Sūryā's Bridal Hymn
Rigveda X.85 is the wedding hymn of the Veda — forty-seven verses that begin in myth, with Sūryā, daughter of the Sun, carried to her marriage on a cart made of mind with insight for her pillow, and end in the human world, with the verses still spoken at Hindu weddings three thousand years on: "I take your hand for good fortune, that with me as husband you may reach old age." No other text in the library has married more people.
This is a Good Works Translation produced for the Good Works Library from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension. The hymn tells of the mythic marriage of Sūryā, daughter of the sun, to Soma, and closes with the verses actually recited at human weddings — instructions, blessings, and safeguards for the bride.
1. By truth the earth is held up; by the sun the sky is held up. By cosmic order the Ādityas stand firm; in heaven Soma is set in place.
2. By Soma the Ādityas are strong; by Soma the earth is great. And in the lap of these constellations Soma is placed.
3. He thinks he has drunk Soma when they crush the plant; but of that Soma which the priests know, no one there tastes a share.
4. Guarded by covering rules, protected by the lofty guardians, O Soma — you stand only listening to the pressing stones; no earthly one eats you.
5. When they drink you up, O god, from that you swell full again; Vāyu is Soma's guardian; the shape of the months is ever the same.
6. The Raibhī hymn was her bridal attendant; the Nārāśaṁsī hymn was her escort. Sūryā's fair garment comes adorned with song.
7. Insight was her pillow, sight her ointment; heaven and earth were her chest of belongings, when Sūryā went to her husband.
8. Hymns of praise were her chariot's side-bars, meter her headdress; the two Aśvins were Sūryā's suitors, and Agni went before as her guide.
9. Soma became the bridegroom; the two Aśvins were both suitors — when Savitṛ gave Sūryā, consenting in her mind, to her husband.
10. Her mind was the cart; heaven was its cover; two bright oxen were yoked, when Sūryā went to the house.
11. Your two oxen were yoked with Ṛc and Sāman, verse and chant, moving together; your ears were the chariot's two wheels; your road in heaven was the path of all that moves and stands still.
12. Bright were your two wheels as you traveled; the outbreath was the fixed axle. Sūryā mounted the mind-made cart, setting out for her husband.
13. Sūryā's bridal procession went forth, sent off by Savitṛ; in the days of Aghā the cattle are slain, and in the days of Arjunī she is carried onward.
14. When you two Aśvins, asking the way, went with a three-wheeled chariot to Sūryā's bridal procession, all the gods approved that choice of yours; Pūṣan, the son, chose you as his parents.
15. When you two, lords of splendor, went as suitors to Sūryā, where was your one wheel? Where did you stand for the giving away of the bride?
16. Two wheels of yours, O Sun, the priests know in their due season; but the one wheel that is hidden — that only the truly wise know.
17. To Sūryā, to the gods, to Mitra and to Varuṇa — to those who are the wise foreseers of what exists — to them I have made this homage.
18. Moving first and then after by their power, these two go about the sacrifice like children at play. One looks over all the worlds; the other is born again, ordering the seasons.
19. Ever new as he is born, he goes as the banner of the days before the dawns; coming, he apportions a share to the gods; the moon extends its long lifespan.
20. Fine with kiṁśuka-blossoms, made of śalmali wood, all-shaped, golden-colored, well-turning, with fine wheels — mount, O Sūryā, the world of immortality; make the bridal journey a comfortable one for your husband.
21. Rise up from here, for she now has a husband — with homage and songs I call on Viśvāvasu: "Seek another maiden, still adorned and dwelling in her father's house; that is your rightful share by birth — know it."
22. Rise up from here, O Viśvāvasu — with homage we implore you greatly. Seek another, a maiden ripe for marriage; unite this wife with her husband.
23. Let the paths be thornless and straight by which our companions go to the wooing. Let Aryaman and Bhaga lead us together; let the marriage bond, O gods, be easy to hold.
24. I release you from the bond of Varuṇa, with which kindly Savitṛ bound you; in the womb of cosmic order, in the world of good deeds, I place you unharmed together with your husband.
25. I release her from here, not from there; I leave her firmly bound only from that other place, so that, O bountiful Indra, this woman may have good sons and be fortunate.
