तिस्रो मतॄस्त्रीन् पितॄन् बिभ्रदेक उर्ध्वस्तस्थौ नेमव ग्लापयन्त । मन्त्रयन्ते दिवो अमुष्य पृष्ठे विश्वविदो वाचमविश्वविन्नाम्
Bearing three mothers and three fathers, one stood upright, not tiring the rim. They converse on the back of heaven, knowing all speech and all names.
{२४} पञ्चारे चक्रे परिवर्तमाने यस्मिन्न् आतस्थुर्भुवनानि विश्वा । तस्य नाक्षस्तप्यते भूरिभारः सनादेव न छिद्यते सनाभिः
Five spokes revolve in the wheel, upon which all worlds are set. Its axle is heated by great weight; from the beginning it is not cut, nor is its nave.
पञ्चपादं पितरं द्वादशाकृतिं दिव आहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम् । अथेमे अन्य उपरे विचक्षणे सप्तचक्रे षडर आहुरर्पितम्
They call the father five-footed, twelve-formed, dwelling in the far half of heaven. Then these others, above, are seen: seven-wheeled, six-spoked, they say, is set.
द्वादशारं नहि तज्जराय वर्वर्ति चक्रं परि द्यामृतस्य । आ पुत्रा अग्ने मिथुनासो अत्र सप्त शतानि विंशतिश्च तस्थुः
The twelve-spoked wheel revolves in the sky of immortality, never aging. Here, O Agni, your twin sons, seven hundred and twenty, stand.
सनेमि चक्रमजरं वि ववृत उत्तानायां दश युक्ता वहन्ति । सूर्यस्य चक्षू रजसैत्यावृतं यस्मिन्न् आतस्थुर्भुवनानि विश्वा
The wheel with a hundred spokes, ageless, revolves; ten yoked carry it upright. The eye of the sun, wrapped in dust, upon which all worlds have settled.
स्त्रियः सतीस्तामु मे पुंसः आहुः पश्यदक्षण्वान्न् वि चेतदन्धः । कविर्यः पुत्रः स ईमा चिकेत यस्ता विजानात्स पितुष्पितासत्
They call those women true, but say she belongs to a man; the one who sees is wise, the blind is unaware. The poet's son perceives these things; whoever knows them, he is his father's true son.
साकंजानां सप्तथमाहुरेकजं षडिद्यमा ऋषयो देवजा इति । तेषामिष्टानि विहितानि धामश स्थात्रे रेजन्ते विकृतानि रूपशः
Together-born, they call the seventh single-born; six are born, the sages say, from the gods. Their desired forms are established, shining in their stations, transformed in appearance.
अवः परेण पर एना अवरेण पदा वत्सं बिभ्रती गौरुदस्थात्। सा कद्रीची कं स्विदर्धं परागात्क्व स्वित्सूते नहि यूथे अस्मिन्
With one step forward and one step back, the cow stands holding her calf. That Kadru-born one departs with half; where does she give birth, not among this herd.
अवः परेण पितरं यो अस्य वेदावः परेण पर एनावरेण । कवीयमानः क इह प्र वोचद्देवं मनः कुतो अधि प्रजातम्
With one step forward, whoever knows his father; with one step back, he goes beyond. Who here, pondering, can declare whence the divine mind was born?
ये अर्वाञ्चस्तामु पराच आहुर्ये पराञ्चस्तामु अर्वाच आहुः । इन्द्रश्च या चक्रथुः सोम तानि धुरा न युक्ता रजसो वहन्ति
Those who are near, they call far; those who are far, they call near. Indra and Soma made these things; yoked to the axle, they carry the dust.
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परि षस्वजाते । तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्न् अन्यो अभि चाकशीति
Two birds, united friends, embrace the same tree. One eats the sweet fruit, the other looks on without eating.
यस्मिन् वृक्षे मध्वदः सुपर्णा निविशन्ते सुवते चाधि विश्वे । तस्य यदाहुः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वग्रे तन् नोन् नशद्यः पितरं न वेद
On the tree where honey-giving birds settle, all the gods rest. What they call the sweet fruit at the tip, let it not perish; he does not know his father.
यत्रा सुपर्णा अमृतस्य भक्षमनिमेषं विदथाभिस्वरन्ति । एना विश्वस्य भुवनस्य गोपाः स मा धीरः पाकमत्रा विवेश
Where the birds sing of immortality, unblinking, in the gatherings, with them as guardians of all the worlds, the wise entered the ripe fruit here.
यद्गायत्रे अधि गायत्रमाहितं त्रैष्टुभं वा त्रैष्टुभान् निरतक्षत । यद्वा जगज्जगत्याहितं पदं य इत्तद्विदुस्ते अमृतत्वमानुशुः
Whatever is placed upon the Gāyatrī, or the Gāyatra, or measured by the Triṣṭubh, or the Triṣṭubha, or the Jagatī, or the Jagatī verse, those who know this have attained immortality.
गायत्रेण प्रति मिमीते अर्कमर्केण साम त्रैष्टुभेन वाकम् । वाकेन वाकं द्विपदा चतुष्पदाक्षरेण मिमते सप्त वाणीः
With the Gāyatrī, he measures the hymn; with the hymn, the Sāman; with the Triṣṭubh, the speech. With speech, speech; with two-footed, four-footed, syllables, he measures the seven voices.
