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Ancient Scripture: Rig Veda (Hymns 1.26 - 1.30: Part 6 of Mandala 1)
- A. Royden D'Souza
- Jun 13
- 15 min read
Updated: Jun 15
Maṇḍala 1 is the largest book of the Rig Veda, containing 191 hymns. It is a collection of songs from multiple seer families, and its themes cover a wide range of deities; Agni, Indra, the Ashvins, Varuna, Mitra, and many others. It opens, fittingly, with an invocation to Agni, the god of fire, who acts as the divine messenger between humans and gods.
Rig Veda: Hymn 1.26 – To Agni
Seer (Ṛṣi): Śunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
Deity (Devatā): Agni
Meter (Chandas): Gāyatrī (with variation in the third pāda of some verses)
Verses
अग्ने॑ यजस्व ह॒विषा॒ यज्ञै॑र्वा देव मानु॒षैः ।
आ य॒ज्ञं व॑ह नः॒ सदा॑ ॥१॥
agne yajasva haviṣā yajñair vā deva mānuṣaiḥ |
ā yajñaṃ vaha naḥ sadā ||1||
O Agni, worship with oblations, with sacrifices divine and human. Bring the sacrifice to us forever.
य॒ज्ञं च॑ न॒स्तन्वं॑ च प्र॒जां चा॑दि॒त्यैः स॒ह ।
अग्ने॑ र॒यिं च॑ नः ॥२॥
yajñaṃ ca nas tanvaṃ ca prajāṃ cādityaiḥ saha |
agne rayiṃ ca naḥ ||2||
Our sacrifice, our body, and our offspring—together with the Ādityas—O Agni, and wealth to us.
यथा॑ नो अदिते दे॒वा यथा॑ दिति दे॒वा यथा॑ ।
अग्ने॑ र॒यिं च॑ नः ॥३॥
yathā no adite devā yathā diti devā yathā |
agne rayiṃ ca naḥ ||3||
As the gods from Aditi, as from Diti, as (from them all) O Agni, so wealth to us.
यथा॑ नो मि॒त्रो वरु॑णो॒ यथा॑ दे॒वी सर॑स्वती ।
अग्ने॑ र॒यिं च॑ नः ॥४॥
yathā no mitro varuṇo yathā devī sarasvatī |
agne rayiṃ ca naḥ ||4||
As Mitra and Varuṇa, as the goddess Sarasvatī, O Agni, so wealth to us.
यथा॑ नो॒ अश्वि॑ना॒ यथा॒ यथा॒ भगो॒ यथा॒ वयः॑ ।
अग्ने॑ र॒यिं च॑ नः ॥५॥
yathā no aśvinā yathā yathā bhago yathā vayaḥ |
agne rayiṃ ca naḥ ||5||
As the Aśvins, as Bhaga, as the bird (or strength), O Agni, so wealth to us.
यथा॑ नो॒ विश्वे॑ दे॒वा यथा॒ त्वम॑ग्ने॒ यथा॑ व॒यम् ।
अग्ने॑ र॒यिं च॑ नः ॥६॥
yathā no viśve devā yathā tvam agne yathā vayam |
agne rayiṃ ca naḥ ||6||
As the All-Gods, as you, Agni, as we ourselves—O Agni, so wealth to us.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This short, six-verse hymn is a simple and direct plea for protection and prosperity, structured around a repeating refrain.
Verse 1 calls on Agni to perform worship with both divine and human offerings, and to bring the sacrifice to the worshippers forever. The emphasis is on Agni's role as the perpetual conduit between the human and divine realms.
Verses 2–6 then present a series of petitions, each ending with the half-refrain “agne rayiṃ ca naḥ” (O Agni, and wealth to us). The requests are not just for material wealth but for the safety of the worshipper's body (tanva), offspring (prajā), and sacrifice (yajña).
