पितेव पुत्रमबिभरुपस्थे त्वामग्ने वध्र्यश्वः सपर्यन् । जुषाणो अस्य समिधं यविष्ठोत पूर्वाँ अवनोर्व्राधतश्चित्
Like a father carries his son in his lap, so Vadhryashva worshipped you, O Agni; gladly accepting his kindling, youngest one, you protected the former, even from the mighty.
शश्वदग्निर्वध्र्यश्वस्य शत्रून्नृभिर्जिगाय सुतसोमवद्भिः । समनं चिददहश्चित्रभानोऽव व्राधन्तमभिनद्वृधश्चित्
Agni, ever victorious for Vadhryashva, overcame his enemies with men who have pressed Soma; even when opposed, you, of brilliant light, burned the adversary and struck down the arrogant.
अयमग्निर्वध्र्यश्वस्य वृत्रहा सनकात्प्रेद्धो नमसोपवाक्यः । स नो अजामीँरुत वा विजामीनभि तिष्ठ शर्धतो वाध्र्यश्व
This Agni of Vadhryashva, the slayer of Vritra, from ancient times is kindled with reverence and praise; whether our offspring or those of others, stand with us, O Vadhryashva, against the hostile.
इमां मे अग्ने समिधं जुषस्वेळस्पदे प्रति हर्या घृताचीम् । वर्ष्मन्पृथिव्याः सुदिनत्वे अह्नामूर्ध्वो भव सुक्रतो देवयज्या
O Agni, accept this kindling of mine; delight in the clarified butter at the sacred place; in the vastness of earth, in the good days, stand upright, O wise one, worthy of the gods’ worship.
आ देवानामग्रयावेह यातु नराशंसो विश्वरूपेभिरश्वैः । ऋतस्य पथा नमसा मियेधो देवेभ्यो देवतमः सुषूदत्
Let the herald of the gods come here first, with Narāśaṃsa and horses of all forms; by the path of truth, with reverence, let the wise one approach, most divine among the gods, eager for the offering.
शश्वत्तममीळते दूत्याय हविष्मन्तो मनुष्यासो अग्निम् । वहिष्ठैरश्वैः सुवृता रथेना देवान्वक्षि नि षदेह होता
Men, ever seeking the best messenger, offer to Agni with oblations; with the best horses, with a well-yoked chariot, carry the gods here and sit as Hotar.
वि प्रथतां देवजुष्टं तिरश्चा दीर्घं द्राघ्मा सुरभि भूत्वस्मे । अहेळता मनसा देव बर्हिरिन्द्रज्येष्ठाँ उशतो यक्षि देवान्
Let it spread wide, favored by the gods, and extend far and wide, let it be fragrant among us; with untroubled mind, O god, on the sacred grass, O Indra’s foremost, eagerly invite the gods.
दिवो वा सानु स्पृशता वरीयः पृथिव्या वा मात्रया वि श्रयध्वम् । उशतीर्द्वारो महिना महद्भिर्देवं रथं रथयुर्धारयध्वम्
Touch the summit of heaven, or, by measure, spread out over the earth; let the shining doors, by their greatness, support the divine chariot, the charioteer’s great car.
देवी दिवो दुहितरा सुशिल्पे उषासानक्ता सदतां नि योनौ । आ वां देवास उशती उशन्त उरौ सीदन्तु सुभगे उपस्थे
Let the divine daughters of heaven, skillful Ushas and Night, sit in their place; may you, O gods, shining ones, come together, and sit widely in the fortunate lap.
ऊर्ध्वो ग्रावा बृहदग्निः समिद्धः प्रिया धामान्यदितेरुपस्थे । पुरोहितावृत्विजा यज्ञे अस्मिन्विदुष्टरा द्रविणमा यजेथाम्
The stone, raised high, and Agni, brightly kindled, are dear abodes in Aditi’s lap; as priests and ritual-born, in this sacrifice, may you, knowing best, grant us wealth.
तिस्रो देवीर्बर्हिरिदं वरीय आ सीदत चकृमा वः स्योनम् । मनुष्वद्यज्ञं सुधिता हवींषीळा देवी घृतपदी जुषन्त
Let the three goddesses sit on this sacred grass, which is most excellent; we have made it pleasant for you; may the goddesses, with clarified butter, accept the well-prepared offerings of men.
देव त्वष्टर्यद्ध चारुत्वमानड्यदङ्गिरसामभवः सचाभूः । स देवानां पाथ उप प्र विद्वाँ उशन्यक्षि द्रविणोदः सुरत्नः
O god Tvaṣṭṛ, when you took on beauty, you became associated with the Angirases; knowing the paths of the gods, bestower of wealth, grant us riches, O generous one.
वनस्पते रशनया नियूया देवानां पाथ उप वक्षि विद्वान् । स्वदाति देवः कृणवद्धवींष्यवतां द्यावापृथिवी हवं मे
O Lord of the Forest, with your girdle, lead the gods here, knowing the paths; let the god make the offerings sweet; may Heaven and Earth bring my invocation.
आग्ने वह वरुणमिष्टये न इन्द्रं दिवो मरुतो अन्तरिक्षात् । सीदन्तु बर्हिर्विश्व आ यजत्राः स्वाहा देवा अमृता मादयन्ताम्
O Agni, bring Varuṇa for the offering, Indra from heaven, the Maruts from the midspace; let all the worshipful, immortal gods sit on the sacred grass and rejoice with the Svāhā call.
