12. Atharv Veda — Kanda 12

✦ Sukta 1 · 63 verses ✦

12.1.1

स॒त्यं बृ॒हदृ॒तमु॒ग्रं दी॒क्षा तपो॒ ब्रह्म॑ य॒ज्ञः पृ॑थि॒वीं धा॑रयन्ति। सा नो॑ भू॒तस्य॒ भव्य॑स्य॒ पत्न्यु॒रुं लो॒कं पृ॑थि॒वी नः॑ कृणोतु ॥

Pillars of the Earth: Truth of Constancy, Infinity, Law of Mutability, Passion for Truth and Law, inviolable Commitment, Austerity of discipline, Divine knowledge, Yajna, participative living for creativity and contribution: these sustain the Earth, the life on earth and the human family on earth. May She, Prthivi, Mother, sustainer of past, present and future of all living beings, provide and continue to provide a beautiful wide world of life and joy for all of us.

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12.1.2

अ॑संबा॒धं ब॑ध्य॒तो मा॑न॒वानां॒ यस्या॑ उ॒द्वतः॑ प्र॒वतः॑ स॒मं ब॒हु। नाना॑वीर्या॒ ओष॑धी॒र्या बिभ॑र्ति पृथि॒वी नः॑ प्रथतां॒ राध्य॑तां नः ॥

Among whose intelligent people there is freedom from bondage and perfect equanimity and balance between high and low, who bears many herbs and trees of varied vigour and vitality, may that Earth provide ample room for expansion and growth and possibilities of higher success and progress.

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12.1.3

यस्यां॑ समु॒द्र उ॒त सिन्धु॒रापो॒ यस्या॒मन्नं॑ कृ॒ष्टयः॑ संबभू॒वुः। यस्या॑मि॒दं जिन्व॑ति प्रा॒णदेज॒त्सा नो॒ भूमिः॑ पूर्व॒पेये॑ दधातु ॥

Where seas roll and rivers flow, lakes abound and showers fall incessantly, where food is plenty and people live in comfort, where a moving, breathing, vibrant world of life exists in wide variety, may that Mother Earth establish us in abundant peace and prosperity.

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12.1.4

यस्या॒श्चत॑स्रः प्र॒दिशः॑ पृथि॒व्या यस्या॒मन्नं कृ॒ष्टयः॑ संबभू॒वुः। या बिभ॑र्ति बहु॒धा प्रा॒णदेज॒त्सा नो॒ भूमि॒र्गोष्वप्यन्ने॑ दधातु ॥

The earth mother whose four quarters extend far and wide in space, where food is plenty and farmers and other people grow happy, which bears and sustains her living breathing children vibrant and happy in a variety of ways, may that motherland establish us in plenty of the wealth of cows and food.

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12.1.5

यस्यां॒ पूर्वे॑ पूर्वज॒ना वि॑चक्रि॒रे यस्यां॑ दे॒वा असु॑रान॒भ्यव॑र्तयन्। गवा॒मश्वा॑नां॒ वय॑सश्च वि॒ष्ठा भगं॒ वर्चः॑ पृथि॒वी नो॑ दधातु ॥

Where our ancient forefathers did wonderful deeds, where brilliant heroes kept the negative, violent and demonic forces down under control, where there are protective and promotive shelter stalls for cows, horses and birds, may that motherland bless us with honour and excellence, lustre and splendour.

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12.1.6

वि॑श्वंभ॒रा व॑सु॒धानी॑ प्रति॒ष्ठा हिर॑ण्यवक्षा॒ जग॑तो नि॒वेश॑नी। वै॑श्वान॒रं बिभ्र॑ती॒ भूमि॑र॒ग्निमिन्द्रऋ॑षभा॒ द्रवि॑णे नो दधातु ॥

Bearer and sustainer of the world, treasure-hold of wealth, shelter and stability of life, golden in form and beauty, shelter home of world community, bearing and sustaining citizens of the world, may mother earth ruled by generous omnipotent Indra give us the light of life and leadership and establish us the in wealth in life.

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12.1.7

यां रक्ष॑न्त्यस्व॒प्ना वि॑श्व॒दानीं॑ दे॒वा भूमिं॑ पृथि॒वीमप्र॑मादम्। सा नो॒ मधु॑ प्रि॒यं दु॑हा॒मथो॑ उक्षतु॒ वर्च॑सा ॥

Generous and brilliant brave sleeplessly protect and serve the firm and wide motherland without relent and wantonness. May she, generous giver of wealth and excellence of the world for all, give us honey sweets of life and consecrate us with light and splendour.

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12.1.8

यार्ण॒वेऽधि॑ सलि॒लमग्र॒ आसी॒द्यां मा॒याभि॑र॒न्वच॑रन्मनी॒षिणः॑। यस्या॒ हृद॑यं पर॒मे व्यो᳡मन्त्स॒त्येनावृ॑तम॒मृतं॑ पृथि॒व्याः। सा नो॒ भूमि॒स्त्विषिं॒ बलं॑ रा॒ष्ट्रे द॑धातूत्त॒मे ॥

That earth which in the beginning of creation nestled in the liquid mutation of Prakrti in the vast spatial ocean of particles (Rgveda 10, 190, 1), over which wise sages roamed around free with their wondrous vision and supernal creations, whose heart core wrapped in truth abides in the supreme light of Divinity, that mother earth may, we pray, establish light and splendour, and strength and power in our social order, the noblest of its kind in the universe.

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12.1.9

यस्या॒मापः॑ परिच॒राः स॑मा॒नीर॑होरा॒त्रे अप्र॑मादं॒ क्षर॑न्ति। सा नो॒ भूमि॒र्भूरि॑धारा॒ पयो॑ दुहा॒मथो॑ उक्षतु॒ वर्च॑सा ॥

On which free flowing rivers flow continuously day and night without relent, may that earth of abundant streams and rivers bless us with refreshing waters and consecrate us with light and splendour.

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12.1.10

याम॒श्विना॒वमि॑मातां॒ विष्णु॒र्यस्यां॑ विचक्र॒मे। इन्द्रो॒ यां च॒क्र आ॒त्मने॑ऽनमि॒त्रां शची॒पतिः॑। सा नो॒ भूमि॒र्वि सृ॑जतां मा॒ता पु॒त्राय॑ मे॒ पयः॑ ॥

Earth Mother which Ashvins, day and night, have wrapped in light and shade, which Vishnu, the sun, covers in a single step, which Indra, Lord Supreme, renders free from enemy powers, may that mother land release milk and water in plenty for me, her child.

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12.1.11

गि॒रय॑स्ते॒ पर्व॑ता हि॒मव॒न्तोऽर॑ण्यं ते पृथिवि स्यो॒नम॑स्तु। ब॒भ्रुं कृ॒ष्णां रोहि॑णीं वि॒श्वरू॑पां ध्रु॒वां भूमिं॑ पृथि॒वीमिन्द्र॑गुप्ताम्। अजी॒तोऽह॑तो॒ अक्ष॒तोऽध्य॑ष्ठां पृथि॒वीमह॑म् ॥

Earth Mother, may your hills and mountains capped with snow, and your woodlands be good and grand and pleasant, and, on this land, brown and productive, dark green and fertile, red and luxuriant, vast and varied in form and hue, firm and unshakable seat of settlement guarded by mighty heroes of Indra, may we live safe and secure with pride and confidence, unconquered free, unbroken and unviolated.

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12.1.12

यत्ते॒ मध्यं॑ पृथिवि॒ यच्च॒ नभ्यं॒ यास्त॒ ऊर्ज॑स्त॒न्वः संबभू॒वुः। तासु॑ नो धेह्य॒भि नः॑ पवस्व मा॒ता भूमिः॑ पु॒त्रो अ॒हं पृ॑थि॒व्याः प॒र्जन्यः॑ पि॒ता स उ॑ नः पिपर्तु ॥

Earth Mother, whatever is in the midst of your person, whatever is at the centre of your person, and your gift for us from the clouds and the sky, and all that is the nutriments and energy from your body, pray establish us therein, make us pure and strong. The earth is my mother, I am a child of the Earth Mother’s. The sky and the rain cloud from the sun and sky is my father. I am a child of Nature. May the father and mother give us total fulfilment.

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12.1.13

यस्यां॒ वेदिं॑ परिगृ॒ह्णन्ति॒ भूम्यां॒ यस्यां॑ य॒ज्ञं त॒न्वते॑ वि॒श्वक॑र्माणः। यस्यां॑ मी॒यन्ते॒ स्वर॑वः पृथि॒व्यामू॒र्ध्वाः शु॒क्रा आहु॑त्याः पु॒रस्ता॑त्। सा नो॒ भूमि॑र्वर्धय॒द्वर्ध॑माना ॥

Whereon, on the ground, the disciples of Vishvakarma build the vedi, sit round and perform and extend and direct the yajna of social development, whereon, before the oblations are offered, celebrative posts and pillars, pure, white and powerful, are designed and raised, may that earth, herself rising and developing, raise us to heights of development and excellence.

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12.1.14

यो नो॒ द्वेष॑त्पृथिवि॒ यः पृ॑त॒न्याद्यो᳡भि॒दासा॒न्मन॑सा॒ यो व॒धेन॑। तं नो॑ भूमे रन्धय पूर्वकृत्वरि ॥

O Mother Earth, whoever hate and malign us, whoever fight against us and enslave us by mind, whoever by physical force of deadly kind, O motherland, ever active and preventive of evil, subdue him, subject him to correction or destroy him.

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12.1.15

त्वज्जा॒तास्त्वयि॑ चरन्ति॒ मर्त्या॒स्त्वं बि॑भर्षि द्वि॒पद॒स्त्वं चतु॑ष्पदः। तवे॒मे पृ॑थिवि॒ पञ्च॑ मान॒वा येभ्यो॒ ज्योति॑र॒मृतं॒ मर्त्ये॑भ्य उ॒द्यन्त्सूर्यो॑ र॒श्मिभि॑रात॒नोति॑ ॥

Born of you, living and moving around freely on you, all the mortals, humans, animals, birds, you bear, support and sustain. Mother Earth, yours are all the children, all five classes, native as well as foreign; for all of these mortals, the immortal light, the sun, rising and radiating with its rays, shines far and wide.

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12.1.16

ता नः॑ प्र॒जाः सं दु॑ह्रतां सम॒ग्रा वा॒चो मधु॑ पृथिवि धेहि॒ मह्य॑म् ॥

Let all these people, your children, together receive the mother’s gift of nourishment, sustenance and support. O Mother Earth, bless me with honey sweets of the Common Word and mutual discourse, pray establish me therein.

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12.1.17

वि॑श्व॒स्वं᳡ मा॒तर॒मोष॑धीनां ध्रु॒वां भूमिं॑ पृथि॒वीं धर्म॑णा धृ॒ताम्। शि॒वां स्यो॒नामनु॑ चरेम वि॒श्वहा॑ ॥

O children of the earth, let us all together and always serve and live in accord with the universal love, unity and generosity of Mother Earth, vast and wide, mother of all herbs and trees, firm, established in Dharma, blissfully peaceful, beautiful and gracious beyond bounds.

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12.1.18

म॒हत्स॒धस्थं॑ मह॒ती ब॒भूवि॑थ म॒हान्वेग॑ ए॒जथु॑र्वे॒पथु॑ष्टे। म॒हांस्त्वेन्द्रो॑ रक्ष॒त्यप्र॑मादम्। सा नो॑ भूमे॒ प्र रो॑चय॒ हिर॑ण्यस्येव सं॒दृशि॒ मा नो॑ द्विक्षत॒ कश्च॒न ॥

Mother Earth, be, indeed you are, the mighty one great hall of residence for humanity. High is your velocity, mighty your motion, terrible your tremor. Mighty Indra, the sun, keeps and protects you in orbit relentlessly, the Ruler maintains you at peace vigilantly. O motherland, let us shine in the golden glory of light and grandeur on earth. Let none hate and malign us. Let us live with love in mutual trust.

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12.1.19

अ॒ग्निर्भूम्या॒मोष॑धीष्व॒ग्निमापो॑ बिभ्रत्य॒ग्निरश्म॑सु। अ॒ग्निर॒न्तः पुरु॑षेषु॒ गोष्वश्वे॑ष्व॒ग्नयः॑ ॥

There is agni, fire energy in the earth, fire in the herbs and trees, waters bear fire, there is fire in stones, fire in humans, in cows, and in horses, fire of various orders and energy, electric, magnetic, pure light.

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12.1.20

अ॒ग्निर्दि॒व आ त॑पत्य॒ग्नेर्दे॒वस्यो॒र्व१॒॑न्तरि॑क्षम्। अ॒ग्निं मर्ता॑स इन्धते हव्य॒वाहं॑ घृत॒प्रिय॑म् ॥

Agni burns, shines and radiates from the solar region as the sun. By divine Agni, wind blows and lightning flashes as electrical energy. Humans light the fire which loves to consume ghrta and carries the oblations from earth to heaven.

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12.1.21

अ॒ग्निवा॑साः पृथि॒व्य᳡सित॒ज्ञूस्त्विषी॑मन्तं॒ संशि॑तं मा कृणोतु ॥

The Earth, wrapped in fire, unbound with limitations, may, I pray, vest me in light and fire and turn me sharp and refined.

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12.1.22

भूम्यां॑ दे॒वेभ्यो॑ ददति य॒ज्ञं ह॒व्यमरं॑कृतम्। भूम्यां॑ मनु॒ष्या॑ जीवन्ति स्व॒धयान्ने॑न॒ मर्त्याः॑। सा नो॒ भूमिः॑ प्रा॒णमायु॑र्दधातु ज॒रद॑ष्टिं मा पृथि॒वी कृ॑णोतु ॥

On earth, people offer homage of the finest and best prepared havi in yajna to the divinities, and they offer service and hospitality to revered sages and scholars. On earth, mortal men live their life on food with their own essential nature, character and energy for survival and growth. May that Mother Earth, giver of food and energy, bring us pranic energy, good health and full long age to live a life of piety and fulfilment.

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12.1.23

यस्ते॑ ग॒न्धः पृ॑थिवि संब॒भूव॒ यं बिभ्र॒त्योष॑धयो॒ यमापः॑। यं ग॑न्ध॒र्वा अ॑प्स॒रस॑श्च भेजि॒रे तेन॑ मा सुर॒भिं कृ॑णु॒ मा नो॑ द्विक्षत॒ कश्च॒न ॥

Earth Mother, that sweet fragrance which is your very essence, which herbs and trees, and seas and streams bear, which Gandharvas and Apsaras, all those that live and play on earth and those that float and frolick and swim in waters share, with that same fragrance make me fragrant. Let none of us hate any one, let no one hate us.

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12.1.24

यस्ते॑ ग॒न्धः पुष्क॑रमावि॒वेश॒ यं सं॑ज॒भ्रुः सू॒र्याया॑ विवा॒हे। अम॑र्त्याः पृथिवि ग॒न्धमग्रे॒ तेन॒ मा सु॑र॒भिं कृ॑णु॒ मा नो॑ द्विक्षत॒ कश्च॒न ॥

Mother Earth, that fragrance of yours which has entered the lotus flower, which, since time immemorial, the immortals bear and bring in radiation of the solar rays and their contact with the earth, with that fragrance make me fragrant. Let none of us hate any one, let no one hate us.

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12.1.25

यस्ते॑ ग॒न्धः पुरु॑षेषु स्त्री॒षु पुं॒सु भगो॒ रुचिः॑। यो अश्वे॑षु वी॒रेषु॒ यो मृ॒गेषू॒त ह॒स्तिषु॑। क॒न्या᳡यां॒ वर्चो॒ यद्भू॑मे॒ तेना॒स्माँ अपि॒ सं सृ॑ज॒ मा नो॑ द्विक्षत॒ कश्च॒न ॥

That fragrance of yours which breathes in men, in women, in males and females, which is in grandeur and excellence, beauty and glamour, which is in horses and brave heroes, which is in beasts of the forest and in elephants, which is in the beauty of innocence and lustre of virginity among maidens, with that fragrance, O Mother Earth, make us fragrant. Let none of us hate any one, let no one hate us.

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12.1.26

शि॒ला भूमि॒रश्मा॑ पां॒सुः सा भूमिः॒ संधृ॑ता धृ॒ता। तस्यै॒ हिर॑ण्यवक्षसे पृथि॒व्या अ॑करं॒ नमः॑ ॥

The slab and stone, dust and mountain, all is earth. That earth is placed in position, firmly in place in orbit. To that Earth Mother and to her golden expanse like the mother’s bosom, I do homage of obeisance.

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12.1.27

यस्यां॑ वृ॒क्षा वा॑नस्प॒त्या ध्रु॒वास्तिष्ठ॑न्ति वि॒श्वहा॑। पृ॑थि॒वीं वि॒श्वधा॑यसं धृ॒ताम॒च्छाव॑दामसि ॥

Whereon herbs and trees of the forest stand firm and always flourish, that Mother Earth, bearer and sustainer of all things of the world, placed and held very well in her position, we praise and serve with reverence.

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12.1.28

उ॒दीरा॑णा उ॒तासी॑ना॒स्तिष्ठ॑न्तः प्र॒क्राम॑न्तः। प॒द्भ्यां द॑क्षिणस॒व्याभ्यां॒ मा व्य॑थिष्महि॒ भूम्या॑म् ॥

Sitting or standing, moving around or walking forward on both legs right and left, let us never fall, never waver, nor fail ever.

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12.1.29

वि॒मृग्व॑रीं पृथि॒वीमा व॑दामि क्ष॒मां भूमिं॒ ब्रह्म॑णा वावृधा॒नाम्। ऊर्जं॑ पु॒ष्टं बिभ्र॑तीमन्नभा॒गं घृ॒तं त्वा॑भि॒ नि षी॑देम भूमे ॥

To Earth, sacred mother, pure, unhurt, forbearing, growing by divine power and celebrated with Vedic songs of adoration, bearing food, energy, and every body’s share of nourishment and ghrta, I say: O motherland, let us all sit with you together at peace.

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12.1.30

शु॒द्धा न॒ आप॑स्त॒न्वे᳡ क्षरन्तु॒ यो नः॒ सेदु॒रप्रि॑ये॒ तं नि द॑ध्मः। प॒वित्रे॑ण पृथिवि॒ मोत्पु॑नामि ॥

Mother Earth, let pure showers and streams of water flow for our body’s health. Whatever negative, bad or evil be ours, we assign to our dislike and rejection. O Motherland, I initiate and consecrate myself with the purity and sanctity of your presence, inspiration and holy action.

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12.1.31

यास्ते॒ प्राचीः॑ प्र॒दिशो॒ या उदी॑ची॒र्यास्ते॑ भूमे अध॒राद्याश्च॑ प॒श्चात्। स्यो॒नास्ता मह्यं॒ चर॑ते भवन्तु॒ मा नि प॑प्तं॒ भुव॑ने शिश्रिया॒णः ॥

May your regions in front or at the back, up or down, O Mother Earth, all directions and sub-directions, where I live and move, be good and auspicious to me. As long as I live with your support in the world, let me never stumble and never fall down.

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12.1.32

मा नः॑ प॒श्चान्मा पु॒रस्ता॑न्नुदिष्ठा॒ मोत्त॒राद॑ध॒रादु॒त। स्व॒स्ति भू॑मे नो भव॒ मा वि॑दन्परिप॒न्थिनो॒ वरी॑यो यावया व॒धम् ॥

O Mother Earth, do not push us from behind, from front, from above and from below. Pray be kind and gracious. Let there be no thieves, robbers and highway men among us. Throw off all weapons of destruction far away from us.

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12.1.33

याव॑त्ते॒ऽभि वि॒पश्या॑मि॒ भूमे॒ सूर्ये॑ण मे॒दिना॑। ताव॑न्मे॒ चक्षु॒र्मा मे॒ष्टोत्त॑रामुत्तरां॒ समा॑म् ॥

O Motherland, as long as I live, look to you and watch around with the gracious light of the sun, that long let my eye and discriminative judgement never fail over time passing on with the passage of years.