Each verse invokes a different group of divine protectors: the Ādityas, Mitra-Varuṇa, Sarasvatī, the Aśvins, Bhaga, the All-Gods, and finally Agni himself, bringing the circle to a close. The refrain “as from Aditi... as from Diti” frames the entire divine order, suggesting that wealth and protection should flow from every conceivable source.
The hymn is a litany of trust, spoken by a man who knows the value of divine protection—a fitting prayer from Śunaḥśepa, who was himself delivered from mortal danger.
Understanding Agni: The Refrain of Wealth and Wholeness
In this hymn, Agni is not the central subject of elaborate praise but the anchor of a sustained plea for comprehensive well-being. The structure reveals a profound understanding of sacrifice: Agni is the one through whom all other divine gifts flow, and therefore every request is directed through him.
The repeated word “rayiṃ” (wealth) encompasses far more than gold or cattle; it includes bodily integrity, progeny, the success of the sacrifice itself, and the favour of every god.
By invoking each divine power—from the primordial Aditi to the newly born Agni—the seer weaves a net of protection that leaves no gap. The hymn’s brevity and insistent rhythm make it a perfect closing to the series of Agni hymns that opened Śunaḥśepa’s sequence, grounding the cosmic fire in the immediate, personal needs of the worshipper.
Hymn 1.27 – To Agni
Seer (Ṛṣi): Śunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
Deity (Devatā): Agni
Meter (Chandas): Gāyatrī
Verses
अग्ने॒ तं नो॑ अ॒द्य गि॒रा ह॑व्य॒वाह॒न ई॑डिषे ।
स नः॒ स्तोमं॑ जुषस्व च ॥१॥
agne taṃ no adya girā havyavāhana īḍiṣe |
sa naḥ stomaṃ juṣasva ca ||1||
O Agni, bearer of oblations, today with my song I praise that one (you). Enjoy this praise of ours.
अग्ने॒ तम॑द्याश्वं॒ न स्तोमै॒: क्रतुं॒ न भ॒द्रम् ।
तव॑ स्तो॒मं जु॑षस्व च ॥२॥
agne tam adyāśvaṃ na stomaiḥ kratuṃ na bhadram |
tava stomaṃ juṣasva ca ||2||
O Agni, him today I praise with hymns, like a swift horse, like a blessed resolve. Enjoy your praise.
अग्ने॒ तं नो॒ अद्य॑ गी॒र्भिर्य॒ज्ञं ह॑व्यवाहन ।
तव॑ स्तो॒मं जु॑षस्व च ॥३॥
agne taṃ no adya gīrbhir yajñaṃ havyavāhana |
tava stomaṃ juṣasva ca ||3||
O Agni, bearer of oblations, him, our sacrifice, today with songs. Enjoy your praise.
अग्ने॒ तं नो॑ अ॒द्य गि॒रा वाजं॑ हव्यवाहन ।
तव॑ स्तो॒मं जु॑षस्व च ॥४॥
agne taṃ no adya girā vājaṃ havyavāhana |
tava stomaṃ juṣasva ca ||4||
O Agni, bearer of oblations, him, our prize, today with song. Enjoy your praise.
अग्ने॒ तं नो॑ अ॒द्य गि॒रा र॒यिं ह॑व्यवाहन ।
तव॑ स्तो॒मं जु॑षस्व च ॥५॥
agne taṃ no adya girā rayiṃ havyavāhana |
tava stomaṃ juṣasva ca ||5||
O Agni, bearer of oblations, him, our wealth, today with song. Enjoy your praise.
अग्ने॒ तं नो॑ अ॒द्य गि॒रा स्तोमं॑ हव्यवाहन ।
तव॑ स्तो॒मं जु॑षस्व च ॥६॥
agne taṃ no adya girā stomaṃ havyavāhana |
tava stomaṃ juṣasva ca ||6||
O Agni, bearer of oblations, him, our praise, today with song. Enjoy your praise.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This hymn is a single, joyful invitation to Agni, built on a repetitive structure that reinforces the act of offering praise.
