HYMN LVIII. Ghṛta: Rig Veda – Book 4 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

समुद्राद ऊर्मिर मधुमां उद आरद उपांशुना सम अम्र्तत्वम आनट |
घर्तस्य नाम गुह्यं यद अस्ति जिह्वा देवानाम अम्र्तस्य नाभिः ||

वयं नाम पर बरवामा घर्तस्यास्मिन यज्ञे धारयामा नमोभिः |
उप बरह्मा शर्णवच छस्यमानं चतुःश्र्ङगो ऽवमीद गौर एतत ||

चत्वारि शर्ङगा तरयो अस्य पादा दवे शीर्षे सप्त हस्तासो अस्य |
तरिधा बद्धो वर्षभो रोरवीति महो देवो मर्त्यां आ विवेश ||

तरिधा हितम पणिभिर गुह्यमानं गवि देवासो घर्तम अन्व अविन्दन |
इन्द्र एकं सूर्य एकं जजान वेनाद एकं सवधया निष टतक्षुः ||

एता अर्षन्ति हर्द्यात समुद्राच छतव्रजा रिपुणा नावचक्षे |
घर्तस्य धारा अभि चाकशीमि हिरण्ययो वेतसो मध्य आसाम ||

सम्यक सरवन्ति सरितो न धेना अन्तर हर्दा मनसा पूयमानाः |
एते अर्षन्त्य ऊर्मयो घर्तस्य मर्गा इव कषिपणोर ईषमाणाः ||

सिन्धोर इव पराध्वने शूघनासो वातप्रमियः पतयन्ति यह्वाः |
घर्तस्य धारा अरुषो न वाजी काष्ठा भिन्दन्न ऊर्मिभिः पिन्वमानः ||

अभि परवन्त समनेव योषाः कल्याण्यः समयमानासो अग्निम |
घर्तस्य धाराः समिधो नसन्त ता जुषाणो हर्यति जातवेदाः ||

कन्या इव वहतुम एतवा उ अञ्ज्य अञ्जाना अभि चाकशीमि |
यत्र सोमः सूयते यत्र यज्ञो घर्तस्य धारा अभि तत पवन्ते ||

अभ्य अर्षत सुष्टुतिं गव्यम आजिम अस्मासु भद्रा दरविणानि धत्त |
इमं यज्ञं नयत देवता नो घर्तस्य धारा मधुमत पवन्ते ||

धामन ते विश्वम भुवनम अधि शरितम अन्तः समुद्रे हर्द्य अन्तर आयुषि |
अपाम अनीके समिथे य आभ्र्तस तम अश्याम मधुमन्तं त ऊर्मिम ||

samudrād ūrmir madhumāṃ ud ārad upāṃśunā sam amṛtatvam ānaṭ |
ghṛtasya nāma ghuhyaṃ yad asti jihvā devānām amṛtasya nābhiḥ ||

vayaṃ nāma pra bravāmā ghṛtasyāsmin yajñe dhārayāmā namobhiḥ |
upa brahmā śṛṇavac chasyamānaṃ catuḥśṛṅgho ‘vamīd ghaura etat ||

catvāri śṛṅghā trayo asya pādā dve śīrṣe sapta hastāso asya |
tridhā baddho vṛṣabho roravīti maho devo martyāṃ ā viveśa ||

tridhā hitam paṇibhir ghuhyamānaṃ ghavi devāso ghṛtam anv avindan |
indra ekaṃ sūrya ekaṃ jajāna venād ekaṃ svadhayā niṣ ṭatakṣuḥ ||

etā arṣanti hṛdyāt samudrāc chatavrajā ripuṇā nāvacakṣe |
ghṛtasya dhārā abhi cākaśīmi hiraṇyayo vetaso madhya āsām ||

samyak sravanti sarito na dhenā antar hṛdā manasā pūyamānāḥ |
ete arṣanty ūrmayo ghṛtasya mṛghā iva kṣipaṇor īṣamāṇāḥ ||

sindhor iva prādhvane śūghanāso vātapramiyaḥ patayanti yahvāḥ |
ghṛtasya dhārā aruṣo na vājī kāṣṭhā bhindann ūrmibhiḥ pinvamānaḥ ||

abhi pravanta samaneva yoṣāḥ kalyāṇyaḥ smayamānāso aghnim |
ghṛtasya dhārāḥ samidho nasanta tā juṣāṇo haryati jātavedāḥ ||

kanyā iva vahatum etavā u añjy añjānā abhi cākaśīmi |
yatra somaḥ sūyate yatra yajño ghṛtasya dhārā abhi tat pavante ||

abhy arṣata suṣṭutiṃ ghavyam ājim asmāsu bhadrā draviṇāni dhatta |
imaṃ yajñaṃ nayata devatā no ghṛtasya dhārā madhumat pavante ||

dhāman te viśvam bhuvanam adhi śritam antaḥ samudre hṛdy antar āyuṣi |
apām anīke samithe ya ābhṛtas tam aśyāma madhumantaṃ ta ūrmim ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. FORTH from the ocean sprang the wave of sweetness: together with the stalk it turned to Amṛta,
That which is holy oil’s mysterious title: but the Gods’ tongue is truly Amṛta’s centre.

2 Let us declare aloud the name of Ghṛta, and at this sacrifice hold it up with homage.
So let the Brahman hear the praise we utter. This hath the four-horned Buffalo emitted.

3 Four are his horns, three are the feet that bear him; his heads are two, his hands are seven in number.
Bound with a triple bond the Steer roars loudly: the mighty God hath entered in to mortals.

4 That oil in triple shape the Gods discovered laid down within the Cow, concealed by Paṇis.
Indra produced one shape, Sūrya another: by their own power they formed the third from Vena.

5 From inmost reservoir in countless channels flow down these rivers which the foe beholds not.
I look upon the streams of oil descending, and lo! the Golden Reed is there among them.

6 Like rivers our libations flow together, cleansing themselves in inmost heart and spirit.
The streams of holy oil pour swiftly downward like the wild beasts that fly before the bowman.

7 As rushing down the rapids of a river, flow swifter than the wind the vigorous currents,
The streams of oil in swelling fluctuation like a red courser bursting through the fences.

8 Like women at a gathering fair to look on and gently smiling, they incline to Agni.
The streams of holy oil attain the fuel, and Jātavedas joyfully receives them.

9 As maidens dock themselves with gay adornment to join the bridal feast, I now behold them.
Where Soma flows and sacrifice is ready, thither the streams of holy oil are running.

10 Send to our eulogy a herd of cattle bestow upon us excellent possessions.
Bear to the Gods the sacrifice we offer the streams of oil flow pure and full of sweetness.

11 The universe depends upon thy power and might within the sea, within the heart, within all life.