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12.1.34

यच्छया॑नः प॒र्याव॑र्ते॒ दक्षि॑णं स॒ख्यम॒भि भू॑मे पा॒र्श्वम्। उ॒त्ता॒नास्त्वा॑ प्र॒तीचीं॒ यत्पृ॒ष्टीभि॑रधि॒शेम॑हे। मा हिं॑सी॒स्तत्र॑ नो भूमे॒ सर्व॑स्य प्रतिशीवरि ॥

O Motherland, while I sleep and change sides right and left, and when we lie face upward and back on the ground, then O Motherland, gracious giver of restful support and sleep to all, pray do not hurt us.

· · ·

12.1.35

यत्ते॑ भूमे वि॒खना॑मि क्षि॒प्रं तदपि॑ रोहतु। मा ते॒ मर्म॑ विमृग्वरि॒ मा ते॒ हृद॑यमर्पिपम् ॥

O Mother Earth, when I dig and till the soil to sow the seed, let the seed grow soon and the ground fill up. O gracious, purifying and regenerative Mother, never would I hurt your vitality and fertility, never will I rip up your heart.

· · ·

12.1.36

ग्री॒ष्मस्ते॑ भूमे व॒र्षाणि॑ श॒रद्धे॑म॒न्तः शिशि॑रो वस॒न्तः। ऋ॒तव॑स्ते॒ विहि॑ता हाय॒नीर॑होरा॒त्रे पृ॑थिवि नो दुहाताम् ॥

O Motherland, expansive Mother Earth, may your seasons, summers, rains, autumns, winters, freezing winters and springs in the yearly cycle and the days and nights be generous and give profuse showers of nature’s gifts to us.

· · ·

12.1.37

याप॑ स॒र्पं वि॒जमा॑ना वि॒मृग्व॑री॒ यस्या॒मास॑न्न॒ग्नयो॒ ये अ॒प्स्व१॒॑न्तः। परा॒ दस्यू॒न्दद॑ती देवपी॒यूनिन्द्रं॑ वृणा॒ना पृ॑थि॒वी न वृ॒त्रम्। श॒क्राय॑ दध्रे वृष॒भाय॒ वृष्णे॑ ॥

Mother Earth which goes on revolving and rotating at high speed, which is worth discovering and researching, in which there are fire energies which are in waters too, which goes on in time, throwing off negative destroyers of positivities, which loves to be with Indra, the powerful sun, not with the covering darkness and evil: such is the earth which sustains and is held in position for the mighty generous giver of showers. (The earth is for the generous brave.)

· · ·

12.1.38

यस्यां॑ सदोहविर्धा॒ने यूपो॒ यस्यां॑ निमी॒यते॑। ब्र॒ह्माणो॒ यस्या॒मर्च॑न्त्यृ॒ग्भिः साम्ना॑ यजु॒र्विदः॑। यु॒ज्यन्ते॒ यस्या॑मृ॒त्विजः॒ सोम॒मिन्द्रा॑य॒ पात॑वे ॥

Whereon halls of residence and stores of havi are built for congregations of yajna-performers, where pillars are designed and raised for the yajna sessions, where sagely scholars of Yajurveda worship the Lord of Universe with Rks and Samans, where high priests engage in yajna and distil the soma for oblations to Indra, Lord Omnipotent: such is our Mother Earth.

· · ·

12.1.39

यस्यां॒ पूर्वे॑ भूत॒कृत॒ ऋष॑यो॒ गा उदा॑नृ॒चुः। स॒प्त स॒त्रेण॑ वे॒धसो॑ य॒ज्ञेन॒ तप॑सा स॒ह ॥

Whereon creative sages of ancient times, seven sages, with yajnic sessions of their life time with yajna and austerity of Tapas, chanted the holy songs of Veda: such is our motherland.

· · ·

12.1.40

सा नो॒ भूमि॒रा दि॑शतु॒ यद्धनं॑ का॒मया॑महे। भगो॑ अनु॒प्रयु॑ङ्क्ता॒मिन्द्र॑ एतु पुरोग॒वः ॥

That ancient Motherland may give us whatever wealth, honour and excellence we pray for, may Indra, Lord of glory, pioneer of great creative power, be with us, and then may the honour and grandeur of the world follow for us in the footsteps of Indra.

· · ·

12.1.41

यस्यां॒ गाय॑न्ति॒ नृत्य॑न्ति॒ भूम्यां॒ मर्त्या॒ व्यै᳡लबाः। यु॒ध्यन्ते॒ यस्या॑माक्र॒न्दो यस्यां॒ वद॑ति दुन्दु॒भिः। सा नो॒ भूमिः॒ प्र णु॑दतां स॒पत्ना॑नसप॒त्नं मा॑ पृथि॒वी कृ॑णोतु ॥

The Motherland on whose bosom mortal people of various classes and cultures sing and dance in joy, whereon war drums boom and warriors clash with shouts and chllenges against the adversaries, may that Motherland throw away violent adversaries, and render me free from enemies and war.

· · ·

12.1.42

यस्या॒मन्नं॑ व्रीहिय॒वौ यस्या॑ इ॒माः पञ्च॑ कृ॒ष्टयः॑। भूम्यै॑ प॒र्जन्य॑पत्न्यै॒ नमो॑ऽस्तु व॒र्षमे॑दसे ॥

Whereon abound food grains, rice and barley, whereon five classes of people, native and foreign, happily live together, to this Mother Earth blest by showers, beloved of the cloud, honour and salutations !

· · ·

12.1.43

यस्याः॒ पुरो॑ दे॒वकृ॑ताः॒ क्षेत्रे॒ यस्या॑ विकु॒र्वते॑। प्र॒जाप॑तिः पृथि॒वीं वि॒श्वग॑र्भा॒माशा॑माशां॒ रण्यां॑ नः कृणोतु ॥

Whose cities are created, designed and built by divine architects, in whose fields various productive projects are pursued and perfected, may Prajapati, lord of the people, render that Earth Mother of the world in every place in every direction happy and joyous for us.

· · ·

12.1.44

नि॒धिं बिभ्र॑ती बहु॒धा गुहा॒ वसु॑ म॒णिं हिर॑ण्यं पृथि॒वी द॑दातु मे। वसू॑नि नो वसु॒दा रास॑माना दे॒वी द॑धातु सुमन॒स्यमा॑ना ॥

Bearing wealth of many forms deep in the mines, I pray, may the Mother Earth give me wealth, jewels and gold. Generous Mother divine, noble at heart, giver of wealth, may bear and continue to give us wealth of all kinds.

· · ·

12.1.45

जनं॒ बिभ्र॑ती बहु॒धा विवा॑चसं॒ नाना॑धर्माणं पृथि॒वी य॑थौक॒सम्। स॒हस्रं॒ धारा॒ द्रवि॑णस्य मे दुहां ध्रु॒वेव॑ धे॒नुरन॑पस्फुरन्ती ॥

Bearing and sustaining many people speaking different languages and observing different forms of Dharma and Karma in life, conduct and profession in many different ways like a family living in the same one home, may the wide and varied earth mother, constant, firm and undisturbed, give me a thousand showers and streams of wealth like the mother cow profusely giving streams of milk steadily, continuously and patiently. (This mantra may be interpreted as the prayer of a ruler as well as of a citizen of the country which, in this sukta, should be interpreted as the world.)

· · ·

12.1.46

यस्ते॑ स॒र्पो वृश्चि॑कस्तृ॒ष्टदं॑श्मा हेम॒न्तज॑ब्धो भृम॒लो गुहा॒ शये॑। क्रिमि॒र्जिन्व॑त्पृथिवि॒ यद्य॒देज॑ति प्रा॒वृषि॒ तन्नः॒ सर्प॒न्मोप॑ सृप॒द्यच्छि॒वं तेन॑ नो मृड ॥

Whether it is a snake or a scorpion whose bite causes excessive thirst, or an insect or germ which causes fever with shivering cold or delirium, all of which could be hidden and might come out, live and roam around in rains, may all these, O Mother Earth, never come close to me. Pray bless us with that which is good.

· · ·

12.1.47

ये ते॒ पन्था॑नो ब॒हवो॑ ज॒नाय॑ना॒ रथ॑स्य॒ वर्त्मान॑सश्च॒ यात॑वे। यैः सं॒चर॑न्त्यु॒भये॑ भद्रपा॒पास्तं पन्था॑नं जयेमानमि॒त्रम॑तस्क॒रं यच्छि॒वं तेन॑ नो मृड ॥

Many are the paths and highways for carts and chariots meant for public transport, by which both good people and bad elements of society travel. Pray let us control them and make them free from enemies, thieves, robbers and smugglers. O Mother Earth, bless us with that which is good.

· · ·

12.1.48

म॒ल्वं बिभ्र॑ती गुरु॒भृद्भ॑द्रपा॒पस्य॑ नि॒धनं॑ तिति॒क्षुः। व॑रा॒हेण॑ पृथि॒वी सं॑विदा॒ना सू॑क॒राय॒ वि जि॑हीते मृ॒गाय॑ ॥

Bearing her own gravitation, attraction and forbearance, sustaining both the virtuous and the sinful and shaping their family and family line, the earth in cooperation with the cloud, moves on in orbit doing homage to the sun, sojourner of space.

· · ·

12.1.49

ये त॑ आर॒ण्याः प॒शवो॑ मृ॒गा वने॑ हि॒ताः सिं॒हा व्या॒घ्राः पु॑रु॒षाद॒श्चर॑न्ति। उ॒लं वृकं॑ पृथिवि दु॒च्छुना॑मि॒त ऋ॒क्षीकां॒ रक्षो॒ अप॑ बाधया॒स्मत् ॥

Your animals of the forest, the deer inhabiting the woods, lions and tigers, carnivorous they are, all ranging over you, O Mother Earth, remove away all those ferocious wolves, she bears, and all deadly devils dangerous to people.

· · ·

12.1.50

ये ग॑न्ध॒र्वा अ॑प्स॒रसो॒ ये चा॒रायाः॑ किमी॒दिनः॑। पि॑शा॒चान्त्सर्वा॒ रक्षां॑सि॒ तान॒स्मद्भू॑मे यावय ॥

Mother Earth, pray throw out and keep away from us all those demons and violent forces which are negative, destructive, selfish, exploitative, and blood thirsty.

· · ·

12.1.51

यां द्वि॒पादः॑ प॒क्षिणः॑ सं॒पत॑न्ति हं॒साः सु॑प॒र्णाः श॑कु॒ना वयां॑सि। यस्यां॒ वातो॑ मात॒रिश्वेय॑ते॒ रजां॑सि कृ॒ण्वंश्च्या॒वयं॑श्च वृ॒क्षान्। वात॑स्य प्र॒वामु॑प॒वामनु॑ वात्य॒र्चिः ॥

On which bipeds, birds, swans, eagles, hawks and others fly and land (on lakes and trees), where winds and storms blow raising dust, shaking trees and beating the clouds, where light and shade alternate in response to the strength and calm of the winds, that is Mother Earth.

· · ·

12.1.52

यस्यां॑ कृ॒ष्णम॑रु॒णं च॒ संहि॑ते अहोरा॒त्रे विहि॑ते॒ भूम्या॒मधि॑। व॒र्षेण॒ भूमिः॑ पृथि॒वी वृ॒तावृ॑ता॒ सा नो॑ दधातु भ॒द्रया॑ प्रि॒ये धाम॑निधामनि ॥

Mother Earth where day and night, bright and dark, are joined in the natural system, the vast earth which is soaked and covered with showers of rain, may she, we pray, establish us in goodness, peace and prosperity with noble good fortune in every place and situation.

· · ·

12.1.53

द्यौश्च॑ म इ॒दं पृ॑थि॒वी चा॒न्तरि॑क्षं च मे॒ व्यचः॑। अ॒ग्निः सूर्य॒ आपो॑ मे॒धां विश्वे॑ दे॒वाश्च॒ सं द॑दुः ॥

May the heaven, this vast earth, this expansive firmament, heat and light, sun, waters, and all divinities of nature and humanity of the world bless me with holy intelligence and good will.

· · ·

12.1.54

अ॒हम॑स्मि॒ सह॑मान॒ उत्त॑रो॒ नाम॒ भूम्या॑म्। अ॑भी॒षाड॑स्मि विश्वा॒षाडाशा॑माशां विषास॒हिः ॥

I am the man, a patient, forbearing challenger, forward fighter, for sure, the winner on the field. I beat who faces me, I win all over the land, I am the conqueror all round in all directions (overall the problems and all the crises that face me, threaten to defeat me, and deprive me of my identity).

· · ·

12.1.55

अ॒दो यद्दे॑वि॒ प्रथ॑माना पु॒रस्ता॑द्दे॒वैरु॒क्ता व्यस॑र्पो महि॒त्वम्। आ त्वा॑ सुभू॒तम॑विशत्त॒दानी॒मक॑ल्पयथाः प्र॒दिश॒श्चत॑स्रः ॥

O divine Mother Earth, when in those early ancient times you expanded and, exalted by divine forces of nature and humanity, you waxed with grandeur, then the prosperity and excellence of life and motherhood entered your personality and you rose to the energy, power, inspiration and glory of your divine identity all over the four directions. Be that, O Mother, and continue to be that all time, everywhere.

· · ·

12.1.56

ये ग्रामा॒ यदर॑ण्यं॒ याः स॒भा अधि॒ भूम्या॑म्। ये सं॑ग्रा॒माः समि॑तय॒स्तेषु॒ चारु॑ वदेम ते ॥

O Mother, whatever villages and cities there are, or forests, or parliaments and assemblies there are on earth, whatever battles or problems, whatever committees, congregations and conferences there be, we shall speak and perform well everywhere and do you proud.

· · ·

12.1.57

अश्व॑ इव॒ रजो॑ दुधुवे॒ वि ताञ्जना॒न्य आक्षि॑यन्पृथि॒वीं यादजा॑यत। म॒न्द्राग्रेत्व॑री॒ भुव॑नस्य गो॒पा वन॒स्पती॑नां॒ गृभि॒रोष॑धीनाम् ॥

Happy, calm, and moving forward at a pleasant, undisturbing pace, protector of her earthly world, bearer and sustainer of herbs and trees, ever since she was born, the Earth Mother, like a horse that shakes off dust from its body, shakes off those people who live but presume to possess and over-ride her as masters.

· · ·

12.1.58

यद्वदा॑मि॒ मधु॑म॒त्तद्व॑दामि॒ यदीक्षे॒ तद्व॑नन्ति मा। त्विषी॑मानस्मि जूति॒मानवा॒न्यान्ह॑न्मि॒ दोध॑तः ॥

Whatever I speak, that is sweet as honey, whatever or whoever I see and meet, they love and honour me. Brilliant and dynamic with a drive, I throw out all those others who are angry with me and hostile toward the motherland.

· · ·

12.1.59

श॑न्ति॒वा सु॑र॒भिः स्यो॒ना की॒लालो॑ध्नी॒ पय॑स्वती। भूमि॒रधि॑ ब्रवीतु मे पृथि॒वी पय॑सा स॒ह ॥

Peaceable, kind and beneficent, fragrant, gentle and blissful, overflowing with milk, food and water, may the expansive Earth Mother, with all her wealth of nourishments, speak to me and inspire me in the motherland.

· · ·

12.1.60

याम॒न्वैच्छ॑द्ध॒विषा॑ वि॒श्वक॑र्मा॒न्तर॑र्ण॒वे रज॑सि॒ प्रवि॑ष्टाम्। भु॑जि॒ष्यं१॒॑ पात्रं॒ निहि॑तं॒ गुहा॒ यदा॒विर्भोगे॑ अभवन्मातृ॒मद्भ्यः॑ ॥

When Vishvakarma, maker of the universe, wished to evolve and form the earth which was then contained in the spatial ocean of waters, and, further, when he wished to vest it with all the materials favourable to the emergence and support of life in the course of natural evolution, then all the nutriments of food and drink implicit in the mysterious cave of Mother Nature meant for all forms of life were born of Mother Earth, grew up and came into existence. (For the natural evolution of life from Divine Will and the existential mutation of Nature refer to Taittiriya Upanishad 2, 1.)

· · ·

12.1.61

त्वम॑स्या॒वप॑नी॒ जना॑ना॒मदि॑तिः काम॒दुघा॑ पप्रथा॒ना। यत्त॑ ऊ॒नं तत्त॒ आ पू॑रयाति प्र॒जाप॑तिः प्रथम॒जा ऋ॒तस्य॑ ॥

Earth Mother, you are Aditi, unbreakable and indivisible, giver of fulfilment, growing and expansive in living potential. You provide the field of production, growth and development for humanity. And whatever is wanted of you for such growth, Prajapati, first self- manifest Divinity and father creator and sustainer of life forms, in the course of creative evolution and the Law of Mutability, replenishes and fulfils.

· · ·

12.1.62

उ॑प॒स्थास्ते॑ अनमी॒वा अ॑य॒क्ष्मा अ॒स्मभ्यं॑ सन्तु पृथिवि॒ प्रसू॑ताः। दी॒र्घं न॒ आयुः॑ प्रति॒बुध्य॑माना व॒यं तुभ्यं॑ बलि॒हृतः॑ स्याम ॥

Earth Mother, let the wombs and bosoms of fertility, creativity and motherly care, born, reborn and developed, be free from negativity and cancerous diseases. Let our life be long, full and healthy, and let us all, your children, awakened and enlightened, be homage bearers with reverence and gratitude to you.

· · ·

12.1.63

भूमे॑ मात॒र्नि धे॑हि मा भ॒द्रया॒ सुप्र॑तिष्ठितम्। सं॑विदा॒ना दि॒वा क॑वे श्रि॒यां मा॑ धेहि॒ भूत्या॑म् ॥

Earth Mother, creative, dynamic and one with me, sustain and support me with light and all that is good. Keep me established firmly in wealth, honour and excellence, blest in prosperity and grace.

✦ Sukta 2 · 55 verses ✦

12.2.1

न॒डमा रो॑ह॒ न ते॒ अत्र॑ लो॒क इ॒दं सीसं॑ भाग॒धेयं॑ त॒ एहि॑। यो गोषु॒ यक्ष्मः॒ पुरु॑षेषु॒ यक्ष्म॒स्तेन॒ त्वं सा॒कम॑ध॒राङ्परे॑हि ॥

O fire, rise on the reeds. Your place is not here. This lead is your food. Come and rise. Whatever cancer or consumption there is among cows and other animals or humans, along with that go down from here, far off from us. (This mantra is addressed to the fire, the fuel being reeds. On reed fire, which is slow and mild, lead is melted and burnt with certain chemicals and ash, i.e., Bhasma, is prepared for medicinal purposes for the cure of cancer and consumption. The mantra is not a magic formula, but it suggests a miraculous cure with lead- ash for diseases which eat up the flesh and blood and bone of the patient.)

· · ·

12.2.2

अ॑घशंसदुःशं॒साभ्यां॑ क॒रेणा॑नुक॒रेण॑ च। यक्ष्मं॑ च॒ सर्वं॒ तेने॒तो मृ॒त्युं च॒ निर॑जामसि ॥

Whatever cancer or consumption is caused by sinful acts or despicable habits, by doing certain acts or imitating and following certain negative acts and habits, all that cancer and consumption, even fatal diseases and untimely death, we ward off with that lead-ash and cast out.

· · ·

12.2.3

निरि॒तो मृ॒त्युं निरृ॑तिं॒ निररा॑तिमजामसि। यो नो॒ द्वेष्टि॒ तम॑द्ध्यग्ने अक्रव्या॒द्यमु॑ द्वि॒ष्मस्तमु॑ ते॒ प्र सु॑वामसि ॥

We drive out from here death and disease, adversity and negativity. O Agni, saviour of the patient’s person, destroy that disease and germs which eat into our flesh and eliminate those negative forces which we hate to suffer. All these we send up to you for cure.

· · ·

12.2.4

यद्य॒ग्निः क्र॒व्याद्यदि॒ वा व्या॒घ्र इ॒मं गो॒ष्ठं प्र॑वि॒वेशान्यो॑काः। तं माषा॑ज्यं कृ॒त्वा प्र हि॑णोमि दू॒रं स ग॑च्छत्वप्सु॒षदोऽप्य॒ग्नीन् ॥

If the flesh-eating fire, that is, cancerous disease that consumes the patient’s flesh enters the house or stall like carnivorous beasts on the prowl, I deal with it with Masha paste and ghrta,specially of goat or sheep, and send it far out where it might join other forms of fire such as electric energy in the waters.

