HYMN CXXIII. Dawn: Rig Veda – Book 1 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

पर्थू रथो दक्षिणाया अयोज्यैनं देवासो अम्र्तासो अस्थुः |
कर्ष्णादुदस्थादर्या विहायाश्चिकित्सन्ती मानुषायक्षयाय ||

पूर्वा विश्वस्माद भुवनादबोधि जयन्ती वाजं बर्हती सनुत्री |
उच्चा वयख्यद युवतिः पुनर्भूरोषा अगन परथमा पूर्वहूतौ ||

यदद्य भागं विभजासि नर्भ्य उषो देवि मर्त्यत्रा सुजाते |
देवो नो अत्र सविता दमूना अनागसो वोचति सूर्याय ||

गर्हं-गर्हमहना यात्यछा दिवे-दिवे अधि नामा दधाना |
सिषासन्ती दयोतना शश्वदागादग्रम-अग्रमिद भजतेवसूनाम ||

भगस्य सवसा वरुणस्य जामिरुषः सून्र्ते परथमा जरस्व |
पश्चा स दघ्या यो अघस्य धाता जयेम तं दक्षिणया रथेन ||

उदीरतां सून्र्ता उत पुरन्धीरुदग्नयः शुशुचानासोस्थुः |
सपार्हा वसूनि तमसापगूळ्हाविष कर्ण्वन्त्युषसो विभातीः ||

अपान्यदेत्यभ्यन्यदेति विषुरूपे अहनी सं चरेते |
परिक्षितोस्तमो अन्या गुहाकरद्यौदुषाः शोशुचता रथेन ||

सद्र्शीरद्य सद्र्शीरिदु शवो दीर्घं सचन्ते वरुणस्यधाम |
अनवद्यास्त्रिंशतं योजनान्येकैका करतुं परियन्ति सद्यः ||

जानत्यह्नः परथमस्य नाम शुक्रा कर्ष्णादजनिष्ट शवितीची |
रतस्य योषा न मिनाति धामाहर अहर्निष्क्र्तमाचरन्ती ||

कन्येव तन्वा शाशदानानेषि देवि देवमियक्षमाणम |
संस्मयमाना युवतिः पुरस्तादाविर्वक्षांसि कर्णुषे विभाती ||

सुसंकाशा मात्र्म्र्ष्टेव योषाविस्तन्वं कर्णुषे दर्शे कम |
भद्रा तवमुषो वितरं वयुछ न तत ते अन्या उषसोनशन्त ||

अश्वावतीर्गोमतीर्विश्ववारा यतमाना रश्मिभिः सूर्यस्य |
परा च यन्ति पुनरा च यन्ति भद्रा नाम वहमानाुषासः ||

रतस्य रश्मिमनुयछमाना भद्रम-भद्रं करतुमस्मासु धेहि |
उषो नो अद्य सुहवा वयुछास्मासु रायो मघवत्सु च सयुः ||

pṛthū ratho dakṣiṇāyā ayojyainaṃ devāso amṛtāso asthuḥ |
kṛṣṇādudasthādaryā vihāyāścikitsantī mānuṣāyakṣayāya ||

pūrvā viśvasmād bhuvanādabodhi jayantī vājaṃ bṛhatī sanutrī |
uccā vyakhyad yuvatiḥ punarbhūroṣā aghan prathamā pūrvahūtau ||

yadadya bhāghaṃ vibhajāsi nṛbhya uṣo devi martyatrā sujāte |
devo no atra savitā damūnā anāghaso vocati sūryāya ||

ghṛhaṃ-ghṛhamahanā yātyachā dive-dive adhi nāmā dadhānā |
siṣāsantī dyotanā śaśvadāghādaghram-aghramid bhajatevasūnām ||

bhaghasya svasā varuṇasya jāmiruṣaḥ sūnṛte prathamā jarasva |
paścā sa daghyā yo aghasya dhātā jayema taṃ dakṣiṇayā rathena ||

