Sukta 27

Mantra 1

अग्निरुक्थे पुरोहितो ग्रावाणो बर्हिरध्वरे । ऋचा यामि मरुतो ब्रह्मणस्पतिं देवाँ अवो वरेण्यम् ॥

Agni is set in front in the chant; the pressing-stones and the sacred seat are in the sacrifice. With the hymn I go towards the Maruts, towards Brahmaṇaspati, and towards the gods—choosing their help as the supreme boon.

Mantra 2

आ पशुं गासि पृथिवीं वनस्पतीनुषासा नक्तमोषधीः । विश्वे च नो वसवो विश्ववेदसो धीनां भूत प्रावितारः ॥

Come to the living energies, to the wide earth, to the lords of growth, to Dawn and Night, to the healing herbs. And you all, O Vasus, all-knowing—be for our inspired thoughts their protectors and forward helpers.

Mantra 3

प्र सू न एत्वध्वरोऽग्ना देवेषु पूर्व्यः । आदित्येषु प्र वरुणे धृतव्रते मरुत्सु विश्वभानुषु ॥

Let our sacrifice go forward, led by Agni, ancient among the gods; forward among the Ādityas, forward to Varuṇa of the steadfast law, forward among the Maruts of all-illumining radiance.

Mantra 4

विश्वे हि ष्मा मनवे विश्ववेदसो भुवन्वृधे रिशादसः । अरिष्टेभिः पायुभिर्विश्ववेदसो यन्ता नोऽवृकं छर्दिः ॥

All you universal knowers, truly, for Manu the human seeker, you become increasers of his world and destroyers of the hurtful. With your uninjured powers of protection, O all-knowing ones, bring to us a wolf-less shelter—an inviolable covering of peace.

Mantra 5

आ नो अद्य समनसो गन्ता विश्वे सजोषसः । ऋचा गिरा मरुतो देव्यदिते सदने पस्त्ये महि ॥

Come to us today with one mind, all of you in consenting harmony. With the chant and the inspired word, O Maruts; O divine Aditi, great in the seat and in the dwelling of our being—be present here.

Mantra 6

अभि प्रिया मरुतो या वो अश्व्या हव्या मित्र प्रयाथन । आ बर्हिरिन्द्रो वरुणस्तुरा नर आदित्यासः सदन्तु नः ॥

Move toward the cherished offerings, O Maruts—those swift as horses that you drive toward, O Mitra. Let Indra and Varuṇa come to the strewn seat; let the strong Adityas, heroic powers, sit with us here.

Mantra 7

वयं वो वृक्तबर्हिषो हितप्रयस आनुषक् । सुतसोमासो वरुण हवामहे मनुष्वदिद्धाग्नयः ॥

We, with the barhis strewn and the offering set in place, in the human succession, call you, O Varuṇa. We are pressers of Soma; our fires are kindled in the manner of Manu—may your law of vastness guard and harmonize us.

Mantra 8

आ प्र यात मरुतो विष्णो अश्विना पूषन्माकीनया धिया । इन्द्र आ यातु प्रथमः सनिष्युभिर्वृषा यो वृत्रहा गृणे ॥

Come forward—O Maruts, O Vishnu, O Ashvins, O Pūṣan—with an undivided, unstealing thought. And let Indra come first with the seekers of victory, the Bull who slays the Vṛtra of obstruction, to be affirmed by our hymn.

Mantra 9

वि नो देवासो अद्रुहोऽच्छिद्रं शर्म यच्छत । न यद्दूराद्वसवो नू चिदन्तितो वरूथमादधर्षति ॥

Spread out for us, O gods who do not betray, an unbroken peace and shelter. For no assault—neither from far nor even from near—can overpower the protecting enclosure you establish.

Mantra 10

अस्ति हि वः सजात्यं रिशादसो देवासो अस्त्याप्यम् । प्र णः पूर्वस्मै सुविताय वोचत मक्षू सुम्नाय नव्यसे ॥

For you have indeed a common kinship, O destroyers of harm; O gods, you also have a shared belonging. Speak forth for us to the ancient good path of right-going; swiftly bring us to a newer grace and felicity.

Mantra 11

इदा हि व उपस्तुतिमिदा वामस्य भक्तये । उप वो विश्ववेदसो नमस्युराँ असृक्ष्यन्यामिव ॥

Now indeed is your time for our praise, now for the sharing of your delight. To you, O all-knowing ones, the worshipper has flowed near in reverence, as a stream moves toward another stream.