· · ·

12.2.5

यत्त्वा॑ क्रु॒द्धाः प्र॑च॒क्रुर्म॒न्युना॒ पुरु॑षे मृ॒ते। सु॒कल्प॑मग्ने॒ तत्त्वया॒ पुन॒स्त्वोद्दी॑पयामसि ॥

If on the patient’s death, people stricken with rage and sorrow put out the fire, that absence ought to be corrected and fire restored in the home. Therefore we light the fire again in the home.

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12.2.6

पुन॑स्त्वादि॒त्या रु॒द्रा वस॑वः॒ पुन॑र्ब्र॒ह्मा वसु॑नीतिरग्ने। पुन॑स्त्वा॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॒राधा॑द्दीर्घायु॒त्वाय॑ श॒तशा॑रदाय ॥

O Garhapatyagni, sacred home fire, let the enlightened people of Aditya, Rudra and Vasu order of discipline and scholarship, the Brahma of knowledge, wisdom and practical vision, and the sagely scholar of Vedic lore, rekindle and establish you in the family for inmates of the home for their long and healthy life of a hundred years.

· · ·

12.2.7

यो अ॒ग्निः क्र॒व्यात्प्र॑वि॒वेश॑ नो गृ॒हमि॒मं पश्य॒न्नित॑रं जा॒तवे॑दसम्। तं ह॑रामि पितृय॒ज्ञाय॑ दू॒रं स घ॒र्ममि॑न्धां पर॒मे स॒धस्थे॑ ॥

If life-consuming Agni of average activity were to enter this home, yours though,then watching this other, Jatavedas Agni of higher and divine purpose, I take that away for the service of parents, grand parents and other forefathers. Let it light and add to the heat and light of the highest region and carry our yajna there.

· · ·

12.2.8

क्र॒व्याद॑म॒ग्निं प्र हि॑णोमि दू॒रं य॒मरा॑ज्ञो गच्छतु रिप्रवा॒हः। इ॒हायमित॑रो जा॒तवे॑दा दे॒वो दे॒वेभ्यो॑ ह॒व्यं व॑हतु प्रजा॒नन् ॥

Kravyada Agni, which carries on the dynamics of flesh on the natural plane, I assign to far off forces other than the spirit. Let it be the carrier of the acts of evil to the house of Yama, death and sufferance. For me, this other fire, Jataveda, brilliant leader of enlightened life, knowing the rules and paths of the good life, may carry our offerings in yajna to the divinities and to the ultimate Lord Supreme. (To understand the difference between the service of Kravyadagni and that of Jataveda, refer to Gita, 3, 13 and 17, 4-6, and Kathopanishad, 1,1,23-26.)

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12.2.9

क्र॒व्याद॑म॒ग्निमि॑षि॒तो ह॑रामि॒ जना॑न्दृं॒हन्तं॒ वज्रे॑ण मृ॒त्युम्। नि तं शा॑स्मि॒ गार्ह॑पत्येन वि॒द्वान्पि॑तॄ॒णां लो॒केऽपि॑ भा॒गो अ॑स्तु ॥

Enlightened and inspired, with adamantine discipline of Dharmic living, I subdue the Kravyadagni which is death and fixes people as if with a stroke of lightning. Knowing well the mortality of corporeal existence in contrast with the spirit’s immortality, I control the onslaughts of natural and carnal passion by dedication to Garhapatyagni, sacred fire of higher yajna, even though I acknowledge the natural place of Kravyadagni of biological dynamics in the field of the continuity of the species.

· · ·

12.2.10

क्र॒व्याद॑म॒ग्निं श॑शमा॒नमु॒क्थ्यं१॒॑ प्र हि॑णोमि प॒थिभिः॑ पितृ॒याणैः॑। मा दे॑व॒यानैः॒ पुन॒रा गा॒ अत्रै॒वैधि॑ पि॒तृषु॑ जागृहि॒ त्वम् ॥

I acknowledge the existence and place of Kravyadagni, the fire of natural passion for biological continuity of life along the paths of procreation and successive generation as it is celebrated in history and literature as such. But I subdue it for higher spiritual ends by the paths of life divine and pray : Pray come not again, stay where you are in the biological line, and keep awake in parental couples for a life time.

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12.2.11

समि॑न्धते॒ संक॑सुकं स्व॒स्तये॑ शु॒द्धा भव॑न्तः॒ शुच॑यः पाव॒काः। जहा॑ति रि॒प्रमत्येन॑ एति॒ समि॑द्धो अ॒ग्निः सु॒पुना॑ पुनाति ॥

People light the fire, all cotrolling, catalytic, and separating the body from the soul, freeing the pure from the impure, for the sake of the good of life. They become cleansed, pure, and purifiers of the self. The spirit gives up the smear of the material body and passes beyond existential involvements. Thus does the lighted fire, pure and purifier, purify the spirit.

· · ·

12.2.12

दे॒वो अ॒ग्निः संक॑सुको दि॒वस्पृ॒ष्ठान्यारु॑हत्। मु॒च्यमा॑नो॒ निरेण॒सोऽमो॑ग॒स्माँ अश॑स्त्याः ॥

Divine fire, catalytic agent of nature and divinity, abides on top of the heavens of light. Thence radiated, immaculate and free, it releases us from all imprecation and sin.

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12.2.13

अ॒स्मिन्व॒यं संक॑सुके अ॒ग्नौ रि॒प्राणि॑ मृज्महे। अभू॑म य॒ज्ञियाः॑ शु॒द्धाः प्र ण॒ आयूं॑षि तारिषत् ॥

Into this Agni, all controlling catalytic, purifying fire, we pour and purify our material smears, become pure performers of yajna and associates of divinity throughout life. May the holy fire advance and elevate our life to fullness, free from sin and sickness.

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12.2.14

संक॑सुको॒ विक॑सुको निरृ॒थो यश्च॑ निस्व॒रः। ते ते॒ यक्ष्मं॒ सवे॑दसो दू॒राद्दू॒रम॑नीनशन् ॥

Destroyer of common ailments, destroyer of individual ailments, eliminator of sin and sickness wholly, and a silent agent of nature and divinity is the divine fire. O man, may all modes, mutations and manners of this fire, acting together to a united end, destroy even from the farthest your cancerous consumptions of body and mind for spiritual purification.

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12.2.15

यो नो॒ अश्वे॑षु वी॒रेषु॒ यो नो॒ गोष्व॑जा॒विषु॑। क्र॒व्यादं॒ निर्णु॑दामसि॒ यो अ॒ग्निर्ज॑न॒योप॑नः ॥

Whatever cancerous ailment there may be in our horses and in brave youth and warriors, whatever in our cows, sheep and goats, we throw out that flesh eating consumptive fire energy of evil and negativity which vexes humanity.

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12.2.16

अन्ये॑भ्यस्त्वा॒ पुरु॑षेभ्यो॒ गोभ्यो॒ अश्वे॑भ्यस्त्वा। निः क्र॒व्यादं॑ नुदामसि॒ यो अ॒ग्निर्जी॑वित॒योप॑नः ॥

O Kravyadagni, flesh eating cancerous consumptive fire of negativity and disease, who vex the life of all living forms on earth, we throw you out of all other people, cows and horses anywhere else in the world.

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12.2.17

यस्मि॑न्दे॒वा अमृ॑जत॒ यस्मि॑न्मनु॒ष्या᳡ उ॒त। तस्मि॑न्घृत॒स्तावो॑ मृ॒ष्ट्वा त्वम॑ग्ने॒ दिवं॑ रुह ॥

Hey Agni, O man pure as fire, having merged in and purified yourself through yajnic discipline, you too rise to the light of heaven with oblations of ghrta into that sacred fire into which divinities merged and purified themselves, and into which humanity merged and purified itself in body, mind and soul.

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12.2.18

समि॑द्धो अग्न आहुत॒ स नो॒ माभ्यप॑क्रमीः। अत्रै॒व दी॑दिहि॒ द्यवि॒ ज्योक्च॒ सूर्यं॑ दृ॒शे ॥

O sacred fire of Ahavaniyagni, kindled, raised and served with oblations of ghrta, pray do not neglect us, do not bypass us, nor assail us as Kravyadagni. Shine for us here itself in this very heaven on earth so that we may see the sun, light of heaven, right now for all time in our journey of life.

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12.2.19

सीसे॑ मृड्ढ्वं न॒डे मृ॑ड्ढ्वम॒ग्नौ संक॑सुके च॒ यत्। अथो॒ अव्यां॑ रा॒मायां॑ शीर्ष॒क्तिमु॑प॒बर्ह॑णे ॥

Whatever headache of existential smear or cancerous consumption is there, wash it off in lead-ash, wash it off in the reed fire, wash it off in the purifying fire, wash it off in the purity of nature and in the pure warmth of the sun.

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12.2.20

सीसे॒ मलं॑ सादयि॒त्वा शी॑र्ष॒क्तिमु॑प॒बर्ह॑णे। अव्या॒मसि॑क्न्यां मृ॒ष्ट्वा शु॒द्धा भ॑वत य॒ज्ञियाः॑ ॥

Having absorbed the dirt and impurity of the headache of cancerous consumption into the lead ash, into the pure warmth of the sun, into the milk of black sheep or goat, having thus eliminated the impurity, be pure and immaculate performers of life’s yajna.

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12.2.21

परं॑ मृत्यो॒ अनु॒ परे॑हि॒ पन्थां॒ यस्त॑ ए॒ष इत॑रो देव॒याना॑त्। चक्षु॑ष्मते शृण्व॒ते ते॑ ब्रवीमी॒हेमे वी॒रा ब॒हवो॑ भवन्तु ॥

O Death, go far away at the farthest, by the path that is other than this path of divinity, I say to you who have eyes to see and ears to hear. Let there be a plenty of the brave here free from danger and death.

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12.2.22

इ॒मे जी॒वा वि मृ॒तैराव॑वृत्र॒न्नभू॑द्भ॒द्रा दे॒वहू॑तिर्नो अ॒द्य। प्राञ्चो॑ अगाम नृ॒तये॒ हसा॑य सु॒वीरा॑सो वि॒दथ॒मा व॑देम ॥

All these that are living have come from the shades of death in life. Our dedication, service and prayer to Divinity has been auspcious and fruitful today. Let us go forward to live a life of high order of virtue to sing and dance with joyous laughter and, blest with progeny worthy of the brave, define a social order of knowledge, justice and Dharma.

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12.2.23

इ॒मं जी॒वेभ्यः॑ परि॒धिं द॑धामि॒ मैषां॒ नु गा॒दप॑रो॒ अर्थ॑मे॒तम्। श॒तं जीव॑न्तः श॒रदः॑ पुरू॒चीस्ति॒रो मृ॒त्युं द॑धतां॒ पर्व॑तेन ॥

I set this border line of order and discipline for these living people. Let none of them trespass this border line into the other territory of death. Let them so live a long age of full hundred years, bearing though the fact of death within with adamantine walls of resistance by the discipline of health.

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12.2.24

आ रो॑ह॒तायु॑र्ज॒रसं॑ वृणा॒ना अ॑नुपू॒र्वं यत॑माना॒ यति॒ स्थ। तान्व॒स्त्वष्टा॑ सु॒जनि॑मा स॒जोषाः॒ सर्व॒मायु॑र्नयतु॒ जीव॑नाय ॥

Come, take on to life enthusiastically, and go forward rising to the heights of life at the full, striving in order one after another till you reach the destination, as many as you are. And may Tvashta, lord maker of life, loving and friendly, lead you to fulfilment as you choose to live your life at the full.

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12.2.25

यथाहा॑न्यनुपू॒र्वं भ॑वन्ति॒ यथ॒र्तव॑ ऋ॒तुभि॒र्यन्ति॑ सा॒कम्। यथा॑ न॒ पूर्व॒मप॑रो॒ जहा॑त्ये॒वा धा॑त॒रायूं॑षि कल्पयै॒षाम् ॥

As day-nights follow one after the other, as seasons move on in cycle one in link with the other, so may the successor among you follow and not forsake the predecessor, and thus may the Lord Ordainer and sustainer of life order

and guide the life of all these people on earth.

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12.2.26

अश्म॑न्वती रीयते॒ सं र॑भध्वं वी॒रय॑ध्वं॒ प्र त॑रता सखायः। अत्रा॑ जहीत॒ ये अस॑न्दु॒रेवा॑ अनमी॒वानुत्त॑रेमाभि॒ वाजा॑न् ॥

The rocky stream of life flows on in flood. Hold on fast together, friends, rise and swim to the shore. Let us jettison all that is inauspicious here. Let us swim and cross over to attain the trophies of victory. Drop the miseries, attain to the state of joy.

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12.2.27

उत्ति॑ष्ठता॒ प्र त॑रता सखा॒योऽश्म॑न्वती न॒दी स्य॑न्दत इ॒यम्। अत्रा॑ जहीत॒ ये अस॒न्नशि॑वाः शि॒वान्त्स्यो॒नानुत्त॑रेमा॒भि वाजा॑न् ॥

Arise friends, heave the boat together and cross to the shore. This rocky stream now rises in storm. Here itself throw off all those things which are no good, and let us cross over to win the good, the beautiful, and the grand prizes of victory in truth.

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12.2.28

वै॑श्वदे॒वीं वर्च॑सा॒ आ र॑भध्वं शु॒द्धा भव॑न्तः॒ शुच॑यः पाव॒काः। अ॑ति॒क्राम॑न्तो दुरि॒ता प॒दानि॑ श॒तं हिमाः॒ सर्व॑वीरा मदेम ॥

Join and start serving the winsome divinity of universal good, that way being purified, sanctified immaculate saviours of the self for the real beauty and splendour of life. Crossing over all evil and temptations, let us together, all unassailable brave, enjoy life for a full hundred years of happiness.

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12.2.29

उ॑दी॒चीनैः॑ प॒थिभि॑र्वायु॒मद्भि॑रति॒क्राम॒न्तोऽव॑रा॒न्परे॑भिः। त्रिः स॒प्त कृत्व॒ ऋष॑यः॒ परे॑ता मृ॒त्युं प्रत्यौ॑हन्पद॒योप॑नेन ॥

By the best and highest vibrant ways of yoga practice, having rejected the lower ways of living, thinking and doing, the Rshis of high order conquer the pain of death by thrice seven ways of piety and noble actions at every step of life.

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12.2.30

मृ॒त्योः प॒दं यो॒पय॑न्त॒ एत॒ द्राघी॑य॒ आयुः॑ प्रत॒रं दधा॑नाः। आसी॑ना मृ॒त्युं नु॑दता स॒धस्थेऽथ॑ जी॒वासो॑ वि॒दथ॒मा व॑देम ॥

Effacing the pain of death, bearing a full long age unto completion and fulfilment, come hither and, sitting on the seat of yoga in the house of holiness, calm and undisturbed, warding off the onslaught of death, let us all, living happily, celebrate the life and beauties of the social order.

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12.2.31

इ॒मा नारी॑रविध॒वाः सु॒पत्नी॒राञ्ज॑नेन स॒र्पिषा॒ सं स्पृ॑शन्ताम्। अ॑न॒श्रवो॑ अनमी॒वाः सु॒रत्ना॒ आ रो॑हन्तु॒ जन॑यो॒ योनि॒मग्रे॑ ॥

And these women, noble wives happily married to their husbands, should anoint themselves with cream and collyrium, and let them, free from tears and sorrow, free from ill-health, wearing jewels and ornaments, go forward in life as proud mothers in their home.

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12.2.32

व्याक॑रोमि ह॒विषा॒हमे॒तौ तौ ब्रह्म॑णा॒ व्य१॒॑हं क॑ल्पयामि। स्व॒धां पि॒तृभ्यो॑ अ॒जरां॑ कृणोमि दी॒र्घेणायु॑षा॒ समि॒मान्त्सृ॑जामि ॥

I serve them both, men and women, with the sacred food they need, and I strengthen both with the Vedic knowledge they deserve. And I provide the Pitaras, parental seniors, with the food and energy which maintains their own vitality and resistance to early aging and disease, and I provide others with food and maintenance for good health and longevity of life. (This mantra can be interpreted as a divine word, or a social promise of the ruling power, or a promise of the house-holder.)

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12.2.33

यो नो॑ अ॒ग्निः पि॑तरो हृ॒त्स्व१॒॑न्तरा॑वि॒वेशा॒मृतो॒ मर्त्ये॑षु। मय्य॒हं तं॒ परि॑ गृह्णामि दे॒वं मा सो अ॒स्मान्द्वि॑क्षत॒ मा व॒यं तम् ॥

O Pitaras, seniors of humanity and parents of every human individual, that love, fire and passion for humanity and divinity–the immortal vested in mortals –which is rooted in our hearts since eternity, that same human attribute I preciously hold at heart and pray it may never forsake us, and we too may never forsake it, nor ever deny any one.

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12.2.34

अ॑पा॒वृत्य॒ गार्ह॑पत्यात्क्र॒व्यादा॒ प्रेत॑ दक्षि॒णा। प्रि॒यं पि॒तृभ्य॑ आ॒त्मने॑ ब्र॒ह्मभ्यः॑ कृणुता प्रि॒यम् ॥

Having taken some fire from the household fire and turned, go south with this flesh-eating fire to the cremation ground and do what is good for the departed pitaras and what is good and dear to the self and the learned people. (This mantra describes the function of Kravyada, flesh eating, fire in case of death or sickness. If there is a death in the family, the funeral fire is Kravyada. If a person is suffering from cancer, the cancer is Kravyada. And, also, the drug that fights and destroys the cancer is Kravyada. Whether it is funeral fire, or cancer or the drug, all these three are nature’s energy, and energy is fire and fire is energy. The function defines its character.)

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12.2.35

द्वि॑भागध॒नमा॒दाय॒ प्र क्षि॑णा॒त्यव॑र्त्या। अ॒ग्निः पु॒त्रस्य॑ ज्ये॒ष्ठस्य॒ यः क्र॒व्यादनि॑राहितः ॥

Kravyadagni, unless it is propitiated, exhausted and extinguished by elimination of the cause, continues to consume and deplete the wealth of the eldest son upto the double of his share of wealth, savings and earnings both, and thus reduces him to utter poverty.

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12.2.36

यत्कृ॒षते॒ यद्व॑नुते॒ यच्च॑ व॒स्नेन॑ वि॒न्दते॑। सर्वं॒ मर्त्य॑स्य॒ तन्नास्ति॑ क्र॒व्याच्चेदनि॑राहितः ॥

All that mortal man produces by farming, whatever he receives by salary, and whatever he earns by trade, is not his really, unless he eliminates the Kravyadagni and its cause from the house.

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12.2.37

अ॑यज्ञि॒यो ह॒तव॑र्चा भवति॒ नैने॑न ह॒विरत्त॑वे। छि॒नत्ति॑ कृ॒ष्या गोर्धना॒द्यं क्र॒व्याद॑नु॒वर्त॑ते ॥

Whoever the mortal man whom cancerous Kravyadagni pursues, he is unable to perform any yajna, he loses the lustre of life, even food is not for him to eat. In fact, he is deprived of all, his farm, his cows, his entire wealth in the end, unless he dispels the carnivorous cause from his life and home.

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12.2.38

मुहु॒र्गृध्यैः॒ प्र व॑द॒त्यार्तिं॒ मर्त्यो॒ नीत्य॑। क्र॒व्याद्यान॒ग्निर॑न्ति॒काद॑नुवि॒द्वान्वि॒ताव॑ति ॥

Whoever the men Kravyadagni pursues, knowing them and afflicting them at the closest, the victim, having been reduced to ruin, has to go to cut- throat money-sharks and plead for a loan again and again in order to survive.

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12.2.39

ग्राह्या॑ गृ॒हाः सं सृ॑ज्यन्ते स्त्रि॒या यन्म्रि॒यते॒ पतिः॑। ब्र॒ह्मैव वि॒द्वाने॒ष्यो॒ यः क्र॒व्यादं॑ निरा॒दध॑त् ॥

The homes and all the inmates are seized with sorrow when the husband of a woman dies. At that time a learned scholar of the Veda should be sought and found who may dispel the ravages of sorrow and despair caused by Kravyadagi.

