9. Kāṇḍa 9 — The mystic cow, breath and hospitality
Sūkta 1 — Madhu andAshvinau Derate, Atharva Rshi
Atharvaveda 9.1 · 24 mantras
9.1.1
दिवस् पृथिव्या अन्तरिक्षात् समुद्राद् अग्नेर् वातान् मधुकशा हि जज्ञे ।
तां चायित्वामृतं वसानां हृद्भिः प्रजाः प्रति नन्दन्ति सर्वाः ॥
divas pṛthivyā antarikṣāt samudrād agner vātān madhukaśā hi jajñe ।
tāṃ cāyitvāmṛtaṃ vasānāṃ hṛdbhiḥ prajāḥ prati nandanti sarvāḥ ॥
From heaven and earth, from skies and the sea, from fire and wind, arises the Mother’s Message, the urge to live and be, sweet and sour both. Having seen her, wrapped in immortal nectar, all her children are struck with love and awe, they feel inspired and rejoice at heart in spontaneous response.
9.1.2
महत् पयो विश्वरूपम् अस्याः समुद्रस्य त्वोत रेत आहुः ।
यत ऐति मधुकशा रराणा तत् प्राणस् तद् अमृतं निविष्टम् ॥
mahat payo viśvarūpam asyāḥ samudrasya tvota reta āhuḥ ।
yata aiti madhukaśā rarāṇā tat prāṇas tad amṛtaṃ niviṣṭam ॥
Mighty is the nectar sweetness, beauty and majesty of this divine Mother, universal in form and meaning of the Message. O Mother Divine, they say, you are the very life and essence of Space and Time, eternal, whence arises the Madhukasha, the urge to live, all joyous, that breath of life itself abiding at at the very heart of Immortality, the Word.
9.1.3
पश्यन्त्य् अस्याश् चरितं पृथिव्यां पृथङ् नरो बहुधा मीमांसमानाः ।
अग्नेर् वातान् मधुकशा हि जज्ञे मरुताम् उग्रा नप्तिः ॥
paśyanty asyāś caritaṃ pṛthivyāṃ pṛthaṅ naro bahudhā mīmāṃsamānāḥ ।
agner vātān madhukaśā hi jajñe marutām ugrā naptiḥ ॥
People of serious thought and imagination severally watch and experience in various ways the power and presence of this Madhukasha in action on earth. They see that, unmistakably from both fire and wind, Madhukasha arises spontaneously, the lustrous child, in truth, of cosmic energy in storm and wind.
9.1.4
मातादित्यानां दुहिता वसूनां प्राणः प्रजानाम् अमृतस्य नाभिः ।
हिरण्यवर्णा मधुकशा घृताची महान् भर्गश् चरति मर्त्येषु ॥
mātādityānāṃ duhitā vasūnāṃ prāṇaḥ prajānām amṛtasya nābhiḥ ।
hiraṇyavarṇā madhukaśā ghṛtācī mahān bhargaś carati martyeṣu ॥
Mother of the light of stars, daughter and harbinger of the planetary supports of life, life breath of the children of earth and the centre source of the nectar of immortality, Madhukasha sojourns among mortals, wrapped in gold, replete with honey and showers of ghrta, lustrous light and grandeur of divinity itself.
9.1.5
मधोः कशाम् अजनयन्त देवास् तस्या गर्भो अभवद् विश्वरूपः ।
तं जातं तरुणं पिपर्ति माता स जातो विश्वा भुवना वि चष्टे ॥
madhoḥ kaśām ajanayanta devās tasyā garbho abhavad viśvarūpaḥ ।
taṃ jātaṃ taruṇaṃ piparti mātā sa jāto viśvā bhuvanā vi caṣṭe ॥
The invitation to live a honeyed life of beauty and order, the Mother’s Message, Devas created: Lord Omniscient and the divine powers in manifestation articulated the Vedic Word, holy sages received it within and spoke it out: The seed of it all was in the Golden Womb of Divinity, universal of form and variety of Nature in inception. The divine Mother Spirit of Divinity brings up that seed, newly conceived, to maturity of form and variety, and when it is born in fresh and full force, it manifests and proclaims all its realms of the universe come into existence. (That is the articulation, that is the reception, that is the Word of the Mother Divine.)
9.1.6
कस् तं प्र वेद क उ तं चिकेत यो अस्या हृदः कलशः सोमधानो अक्षितः ।
ब्रह्मा सुमेधाः सो अस्मिन् मदेत ॥
kas taṃ pra veda ka u taṃ ciketa yo asyā hṛdaḥ kalaśaḥ somadhāno akṣitaḥ ।
brahmā sumedhāḥ so asmin madeta ॥
Who would know, who understand, the treasure trove of her immortal soma of the heart, immortal, unviolated, infinite? Brahma, the wise visionary dedicated to the Word, he would rejoice in this inexhaustible fount of Divinity.
9.1.7
स तौ प्र वेद स उ तौ चिकेत याव् अस्याः स्तनौ सहस्रधाराव् अक्षितौ ।
ऊर्जं दुहाते अनपस्फुरन्तौ ॥
sa tau pra veda sa u tau ciketa yāv asyāḥ stanau sahasradhārāv akṣitau ।
ūrjaṃ duhāte anapasphurantau ॥
He, Brahma, would know, perceive and apprehend the two inexhaustible founts of a thousand streams which flow uninterrupted and shower the inexhaustible energy and ecstasy of life for the one that can see.
9.1.8
हिङ्करिक्रती बृहती वयोधा उच्चैर्घोषाभ्येति या व्रतम् ।
त्रीन् घर्मान् अभि वावशाना मिमाति मायुं पयते पयोभिः ॥
hiṅkarikratī bṛhatī vayodhā uccairghoṣābhyeti yā vratam ।
trīn gharmān abhi vāvaśānā mimāti māyuṃ payate payobhiḥ ॥
Continuously sounding again and again, mighty expansive bearer of food and health by showers of rain, thundering aloud, electric energy goes on to its job of breaking the clouds of rain ; heating, energising and illuminating three orders of energy of earth, sky and the solar region, thus does lightning roar with thunder and moves on with clouds laden with vapours.
9.1.9
याम् आपीनाम् उपसीदन्त्य् आपः शाक्वरा वृषभा ये स्वराजः ।
ते वर्षन्ति ते वर्षयन्ति तद्विदे कामम् ऊर्जम् आपः ॥
yām āpīnām upasīdanty āpaḥ śākvarā vṛṣabhā ye svarājaḥ ।
te varṣanti te varṣayanti tadvide kāmam ūrjam āpaḥ ॥
Closely abiding by the widely moving energy of thunder, mighty generous and shining clouds laden with water rain down in showers. They bring down showers of rain and, thereby, desired food and energy for the man who knows the science of rain.
9.1.10
स्तनयित्नुस् ते वाक् प्रजापते वृषा शुष्मं क्षिपसि भूम्याम् अधि ।
अग्नेर् वातान् मधुकशा हि जज्ञे मरुताम् उग्रा नप्तिः ॥
stanayitnus te vāk prajāpate vṛṣā śuṣmaṃ kṣipasi bhūmyām adhi ।
agner vātān madhukaśā hi jajñe marutām ugrā naptiḥ ॥
O Prajapati, father and sustainer of living beings, the thunder and cloud is your language of power and generosity by which, generous lord, you send showers of strength and vitality on the earth. That thunder and lightning is the madhukasha of divinity with its gifts of food, energy and vitality, which arises spontaneously from fire and wind, lustrous child, in truth, of cosmic energy in fire and wind roaring with thunder.
9.1.11
यथा सोमः प्रातःसवने अश्विनोर् भवति प्रियः ।
एवा मे अश्विना वर्च आत्मनि ध्रियताम् ॥
yathā somaḥ prātaḥsavane aśvinor bhavati priyaḥ ।
evā me aśvinā varca ātmani dhriyatām ॥
Just as soma is dear to the Ashvins in the morning session of yajna, so may the Ashvins, complementary currents of divine energy and the complementary powers of humanity such as father and mother, bring me physical, moral and spiritual lustre and bless me in the soul.
9.1.12
यथा सोमो द्वितीये सवन इन्द्राग्न्योर् भवति प्रियः ।
एवा म इन्द्राग्नी वर्च आत्मनि ध्रियताम् ॥
yathā somo dvitīye savana indrāgnyor bhavati priyaḥ ।
evā ma indrāgnī varca ātmani dhriyatām ॥
Just as soma is dear to Indra and Agni in the second yajnic session of the day, so may Indra and Agni bless me with physical, moral, intellectual and spiritual lustre in the soul.
9.1.13
यथा सोमस् तृतीये सवन ऋभूणां भवति प्रियः ।
एवा म ऋभवो वर्च आत्मनि ध्रियताम् ॥
yathā somas tṛtīye savana ṛbhūṇāṃ bhavati priyaḥ ।
evā ma ṛbhavo varca ātmani dhriyatām ॥
Just as Soma is dear to the Rbhus in the third yajnic session of the day, so may the Rbhus bless me with physical, moral, scientific and spiritual lustre in the soul. (Three mantras 11-13 refer to not only the science of yajna but also the process of education. Soma is the student (Atharva 2, 13, 2 and 5) and Ashvins, Indra, Agni and the Rbhus are teachers of basic subjects and specialists of heat and electric energy and the technology of science and engineering. Refence may be made to Professor Vishvanath’s commentary on these mantras and Sayana’s comments on the Rbhus quoted therein.)
9.1.14
मधु जनिषीय मधु वंसिषीय ।
पयस्वान् अग्न आगमं तं मा सं सृज वर्चसा ॥
madhu janiṣīya madhu vaṃsiṣīya ।
payasvān agna āgamaṃ taṃ mā saṃ sṛja varcasā ॥
Let me create honey in life. Let me pray for and achieve the honey sweets of life. Hey Agni, yajnic fire of discipline, brilliant teacher, I have come with milk in homage. Pray bless me with the light and lustre of spirit, character and knowledge.
9.1.15
सं माग्ने वर्चसा सृज सं प्रजया सम् आयुषा ।
विद्युर् मे अस्य देवा इन्द्रो विद्यात् सह ऋषिभिः ॥
saṃ māgne varcasā sṛja saṃ prajayā sam āyuṣā ।
vidyur me asya devā indro vidyāt saha ṛṣibhiḥ ॥
Hey Agni, lord of light, brilliant teacher, pray bless me with the light and lustre of life and knowledge. Bless me with progeny, good health and long age. Let the Devas, brilliancies of nature and humanity, know and acknowledge me. Let Indra, lord of power, know and acknowledge me with all the sages and seers.
9.1.16
यथा मधु मधुकृतः संभरन्ति मधाव् अधि ।
एवा मे अश्विना वर्च आत्मनि ध्रियताम् ॥
yathā madhu madhukṛtaḥ saṃbharanti madhāv adhi ।
evā me aśvinā varca ātmani dhriyatām ॥
Just as honey bees collect, carry and store honey in the honey comb, so may the Ashvins, harbingers of nature’s and human gifts bless me with sweetness and light in the soul.
9.1.17
यथा मक्षाः इदं मधु न्यञ्जन्ति मधाव् अधि ।
एवा मे अश्विना वर्चस् तेजो बलम् ओजश् च ध्रियताम् ॥
yathā makṣāḥ idaṃ madhu nyañjanti madhāv adhi ।
evā me aśvinā varcas tejo balam ojaś ca dhriyatām ॥
Just as honey bees collect honey and add it to their store of honey in the honey comb, so may the Ashvins bless me with more and more light and lustre, brilliance of life and intellect, strength of body and mind, and splendour of personality.
9.1.18
यद् गिरिषु पर्वतेषु गोष्व् अश्वेषु यन् मधु ।
सुरायां सिच्यमानायां यत् तत्र मधु तन् मयि ॥
yad giriṣu parvateṣu goṣv aśveṣu yan madhu ।
surāyāṃ sicyamānāyāṃ yat tatra madhu tan mayi ॥
The honey sweets of life and vigour that there be in mountains and clouds, in cows and horses, and the power and inspiration that there be in the purest drink of divinities distilled and showered on earth, let that honey sweet of vigour and spirit be in me.
9.1.19
अश्विना सारघेण मा मधुनाङ्क्तं शुभस् पती ।
यथा वर्चस्वतीं वाचम् आवदानि जनां अनु ॥
aśvinā sāragheṇa mā madhunāṅktaṃ śubhas patī ।
yathā varcasvatīṃ vācam āvadāni janāṃ anu ॥
Let the Ashvins, complementary harbingers of auspicious good fortune consecrate me with the sweets of honey bees so that I may speak to people in a language full of sweetness, light and the power of love.
9.1.20
स्तनयित्नुस् ते वाक् प्रजापते वृषा शुष्मं क्षिपसि भूम्यां दिवि ।
तां पशव उप जीवन्ति सर्वे तेनो सेषम् ऊर्जं पिपर्ति ॥
stanayitnus te vāk prajāpate vṛṣā śuṣmaṃ kṣipasi bhūmyāṃ divi ।
tāṃ paśava upa jīvanti sarve teno seṣam ūrjaṃ piparti ॥
O Prajapati, lord sustainer of living beings, your voice is thunder, lightning and the cloud showers. Mighty generous as you are, with that voice you radiate light in heaven and shower food, power and glory of life on earth. All living beings live by that light and shower, and, by that very light, power and vigour of the voice, nature fills and replenishes food, energy and vitality for them on earth.
9.1.21
पृथिवी दण्डो ऽन्तरिक्षं गर्भो द्यौः कशा विद्युत् प्रकशो हिरण्ययो बिन्दुः ॥
pṛthivī daṇḍo 'ntarikṣaṃ garbho dyauḥ kaśā vidyut prakaśo hiraṇyayo binduḥ ॥
The earth is your sceptre, middle space your treasure, the heaven your light of Voice, thunder your lash, and the golden sun your mark of divinity.
9.1.22
यो वै कशायाः सप्त मधूनि वेद मधुमान् भवति ।
ब्राह्मणश् च राजा च धेनुश् चानड्वांश् च व्रीहिश् च यवश् च मधु सप्तमम् ॥
yo vai kaśāyāḥ sapta madhūni veda madhumān bhavati ।
brāhmaṇaś ca rājā ca dhenuś cānaḍvāṃś ca vrīhiś ca yavaś ca madhu saptamam ॥
Whoever knows the seven honey sweets of kasha is blest with honey sweets in life which are : Brahmana, ruler, cow, bull, rice, barley, and the seventh is honey itself.
9.1.23
मधुमान् भवति मधुमद् अस्याहार्यं भवति ।
मधुमतो लोकान् जयति य एवं वेद ॥
madhumān bhavati madhumad asyāhāryaṃ bhavati ।
madhumato lokān jayati ya evaṃ veda ॥
Whoever knows the seven honey sweets of life becomes master of honey. Whatever he gets becomes honey sweet. Such a man of honey, who knows the secret of honey, wins over all regions and stages of life.
9.1.24
यद् वीध्रे स्तनयति प्रजापतिर् एव तत् प्रजाभ्यः प्रादुर् भवति ।
तस्मात् प्राचीनोपवीतस् तिष्ठे प्रजापते ऽनु मा बुध्यस्वेति ।
अन्व् एनं प्रजा अनु प्रजापतिर् बुध्यते य एवं वेद ॥
yad vīdhre stanayati prajāpatir eva tat prajābhyaḥ prādur bhavati ।
tasmāt prācīnopavītas tiṣṭhe prajāpate 'nu mā budhyasveti ।
anv enaṃ prajā anu prajāpatir budhyate ya evaṃ veda ॥
Whatever thunders in the sky is Prajapati himself manifested for his children. For this very reason, I, initiated in the love of eternal divinity, abide in the will of Prajapati and pray: O Prajapati, remember me, pray forsake me not. People become favourable to him whoever knows this, he abides with Prajapati and Prajapati never forsakes him.
Sūkta 2 — Kama Devata, Atharva Rshi
Atharvaveda 9.2 · 25 mantras
9.2.1
सपत्नहनम् ऋषभं घृतेन कामं शिक्षामि हविषाज्येन ।
नीचैः सपत्नान् मम पदय त्वम् अभिष्टुतो महता वीर्येण ॥
sapatnahanam ṛṣabhaṃ ghṛtena kāmaṃ śikṣāmi haviṣājyena ।
nīcaiḥ sapatnān mama padaya tvam abhiṣṭuto mahatā vīryeṇa ॥
With offers of ghrta and fragrant materials into the sacred fire, I study, try to know and practice Kama, love and desire, will and determination, and the greatest object of love, great and noble Divinity, destroyer of enemies. O Kama, throw down my enemies. Praised and celebrated thus, pray throw them down with your mighty vigour and power.
9.2.2
यन् मे मनसो न प्रियं चक्षुषो यन् मे बभस्ति नाभिनन्दति ।
तद् दुष्वप्न्यं प्रति मुञ्चामि सपत्ने कामं स्तुत्वोद् अहं भिदेयम् ॥
yan me manaso na priyaṃ cakṣuṣo yan me babhasti nābhinandati ।
tad duṣvapnyaṃ prati muñcāmi sapatne kāmaṃ stutvod ahaṃ bhideyam ॥
What is not pleasing to my mind, whatever does not please my eye, what gives no joy to me, what repulses me, that melancholy dream I reject and jettison for my life’s adversary and, having prayed to the good of my soul, I write it off as nothing.
9.2.3
दुष्वप्न्यं काम दुरितं च कमाप्रजस्ताम् अस्वगताम् अवर्तिम् ।
उग्र ईशानः प्रति मुञ्च तस्मिन् यो अस्मभ्यम् अंहूरणा चिकित्सात् ॥
duṣvapnyaṃ kāma duritaṃ ca kamāprajastām asvagatām avartim ।
ugra īśānaḥ prati muñca tasmin yo asmabhyam aṃhūraṇā cikitsāt ॥
O Kama, love and faith of my heart and soul, you are the formidable ruler of our will, desire and determination, pray put off the evil dreams, evil thoughts and ambitions, childlessness, homelessness, want and distress from us, and let them go back and find a place with that source and power which thinks and plans evil against us.
9.2.4
नुदस्व काम प्र णुदस्व कामावर्तिं यन्तु मम ये सपत्नाः ।
तेषां नुत्तानाम् अधमा तमांस्य् अग्ने वास्तूनि निर् दह त्वम् ॥
nudasva kāma pra ṇudasva kāmāvartiṃ yantu mama ye sapatnāḥ ।
teṣāṃ nuttānām adhamā tamāṃsy agne vāstūni nir daha tvam ॥
O Kama, love and desire of the heart, O faith and determination, put off want and distress, drive off depression far out. Let all misfortune revert to my enemies and adversaries and fall upon our negativities themselves. O Agni, leading light and fire of love and life, burn out the deepest darknesses and the very stronghold of those distresses when they are thrown out.
9.2.5
सा ते काम दुहिता धेनुर् उच्यते याम् आहुर् वाचं कवयो विराजम् ।
तया सपत्नान् परि वृङ्ग्धि ये मम पर्य् एनान् प्राणः पशवो जीवनं वृणक्तु ॥
sā te kāma duhitā dhenur ucyate yām āhur vācaṃ kavayo virājam ।
tayā sapatnān pari vṛṅgdhi ye mama pary enān prāṇaḥ paśavo jīvanaṃ vṛṇaktu ॥
O Kama, lord of my love, life and faith, that Word of eternal knowledge, the Veda, which the poets say is the lazer beam of original light and vision of life, is your darling daughter, and it is the holy cow which is the perennial giver of the very life and immaculate spirit of Being. With that light, pray, uproot all our adverse rivals that split our integrity. Drive them off so that my pranic energy, senses and mind, and the very life of me be free from the very root of existence (adversaries, adversities, negativities).
9.2.6
कामस्येन्द्रस्य वरुणस्य राज्ञो विष्णोर् बलेन सवितुः सवेन ।
अग्नेर् होत्रेण प्र णुदे सपत्नां छम्बीव नावम् उदकेषु धीरः ॥
kāmasyendrasya varuṇasya rājño viṣṇor balena savituḥ savena ।
agner hotreṇa pra ṇude sapatnāṃ chambīva nāvam udakeṣu dhīraḥ ॥
With the mighty force of Kama, love of life, love and moral determination, with the power of Indra, lord omnipotent, Varuna, lord of judgement and choice. Raja, ruler of life in existence, Vishnu, Spirit omnipresent, with the inspiration and vitality of Savita, lord giver of life, and with the flames and fragrance of Agni, yajnic fire, I throw out the adversaries of my mind and soul just as a steady helmsman beats off the waves of the sea and rows the boat to the shore.
