B. AT SUNSET
Suryasta
When the sun steals away, and the dim light of dusk precedes night, when the tasks of a busy day are over, Man comes back home from his varied tasks. He longs for peace, rest, friendship, intimacy, protection, and he turns to the sacred, to the less banal. In order to enter this other sphere or, in other words, to lift himself above the trivial, indeed to pray, he invokes Divine Grace, Anumati, 49 through whose good offices he hopes that the Gods will lend an ear to his prayer and be disposed to grant him all the gifts, both material and spiritual, for which he prays. Once the Gods have heard his call, sacrifice, prayer, and meditation will follow.
The selections for sunset, like those for sunrise, follow a simple and natural pattern: (1) Gathering around the Light; (2) The Longing for Friendship; (3) Blessed Night Has Come; and (4) The Pure Water of Knowledge.
1. GATHERING AROUND THE LIGHT
Agni, the sacred fire, the priest, mediator between earth and heaven, between this world and the world of the Gods, the brother and friend, is now blazing and shining in the home, radiating warmth and good cheer. Now that the time of quiet has come, Man, as at sunrise, feels the need for protection, for security. 50 Pushan, we may remember, was implored to secure the safety of cattle and roads; the prayer addressed to Agni, pure light, is deeper and more interiorized. Evil exists in all spheres of life; sin, injustice, and evil intentions are only too well known; they resemble stains and blotches, the evidence of a dreadful and contagious disease that Light cannot endure. Therefore Man, hurt, perhaps, in mind or body during the course of the day, bursts into strong imprecations against evil, malice, enmity, and sin. May Agni the strong, the blazing, mercilessly burn away all kinds of evil! May he, the faithful guardian, direct his bow against the malevolent and the wayward! May he drive them away and reduce them to ashes!
If Agni is the guardian of righteousness, he is also the inspirer of poetic wisdom, stirring to life Man’s noblest faculty. His flame enkindles in Man the poetic inspiration that, going beyond the level of appearances, penetrates to the very core of reality.
2. THE LONGING FOR FRIENDSHIP
A true friend is always welcome in the home; he is one who shares in the joys and sorrows of the family. What, then, of Agni, who is not merely an occasional guest or even a close friend, but one who constantly dwells in the family hearth? It is not surprising that he has been called “closest kinsman and friend.” 51
The warmth that Agni diffuses calls for warm human relationships, for a unity of hearts and minds. 52 In the many hymns of the Rig Veda addressed to Agni, the divine friend, we also come across a few texts that express in a very vivid manner the beauty of liberality, of sharing with others, especially with the needy, the urge to extend the circle of friendliness and unity outside the limited family group. 53
In the evening, when the business of the day has come to an end, when activities have ceased, a few moments of leisure are given to Man to ponder about the day that is past and to contemplate the morrow, which may renew and increase the friendly contacts of today. Thus he too may be a burning and shining flame which, like Agni, will warm and rejoice the hearts of all.
3. BLESSED NIGHT HAS COME
So fervent have been the Rig-vedic songs and hymns in honor of the Sun and Light, so numerous the hymns to Dawn, so poetic the descriptions and of such exquisite delicacy and detail--for it is Ushas who brings Men hope and joy and the courage to live--that it would appear by comparison that Night has been almost entirely neglected. Just one hymn in the Rig Veda is addressed to her, and four in the Atharva Veda. 54 One is struck by the fact that Night is acclaimed at all only because she too is luminous, “full of eyes,” lit by the stars. She is addressed as a passing traveler, as the herald of light, and as the sister of Dawn. Men salute her as marking the end of their daily toil, the hour of repose. She, the immortal, will bless their sleep.
Man’s constant aspiration toward the light arises out of the dread, the insecurity, and the fear associated with shadows and darkness. Men utter fervent prayers for protection. Such prayers spring both from metaphysical anguish, for Man is not destined for the dark, and also from practical feelings of alarm, at least in the Atharva Veda. The poets enumerate all the dangers of the night: demons who may assault the soul, robbers who may carry off cattle and horses, the wolf that may slaughter the sheep, and the snake that is well known for its nocturnal visitations. Thus prayer is offered for deliverance from all ills, and coupled with it are hope and a yearning toward happiness, prosperity, and peace.
