सूक्त १६१

किमु श्रेष्ठः किं यविष्ठो न आजगन्किमीयते दूत्यं कद्यदूचिम। न निन्दिम चमसं यो महाकुलोऽग्ने भ्रातर्द्रुण इद्भूतिमूदिम॥

kimu śreṣṭhaḥ kiṁ yaviṣṭho na ājagankimīyate dūtyaṁ kadyadūcima | na nindima camasaṁ yo mahākulo'gne bhrātardruṇa idbhūtimūdima ||

WHY hath the Best, why hath the Youngest come to us? Upon what embassy comes he? What have we said? We have not blamed the chalice of illustrious birth. We, Brother Agni, praised the goodness of the wood.

एकं चमसं चतुरः कृणोतन तद्वो देवा अब्रुवन्तद्व आगमम्। सौधन्वना यद्येवा करिष्यथ साकं देवैर्यज्ञियासो भविष्यथ॥

ekaṁ camasaṁ caturaḥ kṛṇotana tadvo devā abruvantadva āgamam | saudhanvanā yadyevā kariṣyatha sākaṁ devairyajñiyāso bhaviṣyatha ||

The chalice that is single make ye into four: thus have the Gods commanded; therefore am I come. If, O Sudhanvan's Children, ye will do this thing ye shall participate in sacrifice with Gods.

अग्निं दूतं प्रति यदब्रवीतनाश्वः कर्त्वो रथ उतेह कर्त्वः। धेनुः कर्त्वा युवशा कर्त्वा द्वा तानि भ्रातरनु वः कृत्व्येमसि॥

agniṁ dūtaṁ prati yadabravītanāśvaḥ kartvo ratha uteha kartvaḥ | dhenuḥ kartvā yuvaśā kartvā dvā tāni bhrātaranu vaḥ kṛtvyemasi ||

What to the envoy Agni in reply ye spake, A courser must be made, a chariot fashioned here, A cow must be created, and the Twain made young. When we have done these things, Brother, we turn to you.

चकृवांस ऋभवस्तदपृच्छत क्वेदभूद्यः स्य दूतो न आजगन्। यदावाख्यच्चमसाञ्चतुरः कृतानादित्त्वष्टा ग्नास्वन्तर्न्यानजे॥

cakṛvāṁsa ṛbhavastadapṛcchata kvedabhūdyaḥ sya dūto na ājagan | yadāvākhyaccamasāñcaturaḥ kṛtānādittvaṣṭā gnāsvantarnyānaje ||

When thus, O Rbhus, ye had done ye questioned thus, Whither went he who came to us a messenger? Then Tvastar, when he viewed the four wrought chalices, concealed himself among the Consorts of the Gods.

हनामैनाँ इति त्वष्टा यदब्रवीच्चमसं ये देवपानमनिन्दिषुः। अन्या नामानि कृण्वते सुते सचाँ अन्यैरेनान्कन्या नामभिः स्परत्॥

hanāmainā iti tvaṣṭā yadabravīccamasaṁ ye devapānamanindiṣuḥ | anyā nāmāni kṛṇvate sute sacā anyairenānkanyā nāmabhiḥ sparat ||

As Tvastar thus had spoken, Let us slay these men who have reviled the chalice, drinking-cup of Gods, They gave themselves new names when Soma juice was shed, and under these new names the Maiden welcomed them.

इन्द्रो हरी युयुजे अश्विना रथं बृहस्पतिर्विश्वरूपामुपाजत। ऋभुर्विभ्वा वाजो देवाँ अगच्छत स्वपसो यज्ञियं भागमैतन॥

indro harī yuyuje aśvinā rathaṁ bṛhaspatirviśvarūpāmupājata | ṛbhurvibhvā vājo devā agacchata svapaso yajñiyaṁ bhāgamaitana ||

Indra hath yoked his Bays, the Asvins' car is horsed, Brhaspati hath brought the Cow of every hue. Ye went as Rbhus, Vibhvan, Vaja to the Gods, and skilled in war, obtained your share in sacrifice.

निश्चर्मणो गामरिणीत धीतिभिर्या जरन्ता युवशा ताकृणोतन। सौधन्वना अश्वादश्वमतक्षत युक्त्वा रथमुप देवाँ अयातन॥

niścarmaṇo gāmariṇīta dhītibhiryā jarantā yuvaśā tākṛṇotana | saudhanvanā aśvādaśvamatakṣata yuktvā rathamupa devā ayātana ||

Ye by your wisdom brought a cow from out a hide; unto that ancient Pair ye gave again their youth. Out of a horse, Sudhanvan's Sons, ye formed a horse: a chariot ye equipped, and went unto the Gods.

