Verses 1, 2
प्र वः॒ पांतं॑ रघुमन्य॒वोऽंधो॑ य॒ज्ञं रु॒द्राय॑ मी॒ळ्हुषे॑ भरध्वं । दि॒वो अ॑स्तो॒ष्यसु॑रस्य वी॒रैरि॑षु॒ध्येव॑ म॒रुतो॒ रोद॑स्योः ॥
prá vaḥ pā́ntam raghumanyavó’ndho yajñám rudrā́ya mīḷhúṣe bharadhvam ǀ divó astoṣyásurasya vīráiriṣudhyéva marúto ródasyoḥ ǁ
पत्नी॑व पू॒र्वहू॑तिं वावृ॒धध्या॑ उ॒षासा॒नक्ता॑ पुरु॒धा विदा॑ने । स्त॒रीर्नात्कं॒ व्यु॑तं॒ वसा॑ना॒ सूर्य॑स्य श्रि॒या सु॒दृशी॒ हिर॑ण्यैः ॥
pátnīva pūrváhūtim vāvṛdhádhyā uṣā́sānáktā purudhā́ vídāne ǀ starī́rnā́tkam vyútam vásānā sū́ryasya śriyā́ sudṛ́śī híraṇyaiḥ ǁ
As the Sūkta opens, the Ṛṣi Kakshīvat Auśija calls upon the assembly to direct their offerings and swift-moving praises to Rudra, the roaring god of tempestuous grace, and to the Maruts who sweep across heaven and earth like divine archers. The poet invokes the primordial atmosphere of dynamic divine intervention, where the storm-gods represent the vital life-breath and purifying fury necessary to clear human consciousness of blockages. Following the thunderous invocation, the vision shifts seamlessly to the majestic arrival of day and night—personified as dual divine spouses, Uṣas and Rātri. These cosmic entities weave the garments of time, adorned with the golden splendor of Sūrya. The Ṛṣi portrays dawn not merely as a physical sunrise, but as a perennial unveiling of spiritual opportunity, urging humanity to elevate its primordial invocations toward higher realms of consciousness.
Verse 1: Bring forward the oblations of the yajña to the roaring, bountiful Rudra, you whose impulses are swift; for through the heroes of heaven, I have praised the Asura like the Maruts shooting arrows across earth and sky.
Verse 2: Like a faithful wife nurturing ancient invocations, Dawn and Night manifest in manifold ways, wearing a woven garment like a weaver's web, radiant with the splendor and gold of Sūrya.
Sāyaṇa interprets 'rudrāya mīḷhuṣe' directly as Agni or Rudra as forms of the supreme deity bestowing rain and wealth. Modern symbolic readings view the Maruts and storm imagery as internal psychological turbulence that must be channeled toward spiritual refinement.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| प्र | pra | forward, onward |
| रघुमन्यवः | raghumanyavaḥ | having swift or eager spirits |
| रुद्राय | rudrāya | to Rudra, the howling or fierce deity |
| मीळ्हुषे | mīḷhuṣe | to the bountiful, rain-shedding one |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पत्नीइव | patnī-iva | like a wife or mistress |
| पूर्वहूतिम् | pūrva-hūtim | ancient invocation or early offering |
| उषसानक्ता | uṣasānaktā | Dawn and Night as dual powers |
| वसाना | vasānā | wearing, clothing oneself |
Picture a magnificent weaver at a loom made of clouds, spinning the golden threads of dawn and night while archers of the storm shoot arrows of lightning through the sky.
