Hymn to Soma
Rigveda IX.102 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 9 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.
By his mighty deed the River-Child, born of the vast and solemn floods, stirreth anew the seer-sight of Truth and folds all cherished things within his circling reach, even now once more.
Within Trita’s twain jaw-stones, choosing the hidden track, he sped through the seven courts of sacrifice and so came home again unto the seat he loveth best.
Across the triple sieve, upon Trita’s triple back, he pours in a flashing torrent—up, awaken wealth!—and the steadfast one doth mete each station of his road.
The seven Mothers, rushing rivers, schooled him like an initiate when first he shone for glory; and, minding well their lore, he standeth a treasure undying amid all treasures.
Under his ordinance the gods, one will, no guile between them, stand arrayed; keenly coveted are thy joys, O Soma, for the heavenly throng delighteth therein.
That germ the Truth-strong sired, lovely to behold, the liberal Poet of the rite whom many seek—him do the bounties follow.
Toward him haste the twin maidens of Truth, ever youthful, joined yet each her own; while priests in due array outstretch the sacrifice, they anoint the shining draught.
By thine unshaken will, with eyes of flame, thou hast flung wide Heaven’s penned fold and in the hallowed work hast driven forth the vision-power of Truth.
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 IX.102
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.
krāṇā śiśur mahīnāṁ hinvann ṛtasya dīdhitim |
viśvā pari priyā bhuvad adha dvitā || 1 ||
upa tritasya pāṣyo3r abhakta yad guhā padam |
yajñasya sapta dhāmabhir adha priyam || 2 ||
trīṇi tritasya dhārayā pṛṣṭheṣv erayā rayim |
mimīte asya yojanā vi sukratuḥ || 3 ||
jajñānaṁ sapta mātaro vedhām aśāsata śriye |
ayaṁ dhruvo rayīṇāṁ ciketa yat || 4 ||
asya vrate sajoṣaso viśve devāso adruhaḥ |
spārhā bhavanti rantayo juṣanta yat || 5 ||
yam ī garbham ṛtāvṛdho dṛśe cārum ajījanan |
kavim maṁhiṣṭham adhvare puruspṛham || 6 ||
samīcīne abhi tmanā yahvī ṛtasya mātarā |
tanvānā yajñam ānuṣag yad añjate || 7 ||
kratvā śukrebhir akṣabhir ṛṇor apa vrajaṁ divaḥ |
hinvann ṛtasya dīdhitim prādhvare || 8 ||
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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