Sukta 116

Mantra 1

नासत्याभ्यां बर्हिरिव प्र वृञ्जे स्तोमाँ इयर्म्यभ्रियेव वातः । यावर्भगाय विमदाय जायां सेनाजुवा न्यूहतू रथेन ॥

For the Nāsatyas I spread my hymns like a sacred seat; I set them in motion like the wind driving the cloud. You two, who with your host-impelling chariot brought the bride to Arbhaga and Vimadā—come, and in the same swift succour bring into us the wedded union of soul and its delight, the right companioning power for the journey.

Mantra 2

वीळुपत्मभिराशुहेमभिर्वा देवानां वा जूतिभिः शाशदाना । तद्रासभो नासत्या सहस्रमाजा यमस्य प्रधने जिगाय ॥

With firm-flying strides or with swift-golden impulses, or with the rush of the gods’ own speeds, pressing ever onward—thus, O Nāsatyas, the ass won a thousand in the contest of Yama. So too let your powers in us win abundance of force from the realm of limitation and deathward habit, by the victorious advance of right energy.

Mantra 3

तुग्रो ह भुज्युमश्विनोदमेघे रयिं न कश्चिन्ममृवाँ अवाहाः । तमूहथुर्नौभिरात्मन्वतीभिरन्तरिक्षप्रुद्भिरपोदकाभिः ॥

Tugra, O Aśvins, cast down Bhujyu in the surging flood, as one might lose a treasure with no rescuer near. But you bore him up with self-guided ships that traverse the mid-world, moving on waters even where there is no water. So lift us too from the inundation of confusion, by your marvellous means that carry consciousness through seemingly impossible passages.

Mantra 4

तिस्रः क्षपस्त्रिरहातिव्रजद्भिर्नासत्या भुज्युमूहथुः पतंगैः । समुद्रस्य धन्वन्नार्द्रस्य पारे त्रिभी रथैः शतपद्भिः षळश्वैः ॥

For three nights and three days, speeding onward, O Nāsatyas, you bore Bhujyu with winged carriers. Across the ocean’s waste, to the far shore of the moist realm, with three chariots, hundred-footed, six-horsed—thus you made the long crossing. So may you carry our consciousness through extended darkness and extended light, until it reaches the farther shore where life becomes a stable plenitude.

Mantra 5

अनारम्भणे तदवीरयेथामनास्थाने अग्रभणे समुद्रे । यदश्विना ऊहथुर्भुज्युमस्तं शतारित्रां नावमातस्थिवांसम् ॥

In a supportless place you made that heroism; in a footholdless, graspless ocean—when you bore Bhujyu to his home, standing upon a ship with a hundred oars. So in our supportless moments, when the mind finds no hold, manifest the same power: give us the vessel of ordered will with many instruments, and carry us to the safe home of the soul.

Mantra 6

यमश्विना ददथुः श्वेतमश्वमघाश्वाय शश्वदित्स्वस्ति । तद्वां दात्रं महि कीर्तेन्यं भूत्पैद्वो वाजी सदमिद्धव्यो अर्यः ॥

The white horse you gave, O Aśvins, to Aghāśva, for enduring well-being. Great and worthy of acclaim was that gift of yours; thus Paidva, the winner in force, became ever a fit offerer, a noble one. So grant us too the ‘white horse’—the pure impulsion of illumined energy—so that lasting welfare is established and our offering-life becomes steadfast and noble.

Mantra 7

युवं नरा स्तुवते पज्रियाय कक्षीवते अरदतं पुरंधिम् । कारोतराच्छफादश्वस्य वृष्णः शतं कुम्भाँ असिञ्चतं सुरायाः ॥

You two, O strong Lords, to the praising Kakṣīvant of the Pajra line, brought Purandhi, the power of plenitude. From the hoof of the vigorous stallion you caused a hundred jars of surā to stream forth—an overflowing delight that nourishes the seeker’s increase.

