त न॒ग्ना बोभु॑वती स्वप्न॒या स॑चसे॒ जन॑म्। अरा॑ते चि॒त्तं वीर्त्स॒न्त्याकू॑तिं॒ पुरु॑षस्य च ॥

Off you, Arati, indigent of mind and niggard at heart, persistently naked and shameless, you seize people in sloth and, by dreams, shake man’s resolution of mind and disturb his cherished values to the depths of the heart.

· · ·

5.7.9

या म॑ह॒ती म॒होन्मा॑ना॒ विश्वा॒ आशा॑ व्यान॒शे। तस्यै॑ हिरण्यके॒श्यै निरृ॑त्या अकरं॒ नमः॑ ॥

She, indigent of mind, niggard at heart, voluminous negativity present in all directions of the world, golden-haired love of misers, to that poverty and negativity of spirit, I offer saluatations with the challenge of thunder.

· · ·

5.7.10

हिर॑ण्यवर्णा सु॒भगा॒ हिर॑ण्यकशिपुर्म॒ही। तस्यै॒ हिर॑ण्यद्राप॒येऽरा॑त्या अकरं॒ नमः॑ ॥

Shaded in gold, prosperity locked up in golden trappings camouflaged in gold is Arati, spirit of misery and adversity at heart. To her, salutations with the challenge of thunder.

✦ Sukta 8 · 9 verses ✦

5.8.1

वै॑कङ्क॒तेने॒ध्मेन॑ दे॒वेभ्य॒ आज्यं॑ वह। अग्ने॒ ताँ इ॒ह मा॑दय॒ सर्व॒ आ य॑न्तु मे॒ हव॑म् ॥

With sharp and blazing fuel, Agni, ruling power of fire, send noble fighting forces the food and ammunition they need. Let them all be happy here, not wanting anything. Let them all hear my call and come to my yajna.

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5.8.2

इ॒न्द्रा या॑हि मे॒ हव॑मि॒दं क॑रिष्यामि॒ तच्छृ॑णु। इ॒म ऐ॒न्द्रा अ॑तिस॒रा आकू॑तिं॒ सं न॑मन्तु मे। तेभिः॑ शकेम वी॒र्यं१॒॑ जात॑वेद॒स्तनू॑वशिन् ॥

O mighty ruler, Indra, pray come, listen to my call. Listen what I am going to do. Let these tempestuous forces of Indra follow my plan and resolution. O Agni, Jataveda, all knowing leader, in command of the dominion, by these plans and forces we shall achieve wondrous victory and advance our power and glory.

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5.8.3

यद॒साव॒मुतो॑ देवा अदे॒वः संश्चिकी॑र्षति। मा तस्या॒ग्निर्ह॒व्यं वा॑क्षी॒द्धवं॑ दे॒वा अ॑स्य॒ मोप॒ गुर्ममै॒व हव॒मेत॑न ॥

O Devas, noble and positive powers of the world, if that negative, undivine, destructive power wants to attack us from that far off place and destroy our freedom and prosperity, let not Agni, enlightened and fiery leader of humanity, listen to carry out his call and offer, let no good and positive powers listen and go to join him. Let them all come and join my yajnic call for defence of freedom and prosperity of all.

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5.8.4

अति॑ धावतातिसरा॒ इन्द्र॑स्य॒ वच॑सा हत। अविं॒ वृक॑ इव मथ्नीत॒ स वो॒ जीव॒न्मा मो॑चि प्रा॒णम॒स्यापि॑ नह्यत ॥

Come fast, tempestuous forces, rush on forward by the command of Indra, pounce upon the enemy and crush him as a wolf crushes the prey. Let him not get away alive. Take on all his forces too, break down their morale and bind them as prisoners.

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5.8.5

यम॒मी पु॑रोदधि॒रे ब्र॒ह्माण॒मप॑भूतये। इन्द्र॒ स ते॑ अधस्प॒दं तं प्रत्य॑स्यामि मृ॒त्यवे॑ ॥

Indra, O ruler, if for our damage, defeat and ignominy, they place a Brahmana in front and press forward, let him be under your foot and I would throw him too unto death.

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5.8.6

यदि॑ प्रे॒युर्दे॑वपु॒रा ब्रह्म॒ वर्मा॑णि चक्रि॒रे। त॑नू॒पानं॑ परि॒पाणं॑ कृण्वा॒ना यदु॑पोचि॒रे सर्वं॒ तद॑र॒सं कृ॑धि ॥

And if citizens of the towns come forward, if the enemies turn the holy ones or our own tactics into their defence, using our own land and people as their armour and line of defence, and on top of it all boast of themselves to demoralise us, turn all that to naught.

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5.8.7

यान॒साव॑तिस॒रांश्च॒कार॑ कृ॒णव॑च्च॒ यान्। त्वं तानि॑न्द्र वृत्रहन्प्र॒तीचः॒ पुन॒रा कृ॑धि॒ यथा॒मुं तृ॒णहा॒ञ्जन॑म् ॥

O ruler and commander, Indra, all those efforts which the enemy has done and which he is planning and doing, turn all those, O destroyer of evil and enmity, against him so that we may destroy all that enemy force.

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5.8.8

यथेन्द्र॑ उ॒द्वाच॑नं ल॒ब्ध्वा च॒क्रे अ॑धस्प॒दम्। कृ॒ण्वे॒हमध॑रा॒न्तथा॒मूञ्छ॑श्व॒तीभ्यः॒ समा॑भ्यः ॥

Just as Indra, a mighty warrior, seizes a boaster and keeps him under the foot, so must I put them down and keep them under foot for a long long time, thus to exhaust them of their pride and force.

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5.8.9

अत्रै॑नानिन्द्र वृत्रहन्नु॒ग्रो मर्म॑णि विध्य। अत्रै॒वैना॑न॒भि ति॒ष्ठेन्द्र॑ मे॒द्य१॒॑हं तव॑। अनु॑ त्वे॒न्द्रा र॑भामहे॒ स्याम॑ सुम॒तौ तव॑ ॥

Here then, O destroyer of evil and enmity, Indra, blazing lustrous hero, fix them unto the vitals of their heart. Here and thus, O ruler and warrior, rule over them. We are your friends. Let us all love and support you. Let us all enjoy your favour and good will.

✦ Sukta 9 · 8 verses ✦

5.9.1

दिवे॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥१॥

Homage to the sun for health and light, in truth of thought, word and deed in faith.

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5.9.2

पृ॒थि॒व्यै स्वाहा॑ ॥२॥

Homage to the earth for nourishment and stability, in truth of thought, word and deed in faith.

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5.9.3

अ॒न्तरि॑क्षाय॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Homage to the middle region for health and liberality, in truth of thought, word and deed in faith.

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5.9.4

अ॒न्तरि॑क्षाय॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Homage to the middle region for health and broadness of mind in truth of thought, word and deed in faith.

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5.9.5

दि॒वे स्वाहा॑ ॥

Homage to the heavens for health and light in truth of word, thought and deed in faith.

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5.9.6

पृ॒थि॒व्यै स्वाहा॑ ॥

Homage to the earth for health and patience in truth of thought, word and deed in faith.

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5.9.7

सूर्यो॑ मे॒ चक्षु॒र्वातः॑ प्रा॒णो॒न्तरि॑क्षमा॒त्मा पृ॑थि॒वी शरी॑रम्। अ॒स्तृ॒तो नामा॒हम॒यम॑स्मि॒ स आ॒त्मानं॒ नि द॑धे॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वीभ्यां॑ गोपी॒थाय॑ ॥

The sun is my eye, wind my prana, vast skies my spirit, earth my body and stability. Unfallen, undefeated, unsurpassed,, free am I, the soul, which I offer and surrender to heaven and earth as to my father and mother for the sake of protection and sustenance.

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5.9.8

उदायु॒रुद्बल॒मुत्कृ॒तमुत्कृ॒त्यामुन्म॑नी॒षामुदि॑न्द्रि॒यम्। आयु॑ष्कृ॒दायु॑ष्पत्नी॒ स्वधा॑वन्तौ गो॒पा मे॑ स्तं गोपा॒यतं॑ मा। आ॒त्म॒सदौ॑ मे स्तं॒ मा मा॑ हिंसिष्टम् ॥

My life of high order, my strength of high order, my work of high order, my duty of high order, my intellect and mind and thought of high order, my sense and judgement of high order, may heaven and earth, both givers of life, both protectors of life, both self- potent, I pray, may protect and promote. May both be my protectors. May both sustain me. May both abide by me with my soul. May the two never hurt me, never forsake me throughout my life in body on earth.

✦ Sukta 10 · 8 verses ✦

5.10.1

अ॒श्म॒व॒र्म मे॑ऽसि॒ यो मा॒ प्राच्या॑ दि॒शोऽघा॒युर॑भि॒दासा॑त्। ए॒तत् स ऋ॑च्छात् ॥

O mind and soul with perfect faith in Brahma, you are my thunderous shield of defence, whoever the evil man that wants to challenge and enslave me from the eastern direction upfront, let him face and encounter this thunder, and perish.

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5.10.2

अ॒श्म॒व॒र्म मे॑ऽसि॒ यो मा॒ दक्षि॑णाया दि॒शोऽघा॒युर॑भि॒दासा॑त्। ए॒तत् स ऋ॑च्छात् ॥

O mind and soul with perfect faith in Brahma, you are my thunderous shield of defence. Whoever the evil man that wants to challenge and enslave me from the south direction on the right, let him face and encounter this thunder, and perish.

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5.10.3

अ॒श्म॒व॒र्म मे॑ऽसि॒ यो मा॒ प्र॒तीच्या॑ दि॒शोऽघा॒युर॑भि॒दासा॑त्। ए॒तत् स ऋ॑च्छात् ॥

O mind and soul with perfect self-confidence, you are my granite wall of defence. Whoever the evil man that wants to challenge and enslave me from the western direction behind, let him face and encounter this wall, and perish.

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5.10.4

अ॒श्म॒व॒र्म मे॑ऽसि॒ यो मा॒ मोदी॑च्या॑ दि॒शोऽघा॒युर॑भि॒दासा॑त्। ए॒तत् स ऋ॑च्छात् ॥

O mind and soul with high morale, you are my thunder shield of defence. Whoever the evil man that wants to challenge and enslave me from the northern direction on the left, let him face and encounter this shield, and perish.

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5.10.5

अ॑श्मव॒र्म मे॑ऽसि॒ यो मा॑ ध्रु॒वाया॑ दि॒शोऽघा॒युर॑भि॒दासा॑त्। ए॒तत्स ऋ॑च्छात् ॥

O mind and soul with self confidence and faith in divinity, you are my bed rock of defence on the earth below. Whoever the fool that is a victim of sin and evil and wants to challenge and enslave me from

the lower direction below, let him face and strike his head against this rock, and perish.

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5.10.6

अ॑श्मव॒र्म मे॑ऽसि॒ यो मो॒र्ध्वाया॑ दि॒शोऽघा॒युर॑भि॒दासा॑त्। ए॒तत्स ऋ॑च्छात् ॥

O mind and soul with grace from above, you are my thunder-cover of lightning. Whoever the sinner that wants to challenge and enslave me from the direction above, let him face and try to break through this cover, and perish.

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5.10.7

अ॑श्मव॒र्म मे॑ऽसि॒ यो मा॑ दि॒शाम॑न्तर्दे॒शेभ्यो॑ऽघा॒युर॑भि॒दासा॑त्। ए॒तत्स ऋ॑च्छात् ॥

O mind and soul, you are my total cover all round blest by Brahma Prajapati. Whoever or whatever the evil force that wants to attack from anywhere in all quarters of space and tries to subject me to slavery, let it encounter this cover, and perish.

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5.10.8

बृ॑ह॒ता मन॒ उप॑ ह्वये मात॒रिश्व॑ना प्राणापा॒नौ। सूर्या॒च्चक्षु॑र॒न्तरि॑क्षा॒च्छ्रोत्रं॑ पृथि॒व्याः शरी॑रम्। सर॑स्वत्या॒ वाच॒मुप॑ ह्वयामहे मनो॒युजा॑ ॥

I call upon my mind and soul with the infinite potential of cosmic mind and Prajapati, I pray for energy of prana and apana from the winds, eye from the sun, ear from space, and body from the earth for the invincible cover of life. With Brhat Saman, we invoke and pray for the Word of Divinity from Mother Sarasvati, inspirer of mind, intellect and soul with knowledge and the strength and power that flows from knowledge.

✦ Sukta 11 · 11 verses ✦

5.11.1

क॒थं म॒हे असु॑रायाब्रवीरि॒ह क॒थं पि॒त्रे हर॑ये त्वे॒षनृ॑म्णः। पृश्निं॑ वरुण॒ दक्षि॑णां ददा॒वान्पुन॑र्मघ॒ त्वं मन॑साचिकित्सीः ॥

Seeker to himself: “What and how have you spoken here of and about and to Varuna, life of life and all protector, universal father that takes away all pain and suffering of life? Mighty refulgent is he, all powerful.” Seeker to Varuna: O Varuna, lord of judgement, all protector, constant giver of gifts of earth and nature in life, pray enlighten us, with all the love and care at heart you have for us, about yourself and your divine gifts, constant and incessant as they are.”

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5.11.2

न कामे॑न॒ पुन॑र्मघो भवामि॒ सं च॑क्षे॒ कं पृश्नि॑मे॒तामुपा॑जे। केन॒ नु त्वम॑थर्व॒न्काव्ये॑न॒ केन॑ जा॒तेना॑सि जा॒तवे॑दाः ॥

Varuna speaks to the seeker: “Not by mere desire do I become a constant giver. I wish, I watch, I care, I speak and inspire. I inspire and move this earth and heaven, and thus look after the peace and pleasure of life. O seeker, Atharvan, man of wisdom and stable mind, by which power, poetic self-revealing and inspiring in existence, do you grow to be a man of all knowledge? It is by the spirit and poetry of the spirit that is supreme and infinite, all comprehensive and protective, that you grow all knowing. Know that and you know all.

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5.11.3

स॒त्यम॒हं ग॑भी॒रः काव्ये॑न स॒त्यं जा॒तेना॑स्मि जा॒तवे॑दाः। न मे॑ दा॒सो नार्यो॑ महि॒त्वा व्र॒तं मी॑माय॒ यद॒हं ध॑रि॒ष्ये ॥

“True it is I am deep and serious, unfathomable, unknowable beyond thought and words. I am all wise and omniscient by virtue of the true wisdom of the poetry of existence and all that is in existence itself. Neither the noble nor the ignoble with all their power and potential can ever comprehend the law and discipline which I ordain and sustain.”

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5.11.4

न त्वद॒न्यः क॒वित॑रो॒ न मे॒धया॒ धीर॑तरो वरुण स्वधावन्। त्वं ता विश्वा॒ भुव॑नानि वेत्थ॒ स चि॒न्नु त्वज्जनो॑ मा॒यी बि॑भाय ॥

The seeker’s homage to Varuna: “Yes, O lord, none other than you is superior either by knowledge and wisdom nor by intelligence and awareness, nor is anyone more patient and steadfast. O Varuna, you alone are lord of your own essential power. You alone know, wield and sustain all regions of the universe. Surely, even the man who commands wondrous powers feels over-awed by your infinite power.

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5.11.5

त्वं ह्य१॒॑ङ्ग व॑रुण स्वधाव॒न्विश्वा॒ वेत्थ॒ जनि॑मा सुप्रणीते। किं रज॑स ए॒ना प॒रो अ॒न्यद॑स्त्ये॒ना किं परे॒णाव॑रममुर ॥

“O lord of darling love and glory, self-potent leader and guide of the universe, you know the birth and age of all creatures of the universe. Pray, what is there anything beyond this expansive space? O lord of wisdom and immortality, is there anything closer this side of that farthest reality?”

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5.11.6

एकं॒ रज॑स ए॒ना प॒रो अ॒न्यदस्त्ये॒ना प॒र एके॑न दु॒र्णशं॑ चिद॒र्वाक्। तत्ते॑ वि॒द्वान्व॑रुण॒ प्र ब्र॑वीम्य॒धोव॑चसः प॒णयो॑ भवन्तु नी॒चैर्दा॒सा उप॑ सर्पन्तु॒ भूमि॑म् ॥

Varuna speaks to the seeker: “Of that, I, all knowing Varuna, speak to you. There is one beyond this dynamic expansive universe, that is the transcendent Parama Brahma, and this side of that also, there is one, indestructible, that is Prakrti in the essence. Let the stingy misers be down, poor of speech below the state of knowledge, and let the negatives too creep upon the surface of the earth, never higher than the grass.”

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5.11.7

त्वं ह्य१॒॑ङ्ग व॑रुण॒ ब्रवी॑षि॒ पुन॑र्मघेष्वव॒द्यानि॒ भूरि॑। मो षु प॒णीँर॑भ्ये॒ताव॑तो भू॒न्मा त्वा॑ वोचन्नरा॒धसं॒ जना॑सः ॥

The seeker: “O loving lord of generosity, you yourself say that often many evils creep into the life of those who repeatedly rise to prosperity. Let no such adversity overtake such people of sterile mind. Pray be not too kind to them also, but save them all the same from their sterility. Let not people say that you are unkind.”

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5.11.8

मा मा॑ वोचन्नरा॒धसं॒ जना॑सः॒ पुन॑स्ते॒ पृश्निं॑ जरितर्ददामि। स्तो॒त्रं मे॒ विश्व॒मा या॑हि॒ शची॑भिर॒न्तर्विश्वा॑सु॒ मानु॑षीषु दि॒क्षु ॥

Varuna’s blessing: “O seeker, O celebrant, people would not say I am unkind and ungenerous. I give you all the gifts of the earth and nature without a break. Among all human communities over the earth in all directions, with your powers and potentials, with all your holy actions, come and live by songs of universal wisdom and divine celebration I give you. (This is the filial bond between you and me.)”

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5.11.9

आ ते॑ स्तो॒त्राण्युद्य॑तानि यन्त्व॒न्तर्विश्वा॑सु॒ मानु॑षीषु दि॒क्षु। दे॒हि नु मे॒ यन्मे॒ अद॑त्तो॒ असि॒ युज्यो॑ मे स॒प्तप॑दः॒ सखा॑सि ॥

The celebrant’s prayer: “O Lord Varuna, may the songs of your celebration rise and ring across the quarters of space over the earth among all the people of humanity. Pray bless me with that which is yet wanting in me and which I must attain. You are my friend, my inalienable companion attainable over seven steps of the Vyahrtis: Bhu, Bhuva, Sva, Maha, Jana, tapa and Satyam.

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5.11.10

स॒मा नौ॒ बन्धु॑र्वरुण स॒मा जा वेदा॒हं तद्यन्ना॑वे॒षा स॒मा जा। ददा॑मि॒ तद्यत्ते॒ अद॑त्तो॒ अस्मि॒ युज्य॑स्ते स॒प्तप॑दः॒ सखा॑स्मि ॥

“O Varuna, our kinship and fraternity is equal and constant, our nature and manifestation in the world is equal and constant. I also know how this kinship and nature is equal and constant. I now offer and surrender to you what I have not so far offered and surrendered to you. I am a companion, with you and at your service. I am your friend and I would join you at seven steps from here.

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5.11.11

दे॒वो दे॒वाय॑ गृण॒ते व॑यो॒धा विप्रो॒ विप्रा॑य स्तुव॒ते सु॑मे॒धाः। अजी॑जनो॒ हि व॑रुण स्वधाव॒न्नथ॑र्वाणं पि॒तरं॑ दे॒वब॑न्धुम्। तस्मा॑ उ॒ राधः॑ कृणुहि सुप्रश॒स्तं सखा॑ नो असि पर॒मं च॒ बन्धुः॑ ॥

“O Varuna, lord of your own divine power, you are brilliantly generous for the generous, giver of health and long age for the celebrant, vibrant energy for the faithful, giver of intelligence for the worshipper. You raise the constant devotee to be a father figure and a brother of the divines. Pray create and give excellent wealth and honour for him. Our friend you are for us the brother highest.”

