Re: Source material
From Rgveda X:
vRSA vRSNe duduhe dohasA divaH payAMsi yahvo aditeradAbhyaH |
vishvaM sa veda varuNo yathA dhiyA sa yajñiyo yajatu yajñiyAM RtUn || 11.1 ||
The bull hath yielded for the bull the milk of heaven: the son of aditi can never be deceived.
According to his wisdom varuNa knoweth all: may he, the holy, hallow times for sacrifice.
rapadgandharvIrapyA ca yoSaNA nadasya nAde pari pAtu me manaH |
iSTasya madhye aditirni dhAtu no bhrAtA no jyeSThaH prathamo vi vocati || 11.2 ||
GandharvI spake: may she, the lady of the flood, amid the river’s roaring leave my heart untouched.
May aditi accomplish all that we desire, and may our eldest brother tell us this as chief.
adha tyaM drapsaM vibhvaM vicakshaNaM virAbharadiSitaH shyeno adhvare |
yadI visho vRNate dasmamAryA agniM hotAramadha dhIrajAyata || 11.4 ||
And the fleet falcon brought for sacrifice from afar this flowing drop most excellent and keen of sight,
Then when the Arya tribes chose as invoking priest agni the wonder-worker, and the hymn rose up.
udIraya pitarA jAra A bhagamiyakshati haryato hRtta iSyati |
vivakti vahniH svapasyate makhastaviSyate asuro vepate matI || 11.6 ||
Urge thou thy parents, as a lover to delight: the lovely one desires and craves it from his heart.
The priest calls out, the sacrificer shows his skill, the asura tries his strength, and with the hymn is stirred.
yaste agne sumatimmarto akshatsahasaH sUno ati sa pra shRNve |
iSaM dadhAno vahamAno ashvairA sa dyumAM amavAnbhUSati dyUn || 11.7 ||
Far-famed is he, the mortal man, O agni, thou son of strength, who hath obtained thy favour.
He, gathering power, borne onward by his horses, makes his days lovely in his might and splendour.
yadagna eSA samitirbhavAti devI deveSu yajatA yajatra |
ratnA ca yadvibhajAsi svadhAvo bhAgaM no atra vasumantaM vItAt || 11.8 ||
When, holy agni, the divine assembly, the sacred synod mid the gods, is gathered,
And when thou, godlike one, dealest forth treasures, vouchsafe us, too, our portion of the riches.
yajñasya vo rathyaM vishpatiM vishAM hotAramaktoratithiM vibhAvasum |
shocañchuSkAsu hariNISu jarbhuradvRSA keturyajata dyAmashAyata || 92.1 ||
I praise your charioteer of sacrifice, the lord of men, priest of the tribes, refulgent, guest of night.
Blazing amid dry plants, snatching amid the green, the strong, the holy herald hath attained to heaven.
imamañjaspAmubhaye akRNvata dharmANamagniM vidathasya sAdhanam |
aktuM na yahvamuSasaH purohitaM tanUnapAtamaruSasya niMsate || 92.2 ||
Him, agni, gods and men have made their chief support, who drinks the fatness and completes the sacrifice.
With kisses they caress the grandson of the red, like the swift ray of light, the household priest of dawn.
pra rudreNa yayinA yanti sindhavas tiro mahImaramatiM dadhanvire |
yebhiH parijmA pariyannuru jrayo vi roruvajjaThare vishvamukshate || 92.5 ||
Onward, with ever-roaming rudra, speed the floods: over aramati the mighty have they run.
With them parijmA, moving round his vast domain, loud bellowing, bedews all things that are within.
krANA rudrA maruto vishvakRSTayo divaH shyenAso asurasya nILayaH |
tebhishcaSTe varuNo mitro aryamendro devebhirarvashebhirarvashaH || 92.6 ||
Straightway the rudrAs, marutas visiting all men, falcons of dyaus, home-dwellers with the asura;
VaruNa, mitra, aryaman look on with these, and the swift-moving indra with swift-moving gods.
indre bhujaM shashamAnAsa Ashata sUro dRshIke vRSaNashca pauMsye |
pra ye nvasyArhaNA tatakshire yujaM vajraM nRSadaneSu kAravaH || 92.7 ||
With indra have they found enjoyment, they who toil, in the light’s beauty, in the very strong one’s strength;
The singers who in men’s assemblies forged for him, according to his due, his friend the thunderbolt.
stomaM vo adya rudrAya shikvase kshayadvIrAya namasA didiSTana |
yebhiH shivaH svavAM evayAvabhirdivaH siSakti svayashA nikAmabhiH || 92.9 ||
With humble adoration show this day your song of praise to mighty rudra, ruler of the brave:
With whom, the eager ones, going their ordered course, he comes from heaven self-bright, auspicious, strong to guard.
te hi prajAyA abharanta vi shravo bRhaspatirvRSabhaH somajAmayaH |
yajñairatharvA prathamo vi dhArayaddevA dakshairbhRgavaH saM cikitrire || 92.10 ||
For these have spread abroad the fame of human kind, the bull bRhaspati and soma’s brotherhood.