As there are only five hymns to Night, we have added a hymn from the Atharva Veda, the prayer of a priest asking for the right accomplishment of his priestly task and protection from all the Gods. 55 In this simple litany we meet again the familiar names encountered all through this anthology. Each God is invoked according to his own special attributes. Even Yama, the Forefathers, and the Fathers are included. As always, this prayer is a sacrificial prayer. In it and in the following shlokas from the Katha Upanishad is concentrated the entire message of the Vedic experience, if we have succeeded in discerning behind each name of the long litany those aspects of he divine Reality which the Vedic seers are eager to convey.
4. THE PURE WATER OF KNOWLEDGE
The last meditation, the final thoughts before going to sleep, are all oriented toward a further discovery of the One. Chapter IV of the Katha Upanishad sums up the essential core of the Upanishadic message: the identity, the oneness, of atman-brahman, Advaita, the non-duality of the One and of all that is. 56 This identity is acclaimed in a paean of praise as the seer eulogizes the whole cosmos, both the macrocosm of visible things and the microcosm of Man’s interior being; he recalls the origin of all things, the prelude, Agni, the Sun. Each “binding” ends with the refrain “This is that,” meaning “there is no distinction, no duality;” all that exists exists through and in Him who is and He is nothing of that which is. He is the Spirit, a burning yet smokeless flame. He is from all eternity.
Evil, or sin, the cause of suffering and of nonrealization, is to place oneself outside, in separation from the Spirit, to live in isolation, in a state of duality, to confine oneself to the surface of people and things, to be bound and hampered by a conglomeration of external psychological and emotional factors, to miss the brightness and purity of the inner glance. The way leading to complete and absolute oneness is that which transcends all duality, and the chapter ends with a meaningful verse:
But as pure water poured into pure
becomes the selfsame--wholly pure--
so too becomes the self of the silent sage,
the one, O Gautama, who has understanding. 57
Divine Grace
Anumati
32
AV VII, 20
1. Render, O Grace, our sacrifice today
acceptable to the Gods.
May Agni convey the oblation of my worship!
2. Regard us with favor, O Grace, and bless us.
Accept, O Goddess,
this proffered oblation and grant to us offspring.
3. Approving, may he accord us wealth inexhaustible
together with offspring!
Void of anger, may he keep us in his mercy and favor!
4. Approachable, O Grace, best of guides, is your name,
pleasant and bountiful!
For your own name’s sake fulfill our sacrifice,
O source of all riches,
and grant us, O Blessed One, treasures and heroes.
5. Grace, in response to our well-performed oblation,
draws night to impart
fair lands and brave heroes. Her providence is kindly.
Guided by the Gods,
may she enhance still further the sacrifice we offer!
6. Grace has become this All--whatever stands,
whatever walks and moves.
Accept us, O Goddess! Grant us your favor!
a) Spring
Vasanta
May the Wind Blow Sweetness!
Vishvedevah
May the wind blow sweetness, the rivers flow sweetness, the herbs grow sweetness, for the Man of Truth!
Sweet be the night, sweet the dawn, sweet be earth’s fragrance, sweet Father Heaven!
May the tree afford us sweetness, the sun shine sweetness, our cows yield sweetness-- milk in plenty!
RV I, 90, 6-8
You Are of All Men the Brother
Agni
33
RV I, 75
1. Accept our praise resounding,
the food beloved by the Gods,
opening your mouth to consume our oblations!
2. O Lord, noblest of the noble,
wisest and best mediator,
may we utter an acceptable prayer, efficacious!
3. Who among men is your brother?
Who offers you holy worship?
Who are you, Lord? On whom dependent?
4. You are of all Men the brother
and dear companion, O Lord,
the Friend whose name we may invoke for our friends!
5. Sacrifice to Mitra and Varuna
in our name. Honor the Gods
according to Holy Law upon your own hearth!
