Sukta 61

Mantra 1

के ष्ठा नरः श्रेष्ठतमा य एकएक आयय । परमस्याः परावतः ॥

Who are you, O heroes, the most excellent, who have come each one by himself from the farthest distance of the supreme realm?

Mantra 2

क्व वोऽश्वाः क्वाभीशवः कथं शेक कथा यय । पृष्ठे सदो नसोर्यमः ॥

Where are your horses, where your reins? How are you able, how do you move—how is your seat upon the back, and what is the yoking/measure of your course?

Mantra 3

जघने चोद एषां वि सक्थानि नरो यमुः । पुत्रकृथे न जनयः ॥

At their rear is the impulse; the heroes spread their thighs apart—like begetters for the making of a son.

Mantra 4

परा वीरास एतन मर्यासो भद्रजानयः । अग्नितपो यथासथ ॥

Go forth, O heroes; advance, O young men of auspicious birth, as you are—like those whose tapas is Agni, burning with the fire-force.

Mantra 5

सनत्साश्व्यं पशुमुत गव्यं शतावयम् । श्यावाश्वस्तुताय या दोर्वीरायोपबर्बृहत् ॥

She won for him the horse-rich, the cattle-wealth, and the hundredfold increase; she who, for Śyāvāśva’s praise, strengthened might for the hero of the arm.

Mantra 6

उत त्वा स्त्री शशीयसी पुंसो भवति वस्यसी । अदेवत्रादराधसः ॥

And even a woman becomes more powerful than a man for you; (save/protect) from the godless and from the ill-achiever.

Mantra 7

वि या जानाति जसुरिं वि तृष्यन्तं वि कामिनम् । देवत्रा कृणुते मनः ॥

She who discerns and separates the crooked impulse, the thirsting urge, and the craving desire—she turns the mind toward the divine direction.

Mantra 8

उत घा नेमो अस्तुतः पुमाँ इति ब्रुवे पणिः । स वैरदेय इत्समः ॥

And indeed the Paṇi declares: ‘He is only a man, unpraised and without reverence’; but in the very field of rivalry and giving he is their equal.

Mantra 9

उत मेऽरपद्युवतिर्ममन्दुषी प्रति श्यावाय वर्तनिम् । वि रोहिता पुरुमीळ्हाय येमतुर्विप्राय दीर्घयशसे ॥

And for me the young radiant power has moved forward, the gladdening one, along the path facing the dark; and the two ruddy energies have pressed on for the much-gracious One, for the seer of far-extended fame.

Mantra 10

यो मे धेनूनां शतं वैददश्विर्यथा ददत् । तरन्त इव मंहना ॥

He who found for me a hundred streams of the nourishing powers, and gave them as is fitting—he is like one crossing beyond by an abundant impulsion.

Mantra 11

य ईं वहन्त आशुभिः पिबन्तो मदिरं मधु । अत्र श्रवांसि दधिरे ॥

They who carry him with swift powers, drinking the intoxicating honey—here they have set their luminous renown.

Mantra 12

येषां श्रियाधि रोदसी विभ्राजन्ते रथेष्वा । दिवि रुक्म इवोपरि ॥

They whose splendor shines over the two worlds, flashing upon their chariots—like a golden radiance set aloft in heaven.

Mantra 13

युवा स मारुतो गणस्त्वेषरथो अनेद्यः । शुभंयावाप्रतिष्कुतः ॥

Young is that Marut host, with blazing chariots, faultless; moving in beauty, unrepulsed and unthwarted.

Mantra 14

को वेद नूनमेषां यत्रा मदन्ति धूतयः । ऋतजाता अरेपसः ॥

Who now truly knows where these pure-shining ones take their ecstasy—born of the Truth, stainless in their being?

Mantra 15

यूयं मर्तं विपन्यवः प्रणेतार इत्था धिया । श्रोतारो यामहूतिषु ॥

You, O wonder-working powers, lead the mortal by this right vision; you are hearers of the calls in the journeys of invocation.

Mantra 16

ते नो वसूनि काम्या पुरुश्चन्द्रा रिशादसः । आ यज्ञियासो ववृत्तन ॥

Bring to us the desirable riches—many-shining and wide-radiant, O destroyers of harm; turn yourselves here, you who are worthy of the sacrifice.

Mantra 17

एतं मे स्तोममूर्म्ये दार्भ्याय परा वह । गिरो देवि रथीरिव ॥

O Wave-born Goddess, carry forth this my hymn of praise to Dārbhya—bear my inspired utterances like a charioteer bearing the car, so the word may arrive intact to its goal within the seeker.

Mantra 18

उत मे वोचतादिति सुतसोमे रथवीतौ । न कामो अप वेति मे ॥

And let it be spoken for me—‘thus!’—in the chariot-bearing movement where Soma is pressed: my will-to-attain does not fall away; the flame of aspiration in me does not depart.

Mantra 19

एष क्षेति रथवीतिर्मघवा गोमतीरनु । पर्वतेष्वपश्रितः ॥

This is the abiding chariot-drive of the Bounteous One: he moves along the luminous ‘cows’ (rays of knowledge), leaning upon the heights—supported by the mountains of firm consciousness.