Ratri Suktam — Complete Lyrics
रात्रि सूक्तम्
Sanskrit text with English transliteration and translation
Verse 1
रात्री व्यख्यदायती पुरुत्रा देव्यक्षभिः ।
विश्वा अधि श्रियोऽधित ॥१॥
Rātrī vyakhyadāyatī purutrā devyakṣabhiḥ |
viśvā adhi śriyo'dhita ||1||
The goddess Night, drawing near, has looked abroad on every side with her eyes (the stars); she has put on all her glories.
Verse 2
ओर्वप्रा अमर्त्या निवतो देव्युद्वतः ।
ज्योतिषा बाधते तमः ॥२॥
Orvaprā amartyā nivato devyudvataḥ |
jyotiṣā bādhate tamaḥ ||2||
The immortal goddess has filled the wide expanse, the low places and the heights; with her light she beats back the darkness.
Verse 3
निरु स्वसारमस्कृतोषसं देव्यायती ।
अपेदु हासते तमः ॥३॥
Niru svasāramaskṛtoṣasaṃ devyāyatī |
apedu hāsate tamaḥ ||3||
The goddess, drawing on, has sent forth her sister, the Dawn; and so the darkness too departs.
Verse 4
सा नो अद्य यस्या वयं नि ते यामन्नविक्ष्महि ।
वृक्षे न वसतिं वयः ॥४॥
Sā no adya yasyā vayaṃ ni te yāmannavikṣmahi |
vṛkṣe na vasatiṃ vayaḥ ||4||
Be gracious to us this day, O Night, you at whose approach we have settled to rest, as birds settle in a tree for their nest.
Verse 5
नि ग्रामासो अविक्षत नि पद्वन्तो नि पक्षिणः ।
नि श्येनासश्चिदर्थिनः ॥५॥
Ni grāmāso avikṣata ni padvanto ni pakṣiṇaḥ |
ni śyenāsaścidarthinaḥ ||5||
The villages have gone to rest, and the footed creatures, and the winged birds, and even the swift, questing hawks.
Verse 6
यावया वृक्यं वृकं यवय स्तेनमूर्म्ये ।
अथा नः सुतरा भव ॥६॥
Yāvayā vṛkyaṃ vṛkaṃ yavaya stenamūrmye |
athā naḥ sutarā bhava ||6||
Keep away the she-wolf and the wolf; keep off the thief, O Night; and so be easy for us to pass through (bear us safely across the night).
Verse 7
उप मा पेपिशत्तमः कृष्णं व्यक्तमस्थित ।
उष ऋणेव यातय ॥७॥
Upa mā pepiśattamaḥ kṛṣṇaṃ vyaktamasthita |
uṣa ṛṇeva yātaya ||7||
The black darkness, painted-on and palpable, has come close upon me; O Dawn, clear it away as one clears off a debt.
Verse 8
उप ते गा इवाकरं वृणीष्व दुहितर्दिवः ।
रात्रि स्तोमं न जिग्युषे ॥८॥
Upa te gā ivākaraṃ vṛṇīṣva duhitardivaḥ |
rātri stomaṃ na jigyuṣe ||8||
I have offered to you, O Daughter of Heaven, my praise like cattle (driven to their lord); accept it, O Night, as a hymn of praise offered to a victor.
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