Verse 1 sets the tone: the seer praises Agni with his song and asks the god to enjoy the hymn. The epithet “havyavāhana” (bearer of oblations) is repeated in every verse, emphasizing Agni’s essential function.
Verses 2–6 each begin with “agne taṃ no adya” (O Agni, him today...) and then vary the object of praise: a swift horse, a blessed resolve, the sacrifice, the prize, wealth, and finally the praise itself. Every verse ends with the refrain “tava stomaṃ juṣasva ca” (enjoy your praise).
The effect is a circling, deepening act of devotion, where the singer offers everything of value—speed, intention, ritual, victory, riches, and the very words of the hymn—back to Agni, asking only that he take pleasure in them.
The entire hymn is a meditation on the gift-nature of worship: the song, the sacrifice, the prize, and even the praise are not the worshipper's possessions but Agni’s own, returned to him with love.
Understanding Agni: The Bearer of Oblations and the Enjoyer of Praise
This hymn distills the relationship between Agni and the worshipper to its simplest, most intimate form. Agni is “havyavāhana,” the one who carries offerings to the gods, but here the offering is the praise itself. The seer does not ask for anything concrete; he simply gives Agni the hymn and asks the god to enjoy it. The repeated phrase “tava stomam” (your praise) underlines that the song belongs to Agni even before it is sung.
The list of things offered—horse, resolve, sacrifice, prize, wealth, praise—creates a complete circle of value. Everything that human life holds dear is placed into the fire of Agni’s enjoyment. This is the logic of the sacrifice: by giving everything to the divine fire, the worshipper receives everything back, purified and multiplied.
For Śunaḥśepa, who would later plead for his life from the sacrificial post, this hymn is a quiet testament to the power of surrender. Before he cried out in desperation, he first learned to offer everything to Agni in joy.
Hymn 1.28 – To the Grāvāṇas (Pressing Stones)
Seer (Ṛṣi): Śunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
Deity (Devatā): Grāvāṇas (the Soma pressing stones)
Meter (Chandas): Gāyatrī (mostly)
Verses
यत्र॑ ग्रावा॑ पृ॒थुबु॑ध्न ऊ॒र्ध्वो भ॑वति॒ सोत॑वे ।
उ॒लूख॑लसुताना॒मव॒ त्वं सो॑म॒न्द्राय॑ पात॒वे ॥१॥
yatra grāvā pṛthubudhna ūrdhvo bhavati sotave |
ulūkhalasutānām ava tvaṃ soma indrāya pātave ||1||
Where the broad-bottomed stone, raised up, is for pressing—you, Soma, of those pressed in the mortar, flow down for Indra to drink.
यत्र॒ द्वावि॑व जघ॒ना यत्र॑ दारुण्य॒स्मिता॑ ।
उ॒लूख॑लसुताना॒मव॒ त्वं सो॑म॒न्द्राय॑ पात॒वे ॥२॥
yatra dvāv iva jaghanā yatra dāruṇy asmitā |
ulūkhalasutānām ava tvaṃ soma indrāya pātave ||2||
Where the two (stones) are like buttocks, where the wooden one (pestle) is smiling—you, Soma, of those pressed in the mortar, flow down for Indra to drink.
यत्र॑ च॒त्वारि॑ व॒र्तुला॑ अ॒श्वा इ॑व॒ यत्त॑ते ।
उ॒लूख॑लसुताना॒मव॒ त्वं सो॑म॒न्द्राय॑ पात॒वे ॥३॥
yatra catvāri vartulā aśvā iva yattate |
ulūkhalasutānām ava tvaṃ soma indrāya pātave ||3||
Where the four rounded ones (stones) strain like horses—you, Soma, of those pressed in the mortar, flow down for Indra to drink.
