Sukta 31

Mantra 1

यो यजाति यजात इत्सुनवच्च पचाति च । ब्रह्मेदिन्द्रस्य चाकनत् ॥

He who sacrifices—who truly offers—who presses the Soma and also prepares the offering: the brahman (the inspired word) itself becomes pleasing to Indra.

Mantra 2

पुरोळाशं यो अस्मै सोमं ररत आशिरम् । पादित्तं शक्रो अंहसः ॥

He who offers to him the puroḷāśa and the Soma mixed with the strengthening essence—him indeed the Mighty One guards from distress and sin.

Mantra 3

तस्य द्युमाँ असद्रथो देवजूतः स शूशुवत् । विश्वा वन्वन्नमित्रिया ॥

For him the radiant chariot, impelled by the gods, has taken its seat; it presses forward, conquering all the hostile powers that oppose the Light.

Mantra 4

अस्य प्रजावती गृहेऽसश्चन्ती दिवेदिवे । इळा धेनुमती दुहे ॥

In his house the fostering Power, rich in progeny, moves unceasingly day by day; Iḷā, the milch-cow of plenty, yields her streams of nourishment.

Mantra 5

या दम्पती समनसा सुनुत आ च धावतः । देवासो नित्ययाशिरा ॥

The two Lords of the house, of one accord in mind, hasten to the pressing and its call, like gods with their perennial plenitude of delight.

Mantra 6

प्रति प्राशव्याँ इतः सम्यञ्चा बर्हिराशाते । न ता वाजेषु वायतः ॥

Facing hither from here, turning in right direction, they take their seat upon the sacred grass; they do not fail in the plenitudes of force in the field of winning.

Mantra 7

न देवानामपि ह्नुतः सुमतिं न जुगुक्षतः । श्रवो बृहद्विवासतः ॥

They do not miss even the gods’ favor, they do not reject the good understanding; worshipping, they win the vast hearing-fame—wide luminous recognition.

Mantra 8

पुत्रिणा ता कुमारिणा विश्वमायुर्व्यश्नुतः । उभा हिरण्यपेशसा ॥

With the child-bearing power and the youth-renewing power they attain the full span of life; both shine with forms of golden beauty—radiant perfection of the being.

Mantra 9

वीतिहोत्रा कृतद्वसू दशस्यन्तामृताय कम् । समूधो रोमशं हतो देवेषु कृणुतो दुवः ॥

O you whose offering-movements are well-led, whose riches are well-fashioned, adoring the Delight that leads to immortality—having set the fruitful udder in order and struck down the bristling obstruction, work out the effective service among the gods.

Mantra 10

आ शर्म पर्वतानां वृणीमहे नदीनाम् । आ विष्णोः सचाभुवः ॥

We choose the sheltering peace of the mountains and the flowing powers of the rivers; and we choose the companion-being with Vishnu—wide sustaining presence on the path.

Mantra 11

ऐतु पूषा रयिर्भगः स्वस्ति सर्वधातमः । उरुरध्वा स्वस्तये ॥

Let Pūṣan come, and the plenitude (Rayi), and Bhaga; let well-being, the all-establishing power, come. Wide is the path for our well-being.

Mantra 12

अरमतिरनर्वणो विश्वो देवस्य मनसा । आदित्यानामनेह इत् ॥

Aramati, the unerring, becomes universal by the god’s mind; she is indeed the unfaltering movement of the Ādityas—steady in the truth of the path.

Mantra 13

यथा नो मित्रो अर्यमा वरुणः सन्ति गोपाः । सुगा ऋतस्य पन्थाः ॥

May it be so for us: Mitra, Aryaman, and Varuṇa stand as guardians of the Light within; may the paths of Ṛta become easy and well-going for our journey.

Mantra 14

अग्निं वः पूर्व्यं गिरा देवमीळे वसूनाम् । सपर्यन्तः पुरुप्रियं मित्रं न क्षेत्रसाधसम् ॥

With the word of illumination I adore Agni, the ancient Divine Will, the lord of inner riches; serving him, the many-beloved, like Mitra who perfects the fields, he accomplishes in us the right domain for the work.

Mantra 15

मक्षू देववतो रथः शूरो वा पृत्सु कासु चित् । देवानां य इन्मनो यजमान इयक्षत्यभीदयज्वनो भुवत् ॥

Swiftly comes the chariot filled with the gods’ force, and the hero-power in whatever battles arise—when the sacrificer sets his will on the Gods and offers; then he becomes a conqueror over the un-offering parts within.

Mantra 16

न यजमान रिष्यसि न सुन्वान न देवयो । देवानां य इन्मनो यजमान इयक्षत्यभीदयज्वनो भुवत् ॥

You do not fall into harm, O sacrificer; nor you who press the Soma, nor you who seek the Gods—when your will is turned to the divine powers and you offer, you become victorious over what in you refuses the sacrifice.

Mantra 17

नकिष्टं कर्मणा नशन्न प्र योषन्न योषति । देवानां य इन्मनो यजमान इयक्षत्यभीदयज्वनो भुवत् ॥

None can reach him by hostile action; none can check him or make him desist—when the sacrificer fixes his will upon the Gods and offers, he overcomes the unsacrificing resistance within.

Mantra 18

असदत्र सुवीर्यमुत त्यदाश्वश्व्यम् । देवानां य इन्मनो यजमान इयक्षत्यभीदयज्वनो भुवत् ॥

Here may there be true hero-force, and that swift mastery of the steed-powers—when the sacrificer sets his will on the Gods and offers, he becomes victorious over the unsacrificing elements within.