36. Adhyāya 36 — Pravargya
Mantras 1–10
36.1
ऋचं वाचं प्र पद्ये मनो यजुः प्र पद्ये साम प्राणं प्र पद्ये चक्षुः श्रोत्रं प्र पद्ये ।
वाग् ओजः सहौजो मयि प्राणापानौ ॥
ṛcaṃ vācaṃ pra padye mano yajuḥ pra padye sāma prāṇaṃ pra padye cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ pra padye ।
vāg ojaḥ sahaujo mayi prāṇāpānau ॥
I arise and come to Rigveda, voice of Divinity. I come to Yajurveda, mind and resolution divine. I come to Samaveda, energy and ecstasy divine. I come to Atharva-veda, vision and vibration of Divinity. That speech is my light and glory. That light and mind is my strength and spirit of courage and fortitude. By virtue of the divine, the prana and apana energy is my real might.
36.2
यन् मे छिद्रं चक्षुषो हृदयस्य मनसो वातितृण्णं बृहस्पतिर् मे तद् दधातु ।
शं नो भवतु भुवनस्य यस् पतिः ॥
yan me chidraṃ cakṣuṣo hṛdayasya manaso vātitṛṇṇaṃ bṛhaspatir me tad dadhātu ।
śaṃ no bhavatu bhuvanasya yas patiḥ ॥
Whatever the weakness of my eye, of my heart, and of my mind, whatever the loop-holes anywhere, may the Lord of Infinity make up and re-fill. May the lord who is father and guardian of the universe, we pray, be good and gracious to us.
36.3
भूर् भुवः स्वः ।
तत् सवितुर् वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥
bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ ।
tat savitur vareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi ।
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ॥
With the knowledge of Being, Becoming, and Spirit, with knowledge, karma and prayer, we meditate upon the blazing glory of self-effulgent lord Savita, Lord of existence, intelligence and bliss, the only worthy choice of ours, and we pray that He may inspire and guide our vision and intelligence to the right path.
36.4
कया नश् चित्र ऽ आ भुवद् ऊती सदावृधः सखा ।
कया शचिष्ठया वृता ॥
kayā naś citra ' ā bhuvad ūtī sadāvṛdhaḥ sakhā ।
kayā śaciṣṭhayā vṛtā ॥
By what modes and acts of protection, by which might and brilliant, current and recurrent power and intelligence, does the wondrous lord of the universe, great and ever greater, abide by us as our universal friend and inspire our noble thoughts and actions? (By divine acts, blissful intelligence, and inspiration.)
36.5
कस् त्वा सत्यो मदानां मꣳहिष्ठो मत्सद् अन्धसः ।
दृढा चिद् आरुजे वसु ॥
kas tvā satyo madānāṃ maṁhiṣṭho matsad andhasaḥ ।
dṛḍhā cid āruje vasu ॥
36.6
अभी षु णः सखीनाम् अविता जरितॄणाम् ।
शतं भवास्य् ऊतिभिः ॥
abhī ṣu ṇaḥ sakhīnām avitā jaritṝṇām ।
śataṃ bhavāsy ūtibhiḥ ॥
Lord Supreme, be all-round saviour of ours, of friends and admirers, in a hundred ways of your divine protection.
36.7
कया त्वम् न ऽ ऊत्याभि प्र मन्दसे वृषन् ।
कया स्तोतृभ्य ऽ आ भर ॥
kayā tvam na ' ūtyābhi pra mandase vṛṣan ।
kayā stotṛbhya ' ā bhara ॥
Lord of abundant showers, let us know by which ways of protection you save and bless your worshippers with joy, and by which forms of generosity you raise your devotees.
36.8
इन्द्रो विश्वस्य राजति ।
शं नो ऽ अस्तु द्विपदे शं चतुष्पदे ॥
indro viśvasya rājati ।
śaṃ no ' astu dvipade śaṃ catuṣpade ॥
Indra, lord of light, power and glory, rules the world. By His grace, may all be peace and joy with the humans and with the animals.
36.9
शं नो मित्रः शं वरुणः शं नो भवत्व् अर्यमा ।
शं न ऽ इन्द्रो बृहस्पतिः शं नो विष्णुर् उरुक्रमः ॥
śaṃ no mitraḥ śaṃ varuṇaḥ śaṃ no bhavatv aryamā ।
śaṃ na ' indro bṛhaspatiḥ śaṃ no viṣṇur urukramaḥ ॥
May Mitra, lord and friend of the world, be good and kind to us. May Varuna, giver of cool and bliss be good and kind to us. May Aryama, lord of universal justice, be good and kind. May Indra, lord of power and glory be good and gracious. May Brihaspati, lord infinite and omniscient, be good and generous. May Vishnu, lord infinite and omnipresent of grand action be good and generous with gifts of peace and joy for us all.