✦ Sukta 12 · 11 verses ✦

5.12.1

समि॑द्धो अ॒द्य मनु॑षो दुरो॒णे दे॒वो दे॒वान्य॑जसि जातवेदः। आ च॒ वह॑ मित्रमहश्चिकि॒त्वान्त्वं दू॒तः क॒विर॑सि॒ प्रचे॑ताः ॥

O Jataveda, lighted today in the man’s home, you are brilliant and generous. You invoke, join and serve the brilliant powers of nature and humanity. Friend of the highest refulgent order, pray bring in the divines, communicate and create with them. You are master of information and knowledge, refined manager, poetic creator and wide awake in the life around.

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5.12.2

तनू॑नपात्प॒थ ऋ॒तस्य॒ याना॒न्मध्वा॑ सम॒ञ्जन्त्स्व॑दया सुजिह्व। मन्मा॑नि धी॒भिरु॒त य॒ज्ञमृ॒न्धन्दे॑व॒त्रा च॑ कृणुह्यध्व॒रं नः॑ ॥

Maintaining the body beyond fear and fall, holy and sophisticated of speech and taste, sprinkle the paths of truth worth following with honey sweets of culture and creativity, enjoy them and lead on others to enjoy them and follow. Energising and elevating thoughts and yajnic meets with a high order of knowledge and action, raise the yajnic order and accomplish and fulfil this programme of love, non-violence and service worthy of the divines.

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5.12.3

आ॒जुह्वा॑न॒ ईड्यो॒ वन्द्य॒श्चा या॑ह्यग्ने॒ वसु॑भिः स॒जोषाः॑। त्वं दे॒वाना॑मसि यह्व॒ होता॒ स ए॑नान्यक्षीषि॒तो यजी॑यान् ॥

Giving the clarion call for collective creative action with the spirit of yajna, Agni, worthy of praise and adoration, come with honour, excellence and vibrant energies of life. You are harbinger and inspirer of divinities, great and powerful, worthy of love, association and leadership, inspired with a mission, pray bring in and join all these divine forces together and lead them on to create a higher order of life.

· · ·

5.12.4

प्रा॒चीनं॑ ब॒र्हिः प्र॒दिशा॑ पृथि॒व्या वस्तो॑र॒स्या वृ॑ज्यते॒ अग्रे॒ अह्ना॑म्। व्यु॑ प्रथते वित॒रं वरी॑यो दे॒वेभ्यो॒ अदि॑तये स्यो॒नम् ॥

Just as in the early part of the day, at dawn, holy grass, old and ancient is gathered from various quarters of the earth to cover the vedi and is spread on the east, and this seat is good and comfortable for the sages to sit on and meditate freely, so does the sun rise warm and comfortable to cover the earth with light from the east, and so does the presence of Brahma all-pervasive and collected from nature arise on the vedi at dawn for the sages to meditate and so does it expand in their consciousness for their good.

· · ·

5.12.5

व्यच॑स्वतीरुर्वि॒या वि श्र॑यन्तां॒ पति॑भ्यो॒ न जन॑यः॒ शुम्भ॑मानाः। देवी॑र्द्वारो बृह॒तीर्वि॑श्वमिन्वा दे॒वेभ्यो॑ भवत सुप्राय॒णाः ॥

Just as youthful women wax at heart with love for their husbands, so may the holy doors of the vedi be wide open, expansive, gracious and welcoming for the sages to come in and participate in the yajna.

· · ·

5.12.6

आ सु॒ष्वय॑न्ती यज॒ते उ॒पाके॑ उ॒षासा॒नक्ता॑ सदतां॒ नि योनौ॑। दि॒व्ये योष॑णे बृह॒ती सु॑रु॒क्मे अधि॒ श्रियं॑ शुक्र॒पिशं॒ दधा॑ने ॥

Let the day and night, graciously associated together, both adorable, abiding by the sun, their common progenitor, be present and bless the home. Similarly, let the man and wife, both divine and youthful, broad at heart, holy and brilliant, bearing grace and creative sanctity, abide by the holiness of the home and family as the divine foundation of their togetherness in love.

· · ·

5.12.7

दैव्या॒ होता॑रा प्रथ॒मा सु॒वाचा॒ मिमा॑ना य॒ज्ञं मनु॑षो॒ यज॑ध्यै। प्र॑चो॒दय॑न्ता वि॒दथे॑षु का॒रू प्रा॒चीनं॒ ज्योतिः॑ प्र॒दिशा॑ दि॒शन्ता॑ ॥

Two divine high priests of first order of eminence, experts of the language of science and social policy, masters of measurement and design, construction and extension of the human yajna of mutual cooperation and development, inspiring and pressing forward in plans, projects and programmes of social development, experts in theory and practice, speculation and realistic imagination, dedicated to the eternal light of Vedic values and pointing forward to wide and open-ended progress should lead the nation of humanity like Agni and Aditya, light and leadership in complementarity.

· · ·

5.12.8

आ नो॑ य॒ज्ञं भार॑ती॒ तूय॑मे॒त्विडा॑ मनु॒ष्वदि॒ह चे॒तय॑न्ती। ति॒स्रो दे॒वीर्ब॒र्हिरेदं स्यो॒नं सर॑स्वतीः॒ स्वप॑सः सदन्ताम् ॥

Let Bharati, spirit and language of the land, Ida, vision and word of eternity in the version of human consciousness, giver of enlightenment, and Sarasvati, perennial stream of knowledge and grace, all these three divinities, noble of thought, intention and action, come upon the instant, come and bless us.

· · ·

5.12.9

य इ॒मे द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी जनि॑त्री रू॒पैरपिं॑श॒द्भुव॑नानि॒ विश्वा॑। तम॒द्य हो॑तरिषि॒तो यजी॑यान्दे॒वं त्वष्टा॑रमि॒ह य॑क्षि वि॒द्वान् ॥

O yajamana, inspired and adorable man blest with knowledge, invoke, join and worship Tvashta, that self-refulgent creator and maker of forms here in the evolution of life, who creates both these mother powers of generation, heaven and earth, and beautifies all regions of the universe with graceful forms.

· · ·

5.12.10

उ॒पाव॑सृज॒ त्मन्या॑ सम॒ञ्जन्दे॒वानां॒ पाथ॑ ऋतु॒था ह॒वींषि॑। वन॒स्पतिः॑ शमि॒ता दे॒वो अ॒ग्निः स्वद॑न्तु ह॒व्यं मधु॑ना घृ॒तेन॑ ॥

O yajamana, sincerely preparing and seasoning the food and fragrances for the divinities according to the seasons offer it into the vedi and pray may Vanaspati, lord of herbs, the spirit of nature at peace, the sun and Agni enjoy the holy offerings and bless the greens with ghrta and honey sweets.

· · ·

5.12.11

स॒द्यो जा॒तो व्य॑मिमीत य॒ज्ञम॒ग्निर्दे॒वाना॑मभवत्पुरो॒गाः। अ॒स्य होतुः॑ प्र॒शिष्यृ॒तस्य॑ वा॒चि स्वाहा॑कृतं ह॒विर॑दन्तु दे॒वाः ॥

Agni, refulgent deity of yajna, instantly and always rising, accomplishes the yajna and thereby becomes pioneer of divine powers. Thereby, may the divinities receive and consume the food offered into the fire within the noble yajamana’s discipline of the law and language of truth and yajna with the spirit of total surrender.

✦ Sukta 13 · 11 verses ✦

5.13.1

द॒दिर्हि मह्यं॒ वरु॑णो दि॒वः क॒विर्वचो॑भिरु॒ग्रैर्नि रि॑णामि ते वि॒षम्। खा॒तमखा॑तमु॒त स॒क्तम॑ग्रभ॒मिरे॑व॒ धन्व॒न्नि ज॑जास ते वि॒षम् ॥

Varuna, brilliant physician with his knowledge of sun and water, has given me the knowledge of snake poison cure. With unfailing words of that knowledge I remove your poison. Whether the wound and poison is deep or shallow or superficial, I seize your poison and make it disappear just as water disappears in sand in the desert.

· · ·

5.13.2

यत्ते॒ अपो॑दकं वि॒षं तत्त॑ ए॒तास्व॑ग्रभम्। गृ॒ह्णामि॑ ते मध्य॒ममु॑त्त॒मं रस॑मु॒ताव॒मं भि॒यसा॑ नेश॒दादु॑ ते ॥

Your poison that is dehydrating and burning the blood in the blood vessels, I seize and draw out. I draw out your poison which may be of medium, high or low intensity and which must disappear by the force of the antidote.

· · ·

5.13.3

वृषा॑ मे॒ रवो॒ नभ॑सा॒ न त॑न्य॒तुरु॒ग्रेण॑ ते॒ वच॑सा बाध॒ आदु॑ ते। अ॒हं तम॑स्य॒ नृभि॑रग्रभं॒ रसं॒ तम॑स इव॒ ज्योति॒रुदे॑तु॒ सूर्यः॑ ॥

My word is mighty and virile like thunder of the cloud. With that powerful word, I stop and drive out you and your poison. With the help of men I have seized and dispelled the effective spirit of the poison as light removes the darkness and the light of the patient’s life would rise like the sun at dawn.

· · ·

5.13.4

चक्षु॑षा ते॒ चक्षु॑र्हन्मि वि॒षेण॑ हन्मि ते वि॒षम्। अहे॑ म्रि॒यस्व॒ मा जी॑वीः प्र॒त्यग॒भ्ये॑तु त्वा वि॒षम् ॥

I destroy your eye power with the eye. By poison I destroy your poison. Die off, O snake, do not remain alive. Let the poison go back to you.

· · ·

5.13.5

कैरा॑त॒ पृश्न॒ उप॑तृण्य॒ बभ्र॒ आ मे॑ शृणु॒तासि॑ता॒ अली॑काः। मा मे॒ सख्युः॑ स्ता॒मान॒मपि॑ ष्ठाताश्रा॒वय॑न्तो॒ नि वि॒षे र॑मध्वम् ॥

O deadly forest snake, O spotted one, O grass snake, O brown, O black one, O hooded cobras, do not stay around my friend’s house. Hissing and hearing my word of terror, stay out and be all with your poison by yourselves.

· · ·

5.13.6

अ॑सि॒तस्य॑ तैमा॒तस्य॑ ब॒भ्रोरपो॑दकस्य च। सा॑त्रासा॒हस्या॒हं म॒न्योरव॒ ज्यामि॑व॒ धन्व॑नो॒ वि मु॑ञ्चामि॒ रथाँ॑ इव ॥

As we loosen the string of a bow or bonds of a chariot, so do I slacken and remove the deadly poison of the black, marshy, brown, off-water and all subduing snake.

· · ·

5.13.7

आलि॑गी च॒ विलि॑गी च पि॒ता च॑ म॒ता च॑। वि॒द्म वः॑ स॒र्वतो॒ बन्ध्वर॑साः॒ किं क॑रिष्यथ ॥

As we loosen the string of a bow or bonds of a chariot, so do I slacken and remove the deadly poison of the black, marshy, brown, off-water and all subduing snake.

· · ·

5.13.8

उ॑रु॒गूला॑या दुहि॒ता जा॒ता दा॒स्यसि॑क्न्या। प्र॒तङ्कं॑ द॒द्रुषी॑णां॒ सर्वा॑सामर॒सं वि॒षम् ॥

The young female snake born of the deadly black snake is highly dangerous. Let the poison of all such snakes which cause skin eruptions be reversed and rendered totally ineffective.

· · ·

5.13.9

क॒र्णा श्वा॒वित्तद॑ब्रवीद्गि॒रेर॑वचरन्ति॒का। याः काश्चे॒माः ख॑नि॒त्रिमा॒स्तासा॑मर॒सत॑मं वि॒षम् ॥

The porcupine with ears found in the valley said thus: Let the poison of these creatures which live in burrows be the most ineffective.

· · ·

5.13.10

ता॒बुवं॒ न ता॒बुवं॒ न घेत्त्वम॑सि ता॒बुव॑म्। ता॒बुवे॑नार॒सं वि॒षम् ॥

Tabuva snake is like Tabuva, the antidote of poison. O Tabuva, you are surely not the destroyer. You are the antidote that renders snake-poison ineffective.

· · ·

5.13.11

त॒स्तुवं॒ न त॒स्तुवं॒ न घेत्त्वम॑सि त॒स्तुव॑म्। त॒स्तुवे॑नार॒सं वि॒षम् ॥

Tastuva snake is like Tastuva, antidote of poison. But, O Tastuva, you are surely not the destroyer. You are the antidote that renders snake poison ineffective. Note: This hymn should be read with Rgveda 1, 191, where various kinds of snakes and many other poisonous creatures are mentioned along with many herbs and bird antidotes. Here also some antidotes are mentioned specially in mantras 10 and 11. There are many stories, reports and direct experiences of miraculous cures of poison in India. Snake poison is cured with snake poison itself. ‘Poison kills poison.’

✦ Sukta 14 · 13 verses ✦

5.14.1

सु॑प॒र्णस्त्वान्व॑विन्दत्सूक॒रस्त्वा॑खनन्न॒सा। दिप्सौ॑षधे॒ त्वं दिप्स॑न्त॒मव॑ कृत्या॒कृतं॑ जहि ॥

O Oshadhi, antidote to evil and violence, the man of eagle imagination envisioned you and the man of boarlike tenancity dug you out of oblivion. Destroy the evil deed, send back the evil to the evil doer.

· · ·

5.14.2

अव॑ जहि यातु॒धाना॒नव॑ कृत्या॒कृतं॑ जहि। अथो॒ यो अ॒स्मान्दिप्स॑ति॒ तमु॒ त्वं ज॑ह्योषधे ॥

Throw out the saboteurs, destroy the evil deeds. Oshadhi, O antidote of violence, whoever wants to injure, terrorize or destroy us, let the evil visit on him.

· · ·

5.14.3

रि॑श्यस्येव परीशा॒सं प॑रि॒कृत्य॒ परि॑ त्व॒चः। कृ॒त्यां कृ॑त्या॒कृते॑ देवा नि॒ष्कमि॑व॒ प्रति॑ मुञ्चत ॥

O men of wisdom, like the barbed girdle of a violent animal round his body, having turned the evil man’s deed into a golden necklace for him in return for his deed, send it back to him as a barbed leash for him.

· · ·

5.14.4

पुनः॑ कृ॒त्यां कृ॑त्या॒कृते॑ हस्त॒गृह्य॒ परा॑ णय। स॑म॒क्षम॑स्मा॒ आ धे॑हि॒ यथा॑ कृत्या॒कृतं॒ हन॑त् ॥

And also, having caught up the evil deed in hand, send it back in this way: Put it right in front of him so that he face it himself and it may, by itself, destroy him.

· · ·

5.14.5

कृ॒त्याः स॑न्तु कृत्या॒कृते॑ श॒पथः॑ शपथीय॒ते। सु॒खो रथ॑ इव वर्ततां कृ॒त्या कृ॑त्या॒कृतं॒ पुनः॑ ॥

Let the deeds be for the doers: good for the good, evil for the evil. Likewise, let inprecations be for the imprecators. Like a perfectly designed comfortable chariot, let evil deeds come back to the evil doer.

· · ·

5.14.6

यदि॒ स्त्री यदि॑ वा॒ पुमा॑न्कृ॒त्यां च॒कार॑ पा॒प्मने॑। तामु॒ तस्मै॑ नयाम॒स्यश्व॑मिवाश्वाभि॒धान्या॑ ॥

If a woman or man does the evil deed for the satisfaction of his evil mind, the same deed we lead unto the doer like a horse by the halter.

· · ·

5.14.7

यदि॒ वासि॑ दे॒वकृ॑ता॒ यदि॑ वा॒ पुरु॑षैः कृ॒ता। तां त्वा॒ पुन॑र्णयाम॒सीन्द्रे॑ण स॒युजा॑ व॒यम् ॥

O misfortune, whether you are brought on as an accident of nature or caused by humans, we counter you by the help of Indra, lord omnipotent and our own self-confidence, our inalienable friend and ally.

· · ·

5.14.8

अग्ने॑ पृतनाषा॒ट्पृत॑नाः सहस्व। पुनः॑ कृ॒त्यां कृ॑त्या॒कृते॑ प्रति॒हर॑णेन हरामसि ॥

O Agni, refulgent ruler, leader and commander, fighter and victor of battles, face and fight the battles against misfortune. With our powers of defence and offence we counter and turn evil and violence back to the evil doer.

· · ·

5.14.9

कृत॑व्यधनि॒ विद्य॒ तं यश्च॒कार॒ तमिज्ज॑हि। न त्वामच॑क्रुषे व॒यं व॒धाय॒ सं शि॑शीमहि ॥

O destroyer of the perpetrator of evil and violence, punish that who commits evil and violence, eliminate him for sure, only him, for we do not arouse you to smite him that does no evil.

· · ·

5.14.10

पु॒त्र इ॑व पि॒तरं॑ गच्छ स्व॒ज इ॑वा॒भिष्ठि॑तो दश। ब॒न्धमि॑वावक्रा॒मी ग॑च्छ॒ कृत्ये॑ कृत्या॒कृतं॒ पुनः॑ ॥

O evil and violence, go back to the perpetrator like a son to the father and, like a bruised viper, grip and bite him. Go like one broke loose of all bonds, go back to the evil doer again.

· · ·

5.14.11

उदे॒णीव॑ वार॒ण्य॑भि॒स्कन्धं॑ मृ॒गीव॑। कृ॒त्या क॒र्तार॑मृच्छतु ॥

Let the evil deed turn upon the perpetrator like a doe at bay, a female elephant or a tigress pouncing upon the hunter.

· · ·

5.14.12

इष्वा॒ ऋजी॑यः पततु॒ द्यावा॑पृथिवी॒ तं प्रति॑। सा तं मृ॒गमि॑व गृह्णातु कृ॒त्या कृ॑त्या॒कृतं॒ पुनः॑ ॥

O heaven and earth, let the evil deed turn and fall back upon the evil doer fast and straight like an arrow and seize him like a tiger seizing its prey.

· · ·

5.14.13

अ॒ग्निरि॑वैतु प्रति॒कूल॑मनु॒कूल॑मिवोद॒कम्। सु॒खो रथ॑ इव वर्ततां कृ॒त्या कृ॑त्या॒कृतं॒ पुनः॑ ॥

Let the deed turn and come back upon the doer like a smoothly moving chariot, punitive like fire to the evil doer, and favourable and cool like water to the person who does good.

✦ Sukta 15 · 11 verses ✦

5.15.1

एका॑ च मे॒ दश॑ च मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

O Oshadhi, herbs and trees, cleansers of pollution and disease, sages and scholars, fiery spirits of life, embodiments of beauty and sweetness, pleasure and passion, life energies and divinities of existence, gifts of Vishnu and Prajapati, all born of the truth and law of existence, observers of the laws of life, creators of the honey sweets of life, let there be one or ten, any number of distractors, abusers and revilers, create for us the honey sweets of good health and happy life.

· · ·

5.15.2

द्वे च॑ मे विंश॒तिश्च॑ मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life, creator of the honey sweets of life, let there be two or twenty, any number of distractors, abusers and revilers, create for us the honey sweets of life and joy in spite of them, two, and even twenty may they be.

