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1.
OF this benignant Priest, with eld grey-coloured, the brother midmost of the
three is lightning.
The third
is he whose back with oil is sprinkled. Here I behold the Chief with seven male
children.
2
Seven to the one-wheeled chariot yoke the Courser; bearing seven names the
single Courser draws it.
Three-naved
the wheel is, sound and undecaying, whereon are resting all these worlds of
being.
3
The seven who on the seven-wheeled car are mounted have horses, seven in tale,
who draw them onward.
Seven
Sisters utter songs of praise together, in whom the names of the seven Cows are
treasured.
4
Who hath beheld him as he sprang to being, seen how the boneless One supports
the bony?
Where is
the blood of earth, the life, the spirit? Who may approach the man who knows,
to ask it?
5
Unripe in mind, in spirit undiscerning, I ask of these the Gods' established
places; For up above the yearling Calf the sages, to form a web, their own
seven threads have woven.
6
I ask, unknowing, those who know, the sages, as one all ignorant for sake of
knowledge,
What was
that ONE who in the Unborn's image hath stablished and fixed firm these worlds'
six regions.
7
Let him who knoweth presently declare it , this lovely Bird's securely founded
station.
Forth from
his head the Cows draw milk, and, wearing his vesture, with their foot have
drunk the water.
8
The Mother gave the Sire his share of Order: with thought, at first, she wedded
him in spirit.
She, the coy Dame, was filled with dew prolific: with
adoration men approached to praise her.
9 Yoked was the Mother to the boon Cow's
car-pole: in the dank rows of cloud the Infant rested.
Then the Calf lowed, and looked upon the Mother, the Cow who
wears all shapes in three directions.
10 Bearing three Mothers and three Fathers,
single he stood erect: they never make him weary.
There on the pitch of heaven they speak together in speech
all-knowing but not all-impelling.
11 Formed with twelve spokes, by length of
time, unweakened, rolls round the heaven this wheel of during Order.
Herein established, joined in pairs together, seven hundred
Sons and twenty stand, O Agni.
12 They call him in the farther half of
heaven the Sire five-footed, of twelve forms, wealthy in watery store.
These others say that he, God with far-seeing eyes, is
mounted on the lower seven-wheeled, six-spoked car.
13 Upon this five-spoked wheel revolving
ever all living creatures rest and are dependent.
Its axle, heavy-laden, is not heated: the nave from ancient
time remains unbroken.
14 The wheel revolves, unwasting, with its
felly: ten draw it, yoked to the far-stretching car-pole.
The Sun's eye moves encompassed by the region: on him
dependent rest all living creatures.
15 Of the co-born they call the seventh
single-born; the six twin pairs are called Rsis, Children of Gods.
Their good gifts sought of men are ranged in order due, and
various in their form move for the Lord who guides.
16 They told me these were males, though
truly females: he who hath eyes sees this, the blind discerns not.
The son who is a sage hath comprehended: who knows this
rightly is his father's father.
17 Beneath the upper realm, above this
lower, bearing her calf at foot the Cow hath risen.
Witherward, to what place hath she departed? Where calves
she? Not amid this herd of cattle.
18 Who, that the father of this Calf
discerneth beneath the upper realm, above the lower,
Showing himself a sage, may here declare it? Whence hath the
Godlike spirit had its rising?
19 Those that come hitherward they call
departing, those that depart they call directed hither.
And what so ye have made, Indra and Soma, steeds bear as
'twere yoked to the region's car-pole.
20 Two Birds with fair wings, knit with
bonds of friendship, in the same sheltering tree have found a refuge.
One of the twain eats the sweet Fig-tree's fruitage; the
other eating not regardeth only.
21 Where those fine Birds hymn ceaselessly
their portion of life eternal, and the sacred synods,
There is the Universe's mighty Keeper, who, wise, hath
entered into me the simple.
22 The, tree whereon the fine Birds eat the
sweetness, where they all rest and procreate their offspring, -
Upon its top they say the fig is luscious none gaineth it
who knoweth not the Father.
23 How on the Gayatri. the Gayatri was
based, how from the Tristup they fashioned the Tristup forth,
How on the Jagati was based the Jagati,- they who know this
have won themselves immortal life.
24 With Gayatri he measures out the
praise-song, Sama with praise-song, triplet with the Tristup.
The triplet witli the two or four-foot measure, and with the
syllable they form seven metres.
25 With Jagati the flood in heaven he
stablished, and saw the Sun in the Rathantara Saman.
Gavatri hath, they say, three brands for kindling: hence it
excels in majesty and vigour.
26 I invocate the milch-cow good for
milking so that the milker, deft of hand, may drain her.
