Sukta 23

Mantra 1

तीव्राः सोमास आ गह्याशीर्वन्तः सुता इमे । वायो तान्प्रस्थितान्पिब ॥

Come, O Vāyu: these Soma draughts, keen and forceful, pressed and rich with the power of aspiration—drink them as they are set forth, and let the life-breath be filled with their luminous impetus.

Mantra 2

उभा देवा दिविस्पृशेन्द्रवायू हवामहे । अस्य सोमस्य पीतये ॥

We call the two gods, Indra and Vāyu, who touch the heaven—so that they may drink of this Soma: the delight that clarifies and uplifts the consciousness.

Mantra 3

इन्द्रवायू मनोजुवा विप्रा हवन्त ऊतये । सहस्राक्षा धियस्पती ॥

Indra and Vāyu, swift with the mind’s impulsion, the seers call you for protection—thousand-eyed, lords of the inspired thoughts, to govern and enlarge our seeing.

Mantra 4

मित्रं वयं हवामहे वरुणं सोमपीतये । जज्ञाना पूतदक्षसा ॥

We invoke Mitra and Varuṇa for the drinking of Soma—those who are born (awake) as powers with purified discernment, establishing harmony and right law within us.

Mantra 5

ऋतेन यावृतावृधावृतस्य ज्योतिषस्पती । ता मित्रावरुणा हुवे ॥

I call Mitra and Varuṇa—those two who grow by the Truth, who are strengthened by ṛta, the lords of the Light of ṛta—so that our being may be governed by the luminous law.

Mantra 6

वरुणः प्राविता भुवन्मित्रो विश्वाभिरूतिभिः । करतां नः सुराधसः ॥

May Varuṇa become our forward protector; may Mitra, with all his helps, act for us—those two of good giving—so that the being is richly set in rightness and happy fullness.

Mantra 7

मरुत्वन्तं हवामह इन्द्रमा सोमपीतये । सजूर्गणेन तृम्पतु ॥

We call Indra accompanied by the Maruts for the drinking of Soma; may he, together with the host, be satisfied—so the illumined force may act in us with its harmonious powers.

Mantra 8

इन्द्रज्येष्ठा मरुद्गणा देवासः पूषरातयः । विश्वे मम श्रुता हवम् ॥

O gods—Marut hosts with Indra as the foremost, givers like Pūṣan—may you all hear my call, and turn your luminous aids toward my journey.

Mantra 9

हत वृत्रं सुदानव इन्द्रेण सहसा युजा । मा नो दुःशंस ईशत ॥

Slay Vṛtra, O bounteous one, yoked with Indra’s force; let not the ill-speaking power rule over us—let falsehood and hostile suggestion be broken.

Mantra 10

विश्वान्देवान्हवामहे मरुतः सोमपीतये । उग्रा हि पृश्निमातरः ॥

We invoke all the gods, the Maruts, for the drinking of Soma; for they are fierce in power, born of Pṛśni—strong energies that can break inertia and awaken the vital being.

Mantra 11

जयतामिव तन्यतुर्मरुतामेति धृष्णुया । यच्छुभं याथना नरः ॥

Like conquerors the thunder of the Maruts advances with daring force; O heroes, when you press forward toward the auspicious, you open the way for the soul’s victorious movement.

Mantra 12

हस्काराद्विद्युतस्पर्यतो जाता अवन्तु नः । मरुतो मृळयन्तु नः ॥

May the Maruts—born from the luminous flash and the resounding call—encompass us and protect us; may these powers of the storm-wind bring us peace and gladness within.

Mantra 13

आ पूषञ्चित्रबर्हिषमाघृणे धरुणं दिवः । आजा नष्टं यथा पशुम् ॥

O Pūṣan of the shining seat, O radiant one, bring us the firm support of heaven; lead back to us what is lost, as one brings back the strayed herds of light.

Mantra 14

पूषा राजानमाघृणिरपगूळ्हं गुहा हितम् । अविन्दच्चित्रबर्हिषम् ॥

Pūṣan, the radiant, found the kingly power hidden away, placed in the secret cave; he discovered the shining foundation (the bright seat) again for our offering and ascent.

Mantra 15

उतो स मह्यमिन्दुभिः षड्युक्ताँ अनुसेषिधत् । गोभिर्यवं न चर्कृषत् ॥

And he, for me, with the bright drops set in right order the six yoked powers; with the rays he made the abundance grow, as one makes barley increase.

Mantra 16

अम्बयो यन्त्यध्वभिर्जामयो अध्वरीयताम् । पृञ्चतीर्मधुना पयः ॥

The Mother-waters move along the paths, the kindred powers of the sacrifice; they pour and mingle the milk of being with sweetness, preparing the offering within us.

Mantra 17

अमूर्या उप सूर्ये याभिर्वा सूर्यः सह । ता नो हिन्वन्त्वध्वरम् ॥

Those (waters/powers) that are near the Sun, and those with whom the Sun moves—may they impel our sacrifice forward, driving it toward the luminous goal.

Mantra 18

अपो देवीरुप ह्वये यत्र गावः पिबन्ति नः । सिन्धुभ्यः कर्त्वं हविः ॥

I call near the divine Waters, where our rays drink; from the streams may there be fashioned an offering—an inner oblation of flowing purity.

Mantra 19

अप्स्वन्तरमृतमप्सु भेषजमपामुत प्रशस्तये । देवा भवत वाजिनः ॥

Within the waters is immortality; within the waters is the healing power. O Waters, for our full affirmation and right praise—become for us divine energies of victorious force.

Mantra 20

अप्सु मे सोमो अब्रवीदन्तर्विश्वानि भेषजा । अग्निं च विश्वशम्भुवमापश्च विश्वभेषजीः ॥

In the waters Soma spoke to me: ‘Within are all healings.’ And Agni too is the universal well-being; and the Waters are the universal remedies—powers that make the whole being sound.

Mantra 21

आपः पृणीत भेषजं वरूथं तन्वे मम । ज्योक्च सूर्यं दृशे ॥

O Waters, fill me with healing and with a sheltering protection for my embodied being, so that I may long behold the Sun—abide in the seeing of the luminous Truth.

Mantra 22

इदमापः प्र वहत यत्किं च दुरितं मयि । यद्वाहमभिदुद्रोह यद्वा शेप उतानृतम् ॥

O Waters, carry forward and away whatever distress and crookedness is lodged in me—whether I have turned in revolt, or whether by impulsive speech I have uttered falsehood.

Mantra 23

आपो अद्यान्वचारिषं रसेन समगस्महि । पयस्वानग्न आ गहि तं मा सं सृज वर्चसा ॥

O Waters, today I have moved along with you; with your sap of delight we have come into union. O Agni rich in plenitude, come; knit me together with luminous force.

Mantra 24

सं माग्ने वर्चसा सृज सं प्रजया समायुषा । विद्युर्मे अस्य देवा इन्द्रो विद्यात्सह ऋषिभिः ॥

O Agni, shape me into wholeness with radiant force—into wholeness with the power of becoming, into wholeness with a full span of life. May the gods know this of me; may Indra, together with the seers, affirm it in my being.