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Vedic and Philological Studies Vol. 14 of CWSA 742 pages 2016 Edition
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Writings on the Veda and philology, and translations of Vedic hymns to gods other than Agni not published during Sri Aurobindo's lifetime.

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Vedic and Philological Studies

  On Veda

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Sri Aurobindo

Writings on the Veda and philology, and translations of Vedic hymns to gods other than Agni not published during Sri Aurobindo's lifetime. The material includes (1) drafts for 'The Secret of the Veda', (2) translations (simple translations and analytical and discursive ones) of hymns to gods other than Agni, (3) notes on the Veda, (4) essays and notes on philology, and (5) some texts that Sri Aurobindo called 'Writings in Different Languages'. Most of this material was written between 1912 and 1914 and is published here for the first time in a book.

The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo (CWSA) Vedic and Philological Studies Vol. 14 742 pages 2016 Edition
English
 PDF     On Veda

Mandala Two

[    ] - Blank left by the author to be filled in later but left unfilled, which the editors were not able to fill.

[12]

[RV II.11 – 12.1]

Hymn 11

1) [मा] रिषण्यः । मा हिंसीः । इदमल्पं न साधीय इति मा निराकार्षीः ।। स्याम । दावने दानाय पात्रभूताः भवेम ।। वसूयवः । दातुर्यजमानस्य धनमिच्छति तादृशानि ।। ऊर्जः । हविर्लक्षणान्यन्नानि घृतक्षरणोपेतानि ।।

Sy. Hear my prayer, O Indra; do not hurt me; let us be objects of thy giving of wealth; these foods we have given thee which desire the wealth of the sacrificer & are like flowing rivers, increase thee.

O God-in-mind, hear our call; be not our enemy; may we be elect for the giving of thy treasures of substance; seeking that substance these our abundant energies increase thee, yea, they flow forth as the waters of existence.

Notes. सिंधवो न ।। The energies well forth as the seven forms of conscious force typified by the seven rivers. न here is the “as” of identity, not of similitude. It has more the force of एव than of इव, but hovers between the two. This sense is evident from the next Rik—सृजो महीः .. पूर्वीः. These abundances of forces, ऊर्जः, are those of the great floods formerly held in by the great Python.

2) चित् । एव ।। दासं । सर्वस्योपक्षपयितारं ।। अव । अवाङ्मुखं यथा भवति तथा ।। शूर । शत्रूणां हिंसक ।। अभिन्त् । लङि सिपि रूपं ।।

Sy. O Indra, destroyer of the foe, thou hast released many great waters beset by the closed (waters), which thou didst increase.Increasing by our hymns thou hast split downward the destroyer who thought himself immortal.

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O God in mind, thou hast released the mighty Ones whom thou didst feed,—yea, O Hero, many waters that were beset by the Python. When he increased by our expressings of him, then did he rend & cast down the destroyer who had dreamed that he was immortal.

अवाभिनत् । The usual sudden transition from the second to the third person; there is no need to take it as an old or irregular form for अवाभिनः ।।

3) रूद्रियेषु । रूद्रियं सुखं ।तत्साधनभूतेषु । यद्वा रूद्राः ।
स्तोतारस्तत्कृतेषूद्गातृणां सतोमेषु ।। नु । क्षिप्रं ।। चाकन् । स्तुतीः कामयसे ।। मंदसानः । हृष्यन्भवसि ।। एताः । स्तुतयः ।। वायवे । अस्मदीय यज्ञ प्रत्यागच्छते तुभ्यमेव ।। न । संप्रत्यर्थे । ता अधुना सेवस्व ।।

Sy. O Indra, destroyer of the foe, lo the chants & praises, means of happiness, which thou didst swiftly desire, the hymns of praise, yes, the hymns of praise in which thou becomest joyful, these are those shining praises that go forward for thy sake as thou comest to our sacrifice.

Even these expressings of thee, O Hero, O God-in-mind, in which was thy desire, and the affirmations of the violent God, they increased thee; and now lo these energies white & bright in which is thy ecstasy, & they stream forward on his way for the Master of Life.

एताः. It is impossible to understand स्तुतयः । And what in the name of common sense are shining praises? एताः answers to इमा ऊर्जः of the first verse, प्रसिस्रते recalls the सिंधवो न क्षरंतः. The first line of this rik is a parenthesis developing the idea of the expressions which increase Indra, the second returns to the idea of the ऊर्जः, the महीः.

रुद्रियेषु—either of Rudra, or of the Maruts who are Rudras & sons of Rudra. The sense is affirmations of the God-mind apt for the Rudra-creation, the struggle of the Pranic powers in the triple world. Hence the waters or energies flow forward for Vayu, the Pranic god, Master of vitality.

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4) शुभ्रं । शोभनं बलं स्तोत्रैर्वर्धयंतः शुभ्रं दीप्तं वज्रं नु क्षिप्रं तव बाह्वोर्निदधाना भवामः । स्तुयमानो हींद्रोऽसुरवधाय वज्रमादत्ते ।। शुभ्रस्तेजसा युक्तः ।। अस्मे । अस्माकं।।दासीः । उपक्षपयित्रिर्विश आसुरीः । प्रजाः ।। सूर्येण । सुष्ठु प्रेरयति त्वं युध्यस्वेति ।।

शुभ्रं. Sayana not understanding how strength can be bright, makes शुभ्र here = शोभन but in the other three cases (v. 3 & 4) bright. This is hypercritical as well as inconsistent, for he has already admitted “shining praises”. Strength can very well be described as shining or bright; the phrase has a clear & strong significance, unlike shining praises.

