Sama Veda on Trust

1. We in King Soma place our trust, in Agni, and in Varuna, The Aditya, Vishnu, Surya, and the Brahman-priest Brihaspati. 2. Hence have these men gone up on high and mounted to the heights of heaven: On! conquer on the path by which Angirasas travelled to the skies! 3. That thou mayst send us ample wealth, O Agni, we will kindler thee: So, for the great oblation, Steer, pray Heaven and Earth to come to us! 4. He runs when one calls after him, This is the prayer of him who prays. He holds all knowledge in his grasp even as the felly rounds the wheel. 5. Shoot forth, O Agni, with thy flame: demolish them on every side! Break down the Yatudhana's strength, the vigour of the Rakshasa! 6. Worship the Vasus, Agni! here, the Rudras and Adityas, all Who know fair sacrifices, sprung from Mann, scattering blessings down!

1. Heroes of one accord brought forth and formed for kingship Indra who wins the victory in all encounters, For power, in firmness, in the field, the great destroyer, fierce and exceeding strong,rstalwart and full of vigour. 2. I trust in thy first wrathful deed, O Indra, when thou slewest Vritra and didst work to profit When the two world-halves fled for refuge unto thee, and earth even trembled at thy strength, O Thunder-armed! 3. Come all with might together to the Lord of heaven, the only one who is indeed the guestof He is the first: to him who fain would come to us all pathways turn; he is in truth the only one. 4. Thine, Indra, praised of many, excellently rich, are we who trusting in thy help draw near to For none but thou, song-lover, shall receive our lauds: as Earth loves all her creatures, welcome this our hymn! 5. High hymns have sounded forth the praise of Maghavan, supporter of mankind, of Indra meet for lauds; Him who hath waxen mighty, much-invoked with prayers, immortal one whose praise each day is sung aloud. 6. In perfect unison have all your longing hymns that find the light of heaven sounded forth Indra's praise. As wives embrace their lord, the comely bridegroom, so they compass Maghavan about that he may help. 7. Make glad with songs that Ram whom many men invoke, worthy hymns of praise, Indra the sea of wealth; Whose boons spread like the heavens, the - lover of mankind: sing praise to him the Sage, most liberal for our good! 8. I glorify that Ram who finds the light of heaven, whose hundred strong and mighty ones go forth with him. With prayers may I turn hither Indra to mine aid;-the car which like a swift steed hasteth to the 9. Filled full of fatness, compassing all things that be, wide, spacious, dropping meath, beautiful in their form, The heaven and the earth by Varuna's decree, unwasting, rich in germs, stand parted each from 10. As like the Morning, thou hast filled, O Indra, both the earth.

1. Sing to your Agni with each song, at every sacrifice for strength. Come, let us praise the wise and, everlasting God even as a well-beloved friend, 2. Agni, protect thou us by one, protect us by the second song, Protect us by three hymns, O Lord of power and might, bright God, by four hymns guard us 3. O Agni, with thy lofty beams, with thy pure brilliancy, O God, Kindled, most youthful one! by Bharadvaja's hand, shine on us richly, holy Lord! 4. O Agni who art worshipped well, dear let our princes be to thee, Our wealthy patrons who are governors of men, who part, as gifts, the stall of kine! 5. Agni, praise-singer! Lord of men, God! burning up the Rakshasas, Mighty art thou, the ever-present, household-lord! home-friend and guardian from the sky. 6. Immortal Jatavedas, thou bright-hued refulgent gift of Dawn, Agni, this day to him who pays oblations bring the Gods who waken with the morn! 7. Wonderful, with thy favouring help, send us thy bounties, gracious Lord. Thou art the charioteer, Agni, of earthly wealth: find rest and safety for our seed! 8. Famed art thou, Agni, far and wide, preserver, righteous, and a Sage. The holy singers, O enkindled radiant one, ordainers, call on thee to come. 9. O holy Agni, give us wealth famed among men and strengthening life! Bestow on us, O helper, that which many crave, more glorious still through righteousness! 10. To him, who dealeth out all wealth, the sweet-toned Hotar-priest of men, To him like the first vessels filled with savoury juice, to Agni let the lauds go forth.

