Sukta 14

Mantra 1

परेयिवांसं प्रवतो महीरनु बहुभ्यः पन्थामनुपस्पशानम् । वैवस्वतं संगमनं जनानां यमं राजानं हविषा दुवस्य ॥

Serve with the offering King Yama, the son of Vivasvat—he who has gone before along the great descending slopes, who has discerned the path for many, the gathering-place where human beings meet beyond.

Mantra 2

यमो नो गातुं प्रथमो विवेद नैषा गव्यूतिरपभर्तवा उ । यत्रा नः पूर्वे पितरः परेयुरेना जज्ञानाः पथ्या अनु स्वाः ॥

Yama first found for us the passage; this track of the rays is not to be taken away. Where our earlier Fathers have gone, along those self-born paths we too, knowing them, follow.

Mantra 3

मातली कव्यैर्यमो अङ्गिरोभिर्बृहस्पतिॠक्वभिर्वावृधानः । याँश्च देवा वावृधुर्ये च देवान्त्स्वाहान्ये स्वधयान्ये मदन्ति ॥

Mātalī with the Kavyas; Yama with the Angirases; Bṛhaspati with the seer-singers—growing strong: and those whom the gods have increased, and those who delight the gods, some by svāhā and some by svadhā, enter the joy of their own law.

Mantra 4

इमं यम प्रस्तरमा हि सीदाङ्गिरोभिः पितृभिः संविदानः । आ त्वा मन्त्राः कविशस्ता वहन्त्वेना राजन्हविषा मादयस्व ॥

O Yama, come and sit upon this seat of spreadness; be in conscious accord with the Angirases and the Fathers. Let the mantras, praised by the seers, carry you here; O King, take delight in this offering.

Mantra 5

अङ्गिरोभिरा गहि यज्ञियेभिर्यम वैरूपैरिह मादयस्व । विवस्वन्तं हुवे यः पिता तेऽस्मिन्यज्ञे बर्हिष्या निषद्य ॥

O Yama, come here with the Angirases worthy of sacrifice, with the manifold powers; take delight here. I call Vivasvat, who is your Father—sit down upon the sacred seat in this offering.

Mantra 6

अङ्गिरसो नः पितरो नवग्वा अथर्वाणो भृगवः सोम्यासः । तेषां वयं सुमतौ यज्ञियानामपि भद्रे सौमनसे स्याम ॥

Our Fathers are the Angirases, the Navagvas, the Atharvans, the Bhrigus—those who delight in Soma. May we too be in the good-will of these worthy of sacrifice; may we enter a noble harmony of mind.

Mantra 7

प्रेहि प्रेहि पथिभिः पूर्व्येभिर्यत्रा नः पूर्वे पितरः परेयुः । उभा राजाना स्वधया मदन्ता यमं पश्यासि वरुणं च देवम् ॥

Go forth, go forth by the ancient paths where our earlier Fathers have gone. There, the two kings rejoice in svadhā; you shall behold Yama and also Varuṇa, the god.

Mantra 8

सं गच्छस्व पितृभिः सं यमेनेष्टापूर्तेन परमे व्योमन् । हित्वायावद्यं पुनरस्तमेहि सं गच्छस्व तन्वा सुवर्चाः ॥

Unite with the Fathers, unite with Yama, with your fulfilled works in the highest expanse. Having left the fault behind, come again to your home; unite with a body of radiant splendour.

Mantra 9

अपेत वीत वि च सर्पतातोऽस्मा एतं पितरो लोकमक्रन् । अहोभिरद्भिरक्तुभिर्व्यक्तं यमो ददात्यवसानमस्मै ॥

Depart, withdraw, slink away from here. For him the Fathers have fashioned this world—distinctly ordered by days, waters, and nights. Yama grants to him a resting-place, a settled foundation.

Mantra 10

अति द्रव सारमेयौ श्वानौ चतुरक्षौ शबलौ साधुना पथा । अथा पितॄन्त्सुविदत्राँ उपेहि यमेन ये सधमादं मदन्ति ॥

Speed past the two Sarameya hounds—four-eyed, dappled—by the good path. Then draw near to the Fathers, the well-finding ones, who rejoice in the shared delight with Yama.

Mantra 11

यौ ते श्वानौ यम रक्षितारौ चतुरक्षौ पथिरक्षी नृचक्षसौ । ताभ्यामेनं परि देहि राजन्त्स्वस्ति चास्मा अनमीवं च धेहि ॥

O Yama, the two hounds that are your protectors—four-eyed, guardians of the path, watchers of men—by them encompass this one, O King; set in him well-being, and set also the absence of inner affliction.

Mantra 12

उरूणसावसुतृपा उदुम्बलौ यमस्य दूतौ चरतो जनाँ अनु । तावस्मभ्यं दृशये सूर्याय पुनर्दातामसुमद्येह भद्रम् ॥

Wide-nosed, life-thirsting, Udumbala—Yama’s two messengers—move following after men. May those two grant back to us, for seeing the Sun, the breath of life here today, auspicious and whole.

Mantra 13

यमाय सोमं सुनुत यमाय जुहुता हविः । यमं ह यज्ञो गच्छत्यग्निदूतो अरंकृतः ॥

Press the Soma for Yama; offer the oblation for Yama. For the sacrifice indeed goes to Yama, with Agni as its messenger, rightly prepared and made effective.

Mantra 14

यमाय घृतवद्धविर्जुहोत प्र च तिष्ठत । स नो देवेष्वा यमद्दीर्घमायुः प्र जीवसे ॥

Offer to Yama the oblation rich with clarity (ghṛta); and stand forth in the forward movement. May he extend for us, among the gods, long life so that we may live onward.

Mantra 15

यमाय मधुमत्तमं राज्ञे हव्यं जुहोतन । इदं नम ऋषिभ्यः पूर्वजेभ्यः पूर्वेभ्यः पथिकृद्भ्यः ॥

Offer to Yama the King the oblation most rich in sweetness. This is our reverence to the seers, the first-born, the ancients who made the paths.

Mantra 16

त्रिकद्रुकेभिः पतति षळुर्वीरेकमिद्बृहत् । त्रिष्टुब्गायत्री छन्दांसि सर्वा ता यम आहिता ॥

With the three kadrukas it flies; six wide expanses—yet one vastness. Triṣṭubh, Gāyatrī, all the meters: all these are set and established in Yama.