Verses 3, 4, 5
म॒मत्तु॑ नः॒ परि॑ज्मा वस॒र्हा म॒मत्तु॒ वातो॑ अ॒पां वृष॑ण्वान् । शि॒शी॒तमिं॑द्रापर्वता यु॒वं न॒स्तन्नो॒ विश्वे॑ वरिवस्यंतु दे॒वाः ॥
mamáttu naḥ párijmā vasarhā́ mamáttu vā́to apā́m vṛ́ṣaṇvān ǀ śiśītámindrāparvatā yuvám nastánno víśve varivasyantu devā́ḥ ǁ
उ॒त त्या मे॑ य॒शसा॑ श्वेत॒नायै॒ व्यंता॒ पांतौ॑शि॒जो हु॒वध्यै॑ । प्र वो॒ नपा॑तम॒पां कृ॑णुध्वं॒ प्र मा॒तरा॑ रास्पि॒नस्या॒योः ॥
utá tyā́ me yaśásā śvetanā́yai vyántā pā́ntauśijó huvádhyai ǀ prá vo nápātamapā́m kṛṇudhvam prá mātárā rāspinásyāyóḥ ǁ
आ वो॑ रुव॒ण्युमौ॑शि॒जो हु॒वध्यै॒ घोषे॑व॒ शंस॒मर्जु॑नस्य॒ नंशे॑ । प्र वः॑ पू॒ष्णे दा॒वन॒ आँ अच्छा॑ वोचेय व॒सुता॑तिम॒ग्नेः ॥
ā́ vo ruvaṇyúmauśijó huvádhyai ghóṣeva śáṃsamárjunasya náṃśe ǀ prá vaḥ pūṣṇé dāvána ā́m̐ ácchā voceya vasútātimagnéḥ ǁ
The Ṛṣi deepens his prayer by invoking cosmic sustainers—the all-pervading wind, the rain-filled waters, and the towering dual presence of Indra and Parvata. These entities represent stability coupled with dynamic expansion. The poet beseeches them to sharpen his intellect and widen the paths of grace so that all divine forces conspire to clear obstacles from the worshipper's spiritual path. Continuing his self-reference as Auśija (descendant of Uśij), the poet cries out to be heard by the twin keepers of the cosmic law and implores the descent of Agni's bounty and Pūṣan's guiding nourishment. The narrative emphasizes that true poetic inspiration (the śaṃsa of Arjuna) must find its mark like a well-aimed shaft, ensuring that human invocation meets divine generosity.
Verse 3: May the all-surrounding wind that brings wealth exhilarate us; may the rain-bearing wind of the waters exhilarate us. Sharpen us, O Indra and Parvata, and may all the gods make spacious paths for us.
Verse 4: And may those two glorious ones of whitening splendor, moving and protecting, inspire the son of Uśij to call upon them. Advance the offspring of the waters, and advance the two great mothers of Āyu.
Verse 5: May the eager son of Uśij invoke you, reaching the praise of Arjuna like a loud shout. Forward toward Pūṣan for bounty, and toward Agni, let me speak of their wealth-conferring gifts.
Sāyaṇa identifies Parvata as the deity presiding over clouds or mountains accompanying Indra. Aurobindo sees Indra and Parvata as the power of divine mind (Indra) and the stable mass of physical substance (Parvata) uniting in the human vessel.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| परिज्मा | parijmā | moving all around, all-pervading |
| वसर्हा | vasarhā | bestower or carrier of wealth |
| इन्द्रापर्वता | indrāparvatā | Indra and Parvata (the mountain) as dual deities |
| वरिवस्यन्तु | varivasyantu | let them make wide, grant room or ease |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| औशिजः | auśijaḥ | descendant of Uśij (referring to Kakshīvat) |
| नपातम्अपाम् | napātam apām | grandchild or offspring of the waters (Agni) |
| मातरा | mātarā | the two mothers (heaven and earth) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रुवण्युम् | ruvaṇyum | crying aloud, sounding, eager |
| पूष्णे | pūṣṇe | to Pūṣan, the nourisher |
| वसुतातिम् | vasu-tātim | bestowal of wealth or substance |
Imagine two massive mountain peaks—Indra and Parvata—standing firm against the rushing waters, while an archer shoots an arrow straight into the heart of the morning sun.