· · ·

5.15.3

ति॒स्रश्च॑ मे त्रिं॒शच्च॑ मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life, creator of the honey sweets of life, let there be three or thirty, any number of distractors, abusers, revilers or spoilers of health and happiness, three, and even thirty let them be, create for us the honey sweets of life and joy in spite of them.

· · ·

5.15.4

चत॑स्रश्च मे चत्वारिं॒शच्च॑ मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life, creator of honey sweets, let there be four or forty, any number of polluters, abusers and revilers of health and happiness, four, and even forty may be, create for us the honey sweets of life and joy in spite of them.

· · ·

5.15.5

पञ्च॑ च मे पञ्चा॒शच्च॑ मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

Let there be five, and even fifty abusers and revilers of life against me, O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life, creator of honey sweets of life and health, create for us the honey sweets of life.

· · ·

5.15.6

षट्च॑ मे ष॒ष्टिश्च॑ मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

Let there be six, and even sixty abusers and revilers of life against me, O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life, creator of the honey sweets of life and health, create for us the honey sweets of life.

· · ·

5.15.7

स॒प्त च॑ मे सप्त॒तिश्च॑ मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

Let there be seven, and even seventy abusers and revilers of life against me, O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life, creator of the honey sweets of life and health, create for us the honey sweets of life.

· · ·

5.15.8

अ॒ष्ट च॑ मेऽशी॒तिश्च॑ मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

Let there be eight, and even eighty abusers and revilers of life against me, O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life, creator of the honey sweets of life and health, create for us the honey sweets of life.

· · ·

5.15.9

नव॑ च मे नव॒तिश्च॑ मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

Let there be nine, and even ninety revilers of life against me, O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life, creator of honey sweets, create for us the honey sweets of life.

· · ·

5.15.10

दश॑ च मे श॒तं च॑ मेऽपव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

Let there be ten, and even hundred revilers of life against me, O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life, creator of the honey sweets of life and health, create for us the honey sweets of life.

· · ·

5.15.11

श॒तं च॑ मे स॒हस्रं॑ चापव॒क्तार॑ ओषधे। ऋत॑जात॒ ऋता॑वरि॒ मधु॑ मे मधु॒ला क॑रः ॥

Let there be hundred, and even thousand abusers and revilers of life and truth ranged against me, O Oshadhi, born of the truth and law of existence, observer of the laws of life without relent, creator of the beauty and honey sweets of life and health, create for us the honey sweets of life and strength to stand by truth against a thousand odds.

✦ Sukta 16 · 11 verses ✦

5.16.1

यद्ये॑कवृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are your sole strength, the virile spirit, then create something as your contribution to life. Otherwise you are as good as lifeless.

· · ·

5.16.2

यदि॑ द्विवृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are strong with two, yourself and the spirit of divinity, create and contribute, otherwise be lifeless.

· · ·

5.16.3

यदि॑ त्रिवृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are strong with three, command sattva, rajas and tamas modes of Prakrti in thought, energy and materiality, create and contribute something to the world, otherwise be good for nothing.

· · ·

5.16.4

यदि॑ चतुर्वृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are strong and virile with four, Dharma, Artha, Kama and for Moksha, create and contribute something to life, otherwise miss the joy of living.

· · ·

5.16.5

यदि॑ पञ्चवृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are strong with five, five elements, five senses, five pranas, do something, create, otherwise you would be as good as lifeless.

· · ·

5.16.6

यदि॑ षड्वृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are strong and virile with six, cotrol over desire, anger, greed, fascination, arrogance and pride, create and contribute something to the world, otherwise your life is a waste.

· · ·

5.16.7

यदि॑ सप्तवृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are strong and virile with seven, five senses, mind and intelligence, create and contribute something to the world, or stay unfruitful.

· · ·

5.16.8

यद्य॑ष्टवृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are strong and virile with eight, the eightfold path of the good life, be creative, or life would be dull and fruitless.

· · ·

5.16.9

यदि॑ नववृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are strong and virile with nine, nine forms of wealth gifted by Lakshmi, create and contribute something positive to life, otherwise be void of the real pleasure of life.

· · ·

5.16.10

यदि॑ दशवृ॒षोऽसि॑ सृ॒जार॒सोऽसि॑ ॥

If you are strong and virile with ten, wealth, morals, forgiveness, courage, concentration, intelligence, assistants, skill, forces, knowledge, create and contribute to life and the environment, otherwise your life would be just barren, nothing more.

· · ·

5.16.11

यद्ये॑काद॒शोऽसि॒ सोऽपो॑दकोऽसि ॥

If you are the eleventh, none of these ten, you would be either wholly and irredeemably dry, unconsecrated by the holy waters of life. And if you are free from all these ten, pure spirit in Kaivalya state, then you are untouched by all pleasure and pain of the waters of life.

✦ Sukta 17 · 18 verses ✦

5.17.1

तेऽव॒दन्प्र॑थ॒मा ब्र॑ह्मकिल्बि॒षेऽकू॑पारः सलि॒लो मा॑तरिश्वा। वी॒डुह॑रा॒स्तप॑ उ॒ग्रं म॑यो॒भूरापो॑ दे॒वीः प्र॑थम॒जा ऋ॒तस्य॑ ॥

In the beginning, to express and reveal the joyous manifestation (Leela) of the creativity of Supreme Brahma, those first borns of the dynamics of divine law, Akupara, boundless light principle or Aditya Rshi, Salila, liquid principle or Angira Rshi, Matarishva, energy principle or Vayu Rshi, and Viduhara, fiery principle or Agni Rshi, all like yajna fire, burning and creative, illustrious, soothing, flowing, divine souls and spirits, express and reveal the divine voice of the Veda. (The voice they reveal is Ila.)

· · ·

5.17.2

सोमो॒ राजा॑ प्रथ॒मो ब्र॑ह्मजा॒यां पुनः॒ प्राय॑च्छ॒दहृ॑णीयमानः। अ॑न्वर्ति॒ता वरु॑णो मि॒त्र आ॑सीद॒ग्निर्होता॑ हस्त॒गृह्या नि॑नाय ॥

Soma, the ruling spirit of life, all at peace, having first received the divine Word, gives it on to the sage Brahma in the Sarasvati form. Varuna, the sage of judgement, Mitra, the sage with love, follow, and Agni, dedicated to yajna fire, holds it by hand as in the yajnic ladle and leads it on.

· · ·

5.17.3

हस्ते॑नै॒व ग्रा॒ह्य॑ आ॒धिर॑स्या ब्रह्मजा॒येति॒ चेदवो॑चत्। न दू॒ताय॑ प्र॒हेया॑ तस्थ ए॒षा तथा॑ रा॒ष्ट्रं गु॑पि॒तं क्ष॒त्रिय॑स्य ॥

The received form of this divine Vak is to be practically received by hard discipline, as the ladle is to be held carefully by hand. “This is the child of heaven”, this having been said, “this is not to be communicated to the wastour, violator or a mere agent,” this is an important injunction. It does not wait for any one, nor does it stand still, it moves on. Its meaning is hidden like the state of a ruler’s dominion. The social order of the Kshatriya who holds it sacred stays protected and unviolable.

· · ·

5.17.4

यामा॒हुस्तार॑कै॒षा वि॑के॒शीति॑ दु॒च्छुनां॒ ग्राम॑मव॒पद्य॑मानाम्। सा ब्र॑ह्मजा॒या वि दु॑नोति रा॒ष्ट्रं यत्र॒ प्रापा॑दि श॒श उ॑ल्कु॒षीमा॑न् ॥

If Brahma Jaya, Voice Divine, which they say is the saviour of life and free from all bounds, is described as harbinger of calamities befalling human habitations, then it destroys that social order and there meteors of fire and misfortune fall like stars void of light.

· · ·

5.17.5

ब्र॑ह्मचा॒री च॑रति॒ वेवि॑ष॒द्विषः॒ स दे॒वानां॑ भव॒त्येक॒मङ्ग॑म्। तेन॑ जा॒यामन्व॑विन्द॒द्बृह॒स्पतिः॒ सोमे॑न नी॒तां जु॒ह्वं१॒॑ न दे॑वाः ॥

The Brahmachari, seeker of Brahma, dedicated to this sublime subject goes on pursuing the divine voice and, internalising it, becomes one of the devas in the presence of nature and the scholars. He becomes a Brhaspati. And thus, O sages, the scholar obtains the Word and, at the end of education, the wedded wife too, escorted to him by the blissful Somaic high priest and preceptor like the Juhu, ghrta ladle for life’s yajna.

· · ·

5.17.6

दे॒वा वा ए॒तस्या॑मवदन्त॒ पूर्वे॑ सप्तऋ॒षय॒स्तप॑सा॒ ये नि॑षे॒दुः। भी॒मा जा॒या ब्रा॑ह्म॒णस्योप॑नीता दु॒र्धां द॑धाति पर॒मे व्यो॑मन् ॥

The divinities of eternal time and seven ancient sages who sit down for tapas and cosmic yajna speak of this Voice of Divinity and communicate it. Mighty, even dreadful, is this voice of Brahma, now residing at heart with the Brahmana, the sagely scholar, and if it is abducted and exploited by clever people, it destroys even the best system of human governance. This mighty voice, Brahma holds in the highest heaven and the sage serves in his highest spirit and intelligence.

· · ·

5.17.7

ये गर्भा॑ अव॒पद्य॑न्ते॒ जग॒द्यच्चा॑पलु॒प्यते॑। वी॒रा ये तृ॒ह्यन्ते॑ मि॒थो ब्र॑ह्मजा॒या हि॑नस्ति॒ तान् ॥

Where those fall from duty who hold the Word and nature in trust, where the reality of life is concealed in camouflage and sanctity is desecrated, where the brave engage in deadly fight over trivialities, there the Brahma Jaya, the Word of Divinity and Spirit of Nature destroys the guilty and eliminates all negation.

· · ·

5.17.8

उ॒त यत्पत॑यो॒ दश॑ स्त्रि॒याः पूर्वे॒ अब्रा॑ह्मणाः। ब्र॒ह्मा चे॒द्धस्त॒मग्र॑ही॒त्स ए॒व पति॑रेक॒धा ॥

Where ten self-proclaimed guardians of Brahma Jaya, all impostors at heart, claim dominion over the divine trust of nature and humanity against one real enlightened sage dedicated to Brahma and the wisdom of eternity, the one deserves to hold the trust in hand with sole authority.

· · ·

5.17.9

ब्रा॑ह्म॒ण ए॒व पति॒र्न रा॑ज॒न्यो॒ न वैश्यः॑। तत्सूर्यः॑ प्रब्रु॒वन्ने॑ति प॒ञ्चभ्यो॑ मान॒वेभ्यः॑ ॥

Only the Brahmana, enlightened sage wholly dedicated to Brahma, the Vedic Word, Nature and humanity, and the eternal values without compromise for any reason whatsoever, is the guardian of Brahma Jaya, neither the Kshatriya nor the Vaishya (because the Kshatriya and the Vaishya, occupied, if not preoccupied, with political and economic pressures and problems, are likely to compromise in the interest of survival). Thus says the Sun to and for all the five people as it moves on revealing every thing in its reality. So says Brahma itself which is the all immanent light of life.

· · ·

5.17.10

पुन॒र्वै दे॒वा अ॑ददुः॒ पुन॑र्मनु॒ष्या॑ अददुः। राजा॑नः स॒त्यं गृ॑ह्णा॒ना ब्र॑ह्मजा॒यां पुन॑र्ददुः ॥

Noble teachers and scholars continuously go on teaching and advancing the Vedic voice, and noble people conduct the yajnic programmes of education. Rulers and brilliant men of knowledge and generous disposition serving the divine truth with dedication carry on the propagation of the holy Word and its extension in practice and application.

· · ·

5.17.11

पु॑न॒र्दाय॑ ब्रह्मजा॒यां कृ॒त्वा दे॒वैर्नि॑किल्बि॒षम्। ऊर्जं॑ पृथि॒व्या भ॒क्त्वोरु॑गा॒यमुपा॑सते ॥

Thus do sages, scholars and noble people, serving and spreading the light of divine knowledge, and the Vedic Word, sanctified and energised for life’s purity, excellence and joy by Devas, serve Brahma, Lord Supreme, in order that they may enjoy and extend the wealth and creativity of mother earth and the environment.

· · ·

5.17.12

नास्य॑ जा॒या श॑तवा॒ही क॑ल्या॒णी तल्प॒मा श॑ये। यस्मि॑न्रा॒ष्ट्रे नि॑रु॒ध्यते॑ ब्रह्मजा॒याचि॑त्त्या ॥

In the Rashtra, order of governance, where by error or ignorance Brahma Jaya, the Word of divinity and the voice of the Brahma, is suppressed, the women and the mother spirit of the nation’s creativity shall find no peace and prestige either in the day or at night although they are auspicious harbingers of a hundred gifts and advantages for the nation.

· · ·

5.17.13

न वि॑क॒र्णः पृ॒थुशि॑रा॒स्तस्मि॒न्वेश्म॑नि जायते। यस्मि॑न्रा॒ष्ट्रे नि॑रु॒ध्यते॑ ब्रह्मजा॒याचि॑त्त्या ॥

Neither the man of versatile learning and objective understanding nor the man of high intelligence and broad mind arises in the homes of that Rashtra where either by error or by ignorance the vision and Word of divine values and voice of the Brahmana is suppressed.

· · ·

5.17.14

नास्य॑ क्ष॒त्ता नि॒ष्कग्री॑वः सू॒नाना॑मेत्यग्र॒तः। यस्मि॑न्रा॒ष्ट्रे नि॑रु॒ध्यते॑ ब्रह्मजा॒याचि॑त्त्या ॥

Nor does the citizen, guardian, creative artist or even the border watch of the nation go forward with pride of the nation’s power and prosperity if in the nation the vision and Word of divinity and the Brahmana’s voice is suppressed for reasons of error and ignorance.

· · ·

5.17.15

नास्य॑ श्वे॒तः कृ॑ष्ण॒कर्णो॑ धु॒रि यु॒क्तो म॑हीयते। यस्मि॑न्रा॒ष्ट्रे नि॑रु॒ध्यते॑ ब्रह्मजा॒याचि॑त्त्या ॥

Nor does the brilliant beam of the nation’s chariot with shade of rich green all round the helm and steer of the Rashtra meet with any recognition of its grandeur, if in that nation the Word of divinity and voice of the Brahmana is suppressed by error and ignorance.

· · ·

5.17.16

नास्य॒ क्षेत्रे॑ पुष्क॒रिणी॑ ना॒ण्डीकं॑ जायते॒ बिस॑म्। यस्मि॑न्रा॒ष्ट्रे नि॑रु॒ध्यते॑ ब्रह्मजा॒याचि॑त्त्या ॥

No greenery waves in the field, no lotus blooms in the lake, the fruit forsakes the tree, and the shoot withers on the branch in the Rashtra in which the Word of Divinity and the Brahmana’s voice is suppressed on account of error, ignorance, arrogance and pride.

· · ·

5.17.17

नास्मै॒ पृश्निं॒ वि दु॑हन्ति॒ येऽस्या॒ दोह॑मु॒पास॑ते। यस्मि॑न्रा॒ष्ट्रे नि॑रु॒ध्यते॑ ब्रह्मजा॒याचि॑त्त्या ॥

Those who love, live by and pray for the gifts of mother earth and nature fail to receive the bounties of the earth and the sky for the ruler and the Rashtra in which mindlessly the divine Word and the Brahmana’s voice is suppressed.

· · ·

5.17.18

नास्य॑ धे॒नुः क॑ल्या॒णी नान॒ड्वान्त्स॑हते॒ धुर॑म्। विजा॑नि॒र्यत्र॑ ब्राह्म॒णो रात्रिं॒ वस॑ति पा॒पया॑ ॥

The auspicious and abundant mother cow goes dry of milk, the mighty bull refuses to bear the yoke of the master in the Rashtra where the Brahmana is denied access to divine knowledge and passes the night in discomfort for fear of political offence.

✦ Sukta 18 · 15 verses ✦

5.18.1

नैतां ते॑ दे॒वा अ॑ददु॒स्तुभ्यं॑ नृपते॒ अत्त॑वे। मा ब्रा॑ह्म॒णस्य॑ राजन्य॒ गां जि॑घत्सो अना॒द्याम् ॥

O ruler of the people, the divinities of nature and nobilities of humanity did not give this earth, this Vedic speech, this holy cow to you to eat, i.e., for exploitation, misappropriation and personal consumption. Do not try to eat up the Brahmana’s cow, it is inviolable, it is not something edible. It is not to be killed. (Brahmana in this hymn does not mean a caste, it means Brahma, the Supreme Being and any person wholly dedicated to Brahma. ‘Gau’ means the cow and all divine gifts of Brahma: nature, sun rays, moon, land, earth and the environment, the people, knowledge, culture, language, sense organs and, of course, the cow and all other useful animals. All these belong to Brahma, all these belong to humanity as trust, and humanity is to be taken as noble on its own as humanity. These do not belong to any particular person even if the person is a ruler. They belong to all and to every person as a trust. In this sense they belong to the ruler also but as a trustee of the people, not as a person, not as property. Hence the original term ‘Brahmana’s Gau’ is used in the translation in this wide sense. Every person’s share of God’s gifts is sacred, inviolable, un-encroachable.)

· · ·

5.18.2

अ॒क्षद्रु॑ग्धो राज॒न्यः॑ पा॒प आ॑त्मपराजि॒तः। स ब्रा॑ह्म॒णस्य॒ गाम॑द्याद॒द्य जी॒वानि॒ मा श्वः ॥

If the ruler of the people is sinful, spiritually broken by sensual indulgence, creates hate and division among people for personal gain and gambles with their interests, and if he violates the Brahmana’s Cow, then he may last for today but not tomorrow. Tomorrow he must go.

· · ·

5.18.3

आवि॑ष्टिता॒घवि॑षा पृदा॒कूरि॑व॒ चर्म॑णा। सा ब्रा॑ह्म॒णस्य॑ राजन्य तृ॒ष्टैषा गौर॑ना॒द्या ॥

O Ruler, this Brahmana’s Cow for the selfish is like a deadly poisonous snake wrapped in cow’s form, poised against the sinful, thirsty, ready to strike. Don’t touch it, it is inviolable, never never to be hurt, killed and eaten. (It is not food, it is the giver of food.)

· · ·

5.18.4

निर्वै क्ष॒त्रं नय॑ति हन्ति॒ वर्चो॒ऽग्निरि॒वार॑ब्धो॒ वि दु॑नोति॒ सर्व॑म्। यो ब्रा॑ह्म॒णं मन्य॑ते॒ अन्न॑मे॒व स वि॒षस्य॑ पिबति तैमा॒तस्य॑ ॥

The ruler who takes the Brahmana only for a morsel of food is like a drunkard taking a draught of cobra poison for drink which ruins the dominion, darkens his splendour and, like lighted fire rising to a blaze, shakes everything and reduces him to naught.

· · ·

5.18.5

य ए॑नं॒ हन्ति॑ मृ॒दुं मन्य॑मानो देवपी॒युर्धन॑कामो॒ न चि॒त्तात्। सं तस्येन्द्रो॒ हृद॑ये॒ऽग्निमि॑न्ध उ॒भे ए॑नं

द्विष्टो॒ नभ॑सी॒ चर॑न्तम् ॥

He that violates the Brahmana, suppresses his freedom of speech and kills his Brahma Cow, believing that he is soft and brittle as a piece of clay, is a reviler of divinities, lost in greed for material wealth, having lost his sense and mind. Omnipotent Indra sets his heart and soul on fire as he moves around hated of both heaven and earth.

