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It is midnight; the world is asleep in silence, The Earth is asleep in the lap of darkness; Asleep are the heavens, breathless the wrathful winds; The stars twinkle not in the dense blackness of the clouds. The birds wrap their eyes with their wings And rest self-absorbed in their nests; Animals wander not, nor are footsteps heard. Then the Mother awakes; The Mother awakes with a terrible cry. The Mother awakes; opens Her frightful eyes, As though a pair of suns.
The Mother awakes, not a leaf moves; The still flame of the lamp is dying in the room: In the lonely paths of the city, in the fields and the woodlands and the hills
Plunges in sleep all life. The surges of the sea-waters Break not in laughter upon the shores : Utterly still, unmoving, the ocean is voiceless. Why then does the Mother awake? Who can tell what has She heard and is awake? In the night whose is the silent prayer that has awakened the Mother To rise with a terrible cry?
When the Mother fell asleep, who ever hoped That even in the midst of blind darkness She will awake? Sunk in the night, void of hope, the heart broken for good in sorrow Even in sleep is startled to hear the fall of a leaf. The royal Fortune of the mighty Asura, Proud and cunning and overpowering, Has besieged the earth. Suddenly a terrible cry is heard, the cry of the Mother; Suddenly like the roar of hundreds of oceans is heard the voice of the Mother: To awaken Her sons called aloud the Mother Like a thunder-clap.
With a grieving heaving heart was there none awake In the darkest of night for the sake of the Mother? A few only with saffron robes covering their bodies Sat in the temple with the bare sword in hand, Devotees of the terrible Mother, To anoint with their own blood The Mother's feet, wakeful they passed the night. Hence rose the Mother: With a mighty thirst, in wrath awoke the Mother; With a lion's roar filling the universe awoke the Mother To awaken the world.
A raucous laughter spurts out of Her mouth, a lightning flash gleams in Her eyes;
Frightful is the blood-red flower of Her anger, In wrath She swings in Her hands the heads of two titans. The Mother rises and sends out a grim invocation.
Who art thou at this dead of night swinging the titan heads in Thy hands?
Thou sprayest rain of blood over the land. The two eyes are like hearths of fire; fearful is the Mother, Shaking the earth She roams about.
With a loud roar "Arise! Arise!" Thy voice rises to chase All sweet indolence. It is our Mother! She comes, on Her forehead burns Her eye of death. Dancing to the rhythm of the clanging of Her necklace of human skulls, Lo! the Mother comes.
"Arise, arise," a violent voice calls Gods and titans and men, all, A cruel roar here, a high cry of joy there. It is my Mother!. With burning eye of death upon Her forehead comes our Mother. Our Mother comes, the human skulls of Her garland dance to tune.
In the midst of storm and battle, sword crashes against sword, body to body resounding; Fire rains and rushes about in the fight, the skies are deafened With all the fierce noises, the ears burst, the earth sways, Blood flows and flows free as though flowing streams. When, oh when shall we know the Mother? When Her call goes out like the ocean roar Wiping off with Her mighty breath the whole kingdom of the titans and the violent goddess comes smiling
Then shall we know the Mother. The Mother, when She dances bathing in the stream of flowing blood Then surely we know, it is the Mother awakened at last.
1
Mother India, when Thou rosest from the depths of oceans hoary, Love and joy burst forth unbounded, life acclaimed Thee in Thy glory; Darkness fled before Thy splendour, light its radiant flag unfurled. All acclaimed Thee, "Hail O Mother! Fosterer, Saviour of the world!" Earth became thrice-blessed by the rose of beauty of Thy feet; Blithe, she chanted: "Hail, World-Charmer! Hail, World-Mother! Thee I greet."
2
Damp from ocean's kiss Thy raiment, from its waves still drip Thy tresses. Greatness spans Thy brow, and flower-like lucent-pure Thy smiling face is. Sun and moon and stars go dancing through the vastness of Thy spaces, While below mid ocean's thunders foam of waves Thy feet embraces. Earth became thrice-blessed with the rose of beauty of Thy feet; Blithe, she chanted: "Hail, World-Charmer! Hail, World-Mother! Thee I greet."
