Vedic and Philological Studies

Mandala Two

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SUKTA 23

(1) To thee we call, host-master of the heavenly companies, seer among the seers who art most rich in the supreme inspired knowledge, eldest king among the gods of soul, O Master of Soul, Brahmanaspati; hearken to us and by thy manifestations in our being take thy session in this house and seat.

(2) Even the gods, O Mighty One, O Brihaspati, who are conscious in thought, taste but thy share of the sacrificial enjoyment; as Surya gives being to his bright energies by the wide illumination of Mahas, so art thou the begetter even of all the gods of Soul.

(3) Assailing and preventing all plunderers and all darknesses thou ascendest thy luminous car of the Truth, O Brihaspati, that terrible chariot which crushes all hostile things, slays the Rakshasas who detain, breaks open the pens of Light and finds out the Heaven of mind.

(4) With perfect leadings thou leadest, thou deliverest the creature; if a man give to thee, him evil possesseth not; thou art the afflicter of the soul’s haters, thou holdest our temperament in thy grasp; great is that wide might of thine.

(5) Him neither evil nor sin from any side nor the energies of undelight can pierce nor the powers of duality; thou repellest all the goddesses of the crookedness from him whom thou guardest, a perfect protector, O Brahmanaspati.

(6) Thou art our protector and the builder of our path by the perfect and clear discernment, we woo the with our thoughts so that we may possess thy law of action; O Brihaspati, whosoever putteth crookedness in us, him may his own violent and troubled unease slay.

(7) Yea, and whosoever would oppress (limit) us without sin

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of ours, whatsoever mortal power of undelight and Wolf of the plateau, O Brihaspati, turn him from our path, make for us an easy going towards this manifestation of the godhead (wideness of the gods).

(8) Thee we call as the saviour of our bodies, O deliverer, and the revealer in them who seekest our being. O Brihaspati, crush those who limit the god-in-us, let not those of an evil movement attain up to the higher bliss.

(9) By thee perfectly increasing we, O Brahmanaspati, take to ourselves the desirable possessions of the human (mental) life; those who oppress us from near or from far do thou crush, those who do not the work and take not the delight.

(10) By thee we hold in our minds that highest wideness, O Brihaspati, by thee yoked to us as preserver and fulfiller of our beings; let not any power control us that would express ill in it and tear its fullness; perfectly expressed by our thoughts may we pass beyond.

(11) The Bull who pushes not forward (or is not shaken by the charge) but thou goest to the battle-cry, afflictest the foe and overpowerest in our battles, thou art the true in the movement, O Brihaspati, and the tamer even of the strong and fierce who exults in his strength.

(12) He who with an undivine mind striveth after knowledge and in his fierceness entering our mentality seeketh to hurt our expression, Brihaspati, let not his stroke reach us, may we cast out the passion of him of evil impulse when he putteth forth his force.

(13) He who is to be called in our fullnesses and to be approached with submission, who moves in our havings and gets for us (or keeps for us) this wealth and that other, Brihaspati the Aryan shatters like chariots the energies that assault us and would tear up our gains.

(14) With thy most flaming heat afflict the Rakshasas who held thee for confinement even when they had seen thy prowess; manifest that of thee which has to be expressed, crush to pieces the plunderers around.

(15) Brihaspati, that which the Aryan fighter aspires to compass,

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that which shines brilliant and powerful in creatures, that which by its force is brilliant, O thou who art born out of the Truth, establish in us that variously shining treasure.

(16) Deliver us not to the Thieves who take their delight in the place of Harms and as enemies have greed after our bodily havings or to those who arrange in the heart the hedge [    ] of the gods and know not of the equality beyond.

(17) For in all the worlds has the Maker, the Seer of harmony after harmony given being to thee; therefore Brihaspati knowing the right movement and following it is the slayer of all harms in him who holdeth the Truth of Mahas.

(18) For thy force of movement (or glory) the mountain of being flyeth asunder when thou lettest loose the herd of the brilliant kine, O Angiras; with Indra for thy yokefellow thou hast forced forth, O Brihaspati, the ocean of the waters that was girt in by the darkness.

