अचिकित्वाञ्चिकितुषश्चिदत्र कवीन्पृच्छामि विद्मने न विद्वान् । वि यस्तस्तम्भ षळिमा रजांस्यजस्य रूपे किमपि स्विदेकम्
Not knowing, I ask the knowing sages here, for understanding, though I am not wise; who established six spaces, the forms of the unborn—what is the one among them?
इह ब्रवीतु य ईमङ्ग वेदास्य वामस्य निहितं पदं वेः । शीर्ष्णः क्षीरं दुह्रते गावो अस्य वव्रिं वसाना उदकं पदापुः
Let him speak here who knows the place of this beautiful one; the cows draw milk from his head, wearing a covering, they bring water to his feet.
माता पितरमृत आ बभाज धीत्यग्रे मनसा सं हि जग्मे । सा बीभत्सुर्गर्भरसा निविद्धा नमस्वन्त इदुपवाकमीयुः
The mother shared with the father the nectar; at the beginning, she joined with him in mind; she, pierced by the embryo's essence, went forth, bowing, to the utterance.
युक्ता मातासीद्धुरि दक्षिणाया अतिष्ठद्गर्भो वृजनीष्वन्तः । अमीमेद्वत्सो अनु गामपश्यद्विश्वरूप्यं त्रिषु योजनेषु
The mother was yoked to the right-hand yoke; the embryo stood within the wombs; the calf measured, followed the cows, saw the universal form in three distances.
तिस्रो मातॄस्त्रीन्पितॄन्बिभ्रदेक ऊर्ध्वस्तस्थौ नेमव ग्लापयन्ति । मन्त्रयन्ते दिवो अमुष्य पृष्ठे विश्वविदं वाचमविश्वमिन्वाम्
Bearing three mothers and three fathers, the one stood upright, the rims do not tire; they converse on the back of heaven, uttering speech that knows all, inspiring all.
द्वादशारं नहि तज्जराय वर्वर्ति चक्रं परि द्यामृतस्य । आ पुत्रा अग्ने मिथुनासो अत्र सप्त शतानि विंशतिश्च तस्थुः
The twelve-spoked wheel revolves, never aging, upon the sky of immortality; here, O Agni, the twin sons stand, seven hundred and twenty.
पञ्चपादं पितरं द्वादशाकृतिं दिव आहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम् । अथेमे अन्य उपरे विचक्षणं सप्तचक्रे षळर आहुरर्पितम्
They call the five-footed father, twelve-formed, dwelling in the far half of heaven; others, wise, see the upper, in the seven-wheeled, six-spoked, established.
पञ्चारे चक्रे परिवर्तमाने तस्मिन्ना तस्थुर्भुवनानि विश्वा । तस्य नाक्षस्तप्यते भूरिभारः सनादेव न शीर्यते सनाभिः
On the five-spoked wheel, revolving, all worlds stand; its axle is heated by heavy weight, yet from ancient times it does not break, nor its spokes.
सनेमि चक्रमजरं वि वावृत उत्तानायां दश युक्ता वहन्ति । सूर्यस्य चक्षू रजसैत्यावृतं तस्मिन्नार्पिता भुवनानि विश्वा
With a perpetual rim, the wheel turns, ten harnessed carry it upright; the eye of the sun is covered by the space, in it all worlds are established.
साकंजानां सप्तथमाहुरेकजं षळिद्यमा ऋषयो देवजा इति । तेषामिष्टानि विहितानि धामश स्थात्रे रेजन्ते विकृतानि रूपशः
They speak of seven sons born together, of whom six are nourished and one is born alone; the sages, born of the gods, declare thus. Their domains are set apart according to their rites; their forms are fashioned and shine forth in various ways.
स्त्रियः सतीस्ताँ उ मे पुंस आहुः पश्यदक्षण्वान्न वि चेतदन्धः । कविर्यः पुत्रः स ईमा चिकेत यस्ता विजानात्स पितुष्पितासत्
Though these are truly women, they call them men; one who sees does not see, though he looks. The wise son understands these matters; he who knows them is indeed the father’s father.
अवः परेण पर एनावरेण पदा वत्सं बिभ्रती गौरुदस्थात् । सा कद्रीची कं स्विदर्धं परागात्क्व स्वित्सूते नहि यूथे अन्तः
With one foot before and one behind, the cow, bearing her calf, stands still. She, of her own accord, has gone away with half of something; who knows where she has gone, for she does not give birth within the herd.
अवः परेण पितरं यो अस्यानुवेद पर एनावरेण । कवीयमानः क इह प्र वोचद्देवं मनः कुतो अधि प्रजातम्
Who knows the father of this cow, who was before, and who after? Who here, being wise, can declare from where the divine mind was born?
ये अर्वाञ्चस्ताँ उ पराच आहुर्ये पराञ्चस्ताँ उ अर्वाच आहुः । इन्द्रश्च या चक्रथुः सोम तानि धुरा न युक्ता रजसो वहन्ति
Those who are near are said to be far, and those who are far are said to be near. Indra and Soma made these things; yoked like two horses, they carry the burden of the world.
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परि षस्वजाते । तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभि चाकशीति
Two birds, united companions, cling to the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit, the other looks on without eating.
यत्रा सुपर्णा अमृतस्य भागमनिमेषं विदथाभिस्वरन्ति । इनो विश्वस्य भुवनस्य गोपाः स मा धीरः पाकमत्रा विवेश
Where the birds, partaking of immortality, sing together with unblinking eyes at the gathering, there the wise one, having entered into the fire, discerns the essence of all that exists.
