Rig Veda

Book 8, Hymn XVIII. Ādityas

1. Now let the mortal offer prayer to win the unexampled grace
Of these Ādityas and their aid to cherish life.

2 For not an enemy molests the paths which these Ādityas tread:
Infallible guards, they strengthen us in happiness.

3 Now soon may Bhaga, Savitar, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman
Give us the shelter widely spread which we implore.

4 With Gods come thou whose fostering care none checks, O Goddesss Aditi:
Come, dear to many, with the Lords who guard us well.

5 For well these Sons of Aditi know to keep enmities aloof,
Unrivalled, giving ample room, they save from woe.

6 Aditi guard our herd by day, Aditi, free from guile, by night,
Aditi, ever strengthening, save us from grief!

7 And in the day our hymn is this: May Aditi come nigh to help,
With loving-kindness bring us weal and chase our foes.

8 And may the Aśvins, the divine Pair of Physicians, send us health:
May they remove iniquity and chase our foes.

9 May Agni bless us with his fires, and Sūrya warm us pleasantly:
May the pure Wind breathe sweet on us, and chase our foes.

10 Drive ye disease and strife away, drive ye away malignity:
Ādityas, keep us ever far from sore distress.

11 Remove from us the arrow, keep famine, Ādityas! far away:
Keep enmities afar from us, Lords of all wealth!

12 Now, O Ādityas, grant to us the shelter that lets man go free,
Yea, even the sinner from his sin, ye Bounteous Gods!

13 Whatever mortal with the powe r of demons fain would injure us,
May he, impetuous, suffer harm by his own deeds.

14 May sin o’ertake our human foe, the man who speaketh evil thing,
Him who would cause our misery, whose heart is false.

15 Gods, ye are with the simple ones, ye know each mortal in your hearts;
Ye, Vasus, well discriminate the false and true.

16 Fain would we have the sheltering aid of mountains and of water-floods:
Keep far from us iniquity, O Heaven and Earth.

17 So with auspicious sheltering aid do ye, O Vasus, carry us
Beyond all trouble and distress, borne in your ship.

18 Ādityas, ye Most Mighty Ones, grant to our children and their seed
Extended term of life that they may live long days.

19 Sacrifice, O Ādityas, is your inward monitor: be kind,
For in the bond of kindred we are bound to you.

20 The Maruts’ high protecting aid, the Aśvins, and the God who saves,
Mitra and Varuṇa for weal we supplicate.

21 Grant us a home with triple guard, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuṇa!
Unthreatened, Maruts! meet for praise, and filled with men.

22 And as we human beings, O Ādityas, are akin to death,
Graciously lengthen ye our lives that we may live.