Verses 1, 2
प्रप्र॑ पू॒ष्णस्तु॑विजा॒तस्य॑ शस्यते महि॒त्वम॑स्य त॒वसो॒ न तं॑दते स्तो॒त्रम॑स्य॒ न तं॑दते । अर्चा॑मि सुम्न॒यन्न॒हमंत्यू॑तिं मयो॒भुवं॑ । विश्व॑स्य॒ यो मन॑ आयुयु॒वे म॒खो दे॒व आ॑युयु॒वे म॒खः ॥
prápra pūṣṇástuvijātásya śasyate mahitvámasya taváso ná tandate stotrámasya ná tandate ǀ árcāmi sumnayánnahámántyūtim mayobhúvam ǀ víśvasya yó mána āyuyuvé makhó devá āyuyuvé makháḥ ǁ
प्र हि त्वा॑ पूषन्नजि॒रं न याम॑नि॒ स्तोमे॑भिः कृ॒ण्व ऋ॒णवो॒ यथा॒ मृध॒ उष्ट्रो॒ न पी॑परो॒ मृधः॑ । हु॒वे यत्त्वा॑ मयो॒भुवं॑ दे॒वं स॒ख्याय॒ मर्त्यः॑ । अ॒स्माक॑मांगू॒षान्द्यु॒म्निन॑स्कृधि॒ वाजे॑षु द्यु॒म्निन॑स्कृधि ॥
prá hí tvā pūṣannajirám ná yā́mani stómebhiḥ kṛṇvá ṛṇávo yáthā mṛ́dha úṣṭro ná pīparo mṛ́dhaḥ ǀ huvé yáttvā mayobhúvam devám sakhyā́ya mártyaḥ ǀ asmā́kamāṅgūṣā́ndyumnínaskṛdhi vā́jeṣu dyumnínaskṛdhi ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi approaches Pūṣan—the nourisher, the pastoral guardian of paths, and the lord of gathered wealth—with an overflowing heart. The praise directed toward this divinely born, robust deity never grows weary or slack. The poet declares that his songs of adoration are inexhaustible, mirroring the boundless sustaining power of Pūṣan himself. Approaching with a desire for spiritual and material well-being, the singer invokes the deity who brings joy and close protection, noting how Pūṣan moves swiftly and gathers the minds of all beings toward harmony. Moving into the second verse, the Ṛṣi likens his eager approach to a swift-footed horse on the racetrack, decking his praise with rich hymns as one might harness a charger. He calls upon Pūṣan to pierce through hostile impediments just as a strong camel breaks through opposition, safeguarding the devotee. The earnest cry rises for divine friendship, asking that the singer's inspired utterances and declarations of praise be filled with resplendent light and spiritual vigor in all future contests and battles of life.
Verse 1: Ever fresh and unwearied is the radiant praise of the divinely born Pūṣan, whose sustaining might never falters; seeking his grace, I sing my song to him who draws near and brings delight, the great god who gathers the very minds of all living beings.
Verse 2: O Pūṣan, I harness my hymns to thee like a swift steed on the path; do thou protect us and shatter our foes like a mighty camel, for I call upon thee, the joy-bringer, for eternal friendship and ask for radiant vigor in our sacred tasks.
The direct translation captures the vivid imagery of pastoral life and racing steeds, while commentators like Sāyaṇa interpret 'uṣṭra' through traditional comparative strength. Sri Aurobindo highlights Pūṣan as the augmenter of progress and inner illumination on the path of truth.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पूष्णः | pūṣṇaḥ | of Pūṣan, the Nourisher |
| तुविजातस्य | tuvi-jātasya | of powerful birth, richly manifested |
| महित्वम् | mahi-tvam | greatness, majesty |
| सुम्नयन् | sumna-yan | seeking grace or benevolence |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पूषन् | pūṣan | O Pūṣan |
| अजिरम् | ajiram | swift, agile |
| उष्ट्रः | uṣṭraḥ | camel, strong beast of burden |
| मयःभुवम् | mayaḥ-bhuvam | bringing joy or bliss |
Picture a swift, unwearied runner carrying a golden message across the fields, cheered on by an entire village whose hearts and minds are gathered in unison by the nourishing sun.
