Rig Veda · Mandala 1 · Sukta 163
Rig Veda 1.163 — The Horse
Deity: The Horse. Rishi family (Mandala 1): Diverse seers — Madhuchchhandas, Medhatithi, Shunahshepa, Hiranyastupa and others. This Sukta contains 13 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 1.163.1
यदक्रन्दः परथमं जायमान उद्यन समुद्रादुत वा पुरीषात | शयेनस्य पक्षा हरिणस्य बाहू उपस्तुत्यं महि जातं ते अर्वन
yadakrandaḥ prathamaṃ jāyamāna udyan samudrāduta vā purīṣāt | śyenasya pakṣā hariṇasya bāhū upastutyaṃ mahi jātaṃ te arvan
Rig Veda 1.163.2
यमेन दत्तं तरित एनमायुनगिन्द्र एणं परथमो अध्यतिष्ठत | गन्धर्वो अस्य रशनामग्र्भ्णात सूरादश्वं वसवो निरतष्ट
yamena dattaṃ trita enamāyunaghindra eṇaṃ prathamo adhyatiṣṭhat | ghandharvo asya raśanāmaghṛbhṇāt sūrādaśvaṃ vasavo nirataṣṭa
This Steed which Yama gave hath Trita harnessed, and him, the first of all, hath Indra mounted. His bridle the Gandharva grasped. O Vasus, from out the Sun ye fashioned forth the Courser.
Rig Veda 1.163.3
असि यमो अस्यादित्यो अर्वन्नसि तरितो गुह्येन वरतेन | असि सोमेन समया विप्र्क्त आहुस्ते तरीणि दिवि बन्धनानि
asi yamo asyādityo arvannasi trito ghuhyena vratena | asi somena samayā vipṛkta āhuste trīṇi divi bandhanāni
Yama art thou, O Horse; thou art Āditya; Trita art thou by secret operation. Thou art divided thoroughly from Soma. They say thou hast three bonds in heaven that hold thee.
Rig Veda 1.163.4
तरीणि त आहुर्दिवि बन्धनानि तरीण्यप्सु तरीण्यन्तः समुद्रे | उतेव मे वरुणश्चन्त्स्यर्वन यत्रा त आहुः परमं जनित्रम
trīṇi ta āhurdivi bandhanāni trīṇyapsu trīṇyantaḥ samudre | uteva me varuṇaścantsyarvan yatrā ta āhuḥ paramaṃ janitram
Three bonds, they say, thou hast in heaven that bind thee, three in the waters, three within the ocean. To me thou seemest Varuṇa, O Courser, there where they say is thy sublimest birth-place.
Rig Veda 1.163.5
इमा ते वाजिन्नवमार्जनानीमा शफानां सनितुर्निधाना | अत्रा ते भद्रा रशना अपश्यं रतस्य या अभिरक्षन्तिगोपाः
imā te vājinnavamārjanānīmā śaphānāṃ saniturnidhānā | atrā te bhadrā raśanā apaśyaṃ ṛtasya yā abhirakṣantighopāḥ
Here-, Courser, are the places where they groomed thee, here are the traces of thy hoofs as winner. Here have I seen the auspicious reins that guide thee, which those who guard the holy Law keep safely.
Rig Veda 1.163.6
आत्मानं ते मनसारादजानामवो दिवा पतयन्तं पतंगम | शिरो अपश्यं पथिभिः सुगेभिररेणुभिर्जेहमानं पतत्रि
ātmānaṃ te manasārādajānāmavo divā patayantaṃ pataṃgham | śiro apaśyaṃ pathibhiḥ sughebhirareṇubhirjehamānaṃ patatri
Thyself from far I recognized in spirit,—a Bird that from below flew through the heaven. I saw thy head still soaring, striving upward by paths unsoiled by dust, pleasant to travel.
