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!SV 3.1.4 · Sama Veda · 3
Sama Veda on Self-Control
11 passages in the Sama Veda address self-control, in the Ralph T.H. Griffith translation.
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1. He who as sovran Lord of men moves with his chariots unrestrained, The Vritra-slayer, vanquisher of fighting hosts, pre-eminent, is praised in song. 2. Indra, give us security from that whereof we are afraid Help us, O Maghavan, let thy favour aid us thus; drive away foes and enemies! 3. Strong pillar thou, Lord of the home! armour of Soma-offerers! The drop of Soma breaketh all the strongholds down, and Indra is the Rishis' friend. 4. Verily, Surya, thou art great; truly, Aditya, thou art great! O most admired for greatness of thy majesty, God, by thy greatness thou art great! 5. Indra! thy friend, when fair of form and rich in chariots, steeds, and kine, Hath ever vital power that gives him strength, and joins the company with radiant men. 6. O Indra, if a hundred heavens and if a hundred earths were thine,-- No, not a hundred suns could match thee at thy birth, not both the worlds, O Thunderer! 7. Though, Indra, thou art called by men eastward and west ward, north and south, Thou chiefly art with Anava and Turvasa, brave champion urged by men to come. 8. Indra whose wealth is in thyself, what mortal will attack this man? The strong will win the spoil on the decisive day through faith in thee, O Maghavan! 9. First, Indra! Agni! hath this Maid come footless unto those with feet. Stretching her head and speaking loudly with her tongue, she hath gone downward thirty steps. 10. Come, Indra, very near to us with aids of firmly-based resolve Come, most auspicious, with thy most auspicious help; good kinsman, with good kinsmen come!SV 3.2.4 · Sama Veda · 3
1. Bring forth oblations to the God who knoweth all who fain would drink, The wanderer, lagging not behind the hero, coming nigh with speed! 2. To us the mighty, lying in all vital power, who resteth in the deep, who standeth in the east. Drive thou the awful word away. 3. Even as a car to give us aid, we draw thee nigh to favour us, Strong in thy deeds, quelling attack, Indra, Lord, mightiest! of the brave. 4. With powers of mighty ones hath he, the friend, the ancient, been equipped, Through whom our father Manu made prayers efficacious with the Gods. 5. What time the swift and shining steeds, yoked to the chariots, draw them on, Drinking the sweet delightful juice, there men perform their glorious acts. 6. Him for your sake I glorify as Lord of Strength who wrongeth none, Indra the hero, mightiest, all-conquering and omniscient. 7. I with my praise have glorified strong Dadhikravan, conquering steed Sweet may he make our mouths: may he prolong the days we have to live! 8. Render of forts, the young, the wise, of strength unmeasured, was he born, Sustainer of each sacred rite, Indra, the Thunderer, much-extolled.SV 4.2.2 · Sama Veda · 4
1. The juice of Soma thus diffused, sweet to the taste the bright cows drink, Who travelling in splendour close to mighty Indra's side rejoice, good in their own supremacy. 2. Thus hath the Soma, gladdening draught, produced the prayer that giveth joy: Thou, mightiest, Thunder-armed, hast driven by force the Dragon from the earth, lauding thine own supremacy. 3. By men hath Indra been advanced, the Vritra-slayer, to joy and strength. Him only we invoke for help in battles whether great or small: be he our aid in deeds of might! 4. Unconquered strength is only thine, Indra, Stonecaster, Thunder-armed! When thou with thy surpassing power smotest to death that guileful beast, lauding thine own supremacy. 5. Go forward, meet the foe, be bold; thy bolt of thunder is not checked! Manliness, Indra, is thy strength. Slay Vritra, make the waters thine, lauding thine own supremacy! 6. When war and battles are on foot, booty is offered to the bold. Yoke thou thy wildly-rushing bays. Whom wilt thou slay, and whom enrich? Do thou, O Indra, make us rich! 7. Wcll have they eaten and rejoiced; the friends have risen and passed away: The sages luminous in themselves have praised thee with their latest hymn. Now, Indra, yoke thy two bay steeds! 8. Graciously listen to our songs. Maghavan, be not negligent! When wilt thou make us glorious? Make this, only this thine end and aim. Now, Indra! yoke thy two bay steeds. 9. Within the waters runs the Moon, he with the beauteous wings in heaven. Ye lightnings with your golden wheels, men find not your abiding-place. Mark this my woe, ye Earth and Sky! 10. To meet your treasure-bringing car, the mighty car most dear to us. Asvins, the Rishi is prepared, your worshipper, with songs of praise. Lovers of sweetness, hear my call!SV 5.1.3 · Sama Veda · 5
