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

HYMN 42

Rishi: KANVA Deity: PUSHAN

Pushan is one of the Adityas. He nourishes. Though the home of all the Gods is high above, yet their main station or field of action differs. Thus the abode of Indra, Lord of the divine Mind, is the Mind station, Svar. Agni is stationed on earth. The Maruts belong to the mid-region, the Life-world. Similarly the other Gods preside over their respective places and carry on their activities. Though Pushan, the Aditya, belongs to the third station, still because he is the lord of mother earth, supports and nourishes her, his station is taken as the earth. When he nourishes, by his Adityapower, the outer earth-field, physical Matter, and the inner physical consciousness and is himself nourished and manifest, then comes Usha, the Deity of the dawn of higher Consciousness. And when the Ashvins espouse Usha, he adopts these health-givers, who effect increasing nourishment, as parents. Nourished thus, Pushan Aditya showers the bounty of Indra and becomes his brother. Ultimately he becomes the brother of earth and the quarters.

Even after the slaying of Vritra, the Panis – Asuras - obstruct the path of the sacrificer, steal the cows; other haters of the Gods harass the devotee on the upward course, directly or indirectly, by robbing him of his wealth - cows etc. - , veiling the path, showing wrong directions. It is here that the work of Pushan is specially seen. The trafficking doings of the Panis and the like do not affect God Pushan. He is the lord of the Paths. He does not lose cattle. Pushan aids in the effort of the sacrificer to reach the sun-world, even while living.

Pushan nourishes the sacrificer as well as the earth. He is the progeny of Aditya as Indra who showers the wealth of knowledge, light, strength; elder to Ushas, he protects the earth; brother of Indra, master of the route of the sacrificer, he guards the path, searches out the sacrificer, urges his effort.

1. O Pushan, convey us over the road, eliminate obstruction. Son of Indra (Aditya), O God, be close ahead of us.

2. O Pushan, drive away from the path him who would order us about, the wicked inauspicious Wolf. Wolf: to indicate robbing by stealth.

It is easy for Pushan to drive away such obstruction on the path of the sacrificer; hence the prayer.

3. Drive far away from the path him who obstructs, thief, deceiver.

4. Trample with thy feet the scourge, robber of both (the present and the not present), evil of speech, wherever he be.

5. O Pushan, knower, eliminate the enemy, in all ways we pray to thee for that protection with which thou didst impel the fathers of old.

6. So, lord of all prosperity, golden-weaponed, render riches easy for us to offer (to partake).

7. Lead us past our enemy; conduct us by the easy path; O Pushan, know the right course for this.

8. Lead us to the fertile region. May we not face fresh hardship on the way. Know, O Pushan, the right course.

9. Be mighty, fill us, give largely, invigorate, feed us, know, O Pushan, the right course.

Be mighty for our benefit, make us bright, fill us with thyself, give us well-being, fill us with enjoyable viands.

10. We do not blame Pushan. Him we celebrate with hymns of praise. We solicit mighty Pushan for riches.

HYMN 43

Rishi: KANVA Deities : RUDRA, MITRA-VARUNA, SOMA

1. When shall we utter the most felicitous hymn, happying his heart, to Rudra, most wise, most bounteous, mighty?

Or, to Rudra cherished in the heart.

2. May Aditi facilitate Rudra’s Grace on our kine, our folk, our cattle, our progeny.

May all that pertains to us be the object of Rudra’s Grace.

3. May Mitra be mindful of us, so may Varuna, Rudra, all the Gods with one accord. May their disposition to us be of Grace.

4. We seek the felicity of Shamyu from Rudra, lord of hymns, master of sacrifice, whose medicament is delightful.

5. Rudra is luminous like the Sun, gratifying like gold, best among the Gods, giver of homes.

6. He makes for easy well-being of our steeds, rams, ewes (humans of that type), men, women, kine.

7. O Soma, grant us wealıh in abundance to suffice for a host of men, grant mighty, potent inspiration.

May we be endowed with large prowess to become the refuge of many, may our hearing of divine inspiration be powerful.

8. May not the obstructors of the pouring of Soma overpower us; so too the nor-givers. O Soma, give us all strength.

9. O Soma, immortal, stationed in the highest, cherish thy servitors. At their head, establish them in the centre (within), decorating it. Know these, O Soma.

Rudra: Both in the Puranas and the Agamas, Rudra is lauded as Shiva the destroyer. Though Gods like Agni have specific features in the front according to their several functions, yet each is only a front of the All-Gods supporting from within, one flame of the original Godhead. Hence though specific features of each Deity are denoted, yet mention of those of other Deities alongside makes it difficult to determine the sole speciality of each. Thus it is that in certain hymns (e.g. 4.3.1) there is hardly any distinction between Agni and Rudra; similarly between Indra and Rudra elsewhere. Still inspite of the fact that the features of Agni, Indra, the supreme Godhead, are ascribed to Rudra, it is possible to sift certain specific particularities of Rudra. Though the qualities of Rudra come to be described in the Yajur and Atharvana Vedas, here we take into account only the hymns in the Rig Veda. Let us note, in passing, that the number of hymns devoted to each God do not measure his importance. Gods like Surya, Vishnu, Rudra may have fewer hymns, but that does not lessen their eminence. Why then are such a large number of hymns devoted to Indra or Agni? The hymns stress the role of the Deities whose favour is indispensable in the upward path of the ancient Rishis engaged in the inner sacrifice. Neither Vishnu nor Rudra are as relevant in these states of the ascent as Agni or Indra.

To come to the description of Brahman, Rudra and Indra: Brahman creates all by Speech. The creation is a manifestation. Things lost in darkness are brought out into light. He who thus effects the manifestation is Brahma, Brahmanaspati, the creator. He brings out all things from the darkness of Inconscience and gives them life-forms and mental forms.

Rudra forcibly leads this creation upwards. He, as Shiva, puts down all those who arrogantly obstruct his course, punishes them as with a whip, kills the evil opponents with his weapons. Though thus terrible, he is beneficent, compassionate to the diss tressed, effects the auspicious with his healing balm.

Upholding the universe with his three steps, Vishnu creates for Indra wide station amongst us mortals by which we can reach the supreme station above.

Even derivatively, the word Rudra denotes the fierce, terrible. Thy hymns speak of him as the source of life-strengths, father of Rudras, parent of Maruts, as Shiva the benevolent. They speak of his greatness, plentiful progeny, parentage of Maruts and giver of solace. Some hymns laud him as Mrityunjaya, indweller, father of the universe, who spreads felicity among all. The profound Mantra, tryambakam yajāmahe¹