2. Rig Veda — Mandala 2

✦ Sukta 1 · 16 verses ✦

2.1.1

त्वम॑ग्ने॒ द्युभि॒स्त्वमा॑शुशु॒क्षणि॒स्त्वम॒द्भ्यस्त्वमश्म॑न॒स्परि॑ । त्वं वने॑भ्य॒स्त्वमोष॑धीभ्य॒स्त्वं नृ॒णां नृ॑पते जायसे॒ शुचिः॑ ॥

Agni, lord of light and knowledge, bright and blazing and ever enlightening, ruler and leader and sustainer of humanity, power of crystalline purity shining with splendour, you rise like vapours from the oceans and rain like showers from the skies. You ignite like sparks from stones and burn like fire from the forests. You thunder like lightning from clouds and overwhelm like lava from volcanoes. And you refresh like fragrance of flowers and rejuvenate like honey drinks of herbs as soma.

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2.1.2

तवा॑ग्ने हो॒त्रं तव॑ पो॒त्रमृ॒त्वियं॒ तव॑ ने॒ष्ट्रं त्वम॒ग्निदृ॑ताय॒तः । तव॑ प्रशा॒स्त्रं त्वम॑ध्वरीयसि ब्र॒ह्मा चासि॑ गृ॒हप॑तिश्च नो॒ दमे॑ ॥

Agni, light of life and leader of humanity, yours is yajna and the spirit of charity, yours is piety and purity, yours is the conduct and the organisation of holy plans and projects in time and seasons, yours is the message and the mission, yours is the truth and fiery knowledge of life and advancement, yours is the teaching, law, governance and administration, yours is love and the gift of charity for the growth of all, you are the highpriest and presiding presence of nature and humanity, and you are the life within and brightness of the happy family. Lord of light and life, we pray be the light within of the individual and protector and preserver of peace and joy of the family in the home for all.

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2.1.3

त्वम॑ग्न॒ इन्द्रो॑ वृष॒भः स॒ताम॑सि॒ त्वं विष्णु॑रुरुगा॒यो न॑म॒स्यः॑ । त्वं ब्र॒ह्मा र॑यि॒विद्ब्र॑ह्मणस्पते॒ त्वं वि॑धर्तः सचसे॒ पुरं॑ध्या ॥

Agni, self-refulgent lord of light and life, you are Indra, lord of power and glory. You are Vrshabha, mighty and generous among the good and great. You are Vishnu, omnipresent spirit, adorable, worthy of homage by all. You are Brahma, high-priest of the universe who knows the wealth and value of existence. O Brahmanaspati, lord protector, preserver and promoter of knowledge of the Spirit and Nature, you are the treasure-hold of all that exists in the universe, and you abide by all humans and others with your knowledge, power and glory.

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2.1.4

त्वम॑ग्ने॒ राजा॒ वरु॑णो धृ॒तव्र॑त॒स्त्वं मि॒त्रो भ॑वसि द॒स्म ईड्यः॑ । त्वम॑र्य॒मा सत्प॑ति॒र्यस्य॑ सं॒भुजं॒ त्वमंशो॑ वि॒दथे॑ देव भाज॒युः ॥

Agni, lord of life and light of existence, you are the glorious ruler. You are Varuna, greatest and best lord of nature and humanity, upholder of natural truth and law of life. You are Mitra, the master, dear as friend and the very breath of life, adorable and worthy of homage and worship. You are Aryama, lord giver of love and justice, preserver and promoter of truth and sustainer of the lovers of truth and justice. Lord of light blazing as the sun, generous and blissful, in the grand yajnic system of life and living, you are the giver of every one’s rights and duties, actions and rewards, according to the law of Dharma and the Karmic dispensation.

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2.1.5

त्वम॑ग्ने॒ त्वष्टा॑ विध॒ते सु॒वीर्यं॒ तव॒ ग्नावो॑ मित्रमहः सजा॒त्य॑म् । त्वमा॑शु॒हेमा॑ ररिषे॒ स्वश्व्यं॒ त्वं न॒रां शर्धो॑ असि पुरू॒वसुः॑ ॥

Agni, heat and light of life, universal presence, you are Tvashta, breaker, maker and preserver of the forms of life. You bestow noble strength and courage upon the man of love and service. Lord of universal speech of love and truth, you are the greatest friend. Yours is real equality and brotherhood. You are the giver of instant inspiration calling men of action to duty and you give the noble speed of motion and advancement to the pioneers. You are the strength and power of the people, and you are the haven and home of all.

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2.1.6

त्वम॑ग्ने रु॒द्रो असु॑रो म॒हो दि॒वस्त्वं शर्धो॒ मारु॑तं पृ॒क्ष ई॑शिषे । त्वं वातै॑ररु॒णैर्या॑सि शंग॒यस्त्वं पू॒षा वि॑ध॒तः पा॑सि॒ नु त्मना॑ ॥

Agni, vital heat and light and fire of life, you are Rudra, shatterer of evil and terror for the wicked. You are vital as breath and generous as the cloud. You are the mighty blaze of the sun in heaven and essential force of the winds. You blow with the fiery waves of energy and bring peace and joy to the living. You are Pusha, food and sustenance of life, and with your heart and soul you protect and promote those who dedicate themselves to your service.

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2.1.7

त्वम॑ग्ने द्रविणो॒दा अ॑रं॒कृते॒ त्वं दे॒वः स॑वि॒ता र॑त्न॒धा अ॑सि । त्वं भगो॑ नृपते॒ वस्व॑ ईशिषे॒ त्वं पा॒युर्दमे॒ यस्तेऽवि॑धत् ॥

Agni, lord of light and creator of new life, you are the giver of wealth to the person who acts in faith and homage to you for the beauty and grace of life and culture. Self-refulgent lord of life, you are Savita, light and inspiration, the spirit of universal creation, fertilisation, refreshment and rejuvenation. You hold the entire treasure jewels of the world of existence. Ruler and sustainer of all, you are Bhaga, power and glory of humanity. You rule and command and advance the wealth and beauty and splendour of the life-sustaining abodes of nature and humanity. You are the father, mother and sustainer of the person whoever observes the law of Dharma in the family and the home.

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2.1.8

त्वाम॑ग्ने॒ दम॒ आ वि॒श्पतिं॒ विश॒स्त्वां राजा॑नं सुवि॒दत्र॑मृञ्जते । त्वं विश्वा॑नि स्वनीक पत्यसे॒ त्वं स॒हस्रा॑णि श॒ता दश॒ प्रति॑ ॥

Agni, lord of life, light and power of the world, the people in their home, in individual, familial and social discipline, do honour to you, ruler, sustainer and protector of humanity and generous giver of the wealth of life for all. Gracious lord of power and fighting force for the protection and advancement of humanity, you rule and sustain all alike with love and favour to tens and hundreds and thousands of the units of life and society — wherever they be.

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2.1.9

त्वाम॑ग्ने पि॒तर॑मि॒ष्टिभि॒र्नर॒स्त्वां भ्रा॒त्राय॒ शम्या॑ तनू॒रुच॑म् । त्वं पु॒त्रो भ॑वसि॒ यस्तेऽवि॑ध॒त्त्वं सखा॑ सु॒शेवः॑ पास्या॒धृषः॑ ॥

Agni, lord of light and glory, ruler of the world, people come to you as father, sustainer and protector, and they do honour and homage to you with yajnic acts of creation and development. They come to you as brother with love and peace at heart for the sake of friendship and fraternity as they see in you the glow of health and grace of the body politic. You act as son of the mother earth and her people as saviour from want and suffering and protector against lawless bullies and destructive terrorists. O lord of law and power, friend of humanity, noble giver of peace and prosperity, whoever honours and obeys you and the law, you save, protect and advance in freedom, peace and prosperity against all fear and evil.

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2.1.10

त्वम॑ग्न ऋ॒भुरा॒के न॑म॒स्य१॒॑स्त्वं वाज॑स्य क्षु॒मतो॑ रा॒य ई॑शिषे । त्वं वि भा॒स्यनु॑ दक्षि दा॒वने॒ त्वं वि॒शिक्षु॑रसि य॒ज्ञमा॒तनिः॑ ॥

Agni, lord of light and ruler of the world, you are the master of knowledge and expertise close at hand, worthy of honour and homage. You are the ruler of knowledge, power and prosperity and all round wealth and glory of the world. You shine all that is good, and consequently, you burn all that is evil and destructive. You are the teacher and guide for the generous giver and the presiding power of expansive yajna in life and humanity.

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2.1.11

त्वम॑ग्ने॒ अदि॑तिर्देव दा॒शुषे॒ त्वं होत्रा॒ भार॑ती वर्धसे गि॒रा । त्वमिळा॑ श॒तहि॑मासि॒ दक्ष॑से॒ त्वं वृ॑त्र॒हा व॑सुपते॒ सर॑स्वती ॥

Agni, light of life and inspiration for the world, you are the light of heaven for the generous giver of knowledge and wisdom. You are Bharati, speech of communication, a clarion call to action and invitation to knowledge, which grows with inspiration from the voice of Divinity. You are Ila, omniscient vision of Divinity which reflects in the hundred years of the scholar’s awareness. O lord of the world’s wealth of knowledge and vision and wisdom, you are the everflowing stream of knowledge, mother Sarasvati, who dispels all darkness and destroys ignorance.

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2.1.12

त्वम॑ग्ने॒ सुभृ॑त उत्त॒मं वय॒स्तव॑ स्पा॒र्हे वर्ण॒ आ सं॒दृशि॒ श्रियः॑ । त्वं वाजः॑ प्र॒तर॑णो बृ॒हन्न॑सि॒ त्वं र॒यिर्ब॑हु॒लो वि॒श्वत॑स्पृ॒थुः ॥

Agni, lord of glory and magnanimity, you are the highest wielder and upholder of great action. Highest are your lives and roles in performance. Lovely and wondrous are your graces in form and view. Mighty great are you, high your vision and knowledge, a saving ark across the seas of sin and suffering. High and plentiful are you in wealth and knowledge, all round great and greater, in measure immeasurable of all.

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2.1.13

त्वाम॑ग्न आदि॒त्यास॑ आ॒स्यं१॒॑त्वां जि॒ह्वां शुच॑यश्चक्रिरे कवे । त्वां रा॑ति॒षाचो॑ अध्व॒रेषु॑ सश्चिरे॒ त्वे दे॒वा ह॒विर॑द॒न्त्याहु॑तम् ॥

Agni, lord of the fire of life, knowledge and vision, poet of nature, humanity and divinity, the Adityas, devotees of light and learning brilliant as the sun in the zodiacs, listen to you as the mouthpiece of omniscience. Pure and innocent souls in search of truth regard you as the very tongue of divine will and vision. Liberal powers of fragrant favours and generosity seek and follow you in yajnas of love and non-violence. And while you are there, bright and blazing, the brilliancies of nature and humanity receive and enjoy the gifts of oblations offered into the fire.

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2.1.14

त्वे अ॑ग्ने॒ विश्वे॑ अ॒मृता॑सो अ॒द्रुह॑ आ॒सा दे॒वा ह॒विर॑द॒न्त्याहु॑तम् । त्वया॒ मर्ता॑सः स्वदन्त आसु॒तिं त्वं गर्भो॑ वी॒रुधां॑ जज्ञिषे॒ शुचिः॑ ॥

Agni, immortal spirit and vital power of life, by virtue of your presence and action, all the immortal souls and brilliancies of nature, full of love, free from hate and enmity, with their receptive organs receive their share of food through the oblations offered into the fire. By you only, the mortals among humanity receive their drink of soma for immortality. You are the essence and vitality of the herbs and trees, and in them and through them, you manifest and rise ever pure and brilliant.

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2.1.15

त्वं तान्त्सं च॒ प्रति॑ चासि म॒ज्मनाग्ने॑ सुजात॒ प्र च॑ देव रिच्यसे । पृ॒क्षो यदत्र॑ महि॒ना वि ते॒ भुव॒दनु॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी रोद॑सी उ॒भे ॥

Agni, spirit of life in existence, light of the world, brilliant, generous and universally manifestive, by virtue of your power and grandeur, you are immanent and yet transcendent. You are with all forms of existence together and with each one of them separately, and yet you are distinct and superior and rise above them all. Whatever abundance of life and wealth is there, exists here and prospers by virtue of your power and grandeur. Even the heaven and earth and the intermediate regions of the skies are great and generous by virtue of your power and splendour.

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2.1.16

ये स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ गोअ॑ग्रा॒मश्व॑पेशस॒मग्ने॑ रा॒तिमु॑पसृ॒जन्ति॑ सू॒रयः॑ । अ॒स्माञ्च॒ तांश्च॒ प्र हि नेषि॒ वस्य॒ आ बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Agni, lord of light and life, to the brave and brilliant people who are keen for knowledge and come with receptive organs of perception and dynamic, responsive and brilliant intelligence with gifts of cows and leading horses to the masters of knowledge and singers of hymns, to these seekers, teachers and to us all, we pray, bring a peaceful and happy home for settlement so that we all, blest with the courage and knowledge of truth, sing in praise of your great gifts of light and generosity in our yajnic programmes.

✦ Sukta 2 · 13 verses ✦

2.2.1

य॒ज्ञेन॑ वर्धत जा॒तवे॑दसम॒ग्निं य॑जध्वं ह॒विषा॒ तना॑ गि॒रा । स॒मि॒धा॒नं सु॑प्र॒यसं॒ स्व॑र्णरं द्यु॒क्षं होता॑रं वृ॒जने॑षु धू॒र्षद॑म् ॥

By yajna, research and development, expand the power and gifts of Agni, treasure of knowledge and power. Ignited and shining, rich and beautiful, harbinger of wealth and comfort, brilliant, generous giver of gifts, energy and power, it moves the wheels of action on the paths of progress. Develop it with holy inputs offered with elaborate voices of vast and far-reaching meaning.

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2.2.2

अ॒भि त्वा॒ नक्ती॑रुष॒सो॑ ववाशि॒रेऽग्ने॑ व॒त्सं न स्वस॑रेषु धे॒नवः॑ । दि॒वइ॒वेद॑र॒तिर्मानु॑षा यु॒गा क्षपो॑ भासि पुरुवार सं॒यतः॑ ॥

Agni, lord of light and power, master of knowledge and fire, as cows in the stalls eagerly call for their calves, so do the days and nights call upon you for action and success. Selected by many, disciplined and committed to programmes of work, you passionately shine day and night for ages of humanity, creating and giving wealth and power for progress.

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2.2.3

तं दे॒वा बु॒ध्ने रज॑सः सु॒दंस॑सं दि॒वस्पृ॑थि॒व्योर॑र॒तिं न्ये॑रिरे । रथ॑मिव॒ वेद्यं॑ शु॒क्रशो॑चिषम॒ग्निं मि॒त्रं न क्षि॒तिषु॑ प्र॒शंस्य॑म् ॥

That fire power of Agni, admirable among humanity, worthy to be discovered and known as a friend, mighty rich in quantity and quality of power, bright and blazing with flames of light and waves of energy, brilliant and generous scholars find abundantly present in the depths of the earth and between earth and heaven in the midst of clouds and in the lower atmosphere, and they develop it and exploit it as a chariot of speed and success for progress.

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2.2.4

तमु॒क्षमा॑णं॒ रज॑सि॒ स्व आ दमे॑ च॒न्द्रमि॑व सु॒रुचं॑ ह्वा॒र आ द॑धुः । पृश्न्याः॑ पत॒रं चि॒तय॑न्तम॒क्षभिः॑ पा॒थो न पा॒युं जन॑सी उ॒भे अनु॑ ॥

That energy of Agni, generous, creative and abundant, falling from space profusely in particles in waves of motion, concentrating in both heaven and earth through the skies, the scholars with their organs of perception, volition and intelligence collect like food for the journey of progress and store it, dear and lovely as gold, in the power homes of their own making and use it in circular and wavy motion for the production of power and vitality in simulation of both creative earth and heaven.

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2.2.5

स होता॒ विश्वं॒ परि॑ भूत्वध्व॒रं तमु॑ ह॒व्यैर्मनु॑ष ऋञ्जते गि॒रा । हि॒रि॒शि॒प्रो वृ॑धसा॒नासु॒ जर्भु॑र॒द्द्यौर्न स्तृभि॑श्चितय॒द्रोद॑सी॒ अनु॑ ॥

That Agni, self-refulgent lord of light and life, is the chief yajamana of universal yajna which He conducts, governs and transcends. Him too the whole humanity celebrates with songs of praise and they augment His yajna with holy offerings in the vedi. And He, voracious Agni, with a golden face and fiery mouth, receives, devours, burns and blazes, radiating and vibrating among the people advancing on their path of progress. May the Lord collect and radiate the light and vitality of life for us and spread it around by the shining stars, and let us too simulate and conduct the yajna in pursuance of heaven and earth. So also let the performer of scientific yajna conduct the holy project of research and development of light, energy and vitality on a universal scale. Him the people recognise, appreciate and applaud in words of praise and gratitude with holy offerings of support. Let this yajaka with a golden face radiate the light of knowledge, and, as an illuminating power among the people moving forward on the path of progress, let him shine as stars, collecting, developing and creating new light in pursuance of the generosity of heaven and earth at our level.

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2.2.6

स नो॑ रे॒वत्स॑मिधा॒नः स्व॒स्तये॑ संदद॒स्वान्र॒यिम॒स्मासु॑ दीदिहि । आ नः॑ कृणुष्व सुवि॒ताय॒ रोद॑सी॒ अग्ने॑ ह॒व्या मनु॑षो देव वी॒तये॑ ॥

Agni, such you are, shining bright, wealthy and abundant, generous and giving, create and bestow the light of knowledge and wealth of the world on us for our good. Just as heaven and earth create light and wealth and with it bless humanity, so you too create the wealth of existence for the grace and glory of life on earth and let the earth become a happy place fit for the divinities to come and dwell. (The mantra, according to Swami Dayanand, is applicable to the brilliant saintly and generous scholars and scientists.)

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2.2.7

दा नो॑ अग्ने बृह॒तो दाः स॑ह॒स्रिणो॑ दु॒रो न वाजं॒ श्रुत्या॒ अपा॑ वृधि । प्राची॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी ब्रह्म॑णा कृधि॒ स्व१॒॑र्ण शु॒क्रमु॒षसो॒ वि दि॑द्युतः ॥

Agni, give us liberally. Give us the grace and the glory a thousandfold. Reveal the light and, likewise, open the flood-gates of knowledge, wealth and power, and the velocity of light for the speed of progress. Let the heaven and earth be the eastern horizon of a new dawn and the dawns bring in brilliant days of holy light and creative vitality of life’s purity.

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2.2.8

स इ॑धा॒न उ॒षसो॒ राम्या॒ अनु॒ स्व१॒॑र्ण दी॑देदरु॒षेण॑ भा॒नुना॑ । होत्रा॑भिर॒ग्निर्मनु॑षः स्वध्व॒रो राजा॑ वि॒शामति॑थि॒श्चारु॑रा॒यवे॑ ॥

May the same Agni, bright and burning, radiate and illuminate us day and night with holy light. And may he, ruler of humanity, lovely and charming, highpriest of life’s yajna of love and non-violence, ever on the round like a beneficent visitor, with the rise of the morning sun, with holy offerings as well as gifts of food, energy and joy, add to the health, happiness and longevity of the people.

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2.2.9

ए॒वा नो॑ अग्ने अ॒मृते॑षु पूर्व्य॒ धीष्पी॑पाय बृ॒हद्दि॑वेषु॒ मानु॑षा । दुहा॑ना धे॒नुर्वृ॒जने॑षु का॒रवे॒ त्मना॑ श॒तिनं॑ पुरु॒रूप॑मि॒षणि॑ ॥

Thus, Agni, ancient light of eternal vision, knowledge and wisdom, we pray, increase and advance for us among our people, immortal lovers and seekers of universal knowledge, versatile intelligence for our human purposes, and, with your sincere mind and soul, impart a hundred fold specialist knowledge and expertise of various forms in various fields to the expert inventor, designer and worker according to the need and requirement of the situation among our dynamic people, knowledge and expertise from which may flow the wealth of food and honeyed prosperity like abundant milk of generous cow.

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2.2.10

व॒यम॑ग्ने॒ अर्व॑ता वा सु॒वीर्यं॒ ब्रह्म॑णा वा चितयेमा॒ जनाँ॒ अति॑ । अ॒स्माकं॑ द्यु॒म्नमधि॒ पञ्च॑ कृ॒ष्टिषू॒च्चा स्व१॒॑र्ण शु॑शुचीत दु॒ष्टर॑म् ॥

Agni, leading light of life and humanity, let us acquire noble strength and power with speed and transport. Let us enlighten our people with knowledge to a higher than usual degree. May our honour and splendour be high over and among all the five classes of people. Lord of light, purify, sanctify and brighten our holy joy so that our strength, honour and happiness becomes difficult to challenge and grows inviolable.

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2.2.11

स नो॑ बोधि सहस्य प्र॒शंस्यो॒ यस्मि॑न्त्सुजा॒ता इ॒षय॑न्त सू॒रयः॑ । यम॑ग्ने य॒ज्ञमु॑प॒यन्ति॑ वा॒जिनो॒ नित्ये॑ तो॒के दी॑दि॒वांसं॒ स्वे दमे॑ ॥

Agni, adorable lord of life and majesty, leading light of humanity, mighty commander of challenge and victory, instruct and enlighten us in that struggle and endeavour for life, living in which the bright and brave aspire for success and arise nobly reborn and seasoned leaders. Temper us in that yajnic ordeal of fire, eternal and subtle, shining and burning in everyone’s own heart and home, which the warlike heroes enter and attain the life eternal.

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2.2.12

उ॒भया॑सो जातवेदः स्याम ते स्तो॒तारो॑ अग्ने सू॒रय॑श्च॒ शर्म॑णि । वस्वो॑ रा॒यः पु॑रुश्च॒न्द्रस्य॒ भूय॑सः प्र॒जाव॑तः स्वप॒त्यस्य॑ शग्धि नः ॥

Agni, Jataveda who know and govern all that is born in the world of existence, bless us that we may be both your admirers and worshippers and also shine bright and brave in the household. Help us Lord, and give us the competence to have a liberal share of your gifts of happy home, health and wealth, all round peace and divine grace, plenty and prosperity, a happy family and bright children.

· · ·

2.2.13

ये स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ गोअ॑ग्रा॒मश्व॑पेशस॒मग्ने॑ रा॒तिमु॑पसृ॒जन्ति॑ सू॒रयः॑ । अ॒स्माञ्च॒ तांश्च॒ प्र हि नेषि॒ वस्य॒ आ बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Those learned, bright and brave people who create and offer gifts in homage specially of quality cows and lands and handsome horses for the worshippers of Agni and developers of the science of fire, O lord of light and life, giver of peace and happy home, you advance all these and us in life, and bless us that we may, wise and brave, sing songs of praise to celebrate you in yajnic acts of life.

✦ Sukta 3 · 11 verses ✦

2.3.1

समि॑द्धो अ॒ग्निर्निहि॑तः पृथि॒व्यां प्र॒त्यङ् विश्वा॑नि॒ भुव॑नान्यस्थात् । होता॑ पाव॒कः प्र॒दिवः॑ सुमे॒धा दे॒वो दे॒वान्य॑जत्व॒ग्निरर्ह॑न् ॥

Agni, light and fire of life and all existence, is established in action on and in the earth. It abides in and by all regions of the universe, each one of them, directly, immediately and positively. It is the sacred fire that carries on the yajna of the universe, giving, receiving and giving again in the cycle of cosmic dynamics. It is ‘pavaka’, refiner, purifier and sanctifier. It is bright and blazing, innately intelligent, guiding and directing the onward march of life. May Agni, in its own right of its nature and Dharma, bright and ever giving as the Divinity, abide by all the divinities of nature and humanity, holy powers all, and, together with them, carry on the cycle of life in existence. (Swami Dayananda interprets Agni symbolically, in an open-ended applied manner in the human context: Agni is the scholar, teacher, researcher, ruler, producer, worker, in fact any power human or natural, creatively working for life and helping humanity and the environment for the progress of all living beings in the service of God.)

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2.3.2

नरा॒शंसः॒ प्रति॒ धामा॑न्य॒ञ्जन् ति॒स्रो दिवः॒ प्रति॑ म॒ह्ना स्व॒र्चिः । घृ॒त॒प्रुषा॒ मन॑सा ह॒व्यमु॒न्दन्मू॒र्धन्य॒ज्ञस्य॒ सम॑नक्तु दे॒वान् ॥

Agni, lord of life and light of the world, adored by many people, self-refulgent with the light of his own flames, revealing the regions of the universe with his own knowledge and power and lighting the threefold fires of the sun in heaven, lightning in the sky and fire on the earth, including the three fires of the home, i.e., garhapatya, ahavaniya and daksinagni, replete with ghrta and brilliant with his own inner light of mind, receiving the offerings into the vedi and augmenting and returning them manifold in showers of bliss, may, we pray, bless and beatify the brilliant and generous yajakas of divine order seated at the head of yajna.

· · ·

2.3.3

ई॒ळि॒तो अ॑ग्ने॒ मन॑सा नो॒ अर्ह॑न्दे॒वान्य॑क्षि॒ मानु॑षा॒त्पूर्वो॑ अ॒द्य । स आ व॑ह म॒रुतां॒ शर्धो॒ अच्यु॑त॒मिन्द्रं॑ नरो बर्हि॒षदं॑ यजध्वम् ॥

Agni, praised, adored and celebrated lord of light and power of knowledge, first and foremost friend of humanity, worthy of honour and pleased to listen and bless, we pray join the brilliant divinities and reward them with science and sacred knowledge now as ever. Lord, such as you are, bring us the speed and force of the Maruts, mighty winds, and the imperishable power and glory of Indra, showers of electric energy from the clouds. Come ye all members of humanity, join and honour Agni seated on the grass upfront on the holy vedi of your yajna of life.

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2.3.4

देव॑ बर्हि॒र्वर्ध॑मानं सु॒वीरं॑ स्ती॒र्णं रा॒ये सु॒भरं॒ वेद्य॒स्याम् । घृ॒तेना॒क्तं व॑सवः सीदते॒दं विश्वे॑ देवा आदित्या य॒ज्ञिया॑सः ॥

Deva Agni, brilliant and generous lord of light and life, knowledge and bliss, come and grace this holy grass spread around the vedi manned by bright and brave young people and, with ghrta in the vedi, refine and reinforce the waters full of virility, holding power and prosperity and further expanding for the growth of life’s wealth and joy. And let the Vasu order of researchers, Aditya order of eminent scholars, all nobilities of the world and holy yajakas, the vitality of the Vasu sources and supports of life and the light of the sun on yearly rounds, too, join the programme and vitalise the waters.

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2.3.5

वि श्र॑यन्तामुर्वि॒या हू॒यमा॑ना॒ द्वारो॑ दे॒वीः सु॑प्राय॒णा नमो॑भिः । व्यच॑स्वती॒र्वि प्र॑थन्तामजु॒र्या वर्णं॑ पुना॒ना य॒शसं॑ सु॒वीर॑म् ॥

Let the sacred doors of yajnic progress, wide, expansive and easy of access, open and welcome the performers. And let the performers, youthful and unaging, take recourse to these at the call of the wide wide earth and spread around with acts of humility and gratitude, purifying and sanctifying the integrity of their form and character, honour and grace, and the heroism of their young generation.

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2.3.6

सा॒ध्वपां॑सि स॒नता॑ न उक्षि॒ते उ॒षासा॒नक्ता॑ व॒य्ये॑व रण्वि॒ते । तन्तुं॑ त॒तं सं॒वय॑न्ती समी॒ची य॒ज्ञस्य॒ पेशः॑ सु॒दुघे॒ पय॑स्वती ॥

May the night and day going together in orbit, singing in unison, replete with the waters of peace and bliss, abundant in the milk of life and profusely giving, harmoniously shaping and advancing the beauteous form of nature’s vast yajnic evolution, like two companion women weaving the warp and woof of cloth, bless us with noble competence for holy yajnic actions performed with humility and gratitude to Agni, lord of light, yajna and advancement. (Like the night and day the husband and wife should act in unison and carry on the holy yajna of the family and the household as part of the vast yajna of life in existence.)

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2.3.7

दैव्या॒ होता॑रा प्रथ॒मा वि॒दुष्ट॑र ऋ॒जु य॑क्षतः॒ समृ॒चा व॒पुष्ट॑रा । दे॒वान्यज॑न्तावृतु॒था सम॑ञ्जतो॒ नाभा॑ पृथि॒व्या अधि॒ सानु॑षु त्रि॒षु ॥

The two divine yajakas, day and night, husband and wife, of prime nature and character, blest with innate intelligence, and handsome in form and stature, carry on the creative yajna sincerely and naturally with hymns of praise for the lord of existence. Carrying on the yajna in honour of the divinities of nature and nobilities of humanity according to the seasons on the vedi of the earth and over the three peaks of space, i.e., the earth’s atmosphere, the middle region and the region of heavenly light, or doing their best in the first, second and third quarter of life for Dharma, artha and kama, they live and act together.

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2.3.8

सर॑स्वती सा॒धय॑न्ती॒ धियं॑ न॒ इळा॑ दे॒वी भार॑ती वि॒श्वतू॑र्तिः । ति॒स्रो दे॒वीः स्व॒धया॑ ब॒र्हिरेदमच्छि॑द्रं पान्तु शर॒णं नि॒षद्य॑ ॥

Ila, the transcendent Infinity of Divine Omniscience, Sarasvati, dynamic universal knowledge revealed, recorded and envisioned in meditation, and Bharati, living human speech which holds the treasure of secular knowledge ever on the move in life onward like a tempest: may these three goddesses inspire our intelligence and, with their innate and essential power, come and grace our holy seat of yajna and bless it as our perfect haven and faultless home under protection of the divinities.

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2.3.9

पि॒शङ्ग॑रूपः सु॒भरो॑ वयो॒धाः श्रु॒ष्टी वी॒रो जा॑यते दे॒वका॑मः । प्र॒जां त्वष्टा॒ वि ष्य॑तु॒ नाभि॑म॒स्मे अथा॑ दे॒वाना॒मप्ये॑तु॒ पाथः॑ ॥

The person who loves God and serves the divinities of nature and nobilities of humanity soon and sure grows handsome in form and personal splendour, generous and abundant in nature and habit, strong in health, virility and longevity, and bright and brave in performance. May Tvashta, lord creator and maker of life-forms, give us progeny, our sustenance and security for life, and then bless us with food and maintenance for the learned and the divines on way to the holy destination of life.

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2.3.10

वन॒स्पति॑रवसृ॒जन्नुप॑ स्थाद॒ग्निर्ह॒विः सू॑दयाति॒ प्र धी॒भिः । त्रिधा॒ सम॑क्तं नयतु प्रजा॒नन्दे॒वेभ्यो॒ दैव्यः॑ शमि॒तोप॑ ह॒व्यम् ॥

May Agni, ruler and life-giver, Vanaspati, giver of vitality to vegetation, stand by us. May Vanaspati, trees and all vegetation, giving fruits, flowers and lifebreath, stand by us. Agni, sun and fire, prepares for us the food for life and yajna. So also may Agni, the scholar specialist of the science of yajna, knowing his subject and aware of his duty, rising high in the light of holiness, divine of nature, creator and harbinger of peace, bring in for us yajnic materials mixed, refined and sanctified three ways by thought, word and deed for threefold purpose of the health of body, mind and soul for the divinities of nature and humanity.

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2.3.11

घृ॒तं मि॑मिक्षे घृ॒तम॑स्य॒ योनि॑र्घृ॒ते श्रि॒तो घृ॒तम्व॑स्य॒ धाम॑ । अ॒नु॒ष्व॒धमा व॑ह मा॒दय॑स्व॒ स्वाहा॑कृतं वृषभ वक्षि ह॒व्यम् ॥

I mix, prepare and offer ghrta into the fire. Ghrta, vitality, is the womb of fire energy. It (fire energy and vitality) exists in fertility, ghrta, which is its medium. And this ghrta, fertility, too abides in Ghrta, eternal creativity, Agni, Life Supreme, which is the ultimate abode of all existential energy, vitality, fertility, production and procreation. O Vrsabha, youthful and generous yajaka overflowing with the lustre and splendour of vitality, bring in the sanctified and dedicated materials committed to Svaha, the word of truth and sincerity of the oblation in yajna. Collect, prepare, commit, offer with faith and dedication, and rejoice in your act of creation.

✦ Sukta 4 · 9 verses ✦

2.4.1

हु॒वे वः॑ सु॒द्योत्मा॑नं सुवृ॒क्तिं वि॒शाम॒ग्निमति॑थिं सुप्र॒यस॑म् । मि॒त्रइ॑व॒ यो दि॑धि॒षाय्यो॒ भूद्दे॒व आदे॑वे॒ जने॑ जा॒तवे॑दाः ॥

For you all, I invoke, adore and worship Agni, lord of light and giver of life and energy, blissfully shining, selflessly generous and abundant in food and wealth of the world, ever on the round among the people like a cherished guest of honour, who may, I pray, be the sustainer and protector of all like a friend, brilliant light giver for all the people who know and understand, omnipotent as he is in the world of existence, lord omniscient as he is of all that is born.

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2.4.2

इ॒मं वि॒धन्तो॑ अ॒पां स॒धस्थे॑ द्वि॒ताद॑धु॒र्भृग॑वो वि॒क्ष्वा॒३॒॑योः । ए॒ष विश्वा॑न्य॒भ्य॑स्तु॒ भूमा॑ दे॒वाना॑म॒ग्निर॑र॒तिर्जी॒राश्वः॑ ॥

This fire energy, uniformly present in the midst of waters in the womb of space, the Bhrgus, specialists of heat energy, collect, bring down, reproduce, and place the part available among the people for their use in two forms, one that gives heat and light and the other that is motive energy. May this agni, fire energy, dynamic and strong, fastest in motion, be vastly and universally available to all as gift of the divinities of nature’s power and the brilliant scholars of the earth.

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2.4.3

अ॒ग्निं दे॒वासो॒ मानु॑षीषु वि॒क्षु प्रि॒यं धुः॑ क्षे॒ष्यन्तो॒ न मि॒त्रम् । स दी॑दयदुश॒तीरूर्म्या॒ आ द॒क्षाय्यो॒ यो दास्व॑ते॒ दम॒ आ ॥

Agni, heat and light energy, brilliant scientists living among human communities in the world produce and establish like a dear favourite friend in power homes. And that power, developed and exploited by experts, as a catalytic force burning in waves of light, brightens up the nights all round with love and joy for the man of generosity.

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2.4.4

अ॒स्य र॒ण्वा स्वस्ये॑व पु॒ष्टिः संदृ॑ष्टिरस्य हिया॒नस्य॒ दक्षोः॑ । वि यो भरि॑भ्र॒दोष॑धीषु जि॒ह्वामत्यो॒ न रथ्यो॑ दोधवीति॒ वारा॑न् ॥

Joyous and beautiful is the growth of this fire, satisfying as one’s own. Delightful is the holy form of it as it rises to a bright and blazing stature. Brilliant and inspiring is it while it shines in herbs and trees, and awful is its form while it raises its flames of fire like the tongues of a voracious demon or shakes them like the mane and tail of a chariot horse.

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2.4.5

आ यन्मे॒ अभ्वं॑ व॒नदः॒ पन॑न्तो॒शिग्भ्यो॒ नामि॑मीत॒ वर्ण॑म् । स चि॒त्रेण॑ चिकिते॒ रंसु॑ भा॒सा जु॑जु॒र्वाँ यो मुहु॒रा युवा॒ भूत् ॥

That immensity and golden glory of Agni which the scholars and admirers fail to measure, comprehend and express for me and the worshippers, He himself, joyous and blissful, reveals directly by his glorious light in meditation and through its majesty in blaze, the same which, though aging since eternity, grows young again and again every moment of time.