9.2.7
अध्यक्षो वाजी मम काम उग्रः कृणोतु मह्यम् असपत्नम् एव ।
विश्वे देवा मम नाथं भवन्तु सर्वे देवा हवम् आ यन्तु म इमम् ॥
adhyakṣo vājī mama kāma ugraḥ kṛṇotu mahyam asapatnam eva ।
viśve devā mama nāthaṃ bhavantu sarve devā havam ā yantu ma imam ॥
May Kama, lord of my love and faith, mighty refulgent, all-watching, all-reaching presiding power of life, make my life free from negative elements of a split personality and conflictive society. May all divinities of nature be my guardian masters and all divinities and nobilities of the environment listen to this my call and join the united yajna of one humanity.
9.2.8
इदम् आज्यं घृतवज् जुषाणाः कामज्येष्ठा इह मादयध्वम् ।
कृण्वन्तो मह्यम् असपत्नम् एव ॥
idam ājyaṃ ghṛtavaj juṣāṇāḥ kāmajyeṣṭhā iha mādayadhvam ।
kṛṇvanto mahyam asapatnam eva ॥
O lovers of highest Kama, Supreme Lord of love, participating in this joint enterprising yajna here, sprinkled with ghrta emanating fragrance, share and rejoice, and create for me an atmosphere of love free from rivalry, hate and enmity.
9.2.9
इन्द्राग्नी काम सरथं हि भूत्वा नीचैः सपत्नान् मम पादयाथः ।
तेषां पन्नानाम् अधमा तमांस्य् अग्ने वास्तून्य् अनुनिर्दह त्वम् ॥
indrāgnī kāma sarathaṃ hi bhūtvā nīcaiḥ sapatnān mama pādayāthaḥ ।
teṣāṃ pannānām adhamā tamāṃsy agne vāstūny anunirdaha tvam ॥
O Indragni, omnipotent force of divinity and leading light of life, together as riding the celestial chariot, pray throw down all adverse and negative forces which pull me off from divine centrality. O Agni, O Kama, fiery love and knowledge of life, bum off all meanness, darkness, and the very seat and source of hate, enmity and adversity of life already fallen down by the pressure and power of Indragni.
9.2.10
जहि त्वम् काम मम ये सपत्ना अन्धा तमांस्य् अव पादयैनान् ।
निरिन्द्रिया अरसाः सन्तु सर्वे मा ते जीविषुः कतमच् चनाहः ॥
jahi tvam kāma mama ye sapatnā andhā tamāṃsy ava pādayainān ।
nirindriyā arasāḥ santu sarve mā te jīviṣuḥ katamac canāhaḥ ॥
O Kama, love divine, destroy all those forces that are my adversaries and enemies, throw them to the bottomless deep of darkness. Let them all be reduced to total inertness and disvitality. Let them have no life even for a day.
9.2.11
अवधीत् कामो मम ये सपत्ना उरुं लोकम् अकरन् मह्यम् एधतुम् ।
मह्यं नमन्तां प्रदिशश् चतस्रो मह्यं षड् उर्वीर् घृतम् आ वहन्तु ॥
avadhīt kāmo mama ye sapatnā uruṃ lokam akaran mahyam edhatum ।
mahyaṃ namantāṃ pradiśaś catasro mahyaṃ ṣaḍ urvīr ghṛtam ā vahantu ॥
Kama, Love divine, has destroyed all those negative forces and desires which could be my rivals and enemies and thus has made the entire world free from obstacles for my growth without bounds and inhibitions. Now may all the four directions of the earth provide for me the means and materials of growth. Let all the six dimensional worlds bring me the ghrta for personal and social growth.
9.2.12
ते ऽधराञ्चः प्र प्लवन्तां छिन्ना नौर् इव बन्धनात् ।
न सायकप्रणुत्तानां पुनर् अस्ति निवर्तनम् ॥
te 'dharāñcaḥ pra plavantāṃ chinnā naur iva bandhanāt ।
na sāyakapraṇuttānāṃ punar asti nivartanam ॥
Broken off from their stronghold, let them run adrift and flow down like a boat cut off from the moorings. Shot off by the arrow from the bow, there is no return for the negativities.
9.2.13
अग्निर् यव इन्द्रो यवः सोमो यवः ।
यवयावानो देवा यवयन्त्व् एनम् ॥
agnir yava indro yavaḥ somo yavaḥ ।
yavayāvāno devā yavayantv enam ॥
Agni, leading light of knowledge, is a cleanser of the soul from rivals. Indra, strong determination blest by omnipotent Indra, is the destroyer of pollutions. Soma, peace and lustrous vitality of the spirit, is a protector of the soul from debilitation. Let the divine powers of the Spirit, which repel as well as protect, throw away this hate, enmity and rivalry.
9.2.14
असर्ववीरश् चरतु प्रणुत्तो द्वेष्यो मित्रानां परिवर्ग्यः स्वानाम् ।
उत पृथिव्याम् अव स्यन्ति विद्युत उग्रो वो देवः प्र मृणत् सपत्नान् ॥
asarvavīraś caratu praṇutto dveṣyo mitrānāṃ parivargyaḥ svānām ।
uta pṛthivyām ava syanti vidyuta ugro vo devaḥ pra mṛṇat sapatnān ॥
O people, let the rival force of negativities and impieties wander around, void of all powerful allies, cast away, hated, friends and powers all lost and deserted, sure of nothing. And just as flashes of lightning fall on the earth and crush, so may the divine illustrious lord ruler of life crush your rivals, adversaries and enemies to naught.
9.2.15
च्युता चेयं बृहत्य् अच्युता च विद्युद् बिभर्ति स्तनयित्नूंश् च सर्वान् ।
उद्यन्न् आदित्यो द्रविणेन तेजसा नीचैः सपत्नान् नुदतां मे सहस्वान् ॥
cyutā ceyaṃ bṛhaty acyutā ca vidyud bibharti stanayitnūṃś ca sarvān ।
udyann ādityo draviṇena tejasā nīcaiḥ sapatnān nudatāṃ me sahasvān ॥
This infinite cosmic energy, constant as well as dynamic, holds and sustains all things existent including thunder and clouds (making, breaking, evolving). So may Aditya, self-refulgent lord of cosmic energy, manifesting in action, commanding omnipotence, with his power and lustre, throw down our negative adversaries and enemies (and thus sustain us).
9.2.16
यत् ते काम शर्म त्रिवरूथम् उद्भु ब्रह्म वर्म विततम् अनतिव्याध्यं कृतम् ।
तेन सपत्नान् परि वृङ्ग्धि ये मम पर्य् एनान् प्राणः पशवो जीवनं वृणक्तु ॥
yat te kāma śarma trivarūtham udbhu brahma varma vitatam anativyādhyaṃ kṛtam ।
tena sapatnān pari vṛṅgdhi ye mama pary enān prāṇaḥ paśavo jīvanaṃ vṛṇaktu ॥
O Kama, lord of love and creative desire, self sufficient of infinite power and presence, by the triple armour of peace and protection, boundless, infinite and inviolable, which you have created for the protection and promotion of spiritual, mental and material aspects of life, I pray, uproot our negative rivals and enemies so that my pranic energies, mind and senses, and my very life may get rid of these destructive elements of existence. Bless us with that knowledge divine.
9.2.17
येन देवा असुरान् प्राणुदन्त येनेन्द्रो दस्यून् अधमं तमो निनाय ।
तेन त्वं काम मम ये सपत्नास् तान् अस्माल् लोकात् प्र णुदस्व दूरम् ॥
yena devā asurān prāṇudanta yenendro dasyūn adhamaṃ tamo nināya ।
tena tvaṃ kāma mama ye sapatnās tān asmāl lokāt pra ṇudasva dūram ॥
By the force and armour by which the Devas, divinities of nature and nobilities of humanity, ward off and throw away the destructive elements of life, by which Indra, the ruling power, throws the saboteurs and other lawless forces into deepest darkness, by that love, knowledge and power of action throw out far from this world whatever adverse elements there may be against us, O power of love and determination.
9.2.18
यथा देवा असुरान् प्राणुदन्त यथेन्द्रो दस्यून् अधमं तमो बबाधे ।
तथा त्वं काम मम ये सपत्नास् तान् अस्माल् लोकात् प्र णुदस्व दूरम् ॥
yathā devā asurān prāṇudanta yathendro dasyūn adhamaṃ tamo babādhe ।
tathā tvaṃ kāma mama ye sapatnās tān asmāl lokāt pra ṇudasva dūram ॥
O lord of love, knowledge and determined action, the way the Devas ward off and throw out the destructive elements of life, the way by which Indra, the ruling power, throws the savoteurs and other lawless elements bound in deep dungeons of darkness, by that very power, policy and modality, throw out and down far from this world whatever negative elements there may be against us.
9.2.19
कामो जज्ञे प्रथमो नैनं देवा आपुः पितरो न मर्त्याः ।
ततस् त्वम् असि ज्यायान् विश्वहा महांस् तस्मै ते काम नम इत् कृनोमि ॥
kāmo jajñe prathamo nainaṃ devā āpuḥ pitaro na martyāḥ ।
tatas tvam asi jyāyān viśvahā mahāṃs tasmai te kāma nama it kṛnomi ॥
The Eternal Spirit of divine love and creative desire, highest love and faith of the world of existence, was the first to manifest. No Devas, divinities of nature such as sun and moon, nor the noblest of humanity, nor the highest minds, sense and intellect, nor Pitaras, sustainers of life, nor all the mortals in existence have been able to comprehend It. For that reason, O Spirit Divine, all-comprehending, you are greater and higher than all the created forms, all times, all ways, the greatest indeed. Hence O lord of love and desire, loved and worshipped of all, I offer you salutations in homage.
9.2.20
यावती द्यावापृथिवी वरिम्णा यावद् आपः सिष्यदुर् यावद् अग्निः ।
ततस् त्वम् असि ज्यायान् विश्वहा महांस् तस्मै ते काम नम इत् कृणोमि ॥
yāvatī dyāvāpṛthivī varimṇā yāvad āpaḥ siṣyadur yāvad agniḥ ।
tatas tvam asi jyāyān viśvahā mahāṃs tasmai te kāma nama it kṛṇomi ॥
Howsoever far and wide heaven and earth with their expanse exist, as far as waters of the earth, sky and space roll and flow, as far as light and fire glow and radiate, you are greater and higher than all that, all times all ways, the greatest indeed. Hence O lord of love and creative desire, loved and worshipped of all, I offer you salutations in homage.
9.2.21
यावतीर् दिशः प्रदिशो विषूचीर् यावतीर् आशा अभिचक्षणा दिवः ।
ततस् त्वम् असि ज्यायान् विश्वहा महांस् तस्मै ते काम नम इत् कृणोमि ॥
yāvatīr diśaḥ pradiśo viṣūcīr yāvatīr āśā abhicakṣaṇā divaḥ ।
tatas tvam asi jyāyān viśvahā mahāṃs tasmai te kāma nama it kṛṇomi ॥
As far as the vast directions and interdirections of the world extend, as far as the expansive bounds of space extend and observe the bounds of Heaven, thence you are greater and higher than all that, all times, all ways, the greatest indeed. Hence O Kama, lord of love and creative desire, loved and worshipped of all, I offer you obeisance in homage.
9.2.22
यावतीर् भृङ्गा जत्वः कुरूरवो यावतीर् वघा वृक्षसर्प्यो बभूवुः ।
ततस् त्वम् असि ज्यायान् विश्वहा महांस् तस्मै ते काम नम इत् कृणोमि ॥
yāvatīr bhṛṅgā jatvaḥ kurūravo yāvatīr vaghā vṛkṣasarpyo babhūvuḥ ।
tatas tvam asi jyāyān viśvahā mahāṃs tasmai te kāma nama it kṛṇomi ॥
As far as the fire-flies of the heavens abound, as far as bats and birds of the earth and sky fly and soar, as far as the serpents of the trees grow and multiply, you are greater and higher than all of them and their growth, all time all ways, the greatest indeed. Hence O Kama, lord of love and creative desire, loved and worshipped of all, I offer you salutations in homage. (In this verse, words which ordinarily denote birds and insects do not really do justice to the technique of comparison as adopted in other mantras from 19 to 24. Therefore the suggestion offered by Professor Vishwamatha Vidyalankara that these words probably mean things of astronomical dimensions seems plausible. Let us look at the signs of the zodiac such as Scorpio, capricorn, pisces, aries, taurus, etc. There is one constellation called Musca, which could be ‘makshika’ in Sanskrit, meaning ‘a fly’, originally Musca australis, the southern fly beyond the solar system. Similarly Vrksha-sarpyah could be Phalguni Nakshatra, which in astronomical illustrations is shown as a tree. Reference may be made to his note on this mantra in his translation published by Ramlal Kapur Trust, Bahalgarh, Sonipat Dist., Haryana, India.
9.2.23
ज्यायान् निमिषतो ऽसि तिष्ठतो ज्यायान्त् समुद्राद् असि काम मन्यो ।
ततस् त्वम् असि ज्यायान् विश्वहा महांस् तस्मै ते काम नम इत् कृनोमि ॥
jyāyān nimiṣato 'si tiṣṭhato jyāyānt samudrād asi kāma manyo ।
tatas tvam asi jyāyān viśvahā mahāṃs tasmai te kāma nama it kṛnomi ॥
O Kama, O Manyu, lord of love, desire and passion for creation, passionately loved and adored by all, you are greater than those that wink like the stars at night and greater than those that stand still. You are greater than the sea and space. Therefore you are greater and higher than all of them all times all ways. Hence O lord of love and passion for creation, I offer you salutations in homage.
9.2.24
न वै वातश् चन कामम् आप्नोति नाग्निः सूर्यो नोत चन्द्रमाः ।
ततस् त्वम् असि ज्यायान् विश्वहा महांस् तस्मै ते काम नम इत् कृणोमि ॥
na vai vātaś cana kāmam āpnoti nāgniḥ sūryo nota candramāḥ ।
tatas tvam asi jyāyān viśvahā mahāṃs tasmai te kāma nama it kṛṇomi ॥
Neither wind nor fire, nor sun nor moon, reaches, much less comprehends, Kama, cosmic Spirit of love, passion and creativity. O Kama, therefore you are greater than all others all time all ways. Therefore, O Great One, I offer you homage and worship with salutations in obeisance.
9.2.25
यास् ते शिवास् तन्वः काम भद्रा याभिः सत्यं भवति यद् वृणिषे ।
ताभिष् ट्वम् अस्मां अभिसंविशस्वान्यत्र पापीर् अप वेशया धियः ॥
yās te śivās tanvaḥ kāma bhadrā yābhiḥ satyaṃ bhavati yad vṛṇiṣe ।
tābhiṣ ṭvam asmāṃ abhisaṃviśasvānyatra pāpīr apa veśayā dhiyaḥ ॥
O Kama, lord of love and creation, loved and adored by all, gracious and blessed are the creative forms of your divine manifestation by which all that you choose to create becomes real and true. With those very graces, O lord, let your presence seep in and inspire our mind and character in the spirit. Let all sinful thoughts and intentions move far away, somewhere else.
Sūkta 3 — Shala Devata, Bhrgvangira Rshi
Atharvaveda 9.3 · 31 mantras
9.3.1
उपमितां प्रतिमिताम् अथो परिमिताम् उत ।
शालाया विश्ववाराया नद्धानि वि चृतामसि ॥
upamitāṃ pratimitām atho parimitām uta ।
śālāyā viśvavārāyā naddhāni vi cṛtāmasi ॥
We build the house well designed, well proportioned and well measured to the last point of finish. Of the spacious, well ventilated house open on all sides, we bind, strengthen and firm up the joints, connections and interconnections to the last details of specifications.
9.3.2
यत् ते नद्धं विश्ववारे पाशो ग्रन्थिश् च यः कृतः ।
बृहस्पतिर् इवाहं बलं वाचा वि स्रंसयामि तत् ॥
yat te naddhaṃ viśvavāre pāśo granthiś ca yaḥ kṛtaḥ ।
bṛhaspatir ivāhaṃ balaṃ vācā vi sraṃsayāmi tat ॥
The joint, bond, connection, fixture, whatever it is of the whole structure of the home, open and all round ventilated, I secure firmly to full strength and balance with detailed instructions of specifications in clear unambiguous words and I do it as a master of the science of architecture.
9.3.3
आ ययाम सं बबर्ह ग्रन्थींश् चकार ते दृढान् ।
परूंषि विद्वां छस्तेवेन्द्रेण वि चृतामसि ॥
ā yayāma saṃ babarha granthīṃś cakāra te dṛḍhān ।
parūṃṣi vidvāṃ chastevendreṇa vi cṛtāmasi ॥
Whatever the builder has expanded, covered and reinforced, he has securely tied the joints with strong bonds to optimum strength. We join and secure all wings of the house curing them with wind and water on the advice of the expert architect just as a sculptor carves and juxtaposes the parts of a statue with the whole figure and design of his imagination.
9.3.4
वंशानां ते नहनानां प्राणाहस्य तृणस्य च ।
पक्षाणां विश्ववारे ते नद्धानि वि चृतामसि ॥
vaṃśānāṃ te nahanānāṃ prāṇāhasya tṛṇasya ca ।
pakṣāṇāṃ viśvavāre te naddhāni vi cṛtāmasi ॥
Of the Open and all purpose home, the bonds of beams and pillars, joints, traps, weather insulation with straw, indeed the details of all sides of the house, we secure, test and confirm to the full.
9.3.5
संदंशानां पलदानां परिष्वञ्जल्यस्य च ।
इदं मानस्य पत्न्या नद्धानि वि चृतामसि ॥
saṃdaṃśānāṃ paladānāṃ pariṣvañjalyasya ca ।
idaṃ mānasya patnyā naddhāni vi cṛtāmasi ॥
Of the house of protection and honour of the family, we firm up the bonds of clamps and connections, weather materials of roofing and wainscoting, and the total bonding of walls, comers and the roof for total balancing of the building.
9.3.6
यानि ते ऽन्तः शिक्यान्य् आबेधू रण्याय कम् ।
प्र ते तानि चृतामसि शिवा मानस्य पत्नि न उद्धिता तन्वे भव ॥
yāni te 'ntaḥ śikyāny ābedhū raṇyāya kam ।
pra te tāni cṛtāmasi śivā mānasya patni na uddhitā tanve bhava ॥
Those chandeliers, swings and hammocks which have been suspended in the house from the ceiling for beauty, pleasure and comfort, we firmly fix. May the beautiful home of honour and protection, raised high, be auspicious for the health of our body and mind.
9.3.7
हविर्धानम् अग्निशालं पत्नीनां सदनं सदः ।
सदो देवानाम् असि देवि शाले ॥
havirdhānam agniśālaṃ patnīnāṃ sadanaṃ sadaḥ ।
sado devānām asi devi śāle ॥
In this beautiful auspicious home, there is a store for provisions of sacred materials for yajna and the kitchen. There is a vedi for homa and a kitchen with fire place for cooking. There is a women’s retreat to meet and socialise. There is a hall of meeting for enlightened people. And thus the home is a bright, beautiful, auspicious place for good and happy people.
9.3.8
अक्षुम् ओपशं विततं सहस्राक्षं विषूवति ।
अवनद्धम् अभिहितं ब्रह्मणा वि चृतामसि ॥
akṣum opaśaṃ vitataṃ sahasrākṣaṃ viṣūvati ।
avanaddham abhihitaṃ brahmaṇā vi cṛtāmasi ॥
Spacious, centrally situated on a large plot of land, imposing in view against a skyey background and studded with innumerable sky lights and beauties, designed, built and certified by a Vedic architect, we complete the beautiful home with a wreath of flowers at the door on the Entrance ceremony.
9.3.9
यस् त्वा शाले प्रतिगृह्णाति येन चासि मिता त्वम् ।
उभौ मानस्य पत्नि तौ जीवतां जरदष्टी ॥
yas tvā śāle pratigṛhṇāti yena cāsi mitā tvam ।
ubhau mānasya patni tau jīvatāṃ jaradaṣṭī ॥
Home, sweet home, whosoever takes you over and lives here, whosoever has designed, built and completed you to measure and specifications, may both of them, O protector of honour, inspiring a happy life in balanced measure, live a long life to the full and total self-fulfilment.
9.3.10
अमुत्रैनम् आ गछताद् दृढा नद्धा परिष्कृता ।
यस्यास् ते विचृतामस्य् अङ्गमङ्गं परुष्परुः ॥
amutrainam ā gachatād dṛḍhā naddhā pariṣkṛtā ।
yasyās te vicṛtāmasy aṅgamaṅgaṃ paruṣparuḥ ॥
Strongly built, tightly secured, beautifully finished and decorated, O house, be taken over by this master resident there where we have completed you part by part at every stage in detail.
