Hinduism Index
Book 5 Index
Previous Next
Hymns of the Atharva Veda, by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1895], at
1From thy vicinity I call, from near, from far, from night at
hand.
Stay here: depart not: follow not the Fathers of the olden
time. I bind thy vital spirit fast.
2If any man, a stranger or akin, hath cast a spell on thee,
I with my voice to thee declare thy freedom and release there-
from.
3If in thy folly thou hast lied or cursed a woman or a man,
I with my voice declare to thee thy freedom and release there-
from. p. a195
4If thou art lying there because of mother's or of father's sin,
I with my voice declare to thee thy freedom and release there-
from.
5Accept the healing medicine, the balm thy mother and thy sire,
Thy sister and thy brother bring. I make thee live through
lengthened years.
6O man, stay here among us; stay with all thy spirit: follow not
Yama's two messengers. Approach the castles where the living
dwell.
7Come back as thou art called to come, knowing the outlet of
the path,
And the Approach and its ascent, the way of every living man.
8Be not alarmed: thou wilt not die. I give thee lengthened years
of life.
Forth from thy members have I charmed Decline that caused
the fever there.
9Gone is the pain that racked thee, gone thy fever, gone thy
heart's disease.
Consumption, conquered by my voice, hath, like a hawk, fled
far away.
10Two sages, Sense and Vigilance, the sleepless and the watchful
one,
These, the protectors of thy life, shall be awake both day and
night.
11This Agni must be waited on. Here let the Sun mount up for
thee.
Rise from deep death and come away, yea, from black darkness
rise thou up!
12Homage be paid to Yama, to Mrityu, and to the Fathers, and to
those who guide us!
I honour first, for this man's preservation, that Agni who well
knoweth how to save him.
13Let breath and mind return to him, let sight and vigour come
again
Let all his body be restored and firmly stand upon its feet.
14Provide this man with breath and sight, O Agni, and with his
body and his strength unite him.
Thou knowest Amrit: let him not go hence, nor dwell in house
of clay.
15Let not thine inward breathing fail, let not thine outward breath p. a196
be lost.
Let Sūrya who is Lord Supreme raise thee from death with
beams of light.
16Tied, tremulously moving, here the tongue is speaking in the
mouth.
With thee I charmed Decline away and Fever's hundred ago-
nies.
17This living world, unconquered of the Gods, is most beloved of
all.
To whatsoever death thou wast destined when thou wast born,.
O man,
This death and we call after thee. Die not before decrepit age!