Sukta 36

Mantra 1

उषासानक्ता बृहती सुपेशसा द्यावाक्षामा वरुणो मित्रो अर्यमा । इन्द्रं हुवे मरुतः पर्वताँ अप आदित्यान्द्यावापृथिवी अपः स्वः ॥

I call Dawn and Night, vast and beautifully formed; Heaven-and-Earth, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman. I call Indra, the Maruts, the Mountains, the Waters, the Ādityas, and Heaven-and-Earth, the Waters, the luminous world: may these cosmic powers assemble within us as the complete order of our becoming.

Mantra 2

द्यौश्च नः पृथिवी च प्रचेतस ऋतावरी रक्षतामंहसो रिषः । मा दुर्विदत्रा निॠतिर्न ईशत तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

May Heaven and Earth, the wise and conscious, guardians of the Truth, protect us from distress and harm. Let not ill-apportioning Nirṛti rule over us. That protection of the gods we choose today.

Mantra 3

विश्वस्मान्नो अदितिः पात्वंहसो माता मित्रस्य वरुणस्य रेवतः । स्वर्वज्ज्योतिरवृकं नशीमहि तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

May Aditi protect us from every distress—she, the mother of Mitra and the splendid Varuṇa. May we attain the light that is full of svar, a light un-wolfed, untouched by devouring darkness. That protection of the gods we choose today.

Mantra 4

ग्रावा वदन्नप रक्षांसि सेधतु दुष्ष्वप्न्यं निॠतिं विश्वमत्रिणम् । आदित्यं शर्म मरुतामशीमहि तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

Let the pressing-stone, sounding forth, drive away the hostile powers; let it repel evil dreaming, Nirṛti, and every devouring force. We would attain the Ādityas’ peace and the Maruts’ sheltering bliss. That protection of the gods we choose today.

Mantra 5

एन्द्रो बर्हिः सीदतु पिन्वतामिळा बृहस्पतिः सामभिॠक्वो अर्चतु । सुप्रकेतं जीवसे मन्म धीमहि तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

Let Indra sit upon the sacred seat; let Iḷā be made full. Let Bṛhaspati, the seer of the Word, sing with the sāman-chants. For our living we set our thought in the clear-guiding intuition. That protection of the gods we choose today.

Mantra 6

दिविस्पृशं यज्ञमस्माकमश्विना जीराध्वरं कृणुतं सुम्नमिष्टये । प्राचीनरश्मिमाहुतं घृतेन तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

O Aśvins, make our sacrifice heaven-touching, make the rite swift-moving, a grace for our seeking. The offering is poured with ghee, bearing forward rays: that protection of the gods we choose today.

Mantra 7

उप ह्वये सुहवं मारुतं गणं पावकमृष्वं सख्याय शम्भुवम् । रायस्पोषं सौश्रवसाय धीमहि तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

I invoke the Marut host, easy to call, purifying and uplifted, for comradeship and for bliss. We set our thought on the increase of rāyas—on the growth of inner riches—for a wide and enduring good fame. That protection of the gods we choose today.

Mantra 8

अपां पेरुं जीवधन्यं भरामहे देवाव्यं सुहवमध्वरश्रियम् । सुरश्मिं सोममिन्द्रियं यमीमहि तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

We bring forward the ‘ford’ of the waters—life-nourishing and fit for the divine movement—easy to invoke, the splendor of the offering. We seek to yoke to us the radiant Soma, the force of Indra; that protecting help of the Gods we choose today.

Mantra 9

सनेम तत्सुसनिता सनित्वभिर्वयं जीवा जीवपुत्रा अनागसः । ब्रह्मद्विषो विष्वगेनो भरेरत तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

May we win that true winning by the powers of right gain—living ourselves, bearing living sons, without fault. Let the haters of the Word carry away their crooked sin; that protecting help of the Gods we choose today.

Mantra 10

ये स्था मनोर्यज्ञियास्ते शृणोतन यद्वो देवा ईमहे तद्ददातन । जैत्रं क्रतुं रयिमद्वीरवद्यशस्तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

You who stand in the mind as powers fit for sacrifice—hear us. What we seek of you, O Gods, grant it: a conquering will, a fullness of being, heroic force and luminous fame. That protecting help of the Gods we choose today.

Mantra 11

महदद्य महतामा वृणीमहेऽवो देवानां बृहतामनर्वणाम् । यथा वसु वीरजातं नशामहै तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

Today we choose the great help of the great Gods, the vast ones who do not fail in their course, so that we may arrive at the true good—rich in heroic birth of powers. That protecting help of the Gods we choose today.

Mantra 12

महो अग्नेः समिधानस्य शर्मण्यनागा मित्रे वरुणे स्वस्तये । श्रेष्ठे स्याम सवितुः सवीमनि तद्देवानामवो अद्या वृणीमहे ॥

In the great shelter of Agni kindled within, may we be without fault; in Mitra and Varuṇa for our well-being. May we be in the best state in Savitar’s true impulsion. That protecting help of the Gods we choose today.

Mantra 13

ये सवितुः सत्यसवस्य विश्वे मित्रस्य व्रते वरुणस्य देवाः । ते सौभगं वीरवद्गोमदप्नो दधातन द्रविणं चित्रमस्मे ॥

You Gods, all who are of Savitar of the true impulsion, in the law of Mitra, of Varuṇa—set in us felicity, rich in heroic power, rich in rays of illumination, rich in attainment; establish for us a many-colored treasure.

Mantra 14

सविता पश्चातात्सविता पुरस्तात्सवितोत्तरात्तात्सविताधरात्तात् । सविता नः सुवतु सर्वतातिं सविता नो रासतां दीर्घमायुः ॥

Savitar from behind, Savitar from before, Savitar from the north, Savitar from below: may Savitar impel for us the totality of the right fulness; may Savitar grant us long life—long continuance of the soul’s journey.