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2.4.6

आ यो वना॑ तातृषा॒णो न भाति॒ वार्ण प॒था रथ्ये॑व स्वानीत् । कृ॒ष्णाध्वा॒ तपू॑ र॒ण्वश्चि॑केत॒ द्यौरि॑व॒ स्मय॑मानो॒ नभो॑भिः ॥

Agni, bright as sun rays, flaming with light and love, shines, radiates and roars like a flood rushing on its way, or like a war horse on the highway. Bright and burning, it goes on dispelling darkness and leaving a trail of light on its path, blazing like the light of heaven and thundering like lightning. It can be known and realised with homage of service in humility and inputs of fine foods in yajna.

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2.4.7

स यो व्यस्था॑द॒भि दक्ष॑दु॒र्वीं प॒शुर्नैति॑ स्व॒युरगो॑पाः । अ॒ग्निः शो॒चिष्माँ॑ अत॒सान्यु॒ष्णन्कृ॒ष्णव्य॑थिरस्वदय॒न्न भूम॑ ॥

That is Agni which stands by us all round, heats and lights the earth, and freely at will goes forward like the light of the eye or like a cow without the shepherd — Agni, shining, blazing and cleansing, heating and moving the particles of matter and energy, attracting, propelling and dispelling, breaking up, universal presence all knowing, as if tasting everything that exists.

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2.4.8

नू ते॒ पूर्व॒स्याव॑सो॒ अधी॑तौ तृ॒तीये॑ वि॒दथे॒ मन्म॑ शंसि । अ॒स्मे अ॑ग्ने सं॒यद्वी॑रं बृ॒हन्तं॑ क्षु॒मन्तं॒ वाजं॑ स्वप॒त्यं र॒यिं दाः॑ ॥

Agni, lord omniscient, teacher par excellence, in studies and in our third and highest order of yajnic ways of living you teach us the eternal science of all round protection and progress. Bless us, O lord, with bright and brave dedicated youth, immensely growing prosperity of food, knowledge and speed of advancement, noble progeny, and wealth, power and honour.

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2.4.9

त्वया॒ यथा॑ गृत्सम॒दासो॑ अग्ने॒ गुहा॑ व॒न्वन्त॒ उप॑राँ अ॒भि ष्युः । सु॒वीरा॑सो अभिमाति॒षाहः॒ स्मत्सू॒रिभ्यो॑ गृण॒ते तद्वयो॑ धाः ॥

Agni, lord of light and life, for the wise and the brave and for the teacher and the celebrant, bring that health and age by which the people, happy and enlightened, shining within with discriminative intelligence, blest with noble youth and fighting force, challenging hate and enmity, may, by your grace, rise high and ever higher.

✦ Sukta 5 · 8 verses ✦

2.5.1

होता॑जनिष्ट॒ चेत॑नः पि॒ता पि॒तृभ्य॑ ऊ॒तये॑ । प्र॒यक्ष॒ञ्जेन्यं॒ वसु॑ श॒केम॑ वा॒जिनो॒ यम॑म् ॥

The yajaka, man of self, man of intelligence and self-awareness performing yajna, giving and cooperating with creative people, grows and is reborn as father, supporter, sustainer and protector for the elder generation and sustaining powers for the protection and advancement of life and society in general as part of the social and historical cycle, creating wealth, power and services worthy to be attained. Let us too, intelligent and progressive, be able to create an environment which may take us forward as a disciplined and organised society.

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2.5.2

आ यस्मि॑न्त्स॒प्त र॒श्मय॑स्त॒ता य॒ज्ञस्य॑ ने॒तरि॑ । म॒नु॒ष्वद्दैव्य॑मष्ट॒मं पोता॒ विश्वं॒ तदि॑न्वति ॥

In the cosmic conduct of the universal yajna, the sun is the performer, and there are seven rays in the spectrum of light acting like seven priests. There is one more, eighth, just like the human agent in the socionatural yajnic life of the world, and that is the divine performer, Agni, universal holy power, purifier, sanctifier and sustainer who pervades and sustains the entire world of existence.

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2.5.3

द॒ध॒न्वे वा॒ यदी॒मनु॒ वोच॒द्ब्रह्मा॑णि॒ वेरु॒ तत् । परि॒ विश्वा॑नि॒ काव्या॑ ने॒मिश्च॒क्रमि॑वाभवत् ॥

He holds and controls the waters of life, and He reveals the universal knowledge of existence, the Veda. And He knows that world of existence and comprehends the cosmic system and its working. Thus He holds and controls its working just as the centre-hold of the wheel and the rim hold the structure and control the movement of the wheel.

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2.5.4

सा॒कं हि शुचि॑ना॒ शुचिः॑ प्रशा॒स्ता क्रतु॒नाज॑नि । वि॒द्वाँ अ॑स्य व्र॒ता ध्रु॒वा व॒याइ॒वानु॑ रोहते ॥

Surely he who, by the grace of the Divine Spirit of universal purity, grows pure, and, by the divine control and universal action of the Spirit of the universe, rises to a state of self-control and right action, he is reborn as the real man of knowledge, and, abiding by the immutable law and discipline of Divinity and nature, grows high and great in life like the branches of a tree (drawing and receiving the spirit and breath of life from the root at the centre of existence).

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2.5.5

ता अ॑स्य॒ वर्ण॑मा॒युवो॒ नेष्टुः॑ सचन्त धे॒नवः॑ । कु॒वित्ति॒सृभ्य॒ आ वरं॒ स्वसा॑रो॒ या इ॒दं य॒युः ॥

And those girls and women who abide by the nature, law and self-willed action of the Omniscient Controller of existence, and, like sister streams flowing from the same source, receive abundant and cherished showers of life and light energy from the three worlds of earth, heaven and the middle regions of the skies, rise to the beauty, grace and generosity of the divine fire and waters and bless the world around like mother cows by virtue of their knowledge, performance and devotion.

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2.5.6

यदी॑ मा॒तुरुप॒ स्वसा॑ घृ॒तं भर॒न्त्यस्थि॑त । तासा॑मध्व॒र्युराग॑तौ॒ यवो॑ वृ॒ष्टीव॑ मोदते ॥

If the mother and the sister bearing ghrta and water come and sit close around the vedi in yajna, then on their arrival the high-priest and the yajakas rejoice like herbs and grass and barley on the arrival of rain showers.

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2.5.7

स्वः स्वाय॒ धाय॑से कृणु॒तामृ॒त्विगृ॒त्विज॑म् । स्तोमं॑ य॒ज्ञं चादरं॑ व॒नेमा॑ ररि॒मा व॒यम् ॥

Let the priests and yajakas do their priest-like tasks for the sake of heavenly light and the self in the service of Agni, lord sustainer and controller of life and the universe. Let them offer songs of praise and yajnic action to the Lord. May we too, we pray, as participants of yajna, rejoice in the holiness and divinity of life and, with dedicated performance, attain the abundant wealth and waters of life and the spirit divine.

· · ·

2.5.8

यथा॑ वि॒द्वाँ अरं॒ कर॒द्विश्वे॑भ्यो यज॒तेभ्यः॑ । अ॒यम॑ग्ने॒ त्वे अपि॒ यं य॒ज्ञं च॑कृ॒मा व॒यम् ॥

O lord giver of light and life, Agni, what this man of knowledge and wisdom does holily and gracefully for all the saints and sagely performers of yajna, the same he does for you too in dedication. And so also whatever yajnic acts of life we perform, we dedicate to you.

✦ Sukta 6 · 8 verses ✦

2.6.1

इ॒मां मे॑ अग्ने स॒मिध॑मि॒मामु॑प॒सदं॑ वनेः । इ॒मा ऊ॒ षु श्रु॑धी॒ गिरः॑ ॥

Agni, lord giver of light and knowledge, pray accept this holy fuel of mine offered with folded hands, accept this homage and allow the supplicants entry to the yajna of enlightenment, and listen graciously to these prayers of mine.

· · ·

2.6.2

अ॒या ते॑ अग्ने विधे॒मोर्जो॑ नपा॒दश्व॑मिष्टे । ए॒ना सू॒क्तेन॑ सुजात ॥

Agni, child as well as creator and preserver of energy and power, lover of speed and acceleration, brilliantly risen to eminence, with this offer and homage and by this song and celebration of light and fire, let us serve you and advance the yajnic development of knowledge and energy.

· · ·

2.6.3

तं त्वा॑ गी॒र्भिर्गिर्व॑णसं द्रविण॒स्युं द्र॑विणोदः । स॒प॒र्येम॑ सप॒र्यवः॑ ॥

Agni, lord of wealth and power of existence, lover and creator of energy, power and wealth, giver of wealth and honour, with songs of love and praise, we, your lovers and devotees, are at your service with our homage and holy offerings — seekers and supplicants as we are.

· · ·

2.6.4

स बो॑धि सू॒रिर्म॒घवा॒ वसु॑पते॒ वसु॑दावन् । यु॒यो॒ध्य१॒॑स्मद्द्वेषां॑सि ॥

Agni, lord of light, give us knowledge and enlightenment. Lord bright and brave of knowledge, power and honour, lord of wealth and grandeur, giver of wealth, power, honour and glory of the world, ward off all hate and jealousy of existence and cleanse us from within.

· · ·

2.6.5

स नो॑ वृ॒ष्टिं दि॒वस्परि॒ स नो॒ वाज॑मन॒र्वाण॑म् । स नः॑ सह॒स्रिणी॒रिषः॑ ॥

Agni gives us the rain showers from the regions of the sun and sky. Agni gives us the power and automotive speed of movement without the horse. Agni gives us a

thousand forms of food and energy.

· · ·

2.6.6

ईळा॑नायाव॒स्यवे॒ यवि॑ष्ठ दूत नो गि॒रा । यजि॑ष्ठ होत॒रा ग॑हि ॥

Agni, lord of light and power, youngest and unaging, harbinger of safety and destroyer of evil, power adorable and generous giver, for the supplicant and the worshipper in need seeking protection and progress, come and listen to our prayers.

· · ·

2.6.7

अ॒न्तर्ह्य॑ग्न॒ ईय॑से वि॒द्वान् जन्मो॒भया॑ कवे । दू॒तो जन्ये॑व॒ मित्र्यः॑ ॥

Agni, omnipresent lord of light, you are ever present in the heart within. Lord of knowledge, poetic visionary of the universe, you know the birth and death of things past, present and future. Harbinger and giver of knowledge of life in existence, you are the friend of all living beings for the sake of entire humanity

· · ·

2.6.8

स वि॒द्वाँ आ च॑ पिप्रयो॒ यक्षि॑ चिकित्व आनु॒षक् । आ चा॒स्मिन्त्स॑त्सि ब॒र्हिषि॑ ॥

Agni, lord of knowledge, loving and kind, you give whatever we need since you know and command the wealth of the world.And, omnipresent in the quarters of the universe, you come, manifest and bless our home, sit on our vedi of yajna, this same one where we pray.

✦ Sukta 7 · 6 verses ✦

2.7.1

श्रेष्ठं॑ यविष्ठ भार॒ताग्ने॑ द्यु॒मन्त॒मा भ॑र । वसो॑ पुरु॒स्पृहं॑ र॒यिम् ॥

Agni, most youthful spirit and ruling power of the world, Bharata, lord commander of abundance and prosperity, home of life’s joy and comfort and giver of whatever wealth whoever loves to have, come bearing that best and highest and most shining wealth which entire humanity loves and aspires to create and possess. Come and bless all.

· · ·

2.7.2

मा नो॒ अरा॑तिरीशत दे॒वस्य॒ मर्त्य॑स्य च । पर्षि॒ तस्या॑ उ॒त द्वि॒षः ॥

Agni, generous and brilliant lord ruler of the world of life, let no one who is selfish, ungenerous, uncreative and graceless rule over us, whether we are learned and bright or just simple ordinary folk living as children of nature. Liberate us from him, purge us of the hateful and the envious within and without, and purge him too of hate and enmity.

· · ·

2.7.3

विश्वा॑ उ॒त त्वया॑ व॒यं धारा॑ उद॒न्या॑इव । अति॑ गाहेमहि॒ द्विषः॑ ॥

Agni, lord of light and knowledge, brilliant ruling power of the world, let us all, with you and by your divine grace, plunge and penetrate into all forces of hate and enmity, explore and fight and cross over the evils as navigators cross over the turbulent waves of the sea.

· · ·

2.7.4

शुचिः॑ पावक॒ वन्द्योऽग्ने॑ बृ॒हद्वि रो॑चसे । त्वं घृ॒तेभि॒राहु॑तः ॥

Agni, pure and brilliant, burning, cleansing and creating, you are the power adorable, refulgent, shining bright, vast and mighty. And among us you are invoked, kindled, raised and fed and raised into flames of light and fire with profuse libations of ghrta in joint yajna.

· · ·

2.7.5

त्वं नो॑ असि भार॒ताग्ने॑ व॒शाभि॑रु॒क्षभिः॑ । अ॒ष्टाप॑दीभि॒राहु॑तः ॥

Agni, brilliant ruling lord of light and life, you are the holder and wielder of wealth and power for us by virtue of generous cows and virile bulls and with the generosity of our noble women and the industry of our brave and creative men.And you are invoked and adored with eightfold voices of holy chants in yajna.

· · ·

2.7.6

द्र्व॑न्नः स॒र्पिरा॑सुतिः प्र॒त्नो होता॒ वरे॑ण्यः । सह॑सस्पु॒त्रो अद्भु॑तः ॥

Marvellous is Agni, child of courage and power, ancient and eternal. Fuel wood is its food and ghrta its drink. Creator, giver and receiver, it calls up everything to life and shines with light and heat, adorable, a darling of our choice.

✦ Sukta 8 · 6 verses ✦

2.8.1

वा॒ज॒यन्नि॑व॒ नू रथा॒न्योगाँ॑ अ॒ग्नेरुप॑ स्तुहि । य॒शस्त॑मस्य मी॒ळ्हुषः॑ ॥

Scientist of eminence, would you like to drive your chariots fast and far? Then tap, appraise and exploit agni, fire, in various uses and experiments. It is immensely powerful, replete with wealth and liquid energy and a blessing for humanity. So is water.

· · ·

2.8.2

यः सु॑नी॒थो द॑दा॒शुषे॑ऽजु॒र्यो ज॒रय॑न्न॒रिम् । चारु॑प्रतीक॒ आहु॑तः ॥

Agni, brilliant and leading power of the world, is generous for the liberal investor. Inexhaustible itself, it destroys the negative forces inimical to life. Beautiful and blissful in nature and character, it is invoked and lighted for power and comfort in life.

· · ·

2.8.3

य उ॑ श्रि॒या दमे॒ष्वा दो॒षोषसि॑ प्रश॒स्यते॑ । यस्य॑ व्र॒तं न मीय॑ते ॥

Agni, power of heat and life of the world, is honoured and valued in the homes day and night, and its potential and function is never measured out.

· · ·

2.8.4

आ यः स्व१॒॑र्ण भा॒नुना॑ चि॒त्रो वि॒भात्य॒र्चिषा॑ । अ॒ञ्जा॒नो अ॒जरै॑र॒भि ॥

Agni which gloriously shines and blazes for us with the light of the sun is wonderful and awe-inspiring with its beauty and splendour, manifesting itself through unaging forms, revealing them to our sight and experience.

· · ·

2.8.5

अत्रि॒मनु॑ स्व॒राज्य॑म॒ग्निमु॒क्थानि॑ वावृधुः । विश्वा॒ अधि॒ श्रियो॑ दधे ॥

Holy words of praise and appreciation advance and celebrate Agni, light and power of the world, selfrefulgent, free and self-governing, which devours the offerings of yajna and yields the beauty and fragrance of life beyond all three kinds of physical, mental and spiritual ailments and discomfort. For that reason I bear and abide by it above all other wealth and beauty of the world.

· · ·

2.8.6

अ॒ग्नेरिन्द्र॑स्य॒ सोम॑स्य दे॒वाना॑मू॒तिभि॑र्व॒यम् । अरि॑ष्यन्तः सचेमह्य॒भि ष्या॑म पृतन्य॒तः ॥

Agni, light and life of existence, prime power and energy of the world, may we ever abide and benefit by you by virtue of the light and protection of Indra, the sun, Soma, the moon, and the divinities of nature such as earth, and the brilliant geniuses of humanity who give us the knowledge of Agni, fire, energy and electric power. And may we, unhurt and inviolable, rise in life, building our defences and fighting the battles of our growth and progress.

✦ Sukta 9 · 6 verses ✦

2.9.1

नि होता॑ होतृ॒षद॑ने॒ विदा॑नस्त्वे॒षो दी॑दि॒वाँ अ॑सदत्सु॒दक्षः॑ । अद॑ब्धव्रतप्रमति॒र्वसि॑ष्ठः सहस्रंभ॒रः शुचि॑जिह्वो अ॒ग्निः ॥

Agni, lord of light, life and knowledge, ever sits and abides as the chief of life’s evolution, invoking the divine powers, receiving, consuming and creating, and giving the wherewithal for life’s evolution. Let him sit in the home of the host of yajna, in and around the vedi, in the chariot, in the car, in the house of science and industry, wherever the yajna is carried on in nature and human society. He is fully knowledgeable and ever present, shining, radiating and illuminating the people around with knowledge, best creator of haven and home for peace and comfort, bearing a thousand forms of wealth and power, crystalline pure and bright of the rays of light and tongues of fire for the Word of knowledge and passion for action. Such is Agni, radiant and flaming, burning and blazing, devouring, creating, ever blessing.

· · ·

2.9.2

त्वं दू॒तस्त्वमु॑ नः पर॒स्पास्त्वं वस्य॒ आ वृ॑षभ प्रणे॒ता । अग्ने॑ तो॒कस्य॑ न॒स्तने॑ त॒नूना॒मप्र॑युच्छ॒न्दीद्य॑द्बोधि गो॒पाः ॥

Agni, lord creator and giver of light and life, high-priest of the yajna of knowledge and creative action for advancement, you are the messenger of inspiration and enlightenment, you are the saviour protector and pilot to guide us across the seas, you are our haven and home, leader and guide most generous and brave in the forward march, relentless in the continuation of the race, community, family and progeny and the expansion and advancement of our body and body-politic. Lord omniscient, you know. Giver of knowledge, enlighten us. Protector, preserver and advancer of our animal wealth and health of body, mind and senses, saviour and preserver of mother earth and her environment and animal world, help us to protect, preserve and advance ourselves and save the earth and her environment.

· · ·

2.9.3

वि॒धेम॑ ते पर॒मे जन्म॑न्नग्ने वि॒धेम॒ स्तोमै॒रव॑रे स॒धस्थे॑ । यस्मा॒द्योने॑रु॒दारि॑था॒ यजे॒ तं प्र त्वे ह॒वींषि॑ जुहुरे॒ समि॑द्धे ॥

Agni, lord of light, giver of life and leader of our yajnic progress and advancement, let us roam around in meditation in that highest heaven of freedom where you reveal your presence in living experience. Let us send up our holy chants of Vedic hymns to celebrate you in the regions of the skies this side of the heavens of light. Let us adore you with havan and homage here on earth where the learned and the wise offer oblations of ghrta into the vedi wherefrom you rise and manifest in fire and fragrance to bless the world around.

· · ·

2.9.4

अग्ने॒ यज॑स्व ह॒विषा॒ यजी॑याञ्छ्रु॒ष्टी दे॒ष्णम॒भि गृ॑णीहि॒ राधः॑ । त्वं ह्यसि॑ रयि॒पती॑ रयी॒णां त्वं शु॒क्रस्य॒ वच॑सो म॒नोता॑ ॥

Agni, high-priest of cosmic yajna, perform the yajna of creation and evolution with the holiest materials in existence, go on with the performance, instantly as ever, receiving, offering, consuming and creating the wealth worthy and valuable as holy gift, and loudly proclaim the wealth you have created and the success you have achieved. Surely you alone are the lord of riches, creator as well as dispenser of the jewels of the earth. And you are the inspirer and proclaimer of the eternal Word of power, purity and truth.

· · ·

2.9.5

उ॒भयं॑ ते॒ न क्षी॑यते वस॒व्यं॑ दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ जाय॑मानस्य दस्म । कृ॒धि क्षु॒मन्तं॑ जरि॒तार॑मग्ने कृ॒धि पतिं॑ स्वप॒त्यस्य॑ रा॒यः ॥

Both your creation and dispensation of wealth never end, never diminish. Day by day your creation grows and your gifting prospers, lord of charity and destroyer of suffering as you are. Agni, lord of universal yajna, promote the worshipper of Divinity dedicated to holy work, promote the man of wealth and charity, promote the father of noble children and the defender of holy tradition, and raise the potential of the master creator of yajnic wealth.

· · ·

2.9.6

सैनानी॑केन सुवि॒दत्रो॑ अ॒स्मे यष्टा॑ दे॒वाँ आय॑जिष्ठः स्व॒स्ति । अद॑ब्धो गो॒पा उ॒त नः॑ पर॒स्पा अग्ने॑ द्यु॒मदु॒त रे॒वद्दि॑दीहि ॥

Agni, lord of light, creator and commander of wealth, shine with this glory of yours, generous benefactor of ours, high-priest of cosmic yajna with the bounties of nature to the maximum for the good of humanity. Shine on, high-priest of yajna, fearless and inviolable, protector of the cow, mother earth and her children, our saviour and ultimate protector.

✦ Sukta 10 · 6 verses ✦

2.10.1

जो॒हूत्रो॑ अ॒ग्निः प्र॑थ॒मः पि॒तेवे॒ळस्प॒दे मनु॑षा॒ यत्समि॑द्धः । श्रियं॒ वसा॑नो अ॒मृतो॒ विचे॑ता मर्मृ॒जेन्यः॑ श्रव॒स्यः१॒॑ स वा॒जी ॥

Agni, heat and light of existence, first and primary power of yajnic applications, kindled and raised on earth in the vedi, both spiritual and material, is a source of comfort and protection as a paternal power. Wearing the spectral beauty of colour, indestructible, pure and purifying, it is a splendid power that can be used as fuel food for the production of energy, motion and speed like a horse.

· · ·

2.10.2

श्रू॒या अ॒ग्निश्चि॒त्रभा॑नु॒र्हवं॑ मे॒ विश्वा॑भिर्गी॒र्भिर॒मृतो॒ विचे॑ताः । श्या॒वा रथं॑ वहतो॒ रोहि॑ता वो॒तारु॒षाह॑ चक्रे॒ विभृ॑त्रः ॥

Listen ye all to my call, proclamation and invitation to power made in universal words of science: Agni is a wonderful power that shines with the sun, indestructible, and a source of manifold knowledge, riding a chariot drawn by wave-like horses of rain-bow colours—dark brown, bay, reddish, dark red and violet, the horses bearing the two wheels forward in circuit.

· · ·

2.10.3

उ॒त्ता॒नाया॑मजनय॒न्त्सुषू॑तं॒ भुव॑द॒ग्निः पु॑रु॒पेशा॑सु॒ गर्भः॑ । शिरि॑णायां चिद॒क्तुना॒ महो॑भि॒रप॑रीवृतो वसति॒ प्रचे॑ताः ॥

Conceived and nestled like an embryo in the many coloured herbs over the wide wide earth in the womb of night but, with its splendour not suppressed even by darkness of the night, it remains awake until it comes back to light again in the morning waking up all living beings.

· · ·

2.10.4

जिघ॑र्म्य॒ग्निं ह॒विषा॑ घृ॒तेन॑ प्रतिक्षि॒यन्तं॒ भुव॑नानि॒ विश्वा॑ । पृ॒थुं ति॑र॒श्चा वय॑सा बृ॒हन्तं॒ व्यचि॑ष्ठ॒मन्नै॑ रभ॒सं दृशा॑नम् ॥

I light and sprinkle the fire with ghrta and fragrant oblations, fire, pervading all regions of the universe, vast, radiating in waves, expanding with life energy and splendour, extending and comprehending, mighty and impetuous with energy in velocity, beautiful and gracious with light and illumination.

· · ·

2.10.5

आ वि॒श्वतः॑ प्र॒त्यञ्चं॑ जिघर्म्यर॒क्षसा॒ मन॑सा॒ तज्जु॑षेत । मर्य॑श्रीः स्पृह॒यद्व॑र्णो अ॒ग्निर्नाभि॒मृशे॑ त॒न्वा॒३॒॑ जर्भु॑राणः ॥

I light the fire and sprinkle it with ghrta all round as it pervades everything everywhere. I do so carefully, with specific knowledge and with a loving mind without hate or jealousy toward anyone. You too serve it, be with it, the same way. Agni is the wealth, beauty and grace of mortal humanity, lovely and splendid of form as it loves to be. Flaming, flickering and awfully vibrating, it brooks no touch by anyone.

· · ·

2.10.6

ज्ञे॒या भा॒गं स॑हसा॒नो वरे॑ण॒ त्वादू॑तासो मनु॒वद्व॑देम । अनू॑नम॒ग्निं जु॒ह्वा॑ वच॒स्या म॑धु॒पृचं॑ धन॒सा जो॑हवीमि ॥

Know and abide by your share of the beauty, power and prosperity of life by the grace of Agni. Be patient, challenging and victorious at the peak of your conduct and performance. Let us all, your messengers, eloquent and rich in wealth and fire-power, speak and celebrateAgni as human power, preserver, protector and promoter of life. I invoke, enkindle, praise, serve and worshipAgni, perfect power without a fault, replete with showers of honey-sweets.

✦ Sukta 11 · 21 verses ✦

2.11.1

श्रु॒धी हव॑मिन्द्र॒ मा रि॑षण्यः॒ स्याम॑ ते दा॒वने॒ वसू॑नाम् । इ॒मा हि त्वामूर्जो॑ व॒र्धय॑न्ति वसू॒यवः॒ सिन्ध॑वो॒ न क्षर॑न्तः ॥

Indra, ruler and commander of wealth, power and honour, listen to our prayer: May we, unhurt, well cared and confident seekers of wealth and honour in the world, ever be sure of the gift of your generosity and gracious favours. All these powers and energies of the world streaming forth your favours like the seas sing of your power and celebrate your grace.

· · ·

2.11.2

सृ॒जो म॒हीरि॑न्द्र॒ या अपि॑न्वः॒ परि॑ष्ठिता॒ अहि॑ना शूर पू॒र्वीः । अम॑र्त्यं चिद्दा॒सं मन्य॑मान॒मवा॑भिनदु॒क्थैर्वा॑वृधा॒नः ॥

Indra, lord of wealth and power, bright and brave hero of light, knowledge and freedom, release the ancient lands held up by the demon destroyer of freedom. Release the prime voices of truth suppressed under the dark clouds of ignorance. Release the lands and voices like the showers of rain released by the sun by breaking the cloud. Lord of truth, light and power, rising by songs of homage and applause, break down the demonic fiend who believes that he is not subject to death.

· · ·

2.11.3

उ॒क्थेष्विन्नु शू॑र॒ येषु॑ चा॒कन्स्तोमे॑ष्विन्द्र रु॒द्रिये॑षु च । तुभ्येदे॒ता यासु॑ मन्दसा॒नः प्र वा॒यवे॑ सिस्रते॒ न शु॒भ्राः ॥

Indra, bright and brave, heroic lord of light, action and generosity, all the citations of praise and appreciation of achievement and victory in which you delight, all these holy songs of gratitude to Divinity, Rudra, for the gifts of pranic vitality, power and majesty in which you rejoice, and all these brilliant acts of glory which shine and vibrate among people like waves of light energy : all these flow from us in thanks and gratitude to you who, in human words, are like the wind, tempestuous, ferocious, kind and creative, all in one, divine.

· · ·

2.11.4

शु॒भ्रं नु ते॒ शुष्मं॑ व॒र्धय॑न्तः शु॒भ्रं वज्रं॑ बा॒ह्वोर्दधा॑नाः । शु॒भ्रस्त्वमि॑न्द्र वावृधा॒नो अ॒स्मे दासी॒र्विशः॒ सूर्ये॑ण सह्याः ॥

Indra, ruling lord of humanity, exalting your brilliant power and prosperity, holding radiant thunderbolts in their hands, our people, workers, producers, administrators, warriors and teachers deserve your bounty. Lord of spotless and incorruptible virtue ever rising in power and majesty, raise their courage, valour and lustre by the light and splendour of the sun.

· · ·

2.11.5

गुहा॑ हि॒तं गुह्यं॑ गू॒ळ्हम॒प्स्वपी॑वृतं मा॒यिनं॑ क्षि॒यन्त॑म् । उ॒तो अ॒पो द्यां त॑स्त॒भ्वांस॒मह॒न्नहिं॑ शूर वी॒र्ये॑ण ॥

Indra, brilliant and fearless ruling power of the world, just as the sun breaks up the demoniac cloud which holds up the vapours of water and overcasts the light of heaven, so with your valour and blazing splendour break up and destroy the covert, mysterious, artful and manipulative social enemies living in the midst of the people but hidden deep in the recesses of society under the surface of national waters, paralysing the flow of national dynamics of development and progress.

· · ·

2.11.6

स्तवा॒ नु त॑ इन्द्र पू॒र्व्या म॒हान्यु॒त स्त॑वाम॒ नूत॑ना कृ॒तानि॑ । स्तवा॒ वज्रं॑ बा॒ह्वोरु॒शन्तं॒ स्तवा॒ हरी॒ सूर्य॑स्य के॒तू ॥

Indra, lord of power, majesty and glory, we praise your grand achievements of old. We celebrate your new acts of splendour and victory. We admire the thunderbolt of defence blazing in your hands. And we sing the glories of your majesty like rays of the sun doing homage to the sun’s power of sustenance of the solar system.

· · ·

2.11.7

हरी॒ नु त॑ इन्द्र वा॒जय॑न्ता घृत॒श्चुतं॑ स्वा॒रम॑स्वार्ष्टाम् । वि स॑म॒ना भूमि॑रप्रथि॒ष्टारं॑स्त॒ पर्व॑तश्चित्सरि॒ष्यन् ॥

Indra, lord of light and power, ruler of the world, the circuitous rays of your glory like two horses of the solar chariot radiating, moving, energising, vitalising, fertilising, giving and receiving, proclaim your grace and majesty replete with the waters of life. Let the earth expand and grow and prosper. Let the battles of life be fought and won in unison. Arise and rejoice flowing like streams from the mountain, showering like clouds of rain, from the heavens.

· · ·

2.11.8

नि पर्व॑तः सा॒द्यप्र॑युच्छ॒न्त्सं मा॒तृभि॑र्वावशा॒नो अ॑क्रान् । दू॒रे पा॒रे वाणीं॑ व॒र्धय॑न्त॒ इन्द्रे॑षितां ध॒मनिं॑ पप्रथ॒न्नि ॥

Let Indra, ruler of the world, sit and reign settled as a mountain, showering as a cloud, shining with heaven and earth, revered and loved by mothers of the land, his voice resounding as thunder, his rule measured and assessed by intelligent experts who, raising the holy voice higher and farther beyond the seas may universalise the divine voice of omniscience revealed by Indra, lord omnipotent ruler of the universe.

· · ·

2.11.9

इन्द्रो॑ म॒हां सिन्धु॑मा॒शया॑नं माया॒विनं॑ वृ॒त्रम॑स्फुर॒न्निः । अरे॑जेतां॒ रोद॑सी भिया॒ने कनि॑क्रदतो॒ वृष्णो॑ अस्य॒ वज्रा॑त् ॥

Indra is great, mighty heroic, creates, thickens and chases the wondrous cloud overcasting the wide and bottomless skies, so that when the cloud, falling in heavy showers, roars and thunders, the heaven and earth, stricken with fear by thunder and lightning, shake and rave under terror. (So should be the ruler and the law.)

· · ·

2.11.10

अरो॑रवी॒द्वृष्णो॑ अस्य॒ वज्रोऽमा॑नुषं॒ यन्मानु॑षो नि॒जूर्वा॑त् । नि मा॒यिनो॑ दान॒वस्य॑ मा॒या अपा॑दयत्पपि॒वान्त्सु॒तस्य॑ ॥

y Indra, beyond human imagination. It is the tempestuous shower of solar energy which humanity should exploit. So does the ruler with the blaze of his power and justice crush the mischief and malevolent force of the underworld and enjoy the peace and pleasure of a noble social order, creating it for himself and the people.

· · ·

2.11.11

पिबा॑पि॒बेदि॑न्द्र शूर॒ सोमं॒ मन्द॑न्तु त्वा म॒न्दिनः॑ सु॒तासः॑ । पृ॒णन्त॑स्ते कु॒क्षी व॑र्धयन्त्वि॒त्था सु॒तः पौ॒र इन्द्र॑माव ॥

Indra, mighty brave and resplendent lord of power and knowledge, ruler, scholar, physician, destroyer of evil and ill-health, drink and drink on the soma of peace, health and life’s joy. May the exhilarating essences distilled from life and nature transport you to ecstasy. May the invigorating spirits of life and nature like the drink of soma increase your creative power and the fertility of the land. O distinguished citizen and ruler of the land, thus regaled with peace, power and pleasure, preserve and promote the prosperity and honour of the earth and her children.

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2.11.12

त्वे इ॒न्द्राप्य॑भूम॒ विप्रा॒ धियं॑ वनेम ऋत॒या सप॑न्तः । अ॒व॒स्यवो॑ धीमहि॒ प्रश॑स्तिं स॒द्यस्ते॑ रा॒यो दा॒वने॑ स्याम ॥

ndra, lord of light and power, mighty and gracious ruler of the world, may we too abide by you, cultivate our intellect and intelligence, dedicating our mind to truth and the laws of truth, nature and humanity, and thereby become noble scholars and learned professionals. Thus searching for self-protection and working for social progress, may we earn appreciation and praise for ourselves and our work, and may we speedily contribute to the honour, prosperity and glory of a generous ruler like you.

· · ·

2.11.13

स्याम॒ ते त॑ इन्द्र॒ ये त॑ ऊ॒ती अ॑व॒स्यव॒ ऊर्जं॑ व॒र्धय॑न्तः । शु॒ष्मिन्त॑मं॒ यं चा॒कना॑म देवा॒स्मे र॒यिं रा॑सि वी॒रव॑न्तम् ॥

Indra, generous and self-refulgent lord of light, power and honour, may we be yours, dedicated to you only, working for self-development and social progress under your kind protection and contributing to the energy and prosperity of the nation. Generous and gracious lord, you bless us with the wealth and honour which we love and cherish and which is distinguished by richest prosperity, fieriest energy and mightiest heroes of the world on the field.

· · ·

2.11.14

रासि॒ क्षयं॒ रासि॑ मि॒त्रम॒स्मे रासि॒ शर्ध॑ इन्द्र॒ मारु॑तं नः । स॒जोष॑सो॒ ये च॑ मन्दसा॒नाः प्र वा॒यवः॑ पा॒न्त्यग्र॑णीतिम् ॥

Indra, gracious ruler of the world, giver of power and prosperity, you give us a home, friends, and strength and force as that of the winds. And you give us also those who, united and acting in harmony, joyous and inspired, full of vigour and enthusiasm, follow the ways and values of policy, conduct and action far in advance of their time.

· · ·

2.11.15

व्यन्त्विन्नु येषु॑ मन्दसा॒नस्तृ॒पत्सोमं॑ पाहि द्र॒ह्यदि॑न्द्र । अ॒स्मान्त्सु पृ॒त्स्वा त॑रु॒त्राव॑र्धयो॒ द्यां बृ॒हद्भि॑र॒र्कैः ॥

Indra, lord of knowledge and power, ruler of the world, ruler of the self, the things and values in which wise and learned visionaries rejoice and find the very breath of life are those in which you too, settled, satisfied and rejoicing, find your haven and home for the joy of life for yourself and others. Therein protect and promote the beauty and joy of the soma-value of life. Promote us, we pray, help us advance in the battles of life, protector and saviour as you are, and extend the possibilities of life and life’s heavenly joy on earth as the sun illuminates the glories of heaven and augments them with its mighty rays and atomic fuel.

