Sama Veda on Gratitude

1. O Agni, God, the people sing reverent praise to thee for strength: With terrors trouble thou the foe 2. I seek with song your messenger, oblation-bearer, lord of wealth, Immortal, best at sacrifice. 3. Still turning to their aim in thee the sacrificer's sister hymns Have come to thee before the wind. 4. To thee, illuminer of night, O Agni, day by day with prayer, Bringing thee reverence, we come. 5. Help, thou who knowest lauds, this work, a lovely hymn in Rudra's praise, Adorable in every house! 6. To this fair sacrifice to drink the milky draught art thou called forth: O Agni, with the Maruts come! 7. With homage will I reverence thee, Agni, like a long-tailed steed, Imperial lord of holy rites. 8. As Aurva and as Bhrigu called, as Apnavana called, I call The radiant Agni robed with sea. 9. When he enkindles Agni, man should with his heart attend the song: I kindle Agni till he glows. 10. Then, verily, they see the light refulgent of primeval seed, Kindled on yonder side of heaven.

1. Sing to your Agni with each song, at every sacrifice for strength. Come, let us praise the wise and, everlasting God even as a well-beloved friend, 2. Agni, protect thou us by one, protect us by the second song, Protect us by three hymns, O Lord of power and might, bright God, by four hymns guard us 3. O Agni, with thy lofty beams, with thy pure brilliancy, O God, Kindled, most youthful one! by Bharadvaja's hand, shine on us richly, holy Lord! 4. O Agni who art worshipped well, dear let our princes be to thee, Our wealthy patrons who are governors of men, who part, as gifts, the stall of kine! 5. Agni, praise-singer! Lord of men, God! burning up the Rakshasas, Mighty art thou, the ever-present, household-lord! home-friend and guardian from the sky. 6. Immortal Jatavedas, thou bright-hued refulgent gift of Dawn, Agni, this day to him who pays oblations bring the Gods who waken with the morn! 7. Wonderful, with thy favouring help, send us thy bounties, gracious Lord. Thou art the charioteer, Agni, of earthly wealth: find rest and safety for our seed! 8. Famed art thou, Agni, far and wide, preserver, righteous, and a Sage. The holy singers, O enkindled radiant one, ordainers, call on thee to come. 9. O holy Agni, give us wealth famed among men and strengthening life! Bestow on us, O helper, that which many crave, more glorious still through righteousness! 10. To him, who dealeth out all wealth, the sweet-toned Hotar-priest of men, To him like the first vessels filled with savoury juice, to Agni let the lauds go forth.

1. The God who giveth wealth accept your full libation poured to, him! Pour ye it out, then fill the vessel full again, for so the God regardeth you. 2. Let Brahmanaspati come forth, let Sunrita the Goddess come, And Gods bring to our rite which yields a fivefold gift the hero, lover of mankind! 3. Stand up erect to lend us aid, stand up like Savitar the God, Erect as strength-bestower when we call on thee with priests who balm our offerings! 4. The man who bringeth gifts to thee, bright God who fain wouldst lead to wealth, Winneth himself a brave son, Agni! skilled in lauds, one prospering in a thousand ways. 5. With hymns and holy eulogies we supplicate your Agni, Lord Of many families who duly serve the Gods, yea, him whom others too inflame. 6. This Agni is the Lord of great prosperity and hero, strength, Of wealth with noble offspring and with store of kine, the Lord of battles with the foe. 7. Thou, Agni, art the homestead's Lord, our Hotar-priest at sacrifice. Lord of all boons, thou art the Potar, passing wise. Pay worship, and enjoy the good! 8. We as thy friends have chosen thee, mortals a God, to be our help. The Waters' Child, the blessed, the most mighty one, swift conqueror, and without a peer.

1. Bring us most mighty splendour thou, Agni, resistless on thy way: Prepare for us the path that leads to glorious opulence and strength! 2. May the brave man, if full of zeal he serve and kindle Agni's flame, Duly presenting sacred gifts, enjoy the Gods' protecting help. 3. Thy bright smoke lifts itself aloft, and far-extended shines in heaven, For, Purifier! like the Sun thou beamest with thy radiant glow. 4. Thou, Agni, even as Mitra, hast a princely glory of thine own. Bright, active God, thou makest fame increase like means of nourishment. 5. At dawn let Agni, much-beloved, guest of the house, be glorified, In whom, the everlasting one, all mortals make their offerings blaze. 6. Most moving song be Agni's: shine on high, O rich in radiant light! Like the chief consort of a King riches and strength proceed from thee. 7. Exerting all our strength with thoughts of power we glorify in speech Agni your dear familiar friend, the darling guest in every house. 8. His beam hath lofty power of life: sing praise to Agni, to the God Whom men have set in foremost place, like Mitra for their eulogy! 9. To noblest Agni, friend of man, chief Vritra-slayer, have we come- Who with Srutarvan, Riksha's son, in lofty presence is inflamed. 10. Born as the loftiest Law commands, comrade of those who grew with him. Agni, the sire of Kasyapa by faith, the mother, Manu, Sage.