सूर्य. Sayana’s explanation of Surya from सू to send, impel is false etymology & false interpretation. सूर्य = sun, comes from सू = to shine, cf सोम moon. In the Veda it means the Illuminant & Luminous & also in the form सवितृ the manifester, producer.

Sy. We become increasers of the fine strength and placers swiftly of the shining thunderbolt in thy two arms. Thou increasing & bright, O Indra, overcome the destroying Asura nations with the Sun for impeller of thy weapon.

White & bright thy strength that we increase, white & bright thy lightning that we place in the two arms of our strength; white & bright increasing thou in us, O God-mind, overcome the nations of the dividers by the light of the Sun of truth.

दधानाः. Sy. takes “we placing” in the arms of Indra by our prayers, because Indra increased by praise takes the thunderbolt to slay the Asuras. दधानाः is middle & would better mean “holding in my two arms”. The arms are the two powers of the mind, intuition & discernment; the thunderbolt is the electric flashing of the divine mind, and we see in the next line that it is in the worshippers अस्मे that the god-mind increases & overpowers the Dasyus. Cf also v. 10 where it is Indra as the human being who slays Vritra.

अस्मे.अस्मासु & never as Sy. takes it = अस्माकं.

5) अपीवृतं । तिरोहितं ।। अहिं । असुरं मेघं वा ।। वीर्येण । सामर्थ्यभूतेन वज्रेण ।।

Sy. The Asura placed in a cave, secret, hidden, concealed, illusive,

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dwelling & also stopping the waters & heaven, thou, O destroyer of thy foes, hast slain by thy power, the thunderbolt.

O Hero, thou hast smitten in thy prowess the Python who was firm in our secret being, secret, concealed in the waters of existence & covered over, & there he dwelt creating forms of illusion and held imprisoned the movement of the waters & the shining of our heavens.

6) नु । क्षिप्रं ।। स्तव । स्तवाम ।। उशंतं । दीप्यमानं ।। सूर्यस्य । सुष्ठु प्रेरकस्य सुवीर्यस्य वा सूर्यात्मनो वेंद्रस्य ।। केतू । प्रज्ञापकौ ।।

[Sy.] O Indra, let us quickly praise thy great ancient deeds, also thy new ones let us praise; let us praise the thunderbolt shining in thy arms; let us praise the proclaiming (or knowledge-giving) horses of the impelling (or puissant) Indra (or, of Indra as the Sun).

O God-in-mind, now may we affirm in us thy former mighty doings & affirm others that are new & affirm the lightning’s desire in thy arms & affirm thy two shining steeds that are the two powers of perception of the Sun of Truth.

केतु. Intuition & discrimination, the powers of the Truth consciousness most readily active in the mental plane, or else the higher or revelatory divine perception & the lower This is a decisive passage for the right interpretation of Indra’s brilliant pair of horses.

उशंतं—or the lighting that gleams; but if so, why should not उशिजः as applied to the gods mean the Shining Ones & not as Sayana interprets it always, “desiring”?

7) वाजयंता । वेगं कुर्वंतौ ।। घृतश्चुतं । उदकस्य च्यावयितारं ।। नु । क्षिप्रं ।। स्वारं । मेघध्वनिं । स्वरतिः शब्दकर्मा ।। सामना । समस्थाला यद्वा सामना सर्वतो व्यप्रथिष्ट । गर्जनं श्रुत्वा ममोपरि वृष्टिर्भवति प्रथिताभूत् । पर्वतश्चित् । मेघोऽपि ।। सरिष्यन् । वर्षणार्थमितस्ततो गमिष्यन्नरमत ।।

Sy. Swiftly speeding thy horses, O Indra, sounded a water-dropping sound; the level earth spread itself out (or the earth spread itself on every side); the cloud too, about to go about, played.

Thy two steeds increasing in their plenitude neighed out

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now their cry that rains down the mind’s clarities; our earth grew equal & spread itself into its utter wideness; this hill of being that was about to move from its base grew full of delight.

8) नि पर्वतः सादि अप्रयुच्छन्
    सं मातृभिः वावशानः अत्रान् ।
दूरे पारे वाणीं वर्धयंतः
    इंद्रऽइषितां धमनिं पप्रथन् नि ।।

अप्रयुच्छन् । मातृभिः । अप्रमाद्यन् वर्षणे सावधानः । निषादि । नभसि निषण्ण आसीत् ।। मातृभिः । अड्भिर्माध्यमिकाभिर्वाग्भिर्वा ।। संवावशानः । सह शब्दं कुर्वाणः ।। अत्रान् । अत्रमीत् । इतस्ततः संचारमकरोत् ।। दुरे पारे । अतिदूरेऽतरिक्षे स्थितां माध्यमिकां वाचं स्तोत्रैः समृद्धां कुर्वंतः स्तोतारो मरुतो वेंद्रेण प्रेरितां शब्दं कुर्वाणां तां वाचं नितरामप्रथयन् ।।

[Sy.] The cloud careful to rain sat down (in the sky), it moved making a sound together with the Mothers (the waters or Madhyamika words); the praisers increased the Speech in the distant mid-air; they widened that speech sent by Indra which was making a sound.

The whole hill of being settled down nor faltered in its toil, but laboured & desired with the maternal Waters. They increased that Speech on the far shore of the mind, they widened the rushing stream that Indra set flowing.

पर्वतः may mean both hill & cloud; but when connected with Earth & the Rivers it means usually the Hill of being or articulate formation of our conscious Existence imaged sometimes as a hill, sometimes as a cloud. It now takes a settled base in the wideness of the earth consciousness & labours with the seven waters Indra has set flowing to produce the Truth.

