White Yajurveda, Book XVIIशुक्लयजुर्वेद अध्याय १७

THE food and strength contained in stone and mountain,
drink gathered from the plants and trees and waters,
That food and strength, Maruts! free-givers, grant us.
In the stone is thy hunger. In me is thy food. Let thy
pain reach the man we hate.

O Agni, may these bricks be mine own milch kine: one, and
ten, and ten tens, a hundred, and ten hundreds, a thousand,
and ten thousand a myriad, and a hundred thousand,
and a million, and a hundred millions, and an ocean middle
and end, and a hundred thousand millions, and a billion.
May these bricks be mine own milch-kine in yonder world
and in this world.

Ye are the Seasons, strengthening Law, fixed in due season,
strengthening Law,
Called Splendid, dropping butter down and honey, yielders
of every wish, imperishable.

With the lake's mantling need we robe thee, Agni: to us
he purifying and auspicious.

With cold's investing garb we gird thee, Agni: to us be purifying
and auspicious.

Descend upon the earth, the reed, the rivers: thou art the
gall, O Agni, of the waters.
With them come hither, female Frog, and render this sacrifice
of ours bright-hued, successful.

This is the place where waters meet; here is the gathering
of the flood.
Let thy shaft burn others than us: be thou cleanser, propitious
unto us.

O Agni, purifier, God, with splendour and thy pleasant
tongue
Bring hither, and adore, the Gods.

So, Agni, purifying, bright, bring hither to our sacrifice,
To our oblation bring the Gods.

He who with purifying, eye-attracting form hath shone upon
the earth as with the light of Dawn;
Who speeding on, as in the fleet steed's race, in fight, cometh
untouched by age, as one athirst in heat.

Obeisance to thy wrath and glow! Obeisance to thy fiery
flame!
Let thy shot missiles burn others than us: be thou cleanser,
propitious unto us.

To him who dwells in man, Hail! To him who dwells in
waters, Hail!
To him who dwells in sacred grass, Hail! To him who dwells
in the wood, Hail! To him who finds the light, Hail!

Worshipful Gods of Gods who merit worship, those who sit
down beside their yearly portion,
Let them who eat not sacrificial presents drink in this rite
of honey and of butter.

Those Gods who have attained to Godhead over Gods, they
who have led the way in this our holy work,
Without whose aid no body whatsoever moves, not on heaven's
heights are they, nor on the face of earth.

Giver of breath, of out-breath, breath diffusive, giver of
lustre, giving room and freedom,
Let thy shot missiles burn others than us: be thou cleanser,
propitious unto us.

May Agni with his sharpened blaze cast down each fierce
devouring fiend.
May Agni win us wealth by war.

He who sate down as Hotar priest, the Rishi, our Father
offering, up all things existent
He, seeking with his wish a great possession, came among
men on earth as archetypal.

What was the place whereon he took his station? What was
it that upheld him? What the manner,
Whence Visvakarman, seeing all, producing the earth, with
mighty power disclosed the heavens?

He who hath eyes on all sides round about him, a mouth on
all sides, arms and feet on all sides,
He the sole God, producing earth and heaven, weldeth them
with his arms as wings together.

What was the tree, what wood in sooth produced it, from
which they fashioned out the earth and heaven?
Ye thoughtful men, inquire within your spirit whereon he
stood when he established all things.

Thine highest, lowest sacrificial natures, and these thy
midmost here, O Visvakarman,
Teach thou thy friends at sacrifice, O Blessèd, and come thy-
self, exalted, to our worship.

Bring those, thyself exalted with oblation, O Visvakarman,
Earth and Heaven to worship.
Let enemies around us live in folly: here let us have a rich
and liberal patron.
23, 24. = VIII. 45, 46.

No separate verse 23 in Griffith’s English.

No separate verse 24 in Griffith’s English.

The Father of the eye, the Wise in spirit, created both these
worlds submerged in fatness.
Then when the eastern ends were firmly fastened, the heavens
and the earth were far extended.

Mighty in mind and power is Visvakarman, Maker, Disposer,
and most lofty Presence.

Their offerings joy in rich juice where they value One, only
One beyond the Seven Rishis.

Father who made us, he who, as Disposer, knoweth all races
and all things existing,
Even he alone, the Deities’ name-giver,—him other beings
seek for information.

To him in sacrifice they offered treasures,—Rishis of old, in
numerous troops, as singers,
Who, in the distant, near, and lower region, made ready all
these things that have existence.

That which is earlier than this earth and heaven, before the
Asuras and Gods had being,
What was the germ primeval which the waters received where
the first Gods beheld each other?

The waters, they received that germ primeval wherein the
Gods were gathered all together.
It rested set upon the Unborn's navel, that One wherein abide
all things existing.

Ye will not find him who produced these creatures: another
thing hath risen up among you.
Enwrapt in misty cloud, with lips that stammer, hymn-chanters
wander and are discontented.