Verses 6, 7, 8, 9
श्रु॒तं मे॑ मित्रावरुणा॒ हवे॒मोत श्रु॑तं॒ सद॑ने वि॒श्वतः॑ सीं । श्रोतु॑ नः॒ श्रोतु॑रातिः सु॒श्रोतुः॑ सु॒क्षेत्रा॒ सिंधु॑र॒द्भिः ॥
śrutám me mitrāvaruṇā hávemótá śrutam sádane viśvátaḥ sīm ǀ śrótu naḥ śróturātiḥ suśrótuḥ sukṣétrā síndhuradbhíḥ ǁ
स्तु॒षे सा वां॑ वरुण मित्र रा॒तिर्गवां॑ श॒ता पृ॒क्षया॑मेषु प॒ज्रे । श्रु॒तर॑थे प्रि॒यर॑थे॒ दधा॑नाः स॒द्यः पु॒ष्टिं नि॑रुंधा॒नासो॑ अग्मन् ॥
stuṣé sā́ vām varuṇa mitra rātírgávām śatā́ pṛkṣáyāmeṣu pajré ǀ śrutárathe priyárathe dádhānāḥ sadyáḥ puṣṭím nirundhānā́so agman ǁ
अ॒स्य स्तु॑षे॒ महि॑मघस्य॒ राधः॒ सचा॑ सनेम॒ नहु॑षः सु॒वीराः॑ । जनो॒ यः प॒ज्रेभ्यो॑ वा॒जिनी॑वा॒नश्वा॑वतो र॒थिनो॒ मह्यं॑ सू॒रिः ॥
asyá stuṣe máhimaghasya rā́dhaḥ sácā sanema náhuṣaḥ suvī́rāḥ ǀ jáno yáḥ pajrébhyo vājínīvānáśvāvato rathíno máhyam sūríḥ ǁ
जनो॒ यो मि॑त्रावरुणावभि॒ध्रुग॒पो न वां॑ सु॒नोत्य॑क्ष्णया॒ध्रुक् । स्व॒यं स यक्ष्मं॒ हृद॑ये॒ नि ध॑त्त॒ आप॒ यदीं॒ होत्रा॑भिर्ऋ॒तावा॑ ॥
jáno yó mitrāvaruṇāvabhidhrúgapó ná vām sunótyakṣṇayādhrúk ǀ svayám sá yákṣmam hṛ́daye ní dhatta ā́pa yádīm hótrābhirṛtā́vā ǁ
The focus turns to Mitra and Varuṇa, the great guardians of Ṛta (cosmic order). The Ṛṣi cries out for his invocations to be heard within their universal abode, aided by the flowing rivers of inspiration. He praises their immense generosity—bestowing hundreds of cows and strengthening swift-charioted patrons who support the ritualists (the Pajras). In a stern ethical warning, the Ṛṣi notes that anyone who cheats Mitra and Varuṇa or offers distorted sacrifices carries inner disease and spiritual sickness (yakṣman) within their own heart. The verses beautifully bridge material prosperity with absolute moral integrity, affirming that true divine grace cannot co-exist with crookedness of intent.
Verse 6: Hear this my call, O Mitra and Varuṇa; hear it also from your universal seat. May the bestower of bounties, the well-hearing river with its waters, listen to us.
Verse 7: I praise that bounty of yours, O Varuṇa and Mitra, bestowing hundreds of cows upon the Pajras travelling with rich nourishment, holding fast to prosperity as they arrive.
Verse 8: I praise the vast, magical wealth of this great liberal patron, connected with Nahuṣa, so that we with strong heroes may attain it—the patron who richly gives horses, chariots, and cattle to the Pajras.
Verse 9: The man who acts crookedly toward Mitra and Varuṇa, who presses not the waters with straight devotion, sets consumption and disease directly within his own heart, while the true ritualist performs his rites.
