Sukta 41

Mantra 1

को नु वां मित्रावरुणावृतायन्दिवो वा महः पार्थिवस्य वा दे । ऋतस्य वा सदसि त्रासीथां नो यज्ञायते वा पशुषो न वाजान् ॥

Who will truly serve you two, Mitra and Varuṇa, in the heaven or in the great, or in the earthly realm? In the seat of Ṛta, protect us—whether for the sacrificer or for the one who seeks like a herdsman the plenitudes of force.

Mantra 2

ते नो मित्रो वरुणो अर्यमायुरिन्द्र ऋभुक्षा मरुतो जुषन्त । नमोभिर्वा ये दधते सुवृक्तिं स्तोमं रुद्राय मीळ्हुषे सजोषाः ॥

May Mitra and Varuṇa, Aryaman and the life-power, Indra, the R̥bhukṣans, and the Maruts take delight in us—those who with acts of adoration establish a well-woven word, a hymn for Rudra the bountiful, in one accord.

Mantra 3

आ वां येष्ठाश्विना हुवध्यै वातस्य पत्मन्रथ्यस्य पुष्टौ । उत वा दिवो असुराय मन्म प्रान्धांसीव यज्यवे भरध्वम् ॥

Come, O eldest Aśvins, to be invoked—on the path of the Wind, in the nourishment of the moving chariot; and bring also from heaven the inspired thought for the lordly power, as one brings light forward through darkness, for the sacrificer.

Mantra 4

प्र सक्षणो दिव्यः कण्वहोता त्रितो दिवः सजोषा वातो अग्निः । पूषा भगः प्रभृथे विश्वभोजा आजिं न जग्मुराश्वश्वतमाः ॥

Forth go the capable divine Kaṇva-priest, and Trita of heaven in one accord, and Vāta and Agni; Pūṣan and Bhaga, givers of all enjoyments, have reached the course like the best of steeds in the race.

Mantra 5

प्र वो रयिं युक्ताश्वं भरध्वं राय एषेऽवसे दधीत धीः । सुशेव एवैरौशिजस्य होता ये व एवा मरुतस्तुराणाम् ॥

Bring forth for you the plenitude (rayi) that is yoked with swift steeds—an abundance of energies. For the sake of that fullness, let the thought (dhī) be set in its right placing for help. The gracious Hotṛ of Auśija, with his impelling powers, calls those very Maruts—swift in their rush—to our inner offering.

Mantra 6

प्र वो वायुं रथयुजं कृणुध्वं प्र देवं विप्रं पनितारमर्कैः । इषुध्यव ऋतसापः पुरंधीर्वस्वीर्नो अत्र पत्नीरा धिये धुः ॥

Yoke for yourselves Vāyu, joined to the chariot—set the divine inspired one in front with hymns, the awakener who kindles delight. O arrow-ready powers, companions of the Truth, may the rich fulfillments (purandhīs), as our here-present partner-powers, be set into our thought for its increase.

Mantra 7

उप व एषे वन्द्येभिः शूषैः प्र यह्वी दिवश्चितयद्भिरर्कैः । उषासानक्ता विदुषीव विश्वमा हा वहतो मर्त्याय यज्ञम् ॥

I draw near with forces worthy of adoration, with hymns that awaken even the heaven. Dawn and Night, as if knowing all, bring here the whole sacrifice for the mortal—carry it into our embodied field of offering.

Mantra 8

अभि वो अर्चे पोष्यावतो नॄन्वास्तोष्पतिं त्वष्टारं रराणः । धन्या सजोषा धिषणा नमोभिर्वनस्पतीँरोषधी राय एषे ॥

I chant toward you the nourishing powers among men—Vāstoṣpati and Tvaṣṭṛ—rejoicing in the shaping. Auspicious and in one accord, Dhiṣaṇā with acts of homage, and the lords of the forest, the healing plants: for the sake of plenitude (rayi) I seek them.

Mantra 9

तुजे नस्तने पर्वताः सन्तु स्वैतवो ये वसवो न वीराः । पनित आप्त्यो यजतः सदा नो वर्धान्नः शंसं नर्यो अभिष्टौ ॥

For our pressing onward, let the Mountains be our firm supports, self-impelled like the Vasus, like heroes. May the adorable Aptya, the awakener of delight, ever increase for us the manly word of affirmation in the moment of our seeking.

Mantra 10

वृष्णो अस्तोषि भूम्यस्य गर्भं त्रितो नपातमपां सुवृक्ति । गृणीते अग्निरेतरी न शूषैः शोचिष्केशो नि रिणाति वना ॥

Thou hast been praised as the strong one, the embryo of the earth—Trita’s child, the offspring of the Waters—by a well-shaped utterance. Agni is sung, advancing with energies: with hair of flame he clears and releases the forests (the tangled growths) within us.

