Sukta 8

Mantra 1

अञ्जन्ति त्वामध्वरे देवयन्तो वनस्पते मधुना दैव्येन । यदूर्ध्वस्तिष्ठा द्रविणेह धत्ताद्यद्वा क्षयो मातुरस्या उपस्थे ॥

They anoint thee in the sacrifice, O Lord of the Wood, with the divine honey. When thou standest upright, set here the inner riches; or when thou hast thy dwelling in the lap of this Mother, then too establish the gain.

Mantra 2

समिद्धस्य श्रयमाणः पुरस्ताद्ब्रह्म वन्वानो अजरं सुवीरम् । आरे अस्मदमतिं बाधमान उच्छ्रयस्व महते सौभगाय ॥

Leaning forward before the kindled flame, conquering by the Word an undecaying and heroic power, drive far from us the crookedness of mind; rise up for a great good-fortune.

Mantra 3

उच्छ्रयस्व वनस्पते वर्ष्मन्पृथिव्या अधि । सुमिती मीयमानो वर्चो धा यज्ञवाहसे ॥

Rise up, O Lord of the Wood, upon the height of the Earth. Measured out in a right harmony, place the splendor for the bearer of the sacrifice.

Mantra 4

युवा सुवासाः परिवीत आगात्स उ श्रेयान्भवति जायमानः । तं धीरासः कवय उन्नयन्ति स्वाध्यो मनसा देवयन्तः ॥

Youthful, well-clad, fully encompassed (by his own radiance), he comes; and even as he is being born he becomes the more excellent. Him the steadfast seers, the poets, uplift—self-mastered—by a mind that seeks the Divine.

Mantra 5

जातो जायते सुदिनत्वे अह्नां समर्य आ विदथे वर्धमानः । पुनन्ति धीरा अपसो मनीषा देवया विप्र उदियर्ति वाचम् ॥

Born, he is born again into the fair-dayhood of the days, growing in the common movement, in the assembly. The steadfast purify the works by inspired intelligence; the godward sage lifts up the Word.

Mantra 6

यान्वो नरो देवयन्तो निमिम्युर्वनस्पते स्वधितिर्वा ततक्ष । ते देवासः स्वरवस्तस्थिवांसः प्रजावदस्मे दिधिषन्तु रत्नम् ॥

O Lord of the wood, what your god-seeking men have measured out, or what the bright axe has shaped—may those gods, standing in their own radiance, place in us a treasure rich in progeny (a fullness that generates).

Mantra 7

ये वृक्णासो अधि क्षमि निमितासो यतस्रुचः । ते नो व्यन्तु वार्यं देवत्रा क्षेत्रसाधसः ॥

Those that are cut and set upon the earth, with ladles held in right control—may they win for us the choicest plenitude, in the godward way, they who accomplish the field (the ordered ground of works).

Mantra 8

आदित्या रुद्रा वसवः सुनीथा द्यावाक्षामा पृथिवी अन्तरिक्षम् । सजोषसो यज्ञमवन्तु देवा ऊर्ध्वं कृण्वन्त्वध्वरस्य केतुम् ॥

May the Ādityas, Rudras, Vasus—of good leading—together with Heaven-and-Earth, the Earth, and the Midspace, in one consent, guard the sacrifice; may they make the banner-sign of the offering rise upward.

Mantra 9

हंसा इव श्रेणिशो यतानाः शुक्रा वसानाः स्वरवो न आगुः । उन्नीयमानाः कविभिः पुरस्ताद्देवा देवानामपि यन्ति पाथः ॥

Like swans in ordered flight they come, arrayed in brightness, crying the svar; led upward by the seers from the front, the gods go on the path that reaches to the gods.

Mantra 10

शृङ्गाणीवेच्छृङ्गिणां सं ददृश्रे चषालवन्तः स्वरवः पृथिव्याम् । वाघद्भिर्वा विहवे श्रोषमाणा अस्माँ अवन्तु पृतनाज्येषु ॥

Like the horns of the horned, they are seen together—bearing the caṣāla, the svar-sounding powers upon the earth. Whether with the singers or in the call of invocation, hearkening, may they protect us in the battles for mastery.

Mantra 11

वनस्पते शतवल्शो वि रोह सहस्रवल्शा वि वयं रुहेम । यं त्वामयं स्वधितिस्तेजमानः प्रणिनाय महते सौभगाय ॥

O Lord of the wood, grow forth with a hundred shoots; with a thousand shoots may we grow forth. You whom this shining axe has led forward—(lead us) to a great good fortune: a vastness of fulfilled being.