Alochana-Sama Veda

As we go on from the Rig Veda to the Sama Veda, we see that in the latter there is no direct verse relating to the praise of Rudra. However, his name does feature while in some of the hymns of other Gods and could be of academical interest in gathering more information about this Vedic God.

The Samaveda, or Veda of Holy Songs, third in the usual order of enumeration of the three Vedas, ranks next in sanctity and liturgical importance to the Rgveda or Veda of Recited praise. Its Sanhita, or metrical portion, consists chiefly of hymns to be chanted by the Udgatar priests at the performance of those important sacrifices in which the juice of the Soma plant, clarified and mixed with milk and other ingredients, was offered in libation to various deities. The Collection is made up of hymns, portions of hymns, and detached verses, taken mainly from the Rgveda, transposed and re-arranged, without reference to their original order, to suit the religious ceremonies in which they were to be employed. In these compiled hymns there are frequent variations, of more or less importance, from the text of the Rgveda as we now possess it which variations, although in some cases they are apparently explanatory, seem in others to be older and more original than the readings of the Rgveda. In singing, the verses are still further altered by prolongation, repetition and insertion of syllables, and various modulations, rests, and other modifications prescribed, for the guidance of the officiating priests, in the Ganas or Song-books. Two of these manuals, the Gramageyagdna, or Congregational, and the Aranyagana or Forest Song-Book, follow the order of the verses of part I, of the Sanhita, and two others, the Uhagana, the Uhyagana, of Part II. This part is less disjointed than part I, and is generally arranged in triplets whose first verse is often the repetition of a verse that has occurred in part I.

There is no clue to the date of the compilation of the Samaveda Hymns, nor has the compiler's name been handed down to us. Such a manual was unnecessary in the early times when the Aryans first came into India, but was required for guidance and use in the complicated ritual elaborated by the invaders after their expansion and settlement in their new homes.

There are three recensions of the text of the Samaveda Sanhita, the Kauthuma Sakha or recension is current in Guzerat, the Jaiminiya in the Carnatic, and the Ranayaniya in the Mahratta country. A translation, by Dr. Stevenson, of the Ranayaniya recension-or, rather, a free version of Sayana's paraphrase-was edited by Professor Wilson, in 1842; in 1848 Professor Benfey of Göttingen brought out an excellent edition of the same text with a metrical translation, a complete glossary, and explanatory notes; and in 1874-78 Pandit Satyavrata Samasrami of Calcutta published in the Bibliotheca Indicaa. most meritorious edition of the Sanhita according to the same recension, with Sayana's commentary, portions of the Song-books, andi other illustrative matter.

Unfortunately, I donot have the original text in Sanskrit with me at hand and so we may have to rely on this English translation. The work is translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1895.

PART FIRST, BOOK I, CHAPTER I, DECADE II - Agni

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.

PART FIRST, BOOK I, CHAPTER II, DECADE II - Agni

1. Present oblations, make him splendid: set ye as Hotar in his place the Home's Lord, worshipped With gifts and homage where they pour libations! Honour him meet for reverence in our houses.

2. Verily wondrous is the tender youngling's growth who never draweth nigh to drink his mother's milk. As soon as she who hath no udder bore him, he, faring on his. great errand, suddenly grew strong.

3. Here is one light for thee, another yonder: enter the third and, be therewith united. Beautiful be thy union with the body, beloved in the Gods' sublimest birthplace!

4. For Jatavedas, worthy of our praise, will we frame with our mind this eulogy as 'twere a car; For good, in his assembly, is this care of ours. Let us not, in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm!

5. Agni Vaisvanara, born in course of Order, the messenger of earth, the head of heaven, The Sage, the sovran, guest of men, our vessel fit for their mouth, the Gods have generated.

6. Even as the waters from the mountain ridges, so sprang the; Gods, through lauds, from thee, O Agni. To thee speed hymns and eulogies, as horses haste, bearing him who loves the song, to battle.

7. Win to protect you, Rudra, lord of worship, priest of both worlds, effectual sacrificer, Agni, invested with his golden colours, before the thunder strike and lay you senseless!

8. The King whose face is decked with oil is kindled with homage offered by his faithful servant. The men, the priests adore him with oblations. Agni hath shone forth at the flush of morning.

