To Rudra

O father of the Maruts, let thy favor come near, and do not deprive us of the sight of the sun; may the hero (Rudra) be gracious to our horse, and may we increase in offspring, O Rudra! May I attain to a hundred winters through the most blissful medicines which thou hast given! Put away far from us all hatred, put away anguish, put away sickness in all directions! In beauty thou art the most beautiful of all that exists, O Rudra, the strongest of the strong, thou wielder of the thunderbolt! Carry us happily to the other shore of our anguish, and ward off all assaults of mischief. Let us not incense thee, O Rudra, by our worship, not by bad praise, O hero, and not by divided praise! Raise up our men by thy medicines, for I hear thou art the best of all physicians. He who is invoked by invocations and libations, may I pay off that Rudra with my hymns of praise.

O father of the Maruts, let your favor come near, and do not deny us the sight of the sun. May the hero (Rudra) be kind to our horse, and may we have more children, O Rudra! May I live a hundred winters through the medicines you have given, which bring the greatest happiness! Send all hatred far from us. Send anguish and sickness far away in every direction! O Rudra, you are the most beautiful of all that exists, the strongest of the strong. You wield the thunderbolt! Carry us safely to the other shore of our anguish, and protect us from all harmful attacks. Let us not anger you by our worship, O Rudra. Let us not anger you with poor praise, O hero, or with praise divided among gods! Restore our men with your medicines, for I hear you are the best of all physicians. May I repay Rudra with my hymns of praise, for he is called upon with prayers and offerings of drink.

Let not him who is kind-hearted, who readily hears our call, the tawny, with beautiful cheeks, deliver us to this wrath! The manly hero with the Maruts has gladdened me, the suppliant, with more vigorous health. May I without mischief find shade, as if from sunshine, may I gain the favor of Rudra! O Rudra, where is thy softly stroking hand which cures and relieves? Thou, the remover of all heaven-sent mischief, wilt thou, O strong hero, bear with me? I send forth a great, great hymn of praise to the bright tawny bull. Let me reverence the fiery god with prostrations; we celebrate the flaring name of Rudra. He, the fierce god, with strong limbs, assuming many forms, the tawny Rudra, decked himself with brilliant golden ornaments. From Rudra, who is lord of this wide world, divine power will never depart. Worthily thou bearest arrows and bow, worthily, O worshipful, the golden, variegated chain; worthily thou cuttest every fiend here to pieces, for there is nothing indeed stronger than thou, O Rudra.

May the kind-hearted, tawny god with beautiful cheeks, who readily hears our call, not hand us over to this wrath! The manly hero with the Maruts has made me, his suppliant, glad with stronger health. May I find shelter from harm, as if finding shade from the sun. May I gain Rudra’s favor! O Rudra, where is your gently stroking hand that heals and brings relief? You remove all harm sent from heaven. Will you bear with me, O strong hero? I send out a great, great hymn of praise to the bright, tawny bull. Let me bow down before the fiery god in reverence. We celebrate Rudra’s blazing name. The fierce god, tawny Rudra, has strong limbs and takes many forms. He adorned himself with brilliant golden ornaments. Divine power will never leave Rudra, lord of this wide world. You are worthy to carry arrows and a bow. O god worthy of worship, you are worthy to wear the golden chain of many colors. You rightly cut every fiend here to pieces, for nothing is stronger than you, O Rudra.

Praise him, the famous, sitting in his chariot, the youthful, who is fierce and attacks like a terrible lion. And when thou hast been praised, O Rudra, be gracious to him who magnifies thee, and let thy armies mow down others than us! O Rudra, a boy indeed makes obeisance to his father who comes to greet him: I praise the lord of brave men, the giver of many gifts, and thou, when thou hast been praised, wilt give us thy medicines. O Maruts, those pure medicines of yours, the most beneficent and delightful, O heroes, those which Manu, our father, chose, those I crave from Rudra, as health and wealth. May the weapon of Rudra avoid us, may the great anger of the flaring one pass us by. Unstring thy strong bows for the sake of our liberal lords, O bounteous Rudra, be gracious to our kith and kin. Thus, O tawny and manly god, showing thyself, so as neither to be angry nor to kill, be mindful of our invocations, and, rich in brave sons, we shall magnify thee in the congregation.

Praise the famous, youthful god seated in his chariot, fierce and attacking like a fearsome lion. And when you have been praised, O Rudra, be gracious to the one who honors you. Let your armies mow down others, not us! O Rudra, a boy indeed bows to his father when his father comes to greet him. I praise the lord of brave men, the giver of many gifts. And when you have been praised, you will give us your medicines. O Maruts, your pure medicines are the most beneficial and delightful, O heroes. Manu, our father, chose those medicines. I ask Rudra for those medicines to bring health and wealth. May Rudra’s weapon spare us. May the great anger of the blazing god pass us by. Unstring your strong bows for the sake of our generous lords, O generous Rudra. Be gracious to our family and kin. So, O tawny, manly god, show yourself without anger and without killing. Remember our prayers, and, blessed with many brave sons, we shall praise you in the assembly.