Bhu Suktam

bhū sūktam is a Vedic hymn to Earth as bhūmi, pṛthivī, mēdinī, vasundharā, and viṣṇu-patnī. The text itself identifies Taittiriya Samhita 1.5.3 and Taittiriya Brahmana 3.1.2 as key source locations, and the received recitation also includes later devotional meditation on Bhu Devi. It therefore joins Vedic earth-cosmology with temple and household devotion.

This Vedic hymn teaches reverence for the ground of life. Earth is praised as vast support, mother of beings, bearer of food, ritual field, home of fire, and sacred consort of the all-pervading Lord. In a world that easily treats land as mere property, the hymn restores the vision of Earth as sacred relationship and responsibility.

taittirīya saṃhitā - 1.5.3
taittirīya brāhmaṇam - 3.1.2

Translation (bhāvārtha):
This citation places the Bhu Suktam material in the Taittiriya Samhita and Taittiriya Brahmana traditions, reminding the reader that the earth-prayer is rooted in Vedic recitation and ritual vision.

ōm ॥ ō-mbhūmi̍rbhū̠mnā dyaurva̍ri̠ṇā-'ntari̍kṣa-mmahi̠tvā ।
u̠pasthē̍ tē dēvyaditē̠-'gnima̍nnā̠da-ma̠nnādyā̠yāda̍dhē ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Earth is great in abundance, heaven is vast, and midspace is great. O divine Aditi, in your lap I establish Agni, the eater of food, for the sake of nourishment.

ā-'yaṅgauḥ pṛśñi̍rakramī̠-dasa̍nanmā̠tara̠-mpuna̍ḥ ।
pi̠tara̍-ñcha pra̠yan-thsuva̍ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
This many-colored cow moves forward, returning again to the mother and proceeding toward the father, the heavenly world.

tri̠g̠ṃśaddhāma̠ virā̍jati̠ vākpa̍ta̠ṅgāya̍ śiśriyē ।
pratya̍sya vaha̠dyubhi̍ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The luminous stations shine; sacred speech rests upon the radiant mover and carries the worshipper through the lights toward the hidden order of the cosmos.

a̠sya prā̠ṇāda̍pāna̠tya̍ntaścha̍rati rōcha̠nā ।
vya̍khya-nmahi̠ṣa-ssuva̍ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
From the cosmic breath the shining realms move within; the great power reveals the heavenly light and shows that Earth, breath, and illumination belong to one living order.

yattvā̎ kru̠ddhaḥ pa̍rō̠vapa̍ma̠nyunā̠ yadava̍rtyā ।
su̠kalpa̍magnē̠ tattava̠ puna̠stvōddī̍payāmasi ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
O well-ordered Agni, whatever has been disturbed by anger, hostility, or turning away, we rekindle and restore for you.

yattē̍ ma̠nyupa̍rōptasya pṛthi̠vī-manu̍dadhva̠sē ।
ā̠di̠tyā viśvē̠ taddē̠vā vasa̍vaścha sa̠mābha̍rann ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
What was disturbed upon the earth by anger, the Adityas, all the gods, and the Vasus gathered and restored.

mē̠dinī̍ dē̠vī va̠sundha̍rā syā̠dvasu̍dhā dē̠vī vā̠savī̎ ।
bra̠hma̠va̠rcha̠saḥ pi̍tṛ̠ṇāṃ śrōtra̠-ñchakṣu̠rmana̍ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
May the Goddess Earth be Medini, Vasundhara, Vasudha, and Vasavi, bearer of sacred brilliance and connected with the hearing, sight, and mind of the ancestors.

dē̠vī hi̍raṇyaga̠rbhiṇī̍ dē̠vī pra̍sō̠darī̎ ।
sada̍nē sa̠tyāya̍nē sīda ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
O golden-wombed Goddess, bearer of life, be seated in the dwelling and in the abode of truth, blessing the home with fertility, steadiness, and sacred order.

sa̠mu̠drava̍tī sāvi̠trī āha̠nō dē̠vī ma̠hya̍ṅgī̎ ।
ma̠hō dhara̍ṇī ma̠hō-'tya̍tiṣṭhat ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The Goddess is ocean-bearing, Savitri-like, great, and a vast holder; the great Earth stands in surpassing majesty as the field where light, waters, life, and ritual meet.

