Verses 1, 2, 3
स्ती॒र्णं ब॒र्हिरुप॑ नो याहि वी॒तये॑ स॒हस्रे॑ण नि॒युता॑ नियुत्वते श॒तिनी॑भिर्नियुत्वते । तुभ्यं॒ हि पू॒र्वपी॑तये दे॒वा दे॒वाय॑ येमि॒रे । प्र ते॑ सु॒तासो॒ मधु॑मंतो अस्थिर॒न्मदा॑य॒ क्रत्वे॑ अस्थिरन् ॥
stīrṇám barhírúpa no yāhi vītáye sahásreṇa niyútā niyutvate śatínībhirniyutvate ǀ túbhyam hí pūrvápītaye devā́ devā́ya yemiré ǀ prá te sutā́so mádhumanto asthiranmádāya krátve asthiran ǁ
तुभ्या॒यं सोमः॒ परि॑पूतो॒ अद्रि॑भिः स्पा॒र्हा वसा॑नः॒ परि॒ कोश॑मर्षति शु॒क्रा वसा॑नो अर्षति । तवा॒यं भा॒ग आ॒युषु॒ सोमो॑ दे॒वेषु॑ हूयते । वह॑ वायो नि॒युतो॑ याह्यस्म॒युर्जु॑षा॒णो या॑ह्यस्म॒युः ॥
túbhyāyám sómaḥ páripūto ádribhiḥ spārhā́ vásānaḥ pári kóśamarṣati śukrā́ vásāno arṣati ǀ távāyám bhāgá āyúṣu sómo devéṣu hūyate ǀ váha vāyo niyúto yāhyasmayúrjuṣāṇó yāhyasmayúḥ ǁ
आ नो॑ नि॒युद्भिः॑ श॒तिनी॑भिरध्व॒रं स॑ह॒स्रिणी॑भि॒रुप॑ याहि वी॒तये॒ वायो॑ ह॒व्यानि॑ वी॒तये॑ । तवा॒यं भा॒ग ऋ॒त्वियः॒ सर॑श्मिः॒ सूर्ये॒ सचा॑ । अ॒ध्व॒र्युभि॒र्भर॑माणा अयंसत॒ वायो॑ शु॒क्रा अ॑यंसत ॥
ā́ no niyúdbhiḥ śatínībhiradhvarám sahasríṇībhirúpa yāhi vītáye vā́yo havyā́ni vītáye ǀ távāyám bhāgá ṛtvíyaḥ sáraśmiḥ sū́rye sácā ǀ adhvaryúbhirbháramāṇā ayaṃsata vā́yo śukrā́ ayaṃsata ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi prepares the ritual space with meticulous care, spreading the sacred barhis grass to welcome the divine presence. The breath of the cosmos—Vāyu—is invoked to arrive upon his magnificent chariot, drawn by hundreds and thousands of harnessed teams (niyuts). This is not merely a physical journey across the sky, but the swift descent of divine inspiration and vital prāṇa into the purified consciousness of the seeker. The Soma, pressed by stones and shining like pure light, flows into the wooden vats, representing the distilled essence of life's experiences offered back to the divine. Vāyu and the gods are urged to partake of this first-drawn libation, which has been reserved for them since the dawn of creation. The Ṛṣi sings with an eager heart, calling upon the wind-god to rush forward with his companions, embracing the sacrificer with boundless grace.
Verse 1: Upon the spread sacred grass, come to our feasting, O Vāyu, with your thousandfold and hundredfold teams; for the gods have ever ordained this first draught for you alone. See, your honey-sweet pressed juices stand ready for intoxication, ready for vigorous action.
Verse 2: For you, this Soma is purified by the stones, shining in its lovely vesture as it flows around the vessel; this is your rightful share among the living, invoked among the gods. Drive forward your teams, O Vāyu, and come yearning toward us, lovingly approach us.
Verse 3: Come hither to our sacrifice with your hundredfold and thousandfold teams, O Vāyu, for the sake of the oblations. This seasonal share is yours, yoked with rays, dwelling in the sun. The priests have raised it aloft for you, O Vāyu, they have raised the shining drops.
