Sukta 71

बृहस्पते प्रथमं वाचो अग्रं यत्प्रैरत नामधेयं दधानाः। यदेषां श्रेष्ठं यदरिप्रमासीत्प्रेणा तदेषां निहितं गुहाविः॥

bṛhaspate prathamaṁ vāco agraṁ yatprairata nāmadheyaṁ dadhānāḥ | yadeṣāṁ śreṣṭhaṁ yadaripramāsītpreṇā tadeṣāṁ nihitaṁ guhāviḥ ||

WHEN-men, Brhaspati, giving names to objects, sent out Vak's first and earliest utterances, All that was excellent and spotless, treasured within them, was disclosed through their affection.

सक्तुमिव तित‍उना पुनन्तो यत्र धीरा मनसा वाचमक्रत। अत्रा सखायः सख्यानि जानते भद्रैषां लक्ष्मीर्निहिताधि वाचि॥

saktumiva titaunā punanto yatra dhīrā manasā vācamakrata | atrā sakhāyaḥ sakhyāni jānate bhadraiṣāṁ lakṣmīrnihitādhi vāci ||

Where, like men cleansing corn-flour in a cribble, the wise in spirit have created language, Friends see and recognize the marks of friendship: their speech retains the blessed sign imprinted.

यज्ञेन वाचः पदवीयमायन्तामन्वविन्दन्नृषिषु प्रविष्टाम्। तामाभृत्या व्यदधुः पुरुत्रा तां सप्त रेभा अभि सं नवन्ते॥

yajñena vācaḥ padavīyamāyantāmanvavindannṛṣiṣu praviṣṭām | tāmābhṛtyā vyadadhuḥ purutrā tāṁ sapta rebhā abhi saṁ navante ||

With sacrifice the trace of Vak they foIlowed, and found her harbouring within the Rsis. They brought her, dealt her forth in many places: seven singers make her tones resound in concert.

उत त्वः पश्यन्न ददर्श वाचमुत त्वः शृण्वन्न शृणोत्येनाम्। उतो त्वस्मै तन्वं वि सस्रे जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासाः॥

uta tvaḥ paśyanna dadarśa vācamuta tvaḥ śṛṇvanna śṛṇotyenām | uto tvasmai tanvaṁ vi sasre jāyeva patya uśatī suvāsāḥ ||

One man hath ne'er seen Vak, and yet he seeth: one man hath hearing but hath never heard her. But to another hath she shown her beauty as a fond well-dressed woman to her husband.

उत त्वं सख्ये स्थिरपीतमाहुर्नैनं हिन्वन्त्यपि वाजिनेषु। अधेन्वा चरति माययैष वाचं शुश्रुवाँ अफलामपुष्पाम्॥

uta tvaṁ sakhye sthirapītamāhurnainaṁ hinvantyapi vājineṣu | adhenvā carati māyayaiṣa vācaṁ śuśruvā aphalāmapuṣpām ||

One man they call a laggard, dull in friendship: they never urge him on to deeds of valour. He wanders on in profitless illusion: the Voice he heard yields neither fruit,nor blossom.

यस्तित्याज सचिविदं सखायं न तस्य वाच्यपि भागो अस्ति। यदीं शृणोत्यलकं शृणोति नहि प्रवेद सुकृतस्य पन्थाम्॥

yastityāja sacividaṁ sakhāyaṁ na tasya vācyapi bhāgo asti | yadīṁ śṛṇotyalakaṁ śṛṇoti nahi praveda sukṛtasya panthām ||

No part in Vak hath he who hath abandoned his own dear friend who knows the truth of friendship. Even if he hears her still in vain he listens: naught knows he of the path of righteous action.

अक्षण्वन्तः कर्णवन्तः सखायो मनोजवेष्वसमा बभूवुः। आदघ्नास उपकक्षास उ त्वे ह्रदा इव स्नात्वा उ त्वे ददृश्रे॥

akṣaṇvantaḥ karṇavantaḥ sakhāyo manojaveṣvasamā babhūvuḥ | ādaghnāsa upakakṣāsa u tve hradā iva snātvā u tve dadṛśre ||

Unequal in the quickness of their spirit are friends endowed alike with eyes and hearing. Some look like tanks that reach the mouth or shoulder, others like pools of water fit to bathe in.

हृदा तष्टेषु मनसो जवेषु यद्ब्राह्मणाः संयजन्ते सखायः। अत्राह त्वं वि जहुर्वेद्याभिरोहब्रह्माणो वि चरन्त्यु त्वे॥

hṛdā taṣṭeṣu manaso javeṣu yadbrāhmaṇāḥ saṁyajante sakhāyaḥ | atrāha tvaṁ vi jahurvedyābhirohabrahmāṇo vi carantyu tve ||

When friendly Brahmans sacrifice together with mental impulse which the heart hath fashioned, They leave one far behind through their attainments, and some who count as Brahmans wander elsewhere.

इमे ये नार्वाङ्न परश्चरन्ति न ब्राह्मणासो न सुतेकरासः। त एते वाचमभिपद्य पापया सिरीस्तन्त्रं तन्वते अप्रजज्ञयः॥

ime ye nārvāṅna paraścaranti na brāhmaṇāso na sutekarāsaḥ | ta ete vācamabhipadya pāpayā sirīstantraṁ tanvate aprajajñayaḥ ||

Those men who step not back and move not forward, nor Brahmans nor preparers of libations, Having attained to Vak in sinful fashion spin out their thread in ignorance like spinsters.

सर्वे नन्दन्ति यशसागतेन सभासाहेन सख्या सखायः। किल्बिषस्पृत्पितुषणिर्ह्येषामरं हितो भवति वाजिनाय॥

sarve nandanti yaśasāgatena sabhāsāhena sakhyā sakhāyaḥ | kilbiṣaspṛtpituṣaṇirhyeṣāmaraṁ hito bhavati vājināya ||

All friends are joyful in the friend who cometh in triumph, having conquered in assembly. He is their blame-averter, food-provider prepared is he and fit for deed of vigour.

ऋचां त्वः पोषमास्ते पुपुष्वान्गायत्रं त्वो गायति शक्वरीषु। ब्रह्मा त्वो वदति जातविद्यां यज्ञस्य मात्रां वि मिमीत उ त्वः॥

ṛcāṁ tvaḥ poṣamāste pupuṣvāngāyatraṁ tvo gāyati śakvarīṣu | brahmā tvo vadati jātavidyāṁ yajñasya mātrāṁ vi mimīta u tvaḥ ||

One plies his constant task reciting verses. one sings the holy psalm in Sakvari measures. One more, the Brahman, tells the lore of being, and one lays down the rules of sacrificing.