Sukta 16

Mantra 1

आ सत्यो यातु मघवाँ ऋजीषी द्रवन्त्वस्य हरय उप नः । तस्मा इदन्धः सुषुमा सुदक्षमिहाभिपित्वं करते गृणानः ॥

Let the true Maghavan come, the straight-pressing one; let his tawny powers rush towards us. For him indeed we have pressed the Soma-essence, well-skilled—so that, praised, he may make here a close communion and inward intimacy.

Mantra 2

अव स्य शूराध्वनो नान्तेऽस्मिन्नो अद्य सवने मन्दध्यै । शंसात्युक्थमुशनेव वेधाश्चिकितुषे असुर्याय मन्म ॥

Let not the hero fall short on this path’s end for us today at the Soma-session, for our gladness. The knower, like Uśanā, utters the hymn—an inspired thought for the discerning one, for the lordly power of the spirit (asuryā).

Mantra 3

कविर्न निण्यं विदथानि साधन्वृषा यत्सेकं विपिपानो अर्चात् । दिव इत्था जीजनत्सप्त कारूनह्ना चिच्चक्रुर्वयुना गृणन्तः ॥

Like a seer achieving the hidden workings, he accomplished the sessions of knowledge; the Bull, drinking the outpouring, sang forth. Thus from heaven he generated the seven poets; and in a single day they fashioned the workings of understanding, praising.

Mantra 4

स्वर्यद्वेदि सुदृशीकमर्कैर्महि ज्योती रुरुचुर्यद्ध वस्तोः । अन्धा तमांसि दुधिता विचक्षे नृभ्यश्चकार नृतमो अभिष्टौ ॥

When he came to know the heaven (the luminous wideness) made fair to see by the hymns, then a great Light shone forth at the breaking of the Dawn. He, the most truly human, in the desired winning, discerned and scattered the blind darknesses, and fashioned for the seekers the right field of action.

Mantra 5

ववक्ष इन्द्रो अमितमृजीष्युभे आ पप्रौ रोदसी महित्वा । अतश्चिदस्य महिमा वि रेच्यभि यो विश्वा भुवना बभूव ॥

Indra has grown to an immeasurable greatness; by his vastness he has filled both Heaven and Earth. Even beyond that his might expands, he who has become encompassing over all the worlds of becoming.

Mantra 6

विश्वानि शक्रो नर्याणि विद्वानपो रिरेच सखिभिर्निकामैः । अश्मानं चिद्ये बिभिदुर्वचोभिर्व्रजं गोमन्तमुशिजो वि वव्रुः ॥

The Mighty One, knowing all the works that build the human being, released the waters with comrades of one desire. They split even the stone by the power of the word, and opened wide the luminous pen of the Rays (the cows), the seekers aflame for the offering.

Mantra 7

अपो वृत्रं वव्रिवांसं पराहन्प्रावत्ते वज्रं पृथिवी सचेताः । प्रार्णांसि समुद्रियाण्यैनोः पतिर्भवञ्छवसा शूर धृष्णो ॥

You struck down Vṛtra who had covered the waters; the Earth, consenting in consciousness, urged forward your thunderbolt. You set free the oceanic currents, becoming their lord—O hero, bold by your force.

Mantra 8

अपो यदद्रिं पुरुहूत दर्दराविर्भुवत्सरमा पूर्व्यं ते । स नो नेता वाजमा दर्षि भूरिं गोत्रा रुजन्नङ्गिरोभिर्गृणानः ॥

When you, much-invoked, broke the rock that held the waters, then Saramā—your ancient intuition—became manifest. Be for us the leader; bring us a plenitude of force, breaking open the hidden pens of light with the Angiras powers, as we hymn you.

Mantra 9

अच्छा कविं नृमणो गा अभिष्टौ स्वर्षाता मघवन्नाधमानम् । ऊतिभिस्तमिषणो द्युम्नहूतौ नि मायावानब्रह्मा दस्युरर्त ॥

Move toward the seer-poet, O leader of the human mind, in the desired victory—O winner of the luminous heaven, O bounteous one, as he calls aloud. By your helps, impelling him in the invocation of the shining plenitudes, cast down the deceitful, wordless Dasyu-force.

Mantra 10

आ दस्युघ्ना मनसा याह्यस्तं भुवत्ते कुत्सः सख्ये निकामः । स्वे योनौ नि षदतं सरूपा वि वां चिकित्सदृतचिद्ध नारी ॥

Come homeward in mind, O slayer of the Dasyus; Kútsa has become for you a comrade in the friendship of one desire. Sit down together in your own source, of one form; the woman who knows by the Truth indeed perceives your secret working.

Mantra 11

यासि कुत्सेन सरथमवस्युस्तोदो वातस्य हर्योरीशानः । ऋज्रा वाजं न गध्यं युयूषन्कविर्यदहन्पार्याय भूषात् ॥

You go with Kútsa on the same chariot, desiring our good; you are the goad of the Wind, the master of the two tawny steeds. Urging on the straight-going plenitude of force like a swift course, the seer struck for the farther shore, to make the passage beautiful and accomplished.