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12.2.40

यद्रि॒प्रं शम॑लं चकृ॒म यच्च॑ दुष्कृ॒तम्। आपो॑ मा॒ तस्मा॑च्छुम्भन्त्व॒ग्नेः संक॑सुकाच्च॒ यत् ॥

Whatever the sin, evil or trespass that we have committed, which has smeared our peace and purity, may the soothing streams of waters and the tranquillity of divine meditation cleanse us of that and save us from the mind-splitting flames of Kravyadagni.

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12.2.41

ता अ॑ध॒रादुदी॑ची॒राव॑वृत्रन्प्रजान॒तीः प॒थिभि॑र्देव॒यानैः॑। पर्व॑तस्य वृष॒भस्याधि॑ पृ॒ष्ठे नवा॑श्चरन्ति स॒रितः॑ पुरा॒णीः ॥

Those streams of the waters of life flow from the earth below and rise on high to heaven, and they flow back from heaven on high to life on earth below, and knowing thus all the paths of existence they circulate in the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. From top of the generous cloud on high they shower on top of the mountain and, formed anew into streams and rivers, they flow on, streams of life, old but ancient and eternal, ever new. (Thus are the ravages of Kravyadagni washed out into life anew.)

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12.2.42

अग्ने॑ अक्रव्या॒न्निः क्र॒व्यादं॑ नु॒दा दे॑व॒यज॑नं वह ॥

O Akravyadagni, fire of renewal (which by healing counters the fire that eats into the vitals of life), dispel the Kravyadagni and bring in the Deva-yajani fire which would continue the yajna of life and living anew. (This mantra also suggests the efficacy of medication and healing by fumes and aroma.)

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12.2.43

इ॒मं क्र॒व्यादा वि॑वेशा॒यं क्र॒व्याद॒मन्व॑गात्। व्या॒घ्रौ कृ॒त्वा ना॑ना॒नं तं ह॑रामि शिवाप॒रम् ॥

The infection of Kravyadagni has entered and affected this patient. This patient, in consequence, has suffered the cancerous ravages of the disease. Diagnosing these two separately, the infection with the cause and the consequent suffering process, and taking them both as dangerously, damaging, I dispel both, the disease as well as the root cause.

· · ·

12.2.44

अ॑न्त॒र्धिर्दे॒वानां॑ परि॒धिर्म॑नु॒ष्या᳡णाम॒ग्निर्गा॑र्ह्पत्य उ॒भया॑नन्त॒रा श्रि॒तः ॥

Garhapatyagni, yajnic fire of the home, cosmic home maintained by nature and the individual home maintained by humans, is vested within, in the creative and recuperative powers of nature, and in the heart-core of men of divine disposition. And this Agni, also, is the border line of conduct for humans (because while it works in nature as divinely programmed within the border lines determined, it works in humans by choice which is open to observance as well as to violation).

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12.2.45

जी॒वाना॒मायुः॒ प्र ति॑र॒ त्वम॑ग्ने पितॄ॒णां लो॒कमपि॑ गच्छन्तु॒ ये मृ॒ताः। सु॑गार्हप॒त्यो वि॒तप॒न्नरा॑तिमु॒षामु॑षां॒ श्रेय॑सीं धेह्य॒स्मै ॥

O Garhapatyagni of home yajna, augment and elevate the life, health and age of the souls alive, and help the dead also to rise and reach the region of Pitaras’ noble life in future on earth. O noble fire, heating, straining and exhausting all want, adversity and disease from life, bless us with happiness, prosperity and excellence more and ever more day by day.

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12.2.46

सर्वा॑नग्ने॒ सह॑मानः स॒पत्ना॒नैषा॒मूर्जं॑ र॒यिम॒स्मासु॑ धेहि ॥

Holy fire, challenging and subduing all the adversarial forces of life on earth, pray recover and return to us the wealth and energy of life being wasted on those negativities of human existence and pollution.

· · ·

12.2.47

इ॒ममिन्द्रं॒ वह्निं॒ पप्रि॑म॒न्वार॑भध्वं॒ स वो॒ निर्व॑क्षद्दुरि॒ताद॑व॒द्यात्। तेनाप॑ हत॒ शरु॑मा॒पत॑न्तं॒ तेन॑ रु॒द्रस्य॒ परि॑ पाता॒स्ताम् ॥

Take on to the love, protection and support of this Indra, divine power and potential. It takes you across all cancerous onslaughts of negativity, adversity and misfortune, makes up your loss and deficiency, and gives you total fulfilment. It saves and releases you from despicable evils and suffering. With that power, ward off the deadly darts of impending calamities and protect yourself from the punitive shots of Rudra, nature’s punishments for the violations of its law and discipline. (These are gifts of divine Garhapatyagni.)

· · ·

12.2.48

अ॑न॒ड्वाहं॑ प्ल॒वम॒न्वार॑भध्वं॒ स वो॒ निर्व॑क्षद्दुरि॒ताद॑व॒द्यात्। आ रो॑हत सवि॒तुर्नाव॑मे॒तां ष॒ड्भिरु॒र्वीभि॒रम॑तिं तरेम ॥

Take on to the love, protection and support of the universal burden bearer, the ark of divinity. It will take you across the storms of life’s despicable evils. Come, embark this boat of Savita, Lord Creator, inspirer and saviour with the light of life. Let us swim over the flood of darkness and self-ignorance and attain to the splendour of life by sixfold lights of the six quarters of space and the divine message of the six-dimensional universe of heaven and earth, day and night, water and vegetation of our cosmic and earthly environment.

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12.2.49

अ॑होरा॒त्रे अन्वे॑षि॒ बिभ्र॑त्क्षे॒म्यस्तिष्ठ॑न्प्र॒तर॑णः सु॒वीरः॑। अना॑तुरान्त्सु॒मन॑सस्तल्प॒ बिभ्र॒ज्ज्योगे॒व नः॒ पुरु॑षगन्धिरेधि ॥

Day and night you move on, bearing the burden of the universe, yet still and constant, giver of peace and saviour over the floods and storms of existence, holiest potent sustenance and support of the brave, mainstay of the healthy and happy minds, you are the giver of the fragrance of life for humanity. Come, O Lord, and always bless us with health, happiness and the fragrance of life.

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12.2.50

ते दे॒वेभ्य॒ आ वृ॑श्चन्ते पा॒पं जी॑वन्ति सर्व॒दा। क्र॒व्याद्यान॒ग्निर॑न्ति॒कादश्व॑ इवानु॒वप॑ते न॒डम् ॥

They sever themselves from the divinities and live a continuous life of sin and deprivation whom cancerous Kravyadagni uproots at the closest, just as a wild horse tramples and wastes a slope of reeds by the lake.

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12.2.51

ये᳡श्र॒द्धा ध॑नका॒म्या क्र॒व्यादा॑ स॒मास॑ते। ते वा अ॒न्येषां॑ कु॒म्भीं प॒र्याद॑धति सर्व॒दा ॥

Those who are void of faith and truth and dedicated to lust for wealth of money align themselves with carnivorous fire, they always put the pan on the fire but the pan as well as the meat belongs of others, invariably.

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12.2.52

प्रेव॑ पिपतिषति॒ मन॑सा॒ मुहु॒रा व॑र्तते॒ पुनः॑। क्र॒व्याद्यान॒ग्निर॑न्ति॒काद॑नुवि॒द्वान्वि॒ताव॑ति ॥

Mentally they wish to soar high but again and again they fall back to earth whom carnivorous Agni pursues relentlessly, knowing them at the closest by nature, character and ambition.

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12.2.53

अविः॑ कृ॒ष्णा भा॑ग॒धेयं॑ पशू॒नां सीसं॑ क्र॒व्यादपि॑ च॒न्द्रं त॑ आहुः। माषाः॑ पि॒ष्टा भा॑ग॒धेयं॑ ते ह॒व्यम॑रण्या॒न्या गह्व॑रं सचस्व ॥

O cancerous carnivorous fire, the milk of black sheep, of all the animals, is your favourite food. Also, they say, the ash of lead or silver and gold too is your share. Crushed masha lentils also is your food, in fact you better go and roam around in the thick of forest woods.

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12.2.54

इ॒षीकां॒ जर॑तीमि॒ष्ट्वा ति॒ल्पिञ्जं॒ दण्ड॑नं न॒डम्। तमिन्द्र॑ इ॒ध्मं कृ॒त्वा य॒मस्या॒ग्निं नि॒राद॑धौ ॥

Having made withered munja grass and the stock of reed as fuel of fire and having offered white sesamum for oblation, Indra, the physician, dispelled the flesh-eating fire of death from the body and the home.

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12.2.55

प्र॒त्यञ्च॑म॒र्कं प्र॑त्यर्पयि॒त्वा प्र॑वि॒द्वान्पन्थां॒ वि ह्या᳡वि॒वेश॑। परा॒मीषा॒मसू॑न्दि॒देश॑ दी॒र्घेणायु॑षा॒ समि॒मान्त्सृ॑जामि ॥

Having bowed to the refulgent sun yonder in front, having surrendered to the omnipresent self- refulgent Divinity, I have directed away the energies of all those negative powers which eat into the flesh, and I have joined these senses, mind and pranic energies of mine with nature’s positive powers of health, happiness and a long full age.

✦ Sukta 3 · 60 verses ✦

12.3.1

पुमा॑न्पुं॒सोऽधि॑ तिष्ठ॒ चर्मे॑हि॒ तत्र॑ ह्वयस्व यत॒मा प्रि॒या ते॑। याव॑न्ता॒वग्रे॑ प्रथ॒मं स॑मे॒यथु॒स्तद्वां॒ वयो॑ यम॒राज्ये॑ समा॒नम् ॥

Brave man, intelligent soul, mature and self- confident, come, take this seat of distinction here, invite whoever be your dearest choice of love, and as much as you first met, thought, associated and agreed together earlier, may that life pattern, love and harmony be equal and equally acceptable in the ethos, culture and values of the social order. (This mantra is relevant to love, marriage, home, family and also to the entire social order and its tradition. A life of love, harmony and social order is a very paradise on earth, and that paradisal bliss also is the food of life on top.)

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12.3.2

ताव॑द्वां॒ चक्षु॒स्तति॑ वी॒र्या᳡णि॒ ताव॒त्तेज॑स्तति॒धा वाजि॑नानि। अ॒ग्निः शरी॑रं सचते य॒दैधो॑ऽधा प॒क्वान्मि॑थुना॒ सं भ॑वाथः ॥

Thus as far well as you first met, thought, associated and agreed together without reservation, that far perfectly let your vision, that much your noble powers, that high your splendour, and to that very extent let your advancement and achievements be common together. And just as fire takes on the fuel and sets it ablaze, so let your love and passion for life inspire your conjugal body, matured, seasoned and united, and raise it to brilliance so that you become an ideal couple.

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12.3.3

सम॑स्मिंल्लो॒के समु॑ देव॒याने॒ सं स्मा॑ स॒मेतं॑ यम॒राज्ये॑षु। पू॒तौ प॒वित्रै॒रुप॒ तद्ध्व॑येथां॒ यद्य॒द्रेतो॒ अधि॑ वां संब॒भूव॑ ॥

United together in this home life of conjugality, on the path of divinities and in all affairs of the social order from home life upto the united world of humanity, go on together in unison. And purified, sanctified and consecrated by the holy rites of matrimony, bring up to full life what is born of your joint vigour and vitality and call it up to its natural performance and perfection.

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12.3.4

आप॑स्पुत्रासो अ॒भि सं वि॑शध्वमि॒मं जी॒वं जी॑वधन्याः स॒मेत्य॑। तासां॑ भजध्वम॒मृतं॒ यमा॒हुर्यमो॑द॒नं पच॑ति वां॒ जनि॑त्री ॥

O children of nature and divinity, vigilant guards of the human community, nobly born and blest with vigour and vitality, come together, take this life fully in hand and enter the fluid field of action in the dynamics of existence. Plunge into it and take for yourself your shares what they call the nectar of action and its fruit, the immortal food of life which Mother Nature prepares for you to the last detail of perfection.

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12.3.5

यं वां॑ पि॒ता पच॑ति॒ यं च॑ मा॒ता रि॒प्रान्निर्मु॑क्त्यै॒ शम॑लाच्च वा॒चः। स ओ॑द॒नः श॒तधा॑रः स्व॒र्ग उ॒भे व्या᳡प॒ नभ॑सी महि॒त्वा ॥

Whatever food for life your father prepares and matures for you, whatever your mother prepares for you, whatever Mother Nature prepares, and whatever the Father Supreme perfects and releases from the Voice of Veda in order to release you from the stains and smears of earthly involvements and the colours and covers of existential fluctuations, that food of divinity and divine revelation in a thousand showers leads you both to the ecstasy of super joy and pervades both heaven and earth with its own splendour and majesty.

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12.3.6

उ॒भे नभ॑सी उ॒भयां॑श्च लो॒कान्ये यज्व॑नाम॒भिजि॑ताः स्व॒र्गाः। तेषां॒ ज्योति॑ष्मा॒न्मधु॑मा॒न्यो अग्रे॒ तस्मि॑न्पु॒त्रैर्ज॒रसि॒ सं श्र॑येथाम् ॥

Both heaven and earth, both those worlds of here and hereafter, all those states of joy which the performers of yajna have won by their noble actions, of all these, whatever is most enlightened and delicious as honey, there on top in Grhastha live at peace together with children till the completion and fulfilment of your life.

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12.3.7

प्राचीं॑प्राचीं प्र॒दिश॒मा र॑भेथामे॒तं लो॒कं श्र॒द्दधा॑नाः सचन्ते। यद्वां॑ प॒क्वं परि॑विष्टम॒ग्नौ तस्य॒ गुप्त॑ये दंपती॒ सं श्र॑येथाम् ॥

O wedded couple, start off together, move foreward eastwards, the direction of a fresh sunrise, step by step. People of truth and faith live and honour this world of Grhastha. It is with your maturity of body, mind, culture and mission that you have entered this material life of yajna fire. Live in Grhastha and honour that mission for its protection and fulfilment till the completion.

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12.3.8

दक्षि॑णां॒ दिश॑म॒भि नक्ष॑माणौ प॒र्याव॑र्तेथाम॒भि पात्र॑मे॒तत्। तस्मि॑न्वां य॒मः पि॒तृभिः॑ संविदा॒नः प॒क्वाय॒ शर्म॑ बहु॒लं नि य॑च्छात् ॥

Moving on in life together to the right, turn round the holy ideal of Grhastha in the service of promotive nature and redeeming Divinity, and therein may Yama, lord of law and recompense bless you with abundant peace and fulfilment in a happy home.

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12.3.9

प्र॒तीची॑ दि॒शामि॒यमिद्वरं॒ यस्यां॒ सोमो॑ अधि॒पा मृ॑डि॒ता च॑। तस्यां॑ श्रयेथां सु॒कृतः॑ सचेथा॒मधा॑ प॒क्वान्मि॑थुना॒ सं भ॑वाथः ॥

Moving on to this noble direction of the west, declining in years but rising in ripeness and wisdom, when the moon and peace, Soma, is the dominant ruler, protector and giver of tranquillity, stay together in loving company, seasoned in love and loyalty and enjoy a life of serenity and meditation.

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12.3.10

उत्त॑रं रा॒ष्ट्रं प्र॒जयो॑त्त॒राव॑द्दि॒शामुदी॑ची कृणवन्नो॒ अग्र॑म्। पाङ्क्तं॒ छन्दः॒ पुरु॑षो बभूव॒ विश्वै॑र्विश्वा॒ङ्गैः स॒ह सं भ॑वेम ॥

The rising nation rises higher by our progeny rising as the future promise. May the north above, the highest direction, raise us to the front forward in every direction of progress. At this stage man becomes happily free and self-fulfilled in his senses and mind with complete satisfaction. May we all feel complete and fulfilled in all aspects of worldly life.

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12.3.11

ध्रु॒वेयं वि॒राण्नमो॑ अस्त्व॒स्यै शि॒वा पु॒त्रेभ्य॑ उ॒त मह्य॑मस्तु। सा नो॑ देव्यदिते विश्ववार॒ इर्य॑ इव गो॒पा अ॒भि र॑क्ष प॒क्वम् ॥

Steady is this Earth mother. Salutations to her. May she be kind and gracious for our children and for ourselves. This divine indivisible earth is universally abundant and generous for all. May you, divine mother, protect and maintain our maturity as the human nation just as Lord Supreme protects the universe.

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12.3.12

पि॒तेव॑ पु॒त्रान॒भि सं स्व॑जस्व नः शि॒वा नो॒ वाता॑ इ॒ह वा॑न्तु॒ भूमौ॑। यमो॑द॒नं पच॑तो दे॒वते॑ इ॒ह तं न॒स्तप॑ उ॒त स॒त्यं च॑ वेत्तु ॥

Lord Supreme, just as a father loves and meets his children, so pray love and be with us, your children. Let the winds blow auspicious for us here on earth. And may the service which noble divine couples mature and offer to you, and the food they cook for yajnic offering be inspired by truth and divine austerity, and may that service and food also define our truth and sincere austerity of discipline in piety here.

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12.3.13

यद्य॑त्कृ॒ष्णः श॑कु॒न एह ग॒त्वा त्सर॒न्विष॑क्तं॒ बिल॑ आस॒साद॑। यद्वा॑ दा॒स्या॒र्द्रह॑स्ता सम॒ङ्क्त उ॒लूख॑लं॒ मुस॑लं शुम्भतापः ॥

Whenever a casual black bird come and stealthily alight on a dish or pan in the home, or when a maid with soiled hands smear the mortar and pestle, let the waters wash off the dirt and smear away and cleanse the dish and mortar and pestle.

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12.3.14

अ॒यं ग्रावा॑ पृ॒थुबु॑ध्नो वयो॒धाः पू॒तः प॒वित्रै॒रप॑ हन्तु॒ रक्षः॑। आ रो॑ह॒ चर्म॒ महि॒ शर्म॑ यच्छ॒ मा दंप॑ती॒ पौत्र॑म॒घं नि गा॑ताम् ॥

This grinding stone, this vital air and pranic energy, this learned man of life sciences, broad based, pure, purified with holy materials may destroy the life- damaging elements. O learned man, pray have a seat, bring us great peace, purity and freedom. Let no couple suffer the want and deprivation of children and let no one have to face the pain of their suffering.

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12.3.15

वन॒स्पतिः॑ स॒ह दे॒वैर्न॒ आग॒न्रक्षः॑ पिशा॒चाँ अ॑प॒बाध॑मानः। स उच्छ्र॑यातै॒ प्र व॑दाति॒ वाचं॒ तेन॑ लो॒काँ अ॒भि सर्वा॑ञ्जयेम ॥

This forest gift and this scholar of nature’s forest gifts has come to us with the divine energies of nature, protecting us against blood sucking and life threatening negativities of the environment. Rising high, he speaks to us words of health care and freedom from disease with which, we pray, we may win gifts of the earth, environment and all other regions of space.

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12.3.16

स॒प्त मेधा॑न्प॒शवः॒ पर्य॑गृह्ण॒न्य ए॑षां॒ ज्योति॑ष्माँ उ॒त यश्च॒कर्श॑। त्रय॑स्त्रिंशद्दे॒वता॒स्तान्स॑चन्ते॒ स नः॑ स्व॒र्गम॒भि ने॑ष लो॒कम् ॥

All living beings especially humans have received seven organs of perception, volition and discrimination, (these are eyes, ears, nose tongue and the skin, with mind (mana) and intelligence (Buddhi). All thirty-three divinities (eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas, Indra and Prajapati) are associated with these and co-operate with these. That person who is the most enlightened and most boldly creative may, we wish and pray, lead us to the state of paradise on earth.

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12.3.17

स्व॒र्गं लो॒कम॒भि नो॑ नयासि॒ सं जा॒यया॑ स॒ह पु॒त्रैः स्या॑म। गृ॒ह्णामि॒ हस्त॒मनु॒ मैत्वत्र॒ मा न॑स्तारी॒न्निरृ॑ति॒र्मो अरा॑तिः ॥

O Lord giver of life and knowledge, you lead us to the state of paradisal bliss on earth. Bless us that we may live and enjoy life with wife and children. May the wife whose hand I hold always go with me here in Grhastha. Let no want, adversity and distress ever assail us.

