Sacred Texts Hinduism Index Previous Next
Buy this Book at Amazon.com
The Texts of the White Yajurveda, tr. Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1899], at sacred-texts.com
FLOW for Vâchaspati, cleansed by hands from the two off-shoots
of the Bull.
Flow pure, a Deity thyself, for Deities whose share thou art.
2 Sweeten the freshening draughts we drink.
Soma, whatever name thou hast, unconquerable, giving life,
To that thy Soma, Soma! Hail!
3 Self-made art thou from all the Powers that are in heaven
and on the earth.
May the Mind win thee, thee, All-hail! for Sûrya, O thou
nobly-born.
Thee for the Deities who sip light-atoms.
Truly fulfilled, O Plant divine, be that for which I pray to
thee.
With ruin falling from above may So-and-So be smitten,
crash!
Thee for out-breathing, thee for breath diffused!
4 Taken upon a base art thou. Hold in, Rich Lord! be Soma's
guard.
Be thou protector of our wealth: win strengthening food by
sacrifice.
5 The heaven and spacious earth I lay within thee, I lay within
thee middle air's wide region.
Accordant with the Gods lower and higher, Rich Lord, rejoice
thee in the Antaryâma.
O Self-made art thou . . . . . light-atoms (verse 3 repeated).
Thee for the upward breath.
7 O Vâyu, drinker of the pure, be near us: a thousand teams
are thine, All-bounteous Giver.
To thee the rapture-giving juice is offered, whose first
draught, God, thou takest as thy portion.
8 These, Indra-Vâyu! have been shed; come for our offered
dainties’ sake:
The drops are yearning for you both.
Taken upon a base art thou. For Vâyu, Indra-Vâyu, thee.
This is thy home. Thee for the close-knit friends.
9 This Soma hath been shed for you, Law-strengtheners,
Mitra-Varuna!
Here listen ye to this my call.
Taken upon a base art thou. For Mitra thee, for Varuna.
10 May we, possessing much, delight in riches, Gods in oblation,
and the kine in pasture;
And that Milch-cow who shrinks not from the milking,
O Indra-Varuna, give to us daily.
This is thy home. Thee for the righteous Twain.
11 Distilling honey is your whip, Asvins, and full of pleasantness:
Sprinkle therewith the sacrifice.
Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for the Asvins. This is
thy home. Thee for the Honey-lovers.
12 Thou in the first old time, as all were wont, so now drawest
from him, light-finder, throned on sacred grass,
Preeminence and strength, from him turned hither, swift,
roaring, who winneth those whereby thou waxest strong.
Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for Sanda.
This is thy home. Protect thou manly power.
Sanda hath been removed, may Deities who drink the pure
libation lead thee forward. Invincible art thou.
13 Well stored with heroes and begetting heroes, with growth
of wealth surround the Sacrificer.
The Bright, conjoined with Heaven and with Earth, with
the brightly-shining one.
Expelled is Sanda. Thou art Sukra's dwelling.
14 May we, O radiant Soma, be the keepers of thine uninjured
strength and growth of riches.
This is the first all-bounteous Consecration: he the first,
Varuna, Mitra, and Agni.
15 He is the first Brihaspati, the Prudent. Offer ye juice with
Svâhâ! to that Indra.
Content be priestly offices, those with good sacrifice of meath,
those that are pleased when they have gained fair offerings
with the solemn Hail!
The Kindler of the Fire hath sacrificed.
16 See, Vena, born in light hath driven hither on chariot of
the air the calves of Prisni.
Singers with hymns caress him as an infant there where the
waters and the sunlight mingle.
Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for Marka.
17 To his oblation, swift as thought ye hurried and welcomed
eagerly the prayers he offered.
With arrows in his hand the Very Mighty forced from him
all obedience of a servant.
This is thy dwelling-place. Protect the people. Marka hath
been removed.
Gods, drinkers of the Man thin, lead thee forward! Invincible
art thou.
18 Well stored with people and begetting people, with growth
of wealth surround the Sacrificer.