· · ·

2.11.16

बृ॒हन्त॒ इन्नु ये ते॑ तरुत्रो॒क्थेभि॑र्वा सु॒म्नमा॒विवा॑सान् । स्तृ॒णा॒नासो॑ ब॒र्हिः प॒स्त्या॑व॒त्त्वोता॒ इदि॑न्द्र॒ वाज॑मग्मन् ॥

Indra, gracious lord of power and ruler of the world, saviour from suffering and helping us all to cross the seas of existence, those who celebrate your glories with holy chants of the Veda, rising high, enjoy your favour and grace and, under your protection, achieve food, energy, speed and prosperity and, traversing the skies like their own home, rise to space heights.

· · ·

2.11.17

उ॒ग्रेष्विन्नु शू॑र मन्दसा॒नस्त्रिक॑द्रुकेषु पाहि॒ सोम॑मिन्द्र । प्र॒दोधु॑व॒च्छ्मश्रु॑षु प्रीणा॒नो या॒हि हरि॑भ्यां सु॒तस्य॑ पी॒तिम् ॥

Indra, lord of light and life of life, destroyer of pain and suffering, harbinger of the soma-joy of living, bright, blazing and rejoicing among the brilliant geniuses of the world, collect, create and fill soma in the three-fold vessels of our body, mind and soul. Move by the circuitous rays of the sun for a drink of the spirituous ecstasy of life and, happy at heart, vibrate in every cell through every pore of the body.

· · ·

2.11.18

धि॒ष्वा शवः॑ शूर॒ येन॑ वृ॒त्रम॒वाभि॑न॒द्दानु॑मौर्णवा॒भम् । अपा॑वृणो॒र्ज्योति॒रार्या॑य॒ नि स॑व्य॒तः सा॑दि॒ दस्यु॑रिन्द्र ॥

Indra, lord of knowledge and power, hold on that strength by which you break the dark cloud pregnant with waters covered as under the web of a spider. Reveal and release the light and power of the sun for the noble seekers of wisdom and virtuous life so that the wicked exploiter and demon of darkness is kept and crushed by the left wing of your law.

· · ·

2.11.19

सने॑म॒ ये त॑ ऊ॒तिभि॒स्तर॑न्तो॒ विश्वाः॒ स्पृध॒ आर्ये॑ण॒ दस्यू॑न् । अ॒स्मभ्यं॒ तत्त्वा॒ष्ट्रं वि॒श्वरू॑प॒मर॑न्धयः सा॒ख्यस्य॑ त्रि॒ताय॑ ॥

Indra, lord of light, power and love, let us abide by those who, by your modes of protection and advancement, surpass and subdue all the dark and exploitative forces of hate, jealousy, enmity and wicked opposition with their strength of justice and virtue, and who form and structure for us that universal character and constitution of one world order of love and friendship which is inspired by Divinity for humanity free from physical, mental and spiritual want and suffering.

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2.11.20

अ॒स्य सु॑वा॒नस्य॑ म॒न्दिन॑स्त्रि॒तस्य॒ न्यर्बु॑दं वावृधा॒नो अ॑स्तः । अव॑र्तय॒त्सूर्यो॒ न च॒क्रं भि॒नद्ब॒लमिन्द्रो॒ अङ्गि॑रस्वान् ॥

Let Indra, lord ruler of the world, settled and inspired, vibrating with energy, wind and power, developing and growing to splendour with the billionfold nation of this mighty, joyous and free humanity, move like the sun his wheel of governance and dispel the dark and demoniac forces of evil and wickedness.

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2.11.21

नू॒नं सा ते॒ प्रति॒ वरं॑ जरि॒त्रे दु॑ही॒यदि॑न्द्र॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्षा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ माति॑ ध॒ग्भगो॑ नो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Indra, glorious lord ruler of light and life, mighty powerful, may that generous power and liberality of yours ever flow with the highest good for the admirer and worshipper of Divinity. Give knowledge and enlightenment to the singers and celebrants. Pray do not strain them, hurt them not, nor burn them to naught. Bless us with unbounded wealth and honour. Bless us with brave and noble heroes. Inspire us to sing and celebrate the divine glory in our battles of life.

✦ Sukta 12 · 15 verses ✦

2.12.1

यो जा॒त ए॒व प्र॑थ॒मो मन॑स्वान्दे॒वो दे॒वान्क्रतु॑ना प॒र्यभू॑षत् । यस्य॒ शुष्मा॒द्रोद॑सी॒ अभ्य॑सेतां नृ॒म्णस्य॑ म॒ह्ना स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

Ye men and women of the world, Indra is the generous self-refulgent lord omnipotent and omniscient who, first manifested, creates and adorns the generous earth and brilliant stars. It is by the grandeur of his mighty wealth and power of action that the heaven and earth and the middle regions of the skies move around in orbit.

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2.12.2

यः पृ॑थि॒वीं व्यथ॑माना॒मदृं॑ह॒द्यः पर्व॑ता॒न्प्रकु॑पिताँ॒ अर॑म्णात् । यो अ॒न्तरि॑क्षं विम॒मे वरी॑यो॒ यो द्यामस्त॑भ्ना॒त्स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

O people of the world, it is Indra, lord omnipotent, who establishes the moving earth in balance in orbit and silences the angry volcanoes and roaring clouds, who encompasses the vast skies and holds up the high heavens of light.(Such is Indra, universal energy.)

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2.12.3

यो ह॒त्वाहि॒मरि॑णात्स॒प्त सिन्धू॒न्यो गा उ॒दाज॑दप॒धा ब॒लस्य॑ । यो अश्म॑नोर॒न्तर॒ग्निं ज॒जान॑ सं॒वृक्स॒मत्सु॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

People of the world, it is Indra who breaks the cloud into showers and makes the seven rivers and seven seas flow, who makes the moving stars and planets such as earth and satellites such as moon dance around in order, who wields and controls the entire energy of the universe, who creates the fire at the centre of the stone and the cloud and controls the making and breaking of the elements in the cosmic dynamics.

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2.12.4

येने॒मा विश्वा॒ च्यव॑ना कृ॒तानि॒ यो दासं॒ वर्ण॒मध॑रं॒ गुहाकः॑ । श्व॒घ्नीव॒ यो जि॑गी॒वाल्ँल॒क्षमाद॑द॒र्यः पु॒ष्टानि॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

Who makes all these moving objects of the moving world of existence, who conceives and fixes the emergent form deep in the cavern of the mind, who takes on the target like an unfailing hunter, all those in course of time which are created and nurtured by him: Such is Indra, O people of the world.

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2.12.5

यं स्मा॑ पृ॒च्छन्ति॒ कुह॒ सेति॑ घो॒रमु॒तेमा॑हु॒र्नैषो अ॒स्तीत्ये॑नम् । सो अ॒र्यः पु॒ष्टीर्विज॑इ॒वा मि॑नाति॒ श्रद॑स्मै धत्त॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

Of whom they often ask: Where is he? He is terrible, say they. He is everywhere, say some. He is nowhere, say others. He is the master and lord of all, creates, evolves and devolves, elevates with a heave and, “like a victor” he shoots down the thriving ones: Such, O people, is Indra. Know him well in truth, and have faith.

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2.12.6

यो र॒ध्रस्य॑ चोदि॒ता यः कृ॒शस्य॒ यो ब्र॒ह्मणो॒ नाध॑मानस्य की॒रेः । युक्तग्रा॑व्णो॒ यो॑ऽवि॒ता सु॑शि॒प्रः सु॒तसो॑मस्य॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

He is inspirer of the obedient worshipper, support of the weak and emaciated, promoter of knowledge and Veda, saviour of the poor and destitute, and strength of the celebrant; he is protector of the person who is dedicated to learning and soma-yajna, commands knowledge and creates the joy of soma in society: Such is Indra O people of the world.

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2.12.7

यस्याश्वा॑सः प्र॒दिशि॒ यस्य॒ गावो॒ यस्य॒ ग्रामा॒ यस्य॒ विश्वे॒ रथा॑सः । यः सूर्यं॒ य उ॒षसं॑ ज॒जान॒ यो अ॒पां ने॒ता स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

His are the waves of energy pervading in the directions and sub-directions of space. His are the horses and the cows, his the earths and the rays of light. His are the habitations and all the starry chariots of the world. He creates the sun and the dawn, revealing them every day anew. He is the mover and guide of the waters and spatial energy. Such, O people, is Indra, universal energy .

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2.12.8

यं क्रन्द॑सी संय॒ती वि॒ह्वये॑ते॒ परेऽव॑र उ॒भया॑ अ॒मित्राः॑ । स॒मा॒नं चि॒द्रथ॑मातस्थि॒वांसा॒ नाना॑ हवेते॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

Whom the heaven and earth wheeling, whirling, humming the celestial music of the spheres together and vying each other in homage, invoke, whom the highest and farthest as well as lowest and nearest, all, friends and non-friends, worship alike as riding the same chariot, invoke and worship in various ways: that, O people of the world, is Indra, lord of power over all.

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2.12.9

यस्मा॒न्न ऋ॒ते वि॒जय॑न्ते॒ जना॑सो॒ यं युध्य॑माना॒ अव॑से॒ हव॑न्ते । यो विश्व॑स्य प्रति॒मानं॑ ब॒भूव॒ यो अ॑च्युत॒च्युत्स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

Without whom the people win no victories, on whom the warriors depend for protection, who is the comprehending measure of the universe and the unmoved mover of the cosmic dynamics: he, O people of the world, is Indra.

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2.12.10

यः शश्व॑तो॒ मह्येनो॒ दधा॑ना॒नम॑न्यमाना॒ञ्छर्वा॑ ज॒घान॑ । यः शर्ध॑ते॒ नानु॒ददा॑ति शृ॒ध्यां यो दस्यो॑र्ह॒न्ता स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

He who holds and governs the eternal constituents of existence, who with his power of justice and punishment destroys the disreputables taking recourse to great sins and crimes, who disapproves, scotches and silences the evil tongue of the maligner, and who eliminates the wicked exploiter: such, O people, is Indra.

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2.12.11

यः शम्ब॑रं॒ पर्व॑तेषु क्षि॒यन्तं॑ चत्वारिं॒श्यां श॒रद्य॒न्ववि॑न्दत् । ओ॒जा॒यमा॑नं॒ यो अहिं॑ ज॒घान॒ दानुं॒ शया॑नं॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

He who finds the vapours of water hidden in the cloud on the fortieth day of autumn (or in the fortieth autumn) and breaks the cloud, heavy with water for showers yet sleeping like a giant, thus releasing the rainshowers: such, O people, is Indra, the mighty Sun.

· · ·

2.12.12

यः स॒प्तर॑श्मिर्वृष॒भस्तुवि॑ष्मान॒वासृ॑ज॒त्सर्त॑वे स॒प्त सिन्धू॑न् । यो रौ॑हि॒णमस्फु॑र॒द्वज्र॑बाहु॒र्द्यामा॒रोह॑न्तं॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

Who shines bright with seven-colour rays of light, mightily generous, immensely full of energy and power, and, breaking the clouds to rain showers, releases the seven floods of water, rivers and seas rolling and flowing, and who energises the moon and the cloud ascending towards the sun under the Rohini asterism, that, dear people, is Indra, the Sun, mighty with his arms of thunder and adamant.

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2.12.13

द्यावा॑ चिदस्मै पृथि॒वी न॑मेते॒ शुष्मा॑च्चिदस्य॒ पर्व॑ता भयन्ते । यः सो॑म॒पा नि॑चि॒तो वज्र॑बाहु॒र्यो वज्र॑हस्तः॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

Heaven and earth bow to him in homage. Clouds cower and mountains quake for fear of his power. He is the creator, preserver and promoter of the soma nectar and ecstasy of life, knowledge concentrate and power both, thunder-armed for punishment and protection, flower-handed with kusha grass for blessing and benediction. Such is Indra, lord of light and might and life of life, O children of the earth.

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2.12.14

यः सु॒न्वन्त॒मव॑ति॒ यः पञ्च॑न्तं॒ यः शंस॑न्तं॒ यः श॑शमा॒नमू॒ती । यस्य॒ ब्रह्म॒ वर्ध॑नं॒ यस्य॒ सोमो॒ यस्ये॒दं राधः॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्रः॑ ॥

He who protects the creative man of yajnic action, who promotes the man struggling for perfection, and who, with all his modes of protection and progress, advances the prayerful celebrant pilgrim on way to Dharma, piety and charity, He is Indra, know ye all children of the earth. The Veda glorifies him, the somajoy of the world celebrates him, the beauty and perfection of this creation proclaims his art and presence. Such is Indra, dear children of Divinity.

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2.12.15

यः सु॑न्व॒ते पच॑ते दु॒ध्र आ चि॒द्वाजं॒ दर्द॑र्षि॒ स किला॑सि स॒त्यः । व॒यं त॑ इन्द्र वि॒श्वह॑ प्रि॒यासः॑ सु॒वीरा॑सो वि॒दथ॒मा व॑देम ॥

Indra, lord of light and life, potent and inviolable, you provide all power and protection with speed of advancement for the creative and struggling perfectionist, and you ward off all force of opposition from him. Lord of existence, surely you are the ultimate Truth, you are eternal. Lord giver of life and potency, we love you, we are your dear darlings. We pray that confident and brave, blest with noble progeny, we may always honour you with holy songs of celebration and creative action in yajna.

✦ Sukta 13 · 13 verses ✦

2.13.1

ऋ॒तुर्जनि॑त्री॒ तस्या॑ अ॒पस्परि॑ म॒क्षू जा॒त आवि॑श॒द्यासु॒ वर्ध॑ते । तदा॑ह॒ना अ॑भवत्पि॒प्युषी॒ पयों॒ऽशोः पी॒यूषं॑ प्रथ॒मं तदु॒क्थ्य॑म् ॥

(There is a season for the birth of life, for everything.) The season is the mother’s womb. Whatever is born, the seed enters the waters of the womb, the season, and therein it grows. The receiving mother becomes the first recipient, taster and giver of the nectar of life to the seed, which nectar is the life-nursing energy of the sun. That nectar, that original essence of living energy, is worth knowing and celebration.

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2.13.2

स॒ध्रीमा य॑न्ति॒ परि॒ बिभ्र॑तीः॒ पयो॑ वि॒श्वप्स्न्या॑य॒ प्र भ॑रन्त॒ भोज॑नम् । स॒मा॒नो अध्वा॑ प्र॒वता॑मनु॒ष्यदे॒ यस्ताकृ॑णोः प्रथ॒मं सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

To the same one end flow the streams of life all round, holding the nectar of life for nourishment of the world, carrying food for everything living and growing. Similar and equal is the path of the streams so that they may flow for the same purpose. The one, the first original creator who created these streams of life, is worth knowing and celebration.

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2.13.3

अन्वेको॑ वदति॒ यद्ददा॑ति॒ तद्रू॒पा मि॒नन्तद॑पा॒ एक॑ ईयते । विश्वा॒ एक॑स्य वि॒नुद॑स्तितिक्षते॒ यस्ताकृ॑णोः प्रथ॒मं सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

Whatever that one lord of power, Indra, creates and gives solely by himself, the same he reveals by himself. He creates all the forms and he destroys them all. That’s the lord’s power and karma in which he is solely manifested. All these universal karmas of the one, the one manages by himself. That one sole lord, the first and original doer who does all these is he, Indra, and he is worth knowing and celebration.

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2.13.4

प्र॒जाभ्यः॑ पु॒ष्टिं वि॒भज॑न्त आसते र॒यिमि॑व पृ॒ष्ठं प्र॒भव॑न्तमाय॒ते । असि॑न्व॒न्दंष्ट्रैः॑ पि॒तुर॑त्ति॒ भोज॑नं॒ यस्ताकृ॑णोः प्रथ॒मं सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

The house holders sit at the yajna working, serving and giving for the health, growth and advancement of the people, and while their wealth, property and possessions are rising in assets, they sit and abide by the yajna, sealing and securing the back bone of the nation, a firm foundation and a launching pad for the coming generations of humanity for further progress. And all the while the sagely scholar scientist visionary enjoys yajnic food musticating every particle of it with his teeth. Indra, it is you who plan, ordain and execute all these dispensations, you are adorable in words of celebration.

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2.13.5

अधा॑कृणोः पृथि॒वीं सं॒दृशे॑ दि॒वे यो धौ॑ती॒नाम॑हिह॒न्नारि॑णक्प॒थः । तं त्वा॒ स्तोमे॑भिरु॒दभि॒र्न वा॒जिनं॑ दे॒वं दे॒वा अ॑जन॒न्त्सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

And you develop the earth to a festival of lights for all to see and celebrate, O breaker of the cloud of rain showers of wealth, and you open the various channels of wealth for the streams to flow. Such as you are, Indra, lord of light, wealth and power, brilliant and generous, dynamic and tempestuous as wind and energy, brilliant scholars of the world anoint you with holy waters, and celebrate you with citations and presentations, and raise you to eminence. Adorable you are, indeed.

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2.13.6

यो भोज॑नं च॒ दय॑से च॒ वर्ध॑नमा॒र्द्रादा शुष्कं॒ मधु॑मद्दु॒दोहि॑थ । स शे॑व॒धिं नि द॑धिषे वि॒वस्व॑ति॒ विश्व॒स्यैक॑ ईशिषे॒ सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

Indra, lord of light, wealth and power, you are the one who organise and control consumption and production, growth and allotment and, with your liquid creativity and energising waters, convert the deserts into honeyed gardens to milk the wealth from the holy earth. O people of the earth, he holds the wealth of the world in the sun and rules the universe solely by himself, alone. Such as you are, O lord of creation and sustenance, you are worthy of celebration in song and yajnic action.

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2.13.7

यः पु॒ष्पिणी॑श्च प्र॒स्व॑श्च॒ धर्म॒णाधि॒ दाने॒ व्य१॒॑वनी॒रधा॑रयः । यश्चास॑मा॒ अज॑नो दि॒द्युतो॑ दि॒व उ॒रुरू॒र्वाँ अ॒भितः॒ सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

Who, with his law and power, in his profuse generosity, holds and sustains the various lands of flowers and fertility, who is vast and potent and creates the infinite variety of lights and blazing energies in their entirety, he, lord worthy of homage and celebration, is Indra.

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2.13.8

यो ना॑र्म॒रं स॒हव॑सुं॒ निह॑न्तवे पृ॒क्षाय॑ च दा॒सवे॑शाय॒ चाव॑हः । ऊ॒र्जय॑न्त्या॒ अप॑रिविष्टमा॒स्य॑मु॒तैवाद्य पु॑रुकृ॒त्सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

Who for the elimination of antihuman forces, even though they might command wealth and power, and for the expansion of the powers of generosity and creativity and for the working forces, rules and provides the unbounded face of the fertile and energising mother earth, he is Indra, lord of manifold action and he is worthy of adoration today.

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2.13.9

श॒तं वा॒ यस्य॒ दश॑ सा॒कमाद्य॒ एक॑स्य श्रु॒ष्टौ यद्ध॑ चो॒दमावि॑थ । अ॒र॒ज्जौ दस्यू॒न्त्समु॑नब्द॒भीत॑ये सुप्रा॒व्यो॑ अभवः॒ सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

Ten, hundred or thousands are with Indra, sole lord of the world, ready for service at his bidding, unbounded his favours and incentives, a thousand-ways his inspirations and exhortations, he knows. He binds the wicked exploiters, criminals and sinners with unfettered chains to break them down. Supreme protector is he just at hand everywhere. So is he adorable in holy chant.

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2.13.10

विश्वेदनु॑ रोध॒ना अ॑स्य॒ पौंस्यं॑ द॒दुर॑स्मै दधि॒रे कृ॒त्नवे॒ धन॑म् । षळ॑स्तभ्ना वि॒ष्टिरः॒ पञ्च॑ सं॒दृशः॒ परि॑ प॒रो अ॑भवः॒ सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

All according to his will and law carry out the acts of his omnipotence for him. They hold the wealth and power of the universe for him, lord of action as he is. Lord of wide extensive power and presence, he commands the six seasons of the year and energises the five senses of perception. He encompasses all, he transcends all. The lord is worthy of homage and adoration in words of faith and piety.

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2.13.11

सु॒प्र॒वा॒च॒नं तव॑ वीर वी॒र्यं१॒॑ यदेके॑न॒ क्रतु॑ना वि॒न्दसे॒ वसु॑ । जा॒तूष्ठि॑रस्य॒ प्र वयः॒ सह॑स्वतो॒ या च॒कर्थ॒ सेन्द्र॒ विश्वा॑स्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

Indra, mighty

lord of light and life, noble and powerful is your eloquence, since with a single act of will and divinity you win and command the wealth of the world. Eternal and inviolable, ancient and ever youthful, patient yet potent and victorious, for all the acts of existence and creation you do, you are divine, supremely holy, and adorable in acts and words of piety.

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2.13.12

अर॑मयः॒ सर॑पस॒स्तरा॑य॒ कं तु॒र्वीत॑ये च व॒य्या॑य च स्रु॒तिम् । नी॒चा सन्त॒मुद॑नयः परा॒वृजं॒ प्रान्धं श्रो॒णं श्र॒वय॒न्त्सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

Indra, you change the dire discipline of holiness to a pleasure path for the sinners to cross the seas and leap to the freedom of Moksha. You accelerate the speed and success of the parent and teacher to continue the family line and the tradition of knowledge. You raise the fallen from the depth, you own and console the rejected and destitute, you give eyes to the blind and ears to the deaf with knowledge to the ignorant.As such, the celebrants adore you in songs of faith and joy.

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2.13.13

अ॒स्मभ्यं॒ तद्व॑सो दा॒नाय॒ राधः॒ सम॑र्थयस्व ब॒हु ते॑ वस॒व्य॑म् । इन्द्र॒ यच्चि॒त्रं श्र॑व॒स्या अनु॒ द्यून्बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Indra, lord of light, power, honour and generosity, giver of peace, progress and prosperity, great and manifold is that wealth of yours which is your parental gift to us as a home and haven to live in joy. Give us the strength and capacity for charity and generosity like yours. Listening, celebrating, we pray, that brave and blest with brave heroic progeny, honoured and glorious, we may profusely praise and spontaneously celebrate your wondrous and heavenly gifts and glory day by day in song and yajna and justify your gifts of life and honour to humanity

✦ Sukta 14 · 12 verses ✦

2.14.1

अध्व॑र्यवो॒ भर॒तेन्द्रा॑य॒ सोम॒माम॑त्रेभिः सिञ्चता॒ मद्य॒मन्धः॑ । का॒मी हि वी॒रः सद॑मस्य पी॒तिं जु॒होत॒ वृष्णे॒ तदिदे॒ष व॑ष्टि ॥

High priest of the yajna of love and non-violent creation, bear potfuls of soma juice for Indra, brave and youthful hero of the world. Collect and serve exciting food and drink for him in celebration. Eminent, valiant and victorious is he and loves a drink of this soma. Always call for and prepare the drink for the mighty hero. He loves to live the vigour and ecstasy of life, create the strength and rise in joy.

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2.14.2

अध्व॑र्यवो॒ यो अ॒पो व॑व्रि॒वांसं॑ वृ॒त्रं ज॒घाना॒शन्ये॑व वृ॒क्षम् । तस्मा॑ ए॒तं भ॑रत तद्व॒शायँ॑ ए॒ष इन्द्रो॑ अर्हति पी॒तिम॑स्य ॥

High priests of the yajna of life, just as a stroke of lightning breaks and shatters a tree into bits, so does Indra, solar hero of the world, break the dark cloud concealing and hoarding the waters of life and thereby releases the showers of rain and joy of life. For him, bear and bring this soma of joy and celebration. He loves it intensely, and this Indra deserves to drink of it to his heart’s content.

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2.14.3

अध्व॑र्यवो॒ यो दृभी॑कं ज॒घान॒ यो गा उ॒दाज॒दप॒ हि ब॒लं वः । तस्मा॑ ए॒तम॒न्तरि॑क्षे॒ न वात॒मिन्द्रं॒ सोमै॒रोर्णु॑त॒ जूर्न वस्त्रैः॑ ॥

Yajnic leaders of the people, Indra, lord ruler of humanity and the world, is he who, like the brilliant sun, dispels the forces of fear and darkness, develops the cows and animal wealth, preserves and replenishes the earth and her environment, opens up flood-gates of power and energy for you and, like the wind in the sky, drives life onward. Carry on this yajna and the creation of soma-joy and vigour for him, celebrate him like the wind in the sky, felicitate him with drinks of soma and honour him with robes of distinction as you would honour a veteran hero and senior scholar of eminence.

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2.14.4

अध्व॑र्यवो॒ य उर॑णं ज॒घान॒ नव॑ च॒ख्वांसं॑ नव॒तिं च॑ बा॒हून् । यो अर्बु॑द॒मव॑ नी॒चा ब॑बा॒धे तमिन्द्रं॒ सोम॑स्य भृ॒थे हि॑नोत ॥

High priests and participants of the progressive yajna of love and creative advancement, invoke, applaud and advance Indra, leader and commander of humanity, who exposes and punishes the hoarder, eliminates the saboteur, overthrows nine and ninety handed demons, and binds and chains down hundred millions of enemy forces. Honour him and celebrate with oblations of love and offer of soma for the creation of vigour and life’s joy.

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2.14.5

अध्व॑र्यवो॒ यः स्वश्नं॑ ज॒घान॒ यः शुष्ण॑म॒शुषं॒ यो व्यं॑सम् । यः पिप्रुं॒ नमु॑चिं॒ यो रु॑धि॒क्रां तस्मा॒ इन्द्रा॒यान्ध॑सो जुहोत ॥

High priests of yajna, invoke, invite, honour and offer homage with food and love to Indra who breaks through the clouds of ignorance, who prevents the thriving social suckers and converts deserts into fertile fields, who breaks the shoulders of lawless powers, who fights and defeats the self-server and the persistent evil doer, and who brings to book those who cross the bounds of preventive law. Do him honour in the yajna of love and dedication.

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2.14.6

अध्व॑र्यवो॒ यः श॒तं शम्ब॑रस्य॒ पुरो॑ बि॒भेदाश्म॑नेव पू॒र्वीः । यो व॒र्चिनः॑ श॒तमिन्द्रः॑ स॒हस्र॑म॒पाव॑प॒द्भर॑ता॒ सोम॑मस्मै ॥

High priests of yajna, offer soma yajna to Indra who shatters with a lightning stone blow a hundred wellestablished strongholds of the demon of darkness who arrests and prevents the joyous waters of life from their natural flow, Indra who digs out and uproots a hundred thousand sins and crimes of the blazing powers of evil and buries them for ever. Regale him with a drink of soma, the universal joy of life.

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2.14.7

अध्व॑र्यवो॒ यः श॒तमा स॒हस्रं॒ भूम्या॑ उ॒पस्थेऽव॑पज्जघ॒न्वान् । कुत्स॑स्या॒योर॑तिथि॒ग्वस्य॑ वी॒रान्न्यावृ॑ण॒ग्भर॑ता॒ सोम॑मस्मै ॥

High priests of yajna, bring soma drinks in honour of Indra who sows the seeds and creates a hundred thousand heroes of yajna on the face of the earth, while on the other hand he destroys another hundred thousand warriors of evil and wards off the forces of the opponents of generosity and hospitality.

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2.14.8

अध्व॑र्यवो॒ यन्न॑रः का॒मया॑ध्वे श्रु॒ष्टी वह॑न्तो नशथा॒ तदिन्द्रे॑ । गभ॑स्तिपूतं भरत श्रु॒तायेन्द्रा॑य॒ सोमं॑ यज्यवो जुहोत ॥

High priests of yajna, faithful performers, leaders of humanity, whatever you love and desire, whatever you achieve and attain, always with a will in obedience to Divinity carry that forward and hold it in the service of Indra, lord ruler of the world, and bear and bring it up soma, purified and sanctified by the rays of the sun, as an offering in homage to him who is universally heard, praised and celebrated. Enjoy the bliss and ecstasy of soma with him.

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2.14.9

अध्व॑र्यवः॒ कर्त॑ना श्रु॒ष्टिम॑स्मै॒ वने॒ निपू॑तं॒ वन॒ उन्न॑यध्वम् । जु॒षा॒णो हस्त्य॑म॒भि वा॑वशे व॒ इन्द्रा॑य॒ सोमं॑ मदि॒रं जु॑होत ॥

Leaders and participants of the yajnic developments of humanity, do your best willingly and spontaneously for this mighty and brilliant Indra. Do that and let it be sanctified and consecrated in the light and purity of the sun and raise the social order in the holy light. Join Indra and do his will, whatever he loves and desires of your art and industry. And when you have accomplished that with the expertise of your hand and imagination, then invoke, invite and honour him and celebrate the exciting pleasure and ecstasy of the soma of success.

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2.14.10

अध्व॑र्यवः॒ पय॒सोध॒र्यथा॒ गोः सोमे॑भिरीं पृणता भो॒जमिन्द्र॑म् । वेदा॒हम॑स्य॒ निभृ॑तं म ए॒तद्दित्स॑न्तं॒ भूयो॑ यज॒तश्चि॑केत ॥

High priests of the yajna of white revolution and herbal essences, let the streams of soma flow for health and joy and surfeit Indra, the mighty order of humanity. Let the order overflow with food and drink like the cow’s udders with milk. I know him and the wealth he holds for me. Join him, let everyone know and serve him for his creation and generosity, and let all carry on the effort in unison.

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2.14.11

अध्व॑र्यवो॒ यो दि॒व्यस्य॒ वस्वो॒ यः पार्थि॑वस्य॒ क्षम्य॑स्य॒ राजा॑ । तमूर्द॑रं॒ न पृ॑णता॒ यवे॒नेन्द्रं॒ सोमे॑भि॒स्तदपो॑ वो अस्तु ॥

High priests of yajnic action and advancement, citizens of the world, serve Indra who is ruler of the light of heaven, the wealth of earth and the sweets of love and tolerance. Fill his kingdom to overflowing as farmers fill the stores with food and drink. Let the life on earth sparkle with streams of soma and shine with the glow of health and joy. Let that be your karma of divine dedication. Let that be the dynamics of human society.

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2.14.12

अ॒स्मभ्यं॒ तद्व॑सो दा॒नाय॒ राधः॒ सम॑र्थयस्व ब॒हु ते॑ वस॒व्य॑म् । इन्द्र॒ यच्चि॒त्रं श्र॑व॒स्या अनु॒ द्यून्बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Indra, lord ruler and master of the wealth of the universe, bless us with that wealth and honour, light and power, and strengthen us that we may be generous, tolerant and forgiving. Great and infinite is your power and glory of the worlds in existence. Wondrous and various is your wealth of life. May we, O lord, blest with that honour, power and splendour, brave and rising with the brave, every day and night sing of your glory and justify your gifts of yajna in our actions and endeavours.

✦ Sukta 15 · 10 verses ✦

2.15.1

प्र घा॒ न्व॑स्य मह॒तो म॒हानि॑ स॒त्या स॒त्यस्य॒ कर॑णानि वोचम् । त्रिक॑द्रुकेष्वपिबत्सु॒तस्या॒स्य मदे॒ अहि॒मिन्द्रो॑ जघान ॥

I would set forth and sing in celebration of the great and true actions and achievements of this great and eternal lord Indra, ruler of the world, brilliant and blazing as the sun who drinks up the distilled essences of earth, heaven and the middle regions in three ways and radiates and matures exhilarating soma in three orders of nature, herbs of the earth, waters of the sky and light of the solar regions, and who, in the power and ecstasy of this soma process, strikes and breaks the dark cloud of showers for rain on the earth.

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2.15.2

अ॒वं॒शे द्याम॑स्तभायद्बृ॒हन्त॒मा रोद॑सी अपृणद॒न्तरि॑क्षम् । स धा॑रयत्पृथि॒वीं प॒प्रथ॑च्च॒ सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥

Indra, lord of existence, sustains the mighty heaven of light in space without a supporting column. He fills the heaven and earth and the skies of the middle regions with light and fertility for life and holds the earth in orbit. And thus the lord manifests his power and glory in the expansive universe across the spaces. In the ecstasy and Ananda of the soma of creation, the lord performs all these actions for life and humanity.

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2.15.3

सद्मे॑व॒ प्राचो॒ वि मि॑माय॒ मानै॒र्वज्रे॑ण॒ खान्य॑तृणन्न॒दीना॑म् । वृथा॑सृजत्प॒थिभि॑र्दीर्घया॒थैः सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥

Like a sacred house of prayer, Indra, lord creator, makes the worlds of existence since eternity with exact measures and perfect knowledge of their form, function and purpose. He splits open the upsurge of waters from river sources, digs the beds of flow with a natural and spontaneous stroke of the thunderbolt and releases the floods by paths deep and wide for us to move and navigate. Indra does all these in joy and ecstasy for his love of creation and for the soma pleasure of his children.

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2.15.4

स प्र॑वो॒ळ्हॄन्प॑रि॒गत्या॑ द॒भीते॒र्विश्व॑मधा॒गायु॑धमि॒द्धे अ॒ग्नौ । सं गोभि॒रश्वै॑रसृज॒द्रथे॑भिः॒ सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥

Having overcome all the weapons of violence, fear and terror, he burns them in the blazing fire of his cosmic yajna and creates modes of transport and communication with bullocks, horses, chariots and waves of energy and motive power. He does all these in his ecstasy of creativity for the joy of his creation. This is the glory of Indra.

· · ·

2.15.5

स ईं॑ म॒हीं धुनि॒मेतो॑ररम्णा॒त्सो अ॑स्ना॒तॄन॑पारयत्स्व॒स्ति । त उ॒त्स्नाय॑ र॒यिम॒भि प्र त॑स्थुः॒ सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥

He gives motion to the waters, and the earth, in fact to all things on the move, and he controls, stabilizes, arrests and ultimately stills that movement to rest. He helps the uninitiates to move and cross the seas for their good, and they rise and, having bathed in the waters, abide in the wealth of divine bliss. Indra does all these in the ecstasy of creation for the joy of his creation

· · ·

2.15.6

सोद॑ञ्चं॒ सिन्धु॑मरिणान्महि॒त्वा वज्रे॒णान॑ उ॒षसः॒ सं पि॑पेष । अ॒ज॒वसो॑ ज॒विनी॑भिर्विवृ॒श्चन्त्सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥

With his blazing might he reaches and raises the rising sea. With his light he adorns the chariot of the dawn. Moving and shaking the motionless with his own forces of velocity, Indra goes on with his actions in the joy of his creation for the joy of his children.

· · ·

2.15.7

स वि॒द्वाँ अ॑पगो॒हं क॒नीना॑मा॒विर्भव॒न्नुद॑तिष्ठत्परा॒वृक् । प्रति॑ श्रो॒णः स्था॒द्व्य१॒॑नग॑चष्ट॒ सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥

He, self-refulgent lord of knowledge, removing the veil of darkness from the lights, manifests himself and stays high and above all. Listening to the prayerful, he abides by all, reveals himself and speaks to the faithful. Thus does Indra perform his actions of divinity in his own ecstasy of creation and for the created.

· · ·

2.15.8

भि॒नद्ब॒लमङ्गि॑रोभिर्गृणा॒नो वि पर्व॑तस्य दृंहि॒तान्यै॑रत् । रि॒णग्रोधां॑सि कृ॒त्रिमा॑ण्येषां॒ सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥

Indra, blazing ruler of the world, proclaiming his power and presence, dispels the dark and distressive forces of life with the rays of his light and knowledge. He breaks open the deep caverns of mountains and the clouds and opens their gates for sun and shower. He shatters the artificial walls of division in humanity for their progress. These are the acts of Indra done in his ecstasy of soma for his people.