The translation adheres closely to Sāyaṇa's ritualistic commentary regarding the pressing stones and priests, while the spiritual layer follows Sri Aurobindo's perspective where Vāyu represents the cosmic life-breath (prāṇa) carrying the liberated energy of the soul toward the divine sun.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| स्तीर्णम् | stīrṇam | spread out, arranged |
| बर्हिः | barhiḥ | sacred grass strewn on the altar |
| वायु | vāyu | the wind-god, lord of the breath |
| मधुमन्तः | madhumantaḥ | honey-sweet, full of sweetness |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सोमः | somaḥ | the pressed immortal juice |
| अद्रिभिः | adribhiḥ | by the pressing stones |
| कोशम् | kośam | vat, vessel, cask |
| अस्मयुः | asmayuḥ | desiring us, turning toward us |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अध्वरम् | adhvaram | sacrifice, ritual journey |
| ऋत्वियः | ṛtviyaḥ | seasonal, timely, rightful |
| सरश्मिः | saraśmiḥ | accompanied by rays |
| अध्वर्युभिः | adhvaryubhiḥ | by the officiating priests |
Picture a vast meadow of soft green grass where a golden chariot pulled by a thousand flying horses descends like a sudden gust of autumn wind, carrying the scent of wild honey.
Verses 4, 5, 6
आ वां॒ रथो॑ नि॒युत्वा॑न्वक्ष॒दव॑से॒ऽभि प्रयां॑सि॒ सुधि॑तानि वी॒तये॒ वायो॑ ह॒व्यानि॑ वी॒तये॑ । पिब॑तं॒ मध्वो॒ अंध॑सः पूर्व॒पेयं॒ हि वां॑ हि॒तं । वाय॒वा चं॒द्रेण॒ राध॒सा ग॑त॒मिंद्र॑श्च॒ राध॒सा ग॑तं ॥
ā́ vām rátho niyútvānvakṣadávase’bhí práyāṃsi súdhitāni vītáye vā́yo havyā́ni vītáye ǀ píbatam mádhvo ándhasaḥ pūrvapéyam hí vām hitám ǀ vā́yavā́ candréṇa rā́dhasā́ gatamíndraśca rā́dhasā́ gatam ǁ
आ वां॒ धियो॑ ववृत्युरध्व॒राँ उपे॒ममिंदुं॑ मर्मृजंत वा॒जिन॑मा॒शुमत्यं॒ न वा॒जिनं॑ । तेषां॑ पिबतमस्म॒यू आ नो॑ गंतमि॒होत्या । इंद्र॑वायू सु॒ताना॒मद्रि॑भिर्यु॒वं मदा॑य वाजदा यु॒वं ॥
ā́ vām dhíyo vavṛtyuradhvarā́m̐ úpemámíndum marmṛjanta vājínamāśúmátyam ná vājínam ǀ téṣām pibatamasmayū́ ā́ no gantamihótyā́ ǀ índravāyū sutā́nāmádribhiryuvám mádāya vājadā yuvám ǁ
इ॒मे वां॒ सोमा॑ अ॒प्स्वा सु॒ता इ॒हाध्व॒र्युभि॒र्भर॑माणा अयंसत॒ वायो॑ शु॒क्रा अ॑यंसत । ए॒ते वा॑म॒भ्य॑सृक्षत ति॒रः प॒वित्र॑मा॒शवः॑ । यु॒वा॒यवोऽति॒ रोमा॑ण्य॒व्यया॒ सोमा॑सो॒ अत्य॒व्यया॑ ॥
imé vām sómā apsvā́ sutā́ ihā́dhvaryúbhirbháramāṇā ayaṃsata vā́yo śukrā́ ayaṃsata ǀ eté vāmabhyásṛkṣata tiráḥ pavítramāśávaḥ ǀ yuvāyávó’ti rómāṇyavyáyā sómāso átyavyáyā ǁ
As the ritual deepens, the focus expands to include Indra alongside Vāyu in a dual invocation (Indravāyū). The Ṛṣi envisions their joint chariot reaching the sacrifice to partake of the honeyed draught that has been reserved for them from ancient times. These two deities represent the dynamic pairing of divine breath and divine power—prāṇa and svayambhū-ojas—working in harmony to uplift the human consciousness. The hymns describe the minds of the worshippers turning eagerly toward this dual presence, polishing and purifying the Soma juice like a spirited war-horse groomed for battle. The flowing streams of Soma cross the sacred woollen filter (pavitra), rushing outward with youthful exuberance. The Ṛṣi implores them to grant wealth and dynamic force (vāja) to the mortal who calls upon them.
