HYMN CVIII. Saramā. Paṇis. – Rig Veda – Book 10
किमिछन्ती सरमा परेदमानड दूरे हयध्वा जगुरिःपराचैः |
कास्मेहितिः का परितक्म्यासीत कथं रसायातरः पयांसि ||
इन्द्रस्य दूतीरिषिता चरामि मह इछन्ती पणयो निधीन्वः |
अतिष्कदो भियसा तन न आवत तथा रसाया अतरम्पयांसि ||
कीद्रंं इन्द्रः सरमे का दर्शीका यस्येदं दूतीरसरः पराकात |
आ च गछान मित्रमेना दधामाथागवां गोपतिर्नो भवाति ||
नाहं तं वेद दभ्यं दभत स यस्येदं दूतीरसरं पराकात |
न तं गूहन्ति सरवतो गभीरा हतािन्द्रेण पणयः शयध्वे ||
इमा गावः सरमे या ऐछः परि दिवो अन्तान सुभगेपतन्ती |
कस्त एना अव सर्जादयुध्व्युतास्माकमायुधासन्ति तिग्मा ||
असेन्या वः पणयो वचांस्यनिषव्यास्तन्वः सन्तु पापीः |
अध्र्ष्टो व एतवा अस्तु पन्था बर्हस्पतिर्व उभया नम्र्ळात ||
अयं निधिः सरमे अद्रिबुध्नो गोभिरश्वेभिर्वसुभिर्न्य्र्ष्टः |
रक्षन्ति तं पणयो ये सुगोपा रेकु पदमलकमा जगन्थ ||
एह गमन्न्र्षयः सोमशिता अयास्यो अङगिरसो नवग्वाः |
त एतमूर्वं वि भजन्त गोनामथैतद वचः पणयोवमन्नित ||
एवा च तवं सरम आजगन्थ परबाधिता सहसा दैव्येन |
सवसारं तवा कर्णवै मा पुनर्गा अप ते गवां सुभगेभजाम ||
नाहं वेद भरात्र्त्वं नो सवस्र्त्वमिन्द्रो विदुरङगिरसश्च घोराः |
गोकामा मे अछदयन यदायमपात इत पणयोवरीयः ||
दूरमित पणयो वरीय उद गावो यन्तु मिनतीरतेन |
बर्हस्पतिर्या अविन्दन निगूळाः सोमो गरावाण रषयश्च विप्राः ||
kimichantī saramā predamānaḍ dūre hyadhvā jaghuriḥparācaiḥ |
kāsmehitiḥ kā paritakmyāsīt kathaṃ rasāyāataraḥ payāṃsi ||
indrasya dūtīriṣitā carāmi maha ichantī paṇayo nidhīnvaḥ |
atiṣkado bhiyasā tan na āvat tathā rasāyā atarampayāṃsi ||
kīdṛṃṃ indraḥ sarame kā dṛśīkā yasyedaṃ dūtīrasaraḥ parākāt |
ā ca ghachān mitramenā dadhāmāthāghavāṃ ghopatirno bhavāti ||
nāhaṃ taṃ veda dabhyaṃ dabhat sa yasyedaṃ dūtīrasaraṃ parākāt |
na taṃ ghūhanti sravato ghabhīrā hatāindreṇa paṇayaḥ śayadhve ||
imā ghāvaḥ sarame yā aichaḥ pari divo antān subhaghepatantī |
kasta enā ava sṛjādayudhvyutāsmākamāyudhāsanti tighmā ||
asenyā vaḥ paṇayo vacāṃsyaniṣavyāstanvaḥ santu pāpīḥ |
adhṛṣṭo va etavā astu panthā bṛhaspatirva ubhayā namṛḷāt ||
ayaṃ nidhiḥ sarame adribudhno ghobhiraśvebhirvasubhirnyṛṣṭaḥ |
rakṣanti taṃ paṇayo ye sughopā reku padamalakamā jaghantha ||
eha ghamannṛṣayaḥ somaśitā ayāsyo aṅghiraso navaghvāḥ |
ta etamūrvaṃ vi bhajanta ghonāmathaitad vacaḥ paṇayovamannit ||
evā ca tvaṃ sarama ājaghantha prabādhitā sahasā daivyena |
svasāraṃ tvā kṛṇavai mā punarghā apa te ghavāṃ subhaghebhajāma ||
nāhaṃ veda bhrātṛtvaṃ no svasṛtvamindro viduraṅghirasaśca ghorāḥ |
ghokāmā me achadayan yadāyamapāta ita paṇayovarīyaḥ ||
dūramita paṇayo varīya ud ghāvo yantu minatīrtena |
bṛhaspatiryā avindan nighūḷāḥ somo ghrāvāṇa ṛṣayaśca viprāḥ ||
English Translation
Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
1. WHAT wish of Saramā hath brought her hither? The path leads far away to distant places.
What charge hast thou for us? Where turns thy journey? How hast thou made thy way o’er Rasā’s waters.
2 I come appointed messenger of Indra, seeking your ample stores of wealth, O Paṇis.
This hath preserved me from the fear of crossing: thus have I made my way o’er Rasā’s waters.
3 What is that Indra like, what is his aspect whose envoy, Saramā, from afar thou comest?
Let him approach, and we will show him friendship: he shall be made the herdsman of our cattle.
4 I know him safe from harm: but he can punish who sent me hither from afar as envoy.
Him rivers flowing with deep waters bide not. Low will ye be, O Paṇis, slain by Indra.
5 These are the kine which, Saramā, thou seekest, flying, O Blest One, to the ends of heaven.
Who will loose these for thee without a battle? Yea, and sharp-pointed are our warlike weapons.
6 Even if your wicked bodies, O ye Paṇis, were arrow-proof, your words are weak for wounding;
And were the path to you as yet unmastered, Bṛhaspati in neither case will spare you.
7 Paved with the rock is this our treasure-chamber; filled full of precious things, of kine, and horses.
These Paṇis who are watchful keepers guard it. In vain hast thou approached this lonely station.
8 Ṛṣis will come inspirited with Soma, Aṅgirases unwearied, and Navagvas.
This stall of cattle will they part among them: then will the Paṇis wish these words unspoken.
9 Even thus, O Saramā, hast thou come hither, forced by celestial might to make the journey.
Turn thee not back, for thou shalt be our sister: O Blest One, we will give thee of the cattle.
10 Brotherhood, sisterhood, I know not either: the dread Aṅgirases and Indra know them.
They seemed to long for kine when I departed. Hence, into distance, be ye gone, O Paṇis.
11 Hence, far away, ye Paṇis! Let the cattle lowing come forth as holy Law commandeth,
Kine which Bṛhaspati, and Soma, Ṛṣis, sages, and pressing-stones have found when hidden.