कुरुश्रवणमावृणि राजानं त्रासदस्यवम् । मंहिष्ठं वाघतामृषिः
I choose Kuruśravaṇa, the king, Trāsadasyu, the most mighty among the generous, as my sage.
यस्य मा हरितो रथे तिस्रो वहन्ति साधुया । स्तवै सहस्रदक्षिणे
He whose chariot is drawn by three bay horses, well-guided, for whom the praise is sung at the thousand-gifted sacrifice.
यस्य प्रस्वादसो गिर उपमश्रवसः पितुः । क्षेत्रं न रण्वमूचुषे
He whose sweet songs are like those of Upamaśravas, his father, have proclaimed the field as abundant.
अधि पुत्रोपमश्रवो नपान्मित्रातिथेरिहि । पितुष्टे अस्मि वन्दिता
Upon the son Upamaśravas, descendant of Mitrātithi, I call; I am the one who honors your father.
यदीशीयामृतानामुत वा मर्त्यानाम् । जीवेदिन्मघवा मम
If I might rule over the immortals or even mortals, may the generous one live for me.
न देवानामति व्रतं शतात्मा चन जीवति । तथा युजा वि वावृते
No one, not even with a hundred souls, lives beyond the law of the gods; thus, with such a yoke, he is set apart.
प्रावेपा मा बृहतो मादयन्ति प्रवातेजा इरिणे वर्वृतानाः । सोमस्येव मौजवतस्य भक्षो विभीदको जागृविर्मह्यमच्छान्
The dice, made of strong Vibhīdaka nuts, excite me; thrown on the dry ground, they make me rejoice. Like the delicious food of the Mujavat Soma, the lively dice, urging me, have awakened me.
न मा मिमेथ न जिहीळ एषा शिवा सखिभ्य उत मह्यमासीत् । अक्षस्याहमेकपरस्य हेतोरनुव्रतामप जायामरोधम्
She has neither scolded nor rejected me; she has been kind to my friends and to me. For the sake of the one die, I abandoned my devoted wife and made her weep.
द्वेष्टि श्वश्रूरप जाया रुणद्धि न नाथितो विन्दते मर्डितारम् । अश्वस्येव जरतो वस्न्यस्य नाहं विन्दामि कितवस्य भोगम्
The mother-in-law hates the wife, she restrains her; the destitute finds no comforter. Like an old horse worn out by service, I do not find enjoyment in the gambler's winnings.
अन्ये जायां परि मृशन्त्यस्य यस्यागृधद्वेदने वाज्यक्षः । पिता माता भ्रातर एनमाहुर्न जानीमो नयता बद्धमेतम्
Others touch his wife, the eager gambler, longing for the throw. Father, mother, and brothers say of him: 'We do not know him; take him away, he is bound.'
यदादीध्ये न दविषाण्येभिः परायद्भ्योऽव हीये सखिभ्यः । न्युप्ताश्च बभ्रवो वाचमक्रतँ एमीदेषां निष्कृतं जारिणीव
When I resolved, I did not strive with others; from those who went away, I fell behind my friends. The brown dice, cast, have spoken words; I go to their gathering, like a wife to her lover.
सभामेति कितवः पृच्छमानो जेष्यामीति तन्वा शूशुजानः । अक्षासो अस्य वि तिरन्ति कामं प्रतिदीव्ने दधत आ कृतानि
The gambler enters the assembly, asking, 'Shall I win?' trembling in his body. The dice, however, run counter to his desire; they place the winnings before another.
अक्षास इदङ्कुशिनो नितोदिनो निकृत्वानस्तपनास्तापयिष्णवः । कुमारदेष्णा जयतः पुनर्हणो मध्वा सम्पृक्ताः कितवस्य बर्हणा
The dice, with their hooks and goads, torment and inflame; deceitful, burning, they scorch. Like playful boys, they laugh at the defeated, covered in honey, exalting the gambler.
त्रिपञ्चाशः क्रीळति व्रात एषां देव इव सविता सत्यधर्मा । उग्रस्य चिन्मन्यवे ना नमन्ते राजा चिदेभ्यो नम इत्कृणोति
Fifty-three in number, this band plays, true to their law like the god Savitar; even the fierce do not bow to the gambler, yet even a king pays them homage.
नीचा वर्तन्त उपरि स्फुरन्त्यहस्तासो हस्तवन्तं सहन्ते । दिव्या अङ्गारा इरिणे न्युप्ताः शीताः सन्तो हृदयं निर्दहन्ति
They move below, they leap above; handless, they overcome the one with hands. The divine dice, though cold and cast upon the dry ground, burn the heart.
जाया तप्यते कितवस्य हीना माता पुत्रस्य चरतः क्व स्वित् । ऋणावा बिभ्यद्धनमिच्छमानोऽन्येषामस्तमुप नक्तमेति
The wife of the gambler is distressed, abandoned; the mother of the wandering son asks, 'Where is he?' In debt, fearful, seeking wealth, he goes to others by night.
स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वाय कितवं ततापान्येषां जायां सुकृतं च योनिम् । पूर्वाह्णे अश्वान्युयुजे हि बभ्रून्सो अग्नेरन्ते वृषलः पपाद
Seeing a woman, the gambler is inflamed; he covets another's wife and the good fortune of others. In the morning he yokes his tawny horses, but at the end of the game, the outcast falls before the fire.