पारे of heaven, the mind पार्ये दिवि . That is on the borders between the reasoning Mind & the Truth-consciousness.

वाणीं the Speech or Word of the Truth, the divine form of Thought set sounding by the two horses of Indra which forms the impetuous stream of the intuitive Mind to which Indra gives his impulsion.

9) इंद्रः महां सिंधुं आशयानं
    मायाविनं वृत्रं अस्फुरत् निः ।

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अरेजेता रोदसी भियाने
    कनिक्रदतः वृष्णा अस्य वज्रात् ।।

सिंधुं । स्यंदत इतस्ततः संचरतीति सिंधुर्मेघः । यद्वा सिंधुरूदकं ।। आशयानं । अधिष्ठाय शयानमसुरं ।। वृत्रं । वृणोत्याकाशमिति वृणो मेघः ।।

[Sy.] Indra split the cunning (deceitful) cloud that was lying upon the great water (or the deceitful demon that lay upon them great (moving) cloud). Heaven & earth shook in their fear of the sounding thunderbolt of this rainer.

God-in-mind has shivered into pieces the Coverer full of his thoughts of illusion who lay against the Great Water. Our heaven & earth shook & were afraid of the lightning of this Lord of abundance as it roared abroad.

सिंधुं । Sayana’s learned trick with the word is entirely indefensible.The Great Water is the same महो अर्णः or महानर्णवः to which reference is made in I.3.12 & other hymns; it is the Vast Truth ऋतं बृहत् kept back from us by Vritra.

10) अरोरवीत् वृष्णाः अस्य वज्रः
    अमानुषं यत् मानुषः निजूर्वात् ।
नि मायिनः दानवस्य मायाः
    अपादयत् पपिवान् सुतस्य ।।

वृष्णः । कामानां वर्षकस्येंद्रस्य ।। अमानुषं । मनुष्याणां रहितं यद्वा मानुषोऽहं न भवामीत्येवं मन्यमानं तमसुरं ।। मानुषः । मनुष्यणां हितकारी यद्वा मतिमानिंद्रो निजूर्वात् ।। मायाः । वचनानि ।। अपादयत् । न्यपातयत् । बबाधेति यावत् ।।

[Sy.] The thunderbolt of this rainer of desires roared when the man-helping (or thinking) Indra killed Vritra who had no man (or who thought he was not human). Drinking the Soma offered he obstructed the words of the deceitful Danava.

वृष्णः । I do not understand why Sayana should suddenly change the rainer of rain of the last few verses into a rainer of desires.

मानुषः । Sayana’s dealings with मानुष & अमानुष are truly amazing. It is Indra as the human or mental being who slays the Coverer, & for this reason men are described as carrying the thunderbolt in the two arms of Indra. See v. 4. Vritra is,

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on the other hand, the non-mental being, the non-human. He represents in man those formations of consciousness मायाः which belong properly to the infra-mental material & animal world out of which man has come. Man’s struggle is to rise above these formations which prevent his progress as the mental being.

मायाः । This means mental formation, consciousness that creates forms. Both Indra & Vritra are मायिनः which does not mean deceitful; but the formations of Indra are mental & of the Truth, those of Vritra non-mental, sensory, physical & therefore full of illusions & falsehoods.

Loud roared the lightning of this lord of abundance when the human split apart the non-human; he drank of the wine of delight that had been pressed & he trod down the conscious formations of the Divider with his forms of the illusion.

11) पिबपिब इत् इंद्र शूर सोमं
    मंदंतु त्वा मंदिनः सुतासः ।
पृणंतः ते कुक्षी वर्धयंतु
    इत्था सुतः पौरः इंद्रं आव ।।

शूर । बलवन् ।। पिबऽपिब । आदरार्था वीप्सा ।। मंदंतु । मादयंतु । व्यत्ययेन परस्मैपदं ।। कुक्षी । उदरस्योभौ पार्श्वौ ।। पौर । उदरपूरकः ।। आव । तर्पयतु । अवतेस्तर्पणार्थस्य लिटि रूपं ।।

Sy. O strong Indra, drink indeed this Soma; let the intoxicating Soma juices intoxicate thee; filling the two sides of thy belly increase thee; thus let the filling Soma satisfy Indra.

Drink, O drink indeed the wine of delight, O hero, O God- Mind; may the enrapturing juices fill thee with their ecstasy; may they increase filling thee to thy two sides; rightly pressed out may the wine of the multiplicity foster the growth of the God-mind.

12) त्वे इंद्राप्यभूम विप्रा
    धियं वनेम ऋतया सपंतः ।
अवस्यवो धीमहि प्रशस्तिं
    सद्यस्ते रायो दावने स्याम ।।

त्वे । त्वयि त्वद्धदयेऽभूम । अपि सानुनयप्रश्ने वर्तते । किं वर्तामह इति ।। ऋतया । ऋतं कर्मफलं तत्कामनया ।। संपतः । त्वां परिचरणाख्येन कर्मणा

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स्पृशंतः ।। धियं । कर्म ।। प्रशस्तिं । प्रकृष्टशंसनं स्तोत्रं ।। धीमहि । त्वयि निदधीमहि ।।

Sy. May we intelligent live in thy heart, O Indra, may we enjoy the work touching thee with a desire for the fruit of the sacrifice. Desiring protection we place the hymn of praise in thee; may we be at once for thy giving of wealth.

अपि । Here a preposition, Greek έπί = in, upon.