udīratāṃ sūnṛtā ut purandhīrudaghnayaḥ śuśucānāsoasthuḥ |
spārhā vasūni tamasāpaghūḷhāviṣ kṛṇvantyuṣaso vibhātīḥ ||

apānyadetyabhyanyadeti viṣurūpe ahanī saṃ carete |
parikṣitostamo anyā ghuhākaradyauduṣāḥ śośucatā rathena ||

sadṛśīradya sadṛśīridu śvo dīrghaṃ sacante varuṇasyadhāma |
anavadyāstriṃśataṃ yojanānyekaikā kratuṃ pariyanti sadyaḥ ||

jānatyahnaḥ prathamasya nāma śukrā kṛṣṇādajaniṣṭa śvitīcī |
ṛtasya yoṣā na mināti dhāmāhar aharniṣkṛtamācarantī ||

kanyeva tanvā śāśadānāneṣi devi devamiyakṣamāṇam |
saṃsmayamānā yuvatiḥ purastādāvirvakṣāṃsi kṛṇuṣe vibhātī ||

susaṃkāśā mātṛmṛṣṭeva yoṣāvistanvaṃ kṛṇuṣe dṛśe kam |
bhadrā tvamuṣo vitaraṃ vyucha na tat te anyā uṣasonaśanta ||

aśvāvatīrghomatīrviśvavārā yatamānā raśmibhiḥ sūryasya |
parā ca yanti punarā ca yanti bhadrā nāma vahamānāuṣāsaḥ ||

ṛtasya raśmimanuyachamānā bhadram-bhadraṃ kratumasmāsu dhehi |
uṣo no adya suhavā vyuchāsmāsu rāyo maghavatsu ca syuḥ ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. THE Dakṣiṇā’s broad chariot hath been harnessed: this car the Gods Immortal have ascended.
Fain to bring light to homes of men the noble and active Goddess hath emerged from darkness.

2 She before all the living world hath wakened, the Lofty One who wins and gathers treasure.
Revived and ever young on high she glances. Dawn hath come first unto our morning worship.

3 If, Dawn, thou Goddess nobly born, thou dealest fortune this day to all the race of mortals,
May Savitar the God, Friend of the homestead, declare before the Sun that we are sinless.

4 Showing her wonted form each day that passeth, spreading the light she visiteth each dwelling.
Eager for conquest, with bright sheen she cometh. Her portion is the best of goodly treasures.

5 Sister of Varuṇa, sister of Bhaga, first among all sing forth, O joyous Morning.
Weak be the strength of him who worketh evil: may we subdue him with our car the guerdon.

6 Let our glad hymns and holy thoughts rise upward, for the flames brightly burning have ascended.
The far-refulgent Mornings make apparent the lovely treasures which the darkness covered.

7 The one departeth and the other cometh: unlike in hue day’s, halves march on successive.
One hides the gloom of the surrounding Parents. Dawn on her shining chariot is resplendent.

8 The same in form to-day, the same tomorrow, they still keep Varuṇa’s eternal statute.
Blameless, in turn they traverse thirty regions, and dart across the spirit in a moment.

9 She who hath knowledge Of the first day’s nature is born refulgent white from out the darkness.
The Maiden breaketh not the law of Order, day by day coming to the place appointed.

10 In pride of beauty like a maid thou goest, O Goddess, to the God who longs to win thee,
And smiling youthful, as thou shinest brightly, before him thou discoverest thy bosom.

11 Fair as a bride embellished by her mother thou showest forth thy form that all may see it.
Blessed art thou O Dawn. Shine yet more widely. No other Dawns have reached what thou attainest.

12 Rich in kine, horses, and all goodly treasures, in constant operation with the sunbeams,
The Dawns depart and come again assuming their wonted forms that promise happy fortune.

13 Obedient to the rein of Law Eternal give us each thought that more and more shall bless us.
Shine thou on us to-day, Dawn, swift to listen. With us be riches and with chiefs who worship.