Verses 1, 2
अस्तु॒ श्रौष॑ट् पु॒रो अ॒ग्निं धि॒या द॑ध॒ आ नु तच्छर्धो॑ दि॒व्यं वृ॑णीमह इंद्रवा॒यू वृ॑णीमहे । यद्ध॑ क्रा॒णा वि॒वस्व॑ति॒ नाभा॑ सं॒दायि॒ नव्य॑सी । अध॒ प्र सू न॒ उप॑ यंतु धी॒तयो॑ दे॒वाँ अच्छा॒ न धी॒तयः॑ ॥
ástu śráuṣaṭ puró agním dhiyā́ dadha ā́ nú tácchárdho divyám vṛṇīmaha indravāyū́ vṛṇīmahe ǀ yáddha krāṇā́ vivásvati nā́bhā saṃdā́yi návyasī ǀ ádha prá sū́ na úpa yantu dhītáyo devā́m̐ ácchā ná dhītáyaḥ ǁ
यद्ध॒ त्यन्मि॑त्रावरुणावृ॒तादध्या॑द॒दाथे॒ अनृ॑तं॒ स्वेन॑ म॒न्युना॒ दक्ष॑स्य॒ स्वेन॑ म॒न्युना॑ । यु॒वोरि॒त्थाधि॒ सद्म॒स्वप॑श्याम हिर॒ण्ययं॑ । धी॒भिश्च॒न मन॑सा॒ स्वेभि॑र॒क्षभिः॒ सोम॑स्य॒ स्वेभि॑र॒क्षभिः॑ ॥
yáddha tyánmitrāvaruṇāvṛtā́dádhyādadā́the ánṛtam svéna manyúnā dákṣasya svéna manyúnā ǀ yuvóritthā́dhi sádmasvápaśyāma hiraṇyáyam ǀ dhībhíścaná mánasā svébhirakṣábhiḥ sómasya svébhirakṣábhiḥ ǁ
As the ritual fire is kindled at the break of dawn, the Ṛṣi invokes Agni with the sacred sacrificial cry (śrauṣaṭ) and calls upon the divine powers of Indra and Vāyu. This opening act bridges the human endeavor with the vast cosmic order, establishing an immediate rapport between the terrestrial sacrificer and the celestial forces. In the second verse, the focus shifts to Mitra and Varuṇa, the great guardians of Ṛta (cosmic truth). The Ṛṣi contemplates how these deities uphold truth against falsehood, operating through the divine will and power (manyu and dakṣa). The seeker perceives their radiant abodes not merely with physical eyes, but through the inner eye of meditation and the dedicated offering of Soma, revealing a deeply personal connection with cosmic governance.
Verse 1: Let the sacred call be heard! I establish Agni in the front with prayer, and now I choose the divine strength and choose Indra and Vāyu.
Verse 2: When, O Mitra and Varuṇa, you stand firm in truth away from falsehood by your fierce resolve, we behold your golden dwelling with our inner eyes and focused minds.
Sāyaṇa interprets 'ṛtāt' strictly as the sacrificial truth, whereas Sri Aurobindo sees it as the foundational law of Truth-Consciousness (Ṛta-Satya) governing moral and cosmic existence.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अग्निम् | agnim | Agni, the sacrificial fire |
| धिया | dhiyā | with thought, prayer, or intellect |
| इन्द्रवायू | indravāyū | Indra and Vāyu as a dual divinity |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मित्रावरुणौ | mitrāvaruṇau | Mitra and Varuṇa |
| ऋतात् | ṛtāt | from the cosmic order or truth (ṛta) |
| हिरण्ययम् | hiraṇyayam | golden, made of gold |
Picture a morning campfire blazing to life while the first golden rays of sunlight pierce through the mountain mist, revealing hidden golden palaces in the clouds.
