HYMN XXXIII. Ṛbhus: Rig Veda – Book 4 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

पर रभुभ्यो दूतम इव वाचम इष्य उपस्तिरे शवैतरीं धेनुम ईळे |
ये वातजूतास तरणिभिर एवैः परि दयां सद्यो अपसो बभूवुः ||

यदारम अक्रन्न रभवः पित्र्भ्याम परिविष्टी वेषणा दंसनाभिः |
आद इद देवानाम उप सख्यम आयन धीरासः पुष्टिम अवहन मनायै ||

पुनर ये चक्रुः पितरा युवाना सना यूपेव जरणा शयाना |
ते वाजो विभ्वां रभुर इन्द्रवन्तो मधुप्सरसो नो ऽवन्तु यज्ञम ||

यत संवत्सम रभवो गाम अरक्षन यत संवत्सम रभवो मा अपिंशन |
यत संवत्सम अभरन भासो अस्यास ताभिः शमीभिर अम्र्तत्वम आशुः ||

जयेष्ठ आह चमसा दवा करेति कनीयान तरीन कर्णवामेत्य आह |
कनिष्ठ आह चतुरस करेति तवष्ट रभवस तत पनयद वचो वः ||

सत्यम ऊचुर नर एवा हि चक्रुर अनु सवधाम रभवो जग्मुर एताम |
विभ्राजमानांश चमसां अहेवावेनत तवष्टा चतुरो दद्र्श्वान ||

दवादश दयून यद अगोह्यस्यातिथ्ये रणन्न रभवः ससन्तः |
सुक्षेत्राक्र्ण्वन्न अनयन्त सिन्धून धन्वातिष्ठन्न ओषधीर निम्नम आपः ||

रथं ये चक्रुः सुव्र्तं नरेष्ठां ये धेनुं विश्वजुवं विश्वरूपाम |
त आ तक्षन्त्व रभवो रयिं नः सववसः सवपसः सुहस्ताः ||

अपो हय एषाम अजुषन्त देवा अभि करत्वा मनसा दीध्यानाः |
वाजो देवानाम अभवत सुकर्मेन्द्रस्य रभुक्षा वरुणस्य विभ्वा ||

ये हरी मेधयोक्था मदन्त इन्द्राय चक्रुः सुयुजा ये अश्वा |
ते रायस पोषं दरविणान्य अस्मे धत्त रभवः कषेमयन्तो न मित्रम ||

इदाह्नः पीतिम उत वो मदं धुर न रते शरान्तस्य सख्याय देवाः |
ते नूनम अस्मे रभवो वसूनि तर्तीये अस्मिन सवने दधात ||

pra ṛbhubhyo dūtam iva vācam iṣya upastire śvaitarīṃ dhenum īḷe |
ye vātajūtās taraṇibhir evaiḥ pari dyāṃ sadyo apaso babhūvuḥ ||

yadāram akrann ṛbhavaḥ pitṛbhyām pariviṣṭī veṣaṇā daṃsanābhiḥ |
ād id devānām upa sakhyam āyan dhīrāsaḥ puṣṭim avahan manāyai ||

punar ye cakruḥ pitarā yuvānā sanā yūpeva jaraṇā śayānā |
te vājo vibhvāṃ ṛbhur indravanto madhupsaraso no ‘vantu yajñam ||

yat saṃvatsam ṛbhavo ghām arakṣan yat saṃvatsam ṛbhavo mā apiṃśan |
yat saṃvatsam abharan bhāso asyās tābhiḥ śamībhir amṛtatvam āśuḥ ||

jyeṣṭha āha camasā dvā kareti kanīyān trīn kṛṇavāmety āha |
kaniṣṭha āha caturas kareti tvaṣṭa ṛbhavas tat panayad vaco vaḥ ||

satyam ūcur nara evā hi cakrur anu svadhām ṛbhavo jaghmur etām |
vibhrājamānāṃś camasāṃ ahevāvenat tvaṣṭā caturo dadṛśvān ||

dvādaśa dyūn yad aghohyasyātithye raṇann ṛbhavaḥ sasantaḥ |
sukṣetrākṛṇvann anayanta sindhūn dhanvātiṣṭhann oṣadhīr nimnam āpaḥ ||

rathaṃ ye cakruḥ suvṛtaṃ nareṣṭhāṃ ye dhenuṃ viśvajuvaṃ viśvarūpām |
ta ā takṣantv ṛbhavo rayiṃ naḥ svavasaḥ svapasaḥ suhastāḥ ||

apo hy eṣām ajuṣanta devā abhi kratvā manasā dīdhyānāḥ |
vājo devānām abhavat sukarmendrasya ṛbhukṣā varuṇasya vibhvā ||

ye harī medhayokthā madanta indrāya cakruḥ suyujā ye aśvā |
te rāyas poṣaṃ draviṇāny asme dhatta ṛbhavaḥ kṣemayanto na mitram ||

idāhnaḥ pītim uta vo madaṃ dhur na ṛte śrāntasya sakhyāya devāḥ |
te nūnam asme ṛbhavo vasūni tṛtīye asmin savane dadhāta ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. I SEND my voice as herald to the Ṛbhus; I crave the white cow for the overspreading.
Wind-sped, the Skillful Ones in rapid motion have in an instant compassed round the heaven.

2 What time the Rbus had with care and marvels done proper service to assist their Parents,
They won the friendship of the Gods; the Sages carried away the fruit of their devotion.

3 May they who made their Parents, who were lying like posts that moulder, young again for ever,—
May Vāja, Vibhvan, Ṛbhu, joined with Indra , protect our sacrifice, the Soma-lovers.

4 As for a year the Ṛbhus kept the Milch-cow, throughout a year fashioned and formed her body,
And through a year’s space still sustained her brightness, through these their labours they were made immortal.

5 Two beakers let us make,—thus said the eldest. Let us make three,—this was the younger’s sentence.
Four beakers let us make,—thus spoke the youngest. Tvaṣṭar approved this rede of yours, O Ṛbhus.

6 The men spake truth and even so they acted: this Godlike way of theirs the Ṛbhus followed.
And Tvaṣṭar, when he looked on the four beakers resplendent as the day, was moved with envy.

7 When for twelve days the Ṛbhus joyed reposing as guests of him who never may be hidden,
They made fair fertile fields, they brought the rivers. Plants spread o’er deserts, waters filled the hollows.

8 May they who formed the swift car, bearing Heroes, and the Cow omniform and all-impelling,
Even may they form wealth for us,—the Ṛbhus, dexterous-handed, deft in work and gracious.

9 So in their work the Gods had satisfaction, pondering it with thought and mental insight.
The Gods’ expert artificer was Vāja, Indra’s Ṛbhukṣan, Varuṇa’s was Vibhvan.

10 They who made glad with sacrifice and praises, wrought the two Bays, his docile Steeds, for Indra,—
Ṛbhus, as those who wish a friend to prosper, bestow upon us gear and growth of riches.

11 This day have they set gladdening drink before you. Not without toil are Gods inclined to friendship.
Therefore do ye who are so great, O Ṛbhus, vouchsafe us treasures at this third libation.