सूक्त १४६

अरण्यान्यरण्यान्यसौ या प्रेव नश्यसि। कथा ग्रामं न पृच्छसि न त्वा भीरिव विन्दती३ँ॥

araṇyānyaraṇyānyasau yā preva naśyasi | kathā grāmaṁ na pṛcchasi na tvā bhīriva vindatī3 ||

GODDESS of wild and forest who seemest to vanish from the sight. How is it that thou seekest not the village? Art thou not afraid?

वृषारवाय वदते यदुपावति चिच्चिकः। आघाटिभिरिव धावयन्नरण्यानिर्महीयते॥

vṛṣāravāya vadate yadupāvati ciccikaḥ | āghāṭibhiriva dhāvayannaraṇyānirmahīyate ||

What time the grasshopper replies and swells the shrill cicala's voice, Seeming to sound with tinkling bells, the Lady of the Wood exults.

उत गाव इवादन्त्युत वेश्मेव दृश्यते। उतो अरण्यानिः सायं शकटीरिव सर्जति॥

uta gāva ivādantyuta veśmeva dṛśyate | uto araṇyāniḥ sāyaṁ śakaṭīriva sarjati ||

And, yonder, cattle seem to graze, what seems a dwelling-place appears: Or else at eve the Lady of the Forest seems to free the wains.

गामङ्गैष आ ह्वयति दार्वङ्गैषो अपावधीत्। वसन्नरण्यान्यां सायमक्रुक्षदिति मन्यते॥

gāmaṅgaiṣa ā hvayati dārvaṅgaiṣo apāvadhīt | vasannaraṇyānyāṁ sāyamakrukṣaditi manyate ||

Here one is calling to his cow, another there hath felled a tree: At eve the dweller in the wood fancies that somebody hath screamed.

न वा अरण्यानिर्हन्त्यन्यश्चेन्नाभिगच्छति। स्वादोः फलस्य जग्ध्वाय यथाकामं नि पद्यते॥

na vā araṇyānirhantyanyaścennābhigacchati | svādoḥ phalasya jagdhvāya yathākāmaṁ ni padyate ||

The Goddess never slays, unless some murderous enemy approach. Man eats of savoury fruit and then takes, even as he wills, his rest.

आञ्जनगन्धिं सुरभिं बह्वन्नामकृषीवलाम्। प्राहं मृगाणां मातरमरण्यानिमशंसिषम्॥

āñjanagandhiṁ surabhiṁ bahvannāmakṛṣīvalām | prāhaṁ mṛgāṇāṁ mātaramaraṇyānimaśaṁsiṣam ||

Now have I praised the Forest Queen, sweet-scented, redolent of balm, The Mother of all sylvan things, who tills not but hath stores of food.