We Praise You in Our Home
Agni
34
RV II, 8
1. Even as a charioteer in the race
acclaims his own chariot, so now acclaim
the harnessing of Agni the glorious, the bountiful,
[to the chariot of sacrifice]--
2. The one who leads his worshiper aright,
who, himself undiminished, diminishes the wicked,
the God of cheerful countenance,
the recipient of worship--
3. The one who is magnified in our homes,
whose beauty is extolled at evening and at dawn,
whose law is inviolate--
4. The radiant one who beams forth his light
as the Sun does his splendor, whose flames are undying,
who glistens with fatness.
5. Our hymns have lent strength to Agni the Devourer
wherever he holds sway. He has now assumed
to himself all comeliness.
6. With the help of Agni, Indra and Soma,
yes, of all the Gods, may we dwell unharmed,
overcoming our foes!
Night Immortal, Bless Our Rest
Ratri
35
RV X, 127
1. Here comes the Night; with her twinkling eyes
the Goddess has lit many places,
adorned once again with all her beauty.
2. The immortal Goddess enwraps the world,
its valleys and lofty peaks.
By the shining of her light she repels all darkness.
3. Advancing quietly, the Goddess has restored
once again her sister the Dawn.
The shadows will now also steal away.
4. Be gracious this night! At your approach
we now repair to our homes,
like birds seeking their roosting places.
5. The villagers likewise and all that walks
or flies have gone to their rest.
Even the hungry hawks are still.
6. Ward off wild beasts, the wolf and his mate
or the robber, O Night undulating.
May your passage bring us safely to the other side!
7. The shades of night enfold me now,
arrayed in black apparel.
Banish them, Dawn, like haunting debts!
8. O Daughter of Heaven, to you I direct
my hymn like a precious offering.
Accept it, O Night, as a paean of praise.
The Search Within
Avrtta cakshuh
KATH U IV, 1-2
1. The Self-existent pierced sense openings outward;
therefore a Man looks out, not in.
But a certain wise Man, in search of immortality,
turned his gaze inward and saw the Self within.
2. The foolish go after outward pleasures
and walk into the snare of all-embracing death.
The wise, however, discerning immortality,
do not seek the permanent among things impermanent.
b) Summer
Grishma
The Moon Keeps Watch
Varuna
The stars fixed on high appear at night.
By day they depart, we know not whither.
Varuna’s laws are faithful. The moon sails on at night with a watchful eye.
RV I, 24, 10
Liberal Lord, Grant Us Your Treasure
Agni
37
RV III, 18
1. Be gracious, O Lord, to our approach,
kindly as a friend or a father or a mother.
Man oppresses his brother man.
Consume all evil that plots against us.
2. Consume the neighbor full of malice
and hostile curses from impious lips.
Consume, O all-seeing One, the fool
surround yourself with undying flames.
3. This wood and sacred oil,
O Lord, I eagerly present to enhance your powers,
with sacred words worshiping, as far as in me lies.
By this hymn divine I crave a hundred blessings.
4. O Son of strength, impart by your warmth
to those who now praise you and toil in your service
vitality and power, to the seers well-being.
We anoint your body again and again.
5. Grant us your treasure, O liberal Lord,
rich as you are when brightly enkindled.
With your shining arms and flickering shapes
convey it to the home of your blessed singer.
The One Who Brings Comfort to All Men
Agni
38
RV V, 8
1. It was you, O Agni most ancient, whom the ancients of old,
observers of Cosmic Law, enkindled for their aid,
O God created by life-power, the shining, the adorable,
the one who brings comfort to all Men, worthy of worship,
God of the hearth and home.
2. It was you, O Agni of the flaming hair, whom the peoples
enthroned as their foremost guest, the master of their households,
O God of the lofty ensign, of manifold shapes,
the winner of stakes, our kindly protector and helper,
devourer of ancient forests.
3. It is you, O Agni, whom the races of mankind acclaim
as connoisseur of sacrifice, Discerner, incomparable donor
of treasures, visible to all yet dwelling in secret,
O God most blessed, loud-sounding, skilled in worship,
glorified by the oil of sacrifice.
