HYMN XLV. Aśvins: Rig Veda – Book 4 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

एष सय भानुर उद इयर्ति युज्यते रथः परिज्मा दिवो अस्य सानवि |
पर्क्षासो अस्मिन मिथुना अधि तरयो दर्तिस तुरीयो मधुनो वि रप्शते ||

उद वाम पर्क्षासो मधुमन्त ईरते रथा अश्वास उषसो वयुष्टिषु |
अपोर्णुवन्तस तम आ परीव्र्तं सवर ण शुक्रं तन्वन्त आ रजः ||

मध्वः पिबतम मधुपेभिर आसभिर उत परियम मधुने युञ्जाथां रथम |
आ वर्तनिम मधुना जिन्वथस पथो दर्तिं वहेथे मधुमन्तम अश्विना ||

हंसासो ये वाम मधुमन्तो अस्रिधो हिरण्यपर्णा उहुव उषर्बुधः |
उदप्रुतो मन्दिनो मन्दिनिस्प्र्शो मध्वो न मक्षः सवनानि गछथः ||

सवध्वरासो मधुमन्तो अग्नय उस्रा जरन्ते परति वस्तोर अश्विना |
यन निक्तहस्तस तरणिर विचक्षणः सोमं सुषाव मधुमन्तम अद्रिभिः ||

आकेनिपासो अहभिर दविध्वतः सवर ण शुक्रं तन्वन्त आ रजः |
सूरश चिद अश्वान युयुजान ईयते विश्वां अनु सवधया चेतथस पथः ||

पर वाम अवोचम अश्विना धियंधा रथः सवश्वो अजरो यो अस्ति |
येन सद्यः परि रजांसि याथो हविष्मन्तं तरणिम भोजम अछ ||

eṣa sya bhānur ud iyarti yujyate rathaḥ parijmā divo asya sānavi |
pṛkṣāso asmin mithunā adhi trayo dṛtis turīyo madhuno vi rapśate ||

ud vām pṛkṣāso madhumanta īrate rathā aśvāsa uṣaso vyuṣṭiṣu |
aporṇuvantas tama ā parīvṛtaṃ svar ṇa śukraṃ tanvanta ā rajaḥ ||

madhvaḥ pibatam madhupebhir āsabhir uta priyam madhune yuñjāthāṃ ratham |
ā vartanim madhunā jinvathas patho dṛtiṃ vahethe madhumantam aśvinā ||

haṃsāso ye vām madhumanto asridho hiraṇyaparṇā uhuva uṣarbudhaḥ |
udapruto mandino mandinispṛśo madhvo na makṣaḥ savanāni ghachathaḥ ||

svadhvarāso madhumanto aghnaya usrā jarante prati vastor aśvinā |
yan niktahastas taraṇir vicakṣaṇaḥ somaṃ suṣāva madhumantam adribhiḥ ||

ākenipāso ahabhir davidhvataḥ svar ṇa śukraṃ tanvanta ā rajaḥ |
sūraś cid aśvān yuyujāna īyate viśvāṃ anu svadhayā cetathas pathaḥ ||

pra vām avocam aśvinā dhiyaṃdhā rathaḥ svaśvo ajaro yo asti |
yena sadyaḥ pari rajāṃsi yātho haviṣmantaṃ taraṇim bhojam acha ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. YONDER goes up that light: your chariot is yoked that travels round upon the summit of this heaven.
Within this car are stored three kindred shares of food, and a skin filled with meath is rustling as the fourth.

2 Forth come your viands rich with store of pleasant meath, and cars and horses at the flushing of the dawn,
Stripping the covering from the surrounded gloom, and spreading through mid-air bright radiance like the Sun.

3 Drink of the meath with lips accustomed to the draught; harness for the meath’s sake the chariot that ye love.
Refresh the way ye go, refresh the paths with meath: hither, O Aśvins, bring the skin that holds the meath.

4 The swans ye have are friendly, rich in store of meath, gold-pinioned, strong to draw, awake at early morn,
Swimming the flood, exultant, fain for draughts that cheer: ye come like flies to our libations of the meath.

5 Well knowing solemn rites and rich in meath, the fires sing to the morning Aśvins at the break of day,
When with pure hands the prudent energetic priest hath with the stones pressed out the Soma rich in meath.

6 The rays advancing nigh, chasing with day the gloom, spread through the firmament bright radiance like the Sun;
And the Sun harnessing his horses goeth forth: ye through your Godlike nature let his paths be known.

7 Devout in thought I have declared, O Aśvins, your chariot with good steeds, which lasts for ever,
Wherewith ye travel swiftly through the regions to the prompt worshipper who brings oblation.