Verse 4: May your chariot with its yoked teams reach us to bring protection, approaching the well-prepared offerings for the feast, O Vāyu, for the oblations. Drink of this honeyed essence, for a prior draught has been appointed for you both; come with your brilliant splendors, O Vāyu, and you too, O Indra, come with your splendors.
Verse 5: May our thoughts turn toward you both at the sacrifice, and may they polish this Soma drop like men groom a swift, victorious steed. Drink of it, yearning for us, and come hither to us with your succor; O Indra and Vāyu, grantors of plenitude, you both partake of the pressed juices for our ecstasy.
Verse 6: These Soma juices, pressed in the waters, have been raised aloft here by the priests—yes, O Vāyu, the shining drops have been raised. These swift drops have streamed across the filter for you both; the Soma juices, yearning for you, have passed beyond the sheep's wool.
Yāska's Nirukta emphasizes the dual divinity of Indravāyū as representing the presiding deities of atmospheric motion and sovereign force. The metaphor of the steed highlights the rigorous self-training required of the spiritual seeker.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रथः | rathaḥ | chariot |
| अवसे | avase | for protection or help |
| पूर्वपेयम् | pūrvapeyam | first-to-be-drunk, prior right |
| राधसा | rādhasā | with bounty, wealth, gift |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| धियः | dhiyaḥ | thoughts, prayers, insights |
| वाजिनम् | vājinam | steed, horse, full of vigor |
| ऊत्या | ūtyā | with aid, assistance, protection |
| वाजदा | vājadā | bestowers of treasure/vigor |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अप्सु | apsu | in the waters |
| पवित्रम् | pavitram | filter, strainer |
| आशवः | āśavaḥ | swift, flying |
| अव्यया | avyayā | of sheep's wool (filter) |
Imagine two majestic kings riding in a single chariot made of sunlight and wind, holding golden goblets filled with sparkling nectar as they charge into the arena of the heart.
Verses 7, 8, 9
अति॑ वायो सस॒तो या॑हि॒ शश्व॑तो॒ यत्र॒ ग्रावा॒ वद॑ति॒ तत्र॑ गच्छतं गृ॒हमिंद्र॑श्च गच्छतं । वि सू॒नृता॒ ददृ॑शे॒ रीय॑ते घृ॒तमा पू॒र्णया॑ नि॒युता॑ याथो अध्व॒रमिंद्र॑श्च याथो अध्व॒रं ॥
áti vāyo sasató yāhi śáśvato yátra grā́vā vádati tátra gacchatam gṛhámíndraśca gacchatam ǀ ví sūnṛ́tā dádṛśe rī́yate ghṛtámā́ pūrṇáyā niyútā yātho adhvarámíndraśca yātho adhvarám ǁ
अत्राह॒ तद्व॑हेथे॒ मध्व॒ आहु॑तिं॒ यम॑श्व॒त्थमु॑प॒तिष्ठं॑त जा॒यवो॒ऽस्मे ते सं॑तु जा॒यवः॑ । सा॒कं गावः॒ सुव॑ते॒ पच्य॑ते॒ यवो॒ न ते॑ वाय॒ उप॑ दस्यंति धे॒नवो॒ नाप॑ दस्यंति धे॒नवः॑ ॥
átrā́ha tádvahethe mádhva ā́hutim yámaśvatthámupatíṣṭhanta jāyávo’smé té santu jāyávaḥ ǀ sākám gā́vaḥ súvate pácyate yávo ná te vāya úpa dasyanti dhenávo nā́pa dasyanti dhenávaḥ ǁ
इ॒मे ये ते॒ सु वा॑यो बा॒ह्वो॑जसो॒ऽंतर्न॒दी ते॑ प॒तयं॑त्यु॒क्षणो॒ महि॒ व्राधं॑त उ॒क्षणः॑ । धन्व॑ञ्चि॒द्ये अ॑ना॒शवो॑ जी॒राश्चि॒दगि॑रौकसः । सूर्य॑स्येव र॒श्मयो॑ दुर्नि॒यंत॑वो॒ हस्त॑योर्दुर्नि॒यंत॑वः ॥