3
On Thy brow the snow's corona, round Thy knees leaps ocean's spray; Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, — pearl-strings for Thy bosom's play!1 There in desert places dire and bright and bare in heat Thou blazest, Here mid garnered world-flung riches with Thy golden smile amazest. Earth became thrice-blessed with the rose of beauty of Thy feet; Blithe, she chanted: "Hail, World-Charmer! Hail, World-Mother! Thee I greet."
1 Alternative: Heaving rivers rise and fall like pearl-strings to Thy bosom's play. 4
Through the void Thy winds sweep clamouring mighty, tireless, huge of wing, Or Thy feet adored caressing low and long bird-murmurs sing.2 Race of wild clouds thunder-hurling with their deluge-seas of rain, Laughter of Thy groves and woodlands drunk with fragrance, flowery-fain!3 Earth became thrice-blessed with the rose of beauty of Thy feet; Blithe, she chanted: "Hail, World-Charmer! Hail, Earth-Mother! Thee I greet."
5
Peace surrounds men from Thy bosom, Thy sweet voice love's blessing throws ;4 By Thy hand are fed earth's millions, from Thy feet salvation flows. Deep Thy joy is in Thy children, deep Thy suffering's tragic night, Mother India, great World-Mother! O World-Saviour, World's Delight! Earth became thrice-blessed by the rose of beauty of Thy feet; Blithe, she chanted: "Hail, World-Charmer! Hail, Earth-Mother! Thee I greet."
2 Alternative: Kissing Thy feet melt in bird-song, storms with hymns their homage bring. 3 Alternative: O Thy clouds rich wild rain-music, lightning-stringed their thundrous lyre! O Thy gardens drunk with fragrance, with ambrosial hues on fire! 4 Alternative: Mother! Peace nests in Thy bosom, in Thy voice Love's courage glows;
HYMNS OF SHUNAHSHEPA AJIGARTI
Mandala I, Sukta 26
1. Gird on thy robes, O thou adorable one,— master of all abounding mights, conduct this our oblation. 2. Settle down, — for thou art the supreme offerer of sacrifice, O young, strong and brilliant Agni, — by the thoughts of my meditation into my speech. 3. Because he doeth sacrifice as a father for his son, as a lover for his lover, as a comrade for his comrade, therefore is he the supreme offerer. 4. May the destroyers of the foe, Varuna, Mitra and Aryaman, sit down on the sacred rushes as human friends might sit. 5. O ancient Priest of the offering, rejoice in this our friendship, hearken to these my words. 6. For whatsoever with lasting substance we sacrifice to god and god, always 'tis on thee that the offering is cast. 7. May this master of the peoples be dear to us, the delightful and supreme offerer of sacrifice, and to him may we be dear and full of the strengths of Agni. 8. For when the gods are full of the strengths of Agni, then they hold firmly for us the supreme good; full of the strengths of Agni may we be in our meditation. 9. Then should both exchange their full expressions of being, the immortals giving to mortal men, man to the deathless gods. 10. O Agni, enrich with all thy strengths and confirm, thou masterful user of force, this my sacrifice, this my speech, this delight.
Mandala I, Sukta 27
1. As the swift strength that bringeth blessings I adore thee with obeisances, the strong Agni, supreme and king over all below. 2. May he be always full of loving-kindness to us, auspicious, happy, moving out by his flashing brilliance far and wide. 3. Far and near do thou protect us continuously by the universal vitality from mortal sickness of our life. 4. Speak forth perfectly, O Agni, among the gods this our chant new-framed of saving power. 5. Cleave to us in our higher stabilities and in our middle, teach us thy utmost reach of being. 6. O richly-lustred, thou art he who dwellest over against the swelling waters of the ocean and distributest them, thou flowest down immediately on the giver. 7. Whomso, though a mortal, O Agni, thou impellest in his struggles, whomso in his holdings, he attaineth to enduring1 masteries. 8. O god of force, there is a substance of plenty that is of the Inspiration and it embraces in its circuit any plane whatsoever of being; 9. Therefore do thou, the universal strength that labours, bring by thy strong fighters that richness of plenty to its goal (of fulness) and by thy wise seers hold it safe. 10. O thou who awakenest to thy wooers, do thou pervade towards
1 Or, imperishable. Rudra to whom one doeth all sacrifice, for each and every people, a hymn full of vision. 11. May he be to us great and boundless, passionate in perception, wide and full of charm, — so may he favour our understanding and the plenty of our substance. 12. May he, as one full of impetuosity, the master of these peoples who is divine perception, hearken to us, even Agni who burneth into greatness with the prayers of our desire for his fuel. 13. Obeisance to the Great Gods! obeisance to the lesser! obeisance to the young! obeisance to them who are keen and swift (old?)! may we do sacrifice to the gods to the utmost of our capacity, may our self-expression not be mutilated, O ye elder-gods.