36.10
शं नो वातः पवताꣳ शं नस् तपतु सूर्यः ।
शं नः कनिक्रदद् देवः पर्जन्यो ऽ अभि वर्षतु ॥
śaṃ no vātaḥ pavatāṁ śaṃ nas tapatu sūryaḥ ।
śaṃ naḥ kanikradad devaḥ parjanyo ' abhi varṣatu ॥
May the winds blow cool and calm for us. May the sun shine warm and clear for us all. May lightning, thunderous brilliant, bring peace for us all. And may the generous cloud shower rains of soothing joy and prosperity for us all over the world.
Mantras 11–20
36.11
अहानि शं भवन्तु नः शꣳ रात्रीः प्रति धीयताम् ।
शं न ऽ इन्द्राग्नी भवताम् अवोभिः शं न ऽ इन्द्रावरुणा रातहव्या ।
शं न ऽ इन्द्रापूषणा वाजसातौ शम् इन्द्रासोमा सुविताय शं योः ॥
ahāni śaṃ bhavantu naḥ śaṁ rātrīḥ prati dhīyatām ।
śaṃ na ' indrāgnī bhavatām avobhiḥ śaṃ na ' indrāvaruṇā rātahavyā ।
śaṃ na ' indrāpūṣaṇā vājasātau śam indrāsomā suvitāya śaṃ yoḥ ॥
May the days be good and useful for us. May the nights hold peace and comfort for us. May Indra and Agni, energy and heat, be good and productive with safety and protection. May Indra and Varuna, power and water, be good and generous with food and wealth. May Indra and Pusha, power and good health, bring peace and freedom. May Indra and Soma, power and peace, bring inspiration for the joy of living.
36.12
शं नो देवीर् अभिष्टय ऽ आपो भवन्तु पीतये ।
शं योर् अभि स्रवन्तु नः ॥
śaṃ no devīr abhiṣṭaya ' āpo bhavantu pītaye ।
śaṃ yor abhi sravantu naḥ ॥
May the heavenly waters be full of soothing sweetness and give us the pleasure of desired bliss. May they bring us generous showers of profound peace and
36.13
स्योना पृथिवि नो भवानृक्षरा निवेशनी ।
यच्छा नः शर्म सप्रथाः ॥
syonā pṛthivi no bhavānṛkṣarā niveśanī ।
yacchā naḥ śarma saprathāḥ ॥
May this dear green earth be free from vexations and full of wealth in abundance. Generous and expansive, may it provide a happy and comfortable home for all of us to live in peace and joy.
36.14
आपो हि ष्ठा मयोभुवस् ता न ऽ ऊर्जे दधातन ।
महे रणाय चक्षसे ॥
āpo hi ṣṭhā mayobhuvas tā na ' ūrje dadhātana ।
mahe raṇāya cakṣase ॥
Surely the waters, full of peace and well-being, abide by us holding energy, greatness, victory and vision for all of us.
36.15
यो वः शिवतमो रसस् तस्य भाजयतेह नः ।
उशतीर् इव मातरः ॥
yo vaḥ śivatamo rasas tasya bhājayateha naḥ ।
uśatīr iva mātaraḥ ॥
Like generous mothers overflowing with love for their children, blessed women, give us here in life our full share of the most blissful nectar that you hold for us as the essence of nature’s gift of vitality.
36.16
तस्मा ऽ अरं गमाम वो यस्य क्षयाय जिन्वथ ।
आपो जनयथा च नः ॥
tasmā ' araṃ gamāma vo yasya kṣayāya jinvatha ।
āpo janayathā ca naḥ ॥
36.17
द्यौः शान्तिर् अन्तरिक्षꣳ शान्तिः पृथिवी शान्तिर् आपः शान्तिर् ओषधयः शान्तिः ।
वनस्पतयः शान्तिर् विश्वे देवाः शान्तिर् ब्रह्म शान्तिः सर्वꣳ शान्तिः शान्तिर् एव शान्तिः सा मा शान्तिर् एधि ॥
dyauḥ śāntir antarikṣaṁ śāntiḥ pṛthivī śāntir āpaḥ śāntir oṣadhayaḥ śāntiḥ ।
vanaspatayaḥ śāntir viśve devāḥ śāntir brahma śāntiḥ sarvaṁ śāntiḥ śāntir eva śāntiḥ sā mā śāntir edhi ॥
May the heavens bring us peace. May peace be with the skies, and may the skies shower us with peace. May there be peace on earth, and may the earth mother bring us peace. May there be peace with the waters, and may the waters bring us peace. May there be peace in the herbs, and may the herbs bring us peace. May peace be with the trees and may the trees bring us peace. Peace be with the divinities of the world, and may they bless us with peace. May the Great Lord of the universe bless us with peace, and may the Veda inspire us with peace. May all existence be at peace and may peace come from all existence to all. May there be peace only, universal peace for all. May that heavenly peace come and bless me. May It bless all.
