Rig Veda · Mandala 1 · Sukta 161
Rig Veda 1.161 — Ṛbhus
Deity: Ṛbhus. Rishi family (Mandala 1): Diverse seers — Madhuchchhandas, Medhatithi, Shunahshepa, Hiranyastupa and others. This Sukta contains 14 verses presented below in Devanagari Sanskrit, IAST romanisation, and Ralph T. H. Griffith's English translation. Click any verse to read a fuller explanation.
Verses
Rig Veda 1.161.1
किमु शरेष्ठः किं यविष्ठो न आजगन किमीयते दूत्यं कद यदूचिम | न निन्दिम चमसं यो महाकुलो.अग्ने भरातर्द्रुण इद भूतिमूदिम
kimu śreṣṭhaḥ kiṃ yaviṣṭho na ājaghan kimīyate dūtyaṃ kad yadūcima | na nindima camasaṃ yo mahākulo.aghne bhrātardruṇa id bhūtimūdima
WHY hath the Best, why hath the Youngest come to us? Upon what embassy comes he? What have we said? We have not blamed the chalice of illustrious birth. We, Brother Agni, praised the goodness of the wood.
Rig Veda 1.161.2
एकं चमसं चतुरः कर्णोतन तद वो देवा अब्रुवन तद व आगमम | सौधन्वना यद्येवा करिष्यथ साकं देवैर्यज्ञियासो भविष्यथ
ekaṃ camasaṃ caturaḥ kṛṇotana tad vo devā abruvan tad va āghamam | saudhanvanā yadyevā kariṣyatha sākaṃ devairyajñiyāso bhaviṣyatha
The chalice that is single make ye into four: thus have the Gods commanded; therefore am I come. If, O Sudhanvan's Children, ye will do this thing ye shall participate in sacrifice with Gods.
Rig Veda 1.161.3
अग्निं दूतं परति यदब्रवीतनाश्वः कर्त्वो रथ उतेह कर्त्वः | धेनुः कर्त्वा युवशा कर्त्वा दवा तानि भरातरनु वः कर्त्व्येमसि
aghniṃ dūtaṃ prati yadabravītanāśvaḥ kartvo ratha uteha kartvaḥ | dhenuḥ kartvā yuvaśā kartvā dvā tāni bhrātaranu vaḥ kṛtvyemasi
What to the envoy Agni in reply ye spake, A courser must be made, a chariot fashioned here, A cow must be created, and the Twain made young. When we have done these things, Brother, we turn to you.
Rig Veda 1.161.4
चक्र्वांस रभवस्तदप्र्छत कवेदभूद यः सय दूतो न आजगन | यदावाख्यच्चमसाञ्चतुरः कर्तानादित तवष्टा गनास्वन्तर्न्यानजे
cakṛvāṃsa ṛbhavastadapṛchata kvedabhūd yaḥ sya dūto na ājaghan | yadāvākhyaccamasāñcaturaḥ kṛtānādit tvaṣṭā ghnāsvantarnyānaje
When thus, O Ṛbhus, ye had done ye questioned thus, Whither went he who came to us a messenger? Then Tvaṣṭar, when he viewed the four wrought chalices, concealed himself among the Consorts of the Gods.
Rig Veda 1.161.5
हनामैनानिति तवष्टा यदब्रवीच्चमसं ये देवपानमनिन्दिषुः | अन्या नामानि कर्ण्वते सुते सचानन्यैरेनान्कन्या नामभि सपरत
hanāmaināniti tvaṣṭā yadabravīccamasaṃ ye devapānamanindiṣuḥ | anyā nāmāni kṛṇvate sute sacānanyairenānkanyā nāmabhi sparat
As Tvaṣṭar thus had spoken, Let us slay these men who have reviled the chalice, drinking-cup of Gods, They gave themselves new names when Soma juice was shed, and under these new names the Maiden welcomed them.
Rig Veda 1.161.6
इन्द्रो हरी युयुजे अश्विना रथं बर्हस्पतिर्विश्वरूपामुपाजत | रभुर्विभ्वा वाजो देवानगछत सवपसो यज्ञियम्भागमैतन
indro harī yuyuje aśvinā rathaṃ bṛhaspatirviśvarūpāmupājata | ṛbhurvibhvā vājo devānaghachata svapaso yajñiyambhāghamaitana
Indra hath yoked his Bays, the Aśvins' car is horsed, Bṛhaspati hath brought the Cow of every hue. Ye went as Ṛbhus, Vibhvan, Vāja to the Gods, and skilled in war, obtained your share in sacrifice.
Rig Veda 1.161.7
निश्चर्मणो गामरिणीत धीतिभिर्या जरन्ता युवशा ताक्र्णोतन | सौधन्वना अश्वादश्वमतक्षत युक्त्वा रथमुप देवानयातन
niścarmaṇo ghāmariṇīta dhītibhiryā jarantā yuvaśā tākṛṇotana | saudhanvanā aśvādaśvamatakṣata yuktvā rathamupa devānayātana
Ye by your wisdom brought a cow from out a hide; unto that ancient Pair ye gave again their youth. Out of a horse, Sudhanvan's Sons, ye formed a horse: a chariot ye equipped, and went unto the Gods.