सपंतः । सप् to attain, touch, taste, know; cf Latin sapiens, wise; sapor, taste; Gr.σoϕóς, wise; S. सप्तन् seven, originally = wise man, rishi.

ऋतया । An adverb, according to the Truth. आ is an old Aryan adverbial termination surviving in Latin ē, ō.

प्रशस्ति । ie the clear expression of the thought, the truth or of Indra.

In thee, O God-mind, may we become illumined; may we know according to the Truth and conquer understanding; seeking increase we confirm in the thought its expression. At once may we be prepared for the giving of thy felicity.

13) स्याम ते त इंद्र ये त ऊती
    अवस्यव ऊर्जं वर्धयंतः ।
शुष्मिंतमं यं चाकनाम देव
    अस्मे रयिं रासि वीरवंतं ।।

[ऊती ।] ऊत्या प्रणयनेन । अवतेः प्राप्त्यर्थस्य क्तिनि रूपं ।। ते । तव ।। ते । त्वदधीनाः ।। देव । द्योतमान ।। शु ।मिंतमं । दावनभागायार्हतया बलवत्तमं यद्वा शत्रूणां शोषयितृतमं ।। वीरवंतं । पूत्रपौत्रैः सहितं ।।

Sy. May we who are thine be subject to thee, Indra, by thy leading who desire thy protection & increase the food. O shining one, give us thy felicity most strong in fitness (or, most foe-destroying) and attended by sons & grandsons which we desire.

ते ते. One ते = तव, the other is the demonstrative pronoun.

ऊति. Sayana usually takes = protection or else favour. He does not explain why he suggests another sense here. ऊति we take throughout = increase, expansion.

वीरवंतं । वीर is the symbol of a battling energy,—the Hero in man. The Ananda is described in the Veda, sometimes, as a heroic conquering joy which overpowers all obstacles.

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May we be they of thy troop, O Indra, who by the expansion desire their growth increasing the energy. That felicity most strong in the battle, full of hero energies, which we desire, thou increasest in us, O godhead.

14) रासि क्षयं रासि मित्रमस्मे
    रासि शर्ध इंद्र मारूतं नः ।
सजोषसो ये च मंदसानाः
    प्र वायवः पांत्यग्रणीतिं ।।

रासि । देही ।। मित्रं । सखायं ।। ये । मरूतः ।। वायवः । यज्ञं प्रति गंतारः संतः । यद्वा ये च वायवः पिबंति ।। अग्रणीतिं ।। अग्रणीतिं । अग्रे नीयमानं सोमं ।।

[Sy.] Give us a house, give us a friend, give us, Indra, the Marut strength; & the winds that released together & rejoicing drink the Soma that is being brought forward.

क्षयं । Habitation; Indra gives fresh fields of the spirit to dwell in or widens those we have.

मित्रं । Mitra; the godhead of agreement & harmony in the Truth; not “a friend.” It is the godheads, Mitra, the Maruts, Vayu for whose increase he is asking.

अग्रणीतिं । This epithet carries on the idea of the Ananda as a force of conquest & progress.

Thou enrichest our habitation, thou enrichest in us the harmonious godhead, thou enrichest, O god-mind, the host of our thought-powers and those gods of the vitality who one-hearted in their rapture drink the wine that leads us forward.

15) व्यंत इन्नु येषु मंदसानः
    तृपत्सोमं पाहि द्रह्यदिंद्र ।
अस्मान्त्सु पृत्स्वा तरूत्र
    अवर्धयो द्यां बृहभ्डिरर्कैः ।।

येषु । सहायभूतेषु मरूत्सु माद्यन्भवसि ।। नु । क्षिप्रं ।। व्यंतु । सोमं भक्षयंतु । यद्वा सोमा गच्छंतु ।। द्रह्यत् । दृंहतेरिदं रूपं । आत्मानं दृढीकुर्वन् ।। तृपत् । तर्पयंतं सोमं ।। तरूत्र । शत्रूणां हिंसक ।। बृहभ्डिरर्कैः । बलवभ्डिरर्चनीयैर्मरूभ्डिः सहितः त्वं ।। आ । चार्थे । तेनास्मान्द्यां च सुष्ठु पृत्सु पशुपुत्रादिभिरस्मानस्मत्पालनेन च दिवमवर्धयः ।।

Sy. Let those (Maruts) by whose help thou becomest

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intoxicated, swiftly eat the Soma (or, let the Somas with which you get intoxicated quickly go to you); O Indra, making yourself firm drink the satisfying Soma. Thou with the big worshippable Maruts, O hurter of enemies, increasedst us & heaven in the battles.

येषु seems to refer to the Vayus of the last verse. व्यंतु then means either “come to us” or “manifest themselves”.

तृपत् goes more naturally with इंद्र (त्वं) than with Soma.

बृहद्भिरर्कैः । The illuminations of the ऋतं बृहत् increase the shining world of mind, ध्यां.

Let them come to us in whom thou hast the ecstasy; drink of theWine of our delight, O God-in-mind; sate thyself, strengthen thyself. Us in our battles, O thou who winnest through, thou hast entirely increased & heaven by the power of the vast illuminations.

16) बृहंत इन्नु ये ते तरूत्र
    उक्थेभिर्वा सुम्नमाविवासान् ।
स्तृणानासो बर्हिः पस्त्यावत्
    त्वोता इदिंद्र वाजमग्मन् ।।

तरूत्र । आपद्मस्तारक ।। सुम्नं । सुखकरं त्वां ।। आविवासान् । परिचरेयुः ।। नु । अविलंबेन ।। पस्त्यावत्.. वाजं । गृहसहितमन्नं गच्छंति ।।

Sy. Those who serve thee the ease-giving, with hymns, O deliverer, become big indeed; those who strewing the grass serve thee, are indeed protected by thee, O Indra, and go to food that is accompanied with a house.