Verses 3, 4
यस्य॑ ते पूषन्त्स॒ख्ये वि॑प॒न्यवः॒ क्रत्वा॑ चि॒त्संतोऽव॑सा बुभुज्रि॒र इति॒ क्रत्वा॑ बुभुज्रि॒रे । तामनु॑ त्वा॒ नवी॑यसीं नि॒युतं॑ रा॒य ई॑महे । अहे॑ळमान उरुशंस॒ सरी॑ भव॒ वाजे॑वाजे॒ सरी॑ भव ॥
yásya te pūṣantsakhyé vipanyávaḥ krátvā citsántó’vasā bubhujrirá íti krátvā bubhujriré ǀ tā́mánu tvā návīyasīm niyútam rāyá īmahe ǀ áheḷamāna uruśaṃsa sárī bhava vā́jevāje sárī bhava ǁ
अ॒स्या ऊ॒ षु ण॒ उप॑ सा॒तये॑ भु॒वोऽहे॑ळमानो ररि॒वाँ अ॑जाश्व श्रवस्य॒ताम॑जाश्व । ओ षु त्वा॑ ववृतीमहि॒ स्तोमे॑भिर्दस्म सा॒धुभिः॑ । न॒हि त्वा॑ पूषन्नति॒मन्य॑ आघृणे॒ न ते॑ स॒ख्यम॑पह्नु॒वे ॥
asyā́ ū ṣú ṇa úpa sātáye bhuvó’heḷamāno rarivā́m̐ ajāśva śravasyatā́majāśva ǀ ó ṣú tvā vavṛtīmahi stómebhirdasma sādhúbhiḥ ǀ nahí tvā pūṣannatimánya āghṛṇe ná te sakhyámapahnuvé ǁ
The Ṛṣi deepens the intimate relationship with Pūṣan, recalling how wise sages of old through their active will and insightful works have ever partaken of his protective grace. Drawing upon this ancient legacy, the poet seeks a new, ever-fresh tier of divine bounty and unyielding wealth. He entreats the 'Lord of Wide Acclaim' to remain gracious and un-angered, flowing continuously like a river of abundance across every single trial and battle of existence. In the final verse, the petitioner pleads directly for the fulfillment of his quest, invoking Pūṣan under his striking epithet 'Driver of Goats' (Ajaśva) and 'Radiant/Passionate' (Āghṛṇe). The Ṛṣi affirms that he does not hold Pūṣan at a distance or think lightly of him; rather, he binds himself tightly to the deity's friendship with faultless, well-wrought hymns, refusing ever to deny or conceal the sacred bond.
Verse 3: O Pūṣan, in whose friendship skilled poets through their active striving have ever enjoyed thy protection, we now beseech thee for a newer, unbroken stream of riches; be ever un-angered toward us, thou lord of wide acclaim, flowing with bounty in every single struggle.
Verse 4: Be thou gracious for our winning of bounty, O driver of goats and steeds, turning thy benevolent gaze toward those who long for fame; with faultless hymns we turn our hearts to thee, for, O radiant Pūṣan, I never undervalue thee nor do I deny our sacred friendship.
Sāyaṇa focuses on the ritual mechanics of earning material wealth and victory in cattle-raids, whereas spiritual commentators view 'sātaye' and 'rayi' as the acquisition of divine illumination and spiritual riches on the yogic path.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| विपन्यवः | vipanyavaḥ | praising poets, inspired singers |
| क्रत्वा | kratvā | by will, mental power, or ritual action |
| अहेळमानः | aheḷamānaḥ | un-angered, without wrath |
| उरुशंस | uru-śaṃsa | praised by many, of wide renown |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सातये | sātaye | for winning, acquisition, or gain |
| अजअश्व | aja-aśva | having goats as horses (epithet of Pūṣan) |
| आघृणे | āghṛṇe | O glowing, radiant one |
| अपह्नुवे | apa-hnuve | I deny, conceal, or disown |
Imagine a loyal traveler walking hand in hand with a trusted guide along a mountain path, refusing to let go of his friend's garment no matter how steep the climb becomes.