· · ·

2.15.9

स्वप्ने॑ना॒भ्युप्या॒ चुमु॑रिं॒ धुनिं॑ च ज॒घन्थ॒ दस्युं॒ प्र द॒भीति॑मावः । र॒म्भी चि॒दत्र॑ विविदे॒ हिर॑ण्यं॒ सोम॑स्य॒ ता मद॒ इन्द्र॑श्चकार ॥

He alerts the man yawning with sleepy sloth, silences the agitator, destroys the robber, suppresses the fearful devil, and, under his rule, the honest worker gets his wages in gold. Such are the acts of performance which Indra accomplishes in the ecstasy of soma for the joy of the people.

· · ·

2.15.10

नू॒नं सा ते॒ प्रति॒ वरं॑ जरि॒त्रे दु॑ही॒यदि॑न्द्र॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्षा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ माति॑ ध॒ग्भगो॑ नो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Indra, lord ruler of the world, giver of light and joy, may that magnificent generosity of yours award the highest fulfilment to the celebrant, and cherished knowledge to the worshipper. Lord of power and splendour, may your glory shine and blaze for us but not burn our gifts of your magnanimity. And may we, brave and blest with the brave, celebrate your glory in our yajnic acts of piety and obedience to your will.

✦ Sukta 16 · 9 verses ✦

2.16.1

प्र वः॑ स॒तां ज्येष्ठ॑तमाय सुष्टु॒तिम॒ग्नावि॑व समिधा॒ने ह॒विर्भ॑रे । इन्द्र॑मजु॒र्यं ज॒रय॑न्तमुक्षि॒तं स॒नाद्युवा॑न॒मव॑से हवामहे ॥

O worshippers and dedicated devotees of Indra, for your sake I offer the sweetest song of celebration in honour of the highest lord of life and energy as I bear and offer oblations of holy fragrant havish into the lighted fire of yajna. We invoke and serve Indra, unaging lord of imperishable energy, full of inexhaustible power and eternally youthful, consuming and converting matter into energy. We develop the lord’s energy for our protection and advancement.

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2.16.2

यस्मा॒दिन्द्रा॑द्बृह॒तः किं च॒नेमृ॒ते विश्वा॑न्यस्मि॒न्त्संभृ॒ताधि॑ वी॒र्या॑ । ज॒ठरे॒ सोमं॑ त॒न्वी॒३॒॑ सहो॒ महो॒ हस्ते॒ वज्रं॒ भर॑ति शी॒र्षणि॒ क्रतु॑म् ॥

Without this great lord Indra, eternal power and energy, there is nothing that is great, indeed anything at all. In this supreme presence are held all the courage, valour and virility. In his oceanic potential lies all the power, peace and pleasure. In his body, he holds challenge, patience and fortitude, grandeur and splendour, in his hand, thunder and lightning, in his head, vision, intelligence and noblest yajnic action.

· · ·

2.16.3

न क्षो॒णीभ्यां॑ परि॒भ्वे॑ त इन्द्रि॒यं न स॑मु॒द्रैः पर्व॑तैरिन्द्र ते॒ रथः॑ । न ते॒ वज्र॒मन्व॑श्नोति॒ कश्च॒न यदा॒शुभिः॒ पत॑सि॒ योज॑ना पु॒रु ॥

Not by heaven and earth is your wealth and power contained, much less surpassed. Nor can your chariot be exhausted and out-distanced by the expansive seas and high mountains or even by the spatial clouds. Nor can any weapon even remotely approach the invincible terror of your thunderbolt. All this because you shoot like an arrow with the tempestuous rays of light and waves of energy and currents of winds many many miles and yojans distance instantly.

· · ·

2.16.4

विश्वे॒ ह्य॑स्मै यज॒ताय॑ धृ॒ष्णवे॒ क्रतुं॒ भर॑न्ति वृष॒भाय॒ सश्च॑ते । वृषा॑ यजस्व ह॒विषा॑ वि॒दुष्ट॑रः॒ पिबे॑न्द्र॒ सोमं॑ वृष॒भेण॑ भा॒नुना॑ ॥

All bear noble thoughts and perform holy acts of yajna in honour of this lord Indra, cosmic yajamana, bold and daring, overwhelming and generous, and universal friend and constant companion. Generous yajaka, you are very wise and highly knowledgeable. Offer yajna with homage and fragrant havis. O lord Indra, participate in our yajna alongwith the generous sun and like the sun, drink the soma of joy and grant us the bliss.

· · ·

2.16.5

वृष्णः॒ कोशः॑ पवते॒ मध्व॑ ऊ॒र्मिर्वृ॑ष॒भान्ना॑य वृष॒भाय॒ पात॑वे । वृष॑णाध्व॒र्यू वृ॑ष॒भासो॒ अद्र॑यो॒ वृष॑णं॒ सोमं॑ वृष॒भाय॑ सुष्वति ॥

Treasure clouds of liquid energy explode from the sun and radiate all round, honey streams of light and power flow from the sun, in waves, for the nourishment and maturation of the vibrant life in existence as food and drink for the mighty humanity and other living beings. Roaring clouds rain down living waters for the health and joy of the children of earth. Generous high-priests of the yajna of love and nonviolence press out soma and distil the exciting drink of life and ecstasy from the herbs and raise it in flaming waves of fragrance.

· · ·

2.16.6

वृषा॑ ते॒ वज्र॑ उ॒त ते॒ वृषा॒ रथो॒ वृष॑णा॒ हरी॑ वृष॒भाण्यायु॑धा । वृष्णो॒ मद॑स्य वृषभ॒ त्वमी॑शिष॒ इन्द्र॒ सोम॑स्य वृष॒भस्य॑ तृप्णुहि ॥

Indra, generous and potent lord of life and joy, mighty is your thunderbolt, tempestuous your chariot, fast as winds are your horses, and blazing are your arms and weapons of justice, reward and punishment. Generous and mighty lord, you create and govern the infinite treasures of life, vigour and joy. O lord of power and energy, drink of this invigorating soma of joy and give us too the drink of it to the depth of surfeit and heights of sobriety.

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2.16.7

प्र ते॒ नावं॒ न सम॑ने वच॒स्युवं॒ ब्रह्म॑णा यामि॒ सव॑नेषु॒ दाधृ॑षिः । कु॒विन्नो॑ अ॒स्य वच॑सो नि॒बोधि॑ष॒दिन्द्र॒मुत्सं॒ न वसु॑नः सिचामहे ॥

Loud and bold in inspiration for the challenges of the business of living, with all my wealth of power and prayer I come to you, lord of light and knowledge, and take on to you as to a boat in the struggle for survival and success across the seas, eloquent as you are with the Word of the Veda and light of Divinity. Indra, lord of knowledge, listen to this word of prayer, know what we need and desire. We come to you, associate with you, serve you, and study and develop divine energy and power with you as a treasure-house of the wealth of the world.

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2.16.8

पु॒रा सं॑बा॒धाद॒भ्या व॑वृत्स्व नो धे॒नुर्न व॒त्सं यव॑सस्य पि॒प्युषी॑ । स॒कृत्सु ते॑ सुम॒तिभिः॑ शतक्रतो॒ सं पत्नी॑भि॒र्न वृष॑णो नसीमहि ॥

Indra, lord of a hundred noble acts of yajna, by virtue of our ancient and eternal relation as father and son, mother and child, creator and creature, pervader and pervaded, teacher and disciple, come to us like the abundant mother cow overflowing with the milk of life for her darling calf on the pasture, and be with us always, never forsake us, lord, so that we too, with all noble thoughts and intentions, reach you and ever be with you like generous, loving and prayerful men abiding in the company of intelligent and life-sustaining wives and mothers.

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2.16.9

नू॒नं सा ते॒ प्रति॒ वरं॑ जरि॒त्रे दु॑ही॒यदि॑न्द्र॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्षा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ माति॑ ध॒ग्भगो॑ नो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Indra, lord giver of light and the wealth of life, may that magnificent bounty of yours flow and shower the desired excellence upon your singer and celebrant, sure, instantly and incessantly. May the light of knowledge and wealth of power given to the devotee ever shine for us but never blaze to excess, never burn, so that, bright and brave, blest with the brave, we may sing in praise and homage to you in our yajnic acts of life and the music may rise and ring across the spaces.

✦ Sukta 17 · 9 verses ✦

2.17.1

तद॑स्मै॒ नव्य॑मङ्गिर॒स्वद॑र्चत॒ शुष्मा॒ यद॑स्य प्र॒त्नथो॒दीर॑ते । विश्वा॒ यद्गो॒त्रा सह॑सा॒ परी॑वृता॒ मदे॒ सोम॑स्य दृंहि॒तान्यैर॑यत् ॥

Offer homage of praise in worship to this adorable lord Indra, light of the world, like the breath of life, since his powers operate in life as of old and eternally and who in his ecstasy of soma-yaga of creation, with a stroke of his omnipotence, opened forth and activated all the clouds of dark energies which lay asleep all round during the night of the universe.

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2.17.2

स भू॑तु॒ यो ह॑ प्रथ॒माय॒ धाय॑स॒ ओजो॒ मिमा॑नो महि॒मान॒माति॑रत् । शूरो॒ यो यु॒त्सु त॒न्वं॑ परि॒व्यत॑ शी॒र्षणि॒ द्यां म॑हि॒ना प्रत्य॑मुञ्चत ॥

May that Indra, lord creator, be good and kind to us, Indra who first for the creation and sustenance of the universe manifests his creative energy in Prakrti and then expands his own power and potential across the world of nature. Mighty is he who in the battlesomeinteraction of the elements creates the grand structure of the universe and then, as the pervasive spirit of life, veils himself in the body of the universe. It is he who, by his own essential might raised the heaven of light on high and stayed it there.

· · ·

2.17.3

अधा॑कृणोः प्रथ॒मं वी॒र्यं॑ म॒हद्यद॒स्याग्रे॒ ब्रह्म॑णा॒ शुष्म॒मैर॑यः । र॒थे॒ष्ठेन॒ हर्य॑श्वेन॒ विच्यु॑ताः॒ प्र जी॒रयः॑ सिस्रते स॒ध्र्य१॒॑क् पृथ॑क् ॥

And thereafter, first of all, he creates the prime universal fertility and creative vitality, mighty energy forces, which he with his omnipotence and omniscience, sets in motion. They, great lokas and regions of the universe, released and accelerated by Indra, master of the chariot as well as of the horses, roll and revolve and rotate youthfully, all together and separately too, each by itself.

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2.17.4

अधा॒ यो विश्वा॒ भुव॑ना॒भि म॒ज्मने॑शान॒कृत्प्रव॑या अ॒भ्यव॑र्धत । आद्रोद॑सी॒ ज्योति॑षा॒ वह्नि॒रात॑नो॒त्सीव्य॒न्तमां॑सि॒ दुधि॑ता॒ सम॑व्ययत् ॥

Indra, lord creator, who is master controller and ruler of the worlds of the universe by his omnipotence, pervades the expansive universe, and, wielding and sustaining the creation, fills the heaven and earth with light and, binding and integrating the far off regions togehter, dispels the darkness from the regions and covers them with the light of divinity.

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2.17.5

स प्रा॒चीना॒न्पर्व॑तान्दृंह॒दोज॑साधरा॒चीन॑मकृणोद॒पामपः॑ । अधा॑रयत्पृथि॒वीं वि॒श्वधा॑यस॒मस्त॑भ्नान्मा॒यया॒ द्याम॑व॒स्रसः॑ ॥

He strengthens and firms up the ancient high clouds with his might and splendour and creates the lower ones this side of time and also creates the waters of the middle regions of the skies. He wields and sustains the earth mother of all the living life and holds and sustains with his marvellous power the heaven of light above, steady, secure, and extensive.

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2.17.6

सास्मा॒ अरं॑ बा॒हुभ्यां॒ यं पि॒ताकृ॑णो॒द्विश्व॑स्मा॒दा ज॒नुषो॒ वेद॑स॒स्परि॑ । येना॑ पृथि॒व्यां नि क्रिविं॑ श॒यध्यै॒ वज्रे॑ण ह॒त्व्यवृ॑णक्तुवि॒ष्वणिः॑ ॥

That is for this: The sun which the father creator has created and fashioned forth in beauty with his own hands over all that is born and all that know, that mighty catalytic power by which he breaks and burns the atoms and, with a stroke of thunder and lightning, melts the

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2.17.7

अ॒मा॒जूरि॑व पि॒त्रोः सचा॑ स॒ती स॑मा॒नादा सद॑स॒स्त्वामि॑ये॒ भग॑म् । कृ॒धि प्र॑के॒तमुप॑ मा॒स्या भ॑र द॒द्धि भा॒गं त॒न्वो॒३॒॑ येन॑ मा॒महः॑ ॥

Like a dedicated maiden abiding in the father’s home I pray: Le me rise from this physical house of life to the glory of divinity. Indra, lord of light and knowledge, raise me to knowledge. O Sun, bring me to light and lustre month by month. Bless me with the best that is mine, my share of life, by which I may rise to the highest that I can be, my own real self.

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2.17.8

भो॒जं त्वामि॑न्द्र व॒यं हु॑वेम द॒दिष्ट्वमि॒न्द्रापां॑सि॒ वाजा॑न् । अ॒वि॒ड्ढी॑न्द्र चि॒त्रया॑ न ऊ॒ती कृ॒धि वृ॑षन्निन्द्र॒ वस्य॑सो नः ॥

Indra, bountiful lord of the beauty and joy of life, we invoke you and pray: Lord of wealth, honour and power, give us the strength and courage to do our karma. Give us the light of your knowledge and vision. Lord destroyer of hate, jealousy and enmity, save us, protect us with your wondrous ways of protection. Lord of generosity, make us profusely rich and generous with the gifts of life.

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2.17.9

नू॒नं सा ते॒ प्रति॒ वरं॑ जरि॒त्रे दु॑ही॒यदि॑न्द्र॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्षा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ माति॑ ध॒ग्भगो॑ नो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Indra, lord of light and knowledge, power and glory, may that munificent generosity of yours, and may that knowledge and divine teaching of yours bring unto the singer celebrant and the disciples holy gifts of their heart’s desire for sure and at the earliest. Give us the strength and vision that we, brave and blest with the brave, be great celebrants of your glory in our holy and yajnic acts of life in your service. Let the light shine, let the fire blaze, but not burn any of the gifts of Divinity.

✦ Sukta 18 · 9 verses ✦

2.18.1

प्रा॒ता रथो॒ नवो॑ योजि॒ सस्नि॒श्चतु॑र्युगस्त्रिक॒शः स॒प्तर॑श्मिः । दशा॑रित्रो मनु॒ष्यः॑ स्व॒र्षाः स इ॒ष्टिभि॑र्म॒तिभी॒ रंह्यो॑ भूत् ॥

Let the latest new chariot be harnessed this morning, winsome, bountiful and strongly structured, four powered, three geared, seven steered, with ten propellers, manmade chariot for humanity, selfgenerative for power which may be navigable with inbuilt intelligence, controlled and monitored by men.

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2.18.2

सास्मा॒ अरं॑ प्रथ॒मं स द्वि॒तीय॑मु॒तो तृ॒तीयं॒ मनु॑षः॒ स होता॑ । अ॒न्यस्या॒ गर्भ॑म॒न्य ऊं॑ जनन्त॒ सो अ॒न्येभिः॑ सचते॒ जेन्यो॒ वृषा॑ ॥

That chariot is perfectly suitable and comfortable for this lord Indra, creator and ruler of power. Harbinger of knowledge, comfort and power for humanity, it covers the first stage of the earth, second stage of the sky, and the third stage of space. The product of one is taken over by others who move it further so that, victorious and highly productive, it joins with the other heavenly bodies.

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2.18.3

हरी॒ नु कं॒ रथ॒ इन्द्र॑स्य योजमा॒यै सू॒क्तेन॒ वच॑सा॒ नवे॑न । मो षु त्वामत्र॑ ब॒हवो॒ हि विप्रा॒ नि री॑रम॒न्यज॑मानासो अ॒न्ये ॥

In this versatile chariot of Indra, lord of power and humanity, I use twofold power of electric energy in a circuit to move it according to the latest word of the formula of automotion. The many scholars and participants in the yajnic programme of research and science please and celebrate you, O creator, not the others.

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2.18.4

आ द्वाभ्यां॒ हरि॑भ्यामिन्द्र या॒ह्या च॒तुर्भि॒रा ष॒ड्भिर्हू॒यमा॑नः । आष्टा॒भिर्द॒शभिः॑ सोम॒पेय॑म॒यं सु॒तः सु॑मख॒ मा मृध॑स्कः ॥

Indra, lord of knowledge and power, come conducted by two, four, and six powers of motion, even by eight or ten for a drink of soma of success which, O high priest of noble yajna, is ready right here. Pray do not engage in any programme of violence and war.

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2.18.5

आ विं॑श॒त्या त्रिं॒शता॑ याह्य॒र्वाङा च॑त्वारिं॒शता॒ हरि॑भिर्युजा॒नः । आ प॑ञ्चा॒शता॑ सु॒रथे॑भिरि॒न्द्रा ष॒ष्ट्या स॑प्त॒त्या सो॑म॒पेय॑म् ॥

Indra, come hither equipped with twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy excellent horse powers of chariot for a drink of soma.

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2.18.6

आशी॒त्या न॑व॒त्या या॑ह्य॒र्वाङा श॒तेन॒ हरि॑भिरु॒ह्यमा॑नः । अ॒यं हि ते॑ शु॒नहो॑त्रेषु॒ सोम॒ इन्द्र॑ त्वा॒या परि॑षिक्तो॒ मदा॑य ॥

Indra, come hither conducted by a chariot of eighty, ninety and a hundred horse power. Here is this soma distilled and sanctified for your pleasure in the auspicious programmes of yajna of your choice.

· · ·

2.18.7

मम॒ ब्रह्मे॑न्द्र या॒ह्यच्छा॒ विश्वा॒ हरी॑ धु॒रि धि॑ष्वा॒ रथ॑स्य । पु॒रु॒त्रा हि वि॒हव्यो॑ ब॒भूथा॒स्मिञ्छू॑र॒ सव॑ने मादयस्व ॥

Indra, lord of power and honour, listen well to our song of praise and prayer. Take to the chariot, yoke the circuitous motive energies to the chariot pole and come post haste to receive our homage and yajna fragrance. Be responsive to the invocation and invitation of many, O generous lord, join in this auspicious celebration and rejoice with us.

· · ·

2.18.8

न म॒ इन्द्रे॑ण स॒ख्यं वि यो॑षद॒स्मभ्य॑मस्य॒ दक्षि॑णा दुहीत । उप॒ ज्येष्ठे॒ वरू॑थे॒ गभ॑स्तौ प्रा॒येप्रा॑ये जिगी॒वांसः॑ स्याम ॥

Never may my love and friendship with Indra be snapped, and may his kindness and generosity ever keep it flowing for us abundantly. And may we, closely under his high protection and divine light, be inspired for victory in every project of life at the very start of the expedition.

· · ·

2.18.9

नू॒नं सा ते॒ प्रति॒ वरं॑ जरि॒त्रे दु॑ही॒यदि॑न्द्र॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्षा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ माति॑ ध॒ग्भगो॑ नो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Indra, generous lord of wealth and power, honour and victory, may that magnificent generosity and kindness of your grace ever flow abundantly for us and bestow upon the singer celebrant and the disciples sure gifts of their favourite choice. And may your teaching and knowledge and your grandeur ever shine for the admirers but never burn the love, desire and selfconfidence of the devotees.And may we, brave and blest with the brave, ever celebrate your heavenly glory in our noblest yajnic projects of life.

✦ Sukta 19 · 9 verses ✦

2.19.1

अपा॑य्य॒स्यान्ध॑सो॒ मदा॑य॒ मनी॑षिणः सुवा॒नस्य॒ प्रय॑सः । यस्मि॒न्निन्द्रः॑ प्र॒दिवि॑ वावृधा॒न ओको॑ द॒धे ब्र॑ह्म॒ण्यन्त॑श्च॒ नरः॑ ॥

Ye saints and sages all, masters of mind and thought, lovers of Divinity and leaders of humanity, you have tasted of the food and drunk deep of the honey sweets of nectar for the beauty and ecstasy of life at that fount of light divine where Indra, the Sun, ever abiding, rising and waxing, holds his place in the light of heaven! O for a draught of that nectar, a morsel of that food, a glimpse of that light!

· · ·

2.19.2

अ॒स्य म॑न्दा॒नो मध्वो॒ वज्र॑ह॒स्तोऽहि॒मिन्द्रो॑ अर्णो॒वृतं॒ वि वृ॑श्चत् । प्र यद्वयो॒ न स्वस॑रा॒ण्यच्छा॒ प्रयां॑सि च न॒दीनां॒ चक्र॑मन्त ॥

Tasting of the nectar sweets of this divinity in ecstasy, Indra, the Sun, armed with light and thunder, breaks open the clouds of darkness holding floods and oceans of water, and thence flow, flying like birds of life, bright days of light and sparkling streams of water.

· · ·

2.19.3

स माहि॑न॒ इन्द्रो॒ अर्णो॑ अ॒पां प्रैर॑यदहि॒हाच्छा॑ समु॒द्रम् । अज॑नय॒त्सूर्यं॑ वि॒दद्गा अ॒क्तुनाह्नां॑ व॒युना॑नि साधत् ॥

That great Indra, lord omnipotent, activates the waters in the midst of space and he, breaker of darkness into light and life, then creates the oceans. He creates the solar system, reveals the stars, planets and satellites, shows the days by nights and directs the daily round of world’s activities.

· · ·

2.19.4

सो अ॑प्र॒तीनि॒ मन॑वे पु॒रूणीन्द्रो॑ दाशद्दा॒शुषे॒ हन्ति॑ वृ॒त्रम् । स॒द्यो यो नृभ्यो॑ अत॒साय्यो॒ भूत्प॑स्पृधा॒नेभ्यः॒ सूर्य॑स्य सा॒तौ ॥

The same omnipotent lord Indra who breaks the clouds of darkness bestows on the generous man of noble thought and meditation many gifts of immeasurable value. May the lord ever be friends with people who struggle forward in life for sun and shower of the light and peace of Divinity.

· · ·

2.19.5

स सु॑न्व॒त इन्द्रः॒ सूर्य॒मा दे॒वो रि॑ण॒ङ्मर्त्या॑य स्त॒वान् । आ यद्र॒यिं गु॒हद॑वद्यमस्मै॒ भर॒दंशं॒ नैत॑शो दश॒स्यन् ॥

That Indra, lord of universal energy, light and wealth, brilliant and generous, releases for the creative man of research and development the light and power of the sun in addition to songs of praise and appreciation and, bringing unknown and indescribable wealth for this man, never destroys the share that is his due.

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2.19.6

स र॑न्धयत्स॒दिवः॒ सार॑थये॒ शुष्ण॑म॒शुषं॒ कुय॑वं॒ कुत्सा॑य । दिवो॑दासाय नव॒तिं च॒ नवेन्द्रः॒ पुरो॒ व्यै॑र॒च्छम्ब॑रस्य ॥

Indra, lord of light and energy of the sun in heaven, for the good of the guide and leader of humanity and for the man of piety, charity and dedication to Divinity, breaks the intensity of drought and the pestilence of good harvest, overcomes ninety and nine defensive walls of the dark cloud for rain and converts drought into showers and famine into plenty and fertility. Thus the lord accomplishes the purposes of Divinity for humanity.

· · ·

2.19.7

ए॒वा त॑ इन्द्रो॒चथ॑महेम श्रव॒स्या न त्मना॑ वा॒जय॑न्तः । अ॒श्याम॒ तत्साप्त॑माशुषा॒णा न॒नमो॒ वध॒रदे॑वस्य पी॒योः ॥

Thus we, O lord Indra, on our way to Divinity by our mind and soul with speed and sincerity, may, we pray, hear the word of your glory and have a glimpse of your admirable action. And may we, acting and thus struggling, cross that seven stage path to Divinity whereby we may eliminate from within and without the words and weapons of the impious reviler and destroyer of faith and reach our destination.

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2.19.8

ए॒वा ते॑ गृत्सम॒दाः शू॑र॒ मन्मा॑व॒स्यवो॒ न व॒युना॑नि तक्षुः । ब्र॒ह्म॒ण्यन्त॑ इन्द्र ते॒ नवी॑य॒ इष॒मूर्जं॑ सुक्षि॒तिं सु॒म्नम॑श्युः ॥

O lord of light and divine action, thus do your admirers and celebrants in ecstasy, like children seeking protection of the parent, sing in praise of your thought and marvellous actions. And thus may they, praying and working for the gifts of Divinity, attain the blessings of your eternal and ever new food and energy, peaceable haven and home, and joy and comfort in the shade of Divinity

· · ·

2.19.9

नू॒नं सा ते॒ प्रति॒ वरं॑ जरि॒त्रे दु॑ही॒यदि॑न्द्र॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्षा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ माति॑ ध॒ग्भगो॑ नो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Indra, lord of universal generosity, may that munificent hand of your liberality and grace deliver unto the celebrant the gift of his heart’s desire. O lord of glory, may your word of knowledge ever ring and shine for the disciples but never burn off their love and desire and the prosperity of us all. And may we, brave and blest with the brave, celebrate your glory in our holy yajnic actions.

✦ Sukta 20 · 9 verses ✦

2.20.1

व॒यं ते॒ वय॑ इन्द्र वि॒द्धि षु णः॒ प्र भ॑रामहे वाज॒युर्न रथ॑म् । वि॒प॒न्यवो॒ दीध्य॑तो मनी॒षा सु॒म्नमिय॑क्षन्त॒स्त्वाव॑तो॒ नॄन् ॥

Indra, lord of life and ruler of the world, please to know us well. Like a fast driver, accelerating his car to the destination, we bear our homage of yajnic food and songs of praise to you. We come, lord, admirers, shining, with sincerity of mind and heart, joining and praying to powers human and divine as to you we come for peace of mind and all round comfort.

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2.20.2

त्वं न॑ इन्द्र॒ त्वाभि॑रू॒ती त्वा॑य॒तो अ॑भिष्टि॒पासि॒ जना॑न् । त्वमि॒नो दा॒शुषो॑ वरू॒तेत्थाधी॑र॒भि यो नक्ष॑ति त्वा ॥

Indra, lord of love, power and protection, you are our own, protector of the life and interests of our people who are yours, you are committed to us with all your means of protection and advancement. You are the mighty lord and master, saviour and promoter of the man of charity and of anyone who approaches you sincerely in faith that you are the real and ultimate master and saviour.

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2.20.3

स नो॒ युवेन्द्रो॑ जो॒हूत्रः॒ सखा॑ शि॒वो न॒राम॑स्तु पा॒ता । यः शंस॑न्तं॒ यः श॑शमा॒नमू॒ती पच॑न्तं च स्तु॒वन्तं॑ च प्र॒णेष॑त् ॥

Indra, lord of life, ever young, generous giver invoked and invited, our friend, giver of peace and bliss, may he be the guardian and protector of the people. May he guide and enlighten the admirer, zealous worshipper, self-developing devotee and the singer celebrant.

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2.20.4

तमु॑ स्तुष॒ इन्द्रं॒ तं गृ॑णीषे॒ यस्मि॑न्पु॒रा वा॑वृ॒धुः शा॑श॒दुश्च॑ । स वस्वः॒ कामं॑ पीपरदिया॒नो ब्र॑ह्मण्य॒तो नूत॑नस्या॒योः ॥

O man, I worship that lord Indra, celebrate, in song, him in whose protective shade humanity has grown and advanced since eternity and fought out the evil and the wicked. He, reaching out to the lover of wealth, fulfils his desire and blesses the new initiate in search of Vedic knowledge and spiritual enlightenment.

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2.20.5

सो अङ्गि॑रसामु॒चथा॑ जुजु॒ष्वान्ब्रह्मा॑ तूतो॒दिन्द्रो॑ गा॒तुमि॒ष्णन् । मु॒ष्णन्नु॒षसः॒ सूर्ये॑ण स्त॒वानश्न॑स्य चिच्छिश्नथत्पू॒र्व्याणि॑ ॥

That same Indra, lord of light and power, delighting in the admirable wealth and knowledge of the people, watching and loving the wide earth, taking over the beauty of the dawn with the splendour of the sun, and silencing the roar of clouds, augments and advances the songs of the celebrants since eternity and releases them from their bonds.

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2.20.6

स ह॑ श्रु॒त इन्द्रो॒ नाम॑ दे॒व ऊ॒र्ध्वो भु॑व॒न्मनु॑षे द॒स्मत॑मः । अव॑ प्रि॒यम॑र्शसा॒नस्य॑ सा॒ह्वाञ्छिरो॑ भरद्दा॒सस्य॑ स्व॒धावा॑न् ॥

Indra, omnipotent lord of light and generosity, is surely the supreme power heard and celebrated in the Revelation, self-refulgent giver, highest above all, who is the ultimate saviour and destroyer of suffering for humanity. Dear and loving to anyone who approaches him, bold and patient and tolerant, highest on top of the world of existence, commanding absolute power and sustenance, he brings total joy and fulfilment to his servant and supplicant.

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2.20.7

स वृ॑त्र॒हेन्द्रः॑ कृ॒ष्णयो॑नीः पुरंद॒रो दासी॑रैरय॒द्वि । अज॑नय॒न्मन॑वे॒ क्षाम॒पश्च॑ स॒त्रा शंसं॒ यज॑मानस्य तूतोत् ॥

Such is Indra, breaker of the clouds of rain showers. He opens up the wombs of energies, dark and deep, to let out the floods of existence into positive paths of generation, creating the earth mother and the waters of life for humanity. He is breaker of the walls of hoarders’ cities to release the flow of wealth in human history. May the lord raise the honour and wealth of the host of yajna by virtue, truth and creative generosity.

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2.20.8

तस्मै॑ तव॒स्य१॒॑मनु॑ दायि स॒त्रेन्द्रा॑य दे॒वेभि॒रर्ण॑सातौ । प्रति॒ यद॑स्य॒ वज्रं॑ बा॒ह्वोर्धुर्ह॒त्वी दस्यू॒न्पुर॒ आय॑सी॒र्नि ता॑रीत् ॥

To that omnipotent Indra, in the battles of creation for the waters of life and generation of the wealth of existence, mighty offerings are made into the fire of yajna in truth and sequence by the divine powers of nature and the noblest of humanity who hold on to their part in obedience and response to this wielder of the thunderbolt in arms who destroys the evil and the negatives to overcome the cities of gold and steel in existence.

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2.20.9

नू॒नं सा ते॒ प्रति॒ वरं॑ जरि॒त्रे दु॑ही॒यदि॑न्द्र॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्षा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ माति॑ ध॒ग्भगो॑ नो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Indra, lord of the universe and wealth of existence, may that oceanic generosity of your love bless the singer celebrant with the choicest gifts of his desire, and may your light of knowledge ever shine on the disciples but never burn our greatness and grandeur so that we and our children may boldly celebrate you in our yajnas.

✦ Sukta 21 · 6 verses ✦

2.21.1

वि॒श्व॒जिते॑ धन॒जिते॑ स्व॒र्जिते॑ सत्रा॒जिते॑ नृ॒जित॑ उर्वरा॒जिते॑ । अ॒श्व॒जिते॑ गो॒जिते॑ अ॒ब्जिते॑ भ॒रेन्द्रा॑य॒ सोमं॑ यज॒ताय॑ हर्य॒तम् ॥

Ye men and women of the world, bear and bring the sweetest soma in honour of Indra, conquerer, ruler and controller of the universe, wealth and power of existence, joy beyond suffering, truth of life, humanity, earth and her fertility, horses, cows, and waters of the universe—Indra who carries on the yajna of the universe and, for his sake, bear the soma of joy in your lives too.

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2.21.2

अ॒भि॒भुवे॑ऽभिभ॒ङ्गाय॑ वन्व॒तेऽषा॑ळ्हाय॒ सह॑मानाय

वे॒धसे॑ । तु॒वि॒ग्रये॒ वह्न॑ये दु॒ष्टरी॑तवे सत्रा॒साहे॒ नम॒ इन्द्रा॑य वोचत ॥

Say, ‘Hail your worship’, bow and surrender in homage to Indra, all creator and conqueror, all destroyer, all lover and dispenser, unchallengeable, inviolable, all knower, universal teacher, sole bearer of the burdens of existence, unconquerable, upholder of truth and universal law, the be-all and end-all of creation and existence.

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2.21.3

स॒त्रा॒सा॒हो ज॑नभ॒क्षो ज॑नंस॒हश्च्यव॑नो यु॒ध्मो अनु॒ जोष॑मुक्षि॒तः । वृ॒तं॒च॒यः सहु॑रिर्वि॒क्ष्वा॑रि॒त इन्द्र॑स्य वोचं॒ प्र कृ॒तानि॑ वी॒र्या॑ ॥

Let us celebrate the mighty actions and achievements of Indra, lord upholder of truth, adorable to people, patient lover of humanity, mover and promoter, warrior, giver of showers in response to prayer, integrative creator and organiser, tolerant and merciful, accessible to all people.

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2.21.4

अ॒ना॒नु॒दो वृ॑ष॒भो दोध॑तो व॒धो ग॑म्भी॒र ऋ॒ष्वो अस॑मष्टकाव्यः । र॒ध्र॒चो॒दः श्नथ॑नो वीळि॒तस्पृ॒थुरिन्द्रः॑ सुय॒ज्ञ उ॒षसः॒ स्व॑र्जनत् ॥

Unmoved mover, mighty generous, destroyer of destroyers, deep and grave, instant inspirer to the sublime, beyond definition in poetry and himself the poet of Infinity, inspirer of the diffident and depressed, breaker of the stumbling blocks and the violent, versatile in virtue, vast in presence and performance, Indra is the highest high-priest of cosmic yajna who lights the daily fire with the heavenly light of the dawn.

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2.21.5

य॒ज्ञेन॑ गा॒तुम॒प्तुरो॑ विविद्रिरे॒ धियो॑ हिन्वा॒ना उ॒शिजो॑ मनी॒षिणः॑ । अ॒भि॒स्वरा॑ नि॒षदा॒ गा अ॑व॒स्यव॒ इन्द्रे॑ हिन्वा॒ना द्रवि॑णान्याशत ॥

Inspired pioneers, aspiring warriors and wise visionaries applying their thought, imagination and will in association, working with cooperation and united action in sustained yajna carve new paths of progress across the earth. Speaking together with a united voice, sitting together in assembly, acting together on the field for preservation and progress, exploiting natural energy and invoking the blessings of Indra in yajna, they reclaim lands of the earth and win wealths of the world.

· · ·

2.21.6

इन्द्र॒ श्रेष्ठा॑नि॒ द्रवि॑णानि धेहि॒ चित्तिं॒ दक्ष॑स्य सुभग॒त्वम॒स्मे । पोषं॑ रयी॒णामरि॑ष्टिं त॒नूनां॑ स्वा॒द्मानं॑ वा॒चः सु॑दिन॒त्वमह्ना॑म् ॥

Indra, lord of the world, bless us with the best of strength and power, high intelligence and awareness, beauty and delicacy of art and expertise, abundance of wealth and prosperity, health and security of senses and body, sweetness of speech and style, and peace and brightness of days and nights.

✦ Sukta 22 · 4 verses ✦

2.22.1

त्रिक॑द्रुकेषु महि॒षो यवा॑शिरं तुवि॒शुष्म॑स्तृ॒पत्सोम॑मपिब॒द्विष्णु॑नासु॒तं यथाव॑शत् । स ईं॑ ममाद॒ महि॒ कर्म॒ कर्त॑वे म॒हामु॒रुं सैनं॑ सश्चद्दे॒वो दे॒वं स॒त्यमिन्द्रं॑ स॒त्य इन्दुः॑ ॥

The great and powerful sun drinks up the soma, essence of vital juices reinforced with herbal elixir, matured in three containers, i.e., the earth, the sky and the heaven of light, and distilled by light and wind while it shines and energises the essences. He who delights in energising this sun, greatest of the great in nature, to do great things, who blesses and continues to bless this blazing power of light is the eternal, ever true, self-refulgent Lord Supreme, blissful as the moon. And he who would love to do great things vast and worthy of the great, he, true and bright as the moon, should serve and meditate on this lord of unbounded light and energy.

