Sukta 117

Mantra 1

न वा उ देवाः क्षुधमिद्वधं ददुरुताशितमुप गच्छन्ति मृत्यवः । उतो रयिः पृणतो नोप दस्यत्युतापृणन्मर्डितारं न विन्दते ॥

The gods did not appoint hunger to be a killing; yet deaths come near to the one who is not nourished. But the plenitude (rayi) does not fail the one who fills others; and the one who does not fill finds no healer and no rescuer.

Mantra 2

य आध्राय चकमानाय पित्वोऽन्नवान्त्सन्रफितायोपजग्मुषे । स्थिरं मनः कृणुते सेवते पुरोतो चित्स मर्डितारं न विन्दते ॥

Whoever, though possessing food, hardens his mind against the needy wanderer who comes seeking drink and sustenance—he serves only his own narrow front; even so he does not find a healer, not even later.

Mantra 3

स इद्भोजो यो गृहवे ददात्यन्नकामाय चरते कृशाय । अरमस्मै भवति यामहूता उतापरीषु कृणुते सखायम् ॥

He alone is the true enjoyer who gives in his home to the lean wanderer seeking food. For him the journeys called by need become straight and sufficient; and even in the farthest passages he makes a friend.

Mantra 4

न स सखा यो न ददाति सख्ये सचाभुवे सचमानाय पित्वः । अपास्मात्प्रेयान्न तदोको अस्ति पृणन्तमन्यमरणं चिदिच्छेत् ॥

He is no friend who does not give in friendship to the companion who comes seeking nourishment. One should go away from him; that is no true dwelling. Let one seek another—one who fills—though he be a stranger.

Mantra 5

पृणीयादिन्नाधमानाय तव्यान्द्राघीयांसमनु पश्येत पन्थाम् । ओ हि वर्तन्ते रथ्येव चक्रान्यमन्यमुप तिष्ठन्त रायः ॥

Let him fill the one who is in want; let him look along the farther and wider path. For riches move and return like wheels on a road; they come and take their stand now with one, now with another.

Mantra 6

मोघमन्नं विन्दते अप्रचेताः सत्यं ब्रवीमि वध इत्स तस्य । नार्यमणं पुष्यति नो सखायं केवलाघो भवति केवलादी ॥

In vain the unawakened one gains food; I speak a truth—destruction is his portion. He does not foster Aryaman, nor a friend; he becomes sheer sin and a solitary eater.

Mantra 7

कृषन्नित्फाल आशितं कृणोति यन्नध्वानमप वृङ्क्ते चरित्रैः । वदन्ब्रह्मावदतो वनीयान्पृणन्नापिरपृणन्तमभि ष्यात् ॥

Even the plough, when it labours, makes food; for it clears the road by its goings. The speaking brahman is better than the silent; the one who fills is a true helper—he should stand against the non-filler.

Mantra 8

एकपाद्भूयो द्विपदो वि चक्रमे द्विपात्त्रिपादमभ्येति पश्चात् । चतुष्पादेति द्विपदामभिस्वरे सम्पश्यन्पङ्क्तीरुपतिष्ठमानः ॥

From the one-footed it moves again into the two-footed; from the two-footed it follows after and reaches the three-footed. It goes on to the four-footed, sounding back upon the two-footed; beholding the ordered rows, it stands near and takes its station. (Inner sense: consciousness evolves by graded steps, establishing ordered formations in the being.)

Mantra 9

समौ चिद्धस्तौ न समं विविष्टः सम्मातरा चिन्न समं दुहाते । यमयोश्चिन्न समा वीर्याणि ज्ञाती चित्सन्तौ न समं पृणीतः ॥

Even two hands that seem alike do not move with an equal power; even two mothers do not yield the same milk. Even in twins, the strengths are not identical; even among kinsmen who are together, there is not an equal giving. Therefore let the seeker learn: the inner force differs in each vessel, and one must awaken in oneself the true plenitude that can offer rightly.