9.3.11
यस् त्वा शाले निमिमाय संजभार वनस्पतीन् ।
प्रजायै चक्रे त्वा शाले परमेष्ठी प्रजापतिः ॥
yas tvā śāle nimimāya saṃjabhāra vanaspatīn ।
prajāyai cakre tvā śāle parameṣṭhī prajāpatiḥ ॥
Sweet home, who measured you, who designed you, who built you, who brought over the building materials, he made you for the people. It is the lord on high, Prajapati, guardian of his children, who did it for his children. (The builder is an instrument of Prajapati).
9.3.12
नमस् तस्मै नमो दात्रे शालापतये च कृण्मः ।
नमो ऽग्नये प्रचरते पुरुषाय च ते नमः ॥
namas tasmai namo dātre śālāpataye ca kṛṇmaḥ ।
namo 'gnaye pracarate puruṣāya ca te namaḥ ॥
Sweet home, homage and salutations to him who made you, to him who gave whatever was needed, and we do homage to the master of the home. Honour and homage to Agni, holy light and sacred fire of the house. Honour and salutations to every person that did the service and who would do the service and hospitality to the visitors. And honour, love and salutations to you.
9.3.13
गोभ्यो अश्वेभ्यो नमो यच् छालायां विजायते ।
विजावति प्रजावति वि ते पाशांश् चृतामसि ॥
gobhyo aśvebhyo namo yac chālāyāṃ vijāyate ।
vijāvati prajāvati vi te pāśāṃś cṛtāmasi ॥
Let there be food and plenty with love for cows, for horses, and for whosoever is bom in the house. O creative home and family, O mistress of your children, we thus define all aspects of the life to be lived in the home.
9.3.14
अग्निम् अन्तश् छादयसि पुरुषान् पशुभिः सह ।
विजावति प्रजावति वि ते पाशांश् चृतामसि ॥
agnim antaś chādayasi puruṣān paśubhiḥ saha ।
vijāvati prajāvati vi te pāśāṃś cṛtāmasi ॥
Sweet home, you cover, shelter and maintain the homely fire and the sacred yajna, and the people along with the animals. O creative home and family, O mistress of your children, we thus define the life to be lived in here.
9.3.15
अन्तरा द्यां च पृथिवीं च यद् व्यचस् तेन शालां प्रति गृह्णामि त इमाम् ।
यद् अन्तरिक्षं रजसो विमानं तत् कृण्वे ऽहम् उदरं शेवधिभ्यः ।
तेन शालां प्रति गृह्णामि तस्मै ॥
antarā dyāṃ ca pṛthivīṃ ca yad vyacas tena śālāṃ prati gṛhṇāmi ta imām ।
yad antarikṣaṃ rajaso vimānaṃ tat kṛṇve 'ham udaraṃ śevadhibhyaḥ ।
tena śālāṃ prati gṛhṇāmi tasmai ॥
O man, O family, O lady of the house, in heaven, on earth, and in between them the vastness and liberality that there is, with that in view, I take on this house for you. Whatever space and area of the home, well measured there is, that I would convert into a treasurehold of the best of life’s wealth, and peace and joy of the inmates. With this hope, promise and resolution, I take over and enter this house.
9.3.16
ऊर्जस्वती पयस्वती पृथिव्यां निमिता मिता ।
विश्वान्नं बिभ्रती शाले मा हिंसीः प्रतिगृह्णतः ॥
ūrjasvatī payasvatī pṛthivyāṃ nimitā mitā ।
viśvānnaṃ bibhratī śāle mā hiṃsīḥ pratigṛhṇataḥ ॥
Bubbling with energy and enthusiasm of the inmates, overflowing with water, milk and nutriments, measured, built and secured on firm foundations on earth, bearing abundance of food of universal quality, O sweet home, pray never hurt the household and the master.
9.3.17
तृणैर् आवृता पलदान् वसाना रात्रीव शाला जगतो निवेशनी ।
मिता पृथिव्यां तिष्ठसि हस्तिनीव पद्वती ॥
tṛṇair āvṛtā paladān vasānā rātrīva śālā jagato niveśanī ।
mitā pṛthivyāṃ tiṣṭhasi hastinīva padvatī ॥
Covered with grass against heat, wainscoted with thatch for insulation, nestling all immates of the house as soothing night is for the living world, you stay strong and gracious like a splendid elephant, secured as you are on earth.
9.3.18
इटस्य ते वि चृताम्य् अपिनद्धम् अपोर्णुवन् ।
वरुणेन समुब्जितां मित्रः प्रातर् व्य् उब्जतु ॥
iṭasya te vi cṛtāmy apinaddham aporṇuvan ।
varuṇena samubjitāṃ mitraḥ prātar vy ubjatu ॥
Opening the main gate of the house earlier closed and secured for the night, I fix it for the day. May the sun uncover and illuminate the home covered in darkness at night.
9.3.19
ब्रह्मणा शालां निमितां कविभिर् निमितां मिताम् ।
इन्द्राग्नी रक्षतां शालाम् अमृतौ सोम्यं सदः ॥
brahmaṇā śālāṃ nimitāṃ kavibhir nimitāṃ mitām ।
indrāgnī rakṣatāṃ śālām amṛtau somyaṃ sadaḥ ॥
Founded by the Brahma, presiding priest of house-building yajna, measured and designed by the Vedic architect and constructed by intelligent and imaginative builders of poetic taste to the last specification of accuracy, may Indra and Agni, sun and air and the yajnic fire and fragrance protect the home, seat of Soma joy, peace and prosperity.
9.3.20
कुलाये ऽधि कुलायं कोशे कोशः समुब्जितः ।
तत्र मर्तो वि जायते यस्माद् विश्वं प्रजायते ॥
kulāye 'dhi kulāyaṃ kośe kośaḥ samubjitaḥ ।
tatra marto vi jāyate yasmād viśvaṃ prajāyate ॥
As one storey of the house is added to another, as one layer of integument is laid upon another, as one treasure is added upon another, thus things grow on in a simple progressive order line to maturity and progress higher and higher, so in that very process of evolution mortal man emerges and from that very process the entire world evolves from one generation to another.
9.3.21
या द्विपक्षा चतुष्पक्षा षट्पक्षा या निमीयते ।
अष्टापक्षां दशपक्षां शालां मानस्य पत्नीम् अग्निर् गर्भ इवा शये ॥
yā dvipakṣā catuṣpakṣā ṣaṭpakṣā yā nimīyate ।
aṣṭāpakṣāṃ daśapakṣāṃ śālāṃ mānasya patnīm agnir garbha ivā śaye ॥
Nested like a holy child in the mother’s womb, I live in the house which is designed and built with two wings, four wings, six wings, eight wings, and ten wings, and which protects my honour and prestige in society. And there I live like the vital heat of life in the body. (This means that the family home is not an expendable something, it is integrated with the life of the family and every one member of the family).
9.3.22
प्रतीचीं त्वा प्रतीचीनः शाले प्रैम्य् अहिंसतीम् ।
अग्निर् ह्य् अन्तर् आपश् च ऋतस्य प्रथमा द्वाः ॥
pratīcīṃ tvā pratīcīnaḥ śāle praimy ahiṃsatīm ।
agnir hy antar āpaś ca ṛtasya prathamā dvāḥ ॥
Home, sweet home of honour and prestige, protective and not violative in any way, facing you I come and enter straight through the front door. Fire and water therein are the first door to the yajna of truth and rectitude.
9.3.23
इमा आपः प्र भराम्य् अयक्ष्मा यक्ष्मनाशनीः ।
गृहान् उप प्र सीदाम्य् अमृतेन सहाग्निना ॥
imā āpaḥ pra bharāmy ayakṣmā yakṣmanāśanīḥ ।
gṛhān upa pra sīdāmy amṛtena sahāgninā ॥
I bear and bring these waters, free from ailments of consumption, the water indeed are destroyers of consumptive diseases. Thus do I sit and live in different quarters of the home with imperishable fire, home fire and the holy fire of yajna.
9.3.24
मा नः पाशं प्रति मुचो गुरुर् भारो लघुर् भव ।
वधूम् इव त्वा शाले यत्रकामं भरामसि ॥
mā naḥ pāśaṃ prati muco gurur bhāro laghur bhava ।
vadhūm iva tvā śāle yatrakāmaṃ bharāmasi ॥
Home, sweet home, let not the bond go loose for our sake. Let the burden, even if it be heavy, be light to bear and live with. We bear and build the home wherever we love to be, and love the home as a darling new bride.
9.3.25
प्राच्या दिशः शालाया नमो महिम्ने स्वाहा देवेभ्यः स्वाह्येभ्यः ॥
prācyā diśaḥ śālāyā namo mahimne svāhā devebhyaḥ svāhyebhyaḥ ॥
Homage and oblation to the beauty and grandeur of the east direction of the home. Homage to the divinities of nature and brillianties of humanity. To all these divinities and nobilities, honour, adoration and oblation in truth of word and faith.
9.3.26
दक्षिणाया दिशः शालाया नमो महिम्ने स्वाहा देवेभ्यः स्वाह्येभ्यः ॥
dakṣiṇāyā diśaḥ śālāyā namo mahimne svāhā devebhyaḥ svāhyebhyaḥ ॥
Honour and homage to the grandeur of the south direction of the home, and to all these divinities and nobilities in truth of word and faith.
9.3.27
प्रतीच्या दिशः शालाया नमो महिम्ने स्वाहा देवेभ्यः स्वाह्येभ्यः ॥
pratīcyā diśaḥ śālāyā namo mahimne svāhā devebhyaḥ svāhyebhyaḥ ॥
Honour and homage to the west direction’s beauty and grandeur of the home and to all these divinities and nobilities in truth of word and deed.
9.3.28
उदीच्या दिशः शालाया नमो महिम्ने स्वाहा देवेभ्यः स्वाह्येभ्यः ॥
udīcyā diśaḥ śālāyā namo mahimne svāhā devebhyaḥ svāhyebhyaḥ ॥
Honour and homage to the importance and grandeur of the north direction of the home and to these divinities and nobilities in truth of word and deed.
9.3.29
ध्रुवाया दिशः शालाया नमो महिम्ने स्वाहा देवेभ्यः स्वाह्येभ्यः ॥
dhruvāyā diśaḥ śālāyā namo mahimne svāhā devebhyaḥ svāhyebhyaḥ ॥
Honour and homage to the grandeur of the home from the direction below and to the divinities and these nobilities in truth of word and deed.
9.3.30
ऊर्ध्वाया दिशः शालाया नमो महिम्ने स्वाहा देवेभ्यः स्वाह्येभ्यः ॥
ūrdhvāyā diśaḥ śālāyā namo mahimne svāhā devebhyaḥ svāhyebhyaḥ ॥
Honour and homage to the grandeur of the direction above of the home and to the divinities and these nobilities in truth of word and deed.
9.3.31
दिशोदिशः शालाया नमो महिम्ने स्वाहा देवेभ्यः स्वाह्येभ्यः ॥
diśodiśaḥ śālāyā namo mahimne svāhā devebhyaḥ svāhyebhyaḥ ॥
Sūkta 4
Atharvaveda 9.4 · 24 mantras
9.4.1
साहस्रस् त्वेष ऋषभः पयस्वान् विश्वा रूपाणि वक्षणासु बिभ्रत् ।
भद्रं दात्रे यजमानाय शीक्षन् बार्हस्पत्य उस्रियस् तन्तुम् आतान् ॥
sāhasras tveṣa ṛṣabhaḥ payasvān viśvā rūpāṇi vakṣaṇāsu bibhrat ।
bhadraṃ dātre yajamānāya śīkṣan bārhaspatya usriyas tantum ātān ॥
Lord of a thousand lights and powers, Rshabha, ultimate source of nutriments and energy, bearing and vesting all forms of the world in the streams of existence, blessing the generous yajamana of life’s yajna with wealth and well-being, creator and ordainer of the mighty sun and galaxies and radiations and explosions of lights and energies, the creative Supreme Brahma has spun and spread out the vast web of existence.
9.4.2
अपां यो अग्ने प्रतिमा बभूव प्रभूः सर्वस्मै पृथिवीव देवी ।
पिता वत्सानां पतिर् अघ्न्यानां साहस्रे पोषे अपि नः कृणोतु ॥
apāṃ yo agne pratimā babhūva prabhūḥ sarvasmai pṛthivīva devī ।
pitā vatsānāṃ patir aghnyānāṃ sāhasre poṣe api naḥ kṛṇotu ॥
The one that became the first and original manifestive cause of the flow of existence in the beginning, that became the master creator and sustainer, like the divine mother earth, of all creatures, master generator of the inviolable mother forces of nature and father of the evolving forms of creation, the same lord, we pray, may advance us into a thousand lines of growth and further progress.
9.4.3
पुमान् अन्तर्वान्त् स्थविरः पयस्वान् वसोः कबन्धं ऋषभो बिभर्ति ।
तम् इन्द्राय पथिभिर् देवयानैर् हुतम् अग्निर् वहतु जातवेदाः ॥
pumān antarvānt sthaviraḥ payasvān vasoḥ kabandhaṃ ṛṣabho bibharti ।
tam indrāya pathibhir devayānair hutam agnir vahatu jātavedāḥ ॥
Rshabha, cosmic Pumsha, all pervasive womb of existence, eternal constant, treasure-hold of the milk of life, bears nourishment for sustenance of the world just as he fills up the cloud with vapour. May Jataveda Agni, light of knowledge, gift of omniscience, bear and bring the vision of that divine presence by divine paths of meditative realisation for the human soul.
9.4.4
पिता वत्सानां पतिर् अघ्न्यानां अथो पिता महतां गर्गराणाम् ।
वत्सो जरायु प्रतिधुक् पीयूष आमिक्षा घृतं तद् व् अस्य रेतः ॥
pitā vatsānāṃ patir aghnyānāṃ atho pitā mahatāṃ gargarāṇām ।
vatso jarāyu pratidhuk pīyūṣa āmikṣā ghṛtaṃ tad v asya retaḥ ॥
Rshabha is father of the children of his creation, protector of all inviolables such as elements of nature and rays of the sun, words of the Divine Voice and earthly cows, creator of mighty rolling seas, stormy rivers and awful whirlpools. All pervasive, protector of the cosmic embryo, readily reachable to everybody, he is the nectar joy of experience denied to none. All sustenance of life from spiritual to physical nourishment such as milk, curd and butter is the gift of his natural vitality.
9.4.5
देवानां भाग उपनाह एषो ऽपां रस ओषधीनां घृतस्य ।
सोमस्य भक्षम् अवृणीत शक्रो बृहन्न् अद्रिर् अभवद् यच् छरीरम् ॥
devānāṃ bhāga upanāha eṣo 'pāṃ rasa oṣadhīnāṃ ghṛtasya ।
somasya bhakṣam avṛṇīta śakro bṛhann adrir abhavad yac charīram ॥
Darling love and worship of the divines, it is the soothing balm of the human hearts in affliction. It is the very life and sweetness of waters, herbs and ghrta. Mighty powerful, it creates and gives us the taste and exhilaration of soma, and, infinite as it is, the cloud could be the one instance of its manifestive presence and generosity.
9.4.6
सोमेन पूर्णं कलशं बिभर्षि त्वस्ता रुपाणां जनिता पशूनाम् ।
शिवास् ते सन्तु प्रजन्व इह या इमा न्य् अस्मभ्यं स्वधिते यछ या अमूः ॥
somena pūrṇaṃ kalaśaṃ bibharṣi tvastā rupāṇāṃ janitā paśūnām ।
śivās te santu prajanva iha yā imā ny asmabhyaṃ svadhite yacha yā amūḥ ॥
O generous omnipresence, you bear the treasure trove of soma full to the brim. Creator of all living beings, maker of beautiful forms of life, we pray, O self-existent, self-sustaining lord, may all your creative powers that are manifested here be good and auspicious for us, and those that are there beyond our ken, pray give us for further progress.
9.4.7
आजं बिभर्ति घृतम् अस्य रेतः साहस्रः पोषस् तम् उ यज्ञम् आहुः ।
इन्द्रस्य रूपम् ऋषभो वसानः सो अस्मान् देवाः शिव ऐतु दत्तः ॥
ājaṃ bibharti ghṛtam asya retaḥ sāhasraḥ poṣas tam u yajñam āhuḥ ।
indrasya rūpam ṛṣabho vasānaḥ so asmān devāḥ śiva aitu dattaḥ ॥
Rshabha is the infinite power of creation and natural evolution. They call it the Yajna, i.e., the performer as well as the performance of creative evolution. All Ajya, holy materials, energies, lights and laws, beauty and sweetness, all ghrta and fragrant essences, waters and vitalities, are held and deployed by its natural creative and generative power. O Devas, divines and brilliancies, let us pray: May Rshabha, bearing the power and function of Indra, Omnipotence, self-pleased, self-revealed, be kind and gracious to us.
9.4.8
इन्द्रस्यौजो वरुणस्य बाहू अश्विनोर् अंसौ मरुताम् इयं ककुत् ।
बृहस्पतिं संभृतम् एतम् आहुर् ये धीरासः कवयो ये मनीषिणः ॥
indrasyaujo varuṇasya bāhū aśvinor aṃsau marutām iyaṃ kakut ।
bṛhaspatiṃ saṃbhṛtam etam āhur ye dhīrāsaḥ kavayo ye manīṣiṇaḥ ॥
Those who are thinkers, poets of imaginative vision, men of stable mind and constant faith say: Rshabha is the omnipotence of Indra, the arms of Varuna, all-embracing space, the shoulders of Ashvins, dynamics of the existential circuit, and the force on top of Maruts, cosmic winds and storms of energy explosions. It is Brhaspati, infinite lord of expansive universe, that integrates materials of unimaginable variety and holds them together as one single living evolving reality of divine nature.
9.4.9
दैवीर् विशः पयस्वान् आ तनोषि त्वाम् इन्द्रं त्वां सरस्वन्तम् आहुः ।
सहस्रं स एकमुखा ददाति यो ब्राह्मण ऋषभम् आजुहोति ॥
daivīr viśaḥ payasvān ā tanoṣi tvām indraṃ tvāṃ sarasvantam āhuḥ ।
sahasraṃ sa ekamukhā dadāti yo brāhmaṇa ṛṣabham ājuhoti ॥
O Rshabha, wielding universal nutriments and vitalities for growth, you create and promote the people of noble and divine nature. The wise call you Indra, the omnipotent, and adore you as the omniscient. The Brahmana who invokes and worships Rshabha in and through the Vedic voice of Brahma gives a thousand gifts of knowledge and piety through the single voice of the Veda.
9.4.10
बृहस्पतिः सविता ते वयो दधौ त्वष्टुर् वायोः पर्य् आत्मा त आभृतः ।
अन्तरिक्षे मनसा त्वा जुहोमि बर्हिष् टे द्यावापृथिवी उभे स्ताम् ॥
bṛhaspatiḥ savitā te vayo dadhau tvaṣṭur vāyoḥ pary ātmā ta ābhṛtaḥ ।
antarikṣe manasā tvā juhomi barhiṣ ṭe dyāvāpṛthivī ubhe stām ॥
O Rshabha, Brhaspati, Savita, unbounded giver and inspirer of life, bears the life and vitality that is but yours. Tvashta’s forms and Vayu’s winds are but the very spirit that’s yours, received and borne. O Rshabha, by mind and thought I invoke you in the cave of the heart, and as both heaven and earth are your seats of presence, so may clairvoyant vision and material existence of my life be your seats to manifest and bless me.
9.4.11
य इन्द्र इव देवेषु गोष्व् एति विवावदत् ।
तस्य ऋषभस्याङ्गानि ब्रह्मा सं स्तौतु भद्रया ॥
ya indra iva deveṣu goṣv eti vivāvadat ।
tasya ṛṣabhasyāṅgāni brahmā saṃ stautu bhadrayā ॥
As Rshabha that shines in suns and stars and pervades vibrant in planets proclaiming its power and personality loud and bold like Indra among the divinities, so may Brahma, scholar of the Vedas, celebrate with holy words and describe the variety of its manifestations in various parts and forms of existence. To understand this description properly, we should remember that Veda is the knowledge of nature, humanity and Divinity. The three exist together in an organismic union of relationship, nature being the Shakti of Divinity and the mother of humanity (Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 1, 7). So the Veda often describes the humanity of Divinity and the divinity of humanity. For example, in Atharva-Veda 10, 2, 31, the human body is described as ‘the invincible city of gods’, and Divinity is described as ‘thousand headed and thousand eyed Purusha’ (Rgveda 10,90,1) ‘thousand handed’ (Atharva Veda 19, 6,1), and even as ‘thousand-homed Vrshabha’ The metaphoric, therefore, should not be confused with the literal meaning. And if one insists on the anthropomorphic interpretation of Divinity, as some scholars have done, let us further remember that in the ‘literal style’ even language has been described as four horned and three-footed (Rgveda 4, 58, 3), which description makes no sense unless we interpret the metaphor.
