Sukta 97

या ओषधीः पूर्वा जाता देवेभ्यस्त्रियुगं पुरा। मनै नु बभ्रूणामहं शतं धामानि सप्त च॥

yā oṣadhīḥ pūrvā jātā devebhyastriyugaṁ purā | manai nu babhrūṇāmahaṁ śataṁ dhāmāni sapta ca ||

HERBS that sprang up in time of old, three ages earlier than the Gods,- Of these, whose hue is brown, will I declare the hundred powers and seven.

शतं वो अम्ब धामानि सहस्रमुत वो रुहः। अधा शतक्रत्वो यूयमिमं मे अगदं कृत॥

śataṁ vo amba dhāmāni sahasramuta vo ruhaḥ | adhā śatakratvo yūyamimaṁ me agadaṁ kṛta ||

Ye, Mothers, have a hundred homes, yea, and a thousand are your growths. Do ye who have a thousand powers free this my patient from disease.

ओषधीः प्रति मोदध्वं पुष्पवतीः प्रसूवरीः। अश्वा इव सजित्वरीर्वीरुधः पारयिष्ण्वः॥

oṣadhīḥ prati modadhvaṁ puṣpavatīḥ prasūvarīḥ | aśvā iva sajitvarīrvīrudhaḥ pārayiṣṇvaḥ ||

Be glad and joyful in the Plants, both blossoming and bearing fruit, Plants that will lead us to success like mares who conquer in the race.

ओषधीरिति मातरस्तद्वो देवीरुप ब्रुवे। सनेयमश्वं गां वास आत्मानं तव पूरुष॥

oṣadhīriti mātarastadvo devīrupa bruve | saneyamaśvaṁ gāṁ vāsa ātmānaṁ tava pūruṣa ||

Plants, by this name I speak to you, Mothers, to you the Goddesses: Steed, cow, and garment may I win, win back thy very self, O man.

अश्वत्थे वो निषदनं पर्णे वो वसतिष्कृता। गोभाज इत्किलासथ यत्सनवथ पूरुषम्॥

aśvatthe vo niṣadanaṁ parṇe vo vasatiṣkṛtā | gobhāja itkilāsatha yatsanavatha pūruṣam ||

The Holy Fig tree is your home, your mansion is the Parna tree: Winners of cattle shali ye be if ye regain for me this man.

यत्रौषधीः समग्मत राजानः समिताविव। विप्रः स उच्यते भिषग्रक्षोहामीवचातनः॥

yatrauṣadhīḥ samagmata rājānaḥ samitāviva | vipraḥ sa ucyate bhiṣagrakṣohāmīvacātanaḥ ||

He who hath store of Herbs at hand like Kings amid a crowd of men,- Physician is that sage's name, fiend-slayer, chaser of disease.

अश्वावतीं सोमावतीमूर्जयन्तीमुदोजसम्। आवित्सि सर्वा ओषधीरस्मा अरिष्टतातये॥

aśvāvatīṁ somāvatīmūrjayantīmudojasam | āvitsi sarvā oṣadhīrasmā ariṣṭatātaye ||

Herbs rich in Soma, rich in steeds, in nourishments, in strengthening power,- All these have I provided here, that this man may be whole again.

उच्छुष्मा ओषधीनां गावो गोष्ठादिवेरते। धनं सनिष्यन्तीनामात्मानं तव पूरुष॥

ucchuṣmā oṣadhīnāṁ gāvo goṣṭhādiverate | dhanaṁ saniṣyantīnāmātmānaṁ tava pūruṣa ||

The healing virtues of the Plants stream forth like cattle from the stall,- Plants that shall win me store of wealth, and save thy vital breath, O man.

इष्कृतिर्नाम वो माताथो यूयं स्थ निष्कृतीः। सीराः पतत्रिणीः स्थन यदामयति निष्कृथ॥

iṣkṛtirnāma vo mātātho yūyaṁ stha niṣkṛtīḥ | sīrāḥ patatriṇīḥ sthana yadāmayati niṣkṛtha ||

Reliever is your mother's name, and hence Restorers are ye called. Rivers are ye with wings that fly: keep far whatever brings disease.

अति विश्वाः परिष्ठाः स्तेन इव व्रजमक्रमुः। ओषधीः प्राचुच्यवुर्यत्किं च तन्वो रपः॥

ati viśvāḥ pariṣṭhāḥ stena iva vrajamakramuḥ | oṣadhīḥ prācucyavuryatkiṁ ca tanvo rapaḥ ||

Over all fences have they passed, as steals a thief into the fold. The Plants have driven from the frame whatever malady was there.

यदिमा वाजयन्नहमोषधीर्हस्त आदधे। आत्मा यक्ष्मस्य नश्यति पुरा जीवगृभो यथा॥

yadimā vājayannahamoṣadhīrhasta ādadhe | ātmā yakṣmasya naśyati purā jīvagṛbho yathā ||

When, bringing back the vanished strength, I hold these herbs within my hand, The spirit of disease departs ere he can seize upon the life.