First was the God engendered, Visvakarman: then the
Gandharva sprang to life as second.
Third in succession was the plants’ begetter: he laid the
waters’ germ in many places.

Swift, rapidly striking, like a bull who sharpens his horns,
terrific, stirring up the people,
With eyes that close not, bellowing, Sole Hero, Indra subdued
at once a hundred armies.

With him loud-roaring, ever watchful, Victor, bold, hard to
overthrow, Rouser of battle,
Indra the Strong, whose hand bears arrows, conquer, ye
warriors, now, now vanquish in the combat.

He rules with those who carry shafts and quivers, Indra who
with his band brings hosts together,
Foe-conquering, strong of arm, the Soma-drinker, with mighty
bow, shooting with well-laid arrows.

Brihaspati, fly with thy chariot hither, slayer of demons,
driving off our foemen.
Be thou protector of our cars, destroyer, victor in battle,
breaker-up of armies.

Conspicuous by thy strength, firm, foremost fighter, mighty
and fierce, victorious, all-subduing,
The Son of Conquest, passing men and heroes, kine-winner,
mount thy conquering car, O Indra.

Cleaver of stalls, kine-winner, armed with thunder, who quells
an army and with might destroys it,
Follow him, brothers! quit yourselves like heroes, and like
this Indra show your zeal and courage.

Piercing the cow-stalls with surpassing vigour, Indra, the
pitiless Hero, wild with anger,
Victor in fight, unshaken and resistless,—may he protect our
armies in our battles.

Indra guide these: Brihaspati precede them, the guerdon,
and the sacrifice, and Soma;
And let the banded Maruts march in forefront of heavenly
hosts that conquer and demolish.

Ours be the potent host of mighty Indra, King Varuna, and
Maruts, and Âdityas.
Uplifted is the shout of Gods who conquer, high-minded Gods
who cause the worlds to tremble.

Bristle thou up, O Bounteous Lord, our weapons: excite the
spirits of my warring heroes.
Urge on the strong steeds’ might, O Vritra-slayer, and let the
din of conquering cars go upward.

May Indra aid us when our flags are gathered: victorious be
the arrows of our army.
May our brave men of war prevail in battle. Ye Gods protect
us in the shout of onset.

Bewildering the senses of our foemen, seize thou their bodies
and depart, O Apvâ.
Attack them, set their hearts on fire and burn them: so let
our foes abide in utter darkness.

Loosed from the bowstring fly awry, O Arrow, sharpened by
our prayer.
Go to the foemen, strike them home, and let not one of
them escape.

Advance, O heroes, win the day. May Indra be your sure
defence.
Exceeding mighty be your arms, that none may wound or
injure you.

That army of our enemies, O Maruts, that comes against
us with its might, contending,
Meet ye and wrap it in unwelcome darkness so that not one
of them may know another.

There where the flights of arrows fall like boys whose locks
are yet unshorn,
May Indra, may Brihaspati, may Aditi protect us well, protect
us well through all our days.

Thy vital parts I cover with thine armour: with immortality
King Soma clothe thee.
Varuna give thee what is more than ample, and in thy
triumph may the Gods be joyful.

Worshipped with butter, Agni, lead this man to high
preeminence.
Vouchsafe him growth of riches and multiply him with
progeny.

Indra, lead him to eminence: controller of his foes be he.
Vouchsafe him lustre: let him give their sacred portions to
the Gods.

The man within whose house we pay oblation, Indra, prosper
him.
May the Gods bless and comfort him, they and this
Brahmanaspati.

May the All-Gods, O Agni, bear and lift thee upward with
their thoughts.
Fair to be looked on, rich in light, he thou propitious unto
us.

May the Five Regions guard, divine, our worship, Goddesses
chasing lack of thought and hatred,
Giving the Sacrificer growth of riches. Let sacrifice be based
on growth of riches.

Inspirited above enkindled Agni, adorable, winged with
hymns, was it accepted,
When the Gods offered sacrifice with viands, circling the
heated caldron, paving worship.

Lord of a hundred draughts. benign, God-serving—to him
divine, establisher, protector,
The Gods approached the sacrifice, encircling. Gods for the
Gods stood fain for sacred service.

When the fourth sacrifice reaches the oblation, accepted offering
which hath been made ready, fit for the Inmolator's
sacrificing,
Thence bless us prayers and holy recitations!

Savitar, golden-hued, hath lifted eastward, bright with the
sunbeams, his eternal lustre,
He at whose furtherance wise Pûshan marches surveying all
existence like a herdsman.

He sits, the measurer, in the midst of heaven, filling the two
world-halves and air's mid-region.
He looks upon the rich far-spreading pastures between the
eastern and the western limit.

Steer, Sea, Red Bird with strong wings, he hath entered the
dwelling-place of the Primeval Father.
A gay-hued Stone set in the midst of heaven, he hath gone
forth and guards the air's two limits.

