Sama Veda

FIRST PART

BOOK VI

Chapter I

Decade III Soma Pavamana

1

Cleansing thee, Soma, in thy stream, thou flowest in a watery robe: giver of wealth, thou sittest in the place of Law, O God, a fountain made of gold.

2

Hence sprinkle forth the juice effused, Soma, the best of sacred gifts, who, friend of man, hath run amid the water-streams! He hath pressed Soma out with stones.

3

Expressed by stones, O Soma, and urged through the long wool of the sheep, thou, entering the press-boards even as men a fort, gold-hued hast settled in the vats.

4

O Soma,--for the feast of Gods, river-like he hath swelled with surge, sweet with the liquor of the stalk, as one who wakes, into the vat that drops with meath.

5

Pressed out by pressers, Soma goes over the fleecy backs of sheep, goes, even as with a mare, in tawny-coloured stream, goes in a sweetly-sounding stream.

6

O Soma, Indu, every day thy friendship hath been my delight. Many fiends follow me help me, thou tawny-hued: pass on beyond these barriers!

7

Deft-handed! thou when purified liftest thy voice amid the sea. Thou, Pavamana, makest riches flow to us, yellow, abundant, much desired.

8

The living drops of Soma juice pour, as they flow, the gladdening drink, intelligent drops above the station of the sea, exhilarating, dropping meath.

9

Soma, while thou art cleansed, most dear and watchful in the sheep's long wool, most like to Angiras! thou hast become a sage. Sprinkle our sacrifice with mead!

10

Soma, the gladdening juice, flows pressed for Indra with his Marut host: he hastens o'er the fleece with all his thousand streams: him, him the men make pure and bright.

11

Flow on, best winner of the spoil, to precious gifts of every sort! Thou art a sea according to the highest law, joy-giver, Soma! to the Gods

12

Over the cleansing sieve have flowed the Pavamanas in a stream, girt by the Maruts, gladdening, steeds with Indra's strength, for wisdom and for dainty food.