· · ·

5.18.6

न ब्रा॑ह्म॒णो हिं॑सित॒व्यो॒ऽग्निः प्रि॒यत॑नोरिव। सोमो॒ ह्य॑स्य दाया॒द इन्द्रो॑ अस्याभिशस्ति॒पाः ॥

Brahmana, the man of Brahma, is inviolable like the vitality of one’s own body. Like the vital heat of one’s own body he is the vital fire of the body politic. Soma, lord of universal peace and joy, is his kinsman and Indra, lord omnipotent, is his protector against calumny and violence.

· · ·

5.18.7

श॒तापा॑ष्ठां॒ नि गि॑रति॒ तां न श॑क्नोति निः॒खिद॑न्। अन्नं॒ यो ब्र॒ह्मणां॑ म॒ल्वः स्वा॒द्व१॒॑द्मीति॒ मन्य॑ते ॥

The food of the man of dirty mind, who violates the peace and freedom of the Brahmanas and eats up their share of life and sustenance feeling that it tastes really sweet, is bitter, he takes up a morsel of hundred barbs which he can neither swallow nor throw out.

· · ·

5.18.8

जि॒ह्वा ज्या भव॑ति॒ कुल्म॑लं॒ वाङ्ना॑डी॒का दन्ता॒स्तप॑सा॒भिदि॑ग्धाः। तेभि॑र्ब्र॒ह्मा वि॑ध्यति देवपी॒यून् हृ॑द्ब॒लैर्धनु॑र्भिर्दे॒वजू॑तैः ॥

The Brahmana’s tongue becomes the bow string, his speech, the arrow head, his throat and teeth, the shaft and tips of the arrow tempered with fire. With these forces of the mind for bow and arrow initiated and accelerated by the divinities, Brahma takes up the bow and shoots the revilers of divinity.

· · ·

5.18.9

ती॒क्ष्णेष॑वो ब्राह्म॒णा हे॑ति॒मन्तो॒ यामस्य॑न्ति शर॒व्यां॒ न सा मृषा॑। अ॑नु॒हाय॒ तप॑सा म॒न्युना॑ चो॒त दु॒रादव॑ भिन्दन्त्येनम् ॥

Wielding bows and arrows of sharp and tempered mind, poised to strike, when the Brahmanas shoot out a volley of words and ideas, the attack is not ineffectual. With the force of austere discipline and righteous passion, they pursue, strike and fell this target, the reviler of divinity and divine values, even from a far off distance.

· · ·

5.18.10

ये स॒हस्र॒मरा॑ज॒न्नास॑न्दशश॒ता उ॒त। ते ब्रा॑ह्म॒णस्य॒ गां ज॒ग्ध्वा वै॑तह॒व्याः परा॑भवन् ॥

The revilers of divinity who may shine and blaze and rule a thousand ways of strength and prosperity, who may be in tens, hundreds or even thousands well provided with yajnic materials, yet having violated and eaten up the Brahmana’s Cow, they become self- deprived and fall exhausted and defeated.

· · ·

5.18.11

गौरे॒व तान्ह॒न्यमा॑ना वैतह॒व्याँ अवा॑तिरत्। ये केस॑रप्राबन्धायाश्चर॒माजा॒मपे॑चिरन् ॥

The Brahmana’s Cow, when it is hurt, violated, suppressed and devoured, destroys those exploiters of yajnic materials who violate even the eternal vision and voice of the highest spirit and awareness present in the soul—which otherwise leads to the ultimate freedom of Moksha.

· · ·

5.18.12

एक॑शतं॒ ता ज॒नता॒ या भूमि॒र्व्य॑धूनुत। प्र॒जां हिं॑सि॒त्वा ब्राह्म॑णीमसंभ॒व्यं परा॑भवन् ॥

Full hundred and one were those whom the earth had shaken with all their power and potential. For, having suppressed the people and thus having violated the sanctity of Brahma’s Cow, they too fell defeated beyond all possible hope of recovery.

· · ·

5.18.13

दे॑वपी॒युश्च॑रति॒ मर्त्ये॑षु गरगी॒र्णो भ॑व॒त्यस्थि॑भूयान्। यो ब्रा॑ह्म॒णं दे॒वब॑न्धुं हि॒नस्ति॒ न स पि॑तृ॒याण॒मप्ये॑ति लो॒कम् ॥

The reviler of divinity moves among the mortals but only as a bagful of poison and a structure of blood and bone. Any one who hurts, suppresses, violates and thus kills a Brahmana, brother of divinities, fails to reach even the fringe of average house holder’s peace and joy by the paths of his forefathers.

· · ·

5.18.14

अ॒ग्निर्वै नः॑ पदवा॒यः सोमो॑ दाया॒द उ॑च्यते। ह॒न्ताभिश॒स्तेन्द्र॒स्तथा॒ तद्वे॒धसो॑ विदुः ॥

Agni, the light and fire of life, is our guide and pioneer, Soma, moon-like spirit of beauty, peace and joy is our kinsman, brother and gracious giver, and Indra, lord of omnipotence, is the destroyer of the reviler, maligner and scandaliser. This, the wise say and tell us.

· · ·

5.18.15

इषु॑रिव दि॒ग्धा नृ॑पते पृदा॒कूरि॑व गोपते। सा ब्रा॑ह्म॒णस्येषु॑र्घो॒रा तया॑ विध्यति॒ पीय॑तः ॥

O ruler of the people, O protector of the nation’s Cow, like an arrow tempered in fire with poison, deadly like the strike of the cobra is the voice and piety of the Brahmana, if violated, and that is the fatal strike of his blow. With that arrow the Brahmana fixes and fells the violators of life’s sanctity, suppressors of freedom and piety, and challengers of the servants of Divinity. (Brahmana’s ‘Cow’, thus, is not a mere animal. It is the spirit and culture of humanity, it is the soul and sanctity of Nature, and it is the will and command of Divinity. To serve it means the invitation to life, to challenge it means the call for death.)

✦ Sukta 19 · 15 verses ✦

5.19.1

अ॑तिमा॒त्रम॑वर्धन्त॒ नोदि॑व॒ दिव॑मस्पृशन्। भृगुं॑ हिंसि॒त्वा सृञ्ज॑या वैतह॒व्याः परा॑भवन् ॥

Having conquered all adversaries, the Asuras, natural men, rise too high, so high they almost touch the skies. Yet even being the sole victors, they hurt, violate and desecrate Bhrgu, brilliant Brahmana dedicated to Divinity, and themselves consume the food and fragrances meant for yajna. Thankless, guilty of hubris, they fall self-defeated.

· · ·

5.19.2

ये बृ॒हत्सा॑मानमाङ्गिर॒समार्प॑यन्ब्राह्म॒णं जनाः॑। पेत्व॒स्तेषा॑मुभ॒याद॒मवि॑स्तो॒कान्या॑वयत् ॥

Those people who reject, violate and desecrate the Angiras, servant of Divinity dear as breath of life and brilliant as blazing embers, dedicated to Brhat Samans, songs of the Lord, lose all: the Lord all protector, destroyer of evil stalls their growth and holds their future possibilities in the jaws of retribution.

· · ·

5.19.3

ये ब्रा॑ह्म॒णं प्र॒त्यष्ठी॑व॒न्ये वा॑स्मिञ्छु॒ल्कमी॑षि॒रे। अ॒स्नस्ते॒ मध्ये॑ कु॒ल्यायाः॒ केशा॒न्खाद॑न्त आसते ॥

Those who hate and desecrate the Brahmana and oppress him with exorbitant taxes or deprive him of his righful share tear their hair in pain of guilt in the midst of a stream of blood.

· · ·

5.19.4

ब्र॑ह्मग॒वी प॒च्यमा॑ना॒ याव॒त्साभि वि॒जङ्ग॑हे। तेजो॑ रा॒ष्ट्रस्य॒ निर्ह॑न्ति॒ न वी॒रो जा॑यते॒ वृषा॑ ॥

When the Brahmana’s Cow, sacred freedom of thought, speech and action, violated, suppressed and bruised, flutters around but in pain of death, it destroys the lustre and grandeur of the Rashtra, grand social order, and no generous, virile heroes arise there any more.

· · ·

5.19.5

क्रू॒रम॑स्या आ॒शस॑नं तृ॒ष्टं पि॑शि॒तम॑स्यते। क्षी॒रं यद॑स्याः पी॒यते॒ तद्वै पि॒तृषु॒ किल्बि॑षम् ॥

Mutilation of the Brahmana’s cow, his freedom and fearlessness, is an act of dire cruelty, rough handling of his voice is frightful, and if you scoff at his opinions, like making fun of his Cow’s milk, by implication, even that is a sin among the veterans of the Rashtra.

· · ·

5.19.6

उ॒ग्रो राजा॒ मन्य॑मानो ब्राह्म॒णं यो जिघ॑त्सति। परा॒ तत्सि॑च्यते रा॒ष्ट्रं ब्रा॑ह्म॒णो यत्र॑ जी॒यते॑ ॥

A mighty ruler, arrogant and proud of himself who violates and tries to suppress the Brahmana asks for ruin. Drained of its vitality and power is that Rashtra where the Brahmana is suppressed and over-ruled.

· · ·

5.19.7

अ॒ष्टाप॑दी चतुर॒क्षी चतुः॑श्रोत्रा॒ चतु॑र्हनुः। द्व्या॑स्या॒ द्विजि॑ह्वा भू॒त्वा सा रा॒ष्ट्रमव॑ धूनुते ब्रह्म॒ज्यस्य॑ ॥

The Brahmana’s Cow is powerful and versatile: It has eight legs, no one can dislodge it. It has four eyes, nothing can escape its notice. It has four ears, none can whisper sedition. It has four jaws, it can crush injustice with double strength. It has two mouths and two tongues, it can consume both pleasure and pain and speak of both human and divine matters. Being so versatile it can shake up any social order that seeks to suppress it. It can thus also raise any social order that honours it. (This mantra specially shows that the Cow is not the cow that gives milk for life, it is that holy vision, knowledge, ethics and policy of state governance which provides for a healthy, prosperous and enlightened living order which is the ideal of an organised society.)

· · ·

5.19.8

तद्वै रा॒ष्ट्रमा स्र॑वति॒ नावं॑ भि॒न्नामि॑वोद॒कम्। ब्र॒ह्माणं॒ यत्र॒ हिंस॑न्ति॒ तद्रा॒ष्ट्रं ह॑न्ति दु॒च्छुना॑ ॥

As flood water rushes into a leaking boat and the boat sinks, so do evils and calamities creep in and destroy the Rashtra where arrogant, ruling powers violate the Brahmana and reject his vision and wisdom.

· · ·

5.19.9

तं वृ॒क्षा अप॑ सेधन्ति च्छा॒यां नो॒ मोप॑गा॒ इति॑। यो ब्रा॑ह्म॒णस्य॒ सद्धन॑म॒भि ना॑रद॒ मन्य॑ते ॥

Even trees repel him from their shade saying, “Do not come into the shade”. O Narada, enlightened giver of shelter and knowledge to men, whoever appropriates the holy wealth of the Brahmana taking it as his own, is so contemptible.

· · ·

5.19.10

वि॒षमे॒तद्दे॒वकृ॑तं॒ राजा॒ वरु॑णोऽब्रवीत्। न ब्रा॑ह्म॒णस्य॒ गां ज॒ग्ध्वा रा॒ष्ट्रे जा॑गार॒ कश्च॒न ॥

The omnipotent ruler of the world, Varuna, all protector, has said and ordained thus: O man, this Brahmana’s Cow is virtual poison created by divinities for the unholy. Having eaten of this Brahmana’s Cow, no one can live and keep awake in the Rashtra.

· · ·

5.19.11

नवै॒व ता न॑व॒तयो॒ या भूमि॒र्व्य॑धूनुत। प्र॒जां हिं॑सि॒त्वा ब्राह्म॑णीमसंभ॒व्यं परा॑भवन् ॥

Let them be nine and ninety so powerful that they can shake the globe. Yet, having violated the wishes and interests of the holy Brahmanic people, they would face defeat and fall beyond all possible recovery.

· · ·

5.19.12

यां मृ॒ताया॑नुब॒ध्नन्ति॑ कू॒द्यं॑ पद॒योप॑नीम्। तद्वै ब्र॑ह्मज्य ते दे॒वा उ॑प॒स्तर॑णमब्रुवन् ॥

That bunch of thorns which people bind after the dead to efface the footsteps, O violator and desecrator of Brahmana, that be your bed: so say the wise and the divines.

· · ·

5.19.13

अश्रू॑णि॒ कृप॑माणस्य॒ यानि॑ जी॒तस्य॑ वावृ॒तुः। तं वै ब्र॑ह्मज्य ते दे॒वा अ॒पां भा॒गम॑धारयन् ॥

O violator and oppressor of Brahmana, those tears of the poor, helpless, broken man that flow incessantly, that flow, the Devas have ordained as your share of the drink in life.

· · ·

5.19.14

येन॑ मृ॒तं स्न॒पय॑न्ति॒ श्मश्रू॑णि॒ येनो॒न्दते॑। तं वै ब्र॑ह्मज्य ते दे॒वा अ॒पां भा॒गम॑धारयन् ॥

O violator and oppressor of Brahmana, that water with which they give the funeral bath to the dead, with which they soak and soften the beard and moustache, that water, the Devas have ordained as your share of water in life.

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5.19.15

न व॒र्षं मै॑त्रावरु॒णं ब्र॑ह्म॒ज्यम॒भि व॑र्षति। नास्मै॒ समि॑तिः कल्पते॒ न मि॒त्रं न॑यते॒ वश॑म् ॥

The rain that Mitra and Varuna, divine sun and air, shower on all, they do not shower on the oppressor of the Brahmana. The Council of the Nation accepts him not, nor does it bring him to success. And he has no love for a friend, nor friend for him.

✦ Sukta 20 · 12 verses ✦

5.20.1

उ॒च्चैर्घो॑षो दुन्दु॒भिः स॑त्वना॒यन्वा॑नस्प॒त्यः संभृ॑त उ॒स्रिया॑भिः। वाचं॑ क्षुणुवा॒नो द॒मय॑न्त्स॒पत्ना॑न्त्सिं॒ह इ॑व जे॒ष्यन्न॒भि तं॑स्तनीहि ॥

The booming war drum made with wood and headed with skin roars like a warrior. O heroic warrior, proclaiming dire conflict of battle, challenging adversaries, waxing victorious as a lion, keep on thundering on way to victory with hope and ambition.

· · ·

5.20.2

सिं॒ह इ॑वास्तानीद्द्रु॒वयो॒ विब॑द्धोऽभि॒क्रन्द॑न्नृष॒भो वा॑सि॒तामि॑व। वृषा॒ त्वं वध्र॑यस्ते स॒पत्ना॑ ऐ॒न्द्रस्ते॒ शुष्मो॑ अभिमातिषा॒हः ॥

The war drum stretched and tightened on the wooden frame roars like a lion, advances like a bellowing bull upon the cow. O heroic warrior, down and broken are your adversaries, and your strength is shattering awful for the enemies like the terror of Indra upon the cloud.

· · ·

5.20.3

वृषे॑व यू॒थे सह॑सा विदा॒नो ग॒व्यन्न॒भि रु॑व संधनाजित्। शु॒चा वि॑ध्य॒ हृद॑यं॒ परे॑षां हि॒त्वा ग्रामा॒न्प्रच्यु॑ता यन्तु॒ शत्र॑वः ॥

O warrior, like a lustrous hero, pouncing upon the enemy hoard in full knowledge, well known ambitious for land and victory, roar as terror and advance for the conquest. Strike the heart of enemies with fear and dismay and let them flee having left their field and positions, tumbling in panic.

· · ·

5.20.4

सं॒जय॒न्पृत॑ना ऊ॒र्ध्वमा॑यु॒र्गृह्या॑ गृह्णा॒नो ब॑हु॒धा वि च॑क्ष्व। दैवीं॒ वाचं॑ दुन्दुभ॒ आ गु॑रस्व वे॒धाः शत्रू॑णा॒मुप॑ भरस्व॒ वेदः॑ ॥

O warrior, loud and roaring, winning your battles, collecting your prizes, go on, watch all round. Let the war drum proclaim the divine victory loud and bold, go forward and disarm the enemies of all their power and force.

· · ·

5.20.5

दु॑न्दु॒भेर्वाचं॒ प्रय॑तां॒ वद॑न्तीमाशृण्व॒ती ना॑थि॒ता घोष॑बुद्धा। नारी॑ पु॒त्रं धा॑वतु हस्त॒गृह्या॑मि॒त्री भी॒ता स॑म॒रे व॒धाना॑म् ॥

Let the poor defenceless woman awakened and fear stricken by the loud roar of the war drum rumbling around and high take up the child of the fallen enemy in hand and run for safety and shetter.

· · ·

5.20.6

पूर्वो॑ दुन्दुभे॒ प्र व॑दासि॒ वाचं॒ भूम्याः॑ पृ॒ष्ठे व॑द॒ रोच॑मानः। अ॑मित्रसे॒नाम॑भि॒जञ्ज॑भानो द्यु॒मद्व॑द दुन्दुभे सू॒नृता॑वत् ॥

O war drum, you are the first to send out the proclamation of battle. O heroic warrior and commander, inspired and exhilarated, brave and brilliant, here on this battlefield on earth, give the word of command. O declarant and commander, breaking through the enemy lines, proclaim the word of truth and right.

· · ·

5.20.7

अ॑न्त॒रेमे नभ॑सी॒ घोषो॑ अस्तु॒ पृथ॑क्ते ध्व॒नयो॑ यन्तु॒ शीभ॑म्। अ॒भि क्र॑न्द स्त॒नयो॒त्पिपा॑नः श्लोक॒कृन्मि॑त्र॒तूर्या॑य स्व॒र्धी ॥

Let the boom of the drum rise from earth to heaven and let the words and waves of your command instantly ring in the middle spaces. Roar and thunder, rising, resounding, celebrated and advancing for the destruction of enemy forces.

· · ·

5.20.8

धी॒भिः कृ॒तः प्र व॑दाति॒ वाच॒मुद्ध॑र्षय॒ सत्व॑ना॒मायु॑धानि। इन्द्र॑मेदी॒ सत्व॑नो॒ नि ह्व॑यस्व मि॒त्रैर॒मित्राँ॒ अव॑ जङ्घनीहि ॥

Speak the words of a language created and framed by careful thought, reflection and practical sagacity, raise, calibrate and energise the weapons of the brave. O friend and ally of Indra, mighty ruler, give the clarion call to the warriors, raise the forces of friends and destroy the enemies.

· · ·

5.20.9

सं॒क्रन्द॑नः प्रव॒दो धृ॒ष्णुषे॑णः प्रवेद॒कृद्ब॑हु॒धा ग्रा॑मघो॒षी। श्रेयो॑ वन्व॒नो व॒युना॑नि वि॒द्वान्की॒र्तिं ब॒हुभ्यो॒ वि ह॑र द्विरा॒जे ॥

A balanced thinker and speaker with confident assertion, commanding power and prestige, dedicated to wisdom and common good, freely communicative with country people, anxious for good results for all, and well knowing the rules, laws and ways of the world : such an ambassador between two countries brings honour and fame for all even in a situation of conflict.

