HYMN LV. Viśvedevas: Rig Veda – Book 3 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

उषसः पूर्वा अध यद वयूषुर्महद वि जज्ञे अक्षरं पदे गोः |
वरता देवानामुप नु परभूषन महद देवानामसुरत्वमेकम ||

मो षू णो अत्र जुहुरन्त देवा मा पूर्वे अग्ने पितरः पदज्ञाः |
पुराण्योः सद्मनोः केतुरन्तर्म… ||

वि मे पुरुत्रा पतयन्ति कामाः शम्यछा दीद्ये पूर्व्याणि |
समिद्धे अग्नाव रतमिद वदेम म… ||

समानो राजा विभ्र्तः पुरुत्रा शये शयासु परयुतो वनानु |
अन्या वत्सं भरति कषेति माता म… ||

आक्षित पूर्वास्वपरा अनूरुत सद्यो जातासु तरुणीष्वन्तः |
अन्तर्वतीः सुवते अप्रवीता म… ||

शयुः परस्तादध नु दविमाताबन्धनश्चरति वत्स एकः |
मित्रस्य ता वरुणस्य वरतानि म… ||

दविमाता होता विदथेषु सम्राळ अन्वग्रं चरति कषेति बुध्नः |
पर रण्यानि रण्यवाचो भरन्ते म… ||

शूरस्येव युध्यतो अन्तमस्य परतीचीनं दद्र्शे विश्वमायत |
अन्तर्मतिश्चरति निष्षिधं गोर्म… ||

नि वेवेति पलितो दूत आस्वन्तर्महांश्चरति रोचनेन |
वपूंषि बिभ्रदभि नो वि चष्टे म… ||

विष्णुर्गोपाः परमं पाति पाथः परिया धामान्यम्र्तादधानः |
अग्निष टा विश्वा भुवनानि वेद म… ||

नाना चक्राते यम्या वपूंषि तयोरन्यद रोचते कर्ष्णमन्यत |
शयावी च यदरुषी च सवसारौ म… ||

माता च यत्र दुहिता च धेनू सबर्दुघे धापयेते समीची |
रतस्य ते सदसीळे अन्तर्म… ||

अन्यस्या वत्सं रिहती मिमाय कया भुवा नि दधे धेनुरूधः |
रतस्य सा पयसापिन्वतेळा म… ||

पद्या वस्ते पुरुरूपा वपूंष्यूर्ध्वा तस्थौ तर्यविं रेरिहाणा |
रतस्य सद्म वि चरामि विद्वान म… ||

पदे इव निहिते दस्मे अन्तस्तयोरन्यद गुह्यमाविरन्यत |
सध्रीचीना पथ्या सा विषूची म… ||

आ धेनवो धुनयन्तामशिश्वीः सबर्दुघाः शशया अप्रदुग्धाः |
नव्या-नव्या युवतयो भवन्तीर्म… ||

यदन्यासु वर्षभो रोरवीति सो अन्यस्मिन यूथे नि दधातिरेतः |
स हि कषपावान स भगः स राजा म… ||

वीरस्य नु सवश्व्यं जनासः पर नु वोचाम विदुरस्य देवाः |
षोळ्हा युक्ताः पञ्च-पञ्चा वहन्ति म… ||

देवस्त्वष्टा सविता विश्वरूपः पुपोष परजाः पुरुधाजजान |
इमा च विश्वा भुवनान्यस्य म… ||

मही समैरच्चम्वा समीची उभे ते अस्य वसुना नय्र्ष्टे |
शर्ण्वे वीरो विन्दमानो वसूनि म… ||

इमां च नः पर्थिवीं विश्वधाया उप कषेति हितमित्रो नराजा |
पुरःसदः शर्मसदो न वीरा म… ||

निष्षिध्वरीस्त ओषधीरुतापो रयिं त इन्द्र पर्थिवी बिभर्ति |
सखायस्ते वामभाजः सयाम म… ||

uṣasaḥ pūrvā adha yad vyūṣurmahad vi jajñe akṣaraṃ pade ghoḥ |
vratā devānāmupa nu prabhūṣan mahad devānāmasuratvamekam ||

mo ṣū ṇo atra juhuranta devā mā pūrve aghne pitaraḥ padajñāḥ |
purāṇyoḥ sadmanoḥ keturantarma… ||

vi me purutrā patayanti kāmāḥ śamyachā dīdye pūrvyāṇi |
samiddhe aghnāv ṛtamid vadema ma… ||

samāno rājā vibhṛtaḥ purutrā śaye śayāsu prayuto vanānu |
anyā vatsaṃ bharati kṣeti mātā ma… ||

ākṣit pūrvāsvaparā anūrut sadyo jātāsu taruṇīṣvantaḥ |
antarvatīḥ suvate apravītā ma… ||

śayuḥ parastādadha nu dvimātābandhanaścarati vatsa ekaḥ |
mitrasya tā varuṇasya vratāni ma… ||

dvimātā hotā vidatheṣu samrāḷ anvaghraṃ carati kṣeti budhnaḥ |
pra raṇyāni raṇyavāco bharante ma… ||