Mantra 12

कुत्साय शुष्णमशुषं नि बर्हीः प्रपित्वे अह्नः कुयवं सहस्रा । सद्यो दस्यून्प्र मृण कुत्स्येन प्र सूरश्चक्रं वृहतादभीके ॥

For Kútsa you struck down Śuṣṇa, the withholder of increase; in the meeting of the days you shattered the thousandfold Kuyava. At once smite down the Dasyus with Kútsa; and let the Sun’s wheel roll vast in the near field of our being.

Mantra 13

त्वं पिप्रुं मृगयं शूशुवांसमृजिश्वने वैदथिनाय रन्धीः । पञ्चाशत्कृष्णा नि वपः सहस्रात्कं न पुरो जरिमा वि दर्दः ॥

You subdued Pipru the hunter, who had grown fierce, for Ṛjiśvan the finder in the path of sacrifice. You cast down the fifty dark powers from their thousandfold hold, and you broke the fortresses like age itself, making a clear way.

Mantra 14

सूर उपाके तन्वं दधानो वि यत्ते चेत्यमृतस्य वर्पः । मृगो न हस्ती तविषीमुषाणः सिंहो न भीम आयुधानि बिभ्रत् ॥

O Heroic One, taking on a body in the near field of our consciousness, when your immortal splendour becomes manifest and spreads, you press forward with force—like a wild beast, like a mighty elephant; like a dreadful lion you bear your weapons: the powers that break the obstruction.

Mantra 15

इन्द्रं कामा वसूयन्तो अग्मन्त्स्वर्मीळ्हे न सवने चकानाः । श्रवस्यवः शशमानास उक्थैरोको न रण्वा सुदृशीव पुष्टिः ॥

Our desires that seek the true wealth have gone to Indra, delighting in the Soma-pressing as in the giver of luminous abundance. Seeking the hearing of the Truth, growing by hymns, we reach a glad home—like a fair vision of plenitude that nourishes the being.

Mantra 16

तमिद्व इन्द्रं सुहवं हुवेम यस्ता चकार नर्या पुरूणि । यो मावते जरित्रे गध्यं चिन्मक्षू वाजं भरति स्पार्हराधाः ॥

That Indra indeed we call, the easy to invoke—he who has done many works for the human soul. He who for the singer that is devoted, even from constraint, swiftly brings the vāja: the plenitude of force, with riches desirable to the heart.

Mantra 17

तिग्मा यदन्तरशनिः पताति कस्मिञ्चिच्छूर मुहुके जनानाम् । घोरा यदर्य समृतिर्भवात्यध स्मा नस्तन्वो बोधि गोपाः ॥

When the sharp thunderbolt falls within, upon some vulnerable point of men, O Hero; when a dreadful collision of forces arises, O noble one—then be awake as the guardian of our bodies, protecting the soul’s instrument.

Mantra 18

भुवोऽविता वामदेवस्य धीनां भुवः सखावृको वाजसातौ । त्वामनु प्रमतिमा जगन्मोरुशंसो जरित्रे विश्वध स्याः ॥

Be the helper of Vāmadeva’s inspired thoughts; be the friend who cannot be harmed in the winning of vāja. Following you, we have come to the right understanding; become for the singer the wide-praised power of fulfillment, in every way.

Mantra 19

एभिर्नृभिरिन्द्र त्वायुभिष्ट्वा मघवद्भिर्मघवन्विश्व आजौ । द्यावो न द्युम्नैरभि सन्तो अर्यः क्षपो मदेम शरदश्च पूर्वीः ॥

With these men of Indra’s own life-force, with these generous powers, O generous Lord, may we encompass you in every battle. Like the heavens with their lights, O noble one, may we rejoice through the nights and through many former autumns—enduring in your luminous victory.

Mantra 20

एवेदिन्द्राय वृषभाय वृष्णे ब्रह्माकर्म भृगवो न रथम् । नू चिद्यथा नः सख्या वियोषदसन्न उग्रोऽविता तनूपाः ॥

Thus for Indra, the Bull and strong Master, we have fashioned the mantra—like the Bhṛgus fashion a chariot. And now too, so that our friendship may not be severed, may the fierce one be our helper, guarding the embodied being.

Mantra 21

नू ष्टुत इन्द्र नू गृणान इषं जरित्रे नद्यो न पीपेः । अकारि ते हरिवो ब्रह्म नव्यं धिया स्याम रथ्यः सदासाः ॥

Now praised, O Indra, now sung, may you swell the impulsion for the singer as rivers fill and overflow. For you, O bearer of the tawny steeds, a new mantra has been made; by inspired vision may we be fit for the chariot—ever seated in your companionship.