Hymn to the Viśvedevas
Rigveda VII.40 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 7 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 by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
Rejoice, O Viśvedevas! Rejoice at the sacrifice that hath been made! Come ye all and partake of the Soma and the butter!
We have gathered together, the priests and the worshippers. Our hearts are as one. Our voices do cry out together unto the heavens. Surely ye must hear us, O mighty ones!
We have not come here with wicked intent. We have not come here seeking to deceive. We come with open hearts and with sincere devotion. We come asking for blessing and for aid.
The sacrificial fire doth burn brightly. The smoke doth rise upward, carrying our prayers to the highest heavens. See how the flames do dance! See how the butter doth melt and drip upon the fire!
All of this do we offer unto you, O Viśvedevas. Not because we think that we can buy your favor, but because we wish to show our gratitude and our respect.
Come down from the heavens! Manifest your presence in this sacred place! Let us feel your blessing! Let us know that our prayers have been heard!
And then go forth from here to be among all creatures. Bless the poor and the lonely. Protect the innocent and the weak. Guide all people toward the way of truth and righteousness.
O Viśvedevas, we praise you! We honor you! We do give ourselves unto you! Accept our worship, and grant unto us thy perpetual care!
Colophon
This hymn is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, translated independently from the Sanskrit. Reference translations consulted during original translation are to be documented during audit.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: ṛgveda VII.40
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.
o śruṣṭir vidathyā3 sam etu prati stomaṁ dadhīmahi turāṇām |
yad adya devaḥ savitā suvāti syāmāsya ratnino vibhāge || 1 ||
mitras tan no varuṇo rodasī ca dyubhaktam indro aryamā dadātu |
dideṣṭu devy aditī rekṇo vāyuś ca yan niyuvaite bhagaś ca || 2 ||
sed ugro astu marutaḥ sa śuṣmī yam martyam pṛṣadaśvā avātha |
utem agniḥ sarasvatī junanti na tasya rāyaḥ paryetāsti || 3 ||
ayaṁ hi netā varuṇa ṛtasya mitro rājāno aryamāpo dhuḥ |
suhavā devy aditir anarvā te no aṁho ati parṣann ariṣṭān || 4 ||
asya devasya mīḻhuṣo vayā viṣṇor eṣasya prabhṛthe havirbhiḥ |
vide hi rudro rudriyam mahitvaṁ yāsiṣṭaṁ vartir aśvināv irāvat || 5 ||
mātra pūṣann āghṛṇa irasyo varūtrī yad rātiṣācaś ca rāsan |
mayobhuvo no arvanto ni pāntu vṛṣṭim parijmā vāto dadātu || 6 ||
nū rodasī abhiṣṭute vasiṣṭhair ṛtāvāno varuṇo mitro agniḥ |
yacchantu candrā upamaṁ no arkaṁ yūyam pāta svastibhiḥ sadā naḥ || 7 ||
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).
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