9. Agni advanceth with his lofty banner: through earth and heaven the Bull hath loudly bellowed He hath come nigh from the sky's farthest limit: the Steer hath waxen in the waters' bosom.

10. From the two fire-sticks have the men engendered with thoughts, urged by the hand, the glorious Agni, Far-seen, with pointed flame, Lord of the Homestead.

PART FIRST, BOOK I, CHAPTER II, DECADE V -Agni

1. We in King Soma place our trust, in Agni, and in Varuna, The Aditya, Vishnu, Surya, and the Brahman-priest Brihaspati.

2. Hence have these men gone up on high and mounted to the heights of heaven: On! conquer on the path by which Angirasas travelled to the skies!

3. That thou mayst send us ample wealth, O Agni, we will kindler thee: So, for the great oblation, Steer, pray Heaven and Earth to come to us!

4. He runs when one calls after him, This is the prayer of him who prays. He holds all knowledge in his grasp even as the felly rounds the wheel.

5. Shoot forth, O Agni, with thy flame: demolish them on every side! Break down the Yatudhana's strength, the vigour of the Rakshasa!

6. Worship the Vasus, Agni! here, the Rudras and Adityas, all Who know fair sacrifices, sprung from Mann, scattering blessings down!

PART FIRST, BOOK II, CHAPTER I, DECADE II- Indra and others

1. Indra, with all thy saving helps assist us, Lord of power and might! For after thee we follow even as glorious bliss, thee, hero, finderout of wealth.

2. O Indra, Lord of light, what joys thou broughtest from the Asuras, Prosper therewith, O Maghavan, him who lauds that deed, and those whose grass is trimmed for thee!

3. To Aryaman and Mitra sing a reverent song, O pious one, A pleasant hymn to Varuna who shelters us: sing ye a laud unto the Kings!

4. Men with their lauds are urging thee, Indra, to drink the Soma first. The Ribhus in accord have lifted up their voice, and Rudras sung thee as the first.

5. Sing to your lofty Indra, sing, Maruts, a holy hymn of praise Let Satakratu, Vritra-slayer, slay the foe with hundred-knotted thunderbolt!

6. To Indra sing the lofty hymn, Maruts! that slays the Vritras best, Whereby the holy ones created for the God the light divine that ever wakes.

7. O Indra, give us wisdom as a sire gives wisdom to his sons Guide us, O much-invoked, in this our way: may we still live and look upon the light!

8. O Indra, turn us not away: be present with us at our feast For thou art our protection, yea, thou art our kin: O Indra, turn us not away!

9. We compass these like waters, we whose grass is trimmed and Soma pressed. Here where the filter pours its stream, thy worshippers round thee, O Vritra-slayer, sit.

10. All strength and valour that is found, Indra, in tribes of Nahushas, And all the splendid fame that the Five Tribes enjoy, bring, yea, all manly powers at once!

PART FIRST, BOOK V, CHAPTER I, DECADE V - Soma Pavamana

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.

PART SECOND, BOOK VII, CHAPTER III, DECADE I - Indra

1. Men with their lauds are urging thee, Indra, to drink the Soma first. The Ribhus in accord have lifted up their voice, and Rudras sung thee as the first.

2. Indra, at sacrifice, increased his manly strength, in the wild rapture of this juice: And living men to-day, even as of old, sing forth their praises to his majesty.

PART SECOND, BOOK VIII, CHAPTER II, DECADE III - Agni

1. Help, thou who knowest lauds, this work, a lovely hymn in Rudra's praise, Adorable in every house

2. May this our God, great, limitless, smoke-bannered, excellently bright, Urge us to holy thought and wealth

3. Like soma rich lord of men, may he, Agni, the banner of the Gods, Refulgent, hear us through our lauds!

PART SECOND, BOOK VIII, CHAPTER III, DECADE XII - Asvins

1. To meet your treasure-bringing car, the car that is most dear to us, Asvins the Rishi is prepared, your worshipper with, songs of praise. Lovers of sweetness, hear my call

2. Pass, Asvins, over all away. May I obtain you for myself, Wonderful, with your golden paths, most gracious, bringers of the flood! Lovers of sweetness, hear my call!

3. Come to us, O ye Asvins twain, bringing your precious treasures, come Ye Rudras, on your paths of gold, rejoicing, with your store of wealth! Lovers of sweetness, hear my call!