śṛ̠ṅgē śṛ̍ṅgē ya̠jñē ya̍jñē vibhī̠ṣaṇī̎ indra̍patnī vyā̠pinī̠ sara̍sija i̠ha ।
vā̠yu̠matī̍ ja̠laśaya̍nī sva̠ya-ndhā̠rājā̍ sa̠tyantō̠ pari̍mēdinī
sō̠pari̍dhattaṅgāya ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
On every peak and in every sacrifice, the awe-inspiring, all-pervading Earth Goddess is present, associated with power, lotus and waters, wind and self-supporting stability.

vi̠ṣṇu̠pa̠tnī-mma̍hī-ndē̠vī̎-mmā̠dha̠vī-mmā̍dhava̠priyām ।
lakṣmī̎-mpriyasa̍khī-ndē̠vī̠-nna̠mā̠myachyu̍tava̠llabhām ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
I bow to the great Goddess Earth, consort of Vishnu, dear to Madhava, Lakshmi's beloved companion, and beloved of Achyuta.

ō-ndha̠nu̠rdha̠rāyai̍ vi̠dmahē̍ sarvasi̠ddhyai cha̍ dhīmahi ।
tannō̍ dharā prachō̠dayā̎t ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
May we know the bow-bearing Goddess; we meditate on the giver of all accomplishments. May Dhara inspire and guide us.

śṛ̠ṇvanti̍ śrō̠ṇāmamṛta̍sya gō̠pā-mpuṇyā̍masyā̠ upa̍śṛṇōmi̠ vācha̎m ।
ma̠hīndē̠vīṃ viṣṇu̍patnī majū̠ryā-mpratī̠chī̍mēnāgṃ ha̠viṣā̍ yajāmaḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
I hear the sacred speech of the blessed guardian of immortality. We worship with offering this great Goddess Earth, consort of Vishnu, turned inward toward us.

trē̠dhā viṣṇu̍-rurugā̠yō vicha̍kramē ma̠hī-ndiva̍-mpṛthi̠vī-ma̠ntari̍kṣam ।
tachChrō̠ṇaitriśava̍ i̠chChamā̍nā puṇya̠gg̠ ślōka̠ṃ yaja̍mānāya kṛṇva̠tī ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Wide-striding Vishnu strode threefold through the great earth, heaven, earth, and midspace. Desiring sacred good, Earth makes holy praise for the sacrificer.

syō̠nāpṛ̍thivi̠bhavā̍nṛkṣa̠rāni̠vēśa̍nī yachChā̍na̠śśarma̍ sa̠prathā̎ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
O Earth, be gentle, free from harshness, and a good dwelling place. Grant us broad shelter, safety, and well-being for body, family, work, and worship.

adi̍tirdē̠vā ga̍ndha̠rvā ma̍nu̠ṣyā̎ḥ pi̠tarō su̍rāstēṣāgṃ sa̠rva bhū̠tā̠nā̎-mmā̠tā mē̠dinī̍ mahatā ma̠hī ।
sāvi̠trī gā̍ya̠trī jaga̍tyu̠rvī pṛ̠thvī ba̍hulā̠ viśvā̍ bhū̠tāka̠tamākāyāsā sa̠tyētya̠mṛtē̍ti vasi̠ṣṭhaḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Earth is Aditi, mother of gods, Gandharvas, humans, ancestors, and all beings. She is Medini, Mahi, Savitri, Gayatri, Jagati, wide, abundant, all-formed, true, and immortal, as declared by Vasishta.

ikṣuśāliyavasasyaphalāḍhyē pārijāta taruśōbhitamūlē ।
svarṇa ratna maṇi maṇṭapa madhyē chintayē-thsakala lōkadharitrīm ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
One should meditate on the bearer of all worlds, rich with crops and fruits, beautified by sacred trees, and seated in a golden jeweled pavilion.

śyāmāṃ vichitrā-nnavaratna bhūṣitā-ñchaturbhujā-ntuṅgapayōdharānvitām ।
indīvarākṣī-nnavaśāli mañjarīṃ śuka-ndadhānāṃ śaraṇa-mbhajāmahē ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
We seek refuge in the dark, variegated, gem-adorned, four-armed Earth Goddess, blue-lotus-eyed, nourishing, holding fresh rice and a parrot.

saktu̍miva̠ tita̍unā punantō̠ yatra̠ dhīrā̠ mana̍sā̠ vācha̠ makra̍ta ।
atrā̠ sakhā̎ssa̠khyāni̍ jānatē bha̠draiṣā̎ṃ la̠kṣmīrni̍hi̠tādhi̍vā̠chi ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Where the wise purify speech with the mind as flour is sifted, friends truly know friendship; auspicious Lakshmi is placed in their speech.

ōṃ śānti̠-śśānti̠-śśānti̍ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
May peace settle at every level: in divine forces, in the outer world, and within the mind, so that Earth may be honored as the ground of stable life.

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