Vast indeed are they who by their expressings of thee make to dwell in them thy peace & bliss, O thou who winnest to the goal; heaping the soul-seat of the sacrifice full of the energy they attain indeed by thee to their expansion, O God-in-mind, and arrive at the plenitude.

17) उग्रेष्विन्नु शुर मंदसानः
    त्रिकद्रुकेषु पाहि सोममिंद्र ।
प्रदोधुवच्छ्मश्रुषु प्रीणानो
    याहि हरिभ्यां सुतस्य पीतिं ।।

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शूर । बलवन् ।। उग्रेषु । उग्दर्णेषु बहुस्तोत्रशस्त्रवत्सु ।। त्रिकद्रुकेषु । ज्योतिर्गौरायुरित्येतन्नामकेष्वाभिल्प्रविकेष्वहः सु ।। मंदसानः । हृष्यन् ।। प्रीणानः । सोमपानेन प्रीतः भवन् श्मश्रुषु लिप्तं सोमं पुनःपुनर्धुन्वन् ।।

[Sy.] O strong Indra, rejoicing drink Soma on the three days of the Abhiplava which are full of hymns; shaking it continually from thy beard in thy satisfaction go with thy two horses to the drinking of the wine offered.

त्रिकद्रुकेषु । कद्रुक means variegated = the three worlds of different hues, त्रिषधस्थे; the dark physical, the red vital-dynamic & the bright mental. Elsewhere Indra is represented as drinking the human being’s three lakes of Soma (V.29.[7]). The symbol is changed, but the sense is the same.

प्रदोधुवत् । Sayana’s interpretation is attractive, but the difficulty is that here Indra is represented as going to the drinking & not coming from it. When then should there be Soma on his beard?

O hero, O God-in-mind, rejoicing in the full energy of these three worlds of various hue drink thou the wine of delight; full of pleasure, letting thy beard stream in the heavens come with thy two bright steeds to the drinking of the nectarous yield.

18) धिष्वा शवः शूर येन वृत्रम्
    अवाभिनद्दानुमौर्णवाभं ।
अपावृणोर्ज्योतिरार्याय
    नि सव्यतः सादि दस्युरिंद्र ।।

धिष्व । धारय ।। और्णवाभं । ऊर्णाभिः कीटविशेष और्णवाभ इत्युच्यते । यद्वा और्ण ऊर्णनाभिः । तदाभं तत्सदृशमित्यर्थः ।। आर्याय । कर्मणामनुष्ठात्रे जनाय कुत्साय रार्षये वा ।। ज्योतिः । प्रकाशकमादित्यम् ।। निषादि । त्वया नितरां सन्नो बाधितो वर्तते ।। अवाभिन्त् । बिभेदिथ ।।

[Sy.] O Indra, hold such strength as that by which thou didst break spiderlike Vritra; thou didst open the luminous sun to the doer of works (or to Kutsa), the destroyer of works remained very much oppressed by thee on thy left side.

और्णवाभं । ऊर्णवाभि is a spider; और्णवाभं must be either spiderish or the web of the spider.

सव्यतः । The side away from knowledge; the right is of

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knowledge, the left of power & its works.

O hero, hold in thy thought the flashing strength by which the destroyer Vritra & his web were rent to pieces & cast down; thou didst uncover the Light for the Aryan; hewn the Divider sank away to the left, O God-in-mind.

19) सनेम ये त ऊतिभिस्तरंतो
    विश्वाः स्पृधो आर्येण दस्यून् ।
अस्मभ्यं तत्त्वाष्ट्रं विश्वरूपम्
    अरंधयः साख्यस्य त्रिताय ।।

सनेम । तान् पुरूषान् संभजेम ।। आर्येण । आर्यभावेन ।। तरंतः । सर्वा स्पर्धमाना विशः हिंसंतस्तथोपक्षपयितन् हिंसंतो भंवति ।। तत् । तदस्मभ्यं वशमानय ।। त्वाष्ट्रं । त्वष्टुः सुतं विश्वरूपं ।। अरंधयः । वशमानयः । यद्वावधीः ।रध हिंसासंराव्द्योः ।। साख्यस्य । किं च सखिभावस्यानुपालनाय त्रिताय महर्षये वशमानयः ।यद्वा समेम ते वयं प्रवृद्धा भवेम ये वयं प्रजा दस्यूंश्चातित्रामंतो भवेम ।।

[Sy.] May we enjoy those men who by thy protections hurt all rivals & also hurt the destroyers; to us make that subject; thou didst make Visvarupa son of Twashtri subject; also to observe friendship thou didst make him subject to Trita.

सारव्यस्य । The genitive of purpose. Cf V.41.[20] सिषक्तु न ऊर्जव्यस्य पुष्टेः.

For us who shall conquer breaking by thy expressions through all energies that contend with us, the Destroyers by the Aryan doer of works, for us thou didst cleave that universal form of Twashtri’s making; for the Triple Soul thou didst cleave him that ye might have comradeship together.