26. Let Pūṣan lead you from here, taking your hand; let the Aśvins carry you onward in their chariot. Go to the house to be its mistress; with authority speak out at the gathering.
27. Here may your dear wish be fulfilled through offspring; watch over this house for its keeping. Join your body to this husband; then, grown old together, may you two speak out at the gathering.
28. It becomes dark red; the bond of the bridal charm is loosed. Her kin prosper; the husband is bound in unseen bonds.
29. Give away the bridal wrap; distribute the wealth to the priests. This charm, now given feet, enters — the wife enters her husband.
30. The body loses its splendor, growing pale, through that ill color, when the husband seeks to cover his own limb with the bride's garment.
31. The afflictions that follow the people to the bride's joyful bridal procession — may the gods worthy of offering lead them back again to the place they came from.
32. Let no waylayer lying in ambush find the wedded pair; let them pass over rough ground by easy paths; let hostile powers run away.
33. Of good omen is this bride; come together and look upon her. Having given her good fortune, then depart to your homes.
34. This is sharp, this is bitter, barbed, like poison — not fit to eat. The priest who truly knows Sūryā, he alone is worthy of this bridal matter.
35. Cutting off, dismembering, and further carving — behold these aspects of Sūryā; but the priest purifies them.
36. I take your hand for good fortune, that with me as husband you may reach old age. Bhaga, Aryaman, Savitṛ, and Puraṁdhi — the gods have given you to me for the keeping of the household.
37. O Pūṣan, rouse her, the kindest one, in whom men sow their seed, who willingly opens her thighs for us, in whom, desiring her, we cast our seed.
38. At first they carried Sūryā around for you, together with the bridal gifts. Give the wife back again to her husbands, O Agni, together with offspring.
39. Agni gave the wife back again, together with lifespan and vital brightness, so that her husband, long-lived, may live a hundred autumns.
40. Soma had her first; the Gandharva had her next; Agni was the third; the fourth is yours, born of men.
41. Soma gave her to the Gandharva; the Gandharva gave her to Agni; Agni gave me wealth and sons, and this woman too.
42. Stay right here, the two of you; do not part. Live out your whole span of years, playing with sons and grandsons, rejoicing in your own house.
43. May Prajāpati beget offspring for us; may Aryaman anoint us until old age. Free of ill omen, enter your husband's world; be well for our two-footed creatures, well for our four-footed.
44. Be one whose gaze is not fierce, no slayer of her husband, kindly to the herds, of good mind, radiant; a bearer of heroes, a lover of the gods, gentle — be well for our two-footed creatures, well for our four-footed.
45. O bountiful Indra, make this woman blessed with good sons and good fortune; place ten sons in her, and make the husband the eleventh.
46. Be sovereign over your husband's father; be sovereign over your husband's mother; be sovereign over your husband's sister; be sovereign over your husband's brothers.
47. May all the gods together anoint our hearts as one; may the waters together do the same. May Mātariśvan together, may Dhātṛ together, may the Directress together join our two hearts.
Translator's note: verses 14 and 15 turn on the Aśvins' mythic chariot with its "hidden third wheel" — an image whose exact ritual referent is debated; rendered here conservatively, following the Sanskrit's own terms rather than any interpretive gloss. Verse 25's "I release her from here, not from there" likewise preserves the Sanskrit's compressed, riddling phrasing rather than resolving it into a smoother paraphrase.
Colophon
Rigveda X.85 is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation rendered verse by verse from the Sanskrit text printed below. Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation.