(19) O Brahmanaspati, do thou awaken to this perfect expression of ours as its controller and rejoice in our extension. All that is blessed which the gods bring into being (or keep in being, protect). May we express the Vastness, becoming perfect-energised in the knowledge.

SUKTA 24

(1) Manifest (create) then for us this full-bringing, thou who hast the power, and let us dispose for thee the sacrifice by this new and mighty Word; so do thou perfect for us, O Brihaspati, our thinking that he, thy bounteous Friend, may be confirmed in us by the praise.

(2) He who forceth to bow down by his might all that must be bent and tore asunder by force of heart the illusions that destroy, Brahmanaspati manifested the supreme and immutable things; he entered wholly into the hill of substance.

(3) That for the most divine of the divine gods is the thing to be done; all that was firm, fell to pieces, all that was strong and hard, grew malleable and soft; he drove upward the cows of light, he broke the wall, Vala, by the soul-thought,

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he concealed the darkness and made the Heaven of mind visible to our eyes.

(4) The stone-faced pit that Brahmanaspati cleft open in his force, whose flowing waters are of honey, of that all they have drunk who see that Heaven; together they pour down= its rich and high-billowing fountain.

(5) There are there some eternal worlds that have yet to be for us, but by the months and the years their doors have been shut on you; these two at least act one and the other without striving or effort, the two which Brahmanaspati has revealed.

(6) They who journey to him, enjoy the supreme treasure of the Panis, the lords of active sense, which is hidden in the secret places of being, they get the knowledge, they distinguish by their gaze all untruths and to the place whence they came, they go up again till they enter in.

(7) They have the Truth and their gaze discerns the untruths of the world and they depart back hence as seers to the path of Mahas; they verily in their arms have cast Agni blown up to greatness in this hill; for there is no other labourer in this work, but only he.

(8) Brahmanaspati by his swift bow of which the string is the Truth, enjoys all whatsoever on which he placeth his desire; effective are his arrows of impulsion with which he shoots, they are strong-of-eye for the divine vision, they are wombs of the divine hearing.

(9) He placed in front bringeth together, he leadeth to their different places, he is the perfectly established, it is he in the battle, even Brahmanaspati; manifested in the vision when by the thought of the mind he bringeth substance to us and possessings, then indeed Surya burneth supremely with his heat and force.

(10) Existent widely in all and existent in front of us these are the delightful perfections of knowledge of Brahmanaspati when first he raineth his blessings, these are the winnings of this lord of joy and substance, by whom both the peoples of earth and heaven enjoy the two Births.

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(11) Thou who becomest pervadingly and in all ways in the lower crookednesses, art also he who bearest up rapturously the Vast by his force. So Brahmanaspati extendeth himself vastly a god towards the gods and round about all those objects he encompasseth them with his being.

(12) All truth is yours indeed, O ye two full and mighty Ones, and the waters of being cannot contain or measure your action. Come ye, O Indra and Brihaspati, like two steeds in one yoke, towards our material being that we make into offering.

(13) Swiftest bearers of our sacrifice have audience of knowledge according (to your law of action), and the illumined soul in its hall of wisdom gathereth him rich possessions by thought of the mind; a foe to strong fixities he taketh according to the motion of his desire; verily, he is our steed in the shock, even Brahmanaspati.

(14) All happeneth according to the desire of Brahmanaspati, true is his heart’s motion when he meaneth to do his mighty work, he who drove upward the cows of Light and divided them for the Heaven; it was as if a vast and wide stream flowed out in its force in separate currents.

(15) O Brahmanaspati, let us be charioted utterly in a felicity perfectly controlled and having the wideness; heap for us mights upon mights when, lord by the soul, thou comest to my calling.

(16) O Brahmanaspati, do thou awaken to this perfect expression of us as its controller and rejoice in our extension; all that is blessed which the gods bring into being. May we express the vastness becoming perfect-energied-in-knowledge.

