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.
ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन् यस्मिन् देवा अधि विश्वे निषेदुः । यस्तन् न वेद किमृचा करिष्यति य इत्तद्विदुस्ते अमी समासते
Verses reside in the imperishable, highest sky, where all the gods have taken their seat. He who does not know that—what will he do with the verses? Those who know this gather here.
ऋचः पदं मात्रया कल्पयन्तोऽर्धर्चेन चकॢपुर्विश्वमेजत्। त्रिपाद्ब्रह्म पुरुरूपं वि तष्ठे तेन जीवन्ति प्रदिशश्चतस्रः
Arranging the measure of the verse, they established the world with half a verse, all moving. The triple-footed Brahman, manifold in form, was shaped; by it, the four directions live.
सूयवसाद्भगवती हि भूया अधा वयं भगवन्तः स्याम । अद्धि तृणमघ्न्ये विश्वदानीं पिब शुद्धमुदकमाचरन्ती
May the blessed one be rich in good things; then may we be blessed. Eat the grass, O cow, giver of all, drink pure water, O one who moves.
{२७} गौरिन् मिमाय सलिलानि तक्षती एकपदी द्विपदी सा चतुष्पदी । अष्टापदी नवपदी बभूवुषी सहस्राक्षरा भुवनस्य पङ्क्तिस्तस्याः समुद्रा अधि वि क्षरन्ति
The cow measured out the waters, shaping them; she is one-footed, two-footed, four-footed. She became eight-footed, nine-footed; the thousand-syllabled verse is the meter of the world; its streams flow over the ocean.
कृष्णं नियानं हरयः सुपर्णा अपो वसाना दिवमुत्पतन्ति । तमाववृत्रन्त्सदनादृतस्यादिद्घृतेन पृथिवीं व्यूदुः
The black-moving ones, the tawny birds, wearing waters, fly to the sky. They covered him, from the seat of truth; with ghee, they spread the earth.
अपादेति प्रथमा पद्वतीनां कस्तद्वां मित्रावरुणा चिकेत । गर्भो भारं भरत्या चिदस्या ऋतं पिपर्ति अनृतं नि पाति
She moves on foot, the first among those with feet; who knows that, O Mitra and Varuna? The embryo bears the weight even of her; she upholds truth, she casts aside untruth.
विराड्वाग्विराट्पृथिवी विराडन्तरिक्षं विराट्प्रजापतिः । विराण्मृत्युः साध्यानामधिराजो बभूव तस्य भूतं भव्यं वशे स मे भूतं भव्यं वशे कृणोतु
Virāj is speech, Virāj is earth, Virāj is the atmosphere, Virāj is Prajapati. Virāj is death, he became the chief of the Sādhyas; his past and future are under his control. May my past and future be under my control.
शकमयं धूममारादपश्यं विषूवता पर एनावरेण । उक्षाणं पृश्निमपचन्त वीरास्तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन्
I saw smoke rising from afar, crossing over, beyond the boundary. The heroes milked the spotted one; those were the first laws.
त्रयः केशिन ऋतुथा वि चक्षते संवत्सरे वपत एक एषाम् । विश्वमन्यो अभिचष्टे शचीभिर्ध्राजिरेकस्य ददृशे न रूपम्
Three hairy ones, according to the seasons, are observed; in the year, one is shorn. Another surveys all with his powers; the charioteer’s form is not seen.
चत्वारि वाक्परिमिता पदानि तानि विदुर्ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिणः । गुहा त्रीणि निहिता नेङ्गयन्ति तुरीयं वाचो मनुष्या वदन्ति
Speech is divided into four measured parts; those know them who are Brahmans, wise. Three are hidden in secrecy, they do not move; the fourth part of speech men utter.