Verses 3, 4, 5
यु॒वां स्तोमे॑भिर्देव॒यंतो॑ अश्विनाश्रा॒वयं॑त इव॒ श्लोक॑मा॒यवो॑ यु॒वां ह॒व्याभ्या॒३॒॑यवः॑ । यु॒वोर्विश्वा॒ अधि॒ श्रियः॒ पृक्ष॑श्च विश्ववेदसा । प्रु॒षा॒यंते॑ वां प॒वयो॑ हिर॒ण्यये॒ रथे॑ दस्रा हिर॒ण्यये॑ ॥
yuvā́m stómebhirdevayánto aśvināśrāváyanta iva ślókamāyávo yuvā́m havyā́bhyā́yávaḥ ǀ yuvórvíśvā ádhi śríyaḥ pṛ́kṣaśca viśvavedasā ǀ pruṣāyánte vām paváyo hiraṇyáye ráthe dasrā hiraṇyáye ǁ
अचे॑ति दस्रा॒ व्यु१॒॑ नाक॑मृण्वथो युं॒जते॑ वां रथ॒युजो॒ दिवि॑ष्टिष्वध्व॒स्मानो॒ दिवि॑ष्टिषु । अधि॑ वां॒ स्थाम॑ वं॒धुरे॒ रथे॑ दस्रा हिर॒ण्यये॑ । प॒थेव॒ यंता॑वनु॒शास॑ता॒ रजोऽंज॑सा॒ शास॑ता॒ रजः॑ ॥
áceti dasrā vyú nā́kamṛṇvatho yuñjáte vām rathayújo díviṣṭiṣvadhvasmā́no díviṣṭiṣu ǀ ádhi vām sthā́ma vandhúre ráthe dasrā hiraṇyáye ǀ pathéva yántāvanuśā́satā rájó’ñjasā śā́satā rájaḥ ǁ
शची॑भिर्नः शचीवसू॒ दिवा॒ नक्तं॑ दशस्यतं । मा वां॑ रा॒तिरुप॑ दस॒त्कदा॑ च॒नास्मद्रा॒तिः कदा॑ च॒न ॥
śácībhirnaḥ śacīvasū dívā náktam daśasyatam ǀ mā́ vām rātírúpa dasatkádā canā́smádrātíḥ kádā caná ǁ
The Ṛṣi turns his devotion toward the Aśvins, the divine twin physicians of the cosmos, whose chariot brings healing and swift grace. Worshippers praise them with rich hymns, making their voices resound like falling rain or flowing streams. Their golden wheels scatter spray and light across the heavens as they traverse the realms. In the fourth verse, their brilliant arrival is perceived as they mount their golden chariot seat, guiding the vast atmospheric regions with precision. The fifth verse culminates in an intimate prayer asking these masters of spiritual and material wealth to protect the sacrificer day and night, ensuring that their divine bounty never diminishes.
Verse 3: O Aśvins, seekers praise you with hymns, letting their voices ring out as they bring their oblations to you who possess all treasures.
Verse 4: The Aśvins make their presence known as they touch the vault of heaven, their chariot-steeds harnessed for divine gatherings, guiding the middle realm like skilled charioteers.
Verse 5: By your divine powers, O possessors of wealth, bestow your grace upon us day and night; may your gift to us never fail, never at any time fail.
Commentators view the Aśvins here as the dual force of dynamic prāṇa (life-breath) and light bridging darkness and illumination, day and night.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अश्विना | aśvinā | the two horsemen, the Aśvins |
| स्तोमेभिः | stomebhiḥ | with praises or hymns |
| विश्ववेदसा | viśvavedasā | possessing all wealth or treasures |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| दस्रा | dasrā | wondrous workers, an epithet of the Aśvins |
| नाकम् | nākam | the vault of heaven, the painless realm |
| रथे | rathe | on the chariot |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शचीभिः | śacībhiḥ | with powers, capacities, or actionable grace |
| दिवा | divā | by day |
| नक्तम् | naktam | by night |
Imagine a pair of golden racing chariots dashing across the morning sky, leaving trails of sparkling dew and golden light in their wake.
