Wednesday, March 4, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org
Mandala 7
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Texts
◇ Direct Verse Index – Maṇḍala 7|1-25|26-50|51-75|76-100|101-104| |---|---|---|---|---| |VII.1|VII.26|VII.51|VII.76|VII.101| |VII.2|VII.27|VII.52|VII.77|VII.102| |VII.3|VII.28|VII.53|VII.78|VII.103| |VII.4|VII.29|VII.54|VII.79|VII.1...VII.1Agni, whom the Vasiṣṭhas kindle! Thou art the priest of all the gods. Come, O shining one, to this sacrifice that we have spread before thee. Let thy flames leap upward, carrying our praises to the he...VII.2Agni, born of the friction of the sticks! The priest of the gods, the mediator between heaven and earth. Thou liest hidden in the wood until the churning brings thee forth. Then thou blazest up, roari...VII.3O Agni, thou purifier! Thy flames consume the impurity of the world. Everything that is corrupt, everything that is defiled, falleth before thy sacred fire. There is no stain so dark that thy light ca...VII.4The dawn breaketh upon the eastern horizon, and Agni's light precedeth her. Like unto a maiden adorned with gold, the dawn shineth forth in splendor. Yet Agni's flames are even brighter; his radiance...VII.5O Agni, thou divine messenger! Thou art the herald of the gods; thou art the voice that speaketh on their behalf. When we whisper our prayers into thy flames, thou hearest them. When we cast our offer...VII.6Agni, thou sharp-tongued drinker of the soma! Thy tongues taste the sweetness of the offering; thy flames lick upward toward the sky. With each taste, thou art strengthened; with each draught, thy pow...VII.7Agni, thou art immortal, O mighty one! The gods themselves cannot die, and neither can thy flame. We mortals wither and crumble to dust; our bodies return to the earth; our names are forgotten. But th...VII.8O Agni, thou warrior god! Thy flames are not gentle; thy fire is not weak. When thou art roused to anger, thy fury is terrible to behold. The very earth trembleth before thee; the sky darkeneth with t...VII.9O Agni, we kindle thee with grateful hearts! Thou art the source of all prosperity; thou art the bringer of all blessings. The wealth that we possess floweth from thee; the children that we cherish ar...VII.10The sacred fire hath been kindled! The offering hath been made! The hymn hath been sung! O Agni, accept this prayer from the lips of the Vasiṣṭha singers!VII.11O Agni, god of sacrifice, thou whom mortals kindle with their hands! Hear now the hymn of praise that riseth from the priest's own heart.VII.12O Agni, thou art born of heaven and earth! The gods have sent thee forth to dwell in every home.VII.13Agni, the sacred fire that men do kindle! Receive from us the offering we bring.VII.14O Agni, thou art kindled by the hands of priests! With wood they feed thy flame; with butter they delight thy hunger.VII.15Agni, thou art born of many forms! Each time the wood is kindled, thou dost come anew. Thou livest in the flint; thou livest in the sticks of wood. Thou art the brightness in the eyes of those who gaz...VII.16O Agni, thy flames are like the spears of warriors! With thy bright sword thou smashest the strongholds of the demons.VII.17O Agni, thou art the guest divine in every dwelling of mankind. From the eastern horizon to the western reaches of the earth, in every home where hearth-fire burneth, there dost thou dwell.VII.18Hear now the tale of Indra's glory! The tale that Vasiṣṭha, the bard divine, doth sing unto the warriors and unto the gods themselves. In days of old, the great king Sudās did call upon the mighty Ind...VII.19O Indra, thou hast shown thy might before all the gods and all the heavens! None is like unto thee in strength; none can match thy prowess in battle.VII.20O Indra! The soma that the priests do press floweth forth like rivers of liquid gold. The draught is sweet beyond all telling; the fragrance riseth like incense unto heaven.VII.21O Indra, come unto the pressing of the soma! The stones are ringing out; the priests are ready. The sacred draught floweth in golden streams.VII.22O Indra, thou art the Bull! Mighty and strong art thou beyond all measure. The gods do tremble at thy voice; the demons do flee before thy approaching.VII.23O Indra, hear our prayer! We call upon thee in the time of our need. Come forth from thy dwelling place on high and stand beside us in our hour of peril.VII.24O Indra, thy thunderbolt is the mightiest weapon that doth exist in all the worlds! With one blow thou dost shatter the strongholds of the demons. With one strike, thou dost break through all barriers...VII.25O