Atharvan first by sacrifices made men sure: through skill the bhRgavas were esteemed of all as gods.
te hi dyAvApRthivI bhUriretasA narAshaMsashcaturaÑgo yamo’ditiH |
devastvaSTA draviNodA RbhukshaNaH pra rodasI maruto viSNurarhire || 92.11 ||
For these, the earth and heaven with their abundant seed, four-bodied narAshaMsa, yama, aditi,
God tvaSTA, wealth-bestower, the RbhukshaNas, rodasI, marutas, viSNu, claim and merit praise.
pra naH pUSA carathaM vishvadevyo’pAM napAdavatu vAyuriSTaye |
AtmAnaM vasyo abhi vAtamarcata tadashvinA suhavA yAmani shrutam || 92.13 ||
Dear to all gods, may pUSA guard the ways we go, the waters’ child and vAyu help us to success.
Sing lauds for your great bliss to wind, the breath of all: ye ashvinas prompt to hear, hear this upon your way.
vishAmAsAmabhayAnAmadhikshitaM gIrbhiru svayashasaM gRNImasi |
gnAbhirvishvAbhiraditimanarvaNamaktoryuvAnaM nRmaNA adhA patim || 92.14 ||
With hymns of praise we sing him who is throned as lord over these fearless tribes, the self-resplendent one.
We praise night’s youthful lord benevolent to men, the foeless one, the free, with all celestial dames.
rebhadatra januSA pUrvo aÑgirA grAvANa UrdhvA abhi cakshuradhvaram |
yebhirvihAyA abhavadvicakshaNaH pAthaH sumekaM svadhitirvananvati || 92.15 ||
By reason of his birth here aÑgiras first sang: the pressing-stones upraised beheld the sacrifice,
The stones through which the sage became exceeding vast, and the sharp axe obtains in fight the beauteous place.
mahi dyAvApRthivI bhUtamurvI nArI yahvI na rodasI sadaM naH
tebhirnaH pAtaM sahyasa ebhirnaH pAtaM shUSaNi || 93.1 ||
Mighty are ye, and far-extended, heaven and earth: both worlds are evermore to us like two young dames.
Guard us thereby from stronger foe; guard us hereby to give us strength.
yajñeyajñe sa martyo devAnsaparyati |
yaH sumnairdIrghashruttama AvivAsatyenAn || 93.2 ||
In each succeeding sacrifice that mortal honours the gods,
He who, most widely known and famed for happiness, invites them.
vishveSAmirajyavo devAnAM vArmahaH |
vishve hi vishvamahaso vishve yajñeSu yajñiyAH || 93.3 ||
Ye who are rulers over all, great is your sovran power as gods.
Ye all possess all majesty; all must be served in sacrifice.
te ghA rAjAno amRtasya mandrA aryamA mitro varuNaH parijmA |
kadrudro nRNAM stuto marutaH pUSaNo bhagaH || 93.4 ||
These are the joyous kings of immortality, parijmA, mitra, aryamA, and varuNa.
What else is rudra, praised of men? the marutas, bhaga, pUSaNa?
uta no naktamapAM vRSaNvasU sUryAmAsA sadanAya sadhanyA |
sacA yatsAdyeSAmahirbudhneSu budhnyaH || 93.5 ||
Come also to our dwelling, lords of ample wealth, common partakers of our waters, sun and moon,
When the great dragon of the deep hath settled down upon their floors.
uta no devAvashvinA shubhaspatI dhAmabhirmitrAvaruNA uruSyatAm |
mahaH sa rAya eSate’ti dhanveva duritA || 93.6 ||
And let the ashvinas, lords of splendour, set us free; both gods, and, with their laws, mitra and varuNa.
Through woes, as over desert lands, he speeds to ample opulence.
uta no rudrA cinmRLatAmashvinA vishve devAso rathaspatirbhagaH |
RbhurvAja RbhukshaNaH parijmA vishvavedasaH || 93.7 ||
Yea, let the ashvinas twain he gracious unto us, even rudrAs, and all gods, bhaga, rathaspati;
ParijmA, Rbhu, vAja, O lords of all wealth RbhukshaNas.
RbhurRbhukshA Rbhurvidhato mada A te harI jUjuvAnasya vAjinA |
duSTaraM yasya sAma cidRdhagyajño na mAnuSaH || 93.8 ||
Prompt is RbhukshA, prompt the worshipper’s strong drink: may thy fleet bay steeds, thine who spurred on, approach.
