Swami TattvavidanaSaraswati
This set of hymns is found in the Taittirīya brāhmaṇa (2-8-9). The word bhāgya means good fortune, good luck, prosperity, affluence, happiness, and welfare. These are what every human heart craves.
ōm, prātaragniṃ prātarindraā havāmahē
prātarmitrāvaruṇā prātaraśvinā,
prātarbhagaṃ pūṣanaṃ brahma ̧aspatiṃ
prātassōmamuta rudraā huvēma. 1
prātaḥ – early in the morning; agnim – Agni; indram – Indra; havāmahē – we invite; mitrāvaruṇā – the gods Mitra and Varuṇā; aśvinā – the twin gods, the Aśvins; bhagam – Bhaga; pūṣanam – Pūṣan; brahma ̧aspatim – Būhaspati; sōmam – Sōma; uta – and; ̄ rudram – Rudra; huvēma – we invite.
Early in the morning we invite Agni (the god of fire), Indra (the god of rains), Mitra (the sun) and Varu ̧a (the god of waters), Aśvins (the twin celestial physicians), Bhaga (the god of wealth), Pūṣan (the sun as the god of nutrition), Būhaspati (the god of the Vedas), Sōma (the moon), and Rudra (the god of destruction).
The entire universe has originated from the power of Ìśvara. This Cosmic Power that is Ìśvara manifests in many aspects, like electricity expresses in various gadgets. Agni is one of the many facets of the Cosmic Power. Every facet of the Cosmic Power is a dēvatā because it has its origin in the Awareness Absolute that is Brahman. Even though the names of these dēvatās are different, they are like the many limbs of Ìśvara.
The physical strength of the universe, such as that which causes the planets to revolve around the sun etc., and the physical strength that is manifest in all life forms, is called Indra. Mitra is the Sun. Varuṇā is the god of the waters, and the Aśvinā are twin dēvatās, believed to be the celestial physicians. They are represented in the zodiac by a pair of stars called the morning stars. Bhaga is the god of well-being and prosperity. In the Viṣṇu purāṇā (6-5-74), bhaga is defined thus:
aiśvaryasya samagrasya dharmasya
yaśasaśśriyaḥ, jñānavairāgyayōścaiva ṣaṇṇāṃ
bhaga itīraṇā.
The six qualities of overlordship, righteousness, name and fame, wealth, knowledge, and dispassion are, in absolute measure, called bhaga. The sun is called Pūṣan, the one who nurtures life. Brahma ̧aspati is the god of knowledge, for brahman means the Vedas, which are the source of spiritual knowledge. Soma is the moon, the god of vegetation, and Rudra is the god of destruction.
prātarjitaṃ bhagamugraā huvēma vayaṃ
putramaditēryō vidhartā,
āddhraścidyaṃ manyamānasturaścidrājā cidyaṃ
bhagaṃ bhakṣītyāha. 2
prātaḥ – early in the morning; jitam – victorious; ugram – ferocious; aditēḥ – of Aditi; putram – the offspring; bhagam – Bhaga; vayam – we; huvēma – invite; yaḥ – who; vidhartā – verily sustains; āddhraścit – even a pauper; turaścit – busily engaged otherwise; yam – whom; rājācit – even the king; yam – whom; manyamānaḥ – contemplating; bhagam – Bhaga; bhakṣi – I would worship; īti – thus; āha – says.
I invite the victorious Bhaga, the manifestation of Aditi (the Cosmic Power). Bhaga is the very sustainer of the creation. Whether a pauper, a busily engaged person, or a king, everyone contemplates on Bhaga saying, ‘I would worship Bhaga’.
We invite Bhaga, the god of prosperity, who always prevails as the victor and is ferociously powerful against the adversaries, namely, the impediments to prosperity. Prosperity is an important aspect of Cosmic Power. When this Power is personified as Aditi, the feminine aspect of the Divinity, Bhaga is Her son. Verily, it is Bhaga who sustains the universe.
One may be a pauper, and, another, a king; yet, both worship Bhaga with equal devotion. A person may be otherwise very busy; yet, he does not fail to offer worship to Bhaga. Everybody prays to the god of prosperity. Everyone declares, ‘let me worship Bhaga.’
bhaga praṇētarbhaga satyarādhō bhagēmāṃ
dhiyamudava dadannaḥ, bhagapraṇō janaya
gōbhiraśvairbhaga pra nūbhirnūvantassyāma. 3
bhaga – O Bhaga; pra ̧ētaḥ – O great leader; satyarādhaḥ – O one with truth as wealth; dadat – one who bestows; naḥ – our; imām – this; dhiyam – mind; udava – elevate and protect; naḥ – us; gōbhiḥ – with cows; aśvaiḥ – with horses; prajanaya – bestow progeny; pranūbhiḥ – with good people; nūvantaḥ – having people;syāma – may we be.
O Bhaga, You lead great, and truth is your wealth. Bestow it on us, and elevate our intellect and protect it. Bless us with cattle wealth, horses and good people (offspring, relatives, and domestic and other help).
Bhaga is the god of bhāgya, wealth and well-being in every respect. It is the good fortune which leads the people in the right direction in life. Satyarādhaḥ is a manner of addressing the Deity. In life, truth and right thinking are one’s greatest assets. In the contemporary context, the horse represents comfortable transportation. Here the devotee prays that he may be surrounded by good people in all spheres of life.
