Rig Veda

RIG VEDA – BOOK NINE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wcll-praised by. sages he hath. by his wondrous power
assumed the Threefold as his robe.
13 Effused is he who brings good things, who brings us
bounteous gifts and sweet refreshing food,
Soma who brings us quiet homes:
14 He whom our Indra and the Marut host shall drink, Bhaga
shall drink with Aryarnan,
By whom we bring to us Mitra and Varuna and Indra for our
great defence.
15 Soma, for Indra's drink do thou, led by the men, wellwcaponcd
and most gladdening,
Flow on with greatest store of sweets.
16 Enter the Soma-holder, even Indra's heart, as rivers pass
into the sea,
Acceptable to Mitra, Vayu, Varuna, the noblest Pillar of the
heavens.
HYMN CIX. Soma Pavamana.
1. PLEASANT to Indra's Mitra's, Pusan's Bhaga's taste, sped
onward, Soma, with thy flowing stream.
2 Let Indra drink, O Soma, of thy juice for wisdom, and all
Deities for strength.
3 So flow thou on as bright celestial juice, flow to the vast,
immortal dwelling-place.
4 Flow onward, Soma, as a mighty sea, as Father of the Gods
to every form.
5 Flow on, O Soma, radiant for the Gods and Heaven and
Earth and bless our progeny.
6 Thou, bright Juice, art Sustainer of the sky: flow, mighty, in
accordance with true Law.
7 Soma, flow splendid with thy copious stream through the
great fleece as in the olden time.
8 Bom, led by men, joyous, and purified, let the Light-finder
make all blessings flow:
9 Indu, while cleansed, keeping the people safe, shall give us
all possessions for our own.
10 Flow on for wisdom, Soma, and for power, as a strong
courser bathed, to win the prize.
11 The pressers purify this juice of thine, the Soma, for
delight, and lofty fame
12 They deck the Gold-hued Infant, newlyborn, even Soma,
Indu, in the sieve for Gods.
13 Fair Indu hath flowed on for rapturous joy, Sage for good
fortune in the waters' lap.
14 He bears the beauteous name of Indra, that wherewith he
overcame all demon foes.
15 All Deities are wont to drink of him, pressed by the men
and blent with milk and curds.
16 He hath flowed forth with thousand streams effused, flowed
ihsough the filter and the sheep's long wool.
17 With endless genial flow the Strong hath run, purified by
the waters, blent with milk.
18 Pressed out with stones, directed by the men, go fortli, O
Soma, into Indra's throat.
19 The mighty Soma with a thousand streams is poured to
Indra through the cleansing sieve.
20 Indu they balm with pleasant milky juice for Indra, for the
296
Steer, for his delight.
21 Lightly, for sheen, they cleanse thee for the Gods, goldcoloured,
wearing water as thy robe.
22 Indu to Indra streams, yea, downward streams, Strong,
flowing to the floods, and mingling -there.
HYMN CX. Soma Pavamana.
1. O'ERPOWERING Vrtras, forward run to win great strength:
Thou speedest to subdue like one exacting debts.
2 In thee, effused, O Soma, we rejoice ourselves for great
supremacy in fight.
Thou, Pavamana, enterest into mighty deeds,
3 O Pavamana, thou didst generate the Sun, and spread the
moisture out with power,
Hasting to us with plenty vivified with milk.
4 Thou didst produce him, Deathless God mid mortal men for
maintenance of Law and lovely Amrta:
Thou evermore hast moved making strength flow to us.
5 All round about hast thou with glory pierced for us as 'twere
a never-failing well for men to drink,
Borne on thy way in fragments from the presser's arms.
6 Then, beautifully radiant, certain Heavenly Ones, have sung
to him their kinship as they looked thereon,
And Savitar the God opens as 'twere a stall.
7 Soma, the men of old whose grass was trimmed addressed
the hymn to thee for mighty strength and for renown:
So, Hero, urge us onward to heroic power.
8 They have drained forth from out the great depth of the sky
the old primeval milk of heaven that claims the laud:
They lifted up their voice to Indra athis birth.
9 As long as thou, O Pavamana, art above this earth and
heaven and all existence in thy might,
Thou standest like a Bull the chief amid the herd.
10 In the sheep's wool hath Soma Pavamana flowed, while
they cleanse him, like a playful infant,
Indu with hundred powers and hundred currents.
11 Holy and sweet, while purified, this Indu flows on, a wave
of pleasant taste, to Indra,-
Strength-winner, Treasure-finder, Life. bestower.
12 So flow thou on, subduing our assailants, chasing the
demons hard to beencountered,
Well-armed and conquering our foes, O Soma.
HYMN CXI. Soma Pavamana.
1. WITH this his golden splendour purifying him, he with his
own allies subdues all enemies, as Sara with his own allies.
Cleansing himself with stream of juice he shines forth yellowhued
and red, when with the praisers he encompasses all
forms, with praisers having seven mouths.
2 That treasure of the Panis thou discoveredst; thou with thy
mothers deckest thee in thine abode, with songs of worship in
thine home.
As 'twere from far, the hymn is heard, where holy songs
resound in joy. He with the ruddy-hued, threefold hath won
life-power, he, glittering, hath won life-power.
3 He moves intelligent, directed to the East. The very
beauteous car rivals the beams of light, the beautiful celestial