बृहस्पते प्रथमं वाचो अग्रं यत्प्रैरत नामधेयं दधानाः । यदेषां श्रेष्ठं यदरिप्रमासीत्प्रेणा तदेषां निहितं गुहाविः
O Bṛhaspati, when they sent forth the first speech, giving names, what was highest and most radiant among them, that was set down hidden within them by love.
सक्तुमिव तितउना पुनन्तो यत्र धीरा मनसा वाचमक्रत । अत्रा सखायः सख्यानि जानते भद्रैषां लक्ष्मीर्निहिताधि वाचि
Purifying it as with a sieve, where the wise fashioned speech with their mind; here friends recognize the bonds of friendship, and their auspicious beauty is set upon their speech.
यज्ञेन वाचः पदवीयमायन्तामन्वविन्दन्नृषिषु प्रविष्टाम् । तामाभृत्या व्यदधुः पुरुत्रा तां सप्त रेभा अभि सं नवन्ते
By sacrifice they followed the path of speech, they found her entered among the seers; taking her up, they distributed her in many places, and the seven singers join together in her.
उत त्वः पश्यन्न ददर्श वाचमुत त्वः शृण्वन्न शृणोत्येनाम् । उतो त्वस्मै तन्वं वि सस्रे जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासाः
Indeed, one may look and not see the speech; indeed, one may listen and not hear it. Indeed, it reveals itself to him, as a radiant, well-clad wife to her husband.
उत त्वं सख्ये स्थिरपीतमाहुर्नैनं हिन्वन्त्यपि वाजिनेषु । अधेन्वा चरति माययैष वाचं शुश्रुवाँ अफलामपुष्पाम्
Indeed, they say you are steadfast in friendship; they do not harm him even among competitors. This cow wanders by illusion; he has heard speech that is fruitless and flowerless.
यस्तित्याज सचिविदं सखायं न तस्य वाच्यपि भागो अस्ति । यदीं शृणोत्यलकं शृणोति नहि प्रवेद सुकृतस्य पन्थाम्
He who abandons his companion, his friend, has no share in speech. Even if he hears, he hears in vain; he does not truly know the path of the virtuous.
अक्षण्वन्तः कर्णवन्तः सखायो मनोजवेष्वसमा बभूवुः । आदघ्नास उपकक्षास उ त्वे ह्रदा इव स्नात्वा उ त्वे ददृश्रे
Friends with eyes and ears became unequal in the swift course of the mind. Some, like those who have bathed, appeared close; others, like those at the edge of a pool, appeared distant.
हृदा तष्टेषु मनसो जवेषु यद्ब्राह्मणाः संयजन्ते सखायः । अत्राह त्वं वि जहुर्वेद्याभिरोहब्रह्माणो वि चरन्त्यु त्वे
When friends unite with the heart, shaped in the speed of the mind, as Brahmins, here they separate with knowledge; the Brahmins move among you.
इमे ये नार्वाङ्न परश्चरन्ति न ब्राह्मणासो न सुतेकरासः । त एते वाचमभिपद्य पापया सिरीस्तन्त्रं तन्वते अप्रजज्ञयः
Those who neither come near nor go far, neither Brahmins nor makers of Soma, these, approaching speech with evil, weave a web of error, ignorant of offspring.
सर्वे नन्दन्ति यशसागतेन सभासाहेन सख्या सखायः । किल्बिषस्पृत्पितुषणिर्ह्येषामरं हितो भवति वाजिनाय
All rejoice in the fame that has come, friends with friends in the assembly. For those who remove sin and nourish, the undying benefit comes to the competitor.
ऋचां त्वः पोषमास्ते पुपुष्वान्गायत्रं त्वो गायति शक्वरीषु । ब्रह्मा त्वो वदति जातविद्यां यज्ञस्य मात्रां वि मिमीत उ त्वः
You have nourished the growth of the hymns; you sing the Gāyatra among the Śakvarī verses. The Brahmin speaks the knowledge of birth; you measure the meter of the sacrifice.
देवानां नु वयं जाना प्र वोचाम विपन्यया । उक्थेषु शस्यमानेषु यः पश्यादुत्तरे युगे
Now, with insight, let us declare the origins of the gods. Among the praised hymns, whoever sees in the later age.
ब्रह्मणस्पतिरेता सं कर्मार इवाधमत् । देवानां पूर्व्ये युगेऽसतः सदजायत
Bṛhaspati shaped these, as a smith with his tools. In the earlier age of the gods, from non-being, being was born.
देवानां युगे प्रथमेऽसतः सदजायत । तदाशा अन्वजायन्त तदुत्तानपदस्परि
In the first age of the gods, from non-being, being was born. Then the regions were born; then the upraised space was spread.
भूर्जज्ञ उत्तानपदो भुव आशा अजायन्त । अदितेर्दक्षो अजायत दक्षाद्वदितिः परि
The earth was born from the upraised space; the regions were born. From Aditi, Dakṣa was born; from Dakṣa, Aditi was spread.
अदितिर्ह्यजनिष्ट दक्ष या दुहिता तव । तां देवा अन्वजायन्त भद्रा अमृतबन्धवः
Aditi was indeed born; Dakṣa, who is your daughter. The gods were born from her, blessed, kin of immortality.