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Dhammapada · narration sample

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Rig Veda · 330 of 1027

Mandala 4: HYMN XXXIV. Ṛbhus.

1.To this our sacrifice come Ṛbhu, Vibhvan, Vāja, and Indra with the gift of riches, Because this day hath Dhiṣaṇā the Goddess set drink for you: the gladdening draughts have reached you.

2.Knowing your birth and rich in gathered treasure, Ṛbhus, rejoice together with the Ṛtus. The gladdening draughts and wisdom have approached you: send ye us riches with good store of heroes.

3.For you was made this sacrifice, O Ṛbhus, which ye, like men, won for yourselves aforetime. To you come all who find in you their pleasure: ye all were—even the two elder—Vājas.

4.Now for the mortal worshipper, O Heroes, for him who served you, was the gift of riches. Drink, Vājas, Ṛbhus! unto you is offered, to gladden you, the third and great libation.

5.Come to us, Heroes, Vājas and Ṛbhukṣans, glorified for the sake of mighty treasure. These draughts approach you as the day is closing, as cows, whose calves are newly-born, their stable.

6.Come to this sacrifice of ours, ye Children of Strength, invoked with humble adoration. Drink of this meath, Wealth-givers, joined with Indra with whom ye are in full accord, ye Princes.

7.Close knit with Varuṇa drink the Soma, Indra; close-knit, Hymn-lover! with the Maruts drink it: Close-knit with drinkers first, who drink in season; close-knit with heavenly Dames who give us treasures.

8.Rejoice in full accord with the Ādityas, in concord with the Parvatas, O Ṛbhus; In full accord with Savitar, Divine One; in full accord with floods that pour forth riches.

9.Ṛbhus, who helped their Parents and the Aśvins, who formed the Milch-cow and the pair of horses, Made armour, set the heaven and earth asunder,—far- reaching Heroes, they have made good offspring.

10.Ye who have wealth in cattle and in booty, in heroes, in rich sustenance and treasure, Such, O ye Ṛbhus, first to drink, rejoicing, give unto us and those who laud our present.

11.Ye were not far: we have not left you thirsting, blameless in this our sacrifice, O Ṛbhus. Rejoice you with the Maruts and with Indra, with the Kings, Gods! that ye may give us riches.

Asked of Guide

Why does the hymn keep calling the Ṛbhus to “drink” the sacrificial draughts?

The hymn invites the Ṛbhus to drink because drinking the sacrificial soma enacts their participation in the ritual and binds them to the worshippers: “Drink, Vājas, Ṛbhus! unto you is offered, to gladden you, the third and great libation.” The repeated summons frames the Ṛbhus as wealth‑givers whose acceptance of the libation will make them favor the sacrificer with cattle, heroes, and treasure.

Calling them to drink also asserts the Ṛbhus’ close fellowship with other gods—Indra, the Maruts, the Ādityas—and so locates their power within a network of divine solidarity that guarantees blessing. The hymn’s scenes of joining—“in full accord with Savitar…with floods that pour forth riches”—present the libation as the ritual hinge through which cosmic allies confer prosperity.

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