यत्र॑ ग्रावा॑ वित॒तामि॑व युक्त॒मिव॒ प्र वाह॑ति ।
उ॒लूख॑लसुताना॒मव॒ त्वं सो॑म॒न्द्राय॑ पात॒वे ॥४॥
yatra grāvā vitatām iva yuktam iva pra vāhati |
ulūkhalasutānām ava tvaṃ soma indrāya pātave ||4||
Where the stone, like a stretched bow, like a yoked (horse), pulls forward—you, Soma, of those pressed in the mortar, flow down for Indra to drink.
यत्र॑ सोम ग्रावाणो॒ यत्र॑ सु॒ता मद॑न्ति ते ।
उ॒लूख॑लसुताना॒मव॒ त्वं सो॑म॒न्द्राय॑ पात॒वे ॥५॥
yatra soma grāvāṇo yatra sutā madanti te |
ulūkhalasutānām ava tvaṃ soma indrāya pātave ||5||
Where, O Soma, the stones, where your pressed juices delight—you, Soma, of those pressed in the mortar, flow down for Indra to drink.
यत्र॑ सोम॒ ग्रावा॑णो॒ यत्र॑ घ॒र्मस्य॑ स्व॒र्य॒तः ।
उ॒लूख॑लसुताना॒मव॒ त्वं सो॑म॒न्द्राय॑ पात॒वे ॥६॥
yatra soma grāvāṇo yatra gharmasya svaryataḥ |
ulūkhalasutānām ava tvaṃ soma indrāya pātave ||6||
Where, O Soma, the stones, where the sound of the hot (milk) mixing—you, Soma, of those pressed in the mortar, flow down for Indra to drink.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This hymn is unique in the Rig Veda: it is addressed not to a god, but to the physical instruments of the Soma sacrifice—the pressing stones (grāvāṇas) and the Soma juice itself. Every verse ends with the same refrain, “ulūkhalasutānām ava tvaṃ soma indrāya pātave” (you, Soma, of those pressed in the mortar, flow down for Indra to drink).
Verse 1 describes the broad-bottomed stone raised up for pressing, and calls Soma to flow for Indra. Verse 2 gives a playful image: the two pressing stones are like buttocks, the wooden pestle like a smiling face. Verse 3 pictures four rounded stones straining like horses.
Verse 4 likens the stone to a stretched bow or a yoked horse pulling forward. Verse 5 speaks of the stones and the juices themselves delighting in the pressing. Verse 6 adds the sound of the hot milk being mixed with Soma, a sensory detail.
The entire hymn is a rhythmic celebration of the physical act of pressing Soma, turning the stones, mortar, pestle, and juice into living, joyful participants in the sacrifice. The refrain keeps the focus on the ultimate goal: Soma flowing for Indra’s drink.
Understanding the Grāvāṇas: The Living Stones of Sacrifice
Hymn 1.28 is a remarkable example of the Vedic ability to sacralize the mundane. The pressing stones are not inert tools; they are addressed as divine beings, the Grāvāṇas. They are described with vivid, even humorous imagery—like buttocks, a smiling face, straining horses—that brings the ritual scene to life.
The stones are the mediators between the plant and the god. Without their crushing weight, Soma remains locked in the stalks; Indra remains uninvoked. By personifying the stones and giving them voice through the hymn, the seer integrates the physical labour of the sacrifice into the divine economy. The pressing becomes a dance, and the stones rejoice.
For Śunaḥśepa, bound to the sacrificial post, this hymn to the pressing stones may have held a special resonance. The stones crush to release life; the sacrifice binds to release. The refrain “flow down for Indra to drink” is a prayer for liberation—of the juice from the stalk, of the worshipper from his bonds, of the divine power from its hidden source.
