1 IN the beginning rose Hiranyagarbha, born Only Lord of all created beings. He fixed and holdeth up this earth and heaven. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
2 Giver of vital breath, of power and vigour, he whose commandments all the Gods acknowledge -. The Lord of death, whose shade is life immortal. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
3 Who by his grandeur hath become Sole Ruler of all the moving world that breathes and slumbers; He who is Loord of men and Lord of cattle. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
4 His, through his might, are these snow-covered mountains, and men call sea and Rasā his possession: His arms are these, his are these heavenly regions. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
5 By him the heavens are strong and earth is stedfast, by him light's realm and sky-vault are supported: By him the regions in mid-air were measured. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
6 To him, supported by his help, two armies embattled look while trembling in their spirit, When over them the risen Sun is shining. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
7 What time the mighty waters came, containing the universal germ, producing Agni, Thence sprang the Gods’ one spirit into being. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
8 He in his might surveyed the floods containing productive force and generating Worship. He is the God of gods, and none beside him. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
9 Neer may he harm us who is earth's Begetter, nor he whose laws are sure, the heavens' Creator, He who brought forth the great and lucid waters. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
10 Prajāpati! thou only comprehendest all these created things, and none beside thee. Grant us our hearts' desire when we invoke thee: may we have store of riches in possession.
1 I PRAISE the God of wondrous might like Indra, the lovely pleasant Guest whom all must welcome. May Agni, Priest and Master of the household, give hero strength and all-sustaining riches.
2 O Agni, graciously accept this song of mine, thou passing-wise who knowest every ordinance. Enwrapped in holy oil further the course of prayer: the Gods bestow according to thy holy law.
3 Immortal, wandering round the seven stations, give, a liberal Giver, to the pious worshipper, Wealth, Agni, with brave sons and ready for his use: welcome the man who comes with fuel unto thee.
4 The seven who bring oblations worship thee, the Strong, the first, the Great Chief Priest, Ensign of sacrifice, The oil-anointed Bull, Agni who hears, who sends as God full hero strength to him who freely gives.
5 First messenger art thou, meet for election: drink thou thy fill invited to the Anirta, The Maruts in the votary's house adorned thee; with lauds the Bhṛgus gave thee light and glory.
6 Milking the teeming Cow for all-sustaining food. O Wise One, for the worship-loving worshipper, Thou, Agni, dropping oil, thrice lighting works of Law, showest thy wisdom circling home and sacrifice.
7 They who at flushing of this dawn appointed thee their messenger, these men have paid thee reverence. Gods strengthened thee for work that must be glorified, Agni, while they made butter pure for sacrifice.
8 Arrangers in our synods, Agni, while they sang Vasisistha s sons have called thee down, the Potent One. Maintain the growth of wealth with men who sacrifice. Ye Gods, preserve us with your blessings evermore.
1 SEE, Vena, born in light, hath driven hither, on chariot of the air, the Calves of Pṛśni. Singers with hymns caress him as an infant there where the waters and the sunlight mingle.
2 Vena draws up his wave from out the ocean. mist-born, the fair one's back is made apparent, Brightly he shone aloft on Order's summit: the hosts sang glory to their common birthplace.
3 Full many, lowing to their joint-possession, dwelling together stood the Darling's Mothers. Ascending to the lofty height of Order, the bands of singers 'sip the sweets of Amṛta.
4 Knowing his form, the sages yearned to meet him: they have come nigh to hear the wild Bull's bellow. Performing sacrifice they reached the river: for the Gandharva found the immortal waters.
5 The Apsaras, the Lady, sweetly smiling, supports her Lover in sublimest heaven. In his Friend's dwelling as a Friend he wanders: he, Vena, rests him on his golden pinion.
6 They gaze on thee with longing in their spirit, as on a strong-winged bird that mounteth sky-ward; On thee with wings of gold, Varuṇa's envoy, the Bird that hasteneth to the home of Yama.
7 Erect, to heaven hath the Gandharva mounted, pointing at us his many-coloured weapons; Clad in sweet raiment beautiful to look on, for he, as light, produceth forms that please us.