1. Sing forth to him the holy, most munificent, sublime with his refulgent glow, To Agni, ye Upastutas 2. Agni, he conquers by thine aid that brings him store of valiant sons and does great deeds, Whose bond of friendship is thy choice 3. Sing praise to him the Lord of light! The Gods have made the God to be their messenger, To bear oblation to the Gods. 4. Anger not him who is our guest! He is the bright God Agni, praised by many a man, God Hotar, skilled in sacrifice. 5. May Agni, worshipped, bring us bliss: may the gift, blessed one! and sacrifice bring bliss. Yea, may our eulogies bring bliss. 6. Thee have we chosen skilfullest in sacrifice, immortal Priest among the Gods, Wise finisher of this holy rite. 7. Bring us that splendour, Agni, which may overcome each greedy fiend in our abode, And the malicious wrath of men! 8. Soon as the eager Lord of men is friendly unto Manu's race Agni averteth from us all the Rakshasas!

1. So, Lord of affluent gifts, this juice hath been expressed for thee with strength: Drink of it, thou who lovest song! 2. Great is our Indra from of old; greatness be his, the Thunderer Wide as the heaven extends his might. 3. Indra, as one with mighty arm, gather for us with thy right hand Manifold and nutritious spoil! 4. Praise, even as he is known, with song Indra the guardian of the kine, The Son of Truth, Lord of the brave. 5. With what help will he come to us, wonderful, ever-waxing friend? With what most mighty company? 6. Thou speedest down to succour us this ever-conquering God of yours Him who is drawn to all our songs. 7. To the assembly's wondrous Lord, the lovely friend of Indra, I Had prayed for wisdom and successs. 8. May all thy paths beneath the sky whereby thou speddest Vyasva on, Yea, let all spaces hear our voice 9. Bring to us all things excellent, O Satakratu, food and strength, For, Indra, thou art kind to us! 10. Here is the Soma ready pressed: of this the Maruts, yea, of this, Self-luminous the Asvins drink.

1. Let Soma juices make thee glad! Display thy bounty, Thunderer: Drive off the enemies of prayer! 2. Drink our libation, Lord of hymns! with streams of meath thou art bedewed: Yea, Indra, glory is thy gift. 3. Indra hath ever thought of you and tended you with care. The God, Heroic Indra, is not checked. 4. Let the drops pass within thee as the rivers flow into the sea O Indra, naught excelleth thee! 5. Indra, the singers with high praise, Indra reciters with their lauds, Indra the choirs have glorified. 6. May Indra give, to aid us wealth handy that rules the skilful ones! Yea, may the Strong give potent wealth 7. Verily Indra, conquering all, drives even mighty fear away, For firm is he and swift to act. 8. These songs with every draught we pour come, lover of the song, to thee As milch-kine hasten to their calves. 9. Indra and Wishan will we call for friendship and prosperity, And for the winning of the spoil. 10. O Indra, Vritra-slayer, naught is better, mightier than thou Verily there is none like thee!

1. Pass by the wrathful offerer; speed the man who pours libation, drink The juice which he presents to thee! 2. What is the word addressed to him, God great and excellently wise? For this is what exalteth him. 3, His wealth who hath no store of kine hath ne'er found out recited laud, Nor song of praises that is sung. 4. Lord of each thing that giveth strength, Indra delighteth most in lauds, Borne by bay steeds, libations' friend. 5. With wealth to our libation come, be not thou angry with us, like A great man with a youthful bride. 6. When, Vasu, wilt thou love the laud? Now let the Channel bring the stream. The juice is ready to ferment. 7. After the Seasons. Indra, drink the Soma from the Brahman's gift: Thy friendship is invincible! S. O Indra, lover of the song, we are the singers of thy praise O Soma-drinker, quicken us! 9. O Indra, in each fight and fray give to our bodies manly strength: Strong Lord, grant ever-conquering might! 10. For so thou art the brave man's friend; a hero, too, art thou, and strong: So may thine heart be won to us!