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12.3.18

ग्राहिं॑ पा॒प्मान॒मति॒ ताँ अ॑याम॒ तमो॒ व्य᳡स्य॒ प्र व॑दासि व॒ल्गु। वा॑नस्प॒त्य उद्य॑तो॒ मा जि॑हिंसी॒र्मा त॑ण्डु॒लं वि श॑रीर्देव॒यन्त॑म् ॥

Dear partner, let us reject that freezing state of sloth and sin which seizes our will and action. Cast away gloom and depression, talk with love and enthusiasm. But the wooden pestle that is raised must not be violent, it must not break nor crush the rice which is for offering to the divinities.

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12.3.19

वि॒श्वव्य॑चा घृ॒तपृ॑ष्ठो भवि॒ष्यन्त्सयो॑निर्लो॒कमुप॑ याह्ये॒तम्। व॒र्षवृ॑द्ध॒मुप॑ यच्छ॒ शूर्पं॒ तुषं॑ प॒लावा॒नप॒ तद्वि॑नक्तु ॥

O man, universally broad-minded, brilliant as fire and refined as ghrta, being one with mankind, come, join and integrate with this world community. Take to discriminative intelligence, like a winnowing basket of a year’s full growth of reed which separates the grain from chaff, and separate the truth from falsehood and thus accept and advance truth and reject the untruth.

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12.3.20

त्रयो॑ लो॒काः संमि॑ता॒ ब्राह्म॑णेन॒ द्यौरे॒वासौ पृ॑थि॒व्य१॒॑न्तरि॑क्षम्। अं॒शून्गृ॑भी॒त्वान्वार॑भेथा॒मा प्या॑यन्तां॒ पुन॒रा य॑न्तु॒ शूर्प॑म् ॥

Three are the regions discriminated by the Vedic sage as by Veda itself: they are heaven, earth and the middle regions. (So are three orders of the truth of reality: Sanatana, i.e., absolute constant truth of heavenly light, earthly truth conditioned by time and place, and the middling truth which is a historical mutation of the Sanatana). With your judgement, take on to the essences of truth like the freshest shoots of eternal soma, love, act and advance the truth, and let historical truth come to your discriminative judgement again and again for the continuous advancement of Sanatana truth and Dharma against the outmoded junk and falsehood. (Refer also to Atharva-veda 10, 8, 23 for the manifestation of the Sanatana, old yet ever new, like the succession of night-and-day, the same yet ever new and fresh.)

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12.3.21

पृथ॑ग्रू॒पाणि॑ बहु॒धा प॑शू॒नामेक॑रूपो भवसि॒ सं समृ॑द्ध्या। ए॒तां त्वचं॒ लोहि॑नीं॒ तां नु॑दस्व॒ ग्रावा॑ शुम्भाति मल॒ग इ॑व॒ वस्त्रा॑ ॥

Many ways different are the forms of living beings. In fact, one single-form Prakrti by her abundance and versatility becomes many formed. Similarly the soul, all alike in of flesh and blood and be the soul in the essence. The enlightened sage would cleanse you to purity of essence as the washerman washes away the colour and dirt of the cloth and renders it pure white in the essence.the essence, assumes many forms because of the variety of Prakrtic forms. The same soul of many Prakrtic forms becomes essentially the same one form by the success of meditation. O soul, jettison this form of flesh and blood and be the soul in the essence. The enlightened sage would cleanse you to purity of essence as the washerman washes away the colour and dirt of the cloth and renders it pure white in the essence.

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12.3.22

पृ॑थि॒वीं त्वा॑ पृथि॒व्यामा वे॑शयामि त॒नूः स॑मा॒नी विकृ॑ता त ए॒षा। यद्य॑द्द्यु॒त्तं लि॑खि॒तमर्प॑णेन॒ तेन॒ मा सु॑स्रो॒र्ब्रह्म॒णापि॒ तद्व॑पामि ॥

I render you back, Prthivi, material body, into Prthivi, Mother Nature, the same in essence though this one is a mutation of the essence, Prakrti. O man, whatever is shining, whatever the writing from existence in the material body, waste yourself not thereby and therefrom, I supplement that with knowledge of the Veda to let the seed state fructify to fresh maturity.

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12.3.23

जनि॑त्रीव॒ प्रति॑ हर्यासि सू॒नुं सं त्वा॑ दधामि पृथि॒वीं पृ॑थि॒व्या। उ॒खा कु॒म्भी वेद्यां॒ मा व्य॑थिष्ठा यज्ञायु॒धैराज्ये॒नाति॑षक्ता ॥

I place you, Prthivi, the human soul in body form, together with Prthivi, the world of nature. Mother Nature, as a mother loves her child, so pray love your child. Just as the pan and the pot do not feel afflicted in the fire as they get baked and tempered, so you too, o man, do not get afflicted in the fiery vedi of life armed as you are with the fighting powers of yajna and tempered as you are with the flames of ghrta fire.

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12.3.24

अ॒ग्निः पच॑न्रक्षतु त्वा पु॒रस्ता॒दिन्द्रो॑ रक्षतु दक्षिण॒तो म॒रुत्वा॑न्। वरु॑णस्त्वा दृंहाद्ध॒रुणे॑ प्र॒तीच्या॑ उत्त॒रात्त्वा॒ सोमः॒ सं द॑दातै ॥

In the Vedic crucibles of life, let the yajnic flames of life-fire protect and temper you from the front in the east. Let Indra, with his forces of Maruts, protect and strengthen you from the right in the south. Let Varuna protect, strengthen and secure you from the back in the west for adamantine strength in the all-supporting environment, and let Soma, peace, refreshment and renewal support and sustain you from the left in the north.

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12.3.25

पू॒ताः प॒वित्रैः॑ पवन्ते अ॒भ्राद्दिवं॑ च॒ यन्ति॑ पृथि॒वीं च॑ लो॒कान्। ता जी॑व॒ला जी॒वध॑न्याः प्रति॒ष्ठाः पात्र॒ आसि॑क्ताः॒ पर्य॒ग्निरि॑न्धाम् ॥

Showers of holy water, energised and purified by rays of the sun purify us. Indeed they reach the heaven, the earth and all other regions of space. Those showers of waters, full of life, blissful and beatifying, constant and unfailing, held in the jar of life, may the fire of yajna energise and thereby inspire us to the state of fire, passion and light of the spirit.

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12.3.26

आ य॑न्ति दि॒वः पृ॑थि॒वीं स॑चन्ते॒ भूम्याः॑ सचन्ते॒ अध्य॒न्तरि॑क्षम्। शु॒द्धाः स॒तीस्ता उ॑ शुम्भन्त ए॒व ता नः॑ स्व॒र्गम॒भि लो॒कं न॑यन्तु ॥

The waters of life come from the heaven of light and join the earth with living energy. From the earth they rise and reach to join the skies. Pure and sanctified as they are, they are bright and holy. May they lead us to the regions of bliss.

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12.3.27

उ॒तेव॑ प्र॒भ्वीरु॒त संमि॑तास उ॒त शु॒क्राः शुच॑यश्चा॒मृता॑सः। ता ओ॑द॒नं दंप॑तिभ्यां॒ प्रशि॑ष्टा॒ आपः॒ शिक्ष॑न्तीः पचता सुनाथाः ॥

The waters of life are abundant, constant and eternal, and they are also measured in forms such as jars, the human body as well, and they are bright, potent and sacred, they are pure immortal nectar. Such as you are, O waters of life, well directed, controlled and beneficent, pray prepare, mature, season and provide the food of life for the wedded couples with showers of grace.

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12.3.28

संख्या॑ता स्तो॒काः पृ॑थि॒वीं स॑चन्ते प्राणापा॒नैः संमि॑ता॒ ओष॑धीभिः। असं॑ख्याता ओ॒प्यमा॑नाः सु॒वर्णाः॒ सर्वं॒ व्या᳡पुः॒ शुच॑यः शुचि॒त्वम् ॥

Measured are the drops of water which join the earth as with prana and apana energies they seep into and join the herbs and trees. But measureless are the showers, golden and pure, which all come to the earth as seeds of life, and that way they attain to the state of purity, sanctity and divinity.

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12.3.29

उद्यो॑धन्त्य॒भि व॑ल्गन्ति त॒प्ताः फेन॑मस्यन्ति बहु॒लांश्च॑ बि॒न्दून्। योषे॑व दृ॒ष्ट्वा पति॒मृत्वि॑यायै॒तैस्त॑ण्डु॒लैर्भ॑वता॒ समा॑पः ॥

They rise in contest, they dance and rejoice, and heated by the sun they throw up foam and shoot off volleys of droplet bullets. Just as a youthful wife having seen her husband solicits him for romance of the season, so you too, O waters, join the youthful couples, and for those delicious delicacies they would love to enjoy.

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12.3.30

उत्था॑पय॒ सीद॑तो बु॒ध्न ए॑नान॒द्भिरा॒त्मान॑म॒भि सं स्पृ॑शन्ताम्। अमा॑सि॒ पात्रै॑रुद॒कं यदे॒तन्मि॒तास्त॑ण्डु॒लाः प्र॒दिशो॒ यदी॒माः ॥

Raise the rice settled at the bottom of the pan so that the grains may mix with the water. You have measured the water in relation to the pot and the ladles as rice too has been measured in relation to the size and space of the pan.

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12.3.31

प्र य॑च्छ॒ पर्शुं॑ त्व॒रया ह॑रौ॒षमहिं॑सन्त॒ ओष॑धीर्दान्तु॒ पर्व॑न्। यासां॒ सोमः॒ परि॑ रा॒ज्यं᳡ ब॒भूवाम॑न्युता नो वी॒रुधो॑ भवन्तु ॥

Take up the sickle, be quick, take the herbs shining at dawn, chipping without damaging the herb at the joint. Let the herbs, of which soma is supremely efficacious, be free from afflictive and outrageous after- effects.

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12.3.32

नवं॑ ब॒र्हिरो॑द॒नाय॑ स्तृणीत प्रि॒यं हृ॒दश्चक्षु॑षो व॒ल्ग्व᳡स्तु। तस्मि॑न्दे॒वाः स॒ह दै॒वीर्वि॑शन्त्वि॒मं प्राश्न॑न्त्वृ॒तुभि॑र्नि॒षद्य॑ ॥

Strew fresh sheets of grass for the rice feast. Let these be soothing to the heart and pleasing to the eye. On them let divine sages with divine ladies be seated and enjoy this feast of rice according to the seasons.

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12.3.33

वन॑स्पते स्ती॒र्णमा सी॑द ब॒र्हिर॑ग्निष्टो॒मैः संमि॑तो दे॒वता॑भिः। त्वष्ट्रे॑व रू॒पं सुकृ॑तं॒ स्वधि॑त्यै॒ना ए॒हाः परि॒ पात्रे॑ ददृश्राम् ॥

O Vanaspati, host and master of this auspicious feast, be seated on this grassy sheet spread for you, along with the sages and the ladies and with the plans for Agnishtoma yajnas. And the beauty of this entire programme created as if by Tvashta, divine architect, is seen here in all details of the vedi and utensils for yajna finished with his art.

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12.3.34

ष॒ष्ट्यां श॒रत्सु॑ निधि॒पा अ॒भी᳡च्छा॒त्स्वः᳡ प॒क्वेना॒भ्य᳡श्नवातै। उपै॑नं जीवान्पि॒तर॑श्च पु॒त्रा ए॒तं स्व॒र्गं ग॑म॒यान्त॑म॒ग्नेः ॥

For sixty years of life, the master of the house, carrying on the yajna and yajnic charity, should, with his experience and growth of mature wisdom, wish and work to enjoy the spiritual bliss of life, while the parents and children, depending on him, live and enjoy their life. O Lord, lead him to the ultimate bliss of life at the end of his yajna on top of knowledge and spiritual vision.

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12.3.35

ध॒र्ता ध्रि॑यस्व ध॒रुणे॑ पृथि॒व्या अच्यु॑तं॒ त्वा दे॒वता॑श्च्यावयन्तु। तं त्वा॒ दंप॑ती॒ जीव॑न्तौ जी॒वपु॑त्रा॒वुद्वा॑सयातः॒ पर्य॑ग्नि॒धाना॑त् ॥

O house-holder, be firm, divinely supported on the firm foundation of the earth. Stay unshaken, let the divinities inspire you to move on on the path of yajnic living. And when you have done your job, call it a day, let living, inspiring wedded couples with living jovial children help you be released and relieved of your duties to the divine fire of yajna.

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12.3.36

सर्वा॑न्त्स॒मागा॑ अभि॒जित्य॑ लो॒कान्याव॑न्तः॒ कामाः॒ सम॑तीतृप॒स्तान्। वि गा॑हेथामा॒यव॑नं च॒ दर्वि॒रेक॑स्मि॒न्पात्रे॒ अध्युद्ध॑रैनम् ॥

Having lived and fulfilled all your desires and ambitions as much and as far as they were, and thus having ruled and conquered all your earthly territories of existence, you have reached this phase of freedom and renunciation. Place all your spoons and ladles, all that was and were yours in life, in one basket, deliver that all to your trusted follower in the line, and raise your self as pure soul, free from all burdens.

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12.3.37

उप॑ स्तृणीहि प्र॒थय॑ पु॒रस्ता॑द्घृ॒तेन॒ पात्र॑म॒भि घा॑रयै॒तत्। वा॒श्रेवो॒स्रा तरु॑णं स्तन॒स्युमि॒मं दे॑वासो अभि॒हिङ्कृ॑णोत ॥

Spread out your mattress, move ahead, hold on this life of divinity and shine it with the light of spiritual vision. And O Devas, divinities of heaven and earth, just as the mother cow loves the young calf eager for a feed of milk, so welcome this new comer with a song and fulfill him with the milk of paradise.

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12.3.38

उपा॑स्तरी॒रक॑रो लो॒कमे॒तमु॒रुः प्र॑थता॒मस॑मः स्व॒र्गः। तस्मि॑ञ्छ्रयातै महि॒षः सु॑प॒र्णो दे॒वा ए॑नं दे॒वता॑भ्यः॒ प्र य॑च्छान् ॥

You have spread out your mattress and fully attained to this new phase of life. Let this incomparable phase which leads to heavenly bliss expand wide and high. Let the one mighty suparna, elevated soul, rest and shine as the sun in this phase and may all divinities of heaven and earth extend their love and devotion for the joy of his mind and senses.

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12.3.39

यद्य॑ज्जा॒या पच॑ति॒ त्वत्परः॑परः॒ पति॑र्वा जाये॒ त्वत्ति॒रः। सं तत्सृ॑जेथां स॒ह वां॒ तद॑स्तु संपा॒दय॑न्तौ स॒ह लो॒कमेक॑म् ॥

O man, whatever your wife does separately from you, and O woman, whatever your husband does by himself away from you, do all that together with each other. Let all that be jointly yours, one in common, as you are leading your wedded life together in unison as one personality.

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12.3.40

याव॑न्तो अ॒स्याः पृ॑थि॒वीं सच॑न्ते अ॒स्मत्पु॒त्राः परि॒ ये सं॑बभू॒वुः। सर्वां॒स्ताँ उप॒ पात्रे॑ ह्वयेथां॒ नाभिं॑ जाना॒नाः शिश॑वः स॒माया॑न् ॥

All our children born of her by me who live and serve the motherland, call them all together to dinner on one table, and let the children too know their one common link of natural piety, the centre to which they should come and join together.

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12.3.41

वसो॒र्या धारा॒ मधु॑ना॒ प्रपी॑ना घृ॒तेन॑ मि॒श्रा अ॒मृत॑स्य॒ नाभ॑यः। सर्वा॒स्ता अव॑ रुन्धे स्व॒र्गः ष॒ष्ट्यां श॒रत्सु॑ निधि॒पा अ॒भी᳡च्छा॑त् ॥

All those streams of wealth and joy on earth in Grhastha which are replete with honey and mixed with ghrta are centre-holds of nectar and immortality. Let the earthly paradise of the home hold in all these, and let the master protector and maintainer of the home wish and strive for these through sixty years.

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12.3.42

नि॒धिं नि॑धि॒पा अ॒भ्ये᳡नमिच्छा॒दनी॑श्वरा अ॒भितः॑ सन्तु॒ ये॒न्ये। अ॒स्माभि॑र्द॒त्तो निहि॑तः स्व॒र्गस्त्रि॒भिः काण्डै॒स्त्रीन्त्स्व॒र्गान॑रुक्षत् ॥

Let the head and guradian of the family wish and strive to protect, maintain and promote this homely commonwealth. Others who would not wish and strive thus would deny and deprive themselves all round of this divine familial bliss. This earthly paradise of homely bliss is given by us, divinities of earth and heaven, which man should try to attain through three stages of Brhmacharya education, Grhastha life of yajna, and the stage of retirement and renunciation across three generations of the wedded couple, parents and children for threefold bliss of body, mind and soul for the individual, the family and the society as a whole.

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12.3.43

अ॒ग्नी रक्ष॑स्तपतु॒ यद्विदे॑वं क्र॒व्यात्पि॑शा॒च इ॒ह मा प्र पा॑स्त। नु॒दाम॑ एन॒मप॑ रुध्मो अ॒स्मदा॑दि॒त्या ए॑न॒मङ्गि॑रसः सचन्ताम् ॥

May Agni, light of knowledge and fire of passion for life and positive living, light up, burn out and eliminate the negativities of life in humanity and the environment. Let darkness, ignorance and exploitation eating into the vitals of life and sucking the blood of innocents be out by the holy fire of yajna. Let us throw out all such antisocial elements. Let us shut them all out. Let brilliant scholars of Aditya order, and Angirasas, veterans of wisdom, adamantine will, determined action and vibrant spirit of life take these up and deal with them appropriately with justice.

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12.3.44

आ॑दि॒त्येभ्यो॒ अङ्गि॑रोभ्यो॒ मध्वि॒दं घृ॒तेन॑ मि॒श्रं प्रति॑ वेदयामि। शु॒द्धह॑स्तौ ब्राह्मण॒स्यानि॑हत्यै॒तं स्व॒र्गं सु॑कृता॒वपी॑तम् ॥

To the sages and scholars of Aditya order and vibrant leaders of determined action and policy for the elimination of negativities from society and the environment, I offer these honey sweets of homage with approval and total cooperation mixed with ghrta to sprinkle their holy fire of social yajna. O wedded couples, men and women of the human nation, your hands are clean, you do not violate the vision and will of the Brahmana, man of knowledge and foresight, your actions are positive, I exhort you to act, cooperate, create and enjoy this happy paradise on earth free from ogres and blood suckers.

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12.3.45

इ॒दं प्राप॑मुत्त॒मं काण्ड॑मस्य॒ यस्मा॑ल्लो॒कात्प॑रमे॒ष्ठी स॒माप॑। आ सि॑ञ्च स॒र्पिर्घृ॒तव॒त्सम॑ङ्ग्ध्ये॒ष भा॒गो अङ्गि॑रसो नो॒ अत्र॑ ॥

This highest state of this earthly paradise from which I attain to the light and vision of supreme divinity too, I have realised. O men and women of the world, wedded couples, prepare and anoint yourselves with the powers and graces of life and join the yajna of social salvation with best cooperation as you sprinkle the fires with purest ghrta. And know, you Angirasas, people of vision and will, that this is our share of Dharma and commitment here in the world toward life, society and divinity.

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12.3.46

स॒त्याय॑ च॒ तप॑से दे॒वता॑भ्यो नि॒धिं शे॑व॒धिं परि॑ दद्म ए॒तम्। मा नो॑ द्यू॒तेऽव॑ गा॒न्मा समि॑त्यां॒ मा स्मा॒न्यस्मा॒ उत्सृ॑जता पु॒रा मत् ॥

We offer and contribute this, our cherished share of treasure, toward the peace, prosperity and enlightenment of the human nation for the protection and promotion of truth and right values, austerity and observance of discipline and law, and the enlightened nobilities of humanity and divinities of nature in the environment. Let it not be thrown out to gambling, nor spent out on war, nor wasted over others opposed to social values, nor must it be released before I approve (as for example national approval of the budget).

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12.3.47

अ॒हं प॑चाम्य॒हं द॑दामि॒ ममे॑दु॒ कर्म॑न्क॒रुणेऽधि॑ जा॒या। कौमा॑रो लो॒को

अ॑जनिष्ट पु॒त्रोन्वार॑भेथां॒ वय॑ उत्त॒राव॑त् ॥

I cook, I give, my wife is dedicated with me to acts of love and piety with sympathy and compassion. My bachelor son and virgin daughter is born and dedicated to society. Indeed the whole society is grown to be my own child. O men and women, O rising generation, begin your life enthusiastically, rise higher and higher.