4. It is you, O Agni ever true to yourself, whom we mortals
have ever approached with reverence, singing your praises.
Wherefore, O God most noble, esteem well our sacrifice
and burst into glorious flames, your Godhead enkindled
by the hand of mortal Man.
5. It is you, O Agni of manifold. shapes, who impart
life-power to each race of Men, as in days of old,
O God highly praised! By means of this your life-power
you control all sorts of food. That light of yours,
when you shine forth, blazes indomitable.
6. It is you, O Agni most youthful, whom, once enkindled,
the Gods have chosen as messenger, conveyer of oblations.
You, O God of vast range, situated in oil
and nourished by offerings, the Gods have made their bright Eye,
the inspirer of thought and fancy.
7. It is you, O Agni, whom Men through the ages have sought
with sacred oil and with fuel easy to kindle.
Thus, imbued with strength, your size increased by the plants,
you spread over all the world.
Keep Watch, O Night, We Pray
Ratri
39
AV XIX, 47
1. O Night, you have filled this entire earth with your presence
in accordance with the Father’s command.
Outstretching your arms you reach to the highest heavens;
the twinkling darkness draws near.
2. One cannot descry the opposite bank of her stream
nor yet what lies in between.
In her bosom reposes all that lives and stirs.
Grant, O wide darksome Night,
that we may safely attain your farther shore,
attain, pray, your farther shore!
3. Ninety and nine are your Scrutinizers, O Night,
who gaze on mortal Men.
Eighty and eight or seventy and seven are they.
4. Sixty and six, O opulent One, are they,
fifty and five, O Happy One.
Forty and four and thirty and three are they,
O Night, you who are powerful.
5. Twenty and two are your Scrutinizers, O Night,
eleven and fewer still.
With these protectors guard us well today,
O Night, Daughter of the Sky.
6. May no demon, no speaker of evil, hold power against us,
no baleful person malign us!
This night may no thief hold power against our cattle
and no wolf against our sheep!
7. O beauteous Night, may no robber approach our horses
and no witch cast spells on our men!
Let the thief and the marauder take flight by the farthest paths!
8. May he perish afar, that cord with the teeth that bite,
that miscreant serpent, O Night!
Blind him, stifle him, chop off his head, crush the jaws
of the wolf! Trap the thief in a gin!
9. We make our dwelling in you. Our hearts crave sleep.
Keep watch, then, O Night, we pray.
Grant your protection to our cows, our horses, our households.
The Self Within
Antaratman
40
KATH U IV, 3-6
3. That by which one perceives form and taste,
perfumes, sounds, and loving caresses,
by that selfsame one knows. What else remains?
This, I now declare, is that!
4. By knowing as the great all-pervading Self
that by which one is conscious of both
the dream state and also the state of wakefulness,
the wise remain exempt from sorrow!
5. The one who knows that Self within,
who enjoys like a bee the honey of the spirit,
Lord of what was and what is to be,
will never shrink away from Him.
This, I now declare, is that!
6. He who was born of old from austerity,
the one who was born of old from the waters,
who enters the cave [of the heart] and dwells there,
This, I now declare, is that!
c) Rainy Season
Varsha
The Giver of Growth
Parjanya
May God, the giver of gmwth to plants, who holds sway over the waters and all moving creatures, grant us threefold protection to guard us and threefold light to aid and befriend us!
RV VII, 101, 2
Rise, Lord, Direct Your Bow at Our Foes
Agni
41
RV IV, 4
1. From your body, O Lord, fashion a vast net.
Advance like a powerful monarch with his escort.
Entangle the demons in your net, O Archer;
transfix them with your burning fiery arrows.
2. Pursue the demons with your whirling flames.
Clasp them closely, O bright-shining Lord.
Firebrands are darting like birds from all quarters,
shot by your tongue. You are bound by no fetter!
3. Swiftly send out your scouts to explore!
Be for our people a guardian never failing.
