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.
सोदक्रामत्साहवनीये न्यक्रामत्। यन्त्यस्य देवा देवहूतिं प्रियो देवानां भवति य एवं वेद
She stepped forth, she entered the āhavanīya fire; whoever knows thus, the gods go to his invocation, he becomes dear to the gods.
सोदक्रामत्सा दक्षिणाग्नौ न्यक्रामत्। यज्ञर्तो दक्षिणीयो वासतेयो भवति य एवं वेद
She stepped forth, she entered the southern fire; whoever knows thus, for him the sacrificial fee is proper, he becomes fit for hospitality.
सोदक्रामत्सा सभायां न्यक्रामत्। यन्त्यस्य सभां सभ्यो भवति य एवं वेद
She stepped forth, she entered the assembly; whoever knows thus, the assembly goes to him, he becomes foremost among the assembly.
सोदक्रामत्सा समितौ न्यक्रामत्। यन्त्यस्य समितिं सामित्यो भवति य एवं वेद
She stepped forth, she entered the council; whoever knows thus, the council goes to him, he becomes foremost in the council.
सोदक्रामत्सामन्त्रणे न्यक्रामत्। यन्त्यस्यामन्त्रणमामन्त्रणीयो भवति य एवं वेद
She stepped forth, she entered the consultation; whoever knows thus, the consultation goes to him, he becomes foremost in consultation.
सोदक्रामत्सान्तरिक्षे चतुर्धा विक्रान्तातिष्ठत्
She stepped forth, she stood in the midspace, having advanced in fourfold manner.
तां देवमनुष्या अब्रुवन्न् इयमेव तद्वेद यदुभय उपजीवेमेमामुप ह्वयामहा इति
The gods and men said to her: 'She alone knows that by which we both subsist; let us call her here.'
तामुपाह्वयन्त
They called her.
ऊर्ज एहि स्वध एहि सूनृत एहीरावत्येहीति
'Come, O nourishment! Come, O inherent power! Come, O fair speech! Come, O one rich in refreshment!'
तस्या इन्द्रो वत्स आसीद्गायत्र्यभिधान्यभ्रमूधः
Of her, Indra was the calf, uttering the Gāyatrī, moving about, not wandering away.