यस्मिन्वृक्षे मध्वदः सुपर्णा निविशन्ते सुवते चाधि विश्वे । तस्येदाहुः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वग्रे तन्नोन्नशद्यः पितरं न वेद
On which tree the honey-yielding birds rest and all the gods dwell, they say its foremost fruit is sweet; but he who does not eat it does not know the father.
यद्गायत्रे अधि गायत्रमाहितं त्रैष्टुभाद्वा त्रैष्टुभं निरतक्षत । यद्वा जगज्जगत्याहितं पदं य इत्तद्विदुस्ते अमृतत्वमानशुः
What is established in the Gāyatrī, they call Gāyatra; from Triṣṭubh, they derive Triṣṭubha; and what is set in Jagatī, they call Jagatī. Those who know these measures attain immortality.
गायत्रेण प्रति मिमीते अर्कमर्केण साम त्रैष्टुभेन वाकम् । वाकेन वाकं द्विपदा चतुष्पदाक्षरेण मिमते सप्त वाणीः
With the Gāyatrī meter they measure the hymn, with the Sāman the chant, with the Triṣṭubh the speech. With speech they measure speech, with two-footed and four-footed meter, they measure the seven voices.
जगता सिन्धुं दिव्यस्तभायद्रथंतरे सूर्यं पर्यपश्यत् । गायत्रस्य समिधस्तिस्र आहुस्ततो मह्ना प्र रिरिचे महित्वा
The Jagatī upheld the celestial river; in the midst of the chariot, they beheld the Sun. They say there are three kindlings of the Gāyatra; from that greatness, the greatness expanded.
उप ह्वये सुदुघां धेनुमेतां सुहस्तो गोधुगुत दोहदेनाम् । श्रेष्ठं सवं सविता साविषन्नोऽभीद्धो घर्मस्तदु षु प्र वोचम्
I call upon this good-yielding cow, with good hands, who gives milk to the gods; let us milk her, O Ashvins. The best offering, brought by Savitṛ, the heated vessel, I now declare.
हिङ्कृण्वती वसुपत्नी वसूनां वत्समिच्छन्ती मनसाभ्यागात् । दुहामश्विभ्यां पयो अघ्न्येयं सा वर्धतां महते सौभगाय
Lowing, the mistress of riches, desiring her calf, approached in mind. This unyoked cow, to be milked by the Ashvins, may she grow for great good fortune.
गौरमीमेदनु वत्सं मिषन्तं मूर्धानं हिङ्ङकृणोन्मातवा उ । सृक्वाणं घर्ममभि वावशाना मिमाति मायुं पयते पयोभिः
The cow, following her calf who seeks her, lowing, with her head raised, approaches. Longing for the heated vessel, she pours forth her milk, measuring out her life with her milk.
अयं स शिङ्क्ते येन गौरभीवृता मिमाति मायुं ध्वसनावधि श्रिता । सा चित्तिभिर्नि हि चकार मर्त्यं विद्युद्भवन्ती प्रति वव्रिमौहत
This one sprinkles, by whom the cow, surrounded, measures out her life, reaching to the end of the days. With her thoughts, she has indeed made the mortal; becoming lightning, she has covered him with her garment.
अनच्छये तुरगातु जीवमेजद्ध्रुवं मध्य आ पस्त्यानाम् । जीवो मृतस्य चरति स्वधाभिरमर्त्यो मर्त्येना सयोनिः
Uncovered, swift-moving, living, trembling, yet stable in the midst of dwellings. The living one moves among the dead by his own law; the immortal is united with the mortal.
अपश्यं गोपामनिपद्यमानमा च परा च पथिभिश्चरन्तम् । स सध्रीचीः स विषूचीर्वसान आ वरीवर्ति भुवनेष्वन्तः
I saw the herdsman, never resting, moving on paths both near and far. He, clothed in the same, moves together and apart, spreading himself within all the worlds.
य ईं चकार न सो अस्य वेद य ईं ददर्श हिरुगिन्नु तस्मात् । स मातुर्योना परिवीतो अन्तर्बहुप्रजा निरृतिमा विवेश
He who made her does not know her; he who saw her, let him declare. Surrounded within the mother’s womb, with many offspring, he entered into dissolution.
द्यौर्मे पिता जनिता नाभिरत्र बन्धुर्मे माता पृथिवी महीयम् । उत्तानयोश्चम्वोर्योनिरन्तरत्रा पिता दुहितुर्गर्भमाधात्
Heaven is my father, the begetter, the navel here; the great earth is my mother, my kin. Between these two outstretched bowls is the womb; there, the father placed the embryo in the daughter.
पृच्छामि त्वा परमन्तं पृथिव्याः पृच्छामि यत्र भुवनस्य नाभिः । पृच्छामि त्वा वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतः पृच्छामि वाचः परमं व्योम
I ask you about the farthest end of the earth; I ask you where is the navel of the world. I ask you about the seed of the vigorous horse; I ask you about the highest heaven of speech.
इयं वेदिः परो अन्तः पृथिव्या अयं यज्ञो भुवनस्य नाभिः । अयं सोमो वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतो ब्रह्मायं वाचः परमं व्योम
This altar is the farthest end of the earth; this sacrifice is the navel of the world. This Soma is the seed of the vigorous horse; this Brahman is the highest heaven of speech.