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.
इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणमग्निमाहुरथो दिव्यः स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान् । एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः
They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni; also, he is the divine, the splendid-winged Garutman. The wise speak of the One as many: they call him Agni, Yama, Mātariśvan.
यां कल्पयन्ति वहतौ वधूमिव विश्वरूपां हस्तकृतां चिकित्सवः । सारादेत्वप नुदाम एनाम्
That which the healers prepare, fashioned by hand, manifold in form like a bride for the wedding— from its essence we drive this away.
शीर्षण्वती नस्वती कर्णिणी कृत्याकृता संभृता विश्वरूपा । सारादेत्वप नुदाम एनाम्
With a head, with a nose, with ears, made by witchcraft, gathered together, manifold in form— from its essence we drive this away.
शूद्रकृता राजकृता स्त्रीकृता ब्रह्मभिः कृता । जाया पत्या नुत्तेव कर्तारं बन्ध्वृच्छतु
Made by a Śūdra, made by a king, made by a woman, made by priests— let the spell return to its maker, as a wife to her husband, let it seek its kin.
अनयाहमोषध्या सर्वाः कृत्या अदूदुषम् । यां क्षेत्रे चक्रुर्यां गोषु यां वा ते पुरुषेषु
By this herb I drive away all witchcraft from the innocent— whatever was done in the field, among cattle, or among your people.
अघमस्त्वघकृते शपथः शपथीयते । प्रत्यक्प्रतिप्रहिण्मो यथा कृत्याकृतं हनत्
Let the curse fall on the one who did evil; let the oath return to the one who swore falsely. We send it back, so that the witchcraft may strike its maker.
प्रतीचीन आङ्गिरसोऽध्यक्षो नः पुरोहितः । प्रतीचीः कृत्या आकृत्यामून् कृत्याकृतो जहि
Let the Angirases, facing us, be our overseers and priests; facing us, let them destroy those witchcrafts and spells, those who made the witchcraft.
यस्त्वोवाच परेहीति प्रतिकूलमुदाय्यम् । तं कृत्येऽभिनिवर्तस्व मास्मान् इछो अनागसः
Whoever said to you, 'Go away,' with hostile intent— turn back upon him, O witchcraft; do not desire us who are innocent.
यस्ते परूंषि संदधौ रथस्येव र्भुर्धिया । तं गच्छ तत्र तेऽयनमज्ञातस्तेऽयं जनः
Whoever set snares for you, as a craftsman does for a chariot, with cunning— go to him; there is your home, not among these people who do not know you.
ये त्वा कृत्वालेभिरे विद्वला अभिचारिणः । शंभ्विदं कृत्यादूषणं प्रतिवर्त्म पुनःसरं तेन त्वा स्नपयामसि
Those who, having made you, used you, knowing spells and practicing sorcery— with this purifying water, which turns back witchcraft, we bathe you.