20) अस्य सुवानस्य मंदिनस्त्रितस्य
    न्यर्बुदं वावृधानो अस्तः ।
अवर्तयत्सूर्यो न चक्रं
    भिनद्वलमिंद्रो अंगिरस्वान् ।।

मंदिनोऽस्य । मदकरमिमं सुवानस्य सुतवतः ।। त्रितस्य । तीर्णनमस्कस्य महर्षेरर्थं ।। अर्बुदं । अंबूनि ददातीत्यर्बुदो मेघः । अनुस्वारस्य रेफश्छांदसः । यद्वा नामैतत् ।। न्यस्तः । स्तृ हिंसायामित्यस्य लङि तिपि बहुलं छंदसीति विकरणस्य लुक् । गुणे कृते हल्ङ्यादिना तिलोपः ।। अवर्तयत् ।

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असुरहननार्थं वज्रमभ्रामयत् ।। सूर्यो न यथा सुर्यश्चाऋं भ्रामयति तद्वत् । यद्वा यस्मादसुराभ्डिया सुर्यः स्वकीयं रथचऋं नावर्तयत् तं वलं पणीनां चक्रमिन्द्रेणापहृतं । सुर्य इति सुपा सुलुगिति षष्ठयेकवचनस्य सुः । सुर्यस्य संबंध्यपहृतं । तदेकं चक्रमवर्तयत् । पक्षोहननार्थमभ्रामयत् । तेन चक्रेण वलमभिनच्च । नश्चार्थे ।।

[Sy.] Thou slewest Arbuda increasing for Trita when he offered this intoxicating; as Surya his wheel, so Indra whirled (the Vajra); and with the Angirasas broke Vala—or broke Vala because of whom Surya could not keep his wheel going or he whirled the wheel of Surya & with it broke Vala.

Increasing with this wine that was pressed out of Trita’s ecstasy thou didst lay low Arbuda; thou didst set rolling as Surya his wheel, thou with the Angirasas didst break Vala to pieces.

21) नून सा ते प्रति वरं जरित्रे
    दुहीयदिन्द्र दक्षिणा मघोनी ।
शिक्षा स्तोतृभ्यो माति धग्भगो नो
    बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ।।

दक्षिणा । दक्षमुत्साहनं करोतीति दक्षिणा स्तोतृभ्यो देया ते त्वत्संबंधिनी धनवती स्तोत्र वरं श्रेष्ठमभिमतमर्थं नून प्रतिदोग्धि संपादयति ।। शिक्षा । प्रयच्छ ।।भगः । भजनीयस्त्वं नोऽस्मानतिक्रम्यान्येभ्यो दक्षिणां मादाः । दहेर्दानार्थस्य लुङि मंत्रे घसेत्यादिना च्लेर्लुक् । यद्वा नोऽस्मांक कामान्मा धाक्षीः । सुवीराः । शोभनपुत्रपौत्राः संतो वयं विदथेऽस्मिन्यज्ञे प्रभूतं स्तोत्रं वदेम ।।

[Sy.] Now that wealthy gift of thine, O Indra, milks for the praiser his best desire; give it to thy praisers; being enjoyable (or adorable) do not give it to others first. May we have plenty of men (sons & grandsons) and speak a big thing (hymn) in this sacrifice.


[Hymn] 12
Sayana gives a number of stories invented to explain this hymn: (1) That it was chanted by Indra when engaged in Tapasya and attacked by Dhuni and Chumuri; (2) that it was chanted by Gritsamada at Vena’s sacrifice, Indra having very meanly

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escaped in Gritsamada’ s form & left the latter to be attacked when he came out of the grove of sacrifice; (3) that it was chanted by Gritsamada at his own sacrifice when the Asuras after Indra’s escape in his form broke into his house & thought him to be Indra disguised as Gritsamada.

यो जात एव प्रथमो मनस्वान्
    देवो देवान्क्रतुना पर्यभूषत् ।
यस्य शुष्माद्रोदसी अभ्यसेतां
    नृम्णस्य मन्हा स जनास इंद्रः ।।

प्रथमो. Chief, first. Sayana says “of the gods”, but this is not necessary.

मनस्वान् S. preeminent among the intelligent. Again, this rendering is not warranted by the text. मनस्वान् = one who has mind. प्रथमो मनस्वान् means therefore the Supreme Thinker or the supreme mental being.

पर्यभूषत् S. took to protect or overpassed, outstripped. रक्षकत्वेन पर्यग्रहीत् । भूष अलंकारे भुवादिः । लडि रूपं । यद्वा पर्यभवत् । अत्यक्रामत् । अस्मिन्पक्षे भवतेर्व्यत्ययेन क्सः । क्ष्युकः कितीतीट्प्रतिषेधः ।। Sayana follows the Nirukta in these alternative explanations. परिभूष् is in the Veda simply an intensive form of परिभू and means here “enveloped or encircled with his own being”.

Indra, the Purusha of the divine luminous or intuitive Mind, is the first or supreme thinker or supreme mental being; from his very birth he in his divine power takes the other gods, the other divine principles developing or developed in man into his periphery by the force of his will. They all work in him as in a field. Just as now the ordinary sense mind provides the field for the sensations, emotions, impulses of action to work, so then the supreme Mind & supreme Sense, taking its place, will contain all the other activities of the divinised man.

अभ्यसेतां । अबिभीतां । भ्यस भयवेनयोरीति नैरुक्ताः । Nir. 3.21. It is possible, however, that the verb is really अभि +अस् = became subject to him. अभि +अस् is used II.26.1 in the opposite sense to overcome, but it means essentially to enter upon or into relation with, a relation that may be either friendly or the opposite, subordinate or superior.

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नृम्णस्य S. सेनालक्षणस्य बलस्य—his force in the sense of his army; but this is not the ordinary sense of नृम्ण. Psychologically we can take it as meaning personal force, soul-force, the force of the नृ human or divine.