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12.3.48

न किल्बि॑ष॒मत्र॒ नाधा॒रो अस्ति॒ न यन्मि॒त्रैः स॒मम॑मान॒ एति॑। अनू॑नं॒ पात्रं॒ निहि॑तं न ए॒तत्प॒क्तारं॑ प॒क्वः पुन॒रा वि॑शाति ॥

There is nothing short, no want, no void in the Lord’s system here in life, nor props nor false supports, no one can go on without one’s own identity on stilts provided by friends. The life before us is full and perfect, prepared and provided by our own selves by our own karma. The dish one has cooked presents itself before the one that has cooked it. One must taste the fruit of one’s own action (in the cycle).

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12.3.49

प्रि॒यं प्रि॒याणां॑ कृणवाम॒ तम॒स्ते य॑न्तु यत॒मे द्वि॒षन्ति॑। धे॒नुर॑न॒ड्वान्वयो॑वय आ॒यदे॒व पौरु॑षेय॒मप॑ मृ॒त्युं नु॑दन्तु ॥

We must do the dearest of the dear for the dear we love, because all those that hate fall into darkness. The milch cow, the burden bearing bull, and the food that comes to us again and again, let these push off the death of the kind we loathe to face.

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12.3.50

सम॒ग्नयः॑ विदुर॒न्यो अ॒न्यं य ओष॑धीः॒ सच॑ते॒ यश्च॒ सिन्धू॑न्। याव॑न्तो दे॒वा दि॒व्या॒तप॑न्ति॒ हिर॑ण्यं॒ ज्योतिः॒ पच॑तो बभूव ॥

All the fires of nature’s yajna are akin and join together in action, those that ripen herbs and trees and those that make the clouds to shower and rivers to flow. As long as divine lights shining in heavens of space mature the divinities of nature and humanity, so long the golden light of generosity will continue to inspire those that work with love and provide food for the needy.

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12.3.51

ए॒षा त्व॒चां पुरु॑षे॒ सं ब॑भू॒वान॑ग्नाः॒ सर्वे॑ प॒शवो॒ ये अ॒न्ये। क्ष॒त्रेणा॒त्मानं॒ परि॑ धापयाथोऽमो॒तं वासो॒ मुख॑मोद॒नस्य॑ ॥

This cover, the human form of all others, the cloth, and the karmic extension of yajna is provided only in the case of the human being. All other living beings are neither naked (because they are given a natural cover) nor do they perform any yajna. O men and women, cover yourselves with cloth and yajnic service of the social system. And home made cloth and home yajna is the first requisite of divine service.

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12.3.52

यद॒क्षेषु॒ वदा॒ यत्समि॑त्यां॒ यद्वा॒ वदा॒ अनृ॑तं वित्तका॒म्या। स॑मा॒नं तन्तु॑म॒भि सं॒वसा॑नौ॒ तस्मि॒न्त्सर्वं॒ शम॑लं सादयाथः ॥

Whatever untrue you utter in gambling disputes, or in selfish disputes, or with the desire to win undeserved money, seal it therein, exhaust it, better burn it in the yajna fire while you both wear the common vestments of yajna to wash off the pollution of your selfishness.

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12.3.53

व॒र्षं व॑नु॒ष्वापि॑ गच्छ दे॒वांस्त्व॒चो धू॒मं पर्युत्पा॑तयासि। वि॒श्वव्य॑चा घृ॒तपृ॑ष्ठो भवि॒ष्यन्त्सयो॑निर्लो॒कमुप॑ याह्ये॒तम् ॥

Pray for the shower of divine mercy and grace, go up to the divinities, shake off the dust and smoke from your body and mind. Being liberal and universally free, anointed with ghrta, rise to this higher region of the firmament and there join with the people of your nature and character in the spirit.

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12.3.54

त॒न्वं᳡ स्व॒र्गो ब॑हु॒धा वि च॑क्रे॒ यथा॑ वि॒द आ॒त्मन्न॒न्यव॑र्णाम्। अपा॑जैत्कृ॒ष्णां रुश॑तीं पुना॒नो या लोहि॑नी॒ तां ते॑ अ॒ग्नौ जु॑होमि ॥

The soul desirous of rising to the state of paradisal bliss, knowing itself as the soul, raises and transforms its existential body in many ways, from one colour and character to another and higher in quality. Conquering its dark character and purifying it, it rises to the bright and transparent, i.e., from flesh and blood of its gross body and from the blood and passion of its mind, it rises to the crystalline purity of intelligence. O man of noble ambition, I offer your nature and character of flesh and blood and passion into the fire of karmic and spiritual yajna and transform your being into pure and free soul.

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12.3.55

प्राच्यै॑ त्वा दि॒शे॒ग्नयेऽधि॑पतयेऽसि॒ताय॑ रक्षि॒त्र आ॑दि॒त्यायेषु॑मते। ए॒तं परि॑ दद्म॒स्तं नो॑ गोपाय॒तास्माक॒मैतोः॑। दि॒ष्टं नो॒ अत्र॑ ज॒रसे॒ नि ने॑षज्ज॒रा मृ॒त्यवे॒ परि॑ णो ददा॒त्वथ॑ प॒क्वेन॑ स॒ह सं भ॑वेम ॥

We deliver you unto the eastern direction, to its lord Agni, transparent and free protector, to Aditya, the sun, wielder of the arrows of light. May Agni, Aditya, protect this, our brother on his onward journey. May this lord guide us to our destined goal till the completion and fulfilment of our existence on earth and deliver us to death and judgement of divinity for our onward journey with the ripeness of our karma and maturity of our existential self.

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12.3.56

दक्षि॑णायै त्वा दि॒श इन्द्रा॒याधि॑पतये॒ तिर॑श्चिराजये रक्षि॒त्रे य॒मायेषु॑मते। ए॒तं परि॑ दद्म॒स्तं नो॑ गोपाय॒तास्माक॒मैतोः॑। दि॒ष्टं नो॒ अत्र॑ ज॒रसे॒ नि ने॑षज्ज॒रा मृ॒त्यवे॒ परि॑ णो ददा॒त्वथ॑ प॒क्वेन॑ स॒ह सं भ॑वेम ॥

We deliver you unto the Southern quarter, to its lord Indra, ruler, protector and controller of the waves of energy, to Yama, wielder of the arrows of judgement. May Indra, Yama, protect this our brother on his onward journey. May this lord guide us to our destined goal till the completion and fulfilment of our existence on earth and deliver us to death and judgement of divinity for our onward journey with the ripeness of our karma and maturity of our existential self.

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12.3.57

प्र॒तीच्यै॑ त्वा दि॒शे वरु॑णा॒याधि॑पतये॒ पृदा॑कवे रक्षि॒त्रेऽन्ना॒येषु॑मते। ए॒तं परि॑ दद्म॒स्तं नो॑ गोपाय॒तास्माक॒मैतोः॑। दि॒ष्टं नो॒ अत्र॑ ज॒रसे॒ नि ने॑षज्ज॒रा मृ॒त्यवे॒ परि॑ णो ददा॒त्वथ॑ प॒क्वेन॑ स॒ह सं भ॑वेम ॥

We deliver you unto the Western quarter, to its lord Varuna, protector, destroyer of the violent, and sustainer of life, wielder of the arrows of energy and nourishment. May Varuna and divine energy protect this our brother on his onward journey. May this lord guide us to our destined goal till the completion and fulfilment of our existence on earth and deliver us to death and judgement of divinity for our onward journey with the ripeness of our karma and maturity of our existential self.

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12.3.58

उदी॑च्यै त्वा दि॒शे सोमा॒याधि॑पतये स्व॒जाय॑ रक्षि॒त्रेऽशन्या॒ इषु॑मत्यै। ए॒तं परि॑ दद्म॒स्तं नो॑ गोपाय॒तास्माक॒मैतोः॑। दि॒ष्टं नो॒ अत्र॑ ज॒रसे॒ नि ने॑षज्ज॒रा मृ॒त्यवे॒ परि॑ णो ददा॒त्वथ॑ प॒क्वेन॑ स॒ह सं भ॑वेम ॥

We deliver you unto the Northern quarter, to Soma, lord self-existent protector, thunderous wielder of the vibrations of peace and exhilaration. May Soma protect this our brother on his onward journey. May this lord guide us to our destined goal till the completion and fulfilment of our existence on earth and deliver us to death and divine judgement for our onward journey with the ripeness of our karma and maturity of our existential self.

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12.3.59

ध्रु॒वायै॑ त्वा दि॒शे विष्ण॒वेऽधि॑पतये क॒ल्माष॑ग्रीवाय रक्षि॒त्र ओष॑धीभ्य॒ इषु॑मतीभ्यः। ए॒तं परि॑ दद्म॒स्तं नो॑ गोपाय॒तास्माक॒मैतोः॑। दि॒ष्टं नो॒ अत्र॑ ज॒रसे॒ नि ने॑षज्ज॒रा मृ॒त्यवे॒ परि॑ णो ददा॒त्वथ॑ प॒क्वेन॑ स॒ह सं भ॑वेम ॥

We deliver you unto the lower quarter, to Vishnu, lord protector pervader of greenery, and to the penertrative efficacy of herbs. May Vishnu protect this our brother on his onward journey. May this lord guide us to our destined goal till the completion and fulfilment of our existence on earth and deliver us to death and divine judgement for our onward journey with the ripeness of our karma and maturity of our existential self.

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12.3.60

ऊ॒र्ध्वायै॑ त्वा दि॒शे बृह॒स्पत॒येऽधि॑पतये श्वि॒त्राय॑ रक्षि॒त्रे व॒र्षायेषु॑मते। ए॒तं परि॑ दद्म॒स्तं नो॑ गोपाय॒तास्माक॒मैतोः॑। दि॒ष्टं नो॒ अत्र॑ ज॒रसे॒ नि ने॑षज्ज॒रा मृ॒त्यवे॒ परि॑ णो ददा॒त्वथ॑ प॒क्वेन॑ स॒ह सं भ॑वेम ॥

We deliver you unto the upper quarter, to Brhaspati, lord protector and master of growth and progress, wielder of the rain of showers. May he protect this our brother on his onward journey. May this lord guide us to our destined goal till the completion and fulfilment of our existence on earth and deliver us to death and divine judgement for our onward journey with the ripeness of our karma and maturity of our existential self.

✦ Sukta 4 · 53 verses ✦

12.4.1

ददा॒मीत्ये॒व ब्रू॑या॒दनु॑ चैना॒मभु॑त्सत। व॒शां ब्र॒ह्मभ्यो॒ याच॑द्भ्य॒स्तत्प्र॒जाव॒दप॑त्यवत् ॥

“I give”: this every one should say always, and one should think and act in consonance with the same mood of generosity. One who gives a gift of the cow, land, and Vedic speech to the seekers and devotees of holy speech is blest with children, grand children and good people all round.

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12.4.2

प्र॒जया॒ स वि क्री॑णीते प॒शुभि॒श्चोप॑ दस्यति। य आ॑र्षे॒येभ्यो॒ याच॑द्भ्यो दे॒वानां॒ गां न दित्स॑ति ॥

He barters himself away along with his cattle, wealth and even his progeny and people who fails to give the divine cow, Vedic speech, to the seekers and followers of the Rshis. He reduces himself to naught.

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12.4.3

कू॒टया॑स्य॒ सं शी॑र्यन्ते श्लो॒णया॑ का॒टम॑र्दति। ब॒ण्डया॑ दह्यन्ते गृ॒हाः का॒णया॑ दीयते॒ स्वम् ॥

Whether one is an individual or a ruler, if one’s speech, ethics and policy of action, specially in creativity and giving, is illusive, his people are destroyed thereby, if it is lame, he falls into the pit of adversity, if it is divisive, his homes are burnt, and if it is partial and short-sighted, his own identity is lost.

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12.4.4

वि॑लोहि॒तो अ॑धि॒ष्ठाना॑च्छ॒क्नो वि॑न्दति॒ गोप॑तिम्। तथा॑ व॒शायाः॒ संवि॑द्यं दुरद॒भ्ना ह्यु१॒॑च्यसे॑ ॥

The man of power gone red or pale with passion and frustration for loss of identity, regains from the treasure source of Divine Voice his identity as master of the Word, with his lands and dominion too. For this reasons the essence and identity is worth knowing and remembering, for this reason, O Vedic Voice, you are ‘Vasha’, the free, the powerful, the indomitable.

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12.4.5

प॒दोर॑स्या अधि॒ष्ठाना॑द्वि॒क्लिन्दु॒र्नाम॑ विन्दति। अ॑नाम॒नात्सं शी॑र्यन्ते॒ या मुखे॑नोप॒जिघ्र॑ति ॥

The man who perspires for acquistion of the holy Voice discovers and fulfils his real identity from the twofold foundation of its real treasure, i.e., from secular and sacred knowledge of the Veda. But those are lost and split apart who, through indifference, taste or smell it merely from afar. They lose their identity.

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12.4.6

यो अ॑स्याः॒ कर्णा॑वास्कु॒नोत्या स दे॒वेषु॑ वृश्चते। लक्ष्म॑ कुर्व॒ इति॒ मन्य॑ते॒ कनी॑यः कृणुते॒ स्वम् ॥

He who tries to bend its ears, i.e., twists the sense of the Voice, to suit himself, isolates himself from the wise and the learned. And he that believes that he has had a glimpse of it and there is no need for more reduces his identity to something too small.

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12.4.7

यद॑स्याः॒ कस्मै॑ चि॒द्भोगा॑य॒ बाला॒न्कश्चि॑त्प्रकृ॒न्तति॑। ततः॑ किशो॒रा म्रि॑यन्ते व॒त्सांश्च॒ घातु॑को॒ वृकः॑ ॥

And whoever, for whatever selfish purpose, twists its meaning and cuts its extensive hair for his own trophy, for that very reason his coming generations die out and waiting wolves pounce upon his children.

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12.4.8

यद॑स्या॒ गोप॑तौ स॒त्या लोम॒ ध्वाङ्क्षो॒ अजी॑हिडत्। ततः॑ कुमा॒रा म्रि॑यन्ते॒ यक्ष्मो॑ विन्दत्यनाम॒नात् ॥

And while Gopati, the ruler, is there and the sagely scholar of the Vedic Voice is there, and yet some clever thief picks away a shred of its body, identity and meaning, the rising generation dies and cancer infects the commonwealth from remiss.

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12.4.9

यद॑स्याः॒ पल्पू॑लनं॒ शकृ॑द्दा॒सी स॒मस्य॑ति। ततोऽप॑रूपं जायते॒ तस्मा॒दव्ये॑ष्य॒देन॑सः ॥

And when negative and destructive forces grab the power and production of the land, desecrate its free voice and culture, thence arises the pollution and distortion of its form and character, and then recovery from sin and crime is hard.

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12.4.10

जाय॑माना॒भि जा॑यते दे॒वान्त्सब्रा॑ह्मणान्व॒शा। तस्मा॑द्ब्र॒ह्मभ्यो॒ देयै॒षा तदा॑हुः॒ स्वस्य॒ गोप॑नम् ॥

Nevertheless, Vasha, the Vedic Voice of Truth and free speech of the Brahmana committed to truth and eternal values, reasserting, arises, inspiring the brilliant, the generous, and the learned faithful for recovery, rebirth and reconstruction. For this reason this Voice is to be entrusted to the seekers of Brahma, the ultimate Reality, the Word and the Meaning. And for that reason, this Voice, this trust and this inevitable assertion, they say, is the real protection and security of our wealth and identity.

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12.4.11

य ए॑नां व॒निमा॒यन्ति॒ तेषां॑ दे॒वकृ॑ता व॒शा। ब्र॑ह्म॒ज्येयं॒ तद॑ब्रुव॒न्य ए॑नां निप्रिया॒यते॑ ॥

This holy speech is the gift of divinity for those who come to seek for the gift of it with freedom to propagate it for all. But if the ruler locks it up as his own cherished prerogative and denies to others the rightful access to it, this lock up and denial, they say, is an insult to Brahmanas and a sin against God.

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12.4.12

य आ॑र्षे॒येभ्यो॒ याच॑द्भ्यो दे॒वानां॒ गां न दित्स॑ति। आ स दे॒वेषु॑ वृश्चते ब्राह्म॒णानां॑ च म॒न्यवे॑ ॥

One who does not agree to give the divine cow, holy speech of divinity, freely to the seekers and the disciples of Rshis, alienates himself from the divines and intellectuals and suffers the displeasure and disapproval, even wrath, of the Brahmanas, enlightened devotees of knowledge and wisdom.

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12.4.13

यो अ॑स्य॒ स्याद्व॑शाभो॒गो अ॒न्यामि॑च्छेत॒ तर्हि॒ सः। हिंस्ते॒ अद॑त्ता॒ पुरु॑षं याचि॒तां च॒ न दित्स॑ति ॥

If a person wants to enjoy the pleasure of the Vasha cow, holy speech of divinity, he should have the pleasure some other way than locking it up for himself and arresting its free movement for others, because when someone is unwilling to give it for others when it is asked for, then, refused and hoarded, it destroys the custodian himself.

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12.4.14

यथा॑ शेव॒धिर्निहि॑तो ब्राह्म॒णानां॒ तथा॑ व॒शा। तामे॒तद॒च्छाय॑न्ति॒ यस्मि॒न्कस्मिं॑श्च॒ जाय॑ते ॥

As it is with any pleasureable treasure of wealth, well preserved and well promoted through circulation, so it is with the treasure of the Brahmana’s free knowledge and speech. Whoever the person, whatever the place wherein it takes root and grows in freedom through circulation, the seekers rush to the man and the place for a gift for their share.

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12.4.15

स्वमे॒तद॑च्छायन्ति॒ यद्व॒शां ब्रा॑ह्म॒णा अ॒भि। यथै॑नान॒न्यस्मि॑ञ्जिनी॒यादे॒वास्या॑ नि॒रोध॑नम् ॥

When the seekers of divine knowledge and speech come to the treasurehold of free speech and knowledge, in fact they come to their own rightful treasure. In such cases, its hoarding and refusal to give is just another way of torturing them for a crime they have not committed.

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12.4.16

चरे॑दे॒वा त्रै॑हाय॒णादवि॑ज्ञातगदा स॒ती। व॒शां च॑ वि॒द्यान्ना॑रद ब्राह्म॒णास्तर्ह्ये॒ष्याः᳡ ॥

Just as a calf roams around unknown and urecognised for three years and then it is known and recognised and then a Brahmana is sought to take it as a gift, similarly, if knowledge and its medium speech were neglected and left to roam around unknown, unrecognised and unplanned, then, O Narada, guardian of human society for culture and education, sagely scholars must be sought and entrusted with the culture and education of the human community so that free development of the society is properly recognised, valued and pursued.

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12.4.17

य ए॑ना॒मव॑शा॒माह॑ दे॒वानां॒ निहि॑तं नि॒धिम्। उ॒भौ तस्मै॑ भवाश॒र्वौ प॑रि॒क्रम्येषु॑मस्यतः ॥

Vasha, divine knowledge and speech in freedom, is a treasure gift of divinity for divine sages and scholars. Any one who cynically calls it Avasha, that is, something of no value, Bhava and Sharva, forces of life and death, through mutabiltiy and history, ensnare him and pierce him with arrows of retribution to fall and die out.

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12.4.18

यो अ॑स्या॒ ऊधो॒ न वे॒दाथो॑ अस्या॒ स्तना॑नु॒त। उ॒भये॑नै॒वास्मै॑ दुहे॒ दातुं॒ चेदश॑कद्व॒शाम् ॥

If one, who does not know the treasure-hold of Vasha’s life giving wealth and the channels and media of the inflow of its vitality, were, fortunately, able to know both these gifts and he were able to give to the sagely teachers and scholars the freedom for the release of the flow of knowledge and speech to the community, Vasha would overflow his life with both light and vitality, in freedom, through the treasure and the media.

