Hinduism Index
Book 12 Index
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Hymns of the Atharva Veda, by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1895], at
1Mount, male from male, the skin. Go thither: summon those
whom thou lovest, one and all, to meet thee,
Strong as ye were when first ye met each other, still be your
strength the same in Yama's kingdom.
2So strong your sight, so many be your powers, so great your
force, your energies so many,
When fire attends the body as its fuel, then may, ye gain full
chargers, O ye couple.
3Together in this world, in God-ward pathway, together be ye in
the realms of Yama.
Invite, made pure with means of purifying, whatever seed of
yours hath been developed.
4Do ye, O sons, unite you with the waters, meeting this living
man, ye life-sustainers,
Allot to them the Odana your mother is making ready, which
they call immortal.
5That which your mother and your sire, to banish sin and un-
cleanness from their lips, are cooking.
That Odana with hundred streams, sky-reaching, hath in its
might prevaded earth and heaven.
6Live with your sons, when life on earth is ended, live in the
sphere most rich in light and sweetness.
In skies that have been won by sacrificers make both the worlds,
earth, heaven, your habitation.
7Approach the eastern, yea: the eastern region, this is the
sphere to which the faithful turn them,
Your cooked oblation that in fire was offered, together, wife and
husband, meet to guard it. p. 90
8Now, as your steps approach the southern quarter, move in.
your circling course about this vessel.
Herein, accordant with the Fathers, Yama shall mightily protect
your cooked oblation.
9Best of the regions is indeed this western wherein the King and
gracious Lord is Soma.
Thither resort for rest, follow the pious. Then gain the laden
chargers, O ye couple.
10Ever victorious is the northern region: may the east quarter set
us first and foremost.
The Man became the five-divisioned metre. May we abide wit .
all our members perfect.
11This stedfast realm is Queen. To her be homage! To me and
to my sons may she be gracious.
Guard thou, O Goddess Aditi, all-bounteous, our cooked oblation
as an active warder.
12Embrace us as a father clasps his children. Here on the Earth
let kindly breezes fan us.
Let the rice-mess these two cook here, O Goddess, know this
our truthfulness and zealous fervour.
13If the dark bird hath come to us and, stealing the hanging. .
morsel, settled in his dwelling,
Or if the slave-girl hath, wet-handed, smearing the pestle and
the mortar, cleansed the waters,
14This pressing-stone, broad-based and strength-bestowing, made
pure by cleansing means, shall chase the demon.
Mount on the skin: afford us great protection, Let not the sons'
sin fall on wife and husband.
15Together with the Gods, banning Pis5chas and demons, hath
Vanaspati come hither.
He shall rise up and send his voice out loudly. May we win all
the worlds with him to help us.
16Seven victims held the sacrificial essence, the bright one and the
one that hath grown feeble.
The three-and-thirty Deities attend them. As such, conduct us
io the world of Svarga.
17Unto the world of Svarga shalt thou lead us: there may we dwell
beside our wife and children.
I take thy hand Let not Destruction, let not Malignity come
hither and subdue us. p. 91
18We have subdued that sinful-hearted Grāhi. Thou shalt speak
sweetly having chased the darkness.
Let not the wooden gear made ready fail us, nor harm the grain
of rice that pays due worship.
19Soon to be, decked with butter, all-embracing, come to this
world wherewith birth unites thee.
Seize thou the winnowing-fan which rains have nourished, and
let this separate the chaff and refuse.
20Three worlds hath Power Divine marked out and measured,
Fheaven yonder, and the earth, and airs mid-region.
Grasp ye the stalks and in your hands retain them: let them be
watered and again be winnowed.
21Manifold, various are the shapes of victims. Thou growest uni-
form by great abundance.
Push thou away this skin of ruddy colour: the stone will cleanse
as one who cleanses raiment.
22Earth upon earth l set thee. This thy body is con-substantial,.
but in form it differs.
Whate'er hath been worn off or scratched in fixing, leak not
thereat: I spread a charm to mend it.
23Thou for thy son shalt yearn as yearns a mother. I lay thee
down and with the earth unite thee.
Conjoined with sacrificial gear and butter may pot and jar stand
firmly on the altar.
24Eastward may Agni as he cooks preserve thee. Southward may
Indra, grit by Maruts, guard thee,
Varuna strengthen and support thee westward, and Soma on
the north hold thee together.
25Drops flow, made pure by filters, from the rain-cloud: to heaven
and earth and to the worlds they travel,
May Indra light them up, poured in the vessel, lively and sted-
fast, quickening living creatures.
26From heaven they come, they visit earth, and rising from earth
unite themselves with air's mid-region,
Purified, excellent, they with shine in beauty. Thus may they lead us
to the world of Svarga.
27Yea, and supreme, alike in conformation, and brilliant and
refulgent and immortal,
As such, enjoined, well-guarding, water-givers, dress ye the
Odana for wife and husband. p. 92
28Numbered, they visit earth, these drops of moisture, commensu-
rate with plants and vital breathings,
Unnumbered, scattered, beautiful in colour, the bright, ones
have pervaded all refulgence.
29Heated, they rage and boil in agitation, they cast about their
foam and countless bubbles
Like a fond woman when she sees her husband—what time ye
waters and these rice-grains mingle,
30Take up these rice-grains lying at the bottom: led them be blent
and mingled with the waters.
