संवत्सरो रथः परिवत्सरो रथोपस्थो विराडीषाग्नी रथमुखम् । इन्द्रः सव्यष्ठाश्चन्द्रमाः सारथिः
The year is the chariot, the half-year is the chariot's seat, the shining ones are the fires at the chariot's front. Indra is the left shaft, the Moon is the charioteer.
इतो जयेतो वि जय सं जय जय स्वाहा । इमे जयन्तु परामी जयन्तां स्वाहैभ्यो दुराहामीभ्यः । नीललोहितेनामून् अभ्यवतनोमि
From here, conquer, surpass, unite, and be victorious—svāhā! May these win, may my adversaries be overcome—svāhā! I subdue them with the blue-red one.
कुतस्तौ जातौ कतमः सो अर्धः कस्माल्लोकात्कतमस्याः पृथिव्याः । वत्सौ विराजः सलिलादुदैतां तौ त्वा पृछामि कतरेण दुग्धा
From where were those two born? Which is that half? From which world, from which part of the earth? The two calves of Virāj arose from the waters; I ask you, by which one were they milked?
यो अक्रन्दयत्सलिलं महित्वा योनिं कृत्वा त्रिभुजं शयानः । वत्सः कामदुघो विराजः स गुहा चक्रे तन्वः पराचैः
He who made the waters cry out in greatness, having made the womb, lying with three bends— the wish-fulfilling calf, Virāj, he made his forms hidden away.
यानि त्रीणि बृहन्ति येषां चतुर्थं वियुनक्ति वाचम् । ब्रह्मैनद्विद्यात्तपसा विपश्चिद्यस्मिन्न् एकं युज्यते यस्मिन्न् एकम्
Those three great ones, of whom the fourth divides speech—let the wise one know this by sacred knowledge and austerity, in which the one is yoked, in which the one is.
बृहतः परि सामानि षष्ठात्पञ्चाधि निर्मिता । बृहद्बृहत्या निर्मितं कुतोऽधि बृहती मिता
Around the great one, the Sāmans are arranged, five above the sixth. The great is made from the great one; from where is the great meter measured?
बृहती परि मात्राया मातुर्मात्राधि निर्मिता । माया ह जज्ञे मायाया मायाया मातली परि
The great meter is measured by the measure, made above the mother's measure. Māyā was born from Māyā; Mātalī is around Māyā.
वैश्वानरस्य प्रतिमोपरि द्यौर्यावद्रोदसी विबबाधे अग्निः । ततः षष्ठादामुतो यन्ति स्तोमा उदितो यन्त्यभि षष्ठमह्नः
Upon the likeness of Vaiśvānara, heaven pressed down upon both worlds; Agni restrained them. From the sixth, the hymns proceed; those that have arisen go toward the sixth day.
षट् त्वा पृच्छाम ऋषयः कश्यपेमे त्वं हि युक्तं युयुक्षे योग्यं च । विराजमाहुर्ब्रह्मणः पितरं तां नो वि धेहि यतिधा सखिभ्यः
Six questions we ask you, O seer Kaśyapa, for you are fit and have yoked what is to be yoked. They call Virāj the father of Brahman; assign that to us as a share among friends.
यां प्रच्युतामनु यज्ञाः प्रच्यवन्त उपतिष्ठन्त उपतिष्ठमानाम् । यस्या व्रते प्रसवे यक्षमेजति सा विराडृषयः परमे व्योमन्
That which, when fallen away, the sacrifices follow, approaching her who is being approached—by whose vow, by whose impulse, the yakṣa moves—she is Virāj, the seers in the highest heaven.
अप्राणैति प्राणेन प्राणतीनां विराट्स्वराजमभ्येति पश्चात्। विश्वं मृशन्तीमभिरूपां विराजं पश्यन्ति त्वे न त्वे पश्यन्त्येनाम्
She who is without breath goes with the breath of the breathing; Virāj, the sovereign, comes after. All, examining her, see the beautiful Virāj—some see her, some do not.
को विराजो मिथुनत्वं प्र वेद क ऋतून् क उ कल्पमस्याः । क्रमान् को अस्याः कतिधा विदुग्धान् को अस्या धाम कतिधा व्युष्टीः
Who knows the duality of Virāj? Who knows her seasons, who her order? Who knows her steps, how many times she has been milked? Who knows her abode, how many dawns she has?
{२२} इयमेव सा या प्रथमा व्यौच्छदास्वितरासु चरति प्रविष्टा । महान्तो अस्यां महिमानो अन्तर्वधूर्जिगाय नवगज्जनित्री
This indeed is she, the first among them, who moves among the others, having entered in; great are her powers within her—she, the bride, has prevailed, the mother of nine generations.
छन्दःपक्षे उषसा पेपिशाने समानं योनिमनु सं चरेते । सूर्यपत्नी सं चरतः प्रजानती केतुमती अजरे भूरिरेतसा
In the waxing phase of the moon, the Dawns shine forth, moving together to the same womb; the wife of the Sun moves together, knowing, adorned with signs, ageless, rich in seed.
ऋतस्य पन्थामनु तिस्र आगुस्त्रयो घर्मा अनु रेत आगुः । प्रजामेका जिन्वत्यूर्जमेका राष्ट्रमेका रक्षति देवयूनाम्
Three have come along the path of truth; three hot seasons have come along with the seed; one brings forth offspring, one brings strength, one protects the realm of the gods.
