Rig-Veda Selections

Book 10, HYMN 129. Creation.

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 darknew 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? TheGods 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.

Book 10, HYMN 169. COWS.

1. MAY the wind blow upon our Cows with healing: may they eat herbage full of vigorous juices. May they drink waters rich in life and fatness: to food that moves on feet be gracious, Rudra.

2 Like-coloured, various-hued, or single-coloured, whose names through sacrifice are known to Agni, Whom the Angirases produced by Fervour,vouchsafe to these, Parjanya, great protection.

3 Those who have offered to the Gods their bodies, whose varied forms are all well known to Soma,- Those grant us in our cattle-pen, O Indra, with their full streams of milk and plenteous offspring.

4 Prajapati, bestowing these upon me, one-minded with all Gods and with the Fathers, Hath to our cow-pen brought auspicious cattle: so may we own the offspring they will bear us.

Book 6, HYMN 69. Indra-Visnu

1. INDRA and Visnu, at my task's completion I urge you on with food and sacred service. Accept the sacrifice and grant us riches, leading us on by unobstructed pathways.

2 Ye who inspire all hymns, Indra and Visnu, ye vessels who contain the Soma juices, May hymns of praise that now are sung address you, the lauds that are recited by the singers.

3 Lords of joy-giving draughts, Indra and Visnu, come, giving gifts of treasure, to the Soma. With brilliant rays of hymns let chanted praises, repeated with the lauds, adorn and deck you.

4 May your foe-conquering horses bring you hither, Indra and Visnu, sharers of the banquet. Of all our hymns accept the invocations list to my prayers and hear the songs I sing you.

5 This your deed, Indra-Visnu, must be lauded: widely ye strode in the wild joy of Soma. Ye made the firmament of larger compass, and made the regions broad for our existence.

6 Strengthened with sacred offerings, IndraVisnu, first eaters, served with worship ana oblation, Fed with the holy oil, vouchsafe us riches ye are the lake, the vat that holds the Soma.

7 Drink of this meath, O Indra, thou, and Visnu; drink ye your fill of Soma, Wonder-Workers. The sweet exhilarating juice hath reached you. Hear ye my prayers, give ear unto my calling.

8 Ye Twain have conquered, ne'er have yc been conquered: never hath either of the Twain been vanquished. Ye, Indra-Visnu, when ye fought the battle, produced this infinite with three divisions.

Book 6, HYMN 75. Weapons of War.

1. THE warrior's look is like a thunderous rain-cloud's, when, armed with mail, he seeks the lap of battle. Be thou victorious with unwounded body: so let the thickness of thy mail protect thee.

2 With Bow let us win kine, with Bow the battle, with Bow be victors in our hot encounters. The Bow brings grief and sorrow to the foeman: armed with the Bow may we subdue all regions.

3 Close to his car, as fain to speak, She presses, holding her well-loved Friend in her embraces. Strained on the Bow, She whispers like a woman-this Bowstring that preserves us in the combat.

4 These, meeting like a woman and her lover, bear, mother-like, their child upon their bosom. May the two Bow-ends, starting swift asunder, scatter, in unison, the foes who hate us.

5 With many a son, father of many daughters, He clangs and clashes as he goes to battle. Slung on the back, pouring his brood, the Quiver vanquishes all opposing bands and armies.

6 Upstanding in the Car the skilful Charioteer guides his strong Horses on whithersoe'er he will. See and admire the strength of those controlling Reins which from behind declare the will of him who drives.

7 Horses whose hoofs rain dust are neighing loudly, yoked to the Chariots, showing forth their vigour, With their forefeet descending on the foemen, they, never flinching, trample and destroy them.

8 Car-bearer is the name of his oblation, whercon are laid his Weapons and his Armour. So let us here, each day that passes, honour the helpful Car with hearts exceeding joyful.

9 In sweet association lived the fathers who gave us life, profound and strong in trouble, Unwearied, armed with shafts and wondrous weapons, free, real heroes, conquerors of armies.

10 The Brahmans, and the Fathers meet for Soma-draughts, and, graciously inclined, unequalled Heaven and Earth. Guard us trom evil, Pusan, guard us strengtheners of Law: let not the evil-wisher master us.

11 Her tooth a deer, dressed in an eagle's feathers, bound with cow-hide, launched forth, She flieth onward. There where the heroes speed hither and thither, there may the Arrows shelter and protect us.

12 Avoid us thou whose flight is straight, and let our bodies be as stone. May Soma kindly speak to us, and Aditi protect us well.

13 He lays his blows upon their backs, he deals his blows upon their thighs. Thou, Whip, who urgest horses, drive sagacious horses in the fray.

14 It compasses the arm with serpent windings, fending away the friction of the bowstring: So may the Brace, well-skilled in all its duties, guard manfully the man from every quarter.

15 Now to the Shaft with venom smeared, tipped with deer-horn, with iron mouth, Celestial, of Parjanya's seed, be this great adoration paid.

16 Loosed from the Bowstring fly away, thou Arrow, sharpened by our prayer. Go to the foemen, strike them home, and let not one be left alive.

17 There where the flights of Arrows fall like boys whose locks are yet unshorn. Even there may Brahmanaspati, and Aditi protect us well, protect us well through all our days.

18 Thy vital parts I cover with thine Armour: with immortality King Soma clothe thee. Varuna give tliee what is more than ample, and in thy triumph may the Gods be joyful.

19 Whoso would kill us, whether he be a strange foe or one of us.

Book 7, HYMN 99. Visnu.

1. MEN come not nigh thy majesty who growest beyond all bound and measure with thy body. Both thy two regions of the earth, O Visnu, we know: thou God, knowest the highest also.