Verses 6, 7, 8
वृष॑न्निंद्र वृष॒पाणा॑स॒ इंद॑व इ॒मे सु॒ता अद्रि॑षुतास उ॒द्भिद॒स्तुभ्यं॑ सु॒तास॑ उ॒द्भिदः॑ । ते त्वा॑ मंदंतु दा॒वने॑ म॒हे चि॒त्राय॒ राध॑से । गी॒र्भिर्गि॑र्वाहः॒ स्तव॑मान॒ आ ग॑हि सुमृळी॒को न॒ आ ग॑हि ॥
vṛ́ṣannindra vṛṣapā́ṇāsa índava imé sutā́ ádriṣutāsa udbhídastúbhyam sutā́sa udbhídaḥ ǀ té tvā mandantu dāváne mahé citrā́ya rā́dhase ǀ gīrbhírgirvāhaḥ stávamāna ā́ gahi sumṛḷīkó na ā́ gahi ǁ
ओ षू णो॑ अग्ने शृणुहि॒ त्वमी॑ळि॒तो दे॒वेभ्यो॑ ब्रवसि य॒ज्ञिये॑भ्यो॒ राज॑भ्यो य॒ज्ञिये॑भ्यः । यद्ध॒ त्यामंगि॑रोभ्यो धे॒नुं दे॑वा॒ अद॑त्तन । वि तां दु॑ह्रे अर्य॒मा क॒र्तरी॒ सचाँ॑ ए॒ष तां वे॑द मे॒ सचा॑ ॥
ó ṣū́ ṇo agne śṛṇuhi tvámīḷitó devébhyo bravasi yajñíyebhyo rā́jabhyo yajñíyebhyaḥ ǀ yáddha tyā́máṅgirobhyo dhenúm devā ádattana ǀ ví tā́m duhre aryamā́ kartárī sácām̐ eṣá tā́m veda me sácā ǁ
मो षु वो॑ अ॒स्मद॒भि तानि॒ पौंस्या॒ सना॑ भूवंद्यु॒म्नानि॒ मोत जा॑रिषुर॒स्मत्पु॒रोत जा॑रिषुः । यद्व॑श्चि॒त्रं यु॒गेयु॑गे॒ नव्यं॒ घोषा॒दम॑र्त्यं । अ॒स्मासु॒ तन्म॑रुतो॒ यच्च॑ दु॒ष्टरं॑ दिधृ॒ता यच्च॑ दु॒ष्टरं॑ ॥
mó ṣú vo asmádabhí tā́ni páuṃsyā sánā bhūvandyumnā́ni mótá jāriṣurasmátpurótá jāriṣuḥ ǀ yádvaścitrám yugéyuge návyam ghóṣādámartyam ǀ asmā́su tánmaruto yácca duṣṭáram didhṛtā́ yácca duṣṭáram ǁ
The ritual song now focuses on Indra, the lord of power and the crusher of obstacles. The pressed Soma juices, crushed by the stones, flow abundantly to intoxicate and gladden Indra, inviting him to bestow his wondrous bounties upon the singer. The Ṛṣi implores the great carrier of prayers to arrive with supreme benevolence. Transitioning in verse seven, Agni is beseeched to act as the divine messenger who speaks on behalf of mortals to all the worshipful kings of heaven. The Ṛṣi recalls the ancient divine gift of the wish-fulfilling cow given to the Aṅgirases. Finally, the Maruts are invoked in verse eight to maintain their invincible energies and dynamic martial protection among the mortal worshippers.
Verse 6: O bountiful Indra, these stone-pressed Soma drops, gushing forth, are for you alone; let them gladden you to grant us wondrous, vast riches, and come to us with deep compassion.
Verse 7: O Agni, listen closely to our call; praised by us, speak to the divine and worshipful kings on our behalf—you who remember the celestial cow granted of old to the Aṅgirases.
Verse 8: O Maruts, may your ancient heroic energies and radiant lights remain with us and never fade away; uphold among us that wondrous, immortal, and unconquerable strength.
The 'dhenu' (cow) given to the Aṅgirases is traditionally understood as the hidden light of the Sun or divine illumination recovered from the cave of darkness.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| इन्द्र | indra | Indra, lord of might |
| इन्दवः | indavaḥ | Soma drops |
| राधसे | rādhase | for bounty or gift |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अग्ने | agne | O Agni |
| धेनुम् | dhenum | milch cow (symbol of spiritual abundance) |
| अङ्गिरोभ्यः | aṅgirobhyaḥ | to the ancient Aṅgiras sages |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पौंस्या | pauṃsyā | manly vigor, heroic powers |
| मरुतः | marutaḥ | the Maruts, storm-gods |
| अमर्त्यम् | amartyam | immortal |
Visualize a powerful river of foaming milk and nectar rushing from the heavens, while a ring of fierce storm-gods stands guard around the sacred altar.
