Ratri Suktam is a popular Rigvedic hymn that is recited alongside the Durga Saptasati/Devi Mahatmya from the Markandeya Purana.
There is another Ratri Suktam (Tantrika) that is from the Devi Mahatmya.
Here we are discussing Rigvedic Ratri Suktam i.e the Vedokta Ratri Suktam (Rigveda quotes 10.127.1 to 10.127.8.) consisting of 8 mantras (verses) from the 10th Mandala of Rigveda.
Devi Suktam and Ratri Suktam are the two most popular Rigveda quotes recited during Navratri.
This Sukta is dedicated to the Goddess of the night, Goddess Kali. It is a prayer for protection as well as an invocation to the Goddess to lead one from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge.
Rishi : Kushik Saubhar, Ratri Bharadwaji
Devata: Ratri
Chanda: Gayatri
Ratri Suktam , Rigveda quote 10.127.1
1. Ratri vyakhyadayati purutra devyaksabhih.Visva adhi sriyo’dhita
Translation: The divine night approaching looked upon many places with her eyes, she has assumed all beauties
Meaning: An acknowledgement that the splendid night has arrived, fully decked with the stars and the bejewelled skies
Ratri Suktam , Rigveda quote 10.127.2
2. Orvapra Amartya nivato devyudvatah, Jyotisa badhate tamah.
Translation: immortal goddess has filled the expanded (firmament) the low places and the high places, she fights the darkness with lustre.
Meaning: The Goddess of the Night is engulfing all spaces and yet she arrests the darkness with the luminous stars. Here darkness may also be compared with the one that comes with enlightenment. Just as deep samadhi engulfs everything of time, space and form and yet there is an undeniable bliss and light to it, so also does the darkness alluded to here.
Ratri Suktam , Rigveda quote 10.127.3
3. Niru svasaramaskrtosasam devyayati. Apedu hasate tamah.
Translation: The advancing goddess prepared (the way for) her sister Dawn and then the darkness departs.
Meaning : As the night (the higher stages of meditation) advances the darkness paves the way for her sister Usha (dawn) , the dispeller of the dark (here self realization)
Ratri Suktam , Rigveda quote 10.127.4
4. Sa no adya yasya vayamni te yamannaviksmahi. Vrkse na vasatim vayah.
Translation: May she be favourable to us to-day upon whose approach we re-enter (our dwellings), as birds (re-enter) their nest upon the tree.
Meaning: May the Goddess of the Night be benevolent and auspicious to us, on the arrival of whom we retire back to our homes (real home ; Atman) like birds to their nests.
Ratri Suktam , Rigveda quote 10.127.5
5. Ni gramaso aviksata ni padvanto ni paksinah. Ni syenasascidarthinah.
Translation: Men have re-entered (their dwellings) and beasts and birds and the swift hawks.
Meaning: Just as men have returned home so have beasts, birds and the swift hawk.
The syena bird in some translations denotes deep meditative states (samadhi). So, in a larger context, this verse means after the laborious life of a householder, after discharging all duties, men can settle for samadhi, providing bliss and rest of the ultimate type.
Ratri Suktam , Rigveda quote 10.127.6
6. Yavaya vrkyam vrkam yavaya stenamurmye. Atha nah sutara bhava.
Translation: Keep off, O Urmya, the she-wolf, keep of the wolf and the robber and be safely passed by us.
Meaning: O Goddess of night. Keep anger, hatred, envy and all such negative tamasic vices away from us as they could steal away our peace of mind. Help us safely through the night. (dark inclinations and phases)
Ratri Suktam , Rigveda quote 10.127.7
7. Upa ma pepisat tamah krsnam vyaktamasthita. Usa rneva yataya.
The all-embracing black diffused darkness has approached me, discharge it, Usas, as if it were a debt
Meaning: Now that Usha – the dawn is here, release me from this all-engulfing darkness (state of Maya to state of self-realization)
Ratri Suktam , Rigveda quote 10.127.8
8. Up ate ga ivakaram krnisva duhitardivah. Ratri stomam na jigyuse.
Translation: I have brought (these verses) before you like milch kine; accept , O night, daughter of the sky , (my oblation) as the eulogy of one about to conquer.
Meaning: O daughter of heaven (Goddess of Night), I dedicate this song to you as a homage much like from milch cows. This from your devotee keen on victory over the darkness (tamas or Mayaic perceptions) of life.
