HYMN CXII. Asvins.
1. To give first thought to them, I worship Heaven and Earth, and Agni, fair bright glow, to hasten their approach.
Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids wherewith in fight ye speed the war-cry to the spoil.
2. Ample, unfailing, they have mounted as it were an eloquent car that ye may think of us and give.
Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids wherewith ye help our thoughts to further holy acts.
3. Ye by the might which heavenly nectar giveth you are in supreme dominion Lords of all these folk.
Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids wherewith ye, Heroes, made the barren cow give milk.
4. The aids wherewith the Wanderer through his offipring’s might, or the Two-Mothered Son shows swiftest mid the swift;
Wherewith the sapient one acquired his triple lore,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
5. Wherewith ye raised from waters, prisoned and fast bound, Rebha, and Vandana to look upon the light;
Wherewith ye succoured Kapva as he strove to win,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
6. Wherewith ye rescued Antaka when languishing deep in the pit, and Bhujyu with unfailing help.
And comforted Karkandhu, Vayya, in their woe,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
7. Wherewith ye gave gucanti wealth and happy home, and made the fiery pit friendly for Atri’s sake;
Wherewith ye guarded Purukutsa, Prsnigu, -Come hither unto us, O Agvin;, with those aids.
8. Mighty Ones, with what powers ye gave Paravrj aid what time ye made the blind and lame to see and walk;
Wherewith ye set at liberty the swallowed quail,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
9. Wherewith ye quickened the most sweet exhaustless flood, and comforted Vasistha, ye who ne’er decay;
And to Srutarya, Kutsa, Narya gave your help,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
10. Wherewith ye helped, in battle of a thousand spoils, Vispala seeking booty, powerless to move.
Wherewith ye guarded friendly Vaga, Asva’s son,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
11. Whereby the cloud, ye Bounteous Givers, shed sweet rain for Dirghasravas, for the merchant Ausija,
Wherewith ye helped Kaksivan, singer of your praise,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
12. Wherewith ye made Rasa swell full with water-floods, and urged to victory the car without a horse;
Wherewith Trisoka drove forth his recovered cows,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
13. Wherewith ye, compass round the Sun when far away, strengthened Manddatar in his tasks as lord of lands,
And to sage Bharadvija gave protecting help,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
14. Wherewith, when Sambara was slain, ye guarded well great Atithigva, Divodisa, Kasoju,
And Trasadasyu when the forts were shattered down,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
15. Wherewith ye honoured the great drinker Vamra, and Upastuta and Kali when he gained his wife,
And lent to Vyasva. and to Prthi favouring help,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
16. Wherewith, O Heroes, ye vouchsafed deliverance to Sayu, Atri, and to Manu long ago;
Wherewith ye shot your shafts in Syumarasmi’s cause.-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
17. Wherewith Patharva, in his majesty of form, shone in his course like to a gathered kindled fire;
Wherewith ye helped Suryata in the mighty fray,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
18. Wherewith, Angirases! ye triumphed in your heart, and onward went to liberate the flood of milk;
Wherewith ye helped the hero Manu with new strength,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
19. Wherewith ye brought awife for Vimada to wed, wherewith ye freely gave the ruddy cows away;
Wherewith ye brought the host of kind Gods to Sudas-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
20. Wherewith ye bring great bliss to him who offers gifts, wherewith ye have protected Bhujyu, Adhrigu,
And good and gracious Subhara and Rtastup,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
21. Wherewith ye served Krsanu where the shafts were shot, and helped the young man’s horse to swiftness in the race;
Wherewith ye bring delicious honey to the bees,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
22. Wherewith ye speed the hero as he fights for kine in hero battle, in the strife for land and sons,
Wherewith ye safely guard his horses and his car,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins with those aids.
23. Wherewith ye, Lords of Hundred Powers, helped Kutsa, son of Aduni, gave Turviti and Dabhiti strength,
Favoured Dhvasanti and lent Purusanti help,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
24. Make ye our speech effectual, O ye Asvins, and this our hymn, ye mighty Wonder-Workers.
In luckless game I call on you for succour . strengthen us also on the field of battle.
25. With, undiminished blessings, O ye Asvins, for evermore both night and day protect us.
This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CXIII. Dawn.
1. This light is come, amid all lights the fairest; born is the brilliant, far-extending brightness.
Night, sent away for Savitar’s uprising, hath yielded up a birth-place for the Morning.
2. The Fair, the Bright is come with her white offspring; to her the Dark One hath resigned her dwelling.
Akin, immortal, following each other, changing their colours both the heavens move onward.
3. Common, unending is the Sisters’ pathway; taught by the Gods, alternately they travel.
Fair-formed, of different hues and yet one-minded, Night and Dawn clash not, neither do they travel.
4. Bright leader of glad sounds, our eyes behold her; splendid in hue she hath unclosed the portals.
She, stirring up the world, hath shown us riches: Dawn hath awakened every living creature.
