Rig Veda · 404 of 1027
Mandala 5: HYMN L. Viśvedevas.
1.LET every mortal man elect the friendship of the guiding God. Each one solicits him for wealth and seeks renown to prosper him.
2.These, leading God, are thine, and these here ready to speak after us. As such may we attain to wealth and wait with services on thee.
3.So further honour as our guests the Hero Gods and then the Dames. May he remove and keep afar our foes and all who block our path.
4.Where fire is set, and swiftly runs the victim dwelling in the trough, He wins, with heroes in his home, friendly to man, like constant streams.
5.May these thy riches, Leader God! that rule the car, be blest to us, Yea, blest to us for wealth and weal. This will we ponder praising strength, this ponder as we praise the God.
Asked of Guide
Why do the hymns ask the gods to be
Why do the hymns ask the gods to be invited as guests and leaders? The stanza calls the Viśvedevas “our guests” and “Leader God,” asking them to accept honours so they will “remove and keep afar our foes” and grant “wealth and weal.” The gods are imagined as social allies whose acceptance of hospitality turns into protection and prosperity for the worshippers.
This chapter treats sacrificial rites as reciprocal: offerings and praise create a relationship that yields tangible benefits. That social vision of deity matches what you’ll find in the Gṛhya- and Brāhmaṇa-literature, where ritual hospitality to gods and priests secures cosmic and household order.
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