Library·Ṛgveda Saṃhitā·10·10.71
बृहस्पते प्रथमं वाचो अग्रं यत् प्रैरत नामधेयं दधानाः । यद् एषां श्रेष्ठं यद् अरिप्रम् आसीत् प्रेणा तद् एषां निहितं गुहाविः ॥
bṛhaspate prathamaṃ vāco agraṃ yat prairata nāmadheyaṃ dadhānāḥ | yad eṣāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ yad aripram āsīt preṇā tad eṣāṃ nihitaṃ guhāviḥ ||
When-men, Brhaspati, giving names to objects, sent out Vak's first and earliest utterances, All that was excellent and spotless, treasured within them, was disclosed through their affection.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
सक्तुम् इव तितौना पुनन्तो यत्र धीरा मनसा वाचम् अक्रत । अत्रा सखायः सख्यानि जानते भद्रैषां लक्ष्मीर् निहिताधि वाचि ॥
saktum iva titaunā punanto yatra dhīrā manasā vācam akrata | atrā sakhāyaḥ sakhyāni jānate bhadraiṣāṃ lakṣmīr nihitādhi vāci ||
Where, like men cleansing corn-flour in a cribble, the wise in spirit have created language, Friends see and recognize the marks of friendship: their speech retains the blessed sign imprinted.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
यज्ञेन वाचः पदवीयम् आयन् ताम् अन्व् अविन्दन्न् ऋषिषु प्रविष्टाम् । ताम् आभृत्या व्य् अदधुः पुरुत्रा तां सप्त रेभा अभि सं नवन्ते ॥
yajñena vācaḥ padavīyam āyan tām anv avindann ṛṣiṣu praviṣṭām | tām ābhṛtyā vy adadhuḥ purutrā tāṃ sapta rebhā abhi saṃ navante ||
With sacrifice the trace of Vak they followed, and found her harbouring within the Rsis. They brought her, dealt her forth in many places: seven singers make her tones resound in concert.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
उत त्वः पश्यन् न ददर्श वाचम् उत त्वः शृण्वन् न शृणोत्य् एनाम् । उतो त्वस्मै तन्वं वि सस्रे जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासाः ॥
uta tvaḥ paśyan na dadarśa vācam uta tvaḥ śṛṇvan na śṛṇoty enām | uto tvasmai tanvaṃ vi sasre jāyeva patya uśatī suvāsāḥ ||
One man hath ne'er seen Vak, and yet he seeth: one man hath hearing but hath never heard her. But to another hath she shown her beauty as a fond well-dressed woman to her husband.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
उत त्वं सख्ये स्थिरपीतम् आहुर् नैनं हिन्वन्त्य् अपि वाजिनेषु । अधेन्वा चरति माययैष वाचं शुश्रुवां अफलाम् अपुष्पाम् ॥
uta tvaṃ sakhye sthirapītam āhur nainaṃ hinvanty api vājineṣu | adhenvā carati māyayaiṣa vācaṃ śuśruvāṃ aphalām apuṣpām ||
One man they call a laggard, dull in friendship: they never urge him on to deeds of valour. He wanders on in profitless illusion: the Voice he heard yields neither fruit, nor blossom.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
यस् तित्याज सचिविदं सखायं न तस्य वाच्य् अपि भागो अस्ति । यद् ईं शृणोत्य् अलकं शृणोति नहि प्रवेद सुकृतस्य पन्थाम् ॥
yas tityāja sacividaṃ sakhāyaṃ na tasya vācy api bhāgo asti | yad īṃ śṛṇoty alakaṃ śṛṇoti nahi praveda sukṛtasya panthām ||
No part in Vak hath he who hath abandoned his own dear friend who knows the truth of friendship. Even if he hears her still in vain he listens: naught knows he of the path of righteous action.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
अक्षण्वन्तः कर्णवन्तः सखायो मनोजवेष्व् असमा बभूवुः । आदघ्नास उपकक्षास उ त्वे ह्रदा इव स्नात्वा उ त्वे ददृश्रे ॥
akṣaṇvantaḥ karṇavantaḥ sakhāyo manojaveṣv asamā babhūvuḥ | ādaghnāsa upakakṣāsa u tve hradā iva snātvā u tve dadṛśre ||
Unequal in the quickness of their spirit are friends endowed alike with eyes and hearing. Some look like tanks that reach the mouth or shoulder, others like pools of water fit to bathe in.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
हृदा तष्टेषु मनसो जवेषु यद् ब्राह्मणाः संयजन्ते सखायः । अत्राह त्वं वि जहुर् वेद्याभिर् ओहब्रह्माणो वि चरन्त्य् उ त्वे ॥
hṛdā taṣṭeṣu manaso javeṣu yad brāhmaṇāḥ saṃyajante sakhāyaḥ | atrāha tvaṃ vi jahur vedyābhir ohabrahmāṇo vi caranty u tve ||
When friendly Brahmans sacrifice together with mental impulse which the heart hath fashioned, They leave one far behind through their attainments, and some who count as Brahmans wander elsewhere.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
इमे ये नार्वाङ् न परश् चरन्ति न ब्राह्मणासो न सुतेकरासः । त एते वाचम् अभिपद्य पापया सिरीस् तन्त्रं तन्वते अप्रजज्ञयः ॥
ime ye nārvāṅ na paraś caranti na brāhmaṇāso na sutekarāsaḥ | ta ete vācam abhipadya pāpayā sirīs tantraṃ tanvate aprajajñayaḥ ||
Those men who step not back and move not forward, nor Brahmans nor preparers of libations, Having attained to Vak in sinful fashion spin out their thread in ignorance like spinsters.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
सर्वे नन्दन्ति यशसागतेन सभासाहेन सख्या सखायः । किल्बिषस्पृत् पितुषणिर् ह्य् एषाम् अरं हितो भवति वाजिनाय ॥
sarve nandanti yaśasāgatena sabhāsāhena sakhyā sakhāyaḥ | kilbiṣaspṛt pituṣaṇir hy eṣām araṃ hito bhavati vājināya ||
All friends are joyful in the friend who cometh in triumph, having conquered in assembly. He is their blame-averter, food-provider prepared is he and fit for deed of vigour.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)
ऋचां त्वः पोषम् आस्ते पुपुष्वान् गायत्रं त्वो गायति शक्वरीषु । ब्रह्मा त्वो वदति जातविद्यां यज्ञस्य मात्रां वि मिमीत उ त्वः ॥
ṛcāṃ tvaḥ poṣam āste pupuṣvān gāyatraṃ tvo gāyati śakvarīṣu | brahmā tvo vadati jātavidyāṃ yajñasya mātrāṃ vi mimīta u tvaḥ ||
One plies his constant task reciting verses. one sings the holy psalm in Sakvari measures. One more, the Brahman, tells the lore of being, and one lays down the rules of sacrificing.
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896)