The Manthin joined with Heaven and Earth and with the
Manthin-shining one.
Expelled is Marka. Thou art Manthin's dwelling.
19 O ye eleven Gods whose home is heaven, O ye eleven who
make earth your dwelling.
Ye who with might, eleven, live in waters, accept this sacrifice,
Ye Gods, with pleasure.
20 Taken upon a base art thou. Thou art Âgrayana, good first
libation.
Be thou the guard of sacrifice: protect the sacrifice's lord.
Vishnu with might protect thee. Guard thou Vishnu.
Guard on all sides the Soma sacrifices.
21 Soma flows pure, Soma flows pure for this Priesthood, for
the Nobility, pure for the worshipper who presses out
the juice, flows pure for food and energy, for waters and
for plants; flows pure for general prosperity. Thee for the
Universal Gods. This is thy home. Thee for the Universal
Gods.
22 Taken upon a base art thou. For Indra Lord of the Brihat,
strong with vital vigour, I take thee lover of the invocation.
Indra, what mighty vigour thou possessest, for that do
I take thee, take thee for Vishnu
This is thy home. Thee for the recitations.
For the Gods take I thee, the Gods’ protector; yea, for the
sacrifice's life I take thee.
23 For Mitra-Varuna thee, the Gods protector, yea, for the
sacrifice's life I take thee.
For Indra, thee, etc. For Indra-Agni, thee, etc. For Indra-
Varuna, thee, etc. For Indra-Brihaspati thee, etc. For
Indra-Vishnu thee, etc.
24 Him, messenger of earth and head of heaven, Agni Vaisvânara,
born in holy Order,
The Sage, the King, the Guest of men, a vessel fit for their
mouths, the Gods have generated.
25 Taken upon a base art thou. Firm, firmly resting, the
firmest of the firm, the most securely grounded of those
who never have been shaken.
This is thy home. Thee for Vaisvânara.
I pour forth with firm mind, with voice, firm Soma. So
now may Indra verily make our people all of. One heart
and mind and free from foemen.
26 Whatever drop of thine leaps forth, whatever stalk from
the bowls’ lap, shaken by the press-stone,
From the Adhvaryu's hand or from the filter, that, consecrated
in my mind with Vashat I offer unto thee with
cry of Svâhâ!
Thou art the way by which the Gods ascended.
27 Giver of splendour, grow thou pure for splendour for my
outward breath.
Giver of splendour, grow thou pure for splendour for my
spreading breath.
Giver, etc. ... ... ... for my upward breath.
Giver, etc. ... ... ... for my power of speech.
Giver, etc. ... ... ... for my sense and will.
Giver, etc. ... ... ... for my hearing power.
Givers of splendor, grow ye pure for splendour for my
orbs of sight.
28 Giver of splendour, grow thou pure for splendour for my
living self.
Giver, etc. ... ... ... for my energy.
Giver, etc. ... ... ... for my vital power.
Givers of splendour, grow ye pure for splendour for all
sprung from me.
29 Who art thou? Which of all art thou? Whose art thou?
Who art thou by name?
Even thou on whose name we have meditated, then whom
we have delighted with our Soma.
30 Taken upon a base art thou. For Madhu thee: Taken
upon a base art thou. For Mâdhava thee.
Taken, etc. For Sukra thee. Taken, etc. For Suchi thee.
Taken, etc. For Nabhas thee. Taken, etc. For Nabhasya
thee. Taken, etc. For Food thee. Taken, etc. For
Energy thee. Taken, etc. For Sahas thee. Taken, etc.
For Sahasya thee. Taken, etc. For Tapas thee. Taken, etc.
For Tapasya thee. Taken, etc. For Amhasaspati thee.
31 Moved, Indra-Agni, by our hymns, come to the juice, the
precious dew.
Drink ye thereof, impelled by song.
Taken upon a base art thou. For Indra-Agni thee. This
is thy dwelling. Thee for Indra-Agni.
32 Hitherward! they who light the flame and straightway
strew the sacred grass,
Whose Friend is Indra ever young.