· · ·

5.20.10

श्रेयः॑केतो वसु॒जित्सही॑यान्त्संग्राम॒जित्संशि॑तो॒ ब्रह्म॑णासि। अं॒शूनि॑व॒ ग्रावा॑धि॒षव॑णे॒ अद्रि॑र्ग॒व्यन्दु॑न्दु॒भेऽधि॑ नृत्य॒ वेदः॑ ॥

O vision, word and voice of life and the nation, lover and harbinger of well being, creator and winner of wealth and peace, patient and courageous, victor of the battles of life, you are trained and refined by the wisdom of Veda. Just as the soma makers grind the soma filaments to fineness, just as a settled sage and scholar analyses subtle ideas in philosophy, you in life’s struggles, acquiring lands and culture of the wealth and wisdom of life, rejoice yourself to the full.

· · ·

5.20.11

शत्रू॑षाण्नी॒षाड॑भिमातिषा॒हो ग॒वेष॑णः॒ सह॑मान उ॒द्भित्। वा॒ग्वीव॒ मन्त्रं॒ प्र भ॑रस्व॒ वाचं सांग्रा॑मजित्या॒येष॒मुद्व॑दे॒ह ॥

O vision, word and voice of the nation, winner of enemies, always the victor, controller of adversaries, seeker of lands, cows and culture, patient and challenging, breaker of rigidities, let your word resound with sense and power like the seer’s vision of mantra, and raise the clarion call for the growth of food, energy and knowledge for winning the battles of life.

· · ·

5.20.12

अ॑च्युत॒च्युत्स॒मदो॒ गमि॑ष्ठो॒ मृधो॒ जेता॑ पुरए॒तायो॒ध्यः। इन्द्रे॑ण गु॒प्तो वि॒दथा॑ निचिक्यद्धृ॒द्द्योत॑नो द्विष॒तां या॑हि॒ शीभ॑म् ॥

Shaker of the unshaken, joyous, most dynamic, winner of battles, leading pioneer, unchallengeable, protected favourite of Indra, the ruler, well versed in yajnic programmes, breaker of the courage and morale of adversaries, O leading voice of the nation, pray come forthwith and guide us to our goals through the battle ranks of life.

✦ Sukta 21 · 12 verses ✦

5.21.1

विहृ॑दयं वैमन॒स्यं वदा॒मित्रे॑षु दुन्दुभे। वि॑द्वे॒षं कश्म॑शं भ॒यम॒मित्रे॑षु॒ नि द॑ध्म॒स्यव॑ एनान्दुन्दुभे जहि ॥

Clarion call of the united people for progressive action, strike confusion of heart and mind among unfriendly forces. Let us create dissension, confusion and fear among the adversaries. O united voice of the people, strike down all such conflicts and divisions. (This sukta may better be read with the last hymn of Rgveda (10, 191) on the unity of humanity living together in harmony with united thought and action as one family of one universal God of love and compassion for all.)

· · ·

5.21.2

उ॒द्वेप॑माना॒ मन॑सा॒ चक्षु॑षा॒ हृद॑येन च। धाव॑न्तु॒ बिभ्य॑तो॒ऽमित्राः॑ प्रत्रा॒सेनाज्ये॑ हु॒ते ॥

Let the unfriendly elements shaken at heart and mind, their eyes dazzled, flee with fear and panic when the battle call is given and the oblation has been offered into the fire.

· · ·

5.21.3

वा॑नस्प॒त्यः संभृ॑त उ॒स्रिया॑भिर्वि॒श्वगो॑त्र्यः। प्र॑त्रा॒सम॒मित्रे॑भ्यो व॒दाज्ये॑ना॒भिघा॑रितः ॥

O call for war of the united people symbolised by the war drum made of wood and equipped with tight leather and straps, anointed with ghrta, representing people of all communities, let the boom resound as warning of terror for unfriendly forces.

· · ·

5.21.4

यथा॑ मृ॒गाः सं॑वि॒जन्त॑ आर॒ण्याः पुरु॑षा॒दधि॑। ए॒वा त्वं दु॑न्दुभे॒ऽमित्रा॑न॒भि क्र॑न्द॒ प्र त्रा॑स॒याथो॑ चि॒त्तानि॑ मोहय ॥

Just as forest deer fear the hunter and shake with fright, so, O call of the drum, resound to the unfriendly forces, strike their mind with awe and paralyse their will.

· · ·

5.21.5

यथा॒ वृका॑दजा॒वयो॒ धाव॑न्ति ब॒हु बिभ्य॑तीः। ए॒वा त्वं दु॑न्दुभे॒ऽमित्रा॑न॒भि क्र॑न्द॒ प्र त्रा॑स॒याथो॑ चि॒त्तानि॑ मोहय ॥

Just as sheep and goats struck with fear flee from the wolf, so, O call of the drum, roar and resound to the enemies, frighten their mind and paralyse their will.

· · ·

5.21.6

यथा॑ श्ये॒नात्प॑त॒त्रिणः॑ संवि॒जन्ते॒ अह॑र्दिवि सिं॒हस्य॑ स्त॒नथो॒र्यथा॑। ए॒वा त्वं दु॑न्दुभे॒ऽमित्रा॑न॒भि क्र॑न्द॒ प्र त्रा॑स॒याथो॑ चि॒त्तानि॑ मोहय ॥

Just as birds shake with fear from the eagle, and animals day in and day out fear the lion’s roar, so, O call of the drum, roar and resound to the enemies, frighten their mind and paralyse their will.

· · ·

5.21.7

परा॒मित्रा॑न्दुन्दु॒भिना॑ हरि॒णस्या॒जिने॑न च। सर्वे॑ दे॒वा अ॑तित्रस॒न्ये सं॑ग्रा॒मस्येश॑ते ॥

Let all the noble and brilliant leaders and warriors who rule and control the affairs of war and defence keep the enemies away by fear of the boom of the drum with the beat on the tympanic membrane of dear skin.

· · ·

5.21.8

यैरिन्द्रः॑ प्र॒क्रीड॑ते पद्घो॒षैश्छा॒यया॑ स॒ह। तैर॒मित्रा॑स्त्रसन्तु नो॒ऽमी ये यन्त्य॑नीक॒शः ॥

By the tumult of the thumping boots of our soldiers on the march with air and armour cover with which Indra, ruler and commander, plays the war game to win, let our enemies have the fright of their life while they form and stand in battle array.

· · ·

5.21.9

ज्या॑घो॒षा दु॑न्दु॒भयो॒ऽभि क्रो॑शन्तु॒ या दिशः॑। सेनाः॒ परा॑जिता य॒तीर॒मित्रा॑णामनीक॒शः ॥

Let the twangs of bow strings and boom of the drums roar and resound in the quarters of space while the enemy forces in battle may retreat, defeated, line by line.

· · ·

5.21.10

आदि॑त्य॒ चक्षु॒रा द॑त्स्व॒ मरी॑च॒योऽनु॑ धावत। प॑त्स॒ङ्गिनी॒रा स॑जन्तु॒ विग॑ते बाहुवी॒र्ये॑ ॥

O Aditya, blazing commandar, dazzle the enemy’s eyes to blindness, rush on upon the enemy like lazer beams, and when the enemies have lost their strength of arms, let them be taken with bonds of fetters on the legs.

· · ·

5.21.11

यू॒यमु॒ग्रा म॑रुतः पृश्निमातर॒ इन्द्रे॑ण यु॒जा प्र मृ॑णीत॒ शत्रू॑न्। सोमो॒ राजा॒ वरु॑णो॒ राजा॑ महादे॒व उ॒त मृ॒त्युरिन्द्रः॑ ॥

O lustrous warriors, stormy children of the earth, joining Indra, destroy the enemies. Soma lord of peace is the ruler, Varuna, lord of justice is the ruler, Mahadeva, lord supreme, is the ruler, and Indra, lord omnipotent is the ruler, dispenser of death and life.

· · ·

5.21.12

ए॒ता दे॑वसे॒नाः सूर्य॑केतवः॒ सचे॑तसः। अ॒मित्रा॑न्नो जयन्तु॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

These dedicated God fearing forces with solar banner, one and equal of mind with God’s grace would win over the enemies. This is the voice of the soul in truth of thought, word and deed.

✦ Sukta 22 · 14 verses ✦

5.22.1

अ॒ग्निस्त॒क्मान॒मप॑ बाधतामि॒तः सोमो॒ ग्रावा॒ वरु॑णः पू॒तद॑क्षाः। वेदि॑र्ब॒र्हिः स॒मिधः॒ शोशु॑चाना॒ अप॒ द्वेषां॑स्यमु॒या भ॑वन्तु ॥

May the yajna fire, soma herb, grava, the soma crush, the cloud, Varuna, pure water, the yajna vedi, the holy grass, all bright and pure in strength, join to give us good health and thus keep away all physical and mental negativities.

· · ·

5.22.2

अ॒यं यो विश्वा॒न्हरि॑तान्कृ॒णोष्यु॑च्छो॒चय॑न्न॒ग्निरि॑वाभिदु॒न्वन्। अधा॒ हि त॑क्मन्नर॒सो हि भू॒या अधा॒ न्य॑ङ्ङध॒राङ् वा॒ परे॑हि ॥

This fever which reduces all to pallor, consuming them like fire with high temperature, may, with treatment, lose its intensity, go down to normal and disappear for all time.

· · ·

5.22.3

यः प॑रु॒षः पा॑रुषे॒योऽव॑ध्वं॒स इ॑वारु॒णः। त॒क्मानं॑ विश्वधावीर्याध॒राञ्चं॒ परा॑ सुवा ॥

The fever which affects every joint and arises from weakness of joints gives redness as fire, the skin sprinkled, as if, with red spots. O Vishvadhavirya herb, bring it down and remove it far off from the patient.

· · ·

5.22.4

अ॑ध॒राञ्चं॒ प्र हि॑णो॒मि नमः॑ कृ॒त्वा त॒क्मने॑। श॑कम्भ॒रस्य॑ मुष्टि॒हा पुन॑रेतु महावृ॒षान् ॥

O fever, having done the treatment with proper medicines, I reduce your intensity to normal temperature. Beating and pounding with fist force even the strong ones, fever affects even the very strong persons and spreads often in the areas of heavy rains.

· · ·

5.22.5

ओको॑ अस्य॒ मूज॑वन्त॒ ओको॑ अस्य महावृ॒षाः। याव॑ज्जा॒तस्त॑क्मं॒स्तावा॑नसि॒ बल्हि॑केषु न्योच॒रः ॥

It spreads in areas of munja grass. Its place is the areas of heavy rains. Ever since it has arisen, it has been observed in troublesome areas of the strong.

· · ·

5.22.6

तक्म॒न्व्या॑ल॒ वि ग॑द॒ व्य॑ङ्ग॒ भूरि॑ यावय। दा॒सीं नि॒ष्टक्व॑रीमिच्छ॒ तां वज्रे॑ण॒ सम॑र्पय ॥

The fever is fatal like snake poison. Typically dangerous as it is, it should be eliminated. It affects the female mosquito and on it it strikes its forceful onslaught.

· · ·

5.22.7

तक्म॒न्मूज॑वतो गच्छ॒ बल्हि॑कान्वा परस्त॒राम्। शू॒द्रामि॑च्छ प्रप॒र्व्यं॑१॒॑ तां त॑क्म॒न्वीव॑ धूनुहि ॥

Takman fever spreads in grassy and bushy places. It affects the far off oppressive areas. It affects the weaker sections of the community moving around and gives them body shivers all over.

· · ·

5.22.8

म॑हावृ॒षान्मूज॑वतो॒ बन्ध्व॑द्धि प॒रेत्य॑। प्रैतानि॑ त॒क्मने॑ ब्रूमो अन्यक्षे॒त्राणि॒ वा इ॒मा ॥

Go far to rainy areas, to grassy areas, and destroy your own species. These are the breeding areas we say, and others also can be.

· · ·

5.22.9

अ॑न्यक्षे॒त्रे न र॑मसे व॒शी सन्मृ॑डयासि नः। अभू॑दु॒ प्रार्थ॑स्त॒क्मा स ग॑मिष्यति॒ बल्हि॑कान् ॥

The fever does not affect other bodies than human, and relief is felt only when it is controlled. And when it is in bushy and marshy places of operssive climate, there it rages as epidemic.

· · ·

5.22.10

यत्त्वं शी॒तोऽथो॑ रू॒रः स॒ह का॒सावे॑पयः। भी॒मास्ते॑ तक्मन्हे॒तय॒स्ताभिः॑ स्म॒ परि॑ वृङ्ग्धि नः ॥

When it comes with cold and shivering, with pain such as headache, or with cough and shivers, then the attack of fever is really severe. Better it is kept away from us.

· · ·

5.22.11

मा स्मै॒तान्त्सखी॑न्कुरुथा ब॒लासं॑ का॒समु॑द्यु॒गम्। मा स्मातो॒ऽर्वाङैः पुन॒स्तत्त्वा॑ तक्म॒न्नुप॑ ब्रुवे ॥

Let fever never come with its concomitant ailments such as cough, dry or with sputum, or consumption. It should be cotrolled, not allowed to grow on. I say this again and again.

· · ·

5.22.12

तक्म॒न्भ्रात्रा॑ ब॒लासे॑न॒ स्वस्रा॒ कासि॑कया स॒ह। पा॒प्मा भ्रातृ॑व्येण स॒ह गच्छा॒मुमर॑णं॒ जन॑म् ॥

Fever with its brother-like cough and with its sister-like bronchitis is damned too bad, and in this form it catches a poor person of weak immunity.

· · ·

5.22.13

तृती॑यकं वितृती॒यं स॑द॒न्दिमु॒त शा॑र॒दम्। त॒क्मानं॑ शी॒तं रू॒रं ग्रैष्मं॑ नाशय॒ वार्षि॑कम् ॥

Fever must be eliminated: whether it relapses on third day, or fourth day, or it comes daily, or in the cold season, whether it comes with cold and shivers, or with dryness and pain, or with heat and burning, or it comes in the rainy season.

· · ·

5.22.14

ग॒न्धारि॑भ्यो॒ मूज॑व॒द्भ्योऽङ्गे॑भ्यो म॒गधे॑भ्यः। प्रै॒ष्यन् जन॑मिव शेव॒धिं त॒क्मानं॒ परि॑ दद्मसि ॥

Whether fever comes and affects odorous people and spreads from them, or it affects weaker persons and spreads from them, or it affects persons of weak constitution and spreads from them, or it affects persons of ill-controlled habits and spreads from them, in any case we throw it out and eliminate it like infection brought in from another country and sent out like a foreigner, and thus we keep it away.

✦ Sukta 23 · 13 verses ✦

5.23.1

ओते॑ मे॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी ओता॑ दे॒वी सर॑स्वती। ओतौ॑ म॒ इन्द्र॑श्चा॒ग्निश्च॒ क्रिमिं॑ जम्भयता॒मिति॑ ॥

Nature and humanity are interlinked: Sun and earth are interlinked. Divine Sarasvati, radiant rays, showers of rain, running streams and currents of wind, all are interlinked, Indra and Agni, electric energy and fire energy, too are interlinked for us. May all these destroy the dangerous worms, insects, germs and bacteria which cause disease.

· · ·

5.23.2

अ॒स्येन्द्र॑ कुमा॒रस्य॒ क्रिमी॑न्धनपते जहि। ह॒ता विश्वा॒ अरा॑तय उ॒ग्रेण॒ वच॑सा॒ मम॑ ॥

Hey Indra, lord of health and wealth of the world, destroy the disease causing germs of this child’s body system. Let all the negative forces of his body be destroyed by the intense action of the medicines of my prescription. (Indra here may be interpreted as the electric energy of nature or as the physician, and ‘vachas’ as the prescription given by the physician or, as Satavalekara’s suggestion is, the vachas herb of Ayurveda which is highly efficacious for children.)

· · ·

5.23.3

यो अ॒क्ष्यौ॑ परि॒सर्प॑ति॒ यो नासे॑ परि॒सर्प॑ति। द॒तां यो मद्यं॒ गच्छ॑ति॒ तं क्रिमिं॑ जम्भयामसि ॥

We destroy the germs which creep and affect the eyes, which affect the nostrils, and which creep into the middle of the teeth. Those germs we destroy.

· · ·

5.23.4

सरू॑पौ॒ द्वौ विरू॑पौ॒ द्वौ कृ॒ष्णौ द्वौ रोहि॑तौ॒ द्वौ। ब॒भ्रुश्च॑ ब॒भ्रुक॑र्णश्च॒ गृध्रः॒ कोक॑श्च॒ ते ह॒ताः ॥

The two similar in species, two of different species, two black ones, two red ones, the brown, those with brown tentacles, those that eat the cells, those that devour the cells, all are destroyed.

· · ·

5.23.5

ये क्रिम॑यः शिति॒कक्षा॒ ये कृ॒ष्णाः शि॑ति॒बाह॑वः। ये के च॑ वि॒श्वरू॑पा॒स्तान्क्रिमी॑न् जम्भयामसि ॥

The worms and germs with white sides, those black ones with white arms, those of different forms and varieties, all these we destroy.

· · ·

5.23.6

उत्पु॒रस्ता॒त्सूर्य॑ एति वि॒श्वदृ॑ष्टो अदृष्ट॒हा। दृ॒ष्टांश्च॒ घ्नन्न॒दृष्टां॑श्च॒ सर्वां॑श्च प्रमृ॒णन्क्रिमी॑न् ॥

The sun rises in the east as the world watches, it destroys the visible as well as those negativities which are invisible to the naked eye. And it goes on killing and eliminating all worms and germs which are seen or unseen.

· · ·

5.23.7

येवा॑षासः॒ कष्क॑षास एज॒त्काः शि॑पवित्नु॒काः। दृ॒ष्टश्च॑ ह॒न्यतां॒ क्रिमि॑रु॒तादृष्ट॑श्च हन्यताम् ॥

Those that grow and move too fast, those too painful, those that give the shivers, and those that are intensely penetrative, the seen as well as unseen, all of them should be killed and eliminated.

· · ·

5.23.8

ह॒तो येवा॑षः॒ क्रिमी॑णां ह॒तो न॑दनि॒मोत। सर्वा॒न्नि म॑ष्म॒षाक॑रं दृ॒षदा॒ खल्वाँ॑ इव ॥

Destroyed are the fast ones, and destroyed are those that cause intolerable pain. All of them I have crushed as gram grain is crushed with stone.

· · ·

5.23.9

त्रि॑शी॒र्षाणं॑ त्रिक॒कुदं॒ क्रिमिं॑ सा॒रङ्ग॒मर्जु॑नम्। शृ॒णाम्य॑स्य पृ॒ष्टीरपि॑ वृश्चामि॒ यच्छिरः॑ ॥

I destroy the worms and germs with three heads, those that are triangular those that creep and are spotted, and those that are white and create abscess. I break their back and I break their head.

· · ·

5.23.10

अ॑त्रि॒वद्वः॑ क्रिमयो हन्मि कण्व॒वज्ज॑मदग्नि॒वत्। अ॒गस्त्य॑स्य॒ ब्रह्म॑णा॒ सं पि॑नष्म्य॒हं क्रिमी॑न् ॥

O worms and germs, I destroy you as Atri, a devourer, like Kanva, intelligent planner, like Jamadagni, lighted fire. I destroy you with the knowledge and formula of Agastya, veteran scientist, and thus I destroy and wholly eliminate the worms and germs that cause disease.

· · ·

5.23.11

ह॒तो राजा॒ क्रिमी॑णामु॒तैषां॑ स्थ॒पति॑र्ह॒तः। ह॒तो ह॒तमा॑ता॒ क्रिमि॑र्ह॒तभ्रा॑ता ह॒तस्व॑सा ॥

Killed is the ruling cause and condition of the germs, destroyed is their colony and the protective cover, killed is their breeder, killed their allies, male and female, all of them are destroyed.

