Rig Veda

RIG VEDA – BOOK ONE
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1. THESE, Heaven and Earth, bestow prosperity on all,
sustainers of the region, Holy Ones and wise,
Two Bowls of noble kind: between these Goddesses the God,
the fulgent Sun, travels by fixed decree.
2 Widely-capacious Pair, mighty, that never fail, the Father
and the Mother keep all creatures safe:
The two world-halves, the spirited, the beautiful, because the
Father hath clothed them in goodly forms.
3 Son of these Parents, he the Priest with power to cleanse,
Sage, sanctifies the worlds with his surpassing power.
Thereto for his bright milk he milked through all the days the
party-coloured Cow and the prolific Bull.
4 Among the skilful Gods most skilled is he, who made the
two world-halves which bring prosperity to all;
Who with great wisdom measured both the regions out, and
stablished them with pillars that shall ne'er decay.
5 Extolled in song, O Heaven and Earth, bestow on us, ye
mighty Pair, great glory and high lordly sway,
Whereby we may extend ourselves ever over the folk; and
send us strength that shall deserve the praise of men.
HYMN CLXI. Rbhus.
1 WHY hath the Best, why hath the Youngest come to us?
Upon what embassy comes he? What have we said?
We have not blamed the chalice of illustrious birth. We,
Brother Agni, praised the goodness of the wood.
2 The chalice that is single make ye into four: thus have the
Gods commanded; therefore am I come.
If, O Sudhanvan's Children, ye will do this thing ye shall
participate in sacrifice with Gods.
3 What to the envoy Agni in reply ye spake, A courser must be
made, a chariot fashioned here,
A cow must be created, and the Twain made young. When we
have done these things, Brother, we turn to you.
4 When thus, O Rbhus, ye had done ye questioned thus,
Whither went he who came to us a messenger?
Then Tvastar, when he viewed the four wrought chalices,
concealed himself among the Consorts of the Gods.
5 As Tvastar thus had spoken, Let us slay these men who have
reviled the chalice, drinking-cup of Gods,
They gave themselves new names when Soma juice was shed,
and under these new names the Maiden welcomed them.
6 Indra hath yoked his Bays, the Asvins' car is horsed,
Brhaspati hath brought the Cow of every hue.
Ye went as Rbhus, Vibhvan, Vaja to the Gods, and skilled in
war, obtained your share in sacrifice.
7 Ye by your wisdom brought a cow from out a hide; unto that
ancient Pair ye gave again their youth.
Out of a horse, Sudhanvan's Sons, ye formed a horse: a chariot
ye equipped, and went unto the Gods.
8 Drink ye this water, were the words ye spake to them; or
drink ye this, the rinsing of the Munja-grass.
If ye approve not even this, Sudhanvan's Sons, then at the third
libation gladden ye yourselves.
9 Most excellent are waters, thus said one of you; most
excellent is Agni, thus another said.
Another praised to many a one the lightning cloud. Then did
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ye shape the cups, speaking the words of truth.
10 One downward to the water drives the crippled cow,
another trims the flesh brought on the carving-board.
One carries off the refuse at the set of sun. How did the Parents
aid their children in their task!
11 On the high places ye have made the grass for man, and
water in the valleys, by your skill, O Men.
Rbhus, ye iterate not to-day that act of yours, your sleeping in
the house of him whom naught can hide.
12 As, compassing them round, ye glided through the worlds,
where had the venerable Parents their abode?
Ye laid a curse on him who raised his arm at you: to him who
spake aloud to you ye spake again.
13 When ye had slept your fill, ye Rbhus, thus ye asked, O
thou whom naught may hide, who now hath wakened us?
The goat declared the hound to be your wakener. That day, in a
full year, ye first unclosed our eyes.
14 The Maruts move in heaven, on earth this Agni; through the
mid-firmament the Wind approaches.
Varuna comes in the sea's gathered waters, O Sons of Strength,
desirous of your presence.
HYMN CLXIL The Horse.
1. SLIGHT us not Varuna, Aryaman, or Mitra, Rbhuksan,
Indra, Ayu, or the Maruts,
When we declare amid the congregation the virtues of the
strong Steed, God-descended.
2 What time they bear before the Courser, covered with
trappings and with wealth, the grasped oblation,
The dappled goat goeth straightforward, bleating, to the place
dear to Indra and to Pusan.
3 Dear. to all Gods, this goat, the share of Pusan, is first led
forward with the vigorous Courser,
While Tvastar sends him forward with the Charger, acceptable
for sacrifice, to glory.
4 When thrice the men lead round the Steed, in order, who
goeth to the Gods as meet oblation,
The goat precedeth him, the share of Pusan, and to the Gods
the sacrifice announceth.
5 Invoker, ministering priest, atoner, fire-kindler Somapresser,
sage, reciter,
With this well ordered sacrifice, well finished, do ye fill full
the channels of the rivers.
6 The hewers of the post and those who carry it, and those who
carve the knob to deck the Horse's stake;
Those who prepare the cooking-vessels for the Steed,-may the
approving help of these promote our work.
7 Forth, for the regions of the Gods, the Charger with his
smooth back is come my prayer attends him.
In him rejoice the singers and the sages. A good friend have
we won for the Gods' banquet.
8 May the fleet Courser's halter and his heel-ropes, the headstall
and the girths and cords about him.
And the grass put within his mouth to bait him,-among the
Gods, too, let all these be with thee.
9 What part of the Steed's flesh the fly hath eaten, or is left
sticking to the post or hatchet,
Or to the slayer's hands and nails adhereth,-among the Gods,