Mantra 12

उदु ष्य वः सविता सुप्रणीतयोऽस्थादूर्ध्वो वरेण्यः । नि द्विपादश्चतुष्पादो अर्थिनोऽविश्रन्पतयिष्णवः ॥

Up has risen Savitṛ for you, the noble one, lifting aloft those who are well-led. Then the two-footed and the four-footed, seeking their aim, do not fail—each becomes eager to move and to fly toward its proper work.

Mantra 13

देवंदेवं वोऽवसे देवंदेवमभिष्टये । देवंदेवं हुवेम वाजसातये गृणन्तो देव्या धिया ॥

Each god and every god we call for help, each god and every god for our highest good. Each god and every god we invoke for the winning of plenitude of force, praising with a divine-inspired intelligence.

Mantra 14

देवासो हि ष्मा मनवे समन्यवो विश्वे साकं सरातयः । ते नो अद्य ते अपरं तुचे तु नो भवन्तु वरिवोविदः ॥

For indeed the gods, all united in one will and one giving, are ever kindly-disposed to the human seeker. May they be for us today and hereafter discoverers of wide spaces—opening for us the room and freedom in which the soul can grow.

Mantra 15

प्र वः शंसाम्यद्रुहः संस्थ उपस्तुतीनाम् । न तं धूर्तिर्वरुण मित्र मर्त्यं यो वो धामभ्योऽविधत् ॥

I proclaim you forth, O undeceiving ones, firmly established in the seat of our adorations. No crooked mortal, O Varuṇa and Mitra, can harm the one who has served your laws and abodes.

Mantra 16

प्र स क्षयं तिरते वि महीरिषो यो वो वराय दाशति । प्र प्रजाभिर्जायते धर्मणस्पर्यरिष्टः सर्व एधते ॥

He passes forward beyond want into a secure dwelling; he wins wide and mighty impulsions of force—he who offers to you for the true choosing. He is born forward with progenies, guarded by the Law; unhurt in every part, he increases in the whole being.

Mantra 17

ऋते स विन्दते युधः सुगेभिर्यात्यध्वनः । अर्यमा मित्रो वरुणः सरातयो यं त्रायन्ते सजोषसः ॥

By the Truth he finds the battles and their victory; by good goings he travels the path. Aryaman, Mitra, and Varuṇa—united in their giving—protect in one consent the one whom they choose to guard.

Mantra 18

अज्रे चिदस्मै कृणुथा न्यञ्चनं दुर्गे चिदा सुसरणम् । एषा चिदस्मादशनिः परो नु सास्रेधन्ती वि नश्यतु ॥

Even in the trackless expanse make for him a sure guiding; even in the hard passage shape an easy course. Let this crushing stroke be driven far away from us—let the unrelenting force of ruin dissolve and vanish.

Mantra 19

यदद्य सूर्य उद्यति प्रियक्षत्रा ऋतं दध । यन्निम्रुचि प्रबुधि विश्ववेदसो यद्वा मध्यंदिने दिवः ॥

Whether today when the Sun arises you establish the beloved sovereignty of the Truth, or at the sinking dusk, or at the awakening, O all-knowing ones, or at the mid-day of heaven—at every turn of time set in us the right order.

Mantra 20

यद्वाभिपित्वे असुरा ऋतं यते छर्दिर्येम वि दाशुषे । वयं तद्वो वसवो विश्ववेदस उप स्थेयाम मध्य आ ॥

Or when, O Asuras, you move in the truth and extend a sheltering cover for the giver, then we—O Vasus, all-knowing—would stand near you in the midst, within that guarded field of your protection.

Mantra 21

यदद्य सूर उदिते यन्मध्यंदिन आतुचि । वामं धत्थ मनवे विश्ववेदसो जुह्वानाय प्रचेतसे ॥

Whether today at the Sun’s rising or at the pressing heat of midday, place the desirable good for the human being, O all-knowing powers, for him who offers with the ladle—awake in a clear and forward consciousness.

Mantra 22

वयं तद्वः सम्राज आ वृणीमहे पुत्रो न बहुपाय्यम् । अश्याम तदादित्या जुह्वतो हविर्येन वस्योऽनशामहै ॥

That we choose from you, O sovereign powers, as a son chooses the much-protecting aid: may we attain it, O Ādityas, by the offering we pour—by which we may share in the better and the more luminous good.