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Rig Veda
Book 1, Hymn CXII. Aśvins
1 To give first thought to them, I worship Heaven and Earth, and Agni, fair bright glow, to hasten their approach.
Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids wherewith in fight ye speed the war-cry to the spoil.
2 Ample, unfailing, they have mounted as it were an eloquent car that ye may think of us and give.
Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids wherewith ye help our thoughts to further holy acts.
3 Ye by the might which heavenly nectar giveth you are in supreme dominion Lords of all these folk.
Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids wherewith ye, Heroes, made the barren cow give milk.
4 The aids wherewith the Wanderer through his offspring's might, or the Two-Mothered Son shows swiftest mid the swift;
Wherewith the sapient one acquired his triple lore,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
5 Wherewith ye raised from waters, prisoned and fast bound, Rebha, and Vandana to look upon the light;
Wherewith ye succoured Kaṇva as he strove to win,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
6 Wherewith ye rescued Antaka when languishing deep in the pit, and Bhujyu with unfailing help.
And comforted Karkandhu, Vayya, in their woe,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
7 Wherewith ye gave Śucanti wealth and happy home, and made the fiery pit friendly for Atri's sake;
Wherewith ye guarded Purukutsa, Pṛśnigu,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvin;, with those aids.
8 Mighty Ones, with what powers ye gave Parāvṛj aid what time ye made the blind and lame to see and walk;
Wherewith ye set at liberty the swallowed quail,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
9 Wherewith ye quickened the most sweet exhaustless flood, and comforted Vasiṣṭha, ye who ne’er decay;
And to Śrutarya, Kutsa, Narya gave your help,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
10 Wherewith ye helped, in battle of a thousand spoils, Viśpalā seeking booty, powerless to move.
Wherewith ye guarded friendly Vaśa, Aśva's son,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
11 Whereby the cloud, ye Bounteous Givers, shed sweet rain for Dīrghaśravas, for the merchant Auśija,
Wherewith ye helped Kakṣīvān, singer of your praise,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
12 Wherewith ye made Rasā swell full with water-floods, and urged to victory the car without a horse;
Wherewith Triśoka drove forth his recovered cows,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
13 Wherewith ye, compass round the Sun when far away, strengthened Mandhātar in his tasks as lord of lands,
And to sage Bharadvāja gave protecting help,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
14 Wherewith, when Śambara was slain, ye guarded well great Atithigva, Divodāsa, Kaśoju,
And Trasadasyu when the forts were shattered down,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
15 Wherewith ye honoured the great drinker Vamra, and Upastuta and Kali when he gained his wife,
And lent to Vyaśva and to Pṛthi favouring help,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
16 Wherewith, O Heroes, ye vouchsafed deliverance to Śayu, Atri, and to Manu long ago;
Wherewith ye shot your shafts in Syūmaraśmi's cause.—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
17 Wherewith Paṭharvā, in his majesty of form, shone in his course like to a gathered kindled fire;
Wherewith ye helped Śāryāta in the mighty fray,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
18 Wherewith, Aṅgirases! ye triumphed in your heart, and onward went to liberate the flood of milk;
Wherewith ye helped the hero Manu with new strength,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
19 Wherewith ye brought a wife for Vimada to wed, wherewith ye freely gave the ruddy cows away;
Wherewith ye brought the host of kind Gods to Sudās—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
20 Wherewith ye bring great bliss to him who offers gifts, wherewith ye have protected Bhujyu, Adhrigu,
And good and gracious Subharā and Ṛtastup,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
21 Wherewith ye served Kṛśānu where the shafts were shot, and helped the young man's horse to swiftness in the race;
Wherewith ye bring delicious honey to the bees,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
22 Wherewith ye speed the hero as he fights for kine in hero battle, in the strife for land and sons,
Wherewith ye safely guard his horses and his car,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins with those aids.
23 Wherewith ye, Lords of Hundred Powers, helped Kutsa, son of Ārjuni, gave Turvīti and Dabhīti strength,
Favoured Dhvasanti and lent Puruṣanti help,—Come hither unto us, O Aśvins, with those aids.
24 Make ye our speech effectual, O ye Aśvins, and this our hymn, ye mighty Wonder-Workers.
In luckless game I call on you for succour: strengthen us also on the field of battle.
25 With, undiminished blessings, O ye Aśvins, for evermore both night and day protect us.
This prayer of ours may Varuṇa grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
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