Comfort

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

The drops of Soma juice, like cows who yield their milk, have flowed forth, rich in meath, unto the diety, And, seated on the grass, raising their voice, assumed the milk, the covering robe wherewith the address stream. 11. They balm him, balm him over, balm him thoroughly, caress the mighty strength and balm it with the meath. They seize the flying Steer at the stream's breathing-place: cleansing with gold they grasp the animal herein. 12. Spread is thy cleansing filter, Brahmanaspati: as prince thou enterest its limbs from every The raw, whose mass hath not been heated, gains not this: they only which are dressed, which bear, attain to it.

1. I Hear, as though 'twere close at hand, the cracking of the whips they hold: They gather splendour on their way. 2. Indra, these friends of ours, supplied with Soma, wait and look to thee As men with fodder to the herd. 3. Before his hot displeasure all the peoples, all the men bow down, As rivers bow them to the sea. 4. We choose unto ourselves that high protection of the mighty Gods, That it may help and succour us. 5. O Brahmanaspati, make thou Kakshivan Ausija a loud Chanter of flowing Soma juice! 6. Much honoured with libations may the Vritra-slayer watch for us: May Sakra listen to our prayer 7. Send us this day, God Savitar, prosperity with progeny Drive thou the evil dream away! 8. Where is that ever-youthful Steer, strong-necked and never yet bent down? What Brahman ministers to him? 9. There where the mountains downward slope, there at the meeting of the streams The Sage was manifest by song. 10. Praise Indra whom our songs must laud, sole sovran of mankind, the chief Most liberal who controlleth men

1. Come, Agni, praised with song, to feast and sacrificial offering: sit As Hotar on the holy grass! 2. O Agni, thou hast been ordained Hotar of every sacrifice, By Gods, among the race of men. 3. Agni we choose as envoy, skilled performer of this holy rite, Hotar, possessor of all wealth. 4. Served with oblation, kindled, bright, through love of song may Agni, bent On riches, smite the Vritras dead! 5. I laud your most beloved guest like a dear friend, O Agni, him Who, like a chariot, wins us wealth. 6. Do thou, O Agni, with great might guard us from all malignity, Yea, from the hate of mortal man! 7. O Agni, come; far other songs of praise will I sing forth to thee. Wax mighty with these Soma-drops! 8. May Vatsa draw thy mind away even from thy loftiest dwelling place! Agni, I yearn for thee with song. 9. Agni, Atharvan brought thee forth by rubbing from the sky, the head Of all who offer sacrifice. 10. O Agni, bring us radiant light to be our mighty succour, for Thou art our visible deity!

When Allah's succour and the triumph cometh

Unless by mercy from Us and as comfort for a while.

And they believed, therefor We gave them comfort for a while.

headache, and cough. 1. The first red bull, born of the (cloud-)womb, born of wind and clouds, comes on thundering with rain. May he, that cleaving moves straight on, spare our bodies; he who, a single force, has passed through threefold! 2. Bowing down to thee that fastenest thyself with heat upon every limb, we would reverence thee with oblations; we would reverence with oblations the crooks and hooks of thee that hast, as a seizer, seized the limbs of this person. 3. Free him from headache and also from cough, (produced by the lightning) that has entered his every joint! May the flashing (lightning), that is born of the cloud, and born of the wind, strike the trees and the mountains! 4. Comfort be to my upper limb, comfort be to my nether; comfort be to my four members, comfort to my entire body!

1. This, verily, is a remedy, this is the remedy of Rudra, with which one may charm away the arrow that has one shaft and a hundred points! 2. With gâlâsha (urine) do ye wash (the tumour), with gâlâsha do ye sprinkle it! The gâlâsha is a potent remedy: do thou (Rudra) with it show mercy to us, that we may live! 3. Both well-being and comfort shall be ours, and nothing whatever shall injure us! To the ground the disease (shall fall): may every remedy be ours, may all remedies be ours!

40 The wave of flowing meath hath wakened up desires: the Steer enrobed in milk plunges into the stream 41 Dear to all life, he sends triumphant praises forth, abundant, bringing offspring, each succeeding day. 42 When days begin, the strong juice, lovely, golden−hued, is recognized by wisdom more and more each 43 They balm him, balm him over balm him thoroughly, caress the mighty strength and balm it with the 44 Sing forth to Pavamana skilled in holy song: the juice is flowing onward like a mighty stream. 45 Dweller in floods, King, foremost, he displays his might, set among living things as measurer of days. 46 Loosed is the heavens! support, the uplifted cheering juice: the triply−mingled draught flows round int 47 Thy strearns that flow forth rapidly collected run over the fine fleece of the sheep as thou art cleansed. 48 Winner of' power, flow, Soma, worthy of our laud: run onward to the fleece as well−beloved meath.