1. The God who giveth wealth accept your full libation poured to, him! Pour ye it out, then fill the vessel full again, for so the God regardeth you. 2. Let Brahmanaspati come forth, let Sunrita the Goddess come, And Gods bring to our rite which yields a fivefold gift the hero, lover of mankind! 3. Stand up erect to lend us aid, stand up like Savitar the God, Erect as strength-bestower when we call on thee with priests who balm our offerings! 4. The man who bringeth gifts to thee, bright God who fain wouldst lead to wealth, Winneth himself a brave son, Agni! skilled in lauds, one prospering in a thousand ways. 5. With hymns and holy eulogies we supplicate your Agni, Lord Of many families who duly serve the Gods, yea, him whom others too inflame. 6. This Agni is the Lord of great prosperity and hero, strength, Of wealth with noble offspring and with store of kine, the Lord of battles with the foe. 7. Thou, Agni, art the homestead's Lord, our Hotar-priest at sacrifice. Lord of all boons, thou art the Potar, passing wise. Pay worship, and enjoy the good! 8. We as thy friends have chosen thee, mortals a God, to be our help. The Waters' Child, the blessed, the most mighty one, swift conqueror, and without a peer.

1. Agni is wakened by the people's fuel to meet the Dawn who cometh like a milch-cow. Like young trees shooting up on high their branches, his flames. are mounting to the vault of heaven. 2. Set forth the gleaming one, the song-inspirer, not foolish with. the foolish, fort-destroyer, Who leadeth with his hymns to thought of conquest, gold-bearded, richly splendid with his armour 3. Thou art like heaven: one form is bright, one holy, like Day and Night dissimilar in colour. All magic powers thou aidest, self-dependent! Auspicious bethy bounty here, O Pushan! 4. As holy food, Agni, to thine invoker give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels! To us be born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to us-ward! 5. Stablished to fill the juice with vital vigour, giver of wealth, guard of his servant's body, The great Priest, born, who knows the clouds, abider with men, is seated in the waters' eddy. 6. Let the song, honouring the best, with longing honour the Asura's most famous sovran, The deeds of him the mighty, deeds like Indra's, the manly one in whom the folk must triumph! 7. In the two kindling-blocks lies Jatavedas like the well-cherished germ in pregnant women,-- Agni who day by day must be entreated by men who watch provided with oblations. 8. Agni, from days of old thou slayest demons: never shall Rakshasas in fight o'ercome thee. Burn up the foolish ones, raw flesh devourers: let none of them escape thine heavenly arrow!

1. Bring us most mighty splendour thou, Agni, resistless on thy way: Prepare for us the path that leads to glorious opulence and strength! 2. May the brave man, if full of zeal he serve and kindle Agni's flame, Duly presenting sacred gifts, enjoy the Gods' protecting help. 3. Thy bright smoke lifts itself aloft, and far-extended shines in heaven, For, Purifier! like the Sun thou beamest with thy radiant glow. 4. Thou, Agni, even as Mitra, hast a princely glory of thine own. Bright, active God, thou makest fame increase like means of nourishment. 5. At dawn let Agni, much-beloved, guest of the house, be glorified, In whom, the everlasting one, all mortals make their offerings blaze. 6. Most moving song be Agni's: shine on high, O rich in radiant light! Like the chief consort of a King riches and strength proceed from thee. 7. Exerting all our strength with thoughts of power we glorify in speech Agni your dear familiar friend, the darling guest in every house. 8. His beam hath lofty power of life: sing praise to Agni, to the God Whom men have set in foremost place, like Mitra for their eulogy! 9. To noblest Agni, friend of man, chief Vritra-slayer, have we come- Who with Srutarvan, Riksha's son, in lofty presence is inflamed. 10. Born as the loftiest Law commands, comrade of those who grew with him. Agni, the sire of Kasyapa by faith, the mother, Manu, Sage.

1. Sing this, beside the flowing juice, to him your hero, much-invoked, To please him as a mighty Bull 2. O Satakratu Indra, now rejoice with that carouse of thine Which is most glorious of all! 3. Ye cows, protect the fount: the two mighty ones bless the sacrifice. The handles twain are wrought of gold. 4. Sing praises that the horse may come; sing, Srutakaksha, that the cow May come, that Indra's might may come 5. We make this Indra very strong to strike, the mighty Vritra dead: A vigorous hero shall he be. 6. Based upon strength and victory and power, O Indra, is thy birth: Thou, mighty one! art strong indeed, 7. The sacrifice made Indra great when he unrolled the earth, and made Himself a diadem in heaven. 8. If I, O Indra, were, like thee, the single ruler over wealth My worshipper should be rich in kine. 9. Pressers, blend Soma juice for him, each draught most excellent, for him The brave, the hero, for his joy. 10. Here is the Soma juice expressed. O Vasu, drink till thou art full: Undaunted God, we give it thee