Not man’s but god’s is sacrifice whose psalm is unassailable.
kRdhI no ahrayo deva savitaH sa ca stuSe maghonAm |
saho na indro vahnibhirnyeSAM carSaNInAM cakraM rashmiM na yoyuve || 93.9 ||
O god savitar, harmed by none, lauded, give us a place among wealthy princes.
With his car-steeds at once hath our indra guided the reins and the car of these men.
aiSu dyAvApRthivI dhAtammahadasme vIreSu vishvacarSaNi shravaH |
pRkshaM vAjasya sAtaye pRkshaM rAyota turvaNe || 93.10 ||
To these men present here, O heaven and earth, to us grant lofty fame extending over all mankind.
Give us a steed to win us strength, a steed with wealth for victory.
etaM shaMsamindrAsmayuSTvaM kUcitsantaM sahasAvannabhiSTaye |
sadA pAhyabhiSTaye medatAM vedatA vaso || 93.11 ||
This speaker, indra, for thou art our friend, wherever he may be, guard thou, victor, for help, ever for help,
Thy wisdom, vasu, prosper him.
etamme stomaM tanA na sUrye dyutadyAmAnaM vAvRdhanta nRNAm |
saMvananaM nAshvyaM taSTevAnapacyutam || 93.12 ||
So have they strengthened this mine hymn which seems to take its bright path to the sun, and reconciles the men:
Thus forms a carpenter the yoke of horses, not to be displaced.
vAvarta yeSAM rAyA yuktaiSAM hiraNyayI |
nemadhitA na pauMsyA vRtheva viSTAntA || 93.13 ||
Whose chariot-seat hath come again laden with wealth and bright with gold,
Lightly, with piercing ends, as it were two ranks of heroes ranged for fight.
pra tadduHshIme pRthavAne vene pra rAme vocamasure maghavatsu |
ye yuktvAya pañca shatAsmayu pathA vishrAvyeSAm || 93.14 ||
This to duHshIma pRthavAna have I sung, to vena, rAma, to the nobles, and the king.
They yoked five hundred, and their love of us was famed upon their way.
adhInnvatra saptatiM ca sapta ca |
sadyo didiSTa tAnvaH sadyo didiSTa pArthyaH sadyo didiSTa mAyavaH || 93.15 ||
Besides, they showed us seven and seventy horses here.
TAnva at once displayed his gift, pArthya at once displayed his gift; and straightway mAyava showed his.
kaM nashcitramiSaNyasi cikitvAnpRthugmAnaM vAshraM vAvRdhadhyai |
kattasya dAtu shavaso vyuSTau takshadvajraM vRtraturamapinvat || 99.1 ||
What splendid one, loud-voiced, far-striding, dost thou, well-knowing, urge us to exalt with praises?
What give we him? When his might dawned, he fashioned the vRtra-slaying bolt, and sent us waters.
sa vAjaM yAtApaduSpadA yansvarSAtA pariSadatsaniSyan |
anarvA yacchatadurasya vedo ghnañchishnadevAM abhi varpasA bhUt || 99.3 ||
On most auspicious path he goes to battle, he toiled to win heaven’s light, full fain to gain it;
He seized the hundred-gated castle’s treasure by craft, unchecked, and slew the lustful demons.
sa yahvyo’vanIrgoSvarvA juhoti pradhanyAsu sasriH |
apAdo yatra yujyAso’rathA droNyashvAsa Irate ghRtaM vAH || 99.4 ||
Fighting for kine, the prize of war, and I roaming among the herd, he brings the young streams hither,
Where, footless, joined, without a car to bear them, with jars for steeds, they pour their flood like butter.
sa rudrebhirashastavAra RbhvA hitvI gayamAreavadya AgAt |
vamrasya manye mithunA vivavrI annamabhItyArodayanmuSAyan || 99.5 ||
Bold, unsolicited for wealth, with rudrAs he came, the blameless, having left his dwelling,
Came, seized the food of vamra and his consort, and left the couple weeping and unsheltered.
so abhriyo na yavasa udanyankshayAya gAtuM vidanno asme |
upa yatsIdadinduM sharIraiH shyeno’yopASTirhanti dasyUn || 99.8 ||
He, like a cloud that rains upon the pasture, hath found for us the way to dwell in safety.
When the hawk comes in body to the soma, armed with his iron claws he slays the dasyUs.
sa vrAdhataH shavasAnebhirasya kutsAya shuSNaM kRpaNe parAdAt |
ayaM kavimanayacchasyamAnamatkaM yo asya sanitota nRNAm || 99.9 ||
He with his potent friends gave up the mighty, gave shuSNa up to kutsa for affliction.
