THE GODS OF AGRICULTURE.
1.
KSHETRAPATI! Ever dear,[^12] With thee, we to fields repair! We will till the grateful field, Copious harvests it will yield! Well fed and strong our bullocks and our steeds, And Kshetrapati will supply our needs.
2.
Copious milk our cows supply, And Kshetrapati, from the sky, Sends us copious, grateful rain, Sweet to tillers of the plain! Sing to the god of tillage, ever dear, He grants us crops and listens to our prayer!
3.
May our crops in sweetness grow, In sweetness may the waters flow. Kshetrapati! power divine! Grace and sweetness, they are thine! With grateful songs and hearts we follow thee, And let our homes and fields from harm be free!
4.
Gladly works the merry swain, And glad the mighty bullocks strain; Gladly o’er the yielding soil The shining ploughshare marks their toil! Merrily fasten all the traces strong, Merrily ply the goad and drive along!
5.
Let us raise our grateful song To Suna, Sîra, bright and strong.[^13] Ye are gods to tillers dear, Listen to their humble prayer! And the bright rain you store within the sky Will feed the grateful earth as crops grow high!
6.
Auspicious Sîtâ! beauteous born! Goddess of the shining corn! Listen to our grateful lays, Grant to us thy helpful grace! Grant us, Sîtâ! wealth and happiness, Grant us, goddess! plenteous crops and bliss.[^14]
7.
Indra takes her by the hand, Pûshan leads her o’er the land, From the sky obedient drops, At her bidding feed our crops, And as the harvest cometh year by year, With plenteous crops, O goddess! still appear!
8.
The merry ploughshare marks the plain, And merry work the beasts and men! And Parjanya, the god of rain, With grateful showers will feed the plain! Then raise your pious hearts and grateful song To Suna and to Sira, bright and strong!
Rig Veda, IV. 57.