मन्हा S. supplies युक्तः—possessed of greatness of his host. This device is as awkward & clumsy as it is unnecessary.

जनासः O Asuras, says Sayana. Grit. is explaining to the Asuras that he is a poor weak mortal & not Indra!

Heaven & Earth, the physical & mental consciousness become subject to the divine Mind or are shaken with the grandeur & awe of this mighty advent. For he is full of an aggressive heroic force that subjects all things by its attack & the greatness of his soul-force or divine power encompasses & subdues all things that enter into its orbit.

[13]

[RV II.28]

Selected Hymns of the Rigveda.

इंद कवेरादित्यस्य स्वराजो विश्वानि सान्ति अभ्यस्तु मन्हा । अति यो मन्द्रो
यजथाय देवः सुकीर्तिँ भिक्षे वरूणस्य भूरेः ।।१।।

इदं this कवेर् of the sage आदित्यस्य the son of Aditi स्वराजो the self-ruling विश्वानि all शान्ति अभि about, or in relation to अस्तु let it be मन्हा । अति यो who मन्द्रो यजथाय देवः the god सुकीर्तिं भिक्षे I pray for वरुणस्य of Varuna भूरेः ।।

तव व्रते सुभगासः स्याम स्वाध्यो वरूण तुष्टुवांसः । उपायन उषसां
गोमतीनामग्नयो न जरमाणा अनु द्यून् ।।२।।

तव thine व्रते सुभगासः स्याम may we be स्वाध्यो वरुण O Varuna तुष्ट्रुवांसः when we have praised or hymned thee. उपायन उषसां of the Dawns गोमतीनाम् luminous, radiant अग्नयो fires न like जरमाणा अनु over or among द्यून् ।।

तव स्याम पुरवीरस्य शर्मन्नुरूशंसस्य वरूण प्रणेतः । यूयं नः पुत्रा
अदितेरदब्धा अभि क्षमध्वं युज्याय देवाः ।।३।।

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तव thy स्याम may we be पुरुवीरस्य शर्मन् in peace ऊरुशंसस्य वरुण O Varuna प्रणेतः । यूयं you नः of us or for us पुत्रा O Sons अदितेः of Aditi अदब्धा unvanquished अभि in relation to something क्षमध्वं are capable, able युज्याय for the enemy देवाः O Gods.

प्र सीमादित्यो असृजद्विधर्ता ऋंत सिन्धवो वरूणस्य यन्ति । न श्राम्यन्ति न
वि मुचन्त्येते वयो न पप्तू रघुया परिज्मन् ।।४।।

प्र forward, in front सीम a bourne, limit; आदित्यो the son of Aditi विधर्ता who holds apart or variously ऋतं law or truth सिन्धवो rivers or oceans वरुणस्य of [Varuna] यन्ति go. न not श्राम्यन्ति they grow weary न not मुचन्ति leave एते they वयो manifestation or heaven रघुया by swiftness पप्तू they fall न not परिज्मन् ।।

वि मच्छ्रथाय रशनामिवाग ऋध्याम ते वरूण खामृतस्य । मा तंतुश्छेदि वयतो धियं मे मा मात्रा शार्यपसः पुर ऋतोः ।।५।।

वि मत् my श्रथाय रशनाम् इव like आग come, or thou camest रध्याम may we flourish, be rich ते thy वरुण O Varuna ख अमृतस्य in nectar or immortality. मा not तंतुः extension, continuity, thread छेदी may be broken वयतो extending, manifesting, opening out धियं the understanding, buddhi मा not मात्रा substance, material शारि be lost, fall away, fail अपसः of work or deed पुरः in front, before ऋतोः true, right, satya.

अपो सु म्यक्ष वरूण भियसं मत्सम्राळृतावोऽनु मा गृभाय वलत्साद्वि मुमुग्ध्यंहो नहि त्वदारे निमिषश्चनेशे ।।६।।

अपो सु well म्यक्ष वरुण O Varuna भियसं मत् my सम्राट् O supreme ruler ऋतावो अनु मा गृभाय । दाम rope इव like वत्साद् from a calf वि मुमुग्धि loose अंहो sin नहि not त्वद् thy आरे O warrior निमिषः चन ईशो ।।

मा नो वधैर्वरूण ये त इष्टावेनः कृण्वन्तमसुर भ्रीणंति । मा ज्योतिषः प्रवसथानि गन्स वि षू मृधः शिश्रथो जीवसे नः ।।७।।

मा not नो us वधैः वरुण O Varuna ये they who त to thee इष्टाव् in the sacrifice एनः sin, deviation कृण्वन्तं doing असुर O mighty one भ्रीणंति । मा not ज्योतिषः from or of the light

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प्रवसथानि गन्म may we go वि on all sides षू well, entirely मृधः the enemies शिश्रथो mayst thou slaughter जीवसे for life नः our.

नमः पूरा ते वरूणोत नूनमुतापंर तुविजात ब्रवाम । त्वे हि कं पर्वते न श्रितानि
अप्रच्युतानि दूळभ व्रतानि ।।८।।

नमः adoration, submission पुरा formerly, before ते to thee वरुण O Varuna उत नूनं (खलु same) उत अपरं another, again तुविजात O born in the Tapas ब्रवाम we say, declare. त्वे in thee हि for कं water पर्वते on the mountain न like श्रितानि repose अप्रच्युतानि steadfast, unfallen दूडभ व्रतानि the laws (धर्माः) ।।

पर ऋणा सावीरध मत्कृतानि मांह राजन्नन्यकृत भोजं । अव्युष्टा इन्नु भूयसीरूषास आ नो जीवान्वरूण तासु शाधि ।।९।।

परः supreme ऋण come, go आ in this direction, to सावीर् manifest अध now मत्कृतानि my actions मा not अहं I राजन् O King अन्यकृतेन by another’s deed भोजं may I enjoy, suffer. अव्युष्टा not yet dawned इत् verily नु now भूयसीः more, very many उषासः dawns आ with शाधि नो us or our जीवान् souls of living beings or life वरुण O Varuna तासु in them शाधि rule, control.