5. Rich Dawn, she sets afoot the coiled-up sleeper, one for enjoyment, one for wealth or worship,
Those who saw little for extended vision. All living creatures hath the Dawn awakened.
6. One to high sway, one to exalted glory, one to pursue his gain, and one his labour:
All to regard their different vocations, all moving creatures hath the Dawn awakened.
7. We see her there, the Child of Heaven apparent, the young Maid, flushing in her shining raiment.
Thou soyran Lady of all earthly treasure, flush on us here, auspicious Dawn, this morning.
8. She first of endless morns to come hereafter, follows the path of morns that have departed.
Dawn, at her rising, urges forth the living him who is dead she wakes not from his slumber.
9. As thou, Dawn, hast caused Agni to be kindled, and with the Sun’s eye hast revealed creation.
And hast awakened men to offer worship, thou hast performed, for Gods, a noble service.
10. How long a time, and they shall be together,-Dawns that have shone and Dawns to shine hereafter?
She yearns for former Dawns with eager longing, and goes forth gladly shining with the others.
11. Gone are the men who in the days before us looked on the rising of the earlier Morning.
We, we the living, now behold her brightness and they come nigh who shall hereafter see her.
12. Foe-chaser, born of Law, the Law’s protectress, joy-giver waker of all pleasant voices,
Auspicious, bringing food for Gods’ enjoyment, shine on us here, most bright, O Dawn, this morning.
13. From days eternal hath Dawn shone, the Goddess, and shows this light to-day, endowed with riches.
So will she shine on days to come immortal she moves on in her own strength, undecaying.
14. In the sky’s borders hath she shone in splendour: the Goddess hath thrown off the veil of darkness.
Awakening the world with purple horses, on her well-harnessed chariot Dawn approaches.
15. Bringing all life-sustaining blessings with her, showing herself she sends forth brilliant lustre.
Last of the countless mornings that have vanished, first of bright morns to come hath Dawn arisen.
16. Arise! the breath, the life, again hath reached us: darkness hath passed away and light approacheth.
She for the Sun hath left a path to travel we have arrived where men prolong existence.
17. Singing the praises of refulgent Mornings with his hymn’s web the priest, the poet rises.
Shine then to-day, rich Maid, on him who lauds thee, shine down on us the gift of life and offipring.
18. Dawns giving sons all heroes, kine and horses, shining upon the man who brings oblations,-
These let the Soma-presser gain when ending his glad songs louder than the voice of Vayu.
19. Mother of Gods, Aditi’s forui of glory, ensign of sacrifice, shine forth exalted.
Rise up, bestowing praise on our devotion all-bounteous, niake us chief among the people.
20 Whatever splendid wealth the Dawns bring with them to bless the man who offers praise and worship,
Even that may Mitra, Varuna vouchsafe us, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CXIV. Rudra.
1. To the strong Rudra bring we these our songs of praise, to him the Lord of Heros with the braided hair,
That it be well with all our cattle and our men, that in this village all he healthy and well-fed.
2. Be gracious unto us, O Rudra, bring us joy: thee, Lord of Heroes, thee with reverence will we serve.
Whatever health and strength our father Manu won by sacrifice may we, under thy guidance, gain.
3. By worship of the Gods may we, O Bounteous One, O Rudra, gain thy grace, Ruler of valiant men.
Come to our families, bringing them bliss: may we, whose heroes are uninjured, bring thee sacred gifts,
4. Hither we call for aid the wise, the wanderer, impetuous Rudra, perfecter of sacri fice.
May he repel from us the anger of the Gods: verily we desire his favourable grace.
5. Him with the braided hair we call with reverence down, the wild-boar of the sky, the red, the dazzling shape.
May he, his hand filled full of sovran medicines, grant us protection, shelter, and a home secure.
6. To him the Maruts’ Father is this hymn addressed, to strengthen Rudra’s might, a song more sweet than sweet.
Grant us, Immortal One, the food which mortals eat: be gracious unto me, my seed, my progeny.
7. O Rudra, harm not either great or small of us, harm not the growing boy, harm not the full-grown man.
Slay not a sire among us, slay no mother here, and to our own dear bodies, Rudra, do not harm.
8. Harm us not, Rudra, in our seed and progeny, harm us not in the living, nor in cows or steeds,
Slay not our heroes in the fury of thy wrath. Bringing oblations evermore we call to thee.
9. Even as a herdsman I have brought thee hymns of praise: O Father of the Maruts, give us happiness,
Blessed is thy most favouring benevolence, so, verily, do we desire thy saving help.
10. Far be thy dart that killeth men or cattle: thy bliss be with us, O thou Lord of Heroes.
Be gracious unto us, O God, and bless us, and then vouchsafe us doubly-strong protection.
11. We, seeking help, have spoken and adored him: may Rudra, girt by Maruts, hear our calling.
This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