9.4.12
पार्श्वे आस्ताम् अनुमत्या भगस्यास्ताम् अनूवृजौ ।
अष्ठीवन्ताव् अब्रवीन् मित्रो ममैतौ केवलाव् इति ॥
pārśve āstām anumatyā bhagasyāstām anūvṛjau ।
aṣṭhīvantāv abravīn mitro mamaitau kevalāv iti ॥
Says Brahma, the visionary of mantra 11: The sides of Rshabha are of Anumati, that is, knowledge in consonance with reality and rationality. The sides are of Bhaga, i.e., light and splendour of existence. And then says Mitra, the power that sustains heaven and earth together : The knees are mine, no one else’s, only mine, these.
9.4.13
भसद् आसीद् आदित्यानां श्रोणी आस्तां बृहस्पतेः ।
पुछं वातस्य देवस्य तेन धूनोत्य् ओषधीः ॥
bhasad āsīd ādityānāṃ śroṇī āstāṃ bṛhaspateḥ ।
puchaṃ vātasya devasya tena dhūnoty oṣadhīḥ ॥
The posteriors are of the Adityas, solar children of nature, the loins are of Brhaspati, lord of Nature, the tail is of the divine blowing wind with which Rshabha gives the life breath to the herbs and trees.
9.4.14
गुदा आसन्त् सिनीवाल्याः सूर्यायास् त्वचम् अब्रुवन् ।
उत्थातुर् अब्रुवन् पद ऋषभं यद् अकल्पयन् ॥
gudā āsant sinīvālyāḥ sūryāyās tvacam abruvan ।
utthātur abruvan pada ṛṣabhaṃ yad akalpayan ॥
The intestines are of the spirit and energy of food. And the visionary says : The skin is of the cover of light, Surya, the child of sun. And those that meditated on the Rshabha visualised and said: the feet themselves declare they are of the burden-bearer of the world.
9.4.15
क्रोड आसीज् जामिशंसस्य सोमस्य क्लशो धृतः ।
देवाः संगत्य यत् सर्व ऋषभं व्यकल्पयन् ॥
kroḍa āsīj jāmiśaṃsasya somasya klaśo dhṛtaḥ ।
devāḥ saṃgatya yat sarva ṛṣabhaṃ vyakalpayan ॥
The bosom is of the one that loves and appreciates his people. The treasure-hold of life’s pleasure reserved and preserved is of Soma, peace and joy. Thus proclaimed the divine sages come together who meditated on the Rshabha in fullness, though part by part. (Refer also to Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 1, 3).
9.4.16
ते कुष्ठिकाः सरमायै कुर्मेभ्यो अदधुः शफान् ।
ऊबध्यम् अस्य कीतेभ्यः श्ववर्तेभ्यो अधारयन् ॥
te kuṣṭhikāḥ saramāyai kurmebhyo adadhuḥ śaphān ।
ūbadhyam asya kītebhyaḥ śvavartebhyo adhārayan ॥
They saw the vestigial growths were assigned to the days, the hoofs to the tortoises, the wastes to the worms and scavengers.
9.4.17
शृङ्गाभ्यां रक्ष ऋषत्य् अवर्तिम् हन्ति चक्षुषा ।
शृणोति भद्रं कर्णाभ्यां गवां यः पतिर् अघ्न्यः ॥
śṛṅgābhyāṃ rakṣa ṛṣaty avartim hanti cakṣuṣā ।
śṛṇoti bhadraṃ karṇābhyāṃ gavāṃ yaḥ patir aghnyaḥ ॥
They visualised that the Rshaba destroys evil with its horns, i.e., the blaze of its lustre and splendour. and it destroys want and distress by its benign eye. The master, protector and sustainer of the stars, planets and the words of eternal wisdom hears the good things we say and present in prayer.
9.4.18
शतयाजं स यजते नैनं दुन्वन्त्य् अग्नयः ।
जिन्वन्ति विश्वे तं देवा यो ब्राह्मण ऋषभम् आजुहोति ॥
śatayājaṃ sa yajate nainaṃ dunvanty agnayaḥ ।
jinvanti viśve taṃ devā yo brāhmaṇa ṛṣabham ājuhoti ॥
A hundred yajnas does he perform, no fires of the world ever afflict him, all divinities of the world inspire and bless him and bless that sage who invokes and worships Rshabha in words of the Veda and realises the Divine in the world of his creation.
9.4.19
ब्राह्मणेभ्य ऋषभं दत्त्वा वरीयः कृणुते मनः ।
पुष्टिं सो अघ्न्यानां स्वे गोष्ठे ऽव पश्यते ॥
brāhmaṇebhya ṛṣabhaṃ dattvā varīyaḥ kṛṇute manaḥ ।
puṣṭiṃ so aghnyānāṃ sve goṣṭhe 'va paśyate ॥
That sage who imparts the knowledge of Rshabha to the seekers of Divinity raises his mind and imagination to higher freedom and culture and in his own personality realises the higher quality of his inviolable vision and perceptions.
9.4.20
गावः सन्तु प्रजाः सन्त्व् अथो अस्तु तनूबलम् ।
तत् सर्वम् अनु मन्यन्तां देवा ऋषभदायिने ॥
gāvaḥ santu prajāḥ santv atho astu tanūbalam ।
tat sarvam anu manyantāṃ devā ṛṣabhadāyine ॥
Let there be plenty of lands, cows and higher culture of mind and senses with knowledge, and let there be noble progeny and friends, and the strength of body, mind and soul for the giver of divine knowledge of the Rshabha, and may all Devas bless him with all that which he desires for self-fulfilment.
9.4.21
अयं पिपान इन्द्र इद् रयिं दधातु चेतनीम् ।
अयं धेनुं सुदुघां नित्यवत्सां वशं दुहां विपश्चितं परो दिवः ॥
ayaṃ pipāna indra id rayiṃ dadhātu cetanīm ।
ayaṃ dhenuṃ sudughāṃ nityavatsāṃ vaśaṃ duhāṃ vipaścitaṃ paro divaḥ ॥
Let this mighty exuberant Rshabha, omnipotent Indra, bear and bring us honour and wealth of life, and awareness of Divinity. Let it bring us the fertile cow, the holy Word of knowledge abundant in love and nourishment, the ever obliging bliss at our will, the vision and wisdom of Divinity beyond the light of heaven.
9.4.22
पिशङ्गरूपो नभसो वयोधा ऐन्द्रः शुष्मो विश्वरूपो न आगन् ।
आयुर् अस्मभ्यं दधत् प्रजां च रायश् च पोषैर् अभि नः सचताम् ॥
piśaṅgarūpo nabhaso vayodhā aindraḥ śuṣmo viśvarūpo na āgan ।
āyur asmabhyaṃ dadhat prajāṃ ca rāyaś ca poṣair abhi naḥ sacatām ॥
Mighty Indra of golden glory and universal form all-manifest has come to us, bearing gifts of life and sustained progress from the clouds and oceans of space. May the Lord bearing health and long age, progeny and friends, honour and wealth be with us and bless us with abundant energy and advancement for the happy life.
9.4.23
उपेहोपपर्चनास्मिन् गोष्ठ उप पृञ्च नः ।
उप ऋषभस्य यद् रेत उपेन्द्र तव वीर्यम् ॥
upehopaparcanāsmin goṣṭha upa pṛñca naḥ ।
upa ṛṣabhasya yad reta upendra tava vīryam ॥
O Lord of abundance at the closest in presence, in this earthly home of our life and spirit, in the midst of this manly madness of noise, pray be close to us in direct awareness. Be close to us with the divine vitality of your generative creativity. Be close to us with the strength and valour of divine omnipotence.
9.4.24
एतं वो युवानं प्रति दध्मो अत्र तेन क्रीडन्तीश् चरत वशां अनु ।
मा नो हासिष्ट जनुषा सुभागा रायश् च पोषैर् अभि नः सचध्वम् ॥
etaṃ vo yuvānaṃ prati dadhmo atra tena krīḍantīś carata vaśāṃ anu ।
mā no hāsiṣṭa januṣā subhāgā rāyaś ca poṣair abhi naḥ sacadhvam ॥
O children of the earth, people of the human nation, thus do we present before you the power and presence of this divine youthful Rshabha, all abundant lord of life. Joyously play, and enjoy life in the presence of this lord to your complete self-fulfilment. And never by nature in the essence forsake us. Be happy and abundantly fortunate and prosperous, stay with us with honour and wealth, and with health and nourishment, advancing in body, mind and soul. (Also refer to Aitareya Upanishad, 1, 1-3)
Sūkta 5 — Panchaudana Aja Devata, Bhrgu Rshi
Atharvaveda 9.5 · 38 mantras
9.5.1
आ नयैतम् आ रभस्व सुकृतां लोकम् अपि गछतु प्रजानन् ।
तीर्त्वा तमांसि बहुधा महान्त्य् अजो नाकम् आ क्रमतां तृतीयम् ॥
ā nayaitam ā rabhasva sukṛtāṃ lokam api gachatu prajānan ।
tīrtvā tamāṃsi bahudhā mahānty ajo nākam ā kramatāṃ tṛtīyam ॥
O Master, take over this child of nature, in the healthy state of mind and senses, admit him / her to the school of nurture and culture, and with love and affection lead him / her to the second birth of the rational and faithful person of education so that this devotee, knowing clearly and consciously, may rise to the state of holistic knowledge and noble action and, in comprehensive ways of life, having crossed through and over the deep layers of darkness and ignorance, may ultimately reach the third state, beyond pleasure and pain, of spiritual freedom and bliss in Moksha.
9.5.2
इन्द्राय भागं परि त्वा नयाम्य् अस्मिन् यज्ञे यजमानाय सूरिम् ।
ये नो द्विषन्त्य् अनु तान् रभस्वानागसो यजमानस्य वीराः ॥
indrāya bhāgaṃ pari tvā nayāmy asmin yajñe yajamānāya sūrim ।
ye no dviṣanty anu tān rabhasvānāgaso yajamānasya vīrāḥ ॥
In this yajnic course of education, yoga and Brahmacharya, I guide and conduct you, immortal soul, to the service of Indra, yajamana of the creative world yajna, on the path of your Dharma toward him, the society and the family. Take on and fight out all those weaknesses and enemies which hate and afflict us so that all brave children of the yajamana, those that institute this yajna, be free from sin and evil.
9.5.3
प्र पदो ऽव नेनिग्धि दुश्चरितं यच् चचार शुद्धैः शफैर् आ क्रमतां प्रजानन् ।
तीर्त्वा तमांसि बहुधा विपश्यन्न् अजो नाकम् आ क्रमतां तृतीयम् ॥
pra pado 'va nenigdhi duścaritaṃ yac cacāra śuddhaiḥ śaphair ā kramatāṃ prajānan ।
tīrtvā tamāṃsi bahudhā vipaśyann ajo nākam ā kramatāṃ tṛtīyam ॥
O lord, cleanse the immortal soul, in every aspect, of whatever ill or evil it might have committed so that, knowing well its Dharma of duty and obligations, it may rise by pure and sanctified steps of knowledge and action and, watching all round all-ways with clear vision, cross over the darkness, ignorance and illusion of life, ultimately reach the third state, beyond pleasure and pain, of spiritual freedom and bliss in Moksha.
9.5.4
अनुछ्य श्यामेन त्वचम् एतां विशस्तर् यथापर्व् असिना माभि मंस्थाः ।
माभि द्रुहः परुशः कल्पयैनं तृतीये नाके अधि वि श्रयैनम् ॥
anuchya śyāmena tvacam etāṃ viśastar yathāparv asinā mābhi maṃsthāḥ ।
mābhi druhaḥ paruśaḥ kalpayainaṃ tṛtīye nāke adhi vi śrayainam ॥
O destroyer of the veil of darkness, remove the darkness and illusion of this ignorance by the lazer beams of radiant light. Be not proud, do not hate nor malign. Develop and strengthen the immortal spirit part by part of the personality, remove the veil shade by shade, and help the spirit rise step by step and abide in the third state, beyond pleasure and pain, of freedom and bliss of Moksha.
9.5.5
ऋचा कुम्भीम् अध्य् अग्नौ श्रयाम्य् आ सिञ्चोदकम् अव धेह्य् एनम् ।
पर्याधत्ताग्निना शमितारः शृतो गछतु सुकृतां यत्र लोकः ॥
ṛcā kumbhīm adhy agnau śrayāmy ā siñcodakam ava dhehy enam ।
paryādhattāgninā śamitāraḥ śṛto gachatu sukṛtāṃ yatra lokaḥ ॥
I place the personality of the seeker on the fire of Brahmacharya discipline by the Rks. Pour the waters of purity and sanctity into the personality and character and keep it there in the crucible. O teachers of peace and thought, let it be covered in the light and fire all round so that, perfected to the finish, the person rises and proceeds to the world of the noble souls of knowledge and devout action.
9.5.6
उत् क्रामातः परि चेद् अतप्तस् तप्ताच् चरोर् अधि नाकं तृतीयम् ।
अग्नेर् अग्निर् अधि सं बभूविथ ज्योतिष्मन्तम् अभि लोकं जयैतम् ॥
ut krāmātaḥ pari ced ataptas taptāc caror adhi nākaṃ tṛtīyam ।
agner agnir adhi saṃ babhūvitha jyotiṣmantam abhi lokaṃ jayaitam ॥
O spirit immortal, rise, seasoned, unafflicted and perfect at peace, from the fire of discipline, and from the crucible of fire reach up to the third haven of freedom and bliss. There is fire upon fire, light beyond light, so win this highest heaven of light above all the rest.
9.5.7
अजो अग्निर् अजम् उ ज्योतिर् आहुर् अजं जीवता ब्रह्मणे देयम् आहुः ।
अजस् तमांस्य् अप हन्ति दूरम् अस्मिंल् लोके श्रद्दधानेन दत्तः ॥
ajo agnir ajam u jyotir āhur ajaṃ jīvatā brahmaṇe deyam āhuḥ ।
ajas tamāṃsy apa hanti dūram asmiṃl loke śraddadhānena dattaḥ ॥
The immortal soul is the vital immortal fire of life, which immortal, they also call the light, which, all and ever alive, they say, ought to be dedicated to Supreme Brahma. The immortal soul dispels all darknesses of ignorance and illusion far away when it is dedicated to the Lord Supreme in this world by a man of faith.
9.5.8
पञ्चौदनः पञ्चधा वि क्रमताम् आक्रंस्यमानस् त्रीणि ज्योतींषि ।
ईजानानां सुकृतां प्रेहि मध्यं तृतीये नाके अधि वि श्रयस्व ॥
pañcaudanaḥ pañcadhā vi kramatām ākraṃsyamānas trīṇi jyotīṃṣi ।
ījānānāṃ sukṛtāṃ prehi madhyaṃ tṛtīye nāke adhi vi śrayasva ॥
Let the human in the world of five elements go forward in five ways; with the senses of perception, senses of volition, mind, memory and intelligence. Let him go forward for the realisation of three bright achievements: physical, mental and spiritual lustre, achievement of Dharma, Artha and Kama, knowledge of the creation, sustenance and involution of the worlds through the media of sense observation, super-sensuous experience and discriminative knowledge of Viveka between eternal and temporary. Let him thus win a place of honour among noble people of yajna on earth, and then rise to the state of Moksha, the third and highest heaven of bliss beyond pleasure, pain and paradisal joy. O Aja Panchaudana, rise and be there.
9.5.9
अजा रोह सुकृतां यत्र लोकः शरभो न चत्तो ऽति दुर्गान्य् एषः ।
पञ्चौदनो ब्रह्मणे दीयमानः स दातारं तृप्त्या तर्पयाति ॥
ajā roha sukṛtāṃ yatra lokaḥ śarabho na catto 'ti durgāny eṣaḥ ।
pañcaudano brahmaṇe dīyamānaḥ sa dātāraṃ tṛptyā tarpayāti ॥
Hey Aja, immortal soul, rise and reach where noble souls of highest action abide and, like an irrestible lancer on the advance, cross the most formidable hurdles. The immortal soul in top condition of health and experience, dedicated with self-surrender to the Supreme Brahma pleases the generous giver with perfect satisfation and fully justifies the gift of life, knowledge and enlightenment.
9.5.10
अजस् त्रिनाके त्रिदिवे त्रिपृष्ठे नाकस्य पृष्ठे ददिवांसं दधाति ।
पञ्चौदनो ब्रह्मणे दीयमानो विश्वरूपा धेनुः कामदुघास्य् एका ॥
ajas trināke tridive tripṛṣṭhe nākasya pṛṣṭhe dadivāṃsaṃ dadhāti ।
pañcaudano brahmaṇe dīyamāno viśvarūpā dhenuḥ kāmadughāsy ekā ॥
Aja, immortal soul, bears itself, self-surrendered, Self established in the essence, and holds on to the divine Giver, in the third, highest, heaven of light, secure in the third, highest, state of stability beyond disturbance and fear of dislodgement, in the third, highest, state of divine bliss. O soul, dedicating yourself to Divinity in the state of five-element existence and five-fold pleasure of experience, you are, in reality, the universal treasure-hold of self-fulfilment, the one unique mother cow for the self.
9.5.11
एतद् वो ज्योतिः पितरस् तृतीयं पञ्चौदनं ब्रह्मणे ऽजं ददाति ।
अजस् तमांस्य् अप हन्ति दूरम् अस्मिंल् लोके श्रद्दधानेन दत्तः ॥
etad vo jyotiḥ pitaras tṛtīyaṃ pañcaudanaṃ brahmaṇe 'jaṃ dadāti ।
ajas tamāṃsy apa hanti dūram asmiṃl loke śraddadhānena dattaḥ ॥
O Pitaras, parents, teachers, seniors, sustainers of life, it is your gift of the third, highest, light of Vedic knowledge and enlightenment which leads the human soul in the natural state to dedicate itself to Divinity. The immortal soul in its reality, self-dedicated to Divinity by its faith and devotion, dispels all darknesses of ignorance and evil and throws them far out in this life itself.
9.5.12
ईजानानां सुकृतां लोकम् ईप्सन् पञ्चौदनं ब्रह्मणे ऽजं ददाति ।
स व्याप्तिम् अभि लोकं जयैतं शिवो ऽस्मभ्यं प्रतिगृहीतो अस्तु ॥
ījānānāṃ sukṛtāṃ lokam īpsan pañcaudanaṃ brahmaṇe 'jaṃ dadāti ।
sa vyāptim abhi lokaṃ jayaitaṃ śivo 'smabhyaṃ pratigṛhīto astu ॥
One, who aspires to the state of noble souls of holy action and divine association, dedicates the immortal soul in the existential state to the Supreme Brahma. Such aspirant as you are, O Aja, aspire and win for yourself the rise to that divine state of life, and may you, accepted and loved therein, be good and auspicious for us too as a source of inspiration.
9.5.13
अजो ह्य् अग्नेर् अजनिष्ट शोकाद् विप्रो विप्रस्य सहसो विपश्चित् ।
इष्टं पूर्तम् अभिपूर्तं वषट्कृतं तद् देवा ऋतुशः कल्पयन्तु ॥
ajo hy agner ajaniṣṭa śokād vipro viprasya sahaso vipaścit ।
iṣṭaṃ pūrtam abhipūrtaṃ vaṣaṭkṛtaṃ tad devā ṛtuśaḥ kalpayantu ॥
Aja, the unborn immortal soul, is come into the world of existence by virtue of the light and love of Agni, self-refulgent Supreme Brahma. It is wise and vibrant by virtue of the omnipresent vibrance and omnipotence of Agni. May the Devas, divinities of nature and enlightened nobilities of humanity, help it to grow according to the time and season of its growth and to rise to self-fulfilment in whatever it desires, completes and offers through self-surrender towards whatever it wants to achieve.
9.5.14
अमोतं वासो दद्याद् धिरण्यम् अपि दक्षिणाम् ।
तथा लोकान्त् सम् आप्नोति ये दिव्या ये च पार्थिवाः ॥
amotaṃ vāso dadyād dhiraṇyam api dakṣiṇām ।
tathā lokānt sam āpnoti ye divyā ye ca pārthivāḥ ॥
The aspirant to the state of fulfilment should surrender the warp and woof of his action and also whatever is the golden beauty of his achievement in the world as a gift of gratitude to the Lord Giver, and when he does so, then does he really achieve the states of highest being whether it is here on earth or in the heaven of light and bliss divine.
