Translations of Rig Veda Suktas 33-121 by M.P. Pandit

HYMN 34

Rishi : HIRANYASTUPA Deity: ASHWINS .

1. O Ashwins, knowers, be ready for us thrice. Vast is your vehicle and munificence. Your union is regulated as that of day and night. Be ye yielding to the entreaties of the wise.

In the inner sacrifice the figure three signifies the triple world, its corresponding trio within e.g. body, life and mind, their respective prescribed periods or locations. Here it denotes the different divsions of time for the performance of the inner sacrifice.

2. Three are the firm fellies of your carriage carrying honey. All know of its travel to the beloved of Soma. Three pillars of support are fixed on the chariot, O Ashwins, ye journey thrice by night, thrice by day.

Soma: the essence of universal existence; it goes to the land of supreme Light, enjoyable Bliss.

Night - covered with darkness of Ignorance - denotes the triple world below, Day denotes the ever-lit triple world above.

3. O Ashwins, thrice on the same day, ye render faultless the sacrifice; today, sprinkle our sacrifice thrice with the celestial sap. Sprinkle thrice for us, day and night, the opulent, forceful impulsions.

Thrice may refer to the three bodies.

Sprinkle: make our sacrifice sapful.

4. O Ashwins, come thrice to our dwellings and thrice to those who are favourable to us; thrice to the sacrifice deserving protection; teach us thrice; reach thrice to us the gratifying fruit; shower thrice upon us the delectable sap like rain.

5. O Ashwins, thrice reach us the wealth; thrice come to the assembly of the Gods; increase thrice the intelligences, thrice the good fortune; bring us the inspirations thrice. The daughter of Surya has mounted your car of three wheels.

Surya, daughter of the Sun, is the beloved of the Ashwins.

6. Give us thrice, O Ashwins, the heavenly medicaments; give us thrice the earthly ones; give us thrice those from the firmament. O guardians of the auspicious, give to my son the protective weal of Rishi Shanyu. Give us the well-being of the three substances.

Three substances of the physical, vital, mental.

Shanyu: a historical figure, is a model of peaceful felicity Terms like son, offspring, progeny, signify the opulences that accrue to the Yajamana engaged in the inner sacrifice.

Medicaments remove illnesses of various kinds.

7. O Ashwins, adorable day by day, travel thrice around our earth, repose in the three substances. Lords of the car, O Ashwins, come ye from far to our threefold earth, as the life-breath resorts to its dwellings.

May the Ashwins come from their far stations to the earth-altar of our body even as the life-breath to its body.

8. O Ashwins, thrice is the Soma distilled by the seven mother-streams; three are the receptacles; in three ways is the oblation done; moving above the three earths, ye guard the sun in the firmament of heaven, established by day and by night. Soma, the essence of delight of all existence is prepared by the radiant powers of the sevenfold Being. Its three receptacles of matter etc. are ready. O Ashwins, drinkers of honey, accept this Soma and travel above the three worlds and guard there the supreme Light. Working day and night, the high firmament has been formed for us by the (inner) sacrificers. Guard it for us.

9. Where, O Ashwins, are the three wheels of your triangular car? Where are the seat-supporting three pillars? When will the powerful ass be yoked to arrive at our sacrifice?

We are ready, but your car is not yet to be seen; be quick of grace, may the car come with you.

10. Come ye, O Ashwins, our oblation is offered. With your honey-drinking mouths, take in our sweet offerings. God Savitr impels your wonderful, luminous car even before the break of the dawn, to the supreme TruthLight.

Surya impells ye, drink the Soma quick.

11. Come, O speeding Ashwins, to our sacrifice with thrice eleven Gods to take the sweet drink. Increase our life-span; efface our blemishes; repel the haters; dwell with us.

In each of the three worlds are eleven Gods.

12. Bring to us, O Ashwins, the auspicious wealth in your car that traverses the three worlds. Ye, who listen to us, we call to guard us; be ye for our affluence and increase.