Hymn to Brahmaṇaspati
Rigveda II.25 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 2 of the Rigveda, one of the 1,028 hymns organized within the ten books of the oldest Veda. The Rigveda was composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in Vedic Sanskrit and preserved through oral transmission across millennia.
This is a Good Works Translation produced for the Good Works Library from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
1. Kindling Agni, he shall overcome the one who seeks to harm him; having framed the sacred formula and given the oblation, he shall grow strong. Birth after birth he surges forward, ahead of what is born — whoever Brahmaṇaspati makes his ally.
2. With his own warriors he shall overcome the warriors of the hostile one; with cattle he shall spread his wealth, himself alert. His children and his children's children increase — whoever Brahmaṇaspati makes his ally.
3. Like the surge of a river, the mighty one overwhelms the raging foe; like a bull overpowering weaker oxen, he prevails by his strength. Like the spread of fire he cannot be turned back — whoever Brahmaṇaspati makes his ally.
4. For him the heavenly waters flow, unfailing; with his valiant men he goes foremost toward the cattle. His strength undiminished, he strikes with power — whoever Brahmaṇaspati makes his ally.
5. For him indeed all the rivers roar; they hold out many flawless shelters. In the gods' favor, blessed, he thrives — whoever Brahmaṇaspati makes his ally.
Translator's note: the refrain "yaṁ-yaṁ yujaṁ kṛṇute brahmaṇas patiḥ" (literally "whomever-whomever an ally Brahmaṇaspati makes") is rendered "whoever Brahmaṇaspati makes his ally" throughout. In verse 3, "vadhrīḥ" (gelded/weakened oxen) is translated conservatively as "weaker oxen." In verse 2, "bodhati tmanā" (he is himself awake/attentive) is rendered "himself alert."
Colophon
Rigveda II.25 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 II.25
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.
indhāno agniṁ vanavad vanuṣyataḥ kṛtabrahmā śūśuvad rātahavya it |
jātena jātam ati sa pra sarsṛte yaṁ-yaṁ yujaṁ kṛṇute brahmaṇas patiḥ || 1 ||
vīrebhir vīrān vanavad vanuṣyato gobhī rayim paprathad bodhati tmanā |
tokaṁ ca tasya tanayaṁ ca vardhate yaṁ-yaṁ yujaṁ kṛṇute brahmaṇas patiḥ || 2 ||
sindhur na kṣodaḥ śimīvām̐ ṛghāyato vṛṣeva vadhrīm̐r abhi vaṣṭy ojasā |
agner iva prasitir nāha vartave yaṁ-yaṁ yujaṁ kṛṇute brahmaṇas patiḥ || 3 ||
tasmā arṣanti divyā asaścataḥ sa satvabhiḥ prathamo goṣu gacchati |
anibhṛṣṭataviṣir hanty ojasā yaṁ-yaṁ yujaṁ kṛṇute brahmaṇas patiḥ || 4 ||
tasmā id viśve dhunayanta sindhavo 'cchidrā śarma dadhire purūṇi |
devānāṁ sumne subhagaḥ sa edhate yaṁ-yaṁ yujaṁ kṛṇute brahmaṇas patiḥ || 5 ||
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).