THREE HYMNS OF SHUNAHSHEPA TO INDRA
Mandala I, Sukta 28
1. Where the stone wide-bottomed is upturned for the distilling, there may the mortar, O Indra, preserve of the distillings of the Pestle. 2. Where, as it seemeth, two buttocks are made a support for the distilling, there may the mortar, O Indra, preserve of the distillings of the Pestle. 3. Where a woman learns the fall to the stroke and the fall away from the stroke, may the mortar, O Indra, preserve of the distillings of the Pestle. 4. [Not translated] 5. Whensoever thou, O Pestle, art put to thy work in house and house, speak here with deepest force like the drum of conquering hosts. 6. Since for thee, O lord of the woodland (of delight), the wind blows in its ways before thee, then do thou distil for Indra's drinking the Soma juice. 7. She who was firmest in enduring strength was put to the action, for there were two that were high and wielded by one who had great vigour, they ranged like horses that feed in their pastures. 8. Today may these two lords of the woodland (of delight), impetuous and wielded by impetuous distillers, express for Indra the honeyed juice. 9. Fill in here the Soma that is left from the dish; in thy purity pour it forth and fill us with light to the very skin. Mandala I, Sukta 29
1. Thou who art True, who drinkest the Soma, whatsoever thou seemest as if thou wert not to express, do thou yet manifest for us, O Indra, in lustres, in swift enjoyings, in happinesses, in strengths, O thou who hast in Force thy fullness! 2. O Shiprin (?), O master of plenties, O dweller in Power, thine is the giving; do thou yet manifest for us, O Indra, in lustres, in swift enjoyings, in happinesses, in strengths, O thou who hast in Force thy fullness. 3. Cast into sleep the two who are false seers, let them slumber without awaking; do thou yet manifest for us, O Indra, in lustres, in swift enjoyings, in happinesses, in strengths, O thou who hast in Force thy fullness. 4. Let these undelights fall into sleep, O hero, let delights be awakened; do thou yet manifest for us, O Indra, in lustres, in swift enjoyings, in happinesses, in strengths, O thou who hast in Force thy fullness. 5. Crush thou the Ass, O Indra, who urges us with this spirit of evil; do thou yet manifest for us, O Indra, in lustres, in swift enjoyings, in happinesses, in strengths, O thou who hast in Force thy fullness. 6. By that whirling one the wind speeds (falls) far from our place of delight; do thou yet manifest for us, O Indra, in lustres, in swift enjoyings, in happinesses, in strengths, O thou who hast in Force thy fullness. 7. Slay all that cries out around against us, smite down every breaker of our enjoying; do thou yet manifest for us, O Indra, in lustres, in swift enjoyings, in happinesses, in strengths, O thou who hast in Force thy fullness. Mandala I, Sukta 30
1. We foster for you, as one fattens a ram, Indra the strong slayer; sprinkle him with nectarous rain till he reaches his utmost fullness. 2. He who is alike the tranquillity of the pure and the force of the strong enjoyers, comes upon us as if pouring from above. 3. For his forceful delight thus in One's inner being the sea main-taineth as it were its full expanse. 4. He is here with thee, and thou comest straying back like a dove to the home of its young; that is the word which is given us for our mind's comprehension. 5. Master of ecstasies, strong one who upbearest the Word, may the hymn of praise to thee, since thou art even such, become a wide force of truth. 6. Stand on high for the expansion of our being, in firm plenty of substance, O Shatakratu; may we express it also in other gods. 7. O friends, we call for our expansions on Indra who grows fuller of force in every getting of fresh being and in every holding of substance gained. 8. Surely he comes to us whenever he hears, with mighty expansions, with stores of substance to our call. 9. I call to his ancient house the strong one who is first in force, to whom even of old, when master of thee, I call. 10. Therefore we, blessed with all boons, pray to thee (or get control of thee), O widely called, O friend of men, O full of substance for thy lovers. 