Rig Veda · Mandala 1 · Sukta 162
Rig Veda 1.162 — The Horse
Deity: The Horse. Rishi family (Mandala 1): Diverse seers — Madhuchchhandas, Medhatithi, Shunahshepa, Hiranyastupa and others. This Sukta contains 22 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 1.162.1
मा नो मित्रो वरुणो अर्यमायुरिन्द्र रभुक्षा मरुतः परिख्यन | यद वाजिनो देवजतस्य सप्तेः परवक्ष्यामो विदथे वीर्याणि
mā no mitro varuṇo aryamāyurindra ṛbhukṣā marutaḥ parikhyan | yad vājino devajatasya sapteḥ pravakṣyāmo vidathe vīryāṇi
Rig Veda 1.162.2
यन निर्णिजा रेक्णसा पराव्र्तस्य रतिं गर्भीतां मुखतो नयन्ति | सुप्रनजो मेम्यद विश्वरूप इन्द्रापूष्णोः परियमप्येति पाथः
yan nirṇijā rekṇasā prāvṛtasya ratiṃ ghṛbhītāṃ mukhato nayanti | supranajo memyad viśvarūpa indrāpūṣṇoḥ priyamapyeti pāthaḥ
What time they bear before the Courser, covered with trappings and with wealth, the grasped oblation, The dappled goat goeth straightforward, bleating, to the place dear to Indra and to Pūṣan.
Rig Veda 1.162.3
एष छागः पुरो अश्वेन वाजिना पूष्णो भागो नीयते विश्वदेव्यः | अभिप्रियं यत पुरोळाशमर्वता तवष्टेदेनं सौश्रवसाय जिन्वति
eṣa chāghaḥ puro aśvena vājinā pūṣṇo bhāgho nīyate viśvadevyaḥ | abhipriyaṃ yat puroḷāśamarvatā tvaṣṭedenaṃ sauśravasāya jinvati
Dear to all Gods, this goat, the share of Pūṣan, is first led forward with the vigorous Courser, While Tvaṣṭar sends him forward with the Charger, acceptable for sacrifice, to glory.
Rig Veda 1.162.4
यद धविष्यं रतुशो देवयानं तरिर्मानुषाः पर्यश्वं नयन्ति | अत्रा पूष्णः परथमो भाग एति यज्ञं देवेभ्यः परतिवेदयन्नजः
yad dhaviṣyaṃ ṛtuśo devayānaṃ trirmānuṣāḥ paryaśvaṃ nayanti | atrā pūṣṇaḥ prathamo bhāgha eti yajñaṃ devebhyaḥ prativedayannajaḥ
When thrice the men lead round the Steed, in order, who goeth to the Gods as meet oblation, The goat precedeth him, the share of Pūṣan, and to the Gods the sacrifice announceth.
Rig Veda 1.162.5
होताध्वर्युरावया अग्निमिन्धो गरावग्राभ उत शंस्ता सुविप्रः | तेन यज्ञेन सवरंक्र्तेन सविष्टेन वक्षणा आप्र्णध्वम
hotādhvaryurāvayā aghnimindho ghrāvaghrābha uta śaṃstā suvipraḥ | tena yajñena svaraṃkṛtena sviṣṭena vakṣaṇā āpṛṇadhvam
Invoker, ministering priest, atoner, fire-kindler Soma-presser, sage, reciter, With this well ordered sacrifice, well finished, do ye fill full the channels of the rivers.
Rig Veda 1.162.6
यूपव्रस्का उत ये यूपवाहाश्चषालं ये अश्वयूपाय तक्षति | ये चार्वते पचनं सम्भरन्त्युतो तेषामभिगूर्तिर्न इन्वतु
yūpavraskā uta ye yūpavāhāścaṣālaṃ ye aśvayūpāya takṣati | ye cārvate pacanaṃ sambharantyuto teṣāmabhighūrtirna invatu
The hewers of the post and those who carry it, and those who carve the knob to deck the Horse's stake; Those who prepare the cooking-vessels for the Steed,—may the approving help of these promote our work.
Rig Veda 1.162.7
उप परागात सुमन मे.अधायि मन्म देवानामाशा उप वीतप्र्ष्ठः | अन्वेनं विप्रा रषयो मदन्ति देवानां पुष्टे चक्र्मा सुबन्धुम
upa prāghāt suman me.adhāyi manma devānāmāśā upa vītapṛṣṭhaḥ | anvenaṃ viprā ṛṣayo madanti devānāṃ puṣṭe cakṛmā subandhum
Forth, for the regions of the Gods, the Charger with his smooth back is come my prayer attends him. In him rejoice the singers and the sages. A good friend have we won for the Gods’ banquet.