Mantra 8

हिमेनाग्निं घ्रंसमवारयेथां पितुमतीमूर्जमस्मा अधत्तम् । ऋबीसे अत्रिमश्विनावनीतमुन्निन्यथुः सर्वगणं स्वस्ति ॥

With the cold you warded off the scorching fire, and you set in him the nourishing strength that is rich in sustenance. Atri, sunk down in the pit, you Ashvins lifted up—bringing his whole company into well-being and safety.

Mantra 9

परावतं नासत्यानुदेथामुच्चाबुध्नं चक्रथुर्जिह्मबारम् । क्षरन्नापो न पायनाय राये सहस्राय तृष्यते गोतमस्य ॥

You Nāsatyas followed him even to the farthest distance; you made firm the high-based support that had become crooked in its burden. Like waters streaming to their drinking-place, you brought the flowing means of increase for Gotama who thirsted for the thousandfold plenitude.

Mantra 10

जुजुरुषो नासत्योत वव्रिं प्रामुञ्चतं द्रापिमिव च्यवानात् । प्रातिरतं जहितस्यायुर्दस्रादित्पतिमकृणुतं कनीनाम् ॥

You Nāsatyas, even for the worn and failing one, loosened the enclosing sheath from Cyavāna as one strips off a skin. You carried forward again the life that had been abandoned; and, O wonder-workers, you made him once more the husband—master of youthful powers.

Mantra 11

तद्वां नरा शंस्यं राध्यं चाभिष्टिमन्नासत्या वरूथम् । यद्विद्वांसा निधिमिवापगूळ्हमुद्दर्शतादूपथुर्वन्दनाय ॥

This is your deed, O heroic Ones—worthy to be proclaimed and to be accomplished: your protection that brings victory. For you, knowing, raised up for Vandana from the realm of invisibility what was hidden like a treasure.

Mantra 12

तद्वां नरा सनये दंस उग्रमाविष्कृणोमि तन्यतुर्न वृष्टिम् । दध्यङ्ह यन्मध्वाथर्वणो वामश्वस्य शीर्ष्णा प्र यदीमुवाच ॥

This fierce act of power of yours I make manifest for the winning, like thunder making the rain visible. When Dadhyañc, the Atharvan, spoke to you the honeyed truth from the head of the horse—then your secret knowledge became a victorious revelation.

Mantra 13

अजोहवीन्नासत्या करा वां महे यामन्पुरुभुजा पुरंधिः । श्रुतं तच्छासुरिव वध्रिमत्या हिरण्यहस्तमश्विनावदत्तम् ॥

Purandhi called you, O Nāsatyas, with her hands in the great journey, O wide-givers. And it was heard: as a command is obeyed, you granted to Vadhri-matī a golden hand—restoring her power to act and shape.

Mantra 14

आस्नो वृकस्य वर्तिकामभीके युवं नरा नासत्यामुमुक्तम् । उतो कविं पुरुभुजा युवं ह कृपमाणमकृणुतं विचक्षे ॥

From the very jaws of the wolf, in the close encounter, you two, O Nāsatyas, released the quail. And you, O wide-givers, made the seer who was in distress become one of clear vision—turning suffering into discerning sight.

Mantra 15

चरित्रं हि वेरिवाच्छेदि पर्णमाजा खेलस्य परितक्म्यायाम् । सद्यो जङ्घामायसीं विश्पलायै धने हिते सर्तवे प्रत्यधत्तम् ॥

When the movement was cut like a bird’s wing in the circling contest of Khela, you at once set in place for Viśpalā an iron leg, so she could run again toward the prize set before her—restoring progress in the battle for gain.

Mantra 16

शतं मेषान्वृक्ये चक्षदानमृज्राश्वं तं पितान्धं चकार । तस्मा अक्षी नासत्या विचक्ष आधत्तं दस्रा भिषजावनर्वन् ॥

Ṛjrāśva, who gave a hundred sheep to the she-wolf, his father made blind. To him, O Nāsatyas, you set in place eyes of clear seeing—O wondrous physicians, unerring—restoring the light of discernment.

