उप ते गा इवाकरं वृणीष्व दुहितर्दिवः। रात्रि स्तोमं न जिग्युषे ॥ ८ ॥
upa tē gā ivākaraṁ vṛṇīṣva duhitardivaḥ | rātri stōmaṁ na jigyuṣē || 8 ||
Translation
I have brought this to you like cattle; accept it, O daughter of Heaven, O Night, like a song of praise for a victor.
Word by word
- upa … akaram
- I have brought near, I offer
- tē
- to you
- gāḥ iva
- like cattle
- vṛṇīṣva
- accept, choose
- duhitaḥ
- O daughter
- divaḥ
- of Heaven
- rātri
- O Night
- stōmam
- a song of praise
- na
- like
- jigyuṣē
- for a victor
Meaning
The hymn is offered as a gift, as precious as cattle were to the seer. Night, daughter of the sky, is asked to receive it as one receives praise after a victory, and the recitation can begin under her protection.