SUKTA 25

(1) He kindles Agni and conquers those who would conquer him, he perfects his soul and puts forth his strength, making of delight his offering; by birth he passes beyond birth,—he of whom Brahmanaspati, Master of the Soul, maketh his comrade.

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(2) By his own mights he conquers the outer mights that would conquer him, by the herds of light he makes wide his felicity and awakens by the self, and he increases his creation and his extending,—he of whom Brahmanaspati, Master of the Soul, maketh his comrade.

(3) As the sea that breaks its banks, he overcomes by his might those that come against him, as a bull is master over the bullocks; like the marching of Agni he cannot be stayed,—he of whom Brahmanaspati, Master of the Soul, maketh his comrade.

(4) For him divine powers that have not attachment, perfect his knowledge; he by those lords of pure being goes in front in the herds of light; undistressed by his force he slays by his might,—he of whom Brahmanaspati, Master of the Soul, maketh his comrade.

(5) For him, verily, all the rivers of being stream swiftly and wide tracts of unbroken peace are established in his soul, he flourishes, perfectly enjoying, in the bliss of the gods,—he of whom Brahmanaspati, Master of the Soul, maketh his comrade.

SUKTA 26

(1) He that is straight in his self-expression (or is the expression of the straightness of the Truth) conquereth those who would conquer him, seeking the godhead in him he over-cometh him who seeketh not the divine; well-protected he conquereth in his battles him who is hard to pierce, sacrificing he taketh and divideth the enjoyment of him who sacrificeth not.

(2) Sacrifice, O mighty one, manifest to him who seeketh himself in mind, make him a mind glad and bright in the slaying of the Coverer. Effect the offering so that thou mayst be seated in us perfectly enjoying; it is the manifest presence of Brahmanaspati that we choose.

(3) He by the creature, he by the race of creatures, he by the birth, he by the sons of his strength and by the Purushas (or

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by the strong ones) gathereth him having and possessions, who with a mind of faith lodgeth in his being by the oblation Brahmanaspati, the father of the Gods.

(4) Whoso ordereth the sacrifice for him by offerings full of the rich brightness of the mind, Brahmanaspati leadeth him to the highest and keepeth him far from evil and guardeth from him who would do him hurt; for him even in the narrowness of mortal being he maketh by his acts wideness and becometh wonderful and supreme.

SUKTA 27

(1) These words by the force oblational of Agni I offer to the sons of Aditi who are for ever the Kings, words dripping with the richness; may Mitra hear us and Aryaman and Bhaga, Varuna born in strength and Daksha and Ansha.

(2) May Mitra and Aryaman and Varuna with power today cleave to this my song of confirmation, the sons of Aditi pure, purified in the streams, who know not crookedness, who are freed from sin-expression, who are beyond all harms.

(3) They, the sons of Infinity, wide and deep and unconquered, dividers of things, abundant in vision, see within the crooked things and the perfect; all is near to the Kings, even the farthest and highest.

(4) Children of Infinity, gods, in their stability they uphold that which moves and are the protectors of all the universe; long is the range of their thoughts, they guard the Might, they hold the Truth, they accumulate its movements.

(5) May we know, O ye sons of Aditi, this your manifestation which even in the fear, O Aryaman, createth the bliss; in your leading, O Mitra and Varuna, may I leave aside all stumblings even as a voyager avoideth pitfalls.

(6) For easy of going is your path, O Aryaman, O Mitra; it is thornless and perfect in effectivity; on that path, O sons of Aditi, give us expression, work out for us a peace hard to assail.

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(7) May Aditi who has the Kings of Heaven for her children carry us over all hostile powers, she and Aryaman by easy paths; may we approach the vast peace of Mitra and Varuna becoming wide-energied and untouched by all harms.

(8) Three are the earths that they uphold, three the heavens, three are the laws of action within these in the knowledge; by the Truth, O Adityas, is that vast might of yours, O Aryaman, Varuna and Mitra, a bright and beautiful wideness.