9.5.15
एतास् त्वाजोप यन्तु धाराः सोम्या देवीर् घृतपृष्ठा मधुश्चुतः ।
स्तभान् पृथिवीम् उत द्यां नाकस्य पृष्ठे ऽधि सप्तरश्मौ ॥
etās tvājopa yantu dhārāḥ somyā devīr ghṛtapṛṣṭhā madhuścutaḥ ।
stabhān pṛthivīm uta dyāṃ nākasya pṛṣṭhe 'dhi saptaraśmau ॥
O Aja, immortal soul, let these streams of divine soma of exhilaration, brilliant, replete with ghrta and honey sweets of bliss, reach you, sustaining yourself on earth and in the heaven of seven lights of solar divinity on top of the bliss of Supreme Brahma.
9.5.16
अजो ऽस्य् अज स्वर्गो ऽसि त्वया लोकम् अङ्गिरसः प्राजानन् ।
तं लोकं पुण्यं प्र ज्ञेषम् ॥
ajo 'sy aja svargo 'si tvayā lokam aṅgirasaḥ prājānan ।
taṃ lokaṃ puṇyaṃ pra jñeṣam ॥
O soul, you are Aja, unborn and undying. O soul immortal, you are svarga, reaching to the heaven of bliss. Through you, the brilliant wise sages, Angirasas, know and reach the heaven of light and bliss. May I too, knowing through the soul, realise and reach that heaven of holiness and bliss of Divinity.
9.5.17
येना सहस्रं वहसि येनाग्ने सर्ववेदसम् ।
तेनेमं यज्ञं नो वह स्वर् देवेषु गन्तवे ॥
yenā sahasraṃ vahasi yenāgne sarvavedasam ।
tenemaṃ yajñaṃ no vaha svar deveṣu gantave ॥
O light and fire of yajna and meditation in the state of communion, by that stream of bliss in samadhi through which you set aflow a thousand streams of bliss to the soul, by which you lead the soul’s awareness to the lord omniscient, pray sustain this yajna of our communion unto the presence and experience of the divinities and bliss of our choice so that we may reach our goal. (Reference may be made to Patanjali’s
9.5.18
अजः पक्वः स्वर्गे लोके दधाति पञ्चौदनो निरृतिं बाधमानः ।
तेन लोकान्त् सूर्यवतो जयेम ॥
ajaḥ pakvaḥ svarge loke dadhāti pañcaudano nirṛtiṃ bādhamānaḥ ।
tena lokānt sūryavato jayema ॥
Panchaudana Aja, immortal soul in the state of five-fold existence and experience, matured and tempered through the crucibles of meditation and spiritual discipline, dispels sufference and adversity and wins the goal of its choice. May we too through that discipline win the states of light and bliss bright and blameless as the sun.
9.5.19
यं ब्राह्मणे निदधे यं च विक्षु या विप्रुष ओदनानाम् अजस्य ।
सर्वं तद् अग्ने सुकृतस्य लोके जानीतान् नः संगमने पथीनाम् ॥
yaṃ brāhmaṇe nidadhe yaṃ ca vikṣu yā vipruṣa odanānām ajasya ।
sarvaṃ tad agne sukṛtasya loke jānītān naḥ saṃgamane pathīnām ॥
Of the immortal soul’s powers and potentials, acts and sufferance, in consequence of the divine law of Karma which the Lord has vested in the Brahmana and in the people in general, and of the powers and potentials, acts of freedom and sufferance, and of the food for body, mind and soul that I offer to the Brahmana and the people in general, of all that, O lord of light, Agni, you would know in the land of divine righteousness at the cross-roads of the paths we follow and travel by for ourselves and our destiny.
9.5.20
अजो वा इदम् अग्ने व्य् अक्रमत तस्योर इयम् अभवद् द्यौः पृष्टिहम् ।
अन्तरिक्षं मध्यम् दिशः पार्श्वे समुद्रौ कुक्षी ॥
ajo vā idam agne vy akramata tasyora iyam abhavad dyauḥ pṛṣṭiham ।
antarikṣaṃ madhyam diśaḥ pārśve samudrau kukṣī ॥
Aja, Eternal Spirit beyond birth and death, was the divine power and presence that first stirred and manifested Itself ahead of this world of existence. This earth became his chest, the heaven and earth, his middle, the quarters of space, his side bounds, and the oceans of earth and space, his great womb of existence.
9.5.21
सत्यं च र्तं च चक्षुषी विश्वं सत्यं श्रद्धा प्राणो विराट् शिरः ।
एष वा अपरिमितो यज्ञो यद् अजः पञ्चौदनः ॥
satyaṃ ca rtaṃ ca cakṣuṣī viśvaṃ satyaṃ śraddhā prāṇo virāṭ śiraḥ ।
eṣa vā aparimito yajño yad ajaḥ pañcaudanaḥ ॥
Satyam, constant reality of existence, and Rtam, Law and Scripture of the dynamics of existence, these two were his eyes, the whole truth of existence and faith in that truth, his life breath, the boundless Prakrti, his head. In other words, this boundless yajna of existential evolution of divine creativity is what the adorable Aja is. It is the Lord Eternal who governs the world of five elements he manifests, projects, withdraws, consumes, projects, eternally.
9.5.22
अपरिमितम् एव यज्ञम् आप्नोत्य् अपरिमितं लोकम् अव रुन्द्धे ।
यो ऽजं पञ्चौदनं दक्षिणाज्योतिषं ददाति ॥
aparimitam eva yajñam āpnoty aparimitaṃ lokam ava runddhe ।
yo 'jaṃ pañcaudanaṃ dakṣiṇājyotiṣaṃ dadāti ॥
Whoever the person, conditioned by five elements of Prakrti and five-fold experience and sufferance yet enlightened by divine vision and yajnic spirit of self-sacrifice, that offers the immortal soul to the Eternal Master attains to the state of unbounded yajna of divine creativity and secures the state of boundless bliss for the soul.
9.5.23
नास्यास्थीनि भिन्द्यान् न मज्ज्ञो निर् धयेत् ।
सर्वम् एनं समादायेदमिदं प्र वेशयेत् ॥
nāsyāsthīni bhindyān na majjño nir dhayet ।
sarvam enaṃ samādāyedamidaṃ pra veśayet ॥
Nothing can break the bones, nothing can drain out the bone marrow, of this person who, having accepted and wholly surrendered to this Divine Presence, sees the same divine presence in every thing that exists.
9.5.24
इदमिदम् एवास्य रूपं भवति तेनैनं सं गमयति ।
इषं मह ऊर्जम् अस्मै दुहे यो ऽजं पञ्चौदनम् दक्षिणाज्योतिषं ददाति ॥
idamidam evāsya rūpaṃ bhavati tenainaṃ saṃ gamayati ।
iṣaṃ maha ūrjam asmai duhe yo 'jaṃ pañcaudanam dakṣiṇājyotiṣaṃ dadāti ॥
This and that, every thing that is, becomes for him the manifestation of Divinity, a very version of the divine Self. With that, he joins and moves his own self. And the yajnic system of existence distils and gives food, energy and life’s grandeur to him who offers the immortal soul of five-fold existence clothed in light and generosity to the Lord Divine for his divine yajna.
9.5.25
पञ्च रुक्मा पञ्च नवानि वस्त्रा पञ्चास्मै धेनवः कामदुघा भवन्ति ।
यो ऽजं पञ्चौदनं दक्षिणाज्योतिषं ददाति ॥
pañca rukmā pañca navāni vastrā pañcāsmai dhenavaḥ kāmadughā bhavanti ।
yo 'jaṃ pañcaudanaṃ dakṣiṇājyotiṣaṃ dadāti ॥
Five golden glories of pranic energy, five renewed koshas, vestments of the soul, and five senses, all efficient givers of perception for discriminative judgement, become his holy cows and serve him like universal benefactors when he offers the immortal soul of five-fold existence clothed in light and generosity to the eternal Lord for his divine yajna.
9.5.26
पञ्च रुक्मा ज्योतिर् अस्मै भवन्ति वर्म वासांसि तन्वे भवन्ति ।
स्वर्गं लोकम् अश्नुते यो ऽजं पञ्चौदनं दक्षिणाज्योतिषम् ददाति ॥
pañca rukmā jyotir asmai bhavanti varma vāsāṃsi tanve bhavanti ।
svargaṃ lokam aśnute yo 'jaṃ pañcaudanaṃ dakṣiṇājyotiṣam dadāti ॥
All five golden glories of life become his leading lights and five sheaths of the soul become his five-fold armour for body and soul, and he attains the paradisal bliss of life who surrenders the immortal soul of five-fold existence clothed in light and generosity to the eternal Lord for his divine yajna.
9.5.27
या पूर्वं पतिं वित्त्वा ऽथान्यं विन्दते ऽपरम् ।
पञ्चौदनं च ताव् अजं ददातो न वि योषतः ॥
yā pūrvaṃ patiṃ vittvā 'thānyaṃ vindate 'param ।
pañcaudanaṃ ca tāv ajaṃ dadāto na vi yoṣataḥ ॥
The woman who having married her former husband loses him (on death) and remarries and thus takes to the other, second, husband, and the husband and wife both submit their immortal souls clad in new existential identity of conjugality to each other and to the Lord divine, they never separate.
9.5.28
समानलोको भवति पुनर्भुवापरः पतिः ।
यो ऽजं पञ्चौदनम् दक्षिणाज्योतिषं ददाति ॥
samānaloko bhavati punarbhuvāparaḥ patiḥ ।
yo 'jaṃ pañcaudanam dakṣiṇājyotiṣaṃ dadāti ॥
The other, second, husband becomes one in life, in the home and in the family with the remarried wife and attains equality of good fortune if he submits his immortal soul of five-fold existence clad in light and generosity to the Lord divine.
9.5.29
अनुपूर्ववत्सां धेनुम् अनड्वाहम् उपबर्हणम् ।
वासो हिरण्यं दत्त्वा ते यन्ति दिवम् उत्तमाम् ॥
anupūrvavatsāṃ dhenum anaḍvāham upabarhaṇam ।
vāso hiraṇyaṃ dattvā te yanti divam uttamām ॥
Having given a fertile cow with regular calving, a carrier bull, a full bed with pillow, clothes and gold as ritual gifts, they win grateful appreciation and well-deserved praise.
9.5.30
आत्मानं पितरं पुत्रं पौत्रं पितामहम् ।
जायां जनित्रीं मातरं ये प्रियास् तान् उप ह्वये ॥
ātmānaṃ pitaraṃ putraṃ pautraṃ pitāmaham ।
jāyāṃ janitrīṃ mātaraṃ ye priyās tān upa hvaye ॥
Self-confidence, father, son, grand son, grand father, wife, mother, and all those dear to me and to the home and family, I invite to come and join me.
9.5.31
यो वै नैदाघं नाम र्तुं वेद ।
एष वै नैदाघो नाम र्तुर् यद् अजः पञ्चौदनः ।
निर् एवाप्रियस्य भ्रातृव्यस्य श्रियं दहति भवत्य् आत्मना ।
yo vai naidāghaṃ nāma rtuṃ veda ।
eṣa vai naidāgho nāma rtur yad ajaḥ pañcaudanaḥ ।
nir evāpriyasya bhrātṛvyasya śriyaṃ dahati bhavaty ātmanā ।
Whoever the five-fold conditioned immortal that attains to the summer season of life and knows for certain that this is the season of heat and passion, who surrenders his mortal identity of immortality clad in light and generosity to the home, the family and the Lord Divine totally bums out the power and fortune of his hateful rival and rises in life with self-confidence.
9.5.32
यो वै कुर्वन्तं नाम र्तुं वेद ।
कुर्वतींकुर्वतीम् एवाप्रियस्य भ्रातृव्यस्य श्रियं आ दत्ते ।
एष वै कुर्वन् नाम र्तुर् यद् अजः पञ्चौदनः ।
yo vai kurvantaṃ nāma rtuṃ veda ।
kurvatīṃkurvatīm evāpriyasya bhrātṛvyasya śriyaṃ ā datte ।
eṣa vai kurvan nāma rtur yad ajaḥ pañcaudanaḥ ।
Whoever the immortal soul conditioned in the five-fold state of mortality that attains to the life-season called the time of action and knows for certain that this is the time and season for action, who surrenders his mortal identity of immortality clad in light and generosity to the home, the family and the Lord Divine, takes away the power, potential and good fortune of his hostile rival, in fact burns out and destroys the power and fortune of the hateful adversary and rises in life by the strength of his soul.
9.5.33
यो वै संयन्तं नाम र्तुं वेद ।
संयतींसंयतीम् एवाप्रियस्य भ्रातृव्यस्य श्रियं आ दत्ते ।
एष वै संयन् नाम र्तुर् यद् अजः पञ्चौदनः ।
yo vai saṃyantaṃ nāma rtuṃ veda ।
saṃyatīṃsaṃyatīm evāpriyasya bhrātṛvyasya śriyaṃ ā datte ।
eṣa vai saṃyan nāma rtur yad ajaḥ pañcaudanaḥ ।
Whoever the immortal soul conditioned in the five-fold state of mortality that attains to the life-season called the time of gathering and control and knows for certain that this is the time and season for gathering and control, who surrenders his mortal identity of immortality clad in light and generosity to the home, the family and the Lord Divine, takes away the power, potential and rising good fortune of his hostile rival, in fact burns and destroys the power and fortune of the hateful adversary, and rises in life by the strength of his soul.
9.5.34
यो वै पिन्वन्तं नाम र्तुम् वेद ।
पिन्वतींपिन्वतीम् एवाप्रियस्य भ्रातृव्यस्य श्रियं आ दत्ते ।
एष वै पिन्वन् नाम र्तुर् यद् अजः पञ्चौदनः ।
yo vai pinvantaṃ nāma rtum veda ।
pinvatīṃpinvatīm evāpriyasya bhrātṛvyasya śriyaṃ ā datte ।
eṣa vai pinvan nāma rtur yad ajaḥ pañcaudanaḥ ।
Whoever the immortal soul conditioned in the five-fold state of mortality that attains to the life season named growth, and knows for certain that this is the time and season for growth, who surrenders his mortal identity of immortality clad in light and generosity to the home, the family and the Lord Divine, takes away the growing power and good fortune of his hostile rival, in fact burns and destroys the power and fortune of his hateful rival and rises in life by the strength of his soul.
9.5.35
यो वा उद्यन्तं नाम र्तुं वेद ।
उद्यतींउद्यतीम् एवाप्रियस्य भ्रातृव्यस्य श्रियं आ दत्ते ।
एष वा उद्यन्न् नाम र्तुर् यद् अजः पञ्चौदनः ।
yo vā udyantaṃ nāma rtuṃ veda ।
udyatīṃudyatīm evāpriyasya bhrātṛvyasya śriyaṃ ā datte ।
eṣa vā udyann nāma rtur yad ajaḥ pañcaudanaḥ ।
Whoever the immortal soul conditioned in the five-fold state of mortality that attains to the life season named rise and progress, and knows for certain that this is the time and season for the rise and progress, who surrenders his mortal identity of the immortal clad in
9.5.36
यो वा अभिभुवं नाम र्तुं वेद ।
अभिभवन्तीमभिभवन्तीम् एवाप्रियस्य भ्रातृव्यस्य श्रियं आ दत्ते ।
एष वा अभिभूर् नाम र्तुर् यद् अजः पञ्चौदनः ।
yo vā abhibhuvaṃ nāma rtuṃ veda ।
abhibhavantīmabhibhavantīm evāpriyasya bhrātṛvyasya śriyaṃ ā datte ।
eṣa vā abhibhūr nāma rtur yad ajaḥ pañcaudanaḥ ।
9.5.37
अजं च पचत पञ्च चौदनान् ।
सर्वा दिशः संमनसः सध्रीचीः सान्तर्देशाः प्रति गृह्नन्तु त एतम् ॥
ajaṃ ca pacata pañca caudanān ।
sarvā diśaḥ saṃmanasaḥ sadhrīcīḥ sāntardeśāḥ prati gṛhnantu ta etam ॥
9.5.38
तास् ते रक्षन्तु तव तुभ्यम् एतं ताभ्य आज्यं हविर् इदं जुहोमि ॥
tās te rakṣantu tava tubhyam etaṃ tābhya ājyaṃ havir idaṃ juhomi ॥
Sūkta 6
Atharvaveda 9.6 · 61 mantras
9.6.1
यो विद्याद् ब्रह्म प्रत्यक्षं परूंषि यस्य संभारा ऋचो यस्यानूक्यम् ॥
yo vidyād brahma pratyakṣaṃ parūṃṣi yasya saṃbhārā ṛco yasyānūkyam ॥
One who would know Brahma first hand by direct experience may know that Brahma is that Supreme Purusha, Ultimate living Reality, which as a ‘Person’ is constituted of the entire structure of existence and its knowledge: whose spine is the Rks.
9.6.2
सामानि यस्य लोमानि यजुर् हृदयम् उच्यते परिस्तरणम् इद् धविः ॥
sāmāni yasya lomāni yajur hṛdayam ucyate paristaraṇam id dhaviḥ ॥
Whose hair is the Samans, whose heart is called the Yajus, and whose cover-manifest is the form and function of the dynamics of universal yajna.
9.6.3
यद् वा अतिथिपतिर् अतिथीन् प्रतिपश्यति देवयजनं प्रेक्षते ॥
yad vā atithipatir atithīn pratipaśyati devayajanaṃ prekṣate ॥
And know: If the house holder as the host sees the Atithis, holy visitors, he sees an occasion for a personal performance of yajna in the service of Divinity.
9.6.4
यद् अभिवदति दीक्षाम् उपैति यद् उदकं याचत्य् अपः प्र णयति ॥
yad abhivadati dīkṣām upaiti yad udakaṃ yācaty apaḥ pra ṇayati ॥
When he welcomes the guest, he receives Diksha, initiation into a holy commitment. When he asks if he could offer water and brings up water for the guest:
9.6.5
या एव यज्ञ आपः प्रणीयन्ते ता एव ताः ॥
yā eva yajña āpaḥ praṇīyante tā eva tāḥ ॥
The water he brings is water for yajna, and the water is as sacred as water consecrated by Divinity.
9.6.6
यत् तर्पणम् आहरन्ति य एवाग्नीषोमीयः पशुर् बध्यते स एव सः ॥
yat tarpaṇam āharanti ya evāgnīṣomīyaḥ paśur badhyate sa eva saḥ ॥
When members of the host family bring refreshments for the guest, the refreshments are like oblations for Agni and Soma in yajna whereby the guest is identified with the very soul of yajna with the
9.6.7
यद् आवसथान् कल्पयन्ति सदोहविर्धानान्य् एव तत् कल्पयन्ति ॥
yad āvasathān kalpayanti sadohavirdhānāny eva tat kalpayanti ॥
When they arrange for his rest and comforts they arrange for the place of yajna and other preparations for it.
9.6.8
यद् उपस्तृणन्ति बर्हिर् एव तत् ॥
yad upastṛṇanti barhir eva tat ॥
When they provide for the bed, that is like spreading the holy grass on the vedi.
9.6.9
यद् उपरिशयनम् आहरन्ति स्वर्गम् एव तेन लोकम् अव रुन्द्धे ॥
yad upariśayanam āharanti svargam eva tena lokam ava runddhe ॥
When they elevate the bed, they raise themselves to higher bliss of divine nature.
9.6.10
यत् कशिपूपबर्हणम् आहरन्ति परिधय एव ते ॥
yat kaśipūpabarhaṇam āharanti paridhaya eva te ॥
When they bring the mat, pillow and covering, these are the boundary sticks of the yajna fire.
9.6.11
यद् आञ्जनाभ्यञ्जनम् आहरन्त्य् आज्यम् एव तत् ॥
yad āñjanābhyañjanam āharanty ājyam eva tat ॥
When they bring creams and ointments, these are like ghrta for the yajna.
9.6.12
यत् पुरा परिवेषात् स्वादम् आहरन्ति पुरोदाशाव् एव तौ ॥
yat purā pariveṣāt svādam āharanti purodāśāv eva tau ॥
When they bring the appetizers before dinner, that is like soma juice for yajna.
9.6.13
यद् अशनकृतं ह्वयन्ति हविष्कृतम् एव तद् ध्वयन्ति ॥
yad aśanakṛtaṃ hvayanti haviṣkṛtam eva tad dhvayanti ॥
When they call upon the cook and for service, it is as if they call for the bearers of havi for yajna.