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12.4.19

दु॑रद॒भ्नैन॒मा श॑ये याचि॒तां च॒ न दित्स॑ति। नास्मै॒ कामाः॒ समृ॑ध्यन्ते॒ यामद॑त्त्वा॒ चिकी॑र्षति ॥

Vasha, universal light and vitality of life, is indomitable and indefatigable, but it lies dormant with that individual, community or ruler who is unwilling to give and propagate it freely. Whoever does not give it and yet wants to achieve the fruits of it, his desires and ambitions never fructify for him.

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12.4.20

दे॒वा व॒शाम॑याच॒न्मुखं॑ कृ॒त्वा ब्राह्म॑णम्। तेषां॒ सर्वे॑षा॒मद॑द॒द्धेडं॒ न्ये᳡ति॒ मानु॑षः ॥

Having made the Brahmana their voice and leader, the Devas, noble and brilliant sages and scholars of humanity, have prayed for and asked for Vasha, universal knowledge of nature and divinity with freedom of speech. Therefore the man who does not give and expand that knowledge and speech freely for all others suffers the disapproval, displeasure and even wrath of those divinities.

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12.4.21

हेडं॑ पशू॒नां न्ये᳡ति ब्राह्म॒णेभ्योऽद॑दद्व॒शाम्। दे॒वानां॒ निहि॑तं भा॒गं मर्त्य॒श्चेन्नि॑प्रिया॒यते॑ ॥

If mortal man misappropriates for his own self even that share of divinities which is fixed and set apart for them by divine dispensation and refuses to grant to the Brahmanas, scholars, intellectuals and teachers, the freedom of knowledge and speech, he suffers the wrath not only of divinities and men but even of the animals.

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12.4.22

यद॒न्ये श॒तं याचे॑युर्ब्राह्म॒णा गोप॑तिं व॒शाम्। अथै॑नां दे॒वा अ॑ब्रुवन्ने॒वं ह॑ वि॒दुषो॑ व॒शा ॥

If a hundred others, who are dedicated neither to Divinity nor to knowledge nor to speech and freedom, ask the Gopati, lord of knowledge, speech and the earth, for a gift of Vasha, freedom of speech, then, as divine sages have said, Vasha rightly is only for those who are dedicated to Divinity, knowledge and freedom with discipline for the service of all others, not for others.

· · ·

12.4.23

य ए॒वं वि॒दुषे॑ऽद॒त्त्वाथा॒न्येभ्यो॒ दद॑द्व॒शाम्। दु॒र्गा तस्मा॑ अधि॒ष्ठाने॑ पृथि॒वी स॒हदे॑वता ॥

If a person, community or ruler gives the gift of Vasha, freedom of speech, to others than the learned, having refused it to the dedicated and learned, then it is difficult for them to realise the gifts of earth including those of other divinities of nature and humanity in the house.

· · ·

12.4.24

दे॒वा व॒शाम॑याच॒न्यस्मि॒न्नग्रे॒ अजा॑यत। तामे॒तां वि॑द्या॒न्नार॑दः स॒ह दे॒वैरुदा॑जत ॥

Devas, divine souls, at the earliest prayed and asked for Vasha, universal knowledge and speech, of that Omniscient Spirit in which it first emerged and manifested in thought and Word at the dawn of creation. And that very knowledge, thought and Word, Narada, the man of knowledge and love for humanity, along with other enlightened souls, ought to advance in human society.

· · ·

12.4.25

अ॑नप॒त्यमल्प॑पशुं व॒शा कृ॑णोति॒ पूरु॑षम्। ब्रा॑ह्म॒णैश्च॑ याचि॒तामथै॑नां निप्रिया॒यते॑ ॥

If this Vasha, loved and sought for by the devotees of knowledge and divinity, is hoarded by any person, locked up as his exclusive love and wealth, and denied to the seekers, then this denial leads that person to utter destitution of wealth and progeny.

· · ·

12.4.26

अ॒ग्नीषो॑माभ्यां॒ कामा॑य मि॒त्राय॒ वरु॑णाय च। तेभ्यो॑ याचन्ति ब्राह्म॒णास्तेष्वा वृ॑श्च॒तेऽद॑दत् ॥

Brahmanas, seekers of Divinity and knowledge, pray for Vasha for the advancement of Agni and Soma, progress and peace of humanity, for fulfilment of life’s mission, for people of love and friendship, and for people of judgement and discriminative intelligence. The person, individual or ruler, who hoards this divine gift and denies it to the seekers, isolates himself and alienates himself from society although otherwise he may be in the thick of social presence.

· · ·

12.4.27

याव॑दस्या॒ गोप॑ति॒र्नोप॑शृणु॒यादृचः॑ स्व॒यम्। चरे॑दस्य॒ ताव॒द्गोषु॒ नास्य॑ श्रु॒त्वा गृ॒हे व॑सेत् ॥

If a ruler has not himself attentively heard the Rks, let him actively move among the scholars of Vedic verses, and when he has fully heard and realised the Vedic voice, let him not be confined to his personal home, nor should the Vedic Voice be locked up in the royal palace.

· · ·

12.4.28

यो अ॑स्या॒ ऋच॑ उप॒श्रुत्याथ॒ गोष्वची॑चरत्। आयु॑श्च॒ तस्य॒ भूतिं॑ च दे॒वा वृ॑श्चन्ति हीडि॒ताः ॥

Having heard and realised the Vasha, Vedic Voice, whoever the person that continues to roam around in the pleasure of the senses, the divinities feel offended and they uproot his life and his life’s wealth of prosperity.

· · ·

12.4.29

व॒शा चर॑न्ती बहु॒धा दे॒वानां॒ निहि॑तो नि॒धिः। आ॒विष्कृ॑णुष्व रू॒पाणि॑ य॒दा स्थाम॒ जिघां॑सति ॥

Vasha, the Vedic Voice, is the guarded treasure of divine sages and scholars and, in its dynamic state of growth and development through natural media of evolution, gives rise to many new forms of life’s variety while it remains actively living and secure with its rightful custodians, vibrant scholars and sages.

· · ·

12.4.30

आ॒विरा॒त्मानं॑ कृणुते य॒दा स्थाम॒ जिघां॑सति। अथो॑ ह ब्र॒ह्मभ्यो॑ व॒शा या॒च्ञाय॑ कृणुते॒ मनः॑ ॥

Vasha, universal knowledge and the spirit of Being, is a seeker of living media, manifests itself in many forms as it lives with its homely devotees, while, indeed, it inspires the sagely minds for her own self- manifestation and expression for the sake of the seekers of divinity.

· · ·

12.4.31

मन॑सा॒ सं क॑ल्पयति॒ तद्दे॒वाँ अपि॑ गच्छति। ततो॑ ह ब्र॒ह्माणो॑ व॒शामु॑प॒प्रय॑न्ति॒ याचि॑तुम् ॥

Vasha, the spirit of Being and universal awareness, vibrates and acts through the universal mind. That vibration in the universal mind stimulates the sages at the core of their being and imagination, and thereby the seekers of divinity approach Vasha, universal awareness itself, to pray for the gift of her own self.

· · ·

12.4.32

स्व॑धाका॒रेण॑ पि॒तृभ्यो॑ य॒ज्ञेन॑ दे॒वता॑भ्यः। दाने॑न राज॒न्यो᳡ व॒शाया॑ मा॒तुर्हेडं॒ न ग॑च्छति ॥

By the gift of food and service with reverence for parents and seniors, by yajna in honour of divinities, and by charity in general, the ruler does not suffer the displeasure of Mother Vasha.

· · ·

12.4.33

व॒शा मा॒ता रा॑ज॒न्य᳡स्य॒ तथा॒ संभू॑तमग्र॒शः। तस्या॑ आहु॒रन॑र्पणं॒ यद्ब्र॒ह्मभ्यः॑ प्रदी॒यते॑ ॥

Vasha, the Vedic Voice of divine knowledge, is the mother of rules, It has been so since the beginning. When it is freely given to the seekers of knowledge and divinity in the social system, this giving is not called a gift, because giving knowledge and freedom of speech to the Brahmanas is not charity, it is the fulfilment of the ruler’s obligation.

· · ·

12.4.34

यथाज्यं॒ प्रगृ॑हीतमालु॒म्पेत्स्रु॒चो अ॒ग्नये॑। ए॒वा ह॑ ब्र॒ह्मभ्यो॑ व॒शाम॒ग्नय॒ आ वृ॑श्च॒तेऽद॑दत् ॥

Just as the person who takes away the ghrta held in the ladle meant for the fire alienates himself from the fire, so does the person withholding Vasha from the rightful seekers of knowledge and divinity alienate him- self as a misappropriator in relation to the light of life.

· · ·

12.4.३५™

पु॑रो॒डाश॑वत्सा सु॒दुघा॑ लो॒केऽस्मा॒ उप॑ तिष्ठति। सास्मै॒ सर्वा॒न्कामा॑न्व॒शा प्र॑द॒दुषे॑ दुहे ॥

Mother Vasha whose gift is food for life and yajna, who is generous and abundant in milk, stands by this humanity in the world. For one who supports and expands this mother knowledge and freedom of speech for the rightful seekers, she brings streams and showers of the nectar milk of life and fulfils all his desires.

· · ·

12.4.36

सर्वा॒न्कामा॑न्यम॒राज्ये॑ व॒शा प्र॑द॒दुषे॑ दुहे। अथा॑हु॒र्नार॑कं लो॒कं नि॑रुन्धा॒नस्य॑ याचि॒ताम् ॥

Mother Vasha fulfils all desires of the generous man of open mind with love of freedom in the dominion of the ruler and dispenser of law, justice and freedom. And the wise say that the world is an insufferable hell under the rule of a person who blocks the spread of knowledge and denies the basic needs of life and freedom of speech to those who rightfully seek and ask for it.

· · ·

12.4.37

प्र॑वी॒यमा॑ना चरति क्रु॒द्धा गोप॑तये व॒शा। वे॒हतं॑ मा॒ मन्य॑मानो मृ॒त्योः पाशे॑षु बध्यताम् ॥

Mother Vasha like a pregnant cow, abundant in the gifts of food for body, mind and soul for all, goes about furious with the ruler who believes that she is barren and utterly unproductive. “Cursed be the man who cries me foul and calls me barren,” she protests, “he deserves to be tied down in the chains of Yama, the dispenser of ultimate justice.”

· · ·

12.4.38

यो वे॒हतं॒ मन्य॑मानो॒ऽमा च॒ पच॑ते व॒शाम्। अप्य॑स्य पु॒त्रान्पौत्रां॑श्च या॒चय॑ते॒ बृह॒स्पतिः॑ ॥

Whoever the man or ruler that believes that Vasha, mother giver of the milk of life for body, mind and soul with freedom, is barren, unproductive and miscarrier of life and progress and thus tortures her in his home and dominion, Brhaspati, lord of the expansive world of life and progress, punishes him and even reduces his future generations to the state of poverty and destitution.

· · ·

12.4.39

म॒हदे॒षाव॑ तपति॒ चर॑न्ती॒ गोषु॒ गौरपि॑। अथो॑ ह॒ गोप॑तये व॒शाद॑दुषे वि॒षं दु॑हे ॥

Like a frustrated cow moving among cows, Vasha, divine knowledge and freedom of speech, scotched yet self-assertive among scholarly sages and intellectuals in a society or dominion, heats up intensely within, and that way it produces but poison for the custodian of life and culture who refuses to grant freedom to the seekers of food for progress and enlightenment.

· · ·

12.4.40

प्रि॒यं प॑शू॒नां भ॑वति॒ यद्ब्र॒ह्मभ्यः॑ प्रदी॒यते॑। अथो॑ व॒शाया॒स्तत्प्रि॒यं यद्दे॑व॒त्रा ह॒विः स्यात् ॥

The freedom of speech and knowledge which is granted to the intellectual seekers of divinity and life’s progress is dear also to the people of average understanding and vision. Indeed that freedom is the real favourite of Vasha, divine spirit of knowledge and freedom itself, which is the holy food of divinities in nature and among humanity.

· · ·

12.4.41

या व॒शा उ॒दक॑ल्पयन्दे॒वा य॒ज्ञादु॒देत्य॑। तासां॑ विलि॒प्त्यं भी॒मामु॒दाकु॑रुत नार॒दः ॥

That Vasha, mother spirit of divine food, freedom and enlightenment which the divinities received, raised and further developed from cosmic yajna and intellectual gatherings, that very abundant Vasha, that consecrated spirit of life and freedom, now obscured, O Narada, pioneer of knowledge and enlightenment, recover, raise and establish in human society.

· · ·

12.4.42

तां दे॒वा अ॑मीमांसन्त व॒शेया३मव॒शेति॑। ताम॑ब्रवीन्नार॒द ए॒षा व॒शानां॑ व॒शत॒मेति॑ ॥

Devas, divine sages, thought over Vasha, spirit of Being, freedom and knowledge, whether it is Vasha, desirable and manageable, or Avasha, undesirable and beyond control. Then Narada, enlightened sage of humanity, thought and said of it : Of all things worthy of love and desire, this Vasha is most valuable and most manageable (by law and discipline).

· · ·

12.4.43

कति॒ नु व॒शा ना॑रद॒ यास्त्वं वे॑त्थ मनुष्य॒जाः। तास्त्वा॑ पृच्छामि वि॒द्वांसं॒ कस्या॒ नाश्नी॑या॒दब्रा॑ह्मणः ॥

O Narada, enlightened thinker of humanity for humanity, how many are the kinds of knowledge and freedom born of divinity through the Vedic lore developed by humanity for humanity, of which you know, I ask you. I ask you, O sage, which one of these is that which the man who is not a Brahmana or Brahmachari, who is not dedicated to Divinity and knowledge with the discipline of celibacy, cannot know?

· · ·

12.4.44

वि॑लि॒प्त्या बृ॑हस्पते॒ या च॑ सू॒तव॑शा व॒शा। तस्या॒ नाश्नी॑या॒दब्रा॑ह्मणो॒ य आ॒शंसे॑त॒ भूत्या॑म् ॥

O Brhaspati, master, guardian and promoter of knowledge and freedom for life in existence, the man who is indifferent to Divinity and divine values, though deeply dedicated to mundane prosperity, should not, in fact cannot, value and taste the higher pleasures of Vilipti and Sutavasha Vasha, that is, the knowledge and freedom divinely consecrated but humanly obscured, and that which controls the sensual and worldly desires of the men of passion and appetite.

· · ·

12.4.45

नम॑स्ते अस्तु नारदानु॒ष्ठु वि॒दुषे॑ व॒शा। क॑त॒मासां॑ भी॒मत॑मा॒ यामद॑त्त्वा परा॒भवे॑त् ॥

Salutations to you, Narada, enlightened sage. It is fair that the freedom to propagate the knowledge of noble and desirable values enshrined in the Vedic literature be given to the educated and the enlightened. Which of these values is the most sublime and awesome without the pursuit and propagation of which adversity is sure to strike and prevail?

· · ·

12.4.46

वि॑लि॒प्ती या बृ॑हस्प॒तेऽथो॑ सू॒तव॑शा व॒शा। तस्या॒ नाश्नी॑या॒दब्रा॑ह्मणो॒ य आ॒शंसे॑त॒ भूत्या॑म् ॥

O Brhaspati, master, guardian and promoter of knowledge and freedom for life in existence, Vilipti, consecrated but obscured knowledge and freedom unpolluted by hate and attachment, Sutavasha, controller of passions and appetites of men, and Vasha, knowledge and freedom self-disciplined by law and enlightened culture, these are the kinds of knowledge, freedom and values which men indifferent to Divinity and divine values but merged into pleasures of mundane materiality do not and cannot taste and enjoy.

· · ·

12.4.47

त्रीणि॒ वै व॑शाजा॒तानि॑ विलि॒प्ती सू॒तव॑शा व॒शा। ताः प्र य॑च्छेद्ब्र॒ह्मभ्यः॒ सो᳡ना॑व्र॒स्कः प्र॒जाप॑तौ ॥

Three are the kinds and orders of Vasha, life- giving spirit of knowledge and freedom: Vilipti, consecrated sublime blest by Divinity for saints and sages, Sutavasha, controller of selfish passions and licentious living, and Vasha, discipline and law for healthy living in family and societyThese the ruler should provide to the scholars, sages and leaders of humanity dedicated to Divinity. Such a ruler, such a person, would not feel isolated and alienated in the world of Prajapati, lord creator, father, ruler and sustainer of life and humanity.

· · ·

12.4.48

ए॒तद्वो॑ ब्राह्मणा ह॒विरिति॑ मन्वीत याचि॒तः। व॒शां चेदे॑नं॒ याचे॑यु॒र्या भी॒माद॑दुषो गृ॒हे ॥

If Brahmanas, saints, sages and Brahmacharis, ask for this Vasha, life-giving mother knowledge and freedom, the ruler giver should give freely, and when he gives, so should he believe and say: O Brahmanas, this is your rightful share of havi due from us, our homage which, otherwise locked up in the house, works havoc with the non-giver’s life.

· · ·

12.4.49

दे॒वा व॒शां पर्य॑वद॒न्न नो॑ऽदा॒दिति॑ हीडि॒ताः। ए॒ताभि॑रृ॒ग्भिर्भे॒दं तस्मा॒द्वै स परा॑भवत् ॥

Frustrated and angry, the divine sages protested to Vasha with Rk verses saying, that the ruler denied them the gift of mother knowledge and freedom of speech. Then arose dissension and for that reason the ruler lost the dominion.

· · ·

12.4.50

उ॒तैनां॑ भे॒दो नाद॑दाद्व॒शामिन्द्रे॑ण याचि॒तः। तस्मा॒त्तं दे॒वा आग॒सोऽवृ॑श्चन्नहमुत्त॒रे ॥

And Dissension too did not give the gift of mother knowledge and freedom of speech when Indra, divine seeker, asked for it. And for the reason of that sin of denial, the angry divines uprooted and threw out the misappropriator in the battle of pride and self- aggrandisement.

· · ·

12.4.51

ये व॒शाया॒ अदा॑नाय॒ वद॑न्ति परिरा॒पिणः॑। इन्द्र॑स्य म॒न्यवे॑ जा॒ल्मा आ वृ॑श्चन्ते॒ अचि॑त्त्या ॥

Those talkative babblers and mischief mongers who advocate and support the denial of mother knowledge and the ban on freedom of speech, those vile fools by their own stupidity get uprooted and fall to the wrath of Indra, the ruler.

· · ·

12.4.52

ये गोप॑तिं परा॒णीया॑था॒हुर्मा द॑दा॒ इति॑। रु॒द्रस्या॑स्तां ते हे॒तिं परि॑ य॒न्त्यचि॑त्त्या ॥

Those who take the Gopati, ruler of the land and master of mother knowledge and free speech, aside and say : “Do not allow free education and free speech to the people”, fall to the wrathful strike of Rudra by the reason of their own ignorance and foolishness.

· · ·

12.4.53

यदि॑ हु॒तां यद्यहु॑ताम॒मा च॒ पच॑ते व॒शाम्। दे॒वान्त्सब्रा॑ह्मणानृ॒त्वा जि॒ह्मो लो॒कान्निरृ॑च्छति ॥

Whether the Vasha, gift of living knowledge and freedom of speech, is promised or not promised, received as given or taken by force, when the ruler denies and in his own chamber encloses and stifles this life-giving Vasha, cooking his own plans and plots, the crooked man offends the divinities along with the Brahmanas and violates and forfeits the worlds of his own existence.

✦ Sukta 5 · 73 verses ✦

12.5.1

श्रमे॑ण॒ तप॑सा सृ॒ष्टा ब्रह्म॑णा वि॒त्तर्ते श्रि॒ता ॥

The Divine Cow is the Voice of the Veda, brought into being by Divinity with intense thought and spiritual heat, received by the devotee of Divinity, sustained by the law of truth and righteousness,

· · ·

12.5.2

स॒त्येनावृ॑ता श्रि॒या प्रावृ॑ता॒ यश॑सा॒ परी॑वृता ॥

It is consecrated with Truth, enshrined in grace, surrounded with honour,

· · ·

12.5.3

स्व॒धया॒ परि॑हिता श्र॒द्धया॒ पर्यू॑ढा दी॒क्षया॑ गु॒प्ता य॒ज्ञे प्रति॑ष्ठिता लो॒को नि॒धन॑म् ॥

Founded on its own essential power and potential, enshrined in faith, secured in committed loyalty, rooted in yajna, established as the end and aim of life in existence,

· · ·

12.5.4

ब्रह्म॑ पदवा॒यं ब्रा॑ह्म॒णोऽधि॑पतिः ॥

And a prelude to Divinity, Brahma, such is the Divine Cow, universal light and message of Omniscience, of which the Brahmana, man of absolute dedication to Brahma, is the trustee.