Rig Veda 1.162.8
यद वाजिनो दाम सुन्दानमर्वतो या शीर्षण्या रशनारज्जुरस्य | यद वा घास्य परभ्र्तमास्ये तर्णं सर्वा ता ते अपि देवेष्वस्तु
yad vājino dāma sundānamarvato yā śīrṣaṇyā raśanārajjurasya | yad vā ghāsya prabhṛtamāsye tṛṇaṃ sarvā tā te api deveṣvastu
May the fleet Courser's halter and his heel-ropes, the head-stall and the girths and cords about him. And the grass put within his mouth to bait him,—among the Gods, too, let all these be with thee.
Rig Veda 1.162.9
यदश्वस्य करविषो मक्षिकाश यद वा सवरौ सवधितौ रिप्तमस्ति | यद धस्तयोः शमितुर्यन नखेषु सर्वा ता ते अपि देवेष्वस्तु
yadaśvasya kraviṣo makṣikāśa yad vā svarau svadhitau riptamasti | yad dhastayoḥ śamituryan nakheṣu sarvā tā te api deveṣvastu
What part of the Steed's flesh the fly hath eaten, or is left sticking to the post or hatchet, Or to the slayer's hands and nails adhereth,—among the Gods, too, may all this be with thee.
Rig Veda 1.162.10
यदूवध्यमुदरस्यापवाति य आमस्य करविषो गन्धो अस्ति | सुक्र्ता तच्छमितारः कर्ण्वन्तूत मेधं शर्तपाकं पचन्तु
yadūvadhyamudarasyāpavāti ya āmasya kraviṣo ghandho asti | sukṛtā tacchamitāraḥ kṛṇvantūta medhaṃ śṛtapākaṃ pacantu
Food undigested steaming from his belly, and any odour of raw flesh remaining, This let the immolators set in order and dress the sacrifice with perfect cooking.
Rig Veda 1.162.11
यत ते गात्रादग्निना पच्यमानादभि शूलं निहतस्यावधावति | मा तद भूम्यामा शरिषन मा तर्णेषु देवेभ्यस्तदुशद्भ्यो रातमस्तु
yat te ghātrādaghninā pacyamānādabhi śūlaṃ nihatasyāvadhāvati | mā tad bhūmyāmā śriṣan mā tṛṇeṣu devebhyastaduśadbhyo rātamastu
What from thy body which with fire is roasted, when thou art set upon the spit, distilleth, Let not that lie on earth or grass neglected, but to the longing Gods let all be offered.
Rig Veda 1.162.12
ये वाजिनं परिपश्यन्ति पक्वं य ईमाहुः सुरभिर्निर्हरेति | ये चार्वतो मांसभिक्षामुपासत उतो तेषामभिगूर्तिर्न इन्वतु
ye vājinaṃ paripaśyanti pakvaṃ ya īmāhuḥ surabhirnirhareti | ye cārvato māṃsabhikṣāmupāsata uto teṣāmabhighūrtirna invatu
They who observing that the Horse is ready call out and say, the smell is good; remove it; And, craving meat, await the distribution,—may their approving help promote labour.
Rig Veda 1.162.13
यन नीक्षणं मांस्पचन्या उखाया या पात्राणि यूष्णासेचनानि | ऊष्मण्यापिधाना चरूणामङकाः सूनाःपरि भूषन्त्यश्वम
yan nīkṣaṇaṃ māṃspacanyā ukhāyā yā pātrāṇi yūṣṇaāsecanāni | ūṣmaṇyāpidhānā carūṇāmaṅkāḥ sūnāḥpari bhūṣantyaśvam
The trial-fork of the flesh-cooking caldron, the vessels out of which the broth is sprinkled, The warming-pots, the covers of the dishes, hooks, carving-boards,—all these attend the Charger.
Rig Veda 1.162.14
निक्रमणं निषदनं विवर्तनं यच्च पड्बीशमर्वतः | यच्च पपौ यच्च घासिं जघास सर्वा ता ते अपि देवेष्वस्तु
nikramaṇaṃ niṣadanaṃ vivartanaṃ yacca paḍbīśamarvataḥ | yacca papau yacca ghāsiṃ jaghāsa sarvā tā te api deveṣvastu
The starting-place, his place of rest and rolling, the ropes wherewith the Charger's feet were fastened, The water that he drank, the food he tasted,—among the Gods, too, may all these attend thee.
Rig Veda 1.162.15
मा तवाग्निर्ध्वनयीद धूमगन्धिर्मोखा भराजन्त्यभि विक्त जघ्रिः | इष्टं वीतमभिगूर्तं वषट्क्र्तं तं देवासः परति गर्भ्णन्त्यश्वम
mā tvāghnirdhvanayīd dhūmaghandhirmokhā bhrājantyabhi vikta jaghriḥ | iṣṭaṃ vītamabhighūrtaṃ vaṣaṭkṛtaṃ taṃ devāsaḥ prati ghṛbhṇantyaśvam
Let not the fire, smoke-scented, make thee crackle, nor glowing caldron smell and break to pieces. Offered, beloved, approved, and consecrated,—such Charger do the Gods accept with favour.