Indra, thou art the lord of all riches and all treasures! The cattle are thine; the gold is thine; the grain that groweth in the fields is thine. All bounty cometh from thy hand.VII.26Sing unto Indra, the lord of might, for his strength is without measure. The earth doth tremble at his coming; the very stones do cry out in his praise. Who among the gods hath deeds like unto his?VII.27O Indra, great and glorious! Come hither at our call. We have prepared the sacrifice for thee; the altar burneth bright. The seven pressing-stones have sounded; now come thou to the feast.VII.28Thou alone dost make the earth to shake, O Indra. Thy voice is as thunder; thy footsteps echo across all the worlds. The very foundations of the mountains do shift at thy command.VII.29Come unto us together, O Indra and Viṣṇu! Two mighty gods, companions in all things. Together ye do protect the three worlds; together ye do battle against the forces of darkness.VII.30O Indra, thou art the mightiest of all the gods. None can compare unto thee in strength; none can rival thy deeds. Even Vṛtra the serpent, that great and terrible dragon, did fall before thy thunderbo...VII.31Praise be unto Indra, whose strength is without end! Sing loud the hymn of the Thunderer! His arm is mighty; his deeds are glorious. The whole earth doth resound with his fame.VII.32Praise unto Indra, the greatest of gods! Sing his glory from every mountaintop! His mighty deeds do fill the heavens and the earth. The very stars do pale before his brightness.VII.33Hear now the birth-song of Vasiṣṭha, the sage and the seer, the ancestor of our line. Not born of woman's womb, yet born he was—born of the gods themselves, born of immortal power.VII.34Come unto us all together, O Viśvedevas, all the gods together! Agni the fire, Indra the thunder, Vayu the wind—come ye all! Mitra and Varuṇa, the oath-keepers, come! Aśvins the horsemen, come ye both...VII.35Peace, O Viśvedevas! Peace unto us! Let not the wicked ones do us harm. Let not our enemies prevail against us. Keep us safe in this day and in all the days to come.VII.36Come ye, O Viśvedevas, all the gods together! We have made ready the sacrifice; the Soma hath been pressed. Come ye and drink of this sweet draught!VII.37Praise be unto the Viśvedevas! Sing the hymn of the host of heaven! Each god doth have his role; each god doth have his power. Together they do sustain all that is.VII.38O Savitṛ, thou impeller! Thou who dost set all things in motion! At the dawn of each day, it is thou who dost awaken the world. The sun doth rise at thy command; the birds do begin to sing.VII.39O Viśvedevas, hear our prayer! We come before thee with humble hearts. We do not ask for more than we need. We ask only for what is right.VII.40Rejoice, O Viśvedevas! Rejoice at the sacrifice that hath been made! Come ye all and partake of the Soma and the butter!VII.41O Bhaga, thou allotter of blessings! Thou who dost apportion fortune among men! Come unto us and grant us thy favor!VII.42Come ye, O Viśvedevas, to the dwelling of the righteous! We have prepared the altar; we have kindled the sacred fire. The Soma hath been pressed; the hymns are ready to be sung.VII.43O Viśvedevas, we do sing unto thee! Hear the voices of thy servants! We praise thee with all our hearts!VII.44Praise be unto Dadhikrāvan, the divine stallion! Swift as the lightning he doth run! Swift as the very wind itself!VII.45O Savitṛ, thou golden lord! Thou art the vivifier of all things! At thy command, all living things do come forth. At thy command, all growing things do flourish.VII.46O Rudra! O thou terrible one! O thou who art adorned with serpents and with fire! We come before thee with fear and with trembling!VII.47O sacred waters! O life-giving streams! We do praise thee and do honor thee!VII.48O Ṛbhus! Divine craftsmen! Masters of all arts and skills! We do sing your praise!VII.49Praise be unto the rivers! O goddesses of the flowing waters! O ye who do travel from the highest mountains to the lowland plains!VII.50O Mitra! O keeper of oaths! O thou who dost guard the bonds of friendship and of trust! We do praise thee and do honor thee!VII.51O Ādityas, ye sons of the infinite mother! Ye who dwell in the highest heaven, beyond the reach of mortal sight, receive our prayer! Ye are the givers of all good things, the guardians of cosmic order...VII.52The Ādityas are without number, yet each one is known! They ride across the sky in their chariots of light; they hold the boundaries of heaven and earth. Nothing escapes their all-seeing eye; nothing...VII.53Heaven and Earth! Ye mighty