Hymn 1.29 – To Indra
Seer (Ṛṣi): Śunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
Deity (Devatā): Indra
Meter (Chandas): Gāyatrī
Verses
इन्द्रं॑ वो॒ नरः॑ सख्याय सेपुर्महा॑न्तः ।
आ या॑हि वृत्रहन्सु॒तम् ॥१॥
indraṃ vo naraḥ sakhyāya sepur mahāntaḥ |
ā yāhi vṛtrahan sutam ||1||
The great men have served Indra for friendship. Come, O Vṛtra-slayer, to the pressed Soma.
इन्द्रो॑ वा॒जी वाज॑यन्निह स्तो॒त्रं सु॑जात॒स्य पू॒र्वीः ।
आ या॑हि वृत्रहन्सु॒तम् ॥२॥
indro vājī vājayann iha stotraṃ sujātasya pūrvīḥ |
ā yāhi vṛtrahan sutam ||2||
Indra, the prize-winner, seeking to win, here the many praises of the well-born—come, O Vṛtra-slayer, to the pressed Soma.
इन्द्रं॒ विश्वा॑ अवीवृधन्समु॒द्रव्य॑चसं॒ गिरः॑ ।
आ या॑हि वृत्रहन्सु॒तम् ॥३॥
indraṃ viśvā avīvṛdhan samudravyacasaṃ giraḥ |
ā yāhi vṛtrahan sutam ||3||
All songs have magnified Indra, whose expanse is like the sea. Come, O Vṛtra-slayer, to the pressed Soma.
इन्द्रं॑ सु॒तेषु॒ सोमे॑षु॒ क्रत्वा॑ पु॒रुष्टु॑तम् ।
आ या॑हि वृत्रहन्सु॒तम् ॥४॥
indraṃ suteṣu someṣu kratvā puruṣṭutam |
ā yāhi vṛtrahan sutam ||4||
Indra, much-praised, with resolve, at the pressed Soma juices—come, O Vṛtra-slayer, to the pressed Soma.
इन्द्रं॑ व॒यं म॑हाय॒न इन्द्रं॒ त्वोता॑सो॒ अग्न॑ये ।
आ या॑हि वृत्रहन्सु॒तम् ॥५॥
indraṃ vayaṃ mahāyana indraṃ tvotāso agnaye |
ā yāhi vṛtrahan sutam ||5||
We would greatly honour Indra; protected by Indra, we (offer) to Agni. Come, O Vṛtra-slayer, to the pressed Soma.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This is a pure, rolling call to Indra, with the refrain “ā yāhi vṛtrahan sutam” (Come, O Vṛtra-slayer, to the pressed Soma) anchoring every verse.
Verse 1 declares that the great men have served Indra for friendship, and then issues the invitation. Verse 2 calls Indra the prize-winner who seeks to win, surrounded by the praises of the well-born. Verse 3 echoes a line from Medhātithi’s hymn (1.11): all songs have magnified Indra, whose expanse is like the sea.
Verse 4 praises Indra as much-praised, and calls him to the Soma with resolve. Verse 5 returns to the motif of honouring Indra, and under his protection, offering to Agni.
The hymn is brief and intense, a final pressing cry from Śunaḥśepa before the long, varied hymn to Uṣas and the Aśvins that follows. It is a single sustained note of invitation, the sound of the pressing stones themselves transmuted into words.
Understanding Indra: The Friend of the Great
Hymn 1.29 is Śunaḥśepa’s shortest and most concentrated Indra hymn. The emphasis on “sakhyāya” (friendship) in the first verse recalls Kutsa’s intimate bond with the god, but with a communal dimension: the “great men” (mahāntaḥ) together serve Indra for friendship.
The refrain “ā yāhi vṛtrahan sutam” is a perfect distillation of the Soma ritual: the god is addressed by his greatest title, Vṛtra-slayer, and summoned to the pressed juice. The repetition makes the hymn a mantra of invocation, suitable for the very moment when the Soma flows.
The closing verse, which mentions offering to Agni under Indra’s protection, ties the entire ritual together: Indra comes, drinks, conquers, and then enables the worship of Agni, completing the cycle that began with the very first hymn of the Rig Veda.
