Night

Rig Veda Translation by Ralph T.H. Griffith, (1896) , at sacred-texts.com Introductory: Prof. Ralph Thomas Hotchkin Griffith (1826-1906) was a Scholar of Indology. He held the position of Principal at the Benares College in British India. He translated the Vedic Scriptures in Sanskrit into English language. I am glad to reproduce here Griffith’s translation of the 127th hymn of Chapter 10 of Rig Veda-titled Night- adding my explanatory notes, for the benefit of serious readers who are interested in the wisdom beauty and truth of Vedic Scriptures Vedic Hymns are considered to be compiled by some disciples of certain 'Maha Rishis' (Great Perceptors) who ‘perceived’ numerous Rays of Knowledge in their 'Tapas' (Brain Storming Meditations) back some 5000 years. Therefore, these hymns are the property of the entire world Night 1. With all her eyes the Goddess Night looks forth approaching many a spot: She hath put all her glories on. 2. Immortal, she hath filled the waste; the Goddess hath filled height and depth: She conquers darkness with her light. 3. The Goddess as she comes hath set the Dawn her Sister in her place: And then the darkness vanishes. 4. So favour us this night, O thou whose pathways we have visited as birds their nest upon the tree. 5. The villagers have sought their homes, and all that walks and all that flies, even the falcons fain for prey. 6. Keep off the she-wolf and the wolf, O Urmya, keep the thief away; easy be thou for us to pass. 7. Clearly hath she come nigh to me who decks the dark with richest hues: O Morning, cancel it like debts. 8. These have I brought to thee like kine. O Night, thou Child of Heaven, accept this laud as for a conqueror. Explanatory Notes: 1. All her eyes- the comprehensive coverage night provides 2. Notice the wisdom and beauty in the expression ‘waste’. ‘All that is bad’ is implied. Night has its own light- ‘the knowledge’ it provides 4. Notice the bird analogy there - beautiful and true 6. The wolves-The evil arising out of both sexes. Urmya- Light current Thief- Temptation 7. Cancel like debt- every dawn calls for fresh action Hours days and months- these are all measures of time, we 'cut to size' according to our convenience. What are the basic measures of Time Immortal? Dawn and Dusk- together they tear a leaf out of every life as the Wheel rotates. This knowledge of the ancestors is well enlightened in this hymn. May 11th 2009