Rig Veda · Mandala 10 · Sukta 97
Rig Veda 10.97 — Praise of Herbs
Deity: Praise of Herbs. Rishi family (Mandala 10): Many seers — generally considered latest in composition. This Sukta contains 23 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 10.97.1
या ओषधीः पूर्वा जाता देवेभ्यस्त्रियुगं पुरा | मनैनु बभ्रूणामहं शतं धामानि सप्त च
yā oṣadhīḥ pūrvā jātā devebhyastriyughaṃ purā | manainu babhrūṇāmahaṃ śataṃ dhāmāni sapta ca
Rig Veda 10.97.2
शतं वो अम्ब धामानि सहस्रमुत वो रुहः | अधाशतक्रत्वो यूयमिमं मे अगदं कर्त
śataṃ vo amba dhāmāni sahasramuta vo ruhaḥ | adhāśatakratvo yūyamimaṃ me aghadaṃ kṛta
Ye, Mothers, have a hundred homes, yea, and a thousand are your growths. Do ye who have a thousand powers free this my patient from disease.
Rig Veda 10.97.3
ओषधीः परति मोदध्वं पुष्पवतीः परसूवरीः | अश्वािव सजित्वरीर्वीरुधः पारयिष्ण्वः
oṣadhīḥ prati modadhvaṃ puṣpavatīḥ prasūvarīḥ | aśvāiva sajitvarīrvīrudhaḥ pārayiṣṇvaḥ
Be glad and joyful in the Plants, both blossoming and bearing fruit, Plants that will lead us to success like mares who conquer in the race.
Rig Veda 10.97.4
ओषधीरिति मातरस्तद वो देवीरुप बरुवे | सनेयमश्वंगां वास आत्मानं तव पूरुष
oṣadhīriti mātarastad vo devīrupa bruve | saneyamaśvaṃghāṃ vāsa ātmānaṃ tava pūruṣa
Plants, by this name I speak to you, Mothers, to you the Goddesses: Steed, cow, and garment may I win, win back thy very self, O man.
Rig Veda 10.97.5
अश्वत्थे वो निषदनं पर्णे वो वसतिष कर्ता | गोभाज इत्किलासथ यत सनवथ पूरुषम
aśvatthe vo niṣadanaṃ parṇe vo vasatiṣ kṛtā | ghobhāja itkilāsatha yat sanavatha pūruṣam
The Holy Fig tree is your home, your mansion is the Parna tree: Winners of cattle shali ye be if ye regain for me this man.
Rig Veda 10.97.6
यत्रौषधीः समग्मत राजानः समिताविव | विप्रः सौच्यते भिषग रक्षोहामीवचातनः
yatrauṣadhīḥ samaghmata rājānaḥ samitāviva | vipraḥ saucyate bhiṣagh rakṣohāmīvacātanaḥ
He who hath store of Herbs at hand like Kings amid a crowd of men,— Physician is that sage's name, fiend-slayer, chaser of disease.
Rig Veda 10.97.7
अश्वावतीं सोमावतीमूर्जयन्तीमुदोजसम | आवित्सिसर्वा ओषधीरस्मा अरिष्टतातये
aśvāvatīṃ somāvatīmūrjayantīmudojasam | āvitsisarvā oṣadhīrasmā ariṣṭatātaye
Herbs rich in Soma, rich in steeds, in nourishments, in strengthening power,— All these have I provided here, that this man may be whole again.
Rig Veda 10.97.8
उच्छुष्मा ओषधीनां गावो गोष्ठादिवेरते | धनंसनिष्यन्तीनामात्मानं तव पूरुष
ucchuṣmā oṣadhīnāṃ ghāvo ghoṣṭhādiverate | dhanaṃsaniṣyantīnāmātmānaṃ tava pūruṣa
The healing virtues of the Plants stream forth like cattle from the stall,— Plants that shall win me store of wealth, and save thy vital breath, O man.
Rig Veda 10.97.9
इष्क्र्तिर्नाम वो माताथो यूयं सथ निष्क्र्तीः | सीराःपतत्र्णी सथन यदामयति निष कर्थ
iṣkṛtirnāma vo mātātho yūyaṃ stha niṣkṛtīḥ | sīrāḥpatatṛṇī sthana yadāmayati niṣ kṛtha
Reliever is your mother's name, and hence Restorers are ye called. Rivers are ye with wings that fly: keep far whatever brings disease.
Rig Veda 10.97.10
अति विश्वाः परिष्ठा सतेन इव वरजमक्रमुः | ओषधीःप्राचुच्यवुर्यत किं च तन्वो रपः
ati viśvāḥ pariṣṭhā stena iva vrajamakramuḥ | oṣadhīḥprācucyavuryat kiṃ ca tanvo rapaḥ
Over all fences have they passed, as steals a thief into the fold. The Plants have driven from the frame whatever malady was there.
Rig Veda 10.97.11
यदिमा वाजयन्नहमोषधीर्हस्त आदधे | आत्मायक्ष्मस्य नश्यति पुरा जीवग्र्भो यथा
yadimā vājayannahamoṣadhīrhasta ādadhe | ātmāyakṣmasya naśyati purā jīvaghṛbho yathā
When, bringing back the vanished strength, I hold these herbs within my hand, The spirit of disease departs ere he can seize upon the life.