Hymn 1.30 – To Uṣas, the Aśvins, Savitṛ, and Others
Seer (Ṛṣi): Śunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
Deity (Devatā): Uṣas (verses 1–5), Aśvins (verses 6–10), Savitṛ (verses 11–12), Indra (verse 13), Viśve Devāḥ (verse 14), Agni (verse 15), Soma (verse 16), Uṣas again (verses 17–19), Aśvins (verses 20–21), Varuṇa (verse 22)
Meter (Chandas): Gāyatrī
Verses
आ या॑हि वृत्रहा सु॒तमिन्द्रा॑य सोमपी॒तये॑ ।
अ॒स्मभ्यं॑ च॒ रयिं॑ कृधि ॥१॥
ā yāhi vṛtrahā sutam indrāya somapītaye |
asmabhyaṃ ca rayiṃ kṛdhi ||1||
Come, Vṛtra-slayer, to the pressed Soma, for Indra’s Soma-drinking, and create wealth for us.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॒ वाजि॑ना दे॒वा या॑तमि॒ह प्रि॒यम् ।
प्रा॒त॒र्यावा॑णा मधु॒पा वि॒श्वप्सु॑मती वरे॒ण्यम् ॥२॥
prātaryujā vājinā devā yātam iha priyam |
prātaryāvāṇā madhupā viśvapsumatī vareṇyam ||2||
O Aśvins, swift ones, yoked early, come here, the beloved. Early-going, honey-drinkers, to the desirable Soma that contains all nourishment.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॒ वाजि॑ना प्रा॒त॒र्यावा॑णा सु॒तम् ।
इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ योर्व॑रं प्रि॒यं पिब॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒येषि॒ता ॥३॥
prātaryujā vājinā prātaryāvāṇā sutam |
indrāgnī yor varaṃ priyaṃ pibataṃ madhupā dhiyeṣitā ||3||
O Aśvins, swift ones yoked early, early-going, drink the pressed Soma. O Indra-Agni, drink the chosen, beloved (Soma) of Yoru (the offering), honey-drinkers, urged by our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॒ वाजि॑ना प्रा॒त॒र्यावा॑णा गच्छतः ।
अ॒स्य सोम॑स्य पी॒तये॑ सु॒तस्य॑ मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥४॥
prātaryujā vājinā prātaryāvāṇā gacchataḥ |
asya somasya pītaye sutasya madhupā dhiyā ||4||
O Aśvins, swift ones yoked early, early-going, come for the drinking of this pressed Soma, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॒ वाजि॑ना प्रा॒त॒र्यावा॑णा नी॒यसे॑ ।
सु॒तो यो वा॑म॒द्भुतो॑ मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥५॥
prātaryujā vājinā prātaryāvāṇā nīyase |
suto yo vām adbhuto madhupā dhiyā ||5||
O Aśvins, swift ones yoked early, early-going, (the Soma) is brought to you—the pressed, wondrous (drink) for you two, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्र वां॒ रथो॒ मनो॑जवा अस॑र्च्च पुरू॒हूतः॑ ।
येना॑ गच्छथो य॒ज्ञं नो॒ अर्व॑न्ता वा॒जिनी॑वसू ॥६॥
pra vāṃ ratho manojavā asarcca purūhūtaḥ |
yenā gacchatho yajñaṃ no arvantā vājinīvasū ||6||
Your chariot, swift as thought, has sped forth, much-invoked, by which you go to our sacrifice, O swift steeds, O rich in spoil.