अग्नीषोमावदधुर्या तुरीयासीद्यज्ञस्य पक्षावृषयः कल्पयन्तः । गायत्रीं त्रिष्टुभं जगतीमनुष्टुभं बृहदर्कीं यजमानाय स्वराभरन्तीम्
Agni and Soma established her as the fourth, as the two wings of the sacrifice, arranging the stallions; Gayatri, Trishtubh, Jagati, Anushtubh, and Brihati—these meters, bearing sound for the sacrificer.
पञ्च व्युष्टीरनु पञ्च दोहा गां पञ्चनाम्नीमृतवोऽनु पञ्च । पञ्च दिशः पञ्चदशेन कॢप्तास्ता एकमूर्ध्नीरभि लोकमेकम्
Five dawnings, five milkings, the cow of five names, five seasons follow after five; the five directions are arranged with the fifteenth, all with one head, encompassing the one world.
षड्जाता भूता प्रथमजा ऋतस्य षडु सामानि षडहं वहन्ति । षड्योगं सीरमनु सामसाम षडााहुर्द्यावापृथिवीः षडुर्वीः
Six beings are born, the firstborn of truth; six are the Saman hymns, six days they carry; following the sixfold connection, the Sama upon Sama; they say the heavens and earth are six, and six are the wide spaces.
षडाहुः शीतान् षडु मास उष्णान् ऋतुं नो ब्रूत यतमोऽतिरिक्तः । सप्त सुपर्णाः कवयो नि षेदुः सप्त छन्दांस्यनु सप्त दीक्षाः
They say there are six cold seasons, and six hot months; tell us, O season, which one is in excess; seven swans, the sages, have settled down, seven meters, and after them, seven initiations.
सप्त होमाः समिधो ह सप्त मधूनि सप्त ऋतवो ह सप्त । सप्ताज्यानि परि भूतमायन् ताः सप्तगृध्रा इति शुश्रुमा वयम्
Seven offerings, seven kindling sticks, indeed, seven sweet things, seven seasons, indeed, seven; seven clarified butters have encompassed the being—these are the seven vultures, so we have heard.
सप्त छन्दांसि चतुरुत्तराण्यन्यो अन्यस्मिन्न् अध्यार्पितानि । कथं स्तोमाः प्रति तिष्ठन्ति तेषु तानि स्तोमेषु कथमार्पितानि
Seven meters, each with four more, one upon another, are established; how do the chants stand among them, and how are those chants placed within the stomas?
कथं गायत्री त्रिवृतं व्याप कथं त्रिष्टुप्पञ्चदशेन कल्पते । त्रयस्त्रिंशेन जगती कथमनुष्टुप्कथमेकविंशः
How did the Gayatri meter extend to threefold? How is the Trishtubh arranged with fifteen? How does the Jagati with thirty-three, the Anushtubh, and how the Ekavimsha?
{२३} अष्ट जाता भूता प्रथमजा ऋतस्याष्टेन्द्रर्त्विजो दैव्या ये । अष्टयोनिरदितिरष्टपुत्राष्टमीं रात्रिमभि हव्यमेति
Eight beings are born, the firstborn of truth; eight are Indra's divine priests; Aditi is the eightfold womb, mother of eight sons; the eighth night receives the offering.
इत्थं श्रेयो मन्यमानेदमागमं युष्माकं सख्ये अहमस्मि शेवा । समानजन्मा क्रतुरस्ति वः शिवः स वः सर्वाः सं चरति प्रजानन्
Thus, considering this as the better way, I have come to your assembly, seeking your friendship; your will is of one birth, auspicious is your resolve; may he, knowing, move among you all.
अष्टेन्द्रस्य षड्यमस्य ऋषीणां सप्त सप्तधा । अपो मनुष्यान् ओषधीस्तामु पञ्चानु सेचिरे
Eight for Indra, six for Yama, seven for the seers, sevenfold; waters, humans, and plants—these five have been sprinkled upon them.
केवलीन्द्राय दुदुहे हि गृष्टिर्वशं पीयूषं प्रथमं दुहाना । अथातर्पयच्चतुरश्चतुर्धा देवान् मनुष्यानसुरान् उत ऋषीन्
The cow yielded solely for Indra, the first milking, the sweet essence; then she satisfied four, in fourfold ways—the gods, humans, asuras, and the seers.
को नु गौः क एकऋषिः किमु धाम का आशिषः । यक्षं पृथिव्यामेकवृदेकर्तुः कतमो नु सः
Who is the cow? Who is the one seer? What is the abode? What are the wishes? What is the wonder on earth, the single form, the one doer—who indeed is he?
एको गौरेक एकऋषिरेकं धामैकधाशिषः । यक्षं पृथिव्यामेकवृदेकर्तुर्नाति रिच्यते
One is the cow, one the seer, one the abode, one the wish; the wonder on earth, the single form of the doer, is not surpassed.
विराड्वा इदमग्र आसीत्तस्या जातायाः सर्वमबिभेदियमेवेदं भविष्यतीति
In the beginning, Viraj alone existed; when she was born, she divided everything, thinking, 'This indeed will become.'
सोदक्रामत्सा गार्हपत्ये न्यक्रामत्। गृहमेधी गृहपतिर्भवति य एवं वेद
She moved forth, she entered the household fire; he who knows thus becomes a householder, a master of the house.