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12.5.5

तामा॒ददा॑नस्य ब्रह्मग॒वीं जि॑न॒तो ब्रा॑ह्म॒णं क्ष॒त्रिय॑स्य ॥

Of that Divine Cow, sacred knowledge and free speech of the Brahmana, if the seizor, Kshatriya, ruler (who really is the protector and promoter) robs the Brahmana,

· · ·

12.5.6

अप॑ क्रामति सू॒नृता॑ वी॒र्यं१॒॑ पुण्या॑ ल॒क्ष्मीः ॥

Then his truth and honour, valour and fame, and his hallowed glory, all forsake him.

· · ·

12.5.7

ओज॑श्च॒ तेज॑श्च॒ सह॑श्च॒ बलं॑ च॒ वाक्चे॑न्द्रि॒यं च॒ श्रीश्च॒ धर्म॑श्च ॥

And vigour, and lustre, and patience, and power, and speech, and perception, and judgement, and grace, and Dharma,

· · ·

12.5.8

ब्रह्म॑ च क्ष॒त्रं च॑ रा॒ष्ट्रं च॒ विश॑श्च॒ त्विषि॑श्च॒ यश॑श्च॒ वर्च॑श्च॒ द्रवि॑णं च ॥

And piety, and supremacy, and dominion, and economy, and brilliance, and honour, and splendour, and his entire wealth,

· · ·

12.5.9

आयु॑श्च रू॒पं च॒ नाम॑ च की॒र्तिश्च॑ प्रा॒णश्चा॑पा॒नश्च॒ चक्षु॑श्च॒ श्रोत्रं॑ च ॥

And his life, and beauty, and name, and fame, and pranic energy, and apana energy, and eye, and ear,

· · ·

12.5.10

पय॑श्च॒ रस॒श्चान्नं॑ चा॒न्नाद्यं॑ च॒र्तं च॑ स॒त्यं चे॒ष्टं च॑ पू॒र्तं च॑ प्र॒जा च॑ प॒शव॑श्च ॥

And milk, and drink, and food, and provisions, and righteousness, and truth, and ritual performances, and works of charity, and progeny, and cattle,

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12.5.11

तानि॒ सर्वा॒ण्यप॑ क्रामन्ति ब्रह्मग॒वीमा॒ददा॑नस्य जिन॒तो ब्रा॑ह्म॒णं क्ष॒त्रिय॑स्य ॥

All these forsake that Kshatriya who seizes the Divine Cow and deprives the Brahmana of his rightful knowledge and free speech.

· · ·

12.5.12

सैषा भी॒मा ब्र॑ह्मग॒व्य१॒॑घवि॑षा सा॒क्षात्कृ॒त्या कूल्ब॑ज॒मावृ॑ता ॥

When this Divine Cow, universal knowledge and free speech, is suppressed and bound as the stormy flood of a river within the banks, then it is terrible, deadly poison, a very killer of the oppressor.

· · ·

12.5.13

सर्वा॑ण्यस्यां घो॒राणि॒ सर्वे॑ च मृ॒त्यवः॑ ॥

Then all terrors, and all deadly dangers of punitive death concentrate in this Divine Cow, nature’s retribution against suppression of universal knowledge and free speech.

· · ·

12.5.14

सर्वा॑ण्यस्यां क्रू॒राणि॒ सर्वे॑ पुरुषव॒धाः ॥

Then all hard punishments and deadly possibilities for the violator exist vested in it.

· · ·

12.5.15

सा ब्र॑ह्म॒ज्यं दे॑वपी॒युं ब्र॑ह्मग॒व्या᳡दी॒यमा॑ना मृ॒त्योः पड्वी॑ष॒ आ द्य॑ति ॥

Then the Divine Cow, seized and suppressed, binds the tormentor of Brahmana, worshipper of divinities, in chains of death and destroys him.

· · ·

12.5.16

मे॒निः श॒तव॑धा॒ हि सा ब्र॑ह्म॒ज्यस्य॒ क्षिति॒र्हि सा ॥

Then she is a hundred-fold killer, she is a terror for the violator of Divinity and tormentor of the Divine Cow.

· · ·

12.5.17

तस्मा॒द्वै ब्रा॑ह्म॒णानां॒ गौर्दु॑रा॒धर्षा॑ विजान॒ता ॥

Therefore this Divine Cow of the Brahmana is invincible, insuppressible, by clever exploiters.

· · ·

12.5.18

वज्रो॒ धाव॑न्ती वैश्वान॒र उद्वी॑ता ॥

When raised high, it is Vaishvanara, refulgent sun for humanity, but when terrorised, it is thunderbolt.

· · ·

12.5.19

हे॒तिः श॒फानु॑त्खि॒दन्ती॑ महादे॒वो॒पेक्ष॑माणा ॥

Raising her hoof, she is a strike of thunder, when looked up to with hope and expectation, she is a grand divinity.

· · ·

12.5.20

क्षु॒रप॑वि॒रीक्ष॑माणा॒ वाश्य॑माना॒भि स्फू॒र्जति ॥

Looking round, she is the razor’s edge, when bellowing, the roar of thunder.

· · ·

12.5.21

मृ॒त्युर्हि॑ङ्कृण्व॒त्यु१॒॑ग्रो दे॒वः पुच्छं॑ प॒र्यस्य॑न्ती ॥

Challenging, she is death of the aggressor, raising and striking her tail, a violent supernatural power.

· · ·

12.5.22

स॑र्वज्या॒निः कर्णौ॑ वरीव॒र्जय॑न्ती राजय॒क्ष्मो मेह॑न्ती ॥

Raising and twisting her ears as if with suspicion, she is fatally moved, pouring fury again and again, she is cancerous and consumptive.

· · ·

12.5.23

मे॒निर्दु॒ह्यमा॑ना शीर्ष॒क्तिर्दु॒ग्धा ॥

In that tubercular condition, she is dangerous as a weapon when she is being milked, when she has been milked, she is a headache, neurosis.

· · ·

12.5.24

से॒दिरु॑प॒तिष्ठ॑न्ती मिथोयो॒धः परा॑मृष्टा ॥

Sitting or standing close, she is infectious and destructive, and when she is in contact, she is a formidable adversary.

· · ·

12.5.25

श॑र॒व्या॒ मुखे॑ऽपिन॒ह्यमा॑न॒ ऋति॑र्ह॒न्यमा॑ना ॥

When her mouth is muzzled, she is like an arrow, and when she is tormented or slain, she becomes a calamity.

· · ·

12.5.26

अ॒घवि॑षा नि॒पत॑न्ती॒ तमो॒ निप॑तिता ॥

Falling, she is deadly poison, fallen, she is utter darkness.

· · ·

12.5.27

अ॑नु॒गच्छ॑न्ती प्रा॒णानुप॑ दासयति ब्रह्मग॒वी ब्र॑ह्म॒ज्यस्य॑ ॥

The Divine Cow pursues the violator by his foot steps and destroys the very soul of his life.

· · ·

12.5.28

वैरं॑ विकृ॒त्यमा॑ना॒ पौत्रा॑द्यं विभा॒ज्यमा॑ना ॥

Immolated, she is hostility and deadly strife, divided and sheared, she is the devourer of children and grand children.

· · ·

12.5.29

दे॑वहे॒तिर्ह्रि॒यमा॑णा॒ व्यृ᳡द्धिर्हृ॒ता ॥

Being distributed and grabbed, she is wrathful stroke of divinities, when grabbed and gulped, she brings adversity and utter destitution.

· · ·

12.5.30

पा॒प्माधि॑धी॒यमा॑ना॒ पारु॑ष्यमवधी॒यमा॑ना ॥

Seized and possessed, she is sin, possessed and degraded, she brings reproach, squalor and violence.

· · ·

12.5.31

वि॒षं प्र॒यस्य॑न्ती त॒क्मा प्रय॑स्ता ॥

Dressed for preparation, she is poison, prepared, she is fever.

· · ·

12.5.32

अ॒घं प॒च्यमा॑ना दुः॒ष्वप्न्यं॑ प॒क्वा ॥

Being cooked for pleasure and repast, she is sin, cooked and seasoned, she is an evil dream, a nightmare.

· · ·

12.5.33

मू॑ल॒बर्ह॑णी पर्याक्रि॒यमा॑णा॒ क्षितिः॑ प॒र्याकृ॑ता ॥

Being turned, she uproots, turned and carved, she is extinction.

· · ·

12.5.34

असं॑ज्ञा ग॒न्धेन॒ शुगु॑द्ध्रि॒यमा॑णाशीवि॒ष उद्धृ॑ता ॥

By smell, she is delirium, being taken up, she is sorrow, taken up, she is cobra poison.

· · ·

12.5.35

अभू॑तिरुपह्रि॒यमा॑णा॒ परा॑भूति॒रुप॑हृता ॥

Being seized, she is adversity, taken over, she is the fall, total loss.

· · ·

12.5.36

श॒र्वः क्रु॒द्धः पि॒श्यमा॑ना॒ शिमि॑दा पिशि॒ता ॥

Being minced, she is nature’s passion and rage bent on destroying, minced and crushed, she is destruction right up from the roots.

· · ·

12.5.37

अव॑र्तिर॒श्यमा॑ना॒ निरृ॑तिरशि॒ता ॥

Being

eaten, she is calamitous, eaten, she is death.

· · ·

12.5.38

अ॑शि॒ता लो॒काच्छि॑नत्ति ब्रह्मग॒वी ब्र॑ह्म॒ज्यम॒स्माच्चा॒मुष्मा॑च्च ॥

Brahmagavi is the holy cow of Brahma and the Brahmana, Divine Knowledge and holy speech gifted by God, and the knowledge and freedom of that knowledge and speech received in trust, and guarded by Brahmana and Kshatriya for all mankind. When it is devoured, it cuts off the devourer from this world and the next, the other to which humanity aspires to rise. (Brahma Gavi, Divine Cow: the cow, holy mother giver of the milk of life, the Earth, mother sustainer of life, Knowledge, mother giver of light, and freedom, mother giver of continuous progress, must be protected and promoted, never denied, restrained and destroyed. Consecrated, it saves and blesses, defiled, it devours the devourer.)

· · ·

12.5.39

तस्या॑ आ॒हन॑नं कृ॒त्या मे॒निरा॒शस॑नं वल॒ग ऊब॑ध्यम् ॥

Violation and killing of the Divine Cow means self-execution of the violator, carving is strike of the thunderbolt, and arresting or waste is self-decay.

· · ·

12.5.40

अ॑स्व॒गता॒ परि॑ह्णुता ॥

Stolen, misappropriated, wrested, it becomes self-denial of life itself for the thief.

· · ·

12.5.41

अ॒ग्निः क्र॒व्याद्भू॒त्वा ब्र॑ह्मग॒वी ब्र॑ह्म॒ज्यं प्र॒विश्या॑त्ति ॥

Violated, the Divine Cow sinks into the violator of Divinity, becomes the fire that eats into his vitals, and ultimately devours him to naught.

· · ·

12.5.42

सर्वा॒स्याङ्गा॒ पर्वा॒ मूला॑नि वृश्चति ॥

All his (violator’s) parts of the body, all vital joints, even the very roots of his being, the Divine Cow cuts into pieces.

· · ·

12.5.43

छि॒नत्त्य॑स्य पितृब॒न्धु परा॑ भावयति मातृब॒न्धु ॥

She cuts off all his paternal connections from divinity and humanity, she cuts off all his maternal connections from earth and nature, and reduces him to total alienation from living existence in a state of self- condemnation.

· · ·

12.5.44

वि॑वा॒हां ज्ञा॒तीन्त्सर्वा॒नपि॑ क्षापयति ब्रह्मग॒वी ब्र॑ह्म॒ज्यस्य॑ क्ष॒त्रिये॒णापु॑नर्दीयमाना ॥

Unrestored and denied the word of protection and promotion with security by the Kshatriya, guardian ruler, the Divine Cow destroys all familial relations and all social supports of the violator, denier and destroyer.

· · ·

12.5.45

अ॑वा॒स्तुमे॑न॒मस्व॑ग॒मप्र॑जसं करोत्यपरापर॒णो भ॑वति क्षी॒यते॑ ॥

Violated, the Divine Cow renders the violator homeless, destitute of all his self-possessions, void of kith and kin and even his progeny, alienated from support all round, so that ultimately he goes down self- extinguished.

· · ·

12.5.46

य ए॒वं वि॒दुषो॑ ब्राह्म॒णस्य॑ क्ष॒त्रियो॒ गामा॑द॒त्ते ॥

So does the guardian ruler suffer who robs the sagely Brahmana of knowledge and devotion to freedom of speech and misappropriates the Divine Cow unto himself and self-extinction.

· · ·

12.5.47

क्षि॒प्रं वै तस्या॒हन॑ने॒ गृध्राः॑ कुर्वत ऐल॒बम् ॥

Instant on the guardian ruler’s fall, vultures flock in and raise a deathly din upon the corpse.

· · ·

12.5.48

क्षि॒प्रं वै तस्या॒दह॑नं॒ परि॑ नृत्यन्ति के॒शिनी॑राघ्ना॒नाः पा॒णिनोर॑सि कुर्वा॒णाः पा॒पमै॑ल॒बम् ॥

And soon after on his cremation women with hair dishevelled enact the dance of death, beating their breast with hands and raising the wail of mourning and loss.

· · ·

12.5.49

क्षि॒प्रं वै तस्य॒ वास्तु॑षु॒ वृकाः॑ कुर्वत ऐल॒बम् ॥

Soon after, wolves rush into his homes and secret vaults and raise a deathly howl of loot.

· · ·

12.5.50

क्षि॒प्रं वै तस्य॑ पृच्छन्ति॒ यत्तदासी॑३दि॒दं नु ता३दिति॑ ॥

And soon after, people ask about him: Is it that same as he was?

· · ·

12.5.51

छि॒न्ध्या च्छि॑न्धि॒ प्र च्छि॒न्ध्यपि॑ क्षापय क्षा॒पय॑ ॥

And nature itself seems to say to the fire, Cut down, cut on, break up, reduce, turn it to dust!

· · ·

12.5.52

आ॒ददा॑नमाङ्गिरसि ब्रह्म॒ज्यमुप॑ दासय ॥

O Spirit of nature, assertive force of life, destroy the violator of Brahma, destroy the killer of Divine Cow, divine knowledge and the divine freedom of the Brahmana’s speech.

· · ·

12.5.53

वै॑श्वदे॒वी ह्यु१॒॑च्यसे॑ कृ॒त्या कूल्ब॑ज॒मावृ॑ता ॥

You are the spirit of divinity, called universal cleanser and promoter, a turbulent stream in bounds, but not suppressed.

· · ·

12.5.54

ओष॑न्ती स॒मोष॑न्ती॒ ब्रह्म॑णो॒ वज्रः॑ ॥

Blazing, burning, warming with life, Brahma’s thunder, Brahmana’s lightning light and freedom.

· · ·

12.5.55

क्षु॒रप॑विर्मृ॒त्युर्भू॒त्वा वि धा॑व॒ त्वम् ॥

Brahmagavi, razor sharp on the wheel, being death for the violator of the Brahmana’s cow, rush on and on.

· · ·

12.5.56

आ द॑त्से जिन॒तां वर्च॑ इ॒ष्टं पू॒र्तं चा॒शिषः॑ ॥

You take off the splendour, cherished performance, charities for fulfilment and all their tally of good wishes from the violators of the Brahmama’s divine cow.

· · ·

12.5.57

आ॒दाय॑ जी॒तं जी॒ताय॑ लो॒केमुष्मि॒न्प्र य॑च्छसि ॥

You pick up the violator of Divine Cow and deliver him up to the chastiser of the violent in the other world of justice and punishment.

· · ·

12.5.58

अघ्न्ये॑ पद॒वीर्भ॑व ब्राह्म॒णस्या॒भिश॑स्त्या ॥

O inviolable Divine Cow, with the appreciation and praise of the Brahmana, be his firm foundation for stablility and his guide on the way forward to enlightenment and social progress.

· · ·

12.5.59

मे॒निः श॑र॒व्या᳡ भवा॒घाद॒घवि॑षा भव ॥

Be the thunderbolt, fatal arrow, be the deadly poison against sin and the sinfuls.

· · ·

12.5.60

अघ्न्ये॒ प्र शिरो॑ जहि ब्रह्म॒ज्यस्य॑ कृ॒ताग॑सो देवपी॒योर॑रा॒धसः॑ ॥

Inviolable Divine Cow, break the head of the violator of divine law, tormentor of the Brahmana trustee of divine knowledge and freedom of speech, perpetrator of sin, reviler of divinities and the wholly impious.

· · ·

12.5.61

त्वया॒ प्रमू॑र्णं मृदि॒तम॒ग्निर्द॑हतु दु॒श्चित॑म् ॥

May the fire burn the sinner, evil at heart, killed and crushed by you.

· · ·

12.5.62

वृ॒श्च प्र वृ॑श्च॒ सं वृ॑श्च॒ दह॒ प्र द॑ह॒ सं द॑ह ॥

Pluck off, uproot, cut up, burn, destroy, turn to ash all violators of Divine Cow along with all their supports.

· · ·

12.5.63

ब्र॑ह्म॒ज्यं दे॑व्यघ्न्य॒ आ मूला॑दनु॒संद॑ह ॥

Divine, Inviolable, burn the violator of divine knowledge and freedom of speech unto the root.

· · ·

12.5.64

यथाया॑द्यमसाद॒नात्पा॑पलो॒कान्प॑रा॒वतः॑ ॥

So that the violator of Divine Cow go far beyond the House of judgement to the regions of sinners and perdition.

· · ·

12.5.65

ए॒वा त्वं दे॑व्यघ्न्ये ब्रह्म॒ज्यस्य॑ कृ॒ताग॑सो देवपी॒योर॑रा॒धसः॑ ॥

Thus, O Inviolable Divine Cow, deal with the reviler of divine law, tormentor of Brahmana, perpetrator of sin, hater of divinities and the flouter of piety and freedom.

· · ·

12.5.66

वज्रे॑ण श॒तप॑र्वणा ती॒क्ष्णेन॑ क्षु॒रभृ॑ष्टिना ॥

Destroy him with the thunderbolt of a hundredfold strike, sharpest burning razor lance of fire.

· · ·

12.5.67

प्र स्क॒न्धान्प्र शिरो॑ जहि ॥

Break his shoulders and crush his head.

· · ·

12.5.68

लोमा॑न्यस्य॒ सं छि॑न्धि॒ त्वच॑मस्य॒ वि वे॑ष्टय ॥

Pluck out his growing tantacles and expose his camouflage.

· · ·

12.5.69

मां॒सान्य॑स्य शातय॒ स्नावा॑न्यस्य॒ सं वृ॑ह ॥

Break up his material mass and cut off the links of his network.

· · ·

12.5.70

अस्थी॑न्यस्य पीडय म॒ज्जान॑मस्य॒ निर्ज॑हि ॥

Crush his solid supports and suck out his basic supplies of power and energy.

· · ·

12.5.71

सर्वा॒स्याङ्गा॒ पर्वा॑णि॒ वि श्र॑थय ॥

Thus break up all parts and unscrew all the connections of his infrastructure.

· · ·

12.5.72

अ॒ग्निरे॑नं क्र॒व्यात्पृ॑थि॒व्या नु॑दता॒मुदो॑षतु वा॒युर॒न्तरि॑क्षान्मह॒तो व॑रि॒म्णः ॥

Let the funeral fire consume him and throw him up from earth into air with the heat of flames. Let the wind blow him out of the vast firmament over to the heights of space.

· · ·

12.5.73

सूर्य॑ एनं दि॒वः प्र णु॑दतां॒ न्यो᳡षतु ॥

Let the sun throw him out of the solar region and burn him to extinction. (Let the violator of Divine Cow, divine law, divine knowledge, freedom of divine speech, be non- existent. That is the ideal of a happy, free, progressive and enlightened human society.)