1. Like kine unmilked we call aloud, hero, to thee, and sing thy praise, Looker on heavenly light, Lord of this moving world, Lord, Indra, of what moveth not! 2. That we may win us wealth and power we poets, verily, call on thee: In war men call on thee, Indra, the hero's Lord, in the steed's race-course call on thee: 3. To you will I sing Indra's praise who gives good gifts as well we know; The praise of Maghavan who, rich in treasure, aids his singers with wealth thousandfold. 4. As cows low to their calves in stalls, so with our songs we glorify This Indra, even your wondrous God who checks attack, who takes delight in precious juice. 5. Loud singing at the sacred rite where Soma flows we priests invoke With haste, that he may help, as the bard's cherisher, Indra who findeth wealth for you 6. With Plenty for his true ally the active man will gain the spoil. Your Indra, much-invoked, I bend with song, as bends a wright his wheel of solid wood. 7. Drink, Indra, of the savoury juice, and cheer thee with our milky draught! Be, for our weal, our friend and sharer of the feast, and let thy wisdom guard us well! 8. For thou--come to the worshipper!--wilt find great wealth to make us rich. Fill thyself full, O Maghavan, for gain of kine, full, Indra, for the gain of steeds! 9. Vasishtha will not overlook the lowliest one among you all Beside our Soma juice effused to-day let all the Maruts drink with eager haste! 10. Glorify naught besides, O friends; so shall no sorrow trouble you! Praise only mighty Indra when the juice is shed, and say your lauds repeatedly!

1. Call to your aid the eternal one who shoots and none may shoot at him, Inciter, swift, victorious, best of charioteers, unconquered, Tugriya's strengthener! 2. Let none, no, not thy worshippers, delay thee far away from us Even from faraway come thou unto our feast, or listen if' already here! 3. For Indra Soma-drinker, armed with thunder, press the Soma juice; Make ready your dressed meats: cause him to favour us! The giver blesses him who gives. 4. We call upon that Indra who, most active, ever slays the foe With boundless spirit, Lord of heroes, manliest one, help thou and prosper us in fight! 5. Ye rich in strength, through your great power vouchsafe us blessings day and night! The offerings which we bring to you shall never fail gifts brought by us shall never fail. 6. Whenever mortal worshipper will sing a bounteous giver's praise, Let him with song inspired laud Varuna who supports the folk who follow varied rites. 7. Drink milk to Indra in the joy of Soma juice, Medhyatithi! To golden Indra ever close to his bay steeds, the thunder-armed, the golden one! 8. Both boons,-may Indra, hitherward turned listen to this prayer of ours, And mightiest Maghavar, with thought inclined to us come near to drink the Soma juice! 9. Not for an ample price dost thou, Stone-caster! give thyself away, Not for a thousand, Thunderer! nor ten thousand, nor a hundred, Lord of countless wealth! 10. O Indra, thou art more to me than sire or niggard brother is. Thou and my mother, O good Lord, appear alike, to give me wealth abundantly.

1. The singers hymn thee, they who chant the psalm of praise are lauding thee. The Brahmans have exalted thee, O Satakratu, like a pole. 2. All sacred-songs have magnified Indra expansive as the sea, Best of all warriors borne on cars, the Lord of heroes, Lord of strength. 3. This poured libation, Indra, drink, immortal, gladdening, excellent: Streams of the bright have flowed to thee here at the seat of holy Law. 4. Stone-darting Indra, wondrous God, what wealth thou hast not given me here, That bounty, treasure-finder! bring, filling full both thy hands, to us! 5. O Indra, hear Tiraschi's call, the call of him who serveth thee! Satisfy him with wealth of kine and valiant offspring! Great art thou. 6. This Soma hath been pressed for thee, O Indra: bold one, mightiest, come! May Indra-vigour fill thee full, as Surya fills mid-air with rays 7. Come hither, Indra, with thy bays, come thou to Kanva's eulogy! Ye by command of yonder Dyaus, God bright by day! have gone to heaven. 8. Song-lover! like a charioteer come songs to thee when Soma flows. Together, they have called to thee as mother-kine unto their calves. 9. Come now and let us glorify pure Indra with pure Sama hymn! Let milk-blent juice delight him made stronger with pure, pure songs of praise! 10. That which, most wealthy, makes you rich, in splendours most illustrious, Soma is pressed: thy gladdening drink, Indra libation's Lord! is this.