· · ·

2.22.2

अध॒ त्विषी॑माँ अ॒भ्योज॑सा॒ क्रिविं॑ यु॒धाभ॑व॒दा रोद॑सी अपृणदस्य म॒ज्मना॒ प्र वा॑वृधे । अध॑त्ता॒न्यं ज॒ठरे॒ प्रेम॑रिच्यत॒ सैनं॑ सश्चद्दे॒वो दे॒वं स॒त्यमिन्द्रं॑ स॒त्य इन्दुः॑ ॥

The mighty universal energy with its own electric force and its action fills up the heaven and earth with universal water vapours full like a reservoir, and it continues to grow by the omnipotence of the omnipresent lord Indra, the self-refulgent Indra. It holds within its womb the other, wealth of waters, releases the waters and stays larger and mightier. The lord selfrefulgent who creates and blesses this mighty bright universal yajnic energy of electricity is Indra, eternal and ever blissful as the moon.

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2.22.3

सा॒कं जा॒तः क्रतु॑ना सा॒कमोज॑सा ववक्षिथ सा॒कं वृ॒द्धो वी॒र्यैः॑ सास॒हिर्मृधो॒ विच॑र्षणिः । दाता॒ राधः॑ स्तुव॒ते काम्यं॒ वसु॒ सैनं॑ सश्चद्दे॒वो दे॒वं स॒त्यमिन्द्रं॑ स॒त्य इन्दुः॑ ॥

The jiva, individual soul, born in human form with the potential to know and act, courage and splendour, carries on the business of life and grows with vigour and valour, challenging, victorious and brilliant with vision and judgement. Indra, lord of life, all giver, provides whatever wealth and power is loved and valued by the pious and worshipful soul. May the soul of man, blessed and true as the moon, join and serve this supreme lord Indra, self-refulgent, eternal and true, in prayer, worship and meditation.

· · ·

2.22.4

तव॒ त्यन्नर्यं॑ नृ॒तोऽप॑ इन्द्र प्रथ॒मं पू॒र्व्यं दि॒वि प्र॒वाच्यं॑ कृ॒तम् । यद्दे॒वस्य॒ शव॑सा॒ प्रारि॑णा॒ असुं॑ रि॒णन्न॒पः । भुव॒द्विश्व॑म॒भ्यादे॑व॒मोज॑सा वि॒दादूर्जं॑ श॒तक्र॑तुर्वि॒दादिष॑म् ॥

Indra, lord of light, life and generosity, director of the cosmic dance of creation, that original, ancient act of yours admirable in the light and language of heaven performed for the sake of humanity which, by the omnipotence of Divinity, moves the pranic energies and causes the waters of life to flow may, we pray, with the power and splendour of Divinity, inspire the entire world of matter and energy, conquer impiety and bring us, O lord of a hundred yajnic gifts and actions, food and energy for body, mind and soul.

✦ Sukta 23 · 19 verses ✦

2.23.1

ग॒णानां॑ त्वा ग॒णप॑तिं हवामहे क॒विं क॑वी॒नामु॑प॒मश्र॑वस्तमम् । ज्ये॒ष्ठ॒राजं॒ ब्रह्म॑णां ब्रह्मणस्पत॒ आ नः॑ शृ॒ण्वन्नू॒तिभिः॑ सीद॒ साद॑नम् ॥

We invoke, invite and honour you Brahmanaspati, as lord president of all classes, nations and republics of the peoples of the world, as highest visionary of the men of supreme vision, most renowned of all beyond comparison and imagination, highest of the brilliant rulers, lord of the knowledge and commonwealth of the world in existence. Listen to our prayer, come with all powers of protection, preservation and promotion of the peace and prosperity of the world and grace the presidential seat in the hall of nations.

· · ·

2.23.2

दे॒वाश्चि॑त्ते असुर्य॒ प्रचे॑तसो॒ बृह॑स्पते य॒ज्ञियं॑ भा॒गमा॑नशुः । उ॒स्राइ॑व॒ सूर्यो॒ ज्योति॑षा म॒हो विश्वे॑षा॒मिज्ज॑नि॒ता ब्रह्म॑णामसि ॥

Lord of spirit and prana, ruler of the grand universal order, master of supreme knowledge, the divinities too of the world in your honour receive their share of the yajnic fragrance of life. As sun is the progenitor of sun-rays, so you are the great creator of all knowledge, wealth and grandeur of the universe with your light of omniscience.

· · ·

2.23.3

आ वि॒बाध्या॑ परि॒राप॒स्तमां॑सि च॒ ज्योति॑ष्मन्तं॒ रथ॑मृ॒तस्य॑ तिष्ठसि । बृह॑स्पते भी॒मम॑मित्र॒दम्भ॑नं रक्षो॒हणं॑ गोत्र॒भिदं॑ स्व॒र्विद॑म् ॥

Brhaspati, lord of the grand universe and light of the world, having chained all sin and darkness by the rule of light and law, you ride the chariot of the dynamics of nature and rectitude, blazing with light and fire, awful to the lawless, shatterer of the enemies, destroyer of the wicked, breaker of the clouds and bringer of the showers of rain and bliss.

· · ·

2.23.4

सु॒नी॒तिभि॑र्नयसि॒ त्राय॑से॒ जनं॒ यस्तुभ्यं॒ दाशा॒न्न तमंहो॑ अश्नवत् । ब्र॒ह्म॒द्विष॒स्तप॑नो मन्यु॒मीर॑सि॒ बृह॑स्पते॒ महि॒ तत्ते॑ महित्व॒नम् ॥

You lead us by the right path and policy. You protect and save humanity. Whoever surrenders himself to you and gives in charity in your service is safe, sin and crime touch him not, nor hurt him ever. You are the scorcher of the haters of humanity, divinity and knowledge. You are the destroyer of hostile passion. Brhaspati, lord of this grand universe, great is that grandeur of yours, blazing with majesty.

· · ·

2.23.5

न तमंहो॒ न दु॑रि॒तं कुत॑श्च॒न नारा॑तयस्तितिरु॒र्न द्व॑या॒विनः॑ । विश्वा॒ इद॑स्माद्ध्व॒रसो॒ वि बा॑धसे॒ यं सु॑गो॒पा रक्ष॑सि ब्रह्मणस्पते ॥

Brahamanaspati, ruler of the mighty universe, saviour of the good and great, neither sin nor evil conduct from anywhere, nor enemies nor those who try to tread the parallel paths of good and evil at the same time can ever surpass or evade or escape you. You prevent and rule out all violence from him whosoever, O noble protector and saviour, you guide, guard and protect.

· · ·

2.23.6

त्वं नो॑ गो॒पाः प॑थि॒कृद्वि॑चक्ष॒णस्तव॑ व्र॒ताय॑ म॒तिभि॑र्जरामहे । बृह॑स्पते॒ यो नो॑ अ॒भि ह्वरो॑ द॒धे स्वा तं म॑र्मर्तु दु॒च्छुना॒ हर॑स्वती ॥

You are our protector and saviour. You are our guide along the paths of right. You are the wise visionary, judge and teacher. We worship you with all our mind and intelligence so that we may abide by your divine rule of conduct. O lord of the great universe, whoever entertains and bears hate and enmity, anger and jealousy toward us may face the self-defeating forces of his own corrosive mind from within himself.

· · ·

2.23.7

उ॒त वा॒ यो नो॑ म॒र्चया॒दना॑गसोऽराती॒वा मर्तः॑ सानु॒को वृकः॑ । बृह॑स्पते॒ अप॒ तं व॑र्तया प॒थः सु॒गं नो॑ अ॒स्यै दे॒ववी॑तये कृधि ॥

And whoever seize us and injure us, innocent and sinless as we move on, whoever the man-wolf with a train of allies, enemies in the garb of fellow travellers, O Brhaspati, lord saviour of the great and protector from the awesome, remove all such from the path so that it is easy to follow for the attainment of our divine destination.

· · ·

2.23.8

त्रा॒तारं॑ त्वा त॒नूनां॑ हवाम॒हेऽव॑स्पर्तरधिव॒क्तार॑मस्म॒युम् । बृह॑स्पते देव॒निदो॒ नि ब॑र्हय॒ मा दु॒रेवा॒ उत्त॑रं सु॒म्नमुन्न॑शन् ॥

Brhaspati, lord of the universe, master of supreme knowledge, ruler and defender of the world, we invoke you, protector and preserver of our bodies, senses and minds, saviour and protector from sin and evil acts, our pilot across suffering, lord supreme of our own, teacher and supreme commander. Brhaspati, uproot the revilers of divinity, nobility, brilliance and generosity of people. Let not the evil doers destroy the future peace and well-being of humanity.

· · ·

2.23.9

त्वया॑ व॒यं सु॒वृधा॑ ब्रह्मणस्पते स्पा॒र्हा वसु॑ मनु॒ष्या द॑दीमहि । या नो॑ दू॒रे त॒ळितो॒ या अरा॑तयो॒ऽभि सन्ति॑ ज॒म्भया॒ ता अ॑न॒प्नसः॑ ॥

Brahmanaspati, lord of the universe, promoter of life and knowledge, supreme power worthy of love and homage, may we, people of the world, with your care and protection, develop and promote the wealth of the world, and we pray, crush whatever forms of violence, adversity, frustration, malignity, meanness and fruitless efforts be there far or near or around us.

· · ·

2.23.10

त्वया॑ व॒यमु॑त्त॒मं धी॑महे॒ वयो॒ बृह॑स्पते॒ पप्रि॑णा॒ सस्नि॑ना यु॒जा । मा नो॑ दुः॒शंसो॑ अभिदि॒प्सुरी॑शत॒ प्र सु॒शंसा॑ म॒तिभि॑स्तारिषीमहि ॥

Brhaspati, lord of the universe, ruler of the world, master of supreme knowledge, giver of fulfilment, purifier and sanctifier, ever helpful, may we, we pray, develop and promote the best life on earth. May no disreputable reviler or deceitful saboteur or destroyer rule over us. And may we, we pray, be righteous, faithful and honourable, and with our intelligent people swim across our problems of life.

· · ·

2.23.11

अ॒ना॒नु॒दो वृ॑ष॒भो जग्मि॑राह॒वं निष्ट॑प्ता॒ शत्रुं॒ पृत॑नासु सास॒हिः । असि॑ स॒त्य ऋ॑ण॒या ब्र॑ह्मणस्पत उ॒ग्रस्य॑ चिद्दमि॒ता वी॑ळुह॒र्षिणः॑ ॥

Brahmanaspati, lord of universal knowledge and ruler of the grand social order, uncompromising, mighty generous, responsive to the call for action, subduer of the enemy, unyielding and victorious in battles, ever true, insistent on obligation and fulfilment, you are controller of the fierce and restrainer of the passionate carouser.

· · ·

2.23.12

अदे॑वेन॒ मन॑सा॒ यो रि॑ष॒ण्यति॑ शा॒सामु॒ग्रो मन्य॑मानो॒ जिघां॑सति । बृह॑स्पते॒ मा प्रण॒क्तस्य॑ नो व॒धो नि क॑र्म म॒न्युं दु॒रेव॑स्य॒ शर्ध॑तः ॥

Whoever with a sinful mind injures or sabotages or wants to destroy the rulers, commanders, administrators, teachers and the devotees of Divinity and admirers of the human nation, fierce and proud though he be, O Brhaspati, lord of the realm, we pray and hereby determine, his weapon of attack must not reach us, nor shall the mean action of the evil minded ever bully and weaken our morale.

· · ·

2.23.13

भरे॑षु॒ हव्यो॒ नम॑सोप॒सद्यो॒ गन्ता॒ वाजे॑षु॒ सनि॑ता॒ धनं॑धनम् । विश्वा॒ इद॒र्यो अ॑भिदि॒प्स्वो॒३॒॑मृधो॒ बृह॒स्पति॒र्वि व॑वर्हा॒ रथाँ॑इव ॥

In the battles of production, defence and progress, O lord, worthy of access, invocation and invitation with gifts of homage for participation, leader in the battles of advancement, and dispenser of wealth and reward in every field of activity, Brhaspati, lord of the realm, father of all, we pray, take on all the strongholds of the proud intimidators and rout them all like their chariots.

· · ·

2.23.14

तेजि॑ष्ठया तप॒नी र॒क्षस॑स्तप॒ ये त्वा॑ नि॒दे द॑धि॒रे दृ॒ष्टवी॑र्यम् । आ॒विस्तत्कृ॑ष्व॒ यदस॑त्त उ॒क्थ्यं१॒॑ बृह॑स्पते॒ वि प॑रि॒रापो॑ अर्दय ॥

Brhaspati, lord of the great realm, with the splendour of your blazing power, scorch those who take you on with malignant criticism and columny, although your honour and courage is proven. Proclaim openly what your commendable policy is and heat up, shake off and evaporate all those who are steeped in sin and crime.

· · ·

2.23.15

बृह॑स्पते॒ अति॒ यद॒र्यो अर्हा॑द्द्यु॒मद्वि॒भाति॒ क्रतु॑म॒ज्जने॑षु । यद्दी॒दय॒च्छव॑स ऋतप्रजात॒ तद॒स्मासु॒ द्रवि॑णं धेहि चि॒त्रम् ॥

Brhaspati, lord of the great realm of life and nature, ruler and sustainer of the great, omnipotent master, lord of light by your own innate virtue, who shine among people while you do your acts of holiness and make others shine with your power and grandeur, lord manifested and manifesting in truth, rectitude and law, bless us too with that wondrous wealth of divinity by which you enlighten others.

· · ·

2.23.16

मा नः॑ स्ते॒नेभ्यो॒ ये अ॒भि द्रु॒हस्प॒दे नि॑रा॒मिणो॑ रि॒पवोऽन्ने॑षु जागृ॒धुः । आ दे॒वाना॒मोह॑ते॒ वि व्रयो॑ हृ॒दि बृह॑स्पते॒ न प॒रः साम्नो॑ विदुः ॥

Save us, lord of the great world, right and universal law, from the thieves and enemies who hate all and delight in positions of power, who covet nothing but food and luxury, who hold nothing in their heart but disdainful superiority complex toward the learned, wise and virtuous and who know nothing of value beyond money and property.

· · ·

2.23.17

विश्वे॑भ्यो॒ हि त्वा॒ भुव॑नेभ्य॒स्परि॒ त्वष्टाज॑न॒त्साम्नः॑साम्नः क॒विः । स ऋ॑ण॒चिदृ॑ण॒या ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॑र्द्रु॒हो ह॒न्ता म॒ह ऋ॒तस्य॑ ध॒र्तरि॑ ॥

Lord of the great world, master of the Veda, the omniscient maker, Tvashta, made you all round wise and visionary as a poet for the sake of the entire world of humanity across divinity and the world of materiality. You are consolidator of the public debt and the debt of gratitude to Divinity and the wise, and you fulfil the obligations of the debt. Established in the presence of the Lord Omnipotent, father sustainer of the great Law of social order, be the destroyer of hate, jealousy and enmity.

· · ·

2.23.18

तव॑ श्रि॒ये व्य॑जिहीत॒ पर्व॑तो॒ गवां॑ गो॒त्रमु॒दसृ॑जो॒ यद॑ङ्गिरः । इन्द्रे॑ण यु॒जा तम॑सा॒ परी॑वृतं॒ बृह॑स्पते॒ निर॒पामौ॑ब्जो अर्ण॒वम् ॥

For your grace and glory, O lord and sustainer of the great world, does the cloud collect the flood of sun-rays which you, dear as breath of life, release. In association with Indra, the sun, O lord of the wide realm, open and release the oceanic flood of the waters of life suppressed and enveloped in darkness and let it flow freely.

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2.23.19

ब्रह्म॑णस्पते॒ त्वम॒स्य य॒न्ता सू॒क्तस्य॑ बोधि॒ तन॑यं च जिन्व । विश्वं॒ तद्भ॒द्रं यदव॑न्ति दे॒वा बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Brahmanaspati, lord protector and sustainer of the universe, you are the hero as well as creator of this song of Divinity which you graciously know and accept as your very child, and bless your creation with life and joy, all that good of entire humanity and the world which the divinities protect and promote, so that we, brave and blest with the brave, in our acts of yajnic piety, may celebrate your gifts highly and ecstatically.

✦ Sukta 24 · 16 verses ✦

2.24.1

सेमाम॑विड्ढि॒ प्रभृ॑तिं॒ य ईशि॑षे॒ऽया वि॑धेम॒ नव॑या म॒हा गि॒रा । यथा॑ नो मी॒ढ्वान्त्स्तव॑ते॒ सखा॒ तव॒ बृह॑स्पते॒ सीष॑धः॒ सोत नो॑ म॒तिम् ॥

Brhaspati, lord and master of knowledge and the great realm of the earth which you rule and command, please to accept this offer of celebration which we dedicate with this great new voice of homage in honour of Indra so that he, our lord, generous as the sun and cloud, your friend, may enlighten our mind and intelligence.

· · ·

2.24.2

यो नन्त्वा॒न्यन॑म॒न्न्योज॑सो॒ताद॑र्दर्म॒न्युना॒ शम्ब॑राणि॒ वि । प्राच्या॑वय॒दच्यु॑ता॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॒रा चावि॑श॒द्वसु॑मन्तं॒ वि पर्व॑तम् ॥

Indra, lord ruler and sustainer of the mighty human race, is he who with his might and majesty bends those who deserve to be bent, who with his thunder and terror breaks and scatters the clouds into showers, who shakes the apparently unshakables, and who breaks open the mountain ranges of the treasure jewels of the earth.

· · ·

2.24.3

तद्दे॒वानां॑ दे॒वत॑माय॒ कर्त्व॒मश्र॑थ्नन्दृ॒ळ्हाव्र॑दन्त वीळि॒ता । उद्गा आ॑ज॒दभि॑न॒द्ब्रह्म॑णा ब॒लमगू॑ह॒त्तमो॒ व्य॑चक्षय॒त्स्वः॑ ॥

That exceptional wonder of Karma is worthy of the most brilliant of the divinities of the universe, Indra, refulgent as the sun. He disarms the most obstinate, softens the hardest, releases the rays of light, breaks the cloud with his divine might, dispels the darkness, and reveals the light of heaven.

· · ·

2.24.4

अश्मा॑स्यमव॒तं ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॒र्मधु॑धारम॒भि यमोज॒सातृ॑णत् । तमे॒व विश्वे॑ पपिरे स्व॒र्दृशो॑ ब॒हु सा॒कं सि॑सिचु॒रुत्स॑मु॒द्रिण॑म् ॥

The lord of the universe and master of the universal Word breaks open the flood gates of the hanging cloud and the dark caverns of the mountain holding showers and streams of honey sweet waters. The same showers and streams all those who see the light and joy of heaven in the sun and water drink to their heart’s content with all living beings as a gift of the ocean, and the same they sprinkle around for the gift and growth of life in abundance.

· · ·

2.24.5

सना॒ ता का चि॒द्भुव॑ना॒ भवी॑त्वा मा॒द्भिः श॒रद्भि॒र्दुरो॑ वरन्त वः । अय॑तन्ता चरतो अ॒न्यद॑न्य॒दिद्या च॒कार॑ व॒युना॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ ॥

The acts which Brahmanaspati, lord of the wide world, has performed and the knowledge which he has revealed open by months and years the doors of eternal light and the past and future worlds for you from which the people naturally benefit and spontaneously enjoy without any effort, all in their own ways.

· · ·

2.24.6

अ॒भि॒नक्ष॑न्तो अ॒भि ये तमा॑न॒शुर्नि॒धिं प॑णी॒नां प॑र॒मं गुहा॑ हि॒तम् । ते वि॒द्वांसः॑ प्रति॒चक्ष्यानृ॑ता॒ पुन॒र्यत॑ उ॒ आय॒न्तदुदी॑युरा॒विश॑म् ॥

Those saints and scholars who go forward all round in search of the treasures of admirable humanity hidden in the cavern of time find the jewel treasures of wealth and knowledge. But having seen the falsehood and untruth discovered there in the cave go back by the same door by which they came and then come again to propagate the truth and contradict and expose the untruth.

· · ·

2.24.7

ऋ॒तावा॑नः प्रति॒चक्ष्यानृ॑ता॒ पुन॒रात॒ आ त॑स्थुः क॒वयो॑ म॒हस्प॒थः । ते बा॒हुभ्यां॑ धमि॒तम॒ग्निमश्म॑नि॒ नकिः॒ षो अ॒स्त्यर॑णो ज॒हुर्हि तम् ॥

Men of truth and rectitude, poets and visionaries, pioneers of action, having perceived, challenged and fought out untruth and evil, come and stand firm by the great paths of right and universal law. By force of arms they keep the fire burning on the rock, in the cave, over the cloud and in the sky. None is a man of truth and knowledge, nor brave, none of them who abandon the fire and desert the truth of life and rectitude.

· · ·

2.24.8

ऋ॒तज्ये॑न क्षि॒प्रेण॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॒र्यत्र॒ वष्टि॒ प्र तद॑श्नोति॒ धन्व॑ना । तस्य॑ सा॒ध्वीरिष॑वो॒ याभि॒रस्य॑ति नृ॒चक्ष॑सो दृ॒शये॒ कर्ण॑योनयः ॥

By the stretch of natural truth and justice and by instant action, the mighty lord of the realm wielding the bow and arrow of law and rectitude reaches wherever he wants and achieves whatever he targets. Accurate and unfailing are the arrows of this watchful ruler and guide of humanity, stretched unto the ear, reaching to the ear and taking the aim even by a whisper and vibration, which the lord shoots and by which he uproots the plants and plans of evil and crime, having seen what is right and what is wrong.

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2.24.9

स सं॑न॒यः स वि॑न॒यः पु॒रोहि॑तः॒ स सुष्टु॑तः॒ स यु॒धि ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ । चा॒क्ष्मो यद्वाजं॒ भर॑ते म॒ती धनादित्सूर्य॑स्तपति तप्य॒तुर्वृथा॑ ॥

Right and true are his policies, unassailable. Correct and firm are his paths of planning and leadership. Front leader is he, ever commanding, and elected first and foremost. Admired is he and admirable, adorable ruler, protector and promoter of the wealth of nations. Clear is his sight and vision, bold his voice and speech, by virtue of which he holds and rules energy and the speed of progress, intelligence and education, and the power and prosperity of the social order through the battles of life. He blazes as the sun and would naturally and without effort heat and season and temper the wastours and wrong-doers.

· · ·

2.24.10

वि॒भु प्र॒भु प्र॑थ॒मं मे॒हना॑वतो॒ बृह॒स्पतेः॑ सुवि॒दत्रा॑णि॒ राध्या॑ । इ॒मा सा॒तानि॑ वे॒न्यस्य॑ वा॒जिनो॒ येन॒ जना॑ उ॒भये॑ भुञ्ज॒ते विशः॑ ॥

Infinite, omnipotent and eternal, first and original is Brhaspati, lord of existence and knowledge. Noble and blissful are the gifts of this generous and powerful lord, givers of knowledge, competence and success, all. It is the gifts and blessings of this pervasive and warlike lord adorable by which all people of the world, high or low, simple or sophisticated, intelligent or illiterate enjoy life and its wealth.

· · ·

2.24.11

योऽव॑रे वृ॒जने॑ वि॒श्वथा॑ वि॒भुर्म॒हामु॑ र॒ण्वः शव॑सा व॒वक्षि॑थ । स दे॒वो दे॒वान्प्रति॑ पप्रथे पृ॒थु विश्वेदु॒ ता प॑रि॒भूर्ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ ॥

Brahmanaspati, lord ruler and sustainer of this mighty universe, is immanent and transcendent, who by virtue of his own omnipotence pervades this world of creation, every particle of it, and is the most joyous and blissful over all the worlds of existence. By him only, try to abide and live. He, self-refulgent generous lord, vast and great, rules and expands all the divine abodes of life, pervades them and reveals his presence therein.

· · ·

2.24.12

विश्वं॑ स॒त्यं म॑घवाना यु॒वोरिदाप॑श्च॒न प्र मि॑नन्ति व्र॒तं वा॑म् । अच्छे॑न्द्राब्रह्मणस्पती ह॒विर्नोऽन्नं॒ युजे॑व वा॒जिना॑ जिगातम् ॥

Indra and Brahmanaspati, lord ruler of majesty and lord ruler of the wealth of the nation, yours is the truth of the world and yours is the law. Not the actions of anyone, not even the flowing waters, can violate your law and discipline. Both ruler and the teacher of divinity may kindly grace our seat of yajna and, like the motive forces of the chariot of the nation, may accept our proffered homage.

· · ·

2.24.13

उ॒ताशि॑ष्ठा॒ अनु॑ शृण्वन्ति॒ वह्न॑यः स॒भेयो॒ विप्रो॑ भरते म॒ती धना॑ । वी॒ळु॒द्वेषा॒ अनु॒ वश॑ ऋ॒णमा॑द॒दिः स ह॑ वा॒जी स॑मि॒थे ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ ॥

Fast driving forces of the nation listen carefully to the ruler and the people. The sagely scholar member of the council intelligently holds and manages the wealth and assets of the nation. A match for the strong and unruly, the collector collects the taxes according to law and discretion. Such is the dispensation of Brahmanaspati, lord ruler of the common wealth of humanity, fast, sensitive and instant of movement in the business of governance.

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2.24.14

ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पते॑रभवद्यथाव॒शं स॒त्यो म॒न्युर्महि॒ कर्मा॑ करिष्य॒तः । यो गा उ॒दाज॒त्स दि॒वे वि चा॑भजन्म॒हीव॑ री॒तिः शव॑सासर॒त्पृथ॑क् ॥

Let the righteous passion, even anger, of Brahmanaspati, lord of great action in governance, be true to the purpose of Dharma, and controlled according to the state of affairs, as it is he who directs the vibrations of the nation up and down in the light of heaven and, with his own strength and power, moves forward by himself and abides by custom, tradition and law like the earth in orbit.

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2.24.15

ब्रह्म॑णस्पते सु॒यम॑स्य वि॒श्वहा॑ रा॒यः स्या॑म र॒थ्यो॒३॒॑ वय॑स्वतः । वी॒रेषु॑ वी॒राँ उप॑ पृङ्धि न॒स्त्वं यदीशा॑नो॒ ब्रह्म॑णा॒ वेषि॑ मे॒ हव॑म् ॥

Brahmanaspati, lord protector of the wealth of the nation of humanity, master of the universal knowledge of existence, you are the hero of the chariot, knower and friend of the whole world. Ruler supreme as you are of the entire existence, come to us in response to my Vedic invocation and join the brave with the brave and eminent with the eminent so that we may be masters and protectors of well-begotten and life-giving wealth and develop it further by noble conduct and development.

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2.24.16

ब्रह्म॑णस्पते॒ त्वम॒स्य य॒न्ता सू॒क्तस्य॑ बोधि॒ तन॑यं च जिन्व । विश्वं॒ तद्भ॒द्रं यदव॑न्ति दे॒वा बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Brahmanaspati, lord of the great world of humanity, you are the inspiration, guide, leader and hero of this holy song of celebration. Please to know its meaning, intention and purpose, and give life and joy to the child and the devotee. Give us all that good which the poets and divines preserve, protect and promote so that we, brave and blest with the brave, sing and celebrate you highly in our yajnic projects of life.

✦ Sukta 25 · 5 verses ✦

2.25.1

इन्धा॑नो अ॒ग्निं व॑नवद्वनुष्य॒तः कृ॒तब्र॑ह्मा शूशुवद्रा॒तह॑व्य॒ इत् । जा॒तेन॑ जा॒तमति॒ स प्र स॑र्सृते॒ यंयं॒ युजं॑ कृणु॒ते ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ ॥

Brahmanaspati, lord ruler, protector, and promoter of wealth and nature, maker of forms of food, energy and power, giver of yajnic materials and fragrances for natural and human activities of creation and production, lighting the fire and burning the requisite materials like forest wood, creates new forms with what it has already created and thus moves on in cyclic motion at electric velocity whatever it takes on as its friendly associate for the progress of humanity.

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2.25.2

वी॒रेभि॑र्वी॒रान्व॑नवद्वनुष्य॒तो गोभी॑ र॒यिं प॑प्रथ॒द्बोध॑ति॒ त्मना॑ । तो॒कं च॒ तस्य॒ तन॑यं च वर्धते॒ यंयं॒ युजं॑ कृणु॒ते ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ ॥

Spending up one loving parental generation like forest wood and creating another like forest greenery, extending the community of the brave from the brave seeking immortality, expanding the community wealth with cows, lands and the light and power of energy, Brahmanaspati, lord of the evolution of existence, advances the race of humanity from father to son and from son to grandson. Who ever or whatever the lord takes up as his instrument and creative associate, he knows at heart with his very soul.

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2.25.3

सिन्धु॒र्न क्षोदः॒ शिमी॑वाँ ऋघाय॒तो वृषे॑व॒ वध्रीँ॑र॒भि व॒ष्ट्योज॑सा । अ॒ग्नेरि॑व॒ प्रसि॑ति॒र्नाह॒ वर्त॑वे॒ यंयं॒ युजं॑ कृणु॒ते ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ ॥

Just as the deep sea receives and stills the impetuous river in flood, as the mighty man of action subdues the forces of violence, and as the strong and virile bull overthrows the old broken bullock with its strength, so does the man whom Brahmanaspati chooses as his friend and associate for his purpose overcome opposition with his valour and lustre. Like the rising flames of fire there is no looking back for him, no resistance against him.

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2.25.4

तस्मा॑ अर्षन्ति दि॒व्या अ॑स॒श्चतः॒ स सत्व॑भिः प्रथ॒मो गोषु॑ गच्छति । अनि॑भृष्टतविषिर्ह॒न्त्योज॑सा॒ यंयं॒ युजं॑ कृणु॒ते ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ ॥

To him and for him flow celestial powers and virtues pure and free. First and foremost, front leader, with his powers and intelligence he develops the cows, goes over the lands and rises into the lights in the skies. With the irresistible blaze of his lustre and valour he smashes all opposition of the negatives. Such is the man whom Brahmanaspati chooses as his friend and instrument for the divine purpose.

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2.25.5

तस्मा॒ इद्विश्वे॑ धुनयन्त॒ सिन्ध॒वोऽच्छि॑द्रा॒ शर्म॑ दधिरे पु॒रूणि॑ । दे॒वानां॑ सु॒म्ने सु॒भगः॒ स ए॑धते॒ यंयं॒ युजं॑ कृणु॒ते ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ ॥

For him the oceans roll, for him the rivers flow, boundless, incessant and universal across the world, bearing grace divine, cosmic energy and infinite joy of the heart. And he, happy and blest with fortune, grows on and on in peace and favour of the divinities of nature and humanity. Such is the man whom Brahmanaspati chooses for a friend and instrument for fulfilment and the divine purpose.

✦ Sukta 26 · 4 verses ✦

2.26.1

ऋ॒जुरिच्छंसो॑ वनवद्वनुष्य॒तो दे॑व॒यन्निददे॑वयन्तम॒भ्य॑सत् । सु॒प्रा॒वीरिद्व॑नवत्पृ॒त्सु दु॒ष्टरं॒ यज्वेदय॑ज्यो॒र्वि भ॑जाति॒ भोज॑नम् ॥

Brahmanaspati, lord of the wide world and the wealth of life, let the man of simple, natural and faithful character, like the rays of the sun, be superior to the forces of violence. Let the man rising to piety and divinity face the powers that oppose the divine purpose. Let the brave warrior who protects and promotes light and life like the rays of the sun fight out formidable evil in the battles of life, because, ultimately, it is the man of yajna, dedicated to humanity, environment and Divinity who is the dispenser of the share of the selfish and uncreative.

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2.26.2

यज॑स्व वीर॒ प्र वि॑हि मनाय॒तो भ॒द्रं मनः॑ कृणुष्व वृत्र॒तूर्ये॑ । ह॒विष्कृ॑णुष्व सु॒भगो॒ यथास॑सि॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पते॒रव॒ आ वृ॑णीमहे ॥

Brave young man, do yajnic acts of creation and service, meet men of thought and wisdom, elevate your mind to goodness and virtue to fight out the forces of darkness and evil, prepare the fragrant oblations for yajna, be great and gracious as you should be. Let us all choose and pray for the protection of Brahmanaspati, lord of the world’s glory and wisdom.

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2.26.3

स इज्जने॑न॒ स वि॒शा स जन्म॑ना॒ स पु॒त्रैर्वाजं॑ भरते॒ धना॒ नृभिः॑ । दे॒वानां॒ यः पि॒तर॑मा॒विवा॑सति श्र॒द्धाम॑ना ह॒विषा॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॑म् ॥

He for sure bears and wields power, progress and prosperity of life with the people, with settlements of working communities, by birth and with children, and he creates and enjoys the wealth of life with his men who serves and lives with the maker of noble scholars and sages and who, faithful at heart, offers worship and sacrifice with fragrant oblations to Brahmanaspati, lord creator and sustainer of the world and its wealth of humanity.

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2.26.4

यो अ॑स्मै ह॒व्यैर्घृ॒तव॑द्भि॒रवि॑ध॒त्प्र तं प्रा॒चा न॑यति॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑ । उ॒रु॒ष्यती॒मंह॑सो॒ रक्ष॑ती रि॒षों॒३॒॑होश्चि॑दस्मा उरु॒चक्रि॒रद्भु॑तः ॥

Who ever worships and honours the lord with oblations of fragrant materials seasoned with ghrta, Brahmanaspati advances him far ahead and high. He saves him from sin, protects him from the violent and safeguards him against the perpetrators of evil. Wondrous are the ways of Brahmanaspati, mighty and awful are his deeds on earth.

✦ Sukta 27 · 17 verses ✦

2.27.1

इ॒मा गिर॑ आदि॒त्येभ्यो॑ घृ॒तस्नूः॑ स॒नाद्राज॑भ्यो जु॒ह्वा॑ जुहोमि । शृ॒णोतु॑ मि॒त्रो अ॑र्य॒मा भगो॑ नस्तुविजा॒तो वरु॑णो॒ दक्षो॒ अंशः॑ ॥

I offer these words of worship and prayer, adoration and admiration, sprinkled with the showers of ghrta from above dedicated to the Adityas, cosmic stars and children of Mother Infinity, self-refulgent like the sun in the zodiacs of his galactic round. I offer these words as ever with the ladle of love and whispers of faith into the fire of light and life. May theAdityas listen: Mitra, friend and darling companion of life, Aryama, lord of justice and dispensation, Bhaga, lord of glory and majesty, Tuvijata, lord manifest in power and splendour, Varuna, lord of light supreme of our choice, Daksha, lord of dexterity in the art of creation, and Ansha, divine reflection of Infinity in the world of existence, all for us all our own.

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2.27.2

इ॒मं स्तोमं॒ सक्र॑तवो मे अ॒द्य मि॒त्रो अ॑र्य॒मा वरु॑णो जुषन्त । आ॒दि॒त्यासः॒ शुच॑यो॒ धार॑पूता॒ अवृ॑जिना अनव॒द्या अरि॑ष्टाः ॥

This song of adoration may the lords of vision and holy action hear, accept and bless with love and favour: friendly Mitra, just Aryama, and Varuna, lord supreme of universal choice, Adityas all, reflections of the lights of omniscience, purifying and sanctifying showers of the holy voice of Divinity, free from the sins of negativities, irreproachable and inviolable all.

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2.27.3

त आ॑दि॒त्यास॑ उ॒रवो॑ गभी॒रा अद॑ब्धासो॒ दिप्स॑न्तो भूर्य॒क्षाः । अ॒न्तः प॑श्यन्ति वृजि॒नोत सा॒धु सर्वं॒ राज॑भ्यः पर॒मा चि॒दन्ति॑ ॥

The Adityas, children of light, are brilliant, profound, irrepressible. They brook no nonsense, no violence, no bullying or black-mail. With many many eyes all round they see within and without all that is good, or evil that must be rejected. Supremely good are they and their actions for the shining rulers for whom they stand ever at the closest.

