Sukta 23

Mantra 1

गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे कविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम् । ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणां ब्रह्मणस्पत आ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिः सीद सादनम् ॥

O Lord of the host of soul-powers, we call you—seer among seers, most renowned beyond all comparison. O eldest King of the mantras and the creative Word, O Master of the formative Thought: hear us and, bringing your helps, take your seat in our inner shrine.

Mantra 2

देवाश्चित्ते असुर्य प्रचेतसो बृहस्पते यज्ञियं भागमानशुः । उस्रा इव सूर्यो ज्योतिषा महो विश्वेषामिज्जनिता ब्रह्मणामसि ॥

Even the gods, O luminous Lord, the far-seeing in consciousness, have attained their sacrificial portion through you. Like the sun with the great light of the dawn-cows, you are indeed the begetter of all the mantras—source of the creative Word in every power.

Mantra 3

आ विबाध्या परिरापस्तमांसि च ज्योतिष्मन्तं रथमृतस्य तिष्ठसि । बृहस्पते भीमममित्रदम्भनं रक्षोहणं गोत्रभिदं स्वर्विदम् ॥

Driving away the enclosing darknesses and the hostile pressures, you take your stand upon the luminous chariot of the Truth. O Bṛhaspati, formidable, breaker of the enemy’s arrogances, slayer of the devouring forces, splitter of the cave of concealment, finder of the Sun-worlds of light.

Mantra 4

सुनीतिभिर्नयसि त्रायसे जनं यस्तुभ्यं दाशान्न तमंहो अश्नवत् । ब्रह्मद्विषस्तपनो मन्युमीरसि बृहस्पते महि तत्ते महित्वनम् ॥

By right leadings you guide and you protect the human being; he who gives himself to you does not fall into anguish. You are the burning force against the haters of the Word, a smiter of hostile wrath; O Bṛhaspati, great indeed is your greatness.

Mantra 5

न तमंहो न दुरितं कुतश्चन नारातयस्तितिरुर्न द्वयाविनः । विश्वा इदस्माद्ध्वरसो वि बाधसे यं सुगोपा रक्षसि ब्रह्मणस्पते ॥

No anguish, no evil from any side, no hostile assailants, no double-dealers can overpass the one you guard. All the crooked violences you drive away from him—him whom you protect well, O Master of the Word.

Mantra 6

त्वं नो गोपाः पथिकृद्विचक्षणस्तव व्रताय मतिभिर्जरामहे । बृहस्पते यो नो अभि ह्वरो दधे स्वा तं मर्मर्तु दुच्छुना हरस्वती ॥

You are our guardian, maker of the path, the clear-seeing; with our thoughts we seek to grow into your law of working. O Bṛhaspati, whoever sets crooked harm against us—may your own force crush him with dire evil, O Harasvatī.

Mantra 7

उत वा यो नो मर्चयादनागसोऽरातीवा मर्तः सानुको वृकः । बृहस्पते अप तं वर्तया पथः सुगं नो अस्यै देववीतये कृधि ॥

And if some mortal, wolfish and creeping, hostile in will, should seek to wound us though we are without fault—O Bṛhaspati, turn him away from our path. Make our way good and open for this attracting of the gods’ powers.

Mantra 8

त्रातारं त्वा तनूनां हवामहेऽवस्पर्तरधिवक्तारमस्मयुम् । बृहस्पते देवनिदो नि बर्हय मा दुरेवा उत्तरं सुम्नमुन्नशन् ॥

We call you as the saviour of our bodies and souls, the one who drives off, the advocate who speaks for us, the undeluded. O Bṛhaspati, strike down the slanderers of the gods; let not the ill-wishers reach up and touch our higher felicity.

Mantra 9

त्वया वयं सुवृधा ब्रह्मणस्पते स्पार्हा वसु मनुष्या ददीमहि । या नो दूरे तळितो या अरातयोऽभि सन्ति जम्भया ता अनप्नसः ॥

With you, O well-increasing Lord of the Word, we would gain the desirable human riches—fullnesses of being. The distant assailants and the hostilities that press upon us—crush them, so they become powerless and without accomplishment.

Mantra 10

त्वया वयमुत्तमं धीमहे वयो बृहस्पते पप्रिणा सस्निना युजा । मा नो दुःशंसो अभिदिप्सुरीशत प्र सुशंसा मतिभिस्तारिषीमहि ॥

With you, O Bṛhaspati, we hold the highest vital fullness—yoked with the overflowing and the victorious. Let not the ill-speaker who seeks to wound us gain mastery; rather, by our well-affirming thoughts may we cross beyond and arrive.