11. O Thunderer, O friend, thou who drinkest the Soma of our loves when enraptured they have drunk! 12. Even so may this be, drinker of Soma, friend, Thunderer, so do thou as is done in the heat of thee for the sacrifice. 13. May our ecstasied swiftnesses that intoxicate with fulfilment, be full of substance of force, that we may mount on the crests of the ecstasy and rejoice. 14. 15. [Not translated] 16. Ever hath Indra by his forces far-spreading, high-shouting, breathing passionately, won riches for us. He has given us a car of great brightness and he preserves, 'tis for secure enjoyment that he gives. 17. O Aswins, lo she that is full of strong enjoying, by her in her brilliance do ye come, givers of that which is luminous and full of golden light. 18. O bounteous givers, your car immortal that is equally yoked, moveth over the sea, O ye Aswins. 19. Ye have driven, labouring, a wheel of your car over the head of the intangible, the other goeth through the heavens. 20. O Usha, beloved of [. . .]1, who is the mortal that has enjoyed thee, O deathless one? to whom journeyest thou, O wide-shining Dawn? 21. For we have filled ourselves with the thought of thee from our last depths to our highest summits, O high-raptured. O richly hued, O rosy Dawn. 22. Come to us with these plenties, O daughter of heaven, contain for us the energy (of the world).
1 Kadha not translated. The First Hymn of the Rig-veda
Mandala I, sukta 1
(1)
A hymn to Agni the divine Flame, priest of the sacrifice, bringer of the gods to man, giver of the treasures, protector and leader and king of the sacrifice of the path, inspired seer-will in works, giver of the supreme good and truth and its shining guardian.
1. I adore the Flame, divine vicar of sacrifice, Ritwik and offering priest who most founds the Delight. 2. The Flame adored by the ancient sages is adorable too by the new. He brings on earth the gods. 3. Man can get by the Flame a treasure that increases day by day. splendid and full of heroes' strengths. 4. O Flame, alone the sacrifice of the path which thou surroundest with thy being on every side, goes among the gods. 5. The Flame is a priest, a seer-will to acts, true and rich in many lights of inspiration, and shall come1 to us a god with the gods. 6. O Flame, that happiness thou wilt create for the giver of sacrifice, is thine only and is that Truth. O Angiras.2 7. To thee day by day, O Flame, in night and in light we come carrying to thee by the thought our adoration.
1 Or. comes 2 The seven Angiras seers, sons of the Flame, discovered, says the Veda, that Truth, the sun that was lodged in the darkness. This inconscient darkness is figured as the cave of the Panis. Indra and the Angiras seers enter and find the shining cows of the Dawn, the Dawn herself, the Day. the Sun. the vision of knowledge and man's path to immortality. This is the day said in the ne\t hymn to be discovered or known by the adorers of Vayu. The name Angiras is given also to the gods as finders of the Truth. 8. To the ruler3 of the sacrifices of the path, the luminous guardian of the Truth, who increases in his own home! 9. O Fire, be thou easy of access to us like a father to his son, cling to us for our happy ease.
(2)
1. I adore the Flame, the Vicar, the divine Ritwik of the sacrifice, the summoner who most founds the ecstasy. 2. The Flame, adorable by the ancient sages, is adorable too by the new; he brings here the gods. 3. By the Flame one enjoys a treasure that verily increases day by day, glorious, most full of hero-powers. 4. O Flame, the pilgrim sacrifice on every side of which thou art with thy environing being, that truly goes among the gods. 5. The Flame, the Summoner, the Seer-Will, true and most full of richly varied listenings, may he come, a god with the gods. 6. O Flame, the happy good which thou shalt create for the giver is that Truth and verily thine, O Angiras! 7. To thee, O Flame, we day by day, in the night and in the light, come carrying by our thought the obeisance, 8. To thee who reignest over our pilgrim sacrifices, luminous guardian of the truth, increasing in thy own home. 9. Therefore be easy of access to us as a father to his son; cling to us for our happy state.
3 Or. King |