Rig Veda

Book 8, Hymn LXII. Aśvins

1. ROUSE ye for him who keeps the Law, yoke your steeds, Aśvins, to your car
Let your protecting help be near.

2 Come, Aśvins, with your car more swift than is the twinkling of an eye
Let your protecting help be near.

3 Aśvins, ye overlaid with cold the fiery pit for Atri's sake:
Let your protecting help be near.

4 Where are ye? whither are ye gone? whither, like falcons, have ye flown?
Let your protecting help be near.

5 If ye at any time this day are listening to this my call,
Let your protecting help be near.

6 The Aśvins, first to hear our prayer, for closest kinship I approach:
Let your protecting help be near.

7 For Atri ye, O Aśvins, made a dwelling-place to shield him well,
Let your protecting help be near.

8 Ye warded off the fervent heat for Atri when he sweetly spake:
Let your protecting help be near.

9 Erst Saptavadhri by his prayer obtained the trenchant edge of fire:
Let your protecting help be near.

10 Come hither, O ye Lords of wealth, and listen to this call of mine:
Let your protecting help be near.

11 What is this praise told forth of you as Elders in the ancient way?
Let your protecting help be near.

12 One common brotherhood is yours, Aśvins your kindred is the same:
Let your protecting help be near.

13 This is your chariot, Aśvins, which speeds through the regions, earth and heaven
Let your protecting aid be near.

14 Approach ye hitherward to us with thousands both of steeds and kine:
Let your protecting help be near.

15 Pass us not by, remember us with thousands both of kine and steeds:
Let your protecting help be near.

16 The purple-tinted Dawn hath risen, and true to Law hath made the light
Let your protecting help be near.

17 He looked upon the Aśvins, as an axe-armed man upon a tree:
Let your protecting help be near.

18 By the black band encompassed round, break it down, bold one, like a fort.
Let your protecting help be near.