Hymn to Soma
Rigveda IX.4 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.
Win glory, Soma—win a name renowned, thou self-cleansing draught— then better our lot.
Win thou the light, win the sun in his course, and all fair gifts of fortune— then better our lot.
Win us deftness of hand and a will that standeth firm; strike down the scorners, Soma— then better our lot.
Ye cleansers, cleanse Soma that Indra may drink— then better our lot.
Grant us a share in the sun through thy strength and thy grace— then better our lot.
By thy strength and thy grace, may our eyes behold the sun for many a day— then better our lot.
Hasten, strong-armed Soma, unto the high wealth doubly raised— then better our lot.
Hasten toward wealth, as victor who cannot be moved in the fray— then better our lot.
They have swelled thee with rites at the hour of thy outpouring, O self-cleansing one— then better our lot.
Bring us gleaming treasure in steeds, O drop divine, through all our days— then better our lot.
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.4
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.
sanā ca soma jeṣi ca pavamāna mahi śravaḥ |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 1 ||
sanā jyotiḥ sanā sva1r viśvā ca soma saubhagā |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 2 ||
sanā dakṣam uta kratum apa soma mṛdho jahi |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 3 ||
pavītāraḥ punītana somam indrāya pātave |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 4 ||
tvaṁ sūrye na ā bhaja tava kratvā tavotibhiḥ |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 5 ||
tava kratvā tavotibhir jyok paśyema sūryam |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 6 ||
abhy arṣa svāyudha soma dvibarhasaṁ rayim |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 7 ||
abhy a1rṣānapacyuto rayiṁ samatsu sāsahiḥ |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 8 ||
tvāṁ yajñair avīvṛdhan pavamāna vidharmaṇi |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 9 ||
rayiṁ naś citram aśvinam indo viśvāyum ā bhara |
athā no vasyasas kṛdhi || 10 ||
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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