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2.27.4

धा॒रय॑न्त आदि॒त्यासो॒ जग॒त्स्था दे॒वा विश्व॑स्य॒ भुव॑नस्य गो॒पाः । दी॒र्घाधि॑यो॒ रक्ष॑माणा असु॒र्य॑मृ॒तावा॑न॒श्चय॑माना ऋ॒णानि॑ ॥

Brilliant Adityas sustain the moving and the stable world of existence. Generously giving, they are preservers of the entire world of existence. Far-reaching is their intelligence, they love truth and rectitude, they protect the breath of life and they augment whatever or whoever extends the vision and knowledge of life for others. (Aditya-like should the teachers be.)

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2.27.5

वि॒द्यामा॑दित्या॒ अव॑सो वो अ॒स्य यद॑र्यमन्भ॒य आ चि॑न्मयो॒भु । यु॒ष्माकं॑ मित्रावरुणा॒ प्रणी॑तौ॒ परि॒ श्वभ्रे॑व दुरि॒तानि॑ वृज्याम् ॥

Adityas, powers of light and knowledge, Aryaman, lord of justice and dispensation, if ever I face a state of insecurity, then, in that state of fear, I pray, I may have the gift of this divine protection of yours, of this divine peace and comfort. O Mitra and Varuna, friends of humanity, dear and just, I pray, that under the protection of your ethics and guidance I may give up all evils and avoid them as dangerous pitfalls on the paths of life.

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2.27.6

सु॒गो हि वो॑ अर्यमन्मित्र॒ पन्था॑ अनृक्ष॒रो व॑रुण सा॒धुरस्ति॑ । तेना॑दित्या॒ अधि॑ वोचता नो॒ यच्छ॑ता नो दुष्परि॒हन्तु॒ शर्म॑ ॥

Aryaman, lord of noble action, Mitra, friend and companion, simple and straight is your path, easy to tread. O Varuna, lord of our choice and best teacher, thornless and good is the path you show. Adityas, lords of enlightenment, teach us to follow and go forward by that path. And give us a home which is difficult to disrupt.

· · ·

2.27.7

पिप॑र्तु नो॒ अदि॑ती॒ राज॑पु॒त्राति॒ द्वेषां॑स्यर्य॒मा सु॒गेभिः॑ । बृ॒हन्मि॒त्रस्य॒ वरु॑णस्य॒ शर्मोप॑ स्याम पुरु॒वीरा॒ अरि॑ष्टाः ॥

MayAditi, mother queen of inviolable unity and abundance with her brilliant children of regal character give us total fulfilment of life. May Aryama, just and judicious ruler, friend of the intelligent and the wise, lead us across and beyond the jealous and the hostile by simple and clear paths of action. May we all, mighty brave blest with vibrant progeny, ever live unhurt and happy by the great household of peace and well-being, a perpetual gift of Mitra, lord of friend-ship and fraternity, and Varuna, lord of freedom and justice.

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2.27.8

ति॒स्रो भूमी॑र्धारय॒न् त्रीँरु॒त द्यून्त्रीणि॑ व्र॒ता वि॒दथे॑ अ॒न्तरे॑षाम् । ऋ॒तेना॑दित्या॒ महि॑ वो महि॒त्वं तद॑र्यमन्वरुण मित्र॒ चारु॑ ॥

Adityas, brilliant children of Aditi, radiant concentrations of indestructible energy, by the universal Law of Rtam, hold and sustain three terrestrial regions and three heavenly regions in the midst of which they observe threefold dynamics of existential energy in the field of karmic order. Aryaman, lord of action and justice, Varuna, lord of love and peace, and Mitra, friend of fraternity, that too is your holy grandeur and greatness in the mighty social order, threefold, three-level, for the body, mind and spirit of the human nation.

· · ·

2.27.9

त्री रो॑च॒ना दि॒व्या धा॑रयन्त हिर॒ण्ययाः॒ शुच॑यो॒ धार॑पूताः । अस्व॑प्नजो अनिमि॒षा अद॑ब्धा उरु॒शंसा॑ ऋ॒जवे॒ मर्त्या॑य ॥

Three charming gifts of Divinity the Adityas, scholar celibates, hold for humanity. Golden great are they, blazing brilliant, sanctified in the showers of knowledge and piety. Ever wakeful, they never sleep, nor dream, nor even wink their eye for a moment. Firm and inviolable are they, adorable, for the simple, honest and pious order of humanity, holding and preserving the knowledge of Divinity, karmic dexterity and sincerity of worship for survival and fulfilment in the world of mortality.

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2.27.10

त्वं विश्वे॑षां वरुणासि॒ राजा॒ ये च॑ दे॒वा अ॑सुर॒ ये च॒ मर्ताः॑ । श॒तं नो॑ रास्व श॒रदो॑ वि॒चक्षे॒ऽश्यामायूं॑षि॒ सुधि॑तानि॒ पूर्वा॑ ॥

Varuna, spirit of life and breath of energy, first of love, choice and justice, you are the ruler of all, whether they are divine or ordinary mortals by nature. Give us a full hundred years of life for the vision and realisation of the light of Divinity and our own immortality. May we, we pray, enjoy a full and perfect span of life and age, sweet and satisfying as ever.

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2.27.11

न द॑क्षि॒णा वि चि॑किते॒ न स॒व्या न प्रा॒चीन॑मादित्या॒ नोत प॒श्चा । पा॒क्या॑ चिद्वसवो धी॒र्या॑ चिद्यु॒ष्मानी॑तो॒ अभ॑यं॒ ज्योति॑रश्याम् ॥

Ye Adityas, stars of the highest order of light, O Vasus, planets of the first order of life, I know not wholly what is on the right, or on the left, or in front, or behind, as the man of ripe intelligence and settled mind among scholars does. However, with his guidance and led by your light, leadership and generosity, I pray, may I attain freedom from fear and the light of knowledge.

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2.27.12

यो राज॑भ्य ऋत॒निभ्यो॑ द॒दाश॒ यं व॒र्धय॑न्ति पु॒ष्टय॑श्च॒ नित्याः॑ । स रे॒वान्या॑ति प्रथ॒मो रथे॑न वसु॒दावा॑ वि॒दथे॑षु प्रश॒स्तः ॥

The ruler who liberally gives for the illustrious men of justice and for the leading lights of truth and righteousness, and whom strength and nourishment of body, mind and character constantly advance towards perfection, grows first in power and prestige and, wellprovided with wealth and the spirit of generosity, admired and exhorted universally, moves forward in his chariot of fame as a leader in yajnic projects of humanity

· · ·

2.27.13

शुचि॑र॒पः सू॒यव॑सा॒ अद॑ब्ध॒ उप॑ क्षेति वृ॒द्धव॑याः सु॒वीरः॑ । नकि॒ष्टं घ्न॒न्त्यन्ति॑तो॒ न दू॒राद्य आ॑दि॒त्यानां॒ भव॑ति॒ प्रणी॑तौ ॥

The ruler, pure at heart, courageous and indomitable, who abides by the values, policies and guidance ofAdityas, men of light, truth and justice, rules a long age, blest with noble children and followed by brave warriors, well-provided with plenty of food and water and doing noble acts of fame. None can hurt or damage or destroy him or his dominion either from far or near at hand.

· · ·

2.27.14

अदि॑ते॒ मित्र॒ वरु॑णो॒त मृ॑ळ॒ यद्वो॑ व॒यं च॑कृ॒मा कच्चि॒दागः॑ । उ॒र्व॑श्या॒मभ॑यं॒ ज्योति॑रिन्द्र॒ मा नो॑ दी॒र्घा अ॒भि न॑श॒न्तमि॑स्राः ॥

Aditi, Nature, mother earth and spirit of the human nation, Mitra, lord of love and friendship, Varuna, lord of justice, relent, be kind and gracious to us even if we happen to transgress and commit a sin of error. Indra, lord of power and ruler over the nation, grant us ample freedom from fear and lots of light and knowledge so that long nights of darkness, sin and suffering may never afflict us.

· · ·

2.27.15

उ॒भे अ॑स्मै पीपयतः समी॒ची दि॒वो वृ॒ष्टिं सु॒भगो॒ नाम॒ पुष्य॑न् । उ॒भा क्षया॑वा॒जय॑न्याति पृ॒त्सूभावर्धौ॑ भवतः सा॒धू अ॑स्मै ॥

Both the

enlightened woman and the noble husband, the people and the noble ruler, conjoined in unison grow together for the sake of this Rashtra, the great social order of humanity, augmenting through yajna the showers of rain from heaven. Both live together and move forward, winning victories in the battles of life. Both are indispensable for the social order, complementing each other like two halves of a sphere in the interest of progress and prosperity for the sake of the family and the nation.

· · ·

2.27.16

या वो॑ मा॒या अ॑भि॒द्रुहे॑ यजत्राः॒ पाशा॑ आदित्या रि॒पवे॒ विचृ॑त्ताः । अ॒श्वीव॒ ताँ अति॑ येषं॒ रथे॒नारि॑ष्टा उ॒रावा शर्म॑न्त्स्याम ॥

Adityas, powers of light and law, dedicated to yajnic advancement of life and nature, whatever your bonds of power and law, sinless and inviolable, spread across the earth, which are like chains of arrest and prisons of punishment for the lawless and the enemies of humanity, let me, I pray, cross them over with ease and pleasure by the chariot of knowledge and action like a knight of horse, so that we may live at peace in bliss on this vast earth, common home of the human family.

· · ·

2.27.17

माहं म॒घोनो॑ वरुण प्रि॒यस्य॑ भूरि॒दाव्न॒ आ वि॑दं॒ शून॑मा॒पेः । मा रा॒यो रा॑जन्त्सु॒यमा॒दव॑ स्थां बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Varuna, lord of justice, highest and best of our choice, I pray I may attain to the progress and prosperity of a dear and generous man of wealth and dignity, but not to the swelling pride of a man of easy money. Brilliant lord ruler of the nation, may I never be deprived of wealth well-earned with honesty. And let us all, blest with noble progeny, speak well and highly in thanks and praise of the lord ruler of the world in all our yajnic performances.

✦ Sukta 28 · 11 verses ✦

2.28.1

इ॒दं क॒वेरा॑दि॒त्यस्य॑ स्व॒राजो॒ विश्वा॑नि॒ सन्त्य॒भ्य॑स्तु म॒ह्ना । अति॒ यो म॒न्द्रो य॒जथा॑य दे॒वः सु॑की॒र्तिं भि॑क्षे॒ वरु॑णस्य॒ भूरेः॑ ॥

This is the song of honour for Aditya, selfrefulgent lord of light eternal and poetic vision of omniscience who, with his might, rules over and transcends all forms of existence and karma. Lord of brilliance and generosity is he, extremely kind and pleased with the liberal man of yajna. I pray for a vision of the glory of Varuna, magnificent lord of abundance, love and justice and crave for his mercy and pleasure.

· · ·

2.28.2

तव॑ व्र॒ते सु॒भगा॑सः स्याम स्वा॒ध्यो॑ वरुण तुष्टु॒वांसः॑ । उ॒पाय॑न उ॒षसां॒ गोम॑तीनाम॒ग्नयो॒ न जर॑माणा॒ अनु॒ द्यून् ॥

Varuna, lord of knowledge and wisdom, law and justice, may we, under your inviolable discipline, be blest with good fortune and all round prosperity and, singing in praise and admiration of Divinity, be rewarded with noble intelligence and scientific knowledge of existence. And when the dawns arise with their wealth of light rays and the cows stir in their stalls, let us, like holy fires of yajna, celebrate the glory of the morning sun every day.

· · ·

2.28.3

तव॑ स्याम पुरु॒वीर॑स्य॒ शर्म॑न्नुरु॒शंस॑स्य वरुण प्रणेतः । यू॒यं नः॑ पुत्रा अदितेरदब्धा अ॒भि क्ष॑मध्वं॒ युज्या॑य देवाः ॥

Varuna, great leader of humanity, universally admired and followed by hosts of brave warriors, let us live in peace and bliss under your protection as in our heaven and home. And ye, all our children, be brilliant and generous, inviolable and indomitable, be strong and brilliant as children of eternity and prepare yourselves for action and cooperation in the service of the Lord.

· · ·

2.28.4

प्र सी॑मादि॒त्यो अ॑सृजद्विध॒र्ताँ ऋ॒तं सिन्ध॑वो॒ वरु॑णस्य यन्ति । न श्रा॑म्यन्ति॒ न वि मु॑चन्त्ये॒ते वयो॒ न प॑प्तू रघु॒या परि॑ज्मन् ॥

Aditya, the sun, sustainer of the regions of the world, creates the waters all round and then the streams of Varuna, the cloud, shower down and flow. They tire not, nor ever stop. Like flying birds they flow all round on the earth at their top speed.

· · ·

2.28.5

वि मच्छ्र॑थाय रश॒नामि॒वाग॑ ऋ॒ध्याम॑ ते वरुण॒ खामृ॒तस्य॑ । मा तन्तु॑श्छेदि॒ वय॑तो॒ धियं॑ मे॒ मा मात्रा॑ शार्य॒पसः॑ पु॒र ऋ॒तोः ॥

Like the chain of slavery, loosen the hold of sin and evil from me. O Varuna, lord of law and justice, let us prosper and promote the stream of virtuous living in your service. While I weave the web of my life, snap not the bond of nature and intelligence with my mother. Snap not my bond of karma before the time is ripe.

· · ·

2.28.6

अपो॒ सु म्य॑क्ष वरुण भि॒यसं॒ मत्सम्रा॒ळृता॒वोऽनु॑ मा गृभाय । दामे॑व व॒त्साद्वि मु॑मु॒ग्ध्यंहो॑ न॒हि त्वदा॒रे नि॒मिष॑श्च॒नेशे॑ ॥

Varuna, lord of love and justice, keep off fear from me. Illustrious ruler and defender of truth and rectitude, take me as your own for protection, and, as a calf is freed from the rope, release me from sin. Other than you no one far or near can rule over me even for a moment.

· · ·

2.28.7

मा नो॑ व॒धैर्व॑रुण॒ ये त॑ इ॒ष्टावेनः॑ कृ॒ण्वन्त॑मसुर भ्री॒णन्ति॑ । मा ज्योति॑षः प्रवस॒थानि॑ गन्म॒ वि षू मृधः॑ शिश्रथो जी॒वसे॑ नः ॥

Varuna, lord of life and giver of pranic energy, save us from the blows which strike to punish those who commit sin against your yajnic law. Let us not go astray from light to the dens of darkness. For our life and holy living reduce and eliminate the forces of hate and violence.

· · ·

2.28.8

नमः॑ पु॒रा ते॑ वरुणो॒त नू॒नमु॒ताप॒रं तु॑विजात ब्रवाम । त्वे हि कं॒ पर्व॑ते॒ न श्रि॒तान्यप्र॑च्युतानि दूळभ व्र॒तानि॑ ॥

Lord unassailable and ever powerful of all, we raise our voice of homage and offer words of salutation to you in the past, at present and in the future. O Varuna, as herbs grow on the mountain and vapours rest in the cloud, so peace and comfort rest in you, and in you abide the imperishable laws of existence and inviolable rules of life’s discipline and conduct.

· · ·

2.28.9

परा॑ ऋ॒णा सा॑वी॒रध॒ मत्कृ॑तानि॒ माहं रा॑जन्न॒न्यकृ॑तेन भोजम् । अव्यु॑ष्टा॒ इन्नु भूय॑सीरु॒षास॒ आ नो॑ जी॒वान्व॑रुण॒ तासु॑ शाधि ॥

Varuna, lord of light and law, acquit me of the highest liabilities, and obligations undertaken by me. Never let me live on the fruits of others’ labour. And in the many days of light not yet come, in which you would be there to protect us, teach us, all the living souls, to live the way we should.

· · ·

2.28.10

यो मे॑ राज॒न्युज्यो॑ वा॒ सखा॑ वा॒ स्वप्ने॑ भ॒यं भी॒रवे॒ मह्य॒माह॑ । स्ते॒नो वा॒ यो दिप्स॑ति नो॒ वृको॑ वा॒ त्वं तस्मा॑द्वरुण पाह्य॒स्मान् ॥

Varuna, lord of light and law, brilliant ruler, if a friend or companion threatens me with fear and I feel afraid in a state of sleep or wakefulness, or if a thief or a wolfish robber terrorizes us, save us from such fear and terror.

· · ·

2.28.11

माहं म॒घोनो॑ वरुण प्रि॒यस्य॑ भूरि॒दाव्न॒ आ वि॑दं॒ शून॑मा॒पेः । मा रा॒यो रा॑जन्त्सु॒यमा॒दव॑ स्थां बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Varuna, refulgent lord ruler of the world, I pray, I may never suffer the empty pride and morbid swelling from the wealth of a dear, prosperous, generous man of power and honour. Nor may I suffer the want of wealth well earned with honest labour. And, blest with noble progeny and brave warrior heroes, may we ever sing songs of thanks and praise for the Lord in all our yajnic performances.

✦ Sukta 29 · 7 verses ✦

2.29.1

धृत॑व्रता॒ आदि॑त्या॒ इषि॑रा आ॒रे मत्क॑र्त रह॒सूरि॒वागः॑ । शृ॒ण्व॒तो वो॒ वरु॑ण॒ मित्र॒ देवा॑ भ॒द्रस्य॑ वि॒द्वाँ अव॑से हुवे वः ॥

Ye lights of the world of life and spirit, brilliant as the suns, upholders of law and pious vows of discipline, dynamic masters of refreshing knowledge and wisdom, remove from me far and near sin and pollution like a fallen woman’s. Ye divine souls of the world, Varuna, lord supreme, Mitra, friend of life and humanity, brilliant scholar and teacher, all you who listen, I invoke and call upon you for the protection of truth and goodness in life.

· · ·

2.29.2

यू॒यं दे॑वाः॒ प्रम॑तिर्यू॒यमोजो॑ यू॒यं द्वेषां॑सि सनु॒तर्यु॑योत । अ॒भि॒क्ष॒त्तारो॑ अ॒भि च॒ क्षम॑ध्वम॒द्या च॑ नो मृ॒ळय॑ताप॒रं च॑ ॥

Ye divine spirits and noble personalities of the world, you uphold, protect and promote wisdom. You constantly advance the light and splendour of life. You quietly challenge and fight out hate and jealousy. All round shelters and protectors of the good, destroyers of evil, be kind and gracious, relent now, strengthen us and save us ever after.

· · ·

2.29.3

किमू॒ नु वः॑ कृणवा॒माप॑रेण॒ किं सने॑न वसव॒ आप्ये॑न । यू॒यं नो॑ मित्रावरुणादिते च स्व॒स्तिमि॑न्द्रामरुतो दधात ॥

O Vasus, shelter homes of life and humanity, teachers and scholars generous as mother earth, what shall we do for you with our share of karma and competence now and whatever potential we might have later? O Mitra and Varuna, friends and lovers of humanity dear as the breath of life, Aditi, generous mother sustainer like earth and nature, Indra and Maruts, winds and vital energies of life, bear and bring us the good and best of life, intelligence and knowledge of existence.

· · ·

2.29.4

ह॒ये दे॑वा यू॒यमिदा॒पयः॑ स्थ॒ ते मृ॑ळत॒ नाध॑मानाय॒ मह्य॑म् । मा वो॒ रथो॑ मध्यम॒वाळृ॒ते भू॒न्मा यु॒ष्माव॑त्स्वा॒पिषु॑ श्रमिष्म ॥

Ye Devas, teachers and scholars, noble powers of the world and nature, you are our own, friends and kinsmen, the very soul of our virtues. Be kind and gracious to me, the seeker and the supplicant. May your chariot never move at slow or medium speed in yajnic projects on earth or in water. Nor must we tire or slacken in our service to you in virtuous and scholarly projects.

· · ·

2.29.5

प्र व॒ एको॑ मिमय॒ भूर्यागो॒ यन्मा॑ पि॒तेव॑ कित॒वं श॑शा॒स । आ॒रे पाशा॑ आ॒रे अ॒घानि॑ देवा॒ मा माधि॑ पु॒त्रे विमि॑व ग्रभीष्ट ॥

Ye Devas, teachers, scholars, noble seniors, I am one, alone and helpless, but let me throw off all sin and evil since you teach and enlighten me as a father teaches and corrects a prodigal son. Let all snares of bondage be off! Let all sin and trespasses be off! A child as I am of yours, seize me not as a hunter catches a bird. No one seizes a child.

· · ·

2.29.6

अ॒र्वाञ्चो॑ अ॒द्या भ॑वता यजत्रा॒ आ वो॒ हार्दि॒ भय॑मानो व्ययेयम् । त्राध्वं॑ नो देवा नि॒जुरो॒ वृक॑स्य॒ त्राध्वं॑ क॒र्ताद॑व॒पदो॑ यजत्राः ॥

Devas, noble and generous powers of the world, yajnic teachers and enlightened seniors, advance in knowledge and generosity, come, be kind and gracious right front. Obedient with awe and reverence, let me do what is dear to you at heart. Protect us against the violent wolf and the greedy robber. Worshipful and dedicated to yajna as you are, save us from evil time and violence.

· · ·

2.29.7

माहं म॒घोनो॑ वरुण प्रि॒यस्य॑ भूरि॒दाव्न॒ आ वि॑दं॒ शून॑मा॒पेः । मा रा॒यो रा॑जन्त्सु॒यमा॒दव॑ स्थां बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Varuna, lord of light, law and justice, let me never come to that state of sufferance when a dear, mighty generous man of honour and power either suffers from empty pride of easy achievement or suffers want and penury. O brilliant ruler and law-giver of the world, let me never suffer the want of well earned wealth of money and materials. And let us all, blest with noble children and followers, sing in praise of the Lord for his gracious gifts of righteous prosperity.

✦ Sukta 30 · 11 verses ✦

2.30.1

ऋ॒तं दे॒वाय॑ कृण्व॒ते स॑वि॒त्र इन्द्रा॑याहि॒घ्ने न र॑मन्त॒ आपः॑ । अह॑रहर्यात्य॒क्तुर॒पां किया॒त्या प्र॑थ॒मः सर्ग॑ आसाम् ॥

The streams of the existential flow of divine action stop not, nor do they play for fun, for the creator of waters and the executor of laws, self-refulgent Savita, the sun who inspires Prakrti with life, nor for Indra who breaks the clouds for rain. The light of his actions radiates continuously day by day. When did the first flow of these actions of creation originate? (Let us know.)

· · ·

2.30.2

यो वृ॒त्राय॒ सिन॒मत्राभ॑रिष्य॒त्प्र तं जनि॑त्री वि॒दुष॑ उवाच । प॒थो रद॑न्ती॒रनु॒ जोष॑मस्मै दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ धुन॑यो य॒न्त्यर्थ॑म् ॥

The one (sun) who for the cloud of darkness bears the food (of vapours) as well as the bond (of structure and formation), of him the mother Nature speaks to the man of knowledge. And in accordance with the will divine the streams of light and action flow to their destined goal carving out their paths of motion day by day.

· · ·

2.30.3

ऊ॒र्ध्वो ह्यस्था॒दध्य॒न्तरि॒क्षेऽधा॑ वृ॒त्राय॒ प्र व॒धं ज॑भार । मिहं॒ वसा॑न॒ उप॒ हीमदु॑द्रोत्ति॒ग्मायु॑धो अजय॒च्छत्रु॒मिन्द्रः॑ ॥

The sun abides high up in heaven far above the middle region of the sky. And then it bears, raises and strikes the deadly weapon of the thunderbolt upon the cloud and, taking the vapours on all round, it melts the waters to rain. Thus it is that Indra, sunny wielder of the lightning weapon, who conquers the adversary, the dark and deep cloud of rain.

· · ·

2.30.4

बृह॑स्पते॒ तपु॒षाश्ने॑व विध्य॒ वृक॑द्वरसो॒ असु॑रस्य वी॒रान् । यथा॑ ज॒घन्थ॑ धृष॒ता पु॒रा चि॑दे॒वा ज॑हि॒ शत्रु॑म॒स्माक॑मिन्द्र ॥

Indra, destroyer of enemies, Brhaspati, lord sustainer of the vast world, just as with your mighty blazing thunderous weapon you broke through the front gates of the stronghold of the cloud and destroyed the forces of the demon of darkness and drought earlier, so now destroy our enemy (and throw open the gates of light and prosperity).

· · ·

2.30.5

अव॑ क्षिप दि॒वो अश्मा॑नमु॒च्चा येन॒ शत्रुं॑ मन्दसा॒नो नि॒जूर्वाः॑ । तो॒कस्य॑ सा॒तौ तन॑यस्य॒ भूरे॑र॒स्माँ अ॒र्धं कृ॑णुतादिन्द्र॒ गोना॑म् ॥

Indra, lord of light and power, ruler of the world, admirable, joyous and fiery, hurl the thunderbolt from high up regions of light and destroy the enemy, the same thunderbolt by which you struck and broke the cloud, and for the progress and prosperity of our children and grand children and for the growth and development of our land and cows, grant us plenty of means and materials.

· · ·

2.30.6

प्र हि क्रतुं॑ बृ॒हथो॒ यं व॑नु॒थो र॒ध्रस्य॑ स्थो॒ यज॑मानस्य चो॒दौ । इन्द्रा॑सोमा यु॒वम॒स्माँ अ॑विष्टम॒स्मिन्भ॒यस्थे॑ कृणुतमु लो॒कम् ॥

Indra, lord of power, and Soma, lord of peace, expand the yajna of development and progress which you love. Abide as inspirers and promoters of the obedient worshipful yajamana. Favour us, protect and promote us, and in this land which is stricken with fear, create a social order free and fearless, full of joy.

· · ·

2.30.7

न मा॑ तम॒न्न श्र॑म॒न्नोत त॑न्द्र॒न्न वो॑चाम॒ मा सु॑नो॒तेति॒ सोम॑म् । यो मे॑ पृ॒णाद्यो दद॒द्यो नि॒बोधा॒द्यो मा॑ सु॒न्वन्त॒मुप॒ गोभि॒राय॑त् ॥

Indra, who gives me fulfilment, who gives me wealth and happiness, who gives me enlightenment, and who blesses me with the gift of cows and health of mind and senses, while I offer homage to the lord, may, I pray, never vex me, nor tire me, nor make me feel languid with lassitude. And may we never (with ingratitude) say: “Do not offer homage of soma to the lord.”

· · ·

2.30.8

सर॑स्वति॒ त्वम॒स्माँ अ॑विड्ढि म॒रुत्व॑ती धृष॒ती जे॑षि॒ शत्रू॑न् । त्यं चि॒च्छर्ध॑न्तं तविषी॒यमा॑ण॒मिन्द्रो॑ हन्ति वृष॒भं शण्डि॑कानाम् ॥

Sarasvati, mother of knowledge and divine speech, inspire and protect us. Loud and bold with a troop of stormy commandos you overthrow the enemies. Indra, ruling lord of light and power, too, destroys the defiant and violent intrepidable leader of the forces of damage and darkness.

· · ·

2.30.9

यो नः॒ सनु॑त्य उ॒त वा॑ जिघ॒त्नुर॑भि॒ख्याय॒ तं ति॑गि॒तेन॑ विध्य । बृह॑स्पत॒ आयु॑धैर्जेषि॒ शत्रू॑न्द्रु॒हे रीष॑न्तं॒ परि॑ धेहि राजन् ॥

Brhaspati, lord of knowledge and sustainer of the grand social order, expose and fix with pointed steel the surreptitious foe in hiding and the saboteur who plans to destroy us. O brilliant ruler, conquer the enemies with weapons of offence and defence, and surround and seal the force of the jealous and the destructive along with their counterparts.

· · ·

2.30.10

अ॒स्माके॑भिः॒ सत्व॑भिः शूर॒ शूरै॑र्वी॒र्या॑ कृधि॒ यानि॑ ते॒ कर्त्वा॑नि । ज्योग॑भूव॒न्ननु॑धूपितासो ह॒त्वी तेषा॒मा भ॑रा नो॒ वसू॑नि ॥

O Indra, valiant hero and ruler of the world, with our resolute heroes of real mettle, do the deeds worthy of your character and majesty. And if there be adversaries long puffed up with pride and arrogance, break them down to their reality and hold and manage their assets and ours for the nation.

· · ·

2.30.11

तं वः॒ शर्धं॒ मारु॑तं सुम्न॒युर्गि॒रोप॑ ब्रुवे॒ नम॑सा॒ दैव्यं॒ जन॑म् । यथा॑ र॒यिं सर्व॑वीरं॒ नशा॑महा अपत्य॒साचं॒ श्रुत्यं॑ दि॒वेदि॑वे ॥

That mighty manpower of yours, divine and stormy, I, seeker of peace and well-being, sing and celebrate in words of humility and reverence and address the song to you so that day by day we may attain wealth and honour which may be worthy of the valiance of all our heroes, the pride of our children, and worthy of celebration in song for the future generations.

✦ Sukta 31 · 7 verses ✦

2.31.1

अ॒स्माकं॑ मित्रावरुणावतं॒ रथ॑मादि॒त्यै रु॒द्रैर्वसु॑भिः सचा॒भुवा॑ । प्र यद्वयो॒ न पप्त॒न्वस्म॑न॒स्परि॑ श्रव॒स्यवो॒ हृषी॑वन्तो वन॒र्षदः॑ ॥

O Mitra and Varuna, brilliant light and life breath of the universe, friendly ruler and vibrant people of the world, vested with innate virtues, working withAdityas, scholars brilliant as yearly phases of the sun, Rudras, forces of strength vital as life breath, and Vasus, people generous as mother earth, come with all these, programme, protect, impel, drive and guide our chariot by which we, in search of food for knowledge and fame, joyous and inspired, rested in our sylvan home, may fly like birds flying freely from their nest.

· · ·

2.31.2

अध॑ स्मा न॒ उद॑वता सजोषसो॒ रथं॑ देवासो अ॒भि वि॒क्षु वा॑ज॒युम् । यदा॒शवः॒ पद्या॑भि॒स्तित्र॑तो॒ रजः॑ पृथि॒व्याः सानौ॒ जङ्घ॑नन्त पा॒णिभिः॑ ॥

And now you, brilliant Devas, scholars and scientists working together as a team, direct our stormy and victorious chariot towards the people since the motive forces fast traversing the spaces by their paths are heading with their wings to the surface of the earth.

· · ·

2.31.3

उ॒त स्य न॒ इन्द्रो॑ वि॒श्वच॑र्षणिर्दि॒वः शर्धे॑न॒ मारु॑तेन सु॒क्रतुः॑ । अनु॒ नु स्था॑त्यवृ॒काभि॑रू॒तिभी॒ रथं॑ म॒हे स॒नये॒ वाज॑सातये ॥

And may that Indra, lord of power and the people, who watches the world and does noble acts of yajna with stormy powers of the winds for great wealth and victory across the skies, descend from the regions of space and, with safe and simple protective operations land and abide by our chariot.

· · ·

2.31.4

उ॒त स्य दे॒वो भुव॑नस्य स॒क्षणि॒स्त्वष्टा॒ ग्नाभिः॑ स॒जोषा॑ जूजुव॒द्रथ॑म् । इळा॒ भगो॑ बृहद्दि॒वोत रोद॑सी पू॒षा पुरं॑धिर॒श्विना॒वधा॒ पती॑ ॥

And that refulgent generous Deva Tvashta, universal designer and maker of forms, co-existent and co-operative associate of all, may, we wish and pray, accelerate our chariot with divine voice of exhortation. And so may Ila, divine speech, Bhaga, lord of power and prosperity, Brhat, vast space, earth and heaven, Pusha, lord of vitality and sustenance, Purandhi, wielder of the ancient stars, and both theAshvins, lord sustainers of health and vital energy, energise, sustain and accelerate our project of the chariot.

· · ·

2.31.5

उ॒त त्ये दे॒वी सु॒भगे॑ मिथू॒दृशो॒षासा॒नक्ता॒ जग॑तामपी॒जुवा॑ । स्तु॒षे यद्वां॑ पृथिवि॒ नव्य॑सा॒ वचः॑ स्था॒तुश्च॒ वय॒स्त्रिव॑या उप॒स्तिरे॑ ॥

And those two refulgent and generous divinities, dawn and night, twins in mutual sight, which inspire the moving and non-moving worlds of being, I praise, with new words of adoration when, O earth and heaven, I cover the vedi with three orders of holy grass and offer three orders of holy fragrance, praise, prayer and meditation.

· · ·

2.31.6

उ॒त वः॒ शंस॑मु॒शिजा॑मिव श्म॒स्यहि॑र्बु॒ध्न्यो॒३॒॑ज एक॑पादु॒त । त्रि॒त ऋ॑भु॒क्षाः स॑वि॒ता चनो॑ दधे॒ऽपां नपा॑दाशु॒हेमा॑ धि॒या शमि॑ ॥

We love to adore you, O divine powers of nature and humanity, as those who love and are inspired. Ahirbudhnya, cloud of waters in the skies, Aja, unborn nature and the soul, Ekapat, constant powers of bliss, Ribhuksha, lord of universal art and artists, Savita, refulgent lord of creation and inspiration, and Apam Napat, infallible energy born of waters, bear the food of life for us.And I, Ribhuksha, in search of intelligence, strength and knowledge, with all effort of intellect and passion in holy action, growing fast and faster, receive the food for body, mind and soul.

· · ·

2.31.7

ए॒ता वो॑ व॒श्म्युद्य॑ता यजत्रा॒ अत॑क्षन्ना॒यवो॒ नव्य॑से॒ सम् । श्र॒व॒स्यवो॒ वाजं॑ चका॒नाः सप्ति॒र्न रथ्यो॒ अह॑ धी॒तिम॑श्याः ॥

These acts and higher gifts of yours, O powers and performers of yajnic creation in love and association, I crave and pray for, which men of desire in search of knowledge and fame, progress and prosperity, beautifully refine and advance, and which progress in knowledge, power and piety, O man of devotion and endeavour, you too, like a pioneer of the chariot caravan of humanity, may attain.

✦ Sukta 32 · 8 verses ✦

2.32.1

अ॒स्य मे॑ द्यावापृथिवी ऋताय॒तो भू॒तम॑वि॒त्री वच॑सः॒ सिषा॑सतः । ययो॒रायुः॑ प्रत॒रं ते इ॒दं पु॒र उप॑स्तुते वसू॒युर्वां॑ म॒हो द॑धे ॥

May the heaven and earth be saviours and protectors of this voice of mine, who follow the universal law of Dharma and crave their love in unison. Excellent and elevating is their power and action. Hence in search of food for body, mind and soul, I present this prayer since I hold them adorable as great blissful powers of Divinity.

· · ·

2.32.2

मा नो॒ गुह्या॒ रिप॑ आ॒योरह॑न्दभ॒न्मा न॑ आ॒भ्यो री॑रधो दु॒च्छुना॑भ्यः । मा नो॒ वि यौः॑ स॒ख्या वि॒द्धि तस्य॑ नः सुम्नाय॒ता मन॑सा॒ तत्त्वे॑महे ॥

May the secret intrigues of hostile men never hurt us in the day or night, nor may the earth hurt the joy of humanity with calamities. Nor must anyone alienate us from our friends. Indra, know our friends and our friendships with a gracious mind. For this reason of peace, friendship, and well-being, we offer our worship and prayers to you, O lord of earth and heaven.