· · ·

5.23.12

ह॒तासो॑ अस्य वे॒शसो॑ ह॒तासः॒ परि॑वेशसः। अथो॒ ये क्षु॑ल्ल॒का इ॑व॒ सर्वे॒ ते क्रिम॑यो ह॒ताः ॥

Killed are those that remained in their colony, killed are those around. And those that were too tiny, they too are destroyed. All of them are eliminated.

· · ·

5.23.13

सर्वे॑षां च॒ क्रिमी॑णां॒ सर्वा॑सां च क्रि॒मीना॑म्। भि॒नद्म्यश्म॑ना॒ शिरो॒ दहा॑म्य॒ग्निना॒ मुख॑म् ॥

Of all the worms and germs that are male and female, I break the head as with a stone, i.e., by a means beyond their resistance, and I burn their mouth with fire.

✦ Sukta 24 · 17 verses ✦

5.24.1

स॑वि॒ता प्र॑स॒वाना॒मधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां। चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Savita, lord of the light of life, is the supreme presiding power of all created beings. May Savita protect and guide us in the pursuit of this divine knowledge, in this programme of work, in this priestly task, in this office of respectable undertaking, in this intention, in this resolution, in this benediction, in this invocation and yajna in honour of the divine. This is the true voice from within.

· · ·

5.24.2

अ॒ग्निर्वन॒स्पती॑ना॒मधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Agni is the presiding power of the life of herbs and trees. May Agni protect and promote in this pursuit of divine knowledge, in this particular act, in this priestly undertaking, in this settled position of responsibility, in this plan, in this resolution, in this discipline and benediction, and in this yajna in honour of divinities. This is the inner voice.

· · ·

5.24.3

द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी दा॑तॄ॒णामधि॑पत्नी॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May earth and heaven, presiding protectors of the generous, guide and promote me in this divine prayer and pursuit, in this particular act, in this pious undertaking, in this settled position of responsibility, in this plan, in this resolution, in this discipline and benediction, and in this yajna in honour of the divinities. This is the voice of the soul’s prayer.

· · ·

5.24.4

वरु॑णो॒ऽपामधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Varuna is the presiding power of the cosmic waters. May Varuna protect and promote me in this holy pursuit of knowledge and prayer, in this holy act, in this priestly task, in this honourable undertaking, in this thought, in this resolution, in this benedition, and in this yajnic service to the divinities. This is the inner voice and prayer in truth.

· · ·

5.24.5

मि॒त्रावरु॑णौ वृ॒ष्ट्याधि॑पती॒ तौ मा॑वताम्। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Sun and the sea are the presiding powers of rain. May they protect and promote me in this holy pursuit of Vedic studies, in this holy act, in this priestly duty, in this honourable responsibility, in this plan and programme, in this decision, in this benediction and discipline and in this yajna in the service of divinities. This is the true voice of the soul.

· · ·

5.24.6

म॒रुतः॒ पर्व॑ताना॒मधि॑पतय॒स्ते मा॑वन्तु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Maruts are the controlling forces of the clouds and mountains. May they protect and promote me in this holy pursuit of divine knowledge, in this particular programme, in this pious priestly undertaking, in this prestigious position, in this plan, in this resolution, in this discipline and benediction, and in this yajna of the divinities. This is the voice of the soul, in truth.

· · ·

5.24.7

सोमो॑ वी॒रुधा॒मधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Soma, spirit of cosmic vitality, is the life and presiding power of herbs and trees. May soma protect and promote me in this spiritual pursuit of divinity, in this programme, in this holy undertaking, in this prestigious position, in this plan, in this resolution, in this discipline and realisation of benediction, and in this yajna of the divinities. This is the inner voice of the soul in truth of thought, word and deed.

· · ·

5.24.8

वा॒युर॒न्तरि॑क्ष॒स्याधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Vayu, wind and electric energy, is the presiding power of the middle regions. May Vayu protect and promote me in this spiritual pursuit of divinity, in this programme on hand, in this holy undertaking, in this settled position of honour, in this plan, in this resolution, in this benediction, and in this yajna of the divinities. This is the voice of the soul in prayer in truth.

· · ·

5.24.9

सूर्य॒श्चक्षु॑षा॒मधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Surya, the sun, is the presiding power of the light of the eyes. May the sun protect and promote me with vision in this spiritual pursuit of divinity, in this work on hand, in this holy undertaking, in this settled position of honour, in this plan, in this resolution, in this benediction, and in this yajna of the divinities. This is the inner voice in truth.

· · ·

5.24.10

च॒न्द्रमा॒ नक्ष॑त्राणा॒मधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Chandrama, the moon, the cosmic spirit of joy and beauty, is the presiding power of the shining joyous stars of the world. May Chandrama protect and promote me in this divine pursuit of universal knowledge, in this work on hand, in this priestly commission, in this prestigious position, in this thoughtful plan, in this resolution, in this divine blessing, in this yajnic service of divinities. This is the voice of the soul in all sincerity.

· · ·

5.24.11

इन्द्रो॑ दि॒वोऽधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Indra, lord omnipotent, is the presiding power and sustainer of the heavens. May Indra protect and promote me in this holy programme of divine learning, in this plan on hand, in this priestly task, in this prestigious position, in this project, in this resolution, in this blessed scheme, and in this divine act of yajna. This is a soulful prayer in all honesty of thought, word and deed.

· · ·

5.24.12

म॒रुतां॑ पि॒ता प॑शू॒नामधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

The cosmic energy is the sustainer of the winds and all vibrant forces of the world. It is sustainer of all living beings. May this lord almighty protect and promote me in this divine programme of learning, in this new project in hand, in this priestly task, in this prestigious position, in this planned work, in this resolution, in this position of benediction, and in this divine act of yajna in honour of the divinities. This is a soulful prayer in honesty of thought, word and deed.

· · ·

5.24.13

मृ॒त्युः प्र॒जाना॒मधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Mrtyu, divine law of life and death, is the ruling power of the living, the people. May that power divine protect and promote me in this divine scheme of life and work, in this work I am doing, in this priestly task, in this prestigious position, in this planned project, in this resolution, in this blessed work, and in this yajnic life dedicated to the divinities. This is the voice of the soul in earnest.

· · ·

5.24.14

य॒मः पि॑तॄ॒णामधि॑पतिः॒ स मा॑वतु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

Yama, the lord of cosmic justice, is the presiding power of the souls in the state of life death cycle. May Yama and good wishes of our forefathers and the pranic energies preserve, protect and promote me in this divine process of living, in this programme of life and learning, in this priestly task of divine service, in this prestigious state of human life, in this intelligent way of living, in this faith and resolve of honourable living, and in this blessed life on earth. This is the true voice of the heart and soul in faith.

· · ·

5.24.15

पि॒तरः॒ परे॑ ते मावन्तु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May the good wishes and memories of the farthest ancestors protect and promote me in this holy life of divine nature, in this life work I am doing, in this priestlike task, in this noble position, in this intelligent living, in this life of faith and resolution, in this state of benediction and in this yajnic course of life dedicated to the divinities. This is the earnest prayer from the depth of the heart.

· · ·

5.24.16

त॒ता अव॑रे ते मावन्तु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May the parental powers of closer time protect and promote me in this divine life, in this work I am doing, in this priestlike task of life, in this noble settled position, in this intelligent way of living, in this life of faith and resolution, in this state of benediction, and in this yajnic

course of life dedicated to divinities. This is the earnest prayer from the depth of the heart.

· · ·

5.24.17

त॒तस्त॑ताम॒हास्ते॑ मावन्तु। अ॒स्मिन्ब्रह्म॑ण्य॒स्मिन्कर्म॑ण्य॒स्यां पु॑रो॒धाया॑म॒स्यां प्र॑ति॒ष्ठाया॑म॒स्यां चित्त्या॑म॒स्यामाकू॑त्याम॒स्यामा॒शिष्य॒स्यां दे॒वहू॑त्यां॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May our parents and grand parents and their parents protect and promote me in this divine process of living and learning, in this programme of work, in this priestly task of life, in this position of prestige, in this planned life, in this resolution of good living, in this blessed life and in this yajnic life dedicated to the divinities. This is the voice of truth from the depth of heart and soul in earnest prayer.

✦ Sukta 25 · 13 verses ✦

5.25.1

पर्व॑ताद्दि॒वो योने॒रङ्गा॑दङ्गात्स॒माभृ॑तम्। शेपो॒ गर्भ॑स्य रेतो॒धाः सरौ॑ प॒र्णमि॒वा द॑धत् ॥

Distilled from the mountain and the cloud, from the sun and the fertility of nature, collected from every cell of the body is the seed of life. The valiant bearer of this seed of life deposits it in the womb as the lord creator places the sun in space.

· · ·

5.25.2

यथे॒यं पृ॑थि॒वी म॒ही भू॒तानां॒ गर्भ॑माद॒धे। ए॒वा द॑धामि ते॒ गर्भं॒ तस्मै॒ त्वामव॑से हुवे ॥

“Just as this great earth bears the seed as womb of all living beings, so do I bear your seed of life.” “For the protection, growth and maturity of that I court you.” (This mantra can be interpreted as a dialogue between the wife and the husband, or as the address of the husband of the wife, or as the address of the wife to the husband. In any of these ways, the meaning remains clearly similar.)

· · ·

5.25.3

गर्भं॑ धेहि सिनीवालि॒ गर्भं॑ धेहि सरस्वति। गर्भं॑ ते अ॒श्विनो॒भा ध॑त्तां॒ पुष्क॑रस्रजा ॥

O mother fecundity of Nature, O mother Sarasvati, divine flow of cosmic intelligence, bear, protect and promote the seed in the womb. O Ashvins, complementarities of nature’s cyclic energy, bearing and wearing the flowery garlands of nature’s fragrant essences of pranic vitality, pray hold, protect and promote the foetus in the womb.

· · ·

5.25.4

गर्भं॑ ते मि॒त्रावरु॑णौ॒ गर्भं॑ दे॒वो बृह॒स्पतिः॑। गर्भं॑ त॒ इन्द्र॑श्चा॒ग्निश्च॒ गर्भं॑ धा॒ता द॑धातु ते ॥

O mother, let Mitra and Varuna, prana and apana energies hold and mature your foetus. Let divine and refulgent Brhaspati, the generous sun protect and promote your foetus. Let Indra and Agni, cosmic energy and vital heat of life, hold and nourish your foetus. Let Dhata, the omnipotent wielder and sustainer of the universe, sustain, promote and mature your foetus in the womb.

· · ·

5.25.5

विष्णु॒र्योनिं॑ कल्पयतु॒ त्वष्टा॑ रू॒पाणि॑ पिंशतु। आ सि॑ञ्चतु प्र॒जाप॑तिर्धा॒ता गर्भं॑ दधातु ते ॥

Let Vishnu, omnipresent life energy, strengthen and sustain your womb. Let Tvashta, Nature’s shaping power, form and finish the structure and function of all the organs of the foetus. Let Prajapati, father of all living creatures nourish and energise the foetus. Let Dhata, cosmic sustainer, hold and sustain the foetus to maturity.

· · ·

5.25.6

यद्वेद॒ राजा॒ वरु॑णो॒ यद्वा॑ दे॒वी सर॑स्वती। यदिन्द्रो॑ वृत्र॒हा वेद॒ तद्ग॑र्भ॒कर॑णं पिब ॥

Whatever liquid energy and vitality, the ruling Varuna, sun and waters, hold, whatever energy and intelligence mother Sarasvati holds, whatever energy and power Indra, destroyer of darkness and evil, has, all that vitality, intelligence and energy which feeds and forms the foetus, O mother, receive and assimilate from nature.

· · ·

5.25.7

गर्भो॑ अ॒स्योष॑धीनां॒ गर्भो॒ वन॒स्पती॑नाम्। गर्भो॒ विश्व॑स्य भू॒तस्य॒ सो अ॑ग्ने॒ गर्भ॒मेह धाः॑ ॥

O Agni, vitality of life, you are the life sustainer of herbs, you are the life sustainer of trees, you are the life sustainer of all living beings of the world. Pray sustain and mature the foetus here in the womb.

· · ·

5.25.8

अधि॑ स्कन्द वी॒रय॑स्व॒ गर्भ॒मा धे॑हि॒ योन्या॑म्। वृषा॑सि वृष्ण्यावन्प्र॒जायै॒ त्वा न॑यामसि ॥

Rise, O man, be valiant, and place the seed in the womb. You are strong and profuse in manliness. We exhort you only for procreation.

· · ·

5.25.9

वि जि॑हीष्व बार्हत्सामे॒ गर्भ॑स्ते॒ योनि॒मा श॑याम्। अदु॑ष्टे दे॒वाः पु॒त्रं सो॑म॒पा उ॑भया॒विन॑म् ॥

Wax with the divine joy of hymnal divinity, and let the seed be placed in the womb. May the divinities of nature and humanity, all lovers and protectors of creative Soma bless you with noble progeny for both of us.

· · ·

5.25.10

धातः॒ श्रेष्ठे॑न रू॒पेणा॒स्या नार्या॑ गवी॒न्योः। पुमां॑सं पु॒त्रमा धे॑हि दश॒मे मा॒सि सूत॑वे ॥

O Dhata, sustainer of all living beings, pray sustain and mature virile progeny with noblest form and character in the womb of this mother between her groins to be born on maturation in the tenth month.

· · ·

5.25.11

त्वष्टः॒ श्रेष्ठे॑न रू॒पेणा॒स्या नार्या॑ गवी॒न्योः। पुमां॑सं पु॒त्रमा धे॑हि दश॒मे मा॒सि सूत॑वे ॥

O Tvashta, maker of forms, pray form and mature virile progeny with noblest form and character in the womb of this mother between her groins to be born on maturation in the tenth month.

· · ·

5.25.12

सवि॑तः॒ श्रेष्ठे॑न रू॒पेणा॒स्या नार्या॑ गवी॒न्योः। पुमां॑सं पु॒त्रमा धे॑हि दश॒मे मा॒सि सूत॑वे ॥

O Savita, lord creator, sustain and mature virile progeny with noblest form and character in the womb of this mother between her groins to be born on maturation in the tenth month.

· · ·

5.25.13

प्रजा॑पते॒ श्रेष्ठे॑न रू॒पेणा॒स्या नार्या॑ गवी॒न्योः। पुमां॑सं पु॒त्रमा धे॑हि दश॒मे मा॒सि सूत॑वे ॥

O Prajapati, universal father of the children of nature and humanity, sustain and mature virile progeny with noblest form and character in the womb of this mother between her groins to be born on maturation in the tenth month.

✦ Sukta 26 · 12 verses ✦

5.26.1

यजूं॑षि य॒ज्ञे स॒मिधः॒ स्वाहा॒ग्निः प्र॑वि॒द्वानि॒ह वो॑ युनक्तु ॥

May Agni, learned scholar and enlightened scientist of yajna, light the samits, holy fuel, and fragrant materials and use the verses of Yajurveda here in this yajna in the home for you, i.e., inmates of the house. This is my prayer in truth of thought, word and deed.

· · ·

5.26.2

यु॒नक्तु॑ दे॒वः स॑वि॒ता प्र॑जा॒नन्न॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे म॑हि॒षः स्वाहा॑ ॥

May the generous Savita, all inspiring creative genius, mighty potent and all aware, use the verses of Yajurveda and fragrant havis here in this yajna in the home. This is my prayer and submission in truth of heart and soul.

· · ·

5.26.3

इन्द्र॑ उक्थाम॒दान्य॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे प्र॑वि॒द्वान्यु॑नक्तु सु॒युजः॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May the eminent scholar and friendly companion, Indra, use inspiring and exhilarating hymns of the Veda in this yajna here in the home. This is my prayer and submission in truth of heart and soul.

· · ·

5.26.4

प्रै॒षा य॒ज्ञे नि॒विदः॒ स्वाहा॑ शि॒ष्टाः पत्नी॑भिर्वहते॒ह यु॒क्ताः ॥

May eminent men of initiative, learned scholars and cultured pioneers of the science of yajna with their wives join and conduct this yajna here in the home. This is my earnest prayer and submission.

· · ·

5.26.5

छन्दां॑सि य॒ज्ञे म॑रुतः॒ स्वाहा॑ मा॒तेव॑ पु॒त्रं पि॑पृते॒ह यु॒क्ताः ॥

May the Maruts, vibrant brave and heroic people, join us in this yajna and, like mother for the child, bring us fulfilment of the Vedic prayers and cherished ambitions. This is my prayer and submission in truth.

· · ·

5.26.6

एयम॑गन्ब॒र्हिषा॒ प्रोक्ष॑णीभिर्य॒ज्ञं त॑न्वा॒नादि॑तिः॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May inviolable mother Aditi with yajna sanctities and fragrances come and join us extending this yajna with her showers of blessings. This is my prayer and submission in all sincerity.

· · ·

5.26.7

विष्णु॑र्युनक्तु बहु॒धा तपां॑स्य॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे सु॒युजः॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May Vishnu, omnipresent spirit of divinity, the sage of universal love, companionable friend, bring us manifold disciplines of austerity and join us in this yajna. This is my prayer and submission in truth.

· · ·

5.26.8

त्वष्टा॑ युनक्तु बहु॒धा नु रू॒पा अ॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे यु॑नक्तु सु॒युजः॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May Tvashta, formative spirit of nature, and the man of subtle and refined thoughts and forms, companionable friend, come, join us in this yajna and bless us with many forms of yajna and yajnic achievements. This is my prayer and submission in truth.

· · ·

5.26.9

भगो॑ युनक्त्वा॒शिषो॒ न्व१॒॑स्मा अ॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे प्र॑वि॒द्वान्यु॑नक्तु सु॒युजः॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May Bhaga, divine spirit of prosperity, holy and companionable friend, join us in this yajna and bring us divine blessings. Let the eminent scholar, friendly and cooperative, join us in this yajna and bring us manifold advantages. This is my prayer and submission in earnest.

· · ·

5.26.10

सोमो॑ युनक्तु बहु॒धा पयां॑स्य॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे सु॒युजः॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May Soma, divine spirit of peace and bliss, the man of peace and joy, spontaneous cooperative friend, join us here in this yajna and lead us to many forms of new exhilarating and dynamic ways of wealth and peaceful joy. This is my earnest prayer and submission.

· · ·

5.26.11

इन्द्रो॑ युनक्तु बहु॒धा पयां॑स्य॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे सु॒युजः॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

May Indra, spirit of omnipotence, and man of power and initiative, real companion friend, come and join this yajna and bring us manifold powers and new possibilities. This is my prayer and submission in right earnest.

· · ·

5.26.12

अश्वि॑ना॒ ब्रह्म॒णा या॑तम॒र्वाञ्चौ॑ वषट्का॒रेण॑ य॒ज्ञं व॒र्धय॑न्तौ। बृह॑स्पते॒ ब्रह्म॒णा या॑ह्य॒र्वाङ् य॒ज्ञो अ॒यं स्व॑रि॒दं यज॑मानाय॒ स्वाहा॑ ॥

O Ashvins, complementarities of natural dynamics, dynamic men and women, come straight with divine knowledge and promote the yajna with ever new and more productive holy inputs. O Brhaspati, Spirit of Infinity, O scholar of divine knowledge, come straight with the universal knowledge and possibilities revealed in the Veda. May this yajna be rising high to the regions of light and bliss for the yajamana and his new home. This is my prayer and submission in right earnest.