imé yé te sú vāyo bāhvójaso’ntárnadī́ te patáyantyukṣáṇo máhi vrā́dhanta ukṣáṇaḥ ǀ dhánvañcidyé anāśávo jīrā́ścidágiraukasaḥ ǀ sū́ryasyeva raśmáyo durniyántavo hástayordurniyántavaḥ ǁ
The Sūkta culminates in a vision of overwhelming divine abundance and cosmic motion. The Ṛṣi calls upon Vāyu and Indra to pass beyond those who sleep in ignorance, moving directly to the house where the pressing stones resound. Where truth is spoken and the pressing stones sing, divine grace overflows like ghee and the sweet songs of dawn (sūnṛtā). In verse 8, the imagery shifts to earthly fertility: cows multiply, barley ripens, and Vāyu's nourishing streams (dhenus) never fail. Finally, verse 9 paints a breathtaking picture of Vāyu's restless powers—his tempestuous winds and currents that course through rivers and deserts, shining like the uncapturable rays of the sun, impossible to restrain by human hands.
Verse 7: Beyond the sleepers pass on, O Vāyu, past the indifferent; where the pressing stone resounds, thither go, O Indra, and to that home go with him. The word of truth has become visible, flowing with ghṛta; come with your full team to the sacrifice, O Indra, and you too, O Vāyu, come to the sacrifice.
Verse 8: Here indeed do you two carry the oblation of sweetness, which the zealous worshippers approach like the sacred fig tree; may those zealous ones be ours! Together the cows yield their milk, the barley ripens; your nourishing streams, O Vāyu, never fail, your milk-yielding cows never fail.
Verse 9: These are your powers, O Vāyu, mighty in their arms, flying deep within the rivers, growing great like bulls. Even across the desert wastes they are swift, wild and restless in their mountain home; like the rays of the sun, they are hard to restrain, hard to hold within the hands.
Traditional commentators like Sāyaṇa read the 'cows' and 'barley' literally as agricultural prosperity granted by the gods. Psychological and esoteric interpreters see the cows as the rays of spiritual illumination (go) and the uncontainable winds as the limitless, free-flowing energy of the liberated spirit.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ससतः | sasataḥ | the sleeping, the indolent |
| ग्रावा | grāvā | pressing stone |
| सूनृता | sūnṛtā | joyful utterance, truth, bounty |
| घृतम् | ghṛtam | clarified butter, luminous fluid |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| आहुतिम् | āhutim | oblation, offering |
| अश्वत्थम् | aśvattham | peepul tree, sacred fig tree |
| गावः | gāvaḥ | cows, rays of light |
| दस्यन्ति | dasyanti | fail, wane, diminish |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| बाहुओजसः | bāhu-ojasaḥ | strong in the arms, powerful |
| उक्षणः | ukṣaṇaḥ | bulls, sprinklers of rain/vigor |
| धन्वन् | dhanvan | desert, arid land |
| दुर्नियन्तवः | durniyantavaḥ | difficult to control or restrain |
Picture a wild, untamed mountain gale that sweeps across golden grain fields and rushing rivers at sunrise, leaving behind an unstoppable trail of blooming life and overflowing milk.