यो वः सेनानीर्महतो गणस्य राजा व्रातस्य प्रथमो बभूव । तस्मै कृणोमि न धना रुणध्मि दशाहं प्राचीस्तदृतं वदामि
To the one among you who was the leader of a great host, the first among the band, I make this: I do not claim your wealth, I do not demand it; for ten days I speak this truth facing east.
अक्षैर्मा दीव्यः कृषिमित्कृषस्व वित्ते रमस्व बहु मन्यमानः । तत्र गावः कितव तत्र जाया तन्मे वि चष्टे सवितायमर्यः
Do not play with dice; cultivate the field, delight in wealth, thinking yourself fortunate. There are cattle there, gambler, there is your wife; thus Savitar, the noble, shows me.
मित्रं कृणुध्वं खलु मृळता नो मा नो घोरेण चरताभि धृष्णु । नि वो नु मन्युर्विशतामरातिरन्यो बभ्रूणां प्रसितौ न्वस्तु
Make friendship, be gracious to us; do not approach us with fierce intent. Let not your anger, nor enmity, enter you; let another's pursuit of the dice be far from us.
अबुध्रमु त्य इन्द्रवन्तो अग्नयो ज्योतिर्भरन्त उषसो व्युष्टिषु । मही द्यावापृथिवी चेततामपोऽद्या देवानामव आ वृणीमहे
Those Agnis, strong in Indra's power, bear light at the break of dawn. Great Heaven and Earth, be aware; today we seek the favor of the gods.
दिवस्पृथिव्योरव आ वृणीमहे मातॄन्सिन्धून्पर्वताञ्छर्यणावतः । अनागास्त्वं सूर्यमुषासमीमहे भद्रं सोमः सुवानो अद्या कृणोतु नः
From Heaven and Earth we seek favor, from the motherly rivers, mountains, and the sheltering places. We pray for blamelessness from Sun and Dawn; may Soma, pressed today, bring us good.
द्यावा नो अद्य पृथिवी अनागसो मही त्रायेतां सुविताय मातरा । उषा उच्छन्त्यप बाधतामघं स्वस्त्यग्निं समिधानमीमहे
May Heaven and Earth, our great mothers, protect us today from harm, for prosperity. Let Dawn, rising, drive away evil; for welfare we invoke Agni, kindled.
इयं न उस्रा प्रथमा सुदेव्यं रेवत्सनिभ्यो रेवती व्युच्छतु । आरे मन्युं दुर्विदत्रस्य धीमहि स्वस्त्यग्निं समिधानमीमहे
Let this first, splendid, well-blessed dawn shine forth for us, rich in gifts for the generous. May we keep far the wrath of the malicious; for welfare we invoke Agni, kindled.
प्र याः सिस्रते सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिर्ज्योतिर्भरन्तीरुषसो व्युष्टिषु । भद्रा नो अद्य श्रवसे व्युच्छत स्वस्त्यग्निं समिधानमीमहे
Those who stream forth with the rays of the sun, bearing light at the break of dawn—may they shine forth for our glory today; for welfare we invoke Agni, kindled.
अनमीवा उषस आ चरन्तु न उदग्नयो जिहतां ज्योतिषा बृहत् । आयुक्षातामश्विना तूतुजिं रथं स्वस्त्यग्निं समिधानमीमहे
May the Dawns move for us free from sickness; may the fires rise up with great light. May the Ashvins harness their chariot for long life; for welfare we invoke Agni, kindled.
श्रेष्ठं नो अद्य सवितर्वरेण्यं भागमा सुव स हि रत्नधा असि । रायो जनित्रीं धिषणामुप ब्रुवे स्वस्त्यग्निं समिधानमीमहे
Grant us today, O Savitar, the best, most excellent share, for you are the giver of treasures. I call upon Dhiṣaṇā, mother of wealth; for welfare we invoke Agni, kindled.
पिपर्तु मा तदृतस्य प्रवाचनं देवानां यन्मनुष्या अमन्महि । विश्वा इदुस्रा स्पळुदेति सूर्यः स्वस्त्यग्निं समिधानमीमहे
May that not harm us—the true utterance of the gods—which we mortals have neglected. All the Dawns shine forth, the Sun rises; for welfare we invoke Agni, kindled.
अद्वेषो अद्य बर्हिष स्तरीमणि ग्राव्णां योगे मन्मनः साध ईमहे । आदित्यानां शर्मणि स्था भुरण्यसि स्वस्त्यग्निं समिधानमीमहे
Let us today spread the sacred grass without enmity; in the assembly of stones, we strive with our minds. Stand firm in the protection of the Ādityas; for welfare we invoke Agni, kindled.
आ नो बर्हिः सधमादे बृहद्दिवि देवाँ ईळे सादया सप्त होतॄन् । इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणं सातये भगं स्वस्त्यग्निं समिधानमीमहे
Come to our sacred grass in the assembly, O gods, and seat the seven priests. We invoke Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Bhaga for aid; for welfare we invoke Agni, kindled.