Atharva Veda 13.2 · Vedas – Griffith · Verses Across
Hinduism · Vedas · Atharva Veda
Atharva Veda 13.2
The glorification of the Sun as Āditya, Sūrya and Rohita
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Radiant, refulgent in the sky are reared the banners of his light, Āditya's, who beholdeth man, mighty in act and bountiful.
Let us laud him, the whole world's Herdsman, Sūrya, who with his rays illumines all the regions, Mark of the quarters, brightening them with lustre, swift, mighty-pinioned, flying in the ocean.
From west to east thou speedest freely, making by magic day and night of diverse colours. This is Āditya, thy transcendent glory, that thou alone art born through all creation.
Victorious, inspired, and brightly shining, whom seven strong tawny-coloured coursers carry, Whom Atri lifted from the flood to heaven, thus men behold thee as thy course thou runnest.
Let them not snare thee speeding on thy journey: pass safely, swiftly places hard to traverse, While measuring out the day and night thou movest—O Sūrya, even Heaven and Earth the Goddess.
Hail to thy rapid car whereon, O Sūrya, thou circlest in a moment both the limits, Whirled by thy bay steeds, best of all at drawing, thy hundred horses or seven goodly coursers!
Mount thy strong car, O Sūrya, lightly rolling, drawn by good steeds, propitious, brightly gleaming, Whirled by thy bays, most excellent at drawing, thy hundred horses or seven goodly coursers.
Sūrya hath harnessed to his car to draw him seven stately bay steeds gay with wolden housings. The Bright One started from the distant region: dispelling gloom the God hath climbed the heavens.
With lofty banner hath the God gone upward, and introduced the light, expelling darkness. He hath looked round on all the worlds, the Hero, the son of Aditi, Celestial Eagle.
Rising, thou spreadest out thy rays, thou nourishest all shapes and forms. Thou with thy power illumest both the oceans, encompassing all spheres with thy refulgence.
Moving by magic power to east and westward, these two young creatures, sporting, circle ocean. One of the pair beholds all living creatures: with wheels of gold the bay steeds bear the other.
Atri established thee in heaven. O Surya, to create the month. So on thou goest, firmly held, heating, beholding all that is.
As the Calf both his parents so thou joinest both the distant bounds, Surely the Gods up yonder knew this sacred mystery long ago.
Sūrya is eager to obtain all wealth that lies along the sea, Great is the course spread out for him, his eastward and his westward path.
He finishes his race with speed and never turns his thought aside, Thereby he keeps not from the Gods enjoyment of the Drink of Life.
His heralds bear him up aloft, the God who knoweth all that live, Sūrya, that all may look on him.
The Constellations pass away, like thieves, departing in the night. Before the all-beholding Sun.
His herald rays are seen afar refulgent o'er the world of men, Like flames of fire that burn and blaze.
Swift and all-beautiful art thou, O Sūrya, maker of the light, Illuming all the radiant realm.
Thou goest to the hosts of Gods, thou comest hither to mankind, Hither, all light to behold.
With that same eye of thine wherewith thou seest, brilliant Varuna. The active one among mankind,
Traversing sky and wide mid-air, thou metest with thy beams our days, Sun, seeing all things that have life.
Seven bay steeds harnessed to thy car bear thee, O thou far- seeing One, God, Sūrya, with the radiant hair.
Sūrya, hath yoked the pure bright seven, the daughters of the car, with these, His own dear team, he travelleth.
Devout, aflame with fervent heat, Rohita hath gone up to heaven. He is re-born, returning to his birthplace, and hath become the Gods' imperial ruler.
Dear unto all men, facing all directions, with hands and palms on every side extended, He, the sole God, engendering earth and heaven, beareth them with his wings and arms together.
The single-footed hath outstepped the biped, the biped overtakes the triple-footed. The biped hath outstridden the six-footed: these sit around the single-footed's body.
When he, unwearied, fain to go, hath mounted his bays, he makes two colours, brightly shining. Rising with banners, conquering the regions, thou sendest light through all the floods, Āditya.
Verily, Sūrya, thou art great: truly, Āditya, thou art great. Great is thy grandeur, Mighty One: thou, O Āditya, thou art great.
In heaven, O Bird, and in mid-air thou shinest: thou shinest on the earth and in the waters. Thou hast pervaded both the seas with splendour: a God art thou, O God, light-winner, mighty.
Soaring in mid-course hither from the distance, fleet and ins- pired, the Bird that flies above us, With might advancing Vishnu manifested, he conquers all that moves with radiant banner:
Brilliant, observant, mighty Lord, an Eagle illuming both the spheres and air between them. Day and the Night, clad in the robes of Sūrya, spread forth more widely all his hero powers.
Flaming and radiant, strengthening his body, bestowing floods that promptly come to meet us, He, luminous, winged, mighty, strength-bestower, hath mounted all the regions as he forms them.
Bright presence of the Gods, the luminous herald Sūrya hath mounted the celestial regions. Day's maker, he hath shone away the darkness, and radiant, passed o'er places hard to traverse.
He hath gone up on high, the Gods' bright presence, the eye of Mitra, Varuna and Agni. The soul of all that moveth not or moveth, Sūrya hath filled the earth and air and heaven,
High in the midst of heaven may we behold thee whom men call Savitar, the bright red Eagle, Soaring and speeding on thy way, refulgent, unwasting light which Atri erst discovered.
Him, Son of Aditi, an Eagle hasting along heaven's height, I supplicate in terror, As such prolong our lengthened life, O Sūrya: may we, unha- rmed, enjoy thy gracious favour.
This gold-hued Hansa's wings, soaring to heaven, spread o'er a thousand days' continued journey Supporting all the Gods upon his bosom, he goes his way behold- ing every creature.
Rohita, in primeval days Prajāpati, was, after, Time, Mouth of all sacrifices, he, Rohita, brought celestial light.
He, Rohita, became the world: Rohita gave the heaven its heat. Rohita with his beams of light travelled along the earth and sea.
To all the regions Rohita came, the imperial Lord of heaven. He watches over ocean, heaven, and earth and all existing things.
Mounting the lofty ones, he, bright, unwearied, splendidly shining, makes two separate colours, While through all worlds that are he sends his lustre, radiant, observant, mighty, wind-approacher.
One form comes on, the other is reverted: to day and night the Strong One shapes and fits him. With humble prayer for aid we call on Sūrya, who knows the way, whose home is in the region.
The suppliant's way, filling the earth, the Mighty circleth the world with eye that none deceiveth. May he, all-seeing, well-disposed and holy, give ear and listen to the word I utter.
Blazing with light his majesty hath compassed ocean and earth and heaven and air's mid-region. May he, all-seeing, well-disposed and holy, give ear and listen to the word I utter.
Agni is weakened by the people's fuel to meet the Dawn who cometh like a milch-cow, Like young trees shooting up on high their branches, his flames are mounting to the vault of heaven.
