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Text of a Hymn of the Rigveda,

Transcribed with the Missionary Alphabet.

Na-asad asin, no sad asit tadanim, na-asid rago, no vyoma paro yat,

Kim avarivah? kuha kasya sarmann? ambhah kim asid gahanam gabhiram?

Na mrityur asid, amritam na tarhi; na ratrya ahna asit praketah—

Anid avatam svadhaya tad ekam, tasmad dba-anyam na parah kimka na-asa.

Tama asit, tamasa gulham agre 'praketam salilam sarvarn a idam,

Tukhyena-abhv apihitam yad asit tapasas tan mahina-agayata-ekam.

Kamas tad agre samavartata-adhi, manaso retah, prathamam yad asit,

Sato bandhum asati niravindan hridi pratisliya kavayo manisha.

Tiraskino vitato rasmir esbam adha svid asid? upari svid asit?—

Retodha asan, mahimana asant, svadba avastat, prayatih parastat.

Ko addha veda, ka iha pravokat, kuta agata kuta iyam visrishlih?

Arvag deva asya visarganena-atba ko veda yata ababhuva?

Iyam visrishtir yata ababhuva, yadi va dadbe yadi va na,

Yo asya-adhyaksbah parame vyomant, so anga veda—yadi va na veda.

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