1. Offer the triple sacred draught to Indu hero-worshipper! With hymn and plenty he invites you to complete the sacrifice. 2. Those whom they call the attendant pair of Kasyapa who knows the light, Lords of each holy duty when the wise have honoured sacrifice. 3. Sing, sing ye forth your songs of praise, men, Priya-medhas, sing your songs: Yea, let young children sing their lauds: yea, glorify our firm stronghold! 4. To Indra must a laud be said, a joy to him who freely gives, That Sakra may be joyful in our friendship and the juice we pour. 5. Your Lord of might that ne'er hath bent, that ruleth over all mankind, I call, that he, as he is wont, may aid the chariots and the men. 6. Even he who is thine own, through thought of Heaven, of mortal man who toils, He with the help of lofty Dyaus comes safe through straits of enmity. 7. Wide, Indra Satakratu, spreads the bounty of thine ample grace: So, good and liberal giver, known to all men, send us splendid wealth! 8. Bright Ushas, when thy times return, all quadrupeds and bipeds stir, And round about flock winged birds from all the boundaries of heaven. 9. Ye Gods who yonder have your home amid the luminous realm of heaven, What count ye right? what endless life? What is the ancient call on you? 10. We offer laud and psalm wherewith men celebrate their holy rites. They govern at the sacred place and bear the sacrifice to Gods.

I. When Somas flow thou makest pure, Indra, thy mind that merits laud For gain of strength that ever grows: for great is he. 2. Sing forth to him whom many men invoke, to him whom many laud: Invite the potent Indra with your songs of praise 3. We sing this strong and wild delight of thine which conquer; in the fray, Which, Caster of the Stone! gives room and shines like gold, 4. Whether thou drink the Soma by Vishnu's or Trita Aptya's side, Or with the Maruts, Indra! quaff the following drops. 5. Come, priest, and of the savoury juice pour forth a yet more gladdening draught: So is the hero praised who ever prospers us. 6. Pour out the drops for Indra; let him drink the meath of Soma juice! He through his majesty sends forth his bounteous gifts. 7. Come, sing we praise to Indra, friends! the hero who deserves the laud, Him who with none to aid o'ercomes all tribes of men. 8. Sing ye a psalm to Indra, sing a great song to the lofty Sage, To him who maketh prayer, inspired who loveth laud! 9. He who alone bestoweth wealth on mortal man who offereth gifts Is Indra only, potent Lord whom none resist. 10. Companions, let us learn a prayer to Indra, to the Thunderer, To glorify your bold and most heroic friend!

1. O Agni, God, we kindle thee, refulgent, wasting not away, That this more glorious fuel may send forth for thee its shine to heaven. Bring food to those who sing thy praise! 2. With offerings of our own we choose thee, Agni, as our Hotar priest, Piercing and brightly shining-at your glad carouse-served with trimmed grass at sacrifice. Thou waxest great. 3. O heavenly Dawn, awaken us to ample opulence to-day, Even as thou didst waken us with Satyasravas, Vayya's son, high born! delightful with thy steeds! 4. Send us a mind that brings delight, send energy and mental power. Then-at your glad carouse-let men joy in thy love, sweet juice! as kine in pasturage. Thou waxest great, 5. Great, as his nature is, through power, terrible, he hath waxed in strength, Lord of bay steeds, strong-jawed, sublime, he in joined hands for glory's sake hath grasped his iron thunderbolt. 6. He, Indra, verily will mount the powerful car that finds the kine, Who thinks upon the well-filled bowl, the tawny coursers' harnesser. Now, Indra, yoke thy two bay steeds! 7. I think of Agni who is kind, whom, as their home, the milch-kine seek: Whom fleet-foot coursers seek as home, and strong enduring steeds as home. Bring food to those who sing thy praise! 8. No peril, no severe distress, ye Gods, affects the mortal man Whom Aryaman and Mitra lead, and Varuna, of one accord, beyond his foes.

I praise this God, parent of heaven and earth, exceeding wise, possessed of real energy, giver of treasure, thinker dear to all, Whose splendour is sublime, whose light shone brilliant in, creation, who, wise and golden- handed, in his beauty mader the sky. 9. Agni I deem our Hotar-priest, munificent wealth-giver, Son of Strength, who, knoweth all that is, even as the Sage who, knoweth all. Lord of fair rites, a God with form erected turning to the Gods, he, when the flame hath sprung forth from the holy oil, the offered fatness, longs for it as it glows bright. 10. This, Indra! dancer! was thy hero deed, thy first and ancient work, worthy to be told forth in heaven, Even thine who furtheredst life with a God's own power, freeing the floods. All that is godless may he conquer with his might, and, Lord of Hundred Powers, find for us strength and food!