Sukta 23

कथा महामवृधत्कस्य होतुर्यज्ञं जुषाणो अभि सोममूधः। पिबन्नुशानो जुषमाणो अन्धो ववक्ष ऋष्वः शुचते धनाय॥

kathā mahāmavṛdhatkasya hoturyajñaṁ juṣāṇo abhi somamūdhaḥ | pibannuśāno juṣamāṇo andho vavakṣa ṛṣvaḥ śucate dhanāya ||

How, what priest's sacrifice hath he made mighty, rejoicing in the Soma and its fountain? Delighting in juice, eagerly drinking, the Lofty One hath waxed for splendid riches.

को अस्य वीरः सधमादमाप समानंश सुमतिभिः को अस्य। कदस्य चित्रं चिकिते कदूती वृधे भुवच्छशमानस्य यज्योः॥

ko asya vīraḥ sadhamādamāpa samānaṁśa sumatibhiḥ ko asya | kadasya citraṁ cikite kadūtī vṛdhe bhuvacchaśamānasya yajyoḥ ||

What hero hath been made his feast-companion? Who hath been partner in his loving-kindness? What know we of his wondrous acts? How often comes he to aid and speed the pious toiler?

कथा शृणोति हूयमानमिन्द्रः कथा शृण्वन्नवसामस्य वेद। का अस्य पूर्वीरुपमातयो ह कथैनमाहुः पपुरिं जरित्रे॥

kathā śṛṇoti hūyamānamindraḥ kathā śṛṇvannavasāmasya veda | kā asya pūrvīrupamātayo ha kathainamāhuḥ papuriṁ jaritre ||

How heareth Indra offered invocation? How, hearing, marketh he the invoker's wishes? What are his ancient acts of bounty? Wherefore call they him One who filleth full the singer?

कथा सबाधः शशमानो अस्य नशदभि द्रविणं दीध्यानः। देवो भुवन्नवेदा म ऋतानां नमो जगृभ्वाँ अभि यज्जुजोषत्॥

kathā sabādhaḥ śaśamāno asya naśadabhi draviṇaṁ dīdhyānaḥ | devo bhuvannavedā ma ṛtānāṁ namo jagṛbhvā abhi yajjujoṣat ||

How doth the priest who laboureth, ever longing, win for himself the wealth which he possesseth? May he, the God, mark well my truthful praises, having received the homage which he loveth.

कथा कदस्या उषसो व्युष्टौ देवो मर्तस्य सख्यं जुजोष। कथा कदस्य सख्यं सखिभ्यो ये अस्मिन्कामं सुयुजं ततस्रे॥

kathā kadasyā uṣaso vyuṣṭau devo martasya sakhyaṁ jujoṣa | kathā kadasya sakhyaṁ sakhibhyo ye asminkāmaṁ suyujaṁ tatasre ||

How, and what bond of friendship with a mortal hath the God chosen as this morn is breaking? How, and what love hath he for those who love him, who have entwined in him their firm affection?

किमादमत्रं सख्यं सखिभ्यः कदा नु ते भ्रात्रं प्र ब्रवाम। श्रिये सुदृशो वपुरस्य सर्गाः स्वर्ण चित्रतममिष आ गोः॥

kimādamatraṁ sakhyaṁ sakhibhyaḥ kadā nu te bhrātraṁ pra bravāma | śriye sudṛśo vapurasya sargāḥ svarṇa citratamamiṣa ā goḥ ||

Is then thy friendship with thy friends most mighty? Thy brotherhood with us, -when may we tell it? The streams of milk move, as most wondrous sunlight, the beauty of the Lovely One for glory.

द्रुहं जिघांसन्ध्वरसमनिन्द्रां तेतिक्ते तिग्मा तुजसे अनीका। ऋणा चिद्यत्र ऋणया न उग्रो दूरे अज्ञाता उषसो बबाधे॥

druhaṁ jighāṁsandhvarasamanindrāṁ tetikte tigmā tujase anīkā | ṛṇā cidyatra ṛṇayā na ugro dūre ajñātā uṣaso babādhe ||

About to stay the Indra-less destructive spirit he sharpens his keen arms to strike her. Whereby the Strong, although our debts' exactor, drives in the distant mornings that we know not.

ऋतस्य हि शुरुधः सन्ति पूर्वीरृतस्य धीतिर्वृजिनानि हन्ति। ऋतस्य श्लोको बधिरा ततर्द कर्णा बुधानः शुचमान आयोः॥

ṛtasya hi śurudhaḥ santi pūrvīrṛtasya dhītirvṛjināni hanti | ṛtasya śloko badhirā tatarda karṇā budhānaḥ śucamāna āyoḥ ||

Eternal Law hath varied food that strengthens; thought of eternal Law, removes transgressions. The praise-hymn of eternal Law, arousing, glowing, hath oped the deaf ears of the living.

ऋतस्य दृळ्हा धरुणानि सन्ति पुरूणि चन्द्रा वपुषे वपूंषि। ऋतेन दीर्घमिषणन्त पृक्ष ऋतेन गाव ऋतमा विवेशुः॥

ṛtasya dṛḻhā dharuṇāni santi purūṇi candrā vapuṣe vapūṁṣi | ṛtena dīrghamiṣaṇanta pṛkṣa ṛtena gāva ṛtamā viveśuḥ ||

Firm-seated are eternal Law's foundations in its fair form are many splendid beauties. By holy Law long lasting food they bring us; by holy Law have cows come to our worship.

ऋतं येमान ऋतमिद्वनोत्यृतस्य शुष्मस्तुरया उ गव्युः। ऋताय पृथ्वी बहुले गभीरे ऋताय धेनू परमे दुहाते॥

ṛtaṁ yemāna ṛtamidvanotyṛtasya śuṣmasturayā u gavyuḥ | ṛtāya pṛthvī bahule gabhīre ṛtāya dhenū parame duhāte ||

Fixing eternal Law he, too, upholds it swift moves the might of Law and wins the booty. To Law belong the vast deep Earth and Heaven: Milch-kine supreme, to Law their milk they render.

नू ष्टुत इन्द्र नू गृणान इषं जरित्रे नद्यो न पीपेः। अकारि ते हरिवो ब्रह्म नव्यं धिया स्याम रथ्यः सदासाः॥

nū ṣṭuta indra nū gṛṇāna iṣaṁ jaritre nadyo na pīpeḥ | akāri te harivo brahma navyaṁ dhiyā syāma rathyaḥ sadāsāḥ ||

Now, Indra! lauded,- glorified with praises, let power swell high like rivers to the singer. For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays, is fashioned. May we, car-borne, through song be victors ever.