parents of all that liveth! Dyaus the sky-father stretcheth forth his arms above; Pṛthivī the earth-mother spreadeth herself below. Between them floweth the wind; through t...VII.54O Vastospati, lord of the dwelling! Master of the house, keeper of all that is within! Thou who standest at the threshold, guardian of all entrances! Thou who holdest dominion over the roof and the wa...VII.55O Vastospati, keep the dogs at bay this night! The hounds are restless; they bark at shadows in the darkness. Their howling disturbs the sleep of the righteous; their yelping breaks the peace of the h...VII.56O Maruts, ye storm troop! Ye violent sons of Rudra! Ye riders upon the winds! Come hither with your golden armor gleaming! Come hither with your spears of lightning flashing!VII.57O Maruts, ye who dwell in the mountains! Ye who gather in the clouds! Come forth with your weapons ready; come forth with your armor bright!VII.58The Maruts are countless as the drops of rain! Ye who are born together in the heart of the storm! Ye whose voices are as the thunder! Ye whose forms are as bright as the lightning!VII.59O Maruts, ye fierce and mighty! Ye who ride upon the winds like warriors upon their steeds! Hear now this prayer that we raise unto you!VII.60O Mitra and Varuṇa, ye mighty sovereigns! Ye who rule together over all creation! Ye who are just and righteous in all your judgments!VII.61O Mitra and Varuṇa, ye guardians of truth! Ye who see into the hearts of all creatures! Ye from whom nothing can be hidden!VII.62O Mitra and Varuṇa! O Sūrya, thou radiant one! Ye three who dwell in the highest heaven! Ye guardians of the day and watchers of the cosmic order!VII.63O Sūrya, thou who ridest in thy golden chariot across the heavens! The horses that draw thy chariot are swift and tireless. The wheels turn ceaselessly; the axle never breaks. Thy journey is unchangin...VII.64O Mitra and Varuṇa, rulers of the sky! Ye who dwell in the highest heaven, far above the reach of mortal understanding!VII.65O Mitra and Varuṇa, keepers of the cosmic law! Hear this prayer from those who love you and honor you!VII.66O Mitra and Varuṇa, ye who are mighty and terrible! Ye who stand as pillars holding up the heavens!VII.67O Aśvins, ye golden ones! Ye who ride in a golden chariot drawn by swift horses! Ye who move with the speed of thought across the heavens!VII.68O Aśvins, ye twin healers! Come forth from the East where the dawn is breaking! Come riding in your swift chariot! Bring with you all manner of blessings!VII.69O Aśvins, ye swift riders of the dawn! Your golden chariot raceth across the heavens, and nothing can keep pace with you!VII.70O Aśvins, ye divine twins! Born together at the beginning of time! Forever moving together through the heavens!VII.71O Aśvins, ye are riding forth now as the first light breaks in the East! The dawn cometh with you; she rideth in your chariot! The sky turneth golden; the birds begin to sing!VII.72O Aśvins, ye who are honored among all the gods! Ye who are beloved by mortals and immortals alike!VII.73O Aśvins, ye are the friends of all who are suffering! Ye have healed the cripple and made him whole! Ye have restored sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf!VII.74O Aśvins, ye who ride swiftly through the heavens! Ye who are always moving, never resting, never tiring!VII.75O Uṣas, thou radiant maiden of the dawn! Thou who risest each morning from thy couch of gold! Thou who drivest away the darkness with thy tender light!VII.76Behold! The Dawn comes forth, resplendent and most fair. She driveth back the darkness with her rays of light. The eyes of all the world do open; the hearts of living creatures stir with joy. O Uṣas,...VII.77Harness the steeds, O Uṣas! Let thy golden chariot be prepared! The shafts are smooth; the axles are bright; the wheels do gleam like burnished silver. Thou who art the charioteer most swift, come for...VII.78She cometh again, O Uṣas! She cometh eternal, undying, forever the same! Each night she doth vanish; each morning she is reborn. The cycle turnsendlessly round and round, and she is the center of that...VII.79Come, O Uṣas! Come with thy light! The creatures of the night do hide themselves away. The owl, who rejoiced in darkness, now fleeth to the shadows. The serpent, who crept freely across the earth, now...VII.80Hail, O Uṣas! Thou who art the most beautiful of all the immortals! Thy golden robes do outshine the sun itself. Thy smile is sweeter than honey; thy voice is gentler than the whisper of the breeze th...VII.81O Uṣas, thou hast risen! Thou hast scattered the darkness