Let not the one who, from far or from near,
is bent on our ruin venture to cross you!
4. Rise, Lord, direct your bow at our foes
and reduce them to ashes, O you with sharp darts!
May the fire we kindle consume like dry stubble
those who have thought to work us ill!
5. Rise, Lord, drive them far away from us!
Show us, O Lord, your powers divine.
Make slack the bows of the Evil One’s henchmen.
Shatter them, whether they be kinsmen or strangers!
6. In your good graces, O God ever young,
is the man who has marked out his path of devotion.
Shine, O Lord! Fling wide for him the doors
to prosperity, riches and unequaled splendor!
7. Yes, may the man who within his home
pleases you all his days with songs and with offerings
receive a rich reward, be loaded with your gifts!
To him be happiness! This is our prayer.
8. I sing now your bounty. Listen, turn your face!
May my words awake you like a lover’s serenade!
We desire to embellish you with chariots and horses
that you may forever uphold our dominion.
9. We seek to serve you, who lighten us by night
and who shine, O Lord, each hour of the day.
We rejoice with happy hearts; we give you our homage.
By your aid we surpass all others in glory.
10. To the man who possesses gold and fine horses
and comes on a chariot laden with treasure,
you afford, O Lord, both protection and favor.
He enjoys thereafter your gracious welcome.
11. By the power I inherit from my father Gotama,
I your kinsman destroy by these words the enemy.
Heed this my speech which I dedicate to you,
O youthful Offerer, God of the hearth!
12. May your guardian hosts, Lord, eager and vigilant,
persistent and kindly, friendly and unwearied,
gather in this place on our behalf,
for our help and protection, O Lord unfailing!
13. Your guardian rays in olden times
preserved from affliction blind Mamateya.
In their turn the gracious All-Knowing one guarded them.
Evil men bent on damage could do no harm.
14. Together with you, aided by you,
and guided by you, we shall win the day.
May both our praises win acceptance, we pray!
Act as you choose, God of truth and boldness!
15. Accept for your service our fuel and our hymns,
O you who are great as Mitra is great!
Reduce now to ashes all infamous demons
and guard us from evil, from reproach, and from shame.
Our Closest Kinsman and Friend
Agni
42
RV VII, 15
1. Pour in his mouth an oblation,
the God who is worthy of reverence,
our closest kinsman and friend!
2. The God who has fixed his abode
in each home of every people--
the seer, the proprietor, the youthful.
3. May this Agni keep watch on every side
on our homes and all they contain!
May he keep distress at bay!
4. I will bring forth a new song
of praise for Agni, the falcon.
He will surely impart to us riches.
5. How fair, how desirable, his glories,
as he glows at the place of sacrifice,
like a man possessed of noble sons!
6. May Agni be pleased with our call,
may our songs find favor with him,
best worshiper, best mediator!
7. You who are worthy of Men’s prayers,
our leader, our God, rich in heroes--
may we install you glowing and glistening!
8. Shine forth at night and at morn!
Your favor has kindled our hearths!
By your favor we shall be great!
9. Our nobles, seeking their reward,
come forward, our singers with their hymns
and Speech with her thousand syllables.
10. Agni, the shining, the pure,
the purifier, worthy of worship,
drives far the powers of evil.
11. Wherefore, young son of strength,
convey us--you are able!--many blessings!
May Bhaga grant us what is good!
12. It is you, O Agni, who invest us
with the glory of heroes. The Gods
are the givers of all good gifts.
13. O Agni, guard us from distress!
Consume with your burning flames,
O unaging, the Man who seeks our harm!
14. Be now for us a strong fortress
of iron, made secure a hundredfold,
O you the unconquerable!
15. O God, brightener of the night,
infallible, protect us from distress,
from the wicked, by day and by night!
O Kindly One, Guard Us as We Sleep
Ratri
43
AV XIX, 48
1. All our stores, O Night,
we entrust to you
all that our treasure chest holds.
2. Take charge of us till Dawn,
O Night our Mother!
May Dawn escort us safely
to the brink of day
and from day to you once more,
O shining One!
