Philosophy and Religion / Rig Veda

Rig Veda

Book 2, Hymn XXIII. Brahmaṇaspati

1. WE call thee, Lord and Leader of the heavenly hosts, the wise among the wise, the famousest of all,
The King supreme of prayers, O Brahmaṇaspati: hear us with help; sit down in place of sacrifice.

2 Bṛhaspati, God immortal! verily the Gods have gained from thee, the wise, a share in holy rites.
As with great light the Sun brings forth the rays of morn, so thou alone art Father of all sacred prayer.

3 When thou hast chased away revilers and the gloom, thou mountest the refulgent car of sacrifice;
The awful car, Bṛhaspati, that quells the foe, slays demons, cleaves the stall of kine, and finds the light.

4 Thou leadest with good guidance and preservest men; distress o’ertakes not him who offers gifts to thee.
Him who hates prayer thou punishest, Bṛhaspati, quelling his wrath: herein is thy great mightiness.

5 No sorrow, no distress from any side, no foes, no creatures double-tongued have overcome the man,—
Thou drivest all seductive fiends away from him whom, careful guard, thou keepest Brahmaṇaspati.

6 Thou art our keeper, wise, preparer of our paths: we, for thy service, sing to thee with hymns of praise.
Bṛhaspati, whoever lays a snare for us, him may his evil fate, precipitate, destroy.

7 Him, too, who threatens us without offence of ours, the evilminded, arrogant, rapacious man,—
Him turn thou from our path away, Bṛhaspati: give us fair access to this banquet of the Gods.

8 Thee as protector of our bodies we invoke, thee, saviour, as the comforter who loveth us.
Strike, O Bṛhaspati, the Gods’ revilers down, and let not the unrighteous come to highest bliss.

9 Through thee, kind prosperer, O Brahmaṇaspati, may we obtain the wealth of Men which all desire:
And all our enemies, who near or far away prevail against us, crush, and leave them destitute.

10 With thee as our own rich and liberal ally may we, Bṛhaspati, gain highest power of life.
Let not the guileful wicked man be lord of us:—still may we prosper, singing goodly hymns of praise.

11 Strong, never yielding, hastening to the battle-cry, consumer of the foe, victorious in the strife,
Thou art sin's true avenger, Brahmaṇaspati, who tamest e’en the fierce, the wildly passionate.

12 Whoso with mind ungodly seeks to do us harm, who, deeming him a man of might mid lords, would slay,—
Let not his deadly blow reach us, Bṛhaspati; may we humiliate the strong ill-doer's wrath.

13 The mover mid the spoil, the winner of all wealth, to be invoked in fight and reverently adored,
Bṛhaspati hath overthrown like cars of war all wicked enemies who fain would injure us.

14 Burn up the demons with thy fiercest flaming brand, those who have scorned thee in thy manifested might.
Show forth that power that shall deserve the hymn of praise: destroy the evil speakers, O Bṛhaspati.

15 Bṛhaspati, that which the foe deserves not which shines among the folk effectual, splendid,
That, Son of Law I which is with might refulgent-that treasure wonderful bestow thou on us.

16 Give us not up to those who, foes in ambuscade, are greedy for the wealth of him who sits at ease,
Who cherish in their heart abandonment of Gods. Bṛhaspati, no further rest shall they obtain.

17 For Tvaṣṭar, he who knows each sacred song, brought thee to life, preeminent o’er all the things that be.
Guilt-scourger, guilt-avenger is Bṛhaspati, who slays the spoiler and upholds the mighty Law.

18 The mountain, for thy glory, cleft itself apart when, Aṅgiras! thou openedst the stall of kine.
Thou, O Bṛhaspati, with Indra for ally didst hurl down water-floods which gloom had compassed round.

19 O Brahmaṇaspati, be thou controller of this our hymn and prosper thou our children.
All that the Gods regard with love is blessed. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.

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