2 None who is born or being born, God Visnu, hath reached the utmost limit of thy grandeur. The vast high vault of heaven hast thou supported, and fixed earth's eastern pinnacle securely.

3 Rich in sweet food be ye, and rich in milch-kine, with fertile pastures, fain to do men service. Both these worlds, Visnu, hast thou stayed asunder, and firmly fixed the earth with pegs around it.

4 Ye have made spacious room for sacrificing by generating Surya, Dawn, and Agni. O Heroes, ye have conquered in your battles even the bull-jawed Dasa's wiles and magic.

5 Ye have destroyed, thou, Indra, and thou Visnu, Sambara's nine-and-ninety fenced castles. Ye Twain smote down a hundred times a thousand resistless heroes of the royal Varcin.

6 This is the lofty hymn of praise, exalting the Lords of Mighty Stride, the strong and lofty. I laud you in the solemn synods, Visnu: pour ye food on us in our camps, O Indra.

7 O Visnu, unto thee my lips cry Vasat! Let this mine offering, Sipivista, please thee. May these my songs of eulogy exalt thee. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.

Book 7, HYMN 100. Visnu.

1 NE'ER doth the man repent, who, seeking profit, bringeth his gift to the far-striding Visnu. He who adoreth him with all his spirit winneth himself so great a benefactor.

2 Thou, Visnu, constant in thy courses, gavest good-will to all men, and a hymn that lasteth, That thou mightst move us to abundant comfort of very splendid wealth with store of horses.

3 Three times strode forth this God in all his grandeur over this earth bright with a hundred splendours. Foremost be Visnu, stronger than the strongest: for glorious is his name who lives for ever.

4 Over this earth with mighty step strode Visnu, ready to give it for a home to Manu. In him the humble people trust for safety: he, nobly born, hath made them spacious dwellings.

5 To-day I laud this name, O gipivista, I, skilled in rules, the name of thee the Noble. Yea, I the poor and weak praise thee the Mighty who dwellest in the realm beyond this region.

6 What was there to be blamed in thee, O Visnu, when thou declaredst, I am Sipivista? Hide not this form from us, nor keep it secret, since thou didst wear another shape in battle.

7 O Visnu, unto thee my lips cry Vasat! Let this mine offering, Sipivista, please thee. May these my songs of eulogy exalt thee. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.

Book 1, HYMN 187. Praise of Food.

1. Now will I glorify Food that upholds great strength, By whose invigorating power Trita rent Vrtra limb from limb.

2 O pleasant Food, O Food of meath, thee have we chosen for our own, So be our kind protector thou.

3 Come hitherward to us, O Food, auspicious with auspicious help, Health-bringing, not unkind, a dear and guileless friend.

4 These juices which, O Food, are thine throughout the regions are diffused. like winds they have their place in heaven.

5 These gifts of thine, O Food, O Food most sweet to taste, These savours of thy juices work like creatures that have mighty necks.

6 In thee, O Food, is set the spirit of great Gods. Under thy flag brave deeds were done he slew the Dragon with thy help.

7 If thou be gone unto the splendour of the clouds, Even from thence, O Food of meath, prepared for our enjoyment, come.

8 Whatever morsel we consume from waters or from plants of earth, O Soma, wax thou fat thereby.

9 What Soma, we enjoy from thee in milky food or barley-brew, Vatapi, grow thou fat thereby.

10 O Vegetable, Cake of meal, he wholesome, firm, and strengthening: Vatapi, grow thou fat thereby.

11 O Food, from thee as such have we drawn forth with lauds, like cows, our sacrificial gifts, From thee who banquetest with Gods, from thee who banquetest with us.

Book 3, HYMN 59. Mitra.

1. MITRA, when speaking, stirreth men to labour: Mitra sustaineth both the earth and heaven. Mitra beholdeth men with eyes that close not. To Mitra bring, with holy oil, oblation.

2 Foremost be he who brings thee food, O Mitra, who strives to keep thy sacred Law, Aditya. He whom thou helpest ne'er is slain or conquered, on him, from near or far, falls no affliction.

3 joying in sacred food and free from sickness, with knees bent lowly on the earth's broad surface, Following closely the Aditya's statute, may we remain in Mitra's gracious favour.

4 Auspicious and adorable, this Mitra was born with fair dominion, King, Disposer. May we enjoy the grace of him the Holy, yea, rest in his propitious loving-kindness.

5 The great Aditya, to be served with wor. ship, who stirreth men, is gracious to the singer. To Mitra, him most highly to be lauded, offer in fire oblation that he loveth.

6 The gainful grace of Mitra,. God, supporter of the race of man, Gives splendour of most.glorious fame.

7 Mitra whose glory spreads afar, he who in might surpasses heaven, Surpasses earth in his renown.

8 All the Five Races have repaired to Mitra, ever strong to aid, For he sustaineth all the Gods.

9 Mitra to Gods, to living men, to him who strews the holy grass, Gives food fulfilling sacred Law.

Book 9, HYMN 30. Soma Pavamana.

1. STREAMS of this Potent One have flowed easily to the straining-cloth: While he is cleansed he lifts his voice.

2 Indu, by pressers urged to speed, bellowing out while beautified. Sends forth a very mighty sound.

3 Pour on us, Soma, with thy stream manconquering might which many crave, Accompanied with hero sons.

4 Hither hath Pavamana flowed, Soma flowed hither in a stream, To settle in the vats of wood.

5 To waters with the stones they drive thee tawny-hued, most rich in sweets, O Indu, to be Indra's drink.

6 For Indra, for the Thunderer press the Soma very rich in sweets, Lovely, inspiriting, for strength.