Sukta 54

Mantra 1

इमं महे विदथ्याय शूषं शश्वत्कृत्व ईड्याय प्र जभ्रुः । शृणोतु नो दम्येभिरनीकैः शृणोत्वग्निर्दिव्यैरजस्रः ॥

This mighty force for the sacred assembly we have brought forth again and again for the adorable One. Let Agni hear us with his powers that master and tame; let the unceasing Fire hear with his divine front-ranks (luminous faculties).

Mantra 2

महि महे दिवे अर्चा पृथिव्यै कामो म इच्छञ्चरति प्रजानन् । ययोर्ह स्तोमे विदथेषु देवाः सपर्यवो मादयन्ते सचायोः ॥

Sing a vast hymn to the Great Heaven and to Earth. In me the seeking desire moves, knowing its aim. For in their praise, in the sessions of right-order, the gods who serve and accomplish the work rejoice together with the two (Heaven and Earth).

Mantra 3

युवोॠतं रोदसी सत्यमस्तु महे षु णः सुविताय प्र भूतम् । इदं दिवे नमो अग्ने पृथिव्यै सपर्यामि प्रयसा यामि रत्नम् ॥

O Heaven and Earth, may your Truth be the Right; become for us, in your greatness, a forward opening to the happy path. This is my obeisance to Heaven, O Agni, and to Earth; with offering-force I serve, I go toward the treasure (the inner riches of light and fullness).

Mantra 4

उतो हि वां पूर्व्या आविविद्र ऋतावरी रोदसी सत्यवाचः । नरश्चिद्वां समिथे शूरसातौ ववन्दिरे पृथिवि वेविदानाः ॥

For indeed the ancient ones have found you, O Heaven and Earth, you who are rich in Rita, you whose speech is Truth. Even men in the battle for the hero’s gain have adored you, O Earth, when they awakened to knowledge.

Mantra 5

को अद्धा वेद क इह प्र वोचद्देवाँ अच्छा पथ्या का समेति । ददृश्र एषामवमा सदांसि परेषु या गुह्येषु व्रतेषु ॥

Who truly knows, who here can declare the right path by which one reaches the gods? Their lower seats are seen; but those that are beyond—hidden in the secret laws—(are hard to perceive).

Mantra 6

कविर्नृचक्षा अभि षीमचष्ट ऋतस्य योना विघृते मदन्ती । नाना चक्राते सदनं यथा वेः समानेन क्रतुना संविदाने ॥

The seer, with the eye for men, has beheld them: the two mothers rejoicing in the wide-spread (world), the womb of Rita. They fashion their dwelling in many ways, as you know—yet they are in mutual accord by one and the same will of consciousness (kratu).

Mantra 7

समान्या वियुते दूरेअन्ते ध्रुवे पदे तस्थतुर्जागरूके । उत स्वसारा युवती भवन्ती आदु ब्रुवाते मिथुनानि नाम ॥

Though one in essence, they are separated to far ends; in the firm station they stand, awake. And as two sisters, becoming young in their ever-renewing power, they speak forth the paired names (the dualities through which the world is ordered).

Mantra 8

विश्वेदेते जनिमा सं विविक्तो महो देवान्बिभ्रती न व्यथेते । एजद्ध्रुवं पत्यते विश्वमेकं चरत्पतत्रि विषुणं वि जातम् ॥

All these births are set apart in their order; bearing the great gods, the two do not falter. The moving leans upon the unmoving; the whole is one. The winged that moves goes forth, variously born and widely manifested.

Mantra 9

सना पुराणमध्येम्यारान्महः पितुर्जनितुर्जामि तन्नः । देवासो यत्र पनितार एवैरुरौ पथि व्युते तस्थुरन्तः ॥

From of old I move toward the ancient (truth), from near at hand, to the kinship of the great Father, the begetter—may that be ours. There, where the Gods, by their goadings, stood within on the wide path that has been opened out.

Mantra 10

इमं स्तोमं रोदसी प्र ब्रवीम्यृदूदराः शृणवन्नग्निजिह्वाः । मित्रः सम्राजो वरुणो युवान आदित्यासः कवयः पप्रथानाः ॥

This hymn I proclaim forth to Heaven-and-Earth; may the wide-bosomed ones hear, the flame-tongued powers. Mitra the sovereign and Varuṇa the ever-young; the Ādityas, seer-powers, spreading in their vastness.

Mantra 11

हिरण्यपाणिः सविता सुजिह्वस्त्रिरा दिवो विदथे पत्यमानः । देवेषु च सवितः श्लोकमश्रेरादस्मभ्यमा सुव सर्वतातिम् ॥

Savitṛ of golden hands, of noble tongue, thrice taking lordship in the assemblies of heaven; and among the gods, O Savitṛ, you have set the luminous chant—then for us, bring forth the plenitude in every way.