Mantra 11

अनानुदो वृषभो जग्मिराहवं निष्टप्ता शत्रुं पृतनासु सासहिः । असि सत्य ऋणया ब्रह्मणस्पत उग्रस्य चिद्दमिता वीळुहर्षिणः ॥

O Lord of the Word, you are the unyielding Bull who goes forth to the call of the inner battle; you burn down the adversary and prevail in the clashes. You are the true one, a mover among the seekers of the right path; even the violent force you tame, O rousing power that makes the strong exult.

Mantra 12

अदेवेन मनसा यो रिषण्यति शासामुग्रो मन्यमानो जिघांसति । बृहस्पते मा प्रणक्तस्य नो वधो नि कर्म मन्युं दुरेवस्य शर्धतः ॥

Whoever with a godless mind assails us, fierce in his rule, thinking himself mighty and seeking to strike—O Bṛhaspati, let not his blow reach us; cast down the wrath of ill-will and its hostile band.

Mantra 13

भरेषु हव्यो नमसोपसद्यो गन्ता वाजेषु सनिता धनंधनम् । विश्वा इदर्यो अभिदिप्स्वो मृधो बृहस्पतिर्वि ववर्हा रथाँ इव ॥

In the press of the struggle he is to be invoked; by reverence he is to be approached. He comes in the gaining of plenitudes, a winner of riches upon riches. All the assaults of the envious assailant Bṛhaspati drives apart, as one clears obstacles like chariots pushing through.

Mantra 14

तेजिष्ठया तपनी रक्षसस्तप ये त्वा निदे दधिरे दृष्टवीर्यम् । आविस्तत्कृष्व यदसत्त उक्थ्यं बृहस्पते वि परिरापो अर्दय ॥

With your most keen-burning heat, scorch the powers of darkness who set you in blame, though your hero-force is manifest. Make visible that which in us was not yet; O Bṛhaspati, crush and drive away the enclosing assailments.

Mantra 15

बृहस्पते अति यदर्यो अर्हाद्द्युमद्विभाति क्रतुमज्जनेषु । यद्दीदयच्छवस ऋतप्रजात तदस्मासु द्रविणं धेहि चित्रम् ॥

O Bṛhaspati, when the noble one shines beyond the ordinary deserving, luminous and will-filled among the peoples—when by your force you make him blaze forth, O born of the Right—place in us that many-formed treasure of being.

Mantra 16

मा नः स्तेनेभ्यो ये अभि द्रुहस्पदे निरामिणो रिपवोऽन्नेषु जागृधुः । आ देवानामोहते वि व्रयो हृदि बृहस्पते न परः साम्नो विदुः ॥

Let not the thieves who plot treachery against our footing—those unhealing foes who hunger for our sustenance—reach us. O Bṛhaspati, you weave the gods’ protecting cover; you open the enclosures in the heart—none knows better the secret harmonies of the chant.

Mantra 17

विश्वेभ्यो हि त्वा भुवनेभ्यस्परि त्वष्टाजनत्साम्नःसाम्नः कविः । स ऋणचिदृणया ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्द्रुहो हन्ता मह ऋतस्य धर्तरि ॥

From all the worlds, encompassing them, Tvaṣṭṛ fashioned you—the seer of seers, the chant within chant. This Lord of the Word moves even among the seekers bound to right movement; he is the slayer of treachery, great upholder of the Vast Right.

Mantra 18

तव श्रिये व्यजिहीत पर्वतो गवां गोत्रमुदसृजो यदङ्गिरः । इन्द्रेण युजा तमसा परीवृतं बृहस्पते निरपामौब्जो अर्णवम् ॥

For your splendour the mountain was split apart; the hidden pen of the rays was released when you, O Aṅgiras. United with Indra, you broke out from the waters the ocean wrapped in darkness—O Bṛhaspati, you brought the concealed flood into freedom.

Mantra 19

ब्रह्मणस्पते त्वमस्य यन्ता सूक्तस्य बोधि तनयं च जिन्व । विश्वं तद्भद्रं यदवन्ति देवा बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ॥

O Lord of the Word, you are the driver and guide of this well-shaped hymn; awaken to it and strengthen our lineage. All that is auspicious is what the gods protect—may we speak the Vast in the assembly, rich in inner heroes.