Sukta 188

Mantra 1

समिद्धो अद्य राजसि देवो देवैः सहस्रजित् । दूतो हव्या कविर्वह ॥

Kindled today, you reign in the luminous expanse; a god with the gods, conqueror of a thousand. As the messenger and the seer, carry our offerings—bear the oblations to the Powers within us.

Mantra 2

तनूनपादृतं यते मध्वा यज्ञः समज्यते । दधत्सहस्रिणीरिषः ॥

O Tanūnapāt, as one moves in the Truth, the sacrifice is anointed with sweetness; it bears within it the thousandfold impulsions of force—nourishments that multiply the soul’s power of progress.

Mantra 3

आजुह्वानो न ईड्यो देवाँ आ वक्षि यज्ञियान् । अग्ने सहस्रसा असि ॥

Ever calling, worthy of our adoration, bring to us the Gods who are fit for the sacrifice. O Agni, you are the giver of a thousand gains—make the inner session of the Powers present in our work.

Mantra 4

प्राचीनं बर्हिरोजसा सहस्रवीरमस्तृणन् । यत्रादित्या विराजथ ॥

They have spread the sacred grass eastward with force, rich in a thousand heroic energies—there where the Ādityas shine in wide sovereignty. Let that prepared foundation become our field of luminous order.

Mantra 5

विराट् सम्राड्विभ्वीः प्रभ्वीर्बह्वीश्च भूयसीश्च याः । दुरो घृतान्यक्षरन् ॥

Vast and sovereign, manifold and mighty—many and ever more—these Powers are; from their doors the streams of clarified light and delight flow out. Let those openings pour into us the luminous sweetness of the Truth.

Mantra 6

सुरुक्मे हि सुपेशसाधि श्रिया विराजतः । उषासावेह सीदताम् ॥

Golden and beautifully formed, shining with splendor—O Dawn-pair, take your seats here. Let the illumining movements settle in our work and make it radiant with fortunate light.

Mantra 7

प्रथमा हि सुवाचसा होतारा दैव्या कवी । यज्ञं नो यक्षतामिमम् ॥

Foremost indeed are the two divine Hotṛs, seers with perfect speech; let them offer for us this sacrifice. May the inspired word rightly perform the inner rite and lead it to fulfillment.

Mantra 8

भारतीळे सरस्वति या वः सर्वा उपब्रुवे । ता नश्चोदयत श्रिये ॥

O Bhāratī, O Iḷā, O Sarasvatī—whatever powers of inspiration I call to you all—impel us toward splendor. Set our thought and speech moving in the right delight of the Truth.

Mantra 9

त्वष्टा रूपाणि हि प्रभुः पशून्विश्वान्त्समानजे । तेषां नः स्फातिमा यज ॥

Tvaṣṭṛ indeed is master of forms; he has fashioned and yoked together all the powers of our being. Offer to him, so that their increase may come to us—an expanding fullness of life-force and capability.

Mantra 10

उप त्मन्या वनस्पते पाथो देवेभ्यः सृज । अग्निर्हव्यानि सिष्वदत् ॥

O Lord of the forest, of your own impulse send forth the path for the Gods. Let Agni make the offerings resound—let the consecrated energies find their right passage to the divine powers.

Mantra 11

पुरोगा अग्निर्देवानां गायत्रेण समज्यते । स्वाहाकृतीषु रोचते ॥

Agni, who goes in front, the leader of the gods within us, is perfectly anointed and set into motion by the Gayatrī—by the luminous rhythm of the illumined mind; he shines out in the acts of offering where the soul says “svāhā”, the glad self-giving.