इदमुदकं पिबतेत्यब्रवीतनेदं वा घा पिबता मुञ्जनेजनम्। सौधन्वना यदि तन्नेव हर्यथ तृतीये घा सवने मादयाध्वै॥

idamudakaṁ pibatetyabravītanedaṁ vā ghā pibatā muñjanejanam | saudhanvanā yadi tanneva haryatha tṛtīye ghā savane mādayādhvai ||

Drink ye this water, were the words ye spake to them; or drink ye this, the rinsing of the Munja- grass. If ye approve not even this, Sudhanvan's Sons, then at the third libation gladden ye yourselves.

आपो भूयिष्ठा इत्येको अब्रवीदग्निर्भूयिष्ठ इत्यन्यो अब्रवीत्। वधर्यन्तीं बहुभ्यः प्रैको अब्रवीदृता वदन्तश्चमसाँ अपिंशत॥

āpo bhūyiṣṭhā ityeko abravīdagnirbhūyiṣṭha ityanyo abravīt | vadharyantīṁ bahubhyaḥ praiko abravīdṛtā vadantaścamasā apiṁśata ||

Most excellent are waters, thus said one of you; most excellent is Agni, thus another said. Another praised to many a one the lightning cloud. Then did ye shape the cups, speaking the words of truth.

श्रोणामेक उदकं गामवाजति मांसमेकः पिंशति सूनयाभृतम्। आ निम्रुचः शकृदेको अपाभरत्किं स्वित्पुत्रेभ्यः पितरा उपावतुः॥

śroṇāmeka udakaṁ gāmavājati māṁsamekaḥ piṁśati sūnayābhṛtam | ā nimrucaḥ śakṛdeko apābharatkiṁ svitputrebhyaḥ pitarā upāvatuḥ ||

One downward to the water drives the crippled cow, another trims the flesh brought on the carving-board. One carries off the refuse at the set of sun. How did the Parents aid their children in their task!

उद्वत्स्वस्मा अकृणोतना तृणं निवत्स्वपः स्वपस्यया नरः। अगोह्यस्य यदसस्तना गृहे तदद्येदमृभवो नानु गच्छथ॥

udvatsvasmā akṛṇotanā tṛṇaṁ nivatsvapaḥ svapasyayā naraḥ | agohyasya yadasastanā gṛhe tadadyedamṛbhavo nānu gacchatha ||

On the high places ye have made the grass for man, and water in the valleys, by your skill, O Men. Rbhus, ye iterate not to-day that act of yours, your sleeping in the house of him whom naught can hide.

सम्मील्य यद्भुवना पर्यसर्पत क्व स्वित्तात्या पितरा व आसतुः। अशपत यः करस्नं व आददे यः प्राब्रवीत्प्रो तस्मा अब्रवीतन॥

sammīlya yadbhuvanā paryasarpata kva svittātyā pitarā va āsatuḥ | aśapata yaḥ karasnaṁ va ādade yaḥ prābravītpro tasmā abravītana ||

As, compassing them round, ye glided through the worlds, where had the venerable Parents their abode? Ye laid a curse on him who raised his arm at you: to him who spake aloud to you ye spake again.

सुषुप्वांस ऋभवस्तदपृच्छतागोह्य क इदं नो अबूबुधत्। श्वानं बस्तो बोधयितारमब्रवीत्संवत्सर इदमद्या व्यख्यत॥

suṣupvāṁsa ṛbhavastadapṛcchatāgohya ka idaṁ no abūbudhat | śvānaṁ basto bodhayitāramabravītsaṁvatsara idamadyā vyakhyata ||

When ye had slept your fill, ye Rbhus, thus ye asked, O thou whom naught may hide, who now hath wakened us? The goat declared the hound to be your wakener. That day, in a full year, ye first unclosed our eyes.

दिवा यान्ति मरुतो भूम्याग्निरयं वातो अन्तरिक्षेण याति। अद्भिर्याति वरुणः समुद्रैर्युष्माँ इच्छन्तः शवसो नपातः॥

divā yānti maruto bhūmyāgnirayaṁ vāto antarikṣeṇa yāti | adbhiryāti varuṇaḥ samudrairyuṣmā icchantaḥ śavaso napātaḥ ||

The Maruts move in heaven, on earth this Agni; through the mid-firmament the Wind approaches. Varuna comes in the sea's gathered waters, O Sons of Strength, desirous of your presence.