Sukta 17

Mantra 1

त्वष्टा दुहित्रे वहतुं कृणोतीतीदं विश्वं भुवनं समेति । यमस्य माता पर्युह्यमाना महो जाया विवस्वतो ननाश ॥

Tvaṣṭṛ fashions the bridal procession for his daughter; therefore this whole world of becoming comes together. The Mother of Yama, being borne away, the great spouse of Vivasvat, vanished—passing from one status of being to another.

Mantra 2

अपागूहन्नमृतां मर्त्येभ्यः कृत्वी सवर्णामददुर्विवस्वते । उताश्विनावभरद्यत्तदासीदजहादु द्वा मिथुना सरण्यूः ॥

They hid the immortal from mortals; making a look-alike, they gave her to Vivasvat. And the Aśvins brought back what truly was; Saraṇyū indeed left behind the two twins—marking the mystery of concealed immortality and recovered truth.

Mantra 3

पूषा त्वेतश्च्यावयतु प्र विद्वाननष्टपशुर्भुवनस्य गोपाः । स त्वैतेभ्यः परि ददत्पितृभ्योऽग्निर्देवेभ्यः सुविदत्रियेभ्यः ॥

May Pūṣan, the knower, the guardian of the world who loses no herds, move you onward from here. He delivers you over to the Fathers; and Agni delivers you to the Gods, the good finders—so the journey is secured in right guidance.

Mantra 4

आयुर्विश्वायुः परि पासति त्वा पूषा त्वा पातु प्रपथे पुरस्तात् । यत्रासते सुकृतो यत्र ते ययुस्तत्र त्वा देवः सविता दधातु ॥

Life, universal life, surrounds and guards you; may Pūṣan protect you on the forward path, in the front. Where the well-doers sit, where your own have gone, there may the god Savitṛ place you—set in the true impulsion toward the luminous world.

Mantra 5

पूषेमा आशा अनु वेद सर्वाः सो अस्माँ अभयतमेन नेषत् । स्वस्तिदा आघृणिः सर्ववीरोऽप्रयुच्छन्पुर एतु प्रजानन् ॥

Pūṣan knows all these directions; may he lead us by the most fearless way. The giver of well-being, the radiant one, full of all heroic powers—unfailing—may he go before us, knowing the way, so our journey becomes a progress in conscious safety.

Mantra 6

प्रपथे पथामजनिष्ट पूषा प्रपथे दिवः प्रपथे पृथिव्याः । उभे अभि प्रियतमे सधस्थे आ च परा च चरति प्रजानन् ॥

On the open track of the paths Pūṣan is born into activity—on the track of heaven, on the track of earth. Knowing the way, he moves both toward and beyond, embracing the two most dear seats of existence, guiding the soul’s journey between the heights and the foundation.

Mantra 7

सरस्वतीं देवयन्तो हवन्ते सरस्वतीमध्वरे तायमाने । सरस्वतीं सुकृतो अह्वयन्त सरस्वती दाशुषे वार्यं दात् ॥

They who turn toward the Divine call Sarasvatī; they call her in the advancing sacrifice. The doers of the right work invoke Sarasvatī; may Sarasvatī give to the giver the choicest boon—richness of inspired word and luminous increase.

Mantra 8

सरस्वति या सरथं ययाथ स्वधाभिर्देवि पितृभिर्मदन्ती । आसद्यास्मिन्बर्हिषि मादयस्वानमीवा इष आ धेह्यस्मे ॥

O Sarasvatī, who with the Fathers journeys in one chariot, rejoicing in the powers of svadhā: sit here upon this sacred seat and delight. Place in us the stainless impulses of nourishment—energies free from hurt and distortion.

Mantra 9

सरस्वतीं यां पितरो हवन्ते दक्षिणा यज्ञमभिनक्षमाणाः । सहस्रार्घमिळो अत्र भागं रायस्पोषं यजमानेषु धेहि ॥

Sarasvatī whom the Fathers call as the offering moves to its fulfilment with Dakṣiṇā: set here for us the worthy share—rich in a thousand values—and place in the sacrificers the increase of rāyas, the fullness of being and luminous prosperity.

Mantra 10

आपो अस्मान्मातरः शुन्धयन्तु घृतेन नो घृतप्वः पुनन्तु । विश्वं हि रिप्रं प्रवहन्ति देवीरुदिदाभ्यः शुचिरा पूत एमि ॥

May the Waters, our Mothers, purify us; may the ghee-bright waters cleanse us with their clarified light. For the goddesses carry away every stain of distortion; rising out from them I come forth pure—radiant and made clean.

Mantra 11

द्रप्सश्चस्कन्द प्रथमाँ अनु द्यूनिमं च योनिमनु यश्च पूर्वः । समानं योनिमनु संचरन्तं द्रप्सं जुहोम्यनु सप्त होत्राः ॥

The drop has leapt forth, following the first days and this womb of becoming, and also that which was before. Moving in accord with the same matrix of birth, that drop I offer—following the seven priestly powers—so the right formation may proceed.

Mantra 12

यस्ते द्रप्सः स्कन्दति यस्ते अंशुर्बाहुच्युतो धिषणाया उपस्थात् । अध्वर्योर्वा परि वा यः पवित्रात्तं ते जुहोमि मनसा वषट्कृतम् ॥

Whatever drop of yours slips away, whatever ray-essence of yours falls from the arm, from the lap of Dhīṣaṇā; or what is spilled by the Adhvaryu, or what escapes from the filter—this I offer back to you with the mind, made a true oblation by the inner vaṣaṭ.

Mantra 13

यस्ते द्रप्सः स्कन्नो यस्ते अंशुरवश्च यः परः स्रुचा । अयं देवो बृहस्पतिः सं तं सिञ्चतु राधसे ॥

Whatever drop of yours is spilled, whatever ray-essence is lost below or beyond by the ladle—may this god Bṛhaspati gather and pour it back together for our fulfilment, for the right accomplishment of the work.

Mantra 14

पयस्वतीरोषधयः पयस्वन्मामकं वचः । अपां पयस्वदित्पयस्तेन मा सह शुन्धत ॥

O milk-rich herbs, make my word milk-rich; and the milk of the waters too—by that nourishing essence, cleanse me wholly. Let speech become a carrier of sustaining sweetness and truth.