1. Flow forth, O Soma, flow thou onward, sweet to Indra's Mitra's, Pushan's, Bhaga's taste. 2. Run forth to battle, conquering the Vritras; thou speedest to quell the foes like one exacting debts. 3. Flow onward, Soma, as a mighty sea, as Father of the Gods, to every form. 4. Flow onward, Soma, flow for mighty strength, as a strong courser, bathed, to win the prize. 5. Fair Indu hath flowed on for rapturous joy, sage, for good fortune, in the waters' lap. 6. In thee, effused. O Soma, we rejoice ourselves for great supremacy in fight: Thou, Pavamana, enterest into mighty deeds. 7. Who are these radiant men in serried rank, Rudra's young heroes, too, with noble steeds? 8. Agni, with hymns may we now accomplish that which thou lovest, Strength, like a horse, auspicious strength with service. 9. The strong youths have come forth to view, to show their strength, God Savitar's quickening energy: Ye warrior horsemen, win the heavens. 10. Soma, flow splendid with thy copious stream in due succession through the ample fleece. DECADE I. Indra 1. Giver from all sides, bring to us from every side, thou whom as strongest we entreat! 2. This Brahman, comer at due time, named Indra, is renowned and praised. 3. The Brahmans with their hymns exalting Indra increased his strength that he might slaughter 4. Anavas wrought a chariot for thy courser, and Tvashtar, much-invoked! the bolt that gitters: 5. Rest, wealth to him who longs for wealth! the riteless stirs not his love nor wins his way to riches. 6. The cows are ever pure and all-supporting, the Gods are ever free from stain and blemish. 7. With all thy beauty come! The kine approaching with full udders follow on thy path. 8. May we, inhabiting a meath-rich dwelling, increase our wealth, and think of thee, O Indra! 9. The Maruts with fair hymns chant out their praise-song: this Indra, famed and youthful, shouts accordant. 10. Sing to your Indra, mightiest Vritra-slayer, sing to the Sage the song that he accepteth!SV 5.2.5 · Sama Veda · 5
1. The tawny Bull hath bellowed, fair as mighty Mitra to behold: he gleams and flashes with the 2. We choose to-day that chariot-steed of thine, the strong, that brings us bliss, the guardian, the desire of all. 3. Adhvaryu, to the filter lead the Soma juice expressed with stones: make thou it pure for Indra's drink. 4. Swift runs this giver of delight, even the stream of flowingjuice: Swift runs this giver of delight. 5. Pour hitherward, O Soma, wealth in thousands and heroic strength, and keep renown secure for us! -6. The ancient living ones have come unto a newer resting-place. They made the Sun that he might shine. 7. Soma, flow on exceeding bright with loud roar to the reservoirs, resting in wooden vats, thy 8. O Soma, thou, art strong and bright, potent, O God, with potent sway: thou, mighty one, ordainest laws. 9. For food, flow onward with thy stream, cleansed and made bright by sapient men: Indu. with sheen approach the milk! 10. Soma, flow on with pleasant stream, strong and devoted to the Gods, our friend, unto the woollen sieve. 11. By this solemnity, Soma, thou, though great, hast been increased: in joy thou, verily actest like a bull! 12. Most active and benevolent, this Pavamana sent to us for lofty friendship meditates. 13. Indu, to us for this great rite, bearing as 'twere thy wave to Gods, unwearied, thou art flowing 14. Chasing our foemen, driving off the godless, Soma floweth on, going to Indra's settled place.SV 6.1.2 · Sama Veda · 6
1. Run onward to the reservoir and seat thee: cleansed by the men speed forward to the battle! Making thee glossy like an able courser, forth to the sacred grass with reins they lead thee. 2. The God declares the deities' generations, like Uaana, proclaiming lofty wisdom. With brilliant kin, far-ruling, sanctifying, the wild boar, singing with his foot, advances. 3. Three are the voices that the car-steed utters: he speaks the lore of prayer, the thought of Order. To the cows' master come the cows inquiring: the hymns with eager longing come to Soma. 4. Made pure by this man's urgent zeal and impulse, the God hath with his juice the Gods pervaded. Pressed, singing, to the sieve he goes, as passes the Hotar to enclosures holding cattle. 5. Father of holy hymns Soma flows onward, the father of the earth, father of heaven; Father of Agni, Surya's generator, the father who begat Indra and Vishnu 6. To him, praiseworthy, sacred tones have sounded, Steer of the triple height, the life-bestower. Dwelling in wood, like Varuna, a river, lavishing treasure, he distributes blessings. 7. Guard of all being, generating creatures, loud roared the sea as highest law commanded. Strong, in the filter, on the fleecy summit, pressed from the stone, Soma hath waxen mighty. 8. Loud neighs the tawny steed when started, settling deep in the wooden vessel while they cleanse him. Led by the men he makes the milk his raiment; then shall he, of himself, engender worship. 9. This thine own Soma, rich in meath, O Indra, the Strong, hath flowed into the Strong One's filter. The swift steed, bounteous, giving hundreds, thousands, hath reached the sacred grass which never fails him. 10. Flow onward, Soma, rich in meath, and holy, enrobed in waters, on the fleecy summit! Settle in vessels that are full of fatness, as cheering and most gladdening drink for Indra!SV 6.1.4 · Sama Veda · 6