3. From all that flies,
from all that crawls,
from all that prowls on the mountain,
may you, O Night, protect us!
4. Behind, in front,
above, below, do you,
O Night, defend us!
Behold us singing your praises!
5. The Escorts of Night
who keep watch and ward
on the living and guard our cattle--
they protect our lives and our herds.
6. Most certainly, O Night,
I know your name.
You are the “cream of bounty,”
O kindly One!
Guard, as we sleep, ourselves
and all our goods.
The Cave of the Heart
Guha
44
KATH U IV, 7-9
7. She who comes into being through the breath of life,
from whom the Gods all took their birth,
the Boundless Goddess of Infinity,
who enters the cave [of the heart] and dwells there--
This, I now declare, is that!
8. Fire the All-Knowing, hidden within the fire sticks
like the seed of life cherished by pregnant women,
worthy of worship daily offered
by reverent men bringing their oblations--
This, I now declare, is that!
9. That from which the sun arises,
into which it sinks to rest,
that in which all the Gods are fixed
and beyond whose reach no one can go--
This, I now declare, is that!
d) Autumn
Sharad
A Loving Friend
Soma
O God, be happy in our hearts to dwell, as cows in milk rejoice in grassy meadows, or as a bridegroom rejoices in his own house! When in your friendship a mortal finds delight, then, mighty Sage, you grant him your favor. Save us, O Lord, from distress and damnation. Come to us, Lord, as a loving friend!
RV I, 91, 13-15
From You Springs Inspiration
Agni
45
RV IV, 11
1. Your auspicious face, O mighty Agni,
beams brightly even when the sun is nigh.
Visible even at night is its shining.
The sight of him reveals the soft food he consumes.
2. In response to our praise, O God of strength,
open for your singer who trembles with fervor
a channel of inspiration, a powerful thought
such as you, O honorable, and all the Gods approve.
3. From you, O Agni, spring poetic wisdom,
inspiration, and hymns most efficacious.
you comes wealth adorned with heroes
to the worshiper whose thought is properly attuned!
4. From you springs the horse who wins the prize,
of incomparable size and strength and spirit;
from you, O Agni, god-sent wealth for our joy,
from you the swift charger, ranging afar.
5. It is you, O sweet-spoken Agni, the immortal,
whom the god-loving seek first to win with their prayers--
O you who remove far all hostility,
unerring friend and master of the home!
6. Remove, as our helper, all poorness of thought;
drive far all sorrow, all evil intention.
Deal kindly, O Agni, son of strength, at evening
with him whose salvation, as God, you provide!
In Praise of a Generous Giver
Dhanannadanam
46
RV X, 117
1. Say not, “This poor man’s hunger is a heaven-sent doom.”
To the well-fed, too, comes death in many forms.
Yet the wealth of the generous giver never dwindles,
while he who refuses to give will evoke no pity.
2. The man with food stored up who hardens his heart
against the poor man, once his benefactor,
who now comes hungry and sick to beg for bread--
that man, I say, will himself find no pity!
3. The liberal man is he who gives to the beggar
who wanders in search of food, lean and forlorn;
the one who helps the passerby, when asked,
makes of this same a friend for days to come.
4. He who shares not his food with a friend,
the comrade at his side, is no true friend!
From such a one withdraw--no real home his!
Stranger though he be, receive from another!
5. The powerful man should give to one in straits;
let him consider the road that lies ahead!
Riches revolve just like a chariot’s wheels,
coming to one man now, then to another.
6. In vain the foolish man accumulates food.
I tell you truly, it will be his downfall!
He gathers to himself neither friend nor comrade.
Alone he eats; alone he sits in sin.
7. The ploughshare cleaving the soil helps satisfy hunger;
the traveler, using his legs, achieves his goal;
the priest who speaks surpasses the one who is silent;
the friend who gives is better than the miser.
8. The sun with one foot outruns man with two!
The man with two overtakes the hoary with three!
Four-footed creatures come when the two-footed summon
and stand [as watchdogs] near the herd, observing.