Rig Veda 10.97.12
यस्यौषधीः परसर्पथाङगम-अञ्गं परुष-परुः | ततोयक्ष्मं वि बाधध्व उग्रो मध्यमशीरिव
yasyauṣadhīḥ prasarpathāṅgham-añghaṃ paruṣ-paruḥ | tatoyakṣmaṃ vi bādhadhva ughro madhyamaśīriva
He through whose frame, O Plants, ye creep member by member, joint by joint,— From him ye drive away disease like some strong arbiter of strife.
Rig Veda 10.97.13
साकं यक्ष्म पर पत चाषेण किकिदीविना | साकंवातस्य धराज्या साकं नश्य निहाकया
sākaṃ yakṣma pra pata cāṣeṇa kikidīvinā | sākaṃvātasya dhrājyā sākaṃ naśya nihākayā
Fly, Spirit of Disease, begone, with the blue jay and kingfisher. Fly with the wind's impetuousspeed, vanish together with the storm.
Rig Veda 10.97.14
अन्या वो अन्यामवत्वन्यान्यस्या उपावत | ताः सर्वाःसंविदाना इदं मे परावता वचः
anyā vo anyāmavatvanyānyasyā upāvata | tāḥ sarvāḥsaṃvidānā idaṃ me prāvatā vacaḥ
Help every one the other, lend assistance each of you to each, All of you be accordant, give furtherance to this speech of mine.
Rig Veda 10.97.15
याः फलिनीर्या अफला अपुष्पा याश्च पुष्पिणीः | बर्हस्पतिप्रसूतास्ता नो मुञ्चन्त्वंहसः
yāḥ phalinīryā aphalā apuṣpā yāśca puṣpiṇīḥ | bṛhaspatiprasūtāstā no muñcantvaṃhasaḥ
Let fruitful Plants, and fruitless, those that blossom, and the blossomless, Urged onward by Bṛhaspati, release us from our pain and grief;
Rig Veda 10.97.16
मुञ्चन्तु मा शपथ्यादथो वरुण्यादुत | अथो यमस्यपड्बीशात सर्वस्माद देवकिल्बिषात
muñcantu mā śapathyādatho varuṇyāduta | atho yamasyapaḍbīśāt sarvasmād devakilbiṣāt
Release me from the curse's plague and woe that comes from Varuṇa; Free me from Yama's fetter, from sin and offence against the Gods.
Rig Veda 10.97.17
अवपतन्तीरवदन दिव ओषधयस परि | यं जीवमश्नवामहै न स रिष्याति पूरुषः
avapatantīravadan diva oṣadhayas pari | yaṃ jīvamaśnavāmahai na sa riṣyāti pūruṣaḥ
What time, descending from the sky, the Plants flew earthward, thus they spake: No evil shall befall the man whom while he liveth we pervade,
Rig Veda 10.97.18
या ओषधीः सोमराज्ञीर्बह्वीः शतविचक्षणाः | तासां तवमस्युत्तमारं कामाय शं हर्दे
yā oṣadhīḥ somarājñīrbahvīḥ śatavicakṣaṇāḥ | tāsāṃ tvamasyuttamāraṃ kāmāya śaṃ hṛde
Of all the many Plants whose King is, Soma, Plants of hundred forms, Thou art the Plant most excellent, prompt to the wish, sweet to the heart.
Rig Veda 10.97.19
या ओषधीः सोमराज्ञीर्विष्ठिताः पर्थिवीमनु | बर्हस्पतिप्रसूता अस्यै सं दत्त वीर्यम
yā oṣadhīḥ somarājñīrviṣṭhitāḥ pṛthivīmanu | bṛhaspatiprasūtā asyai saṃ datta vīryam
O all ye various Herbs whose King is Soma, that o’erspread the earth, Urged onward by Bṛhaspati, combine your virtue in this Plant.
Rig Veda 10.97.20
मा वो रिषत खनिता यस्मै चाहं खनामि वः | दविपच्चतुष्पदस्माकं सर्वमस्त्वनातुरम
mā vo riṣat khanitā yasmai cāhaṃ khanāmi vaḥ | dvipaccatuṣpadasmākaṃ sarvamastvanāturam
Unharmed be he who digs you up, unharmed the man for whom I dig: And let no malady attack biped or quadruped of ours.
Rig Veda 10.97.21
याश्चेदमुपश्र्ण्वन्ति याश्च दूरं परागताः | सर्वाः संगत्य वीरुधो.अस्यै सं दत्त वीर्यम
yāścedamupaśṛṇvanti yāśca dūraṃ parāghatāḥ | sarvāḥ saṃghatya vīrudho.asyai saṃ datta vīryam
All Plants that hear this speech, and those that have departed far away, Come all assembled and confer your healing power upon this Herb.
Rig Veda 10.97.22
ओषधयः सं वदन्ते सोमेन सह राज्ञा | यस्मै कर्णोतिब्राह्मणस्तं राजन पारयामसि
oṣadhayaḥ saṃ vadante somena saha rājñā | yasmai kṛṇotibrāhmaṇastaṃ rājan pārayāmasi
With Soma as their Sovran Lord the Plants hold colloquy and say: O King, we save from death the man whose cure a Brahman undertakes.
Rig Veda 10.97.23
तवमुत्तमास्योषधे तव वर्क्षा उपस्तयः | उपस्तिरस्तुसो.अस्माकं यो अस्मानभिदासति
tvamuttamāsyoṣadhe tava vṛkṣā upastayaḥ | upastirastuso.asmākaṃ yo asmānabhidāsati
Most excellent of all art thou, O Plant thy vassals are the trees. Let him be subject to our power, the man who seeks to injure us.
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