śūrasyeva yudhyato antamasya pratīcīnaṃ dadṛśe viśvamāyat |
antarmatiścarati niṣṣidhaṃ ghorma… ||

ni veveti palito dūta āsvantarmahāṃścarati rocanena |
vapūṃṣi bibhradabhi no vi caṣṭe ma… ||

viṣṇurghopāḥ paramaṃ pāti pāthaḥ priyā dhāmānyamṛtādadhānaḥ |
aghniṣ ṭā viśvā bhuvanāni veda ma… ||

nānā cakrāte yamyā vapūṃṣi tayoranyad rocate kṛṣṇamanyat |
śyāvī ca yadaruṣī ca svasārau ma… ||

mātā ca yatra duhitā ca dhenū sabardughe dhāpayete samīcī |
ṛtasya te sadasīḷe antarma… ||

anyasyā vatsaṃ rihatī mimāya kayā bhuvā ni dadhe dhenurūdhaḥ |
ṛtasya sā payasāpinvateḷā ma… ||

padyā vaste pururūpā vapūṃṣyūrdhvā tasthau tryaviṃ rerihāṇā |
ṛtasya sadma vi carāmi vidvān ma… ||

pade iva nihite dasme antastayoranyad ghuhyamāviranyat |
sadhrīcīnā pathyā sā viṣūcī ma… ||

ā dhenavo dhunayantāmaśiśvīḥ sabardughāḥ śaśayā apradughdhāḥ |
navyā-navyā yuvatayo bhavantīrma… ||

yadanyāsu vṛṣabho roravīti so anyasmin yūthe ni dadhātiretaḥ |
sa hi kṣapāvān sa bhaghaḥ sa rājā ma… ||

vīrasya nu svaśvyaṃ janāsaḥ pra nu vocāma vidurasya devāḥ |
ṣoḷhā yuktāḥ pañca-pañcā vahanti ma… ||

devastvaṣṭā savitā viśvarūpaḥ pupoṣa prajāḥ purudhājajāna |
imā ca viśvā bhuvanānyasya ma… ||

mahī samairaccamvā samīcī ubhe te asya vasunā nyṛṣṭe |
śṛṇve vīro vindamāno vasūni ma… ||

imāṃ ca naḥ pṛthivīṃ viśvadhāyā upa kṣeti hitamitro narājā |
puraḥsadaḥ śarmasado na vīrā ma… ||

niṣṣidhvarīsta oṣadhīrutāpo rayiṃ ta indra pṛthivī bibharti |
sakhāyaste vāmabhājaḥ syāma ma… ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. AT the first shining of the earliest Mornings, in the Cow’s home was born the Great Eternal.
Now shall the statutes of the Gods be valid. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion –

2 Let not the Gods here injure us, O Agni, nor Fathers of old time who know the region,
Nor the sign set between two ancient dwellings. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

3 My wishes fly abroad to many places: I glance back to the ancient sacrifices.
Let us declare the truth when fire is kindled. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

4 King Universal, born to sundry quarters, extended through the wood be lies on couches.
One Mother rests: another feeds the Infant. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

5 Lodged in old plants, he grows again in younger, swiftly within the newly-born and tender.
Though they are unimpregned, he makes them fruitful. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

6 Now lying far away, Child of two Mothers, he wanders unrestrained, the single youngling.
These are the laws of Varuṇa and Mitra. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

7 Child of two Mothers, Priest, sole Lord in synods, he still precedes while resting as foundation.
They who speak sweetly bring him sweet addresses. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

8 As to a friendly warrior when he battles, each thing that comes anear is seen to meet him.
The hymn commingles with the cow’s oblation. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

9 Deep within these the hoary envoy pierceth; mighty, he goeth to the realm of splendour,
And looketh on us, clad in wondrous beauty. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

10 Viṣṇu, the guardian, keeps the loftiest station, upholding dear, immortal dwelling-places.
Agni knows well all these created beings. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

11 Ye, variant Pair, have made yourselves twin beauties: one of the Twain is dark, bright shines the other;
And yet these two, the dark, the red, are Sisters. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

12 Where the two Cows, the Mother and the Daughter, meet and give suck yielding their lordly nectar,
I praise them at the seat of law eternal. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

13 Loud hath she lowed, licking the other’s youngling. On what world hath the Milch-cow laid her udder?
This Iḷā streameth with the milk of Order. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

14 Earth weareth beauties manifold: uplifted, licking her Calf of eighteen months, she standeth.
Well-skilled I seek the seat of law eternal. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

15 Within a wondrous place the Twain are treasured: the one is manifest, the other hidden.
One common pathway leads in two directions. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

16 Let the milch-kine that have no calves storm downward, yielding rich nectar, streaming, unexhausted,
These who are ever new and fresh and youthful. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

17 What time the Bull bellows in other regions, another herd receives the genial moisture;
For he is Bhaga, King, the earth’s Protector. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

18 Let us declare the Hero’s wealth in horses, O all ye folk: of this the Gods have knowledge.
Sixfold they bear him, or by fives are harnessed. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

19 Tvaṣṭar the God, the omniform. Creator, begets and feeds mankind in various manner.
His, verily, arc all these living creatures. Great is the Gods’ supreme dominion.

20 The two great meeting Bowls hath he united: each of the Pair is laden with histreasure.
The Hero is renowned for gathering riches. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.

21 Yea, and on this our earth the All-Sustainer dwells like a King with noble friends about him.
In his protection heroes rest in safety. Great is the Cods’ supreme and sole dominion.

22 Rich in their gifts for thee are herbs and waters, and earth brings all her wealth for thee, O Indra.
May we as friends of thine share goodly treasures. Great is the Gods’ supreme and sole dominion.