9. The hands are alike but in their work they differ;
so also two cows, offspring of a single mother,
may yet give differing yields of milk; even twins
are not the same in strength, or kinsmen in bounty.
You Have Come, Blessed Night
Ratri
47
AV XIX, 49
1. That lively maiden, young friend of our homes,
all-encompassing Night, dear to Savitri and Bhava,
easy of entreaty and adorned with glory,
has filled with her greatness both earth and heaven.
2. Night profound has risen above all things.
She has scaled--most splendid!--the loftiest heights.
She lovingly extends her auspicious presence
like that of a friend who moves at will.
3. You have come, blessed Night, gentle-born, the object
of our hymns and longings. Be favorable! Abide!
Guard us, ourselves and all our possessions,
all the prosperity that resides in cattle!
4. Benevolent Night has assumed to herself
the splendor of a lion, a leopard, a tiger,
the neighing of a horse and the call of a man.
The shining maiden takes many a form.
5. May Night, succeeding the Sun, be auspicious!
May this mother of frost be attentive to our cry!
Turn your ear, O blessed, to this song of praise
with which I worship you on every side!
6. As a king in his stately splendor, you enjoy,
O radiant Night, our hymn of praise.
May we, as one Dawn succeeds another,
possess many heroes, be filled with all wealth!
7. Lovely is the name that you have assumed.
Those who have evil designs against my wealth,
destroy them, O Night! Let no thief be found!
I say it again, let no thief be found!
8. You are fair, O Night, like a well-shaped chalice!
You possess the grace of a youthful maiden!
Full of eyes, you lovingly reveal your forms,
adorning yourself with the stars of heaven.
9. Whatever thief may come this night
or mortal foe who plots our harm--
let Night, advancing, encounter him!
Let her sever his head and his neck from his body!
10. Let her sever his feet that he walk no more,
his hands that he harm not! Whoever he be,
let him go to his place vanquished and maimed,
depart far away, depart to the desert!
Only by the Spirit . . .
Manasaiva
48
KATH U IV, 10--11
10. Whatever is here, the same is there;
whatever is there, the same is here.
Whoever perceives just separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
11. Only by the spirit can this intuition be grasped:
in this world there is nothing whatever separate.
Whoever thinks he perceives separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
e) Winter
Hemanta
The Joy of All Hearts
Agni
O blazing splendor, purifying flame, joy of all hearts, with cheerful songs we venerate you, the cheerful one!
RV VIII, 43, 31
May the Lord Find Pleasure in Our Praises
Agni
49
RV V, 13
1. All set for the kindling of the sacred fire,
we hymn you, O Lord, with our verses, invoking
your powerful grace.
2. In your praise, O Lord, who reach highest heaven,
we compose our song, eager to obtain
your treasure divine!
3. May the Lord find pleasure in our song of praise!
Priest among Men, may he offer due homage
to the heavenly beings!
4. Great, O Lord, is your renown.
Through you, O blessed one, worthy mediator,
may we complete the sacrifice!
5. The poets exalt you with their hymns--
you whose undertakings are ever successful.
Grant us great vigor!
6. As the spokes are bound by encircling iron,
so you encompass the Gods, O Lord.
I yearn for your bounty!
Your Minds Be of One Accord!
Agni
50
RV X, 191
1. O Lord almighty, enkindled on the altar,
confer upon us your treasures--
you who gather all things into one,
even what comes from the stranger!
2. Gather together, converse together!
Your minds be of one accord,
just as in harmony the Gods of old
took their ritual shares of oblation!
3. United be your counsel, united your assembly,
united your spirit and thoughts!
A single plan do I lay before you;
a single oblation do I offer!
4. United your resolve, united your hearts,
may your spirits be at one,
that you may long together dwell
in unity and concord!
Sinless, O Night, Lead Us to Dawn
Ratri
51
AV XIX, 50
1. O Night, [for our safety]
make the snake blind,
scorch him, behead him!
Gouge out the eyes
of the wolf and entrap
the thief in a snare!
2. With your sturdy oxen,
sharp-horned and swift,
transport us safely
over every danger!