He led the lauded kavi, he delivered atka as prey to him and to his heroes.
ayaM dashasyannaryebhirasya dasmo devebhirvaruNo na mAyI |
ayaM kanIna RtupA avedyamimItAraruM yashcatuSpAt || 99.10 ||
He, with his gods who love mankind, the wondrous, giving like varuNa who works with magic,
Was known, yet young as guardian of the seasons; and he quelled araru, four-footed demon.
evA maho asura vakshathAya vamrakaH paDbhirupa sarpadindram |
sa iyAnaH karati svastimasmA iSamUrjaM sukshitiM vishvamAbhAH || 99.12 ||
So, swiftly asura, for exaltation, hath the great vamraka come nigh to indra.
He will, when supplicated, bring him blessing: he hath brought all, food, strength, a happy dwelling.
samiddho adya manuSo duroNe devo devAnyajasi jAtavedaH |
A ca vaha mitramahashcikitvAntvaM dUtaH kavirasi pracetAH || 110.1 ||
Thou, in the house of man, this day enkindled, worshippest gods as god, O jAtavedas.
Observant, bright as mitra, bring them hither: thou art a sapient and foreknowing envoy.
tanUnapAtpatha Rtasya yAnAnmadhvA samañjansvadayA sujihva |
manmAni dhIbhiruta yajñamRndhandevatrA ca kRNuhyadhvaraM naH || 110.2 ||
TanUnapat, fair-tongued, with sweet meath balming the paths and ways of order, make them pleasant.
Convey our sacrifice to heaven, exalting with holy thoughts our hymns of praise and worship.
AjuhvAna IDyo vandyashcA yAhyagne vasubhiH sajoSAH |
tvaM devAnAmasi yahva hotA sa enAnyakshISito yajIyAn || 110.3 ||
Invoked, deserving prayer and adoration, O agni, come accordant with the vasavas.
Thou art, O youthful lord, the gods’ invoker, so, best of sacrificers, bring them quickly.
prAcInambarhiH pradishA pRthivyA vastorasyA vRjyate agre ahnAm |
vyu prathate vitaraM varIyo devebhyo aditaye syonam || 110.4 ||
By rule the sacred grass is scattered eastward, a robe to clothe this earth when dawns are breaking.
Widely it spreads around and far-extended, fair for the gods and bringing peace and freedom.
vyacasvatIrurviyA vi shrayantAmpatibhyo na janayaH shumbhamAnAH |
devIrdvAro bRhatIrvishvaminvA devebhyo bhavata suprAyaNAH || 110.5 ||
Let the expansive doors be widely opened, like wives who deck their beauty for their husbands.
Lofty, celestial, all-impelling portals, admit the gods and give them easy entrance.
A suSvayantI yajate upAke uSAsAnaktA sadatAM ni yonau |
divye yoSaNe bRhatI surukme adhi shriyaM shukrapishaM dadhAne || 110.6 ||
Pouring sweet dews let holy night and morning, each close to each, he seated at their station,
Lofty, celestial dames with gold to deck them, assuming all their fair and radiant beauty.
daivyA hotArA prathamA suvAcA mimAnA yajñammanuSo yajadhyai |
pracodayantA vidatheSu kArU prAcInaM jyotiH pradishA dishantA || 110.7 ||
Come the two first celestial sweet-voiced hotArA, arranging sacrifice for man to worship
As singers who inspire us in assemblies, showing the eastward light with their direction.
A no yajñambhAratI tUyametviLA manuSvadiha cetayantI |
tisro devIrbarhiredaM syonaM sarasvatI svapasaH sadantu || 110.8 ||
Let bhAratI come quickly to our worship, and iLA showing like a human being.
So let sarasvatI and both her fellows, deft goddesses, on this fair grass be seated.
ya ime dyAvApRthivI janitrI rUpairapiMshadbhuvanAni vishvA |
tamadya hotariSito yajIyAndevaM tvaSTAramiha yakshi vidvAn || 110.9 ||
Hotar more skilled in sacrifice, bring hither with speed today god tvaSTAr, thou who knowest.
Even him who formed these two, the earth and heaven, the parents, with their forms, and every creature.
upAvasRja tmanyA samañjandevAnAmpAtha RtuthA havIMSi |
vanaspatiH shamitA devo agniH svadantu havyammadhunA ghRtena || 110.10 ||
Send to our offerings, which thyself thou balmest, the companies of gods in ordered season.
Agni, vanaspati the immolator sweeten our offered gift with meath and butter.
sadyo jAto vyamimIta yajñamagnirdevAnAmabhavatpurogAH |
asya hotuH pradishyRtasya vAci svAhAkRtaM haviradantu devAH || 110.11 ||
Agni, as soon as he was born, made ready the sacrifice, and was the gods’ preceder.
May the gods cat our offering, consecrated according to this true priest’s voice and guidance.
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