Rig Veda 1.162.16
यदश्वाय वास उपस्त्र्णन्त्यधीवासं या हिरण्यान्यस्मै | सन्दानमर्वन्तं पड्बीशं परिया देवेष्वा यामयन्ति
yadaśvāya vāsa upastṛṇantyadhīvāsaṃ yā hiraṇyānyasmai | sandānamarvantaṃ paḍbīśaṃ priyā deveṣvā yāmayanti
The robe they spread upon the Horse to clothe him, the upper covering and the golden trappings, The halters which restrain the Steed, the heel-ropes,—all these, as grateful to the Gods, they offer.
Rig Veda 1.162.17
यत ते सादे महसा शूक्र्तस्य पार्ष्ण्या वा कशया वा तुतोद | सरुचेव ता हविषो अध्वरेषु सर्वा ता ते बरह्मणासूदयामि
yat te sāde mahasā śūkṛtasya pārṣṇyā vā kaśayā vā tutoda | sruceva tā haviṣo adhvareṣu sarvā tā te brahmaṇāsūdayāmi
If one, when seated, with excessive urging hath with his heel or with his whip distressed thee, All these thy woes, as with the oblations' ladle at sacrifices, with my prayer I banish.
Rig Veda 1.162.18
चतुस्त्रिंशद वाजिनो देवबन्धोर्वङकरीरश्वस्य सवधितिःसमेति | अछिद्रा गात्रा वयुना कर्णोत परुष-परुरनुघुष्य वि शस्त
catustriṃśad vājino devabandhorvaṅkrīraśvasya svadhitiḥsameti | achidrā ghātrā vayunā kṛṇota paruṣ-paruranughuṣya vi śasta
The four-and-thirty ribs of the. Swift Charger, kin to the Gods, the slayer's hatchet pierces. Cut ye with skill, so that the parts be flawless, and piece by piece declaring them dissect them.
Rig Veda 1.162.19
एकस्त्वष्तुरश्वस्या विशस्ता दवा यन्तारा भवतस्तथर्तुः | या ते गात्राणां रतुथा कर्णोमि ता-ता पिण्डनां पर जुहोम्यग्नौ
ekastvaṣturaśvasyā viśastā dvā yantārā bhavatastathaṛtuḥ | yā te ghātrāṇāṃ ṛtuthā kṛṇomi tā-tā piṇḍanāṃ pra juhomyaghnau
Of Tvaṣṭar's Charger there is one dissector,—this is the custom-two there are who guide him. Such of his limbs as I divide in order, these, amid the balls, in fire I offer.
Rig Veda 1.162.20
मा तवा तपत परिय आत्मापियन्तं मा सवधितिस्तन्व आ तिष्ठिपत ते | मा ते गर्ध्नुरविशस्तातिहाय छिद्रा गात्रण्यसिना मिथू कः
mā tvā tapat priya ātmāpiyantaṃ mā svadhitistanva ā tiṣṭhipat te | mā te ghṛdhnuraviśastātihāya chidrā ghātraṇyasinā mithū kaḥ
Let not thy dear soul burn thee as thou comest, let not the hatchet linger in thy body. Let not a greedy clumsy immolator, missing the joints, mangle thy limbs unduly.
Rig Veda 1.162.21
न वा उ एतन मरियसे न रिष्यसि देवानिदेषि पथिभिः सुगेभिः | हरी ते युञ्जा पर्षती अभूतामुपास्थाद वाजी धुरि रासभस्य
na vā u etan mriyase na riṣyasi devānideṣi pathibhiḥ sughebhiḥ | harī te yuñjā pṛṣatī abhūtāmupāsthād vājī dhuri rāsabhasya
No, here thou diest not, thou art not injured: by easy paths unto the Gods thou goest. Both Bays, both spotted mares are now thy fellows, and to the ass's pole is yoked the Charger.
Rig Veda 1.162.22
सुगव्यं नो वाजी सवश्व्यं पुंसः पुत्रानुत विश्वापुषं रयिम | अनागास्त्वं नो अदितिः कर्णोतु कषत्रं नो अश्वो वनतां हविष्मान
sughavyaṃ no vājī svaśvyaṃ puṃsaḥ putrānuta viśvāpuṣaṃ rayim | anāghāstvaṃ no aditiḥ kṛṇotu kṣatraṃ no aśvo vanatāṃ haviṣmān
May this Steed bring us all-sustaining riches, wealth in good kine, good horses, manly offspring. Freedom from sin may Aditi vouchsafe us: the Steed with our oblations gain us lordship!
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