Verses 9, 10, 11
द॒ध्यङ् ह॑ मे ज॒नुषं॒ पूर्वो॒ अंगि॑राः प्रि॒यमे॑धः॒ कण्वो॒ अत्रि॒र्मनु॑र्विदु॒स्ते मे॒ पूर्वे॒ मनु॑र्विदुः । तेषां॑ दे॒वेष्वाय॑तिर॒स्माकं॒ तेषु॒ नाभ॑यः । तेषां॑ प॒देन॒ मह्या न॑मे गि॒रेंद्रा॒ग्नी आ न॑मे गि॒रा ॥
dadhyáṅ ha me janúṣam pū́rvo áṅgirāḥ priyámedhaḥ káṇvo átrirmánurvidusté me pū́rve mánurviduḥ ǀ téṣām devéṣvā́yatirasmā́kam téṣu nā́bhayaḥ ǀ téṣām padéna máhyā́ name giréndrāgnī́ ā́ name girā́ ǁ
होता॑ यक्षद्व॒निनो॑ वंत॒ वार्यं॒ बृह॒स्पति॑र्यजति वे॒न उ॒क्षभिः॑ पुरु॒वारे॑भिरु॒क्षभिः॑ । ज॒गृ॒भ्मा दू॒रआ॑दिशं॒ श्लोक॒मद्रे॒रध॒ त्मना॑ । अधा॑रयदर॒रिंदा॑नि सु॒क्रतुः॑ पु॒रू सद्मा॑नि सु॒क्रतुः॑ ॥
hótā yakṣadvaníno vanta vā́ryam bṛ́haspátiryajati vená ukṣábhiḥ puruvā́rebhirukṣábhiḥ ǀ jagṛbhmā́ dūrā́diśam ślókamádrerádha tmánā ǀ ádhārayadararíndāni sukrátuḥ purū́ sádmāni sukrátuḥ ǁ
ये दे॑वासो दि॒व्येका॑दश॒ स्थ पृ॑थि॒व्यामध्येका॑दश॒ स्थ । अ॒प्सु॒क्षितो॑ महि॒नैका॑दश॒ स्थ ते दे॑वासो य॒ज्ञमि॒मं जु॑षध्वं ॥
yé devāso divyékādaśa sthá pṛthivyā́mádhyékādaśa sthá ǀ apsukṣíto mahináikādaśa sthá té devāso yajñámimám juṣadhvam ǁ
The Ṛṣi anchors his spiritual legitimacy in the great lineage of ancient seers—Dadhyañ, Aṅgiras, Priyamedha, Kaṇva, Atri, and Manu—who first knew the mysteries of human birth and divine descent. Through this unbroken lineage, the present singer claims a direct kinship with the gods, bowing deeply with hymns of praise to Indra and Agni. The tenth verse depicts the Hotṛ priest invoking the divine powers, supported by Bṛhaspati and Vena with rich libations, establishing sacred spatial boundaries and sustaining the multiple dwelling places of existence. Finally, the sūkta concludes with a grand summation of the pantheon: the thirty-three great deities residing in heaven, on earth, and within the waters, all invited to partake in and joyfully accept this sacred sacrifice.
Verse 9: Dadhyañ, Aṅgiras, Priyamedha, Kaṇva, Atri, and Manu knew my origin; our lineage traces back to them among the gods, and through their path I bow deeply with my song to Indra and Agni.
Verse 10: The Hotṛ priest invokes the forest lords and Bṛhaspati worships with rich oblations; we have grasped the far-reaching hymn from the mountain, and the wise one sustains many abodes.
Verse 11: You gods who dwell eleven in heaven, eleven upon the earth, and eleven inhabiting the waters in your majesty—do all of you graciously accept this our sacrifice!
Verse 11 is famous in Vedic literature for explicitly defining the classic Vedic pantheon of thirty-three principal deities (11 in heaven, 11 on earth, 11 in the waters/atmosphere).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| दध्यङ् | dadhyaṅ | Dadhyañ, an ancient sage |
| मनुः | manuḥ | Manu, the primal progenitor |
| इन्द्राग्नी | indrāgnī | Indra and Agni |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| होता | hotā | the invoking priest |
| बृहस्पतिः | bṛhaspatiḥ | Bṛhaspati, lord of prayer |
| सुकतुः | sukratuḥ | of excellent will or wisdom |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| एकादश | ekādaśa | eleven |
| अप्सुक्षितः | apsukṣitaḥ | dwelling in the waters |
| यज्ञम् | yajñam | sacrifice, cosmic communion |
Picture an ancient golden chain of sages stretching across time, linking modern seekers directly to an assembly of thirty-three radiant deities gathered across heaven, earth, and ocean.