Sāyaṇa explains 'akṣṇayādhruk' as performing rituals diagonally or incorrectly out of malice. The moral alignment between physical health and ritual truth is a foundational Vedic concept.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मित्रावरुणा | mitrāvaruṇā | Mitra and Varuṇa |
| श्रोतु | śrotu | let him hear |
| सिन्धुः | sindhuḥ | river, ocean |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रातिः | rātiḥ | gift, bounty |
| पज्रे | pajre | the Pajras (a family of ṛṣis/worshippers) |
| पुष्टिम् | puṣṭim | nourishment, flourishing growth |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| महिमघस्य | mahi-maghasya | of great bounty or munificence |
| नहुषः | nahuṣaḥ | descendant of Nahuṣa (a legendary king/patron) |
| सूरिः | sūriḥ | patron of the sacrifice, wise lord |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अभिध्रुक् | abhidhruk | deceitful, treacherous |
| अक्ष्णयाध्रुक् | akṣṇayādhruk | crookedly deceitful, oblique |
| यक्ष्मम् | yakṣmam | consumption, wasting disease |
Picture a pure glass scale held by Mitra and Varuṇa: if you place deceit upon it, a dark flower of sickness instantly blooms within your own chest.
Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
स व्राध॑तो॒ नहु॑षो॒ दंसु॑जूतः॒ शर्ध॑स्तरो न॒रां गू॒र्तश्र॑वाः । विसृ॑ष्टरातिर्याति बाळ्ह॒सृत्वा॒ विश्वा॑सु पृ॒त्सु सद॒मिच्छूरः॑ ॥
sá vrā́dhato náhuṣo dáṃsujūtaḥ śárdhastaro narā́m gūrtáśravāḥ ǀ vísṛṣṭarātiryāti bāḷhasṛ́tvā víśvāsu pṛtsú sádamícchū́raḥ ǁ
अध॒ ग्मंता॒ नहु॑षो॒ हवं॑ सू॒रेः श्रोता॑ राजानो अ॒मृत॑स्य मंद्राः । न॒भो॒जुवो॒ यन्नि॑र॒वस्य॒ राधः॒ प्रश॑स्तये महि॒ना रथ॑वते ॥
ádha gmántā náhuṣo hávam sūréḥ śrótā rājāno amṛ́tasya mandrāḥ ǀ nabhojúvo yánniravásya rā́dhaḥ práśastaye mahinā́ ráthavate ǁ
ए॒तं शर्धं॑ धाम॒ यस्य॑ सू॒रेरित्य॑वोच॒न्दश॑तयस्य॒ नंशे॑ । द्यु॒म्नानि॒ येषु॑ व॒सुता॑ती रा॒रन्विश्वे॑ सन्वंतु प्रभृ॒थेषु॒ वाजं॑ ॥
etám śárdham dhāma yásya sūrérítyavocandáśatayasya náṃśe ǀ dyumnā́ni yéṣu vasútātī rāránvíśve sanvantu prabhṛthéṣu vā́jam ǁ
मंदा॑महे॒ दश॑तयस्य धा॒सेर्द्विर्यत्पंच॒ बिभ्र॑तो॒ यंत्यन्ना॑ । किमि॒ष्टाश्व॑ इ॒ष्टर॑श्मिरे॒त ई॑शा॒नास॒स्तरु॑ष ऋंजते॒ नॄन् ॥
mándāmahe dáśatayasya dhāsérdvíryátpáñca bíbhrato yántyánnā ǀ kímiṣṭā́śva iṣṭáraśmiretá īśānā́sastáruṣa ṛñjate nṝ́n ǁ
हिर॑ण्यकर्णं मणिग्रीव॒मर्ण॒स्तन्नो॒ विश्वे॑ वरिवस्यंतु दे॒वाः । अ॒र्यो गिरः॑ स॒द्य आ ज॒ग्मुषी॒रोस्राश्चा॑कंतू॒भये॑ष्व॒स्मे ॥
híraṇyakarṇam maṇigrīvamárṇastánno víśve varivasyantu devā́ḥ ǀ aryó gíraḥ sadyá ā́ jagmúṣīrósrā́ścākantūbháyeṣvasmé ǁ
च॒त्वारो॑ मा मश॒र्शार॑स्य॒ शिश्व॒स्त्रयो॒ राज्ञ॒ आय॑वसस्य जि॒ष्णोः । रथो॑ वां मित्रावरुणा दी॒र्घाप्साः॒ स्यूम॑गभस्तिः॒ सूरो॒ नाद्यौ॑त् ॥
catvā́ro mā maśarśā́rasya śíśvastráyo rā́jña ā́yavasasya jiṣṇóḥ ǀ rátho vām mitrāvaruṇā dīrghā́psāḥ syū́magabhastiḥ sū́ro nā́dyaut ǁ
In this expansive concluding movement, the Ṛṣi celebrates the triumphant march of the divine forces and their earthly patrons. The kings of immortality, swift as clouds, bring forth radiant wealth for the chariot-driving worshipper. The imagery intensifies with references to horses with golden ears and jeweled necks, symbolizing the utmost purity and preciousness of the awakened life-energies. The Sūkta culminates in a brilliant flash of light where the divine chariot of Mitra and Varuṇa shines forth with long pinions and harness-bands, blazing across the firmament like the newborn sun itself. The poet unites the mortal patrons (like Āyavas and the house of Nahuṣa) with the immortal splendors, sealing the sacrifice in total harmony.
