HYMN XCII. Dawn: Rig Veda – Book 1 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator
एता उ तया उषसः केतुमक्रत पूर्वे अर्धे रजसो भानुमञ्जते |
निष्क्र्ण्वाना आयुधानीव धर्ष्णवः परति गावोऽरुषीर्यन्ति मातरः ||
उदपप्तन्नरुणा भानवो वर्था सवायुजो अरुषीर्गा अयुक्सत |
अक्रन्नुषासो वयुनानि पूर्वथा रुशन्तं भानुमरुषीरशिश्रयुः ||
अर्चन्ति नारीरपसो न विष्टिभिः समानेन योजनेना परावतः |
इषं वहन्तीः सुक्र्ते सुदानवे विश्वेदह यजमानाय सुन्वते ||
अधि पेशांसि वपते नर्तूरिवापोर्णुते वक्ष उस्रेव बर्जहम |
जयोतिर्विश्वस्मै भुवनाय कर्ण्वती गावो न वरजं वयुषा आवर्तमः ||
परत्यर्ची रुशदस्या अदर्शि वि तिष्ठते बाधते कर्ष्णमभ्वम |
सवरुं न पेशो विदथेष्वञ्जञ्चित्रं दिवो दुहिता भानुमश्रेत ||
अतारिष्म तमसस पारमस्योषा उछन्ती वयुना कर्णोति |
शरिये छन्दो न समयते विभाती सुप्रतीका सौमनसायाजीगः ||
भास्वती नेत्री सून्र्तानां दिव सतवे दुहिता गोतमेभिः |
परजावतो नर्वतो अश्वबुध्यानुषो गोग्रानुप मासि वाजान ||
उषस्तमश्यां यशसं सुवीरं दासप्रवर्गं रयिमश्वबुध्यम |
सुदंससा शरवसा या विभासि वाजप्रसूता सुभगे बर्हन्तम ||
विश्वानि देवी भुवनाभिचक्ष्या परतीची चक्षुरुर्विया वि भाति |
विश्वं जीवं चरसे बोधयन्ती विश्वस्य वाचमविदन मनायोः ||
पुनः-पुनर्जायमाना पुराणी समानं वर्णमभि शुम्भमाना |
शवघ्नीव कर्त्नुर्विज आमिनाना मर्तस्य देवी जरयन्त्यायुः ||
वयूर्ण्वती दिवो अन्तानबोध्यप सवसारं सनुतर्युयोति |
परमिनती मनुष्या युगानि योषा जारस्य चक्षसा वि भाति ||
पशून न चित्रा सुभगा परथाना सिन्धुर्न कषोद उर्विया वयश्वैत |
अमिनती दैव्यानि वरतानि सूर्यस्य चेति रश्मिभिर्द्र्शाना ||
उषस्तच्चित्रमा भरास्मभ्यं वाजिनीवति |
येन तोकंच तनयं च धामहे ||
उषो अद्येह गोमत्यश्वावति विभावरि |
रेवदस्मे वयुछ सून्र्तावति ||
युक्ष्वा हि वाजिनीवत्यश्वानद्यारुणानुषः |
अथा नोविश्वा सौभगान्या वह ||
अश्विना वर्तिरस्मदा गोमद दस्रा हिरण्यवत |
अर्वाग रथं समनसा नि यछतम ||
यावित्था शलोकमा दिवो जयोतिर्जनाय चक्रथुः |
आ नूर्जं वहतमश्विना युवम ||
एह देवा मयोभुवा दस्रा हिरण्यवर्तनी |
उषर्बुधो वहन्तु सोमपीतये ||
etā u tyā uṣasaḥ ketumakrata pūrve ardhe rajaso bhānumañjate |
niṣkṛṇvānā āyudhānīva dhṛṣṇavaḥ prati ghāvo’ruṣīryanti mātaraḥ ||
udapaptannaruṇā bhānavo vṛthā svāyujo aruṣīrghā ayuksata |
akrannuṣāso vayunāni pūrvathā ruśantaṃ bhānumaruṣīraśiśrayuḥ ||
arcanti nārīrapaso na viṣṭibhiḥ samānena yojanenā parāvataḥ |
iṣaṃ vahantīḥ sukṛte sudānave viśvedaha yajamānāya sunvate ||
adhi peśāṃsi vapate nṛtūrivāporṇute vakṣa usreva barjaham |
jyotirviśvasmai bhuvanāya kṛṇvatī ghāvo na vrajaṃ vyuṣā āvartamaḥ ||
pratyarcī ruśadasyā adarśi vi tiṣṭhate bādhate kṛṣṇamabhvam |
svaruṃ na peśo vidatheṣvañjañcitraṃ divo duhitā bhānumaśret ||
atāriṣma tamasas pāramasyoṣā uchantī vayunā kṛṇoti |
śriye chando na smayate vibhātī supratīkā saumanasāyājīghaḥ ||
bhāsvatī netrī sūnṛtānāṃ diva stave duhitā ghotamebhiḥ |
prajāvato nṛvato aśvabudhyānuṣo ghoaghrānupa māsi vājān ||
uṣastamaśyāṃ yaśasaṃ suvīraṃ dāsapravarghaṃ rayimaśvabudhyam |
sudaṃsasā śravasā yā vibhāsi vājaprasūtā subhaghe bṛhantam ||
viśvāni devī bhuvanābhicakṣyā pratīcī cakṣururviyā vi bhāti |
viśvaṃ jīvaṃ carase bodhayantī viśvasya vācamavidan manāyoḥ ||
punaḥ-punarjāyamānā purāṇī samānaṃ varṇamabhi śumbhamānā |
śvaghnīva kṛtnurvija āminānā martasya devī jarayantyāyuḥ ||
vyūrṇvatī divo antānabodhyapa svasāraṃ sanutaryuyoti |
praminatī manuṣyā yughāni yoṣā jārasya cakṣasā vi bhāti ||
paśūn na citrā subhaghā prathānā sindhurna kṣoda urviyā vyaśvait |
aminatī daivyāni vratāni sūryasya ceti raśmibhirdṛśānā ||
uṣastaccitramā bharāsmabhyaṃ vājinīvati |
yena tokaṃca tanayaṃ ca dhāmahe ||
uṣo adyeha ghomatyaśvāvati vibhāvari |
revadasme vyucha sūnṛtāvati ||