1. Call to your aid the eternal one who shoots and none may shoot at him, Inciter, swift, victorious, best of charioteers, unconquered, Tugriya's strengthener! 2. Let none, no, not thy worshippers, delay thee far away from us Even from faraway come thou unto our feast, or listen if' already here! 3. For Indra Soma-drinker, armed with thunder, press the Soma juice; Make ready your dressed meats: cause him to favour us! The giver blesses him who gives. 4. We call upon that Indra who, most active, ever slays the foe With boundless spirit, Lord of heroes, manliest one, help thou and prosper us in fight! 5. Ye rich in strength, through your great power vouchsafe us blessings day and night! The offerings which we bring to you shall never fail gifts brought by us shall never fail. 6. Whenever mortal worshipper will sing a bounteous giver's praise, Let him with song inspired laud Varuna who supports the folk who follow varied rites. 7. Drink milk to Indra in the joy of Soma juice, Medhyatithi! To golden Indra ever close to his bay steeds, the thunder-armed, the golden one! 8. Both boons,-may Indra, hitherward turned listen to this prayer of ours, And mightiest Maghavar, with thought inclined to us come near to drink the Soma juice! 9. Not for an ample price dost thou, Stone-caster! give thyself away, Not for a thousand, Thunderer! nor ten thousand, nor a hundred, Lord of countless wealth! 10. O Indra, thou art more to me than sire or niggard brother is. Thou and my mother, O good Lord, appear alike, to give me wealth abundantly.

1. Bring forth oblations to the God who knoweth all who fain would drink, The wanderer, lagging not behind the hero, coming nigh with speed! 2. To us the mighty, lying in all vital power, who resteth in the deep, who standeth in the east. Drive thou the awful word away. 3. Even as a car to give us aid, we draw thee nigh to favour us, Strong in thy deeds, quelling attack, Indra, Lord, mightiest! of the brave. 4. With powers of mighty ones hath he, the friend, the ancient, been equipped, Through whom our father Manu made prayers efficacious with the Gods. 5. What time the swift and shining steeds, yoked to the chariots, draw them on, Drinking the sweet delightful juice, there men perform their glorious acts. 6. Him for your sake I glorify as Lord of Strength who wrongeth none, Indra the hero, mightiest, all-conquering and omniscient. 7. I with my praise have glorified strong Dadhikravan, conquering steed Sweet may he make our mouths: may he prolong the days we have to live! 8. Render of forts, the young, the wise, of strength unmeasured, was he born, Sustainer of each sacred rite, Indra, the Thunderer, much-extolled.

1. Offer the triple sacred draught to Indu hero-worshipper! With hymn and plenty he invites you to complete the sacrifice. 2. Those whom they call the attendant pair of Kasyapa who knows the light, Lords of each holy duty when the wise have honoured sacrifice. 3. Sing, sing ye forth your songs of praise, men, Priya-medhas, sing your songs: Yea, let young children sing their lauds: yea, glorify our firm stronghold! 4. To Indra must a laud be said, a joy to him who freely gives, That Sakra may be joyful in our friendship and the juice we pour. 5. Your Lord of might that ne'er hath bent, that ruleth over all mankind, I call, that he, as he is wont, may aid the chariots and the men. 6. Even he who is thine own, through thought of Heaven, of mortal man who toils, He with the help of lofty Dyaus comes safe through straits of enmity. 7. Wide, Indra Satakratu, spreads the bounty of thine ample grace: So, good and liberal giver, known to all men, send us splendid wealth! 8. Bright Ushas, when thy times return, all quadrupeds and bipeds stir, And round about flock winged birds from all the boundaries of heaven. 9. Ye Gods who yonder have your home amid the luminous realm of heaven, What count ye right? what endless life? What is the ancient call on you? 10. We offer laud and psalm wherewith men celebrate their holy rites. They govern at the sacred place and bear the sacrifice to Gods.

and heaven, So as the mighty one, great King of all the mighty race of men, the Goddess mother brought thee forth, the blessed mother gave thee life. 11. Sing, with oblation, praise to him who maketh glad, who with. Rijisvan drove the dusky brood away! Let us, desiring help, call him for friendship, him the strong, the Marut-girt, whose right hand wields the bolt!

1. The juice of Soma thus diffused, sweet to the taste the bright cows drink, Who travelling in splendour close to mighty Indra's side rejoice, good in their own supremacy. 2. Thus hath the Soma, gladdening draught, produced the prayer that giveth joy: Thou, mightiest, Thunder-armed, hast driven by force the Dragon from the earth, lauding thine own supremacy. 3. By men hath Indra been advanced, the Vritra-slayer, to joy and strength. Him only we invoke for help in battles whether great or small: be he our aid in deeds of might! 4. Unconquered strength is only thine, Indra, Stonecaster, Thunder-armed! When thou with thy surpassing power smotest to death that guileful beast, lauding thine own supremacy. 5. Go forward, meet the foe, be bold; thy bolt of thunder is not checked! Manliness, Indra, is thy strength. Slay Vritra, make the waters thine, lauding thine own supremacy! 6. When war and battles are on foot, booty is offered to the bold. Yoke thou thy wildly-rushing bays. Whom wilt thou slay, and whom enrich? Do thou, O Indra, make us rich! 7. Wcll have they eaten and rejoiced; the friends have risen and passed away: The sages luminous in themselves have praised thee with their latest hymn. Now, Indra, yoke thy two bay steeds! 8. Graciously listen to our songs. Maghavan, be not negligent! When wilt thou make us glorious? Make this, only this thine end and aim. Now, Indra! yoke thy two bay steeds. 9. Within the waters runs the Moon, he with the beauteous wings in heaven. Ye lightnings with your golden wheels, men find not your abiding-place. Mark this my woe, ye Earth and Sky! 10. To meet your treasure-bringing car, the mighty car most dear to us. Asvins, the Rishi is prepared, your worshipper, with songs of praise. Lovers of sweetness, hear my call!