All sacred songs have glorified Indra expansive as the sea,
The best of warriors borne on cars, the Lord, the Very Lord
of strength.

May God-invoking sacrifice bring the Gods hitherward to us.
May bless-invoking sacrifice bring the Gods hitherward to us.
May Agni, God, make offering and hither bring the Gods to
us.

May the abundant growth of wealth with elevation lift me
up,
And with his subjugating power may Indra keep my foemen
down.

Upraising and depression and devotion may the Gods increase.
May Indra, too, and Agni drive my foes away to every side.

Go ye by Agni to the sky bearing the Ukhya in your hands.
Reaching the heights of sky and heaven stay intermingled
with the Gods.

Agni, go forward to the eastern region, well-skilled, be here
the fire in front of Agni.
Illuming all the quarters, shine with splendour: supply with
food our quadrupeds and bipeds.

From earth to air's mid-region have I mounted, and from
mid-air ascended up to heaven.
From the high pitch of heaven's cope I came into the world
of light.

Mounting the sky they look not round: they rise to heaven
through both the worlds—
Sages who span the sacrifice that pours its stream on every side.

Foremost of those who seek the Gods come forward, thou
who art eye of Gods and men, O Agni.
Accordant with the Bhrigus, fain to worship, to heaven in
safety go the Sacrificers.

Night and Dawn, different in hue, accordant, etc., as in XII. 2.

O Agni, thousand-eyed and hundred-headed, thy breaths are
hundred, thy through-breaths a thousand.
Thou art the Lord of thousandfold possessions. To thee;
for strength, may we present oblation.

Thou art the Bird of goodly wing: be seated on the ridge
of earth.
Fill air's mid-region with thy glow, supporting with thy
light the sky, confirm the quarters with thy sheen.

Receiving offerings, fair of aspect, eastward be duly seated
in thy place, O Agni.
In this the more exalted habitation be seated All-Gods and
the Sacrificer.

That wondrous all-mankind-embracing favour of Savitar,
choice-worthy, I solicit,
Even his which Kanva wont to milk, the mighty, the teeming
Cow who yields a thousand milk-streams.

May we adore thee in thy loftiest birth place, Agni! with
praise-songs in thy lower station.
The place whence those hast issued forth I worship. In thee,
well kindled, have they paid oblations

Shine thou before us, Agni, well enkindled, with flame, most
youthful God, that never fadeth.
Unceasing unto thee come sacred viands.

Agni, this day with lands, etc., as in XV. 44.

I dedicate the thought with mind and butter so that the
Gods may come who love oblation, strengthing Law,
To Visvakarman, Lord of all the earth, I offer up day after
day the inviolable sacrifice.

Seven fuel logs hast thou, seven tongues, O Agni, seven Rishis
hast thou, seven belovèd mansions.
Seven-priests in sevenfold manner pay thee worship. Fill
full—All-hail to thee!—seven wombs with butter.

Purely-Bright, Wonderfully-Bright, Really-Bright,
All-Luminous,
Bright, Law's-Protector, Safe-from-Ill;

Such, Other-Looking, Equal, Similar, Measured, Commensurate,
Jointly-Bearing-up.

Right, Real, Firm, Strong-to-Support, Bearer, Disposer,
Manager.

Winner-of-Right, Winner-of-Truth, Host-Conquering,
Lord-of-Goodly-Host,
Whose-Friends-are-Near-at-Hand, Whose-Banded-Enemies-are-Far-Away:

To day in this our sacrifice be present, Such, Looking-Thus,
Same, Similar-in-appearance,
Measured, Commensurate, Joint-Bearers, Maruts!

Self-Powerful, Voracious-One, Kin-to-the-Sun, The
House-holder,
Play-Lover, Mighty, Conqueror.
Fierce, Terrible, The Resonant, The Roaring. Victorious,
Assailant, and Dispeller, All-Hail!

The Maruts, clans divine, became the followers of Indra; as
The Maruts, clans divine, became the followers of Indra, so
May clans divine and human he the Sacrificer's followers.

Drink in the middle of the flood, O Agni, this breast stored
full of sap, teeming with water.
Welcome this fountain redolent of sweetness. O Courser,
enter those thy watery dwelling.

Oil hath been mixed: oil is his habitation. In oil he rests:
oil is his proper province.
Come as thy wont is. O thou Steer, rejoice thee. Bear off
the oblation duly consecrated.

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

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

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 Bull roars loudly: the mighty
God hath entered into mortals.

That oil in triple shape the Gods discovered laid down with-
in the Cow, concealed by Panis.
Indra produced one shape, Sûrya another: by their own
power they formed the third from Vena.

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.

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.

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.

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 Jâtavedas joyfully
receives them.

As maidens deck 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.

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

The universe depends upon thy power and might within the
sea, within the heart, within all life.
May we attain that sweetly-flavoured wave of thine, brought,
at this gathering, o’er the surface of the floods.