May Savitar give goodliest stimulation. The caldron is made
hot; I will proclaim it.
27 She, lady of all treasure, is come
hither yearning in spirit for her calf and lowing.
May this cow yield her milk for both the Asvins, and may she
prosper to our high advantage.
28 The cow hath lowed after her blinking
youngling; she licks his forehead, as she lows, to form it.
His mouth she fondly calls to her warm udder, and suckles
him with milk while gently lowing.
29 He also snorts, by whom encompassed
round the Cow laws as she clings unto the shedder of the rain.
She with her shrilling cries hath humbled mortal man, and,
turned to lightning, hath stripped off her covering robe.
30 That which hath breath and speed and
life and motion lies firmly stablished in the midst of houses.
Living, by offerings to the Dead he moveth Immortal One, the
brother of the mortal.
31 I saw the Herdsman, him who never
stumbles, approaching by his pathways and departing.
He, clothed with gathered and diffusive splendour, within
the worlds continually travels.
32 He who hath made him cloth not
comprehend him: from him who saw him surely is he hidden.
He, yet enveloped in his Mother's bosom, source of much
life, hath sunk into destruction.
33 Dyaus is my Father, my begetter: kinship
is here. This great earth is my kin and Mother.
Between the wide-spread world-halves is the birthb-place:
the Father laid the Daughter's germ within it.
341ask thee of the earth's extremest limit,
where is the centre of the world, I ask
thee.
1ask thee of the Stallion's seed prolific,
I ask of highest heaven where Speech abideth.
35 This altar is the earth's extremest
limit; this sacrifice of ours is the world's centre.
The Stallion's seed prolific is the Soma; this Brahman
highest heaven where Speech abideth.
36 Seven germs unripened yet are heaven's
prolific, seed: their functions they maintain by Visnu's ordinance.
Endued with wisdom through intelligence and thought, they
compass us about present on every side.
37 What thing I truly am I know not
clearly: mysterious, fettered in my mind I wander.
When the first-born of holy Law approached me, then of this
speech I first obtain a portion.
38 Back, forward goes he, grasped by strength
inherent, the Immortal born the brother of the mortal
Ceaseless they movelnopposite directions: men mark the one,
and fail to mark the other.
39 Upon what syllable of holy praise-song,
as twere their highest heaven, the Gods repose them, -
Who knows not this, what will he do with praise-song? But
they who know it well sit here assembled.
40 Forunate mayst thou be with goodly
pasture, and may we also be exceeding wealthy.
Feed on the grass, O Cow, at every season, and coming
hitherward drink limpid water.
41 Forming the water-floods, the buffalo
hath lowed, one-footed or two-footed or four -
footed, she,
Who hath become eight-footed or hath got nine feet, the thou
sand-syllabled in the sublimest heaven.
42 From her descend in streams the seas of
water; thereby the world's four regions have their being,
Thence flows the imperishable flood and thence the universe
hath life.
43 I saw from far away the smoke of fuel
with spires that rose on high o'er that beneath it.
The Mighty Men have dressed the spotted bullock. These were
the customs in the days aforetime,
44 Three with long tresses show in ordered
season. One of them sheareth when the year is ended.
One with his powers the universe regardeth: Of one, the
sweep is seen, but his figure.
45 Speech hath been measured out in four
divisions, the Brahmans who have understanding know them.
Three kept in close concealment cause no motion; of speech,
men speak only the fourth division.
46 They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna,
Agni, and he is heavenly nobly-winged Garutman.
To what is One, sages give many a title they call it Agni,
Yama, Matarisvan.
47 Dark the descent: the birds are
golden-coloured; up to the heaven they fly robed in the waters.
Again descend they from the seat of Order, and all the earth
is moistened with their fatness.
48 Twelve are the fellies, and the wheel is
single; three are the naves. What man hath understood it?
Therein are set together spokes three hundred and sixty,
which in nowise can be loosened.
49 That breast of thine exhaustless, spring
of pleasure, wherewith thou feedest all things that are choicest,
Wealth-giver, treasure. finder, free bestower,-bring that,
Sarasvati, that we may drain it.
50 By means of sacrifice the Gods
accomplished their sacrifice: these were the earliest ordinances.
These Mighty Ones attained the height of heaven, there where
the Sadhyas, Gods of old, are dwelling.
51 Uniform, with the passing days, this
water mounts and fails again.
The tempest-clouds give life to earth, and fires re-animate
the heaven.
52 The Bird Celestial, vast with noble
pinion, the lovely germ of plants, the germ of waters,
Him who delighteth us with rain in season, Sarasvan I invoke
that he may help us.
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