Bhagya Suktam – Morning Prayers
These verses are from the Rig Veda (7.41) and are also found in the Taittireeya Brahmana (II.8.9). They form a unique homage to begin each day. At the start of the day, we recognize the presence of God in our lives and everything around us. We seek blessings of Godly traits so that our lives can be purposive to us and beneficial to all.
For Audio/video of these verses, see Bhagya Suktam on YouTube
प्रातरग्निं प्रातरिन्द्रं हवामहे प्रातर्मित्रावरुणा प्रातरश्विना।
प्रातर्भगं पूषणं ब्रह्मणस्पतिं प्रातः सोममुत रुद्रं हुवेम ॥
Praatar-agnim praatar-indram havaa-mahe
Praatar-mitraa-varuṇaa praatar-ashvinaa.
Praatar-bhagam pooṣhaṇam brahmaṇas-patim
Praatah soma-muta rudram huvema1
Homage to you, O Almighty One. At the start of this blessed day that you have made, I invoke your presence in my life for this coming day. O Almighty and Great Lord, you are the source of my energy; please let me remain active and energetic. You are my friend and benefactor; please bless and protect me. Please occupy my thoughts when I am having any idle moments. Please keep me calm and free of anxiety and stress. You are the source of all nutrients and strength, and you are also the one who lets me extract such nutrition and strength from various sources. Lord, you are the provider of all medicinal elements and the giver of the ability to be healed. You are the source of our prosperity and fortune, and I bow to your benevolence. O Almighty One, you are the upholder and sustainer of all the bodies in space and their effect on our lives. And, O Almighty Lord, you are the ruler and judge of all. You ensure that natural justice prevails equally for all. I adore you; I worship you. May I be mindful of your presence all day long.
प्रातरग्निं प्रातः in the morning अग्नि Agni, God the source of Heat and Energy Note Agni refers to Energy, Fire, God – and in the following in context: gold, the digestive faculty as well as sacrificial fire. प्रातरिन्द्रम् प्रातः in the morning इन्द्र God, the controller of the atmosphere and sky In context, Indra refers to: God, excellence, the night, etc हवामहे I invoke हव invoke, invocation, sacrifice, offering He whom the wise accept/call/invoke हव invoke, call महे great one प्रातर्मित्रावरुणा प्रातः in the morning मित्र friend, also sun वरुणा God, the giver, God of the large expanse of the world, God of all space or waters प्रातरश्विना प्रातः in the morning अश्विन God, the provider of health and source of medicines and physical power प्रातर्भगम् प्रातः in the morning भग God, provider of good fortune, prosperity, welfare, happiness पूषणम् पूषण God, the giver of nourishment. Also, Earth, growth, and nutrition ब्रह्मणस्पतिम् ब्रह्मणस्पते Lord, the giver of wealth to us all प्रातः dawn, early morning सोममुत सोम the moon and celestial bodies उत and, or Soma refers also to (in context) Nectar, heaven, Moon रुद्रम् punisher of the wicked; life-giving God हुवेम invoke, adore
प्रातर्जितं भगमुग्रं हुवेम वयं पुत्रमदितेर्यो विधर्ता।
आध्रश्चिद्यमं मन्यमानस्तुरश्चिद्राजा चिद्यमं भगं भक्षीत्याह ॥
Praatar jitam bhagam-ugram huvema
vayam putram-aditeryo vidhartaa.
Aadrash-chidyam mantam-aanas-turash-chi-draajaa
chidyam bhagam bhaksheet-yaaha2
On this beautiful morning, I pay homage and worship You, O Lord; bless me, inspire me, and make me victorious over any negative forces. Please let me overcome any weaknesses and avoid any indecisions. O Lord, you uphold the Creation as well as the deserving and needful children of yours. O Almighty Giver of the light of wisdom, please bless me with superior intellect and sure-mindedness. Guide me this day to avoid weaknesses and bad habits and to realize your presence everywhere I go.
प्रातः morning जितम् victorious, curative, winning भगम् fortune, bliss, happiness, inspiration उग्रम् powerful, intense, potent हुवेम call, summon, invoke वयम् mine, I पुत्रम् child, son अदितेः cosmic, the matter of which things are made, the nucleus of atoms and molecules यः who, which विधर्ता organizer/designer/bearer of innumerable worlds आध्रः weak, one who is supported चित् mind, even, indeed यम् who, that मन्यमानः knowing, thinking तुरः powerful, noble, of high wit and intellect चित् with certainty, sure-mindedness राजा luminous, leader भक्षि worship, serve with determination/selflessly इति thus, so आह explain, tell, teach, deem, realize
भग प्रणेतर्भग सत्यराधो भगेमां धियामुदवा ददन्नः।
भग प्र णो जनय गोभिरश्वैर्भग प्र नृभिर्नृवन्तः स्याम ॥
Bhaga praṅetar-bhaga satya-raadho
bhagemaam dhiyam-udavaa dadan-nah.
Bhaga pra ṅo janaya gobhir-ashvair-bhaga
pra nri-bhir-nri-vantrah syaam.3
Homage to you, O Almighty Lord; our bestower of all that is good, and Giver of such blessings that leads us to prosperity and wisdom. Bless me with wisdom and prosperity so as to make my life exemplary and righteous. O Originator of all life, O creator of everything, please let your blessings flow continuously, all day long, so that I can live a purposeful life to the benefit of all.