1. O Agni, God, we kindle thee, refulgent, wasting not away, That this more glorious fuel may send forth for thee its shine to heaven. Bring food to those who sing thy praise! 2. With offerings of our own we choose thee, Agni, as our Hotar priest, Piercing and brightly shining-at your glad carouse-served with trimmed grass at sacrifice. Thou waxest great. 3. O heavenly Dawn, awaken us to ample opulence to-day, Even as thou didst waken us with Satyasravas, Vayya's son, high born! delightful with thy steeds! 4. Send us a mind that brings delight, send energy and mental power. Then-at your glad carouse-let men joy in thy love, sweet juice! as kine in pasturage. Thou waxest great, 5. Great, as his nature is, through power, terrible, he hath waxed in strength, Lord of bay steeds, strong-jawed, sublime, he in joined hands for glory's sake hath grasped his iron thunderbolt. 6. He, Indra, verily will mount the powerful car that finds the kine, Who thinks upon the well-filled bowl, the tawny coursers' harnesser. Now, Indra, yoke thy two bay steeds! 7. I think of Agni who is kind, whom, as their home, the milch-kine seek: Whom fleet-foot coursers seek as home, and strong enduring steeds as home. Bring food to those who sing thy praise! 8. No peril, no severe distress, ye Gods, affects the mortal man Whom Aryaman and Mitra lead, and Varuna, of one accord, beyond his foes.

1. At the Trikadrukas the great and strong enjoyed the barley-brew. With Vishnu did he drink the pressed-out Soma juice, even as he would. That hath so heightened him the great, the wide to do his mighty work. So did the God attend the God, true Indu Indra who is true. 2. This God who sees for thousands of mankind, the light, the thought of poets, and the Law, The brilliant one, hath sent forth hither all the Dawns: spotless, one-minded, zealous in their home they dwell, with thought upon the Steer. 3. Come to us, Indra, from afar, conducting us, as, to the gatherings, a Lord of heroes, as an archer King, the heroes' Lord! We come with gifts of pleasant food, with flowing juice, invoking thee, as sons invite a sire, that we may win the spoil, thee, bounteousest, for gain of spoil. 4. Loudly I call that Indra Maghavan, the mighty, resistless, evermore possessing many glories. Holy, most liberal, may he lead us on to riches, through songs, and, thunder-armed make all our pathways pleasant! 5. Heard be our prayer! In thought I honour Agni first: now straightway we elect this heavenly company, Indra and Vayu we elect. For when our latest thought is raised and on Vivasvan centred well, then do our holy songs go forward on their way, our songs as 'twere unto the Gods. 6. To Vishnu, to the mighty whom the Maruts follow, let your hymns born in song go forth, Evayamarut! To the strong, very holy band adorned with bracelets, that rushes on in joy and ever roars for vigour! 7. With this his golden splendour purifying him, be with his own allies subdues all enemies, as Sura with his own allies. Cleansing himself with stream of juice he shines forth yellow-hued and red, when with the praisers he encompasses all, forms, with praisers having seven mouths. 8.

I praise this God, parent of heaven and earth, exceeding wise, possessed of real energy, giver of treasure, thinker dear to all, Whose splendour is sublime, whose light shone brilliant in, creation, who, wise and golden- handed, in his beauty mader the sky. 9. Agni I deem our Hotar-priest, munificent wealth-giver, Son of Strength, who, knoweth all that is, even as the Sage who, knoweth all. Lord of fair rites, a God with form erected turning to the Gods, he, when the flame hath sprung forth from the holy oil, the offered fatness, longs for it as it glows bright. 10. This, Indra! dancer! was thy hero deed, thy first and ancient work, worthy to be told forth in heaven, Even thine who furtheredst life with a God's own power, freeing the floods. All that is godless may he conquer with his might, and, Lord of Hundred Powers, find for us strength and food!