3. May our passage each night
be performed without hindrance,
while the mean, lacking boats,
fail to cross the stream!
4. As a millet seed, blown,
is scattered beyond trace,
so blow him, O Night,
who wishes us ill!
5. Keep far from us the thief
and the stealer of cattle
and him who would stealthily
lead off our horses!
6. When you come with your favors,
O Night, well proportioned,
give us our due share.
Do not pass us by!
7. O resplendent Night,
may you lead us sinless
to Dawn, from Dawn to day,
and from day back to you!
He Who Was and Ever Shall Be
Ishano bhuta-bhavyasya
52
KATH U IV, 12-13
12. The Person of the size of a thumb resides
within oneself; he is the Lord
of that which was and that which shall be.
One will never shrink away from him.
This, I now declare, is that!
13. The Person of the size of a thumb resides
within like a steady smokeless flame--
Lord of that which was and that which shall be,
the same both today and tomorrow.
This, I now declare, is that!
f) Frosty Season
Shishira
Right Purpose
Akuti
Blessed divine lntention I place steadily before me.
May she, the Mother of the mind, be ever accessible.
May whatever hope I cherish be wholly realized.
May I see that hope well settled in my mind.
AV XIX, 4, 2
Be Present, O Lord
Agni
53
RV V, 24
1. Draw near in friendship.
Save us and help us.
Show yourself gracious, O Lord!
2. Be present, O Lord,
wonderful, adored.
Shower on us treasure most precious!
3. Hear now our cry.
Lend us your ear.
Shield us from sin’s contagion!
4. To you, radiant God,
we bring this prayer.
Shine on our friends in blessing!
Like Spokes around a Hub
Sammanasyam
54
AV III, 30
1. Of one heart and one mind I make you,
devoid of hate.
Love one another, as a cow
loves the calf she has borne.
2. Let the son be courteous to his father,
of one mind with his mother.
Let the wife speak words that are gentle
and sweet to her husband.
3. Never may brother hate brother
or sister hurt sister.
United in heart and in purpose,
commune sweetly together.
4. I will utter a prayer for such concord
among family members
as binds together the Gods,
among whom is no hatred.
5. Be courteous, planning and working
in harness together.
Approach, conversing pleasantly,
like-minded, united.
6. Have your eating and drinking in common.
I bind you together.
Assemble for worship of the Lord,
like spokes around a hub.
7. Of one mind and one purpose I make you,
following one leader.
Be like the Gods, ever deathless!
Never stop loving!
We Call on the Gods, Again and Again
Brahmakarma
55
AV V, 24
1. O Lord of all that furthers Men’s designs,
O Savitri, protect me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
2. May Agni, Lord of the forest, protect me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
3. May Heaven and Earth, Sovereigns of bounty, save me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
4. May Varuna, Lord of the waters, save me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
5. May Mitra-Varuna, Lords of rain, preserve me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
6. May the Maruts, Lords of the mountains, protect me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
7. May Soma, Lord of plants and herbs, protect me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
8. May the Wind, Lord of the middle air, protect me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
9. May the Sun, Lord of every eye, protect me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
10. May the Moon, Lord of constellations, save me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
11. May Indra, the Lord of the Gods, protect me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
12. May the Father of the Winds, Lord of cattle, save me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
13. May Death, Lord of living creatures, save me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
14. May Yama, Ruler of the Fathers, save me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
15. May the Forefathers of ancient days protect me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
16. May the Fathers of succeeding ages save me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
17. Next may the Fathers of our fathers save me
in this my prayer,
in this my act,
in this my priestly duty,
in this my performance,
in this my thought,
in this my purpose and desire,
in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!
The Pure Water of Understanding
Yathodakam shuddham
56
KATH U IV, 14-15
14. As water descending on mountain crags
wastes its energies among the gullies,
so he who views things as separate
wastes his energies in their pursuit.
15. But as pure water poured into pure
becomes the selfsame--wholly pure,
so too becomes the self of the silent sage,
of the one, O Gautama, who has understanding.