The sisters ten upon the fleecy summit adorn the car-horse in the resting-places. 12. Hastening onward like the waves of waters our holy hymns are coming forth to Soma. To him they go with lowly adoration, and, longing, enter him who longs to meet them.SV 6.2.5b · Sama Veda · 6
1. For first possession of your juice. for the exhilarating drink, Drive ye away the dog, my friends, drive ye the long-tongued dog away! 2. As Pushan. Fortune, Bhaga, comes this Soma while they make him pure. He, Lord of all the multitude, hath looked upon the earth and heaven. 3. The Somas, very rich in sweets, for which the sieve is destined,. flow Effused, the source of Indra's joy: may your strong juices reach the Gods! 4. For us the Soma juices flow, the drops best furtherers of weal, Effused as friends, without a spot, benevolent, finders of the. light. 5. Stream on us riches that are craved by hundreds, best at winning spoil, Riches, O Indu, thousandfold, most splendid, that surpass the light! 6. The guileless ones are singing praise to Indra's well-beloved friend, As, in the morning of its life, the mothers lick the new-born calf. 7. They for the bold and lovely one ply manly vigour like a bow; Bright, glad, in front of songs they spread to form a vesture for the Lord. 8. Him with ths fleece they purify, brown, golden-hued, beloved of all, Who with exhilarating juice goes forth to all the deities. 9. Let him, as mortal, crave this speech, for him who presses, of the juice, As Bhrigu's sons chased Makha, so drive ye the niggard hound away!SV 6.2.1 · Sama Veda · 6
1. Graciously-minded he is flowing on his way to win dear names o'er which the youthful one grows great. The mighty and far-seeing one hath mounted now the mighty Surya's car which moves to every 2. Spontaneous let our drops of Soma juice flow on, pressed out and tawny-coloured, mightily, to the Gods! Still let our enemies, the godless, be in want, though filled with food; and let our prayers obtain success! 3. Most beauteous of the beauteous, Indra's thunderbolt, this Soma, rich in sweets, hath clamoured in the vat. Dropping with oil, abundant, streams of sacrifice flow unto him, and milch-kine, lowing, with their milk. 4. Indu hath started forth for Indra's settled place, and slights not, as a friend, the promise of his friend. Soma comes onward like a youth with youthful maids, and gains the beaker by a course of hundred paths. 5. On flows the potent juice, sustainer of the heavens; the strength of Gods, whom men must hail with shouts of joy. Thou, gold-hued, started like a courser by brave men, art lightly showing forth thy splendour in the streams. 6. Far-seeing Soma flows, the Steer, the Lord of hymns, the furtherer of days, of mornings, and of heaven. Breath of the rivers, he hath roared into the jars, and with the help of sages entered Indra's heart. 7. The three-times seven milch-kine in the loftiest heaven have for this Soma poured the genuine milky draught. Four other beauteous creatures hath he made for his adornment when he waxed in strength through holy rites. 8. Flow on to indra, Soma, carefully effused: let sickness stay afar together with the fiend! Let not the double-tongued delight them with thy juice: here be thy flowing drops laden with opulence! 9. Even as a King hath Soma, red and tawny Bull, been pressed: the wondrous one hath bellowed to the kine. While purified thou passest through the filtering fleece to seat thee hawk-like on the place that drops with oil. 10.SV 6.2.2a · Sama Veda · 6
The drops of Soma juice, like cows who yield their milk, have flowed forth, rich in meath, unto the diety, And, seated on the grass, raising their voice, assumed the milk, the covering robe wherewith the address stream. 11. They balm him, balm him over, balm him thoroughly, caress the mighty strength and balm it with the meath. They seize the flying Steer at the stream's breathing-place: cleansing with gold they grasp the animal herein. 12. Spread is thy cleansing filter, Brahmanaspati: as prince thou enterest its limbs from every The raw, whose mass hath not been heated, gains not this: they only which are dressed, which bear, attain to it.SV 6.2.2b · Sama Veda · 6
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