(9) Three heavenly worlds of light they uphold, pure they and golden bright and purified in the streams; they sleep not neither close their lids and are unconquered and hold a wide self-expression for the mortal who is straight in his paths.

(10) Over all beings art thou the King, O Varuna, whether they be gods, O mighty One, or whether they be mortal; give us a hundred years for our perfect vision; may we enjoy the firm-based lives that were before.

(11) I can distinguish not the right nor the left, nor the before, O sons of Aditi, nor the after; both the things that have to be ripened, O lords of substance, and the things that have to be held in knowledge,—led by you may I enjoy the Light where fear vanisheth.

(12) Who giveth to the Kings who act in the Truth, whomso their eternal nourishings increase, he goeth rapturously in the front in the Chariot, a giver of his substance, clear-expressed in the things of knowledge.

(13) Pure and unconquerable he taketh up his abode in the waters of the perfect pastures, increasing in wideness, perfect-energied; none smiteth him from near or from far who becometh in the leading of the sons of Aditi.

(14) O Aditi, Mitra and Varuna, be lenient to whatever sin we have sinned against you; may we enjoy the wide Luminousness where fear is not, O Indra, let not the long darknesses come upon us.

(15) Both to him become equal and foster him, increasing the abundance of Heaven he becometh truly perfect in enjoyment; conquering both his worlds of habitation he moveth

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through his battles; both kingdoms become for him perfectly effected.

(16) The illusions that ye have for the harm-doer, O masters of sacrifice, your snares spread wide for the foe, O ye sons of Aditi, may I pass beyond like one with horses in his chariot; may we dwell in a vast peace and unhurt.

(17) May I never, O Varuna, know the want of my mighty and beloved and richly-bounteous helper; may I not fall,O King, from bliss entirely controlled; may we express the Vast, becoming full-energied in the knowledge.

SUKTA 28

(1) May this that is of the Seer, the son of Infinity who hath the empire of himself possess all things of being with its might,—the god who beyond all has rapture for the sacrifice, his perfect effectiveness I ask for boon,—of Varuna in the full riches of his being.

(2) In the law of thy action may we entirely enjoy and have perfect incidence of our thoughts, O Varuna, when thee we have confirmed in us by praise, like fires of might enjoying (or seeking thee) from day to day in the coming of the luminous Dawns.

(3) May we abide in the peace of thee, the many-energied, the wide of self-expression, O Varuna, O leader forward on the path; do you for us, O unconquered sons of Aditi, put forth the powers of your divine being for comradeship with us in the fight.

(4) It is the son of Aditi who has let forth all things and holds all in its place; the streams of being travel towards the Truth of Varuna, they tire not, neither loose their hold, but fly like birds in their speed through the all-encompassing.

(5) Shear away evil from me like a cord; may we increase the continent of thy Truth, O Varuna; let not my thread be cut while I am widening out Thought in me, nor may the matter of my work fail me as it travels forward.

(6) O Varuna, separate fear from me utterly; Master of Truth

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who hast empire over the world, have kindly yearnings towards me (or, reach out and hold me in thy embrace); loose evil from me as a calf is freed from its tether; apart from thee I have not control even over my gazings.

(7) Smite us not with thy blows, O Varuna, that vibrate through him who doeth sin in thy sacrifice; let us not wander into exiles from the Light, cleave wholly away from us our besiegers that we may live.

(8) May we utter submission to thee, O Varuna, as before, so now and hereafter; for in thee verily as on a mountain are founded, O invincible one, all the laws of action that stand uno’erthrown.

(9) Bring out for me now my past movements that I have done; may I not, O King, enjoy by the doings of another. Many are our days that have yet not dawned; in them, O Varuna,do thou govern our living spirits.

(10) Whatsoever comrade or friend, O King, hath spoken to me of peril in a dream and made me to fear or whosoever, thief or wolf of the tearing, rendeth us, do thou from that protect us, O Varuna.

(11) May I never, O Varuna, know the want of my mighty and beloved and richly-bountied helper (or friend); may I not fall from bliss entirely controlled; may we express the Vast, becoming perfect-energied in knowledge.

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