Verse 10: He, urged by the might of Nahuṣa, superior in strength among men, renowned in song, dispensing gifts, moves firmly through every battle like a relentless hero.
Verse 11: Approach then, O kings of immortality, gladdening ones, to hear the call of the patron Nahuṣa—you who speed on clouds, granting the wealth of the lower realms for the high praise of the chariot-owner.
Verse 12: This is the force and the divine station of that patron which they declared upon reaching the decade-offering. May all gods, in whom the wealth-bestowal rests, grant us victorious energy in our offerings.
Verse 13: We rejoice in the nourishment of the decade-offering as the fivefold ones go forth bearing food twice over. What are these desired horses and reins? Exercising mastery, they urge men forward over obstacles.
Verse 14: With golden ears and jewelled neck, like a surging wave—may all the gods grant us spacious ease. May the prompt hymns of the noble ones and the bright cows joyfully accept us on both sides.
Verse 15: Four are the children of Maśarśāra, three are the victorious king Āyavasa's. Your chariot, O Mitra and Varuṇa, long-winged and bound with harness-straps, blazed forth like the sun.
Sāyaṇa interprets the proper names like Maśarśāra and Āyavasa as historical patrons and kings of the era. Modern esoteric commentators view the numerical groupings and anatomical metaphors as allegories for subtle energetic centers and psychological faculties harmonized in yoga.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शर्धस्तरः | śardhas-taraḥ | exceeding in power or aggressive might |
| गूर्तश्रवाः | gūrta-śravāḥ | whose glory is praised or welcomed |
| शूरः | śūraḥ | hero, warrior |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अमृतस्य | amṛtasya | of immortality |
| नभोजुवः | nabhaḥ-juvaḥ | moving in or urged by the clouds/skies |
| रथवते | ratha-vate | possessing a chariot |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शर्धम् | śardham | host, band, vigor |
| दशतयस्य | daśa-tayasya | consisting of ten parts or a decade |
| वाजम् | vājam | prize, vigor, winning force |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मन्दामहे | mandāmahe | we rejoice, exhilarate |
| पञ्च | pañca | five (referring to the five peoples or directions) |
| ईशानासः | īśānāsaḥ | ruling, mastering |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| हिरण्यकर्णम् | hiraṇya-karṇam | golden-eared |
| मणिग्रीवम् | maṇi-grīvam | jewel-necked |
| अर्णः | arṇaḥ | flood, wave, surging stream |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| चत्वारः | catvāraḥ | four |
| दीर्घाप्साः | dīrgha-apsāḥ | long-winged or long-bodied/waters |
| अद्यौत् | adyaut | shone forth, blazed |
Picture a magnificent royal chariot flashing across the sky at dawn, its horses adorned with golden ears and jeweled collars, blazing with the brilliance of the sun.