Saturday, September 19, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org

Mandala 4

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Texts

IV.1Rigveda IV.1 — a hymn of Vāmadeva to Agni, tracing his kinship with Varuṇa, his threefold birth, and the myth of the fathers who broke open the rock to release the hidden cows and dawns.IV.2Rigveda IV.2 — Hymn to Agni, praising his birth and power, and asking wealth and protection for those who feed and praise him.IV.3Rigveda IV.3 — Vāmadeva questions Agni as messenger to the gods, then prays for protection and honest dealing.IV.4Rigveda IV.4 — a hymn to Agni asking him to hunt down and burn the rakshasas and other enemies, and to guard the worshipper and his household.IV.5Rigveda IV.5 — a riddle hymn to Agni Vaiśvānara, questioning the hidden truth behind sacrifice and the fate of those who violate the laws of Varuṇa and Mitra.IV.6Rigveda IV.6 — a hymn to Agni as installed priest of the sacrifice, praising his flames, his birth, and his summons to the gods.IV.7Rigveda IV.7 — a hymn to Agni as the swift messenger of the gods, born of the Bhṛgus in the wood and sent flying to the sacrifice.IV.8Rigveda IV.8 — a short hymn to Agni as the gods' messenger, who carries the offering and knows the way to heaven.IV.9Rigveda IV.9 — a short hymn to Agni as messenger between gods and mortals and as the priest who fills every office of the sacrifice.IV.10Rigveda IV.10 — a short hymn of praise to Agni, invoking his light, purity, and protective friendship.IV.11Rigveda IV.11 — a six-verse hymn to Agni, praising his radiant form and asking him to grant poetic insight, wealth, strong sons, and protection from folly and ill will.IV.12Rigveda IV.12 — hymn to Agni asking forgiveness of sins and protection for the worshipper's household.IV.13Rigveda IV.13 — a five-verse dawn hymn tracing Sūrya's rising into the sky under Savitar, Mitra-Varuṇa, and the Aśvins.IV.14Rigveda IV.14 — a dawn hymn moving through Agni, Savitar, Sūrya, Uṣas, and the Aśvins, closing on a riddle about what holds up the sky.IV.15Rigveda IV.15 — a hymn praising Agni as priest of the sacrifice, closing with a prayer to the Aśvins for the long life of the youth Somaka Sāhadevya.IV.16Rigveda IV.16 — a hymn to Indra recounting his aid to Kutsa against Śuṣṇa, Pipru, Kuyava, and Vṛtra.IV.17Rigveda IV.17 — a hymn to Indra praising his birth-strength, his slaying of Vṛtra, and his gifts of cattle, wealth, and fame to worshippers.IV.18Rigveda IV.18 — a dialogue hymn on the unusual birth of Indra and his slaying of Vṛtra.IV.19Rigveda IV.19 — a hymn to Indra celebrating his slaying of the serpent Vṛtra and his release of the imprisoned rivers.IV.20Rigveda IV.20 — a hymn summoning Indra with his mace and bay steeds to the sacrifice, praising his unfailing strength and bounty, and asking him for wealth and victory.IV.21Rigveda IV.21 — a hymn summoning Indra to the sacrifice and praising his strength, his wealth-giving hands, and his slaying of Vṛtra.IV.22Rigveda IV.22 — Hymn to Indra, praising his birth, his power over heaven and earth, and his slaying of the serpent Vṛtra, with prayers for strength and cattle.IV.23Rigveda IV.23 — a hymn to Indra asking how he is reached and pleased, turning at its center to praise ṛta, cosmic and moral order.IV.24Rigveda IV.24 — Hymn to Indra, praising his power in battle and his generosity to those who press soma for him, closing with an enigmatic bargaining riddle.IV.25Rigveda IV.25 — a hymn asking who truly serves Indra with soma, and what he gives in return.IV.26Rigveda IV.26 — Indra's self-praise as Manu, Surya, and the great seers, followed by the myth of the eagle that carried soma down from the highest heaven.IV.27Rigveda IV.27 — the falcon speaks in his own voice of stealing Soma from heaven, dodging Kṛśānu's arrow, and bringing it to Indra.IV.28Rigveda IV.28 — Indra and Soma together slay the serpent, free the seven rivers, and break open the hidden cave of cattle.IV.29Rigveda IV.29 — a short hymn calling Indra to the sacrifice with his bay steeds, asking for a safe