· · ·

2.32.3

अहे॑ळता॒ मन॑सा श्रु॒ष्टिमा व॑ह॒ दुहा॑नां धे॒नुं पि॒प्युषी॑मस॒श्चत॑म् । पद्या॑भिरा॒शुं वच॑सा च वा॒जिनं॒ त्वां हि॑नोमि पुरुहूत वि॒श्वहा॑ ॥

Indra, lord of light and power, with a kind and gracious mind bring us instantly a gift of that comprehensive speech of Divinity which, like the mother earth and generous cow and an imaginative mind and sense, gives us the milk of mental and spiritual nourishment. Every day, O lord universally invoked and adored, ruler of the dynamics of existence, with the holy Word and successive steps of meditation, I knock at your door.

· · ·

2.32.4

रा॒काम॒हं सु॒हवां॑ सुष्टु॒ती हु॑वे शृ॒णोतु॑ नः सु॒भगा॒ बोध॑तु॒ त्मना॑ । सीव्य॒त्वपः॑ सू॒च्याच्छि॑द्यमानया॒ ददा॑तु वी॒रं श॒तदा॑यमु॒क्थ्य॑म् ॥

I call upon the beauteous moon-lit night, soothing and generous, with words of adoration. May she, luxuriously gracious, listen to us and, with her mind and soul, acknowledge and yield to our wish and desire. May she, with an uninterruptible needle, sew on our garments of action. May she bless us with praise-worthy progeny who may produce a hundredfold wealth of life for us.

· · ·

2.32.5

यास्ते॑ राके सुम॒तयः॑ सु॒पेश॑सो॒ याभि॒र्ददा॑सि दा॒शुषे॒ वसू॑नि । ताभि॑र्नो अ॒द्य सु॒मना॑ उ॒पाग॑हि सहस्रपो॒षं सु॑भगे॒ ररा॑णा ॥

O Lady of the Moon, those visions of yours, of wisdom and beauty, with which you bless the generous giver with the wealths of conjugal life, with all those today, O mistress of noble and lovely mind, harbinger of good fortune, overflowing with a thousand blessings, come close to us and bless.

· · ·

2.32.6

सिनी॑वालि॒ पृथु॑ष्टुके॒ या दे॒वाना॒मसि॒ स्वसा॑ । जु॒षस्व॑ ह॒व्यमाहु॑तं प्र॒जां दे॑वि दिदिड्ढि नः ॥

O Sinivali, lady of love and beauty, you are the sister of the gods of nature’s bounty. Accept and cherish the fragrance offered into the fire and, O lady of light and bliss, give us lovely progeny.

· · ·

2.32.7

या सु॑बा॒हुः स्व॑ङ्गु॒रिः सु॒षूमा॑ बहु॒सूव॑री । तस्यै॑ वि॒श्पत्न्यै॑ ह॒विः सि॑नीवा॒ल्यै जु॑होतन ॥

Her arms are beautiful, delicate, and lovely her fingers. Fertile and passionate is she and generous nurse of life. Mother of many and lovely lady of love and beauty, offer her the oblations of life into the fire.

· · ·

2.32.8

या गु॒ङ्गूर्या सि॑नीवा॒ली या रा॒का या सर॑स्वती । इ॒न्द्रा॒णीम॑ह्व ऊ॒तये॑ वरुणा॒नीं स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥

She is the first night of the new moon, cooing with amour, she is lovely and passionate, she is night of the full moon, she is the mistress of exuberant speech and noble knowledge, she is the lady of power and prosperity, and she is the love of my first choice. I invoke her, I solicit her, I love her for safety, security and all round well-being.

✦ Sukta 33 · 15 verses ✦

2.33.1

आ ते॑ पितर्मरुतां सु॒म्नमे॑तु॒ मा नः॒ सूर्य॑स्य सं॒दृशो॑ युयोथाः । अ॒भि नो॑ वी॒रो अर्व॑ति क्षमेत॒ प्र जा॑येमहि रुद्र प्र॒जाभिः॑ ॥

Rudra, lord of the laws of nature for universal health, justice and punishment, father sustainer of the people, may your blessings of well-being ever come to us. Deprive us not of the light and benign eye of the sun. May our brave children be strong on horse back to challenge the enemies. May we rise and advance with our future generations.

· · ·

2.33.2

त्वाद॑त्तेभी रुद्र॒ शंत॑मेभिः श॒तं हिमा॑ अशीय भेष॒जेभिः॑ । व्य१॒॑स्मद्द्वेषो॑ वित॒रं व्यंहो॒ व्यमी॑वाश्चातयस्वा॒ विषू॑चीः ॥

O Rudra, lord of health and well-being, with your soothing and invigorating herbs given by you, may we live a full hundred years. May hate and jealousy and sinful actions be off from us so that we may be free from all chronic diseases.

· · ·

2.33.3

श्रेष्ठो॑ जा॒तस्य॑ रुद्र श्रि॒यासि॑ त॒वस्त॑मस्त॒वसां॑ वज्रबाहो । पर्षि॑ णः पा॒रमंह॑सः स्व॒स्ति विश्वा॑ अ॒भी॑ती॒ रप॑सो युयोधि ॥

Rudra, lord of adamantine arms by virtue of your own knowledge and power, you are the best of the world of humanity and strongest of the strong. Take us across the seas of sin and disease to our good and well being. Fight out all the roads to infirmity and block them against ill-health.

· · ·

2.33.4

मा त्वा॑ रुद्र चुक्रुधामा॒ नमो॑भि॒र्मा दुष्टु॑ती वृषभ॒ मा सहू॑ती । उन्नो॑ वी॒राँ अ॑र्पय भेष॒जेभि॑र्भि॒षक्त॑मं त्वा भि॒षजां॑ शृणोमि ॥

Rudra, O physician, mighty brave and generous, may we never irritate or provoke you by neglect or turning away, or by disappraisal, or by pestering you. With herbs and tonics raise a generation of brave, heroic young people. I hear that you are the most eminent physician among physicians.

· · ·

2.33.5

हवी॑मभि॒र्हव॑ते॒ यो ह॒विर्भि॒रव॒ स्तोमे॑भी रु॒द्रं दि॑षीय । ऋ॒दू॒दरः॑ सु॒हवो॒ मा नो॑ अ॒स्यै ब॒भ्रुः सु॒शिप्रो॑ रीरधन्म॒नायै॑ ॥

The physician who helps, inspires and advances us with exhortations, herbs and tonics, him I serve and please with offers of presents and appreciation. And he too, soft and kind at heart, invited with reverence, benevolent and pleasant of manners, should not, in the interest of the patient’s mind and morale, hurt us.

· · ·

2.33.6

उन्मा॑ ममन्द वृष॒भो म॒रुत्वा॒न्त्वक्षी॑यसा॒ वय॑सा॒ नाध॑मानम् । घृणी॑व च्छा॒याम॑र॒पा अ॑शी॒या वि॑वासेयं रु॒द्रस्य॑ सु॒म्नम् ॥

And the divine physician, Rudra, bold and generous, commanding the energies of the elements, restores me, poor patient in need of strength, to glowing health and energy and I, like one taking shelter in the shade from the scorching heat, feel relieved, and I pray that I may continue to enjoy Rudra’s gift of comfort and joy free from sin and disease.

· · ·

2.33.7

क्व १॒॑ स्य ते॑ रुद्र मृळ॒याकु॒र्हस्तो॒ यो अस्ति॑ भेष॒जो जला॑षः । अ॒प॒भ॒र्ता रप॑सो॒ दैव्य॑स्या॒भी नु मा॑ वृषभ चक्षमीथाः ॥

O Rudra, divine physician, where is that merciful hand of yours which is the healing balm (for the restoration of health), which is an antidote to the ravages of the elements of nature? O lord, potent and generous, save me, spare me, and bless me with immunity.

· · ·

2.33.8

प्र ब॒भ्रवे॑ वृष॒भाय॑ श्विती॒चे म॒हो म॒हीं सु॑ष्टु॒तिमी॑रयामि । न॒म॒स्या क॑ल्मली॒किनं॒ नमो॑भिर्गृणी॒मसि॑ त्वे॒षं रु॒द्रस्य॒ नाम॑ ॥

I offer the highest of the high songs of praise in honour of Rudra, potent, generous and brilliant sustainer of health and life. Celebrate and serve this illustrious Rudra with salutations and presentations. We invoke and praise the name and splendour of Rudra with honour and reverence.

· · ·

2.33.9

स्थि॒रेभि॒रङ्गैः॑ पुरु॒रूप॑ उ॒ग्रो ब॒भ्रुः शु॒क्रेभिः॑ पिपिशे॒ हिर॑ण्यैः । ईशा॑नाद॒स्य भुव॑नस्य॒ भूरे॒र्न वा उ॑ योषद्रु॒द्राद॑सु॒र्य॑म् ॥

Rudra, divine physician, brilliant sustainer of versatile form and character, shines forth with his sturdy constitution and purest golden virtues. May his essential vitality and life-giving power never part from this Rudra, universal and versatile ruler of this world.

· · ·

2.33.10

अर्ह॑न्बिभर्षि॒ साय॑कानि॒ धन्वार्ह॑न्नि॒ष्कं य॑ज॒तं वि॒श्वरू॑पम् । अर्ह॑न्नि॒दं द॑यसे॒ विश्व॒मभ्वं॒ न वा ओजी॑यो रुद्र॒ त्वद॑स्ति ॥

Rudra, potent and illustrious lord of the world, scourage of the evil and the wicked, in your own right with your own essential power, you wield the bow and arrows. Rightfully you bear and hold the adorable gold of universal form and lustre. With your essential strength and power, you protect this grand and mighty universe. O Rudra, never and none is greater than you in might and majesty.

· · ·

2.33.11

स्तु॒हि श्रु॒तं ग॑र्त॒सदं॒ युवा॑नं मृ॒गं न भी॒ममु॑पह॒त्नुमु॒ग्रम् । मृ॒ळा ज॑रि॒त्रे रु॑द्र॒ स्तवा॑नो॒ऽन्यं ते॑ अ॒स्मन्नि व॑पन्तु॒ सेनाः॑ ॥

O Rudra, scourge of the evil and the wicked, praise and cherish the eminent young man of action seated in the war chariot, fearful as a tiger, destroyer of enemies and illustrious of merit. Be kind and gracious to the admirer and worshipper who sings in praise of you. And let your forces throw off from us the others who are ungrateful and negative.

· · ·

2.33.12

कु॒मा॒रश्चि॑त्पि॒तरं॒ वन्द॑मानं॒ प्रति॑ नानाम रुद्रोप॒यन्त॑म् । भूरे॑र्दा॒तारं॒ सत्प॑तिं गृणीषे स्तु॒तस्त्वं भे॑ष॒जा रा॑स्य॒स्मे ॥

Rudra, lord giver of good health and joy, just as the son bows to the father worthy of reverence and adoration while the father approaches, so do I praise and offer obeisance to you, generous giver and leader and sustainer of the good and the truthful, and as we offer reverence and obeisance, you bless us with healing cures for health and joy.

· · ·

2.33.13

या वो॑ भेष॒जा म॑रुतः॒ शुची॑नि॒ या शंत॑मा वृषणो॒ या म॑यो॒भु । यानि॒ मनु॒रवृ॑णीता पि॒ता न॒स्ता शं च॒ योश्च॑ रु॒द्रस्य॑ वश्मि ॥

O Maruts, energies of the winds and vital breath of prana, whatever your healing powers, pure, purifying and without adverse effects, O powers of rain and water, whatever your cures most sanative and tranquillising, which Manu, the wise and imaginative scholar, father figure, collects, selects and refines for us, all those sanative cures and restoratives of benevolent Rudra’s I love and desire.

· · ·

2.33.14

परि॑ णो हे॒ती रु॒द्रस्य॑ वृज्याः॒ परि॑ त्वे॒षस्य॑ दुर्म॒तिर्म॒ही गा॑त् । अव॑ स्थि॒रा म॒घव॑द्भ्यस्तनुष्व॒ मीढ्व॑स्तो॒काय॒ तन॑याय मृळ ॥

May the stroke of fatal illness stay far from us. May the serious error of judgement of the brilliant specialist be far from us. Ward off and remove the chronic diseases from the people of wealth and power. O potent and generous lord of health and power, be kind and gracious to our children and our grand children.

· · ·

2.33.15

ए॒वा ब॑भ्रो वृषभ चेकितान॒ यथा॑ देव॒ न हृ॑णी॒षे न हंसि॑ । ह॒व॒न॒श्रुन्नो॑ रुद्रे॒ह बो॑धि बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Rudra, lord sustainer of the world with health and life, mighty potent and generous, lord of knowledge and enlightenment, brilliant and illustrious, be kind and gracious so as not to deprive us of our comfort and joy nor to strike us with illness or untimely death. O lord listener to our invocation and prayer, enlighten us here and now, enlighten us so that, blest with brave and noble children, we sing and celebrate your mighty magnificence in our battles of yajnic life.

✦ Sukta 34 · 15 verses ✦

2.34.1

धा॒रा॒व॒रा म॒रुतो॑ धृ॒ष्ण्वो॑जसो मृ॒गा न भी॒मास्तवि॑षीभिर॒र्चिनः॑ । अ॒ग्नयो॒ न शु॑शुचा॒ना ऋ॑जी॒षिणो॒ भृमिं॒ धम॑न्तो॒ अप॒ गा अ॑वृण्वत ॥

Maruts, pioneers of humanity on top of the wave, sharp as razor’s edge and vibrant as the winds, irresistible with might and majesty, terrible as the tiger, bright with light and culture, blazing as flames of fire, soft and sophisticated at heart and fond of soma to the last drop, blow off the whirlwinds of time and circumstance and open out the light and language of Divinity for the progress of humanity.

· · ·

2.34.2

द्यावो॒ न स्तृभि॑श्चितयन्त खा॒दिनो॒ व्य१॒॑भ्रिया॒ न द्यु॑तयन्त वृ॒ष्टयः॑ । रु॒द्रो यद्वो॑ मरुतो रुक्मवक्षसो॒ वृषाज॑नि॒ पृश्न्याः॑ शु॒क्र ऊध॑नि ॥

Ye Maruts, tempestuous pioneers of the world, blest with a heart of gold with light and love, be bright like the heavens with stars and, with the blaze of honour and distinction on your person, shine and roar like thunder and lightning of the clouds, since Rudra, bold and generous lord of justice, generous as showers of rain, generated you from the holiest womb of earth and the rays of heaven’s light.

· · ·

2.34.3

उ॒क्षन्ते॒ अश्वाँ॒ अत्याँ॑इवा॒जिषु॑ न॒दस्य॒ कर्णै॑स्तुरयन्त आ॒शुभिः॑ । हिर॑ण्यशिप्रा मरुतो॒ दवि॑ध्वतः पृ॒क्षं या॑थ॒ पृष॑तीभिः समन्यवः ॥

Maruts, passionate heroes of action, shining in golden helmets, ride and goad their horses in battles like rockets in constant motion and shoot forward like sailors conquering the waves of the sea with instant oars. O Maruts, commanders of the winds, shaking and storming the adversaries in battle contests, go forward and achieve your cherished goal, fast like wind shears shaking, ripping and scattering the clouds.

· · ·

2.34.4

पृ॒क्षे ता विश्वा॒ भुव॑ना ववक्षिरे मि॒त्राय॑ वा॒ सद॒मा जी॒रदा॑नवः । पृष॑दश्वासो अनव॒भ्ररा॑धस ऋजि॒प्यासो॒ न व॒युने॑षु धू॒र्षदः॑ ॥

As the battles of action are won and the earth is sprinkled with showers of peace, all the regions of the world grow strong and powerful as one restful home for a friendly humanity. And Maruts, brilliant and generous heroes of victory and givers of nourishment and the breath of fresh life, possessed of mighty means of advancement, without diminishing the wealth of nations, shooting up straight to their goals and values, sit steadfast on the helm of affairs along the simple paths of peace and progress.

· · ·

2.34.5

इन्ध॑न्वभिर्धे॒नुभी॑ र॒प्शदू॑धभिरध्व॒स्मभिः॑ प॒थिभि॑र्भ्राजदृष्टयः । आ हं॒सासो॒ न स्वस॑राणि गन्तन॒ मधो॒र्मदा॑य मरुतः समन्यवः ॥

The Maruts, leaders and pioneers, impassioned with enthusiasm and love of life, bright and blazing with arms and words pregnant with meaning, advance on inviolable paths of peace and progress, like swans flying to their own resorts of water, for celebration of the boundless ecstasy of the honey sweets of success and victory.

· · ·

2.34.6

आ नो॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि मरुतः समन्यवो न॒रां न शंसः॒ सव॑नानि गन्तन । अश्वा॑मिव पिप्यत धे॒नुमूध॑नि॒ कर्ता॒ धियं॑ जरि॒त्रे वाज॑पेशसम् ॥

O Maruts, heroes of mankind, impassioned with the will to act and equanimity of mind to think, come and grace our sessions of yajnic celebrations, admired universally as you are among people. Come for the development of wealth and prosperity. Develop the mare for speed as well as the cow for plenty of milk. And for the admirer and celebrant, create and award ample wealth of intelligence and knowledge with noble language and competence for karma with precious gifts.

· · ·

2.34.7

तं नो॑ दात मरुतो वा॒जिनं॒ रथ॑ आपा॒नं ब्रह्म॑ चि॒तय॑द्दि॒वेदि॑वे । इषं॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॑ वृ॒जने॑षु का॒रवे॑ स॒निं मे॒धामरि॑ष्टं दु॒ष्टरं॒ सहः॑ ॥

O Maruts, heroes dear as breath of life, give us that power and speed for our nation’s chariot, that wealth and vitality of life and that universal knowledge which may awaken and enlighten us day by day. Give us that food and energy for the admirers and celebrants in the yajnic programmes of development which is inexhaustible, and, for the poet, singer, scientist, technologist and the architect of the human nation, bring ample reward of fulfilment, high intelligence, freedom from sin and ill-health and inviolable courage, patience, and fortitude.

· · ·

2.34.8

यद्यु॒ञ्जते॑ म॒रुतो॑ रु॒क्मव॑क्ष॒सोऽश्वा॒न्रथे॑षु॒ भग॒ आ सु॒दान॑वः । धे॒नुर्न शिश्वे॒ स्वस॑रेषु पिन्वते॒ जना॑य रा॒तह॑विषे म॒हीमिष॑म् ॥

Maruts, leaders with heart of gold and brilliant person, generous givers of knowledge and advancement, as they yoke the power and horses to the chariots of the nation, and as success in progress and prosperity is achieved, then, every day for every home, like the mother cow overflowing with milk for the calf, they provide and augment ample food and freshness for high fulfilment of the people who give and have given their share of service and self-sacrifice in the national yajna.

· · ·

2.34.9

यो नो॑ मरुतो वृ॒कता॑ति॒ मर्त्यो॑ रि॒पुर्द॒धे व॑सवो॒ रक्ष॑ता रि॒षः । व॒र्तय॑त॒ तपु॑षा च॒क्रिया॒भि तमव॑ रुद्रा अ॒शसो॑ हन्तना॒ वधः॑ ॥

Whoever be the person who, like a wolfish thief or robber or deadly enemy, targets us with anger and torture, O Maruts, shelter home for all and universal saviours, protect us against the violence of the enemy. Whosoever raises the fatal weapon upon us, bind and seal him with punishment and circle him round with vigilance. O Rudras, scholars of the middle order, defenders of law and scourage of the lawless, hurt not, destroy not, those who are non-violent, peace loving and law abiding.

· · ·

2.34.10

चि॒त्रं तद्वो॑ मरुतो॒ याम॑ चेकिते॒ पृश्न्या॒ यदूध॒रप्या॒पयो॑ दु॒हुः । यद्वा॑ नि॒दे नव॑मानस्य रुद्रियास्त्रि॒तं जरा॑य जुर॒ताम॑दाभ्याः ॥

Maruts, defenders and pioneers of the social order, friends of humanity, wondrous is that yajnic exploit of yours so well known, when from heights of the skies and depths of the earth you churn out and distil the nectar of life which again, O friends of Rudra, lord of light and justice, and indomitable warriors, becomes a fatal antidote against the maligners of your celebrants and the weary weakness of the aging.

· · ·

2.34.11

तान्वो॑ म॒हो म॒रुत॑ एव॒याव्नो॒ विष्णो॑रे॒षस्य॑ प्रभृ॒थे ह॑वामहे । हिर॑ण्यवर्णान्ककु॒हान्य॒तस्रु॑चो ब्रह्म॒ण्यन्तः॒ शंस्यं॒ राध॑ ईमहे ॥

Such as you are, O great Maruts, who thus venture out to exploit the earth and the skies in search of knowledge and life’s energy, we invoke and exhort you for the fulfilment of the omnipresent lord Vishnu’s love and desire for the progress and prosperity for his children. And thus do we, having raised our ladles of yajna as our share in our effort for piety, honour and prosperity, pray for the gifts of the Maruts, heroes of the golden hue great and, marvellous in their own right.

· · ·

2.34.12

ते दश॑ग्वाः प्रथ॒मा य॒ज्ञमू॑हिरे॒ ते नो॑ हिन्वन्तू॒षसो॒ व्यु॑ष्टिषु । उ॒षा न रा॒मीर॑रु॒णैरपो॑र्णुते म॒हो ज्योति॑षा शुच॒ता गोअ॑र्णसा ॥

They, the Maruts, masters of their mind and ten senses of perception and action, first in intelligence and imagination, organise the yajna and take it to success. May they, we pray, give us the clarion call with the light of the dawn, and, like the lady of light which removes the veil of darkness from over the restful night with radiant rays of the sun, may they, we pray, remove our veil of darkness and ignorance with the great and sacred light of the rising sun of divine knowledge.

· · ·

2.34.13

ते क्षो॒णीभि॑ररु॒णेभि॒र्नाञ्जिभी॑ रु॒द्रा ऋ॒तस्य॒ सद॑नेषु वावृधुः । नि॒मेघ॑माना॒ अत्ये॑न॒ पाज॑सा सुश्च॒न्द्रं वर्णं॑ दधिरे सु॒पेश॑सम् ॥

Those Rudras, stormy winds and roaring clouds, tempestuous pioneers of humanity, leaders of science and knowledge, act and grow within the dynamics of the laws of nature alongwith the earths, planets and the atmosphere, with the golden light of dawn and the various beauties of nature, and, showering gifts of living energy and wearing the grace of the

full moon and majesty of form, they grow and advance with the strength and speed of the brilliance of light.

· · ·

2.34.14

ताँ इ॑या॒नो महि॒ वरू॑थमू॒तय॒ उप॒ घेदे॒ना नम॑सा गृणीमसि । त्रि॒तो न यान्पञ्च॒ होतॄ॑न॒भिष्ट॑य आव॒वर्त॒दव॑राञ्च॒क्रियाव॑से ॥

Wanting a great home for the sake of safety, security and advancement, we praise and, with humble salutations, do homage to those great and noblest yajakas, i.e., five pranic energies, which Trita, the man commander of those five yajakas, deploys for his safety, security and good fortune, since they are ever fresh, dynamic and ever on the move like a wheel in constant motion.

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2.34.15

यया॑ र॒ध्रं पा॒रय॒थात्यंहो॒ यया॑ नि॒दो मु॒ञ्चथ॑ वन्दि॒तार॑म् । अ॒र्वाची॒ सा म॑रुतो॒ या व॑ ऊ॒तिरो षु वा॒श्रेव॑ सुम॒तिर्जि॑गातु ॥

O Maruts, pioneering guides of humanity, divine powers of knowledge and holy intelligence, that virtuous mind and power of protection by which you save the devotee from the taint of sin and let him cross the ocean, by which you save the celebrant from the calumny of maligners, may that power of protection, that noble intelligence, like a loving mother, come hither to me and bring me divine grace.

✦ Sukta 35 · 15 verses ✦

2.35.1

उपे॑मसृक्षि वाज॒युर्व॑च॒स्यां चनो॑ दधीत ना॒द्यो गिरो॑ मे । अ॒पां नपा॑दाशु॒हेमा॑ कु॒वित्स सु॒पेश॑सस्करति॒ जोषि॑ष॒द्धि ॥

Close to the waters in search of food, energy, vitality and fast speed of action, I create this song related to water energy and subsequent water wealth. May these holy words of mine, loud and bold, flowing like a stream, be delightful and bear fruit and fulfilment. May that divine energy born of waters, instant and imperishable, be in accord with the holy voice and help us create many beautiful forms of life and various wealth for us.

· · ·

2.35.2

इ॒मं स्व॑स्मै हृ॒द आ सुत॑ष्टं॒ मन्त्रं॑ वोचेम कु॒विद॑स्य॒ वेद॑त् । अ॒पां नपा॑दसु॒र्य॑स्य म॒ह्ना विश्वा॑न्य॒र्यो भुव॑ना जजान ॥

Let us chant this mantra conscientiously created and composed from depths of the heart in honour and celebration of this magnificent power. May the great lord of the wide world know of it. Indeed this mighty energy born of the waters, replete with wealth and power, with the great omnipotence of divine nature, creates the entire worlds of existence.

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2.35.3

सम॒न्या यन्त्युप॑ यन्त्य॒न्याः स॑मा॒नमू॒र्वं न॒द्यः॑ पृणन्ति । तमू॒ शुचिं॒ शुच॑यो दीदि॒वांस॑म॒पां नपा॑तं॒ परि॑ तस्थु॒रापः॑ ॥

Some of these streams of water and currents of energy flow together. Some others flow close by them, and all of them together join and flow into the ocean to fullness. And these clear and purest streams of water and water energy all round abide by that pure, bright and blazing child of the waters, imperishable agni, fire and electric energy of the water power. (This mantra describes the dynamic circuit flow of energy and its imperishable form in the state of conservation.)

· · ·

2.35.4

तमस्मे॑रा युव॒तयो॒ युवा॑नं मर्मृ॒ज्यमा॑नाः॒ परि॑ य॒न्त्यापः॑ । स शु॒क्रेभिः॒ शिक्व॑भी रे॒वद॒स्मे दी॒दाया॑नि॒ध्मो घृ॒तनि॑र्णिग॒प्सु ॥

Just as young maidens in crystalline purity of body and mind and fragrant modesty anxiously yet bashfully approach the youthful man, feeding his fire and receiving the shower of life and love, so do crystalline streams of water murmuring with exciting energy approach from all round that Apam-napat, fiery energy of the essence of waters, and he, overflowing with vitalising energy, fertilises their thirst for life and creativity. May that, the eternal elan vital distilled from waters by nature, bright and blazing like flames of fire fed with ghrta in yajna, shine on by itself in the waters of life for us.

· · ·

2.35.5

अ॒स्मै ति॒स्रो अ॑व्य॒थ्याय॒ नारी॑र्दे॒वाय॑ दे॒वीर्दि॑धिष॒न्त्यन्न॑म् । कृता॑इ॒वोप॒ हि प्र॑स॒र्स्रे अ॒प्सु स पी॒यूषं॑ धयति पूर्व॒सूना॑म् ॥

For this Apam-napat, liquid and fiery energy of waters, brilliant, generous and inviolable divinity, three brilliant and generous streams of dynamic energy, Ila, Sarasvati, Mahi, eternal, universal and specific forms of divine energy, flow and bear food for his sustenance and growth. They move like young maidens approaching their man for the continuance of life and vital energy. They move on and on like three divinities, reflections of the divine will in the cosmic oceans of time and space, and he, the fiery creative energy, drinks the milk of life from the three motherly powers.

· · ·

2.35.6

अश्व॒स्यात्र॒ जनि॑मा॒स्य च॒ स्व॑र्द्रु॒हो रि॒षः सं॒पृचः॑ पाहि सू॒रीन् । आ॒मासु॑ पू॒र्षु प॒रो अ॑प्रमृ॒ष्यं नारा॑तयो॒ वि न॑श॒न्नानृ॑तानि ॥

In the dynamics of water, fire and vital energy lies the source of virility, fertility and generation of the species. Herein lies the source of pleasure and happiness. O brilliant lord of generosity, protect the good and the pious people from the hateful, violent and destructive associates and encounters. It is perfect, beyond all stages short of ripeness in nature. Nothing false, opposed or negative can pollute or destroy it.

· · ·

2.35.7

स्व आ दमे॑ सु॒दुघा॒ यस्य॑ धे॒नुः स्व॒धां पी॑पाय सु॒भ्वन्न॑मत्ति । सो अ॒पां नपा॑दू॒र्जय॑न्न॒प्स्व१॒॑न्तर्व॑सु॒देया॑य विध॒ते वि भा॑ति ॥

He whose home is blest with a fertile cow, abundant holy speech in communication, and noble knowledge, drinks holy water and eats consecrated food. He, inviolable in pranic energies, enveloped in the folds of nature’s vitalities is ‘apam-napat’, as such he grows for the sake of the generous man of charity, wields power and prosperity, and shines with might and majesty.

· · ·

2.35.8

यो अ॒प्स्वा शुचि॑ना॒ दैव्ये॑न ऋ॒तावाज॑स्र उर्वि॒या वि॒भाति॑ । व॒या इद॒न्या भुव॑नान्यस्य॒ प्र जा॑यन्ते वी॒रुध॑श्च प्र॒जाभिः॑ ॥

Abiding in the holy waters of nature’s liquid bounty, dedicated to nature’s law and blest with her consecrating power, vast and constant with the earth, he shines with immaculate purity of character and the majesty of light divine. The other regions of the world are like the branches of his family tree where, too, further, grow the trees with their own farther branches.

· · ·

2.35.9

अ॒पां नपा॒दा ह्यस्था॑दु॒पस्थं॑ जि॒ह्माना॑मू॒र्ध्वो वि॒द्युतं॒ वसा॑नः । तस्य॒ ज्येष्ठं॑ महि॒मानं॒ वह॑न्ती॒र्हिर॑ण्यवर्णाः॒ परि॑ यन्ति य॒ह्वीः ॥

Apam-napat, essential energy born of the waters of space, wearing the mantle of lightning power, electricity, abides close above the wavy and curvy motions of the clouds. And streams of energy, wearing the lustre of gold, carrying its highest power, flow all round.

· · ·

2.35.10

हिर॑ण्यरूपः॒ स हिर॑ण्यसंदृग॒पां नपा॒त्सेदु॒ हिर॑ण्यवर्णः । हि॒र॒ण्यया॒त्परि॒ योने॑र्नि॒षद्या॑ हिरण्य॒दा द॑द॒त्यन्न॑मस्मै ॥

Golden of form, Apam-napat, the child of waters, golden eyed revealing its gold, golden coloured, abides higher than the golden seat of its origin, and the golden feeder energies of physical existence provide the food for its growth.

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2.35.11

तद॒स्यानी॑कमु॒त चारु॒ नामा॑पी॒च्यं॑ वर्धते॒ नप्तु॑र॒पाम् । यमि॒न्धते॑ युव॒तयः॒ समि॒त्था हिर॑ण्यवर्णं घृ॒तमन्न॑मस्य ॥

That lustrous power of this child of the waters and its essential name arising from its innate properties is beautiful, and it grows while the youthful maidens raise it in its golden glory like the flames of fire with ghrta, ghrta being its favourite food.

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2.35.12

अ॒स्मै ब॑हू॒नाम॑व॒माय॒ सख्ये॑ य॒ज्ञैर्वि॑धेम॒ नम॑सा ह॒विर्भिः॑ । सं सानु॒ मार्ज्मि॒ दिधि॑षामि॒ बिल्मै॒र्दधा॒म्यन्नैः॒ परि॑ वन्द ऋ॒ग्भिः ॥

We serve this Apam-napat, golden energy, with yajnas and feed it with food and sacrifices in the midst of many powers of nature for the good of our closest friends. I refine it in the vedi, sustain it by degrees with fuel, feed it with food and sacrifices and celebrate it with exalting songs of Rks.

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2.35.13

स ईं॒ वृषा॑जनय॒त्तासु॒ गर्भं॒ स ईं॒ शिशु॑र्धयति॒ तं रि॑हन्ति । सो अ॒पां नपा॒दन॑भिम्लातवर्णो॒ऽन्यस्ये॑वे॒ह त॒न्वा॑ विवेष ॥

That potent and generousApam-napat, vital heat of life, creates the fetus in the waters. The same baby sucks the same vitality of the waters. The same water energies then kiss and caress the baby. The same, then, in bright, unfaded effulgence shines in the youthful body as it shines in other body forms too.

· · ·

2.35.14

अ॒स्मिन्प॒दे प॑र॒मे त॑स्थि॒वांस॑मध्व॒स्मभि॑र्वि॒श्वहा॑ दीदि॒वांस॑म् । आपो॒ नप्त्रे॑ घृ॒तमन्नं॒ वह॑न्तीः स्व॒यमत्कैः॒ परि॑ दीयन्ति य॒ह्वीः ॥

Mighty streams of cosmic energy, with their own imperishable velocity, flow all round bearing ghrta and anna-food for their grand child, Apam-napat, abiding all-time effulgent in this highest state of existence.

· · ·

2.35.15

अयां॑समग्ने सुक्षि॒तिं जना॒यायां॑समु म॒घव॑द्भ्यः सुवृ॒क्तिम् । विश्वं॒ तद्भ॒द्रं यदव॑न्ति दे॒वा बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Agni, vital spirit of life in existence, I pray, may I attain a blessed home for the people. May I receive a glorious hymn of divine worship for our people of power and honour from our poets of power and imagination. May we attain all that good and glory which Devas protect and promote. And may we, blest with the brave, sing songs of Divinity in our yajnic projects.

✦ Sukta 36 · 6 verses ✦

2.36.1

तुभ्यं॑ हिन्वा॒नो व॑सिष्ट॒ गा अ॒पोऽधु॑क्षन्त्सी॒मवि॑भि॒रद्रि॑भि॒र्नरः॑ । पिबे॑न्द्र॒ स्वाहा॒ प्रहु॑तं॒ वष॑ट्कृतं हो॒त्रादा सोमं॑ प्रथ॒मो य ईशि॑षे ॥

Indra, yajnapati, first and prime power who rule the world, let the person invoking you and rising in life settle down in peace and security for your sake. May the people like children of Aditi, mother Earth, receive the best of cows, lands and the holy Word and the best of water and energy with protective showers of the clouds. Indra, drink up the libations of soma, offered with dedication with the words ‘Svaha’ and ‘vashat’ from our yajna.

· · ·

2.36.2

य॒ज्ञैः संमि॑श्लाः॒ पृष॑तीभिर्ऋ॒ष्टिभि॒र्याम॑ञ्छु॒भ्रासो॑ अ॒ञ्जिषु॑ प्रि॒या उ॒त । आ॒सद्या॑ ब॒र्हिर्भ॑रतस्य सूनवः पो॒त्रादा सोमं॑ पिबता दिवो नरः ॥

Maruts, children of the Lord sustainer of the world, powers natural and divine, leaders of humanity united by yajna, moving by the right path at the right time by speed of the winds, creating and achieving the objects of desire, crystalline pure and lovely in colours of beauty, seating yourselves on the holy grass of the vedi, drink the soma distilled from the purest light of heaven.

· · ·

2.36.3

अ॒मेव॑ नः सुहवा॒ आ हि गन्त॑न॒ नि ब॒र्हिषि॑ सदतना॒ रणि॑ष्टन । अथा॑ मन्दस्व जुजुषा॒णो अन्ध॑स॒स्त्वष्ट॑र्दे॒वेभि॒र्जनि॑भिः सु॒मद्ग॑णः ॥

Maruts, invoked and invited with love and respect, come to us as to your own home, ride the skies and raise the voice of victory. Tvashta, lord maker of forms and institutions, leader of the republics, commanding high intelligence and wisdom, come with the brilliant creators and experts of production, taste the sweets of our yajnic food and celebrate the victory with us.