36.18
दृते दृꣳह मा मित्रस्य मा चक्षुषा सर्वाणि भूतानि सम् ईक्षन्ताम् ।
मित्रस्याहं चक्षुषा सर्वाणि भूतानि समीक्षे ।
मित्रस्य चक्षुषा सम् ईक्षामहे ॥
dṛte dṛṁha mā mitrasya mā cakṣuṣā sarvāṇi bhūtāni sam īkṣantām ।
mitrasyāhaṃ cakṣuṣā sarvāṇi bhūtāni samīkṣe ।
mitrasya cakṣuṣā sam īkṣāmahe ॥
Lord of light and power, strengthen us for a place of honour and respect. May all the living beings view me with the eye of a friend. May I look at all the living beings with the eye of a friend. May we all view all with friendly eyes of love and understanding.
36.19
दृते दृꣳह मा ।
ज्योक् ते संदृशि जीव्यासं ज्योक् ते संदृशि जीव्यासम् ॥
dṛte dṛṁha mā ।
jyok te saṃdṛśi jīvyāsaṃ jyok te saṃdṛśi jīvyāsam ॥
Lord of light, remove the veil of darkness and illusion, strengthen me, so that I may live for ever in the light of reality under your benign eye, live for ever in the holy light of your benign presence.
36.20
नमस् ते हरसे शोचिषे नमस् ते ऽ अस्त्व् अर्चिषे ।
अन्याꣳस् ते ऽ अस्मत् तपन्तु हेतयः पावको ऽ अस्मभ्यꣳ शिवो भव ॥
namas te harase śociṣe namas te ' astv arciṣe ।
anyāṁs te ' asmat tapantu hetayaḥ pāvako ' asmabhyaṁ śivo bhava ॥
Mantras 21–24
36.21
नमस् ते ऽ अस्तु विद्युते नमस् ते स्तनयित्नवे ।
नमस् ते भगवन्न् अस्तु यतः स्वः समीहसे ॥
namas te ' astu vidyute namas te stanayitnave ।
namas te bhagavann astu yataḥ svaḥ samīhase ॥
Homage to the lord of lightning! Homage to the lord of thunder! Salutation to you, lord of omnipotence, since you alone love, inspire and gather us into light and bliss!
36.22
यतो-यतः समीहसे ततो नो ऽ अभयं कुरु ।
शं नः कुरु प्रजाभ्यो ऽभयं नः पशुभ्यः ॥
yato-yataḥ samīhase tato no ' abhayaṃ kuru ।
śaṃ naḥ kuru prajābhyo 'bhayaṃ naḥ paśubhyaḥ ॥
Here, there, anywhere, wherever you initiate and inspire us, from there itself render us free and fearless. Create peace, freedom and prosperity for our people. Create peace, freedom and fearlessness for our animals. Create freedom and fearlessness for us from people and from animals.
36.23
सुमित्रिया न ऽ आप ऽ ओषधयः सन्तु दुर्मित्रियास् तस्मै सन्तु यो ऽस्मान् द्वेष्टि यं च वयं द्विष्मः ॥
sumitriyā na ' āpa ' oṣadhayaḥ santu durmitriyās tasmai santu yo 'smān dveṣṭi yaṃ ca vayaṃ dviṣmaḥ ॥
May the waters, pranic energies and herbs be friendly tonics for us, and may they be antidotes to whatsoever hates and injures us and what we hate and disapprove. (Prayer for health against negativities.)
36.24
तच् चक्षुर् देवहितं पुरस्ताच् छुक्रम् उच् चरत् ।
पश्येम शरदः शतं जीवेम शरदः शतꣳ शृणुयाम शरदः शतं प्र ब्रवाम शरदः शतम् अदीनाः स्याम शरदः शतं भूयश् च शरदः शतात् ॥
tac cakṣur devahitaṃ purastāc chukram uc carat ।
paśyema śaradaḥ śataṃ jīvema śaradaḥ śataṁ śṛṇuyāma śaradaḥ śataṃ pra bravāma śaradaḥ śatam adīnāḥ syāma śaradaḥ śataṃ bhūyaś ca śaradaḥ śatāt ॥
That light divine, blissful to the divinities, pure and wide awake since eternity, may we continue to see for a full hundred years, live under its benign eye for a hundred years, hear for a hundred years, speak and celebrate for a hundred years, and be fit and fine in a state of freedom and independence for a hundred years, and even more than a hundred years!