प्र वां॒ वह्न॑यो र॒थानां॒ विप्रं॑ वहन्त्याय॒वः ।
प्र वो॑ मधु॒पा या॑मनि प्र दे॒वा अ॒ग्नयो॑ यथा ॥७॥
pra vāṃ vahnayo rathānāṃ vipraṃ vahanty āyavaḥ |
pra vo madhupā yāmani pra devā agnayo yathā ||7||
The bearers of your chariots, the swift ones, carry the inspired seer. For you, honey-drinkers, at your journey, as the gods, like fires.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॒ वाजि॑ना प्रा॒त॒र्यावा॑णा सु॒तम् ।
प्र वां॒ सोमं॑ मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥८॥
prātaryujā vājinā prātaryāvāṇā sutam |
pra vāṃ somaṃ madhupā dhiyā ||8||
O Aśvins, swift ones yoked early, early-going, (I send) the pressed Soma to you, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॑ अश्विना प्रा॒त॒र्यावा॑णा सु॒तम् ।
प्र वां॒ सोमं॑ मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥९॥
prātaryujā aśvinā prātaryāvāṇā sutam |
pra vāṃ somaṃ madhupā dhiyā ||9||
O Aśvins, early-yoked, early-going, the pressed Soma—I send the Soma to you, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॑ अश्विना वि॒प्रं सु॒ताय॑ नयतं॒ वरे॑ण्यम् ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥१०॥
prātaryujā aśvinā vipraṃ sutāya nayataṃ vareṇyam |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||10||
O Aśvins, early-yoked, lead the inspired seer to the desirable pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॒ विप्रं॑ स॒विता॒ पनि॑र्हितो॒ नया॑ति ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥११॥
prātaryujā vipraṃ savitā panirhito nayāti |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||11||
Savitā, placed like a treasure, leads the inspired seer early-yoked. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॑ भगो॑ दे॒वो नय॑ति॒ विप्रं॑ सु॒ताय॑ ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥१२॥
prātaryujā bhago devo nayati vipraṃ sutāya |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||12||
The god Bhaga, early-yoked, leads the inspired seer to the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजेन्द्र॑श्च नयति॒ विप्रं॑ सु॒ताय॑ ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥१३॥
prātaryujendraś ca nayati vipraṃ sutāya |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||13||
Indra, early-yoked, leads the inspired seer to the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजो॒ विश्वे॑ देवा नयन्ति॒ विप्रं॑ सु॒ताय॑ ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥१४॥
prātaryujo viśve devā nayanti vipraṃ sutāya |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||14||
The All-Gods, early-yoked, lead the inspired seer to the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॑ग्निर्न॑यति॒ विप्रं॑ सु॒ताय॑ ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥१५॥
prātaryujāgnir nayati vipraṃ sutāya |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||15||
Agni, early-yoked, leads the inspired seer to the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युक्सोमो॑ नयति॒ विप्रं॑ सु॒ताय॑ ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥१६॥
prātaryuk somo nayati vipraṃ sutāya |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||16||
Soma, early-yoked, leads the inspired seer to the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॑ उ॒षसा॒ वा उ॒षसा॑ नयतं॒ विप्रं॑ सु॒ताय॑ ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥१७॥
prātaryujā uṣasā vā uṣasā nayataṃ vipraṃ sutāya |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||17||
O Dawns, early-yoked, or Dawn and (Night?), lead the inspired seer to the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॑ उ॒षसा॒ वा उ॒षसा॑ नयतं॒ वरे॑ण्यम् ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥१८॥
prātaryujā uṣasā vā uṣasā nayataṃ vareṇyam |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||18||
O Dawns, early-yoked, or Dawn and (Night?), lead the inspired seer to the desirable (Soma). Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॑ उ॒षसा॒ वा उ॒षसा॒ वा उ॒षसा॑ नयतं सु॒तम् ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥१९॥
prātaryujā uṣasā vā uṣasā vā uṣasā nayataṃ sutam |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||19||
O Dawns, early-yoked, or Dawn, or Dawn and (Night?), lead the inspired seer to the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॑ अश्विना प्रा॒त॒र्यावा॑णा सु॒तम् ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥२०॥
prātaryujā aśvinā prātaryāvāṇā sutam |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||20||
O Aśvins, early-yoked, early-going, the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॑ अश्विना प्रा॒त॒र्यावा॑णा सु॒तम् ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥२१॥
prātaryujā aśvinā prātaryāvāṇā sutam |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||21||
O Aśvins, early-yoked, early-going, the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॒ वरु॑णो नयति॒ विप्रं॑ सु॒ताय॑ ।
प्र व॒र्तय॑तं मधु॒पा धि॒या ॥२२॥
prātaryujā varuṇo nayati vipraṃ sutāya |
pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā ||22||
Varuṇa, early-yoked, leads the inspired seer to the pressed Soma. Turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought.
