Sukta 48

Mantra 1

स्वादोरभक्षि वयसः सुमेधाः स्वाध्यो वरिवोवित्तरस्य । विश्वे यं देवा उत मर्त्यासो मधु ब्रुवन्तो अभि संचरन्ति ॥

Of the sweet one I have tasted—of the life-force; becoming clear-minded and inwardly masterful, I have entered the wider freedom. Around that Honey all the gods and mortals move together, calling it sweetness.

Mantra 2

अन्तश्च प्रागा अदितिर्भवास्यवयाता हरसो दैव्यस्य । इन्दविन्द्रस्य सख्यं जुषाणः श्रौष्टीव धुरमनु राय ऋध्याः ॥

Enter within and move forward; become Aditi, the boundless, warding off the divine heat’s excess. O Soma-drop, enjoying friendship with Indra, prosper in the riches—like a well-yoked mare following the pole.

Mantra 3

अपाम सोमममृता अभूमागन्म ज्योतिरविदाम देवान् । किं नूनमस्मान्कृणवदरातिः किमु धूर्तिरमृत मर्त्यस्य ॥

We have drunk the Soma; we have become immortal. We have gone to the Light; we have found the gods. What can hostility do to us now? What can the deceiver’s craft do, O Immortal, against the mortal who has entered this state?

Mantra 5

इमे मा पीता यशस उरुष्यवो रथं न गावः समनाह पर्वसु । ते मा रक्षन्तु विस्रसश्चरित्रादुत मा स्रामाद्यवयन्त्विन्दवः ॥

These Soma-drops, drunk by me, full of glory and eager to protect, have yoked themselves like steeds to a chariot at the joints. Let them guard me from disintegration in the movement of life, and let the Indus drive away from me weariness and slackness.

Mantra 6

अग्निं न मा मथितं सं दिदीपः प्र चक्षय कृणुहि वस्यसो नः । अथा हि ते मद आ सोम मन्ये रेवाँ इव प्र चरा पुष्टिमच्छ ॥

Like fire kindled by churning, blaze out within me. Make for us a clearer seeing and a better state. For in your ecstasy, O Soma, I feel you move forward like a rich power, advancing toward plenitude.

Mantra 7

इषिरेण ते मनसा सुतस्य भक्षीमहि पित्र्यस्येव रायः । सोम राजन्प्र ण आयूंषि तारीरहानीव सूर्यो वासराणि ॥

With the eager mind we partake of you, the pressed Soma, as of an ancestral treasure. O King Soma, carry our life-powers forward, as the Sun carries the days onward into their widening course.

Mantra 8

सोम राजन्मृळया नः स्वस्ति तव स्मसि व्रत्यास्तस्य विद्धि । अलर्ति दक्ष उत मन्युरिन्दो मा नो अर्यो अनुकामं परा दाः ॥

O King Soma, be gracious to us; grant us well-being. We are your votaries—know that. The power of discernment is awake, and the force of will too, O Indu; do not hand us over to the hostile ‘other’ according to his desire.

Mantra 9

त्वं हि नस्तन्वः सोम गोपा गात्रेगात्रे निषसत्था नृचक्षाः । यत्ते वयं प्रमिनाम व्रतानि स नो मृळ सुषखा देव वस्यः ॥

Thou indeed art the guardian of our being, O Soma; in each limb and in every part thou hast taken thy seat, O seer of men. If we have diminished thy laws of right working, then be gracious to us—O god, our good friend, most ready to give the best.

Mantra 10

ऋदूदरेण सख्या सचेय यो मा न रिष्येद्धर्यश्व पीतः । अयं यः सोमो न्यधाय्यस्मे तस्मा इन्द्रं प्रतिरमेम्यायुः ॥

With the wide-bellied one I would enter into friendship—he who, when drunk, harms me not, O Indra of the tawny steeds. This Soma that has been set within us—by that I go forward to Indra, to the firm support of life.

Mantra 11

अप त्या अस्थुरनिरा अमीवा निरत्रसन्तमिषीचीरभैषुः । आ सोमो अस्माँ अरुहद्विहाया अगन्म यत्र प्रतिरन्त आयुः ॥

Away have those sicknesses stood—powerless; the darkness-moving ones have fled in fear. Soma has mounted us upward into wide spaces; we have gone where life is firmly established and unbroken.

Mantra 12

यो न इन्दुः पितरो हृत्सु पीतोऽमर्त्यो मर्त्याँ आविवेश । तस्मै सोमाय हविषा विधेम मृळीके अस्य सुमतौ स्याम ॥

This Indu, O Fathers, drunk within the hearts—immortal—has entered into mortals. To that Soma with our offering we would give worship; in his grace and in his good mind may we abide.

Mantra 13

त्वं सोम पितृभिः संविदानोऽनु द्यावापृथिवी आ ततन्थ । तस्मै त इन्दो हविषा विधेम वयं स्याम पतयो रयीणाम् ॥

Thou, O Soma, in conscious accord with the Fathers, hast stretched out Heaven and Earth in their course. To thee, O Indu, with our offering we would give worship; may we become masters of the riches—of the plenitudes of being.

Mantra 14

त्रातारो देवा अधि वोचता नो मा नो निद्रा ईशत मोत जल्पिः । वयं सोमस्य विश्वह प्रियासः सुवीरासो विदथमा वदेम ॥

O saving gods, speak above us and for us; let not sleep master us, nor idle chatter. We are ever dear to Soma; strong in heroic energies, may we speak in the assembly of the sacrifice.

Mantra 15

त्वं नः सोम विश्वतो वयोधास्त्वं स्वर्विदा विशा नृचक्षाः । त्वं न इन्द ऊतिभिः सजोषाः पाहि पश्चातादुत वा पुरस्तात् ॥

Thou, O Soma, art the giver of strength from every side; thou, finder of the Sun-world, enter among the peoples as the seer of men. Thou, O Indu, with thy consenting helps, protect us from behind and also from the front.