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Source Text: ṛgveda X.85
Sanskrit source text from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
satyenottabhitā bhūmiḥ sūryeṇottabhitā dyauḥ |
ṛtenādityās tiṣṭhanti divi somo adhi śritaḥ || 1 ||
somenādityā balinaḥ somena pṛthivī mahī |
atho nakṣatrāṇām eṣām upasthe soma āhitaḥ || 2 ||
somam manyate papivān yat sampiṁṣanty oṣadhim |
somaṁ yam brahmāṇo vidur na tasyāśnāti kaś cana || 3 ||
ācchadvidhānair gupito bārhataiḥ soma rakṣitaḥ |
grāvṇām ic chṛṇvan tiṣṭhasi na te aśnāti pārthivaḥ || 4 ||
yat tvā deva prapibanti tata ā pyāyase punaḥ |
vāyuḥ somasya rakṣitā samānām māsa ākṛtiḥ || 5 ||
raibhy āsīd anudeyī nārāśaṁsī nyocanī |
sūryāyā bhadram id vāso gāthayaiti pariṣkṛtam || 6 ||
cittir ā upabarhaṇaṁ cakṣur ā abhyañjanam |
dyaur bhūmiḥ kośa āsīd yad ayāt sūryā patim || 7 ||
stomā āsan pratidhayaḥ kurīraṁ chanda opaśaḥ |
sūryāyā aśvinā varāgnir āsīt purogavaḥ || 8 ||
somo vadhūyur abhavad aśvināstām ubhā varā |
sūryāṁ yat patye śaṁsantīm manasā savitādadāt || 9 ||
mano asyā ana āsīd dyaur āsīd uta cchadiḥ |
śukrāv anaḍvāhāv āstāṁ yad ayāt sūryā gṛham || 10 ||
ṛksāmābhyām abhihitau gāvau te sāmanāv itaḥ |
śrotraṁ te cakre āstāṁ divi panthāś carācāraḥ || 11 ||
śucī te cakre yātyā vyāno akṣa āhataḥ |
ano manasmayaṁ sūryārohat prayatī patim || 12 ||
sūryāyā vahatuḥ prāgāt savitā yam avāsṛjat |
aghāsu hanyante gāvo 'rjunyoḥ pary uhyate || 13 ||
yad aśvinā pṛcchamānāv ayātaṁ tricakreṇa vahatuṁ sūryāyāḥ |
viśve devā anu tad vām ajānan putraḥ pitarāv avṛṇīta pūṣā || 14 ||
yad ayātaṁ śubhas patī vareyaṁ sūryām upa |
kvaikaṁ cakraṁ vām āsīt kva deṣṭrāya tasthathuḥ || 15 ||
dve te cakre sūrye brahmāṇa ṛtuthā viduḥ |
athaikaṁ cakraṁ yad guhā tad addhātaya id viduḥ || 16 ||
sūryāyai devebhyo mitrāya varuṇāya ca |
ye bhūtasya pracetasa idaṁ tebhyo 'karaṁ namaḥ || 17 ||
pūrvāparaṁ carato māyayaitau śiśū krīḻantau pari yāto adhvaram |
viśvāny anyo bhuvanābhicaṣṭa ṛtūm̐r anyo vidadhaj jāyate punaḥ || 18 ||
navo-navo bhavati jāyamāno 'hnāṁ ketur uṣasām ety agram |
bhāgaṁ devebhyo vi dadhāty āyan pra candramās tirate dīrgham āyuḥ || 19 ||
sukiṁśukaṁ śalmaliṁ viśvarūpaṁ hiraṇyavarṇaṁ suvṛtaṁ sucakram |
ā roha sūrye amṛtasya lokaṁ syonam patye vahatuṁ kṛṇuṣva || 20 ||
ud īrṣvātaḥ pativatī hy e3ṣā viśvāvasuṁ namasā gīrbhir īḻe |
anyām iccha pitṛṣadaṁ vyaktāṁ sa te bhāgo januṣā tasya viddhi || 21 ||
ud īrṣvāto viśvāvaso namaseḻā mahe tvā |
anyām iccha prapharvya1ṁ saṁ jāyām patyā sṛja || 22 ||
anṛkṣarā ṛjavaḥ santu panthā yebhiḥ sakhāyo yanti no vareyam |
sam aryamā sam bhago no ninīyāt saṁ jāspatyaṁ suyamam astu devāḥ || 23 ||
pra tvā muñcāmi varuṇasya pāśād yena tvābadhnāt savitā suśevaḥ |
ṛtasya yonau sukṛtasya loke 'riṣṭāṁ tvā saha patyā dadhāmi || 24 ||
preto muñcāmi nāmutaḥ subaddhām amutas karam |
yatheyam indra mīḍhvaḥ suputrā subhagāsati || 25 ||
