ANONYMOUS – Rig Veda
Creation Hymn
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The atmosphere was not nor the heavens which are beyond What was concealed? Where? In whose protection? Was it water? An unfathomable abyss?
There was not distinction of day or night. That alone breathed windless by its own power. Other than that there was not anything else.
All this was an indistinguishable sea. That which becomes, that which was enveloped by the void, that alone was born through the power of heat.
This was the first discharge of thought. Sages discovered this link of the existent to the nonexistent, having searched in the heart with wisdom.
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Geen luchtruim was, geen hemel boven. – Wie hoedde toen de wereld, en in wie was zij besloten? Waar was de diepe afgrond, waar de zee?
de nacht was niet geopenbaard, noch ook de dag. Slechts ademde, windstil, in diepe oorspronkelijkheid het Ene, buiten welke geen ander was.
een oceaan, van licht gespeend, in nacht verloren, Toen werd, wat in de schaal verborgen was, het Ene, in de pijngloed van de kracht geboren.
het zaad van alle kennis, liefdes kracht. – De wortel van de wereld in het Niets werd vorsend door zieners in de drift van ’t hart gevonden
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To Night
With all her eyes the goddess Night looks forth
approaching many a spot:
She hath put all her glories on.
Immortal, she hath filled the waste, the goddess
hath filled height and depth:
She conquers darkness with her light.
The goddess as she comes hath set
the Dawn her sister in her place:
And then the darkness vanishes.
So favour us this night,
O thou whose pathways we have visited
As birds their nest upon the tree.
The villagers have sought their homes,
and all that walks and all that flies,
even the falcons fain for prey.
Keep off the she-wolf and the wolf;
O Night, keep the thief away:
Easy be thou for us to pass.
Clearly hath she come nigh to me
who decks the dark with richest hues:
O morning, cancel it like debts.
These have I brought to thee like kine.
O Night, thou child of heaven,
Accept this laud as for a conqueror.
To Dawn
She hath shone brightly like a youthful woman,
stirring to motion every living creature.
Agni hath come to feed on mortals’ fuel. She hath
made light and chased away the darkness.
Turned to this all, far-spreading, she hath risen and
shone in brightness with white robes about her.
She hath beamed forth lovely with golden colours,
mother of kine, guide of the days she bringeth.
Bearing the gods’ own eye, auspicious lady, leading
her courser white and fair to look on,
Distinguished by her beams, Dawn shines apparent,
come forth to all the world with wondrous treasure.
Dawn nigh will wealth and dawn away the foeman:
prepare for us wide pasture free from danger.
Drive away those who hate us, bring us riches:
pour bounty, opulent lady, on the singer.
Send thy most excellent beams to shine and light
us, giving us lengthened days, O Dawn, O goddess,
Granting us food, thou who hast all things precious,
and bounty rich in chariots, kine, and horses.
O Dawn, nobly-born, daughter of heaven, whom
the Vasisthas with their hymns make mighty,
Bestow thou on us vast and glorious riches.
Preserve us evermore, ye gods, with blessings.