8 When as a spark he cometh near the ocean, still looking with a vulture's eye to heaven, His lustre, joying in its own bright splendour, maketh dear glories in the lowest region.
1 COME to this sacrifice of ours, O Agni, threefold, with seven threads and five divisions. Be our oblation-bearer and preceder: thou hast lain long enough in during darkness.
2 I come a God foreseeing from the godless to immortality by secret pathways, While I, ungracious one, desert the gracious, leave mine own friends and seek the kin of strangers.
3 1, looking to the guest of other lineage, have founded many a rule of Law and Order. I bid farewell to the Great God, the Father, and, for neglect, obtain my share of worship.
4 I tarried many a year within this altar: I leave the Father, for my choice is Indra. Away pass Agni, Varuṇa and Soma. Rule ever changes: this I come to favour.
5 These Asuras have lost their powers of magic. But thou, O Varuṇa, if thou dost love me, O King, discerning truth and right from falsehood, come and be Lord and Ruler of my kingdom.
6 Here is the light of heaven, here allis lovely; here there is radiance, here is air's wide region. Let us two slaughter Vṛtra. Forth, O Soma! Thou art oblation: we therewith will serve thee.
7 The Sage hath fixed his form by wisdom in the heavens: Varuṇa with no violence let the waters flow. Like women-folk, the floods that bring prosperity have eau lit his hue and colour as they gleamed and shone.
8 These wait upon his loftiest power and vigour: he dwells in these who triumph in their Godhead; And they, like people who elect their ruler, have in abhorrence turned away from Vṛtra.
9 They call him Swan, the abhorrent floods' Companion, moving in friendship with celestial Waters. The poets in their thought have looked on Indra swiftly approaching when Anustup calls him.
1 I TRAVEL with the Rudras and the Vasus, with the Ādityas and All-Gods I wander. I hold aloft both Varuṇa and Mitra, Indra and Agni, and the Pair of Aśvins.
2 I cherish and sustain high-swelling Soma, and Tvaṣṭar I support, Pūṣan, and Bhaga. I load with wealth the zealous sdcrificer who pours the juice and offers his oblation
3 I am the Queen, the gatherer-up of treasures, most thoughtful, first of those who merit worship. Thus Gods have stablished me in many places with many homes to enter and abide in.
4 Through me alone all eat the food that feeds them,—each man who sees, brewhes, hears the word outspoken They know it not, but yet they dwell beside me. Hear, one and all, the truth as I declare it.
5 1, verily, myself announce and utter the word that Gods and men alike shall welcome. I make the man I love exceeding mighty, make him a sage, a Ṛṣi, and a Brahman.
6 I bend the bow for Rudra that his arrow may strike and slay the hater of devotion. I rouse and order battle for the people, and I have penetrated Earth and Heaven.
7 On the world's summit I bring forth the Father: my home is in the waters, in the ocean. Thence I extend o’er all existing creatures, and touch even yonder heaven with my forehead.
8 I breathe a strong breath like the wind and tempest, the while I hold together all existence. Beyond this wide earth and beyond the heavens I have become so mighty in my grandeur.
1 No peril, no severe distress, ye Gods, affects the mortal man, Whom Aryaman and Mitra lead, and Varima, of one accord, beyond his foes.
2 This very thing do we desire, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman, Whereby ye guhrd the mortal man from sore distress, and lead him safe beyond his foes.
3 These are, each one, our present helps, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman. Best leaders, best deliverers to lead us on and bear as safe beyond our foes.
4 Ye compass round and guard each man, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman: In your dear keeping may we be, ye who are excellent as guides beyond our foes.
5 Ādityas are beyond all foes,—Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman: Strong Rudra with the Marut host, Indra, Agni let us call for weal beyond our foes.
6 These lead us safely over all, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman, These who are Kings of living men, over all troubles far away beyond our foes.
7 May they give bliss to aid us well, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman: May the Ādityas, when we pray, grant us wide shelter and defence beyond our foes.
8 As in this place, O Holy Ones, ye Vasus freed even the Gaud when her feet were fettered. So free us now from trouble and affliction: and let our life be lengthened still, O Api.