Taken upon a base art thou. For Indra-Agni thee. This
is thy dwelling. Thee for Indra-Agni.
33 Ye Visvedevas who protect, reward, and cherish men, approach
Your worshipper's drink-offering.
Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for the Universal Gods.
This is thy home. Thee for the Visvedevas.
34 O ye All-Gods, come hitherward: hear this my invocation
seat
Yourselves upon this sacred grass.
Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for the Universal Gods.
This is thy home. Thee for the Visvedevas.
35 Here drink the Soma, Indra girt by Maruts! as thou didst
drink the juice beside Sâryâta.
Under thy guidance, in thy keeping, Hero! the singers serve,
skilled in fair sacrifices.
Taken upon a base art thou. For Indra girt by Maruts thee.
This is thy home. For Indra girt by Maruts thee.
36 The Bull whose strength hath waxed, whom Maruts follow,
free-giving Indra, the Celestial Ruler,
Mighty, all-conquering, the victory-giver, him we invoke to
give us new protection.
Taken upon a base art thou. For Indra girt by Maruts thee.
This is thy home. For Indra girt by Maruts thee.
Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for the Maruts’ energy.
37 Indra, accordant with the banded Maruts, drink Soma,
Hero! as wise Vritra-slayer.
Slay thou our foemen, drive away assailants, and make us
safe on every side from danger.
Taken, etc. For Indra girt by Maruts thee. This is thy
home. For Indra girt by Maruts thee.
38 Drink, Indra Marut-girt, as Bull, the Soma: for joy, for
rapture even as thou pleasest.
Pour down the wave of meath within thy belly thou art
the King of juices shed fortnightly.
Taken, etc.......Maruts thee (as above).
39 Great, hero-like, controlling men is Indra, unwasting in
his powers, doubled in vastness.
He, turned to us, hath grown to hero vigour: broad, wide,
he hath been decked by those who serve him.
Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for Mahendra.
This is thy dwelling-place. Thee for Mahendra.
40 Indra, great in his power and might, and like Parjanya rich
In rain,
Is magnified by Vatsa's lauds.
Taken, etc. (as in 39).
41 His bright rays bear him up aloft, the God who knoweth
all that lives,
Sûrya, that all may look on him. All-hail!
42 The brilliant presence of the Gods hath risen, the eye of
Mitra, Varuna, and Agni.
Soul of all moving, soul of all that moves not, the Sun
hath filled the air and earth and heaven.
43 By goodly paths lead us to riches, Agni, thou God who
knowest every sacred duty.
Remove the sin that makes us stray and wander: most
ample adoration will we bring thee.
44 Wide room and comfort may this Agni give us, and go
before us cleaving down our foemen.
May he win booty in the fight for booty: may he quell
foes in his triumphant onset.
45 I through your beauty have attained to beauty. The Tutha,
the omniscient, allot you!
Go forth, bright-gifted! on the path of Order. Look thou
upon the heaven and air's mid-region. Unite thee with
the priests who keep the Sadas.
46 This day may it he mine to find a Brâhman sprung from a
lauded father and grandfather,
Offspring of Rishis and himself a Rishi, the fit recipient of
priestly guerdon.
Go to the Gods, bestowed by me, and enter into him who
gives.
47 To Agni, yea, to me let Varuna give thee. May I gain life
that shall endure for ever.
Be thou strong vital power to him who gives thee, and com-
fort unto me the gift's receiver.
To Rudra, yea, to me let Varuna........................for ever.
Be thou the breath of life to him who gives thee, and vigour
unto me the gift's receiver.
To me Brihaspati let Varuna........................for ever.
Be thou a covering skin to him who gives thee, and comfort
unto me the gift's receiver.
To Varna, yea, to me let Varuna........................for ever.
Be thou a steed to him who gives the guerdon, and vital
power to me the gift's receiver.
48 Who hath bestowed it? Upon whom bestowed it?
Desire bestowed it, for Desire he gave it. Desire is giver
and Desire receiver. This, O Desire, to thee is dedicated.