· · ·

2.36.4

आ व॑क्षि दे॒वाँ इ॒ह वि॑प्र॒ यक्षि॑ चो॒शन्हो॑त॒र्नि ष॑दा॒ योनि॑षु त्रि॒षु । प्रति॑ वीहि॒ प्रस्थि॑तं सो॒म्यं मधु॒ पिबाग्नी॑ध्रा॒त्तव॑ भा॒गस्य॑ तृप्णुहि ॥

Agni, ‘vipra’, brilliant lord of the dynamics of nature and human society, speak of the laws of nature and psycho-social dynamics and inaugurate and direct the yajna of creation and production here. Inspired and passionate for holy action, be seated on the vedi, establish yourself in the three fields of earth, sky and space and be sure and specific on description, application and valuation of knowledge human and divine with prayer and gratitude to the Lord Omniscient. Achieve the planned targets of blissful creativity and development, taste the sweets of yajnic success and be happy that you have played your part of life’s action for your people.

· · ·

2.36.5

ए॒ष स्य ते॑ त॒न्वो॑ नृम्ण॒वर्ध॑नः॒ सह॒ ओजः॑ प्र॒दिवि॑ बा॒ह्वोर्हि॒तः । तुभ्यं॑ सु॒तो म॑घव॒न्तुभ्य॒माभृ॑त॒स्त्वम॑स्य॒ ब्राह्म॑णा॒दा तृ॒पत्पि॑ब ॥

Indra, lord of wealth and power, ruler of the world, this soma is such that it would strengthen and augment the wealth and power of your body and soul. It is the very patience and fortitude and the lustre of your personality, as broad and clear as daylight, collected and consecrated in your very arms. It is distilled, seasoned, preserved and served for you only. Drink of it as a gift from the Brahmana, expert of science and bio-technology, and be happy.

· · ·

2.36.6

जु॒षेथां॑ य॒ज्ञं बोध॑तं॒ हव॑स्य मे स॒त्तो होता॑ नि॒विदः॑ पू॒र्व्या अनु॑ । अच्छा॒ राजा॑ना॒ नम॑ एत्या॒वृतं॑ प्रशा॒स्त्रादा पि॑बतं सो॒म्यं मधु॑ ॥

O brilliant Mitra and Varuna, friendly lord of the rule of law, administrators and people of the earth, join and participate in my yajna for the nation in honour of the Lord. Listen and appreciate the revealing voices of knowledge gifted by the saints and scholars old and new. Just as the yajaka seated and established in yajnic acts of creation and development receives the gifts of food and sustenance from yajna well-preserved, so you too receive the gifts of peace and prosperity from the scholars of Shastras and enjoy the honey sweets of the good life.

✦ Sukta 37 · 6 verses ✦

2.37.1

मन्द॑स्व हो॒त्रादनु॒ जोष॒मन्ध॒सोऽध्व॑र्यवः॒ स पू॒र्णां व॑ष्ट्या॒सिच॑म् । तस्मा॑ ए॒तं भ॑रत तद्व॒शो द॒दिर्हो॒त्रात्सोमं॑ द्रविणोदः॒ पिब॑ ऋ॒तुभिः॑ ॥

O lord giver beatific, rejoice and thrive on the food of libations to your heart’s desire. O yajakas, he loves the libations, full and profuse, offered with love in faith. Bear this sacred ‘havi’ and offer it liberally to him. He is loving and kind, eagerly awaiting the offering, and he is the abundant giver. O lord giver of the wealth of existence, drink up the fragrant soma from the fire of yajna in accordance with the seasons.

· · ·

2.37.2

यमु॒ पूर्व॒महु॑वे॒ तमि॒दं हु॑वे॒ सेदु॒ हव्यो॑ द॒दिर्यो नाम॒ पत्य॑ते । अ॒ध्व॒र्युभिः॒ प्रस्थि॑तं सो॒म्यं मधु॑ पो॒त्रात्सोमं॑ द्रविणोदः॒ पिब॑ ऋ॒तुभिः॑ ॥

Whom I ever invoke and worship, him alone I invoke and serve and worship now. He alone is the giver, he alone is the master, he alone is the ruler, he alone for sure is the lord worthy of invocation, invitation, service, yajna and worship. O lord giver of the wealth of life, abundant and infinite, receive and drink this honey sweet of soma prepared and refined by the loving, faithful and non-violent priests according to the seasons. Take it from the sacred cup and drink to your heart’s desire.

· · ·

2.37.3

मेद्य॑न्तु ते॒ वह्न॑यो॒ येभि॒रीय॒सेऽरि॑षण्यन्वीळयस्वा वनस्पते । आ॒यूया॑ धृष्णो अभि॒गूर्या॒ त्वं ने॒ष्ट्रात्सोमं॑ द्रविणोदः॒ पिब॑ ऋ॒तुभिः॑ ॥

May they be happy and may they prosper with whom you go, whom you support, who bear your burdens and carry forward your programmes for you. O lord controller of light and growth, wanting nothing for yourself and hurting none, be strong and firm, make your devotees strong and firm. Joining all, acting all round, lustrous, intrepidable and inviolable, please to accept the soma yajna of all seasons from the hand of the yajakas, drink and rejoice with love and for beneficence.

· · ·

2.37.4

अपा॑द्धो॒त्रादु॒त पो॒त्राद॑मत्तो॒त ने॒ष्ट्राद॑जुषत॒ प्रयो॑ हि॒तम् । तु॒रीयं॒ पात्र॒ममृ॑क्त॒मम॑र्त्यं द्रविणो॒दाः पि॑बतु द्रविणोद॒सः ॥

May the lord giver receive the food brought by the yajaka and offered from the ladle and the vedi and may the lord relish and rejoice and shower the yajaka with love. And may the lord giver of wealth and bliss bless the yajaka’s fourth estate of existence and protect his bowl of bliss unhurt and immortal.

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2.37.5

अ॒र्वाञ्च॑म॒द्य य॒य्यं॑ नृ॒वाह॑णं॒ रथं॑ युञ्जाथामि॒ह वां॑ वि॒मोच॑नम् । पृ॒ङ्क्तं ह॒वींषि॒ मधु॒ना हि कं॑ ग॒तमथा॒ सोमं॑ पिबतं वाजिनीवसू ॥

Ashvins, agents of nature for the lord of omnipotence, leaders of humanity and pioneers of peace and prosperity for the people, start your chariot and direct it hitherward to us, the chariot which transports you to our yajna and takes us to the land of freedom and bliss. Come to the land of joy, season our havi with honey, and drink the soma of immortal bliss.

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2.37.6

जोष्य॑ग्ने स॒मिधं॒ जोष्याहु॑तिं॒ जोषि॒ ब्रह्म॒ जन्यं॒ जोषि॑ सुष्टु॒तिम् । विश्वे॑भि॒र्विश्वाँ॑ ऋ॒तुना॑ वसो म॒ह उ॒शन्दे॒वाँ उ॑श॒तः पा॑यया ह॒विः ॥

Agni, lord of light, leader of humanity, giver of life’s vitality, accept the fuel offered, receive the havi offered in oblations, accept the creative chant of holy mantras, accept the praise and prayer. With all the powers of nature, serve the generous divinities. Lord giver of haven and home and the wealth of life, great, happy and rejoicing, yourself eager for the food of yajna and excitement, let all other great divinities, eager for food and fulfilment, receive and enjoy the offerings according to the seasons.

✦ Sukta 38 · 11 verses ✦

2.38.1

उदु॒ ष्य दे॒वः स॑वि॒ता स॒वाय॑ शश्वत्त॒मं तद॑पा॒ वह्नि॑रस्थात् । नू॒नं दे॒वेभ्यो॒ वि हि धाति॒ रत्न॒मथाभ॑जद्वी॒तिहो॑त्रं स्व॒स्तौ ॥

That self-refulgent lord Savita, creator and inspirer of the universe, omnipotent lord of action, holds, rules and sustains the universe and abides supreme over the eternal Prakrti. Indeed, he alone wields, orders and sustains the magnificent universe for the sake of living beings and carries on the sacred yajna of creation for the well-being of all.

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2.38.2

विश्व॑स्य॒ हि श्रु॒ष्टये॑ दे॒व ऊ॒र्ध्वः प्र बा॒हवा॑ पृ॒थुपा॑णिः॒ सिस॑र्ति । आप॑श्चिदस्य व्र॒त आ निमृ॑ग्रा अ॒यं चि॒द्वातो॑ रमते॒ परि॑ज्मन् ॥

For the good of the world alone the generous and self-refulgent lord Savita of long and mighty arms abides over all and extends his rays of light across the spaces. The waters too, pure and purifying, flow within his rule of law, and so do the winds play around every where under the same law.

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2.38.3

आ॒शुभि॑श्चि॒द्यान्वि मु॑चाति नू॒नमरी॑रम॒दत॑मानं चि॒देतोः॑ । अ॒ह्यर्षू॑णां चि॒न्न्य॑याँ अवि॒ष्यामनु॑ व्र॒तं स॑वि॒तुर्मोक्यागा॑त् ॥

Savita, lord of light, the Sun, with its radiant rays releases the moving planets from the shadow of another planet as it removes the shadow of darkness and causes the planet to shine. And for the sake of protection it also controls the movement of the winds coming to the clouds as also other serpentine movements either freakish or destructive. Thus the night and release from darkness comes according to the rule and movement of the Sun’s light, and that is the divine law.

· · ·

2.38.4

पुनः॒ सम॑व्य॒द्वित॑तं॒ वय॑न्ती म॒ध्या कर्तो॒र्न्य॑धा॒च्छक्म॒ धीरः॑ । उत्सं॒हाया॑स्था॒द्व्यृ१॒॑तूँर॑दर्धर॒रम॑तिः सवि॒ता दे॒व आगा॑त् ॥

The earth, traversing the wide wide space, revolves again and again in orbit in the solar region wielding her force and power to do the rounds assigned to her, and, leaving one place, moving on, comes back to the same and remains stable in the orbit. The constant and sleepless lord Savita, the Sun, self-refulgent and divine, creates the seasons of the year in the distinct order.

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2.38.5

नानौकां॑सि॒ दुर्यो॒ विश्व॒मायु॒र्वि ति॑ष्ठते प्रभ॒वः शोको॑ अ॒ग्नेः । ज्येष्ठं॑ मा॒ता सू॒नवे॑ भा॒गमाधा॒दन्व॑स्य॒ केत॑मिषि॒तं स॑वि॒त्रा ॥

Many are the forms and abodes of life, many doors, exits and entrances, where universal life abides, the light and life of Agni, the birth and death of the flame, the lustre, the desire and passion of the will divine to live and to be. The mother bears the highest share of it for the son, the flower in bloom inspired by Savita, father creator in accordance with his law of existence.

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2.38.6

स॒माव॑वर्ति॒ विष्ठि॑तो जिगी॒षुर्विश्वे॑षां॒ काम॒श्चर॑ताम॒माभू॑त् । शश्वाँ॒ अपो॒ विकृ॑तं हि॒त्व्यागा॒दनु॑ व्र॒तं स॑वि॒तुर्दैव्य॑स्य ॥

Happy is the man who is well settled in the home, prays for the well-being of all living beings and is fast and eager to win the battles of life. Such a man shuns all crooked ways of living and keeps to the pious ways of living in accordance with the laws and discipline of the brilliant and generous lord Savita, creator and ruler of the world.

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2.38.7

त्वया॑ हि॒तमप्य॑म॒प्सु भा॒गं धन्वान्वा मृ॑ग॒यसो॒ वि त॑स्थुः । वना॑नि॒ विभ्यो॒ नकि॑रस्य॒ तानि॑ व्र॒ता दे॒वस्य॑ सवि॒तुर्मि॑नन्ति ॥

O lord creator and ruler of existence, by you is created and provided life-giving energy in the waters. By you is created the sky, by you the forests, for the birds and the deer to fly, to roam and play. Those rules and laws of divine Savita they never violate, who can? No one does.

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2.38.8

या॒द्रा॒ध्यं१॒॑ वरु॑णो॒ योनि॒मप्य॒मनि॑शितं नि॒मिषि॒ जर्भु॑राणः । विश्वो॑ मार्ता॒ण्डो व्र॒जमा प॒शुर्गा॑त्स्थ॒शो जन्मा॑नि सवि॒ता व्याकः॑ ॥

Savita, lord creator of the universe, sustaining it in the succession of moments in the time continuum, creates various forms for various births of the souls according to their state of karma, and the same lord as Varuna, lord of love and justice, assigns the form desired and deserved by the soul the moment its eye is closed on death. Thus do all living beings under the sun come back to their ultimate home from where they had gone out on their existential journey.

· · ·

2.38.9

न यस्येन्द्रो॒ वरु॑णो॒ न मि॒त्रो व्र॒तम॑र्य॒मा न मि॒नन्ति॑ रु॒द्रः । नारा॑तय॒स्तमि॒दं स्व॒स्ति हु॒वे दे॒वं स॑वि॒तारं॒ नमो॑भिः ॥

None can violate, nor circumvent the law and justice of Savita, Supreme Lord Creator: Neither Indra, the sun and cosmic electric force, nor Varuna, the waters, nor Mitra, the winds, nor Aryama, life breath of air, nor even Rudra, the soul by itself or in alliance with any power of nature, no enemies, that is, any imaginable counter forces can violate the divine law. This Lord Savita, for well-being and salvation, do I invoke with homage and salutations. Self-refulgent is He, generous and gracious.

· · ·

2.38.10

भगं॒ धियं॑ वा॒जय॑न्तः॒ पुर॑न्धिं॒ नरा॒शंसो॒ ग्नास्पति॑र्नो अव्याः । आ॒ये वा॒मस्य॑ संग॒थे र॑यी॒णां प्रि॒या दे॒वस्य॑ सवि॒तुः स्या॑म ॥

Glorious is Savita, worthy of thought and meditation, sustainer of the universe, celebrated by humanity, lord protector of all. We know the lord and do homage to Him with prayer, submission and yajna, and we earnestly wish that in our battles of life and in our success in the achievement of the wealth of life we may ever be blest with His love and grace.

· · ·

2.38.11

अ॒स्मभ्यं॒ तद्दि॒वो अ॒द्भ्यः पृ॑थि॒व्यास्त्वया॑ द॒त्तं काम्यं॒ राध॒ आ गा॑त् । शं यत्स्तो॒तृभ्य॑ आ॒पये॒ भवा॑त्युरु॒शंसा॑य सवितर्जरि॒त्रे ॥

O Lord, whatever wealth has been given to us by you from the regions of light and the enlightened people, from the waters and the generous people, from the earth and motherly figures, whatever desired be achieved, may all that be good and blissful for the celebrants, the learned, the praiseworthy and, O Lord Savita, for the worshipful.

✦ Sukta 39 · 8 verses ✦

2.39.1

ग्रावा॑णेव॒ तदिदर्थं॑ जरेथे॒ गृध्रे॑व वृ॒क्षं नि॑धि॒मन्त॒मच्छ॑ । ब्र॒ह्माणे॑व वि॒दथ॑ उक्थ॒शासा॑ दू॒तेव॒ हव्या॒ जन्या॑ पुरु॒त्रा ॥

Ashvins, harbingers of life’s heat and light,breath of being and energy, spirit of passion and action, complementary currents of the circuit of existence, you approach the earth like two clouds of rain to augment her wealth. You come like two eager birds and sit on the tree of life laden with fruit to enjoy yourselves to the full. In the yajna of development, you are two priests who chant the hymns of celebration and prayer. And in life in general, you are like two welcome harbingers who create and help us create the abundance of earth.

· · ·

2.39.2

प्रा॒त॒र्यावा॑णा र॒थ्ये॑व वी॒राऽजेव॑ य॒मा वर॒मा स॑चेथे । मेने॑इव त॒न्वा॒३॒॑ शुम्भ॑माने॒ दम्प॑तीव क्रतु॒विदा॒ जने॑षु ॥

You come like two heroic warriors of the chariot in the morning. You join us like two leaders of the flock to lead us on in the right direction. You descend like two fairies of celestial form full of bliss. And you are like a wedded couple who know their sacred obligations among the people.

· · ·

2.39.3

शृङ्गे॑व नः प्रथ॒मा ग॑न्तम॒र्वाक्छ॒फावि॑व॒ जर्भु॑राणा॒ तरो॑भिः । च॒क्र॒वा॒केव॒ प्रति॒ वस्तो॑रुस्रा॒ऽर्वाञ्चा॑ यातं र॒थ्ये॑व शक्रा ॥

You come first and foremost for us like horns of defence, like bright war horses panting for action, with strength and patience for victory, like the chakravaka bird couple which are harbingers of light and love every morning. Thus mighty and powerful, you move and lead us forward like the pioneers of battle.

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2.39.4

ना॒वेव॑ नः पारयतं यु॒गेव॒ नभ्ये॑व न उप॒धीव॑ प्र॒धीव॑ । श्वाने॑व नो॒ अरि॑षण्या त॒नूनां॒ खृग॑लेव वि॒स्रसः॑ पातम॒स्मान् ॥

Take us across like a boat, like two chariot horses; hold us strong and stable like the nave, the axle and the chassis of the chariot; keep us wide awake like watch dogs for the safety of our body and society and, like the coat of mail, save us from falling down battered and broken.

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2.39.5

वाते॑वाजु॒र्या न॒द्ये॑व री॒तिर॒क्षीइ॑व॒ चक्षु॒षा या॑तम॒र्वाक् । हस्ता॑विव त॒न्वे॒३॒॑ शंभ॑विष्ठा॒ पादे॑व नो नयतं॒ वस्यो॒ अच्छ॑ ॥

Unaging like winds, ever flowing like river waters, watchful as with open eyes, come upfront and, like the hands giving protection and security to the body, and like the feet, take us forward to the holy wealth of life.

· · ·

2.39.6

ओष्ठा॑विव॒ मध्वा॒स्ने वद॑न्ता॒ स्तना॑विव पिप्यतं जी॒वसे॑ नः । नासे॑व नस्त॒न्वो॑ रक्षि॒तारा॒ कर्णा॑विव सु॒श्रुता॑ भूतम॒स्मे ॥

Like the lips, speaking honey sweet for the mouth, help us to be sweet. Like the mother’s breast, nourish and sustain us to live. Like the nostrils, sustain our body with the breath of life. And like the ears, be listeners for us to give us the voice divine.

· · ·

2.39.7

हस्ते॑व श॒क्तिम॒भि सं॑द॒दी नः॒ क्षामे॑व नः॒ सम॑जतं॒ रजां॑सि । इ॒मा गिरो॑ अश्विना युष्म॒यन्तीः॒ क्ष्णोत्रे॑णेव॒ स्वधि॑तिं॒ सं शि॑शीतम् ॥

Like the arms, give us noble strength. Like the earth, give us wide spaces for expansion. These words, O Ashvins, addressed to you, may, like a whetstone, energise and sharpen our communication and raise it to the voice of thunder.

· · ·

2.39.8

ए॒तानि॑ वामश्विना॒ वर्ध॑नानि॒ ब्रह्म॒ स्तोमं॑ गृत्सम॒दासो॑ अक्रन् । तानि॑ नरा जुजुषा॒णोप॑ यातं बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

These words of homage, this holy song of celebration, the seekers of life’s joy and excitement offer to you. Ashvins, O leaders of humanity, accept these with love and grace, and come to bless us so that, blest with the brave, we speak and celebrate you highly and advance far ahead in our projects of life.

✦ Sukta 40 · 6 verses ✦

2.40.1

सोमा॑पूषणा॒ जन॑ना रयी॒णां जन॑ना दि॒वो जन॑ना पृथि॒व्याः । जा॒तौ विश्व॑स्य॒ भुव॑नस्य गो॒पौ दे॒वा अ॑कृण्वन्न॒मृत॑स्य॒ नाभि॑म् ॥

Soma and Pusha, universal energies of peace and stability and nourishment and growth, are creators of all forms of wealth, creators of light and creators of earth. Born as complementary powers, they are protectors of the entire universe. O Devas, divinities of nature, scholars and leaders, feed, know and reveal this creative centre and power of immortality.

· · ·

2.40.2

इ॒मौ दे॒वौ जाय॑मानौ जुषन्ते॒मौ तमां॑सि गूहता॒मजु॑ष्टा । आ॒भ्यामिन्द्रः॑ प॒क्वमा॒मास्व॒न्तः सो॑मापू॒षभ्यां॑ जनदु॒स्रिया॑सु ॥

All divinities of nature serve and feed these two powers ever since they come into existence. Together, these two, Soma and Pusha, like the moon and the herbs, dispel the disagreeable forces of darkness and ignorance. With the same two, Indra, the Sun, nature’s power of light and energy, creates the generative maturity and ripeness in the developing fields of generation such as earth, cows and women.

· · ·

2.40.3

सोमा॑पूषणा॒ रज॑सो वि॒मानं॑ स॒प्तच॑क्रं॒ रथ॒मवि॑श्वमिन्वम् । वि॒षू॒वृतं॒ मन॑सा यु॒ज्यमा॑नं॒ तं जि॑न्वथो वृषणा॒ पञ्च॑रश्मिम् ॥

Soma and Pusha, fire and air, all-invigorating powers, create, animate and refresh that aerial chariot with seven chakras (circles and centres of energy) and five controls for the people it traverses the spaces and goes all over in all directions but is not perceived everywhere and it can be controlled with the mind.

· · ·

2.40.4

दि॒व्य१॒॑न्यः सद॑नं च॒क्र उ॒च्चा पृ॑थि॒व्याम॒न्यो अध्य॒न्तरि॑क्षे । ताव॒स्मभ्यं॑ पुरु॒वारं॑ पुरु॒क्षुं रा॒यस्पोषं॒ वि ष्य॑तां॒ नाभि॑म॒स्मे ॥

One of them as sun has made his home high up in heaven, the other on the earth and over in the sky as generative heat and electric energy. May the two create for us wealth and growth loved and admired universally, and may they strengthen the natural bond between themselves and us like the natal cord between mother and child.

· · ·

2.40.5

विश्वा॑न्य॒न्यो भुव॑ना ज॒जान॒ विश्व॑म॒न्यो अ॑भि॒चक्षा॑ण एति । सोमा॑पूषणा॒वव॑तं॒ धियं॑ मे यु॒वाभ्यां॒ विश्वाः॒ पृत॑ना जयेम ॥

One of them creates the entire worlds of existence, and the other goes on and on watching the world and watched and admired by the world. O Soma and Pusha, I pray, protect and promote my intelligence. We pray that with the help and kindness of both of you we may help and promote the entire humanity and win the battles of life.

· · ·

2.40.6

धियं॑ पू॒षा जि॑न्वतु विश्वमि॒न्वो र॒यिं सोमो॑ रयि॒पति॑र्दधातु । अव॑तु दे॒व्यदि॑तिरन॒र्वा बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

May Pusha, all-pervading spirit of growth and refinement, inspire our will and intelligence. May Soma, lord of wealth, bless us with wealth. May mother Aditi, divine intelligence, moving in unseen currents, inspire our intelligence. And may we, blest with brave warriors and noble children, sing ecstatic songs of thanks and praise in celebration of Soma and Pusha.

✦ Sukta 41 · 21 verses ✦

2.41.1

वायो॒ ये ते॑ सह॒स्रिणो॒ रथा॑स॒स्तेभि॒रा ग॑हि । नि॒युत्वा॒न्त्सोम॑पीतये ॥

Vayu, tempestuous power of divine nature, intelligence of the learned, commanding a thousand chariots and laws of motion, come with all those powers and laws to drink of the soma of life’s joy.

· · ·

2.41.2

नि॒युत्वा॑न्वाय॒वा ग॑ह्य॒यं शु॒क्रो अ॑यामि ते । गन्ता॑सि सुन्व॒तो गृ॒हम् ॥

Vayu, scholar of the dynamics of the winds, selfcontrolled with your disciplined mind and senses, drying up the mists of ignorance and confusion with the brilliant light of knowledge, come to the brilliant light of knowledge, come to the house of the yajamana who has distilled the soma. Universally moving you are, I invite you come in person. This soma is for you.

· · ·

2.41.3

शु॒क्रस्या॒द्य गवा॑शिर॒ इन्द्र॑वायू नि॒युत्व॑तः । आ या॑तं॒ पिब॑तं नरा ॥

O Indra, O Vayu, power dynamic as electric energy, scholar vibrant as wind, sages dedicated to love and Dharma, come to the yajamana, pure, brilliant, disciplined and dedicated, and drink of the soma distilled and prepared.

· · ·

2.41.4

अ॒यं वां॑ मित्रावरुणा सु॒तः सोम॑ ऋतावृधा । ममेदि॒ह श्रु॑तं॒ हव॑म् ॥

O Mitra and Varuna, dear as breath of life and soothing as morning mist, eminent in dedication to truth and law, the soma of life is distilled and prepared for you. Listen to this call and invitation of mine and come here and now.

· · ·

2.41.5

राजा॑ना॒वन॑भिद्रुहा ध्रु॒वे सद॑स्युत्त॒मे । स॒हस्र॑स्थूण आसाते ॥

Indra and Vayu, power and progress, Mitra and Varuna, love and justice in freedom of choice, all embracing and hating none, abide in the house of inviolable peace and stability firmly resting on a thousand pillars.

· · ·

2.41.6

ता स॒म्राजा॑ घृ॒तासु॑ती आदि॒त्या दानु॑न॒स्पती॑ । सचे॑ते॒ अन॑वह्वरम् ॥

The brilliant Adityas, inviolable ruling lords of light and peace, the sun and moon of the world, who distil the very essence of life like ghrta and aqua pura, protect and promote the generous charitable people who follow the simple, straight and natural paths of life free from crookedness.

· · ·

2.41.7

गोम॑दू॒ षु ना॑स॒त्याऽश्वा॑वद्यातमश्विना । व॒र्ती रु॑द्रा नृ॒पाय्य॑म् ॥

Ashvins, complementarities of nature and humanity, spirits of love and justice, dedicated to truth and Dharma, rich and prosperous with cows and horses, that is, plenty of wealth and enlightenment and speed of progress, you are Rudras, wielding the sceptre of law and power and the rod of punishment, come to bless all by simple and straight paths of naturalness which are protective and promotive for all people.

· · ·

2.41.8

न यत्परो॒ नान्त॑र आद॒धर्ष॑द्वृषण्वसू । दुः॒शंसो॒ मर्त्यो॑ रि॒पुः ॥

Generous are the Ashvins’ showers of wealth, joy and protection, so strong that no mortal man, no maligner, no enemy internal or external, dare challenge, much less hurt, violate or surpass and overcome them. (Let us all abide by them.)

· · ·

2.41.9

ता न॒ आ वो॑ळ्हमश्विना र॒यिं पि॒शङ्ग॑संदृशम् । धिष्ण्या॑ वरिवो॒विद॑म् ॥

Ashvins, pious and resolute lords of generosity, fire and air of life in existence, bring us that wealth of golden hue which creates further wealth and gives us freedom and space for progress and expansion.

· · ·

2.41.10

इन्द्रो॑ अ॒ङ्ग म॒हद्भ॒यम॒भी षदप॑ चुच्यवत् । स हि स्थि॒रो विच॑र्षणिः ॥

Indra, light of life, dear as breath of vitality, mighty great, blazing as the sun which is stable in its orbit and enlightens and watches us all as it moves, may, we pray, remove all fear and give us freedom.

· · ·

2.41.11

इन्द्र॑श्च मृ॒ळ्या॑ति नो॒ न नः॑ प॒श्चाद॒घं न॑शत् । भ॒द्रं भ॑वाति नः पु॒रः ॥

May Indra, lord omnipotent, and the sun bless us with peace and comfort, and may sin and evil, we pray, never touch us either before or after, and may good alone be our share and fortune for all time.

· · ·

2.41.12

इन्द्र॒ आशा॑भ्य॒स्परि॒ सर्वा॑भ्यो॒ अभ॑यं करत् । जे॒ता शत्रू॒न् विऽच॑र्षणिः ॥

May Indra, lord omnipotent beyond all fear and violence, grant us freedom from all quarters of space. He watches all and he is the supreme victor over all enemies and contrarieties.

· · ·

2.41.13

विश्वे॑ देवास॒ आ ग॑त शृणु॒ता म॑ इ॒मं हव॑म् । एदं ब॒र्हिर्नि षी॑दत ॥

All brilliant greats of the world, divinities of nature and humanity, sages and scholars, listen to this voice and prayer of mine: come and grace the holy seats of our yajna.

· · ·

2.41.14

ती॒व्रो वो॒ मधु॑माँ अ॒यं शु॒नहो॑त्रेषु मत्स॒रः । ए॒तं पि॑बत॒ काम्य॑म् ॥

Intense, honey sweet and exhilarating is the pleasure gifted by saints and scholars in our soma-yajna for the promotion of science. It is for you, divinities of the world. Come and drink of this pleasure to your heart’s content.

· · ·

2.41.15

इन्द्र॑ज्येष्ठा॒ मरु॑द्गणा॒ देवा॑सः॒ पूष॑रातयः । विश्वे॒ मम॑ श्रुता॒ हव॑म् ॥

Indra supreme, ruling light and power of the world, and all those divinities whose presiding priest is he, republics of the people, saints and sages, and all those people and organisations who generously contribute to and for the advancement of science and culture, listen to this call and prayer of mine and come.

· · ·

2.41.16

अम्बि॑तमे॒ नदी॑तमे॒ देवि॑तमे॒ सर॑स्वति । अ॒प्र॒श॒स्ताइ॑व स्मसि॒ प्रश॑स्तिमम्ब नस्कृधि ॥

Sarasvati, mother dearest, most fluent and eloquent giver of vision and wisdom, liberal and most brilliant, eternal fount of knowledge and speech, we are just like simple, natural, innocent, unknown children. Mother spirit of nature and humanity, give us the light of knowledge and culture with the grace of Divinity and make us worthy of acceptance, appreciation and rightful praise.

· · ·

2.41.17

त्वे विश्वा॑ सरस्वति श्रि॒तायूं॑षि दे॒व्याम् । शु॒नहो॑त्रेषु मत्स्व प्र॒जां दे॑वि दिदिड्ढि नः ॥

In you, O generous mother giver of vision and wisdom, lie all the health and age and wealth of knowledge for the world. Come brilliant mother Sarasvati, grace our yajna of education and science, rejoice and create for us a new generation of healthy, educated and refined children.

· · ·

2.41.18

इ॒मा ब्रह्म॑ सरस्वति जु॒षस्व॑ वाजिनीवति । या ते॒ मन्म॑ गृत्सम॒दा ऋ॑तावरि प्रि॒या दे॒वेषु॒ जुह्व॑ति ॥

Sarasvati, mother of universal knowledge and speech, commanding the food, energy and speed of the advancement of humanity moving on the paths of truth and rectitude, listen to these chants of homage and accept with delight and homage these your favourite oblations of scientific knowledge which the ecstatic performers in the yajna of education offer to you in honour of the bounties of nature, divinity and humanity for the benefit of the faithful seekers.

· · ·

2.41.19

प्रेतां॑ य॒ज्ञस्य॑ शं॒भुवा॑ यु॒वामिदा वृ॑णीमहे । अ॒ग्निं च॑ हव्य॒वाह॑नम् ॥

Dyavaprthivi, heaven and earth, generative treasures of yajnic wealth, creators and givers of peace, prosperity and well-being, come and grace our yajna. We opt for you and invoke and invite you. And we invoke and invite Agni who carries the fragrance of the holy yajna offered into the fire.

· · ·

2.41.20

द्यावा॑ नः पृथि॒वी इ॒मं सि॒ध्रम॒द्य दि॑वि॒स्पृश॑म् । य॒ज्ञं दे॒वेषु॑ यच्छताम् ॥

Heaven and earth, teachers enlightened as the sun and generous as mother earth, let this perfect yajna of ours, this planned yajnic programme of education and enlightenment, which touches the skies and the regions of light now rise high to the divinities and reach the saints and scholars of brilliance across the earth.

· · ·

2.41.21

आ वा॑मु॒पस्थ॑मद्रुहा दे॒वाः सी॑दन्तु य॒ज्ञियाः॑ । इ॒हाद्य सोम॑पीतये ॥

Dyava-prthivi, heaven and earth, enlightened and generous teachers and scholars of eminence, who love all and hate none and who are easily accessible and blissfully companionable, may the noble and brilliant seekers of knowledge dedicated to creative and yajnic programmes of learning and education come to you and sit with you for the attainment of the pleasures of knowledge, power and prosperity, and honour and dignity of life here and now.

✦ Sukta 42 · 3 verses ✦

2.42.1

कनि॑क्रदज्ज॒नुषं॑ प्रब्रुवा॒ण इय॑र्ति॒ वाच॑मरि॒तेव॒ नाव॑म् । सु॒म॒ङ्गल॑श्च शकुने॒ भवा॑सि॒ मा त्वा॒ का चि॑दभि॒भा विश्व्या॑ विदत् ॥

Speaking loud and bold, addressing humanity, you take the Word forward like a mariner who takes his vessel forward on the waters. O master of the Word, flying like the eagle, you are the harbinger of good fortune. No superior force from any quarter whatsoever would approach you to disturb your mission.

· · ·

2.42.2

मा त्वा॑ श्ये॒न उद्व॑धी॒न्मा सु॑प॒र्णो मा त्वा॑ विद॒दिषु॑मान्वी॒रो अस्ता॑ । पित्र्या॒मनु॑ प्र॒दिशं॒ कनि॑क्रदत्सुम॒ङ्गलो॑ भद्रवा॒दी व॑दे॒ह ॥

May none like the hawk smite you, nor like the vulture violate you. Nor must the hunter with the bow shoot you down with the arrow. Reverberating with your voice loud and bold across the lands of your forefathers, harbinger of good fortune, speak to us here of the good things to come.

· · ·

2.42.3

अव॑ क्रन्द दक्षिण॒तो गृ॒हाणां॑ सुम॒ङ्गलो॑ भद्रवा॒दी श॑कुन्ते । मा नः॑ स्ते॒न ई॑शत॒ माघशं॑सो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Speak aloud, proclaim from the house tops on the right the good things to come. Speak of good fortune, man of power and the Word as you are. May no thief rule over us, no sinner, no maligner boss over us. And we would all, blest with the brave, sing aloud in praise of you and celebrant.

✦ Sukta 43 · 3 verses ✦

2.43.1

प्र॒द॒क्षि॒णिद॒भि गृ॑णन्ति का॒रवो॒ वयो॒ वद॑न्त ऋतु॒था श॒कुन्त॑यः । उ॒भे वाचौ॑ वदति साम॒गाइ॑व गाय॒त्रं च॒ त्रैष्टु॑भं॒ चानु॑ राजति ॥

Going round clockwise from left to right in obeisance, poets and artists sing in homage to Indra, lord of light and power. So do birds of beauty and majesty sing in praise of the lord according to the seasons. So does Indra, poet of power, like a Somasinger chant the Word of both material and spiritual significance as he chants and reveals the significance of other mantras in Gayatri, Tristubh and other metres.

· · ·

2.43.2

उ॒द्गा॒तेव॑ शकुने॒ साम॑ गायसि ब्रह्मपु॒त्रइ॑व॒ सव॑नेषु शंससि । वृषे॑व वा॒जी शिशु॑मतीर॒पीत्या॑ स॒र्वतो॑ नः शकुने भ॒द्रमा व॑द वि॒श्वतो॑ नः शकुने॒ पुण्य॒मा व॑द ॥

Shakuni, poet of power and homage to Indra, like the Sama-singer in yajna, you sing the songs

of ecstasy. Like the disciple of a Vedic scholar Brahamana, you sing in homage to the lord in holy rites. Like a virile and passionate bull approaching youthful females, speak to us with enthusiasm of all round good things. All round, speak to us of noble and blissful things.

· · ·

2.43.3

आ॒वदं॒स्त्वं श॑कुने भ॒द्रमा व॑द तू॒ष्णीमासी॑नः सुम॒तिं चि॑किद्धि नः । यदु॒त्पत॒न्वद॑सि कर्क॒रिर्य॑था बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीराः॑ ॥

Shakuni, poet of power and imagination, while speaking, speak to us of good. Silent and sitting, enlighten our mind with noble thoughts. While flying on the wings of imagination, you speak of the way you do good. Let us then, blest with good and brave children, sing songs of high praise for the lord.