2 The Everlasting Pair, with full streams, rich in milk, in their pure rule pour fatness for the pious man. 3 Whoso, for righteous life, pours offerings to you, O Heaven and Earth, ye Hemispheres, that man succe 4 Enclosed in fatness, Heaven and Earth are bright therewith: they mingle with the fatness which they still 5 May Heaven and Earth pour down the balmy rain for us, balm−dropping, yielding balm, with balm upo 6 May Heaven and Earth make food swell plenteously for us, all−knowing Father, jother, wondrous in the

1 WE seeking strength with Soma−drops fill full your Indra like a well, 2 Who lets a hundred of the pure, a thousand of the milk−blent draughts 3 When for the strong, the rapturous joy he in this manner hath made room 4 This is thine own. Thou drawest near, as turns a pigeon to his mate: 5 O Hero, Lord of Bounties, praised in hymns, may power and joyfulness 6 Lord of a Hundred Powers, stand up to lend us succour in this fight 7 In every need, in every fray we call as friends to succour us 8 If he will hear us let him come with succour of a thousand kinds, 9 I call him mighty to resist, the Hero of our ancient home, 10 We pray to thee, O much−invoked, rich in all prccious gifts, O Friend, 11 O Soma−drinker, Thunder−armed, Friend of our lovely−featured dames 12 Thus, Soma−drinker, may it be; thus, Friend, who wieldest thunder, act 13 With Indra splendid feasts be ours, rich in all strengthening things wherewith, 14 Like thee, thyself, the singers' Friend, thou movest, as it were, besought, 15 That, Satakratu, thou to grace and please thy praisers, as it were, 16 With champing, neighing loudly−snorting horses Indra hath ever won himself great treasures 17 Come, Asvins, with enduring strength wealthy in horses and in kine, 18 Your chariot yoked for both alike, immortal, ye of mighty acts, 19 High on the forehead of the Bull one chariot wheel ye ever keep, 20 What mortal, O immortal Dawn, enjoyeth thee? Where lovest thou? 21 For we have had thee in our thoughts whether anear or far away, 22 Hither, O Daughter of the Sky, come thou with these thy strengthenings,

"'Bhishma said, "O Dharma's son of great wisdom and widespread fame, listen to this old history touching the great merit of granting protection to others when protection is humbly sought. Once on a time, a beautiful pigeon, pursued by a hawk, dropped down from the skies and sought the protection of the highly-blessed king Vrishadarbha. The pure-souled monarch, beholding the pigeon take refuge in his lap from fear, comforted him, saying, 'Be comforted, O bird; do not fear. Whence hast thou taken such great fright? What hast thou done and where hast thou done it in consequence of which thou hast lost thy senses in fear and art more dead than alive? Thy colour, beautiful bird, is such as to resemble that which adorns a fresh-blown lotus of the blue variety. Thy eyes are of the hue of the pomegranate or the Asoka flower. Do not fear. I bid thee, be comforted. When thou hast sought refuge with me, know that no one will have the courage to even think of seizing thee,--thee that hast such a protector to take care of thy person. I shall for thy sake, give up today the very kingdom of the Kasi and, if need be, my life too. Be comforted, therefore, and let no fear be thine, O pigeon.'

“Sanjaya said, ‘Both Vasudeva and Dhananjaya, afflicted with sorrow and grief and frequently sighing like two snakes, got no sleep that night. Understanding that both Nara and Narayana were in rage, the gods with Vasava became very anxious thinking, “What will come of it?” Fierce winds, that were again dry and foreboded danger, began to blow. And a headless trunk and a mace appeared on the disc of the sun. And although it was cloudless, frequent thunders were heard, of loud report, mixed with flashes of lightning. The earth with her mountains and waters and forests, shook. The seas, those habitation of Makaras, swelled O king, in agitation. The rivers ran in directions opposite to their usual course. The nether and upper lips of car-warriors and steeds and men and elephants began to tremble. And as if for gladdening the cannibals, on that occasion foreboding a great accession of population to the domain of Yama, the animals (on the field) began to eject urine and excreta, and utter loud cries of woe. Beholding these fierce omens that made the hair stand on end, and hearing also of the fierce vow of the mighty Arjuna, all thy warriors, O bull of Bharata’s race became exceedingly agitated. Then the mighty-armed son of Pakasasana said unto Krishna. “Go, and comfort thy sister Subhadra with her daughter-in-law. And, O Madhava, let also that daughter-in-law, and her companions, be comforted by thee; O lord, comfort them with soothing words that are again fraught with truth.” Thus addressed, Vasudeva, with a cheerless heart, wending to Arjuna’s abode, began to comfort his sorrowing sister afflicted with grief on account of the death of her son.’

Vaisampayana continued, “Having said this, Krishna, hiding her face in Bhima’s breast began to weep. And Bhima, embracing her, consoled her to the best of his power. And having abundantly consoled that slender-waisted daughter of Drupada by means of words fraught with grave reason and sense, he wiped with his hands her face flooded with tears. And thinking of Kichaka and licking with his tongue the corners of his mouth, Bhima, filled with wrath thus spake to that distressed lady.”