9.6.14
ये व्रीहयो यवा निरुप्यन्ते ऽंशव एव ते ॥
ye vrīhayo yavā nirupyante 'ṃśava eva te ॥
When rice and barley are selected and offered to the guest, it is hke the filaments of soma for the yajna.
9.6.15
यान्य् उलूखलमुसलानि ग्रावाण एव ते ॥
yāny ulūkhalamusalāni grāvāṇa eva te ॥
Things like mortar and pestle used in the preparation of food for the guest are like the soma stones in the preparation of soma juice for yajna.
9.6.16
शूर्पं पवित्रं तुषा ऋजीषाभिषवणीर् आपः ॥
śūrpaṃ pavitraṃ tuṣā ṛjīṣābhiṣavaṇīr āpaḥ ॥
The sieve is soma strainer, the chaff is soma pomace, and liquids are pressing gear.
9.6.17
स्रुग् दर्विर् नेक्षणम् आयवनं द्रोणकलशाः कुम्भ्यो वायव्यानि पात्राणीयम् एव कृष्णाजिनम् ॥
srug darvir nekṣaṇam āyavanaṃ droṇakalaśāḥ kumbhyo vāyavyāni pātrāṇīyam eva kṛṣṇājinam ॥
The ladle is the ghrta-ladle for oblation, the fork is the stirring prong, the jars are soma vessels, utensils are like soma cups, this earth is like the black antelope hide for a seat.
9.6.18
यजमानब्राह्मणं वा एतद् अतिथिपतिः कुरुते यद् आहार्याणि प्रेक्षत इदं भूया3 इदा3म् इति ॥
yajamānabrāhmaṇaṃ vā etad atithipatiḥ kurute yad āhāryāṇi prekṣata idaṃ bhūyā3 idā3m iti ॥
When the host takes stock of things to be offered to the guest and assesses whether this is good enough or this, he does for himself the same job in Atithi yajna as the Brahmana does for the yajamana for the planning and performance of a yajna in the service of Divinity.
9.6.19
यद् आह भूय उद् धरेति प्राणम् एव तेन वर्षीयांसं कुरुते ॥
yad āha bhūya ud dhareti prāṇam eva tena varṣīyāṃsaṃ kurute ॥
When he says: ‘Take up more, again, and offer it to the guest’, by doing so he raises his life and energy higher and higher.
9.6.20
उप हरति हवींष्य् आ सादयति ॥
upa harati havīṃṣy ā sādayati ॥
When he takes up this more and brings it to the guest, it is as if he takes more of fragrant materials for the yajna, seats himself on the vedi and offers the
9.6.21
तेषाम् आसन्नानाम् अतिथिर् आत्मन् जुहोति ॥
teṣām āsannānām atithir ātman juhoti ॥
Of these holy materials and delicacies brought up to him, the guest partakes unto himself as if he offers these to the divine spirit of yajna:
9.6.22
स्रुचा हस्तेन प्राणे यूपे स्रुक्कारेण वषट्कारेण ॥
srucā hastena prāṇe yūpe srukkāreṇa vaṣaṭkāreṇa ॥
With his hand as ladle, the guest offers food into his pranic vitality, it is as on the stake ring of yajna, as he chews and swallows the food, it is like uttering the holy formula of Vashatkara for the offering.
9.6.23
एते वै प्रियाश् चाप्रियाश् च र्त्विजः स्वर्गं लोकं गमयन्ति यद् अतिथयः ॥
ete vai priyāś cāpriyāś ca rtvijaḥ svargaṃ lokaṃ gamayanti yad atithayaḥ ॥
It is these, the holy guests, high priests of Atithi yajna, whether dear favourites or otherwise indifferent, that lead the performing yajamana to the state of bliss and freedom of Moksha.
9.6.24
स य एवं विद्वान् न द्विषन्न् अश्नीयान् न द्विषतो ऽन्नम् अश्नीयान् न मीमांसितस्य न मीमांसमानस्य ॥
sa ya evaṃ vidvān na dviṣann aśnīyān na dviṣato 'nnam aśnīyān na mīmāṃsitasya na mīmāṃsamānasya ॥
Thus should the man of knowledge, the guest who is free from hate and anger, accept the hospitality of the house holder. He should not accept the hospitality of the man of hate and anger, nor of the man of dubious character, nor of the man of doubt and suspicion.
9.6.25
सर्वो वा एष जग्धपाप्मा यस्यान्नम् अश्नन्ति ॥
sarvo vā eṣa jagdhapāpmā yasyānnam aśnanti ॥
All those hosts whose hospitality the holy guests accept and eat their food have their sins destroyed (by virtue of the Atithi yajna).
9.6.26
सर्वो वा एसो ऽजग्धपाप्मा यस्यान्नम् नाश्नन्ति ॥
sarvo vā eso 'jagdhapāpmā yasyānnam nāśnanti ॥
All those whose hospitality the holy guests do not accept and do not eat their food have their sins intact and active (by virtue of their hospitality having been rejected).
9.6.27
सर्वदा वा एष युक्तग्रावार्द्रपवित्रो वितताध्वर आहृतयज्ञक्रतुर् य उपहरति ॥
sarvadā vā eṣa yuktagrāvārdrapavitro vitatādhvara āhṛtayajñakratur ya upaharati ॥
He that always offers hospitality to the guests, has his grinders ready, his filters wetsome, and his yajna ever extended with love, faith and hospitality without hate, anger and violence remains sinless.
9.6.28
प्राजापत्यो वा एतस्य यज्ञो विततो य उपहरति ॥
prājāpatyo vā etasya yajño vitato ya upaharati ॥
He that offers food to the guests has his yajna of hospitality generously extended in faith for Prajapati by the grace of Prajapati.
9.6.29
प्रजापतेर् वा एष विक्रमान् अनुविक्रमते य उपहरति ॥
prajāpater vā eṣa vikramān anuvikramate ya upaharati ॥
Bravely generous is he, and he follows the universal generosity of Prajapati, who offers food to the guests (with love and faith without hate, anger and violence.
9.6.30
यो ऽतिथीनां स आहवनीयो यो वेश्मनि स गार्हपत्यो यस्मिन् पचन्ति स दक्षिणाग्निः ॥
yo 'tithīnāṃ sa āhavanīyo yo veśmani sa gārhapatyo yasmin pacanti sa dakṣiṇāgniḥ ॥
For the host who performs Atithi yajna with the offer of food and hospitality to the guest: The ‘fire’ of the guest’s hunger is Ahavaniya Agni into which the oblation of food is made; the warmth of hospitality in the home with which the offer of rest and comfort is made to the guest is Garhapatya Agni which is always kept alive; and the fire of the hearth on which the hosts cook food for the guest is Dakshinagni, the fire of holy generosity.
9.6.31
इष्टं च वा एष पूर्तं च गृहाणाम् अश्नाति यः पूर्वो ऽतिथेर् अश्नाति ॥
iṣṭaṃ ca vā eṣa pūrtaṃ ca gṛhāṇām aśnāti yaḥ pūrvo 'tither aśnāti ॥
The host that eats before the guest has eaten devours the merit and piety of all his Ishta and Purtta acts, i.e., he devours the merit of his obligatory acts of prayer and yajna, and particular acts performed for worldly purposes.
9.6.32
पयश् च वा एष रसं च गृहाणाम् अश्नाति यः पूर्वो ऽतिथेर् अश्नाति ॥
payaś ca vā eṣa rasaṃ ca gṛhāṇām aśnāti yaḥ pūrvo 'tither aśnāti ॥
The host that eats before the guest has eaten destroys the pleasure and decency of all his milky and juicy delicacies.
9.6.33
ऊर्जां च वा एष स्फातिं च गृहाणाम् अश्नाति यः पूर्वो ऽतिथेर् अश्नाति ॥
ūrjāṃ ca vā eṣa sphātiṃ ca gṛhāṇām aśnāti yaḥ pūrvo 'tither aśnāti ॥
The host that eats before the guest has eaten negates the energy and prosperity of the house.
9.6.34
प्रजां वा एष पशूंश् च गृहाणाम् अश्नाति यः पूर्वो ऽतिथेर् अश्नाति ॥
prajāṃ vā eṣa paśūṃś ca gṛhāṇām aśnāti yaḥ pūrvo 'tither aśnāti ॥
The host that eats before the guest has eaten devours the wealth of his people and property of the home.
9.6.35
कीर्तिं वा एष यशश् च गृहाणाम् अश्नाति यः पूर्वो ऽतिथेर् अश्नाति ॥
kīrtiṃ vā eṣa yaśaś ca gṛhāṇām aśnāti yaḥ pūrvo 'tither aśnāti ॥
The host that eats before the guest has eaten demeans the honour and reputation of the house.
9.6.36
श्रियं वा एष संविदं च गृहाणाम् अश्नाति यः पूर्वो ऽतिथेर् अश्नाति ॥
śriyaṃ vā eṣa saṃvidaṃ ca gṛhāṇām aśnāti yaḥ pūrvo 'tither aśnāti ॥
The host that eats before the guest has eaten violates the grace and culture of the family.
9.6.37
एष वा अतिथिर् यच् छ्रोत्रियस् तस्मात् पूर्वो नाश्नीयात् ॥
eṣa vā atithir yac chrotriyas tasmāt pūrvo nāśnīyāt ॥
The guest being a man of knowledge, culture and enlightenment, the host must not eat before him.
9.6.38
अशितावत्य् अतिथाव् अश्नीयाद् यज्ञस्य सात्मत्वाय यज्ञस्याविछेदाय तद् व्रतम् ॥
aśitāvaty atithāv aśnīyād yajñasya sātmatvāya yajñasyāvichedāya tad vratam ॥
For soulful performance of the yajna to its completion in the essential spirit and for the continuance of the family’s yajnic tradition without break, the host should eat only after the holy guest has been served to his satisfation. This is the law.
9.6.39
एतद् वा उ स्वादीयो यद् अधिगवं क्षीरं वा मांसं वा तद् एव नाश्नीयात् ॥
etad vā u svādīyo yad adhigavaṃ kṣīraṃ vā māṃsaṃ vā tad eva nāśnīyāt ॥
Whether it is something delicious, a cow product, milk or curd or cheese, that also the host must not eat before the guest has eaten.
9.6.40
स य एवं विद्वान् क्षीरम् उपसिच्योपहरति ।
यावद् अग्निष्टोमेनेष्ट्वा सुसमृद्धेनावरुन्द्धे तावद् एनेनाव रुन्द्धे ॥
sa ya evaṃ vidvān kṣīram upasicyopaharati ।
yāvad agniṣṭomeneṣṭvā susamṛddhenāvarunddhe tāvad enenāva runddhe ॥
Attains as much merit of virtue as he would attain by performing an elaborate Agnishtoma yajna.
9.6.41
स य एवं विद्वान्त् सर्पिर् उपसिच्योपहरति ।
यावद् अतिरात्रेणेष्ट्वा सुसमृद्धेनावरुन्द्धे तावद् एनेनाव रुन्द्धे ॥
sa ya evaṃ vidvānt sarpir upasicyopaharati ।
yāvad atirātreṇeṣṭvā susamṛddhenāvarunddhe tāvad enenāva runddhe ॥
Attains as much merit of virtue as he would attain by performing an elaborate Atiratra yajna.
9.6.42
स य एवं विद्वान् मधूपसिच्योपहरति ।
यावद् सत्त्रसद्येनेष्ट्वा सुसमृद्धेनावरुन्द्धे तावद् एनेनाव रुन्द्धे ॥
sa ya evaṃ vidvān madhūpasicyopaharati ।
yāvad sattrasadyeneṣṭvā susamṛddhenāvarunddhe tāvad enenāva runddhe ॥
Attains as much merit of virtue as he would attain by performing an elaborate Sattrasadya session of yajna.
9.6.43
स य एवं विद्वान् मांसम् उपसिच्योपहरति ।
यावद् द्वादशाहेनेष्ट्वा सुसमृद्धेनावरुन्द्धे तावद् एनेनाव रुन्द्धे ॥
sa ya evaṃ vidvān māṃsam upasicyopaharati ।
yāvad dvādaśāheneṣṭvā susamṛddhenāvarunddhe tāvad enenāva runddhe ॥
Attains as much merit of virtue as he would attain by performing an elaborate Dvadashaha, twelve day session of yajna.
9.6.44
स य एवं विद्वान् उदकम् उपसिच्योपहरति ।
प्रजानां प्रजननाय गछति प्रतिष्ठां प्रियः प्रजानां भवति य एवं विद्वान् उपसिच्योपहरति ॥
sa ya evaṃ vidvān udakam upasicyopaharati ।
prajānāṃ prajananāya gachati pratiṣṭhāṃ priyaḥ prajānāṃ bhavati ya evaṃ vidvān upasicyopaharati ॥
The host, knowing thus the law and tradition, who offers only water, having purified and sanctified it, to the learned guest...
9.6.45
तस्मा उषा हिङ् कृणोति सविता प्र स्तौति ।
बृहस्पतिर् ऊर्जयोद् गायति त्वष्टा पुष्ट्या प्रति हरति विश्वे देवा निधनम् ॥
निधनं भूत्याः प्रजायाः पशूनां भवति य एवं वेद ॥
tasmā uṣā hiṅ kṛṇoti savitā pra stauti ।
bṛhaspatir ūrjayod gāyati tvaṣṭā puṣṭyā prati harati viśve devā nidhanam ॥
nidhanaṃ bhūtyāḥ prajāyāḥ paśūnāṃ bhavati ya evaṃ veda ॥
Brhaspati sings the exciting Udgitha, rousing song of victory, Tvashta, the maker, sings the Pratihara with the music of peace and growth, and Vishvedevas sing the Nidhana, song of success and fulfilment.
9.6.46
तस्मा उद्यन्त् सूर्यो हिङ् कृणोति संगवः प्र स्तौति ।
मध्यन्दिन उद् गायत्य् अपराह्णः प्रति हरत्य् अस्तंयन् निधनम् ।
निधनं भूत्याः प्रजायाः पशूनां भवति य एवं वेद ॥
tasmā udyant sūryo hiṅ kṛṇoti saṃgavaḥ pra stauti ।
madhyandina ud gāyaty aparāhṇaḥ prati haraty astaṃyan nidhanam ।
nidhanaṃ bhūtyāḥ prajāyāḥ paśūnāṃ bhavati ya evaṃ veda ॥
The sun on the zenith at mid-day sings the Udgitha, in the afternoon it sings the Pratihara, and, as it proceeds to the evening for setting, it sings the Nidhana, song of completion and fulfilment. Thus does the host that knows the etiquette of Atithi yajna acquire plenty of prosperity, family and Mends, and the wealth of cattle.
9.6.47
तस्मा अभ्रो भवन् हिङ् कृणोति स्तनयन् प्र स्तौति ।
विद्योतमानः प्रति हरति वर्षन्न् उद् गायत्य् उद्गृह्णन् निधनम् ।
निधनं भूत्याः प्रजायाः पशूनां भवति य एवं वेद ॥
tasmā abhro bhavan hiṅ kṛṇoti stanayan pra stauti ।
vidyotamānaḥ prati harati varṣann ud gāyaty udgṛhṇan nidhanam ।
nidhanaṃ bhūtyāḥ prajāyāḥ paśūnāṃ bhavati ya evaṃ veda ॥
While raining in showers, it sings the Udgitha. Flashing with lightning, it sings the Pratihara. And when it rises and floats away after rain, it sings the Nidhana. Thus does the host that knows this and the law and etiquette of holy hospitality acquire plenty of prosperity, family and friends, and the wealth of cattle.
9.6.48
अतिथीन् प्रति पश्यति हिङ् कृणोत्य् अभि वदति प्र स्तौत्य् उदकम् याचत्य् उद् गायति ।
उप हरति प्रति हरत्य् उच्छिष्टं निधनम् ।
निधनं भूत्याः प्रजायाः पशूनां भवति य एवम् वेद ॥
यत् क्षत्तारं ह्वयत्य् आ श्रावयत्य् एव तत् ॥
atithīn prati paśyati hiṅ kṛṇoty abhi vadati pra stauty udakam yācaty ud gāyati ।
upa harati prati haraty ucchiṣṭaṃ nidhanam ।
nidhanaṃ bhūtyāḥ prajāyāḥ paśūnāṃ bhavati ya evam veda ॥
yat kṣattāraṃ hvayaty ā śrāvayaty eva tat ॥
When the host beholds the guest, he feels happy and expresses his joy with Hinkara. When he greets him, he appreciates the visit with the expression of Prastava as he offers the hospitality. When he requests him what he would like to have, he expresses his joy as if he sings the Udgitha.
9.6.50
यत् प्रतिशृणोति प्रत्याश्रावयत्य् एव तत् ॥
yat pratiśṛṇoti pratyāśrāvayaty eva tat ॥
When the cook hears and responds, it is the Agnidh responding to the Adhvaryu.
9.6.51
यत् परिवेष्टारः पात्रहस्ताः पूर्वे चापरे च प्रपद्यन्ते चमसाध्वर्यव एव ते ॥
yat pariveṣṭāraḥ pātrahastāḥ pūrve cāpare ca prapadyante camasādhvaryava eva te ॥
When the servers with serving trays in hand come, one and all, they are yajna participants holding yajnic ladles in hand.
9.6.52
तेषां न कश् चनाहोता ॥
teṣāṃ na kaś canāhotā ॥
Of them, none is a no-participant in yajna.
9.6.53
यद् वा अतिथिपतिर् अतिथीन् परिविष्य गृहान् उपोदैत्य् अवभृथम् एव तद् उपावैति ॥
yad vā atithipatir atithīn pariviṣya gṛhān upodaity avabhṛtham eva tad upāvaiti ॥
When the chief host, having served the guests, goes back to his quarters, he goes to the Avabhritha ablutions after completion of the yajna.
9.6.54
यत् सभागयति दक्षिणाः सभागयति यद् अनुतिष्ठत उदवस्यत्य् एव तत् ॥
yat sabhāgayati dakṣiṇāḥ sabhāgayati yad anutiṣṭhata udavasyaty eva tat ॥
When he distributes, he offers Dakshina to the priests. When he follows them to see them off and say good-bye, that is completion of the yajna.
9.6.55
स उपहूतः पृथिव्यां भक्षयत्य् उपहूतस् तस्मिन् यत् पृथिव्यां विश्वरूपम् ॥
sa upahūtaḥ pṛthivyāṃ bhakṣayaty upahūtas tasmin yat pṛthivyāṃ viśvarūpam ॥
The host that knows the rules and traditions of the etiquette of yajnic hospitality to be extended to the holy guests, when invited anywhere on earth, enjoys all that variety on earth which the invited guest enjoyed in that Atithi yajna in that home.
9.6.56
स उपहूतो ऽन्तरिक्षे भक्षयत्य् उपहूतस् तस्मिन् यद् दिवि विश्वरूपम् ॥
sa upahūto 'ntarikṣe bhakṣayaty upahūtas tasmin yad divi viśvarūpam ॥
The host, invited to the middle regions, enjoys all that variety in the middle regions which the invited guest enjoyed in that Atithi yajna in that home.
9.6.57
स उपहूतो दिवि भक्षयत्य् उपहूतस् तस्मिन् यद् दिवि विश्वरूपम् ॥
sa upahūto divi bhakṣayaty upahūtas tasmin yad divi viśvarūpam ॥
The host invited to the heavenly regions enjoys all that variety in heaven which the invited guest enjoyed in that yajna.
9.6.58
स उपहूतो देवेषु भक्षयत्य् उपहूतस् तस्मिन् यद् दिवि विश्वरूपम् ॥
sa upahūto deveṣu bhakṣayaty upahūtas tasmin yad divi viśvarūpam ॥
The host invited among divinities enjoys all that variety among divinities which the invited guest enjoyed
9.6.59
स उपहूतो लोकेषु भक्षयत्य् उपहूतस् तस्मिन् यद् दिवि विश्वरूपम् ॥
sa upahūto lokeṣu bhakṣayaty upahūtas tasmin yad divi viśvarūpam ॥
9.6.60
स उपहूत उपहूतः ॥
sa upahūta upahūtaḥ ॥
9.6.61
आप्नोतीमं लोकम् आप्नोत्य् अमुम् ॥
āpnotīmaṃ lokam āpnoty amum ॥
9.6.62
ज्योतिष्मतो लोकान् जयति य एवं वेद ॥
jyotiṣmato lokān jayati ya evaṃ veda ॥
Sūkta 7
Atharvaveda 9.7 · 26 mantras
9.7.1
प्रजापतिश् च परमेष्ठी च शृङ्गे इन्द्रः शिरो अग्निर् ललाटं यमः कृकाटम् ॥
prajāpatiś ca parameṣṭhī ca śṛṅge indraḥ śiro agnir lalāṭaṃ yamaḥ kṛkāṭam ॥
Prajapati, the Divine Power that sustains the forms of life, and Parameshthi, the Supreme Presiding Presence, these are the two horns of the Cow, that is, of the universe. Indra, Omnipotence, is the head, Agni, cosmic fire energy, is the forehead, and Yama, the Law, is the neck joint of brain and the body.
