Sukta 107

Mantra 1

आविरभून्महि माघोनमेषां विश्वं जीवं तमसो निरमोचि । महि ज्योतिः पितृभिर्दत्तमागादुरुः पन्था दक्षिणाया अदर्शि ॥

A great and manifest power has arisen for these givers: all that lives is released from darkness. A vast light, given by the Fathers, has come; a wide path of Dakṣiṇā (the right offering, the right giving) has been revealed.

Mantra 2

उच्चा दिवि दक्षिणावन्तो अस्थुर्ये अश्वदाः सह ते सूर्येण । हिरण्यदा अमृतत्वं भजन्ते वासोदाः सोम प्र तिरन्त आयुः ॥

High in the heaven stand those who are filled with Dakṣiṇā, those who give the horse of force; they move with the Sun. Those who give gold share in immortality; those who give the robe (a covering of protection) extend their life-energy, O Soma.

Mantra 3

दैवी पूर्तिर्दक्षिणा देवयज्या न कवारिभ्यो नहि ते पृणन्ति । अथा नरः प्रयतदक्षिणासोऽवद्यभिया बहवः पृणन्ति ॥

Dakṣiṇā is a divine fulfilment, a godward sacrifice; the miserly do not fill her, they cannot. But men who are prepared in right giving, fearing the fall into falsehood, many of them do fulfil her.

Mantra 4

शतधारं वायुमर्कं स्वर्विदं नृचक्षसस्ते अभि चक्षते हविः । ये पृणन्ति प्र च यच्छन्ति संगमे ते दक्षिणां दुहते सप्तमातरम् ॥

They behold the offering with human sight: Vāyu of a hundred streams, the Sun-hymn that finds the luminous world. Those who fulfil and also give forth in the meeting, they milk Dakṣiṇā, the seven-mothered—drawing from her inexhaustible abundance of right reward.

Mantra 5

दक्षिणावान्प्रथमो हूत एति दक्षिणावान्ग्रामणीरग्रमेति । तमेव मन्ये नृपतिं जनानां यः प्रथमो दक्षिणामाविवाय ॥

He who is filled with Dakṣiṇā—right discernment and the power of consecrated giving—moves first when invoked; as a leader of the inner community he advances to the front. Him alone I regard as the true lord of the peoples, who was the first to set Dakṣiṇā in motion and establish her action.

Mantra 6

तमेव ऋषिं तमु ब्रह्माणमाहुर्यज्ञन्यं सामगामुक्थशासम् । स शुक्रस्य तन्वो वेद तिस्रो यः प्रथमो दक्षिणया रराध ॥

Him indeed they call the seer; him too they call the brahman, fit for sacrifice, a singer of the Sāman, a master of the inspired utterance. He knows the three bodies/forms of the luminous (power), he who first found fulfilment by Dakṣiṇā.

Mantra 7

दक्षिणाश्वं दक्षिणा गां ददाति दक्षिणा चन्द्रमुत यद्धिरण्यम् । दक्षिणान्नं वनुते यो न आत्मा दक्षिणां वर्म कृणुते विजानन् ॥

Dakṣiṇā gives the steed of force; Dakṣiṇā gives the cow of light; Dakṣiṇā gives the shining moon and whatever is gold. Dakṣiṇā wins the food of plenitude: she is our very self when, knowing, one makes Dakṣiṇā a protective armour around the being.

Mantra 8

न भोजा मम्रुर्न न्यर्थमीयुर्न रिष्यन्ति न व्यथन्ते ह भोजाः । इदं यद्विश्वं भुवनं स्वश्चैतत्सर्वं दक्षिणैभ्यो ददाति ॥

The Bhojas do not perish; they do not go to futility; they are not harmed, nor do they falter—these Bhojas. This entire world that is, and the heaven too—Dakṣiṇā gives all this to them.

Mantra 9

भोजा जिग्युः सुरभिं योनिमग्रे भोजा जिग्युर्वध्वं या सुवासाः । भोजा जिग्युरन्तःपेयं सुराया भोजा जिग्युर्ये अहूताः प्रयन्ति ॥

The Bhojas have won the fragrant source at the beginning; the Bhojas have won the bride who is well-clad. The Bhojas have won the inward draught of surā; the Bhojas have won—those who go forth even when not invited.

Mantra 10

भोजायाश्वं सं मृजन्त्याशुं भोजायास्ते कन्या शुम्भमाना । भोजस्येदं पुष्करिणीव वेश्म परिष्कृतं देवमानेव चित्रम् ॥

For the Bhoja they groom the swift horse; for the Bhoja the maiden sits adorning herself. This home of the Bhoja is like a lotus-lake, beautifully arranged, radiant as if with divine delight, full of varied splendour.

Mantra 11

भोजमश्वाः सुष्ठुवाहो वहन्ति सुवृद्रथो वर्तते दक्षिणायाः । भोजं देवासोऽवता भरेषु भोजः शत्रून्त्समनीकेषु जेता ॥

The well-drawing horses carry the Bhoja; the chariot of Dakṣiṇā moves with good turning. The gods protect the Bhoja in the battles; the Bhoja becomes a conqueror of enemies in the joined encounters.