1 WITH all her eyes the Goddess Night looks forth approaching many a spot: She hath put all her glories on.
2 Immortal. she hath filled the waste, the Goddess hath filled height and depth: She conquers darkness with her light.
3 The Goddess as she comes hath set the Dawn her Sister in her place: And then the darkness vanishes.
4 So favour us this night, O thou whose pathways we have visited As birds their nest upon the tree.
5 The villagers have sought their homes, and all that walks and all that flies, Even the falcons fain for prey.
6 Keep off the she-wolf and the wolf, O Urmya, keep the thief away; Easy be thou for us to pass.
7 Clearly hath she come nigh to me who decks the dark with richest hues: O Morning, cancel it like debts.
8 These have I brought to thee like kine. O Night, thou Child of Heaven, accept This laud as for a conqueror.
1 LET me win glory, Agni, in our battles: enkindling thee, may we support our bodies. May the four regions bend and bow before me: with thee for guardian may we win in combat.
2 May all the Gods be on my side in battle, the Maruts led by Indra, Viṣṇu, Agni. Mine be the middle air's extended region, and may the wind blow favouring these my wishes.
3 May the Gods grant me riches; may the blessing and invocation of the Gods assist me. Foremost in fight be the divine Invokers: may we, unwounded, have brave heroes round us.
4 For me let them present all mine oblations, and let my mind's intention be accomplished. May I he guiltless of the least transgression: and, all ye Gods, do ye combine to bless us.
5 Ye six divine Expanses, grant us freedom: here, all ye Gods, acquit yourselves like heroes. Let us not lose our children or our bodies: let us not benefit the foe, King Soma!
6 Baffling the wrath of our opponents, Agni, guard us as our infallible Protector. Let these thy foes turn back and seek their houses, and let their thought who watch at home be ruined.
7 Lord of the world, Creator of creators the saviour God who overcomes the foeman. May Gods, Bṛhaspati, both Aśvins shelter from ill this sacrifice and sacrificer.
8 Foodful, and much-invoked, at this our calling may the great Bull vouchsafe us wide protection. Lord of Bay Coursers, Indra, blew our children: harm us not, give us not as prey to others.
9 Let those who are our foemen stay. afar from us: with Indra and with Agni we will drive them off. Vasus, Ādityas, Rudras have exalted me, made me far-reaching, mighty, thinker, sovran lord.
1 THEN was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it. What covered in, and where? and what gave shelter? Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?
2 Death was not then, nor was there aught immortal: no sign was there, the day's and night's divider. That One Thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.
3 Darkness there was: at first concealed in darkness this All was indiscriminated chaos. All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.
4 Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of Spirit. Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.
5 Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it? There were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder
6 Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation? The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?
7 He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it, Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.
1 THE sacrifice drawn out with threads on every side, stretched by a hundred sacred ministers and one,— This do these Fathers weave who hitherward are come: they sit beside the warp and cry, Weave forth, weave back.
2 The Man extends it and the Man unbinds it: even to this vault of heaven hath he outspun, it. These pegs are fastened to the seat of worship: they made the Sāma-hymns their weaving shuttles.
3 What were the rule, the order and the model? What were the wooden fender and the butter? What were the hymn, the chant, the recitation, when to the God all Deities paid worship?
4 Closely was Gāyatrī conjoined with Agni, and closely Savitar combined with Usnih. Brilliant with Ukthas, Soma joined Anustup: Bṛhaspati's voice by Brhati was aided.
5 Virāj adhered to Varuṇa and Mitra: here Triṣṭup day by day was Indra's portion. Jagatī entered all the Gods together: so by this knowledge men were raised to Ṛṣis.
6 So by this knowledge men were raised to Ṛṣis, when ancient sacrifice sprang up, our Fathers. With the mind's eye I think that I behold them who first performed this sacrificial worship.
7 They who were versed in ritual and metre, in hymns and rules, were the Seven Godlike Ṛṣis. Viewing the path of those of old, the sages have taken up the reins like chariot-drivers.