Mantra 11

कथा महे रुद्रियाय ब्रवाम कद्राये चिकितुषे भगाय । आप ओषधीरुत नोऽवन्तु द्यौर्वना गिरयो वृक्षकेशाः ॥

How shall we speak to the Great one of Rudra’s power, and to Bhaga the knower, for the giving of delight? May the Waters and the healing plants protect us; may Heaven, the forests, and the mountains with tree-hair guard and shelter our path.

Mantra 12

शृणोतु न ऊर्जां पतिर्गिरः स नभस्तरीयाँ इषिरः परिज्मा । शृण्वन्त्वापः पुरो न शुभ्राः परि स्रुचो बबृहाणस्याद्रेः ॥

May the Lord of plenitude hear our words—he who crosses the mid-air, swift-moving all around. Let the Waters hear, bright as strongholds before us, encircling the streams of offering of the swelling rock (the pressed abundance).

Mantra 13

विदा चिन्नु महान्तो ये व एवा ब्रवाम दस्मा वार्यं दधानाः । वयश्चन सुभ्व आव यन्ति क्षुभा मर्तमनुयतं वधस्नैः ॥

Indeed, the great ones know—those very ones of yours of whom we speak—wonder-workers bearing the precious plenitude. Even the birds of good becoming come down; but the shaking forces pursue the mortal who follows wrongly, with their smiting powers.

Mantra 14

आ दैव्यानि पार्थिवानि जन्मापश्चाच्छा सुमखाय वोचम् । वर्धन्तां द्यावो गिरश्चन्द्राग्रा उदा वर्धन्तामभिषाता अर्णाः ॥

I have spoken toward the divine and the earthly births, and to the Waters, for the one of good sacrifice. Let the Heavens grow, and the words whose forefront is luminous; let the surging floods, victorious in their onrush, increase and rise.

Mantra 15

पदेपदे मे जरिमा नि धायि वरूत्री वा शक्रा या पायुभिश्च । सिषक्तु माता मही रसा नः स्मत्सूरिभिॠजुहस्त ऋजुवनिः ॥

At every step may the burden of decay in me be laid down. May the strong Protectress who guards with her powers of preservation stand for us. Let the mighty Mother, rich in essence, pour herself into us—she who, with our illumined seers, sets the hands and the movement straight toward the Truth.

Mantra 16

कथा दाशेम नमसा सुदानूनेवया मरुतो अच्छोक्तौ प्रश्रवसो मरुतो अच्छोक्तौ । मा नोऽहिर्बुध्न्यो रिषे धादस्माकं भूदुपमातिवनिः ॥

How shall we give with our reverence to the generous Maruts, coming by the true call, the far-hearing Maruts who arrive to the clear invocation? Let not the serpent of the depths strike us with harm; may our power of overcoming and measured mastery become effective for us.

Mantra 17

इति चिन्नु प्रजायै पशुमत्यै देवासो वनते मर्त्यो व आ देवासो वनते मर्त्यो वः । अत्रा शिवां तन्वो धासिमस्या जरां चिन्मे निॠतिर्जग्रसीत ॥

Thus indeed, for progeny and for the fullness of forces, a mortal wins you, O gods—yes, a mortal wins you. Here may we set a gracious form of our embodied being; may the Power of Dissolution not devour even my aging and decline.

Mantra 18

तां वो देवाः सुमतिमूर्जयन्तीमिषमश्याम वसवः शसा गोः । सा नः सुदानुर्मृळयन्ती देवी प्रति द्रवन्ती सुविताय गम्याः ॥

That luminous right-mindedness which increases our strength and brings the sustaining plenitude—may we attain it, O gods, O Vasus, by the Word that calls the Light. May that generous Goddess, healing and compassionate, run toward us and be accessible for our good passage and right felicity.

Mantra 19

अभि न इळा यूथस्य माता स्मन्नदीभिरुर्वशी वा गृणातु । उर्वशी वा बृहद्दिवा गृणानाभ्यूर्ण्वाना प्रभृथस्यायोः ॥

May Ilā, the Mother of the herds, speak over us; or may Urvaśī with the rivers chant for us—Urvaśī, vast as heaven, chanting and wrapping us about with the uplifted bearing of the offering and its plenitude.

Mantra 20

सिषक्तु न ऊर्जव्यस्य पुष्टेः ॥

Let it be poured into us—the increase of the forceful plenitude and the nourishment that builds our being.