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

अनश्वो जातो अनभीशुर उक्थ्यो रथस तरिचक्रः परि वर्तते रजः |
महत तद वो देव्यस्य परवाचनं दयाम रभवः पर्थिवीं यच च पुष्यथ ||

रथं ये चक्रुः सुव्र्तं सुचेतसो ऽविह्वरन्तम मनसस परि धयया |
तां ऊ नव अस्य सवनस्य पीतय आ वो वाजा रभवो वेदयामसि ||

तद वो वाजा रभवः सुप्रवाचनं देवेषु विभ्वो अभवन महित्वनम |
जिव्री यत सन्ता पितरा सनाजुरा पुनर युवाना चरथाय तक्षथ ||

एकं वि चक्र चमसं चतुर्वयं निश चर्मणो गाम अरिणीत धीतिभिः |
अथा देवेष्व अम्र्तत्वम आनश शरुष्टी वाजा रभवस तद व उक्थ्यम ||

रभुतो रयिः परथमश्रवस्तमो वाजश्रुतासो यम अजीजनन नरः |
विभ्वतष्टो विदथेषु परवाच्यो यं देवासो ऽवथा स विचर्षणिः ||

स वाज्य अर्वा स रषिर वचस्यया स शूरो अस्ता पर्तनासु दुष्टरः |
स रायस पोषं स सुवीर्यं दधे यं वाजो विभ्वां रभवो यम आविषुः ||

शरेष्ठं वः पेशो अधि धायि दर्शतं सतोमो वाजा रभवस तं जुजुष्टन |
धीरासो हि षठा कवयो विपश्चितस तान व एना बरह्मणा वेदयामसि ||

यूयम अस्मभ्यं धिषणाभ्यस परि विद्वांसो विश्वा नर्याणि भोजना |
दयुमन्तं वाजं वर्षशुष्मम उत्तमम आ नो रयिम रभवस तक्षता वयः ||

इह परजाम इह रयिं रराणा इह शरवो वीरवत तक्षता नः |
येन वयं चितयेमात्य अन्यान तं वाजं चित्रम रभवो ददा नः ||

anaśvo jāto anabhīśur ukthyo rathas tricakraḥ pari vartate rajaḥ |
mahat tad vo devyasya pravācanaṃ dyām ṛbhavaḥ pṛthivīṃ yac ca puṣyatha ||

rathaṃ ye cakruḥ suvṛtaṃ sucetaso ‘vihvarantam manasas pari dhyayā |
tāṃ ū nv asya savanasya pītaya ā vo vājā ṛbhavo vedayāmasi ||

tad vo vājā ṛbhavaḥ supravācanaṃ deveṣu vibhvo abhavan mahitvanam |
jivrī yat santā pitarā sanājurā punar yuvānā carathāya takṣatha ||

ekaṃ vi cakra camasaṃ caturvayaṃ niś carmaṇo ghām ariṇīta dhītibhiḥ |
athā deveṣv amṛtatvam ānaśa śruṣṭī vājā ṛbhavas tad va ukthyam ||

ṛbhuto rayiḥ prathamaśravastamo vājaśrutāso yam ajījanan naraḥ |
vibhvataṣṭo vidatheṣu pravācyo yaṃ devāso ‘vathā sa vicarṣaṇiḥ ||

sa vājy arvā sa ṛṣir vacasyayā sa śūro astā pṛtanāsu duṣṭaraḥ |
sa rāyas poṣaṃ sa suvīryaṃ dadhe yaṃ vājo vibhvāṃ ṛbhavo yam āviṣuḥ ||

śreṣṭhaṃ vaḥ peśo adhi dhāyi darśataṃ stomo vājā ṛbhavas taṃ jujuṣṭana |
dhīrāso hi ṣṭhā kavayo vipaścitas tān va enā brahmaṇā vedayāmasi ||

yūyam asmabhyaṃ dhiṣaṇābhyas pari vidvāṃso viśvā naryāṇi bhojanā |
dyumantaṃ vājaṃ vṛṣaśuṣmam uttamam ā no rayim ṛbhavas takṣatā vayaḥ ||

iha prajām iha rayiṃ rarāṇā iha śravo vīravat takṣatā naḥ |
yena vayaṃ citayemāty anyān taṃ vājaṃ citram ṛbhavo dadā naḥ ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. THE car that was not made for horses or for reins, three-wheeled, worthy of lauds, rolls round the firmament.
That is the great announcement of your Deity, that, O ye Ṛbhus, ye sustain the earth and heaven.

2 Ye Sapient Ones who made the lightly-rolling car out of your mind, by thought, the car that never errs,
You, being such, to drink of this drink-offering, you, O ye Vājas, and ye Ṛbhus, we invoke.

3 O Vājas, Ṛbhus, reaching far, among the Gods this was your exaltation gloriously declared,
In that your aged Parents, worn with length of days, ye wrought again to youth so that they moved at will.

4 The chalice that wag single ye have made fourfold, and by your wisdom brought the Cow forth from the hide.
So quickly, mid the Gods, ye gained immortal life. Vājas and Ṛbhus, your great work must be extolled.

5 Wealth from the Ṛbhus is most glorious in renown, that which the Heroes, famed for vigour, have produced.
In synods must be sung the car which Vibhvan wrought: that which ye favour, Gods! is famed among mankind.

6 Strong is the steed, the man a sage in eloquence, the bowman is a hero hard to beat in fight,
Great store of wealth and manly power hath he obtained whom Vāja, Vibhvan, Ṛbhus have looked kindly on.

7 To you hath been assigned the fairest ornament, the hymn of praise: Vājas and Ṛbhus, joy therein;
For ye have lore and wisdom and poetic skill: as such, with this our prayer we call on you to come.

8 According to the wishes of our hearts may ye, who have full knowledge of all the delights of men,
Fashion for us, O Ṛbhus, power and splendid wealth, rich in high courage, excellent, and vital strength.

9 Bestowing on us here riches and offspring, here fashion fame for us befitting heroes.
Vouchsafe us wealth of splendid sort, O Ṛbhus, that we may make us more renowned than others.