Sukta 121

Mantra 1

कदित्था नॄँ: पात्रं देवयतां श्रवद्गिरो अङ्गिरसां तुरण्यन् । प्र यदानड्विश आ हर्म्यस्योरु क्रंसते अध्वरे यजत्रः ॥

How indeed does he become the vessel of men who seek the gods—he who hears the Angiras’ songs and hastens? When he advances, he makes the peoples move forward; in the offering he strides wide into the home of the work.

Mantra 2

स्तम्भीद्ध द्यां स धरुणं प्रुषायदृभुर्वाजाय द्रविणं नरो गोः । अनु स्वजां महिषश्चक्षत व्रां मेनामश्वस्य परि मातरं गोः ॥

He propped up heaven and set the foundation; the R̥bhu pressed out the treasure for plenitude, the man of the Cow. The mighty one beheld the self-born; he saw the wide-working Menā—he encompassed the mother of the Cow, the mare’s (secret) source.

Mantra 3

नक्षद्धवमरुणीः पूर्व्यं राट् तुरो विशामङ्गिरसामनु द्यून् । तक्षद्वज्रं नियुतं तस्तम्भद्द्यां चतुष्पदे नर्याय द्विपादे ॥

He answered the ancient call—Arunī’s; the king, impetuous for the peoples, following the days of the Aṅgiras. He fashioned the yoked thunderbolt; he propped up heaven for the four-footed and for man, the two-footed.

Mantra 4

अस्य मदे स्वर्यं दा ऋतायापीवृतमुस्रियाणामनीकम् । यद्ध प्रसर्गे त्रिककुम्निवर्तदप द्रुहो मानुषस्य दुरो वः ॥

In this ecstasy of thy force, grant the radiant Light that belongs to the Truth— the face of the shining cows (rays) that was held back and covered over. For when, in the forward surge, the three-peaked power turns back (the obstruction), it drives away the human falsehoods and opens out the doors for you.

Mantra 5

तुभ्यं पयो यत्पितरावनीतां राधः सुरेतस्तुरणे भुरण्यू । शुचि यत्ते रेक्ण आयजन्त सबर्दुघायाः पय उस्रियायाः ॥

To thee the fostering milk and the plenitude that the two parents brought—pure seed of force for the swift energy that bears us through. And the bright riches that they offered to thee: the milk of the strong-yielding luminous Cow (the stream of illumined nourishment).

Mantra 6

अध प्र जज्ञे तरणिर्ममत्तु प्र रोच्यस्या उषसो न सूरः । इन्दुर्येभिराष्ट स्वेदुहव्यैः स्रुवेण सिञ्चञ्जरणाभि धाम ॥

Then is born the power that carries us over; let it grow drunk with its own might; it shines forth like the Sun on the Dawn. The Indu (Soma) with those offerings that draw of themselves, pouring with the ladle, drenches the established seats of the being.

Mantra 7

स्विध्मा यद्वनधितिरपस्यात्सूरो अध्वरे परि रोधना गोः । यद्ध प्रभासि कृत्व्याँ अनु द्यूननर्विशे पश्विषे तुराय ॥

When the well-kindled wood (the fuel of aspiration) works out its service, the Sun in the sacrifice moves around the pen of the Cow (the guarded light). And when thou shinest forth, following day after day the forming labour, thou comest for the unbroken increase and the swift gaining of the herds (powers).

Mantra 8

अष्टा महो दिव आदो हरी इह द्युम्नासाहमभि योधान उत्सम् । हरिं यत्ते मन्दिनं दुक्षन्वृधे गोरभसमद्रिभिर्वाताप्यम् ॥

Thou hast eaten the great (strength) of heaven; here thou settest thy two tawny powers to the battle for the wellspring that conquers splendours. When they milk out for thee the gladdening Hari (the force of delight) for increase—swift in the seizure of light—pressed by the stones, wind-driven in its rush.

Mantra 9

त्वमायसं प्रति वर्तयो गोर्दिवो अश्मानमुपनीतमृभ्वा । कुत्साय यत्र पुरुहूत वन्वञ्छुष्णमनन्तैः परियासि वधैः ॥

Thou turnest back the iron barrier from the Cow (the light), the stone of heaven that had been brought down—O strong one. There where, for Kutsa, O much-invoked, pursuing, thou goest around Śuṣṇa with endless smitings, until the obstruction is undone.

Mantra 10

पुरा यत्सूरस्तमसो अपीतेस्तमद्रिवः फलिगं हेतिमस्य । शुष्णस्य चित्परिहितं यदोजो दिवस्परि सुग्रथितं तदादः ॥

Before, when the Sun was swallowed by darkness, thou, O wielder of the stone, didst strike down his weapon, that wandering missile. Even the force of Śuṣṇa that had been set all around—tightly knotted about heaven—thou didst then take away and break open.

Mantra 11

अनु त्वा मही पाजसी अचक्रे द्यावाक्षामा मदतामिन्द्र कर्मन् । त्वं वृत्रमाशयानं सिरासु महो वज्रेण सिष्वपो वराहुम् ॥

Following thee, the great luminous powers have taken their wheel; Heaven and Earth rejoice in thy work, O Indra. Thou didst smite Vṛtra lying in the channels, the vast boar, with the thunderbolt—opening the blocked ways.

Mantra 12

त्वमिन्द्र नर्यो याँ अवो नॄन्तिष्ठा वातस्य सुयुजो वहिष्ठान् । यं ते काव्य उशना मन्दिनं दाद्वृत्रहणं पार्यं ततक्ष वज्रम् ॥

Thou, O Indra, stand by the human ones with those helps that are heroic—yoked in harmony, the best bearers like the Wind. The gladdening power that the seer Uśanā Kāvya gave thee, he fashioned it into a far-reaching thunderbolt, a slayer of Vṛtra.

Mantra 13

त्वं सूरो हरितो रामयो नॄन्भरच्चक्रमेतशो नायमिन्द्र । प्रास्य पारं नवतिं नाव्यानामपि कर्तमवर्तयोऽयज्यून् ॥

Thou, like the Sun, delightest the human beings with thy golden powers; thou bearest the wheel as a swift steed bears it, O Indra. Thou hast carried them across the far shore—ninety currents of the navigable— and thou hast turned away the pit of those who do not sacrifice (those who refuse the inner offering).

Mantra 14

त्वं नो अस्या इन्द्र दुर्हणायाः पाहि वज्रिवो दुरितादभीके । प्र नो वाजान्रथ्यो अश्वबुध्यानिषे यन्धि श्रवसे सूनृतायै ॥

O Indra, wielder of the thunder-force, protect us close at hand from this hard-to-overcome distress and from the crooked movement of error. Bring forward for us the vājas—plenitudes of effective force—swift for the journey, awakened like horses to the call, for our increase, for luminous fame, and for the true and happy speech that sets the being right.

Mantra 15

मा सा ते अस्मत्सुमतिर्वि दसद्वाजप्रमहः समिषो वरन्त । आ नो भज मघवन्गोष्वर्यो मंहिष्ठास्ते सधमादः स्याम ॥

Let not thy good-will fall away from us, O mighty giver of the plenitudes; let the streams of increase gather and choose us. Share with us, O Maghavan, in the luminous herds (rays of knowledge); may we be thy most abundant companions in the common gladness.