like a mighty wind scattereth the clouds! The sun followeth close behind thee, as if drawn by an invisible cord. Together, thou and he, do ill...VII.82We sing the praise of Indra and Varuṇa together! O mighty pair, who rule the earth and heaven! Indra, the warrior with the thunderbolt; Varuṇa, the king with the cosmic law. One is the power of action...VII.83In ages long past, when the great Battle of the Ten Kings did rage, it was Indra and Varuṇa who came to the aid of Sudās and his people. They saw the rightness of his cause; they heard the truth of hi...VII.84O Indra, thou art mighty! O Varuṇa, thou art wise! Together, ye do protect us. The enemies of righteousness do fear you both. The demons do flee before your combined power.VII.85We have kindled the fire; we have pressed the soma. We have gathered here to sing your praises, O Indra and Varuṇa. Hear our voices! Turn thy faces toward us! Accept our devotion!VII.86I have sinned against thee, O Varuṇa. Yet I know not how I have sinned. I have transgressed thy law, yet the transgression was not done in malice or pride, but in ignorance—the worst of all transgress...VII.87O Varuṇa, thou art mighty and wise! Thy dominion extendeth over all the worlds. In thy hands lieth the destiny of gods and mortals alike. Thou hast made the rivers to flow; thou hast set the sun in hi...VII.88Once Vasiṣṭha, the great seer, did descend to the banks of a river. The sun was setting; the sky was aflame with colors that no mortal tongue can name. And there, upon the water, he saw a boat—not a b...VII.89O Varuṇa, I am bound! Thy ropes hold me; thy chains imprison me! I cannot escape thy grip. The more I struggle, the tighter thou dost hold. The more I cry out, the deeper thou dost bind me.VII.90O Vāyu, thou wind-god, swiftest of all the divine ones! None can keep pace with thee; none can match thy speed. Thou rushest through the heavens like an eagle in pursuit of its prey. Thou dost reach t...VII.91Hail, O Vāyu! Thou whom we honor with our praises! Thou who art swift and mighty and terrible! The clouds flee before thee; the thunder follows in thy wake. When thou dost stir thyself, all the world...VII.92O Vāyu, thou art the companion of Indra! When the war-god goeth forth to battle, thou runnest beside him, carrying his thunder and his fury. When the clouds gather in the sky, it is thy strength that...VII.93O Indra and Agni! Ye mighty ones! Ye are the twin pillars of the cosmos! Indra in the sky, wielding thy thunderbolt; Agni on the earth, burning with thy holy fire!VII.94I sing the praise of Indra and Agni together! O mightiest of all the deities! O greatest of all divine powers! Hear my voice! Accept my devotion!VII.95O Sarasvatī! Most sacred of all rivers! Thou dost flow through the land like a stream of liquid light, carrying blessings to all who dwell upon thy banks.VII.96Hail, O Sarasvatī! Thou art the one whose waters do purify all things! Thy touch is soft; thy power is immense. Where thou dost flow, the land becomes green; where thy waters touch, all impurities are...VII.97O Bṛhaspati! Lord of sacred speech! Thou who dwellest among the gods as the priest and the counselor! All wisdom floweth from thy lips; all truth originates from thy understanding!VII.98O Indra! Mightiest of the gods! We sing thy praises and call upon thy name! Thou hast defeated all the enemies of the divine; thou hast shattered every demon stronghold! None can stand against thee; n...VII.99O Viṣṇu! Mighty god! Thou whom we honor and praise! Thy three great strides have measured out the entire universe. The first stride covereth the earth; the second stride reacheth unto the sky; the thi...VII.100O Viṣṇu! Thou who takest the three mighty strides! The highest step is thy most secret step—the step that extendeth into that realm which mortals cannot perceive. This is the step beyond the stars, be...VII.101O Parjanya! Rain-god! Thunder-bringer! Thou whom the earth crieth out for when the fields are parched and dry! Come now with thy blessing! Come with thy life-giving waters!VII.102O Parjanya! We call upon thee! Bring forth the rain! The earth is thirsty; the creatures are thirsty; we mortals are thirsty!VII.103When the monsoon rains come, the frogs do awaken from their long sleep! They emerge from the ponds and marshes, and they begin to sing! Croak! Croak! Croak! The sound of the frogs filleth the night ai...VII.104I call upon thee, O Indra and Soma! Come forth with thy terrible power! There are those among us who are wicked, who are cruel, who are false. They traffic in sorcery and witchcraft. They weave their...