यस्यौषधीः प्रसर्पथाङ्गमङ्गं परुष्परुः। ततो यक्ष्मं वि बाधध्व उग्रो मध्यमशीरिव॥

yasyauṣadhīḥ prasarpathāṅgamaṅgaṁ paruṣparuḥ | tato yakṣmaṁ vi bādhadhva ugro madhyamaśīriva ||

He through whose frame, O Plants, ye creep member by member, joint by joint,- From him ye drive away disease like some strong arbiter of strife.

साकं यक्ष्म प्र पत चाषेण किकिदीविना। साकं वातस्य ध्राज्या साकं नश्य निहाकया॥

sākaṁ yakṣma pra pata cāṣeṇa kikidīvinā | sākaṁ vātasya dhrājyā sākaṁ naśya nihākayā ||

Fly, Spirit of Disease, begone, with the blue jay and kingfisher. Fly with the wind's impetuousspeed, vanish together with the storm.

अन्या वो अन्यामवत्वन्यान्यस्या उपावत। ताः सर्वाः संविदाना इदं मे प्रावता वचः॥

anyā vo anyāmavatvanyānyasyā upāvata | tāḥ sarvāḥ saṁvidānā idaṁ me prāvatā vacaḥ ||

Help every one the other, lend assistance each of you to each, All of you be accordant, give furtherance to this speech of mine.

याः फलिनीर्या अफला अपुष्पा याश्च पुष्पिणीः। बृहस्पतिप्रसूतास्ता नो मुञ्चन्त्वंहसः॥

yāḥ phalinīryā aphalā apuṣpā yāśca puṣpiṇīḥ | bṛhaspatiprasūtāstā no muñcantvaṁhasaḥ ||

Let fruitful Plants, and fruitless, those that blossom, and the blossomless, Urged onward by Brhaspati, release us from our pain and grief;

मुञ्चन्तु मा शपथ्यादथो वरुण्यादुत। अथो यमस्य पड्बीशात्सर्वस्माद्देवकिल्बिषात्॥

muñcantu mā śapathyādatho varuṇyāduta | atho yamasya paḍbīśātsarvasmāddevakilbiṣāt ||

Release me from the curse's plague and woe that comes from Varuna; Free me from Yama's fetter, from sin and offence against the Gods.

अवपतन्तीरवदन्दिव ओषधयस्परि। यं जीवमश्नवामहै न स रिष्याति पूरुषः॥

avapatantīravadandiva oṣadhayaspari | yaṁ jīvamaśnavāmahai na sa riṣyāti pūruṣaḥ ||

What time, descending from the sky, the Plants flew earthward, thus they spake: No evil shall befall the man whom while he liveth we pervade,

या ओषधीः सोमराज्ञीर्बह्वीः शतविचक्षणाः। तासां त्वमस्युत्तमारं कामाय शं हृदे॥

yā oṣadhīḥ somarājñīrbahvīḥ śatavicakṣaṇāḥ | tāsāṁ tvamasyuttamāraṁ kāmāya śaṁ hṛde ||

Of all the many Plants whose King is, Soma, Plants of hundred forms, Thou art the Plant most excellent, prompt to the wish, sweet to the heart.

या ओषधीः सोमराज्ञीर्विष्ठिताः पृथिवीमनु। बृहस्पतिप्रसूता अस्यै सं दत्त वीर्यम्॥

yā oṣadhīḥ somarājñīrviṣṭhitāḥ pṛthivīmanu | bṛhaspatiprasūtā asyai saṁ datta vīryam ||

O all ye various Herbs whose King is Soma, that o'erspread the earth, Urged onward by Brhaspati, combine your virtue in this Plant.

मा वो रिषत्खनिता यस्मै चाहं खनामि वः। द्विपच्चतुष्पदस्माकं सर्वमस्त्वनातुरम्॥

mā vo riṣatkhanitā yasmai cāhaṁ khanāmi vaḥ | dvipaccatuṣpadasmākaṁ sarvamastvanāturam ||

Unharmed be he who digs you up, unharmed the man for whom I dig: And let no malady attack biped or quadruped of ours.

याश्चेदमुपशृण्वन्ति याश्च दूरं परागताः। सर्वाः संगत्य वीरुधोऽस्यै सं दत्त वीर्यम्॥

yāścedamupaśṛṇvanti yāśca dūraṁ parāgatāḥ | sarvāḥ saṁgatya vīrudho'syai saṁ datta vīryam ||

All Plants that hear this speech, and those that have departed far away, Come all assembled and confer your healing power upon this Herb.

ओषधयः सं वदन्ते सोमेन सह राज्ञा। यस्मै कृणोति ब्राह्मणस्तं राजन्पारयामसि॥

oṣadhayaḥ saṁ vadante somena saha rājñā | yasmai kṛṇoti brāhmaṇastaṁ rājanpārayāmasi ||

With Soma as their Sovran Lord the Plants hold colloquy and say: O King, we save from death the man whose cure a Brahman undertakes.

त्वमुत्तमास्योषधे तव वृक्षा उपस्तयः। उपस्तिरस्तु सोऽस्माकं यो अस्माँ अभिदासति॥

tvamuttamāsyoṣadhe tava vṛkṣā upastayaḥ | upastirastu so'smākaṁ yo asmā abhidāsati ||

Most excellent of all art thou, O Plant thy vassals are the trees. Let him be subject to our power, the man who seeks to injure us.