Mantra 17

आ वां रथं दुहिता सूर्यस्य कार्ष्मेवातिष्ठदर्वता जयन्ती । विश्वे देवा अन्वमन्यन्त हृद्भिः समु श्रिया नासत्या सचेथे ॥

The Daughter of the Sun ascended your chariot as one mounts a car, victorious in the forward movement of the steed. All the gods assented in their hearts; O Nāsatyas, you two moved together in a gathered radiance of śrī—beauty, harmony, and luminous fulfilment.

Mantra 18

यदयातं दिवोदासाय वर्तिर्भरद्वाजायाश्विना हयन्ता । रेवदुवाह सचनो रथो वां वृषभश्च शिंशुमारश्च युक्ता ॥

When you came, O Aśvins, swift in your driving, to Divodāsa and to Bharadvāja with the path-opening movement, your chariot—moving in companionship—bore rich increase; yoked to it were the Bull-force and the Dolphin-power, energies of might and safe passage through the waters of becoming.

Mantra 19

रयिं सुक्षत्रं स्वपत्यमायुः सुवीर्यं नासत्या वहन्ता । आ जह्नावीं समनसोप वाजैस्त्रिरह्नो भागं दधतीमयातम् ॥

Bearing the rayi—fullness of being—bringing good rule, noble offspring, long life and heroic power, O Nāsatyas, you came to Jahnā́vī with one accord, with vāja-forces; she who sets the triple portion of the day received your coming.

Mantra 20

परिविष्टं जाहुषं विश्वतः सीं सुगेभिर्नक्तमूहथू रजोभिः । विभिन्दुना नासत्या रथेन वि पर्वताँ अजरयू अयातम् ॥

Jāhuṣa, hemmed in on every side, you bore through the night by good paths across the wide spaces. With your chariot that breaks open the obstacles, O Nāsatyas, unfailing in your youth, you came cleaving apart the mountains—those hard formations that block the way.

Mantra 21

एकस्या वस्तोरावतं रणाय वशमश्विना सनये सहस्रा । निरहतं दुच्छुना इन्द्रवन्ता पृथुश्रवसो वृषणावरातीः ॥

In a single dawn you brought Vaśa for the winning of the battle, O Aśvins, for the gaining of the thousand. Driving out the evil distress, with Indra’s force beside you, you two mighty ones removed the hostile powers from Pṛthuśravas.

Mantra 22

शरस्य चिदार्चत्कस्यावतादा नीचादुच्चा चक्रथुः पातवे वाः । शयवे चिन्नासत्या शचीभिर्जसुरये स्तर्यं पिप्यथुर्गाम् ॥

Even for Śara, from the low place you raised the waters upward for drinking, O Nāsatyas. And for Śayá you, by your effective powers, made the barren cow swell with milk for Jásura—turning deficiency into nourishment.

Mantra 23

अवस्यते स्तुवते कृष्णियाय ऋजूयते नासत्या शचीभिः । पशुं न नष्टमिव दर्शनाय विष्णाप्वं ददथुर्विश्वकाय ॥

To Kṛṣṇiyā who seeks and praises, to the straight-going one, O Nāsatyas, by your effective powers you gave Viṣṇā́pva to Viśvakā—like a lost creature restored to sight—bringing back what had disappeared from the field of consciousness.

Mantra 24

दश रात्रीरशिवेना नव द्यूनवनद्धं श्नथितमप्स्वन्तः । विप्रुतं रेभमुदनि प्रवृक्तमुन्निन्यथुः सोममिव स्रुवेण ॥

For ten nights and nine days, bound down and wounded within the waters, Rebha—scattered and cast away—was lifted up by you, as Soma is drawn out with the ladle: you brought the submerged consciousness back into the open light.

Mantra 25

प्र वां दंसांस्यश्विनाववोचमस्य पतिः स्यां सुगवः सुवीरः । उत पश्यन्नश्नुवन्दीर्घमायुरस्तमिवेज्जरिमाणं जगम्याम् ॥

I have proclaimed your mighty deeds, O Aśvins. May I be master of this—rich in luminous herds and rich in heroic force; and seeing, attaining a long life, may I go to old age as to a home at evening—without loss of inner light.