Sukta 35

Mantra 1

ह्वयाम्यग्निं प्रथमं स्वस्तये ह्वयामि मित्रावरुणाविहावसे । ह्वयामि रात्रीं जगतो निवेशनीं ह्वयामि देवं सवितारमूतये ॥

I call first Agni, the divine Will-Fire, for a sure well-being. I call Mitra and Varuṇa here for their guarding help. I call Night, the settler and establisher of the moving world, and I call the god Savitṛ for his fostering protection—so that the inner journey may be safely led from obscurity into right seeing.

Mantra 2

आ कृष्णेन रजसा वर्तमानो निवेशयन्नमृतं मर्त्यं च । हिरण्ययेन सविता रथेना देवो याति भुवनानि पश्यन् ॥

Moving through the dark dust, Savitṛ comes, setting in their places both the immortal and the mortal. On his golden chariot the god journeys, seeing the worlds—bringing an ordering vision that arranges our death-bound movements in the light of the deathless.

Mantra 3

याति देवः प्रवता यात्युद्वता याति शुभ्राभ्यां यजतो हरिभ्याम् । आ देवो याति सविता परावतोऽप विश्वा दुरिता बाधमानः ॥

The god goes by the descending path and he goes by the ascending; he goes with his two bright, tawny steeds worthy of worship. Savitṛ comes from the far beyond, thrusting away all our crookedness and distress—so the being may travel rightly in every slope of life.

Mantra 4

अभीवृतं कृशनैर्विश्वरूपं हिरण्यशम्यं यजतो बृहन्तम् । आस्थाद्रथं सविता चित्रभानुः कृष्णा रजांसि तविषीं दधानः ॥

Enclosed all around, manifold in form, mighty and worthy of worship, with golden reins—Savitṛ of varied light mounts his chariot, bearing strength through the dark spaces: he carries the power that can master obscurity and turn it toward illumination.

Mantra 5

वि जनाञ्छ्यावाः शितिपादो अख्यन्रथं हिरण्यप्रउगं वहन्तः । शश्वद्विशः सवितुर्दैव्यस्योपस्थे विश्वा भुवनानि तस्थुः ॥

The dark ones with bright feet perceive the peoples, bearing the chariot with its golden front. Ever the clans stand in the lap of the divine Savitṛ; all the worlds take their station—held in his sustaining embrace, the movements of life find their ordered place.

Mantra 6

तिस्रो द्यावः सवितुर्द्वा उपस्थाँ एका यमस्य भुवने विराषाट् । आणिं न रथ्यममृताधि तस्थुरिह ब्रवीतु य उ तच्चिकेतत् ॥

Three heavens are of Savitṛ; two are his seats of support, and one is in Yama’s world, shining wide. Like a wheel-nave on the chariot, the immortals have taken their stand upon it. Let him speak here who truly knows that mystery—how the deathless order is founded even where mortality is faced.

Mantra 7

वि सुपर्णो अन्तरिक्षाण्यख्यद्गभीरवेपा असुरः सुनीथः । क्वेदानीं सूर्यः कश्चिकेत कतमां द्यां रश्मिरस्या ततान ॥

The fair-winged one has discerned the mid-worlds; the deep-vibrating, sovereign power of good guidance. Where now is the Sun? Who has truly perceived it? To which heaven has his ray been stretched?—the seeker asks, because the light withdraws into subtlety and must be found by inner knowing.

Mantra 8

अष्टौ व्यख्यत्ककुभः पृथिव्यास्त्री धन्व योजना सप्त सिन्धून् । हिरण्याक्षः सविता देव आगाद्दधद्रत्ना दाशुषे वार्याणि ॥

He has made known the eight directions of the earth, the three expanses, the measures of the paths, the seven rivers. Golden-eyed Savitṛ has come, bearing treasures for the giver—gifts of luminous value that widen the being and set it in the right world-measure.

Mantra 9

हिरण्यपाणिः सविता विचर्षणिरुभे द्यावापृथिवी अन्तरीयते । अपामीवां बाधते वेति सूर्यमभि कृष्णेन रजसा द्यामृणोति ॥

Golden-handed Savitṛ, the wide-seeing, moves between Heaven and Earth. He drives away affliction; he goes toward the Sun; with dark rajas he covers the sky—so that what is unripe in us may be veiled, and what is ready may be led by his healing vision.

Mantra 10

हिरण्यहस्तो असुरः सुनीथः सुमृळीकः स्ववाँ यात्वर्वाङ् । अपसेधन्रक्षसो यातुधानानस्थाद्देवः प्रतिदोषं गृणानः ॥

Golden-handed, sovereign, of good guidance, gracious and self-possessed—let Savitṛ come toward us. Driving back the Rakṣasas and the yātudhānas, the god has taken his stand at every dusk, being hymned: may the hostile formations of darkness be barred, and the right impulsion guard the gates of our night.

Mantra 11

ये ते पन्थाः सवितः पूर्व्यासोऽरेणवः सुकृता अन्तरिक्षे । तेभिर्नो अद्य पथिभिः सुगेभी रक्षा च नो अधि च ब्रूहि देव ॥

O Savitar, those ancient paths of yours—dustless and well-fashioned in the mid-region—by those good-going ways guard us today; and also speak over us (within us), O god, the guiding word of right direction.