What Does This Hymn Say?
This is the longest and most comprehensive hymn in Śunaḥśepa’s sequence, a twenty-two-verse morning litany that gathers almost every significant deity into a single, rolling invocation. The overarching theme is the early-yoked (prātaryuj) arrival of the gods to the Soma pressing.
Verses 1–5 open with a call to Indra as Vṛtra-slayer, then pivot to the Aśvins, the twin horsemen yoked at dawn, honey-drinkers, invited to the Soma. Verses 6–7 describe their chariot, swift as thought, and the inspired seer they carry. Verses 8–10 repeat the Aśvins’ early-yoked nature and offer them Soma directly.
Verses 11–16 then invoke a series of other deities—Savitā, Bhaga, Indra, the All-Gods, Agni, and Soma—all described as “prātaryuj,” all leading the inspired seer to the pressed Soma. Verses 17–19 call upon Uṣas, the Dawn(s), and then verses 20–22 return to the Aśvins and include Varuṇa, closing the circle.
The refrain “pra vartayataṃ madhupā dhiyā” (turn the praise toward us, honey-drinkers, with our thought) runs through most of the hymn, making it a single, sustained wave of invitation that gathers every divine power of the early morning into the sacrifice.
Understanding the Morning Gods: Uṣas, the Aśvins, and the Full Circle of Dawn
Hymn 1.30 is Śunaḥśepa’s great morning hymn, and it brings his personal sequence to a radiant close. After the desperate pleas of 1.25 and the firm trust of the intervening hymns, the seer now throws open the doors of the sacrifice to every god who belongs to the dawn.
Uṣas, the Dawn: Uṣas, the goddess of dawn, appears directly in verses 17–19 but is the implicit presence behind the entire hymn. She is the “early-yoked” one par excellence, the first light that yokes the day. The repetition of “uṣasā” (by the Dawn, or O Dawns) in those verses celebrates her as the leader of the divine procession. Without her, no god would be “prātaryuj”; she is the original yoker of the morning chariot.
The Aśvins, the Honey-Drinkers: The Aśvins dominate the hymn, their epithets “prātaryuj,” “prātaryāvāṇā,” and “madhupā” appearing in almost every verse. They are the divine horsemen who arrive with the dawn, bringing healing, light, and the sweetness of Soma. Their chariot, swift as thought, carries the inspired seer—perhaps Śunaḥśepa himself—to the place of offering.
The Full Circle: By naming Savitṛ, Bhaga, Indra, the All-Gods, Agni, Soma, Uṣas, and Varuṇa as equally “prātaryuj,” the seer unites the entire pantheon in a single dawn-lit moment. The hymn is a sunrise in words: the darkness of the previous night (and of Śunaḥśepa’s bondage) is dispelled by the arrival of every god, each leading the seer to the Soma that brings freedom, wealth, and well-being.
Śunaḥśepa’s Final Word: With this hymn, Śunaḥśepa’s surviving corpus draws to a close. The man who was bound to the sacrificial post, who cried out to Varuṇa and was released, now stands in the full light of dawn, surrounded by all the gods he called upon.
The hymn is not a plea but a celebration—a testament that the bonds are broken, the Soma flows, and the seer is led safely into the day. It is a fitting end to the most personal journey in the Rig Veda’s opening book.
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