The word ‘people’ includes progeny, grandchildren, relatives, or one’s near and dear, and the people who work for us. This is, typically, the prayer of a householder. On the other hand, a monk may pray that he be left alone so that he can pursue his contemplation without interruption.
utedānīṃ bhagavantassyāmota prapitva uta madhye
ahnām, utōditā maghavanthsūryasya vayaṃ devānām̐
sumatau syāma. 4
uta – and; idāném – now; prapitvē uta -also in the evening; ahnāṃ madhye – at noon; uditā uta – also at sunrise; bhagavantaḥ – those who have the blessings of Bhaga; syāma – may we become; maghavan – O Indra; sūryasya – of the Sun; devānām – of the gods; vayam – we; sumatau – in the good opinion; syāma – may we be.
May we be blessed by Bhaga now (during this fire ritual), and in the morning, afternoon, and evening, day after day. O Lord Indra, may we be in the good favor of the Sun and the other gods.
Indra is called Maghavān, for having performed many maghas, vedic rituals. He is blessed with bhāgya, good fortune, because of his meritorious deeds, and may He, in turn, bless us.
bhaga eva bhagavām̐ astu dēvāstēna vayaṃ
bhagavantassyāma, taṃ tvā bhaga sarva ijjōhavīmi
sanō bhaga pura ētā bhavēha. 5
dēvāḥ – O gods; bhagaḥ eva – Bhaga alone; bhagavān – blessed with good fortune; astu – may become; tēna – by that god; vayam – we; bhagavantaḥ – having good fortune; syāma – may become; bhaga – O Bhaga; tam – that; tvā – you; jōhavīmi – (I) invite; sarvaḥ it – indeed all; saḥ – that you; iha – in this ritual; naḥ – our; puraḥ – right in front;ētā – one who goes; bhava – be.
O gods, may Bhaga indeed be full of good fortune, so that we may be blessed with good fortune by that god. O Bhaga, all the people including myself invite you to bring in good fortune. O Bhaga, kindly lead us by being present at the ritual.
The glory of the god Bhaga, which is pointed out earlier, is restated here. Everyone seeks His blessings, and invites Him to his abode. The entire human kind worships and invites Bhaga dēvatā. We make progress when the Lord Bhaga is with us.
samadhvarāyōṣasō‘namanta dadhikrāvēva śucayē
padāya,arvācīnaṃ vasuvidaṃ bhagaṃ nō rathamivāśvā
vājina āvahantu. 6
uṣasaḥ – the presiding deities of the early morning hour; adhvarāya – for the benefit of this Vedic ritual; śucayē – for establishing the fire altar; padāya – for placing the foot; dadhikrāvā iva – like the horse; samanamanta – may arrive; vājinaḥ – running speedily; aśvāḥ – horses; rathaṃ iva – like the chariot; arvācīnam – in front of; naḥ – us; vasuvidam – the one who gains wealth; bhagam – Bhaga; āvahantu – may bring.
May the presiding deities of the early morning hour arrive here like the horse that puts its foot in the place of Vedic ritual for the purpose of establishing the fire altar. May they bring Bhaga, the Lord of wealth, like swift horses pulling a chariot.
The spontaneous prayer of the devotee is that the morning should bring the opportunity to worship the Lord through a fire ritual. Then follows a prayer about the arrival of wealth. There is a particular Vedic ritual in which the fire altar is established wherever a ceremonial horse places its foot in the ritual ground. That is the simile in this hymn. The sequence of the two similes is significant: as soon as the devotee finishes the worship of the Lord, he is blessed with good fortune.
aśvāvatīrgōmatīrna uṣāsō vīravatīssadam-ucchantu
bhadrāḥ, ghūtaṃ duhānā viśvataḥ prapīnā yūyaṃ pāta
svastibhissadā naḥ. 7
aśvāvatīḥ – owning many horses; gōmatīḥ – owning many cows; vīravatīḥ – having offspring and their progeny; bhadrāḥ – auspicious; ghūtam – useful products like ghee; milk etc.; duhānāḥ – providing in plenty; viśvataḥ – all life; prapīnāḥ – nourishing; uṣāsaḥ – the presiding deities of the early morning hour; naḥ – our; sadam – towards the place of worship; ucchantu – may they presage good day; yūyam – you; naḥ – us; sadā – always;svastibhiḥ – with good fortunes; pāta – protect.
May the presiding deities of the morning hours bless us with many horses and cows, and milk and dairy products in plenty. May these auspicious gods bless us with good progeny, and nourish all life. May they herald auspiciousness in the place of worship. May they always ensure our good fortunes.
yō mā’gnē bhāginaā santamathābhāgaṃ
cikīūṣati, abhāgamagnē taṃ kuru māmagnē
bhāginaṃkuru. 8
agnē – O Agni; yaḥ – whosoever; bhāginam – possessing wealth; santam – staying; mā – me; atha – on the other hand; abhāgam – unlucky; cikīūṣati – desires to make; tam – him; abhāgam – unlucky; kuru – make; mām – me; bhāginam – wealthy; kuru – kindly make.
O Agni, I am fortunate as of now; but if anyone desires to see me divested of my fortune, strike him down, and bless me with wealth and fortune.
This mantra is not part of the sūkta in the Taittirīya brāhmaṇa. However, it is an addition to the popular recitation of this sūkta. Bhāga means share. Every child is heir to a portion of the parents’ wealth. Similarly, every person inherits a part of the wealth of the universe. We have earned some merit earlier and now reap the fruits thereof, in the form of some wealth. There should be no impediment in the way of my getting a share of it. Therefore, I pray that I may be allowed my share of the wealth.
