Sukta 33

Mantra 1

श्वित्यञ्चो मा दक्षिणतस्कपर्दा धियंजिन्वासो अभि हि प्रमन्दुः । उत्तिष्ठन्वोचे परि बर्हिषो नॄन्न मे दूरादवितवे वसिष्ठाः ॥

Gleaming, with their locks bound on the right, they have gladdened me, fostering the thought, pressing near in delight. Rising up, I speak, encompassing the men around the sacred grass: O Vasiṣṭhas, be not far from me for protection.

Mantra 2

दूरादिन्द्रमनयन्ना सुतेन तिरो वैशन्तमति पान्तमुग्रम् । पाशद्युम्नस्य वायतस्य सोमात्सुतादिन्द्रोऽवृणीता वसिष्ठान् ॥

From afar they led Indra hither by the pressed Soma, passing beyond the encircling (powers), beyond the guarded, the formidable. From the Soma pressed by Pāśadyumna Vāyata, Indra chose the Vasiṣṭhas—making them his own for the work.

Mantra 3

एवेन्नु कं सिन्धुमेभिस्ततारेवेन्नु कं भेदमेभिर्जघान । एवेन्नु कं दाशराज्ञे सुदासं प्रावदिन्द्रो ब्रह्मणा वो वसिष्ठाः ॥

Thus indeed he crossed the river with these (helpers); thus indeed he smote Bheda with these. Thus indeed, in the battle of the Ten Kings, Indra protected Sudās by your brahman, O Vasiṣṭhas—by the power of the inspired Word.

Mantra 4

जुष्टी नरो ब्रह्मणा वः पितॄणामक्षमव्ययं न किला रिषाथ । यच्छक्वरीषु बृहता रवेणेन्द्रे शुष्ममदधाता वसिष्ठाः ॥

Men, you were beloved for your fathers’ brahman; you did not, indeed, injure the imperishable axle (the steadfast law). When in the śakvarī measures, with a vast cry, you set the force in Indra, O Vasiṣṭhas.

Mantra 5

उद्द्यामिवेत्तृष्णजो नाथितासोऽदीधयुर्दाशराज्ञे वृतासः । वसिष्ठस्य स्तुवत इन्द्रो अश्रोदुरुं तृत्सुभ्यो अकृणोदु लोकम् ॥

As if up to heaven, the thirst-born and seeking ones kindled (their fire of effort) in the battle of the Ten Kings. Indra heard the praise of Vasiṣṭha and made for the Tṛtsus a wide space—a free world for the right-going being.

Mantra 6

दण्डा इवेद्गोअजनास आसन्परिच्छिन्ना भरता अर्भकासः । अभवच्च पुरएता वसिष्ठ आदित्तृत्सूनां विशो अप्रथन्त ॥

Like firm staves, the Bharatas—still young in their growth—stood compact and well-knit, born of the luminous Cow (the Rays of knowledge). And Vasiṣṭha became their leader in the front; then indeed the peoples of the Tṛtsus spread out and grew in their ordered strength.

Mantra 7

त्रयः कृण्वन्ति भुवनेषु रेतस्तिस्रः प्रजा आर्या ज्योतिरग्राः । त्रयो घर्मास उषसं सचन्ते सर्वाँ इत्ताँ अनु विदुर्वसिष्ठाः ॥

Three set the seed of becoming in the worlds; three are the noble births whose first head is Light. Three are the heats that companion the Dawn. All these indeed the Vasiṣṭhas know and follow in their right understanding.

Mantra 8

सूर्यस्येव वक्षथो ज्योतिरेषां समुद्रस्येव महिमा गभीरः । वातस्येव प्रजवो नान्येन स्तोमो वसिष्ठा अन्वेतवे वः ॥

As the Sun bears and drives forward their light, as the Ocean holds a deep and vast greatness, as the Wind moves with irresistible impetus—so is this hymn, O Vasiṣṭhas, to pursue and reach you by no other path.

Mantra 9

त इन्निण्यं हृदयस्य प्रकेतैः सहस्रवल्शमभि सं चरन्ति । यमेन ततं परिधिं वयन्तोऽप्सरस उप सेदुर्वसिष्ठाः ॥

They move about the secret place of the heart by their powers of luminous discernment, encompassing the thousand-branched growth. Weaving the boundary that is stretched by Yama’s law, the Vasiṣṭhas have drawn near to the Apsarases (the flowing inspirations).

Mantra 10

विद्युतो ज्योतिः परि संजिहानं मित्रावरुणा यदपश्यतां त्वा । तत्ते जन्मोतैकं वसिष्ठागस्त्यो यत्त्वा विश आजभार ॥

When Mitra and Varuṇa beheld you as a light of lightning gathering around itself, that was one of your births, O Vasiṣṭha. Another was when Agastya bore you forth for the peoples—to serve the collective life with the flame of ordered truth.

Mantra 11

उतासि मैत्रावरुणो वसिष्ठोर्वश्या ब्रह्मन्मनसोऽधि जातः । द्रप्सं स्कन्नं ब्रह्मणा दैव्येन विश्वे देवाः पुष्करे त्वाददन्त ॥

And you are the Maitrāvaruṇa, O Vasiṣṭha; born from Urvaśī, O brahman, out of the mind. A drop that had fallen, by the divine Word, all the gods placed you in the lotus-pool—so the concentrated essence might grow into a seer’s established power.

Mantra 12

स प्रकेत उभयस्य प्रविद्वान्त्सहस्रदान उत वा सदानः । यमेन ततं परिधिं वयिष्यन्नप्सरसः परि जज्ञे वसिष्ठः ॥

He, the luminous discerner, knowing both sides (heavenly and earthly, inner and outer), giver of a thousand plenitudes and also their constant holder—desiring to weave Yama’s stretched boundary, Vasiṣṭha was born encompassing the Apsarases, the flowing inspirations.

Mantra 13

सत्रे ह जाताविषिता नमोभिः कुम्भे रेतः सिषिचतुः समानम् । ततो ह मान उदियाय मध्यात्ततो जातमृषिमाहुर्वसिष्ठम् ॥

In the sacrifice-session, urged at birth by acts of reverence, they poured the one common seed into a jar. From there the vital self rose upward from the middle; from there they call the born one a seer—Vasiṣṭha, the most established in the truth.

Mantra 14

उक्थभृतं सामभृतं बिभर्ति ग्रावाणं बिभ्रत्प्र वदात्यग्रे । उपैनमाध्वं सुमनस्यमाना आ वो गच्छाति प्रतृदो वसिष्ठः ॥

He bears the hymn and he bears the chant; bearing the pressing-stone, he speaks forth in the front. Draw near to him with a happy and consenting mind; Vasiṣṭha the path-breaker comes to you.