Rig Veda 1.161.8
इदमुदकं पिबतेत्यब्रवीतनेदं वा घा पिबता मुञ्जनेजनम | सौधन्वना यदि तन नेव हर्यथ तर्तीये घ सवने मादयाध्वै
idamudakaṃ pibatetyabravītanedaṃ vā ghā pibatā muñjanejanam | saudhanvanā yadi tan neva haryatha tṛtīye gha savane mādayādhvai
Drink ye this water, were the words ye spake to them; or drink ye this, the rinsing of the Muñja-grass. If ye approve not even this, Sudhanvan's Sons, then at the third libation gladden ye yourselves.
Rig Veda 1.161.9
आपो भूयिष्ठा इत्येको अब्रवीदग्निर्भूयिष्ठ इत्यन्यो अब्रवीत | वधर्यन्तीं बहुभ्यः परैको अब्रवीद रता वदन्तश्चमसानपिंशत
āpo bhūyiṣṭhā ityeko abravīdaghnirbhūyiṣṭha ityanyo abravīt | vadharyantīṃ bahubhyaḥ praiko abravīd ṛtā vadantaścamasānapiṃśata
Most excellent are waters, thus said one of you; most excellent is Agni, thus another said. Another praised to many a one the lightning cloud. Then did ye shape the cups, speaking the words of truth.
Rig Veda 1.161.10
शरोणामेक उदकं गामवजति मांसमेकः पिंशति सूनयाभ्र्तम | आ निम्रुचः शक्र्देको अपभरत किं सवित पुत्रेभ्यः पितरा उपावतुः
śroṇāmeka udakaṃ ghāmavajati māṃsamekaḥ piṃśati sūnayābhṛtam | ā nimrucaḥ śakṛdeko apabharat kiṃ svit putrebhyaḥ pitarā upāvatuḥ
One downward to the water drives the crippled cow, another trims the flesh brought on the carving-board. One carries off the refuse at the set of sun. How did the Parents aid their children in their task!
Rig Veda 1.161.11
उद्वत्स्वस्मा अक्र्णोतन तर्णं निवत्स्वपः सवपस्यय नरः | अगोह्यस्य यदसस्तना गर्हे तदद्येदं रभवो नानु गछथ
udvatsvasmā akṛṇotana tṛṇaṃ nivatsvapaḥ svapasyaya naraḥ | aghohyasya yadasastanā ghṛhe tadadyedaṃ ṛbhavo nānu ghachatha
On the high places ye have made the grass for man, and water in the valleys, by your skill, O Men. Ṛbhus, ye iterate not to-day that act of yours, your sleeping in the house of him whom naught can hide.
Rig Veda 1.161.12
सम्मील्य यद भुवना पर्यसर्पत कव सवित तात्या पितर वासतुः | अशपत यः करस्नं व अददे यः पराब्रवीत परोतस्म अब्रवीतन
sammīlya yad bhuvanā paryasarpata kva svit tātyā pitara vāsatuḥ | aśapata yaḥ karasnaṃ va adade yaḥ prābravīt protasma abravītana
As, compassing them round, ye glided through the worlds, where had the venerable Parents their abode? Ye laid a curse on him who raised his arm at you: to him who spake aloud to you ye spake again.
Rig Veda 1.161.13
सुषुप्वांस रभवस्तदप्र्छतागोह्य क इदं नो अबूबुधत | शवानं बस्तो बोधयितारमब्रवीत सम्वत्सर इदमद्या वयख्यत
suṣupvāṃsa ṛbhavastadapṛchatāghohya ka idaṃ no abūbudhat | śvānaṃ basto bodhayitāramabravīt samvatsara idamadyā vyakhyata
When ye had slept your fill, ye Ṛbhus, thus ye asked, O thou whom naught may hide, who now hath wakened us? The goat declared the hound to be your wakener. That day, in a full year, ye first unclosed our eyes.
Rig Veda 1.161.14
दिवा यन्ति मरुतो भूम्याग्निरयं वातो अन्तरिक्षेण यति | अद्भिर्यति वरुणः समुद्रैर्युष्मानिछन्तः शवसो नपातः
divā yanti maruto bhūmyāghnirayaṃ vāto antarikṣeṇa yati | adbhiryati varuṇaḥ samudrairyuṣmānichantaḥ śavaso napātaḥ
The Maruts move in heaven, on earth this Agni; through the mid-firmament the Wind approaches. Varuṇa comes in the sea's gathered waters, O Sons of Strength, desirous of your presence.
Want to hear this Sukta chanted? Subscribe to Pro for
full audio recitations of every verse, on-demand AI commentary, and verse
search across the entire Rig Veda.