Mantra 12

सुकृत्सुपाणिः स्ववाँ ऋतावा देवस्त्वष्टावसे तानि नो धात् । पूषण्वन्त ऋभवो मादयध्वमूर्ध्वग्रावाणो अध्वरमतष्ट ॥

May Tvaṣṭṛ, the god of perfect making—good-worker, good-handed, self-possessing, keeper of the Truth—set for us those helps. O Ṛbhus, with Pūṣan as companion, grow glad; you who lift the pressing-stones upward, you have fashioned the sacrifice.

Mantra 13

विद्युद्रथा मरुत ऋष्टिमन्तो दिवो मर्या ऋतजाता अयासः । सरस्वती शृणवन्यज्ञियासो धाता रयिं सहवीरं तुरासः ॥

Maruts with lightning for chariots, spear-bearing youths of heaven, born of the Truth and tireless—may they hear. May Sarasvatī hear, worthy of the offering; may Dhātṛ, O swift ones, establish for us the spiritual richness with heroic energies.

Mantra 14

विष्णुं स्तोमासः पुरुदस्ममर्का भगस्येव कारिणो यामनि ग्मन् । उरुक्रमः ककुहो यस्य पूर्वीर्न मर्धन्ति युवतयो जनित्रीः ॥

To Viṣṇu the hymns and chants go on their way, like workers to Bhaga’s portion. Wide-striding, high-crested is he, whose many former births—those youthful, creative powers—do not fail or grow diminished.

Mantra 15

इन्द्रो विश्वैर्वीर्यैः पत्यमान उभे आ पप्रौ रोदसी महित्वा । पुरंदरो वृत्रहा धृष्णुषेणः संगृभ्या न आ भरा भूरि पश्वः ॥

Indra, taking lordship by all his powers of heroism, has filled both Heaven and Earth with his greatness. The breaker of strongholds, slayer of the Coverer, with his bold host—gather together and bring to us abundant herds of light-energies.

Mantra 16

नासत्या मे पितरा बन्धुपृच्छा सजात्यमश्विनोश्चारु नाम । युवं हि स्थो रयिदौ नो रयीणां दात्रं रक्षेथे अकवैरदब्धा ॥

O Nāsatyas, my two Fathers, asked as kin by the friend-seeking heart—your fair name is of one lineage. For you indeed are givers of plenitude; you guard for us the gift of riches, un-deceived by the crooked forces.

Mantra 17

महत्तद्वः कवयश्चारु नाम यद्ध देवा भवथ विश्व इन्द्रे । सख ऋभुभिः पुरुहूत प्रियेभिरिमां धियं सातये तक्षता नः ॥

Great is that, O seers, your fair name—since indeed you gods become all in Indra. O much-invoked one, friend with the beloved Ṛbhus, fashion for us this thought for the winning.

Mantra 18

अर्यमा णो अदितिर्यज्ञियासोऽदब्धानि वरुणस्य व्रतानि । युयोत नो अनपत्यानि गन्तोः प्रजावान्नः पशुमाँ अस्तु गातुः ॥

May Aryaman and Aditi, worthy of the offering, and the un-failing laws of Varuṇa, protect us. Drive away from us the ways that lead to barrenness; may our path be rich in progeny and rich in the herds of light-energies.

Mantra 19

देवानां दूतः पुरुध प्रसूतोऽनागान्नो वोचतु सर्वताता । शृणोतु नः पृथिवी द्यौरुतापः सूर्यो नक्षत्रैरुर्वन्तरिक्षम् ॥

May the messenger of the Gods, manifoldly impelled, speak for us faultless wholeness on every side. May Earth hear us, and Heaven, and the Waters; may the Sun with the host of stars, and the wide mid-world, give ear to our aspiration.

Mantra 20

शृण्वन्तु नो वृषणः पर्वतासो ध्रुवक्षेमास इळया मदन्तः । आदित्यैर्नो अदितिः शृणोतु यच्छन्तु नो मरुतः शर्म भद्रम् ॥

May the strong Mountains hear us, rejoicing in the stream of nourishment, firm in their settled peace. With the Ādityas may Aditi hear us; may the Maruts grant us a happy shelter—benign protection for the journey.

Mantra 21

सदा सुगः पितुमाँ अस्तु पन्था मध्वा देवा ओषधीः सं पिपृक्त । भगो मे अग्ने सख्ये न मृध्या उद्रायो अश्यां सदनं पुरुक्षोः ॥

May the path be always easy and rich in true sustenance; with sweetness, O Gods, harmonize the healing powers within us. O Agni, as Bhaga for me, do not fail in friendship; may I rise into the plenitudes of being and attain the dwelling of wide extension.

Mantra 22

स्वदस्व हव्या समिषो दिदीह्यस्मद्र्यक्सं मिमीहि श्रवांसि । विश्वाँ अग्ने पृत्सु ताञ्जेषि शत्रूनहा विश्वा सुमना दीदिही नः ॥

Make the offerings sweet to thee; blaze with the kindling-force and gather our strengths of inspired hearing toward us. O Agni, conquer all those enemies in the battles; day by day, in all ways, shining with a good will, illumine us.