yukṣvā hi vājinīvatyaśvānadyāruṇānuṣaḥ |
athā noviśvā saubhaghānyā vaha ||
aśvinā vartirasmadā ghomad dasrā hiraṇyavat |
arvāgh rathaṃ samanasā ni yachatam ||
yāvitthā ślokamā divo jyotirjanāya cakrathuḥ |
ā naūrjaṃ vahatamaśvinā yuvam ||
eha devā mayobhuvā dasrā hiraṇyavartanī |
uṣarbudho vahantu somapītaye ||
English Translation
Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
1. THESE Dawns have raised their banner; in the eastern half of the mid-air they spread abroad their shining light.
Like heroes who prepare their weapons for the war, onward they come bright red in hue, the Mother Cows.
2 Readily have the purple beams of light shot up; the Red Cows have they harnessed, easy to be yoked.
The Dawns have brought distinct perception as before: red-hued, they have attained their fulgent brilliancy.
3 They sing their song like women active in their tasks, along their common path hither from far away,
Bringing refreshment to the liberal devotee, yea, all things to the worshipper who pours the juice.
4 She, like a dancer, puts her broidered garments on: as a cow yields her udder so she bares her breast.
Creating light for all the world of life, the Dawn hath laid the darkness open as the cows their stall.
5 We have beheld the brightness of her shining; it spreads and drives away the darksome monster.
Like tints that deck the Post at sacrifices, Heaven’s Daughter hath attained her wondrous splendour.
6 We have o’erpast the limit of this darkness; Dawn breaking forth again brings clear perception.
She like a flatterer smiles in light for glory, and fair of face hath wakened to rejoice us.
7 The Gotamas have praised Heaven’s radiant Daughter, the leader of the charm of pleasant voices.
Dawn, thou conferrest on us strength with offspring and men, conspicuous with kine and horses.
8 O thou who shinest forth in wondrous glory, urged onward by thy strength, auspicious Lady,
Dawn, may I gain that wealth, renowned and ample, in brave sons, troops of slaves, far-famed for horses.
9 Bending her looks on all the world, the Goddess shines, widely spreading with her bright eye westward.
Waking to motion every living creature, she understands the voice of each adorer.
10 Ancient of days, again again born newly, decking her beauty with the self-same raiment.
The Goddess wastes away the life of mortals, like a skilled hunter cutting birds in pieces.
11 She hath appeared discovering heaven’s borders: to the far distance she drives off her Sister.
Diminishing the days of human creatures, the Lady shines with all her lover’s splendour.
12 The bright, the blessed One shines forth extending her rays like kine, as a flood rolls his waters.
Never transgressing the divine commandments, she is beheld visible with the sunbeams.
13 O Dawn enriched with ample wealth, bestow on us the wondrous gift
Wherewith we may support children and children’s sons.
14 Thou radiant mover of sweet sounds, with wealth of horses and of kine
Shine thou on us this day, O Dawn auspiciously.
15 O Dawn enriched with holy rites, yoke to thy car thy purple steeds,
And then bring thou unto us all felicities.
16 O Aśvins wonderful in act, do ye unanimous direct
Your chariot to our home wealthy in kine and gold.
17 Ye who brought down the hymn from heaven, a light that giveth light to man,
Do ye, O Aśvins, bring strength hither unto us.
18 Hither may they who wake at dawn bring, to drink Soma both the Gods
Health-givers Wonder-Workers, borne on paths of gold.