This water I have measured in the vessel, if as mid-points the
rice-grains have been meted.
31Present the sickle: quickly bring it hither. Let them out plants
and joints with hands that harm not.
So may the plants be free from wrath against us, they o'er
whose realm Soma hath won dominion.
32Strew ye fresh grass for the boiled rice to rest on: fair let it be,
sweet to the eye and spirit.
Hither come Goddesses with Gods, and sitting here taste in
proper season this oblation.
33On the strewn grass. Vanaspati, be seated; commensurate with
Gods and Agnishtomas.
Let thy fair form, wrought as by Tvashtar's hatchet, mark these
that yearn for thee within the vessel.
34In sixty autumns may the Treasure-Guardian seek to gain
heavenly light by cooked oblation.
On this may sons and fathers live dependent. Send thou this
mess to Fire that leads to heaven.
35On the earth's breast stand firmly as supporter: may Deities
stir thee who ne'er hast shaken.
So living man and wife with living children remove thee from
the hearth of circling Agni.
36All wishes that have blessed those with fulfilment, having won
all the worlds have met together.
Let them plunge in both stirring-spoon and ladle: raise this and
set it in a single vessel.
37Pour out the covering butter, spread it eastward: sprinkle this
vessel over with the fatness.
Greet this, ye Deities, with gentle murmur, as lowing cows wel-
come their tender suckling. p. 93
38Thou hast poured oil and made the worlds: let heaven, unequal-
led, be spread out in wide extension.
Herein be cooked the buffalo, strong-pinioned: the Gods shall
give the Deities this oblation.
39Whate'er thy wife, away from thee, makes ready, or what, O
wife, apart from thee, thy husband,
Combine it all: let it be yours in common while ye produce one
world with joint endeavour.
40All these now dwelling on the earth, mine offspring, these whom,
this woman here, my wife, hath borne me,
Invite them all unto the vessel: knowing their kinship have the
children met together.
41Swollen with savoury meath, the stream of treasures, sources of
immortality blent with fatness
Soma retains all these; in sixty autumns the Guardian Lord of
Treasures may desire them.
42The Lord of Treasures may desire this treasure: lordless on.
every side be all the others.
Our mess, presented seeking heaven, hath mounted in three
divisions all three realms of Svarga.
43May Agni burn the God-denying demon: let no carnivorous.
Pis icha drink here.
We drive him off, we keep him at a distance. Ādityas and
Angirases pursue him!
44This meath do I announce, mingled with butter, to the Angi-
rases and the Ādityas.
With pure hands ne'er laid roughly on a Brahman go, pious.
couple, to the world of Svarga.
45Of this have I obtained the noblest portion from that same
world whence Parmeshthin gained it.
Pour forth, besprinkle butter rich in fatness: the share of
Angiras is here before us.
46To Deities, to Truth, to holy Fervour this treasure we consign,.
this rich deposit,
At play, in meeting led it not desert us, never give out to anyone
besides me.
47I cook the offering, I present oblation: only my wife attends
the holy service.
A youthful world, a son hath been begotten. Begin a life that
brings success and triumph. p. 94
48There is no fault in this, no reservation, none when it goes with
friends in close alliance.
We have laid down this vessel in perfection: the cooked mess
shall re-enter him who cooked it.
49To those we love may we do acts that please them. Away to
darkness go all those who hate us!
Cow, ox, and strength of every kind approach us! Thus let
them banish death of human beings.
50Perfectly do the Agnis know each other, one visitor of plants
and one of rivers,
And all the Gods who shine and glow in heaven. Gold is the
light of him who cooks oblation.
51Man hath received this skin of his from nature: of other
animals not one is naked.
Ye make him clothe himself with might for raiment. Odana's
mouth is a home-woven vesture.
52Whatever thou may say at dice, in meeting, whatever falsehood
through desire of riches,
Ye two, about one common warp uniting, deposit all impurity
within it.
53Win thou the rain: approach the Gods. Around thee thou from
the skin shalt make the smoke rise upward.
Soon to be, decked with butter, all-embracing, come to this
world wherewith one birth unites thee.
54In many a shape hath heaven transformed its body, as in itself
is known, of varied eolour.
Cleansing the bright, the dark form hath it banished: the red
form in the fire to thee I offer.
55To the eastern region, to Agni the Regent, to Asita the Protector,
Āditya the Archer, we present thee, this offering of ours. Do
ye preserve it from aggression
To full old age may Destiny conduct us; may full old age deliver
us to Mrityu. Then may we be with our prepared oblation.
56To the southern region, to Indra the Regent, to Tiraschirāji the
Protector, to Yama the Archer, we present, etc. (as in stanza
55)
57To the western region, to Varuna the Regent, to Pridāku the
Protector, to Food the Archer, we present, etc.
58To the northern region, to Soma the Regent, to Svaja the Protec-
tor, to Thunderbolt the Archer, we present, etc. p. 95
59To the stedfast region, to Vishnu the Regent, to Kalmāshagriva
the Protector, to Plants the Archers, we present, etc.
60To the upper region, to Brihaspati the Regent, to Svitra the
Protector, to Rain the Archer, we present thee, this offering
of ours. Do ye preserve it from aggression.
To full old age may Destiny conduct us, may full old age deliver
us to Mrityu. Then may we be with our prepared oblation.