Bibliotheca Polyglotta

Ṛgveda

Complete text

10,97 Praise of Herbs

10.of Herbs XCVII Praise

yā́ óṣadhīḥ pū́rvā jātā́ devébhyas triyugám purā́ |
mánai nú babhrū́ṇām aháṃ śatáṃ dhā́māni saptá ca ||

1 HERBS that sprang up in time of old, three ages earlier than the Gods, — Of these, whose hue is brown, will I declare the hundred powers and seven.

śatáṃ vo amba dhā́māni sahásram utá vo rúhaḥ |
ádhā śatakratvo yūyám imám me agadáṃ kr̥ta ||

2 Ye, Mothers, have a hundred homes, yea, and a thousand are your growths. Do ye who have a thousand powers free this my patient from disease.

óṣadhīḥ práti modadhvam púṣpavatīḥ prasū́varīḥ |
áśvā iva sajítvarīr vīrúdhaḥ pārayiṣṇúvaḥ ||

3 Be glad and joyful in the Plants, both blossoming and bearing fruit, Plants that will lead us to success like mares who conquer in the race.

óṣadhīr íti mātaras tád vo devīr úpa bruve |
sanéyam áśvaṃ gā́ṃ vā́sa ātmā́naṃ táva pūruṣa ||

4 Plants, by this name I speak to you, Mothers, to you the Goddesses: Steed, cow, and garment may I win, win back thy very self, O man.

aśvatthé vo niṣádanam parṇé vo vasatíṣ kr̥tā́ |
gobhā́ja ít kílāsatha yát sanávatha pū́ruṣam ||

5 The Holy Fig tree is your home, your mansion is the Parna tree: Winners of cattle shali ye be if ye regain for me this man.

yátraúṣadhīḥ samágmata rā́jānaḥ sámitāv iva |
vípraḥ sá ucyate bhiṣág rakṣohā́mīvacā́tanaḥ ||

6 He who hath store of Herbs at hand like Kings amid a crowd of men, —Physician is that sage's name, fiend-slayer, chaser of disease.

aśvāvatī́ṃ somāvatī́m ūrjáyantīm údojasam |
ā́vitsi sárvā óṣadhīr asmā́ ariṣṭátātaye ||

7 Herbs rich in Soma, rich in steeds, in nourishments, in strengthening power, —All these have I provided here, that this man may be whole again.

úc chúṣmā óṣadhīnãṃ gā́vo goṣṭhā́d iverate |
dhánaṃ saniṣyántīnãm ātmā́naṃ táva pūruṣa ||

8 The healing virtues of the Plants stream forth like cattle from the stall, —Plants that shall win me store of wealth, and save thy vital breath, O man.

íṣkr̥tir nā́ma vo mātā́ átho yūyáṃ stha níṣkr̥tīḥ |
sīrā́ḥ patatríṇī sthana yád āmáyati níṣ kr̥tha ||

9 Reliever is your mother's name, and hence Restorers are ye called. Rivers are ye with wings that fly: keep far whatever brings disease.

áti víśvāḥ pariṣṭhã́ stená 'va° vrajám akramuḥ |
óṣadhīḥ prá acucyavur yát kíṃ ca tanúvo rápaḥ ||

10 Over all fences have they passed, as steals a thief into the fold. The Plants have driven from the frame whatever malady was there.

yád imā́ vājáyann ahám óṣadhīr hásta ādadhé |
ātmā́ yákṣmasya naśyati purā́ jīvagŕ̥bho yathā ||

11 When, bringing back the vanished strength, I hold these herbs within my hand, The spirit of disease departs ere he can seize upon the life.

yásyauṣadhīḥ prasárpatha áṅgam-aṅgam páruṣ-paruḥ |
táto yákṣmaṃ ví bādhadhva ugró madhyamaśī́r iva ||

12 He through whose frame, O Plants, ye creep member by member, joint by joint, —From him ye drive away disease like some strong arbiter of strife.

sākáṃ yakṣma prá pata cā́ṣeṇa kikidīvínā |
sākáṃ vā́tasya dhrā́jiyā sākáṃ naśya nihā́kayā ||

13 Fly, Spirit of Disease, begone, with the blue jay and kingfisher. Fly with the wind's impetuous speed, vanish together with the storm.

anyā́ vo anyā́m avatu anyā́nyásyā úpāvata |
tā́ḥ sárvāḥ saṃvidānā́ idám me prā́vatā vácaḥ ||

14 Help every one the other, lend assistance each of you to each, All of you be accordant, give furtherance to this speech of mine.

yā́ḥ phalínīr yā́ aphalā́ apuṣpā́ yā́ś ca puṣpíṇīḥ |
bŕ̥haspátiprasūtās tā́ no muñcantu áṃhasaḥ ||

15 Let fruitful Plants, and fruitless, those that blossom, and the blossomless, Urged onward by Bṛhaspati, release us from our pain and grief;

muñcántu mā śapathíyād átho varuṇíyād utá |
átho yamásya páḍbīśāt sárvasmād devakilbiṣā́t ||

16 Release me from the curse's plague and woe that comes from Varuṇa; Free me from Yama's fetter, from sin and offence against the Gods.

avapátantīr avadan divá óṣadhayas pári |
yáṃ jīvám aśnávāmahai ná sá riṣyāti pū́ruṣaḥ ||

17 What time, descending from the sky, the Plants flew earthward, thus they spake: No evil shall befall the man whom while he liveth we pervade,

yā́ óṣadhīḥ sómarājñīr bahvī́ḥ śatávicakṣaṇāḥ |
tā́sāṃ tvám asi uttamā́ áraṃ kā́māya śáṃ hr̥dé ||

18 Of all the many Plants whose King is, Soma, Plants of hundred forms, Thou art the Plant most excellent, prompt to the wish, sweet to the heart.

yā́ óṣadhīḥ sómarājñīr víṣṭhitāḥ pr̥thivī́m ánu |
bŕ̥haspátiprasūtā asyaí sáṃ datta vīríyam ||

19 O all ye various Herbs whose King is Soma, that o’erspread the earth, Urged onward by Bṛhaspati, combine your virtue in this Plant.

mā́ vo riṣat khanitā́ yásmai cāháṃ khánāmi vaḥ |
dvipác cátuṣpad asmā́kaṃ sárvam astu anāturám ||

20 Unharmed be he who digs you up, unharmed the man for whom I dig: And let no malady attack biped or quadruped of ours.

yā́ś cedám upaśr̥ṇvánti yā́ś ca dūrám párāgatāḥ |
sárvāḥ saṃgátya vīrudho asyaí sáṃ datta vīríyam ||

21 All Plants that hear this speech, and those that have departed far away, Come all assembled and confer your healing power upon this Herb.

óṣadhayaḥ sáṃ vadante sómena sahá rā́jañā |
yásmai kr̥ṇóti brāhmaṇás táṃ rājan pārayāmasi ||

22 With Soma as their Sovran Lord the Plants hold colloquy and say: O King, we save from death the man whose cure a Brahman undertakes.

tvám uttamā́si oṣadhe táva vr̥kṣā́ úpastayaḥ |
úpastir astu sò 'smā́kaṃ yó asmā́m̐ abhidā́sati ||

23 Most excellent of all art thou, O Plant thy vassals are the trees. Let him be subject to our power, the man who seeks to injure us.

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