यो मे राजन्युज्यो सखा वा स्वप्ने भयं भीरवे मह्यमाह । स्तेने वा यो दिप्सति नो वृको वा त्वम् तस्माद्वरूण पाहि अस्मान् ।।१०।।

यो whatever, if any मे of mine राजन् O King युज्यो enemy वा either, whether सखा friend वा or स्वप्ने in a dream or in the state of dream भयं fear भीरवे afraid मह्यं to me आह spoke, speaks. स्तेनो thief वा or यो who दिप्सति नो वृको wolf, destroyer वा or त्वम् thou अस्माद् from him पाहि protect अस्मान् us.

माहं मघोनो वरूण प्रियस्य भूरिदान्व आ विंद शूनमापेः । मा रायो राजन्त्सुयमादव स्थां बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ।।११।।

मा not अहं I मघोनो of Indra वरुण O Varuna प्रियस्य beloved भूरिदाव्न freely giving आविदं may I experience शूनम् आपेः । मा Not रायो in prosperity, bliss or delight राजन्

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O King सुयमाद् from right government or control अवस्थां descend बृहद् the large, true, vijnanamaya वदेम may we speak विदथे सुवीरा in good strength or with full knowledge.

द्वितीयो मण्डले सूक्तं कूर्मस्य वा गृत्समदस्य वा ।


Conjectural

(1) शान्ति fr सत् old plural or from सात् (Rt सा), existences.

मह्ना fr. महन् with महस् or the principle of vijnana.

अति very, exceedingly. मन्द्रो Rt मन्द् +र (cf चन्द्रः) full of delight, anandamaya, or else full of capacity, deep, vast, abundant.

यजथाय for sacrificial action. सुकीर्तिं, fr. कृ to spread — extension, expansion .. otherwise fame.

भूरेः abundant, abounding, mighty in being.

(2) व्रते law, rule, dharma (habit of being, swabhava)—ie calm, greatness, majesty, vastness of being and knowledge.

सुभगासः (भज् to enjoy) fortunate, happy, glorious or splendid.

स्वाध्यो सु +आधि, either from आ & धी well-established or from अध् (अध्वरः, अधः, अध्वा) & meaning substantial being, substance, matter.

उपायन in the approach (wooing) of the Dawns by the Fires or at the approach of the Dawns.

जरमाणा जृ to act, move or enjoy violently, to work like a saw, to woo, make love to (जारः). द्यु sky, akasha, the three heavens or the five or the seven.

(3) पुरुवीर वीर = developed strength, or knowledge or full clearness of manifestation. (वी to open out, reveal, develop)

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उरुशंस as in नराशंस—aspiration or expression or self-development. प्रणेतः guide, leader.

[Incomplete]


Provisional Translation

May this state (that is manifest in me now) of the sage, the selfking, son of Aditi, be about all beings by the Greatness; Varuna the god who has exceeding delight towards the sacrificial action, —I crave for myself the glory of Varuna in his abundance. May we, O Varuna, in the law of thy being be full of enjoyment and rich in matter when we have hymned thee, like fires that in the approach to the radiant Dawns woo them from sky to sky. O Varuna, our guide & leader, may we dwell in the peace of thee, of thee in the fullness of thy force & the wideness of thy aspiration. You, O ye sons of Aditi unvanquished, have strength, O gods, to combat for us the foe. The son of Aditi hath put forth a bourne, even he that holdeth things apart in their places, and the waters follow Varuna’s law; they weary not, neither do they leave flowing (widening), they have fallen not (from their heaven) though they speed swiftly, O Varuna of the wide spaces. May we advance, O Varuna, for my free movement the circuit of thy law as a lover widens the girdle of his beloved, may not my thread be cut as I expand my understanding nor matter fail for my action as it goes forward. Cleave away from me utterly my fear, O Varuna; be thy grace upon me, O high ruler, O protector of the Law; loosen sin from me as a man loosens the rope from a calf; O noble Varuna, I have no power to meet thy gaze. Let them not slay us who cast down, O mighty One, the man that in the sacrifice to thee doeth sinfulness; let us not wander into exile from the light, but do thou slaughter utterly our opposers that we may live. As we utter our word of submission to thee in front of thee now, hereafter too may we utter it, O Varuna born in the Strength; for because they rest on thee, O thou who confirmest (or, masterest) the heavens, the laws of being abide

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unfailing like water resting on a mountain. Thou supreme and manifest in thy being, O Varuna, do thou give increase to my works, letme not,OKing, taste the fruit of the works of another. Many more are the dawns that have yet to dawn on me; in them all, O Varuna, do thou govern our souls (or, our lives). From whatsoever fear, O King, enemy or friend has spoken to me in dream and I have been afraid, from whatsoever robber or render seeketh to do hurt, protect us from him, O Varuna. May I never know, O Varuna, separation from that Lover & Beloved who is full of the greatness of Mahas and gives me of it bountifully; may I not deviate from felicity or from right control; may we, clear & open in being, speak in the knowledge of the Greatness.

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