Rig Veda 1.163.7
अत्रा ते रूपमुत्तममपश्यं जिगीषमाणमिष आ पदेगोः | यदा ते मर्तो अनु भोगमानळ आदिद गरसिष्ठ ओषधीरजीगः
atrā te rūpamuttamamapaśyaṃ jighīṣamāṇamiṣa ā padeghoḥ | yadā te marto anu bhoghamānaḷ ādid ghrasiṣṭha oṣadhīrajīghaḥ
Here I beheld thy form, matchless in glory, eager to win thee food at the Cow's station. Whene’er a man brings thee to thine enjoyment, thou swallowest the plants most greedy eater.
Rig Veda 1.163.8
अनु तवा रथो अनु मर्यो अर्वन्ननु गावो.अनु भगः कनीनाम | अनु वरातासस्तव सख्यमीयुरनु देवा ममिरे वीर्यं ते
anu tvā ratho anu maryo arvannanu ghāvo.anu bhaghaḥ kanīnām | anu vrātāsastava sakhyamīyuranu devā mamire vīryaṃ te
After thee, Courser, come the car, the bridegroom, the kine come after, and the charm of maidens. Full companies have followed for thy friendship: the pattern of thy vigour Gods have copied.
Rig Veda 1.163.9
हिरण्यश्र्ङगो.अयो अस्य पादा मनोजवा अवर इन्द्र आसीत | देवा इदस्य हविरद्यमायन यो अर्वन्तं परथमो अध्यतिष्ठत
hiraṇyaśṛṅgho.ayo asya pādā manojavā avara indra āsīt | devā idasya haviradyamāyan yo arvantaṃ prathamo adhyatiṣṭhat
Horns made of gold hath he: his feet are iron: less fleet than he, though swift as thought, is Indra. The Gods have come that they may taste the oblation of him who mounted, first of all, the Courser.
Rig Veda 1.163.10
ईर्मान्तासः सिलिकमध्यमासः सं शूरणासो दिव्यासो अत्याः | हंसा इव शरेणिशो यतन्ते यदाक्षिषुर्दिव्यमज्ममश्वाः
īrmāntāsaḥ silikamadhyamāsaḥ saṃ śūraṇāso divyāso atyāḥ | haṃsā iva śreṇiśo yatante yadākṣiṣurdivyamajmamaśvāḥ
Symmetrical in flank, with rounded haunches, mettled like heroes, the Celestial Coursers Put forth their strength, like swans in lengthened order, when they, the Steeds, have reached the heavenly causeway.
Rig Veda 1.163.11
तव शरीरं पतयिष्ण्वर्वन तव चित्तं वात इव धरजीमान | तव शर्ङगाणि विष्ठिता पुरुत्रारण्येषु जर्भुराणा चरन्ति
tava śarīraṃ patayiṣṇvarvan tava cittaṃ vāta iva dhrajīmān | tava śṛṅghāṇi viṣṭhitā purutrāraṇyeṣu jarbhurāṇā caranti
A body formed for flight hast thou, O Charger; swift as the wind in motion is thy spirit. Thy horns are spread abroad in all directions: they move with restless beat in wildernesses.
Rig Veda 1.163.12
उप परागाच्छसनं वाज्यर्वा देवद्रीचा मनसा दीध्यानः | अजः पुरो नीयते नाभिरस्यानु पश्चात कवयो यन्तिरेभाः
upa prāghācchasanaṃ vājyarvā devadrīcā manasā dīdhyānaḥ | ajaḥ puro nīyate nābhirasyānu paścāt kavayo yantirebhāḥ
The strong Steed hath come forward to the slaughter, pondering with a mind directed God-ward. The goat who is his kin is led before him the sages and the singers follow after.
Rig Veda 1.163.13
उप परागात परमं यत सधस्थमर्वानछा पितरं मातरं च | अद्या देवाञ जुष्टतमो हि गम्या अथा शास्ते दाशुषे वार्याणि
upa prāghāt paramaṃ yat sadhasthamarvānachā pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca | adyā devāñ juṣṭatamo hi ghamyā athā śāste dāśuṣe vāryāṇi
The Steed is come unto the noblest mansion, is come unto his Father and his Mother. This day shall he approach the Gods, most welcome: then he declares good gifts to him who offers.
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