HYMN CXXIII. Vena. – Rig Veda – Book 10

यं वेनश्चोदयत पर्श्निगर्भा जयोतिर्जरायू रजसोविमाने |
इममपां संगमे सूर्यस्य शिशुं न विप्रामतिभी रिहन्ति ||

समुद्रादूर्मिमुदियर्ति वेनो नभोजाः पर्ष्ठंहर्यतस्य दर्शि |
रतस्य सानावधि विष्टपि भराट्समानं योनिमभ्यनूषत वराः ||

समानं पूर्वीरभि वावशानास्तिष्ठन वत्सस्यमातरः सनीळाः |
रतस्य सानावधि चक्रमाणारिहन्ति मध्वो अम्र्तस्य वाणीः ||

जानन्तो रूपमक्र्पन्त विप्रा मर्गस्य घोषं महिषस्य हिग्मन |
रतेन यन्तो अधि सिन्धुमस्थुर्विदद गन्धर्वोम्र्तानि नाम ||

अप्सरा जारमुपसिष्मियाणा योषा बिभर्ति परमे वयोमन |
चरत परियस्य योनिषु परियः सन सीदत पक्षे हिरण्ययेस वेनः ||

नाके सुपर्णमुप यत पतन्तं हर्दा वेनन्तो अभ्यचक्षतत्वा |
हिरण्यपक्षं वरुणस्य दूतं यमस्य योनौशकुनं भुरण्युम ||

ऊर्ध्वो गन्धर्वो अधि नाके अस्थात परत्यं चित्रा बिभ्रदस्यायुधानि |
वसानो अत्कं सुरभिं दर्शे कं सवर्णनाम जनत परियाणि ||

दरप्सः समुद्रमभि यज्जिगाति पश्यन गर्ध्रस्य चक्षसाविधर्मन |
भानुः शुक्रेण शोचिषा चकानस्त्र्तीये चक्रेरजसि परियाणि ||

ayaṃ venaścodayat pṛśnigharbhā jyotirjarāyū rajasovimāne |
imamapāṃ saṃghame sūryasya śiśuṃ na viprāmatibhī rihanti ||

samudrādūrmimudiyarti veno nabhojāḥ pṛṣṭhaṃharyatasya darśi |
ṛtasya sānāvadhi viṣṭapi bhrāṭsamānaṃ yonimabhyanūṣata vrāḥ ||

samānaṃ pūrvīrabhi vāvaśānāstiṣṭhan vatsasyamātaraḥ sanīḷāḥ |
ṛtasya sānāvadhi cakramāṇārihanti madhvo amṛtasya vāṇīḥ ||

jānanto rūpamakṛpanta viprā mṛghasya ghoṣaṃ mahiṣasya highman |
ṛtena yanto adhi sindhumasthurvidad ghandharvoamṛtāni nāma ||

apsarā jāramupasiṣmiyāṇā yoṣā bibharti parame vyoman |
carat priyasya yoniṣu priyaḥ san sīdat pakṣe hiraṇyayesa venaḥ ||

nāke suparṇamupa yat patantaṃ hṛdā venanto abhyacakṣatatvā |
hiraṇyapakṣaṃ varuṇasya dūtaṃ yamasya yonauśakunaṃ bhuraṇyum ||

ūrdhvo ghandharvo adhi nāke asthāt pratyaṃ citrā bibhradasyāyudhāni |
vasāno atkaṃ surabhiṃ dṛśe kaṃ svarṇanāma janata priyāṇi ||

drapsaḥ samudramabhi yajjighāti paśyan ghṛdhrasya cakṣasāvidharman |
bhānuḥ śukreṇa śociṣā cakānastṛtīye cakrerajasi priyāṇi ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. SEE, Vena, born in light, hath driven hither, on chariot of the air, the Calves of Pṛśni.
Singers with hymns caress him as an infant there where the waters and the sunlight mingle.

2 Vena draws up his wave from out the ocean. mist-born, the fair one’s back is made apparent,
Brightly he shone aloft on Order’s summit: the hosts sang glory to their common birthplace.

3 Full many, lowing to their joint-possession, dwelling together stood the Darling’s Mothers.
Ascending to the lofty height of Order, the bands of singers ‘sip the sweets of Amṛta.

4 Knowing his form, the sages yearned to meet him: they have come nigh to hear the wild Bull’s bellow.
Performing sacrifice they reached the river: for the Gandharva found the immortal waters.

5 The Apsaras, the Lady, sweetly smiling, supports her Lover in sublimest heaven.
In his Friend’s dwelling as a Friend he wanders: he, Vena, rests him on his golden pinion.

6 They gaze on thee with longing in their spirit, as on a strong-winged bird that mounteth sky-ward;
On thee with wings of gold, Varuṇa’s envoy, the Bird that hasteneth to the home of Yama.

7 Erect, to heaven hath the Gandharva mounted, pointing at us his many-coloured weapons;
Clad in sweet raiment beautiful to look on, for he, as light, produceth forms that please us.

8 When as a spark he cometh near the ocean, still looking with a vulture’s eye to heaven,
His lustre, joying in its own bright splendour, maketh dear glories in the lowest region.