Mantra 1
Sukta 53
कालः। कालो अश्वो वहति सप्तरश्मिः सहस्राक्षो अजरो भूरिरेताः । तमा रोहन्ति कवयो विपश्चितस्तस्य चक्रा भुवनानि विश्वा
kāláḥ | kā́lo áśvo vahati saptáraśmiḥ sahasrā́kṣo ajáro bhū́riretāḥ | tám ā́ rohanti kaváyo vipaścítaḥ tásya cakrā́ bhúvanāni víśvā ||
Time—Time is the Steed that beareth on, with seven reins, thousand-eyed, unaging, of plenteous seed. Him mount the Poets, the discerning sages: his wheels are all the worlds that be.
काल। काल वह अश्व है जो सात रश्मियों (लगामों) से चलाया जाता है—सहस्र-नेत्र, अजर, बहु-वीर्यवान। उस पर कवि, विवेकशील ऋषि आरूढ़ होते हैं; उसके चक्र ही समस्त भुवन, सारे लोक हैं।
Rishi: Traditionally attributed in later lists to a Kāla-seer complex (often Atharvanic/Angirasa associations in AV 19).
Devata: Kāla (Time).
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (late AV speculative hymns often use triṣṭubh/jagatī patterns).
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