crossing, freedom from fear, and shared abundance.IV.30Rigveda IV.30 — hymn to Indra recounting his unmatched exploits: aiding Kutsa, Divodāsa, Dabhīti, and Turvaśa-Yadu, striking down Uṣas's chariot, and slaying the demons Śambara, Varcin, and Śuṣṇa.IV.31Rigveda IV.31 — a hymn calling on Indra as an ever-strengthening friend and protector, asking for his helps, his favor, and cattle-rich booty.IV.32Rigveda IV.32 — a Gotama family hymn to Indra, praising his bay horses and asking him to come with his aid and bestow generous gifts.IV.33Rigveda IV.33 — a hymn to the Ṛbhus, the three mortal brothers who won immortality by their craftsmanship.IV.34Rigveda IV.34 — a hymn inviting the Ṛbhus, with Indra and the other gods, to drink the soma of the third pressing.IV.35Rigveda IV.35 — a hymn inviting the Ṛbhus, the divine craftsmen, to the third soma-pressing and recalling how their skill won them a place among the gods.IV.36Rigveda IV.36 — Hymn to the Ṛbhus, the three craftsman-gods who won immortality by their skill.IV.37Rigveda IV.37 — a hymn calling the Ṛbhus, with Indra and the Aśvins, to the sacrifice and its rewards.IV.38Rigveda IV.38 — Hymn to Dadhikrāvan, the deified swift horse, praised for outrunning and overpowering all rivals in the charge.IV.39Rigveda IV.39 — a hymn praising Dadhikrāvan, the divine horse, invoking Mitra, Varuṇa, Aditi, and the dawns for well-being and long life.IV.40Rigveda IV.40 — hymn to Dadhikrāvan, the divine horse identified with Agni, Sūrya, and the cosmic order.IV.41Rigveda IV.41 — a hymn jointly invoking Indra and Varuṇa for protection, help in battle, and prosperity.IV.42Rigveda IV.42 — a dialogue hymn in which Varuṇa and Indra each proclaim their own sovereignty, followed by verses recalling the aid given to Trasadasyu and a closing prayer for bounty.IV.43Rigveda IV.43 — a hymn asking which god will hear the singer's praise, and praising the Aśvins' swift chariot and their winning of Sūryā.IV.44Rigveda IV.44 — a hymn calling the Aśvins and their golden chariot to the sacrifice, asking for wealth, protection, and their ancient bond with the singer.IV.45Rigveda IV.45 — a dawn hymn to the Aśvins, built on the recurring image of honey (madhu): honeyed steeds, a honey-filled skin, honeyed soma, and honey-sweet dawn fires.IV.46Rigveda IV.46 — hymn calling Vāyu and the paired god Indra-Vāyu to the soma offering.IV.47Rigveda IV.47 — a four-verse hymn inviting Vāyu, and then Indra-Vāyu together, to drink the soma.IV.48Rigveda IV.48 — a short hymn calling Vāyu, the wind-god, to come in his shining chariot and drink the pressed soma.IV.49Rigveda IV.49 — a short hymn calling Indra and Brihaspati together to the soma offering.IV.50Rigveda IV.50 — Hymn to Bṛhaspati, celebrating his birth from the highest light, his breaking open of the Vala cave of cows, and his power to make kings supreme.IV.51Rigveda IV.51 — a hymn to the Dawns, the shining daughters of heaven who open the doors of night and rouse every living thing.IV.52Rigveda IV.52 — a short hymn to Uṣas, goddess of dawn, friend of the Aśvins and mother of the cows (rays of light).IV.53Rigveda IV.53 — a hymn invoking Savitṛ, the impelling solar god who spans the three worlds and grants shelter and offspring.IV.54Rigveda IV.54 — hymn to Savitṛ, on his impelling of gifts, lifespans, and dwellings to gods and men.IV.55Rigveda IV.55 — a hymn to the Viśvedevas invoking Aditi, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Agni, Indra-Vishnu, and the Maruts for protection and favor.IV.56Rigveda IV.56 — a hymn to Dyāvāpṛthivī, Heaven and Earth, praising them as the great, ancient pair who were set in motion by a skillful maker and who now protect and uphold the sacrifice.IV.57Rigveda IV.57 — a ploughing hymn invoking Kṣetrapati, Lord of the Field, the plough-deities Śunāsīra, and the furrow-goddess Sītā for a fruitful harvest.IV.58Rigveda IV.58 — a riddling hymn to Ghṛta, sacrificial clarified butter, praised as a hidden, honeyed stream flowing between earth, ocean, and the gods.Mandala 4Navigation index for Rigveda Maṇḍala 4.