I Am the Queen

Speech begins with the gods. She names the companies of gods and then the gods one by one, to say that she goes with them all and bears them, and that she bears the soma too, the holy drink pressed and offered to them.

I move with the Rudras and the Vasus, she says, with the Ādityas and with all the gods. I bear both Mitra and Varuṇa; I bear Indra and Agni, and both the Aśvins. I bear the swelling soma; I bear Tvaṣṭṛ, and Pūṣan, and Bhaga. I give wealth to the one who brings offerings, to the sacrificer who presses soma and serves the gods well.

I am the queen, the gatherer of riches, the knowing one, the first of those worthy of worship. The gods have set me in many places: I stand in many places, and I bring many things to dwell in me.

It is through me that anyone eats food, anyone who sees, who breathes, who hears what is spoken. Without knowing it, they dwell in me. Hear, you who are famed: what I tell you is worthy of faith.

I myself speak this word, which gods and men welcome: whom I love, I make mighty; I make him a brahman, a seer, a man of wisdom.

I stretch the bow for Rudra, so that his arrow may strike the hater of the sacred word. I stir up battle for the people. I have entered heaven and earth.

At the summit of this world I give birth to the father; my birthplace is in the waters, in the sea. From there I spread out over all the worlds, and with my height I touch the far heaven.

I blow forth like the wind, taking hold of all the worlds. Beyond heaven, beyond this earth: so great have I become in my greatness.