pūṣā tveto nayatu hastagṛhyāśvinā tvā pra vahatāṁ rathena |
gṛhān gaccha gṛhapatnī yathāso vaśinī tvaṁ vidatham ā vadāsi || 26 ||
iha priyam prajayā te sam ṛdhyatām asmin gṛhe gārhapatyāya jāgṛhi |
enā patyā tanva1ṁ saṁ sṛjasvādhā jivrī vidatham ā vadāthaḥ || 27 ||
nīlalohitam bhavati kṛtyāsaktir vy ajyate |
edhante asyā jñātayaḥ patir bandheṣu badhyate || 28 ||
parā dehi śāmulyam brahmabhyo vi bhajā vasu |
kṛtyaiṣā padvatī bhūtvy ā jāyā viśate patim || 29 ||
aśrīrā tanūr bhavati ruśatī pāpayāmuyā |
patir yad vadhvo3 vāsasā svam aṅgam abhidhitsate || 30 ||
ye vadhvaś candraṁ vahatuṁ yakṣmā yanti janād anu |
punas tān yajñiyā devā nayantu yata āgatāḥ || 31 ||
mā vidan paripanthino ya āsīdanti dampatī |
sugebhir durgam atītām apa drāntv arātayaḥ || 32 ||
sumaṅgalīr iyaṁ vadhūr imāṁ sameta paśyata |
saubhāgyam asyai dattvāyāthāstaṁ vi paretana || 33 ||
tṛṣṭam etat kaṭukam etad apāṣṭhavad viṣavan naitad attave |
sūryāṁ yo brahmā vidyāt sa id vādhūyam arhati || 34 ||
āśasanaṁ viśasanam atho adhivikartanam |
sūryāyāḥ paśya rūpāṇi tāni brahmā tu śundhati || 35 ||
gṛbhṇāmi te saubhagatvāya hastam mayā patyā jaradaṣṭir yathāsaḥ |
bhago aryamā savitā puraṁdhir mahyaṁ tvādur gārhapatyāya devāḥ || 36 ||
tām pūṣañ chivatamām erayasva yasyām bījam manuṣyā3 vapanti |
yā na ūrū uśatī viśrayāte yasyām uśantaḥ praharāma śepam || 37 ||
tubhyam agre pary avahan sūryāṁ vahatunā saha |
punaḥ patibhyo jāyāṁ dā agne prajayā saha || 38 ||
punaḥ patnīm agnir adād āyuṣā saha varcasā |
dīrghāyur asyā yaḥ patir jīvāti śaradaḥ śatam || 39 ||
somaḥ prathamo vivide gandharvo vivida uttaraḥ |
tṛtīyo agniṣ ṭe patis turīyas te manuṣyajāḥ || 40 ||
somo dadad gandharvāya gandharvo dadad agnaye |
rayiṁ ca putrām̐ś cādād agnir mahyam atho imām || 41 ||
ihaiva stam mā vi yauṣṭaṁ viśvam āyur vy aśnutam |
krīḻantau putrair naptṛbhir modamānau sve gṛhe || 42 ||
ā naḥ prajāṁ janayatu prajāpatir ājarasāya sam anaktv aryamā |
adurmaṅgalīḥ patilokam ā viśa śaṁ no bhava dvipade śaṁ catuṣpade || 43 ||
aghoracakṣur apatighny edhi śivā paśubhyaḥ sumanāḥ suvarcāḥ |
vīrasūr devakāmā syonā śaṁ no bhava dvipade śaṁ catuṣpade || 44 ||
imāṁ tvam indra mīḍhvaḥ suputrāṁ subhagāṁ kṛṇu |
daśāsyām putrān ā dhehi patim ekādaśaṁ kṛdhi || 45 ||
samrājñī śvaśure bhava samrājñī śvaśrvām bhava |
nanāndari samrājñī bhava samrājñī adhi devṛṣu || 46 ||
sam añjantu viśve devāḥ sam āpo hṛdayāni nau |
sam mātariśvā saṁ dhātā sam u deṣṭrī dadhātu nau || 47 ||
Source Colophon
Sanskrit text of the Rigveda, Śākala recension. The standard scholarly edition is the Bombay Oriental (Vishva Bandhu, 5 vols., 1963–66). IAST transliteration available from GRETIL (Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) and Vedaweb (University of Cologne). Both sources are open access. IAST transliteration from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).