✦ Sukta 27 · 12 verses ✦

5.27.1

ऊ॒र्ध्वा अ॑स्य स॒मिधो॑ भवन्त्यू॒र्ध्वा शु॒क्रा शो॒चींष्य॒ग्नेः। द्यु॒मत्त॑मा सु॒प्रती॑कः॒ ससू॑नु॒स्तनू॒नपा॒दसु॑रो॒ भूरि॑पाणिः ॥

High are the fuel stic(Agni is a metaphor. It stands for self-refulgent Divinity, brilliant leader, sagely scholar and any such other leading power.)ks of this Agni in flames, high, radiant and pure its lights. Most refulgent, most glorious, assisted by many noble active forces, it is infallible and inviolable in body, highly energetic and boundless in power and force.

· · ·

5.27.2

दे॒वो दे॒वेषु॑ दे॒वः प॒थो अ॑नक्ति॒ मध्वा॑ घृ॒तेन॑ ॥

Divine among divinities, self-refulgent and generous, it opens and illumines new paths of life and sprinkles them with honey sweets of light and ghrta.

· · ·

5.27.3

मध्वा॑ य॒ज्ञं न॑क्षति प्रैणा॒नो नरा॒शंसो॑ अ॒ग्निः सु॒कृद्दे॒वः स॑वि॒ता वि॒श्ववा॑रः ॥

Self-refulgent Agni, admired and adored by humanity, energises, advances and beautifies yajna and yajnic operations of human karma with honey sweets of beauty and dignity. Noble performer, refulgent illuminator, creative inspirer, Agni is the universal choice of human love and exaltation.

· · ·

5.27.4

अच्छा॒यमे॑ति॒ शव॑सा घृ॒ता चि॒दीडा॑नो॒ वह्नि॒र्नम॑सा ॥

This Agni, carrier and advancer of yajna, loved, adored and served with ghrta, yajnic food and devotion, goes forward with full power and glory of light.

· · ·

5.27.5

अ॒ग्निः स्रुचो॑ अध्व॒रेषु॑ प्र॒यक्षु॒ स य॑क्षदस्य महि॒मान॑म॒ग्नेः ॥

Agni is to be loved, served and worshipped in yajna with offers of oblations with ladlefuls of ghrta. Let the yajamana recognise, honour and internalise the grandeur of this divine Agni.

· · ·

5.27.6

त॒री म॒न्द्रासु॑ प्र॒यक्षु॒ वस॑व॒श्चाति॑ष्ठन्वसु॒धात॑रश्च ॥

Agni is the saviour, adorable, and to be honoured by yajna in matters of life Dnd on occasions of joy and celebration. More liberal and greater sustainer of life and life’s wealth than the sustainers it is, because the life supports themselves are supported by Agni.

· · ·

5.27.7

द्वारो॑ दे॒वीरन्व॑स्य॒ विश्वे॑ व्र॒तं र॑क्षन्ति वि॒श्वहा॑ ॥

All the doors of divine experience and knowledge of the world such as the organs of sense, understanding and judgement follow, abide by and maintain the discipline of its law without relent, all the time.

· · ·

5.27.8

उ॑रु॒व्यच॑सा॒ग्नेर्धाम्ना॒ पत्य॑माने। आ सु॒ष्वय॑न्ती यज॒ते उ॒पाके॑ उ॒षासा॒नक्तेमं य॒ज्ञम॑वतामध्व॒रं नः॑ ॥

Receiving their light, power and parental efficacy for us from the wide expansive splendour of divine Agni, the night and dawn, blissful sisterly divinities moving on together, may, we pray, protect and promote this our yajna of love and non-violent advancement of humanity and the environment.

· · ·

5.27.9

दैवा॒ होता॑र ऊ॒र्ध्वम॑ध्व॒रं नो॒ऽग्नेर्जि॒ह्वया॒भि गृ॑णत गृ॒णता॑ नः॒ स्वि॑ष्टये। ति॒स्रो दे॒वीर्ब॒र्हिरेदं स॑दन्ता॒मिडा॒ सर॑स्वती म॒ही भार॑ती गृणा॒ना ॥

May the divine yajna performers of nature and humanity promote and exalt our yajna of love, non- violence and socio-natural cohesion by the rising flames of Agni and the vaulting words of divinity, and thus may they promote and exalt our yajna for our common good. And may the three great divinities, Ida, Sarasvati and Bharati, divine Nature, divine knowledge and divine ethics and policy of holistic nature emanating from absolute divinity, Vedic knowledge and the sanctity of great living existence, seated on this vedi of our yajna of the social human order promote and bless us and our yajnic programme.

· · ·

5.27.10

तन्न॑स्तु॒रीप॒मद्भु॑तं पुरु॒क्षु। देव॑ त्वष्टा रा॒यस्पो॑षं॒ वि ष्य॒ नाभि॑मस्य ॥

May divine Tvashta, creator and maker of refined forms and institutions, create and grant us that abundant, wonderful wealth, energy and food for body, mind and soul that grows fast for all, place it at the centre-vedi of the social order, open up doors of prosperity and relieve us of all want and suffering.

· · ·

5.27.11

वन॑स्प॒तेऽव॑ सृजा॒ ररा॑णः। त्मना॑ दे॒वेभ्यो॑ अ॒ग्निर्ह॒व्यं श॑मि॒ता स्व॑दयतु ॥

O Vanaspati, lord of nature, protector and promoter of forest, botanist of high order, happy and enthusiastic at heart, with your very soul create and release for the devas, divinitiebe delighted with the state of society and its prosperity.s of nature and nobilities of humanity, all dedicated to yajna, holy and refined materials for inputs of the yajna of development, and Agni, enlightened spirit of the nation, lover of peace and stability, would

· · ·

5.27.12

अ॑ग्ने॒ स्वाहा॑ कृणुहि जातवेदः। इन्द्रा॑य य॒ज्ञं विश्वे॑ दे॒वा ह॒विरि॒दं जु॑षन्ताम् ॥

Agni, lord of world knowledge take this holy offering and, in all holiness and sincerity, refine and raise the yajna to the grace and glory of Indra, spirit of power and prosperity of humanity. And may all the Devas of nature and humanity share this holy gift and rejoice.

✦ Sukta 28 · 14 verses ✦

5.28.1

नव॑ प्रा॒णान्न॒वभिः॒ सं मि॑मीते दीर्घायु॒त्वाय॑ श॒तशा॑रदाय। हरि॑ते॒ त्रीणि॑ रज॒ते त्रीण्यय॑सि॒ त्रीणि॒ तप॒सावि॑ष्ठितानि ॥

Lord Almighty joins nine pranic energies in proper accord with nine for a long life of hundred years, three in gold, three in silver and three in iron are integrated in accordance with the quality and intensity of nature and character in relation to natural law and discipline. (Gold, silver and iron are concrete versions of the Sattva, Rajas and Tamas variations of personality.) Note: This mantra is a comprehensive foreshadow of all the fourteen verses of the hymn. This sukta presents a symbolic vision of the relation of human personality with nature. It also presents a symbolic interpretation of the three threefold threads of the sacred yajnopavita as our link with life. Prana energisSs all our human faculties at the rational, emotional and instinctive levels. All these three are further classified into sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic levels of high, medium, and low order. The division thus is ninefold. Prana energises all of them in accordance with the character and intensity of each. Basically prana is one as personality too is one. The three sacred threads, each of them threefold, of the yajnopavita symbolise the relationship of the spiritual, intellectual and familial sides of our personality to the divine, educational and procreative sides of life, reminding us of our obligations: worship of God, gratitude to teachers and seniors, and respect to our parents with affectionate service. Just as nine orders of prana are at source one, and nine variations of personality are one, just so the 3x3 threads of the yajnopavita are three circulations of one thread knotted at the point where the beginning and the end of the thread coincide. The knot is known as divine, Brahma knot. Aspects of the life-prana symbolism and the significance of the sacred thread in relation to life and duty are reflected in the mantras.

· · ·

5.28.2

अ॒ग्निः सूर्य॑श्च॒न्द्रमा॒ भूमि॒रापो॒ द्यौर॒न्तरि॑क्षं प्र॒दिशो॒ दिश॑श्च। आ॑र्त॒वा ऋ॒तुभिः॑ संविदा॒ना अ॒नेन॑ मा त्रि॒वृता॑ पारयन्तु ॥

May Agni, vital heat, sun, moon, earth, waters, solar regions, middle regions, four quarters of space, and the interdirections, all these nine accordant with the seasons and through all seasons take me successfully across the course of life by this triple armour of pranic energy, the course symbolised by the triple yajnopavita. (Nine aspects of nature accordant with the seasons, and nine orders of our personality are related here through the intermediacy of prana. Nine orders of personality may be interpreted as our rational, emotional and instinctive life lived at sattvic, rajasic and tamasic level or the physical, mental and spiritual life lived at three levels. All the nine orders of personality, nine orders of nature and nine orders of prana are to be harmonious and in accord with the seasons of the year and seasons of life from the first to the last days of life. Yajnopavita symbolises the living across the course of life: First twenty five years of Brahmacharya for study and preparation, next twenty five years of Grhastha for family life, next twenty five years of Banaprastha in retirement, all symbolised by three threads of the yajnopavita. In the fourth phase of twenty five years of Sanyasa, the yajnopavita is relinquished because life and nature-better call it personality and nature-are identified, beyond the relationship, symbol and symbolised are one.)

· · ·

5.28.3

त्रयः॒ पोष॑स्त्रि॒वृति॑ श्रयन्ताम॒नक्तु॑ पू॒षा पय॑सा घृ॒तेन॑। अन्न॑स्य भू॒मा पुरु॑षस्य भू॒मा भू॒मा प॑शू॒नां त॑ इ॒ह श्र॑यन्ताम् ॥

May three orders of growth and abundance abide in the threefold order of pranic energy from the heavens, skies and earth, and symbolically in the threefold yajnopavita, and may the divine spirit of cosmic nourishment, growth and abundance, Pusha, bless us with water, milk and ghrta. May abundance of food and energy, abundance of people, and abundance of wealth and animals abide here in this life. (The symbolic reference to threefold yajnopavita enjoins that along with prayer man has to justify prayer with effort and action as well. The yajnopavita is not only a human privilege, it is also a divine commandment. One who fails to keep the commandment for knowledge, action and prayer for potential beyond actual strength and performance fails to honour the privilege and falls from the privilege.)

· · ·

5.28.4

इ॒ममा॑दित्या॒ वसु॑ना॒ समु॑क्षते॒मम॑ग्ने वर्धय वावृधा॒नः। इ॒ममि॑न्द्र॒ सं सृ॑ज वी॒र्ये॑णा॒स्मिन्त्रि॒वृच्छ्र॑यतां पोषयि॒ष्णु ॥

O Adityas, lights of the sun over the year, shower this soul with the wealth of light and vitality. O Agni, energy and fertility of mother earth, growing, rising and raising, advance this soul in prosperity. O Indra, cosmic energy of the middle regions of the sky, strengthen and exhilarate this soul with valour and creative splendour. O Lord Supreme, let the triple armour of light, power and prosperity of the three cosmic regions abide here in the soul, advancing and exalting the person. (The yajnopavita also has been interpreted as the triple armour.)

· · ·

5.28.5

भूमि॑ष्ट्वा पातु॒ हरि॑तेन विश्व॒भृद॒ग्निः पि॑प॒र्त्वय॑सा स॒जोषाः॑। वी॒रुद्भि॑ष्टे॒ अर्जु॑नं संविदा॒नं दक्षं॑ दधातु सुमन॒स्यमा॑नम् ॥

O wearer of the triple armour, may Bhumi, the world of expansive existence, protect and promote you with the golden glory of higher life. May Agni, spirit and energy of the earth, loving and companionable, which holds and sustains the world of life, bless you with the strength of steel. And may the middle regions, with herbs and trees which they bless with sap, bear and bring for you the silver sense of lovely peace and joy of mind and life’s expertise worthy of love and value.

· · ·

5.28.6

त्रे॒धा जा॒तं जन्म॑ने॒दं हिर॑ण्यम॒ग्नेरेकं॑ प्रि॒यत॑मं बभूव॒ सोम॒स्यैकं॑ हिंसि॒तस्य॒ परा॑पतत्। अ॒पामेकं॑ वे॒धसां॒ रेत॑ आहु॒स्तत्ते॒ हिर॑ण्यं त्रि॒वृद॒स्त्वायु॑षे ॥

This golden glory of life’s strength and splendour is born three-way from the very beginning of life: One is the dearest darling of Agni and the profuse generosity of earth, the other one is born of Soma crushed, descended from the moon and reflected from the sun, and yet another one, they say, is the living essence of cosmic waters and universal intelligence of Nature. And that is the golden glory for you, threefold, the triple armour for you, for health and long age.

· · ·

5.28.7

त्र्या॑यु॒षं ज॒मद॑ग्नेः क॒श्यप॑स्य त्र्यायु॒षम्। त्रे॒धामृत॑स्य॒ चक्ष॑णं॒ त्रीण्यायूं॑षि तेऽकरम् ॥

Triple and thrice brilliant is the life of Jamadagni, the man of fiery tempered vitality of Brahmacharya. Triple and thrice far reaching is the life of Kashyapa, the man of universal vision and wisdom. Threefold is the voice of the Lord of Immortality: “I have created and ordained triple threefold span of life for you”, life of knowledge, action and worship for three to four hundred years.

· · ·

5.28.8

त्रयः॑ सुप॒र्णास्त्रि॒वृता॒ यदाय॑न्नेकाक्ष॒रम॑भिसं॒भूय॑ श॒क्राः। प्रत्यौ॑हन्मृ॒त्युम॒मृते॑न सा॒कम॑न्त॒र्दधा॑ना दुरि॒तानि॒ विश्वा॑ ॥

Three mighty sojourners wearing the triple armour of Jnana (knowledge), Karma (right action) and Bhakti (divine worship), who rise, having self-realised the spirit and presence of the One Imperishable Om, transcend the fear and pain of death at a single stroke by the vision of Immortality after they have overcome all the negativities and fluctuations of material existence within. (Three sojours: Jnana yogis, Karma yogis and Bhakti yogis, or Vasu, Rudra and Aditya scholars, or senses, mind and soul.)

· · ·

5.28.9

दि॒वस्त्वा॑ पातु॒ हरि॑तं॒ मध्या॑त्त्वा पा॒त्वर्जु॑नम्। भूम्या॑ अय॒स्मयं॑ पातु॒ प्रागा॑द्देवपु॒रा अ॒यम् ॥

May the golden glory of nature’s sattva protect and promote you from the region of heaven. May the silver beauty of nature’s rajas protect and promote you from the middle region. May the iron strength of nature’s tamas protect and promote you from the regions of the earth. Thus does this soul reach the region of divinities.

· · ·

5.28.10

इ॒मास्ति॒स्रो दे॑वपु॒रास्तास्त्वा॑ रक्षन्तु स॒र्वतः॑। तास्त्वं बिभ्र॑द्वर्च॒स्व्युत्त॑रो द्विष॒तां भ॑व ॥

These three, golden glory of the Sattva of nature, silver beauty of the Rajas of nature, and iron strength of the Tamas of nature, are the divine stages of the soul’s progress. Bearing these, wearing this triple armour of protection and progress, brilliant and enlightened, rise higher and keep all hate and jealousy down and defeated. May all these, all-ways, protect you against all negativities.

· · ·

5.28.11

पुरं॑ दे॒वाना॑म॒मृतं॒ हिर॑ण्यं॒ य आ॑बे॒धे प्र॑थ॒मो दे॒वो अग्रे॑। तस्मै॒ नमो॒ दश॒ प्राचीः॑ कृणो॒म्यनु॑ मन्यतां त्रि॒वृदा॒बधे॑ मे ॥

That eternal and immortal Spirit of the universe wrapped in golden mystery is the seat of divinities which the prime cause of the universe, self-refulgent and self- manifest Brahman, brings into manifestation, first. To that Spirit omnipresent in all ten directions, I do homage. May the Spirit of three-matras, OM, graciously accept me as I bind myself to the discipline of the threefold sacred thread. Pray, bless me and my resolution.

· · ·

5.28.12

आ त्वा॑ चृतत्वर्य॒मा पू॒षा बृह॒स्पतिः॑। अह॑र्जातस्य॒ यन्नाम॒ तेन॒ त्वाति॑ चृतामसि ॥

O seeker of light and wisdom, may Aryama, divine path maker, Pusha, lord of life’s nourishment, and Brhaspati, lord of infinity, accept you into the filial bond. We accept you and enfold you in that open ended and expansive light and brilliance which is the innate and essential nature and character of the sun which daily rises with new splendour.

· · ·

5.28.13

ऋ॒तुभि॑ष्ट्वार्त॒वैरायु॑षे॒ वर्च॑से त्वा। सं॑वत्स॒रस्य॒ तेज॑सा॒ तेन॒ संह॑नु कृण्मसि ॥

For the light of life and a long age of health and refinement in accord with the seasons, with all gifts of the seasons, we strengthen you and temper you with that splendour of the yearly course of the sun which would make you inviolable against all injustice and opposition.

· · ·

5.28.14

घृ॒तादुल्लु॑प्तं॒ मधु॑ना॒ सम॑क्तं भूमिदृं॒हमच्यु॑तं पारयि॒ष्णु। भि॒न्दन्त्स॒पत्ना॒नध॑रांश्च कृ॒ण्वदा मा॑ रोह मह॒ते सौभ॑गाय ॥

O man, born of light, refined with sweets as honey, firm as earth, immovable, eager to lead and cross the seas, breaking through adversaries and defeating opposition and evil, come, rise with me for self- fulfilment and well being of high order.

✦ Sukta 29 · 15 verses ✦

5.29.1

पु॒रस्ता॑द्यु॒क्तो व॑ह जातवे॒दोऽग्ने॑ वि॒द्धि क्रि॒यमा॑णं॒ यथे॒दम्। त्वं भि॒षग्भे॑ष॒जस्या॑सि क॒र्ता त्वया॒ गामश्वं॒ पुरु॑षं सनेम ॥

O Agni, Jataveda, general physician of comprehensive knowledge of disease and medicine, come as appointed in advance, know what it is now to be done. You are the physician, you are the maker of the medicine. By you, your knowledge and application, let us have a nation of healthy people, fertile cows and fleet horses.

· · ·

5.29.2

तथा॒ तद॑ग्ने कृणु जातवेदो॒ विश्वे॑भिर्दे॒वैः स॒ह सं॑विदा॒नः। यो नो॑ दि॒देव॑ यत॒मो ज॒घास॒ यथा॒ सो अ॒स्य प॑रि॒धिष्पता॑ति ॥

O Agni, Jataveda, since you know and meet all brilliant scholars and specialists and you know all the divine herbs and sanatives of the world, decide and do that what you would so that whatever ailment and disease vexes us and consumes our health is eliminated to the last bounds of its effect.

· · ·

5.29.3

यथा॒ सो अ॒स्य प॑रि॒धिष्पता॑ति॒ तथा॒ तद॑ग्ने कृणु जातवेदः। विश्वे॑भिर्दे॒वैः स॒ह सं॑विदा॒नः ॥

Agni, Jataveda, in order that the disease with its cause be eliminated to the bounds of its prevalence, do that what you decide but in consultation with all the brilliant scholars and specialists in the field and with the joint consolidated knowledge of all the divine herbs and sanatives you know.

· · ·

5.29.4

अ॒क्ष्यौ॒ नि वि॑ध्य॒ हृद॑यं॒ नि वि॑ध्य जि॒ह्वां नि तृ॑न्द्धि॒ प्र द॒तो मृ॑णीहि। पि॑शा॒चो अ॒स्य य॑त॒मो ज॒घासाग्ने॑ यविष्ठ॒ प्रति॑ तं शृणीहि ॥

Agni, whoever or whatever the blood sucking agent of the enemy, fix it in the eyes, pierce the heart, pierce the tongue, break the teeth. Whatever or whoever vexes and consumes us, O most youthful defender, break that down to dust.