9.7.2
सोमो राजा मस्तिष्को द्यौर् उत्तरहनुः पृथिव्य् अधरहनुः ॥
somo rājā mastiṣko dyaur uttarahanuḥ pṛthivy adharahanuḥ ॥
Soma Raja, ruling bright joyous vitality, is the brain, the region of light, the upper jaw, the earth, the lower jaw.
9.7.3
विद्युज् जिह्वा मरुतो दन्ता रेवतिर् ग्रीवाः कृत्तिका स्कन्धा घर्मो वहः ॥
vidyuj jihvā maruto dantā revatir grīvāḥ kṛttikā skandhā gharmo vahaḥ ॥
Lightning is the tongue, Maruts, winds, are the teeth, Revati, the star, is the neck, Krttikas are the shoulder, and Gharma, heat and light energy, the withers.
9.7.4
विश्वं वायुः स्वर्गो लोकः कृष्णद्रं विधरणी निवेष्यः ॥
viśvaṃ vāyuḥ svargo lokaḥ kṛṣṇadraṃ vidharaṇī niveṣyaḥ ॥
The world of existence is the life breath, greenery of life is paradisal bliss, cosmic balance is the resting place at the centre.
9.7.5
श्येनः क्रोतो ऽन्तरिक्षं पाजस्यं बृहस्पतिः ककुद् बृहतीः कीकसाः ॥
śyenaḥ kroto 'ntarikṣaṃ pājasyaṃ bṛhaspatiḥ kakud bṛhatīḥ kīkasāḥ ॥
Cosmic dynamics is the bosom, firmament is the belly, Brhaspati is the hump, expansiveness is the vertebrae of the spine.
9.7.6
देवानां पत्नीः पृष्टय उपसदः पर्शवः ॥
devānāṃ patnīḥ pṛṣṭaya upasadaḥ parśavaḥ ॥
The powers that sustain the forces of nature are ribs of the back, planets are ribs of the chest.
9.7.7
मित्रश् च वरुणश् चांसौ त्वष्टा चार्यमा च दोषणी महादेवो बाहू ॥
mitraś ca varuṇaś cāṃsau tvaṣṭā cāryamā ca doṣaṇī mahādevo bāhū ॥
Mitra and Varuna, sun and moon, are shoulder blades, Tvashta and Aryama, making and guiding powers, are upper arms, Mahadeva, supreme power of divinities of nature, is the twin motive forces of the universe.
9.7.8
इन्द्राणी भसद् वायुः पुछं पवमानो बालाः ॥
indrāṇī bhasad vāyuḥ puchaṃ pavamāno bālāḥ ॥
Indrani, energy, is the hips, wind is the tail, waves and currents are the hair.
9.7.9
ब्रह्म च क्षत्रं च श्रोणी बलम् ऊरू ॥
brahma ca kṣatraṃ ca śroṇī balam ūrū ॥
Brahma and Kshatra, intelligence and order, are the loins, strength is the thighs.
9.7.10
धाता च सविता चाष्ठीवन्तौ जङ्घा गन्धर्वा अप्सरसः कुष्ठिका अदितिः शफाः ॥
dhātā ca savitā cāṣṭhīvantau jaṅghā gandharvā apsarasaḥ kuṣṭhikā aditiḥ śaphāḥ ॥
Dhata and Savita, sun and gravitation, are the knees, magnetic forces are the shanks, rays are dewclaws, the earth is the hoofs.
9.7.11
चेतो हृदयं यकृन् मेधा व्रतं पुरीतत् ॥
ceto hṛdayaṃ yakṛn medhā vrataṃ purītat ॥
Memory and mind is the heartcore, assimilative power is the liver, rule and fast is the intestines.
9.7.12
क्षुत् कुक्षिर् इरा वनिष्ठुः पर्वताः प्लाशयः ॥
kṣut kukṣir irā vaniṣṭhuḥ parvatāḥ plāśayaḥ ॥
Hunger is the assimilative power of digestion, food is the colon, mountains are the muscles.
9.7.13
क्रोधो वृक्कौ मन्युर् आण्डौ प्रजा शेपः ॥
krodho vṛkkau manyur āṇḍau prajā śepaḥ ॥
Anger is the kidneys, passion is the scrotum, children are the creative urge.
9.7.14
नदी सूत्री वर्षस्य पतय स्तना स्तनयित्नुर् ऊधः ॥
nadī sūtrī varṣasya pataya stanā stanayitnur ūdhaḥ ॥
Streams are the umbilical cord, clouds of rain are breasts, thunder is the udders.
9.7.15
विश्वव्यचास् चर्मौषधयो लोमानि नक्षत्राणि रूपम् ॥
viśvavyacās carmauṣadhayo lomāni nakṣatrāṇi rūpam ॥
World covering space is the skin, herbs and trees are hair, clusters of stars are the form.
9.7.16
देवजना गुदा मनुष्या आन्त्राण्य् अत्रा उदरम् ॥
devajanā gudā manuṣyā āntrāṇy atrā udaram ॥
Serpents and demons are rectal muscles, humans are intestines, eaters are the stomach.
9.7.17
रक्षांसि लोहितम् इतरजना ऊबध्यम् ॥
rakṣāṃsi lohitam itarajanā ūbadhyam ॥
Ogres are the blood, the rest of people are the dung. ;^xft^:qTSTTf5SFhi;il II
9.7.18
अभ्रं पीबो मज्जा निधनम् ॥
abhraṃ pībo majjā nidhanam ॥
Heavy clouds are obesity, settlement is marrow. IVcn/ II II
9.7.19
अग्निर् आसीन उत्थितो ऽश्विना ॥
agnir āsīna utthito 'śvinā ॥
Sitting, it is Agni, up and doing, it is Ashvins.
9.7.20
इन्द्रः प्राङ् तिष्ठन् दक्षिणा तिष्ठन् यमः ॥
indraḥ prāṅ tiṣṭhan dakṣiṇā tiṣṭhan yamaḥ ॥
Abiding eastwards, it is Indra, abiding southwards, it is Yama.
9.7.21
प्रत्यङ् तिष्ठन् धातोदङ् तिष्ठन्त् सविता ॥
pratyaṅ tiṣṭhan dhātodaṅ tiṣṭhant savitā ॥
Facing westwards, it is Dhata, abiding northwards, it is Savita.
9.7.22
तृणानि प्राप्तः सोमो राजा ॥
tṛṇāni prāptaḥ somo rājā ॥
Reaching the grasses, it is life-ruling Soma. 37T^ ii ii
9.7.23
मित्र ईक्षमाण आवृत्त आनन्दः ॥
mitra īkṣamāṇa āvṛtta ānandaḥ ॥
In will and desire, it is Mitra, vibrant and ecstatic, it is Ananda.
9.7.24
युज्यमानो वैश्वदेवो युक्तः प्रजापतिर् विमुक्तः सर्वम् ॥
yujyamāno vaiśvadevo yuktaḥ prajāpatir vimuktaḥ sarvam ॥
In the act of creative harness, it is one with universal natural forces of evolution, pervasive omnipresent, it is Prajapati, Self-released on devolution, it is all in one.
9.7.25
एतद् वै विश्वरूपं सर्वरूपं गोरूपम् ॥
etad vai viśvarūpaṃ sarvarūpaṃ gorūpam ॥
It is thus this universal form. All-form of the cosmos, metaphor of the Cow.
9.7.26
उपैनं विश्वरूपाः सर्वरूपाः पशवस् तिष्ठन्ति य एवं वेद ॥
upainaṃ viśvarūpāḥ sarvarūpāḥ paśavas tiṣṭhanti ya evaṃ veda ॥
Sūkta 8
Atharvaveda 9.8 · 22 mantras
9.8.1
शीर्षक्तिं शीर्षामयं कर्णशूलं विलोहितम् ।
सर्वं शीर्षन्यं ते रोगं बहिर् निर् मन्त्रयामहे ॥
śīrṣaktiṃ śīrṣāmayaṃ karṇaśūlaṃ vilohitam ।
sarvaṃ śīrṣanyaṃ te rogaṃ bahir nir mantrayāmahe ॥
With careful diagnosis, prescription and treatment we cure you of all your ailments of the head: headache, neurological disturbance, earache, paleness or ruddiness on the face due to underflow or overflow of blood.
9.8.2
कर्णाभ्यां ते कङ्कूषेभ्यः कर्णशूलं विसल्पकम् ।
सर्वं शीर्षन्यं ते रोगं बहिर् निर् मन्त्रयामहे ॥
karṇābhyāṃ te kaṅkūṣebhyaḥ karṇaśūlaṃ visalpakam ।
sarvaṃ śīrṣanyaṃ te rogaṃ bahir nir mantrayāmahe ॥
With careful diagnosis and treatment we cure all your neurological ailments: we cure your growing earache from your ears and the inner parts of the ears.
9.8.3
यस्य हेतोः प्रच्यवते यक्ष्मः कर्णतो आस्यतः ।
सर्वं शीर्षन्यं ते रोगं बहिर् निर् मन्त्रयामहे ॥
yasya hetoḥ pracyavate yakṣmaḥ karṇato āsyataḥ ।
sarvaṃ śīrṣanyaṃ te rogaṃ bahir nir mantrayāmahe ॥
By the method of treatment with which the pain is removed from the ear and mouth, we expel your neurological ailment with proper diagnosis and prescription of medication.
9.8.4
यः कृणोति प्रमोतम् अन्धं कृणोति पूरुषम् ।
सर्वं शीर्षन्यं ते रोगं बहिर् निर् मन्त्रयामहे ॥
yaḥ kṛṇoti pramotam andhaṃ kṛṇoti pūruṣam ।
sarvaṃ śīrṣanyaṃ te rogaṃ bahir nir mantrayāmahe ॥
The cause that makes a person deaf and dumb or blind, all that neurological trouble of yours, O patient, we expel from your head with proper diagnosis and treatment.
9.8.5
अङ्गभेदम् अङ्गज्वरम् विश्वाङ्ग्यं विसल्पकम् ।
सर्वं शीर्षन्यं ते रोगं बहिर् निर् मन्त्रयामहे ॥
aṅgabhedam aṅgajvaram viśvāṅgyaṃ visalpakam ।
sarvaṃ śīrṣanyaṃ te rogaṃ bahir nir mantrayāmahe ॥
Rheumatism that spreads all over the body part by part, fever that pains all over the body, and all ailments of the head we remove with proper treatment and medication.
9.8.6
यस्य भीमः प्रतीकाश उद्वेपयति पूरुषम् ।
तक्मानं विश्वशारदं बहिर् निर् मन्त्रयामहे ॥
yasya bhīmaḥ pratīkāśa udvepayati pūruṣam ।
takmānaṃ viśvaśāradaṃ bahir nir mantrayāmahe ॥
The terrible fever whose onslaught shakes the patient all over and lasts for the whole year, we cure and expel with proper diagnosis and treatment.
9.8.7
य ऊरू अनुसर्पत्य् अथो एति गवीनिके ।
यक्ष्मं ते अन्तर् अङ्गेभ्यो बहिर् निर् मन्त्रयामहे ॥
ya ūrū anusarpaty atho eti gavīnike ।
yakṣmaṃ te antar aṅgebhyo bahir nir mantrayāmahe ॥
The consumption that starts and spreads through the thighs and rises to the groins, we uproot from the interior of your limbs with proper diagnosis and treatment. ch I it I'd M cw it I I ■^f¥i
9.8.8
यदि कामाद् अपकामाद् धृदयाज् जायते परि ।
हृदो बलासम् अङ्गेभ्यो बहिर् निर् मन्त्रयामहे ॥
yadi kāmād apakāmād dhṛdayāj jāyate pari ।
hṛdo balāsam aṅgebhyo bahir nir mantrayāmahe ॥
If the Bronchitis or Phthisis arises from worry and desire or from hate, anger and jealousy, conscious or unconscious, affects the heart all over and spreads further, that consumption we expel from the heart and other parts of the body with proper diagnosis and treatment.
9.8.9
हरिमाणं ते अङ्गेभ्यो ऽप्वाम् अन्तरोदरात् ।
यक्ष्मोधाम् अन्तर् आत्मनो बहिर् निर् मन्त्रयामहे ॥
harimāṇaṃ te aṅgebhyo 'pvām antarodarāt ।
yakṣmodhām antar ātmano bahir nir mantrayāmahe ॥
Jaundice and anaemia from all your body system, chronic wind, indigestion and pain from the intestines, and consumption, cancer and the very fear and suspicion of it, we expel from your body and mind with proper diagnosis and physical and psychic treatment.
9.8.10
आसो बलासो भवतु मूत्रं भवत्व् आमयत् ।
यक्ष्माणां सर्वेषां विषं निर् अवोचम् अहं त्वत् ॥
āso balāso bhavatu mūtraṃ bhavatv āmayat ।
yakṣmāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ viṣaṃ nir avocam ahaṃ tvat ॥
Let the consumption go out to dust through the cough, let the chronic indigestion and pain flow out with the urine. Thus do I speak of the curative formula of the poison of all consumptive diseases.
9.8.11
बहिर् बिलं निर् द्रवतु काहाबाहं तवोदरात् ।
यक्ष्माणां सर्वेषां विषं निर् अवोचम् अहं त्वत् ॥
bahir bilaṃ nir dravatu kāhābāhaṃ tavodarāt ।
yakṣmāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ viṣaṃ nir avocam ahaṃ tvat ॥
Let the disturbing ailment of wind and indigestion go out of your stomach through the excretory organs. Thus have I spoken of the curative formula of the poison of all consumptive diseases.
9.8.12
उदरात् ते क्लोम्नो नाभ्या हृदयाद् अधि ।
यक्ष्माणां सर्वेषां विषं निर् अवोचम् अहं त्वत् ॥
udarāt te klomno nābhyā hṛdayād adhi ।
yakṣmāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ viṣaṃ nir avocam ahaṃ tvat ॥
I have spoken to you of the formula of the removal of the root and poison of all consumptive diseases from your abdomen, lungs, navel and the heart all over.
9.8.13
याः सीमानं विरुजन्ति मूर्धानं प्रत्य् अर्षनीः ।
अहिंसन्तीर् अनामया निर् द्रवन्तु बहिर् बिलम् ॥
yāḥ sīmānaṃ virujanti mūrdhānaṃ praty arṣanīḥ ।
ahiṃsantīr anāmayā nir dravantu bahir bilam ॥
Let the germs, ailments and dire pains which flow with the blood to the head and afflict the top of the brain turn unafflictive and un-infective and let them flow out of the system through the excretory organs.
9.8.14
या हृदयम् उपर्षन्त्य् अनुतन्वन्ति कीकसाः ।
अहिंसन्तीर् अनामया निर् द्रवन्तु बहिर् बिलम् ॥
yā hṛdayam uparṣanty anutanvanti kīkasāḥ ।
ahiṃsantīr anāmayā nir dravantu bahir bilam ॥
Let the germs, ailments and dire pains which flow with the blood, affect the heart and spread over the chest bones turn unafflictive and trouble free and let them flow out of the system through the excretory organs.
9.8.15
याः पार्श्वे उपर्षन्त्य् अनुनिक्षन्ति पृष्टीः ।
अहिंसन्तीर् अनामया निर् द्रवन्तु बहिर् बिलम् ॥
yāḥ pārśve uparṣanty anunikṣanti pṛṣṭīḥ ।
ahiṃsantīr anāmayā nir dravantu bahir bilam ॥
Let the germs, ailments and dire pains which affect the sides and pierce the bones of the back of the chest and the spine turn unafflictive and trouble free and let them flow out of the system through the excretory organs.
9.8.16
यास् तिरश्चीः उपर्षन्त्य् अर्षणीर् वक्षणासु ते ।
अहिंसन्तीर् अनामया निर् द्रवन्तु बहिर् बिलम् ॥
yās tiraścīḥ uparṣanty arṣaṇīr vakṣaṇāsu te ।
ahiṃsantīr anāmayā nir dravantu bahir bilam ॥
Let those that run cross-wise on the sides in the blood vessels turn unafflictive and trouble-free and let them flow out through the excretory organs.
9.8.17
या गुदा अनुसर्पन्त्य् आन्त्राणि मोहयन्ति च ।
अहिंसन्तीर् अनामया निर् द्रवन्तु बहिर् बिलम् ॥
yā gudā anusarpanty āntrāṇi mohayanti ca ।
ahiṃsantīr anāmayā nir dravantu bahir bilam ॥
Let those that affect the rectum and desensitise the intestines turn unafflictive and trouble free and flow out through the excretory organs.
9.8.18
या मज्ज्ञो निर्धयन्ति परूंषि विरुजन्ति च ।
अहिंसन्तीर् अनामया निर् द्रवन्तु बहिर् बिलम् ॥
yā majjño nirdhayanti parūṃṣi virujanti ca ।
ahiṃsantīr anāmayā nir dravantu bahir bilam ॥
Let those that drain the marrow and afflict the vertebrae turn unafflictive and trouble free and flow out
9.8.19
ये अङ्गानि मदयन्ति यक्ष्मासो रोपणास् तव ।
यक्ष्माणां सर्वेषां विषं निर् अवोचम् अहं त्वत् ॥
ye aṅgāni madayanti yakṣmāso ropaṇās tava ।
yakṣmāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ viṣaṃ nir avocam ahaṃ tvat ॥
I have given you the formula of the elimination of the root and poison of all the consumptive diseases, fevers, cancers and gripers which afflict, inflame and exhaust your body systems.
9.8.20
विसल्पस्य विद्रधस्य वातीकारस्य वालजेः ।
यक्ष्माणां सर्वेषां विषं निर् अवोचम् अहं त्वत् ॥
visalpasya vidradhasya vātīkārasya vālajeḥ ।
yakṣmāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ viṣaṃ nir avocam ahaṃ tvat ॥
I have given you the formula of the elimination of the root and poison of all the consumptive diseases, infective and contageous, heart sore, rheumatic and allergies.
9.8.21
पादाभ्यां ते जानुभ्यां श्रोणिभ्यां परि भंससः ।
अनूकाद् अर्षणीर् उष्णिहाभ्यः शीर्ष्णो रोगम् अनीनशम् ॥
pādābhyāṃ te jānubhyāṃ śroṇibhyāṃ pari bhaṃsasaḥ ।
anūkād arṣaṇīr uṣṇihābhyaḥ śīrṣṇo rogam anīnaśam ॥
I have eliminated the pain and disease from your feet, knees, hips, loins, spine, back of the neck and the head, with careful mantric diagnosis and formulaic medication.
9.8.22
सं ते शीर्ष्णः कपालानि हृदयस्य च यो विधुः ।
उद्यन्न् आदित्य रश्मिभिः शीर्ष्णो रोगम् अनीनशो ऽङ्गभेदम् अशीशमः ॥
saṃ te śīrṣṇaḥ kapālāni hṛdayasya ca yo vidhuḥ ।
udyann āditya raśmibhiḥ śīrṣṇo rogam anīnaśo 'ṅgabhedam aśīśamaḥ ॥
O patient, may the skull bones of your head and the beat of your heart be healthy and harmonious, while, O Rising Sun, with your radiant rays you have eliminated the disease and relieved the racking pain from his body system. (Aditya here is a metaphor of the physician.)
Sūkta 9 — Aditya, Adhyatmam Devata, Brahma Rshi
Atharvaveda 9.9 · 22 mantras
9.9.1
अस्य वामस्य पलितस्य होतुस् तस्य भ्राता मध्यमो अस्त्य् अश्नः ।
तृतीयो भ्राता घृतपृष्ठो अस्यात्रापश्यं विश्पतिं सप्तपुत्रम् ॥
asya vāmasya palitasya hotus tasya bhrātā madhyamo asty aśnaḥ ।
tṛtīyo bhrātā ghṛtapṛṣṭho asyātrāpaśyaṃ viśpatiṃ saptaputram ॥
Of this splendid, blazing and ancient high priest of solar yajna, which gives light and energy and takes the waters and essences of earth and sky, the second, younger and middling brother is Vayu, wind and electricity, abiding in the middle region of the sky, the energy voracious and present every where. The third and youngest brother is Agni, fire, which is sprinkled with ghrta and water. Here in the sun I see the sustainer of people and progenitor of seven light-children together in the spectrum. (Sapta-putram may also be interpreted as the father of seven planets, i.e., Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn preceded by Rahu and Ketu, Dragon’s Head and Dragon’s Tail.)