The heavy tidings grieved the godlike man: Swift to his succour through the ranks he ran. The dauntless king yet standing firm he found, And all the chiefs in deep concern around. Where to the steely point the reed was join’d, The shaft he drew, but left the head behind. Straight the broad belt with gay embroidery graced, He loosed; the corslet from his breast unbraced; Then suck’d the blood, and sovereign balm infused,[133] Which Chiron gave, and Æsculapius used.

This said, she wiped from Venus’ wounded palm The sacred ichor, and infused the balm. Juno and Pallas with a smile survey’d, And thus to Jove began the blue-eyed maid:

Then first spake Merion: “Shall we join the right, Or combat in the centre of the fight? Or to the left our wonted succour lend? Hazard and fame all parts alike attend.”

Thus Sarama her story told: And Sita's spirit was consoled, As when the first fresh rain is shed The parching earth is comforted. Then, filled with zeal for Sita's sake, Again in gentle tones she spake, And, skilled in arts that soothe and please, Addressed the queen in words like these: "Thy husband, lady, will I seek, Say the fond words thy lips would speak, And then, unseen of any eye, Back to thy side will swiftly fly. My airy flights are speedier far Than Garuda's and the tempest are."

The son of Raghu heard, consoled, The wondrous tale Hanuman told; And, as his joyous hope grew high, In friendly words he made reply:

She, by his loving words consoled, Longed her dire purpose to unfold, And sought with sharper pangs to wring The bosom of her lord the king.

And let go those-- Rites and writ duties! Fly to Me alone! Make Me thy single refuge! I will free Thy soul from all its sins! Be of good cheer!

Nay! but once more Take My last word, My utmost meaning have! Precious thou art to Me; right well-beloved! Listen! I tell thee for thy comfort this. Give Me thy heart! adore Me! serve Me! cling In faith and love and reverence to Me! So shalt thou come to Me! I promise true, For thou art sweet to Me!

When the man, So living, centres on his soul the thought Straitly restrained--untouched internally By stress of sense--then is he Yukta. See! Steadfast a lamp burns sheltered from the wind; Such is the likeness of the Yogi's mind Shut from sense-storms and burning bright to Heaven. When mind broods placid, soothed with holy wont; When Self contemplates self, and in itself Hath comfort; when it knows the nameless joy Beyond all scope of sense, revealed to soul-- Only to soul! and, knowing, wavers not, True to the farther Truth; when, holding this, It deems no other treasure comparable, But, harboured there, cannot be stirred or shook By any gravest grief, call that state "peace," That happy severance Yoga; call that man The perfect Yogin!

Then it vanished through the thong-hole of the door and was dissipated into thin air; but Penelope rose from her sleep refreshed and comforted, so vivid had been her dream.

“On this I took comfort in spite of all my sorrow, and said, ‘I know, then, about these two; tell me, therefore, about the third man of whom you spoke; is he still alive, but at sea, and unable to get home? or is he dead? Tell me, no matter how much it may grieve me.’

As he was thus speaking a bird flew on his right hand—an eagle with a great white goose in its talons which it had carried off from the farm yard—and all the men and women were running after it and shouting. It came quite close up to them and flew away on their right hands in front of the horses. When they saw it they were glad, and their hearts took comfort within them, whereon Pisistratus said, “Tell me, Menelaus, has heaven sent this omen for us or for you?”

The Piling of the Fire Altar (Continued) a O Agni and Visnu, may these songs gladden you in unison; come ye with radiance and strength. b May for me strength, instigation, influence, inclination, thought, inspiration, speech, fame, renown, reputation, light, heaven, expiration, inspiration [1], cross- breathing, breath, mind, learning, voice, mind, eye, ear, skill, might, force, strength, life, old age, breath, body, protection, guard, limbs, bones, joints, bodies (prosper through the sacrifice). May for me pre-eminence, overlordship, spirit, anger, violence, impetuosity, victorious power, greatness, breadth, extent, greatness, length, growth, growing, truth, faith, world [1], wealth, power, radiance, play, delight, what is born, what is to be born, good words, good deeds, finding, what there is to find, what has been, what will be, easy road, good way, prosperity, prospering, agreement, agreeing, thought, good thought (prosper through the sacrifice). May for me prosperity, comfort, desire, wish, longing, kindliness, good, better, superior, fame, good luck, riches, restrainer, supporter, peace, firmness, all [1], greatness, discovery, knowledge, begetting, procreation, plough, harrow, holy order, immortality, freeness from disease, freedom from illness, life, longevity, freedom from foes, fearlessness, ease of going, lying, fair dawning, and fair day (prosper through the sacrifice). May for me strength, righteousness, milk, sap, ghee, honey, eating and drinking in company, ploughing, rain, conquest, victory, wealth, riches, prosperity, prospering, plenteousness [1], lordship, much, more, fun, fuller, imperishableness, bad crops, food, freedom from hunger, rice, barley, beans, sesame, kidney beans, vetches, wheat, lentils, Millet, Panicum miliaceum, Panicum frumentaceum, and wild rice (prosper through the sacrifice).