· · ·

5.29.5

यद॑स्य हृ॒तं विहृ॑तं॒ यत्परा॑भृतमा॒त्मनो॑ ज॒ग्धं य॑त॒मत्पि॑शा॒चैः। तद॑ग्ने वि॒द्वान्पुन॒रा भ॑र॒ त्वं शरी॑रे मां॒समसु॒मेर॑यामः ॥

O Agni, Jataveda, learned physician, whatever of the health of body and mind of this person has been taken off, eaten up or robbed away by the blood sucking devils, that you repair, replenish and restore to full health. Let us rebuild and restore the muscle and pranic energy in the patient’s body.

· · ·

5.29.6

आ॒मे सुप॑क्वे श॒बले॒ विप॑क्वे॒ यो मा॑ पिशा॒चो अश॑ने द॒दम्भ॑। तदा॒त्मना॑ प्र॒जया॑ पिशा॒चा वि या॑तयन्तामग॒दोयम॑स्तु ॥

Whatever polluting and life threatening germs enter and pollute our food—whether raw, cooked, half cooked, fully cooked—and damage our health, let these be countered and destroyed in themselves and with their further growth, and let this patient be restored to good health.

· · ·

5.29.7

क्षी॒रे मा॑ म॒न्थे य॑त॒मो द॒दम्भा॑कृष्टप॒च्ये अश॑ने धा॒न्ये॒ यः। तदा॒त्मना॑ प्र॒जया॑ पिशा॒चा वि या॑तयन्तामग॒दो॒यम॑स्तु ॥

Whatever germs in milk, in butter milk or in wild grains enter our food and damage us, let these be countered and destroyed in themselves and with their further growth, and let the affected patient restored to good health.

· · ·

5.29.8

अ॒पां मा॒ पाने॑ यत॒मो द॒दम्भ॑ क्र॒व्याद्या॑तू॒नां शय॑ने॒ शया॑नम्। तदा॒त्मना॑ प्र॒जया॑ पिशा॒चा वि या॑तयन्तामग॒दो॒यम॑स्तु ॥

Of the flesh eating damagers, whatever germs of waters in our drink damage us, and whatever bugs or germs in bed infect the person sleeping there, let these be countered and destroyed in themselves and with their further growth, and let the person affected be restored to good health.

· · ·

5.29.9

दिवा॑ मा॒ नक्तं॑ यत॒मो द॒दम्भ॑ क्र॒व्याद्या॑तू॒नां शय॑ने॒ शया॑नम्। तदा॒त्मना॑ प्र॒जया॑ पिशा॒चा वि या॑तयन्तामग॒दो॒यम॑स्तु ॥

Of the life damagers whatever carnivorous insects or germs infect and damage me day or night sleeping in bed, let these be countered and destroyed, themselves and with their further growth, and let the perrson affected be restored to good health.

· · ·

5.29.10

क्र॒व्याद॑मग्ने रुधि॒रं पि॑शा॒चं म॑नो॒हनं॑ जहि जातवेदः। तमिन्द्रो॑ वा॒जी वज्रे॑ण हन्तु छि॒नत्तु॒ सोमः॒ शिरो॑ अस्य धृ॒ष्णुः ॥

Agni, Jataveda, whatever the life threatening insect and germ, whether in the flesh or in blood or mind damaging, destroy that. Let Indra, energy treatment, destroy that with strike of the current of adequate degree. Let Soma, regenerative sanative of irresistible power, break the head of the damager.

· · ·

5.29.11

स॒नाद॑ग्ने मृणसि यातु॒धाना॒न्न त्वा॒ रक्षां॑सि॒ पृत॑नासु जिग्युः। स॒हमू॑रा॒ननु॑ दह क्र॒व्यादो॒ मा ते॑ हे॒त्या मु॑क्षत॒ दैव्या॑याः ॥

O Agni, physician, heat of fire, radiation of energy, you always destroy life-damaging elements of the environment. Negative forces never win against you in the battles of health and recovery. Pray burn up and destroy all life damaging insects and germs along with their roots and origin. Let none of them escape from the stroke of your life saving force.

· · ·

5.29.12

स॒माह॑र जातवेदो॒ यद्धृ॒तं यत्परा॑भृतम्। गात्रा॑ण्यस्य वर्धन्तामं॒शुरि॒वा प्या॑यताम॒यम् ॥

O Jataveda, recover and consolidate whatever has been lost and robbed away. Let parts of the body system recover and grow like filaments of the lotus and be whole as phases of the moon. (The mantra suggests the possibility of the regeneration of vital organs also.)

· · ·

5.29.13

सोम॑स्येव जातवेदो अं॒शुरा प्या॑यताम॒यम्। अग्ने॑ विर॒प्शिनं॒ मेध्य॑मय॒क्ष्मं कृ॑णु॒ जीव॑तु ॥

Agni, Jataveda, let this patient recover and grow like filaments of the lotus and be whole like phases of the moon. Let him be fully healthy, strong, vigorous, fresh and free from negativities. Let him live his full

· · ·

5.29.14

ए॒तास्ते॑ अग्ने स॒मिधः॑ पिशाच॒जम्भ॑नीः। तास्त्वं जु॑षस्व॒ प्रति॑ चैना गृहाण जातवेदः ॥

Agni, holy fire, these are your divine fuel sticks which burn and destroy life threatening forces of pollution and disease. O Jataveda, pray accept these into the lighted fire, love these, be happy and beneficent to us for health and purity.

· · ·

5.29.15

ता॑र्ष्टा॒घीर॑ग्ने स॒मिधः॒ प्रति॑ गृह्णाह्य॒र्चिषा॑। जहा॑तु क्र॒व्याद्रू॒पं यो अ॑स्य मां॒सं जिही॑र्षति ॥

O Agni, raised and rising in the vedi, pray accept these fuel sticks of trshtagha tree by the flames of fire so that the life damaging infection which consumes the flesh of this patient may give up its form and force and the patient may recover.

✦ Sukta 30 · 17 verses ✦

5.30.1

आ॒वत॑स्त आ॒वतः॑ परा॒वत॑स्त आ॒वतः॑। इ॒हैव भ॑व॒ मा नु गा॒ मा पूर्वा॒ननु॑ गाः पि॒तॄनसुं॑ बध्नामि ते दृ॒ढम् ॥

O man, I strengthen and fully fortify your life energy against any danger which may be closer than the closest or farther than the farthest. Stay here, alive and strong. Do not follow the forefathers dead and gone. Do not follow the parents either, for they too would go earlier. Follow them alive and keep up their tradition.

· · ·

5.30.2

यत्त्वा॑भिचे॒रुः पुरु॑षः॒ स्वो यदर॑णो॒ जनः॑। उ॑न्मोचनप्रमोच॒ने उ॒भे वा॒चा व॑दामि ते ॥

If there be a person distant and wrong, or if there be a person, your own, who may do wrong, I speak to you about how to forestall the wrong or how to face it with confidence and overcome it.

· · ·

5.30.3

यद्दु॒द्रोहि॑थ शेपि॒षे स्त्रि॒यै पुं॒से अचि॑त्त्या। उ॑न्मोचनप्रमोच॒ने उ॒भे वा॒चा व॑दामि ते ॥

Out of wantonness of mind, hate or anger, if you have sworn at, cursed or reviled a man or woman, I would speak and advise you both ways, how to forestall the evil or how to face it with self-confidence and overcome it.

· · ·

5.30.4

यदेन॑सो मा॒तृकृ॑ता॒च्छेषे॑ पि॒तृकृ॑ताच्च॒ यत्। उ॑न्मोचनप्रमोच॒ने उ॒भे वा॒चा व॑दामि ते ॥

And if you are suffering the consequences of sin committed by your father or mother, either way I would speak and advise you how to forestall the effects or face them with success.

· · ·

5.30.5

यत्ते॑ मा॒ता यत्ते॑ पि॒ता जा॒मिर्भ्राता॑ च॒ सर्ज॑तः। प्र॒त्यक्से॑वस्व भेष॒जं ज॒रद॑ष्टिं कृणोमि त्वा ॥

Whatever relief, sanative or medicament for healing your mother, father, sister, and brother prepare and offer you, accept and take that straight. I advise and strengthen you to live a full span of age with good health.

· · ·

5.30.6

इ॒हैधि॑ पुरुष॒ सर्वे॑ण॒ मन॑सा स॒ह। दू॒तौ य॒मस्य॒ मानु॑ गा॒ अधि॑ जीवपु॒रा इ॑हि ॥

O man, stay here in life with all your mind and senses in full healthy order. Do not follow the messengers of death, let day and night pass without adversly affecting you. Go on in the celestial city of the spirit, living happy.

· · ·

5.30.7

अनु॑हूतः॒ पुन॒रेहि॑ वि॒द्वानु॒दय॑नं प॒थः। आ॒रोह॑णमा॒क्रम॑णं॒ जीव॑तोजीव॒तोऽय॑नम् ॥

Called again, come again, knowing the path of dawn and ascent. To rise, to go forward on and on that is the orbit of life for every living person.

· · ·

5.30.8

मा बि॑भे॒र्न म॑रिष्यसि ज॒रद॑ष्टिं कृणोमि त्वा। निर॑वोचम॒हं यक्ष्म॒मङ्गे॑भ्यो अङ्गज्व॒रं तव॑ ॥

Fear not, you shall not die. I have taught and strengthened you to live a full age of hundred years. I have taught you and I have eliminated the germinal roots of cancer, consumption and fever from every part of your body.

· · ·

5.30.9

अ॑ङ्गभे॒दो अ॑ङ्गज्व॒रो यश्च॑ ते हृदयाम॒यः। यक्ष्मः॑ श्ये॒न इ॑व॒ प्राप॑प्तद्व॒चा सा॒ढः प॑रस्त॒राम् ॥

Arthritis, consumptive fever of body parts, cardiac problems, cancer, all, devitalised and driven off through health education, have flown far away like a hawk.

· · ·

5.30.10

ऋषी॑ बोधप्रतीबो॒धाव॑स्व॒प्नो यश्च॒ जागृ॑विः। तौ ते॑ प्रा॒णस्य॑ गो॒प्तारौ॒ दिवा॒ नक्तं॑ च जागृताम् ॥

Knowledge and awareness by direct sense experience and inference and by creative response and memory are two visionary guards of personality which never sleep and keep awake. O man, they both are life guards for you day and night.protectors of your life energy. Let these keep awake as life guards for you day and night.

· · ·

5.30.11

अ॒यम॒ग्निरु॑प॒सद्य॑ इ॒ह सूर्य॒ उदे॑तु ते। उ॒देहि॑ मृ॒त्योर्ग॑म्भी॒रात्कृ॒ष्णाच्चि॒त्तम॑स॒स्परि॑ ॥

This life energy is worthy of reverence. By virtue of this, your life’s spirit arises in the body. O Jiva, soul of life, rise beyond the deep cave of death and beyond the darkest of the dark and negation.

· · ·

5.30.12

नमो॑ य॒माय॒ नमो॑ अस्तु मृ॒त्यवे॒ नमः॑ पि॒तृभ्य॑ उ॒त ये नय॑न्ति। उ॒त्पार॑णस्य॒ यो वेद॒ तम॒ग्निं पु॒रो द॑धे॒ऽस्मा अ॑रि॒ष्टता॑तये ॥

Homage to Yama, lord ordainer of life and death. Homage be to death which leads to life’s renewal. Homage to Pitr pranas which carry us on and forward. That Agni, lord supreme of life and light, who knows the mystery of life and death and the transcendence from life and death, we keep upfront in mind for our ultimate well being and salvation.

· · ·

5.30.13

ऐतु॑ प्रा॒ण ऐतु॒ मन॒ ऐतु॒ चक्षु॒रथो॒ बल॑म्। शरी॑रमस्य॒ सम्वि॑दां॒ तत्प॒द्भ्यां प्रति॑ तिष्ठतु ॥

Let prana come, let mind come, let vision come and let energy come. Let consciousness come to the body and then let the person stand on the feet.

· · ·

5.30.14

प्रा॒णेना॑ग्ने॒ चक्षु॑षा॒ सं सृ॑जे॒मं समी॑रय त॒न्वा॒ सं बले॑न। वेत्था॒मृत॑स्य॒ मा नु गा॒न्मा नु भूमि॑गृहो भुवत् ॥

O Agni, regenerate, recreate this person with pranas, with eye sight, let him move with strength and body. You know of life and mortality and immortality. Let him not go. Let him not fall to dust.

· · ·

5.30.15

मा ते॑ प्रा॒ण उप॑ दस॒न्मो अ॑पा॒नोऽपि॑ धायि ते। सूर्य॒स्त्वाधि॑पतिर्मृ॒त्योरु॒दाय॑च्छतु र॒श्मिभिः॑ ॥

Your prana must not fail. Your apana must not be closed. May the sun, presiding light of life, revive and raise you with its rays.

· · ·

5.30.16

इ॒यम॒न्तर्व॑दति जि॒ह्वा ब॒द्धा प॑निष्प॒दा। त्वया॒ यक्ष्मं निर॑वोचं श॒तं रोपी॑श्च त॒क्मनः॑ ॥

This quivering tongue, bound within the mouth, now speaks. I drive out the cancerous consumption from your body and silence a hundred fever pains that torment you.

· · ·

5.30.17

अ॒यं लो॒कः प्रि॒यत॑मो दे॒वाना॒मप॑राजितः। यस्मै॒ त्वमि॒ह मृ॒त्यवे॑ दि॒ष्टः पु॑रुष जज्ञि॒षे। स च॒ त्वानु॑ ह्वयामसि॒ मा पु॒रा ज॒रसो॑ मृथाः ॥

This human world unsurpassed by any other is dearest of the divines, dedicated to which and destined to die, O man, you are born here. You of that destiny and privilege, we call on to come and we pronounce: You must not die before you have had a full span of life unto perfect old age of ripeness.

✦ Sukta 31 · 12 verses ✦

5.31.1

यां ते॑ च॒क्रुरा॒मे पात्रे॒ यां च॒क्रुर्मि॒श्रधा॑न्ये। आ॒मे मां॒से कृ॒त्यां यां च॒क्रुः पुनः॒ प्रति॑ हरामि॒ ताम् ॥

O man, O ruler, whatever mischief, pollution or poison, negative elements of nature or antisocial elements of society have done in respect of food and water, and whatever such they have done in various food grains or in raw fleshy fruits and other foods, all that I counter, render ineffective, and return to the mischief maker. (In certain interpretations this mantra, in fact the whole sukta has been made to appear as a magicspell. But looked at carefully and scientifically, it reads like a report of the department of food control, water resources and vigilance.)

· · ·

5.31.2

यां ते॑ च॒क्रुः कृ॑क॒वाका॑व॒जे वा॒ यां कु॑री॒रिणि॑। अव्यां॑ ते कृ॒त्यां यां च॒क्रुः पुनः॒ प्रति॑ हरामि॒ ताम् ॥

Whatever mischief they have done to the cock and the peacock or to the goat and the ram or the sheep, that I counter, defuse and return to the doer (by way of punishment).

· · ·

5.31.3

यां ते॑ च॒क्रुरेक॑शफे पशू॒नामु॑भ॒याद॑ति। ग॑र्द॒भे कृ॒त्यां यां च॒क्रुः पुनः॒ प्रति॑ हरामि॒ ताम् ॥

Whatever they have done to one hoof animals such as the horse or to animals of double teeth or to the donkey, all that I counter and return to the doer.

· · ·

5.31.4

यां ते॑ च॒क्रुर॑मू॒लायां॑ वल॒गं वा॑ नरा॒च्याम्। क्षेत्रे॑ ते कृ॒त्यां यां च॒क्रुः पुनः॒ प्रति॑ हरामि॒ ताम् ॥

Whatever they have done to the amula and narachi herbs in secret, or whatever mischief they have done to the field, all that I counter and return to the doer.

· · ·

5.31.5

यां ते॑ च॒क्रुर्गार्ह॑पत्ये पूर्वा॒ग्नावु॒त दु॒श्चितः॑। शाला॑यां कृ॒त्यां यां च॒क्रुः पुनः॒ प्रति॑ हरामि॒ ताम् ॥

Whatever damage the evil at heart have done to the hearth and home, or to the sacred eastern fire, or to the house, all that I counter and return to the doer.

· · ·

5.31.6

यां ते॑ च॒क्रुः स॒भायां॒ यां च॒क्रुर॑धि॒देव॑ने। अ॒क्षेषु॑ कृ॒त्यां यां च॒क्रुः पुनः॒ प्रति॑ हरामि॒ ताम् ॥

Whatever damage they do in the assembly or in gardens and play grounds, or whatever mischief they do in gambling dens, all that I counter and render back to the doer.

· · ·

5.31.7

यां ते॑ च॒क्रुः सेना॑यां॒ यां

च॒क्रुरि॑ष्वायु॒धे। दु॑न्दु॒भौ कृ॒त्यां यां च॒क्रुः पुनः॒ प्रति॑ हरामि॒ ताम् ॥

Whatever damage they do in the defence forces or in arms and ammunition or in reconnaissance and signals, all that I counter and recharge on the doer.

· · ·

5.31.8

यां ते॑ कृ॒त्यां कूपे॑ऽवद॒धुः श्म॑शा॒ने वा॑ निच॒ख्नुः। सद्म॑नि कृ॒त्यां यां च॒क्रुः पुनः॒ प्रति॑ हरामि॒ ताम् ॥

Whatever damage they do to the water resources, or whatever evil they do and hide in the well or bury and conceal in the cremation ground, or whatever mischief they do in your own house, all that I counter and throw it on the head of the doer.

· · ·

5.31.9

यां ते॑ च॒क्रुः पु॑रुषा॒स्थे अ॒ग्नौ संक॑सुके च॒ याम्। म्रो॒कं नि॑र्दा॒हं क्र॒व्यादं॒ पुनः॒ प्रति॑ हरामि॒ ताम् ॥

Whatever damage they cause in human bones or in the form of destructive blazing fire, I counter and pay the saboteur, arsonist and the carnivore back in the same coin.

· · ·

5.31.10

अप॑थे॒ना ज॑भारैणां॒ तां प॒थेतः प्र हि॑ण्मसि। अधी॑रो मर्या॒धीरे॑भ्यः॒ सं ज॑भा॒राचि॑त्त्या ॥

The mischief maker brought about the mischief by a crooked path. That mischief we undo and throw out by the correct path. Thoughtless fools out of ignorance and wantonness bring about such trouble for people of patient mind and fortitude.

· · ·

5.31.11

यश्च॒कार॒ न श॒शाक॒ कर्तुं॑ श॒श्रे पाद॑म॒ङ्गुरि॑म्। च॒कार॑ भ॒द्रम॒स्मभ्य॑मभ॒गो भग॑वद्भ्यः ॥

The fool that did the mischief, or wanted to do but was not able to accomplish it, after all broke his own leg and burnt his own fingers. Any way, the unfortunate wretch did good to us who, blest and fortunate, happy and prosperous, are now warned and stand on guard against mischief, sin and crime.

· · ·

5.31.12

कृ॑त्या॒कृतं वल॒गिनं॑ मू॒लिनं॑ शपथे॒य्य॑म्। इन्द्र॒स्तं ह॑न्तु मह॒ता व॒धेना॒ग्निर्वि॑ध्यत्व॒स्तया॑ ॥

Let Indra, the ruler and all men of power and wisdom, with a mighty stroke of justice and punishment, eliminate the evil doer, secret saboteur, the rooted deceiver and the leader of the evil doers. Let Agni, far seeing commander of the police, and commander of the defence forces, fix and shoot him out with his weapon.