भग good fortune, bliss, happiness प्रनेतः leader, bestower of all that is good सत्यराधः real opulence, truest gift/bounty/riches सत्य truth, real, good राधः opulence, bounty, gift इमाम् this, he, she, it धियम् intelligence, prayer, mind, insight, purpose, knowledge उत् superior, excellent, faultless अव with, support, help ददत् give, add, perform, praiseworthy performance नः for us प्र toward, ahead जनय beget, give birth, generate, originate गोभिः sunbeam, earth, milk, flour, food, cow अश्वैः wind, lightning, fast-moving नृभिः human, man नृवन्तः good human, fulfilling human-kind, purposeful स्याम be, exist, become
उतेदानीं भगवन्तः स्यामोत प्रपित्व उत मध्ये अह्नाम्।
उतोदिता मघवन्त्सूर्यस्य वयं देवानां सुमतौ स्याम ॥
Utedaaneem bhagavantah syaamota
prapitva uta madhye ahnaama.
Utoditaa maghavant-sooryasya vayam
devaanaam sumatou syaama.4
Homage to you, O Almighty One; You are our benefactor and the sole object of our worship. Please let your blessings flow upon me as the sun rises and today begins. Just as the day is filled with rays of light, so may my life during this day be filled with prosperity and all that is good. May my intellect and thoughts be pure and superior, and may my mind be clear and under my control.
उत and, even इदानीम् now, at this time भगवन्तः honorable; divine; fortunate; holy; adorable स्याम be, be filled, exist, become प्रपित्वे beginning, opulence from the beginning मध्ये between, center, middle, inside अह्नाम् in day, in days, day उत्इता rise, rising sun मघवन् big, mist worshipped benefactor सूर्यस्य best, rays of light, being वयम् we, I mine देवानाम् wise persons सुमतौ favor, benevolence, be stable in thoughts स्याम be, exist, happen
भग एव भगवाँ अस्तु देवास्तेन वयं भगवन्तः स्याम।
तं त्वा भग सर्व इज्जोहवीति स नो भग पुरएता भवेह ॥
Bhaga eva bhagavaangm-astu
devaastena vayam bhagavantah syaama
Tam tvaa bhaga sarva ij-jo-haveeti
sa no bhaga puru-etaa bhaveha.5
Homage to you, O Almighty Benevolent One. You are the only one worthy of worship. May I constantly contemplate your glory and worship you. O everlasting guide, please bless me with prosperity, health, and good company. May your blessings come to me at this time.
भगः good fortune, bliss, happiness एव indeed, thus भगवान् God, divine, god of riches अस्तु be, exist देवाः learned persons तेन this, he, she, it वयम् we, I, mine भगवन्तः full of bliss, blissful, honorable, divine स्याम giver of bliss, be, exist तम् this, he, she, it त्वा you भग worthy of सर्वः all इत् at this time जोहवीति constantly praise, appeal सः this नः I, mine, us पुरःएता forward-going, guide, leader भव become इह here, now
समध्वरायोषसो नमन्त दधिक्रावेव शुचये पदाय ।
अर्वाचीनं वसुविदं भगं नो रथमिवाश्वा वाजिन आ वहन्तु ॥
Samadhvaraai-uṣhaso namanta
dadhi-kraa-veva shuchaye padaaya.
Arvaa-cheenam vasuvidam bhaggan-no
ratham-ivashvaa vaajina aa vahantu.6
Homage to you, O Almighty Lord. You have made this day and have given me the bliss to start this blessed day. I bow in reverence to you. Please protect me this day; safeguard my progress in life. May your protection and blessing come to me from all directions. Please safeguard my home, my wealth and fortune, and my possessions. Bless me with good health, a righteous lifestyle, and good social status. O Almighty One, may your blessings come to me from all sides.
सम् together अध्वराय righteous behavior, non-violent lifestyle, religious ceremony, sacrifice उषसः dawn नमन्त bow, worship दधिक्र relating to, attained by वा इव like, as, somehow शुचये holy, clean, bright पदाय dwelling, social status, go, cause to fall अर्वाचीनम् becoming famous, favoring वसुविदम् wealth, property भगम् fortune नः us, I, mine रथम्इव vehicle अश्वाः powerful (horsepower) वाजिनः strong, victorious आ advance, come वहन्तु convey, drive, run, coming from all sides
अश्वावतीर्गोमतीर्न उषासो वीरवतीः सदमुच्छन्तु भद्राः ।
घृतं दुहाना विश्वतः प्रपीतो यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥ ऋग्वेद ७.४१.७
Ashvaa-vateer gomateer na uṣhaso
veeravateeh-sadam-uch-chhantu bhadraah.
Ghritam duhaanaa vishvatah prapeetaa
yooyam paata svastibhih sadaa nah.7
Homage to you, O Almighty Lord, at the beginning of this day that you have made. May this day be auspicious and blessed all around. Please protect me from all sides. O Master, may your blessings help secure and bless my sources of food, income, and happiness. Please also bless me in the use of food and wealth so that my health and prosperity can continue to be blissfully assured.
अश्ववतीः of great many possessions, horses गोमतीः of great wealth; existing rays, cows नः us, I, mine उषसः dawn, beautiful morning वीरवतीः heroic persons सदम् always, to the place उच्छन्तु period before dawn भद्राः auspicious, good, happy घृतम् to water, ghee (nutritious liquid) दुहानाः yielding, granting, fulfilling, milk विश्वतः from all sides, everywhere, all around प्रपीताः increase with excellence, immerse, imbibe यूयम् you पात protect, govern स्वस्तिभिः prosperity, well-being सदा always, continually