जगता सिन्धुं दिव्यस्कभायद्रथंतरे सूर्यं पर्यपश्यत्। गायत्रस्य समिधस्तिस्र आहुस्ततो मह्ना प्र रिरिचे महित्वा
With the Jagatī, he supported the celestial river, and in the chariot's midst, he beheld the sun. They say there are three kindlings of the Gāyatra; from that greatness, its majesty expanded.
उप ह्वये सुदुघां धेनुमेतां सुहस्तो गोधुगुत दोहदेनाम् । श्रेष्ठं सवं सविता साविषन् नोऽभीद्धो घर्मस्तदु षु प्र वोचत्
I call upon this cow, rich in milk, with good hands, the milker milks her. Savitar brought us the best offering; the heated vessel declared this to us.
हिङ्कृण्वती वसुपत्नी वसूनां वत्समिच्छन्ती मनसाभ्यागात्। दुहामश्विभ्यां पयो अघ्न्येयं सा वर्धतां महते सौभगाय
Lowing, mistress of wealth, desiring her calf, she approached with her mind. Let us milk this uninjured one for the Ashvins; may she grow for great prosperity.
गौरमीमेदभि वत्सं मिषन्तं मूर्धानं हिङ्ङकृणोन् मातवा उ । सृक्वाणं घर्ममभि वावशाना मिमाति मायुं पयते पयोभिः
The cow, thinking of her calf, lowing, as a mother, approaches his head. She, longing for the heated vessel, measures the span of life, nourishes with milk.
अयं स शिङ्क्ते येन गौरभिवृता मिमाति मयुं ध्वसनावधि श्रिता । सा चित्तिभिर्नि हि चकार मर्त्यान् विद्युद्भवन्ती प्रति वव्रिमौहत
This is the one who sprinkles, by whom the cow, encircled, measures the span of life, reaching the limit of the dust. She, with thoughts, has made mortals; becoming lightning, she has spread forth.
अनच्छये तुरगातु जीवमेजद्ध्रुवं मध्य आ पस्त्यानाम् । जीवो मृतस्य चरति स्वधाभिरमर्त्यो मर्त्येना सयोनिः
Uncovered, swift-moving, alive, trembling, fixed in the midst of dwellings. The living moves among the dead with its own nature; the immortal shares a womb with the mortal.
विधुं दद्राणं सलिलस्य पृष्ठे युवानं सन्तं पलितो जगार । देवस्य पश्य काव्यं महित्वाद्य ममार स ह्यः समान
The moon, shining, on the surface of the waters, though young, is awakened as gray-haired. Behold the divine wonder: by its greatness, one died today, yet was born yesterday.
य ईं चकार न सो अस्य वेद य ईं ददर्श हिरुगिन् नु तस्मात्। स मातुर्योना परिवीतो अन्तर्बहुप्रजा निर्ऋतिरा विवेश
He who made her does not know her; he who saw her, perhaps, is wounded by her. Therefore, wrapped in the mother's womb, Nirriti entered within, surrounded by many offspring.
{२६} अपश्यं गोपामनिपद्यमानमा च परा च पथिभिश्चरन्तम् । स सध्रीचीः स विषूचीर्वसान आ वरीवर्ति भुवनेष्वन्तः
I saw the herdsman moving unimpeded, wandering along paths both near and far. He goes straight, he goes askew, clothed in all directions, turning within the worlds.
द्यौर्नः पिता जनिता नाभिरत्र बन्धुर्नो माता पृथिवी महीयम् । उत्तानयोश्चम्वोर्योनिरन्तरत्रा पिता दुहितुर्गर्भमाधात्
Heaven is our father, the creator, the navel here; the bond. Earth, our mother, I magnify. Between the upturned waters is the womb; there the father placed the embryo in the daughter.
पृछामि त्वा परमन्तं पृथिव्याः पृछामि वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतः । पृछामि विश्वस्य भुवनस्य नाभिं पृछामि वाचः परमं व्योम
I ask you about the farthest limit of the earth; I ask about the seed of the bull, the horse. I ask about the navel of all the worlds; I ask about the highest realm of speech.
इयं वेदिः परो अन्तः पृथिव्या अयं सोमो वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतः । अयं यज्ञो विश्वस्य भुवनस्य नाभिर्ब्रह्मायं वाचः परमं व्योम
This altar is the farthest limit of the earth; this Soma is the seed of the bull, the horse. This sacrifice is the navel of all the worlds; this Brahman is the highest realm of speech.
न वि जानामि यदिवेदमस्मि निण्यः संनद्धो मनसा चरामि । यदा मागन् प्रथमजा ऋतस्यादिद्वाचो अश्नुवे भागमस्याः
I do not know what I am, as if hidden, bound together, I wander with my mind. When the first-born of truth reached me, then I attained a share of this speech.
अपाङ्प्राङेति स्वधया गृभीतोऽमर्त्यो मर्त्येना सयोनिः । ता शश्वन्ता विषूचीना वियन्ता न्यन्यं चिक्युर्न नि चिक्युरन्यम्
He moves backward and forward, seized by his own nature, immortal, sharing a womb with mortals. Those who are ever divergent, ever separating, recognized one but did not recognize the other.
सप्तार्धगर्भा भुवनस्य रेतो विष्णोस्तिष्ठन्ति प्रदिशा विधर्मणि । ते धीतिभिर्मनसा ते विपश्चितः परिभुवः परि भवन्ति विश्वतः
Seven, half-embryonic, the seed of the world, stand in Vishnu's directions, established by law. By their thoughts, by their minds, by their wisdom, they encompass and surround everything.