9.9.2
सप्त युञ्जन्ति रथम् एकचक्रम् एको अश्वो वहति सप्तनामा ।
त्रिनाभि चक्रम् अजरम् अनर्वं यत्रेमा विश्वा भुवनाधि तस्थुः ॥
sapta yuñjanti ratham ekacakram eko aśvo vahati saptanāmā ।
trinābhi cakram ajaram anarvaṃ yatremā viśvā bhuvanādhi tasthuḥ ॥
Seven join the one wheel chariot of the sun drawn by one horse of light of seven names. The wheel, the wheel of time, unaging and automotive, has three sub-wheels with three naves and rims, three seasons, or past, present and future, three chronological divisions of time. And in this time and space orbit of the sun, abide all the worlds of the universe.
9.9.3
इमं रथम् अधि ये सप्त तस्थुः सप्तचक्रं सप्त वहन्त्य् अश्वाः ।
सप्त स्वसारो अभि सं नवन्त यत्र गवाम् निहिता सप्त नाम ॥
imaṃ ratham adhi ye sapta tasthuḥ saptacakraṃ sapta vahanty aśvāḥ ।
sapta svasāro abhi saṃ navanta yatra gavām nihitā sapta nāma ॥
Seven are those who ride this chariot, that is, seven motive powers, the rays of light, or the seven planets, wheels within wheel, which draw this chariot. They are seven moving sisters who exult and adore together with reverence the father wherein are hidden in depth seven names of the light, seven spheres, seven notes of music and seven metric forms of the Vedic language.
9.9.4
को ददर्श प्रथमं जायमानम् अस्थन्वन्तं यद् अनस्था बिभर्ति ।
भूम्या असुर् असृग् आत्मा क्व स्वित् को विद्वांसम् उप गात् प्रष्टुम् एतत् ॥
ko dadarśa prathamaṃ jāyamānam asthanvantaṃ yad anasthā bibharti ।
bhūmyā asur asṛg ātmā kva svit ko vidvāṃsam upa gāt praṣṭum etat ॥
Who saw the first material form of the universe of flesh and bone being born, which the immaterial progenitor of no flesh and bone bears? What and where was the breath and blood and soul of the earth and the universe? Who would go to the wizard of knowledge to ask all this of the first and last question about the
9.9.5
इह ब्रवीतु य ईम् अङ्ग वेदास्य वामस्य निहितं पदं वेः ।
शीर्ष्णः क्षीरं दुह्रते गावो अस्य वव्रिं वसाना उदकं पदा ऽपुः ॥
iha bravītu ya īm aṅga vedāsya vāmasya nihitaṃ padaṃ veḥ ।
śīrṣṇaḥ kṣīraṃ duhrate gāvo asya vavriṃ vasānā udakaṃ padā 'puḥ ॥
Dear friend, here may speak to me he that well knows of the power and presence of this glorious Bird ever on the wing and omnipresent, which is concealed in mystery. The holy rays of it from above yield showers of milk and water for life and, covered in brilliant beauty, they drink up the waters as they come and touch the earth with their presence.
9.9.6
पाकः पृछामि मनसा ऽविजानन् देवानाम् एना निहिता पदानि ।
वत्से बष्कये ऽधि सप्त तन्तून् वि तत्निरे कवय ओतवा उ ॥
pākaḥ pṛchāmi manasā 'vijānan devānām enā nihitā padāni ।
vatse baṣkaye 'dhi sapta tantūn vi tatnire kavaya otavā u ॥
Simple at heart, ignorant yet keen for knowledge, I ask with sincere mind and soul about these seven divine stages of the evolution of nature and life concealed in mystery, the sevenfold warp and woof of which, visionary sages have traced and described in detail for the children of light to see and know and realise.
9.9.7
अचिकित्वांस् चिकितुषश् चिद् अत्र कवीन् पृछामि विद्वनो न विद्वान् ।
वि यस् तस्तम्भ षट् इमा रजांस्य् अजस्य रूपे किं अपि स्विद् एकम् ॥
acikitvāṃs cikituṣaś cid atra kavīn pṛchāmi vidvano na vidvān ।
vi yas tastambha ṣaṭ imā rajāṃsy ajasya rūpe kiṃ api svid ekam ॥
Not knowing what I would know here, as a man of knowledge should know, I ask of the men of knowledge and poets of divine vision what that single principle or power could be in the form and nature of the one unborn and eternal Supreme which holds these six higher and lower spheres and atmospheres of the universe.
9.9.8
माता पितरम् ऋत आ बभाज ऽधीत्य् अग्रे मनसा सं हि जग्मे ।
सा बीभत्सुर् गर्भरसा निविद्धा नमस्वन्त इद् उपवाकम् ईयुः ॥
mātā pitaram ṛta ā babhāja 'dhīty agre manasā saṃ hi jagme ।
sā bībhatsur garbharasā nividdhā namasvanta id upavākam īyuḥ ॥
The proud and amorous mother Prakrti seeks the father, Supreme Spirit of the universe, and joins him with love and her innate power of motherhood. Then she receives the rain showers of the seeds of life, and the children of nature receive the form and food for life and the Word of knowledge for the mind with reverence and worship.
9.9.9
युक्ता मातासिद् धुरि दक्षिणाया अतिष्ठद् गर्भो वृजनीष्व् अन्तः ।
अमीमेद् वत्सो अनु गाम् अपश्यद् विश्वरूप्यं त्रिषु योगनेषु ॥
yuktā mātāsid dhuri dakṣiṇāyā atiṣṭhad garbho vṛjanīṣv antaḥ ।
amīmed vatso anu gām apaśyad viśvarūpyaṃ triṣu yoganeṣu ॥
The mother, earth, is joined to the sun and held in orbit in circumambulation of the sun on its own axis. The productive power and the seed of life stays in the clouds within its atmosphere along with it in its motion in three orbits, i.e., on its own axis, round the sun and in the galaxy, and when it matures it roars and showers, looking at life of various colours and forms like a calf looking at the mother cow.
9.9.10
तिस्रो मतॄस् त्रीन् पितॄन् बिभ्रद् एक उर्ध्वस् तस्थौ नेम् अव ग्लापयन्त ।
मन्त्रयन्ते दिवो अमुष्य पृष्ठे विश्वविदो वाचम् अविश्वविन्नाम् ॥
tisro matṝs trīn pitṝn bibhrad eka urdhvas tasthau nem ava glāpayanta ।
mantrayante divo amuṣya pṛṣṭhe viśvavido vācam aviśvavinnām ॥
The One Supreme Lord of the universe, who abides over all, sustains the three mothers, earth, sky and the heavens of light. He also sustains the three fathers, agni, vayu and Aditya, fire, wind the sun. These three couples tire him not, they smear him not. On the heights of that lord Prajapati’s heaven, sages meditate on the voice of omniscience which is not within the reach of all.
9.9.11
पञ्चारे चक्रे परिवर्तमाने यस्मिन्न् आतस्थुर् भुवनानि विश्वा ।
तस्य नाक्षस् तप्यते भूरिभारः सनाद् एव न छिद्यते सनाभिः ॥
pañcāre cakre parivartamāne yasminn ātasthur bhuvanāni viśvā ।
tasya nākṣas tapyate bhūribhāraḥ sanād eva na chidyate sanābhiḥ ॥
Five are the spokes in the wheel of time-cumPrakrti, temporal existence of the physical world. (These are five elements of Prakrti: space, energy, heat, water and earth and their changes in time.) This wheel of Prakrti is ever on the move. In that wheel of time and physical change abide all the worlds of the universe, the axis of that wheel carries the immense burden of existence but it never gets heated. With its centre-hold, on this axis it has been going on and on since eternity and it will go on eternally, but it never wears away, it is never broken off. (The axis of the physio-temporal wheel is the constant substratum, original Prakrti, and the centrehold is the Lord Supreme.)
9.9.12
पञ्चपादं पितरं द्वादशाकृतिं दिव आहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम् ।
अथेमे अन्य उपरे विचक्षणे सप्तचक्रे षडर आहुर् अर्पितम् ॥
pañcapādaṃ pitaraṃ dvādaśākṛtiṃ diva āhuḥ pare ardhe purīṣiṇam ।
atheme anya upare vicakṣaṇe saptacakre ṣaḍara āhur arpitam ॥
Father Time, they say has five stages from the moment onward upto Ayana and twelve divisions in the round of the year of time extending over existence in the farther half of the universe beyond the region of light. These others speak of this other half, visible in the light this side above, below the sun, which has six spokes of the seasons in the yearly round and moves in seven rounds of the wheels, wheel within wheel of time.
9.9.13
द्वादशारं नहि तज् जराय वर्वर्ति चक्रं परि द्याम् ऋतस्य ।
आ पुत्रा अग्ने मिथुनासो अत्र सप्त शतानि विंशतिश् च तस्थुः ॥
dvādaśāraṃ nahi taj jarāya varvarti cakraṃ pari dyām ṛtasya ।
ā putrā agne mithunāso atra sapta śatāni viṃśatiś ca tasthuḥ ॥
The twelve-spoke wheel of time in existence that goes round and round the cosmic sun never ages. O Agni, light of humanity, the seven hundred and twenty children of nature, i.e., three hundred and sixty day-night pairs or seven hundred and twenty forms of material composition, remain till the end of chronological time.
9.9.14
सनेमि चक्रम् अजरं वि ववृत उत्तानायां दश युक्ता वहन्ति ।
सूर्यस्य चक्षू रजसैत्य् आवृतं यस्मिन्न् आतस्थुर् भुवनानि विश्वा ॥
sanemi cakram ajaraṃ vi vavṛta uttānāyāṃ daśa yuktā vahanti ।
sūryasya cakṣū rajasaity āvṛtaṃ yasminn ātasthur bhuvanāni viśvā ॥
Existent with its centre and circumference, the unaging wheel, chariot, of the universe of physiotemporal character goes on and on, round and round. In the expansive evolution of Prakrti, ten motive powers move it on, those ten being the pranic energies. The light of the sun suffused with Rajas, cosmic energy, goes on with the worlds. Indeed, all the worlds of existence abide vested in that light and energy.
9.9.15
स्त्रियः सतीस् ताम् उ मे पुंसः आहुः पश्यद् अक्षण्वान्न् वि चेतद् अन्धः ।
कविर् यः पुत्रः स ईम् आ चिकेत यस् ता विजानात् स पितुष् पितासत् ॥
striyaḥ satīs tām u me puṃsaḥ āhuḥ paśyad akṣaṇvānn vi cetad andhaḥ ।
kavir yaḥ putraḥ sa īm ā ciketa yas tā vijānāt sa pituṣ pitāsat ॥
Women, though they are women, they say as I am told, they are men too for sure. The one that has eyes sees and knows this, but the blind does not see this, nor does he know. The man of poetic vision and wisdom, even though he be a son, not father, knows this well, and one who knows this has an old head on young shoulders.
9.9.16
साकंजानां सप्तथम् आहुर् एकजं षड् इद् यमा ऋषयो देवजा इति ।
तेषाम् इष्टानि विहितानि धामश स्थात्रे रेजन्ते विकृतानि रूपशः ॥
sākaṃjānāṃ saptatham āhur ekajaṃ ṣaḍ id yamā ṛṣayo devajā iti ।
teṣām iṣṭāni vihitāni dhāmaśa sthātre rejante vikṛtāni rūpaśaḥ ॥
Seven simultaneously bom of one unborn, they call a Septet, that is, seven-in-one and one-in-seven. Six of them are ‘Yamas’, twin movers. They are Rshis, formative evolutioners, bom of Devas, light and energy. Their properties and actions according to their place and character are created and ordained, and they, each in its form and character, move around for and in the unmoved mover. (These seven are the seven lokas: Bhu, Bhuva, Sva, Maha, Jana, Tapa, and Satyam. Sometimes the lokas are associated with Rshis, sometimes described as seven senses, and sometimes seven pranic energies. All these refer, in fact point to a theory of correspondencies existing at the physical, mental and spiritual levels, or at the level of matter, energy and thought and spirit. And this is a subject for high research and deep meditation.)
9.9.17
अवः परेण पर एना अवरेण पदा वत्सं बिभ्रती गौर् उद् अस्थात् ।
सा कद्रीची कं स्विद् अर्धं परागात् क्व स्वित् सूते नहि यूथे अस्मिन् ॥
avaḥ pareṇa para enā avareṇa padā vatsaṃ bibhratī gaur ud asthāt ।
sā kadrīcī kaṃ svid ardhaṃ parāgāt kva svit sūte nahi yūthe asmin ॥
Bearing her calf, the moon, the cow, the earth, by her own motion goes down with reference to that farther side, and goes up with reference to this nearer side in relation to the sun and stays up there stabilised in space in its own orbit. In what direction and to which remote region of space does she go beyond the half in the middle? What does she impel and energise and produce and how? Does she receive the consecration of the sun in the midst of a constellation or not?
9.9.18
अवः परेण पितरं यो अस्य वेदावः परेण पर एनावरेण ।
कवीयमानः क इह प्र वोचद् देवं मनः कुतो अधि प्रजातम् ॥
avaḥ pareṇa pitaraṃ yo asya vedāvaḥ pareṇa para enāvareṇa ।
kavīyamānaḥ ka iha pra vocad devaṃ manaḥ kuto adhi prajātam ॥
Here, who could be the man of poetic vision who would know this lower side of the earth with reference to that other higher side, and that higher side with reference to this lower side, and who further would know the father Sun, lord sustainer of the earth, and could say where from this brilliant and divine Devamind is born? (Deva-mind, yaksha-mind, prajnana, cheta, dhrti, universal, memory and vashikarana, all these levels, orders and modes of the mind are described in yajurveda 34, 1-6. Deva mind is the waking-mind which works with the senses, analyses the perceptions and helps the observer to come to conclusion. We may call it the scientific mind. Here, however, Deva mind may be interpreted in this particular, scientific, sense as well as in the comprehensive sense of all these taken together.)
9.9.19
ये अर्वाञ्चस् ताम् उ पराच आहुर् ये पराञ्चस् तां उ अर्वाच आहुः ।
इन्द्रश् च या चक्रथुः सोम तानि धुरा न युक्ता रजसो वहन्ति ॥
ye arvāñcas tām u parāca āhur ye parāñcas tāṃ u arvāca āhuḥ ।
indraś ca yā cakrathuḥ soma tāni dhurā na yuktā rajaso vahanti ॥
Whatever objects are near, they say, are far off, and the objects far off, they say, are close at hand. (All objects are on the move, and whether they are far or near is a matter of relativity. It is nothing absolute.) O Soma, lord of creative energy, whatever you and Indra, lord omnipotent of motive energy, have formed, as objects or as clusters of objects such as constellations of stars and galaxies, carry on the worlds of the universe as horses joined to the yoke and the pole draw the chariot for the Master.
9.9.20
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परि षस्वजाते ।
तयोर् अन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्व् अत्त्य् अनश्नन्न् अन्यो अभि चाकशीति ॥
dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pari ṣasvajāte ।
tayor anyaḥ pippalaṃ svādv atty anaśnann anyo abhi cākaśīti ॥
Two birds, of beautiful wings, the individual soul and the Supreme Soul of the universe, both friends and companions, together nest on the same one Tree of existence. Of the two, one, the individual soul, eats the fruit with relish and enjoys as well as suffers the consequences. The other, the Supreme Soul, simply watches comprehensively all round, without eating anything.
9.9.21
यस्मिन् वृक्षे मध्वदः सुपर्णा निविशन्ते सुवते चाधि विश्वे ।
तस्य यद् आहुः पिप्पलं स्वाद्व् अग्रे तन् नोन् नशद् यः पितरं न वेद ॥
yasmin vṛkṣe madhvadaḥ suparṇā niviśante suvate cādhi viśve ।
tasya yad āhuḥ pippalaṃ svādv agre tan non naśad yaḥ pitaraṃ na veda ॥
To that tree over and above the mortal world whereon the super-souls of beautiful wings of blessed action nestle in a state of consecration and taste the nectar honey of divine joy, whose taste of the fruit the
9.9.22
यत्रा सुपर्णा अमृतस्य भक्षम् अनिमेषं विदथाभिस्वरन्ति ।
एना विश्वस्य भुवनस्य गोपाः स मा धीरः पाकम् अत्रा विवेश ॥
yatrā suparṇā amṛtasya bhakṣam animeṣaṃ vidathābhisvaranti ।
enā viśvasya bhuvanasya gopāḥ sa mā dhīraḥ pākam atrā viveśa ॥
Sūkta 10
Atharvaveda 9.10 · 28 mantras
9.10.1
यद् गायत्रे अधि गायत्रम् आहितं त्रैष्टुभं वा त्रैष्टुभान् निरतक्षत ।
यद् वा जगज् जगत्य् आहितं पदं य इत् तद् विदुस् ते अमृतत्वम् आनुशुः ॥
yad gāyatre adhi gāyatram āhitaṃ traiṣṭubhaṃ vā traiṣṭubhān niratakṣata ।
yad vā jagaj jagaty āhitaṃ padaṃ ya it tad vidus te amṛtatvam ānuśuḥ ॥
Those sages attain to that highest immortal state of imperishable bliss and freedom of Moksha who know and realise that divine power and protective presence which is celebrated in the Gayatri verses through the Gayatri metre. That presence is the Spirit which is distilled into the soul from Trishtup verses of the Veda and from the triple world of earth, middle regions and the heavens through knowledge, action and meditation. That same Spirit energises the Jagati verses of the Veda and vibrates in the moving universe and that alone the moving universe too vibrates in living existence. (That highest state of Being, that Pada, is Aum, as stated in Kathopanishad, 1, 2, 15 and Gita, 8, 11-13.)
9.10.2
गायत्रेण प्रति मिमीते अर्कम् अर्केण साम त्रैष्टुभेन वाकम् ।
वाकेन वाकं द्विपदा चतुष्पदाक्षरेण मिमते सप्त वाणीः ॥
gāyatreṇa prati mimīte arkam arkeṇa sāma traiṣṭubhena vākam ।
vākena vākaṃ dvipadā catuṣpadākṣareṇa mimate sapta vāṇīḥ ॥
With Gayatri metre, the Divine poet composes the Rks, Rgveda. With Rks, the Samans are composed. With Trishtubh, Vaka, Yajurveda is composed. By Vaka, further Vaka, Atharva-veda, is composed. And with two-pada, four-pada, constituents of the eternal word all the seven forms of metric composition of the Veda are formed. (Vedic language, scientifically, works at different corresponding levels: physical world, knowledge of the world of existence, and the language of knowledge. Here the creation of knowledge and language is described. ‘Gayatra’, for example, means scientific knwoledge (Yajurveda, 12, 4), protector of celebrants (Rgveda, 1, 164, 23), the earth (Kaushitaki energy (Taittiriya Brahmana (3, 3, 5, 3), and so on. In scientific terms of Veda, Gayatri is Parameshthi Prana, universal energy at the highest level. From universal energy, specific forms of energy are created. One of these specific forms is Rk, rhythmic energy operative in thought and consciousness. When pranic energy passes through a particular physical structure such as a reed or the larynx, sound is produced. When rhythm is added to sound, music is produced. When the segments of sound are related to particular points of the speech mechanism, phonemes, basic units of language, are formed. And when these elements of sound are joined and formed in correspondence with thought and awareness then language is created. When feeling and emotion is added to language and expressed, then song is created and composed. Thus from Rks, thought energies of consciousness composed in language joined to celebrative joy, the Samans are created. When the music of song and joy of consciousness are joined to practical situations in the holy business of living, then the Yajus are created as holy formulations of life’s values. And then from thought, songs and practical formulae of holy living, the comprehensive body of Atharvans is created. The classification of Vedic knowledge is thus explained in terms of knowledge (Rgveda), song (Samaveda), Action (Yajurveda), and the comprehensive message of Atharva-veda which is also known as Brahma-veda. In this way, from the elements of divine energy, sound, thought, feeling and emotion specially love and joy, all language and linguistic composition, both divine and human, secular and sacred, are created and composed. For Aum and Gayatri, reference may be made to Mandukya Upanishad and Chhandogya Upanishad,
9.10.3
जगता सिन्धुं दिव्य् अस्कभायद् रथंतरे सूर्यं पर्य् अपश्यत् ।
गायत्रस्य समिधस् तिस्र आहुस् ततो मह्ना प्र रिरिचे महित्वा ॥
jagatā sindhuṃ divy askabhāyad rathaṃtare sūryaṃ pary apaśyat ।
gāyatrasya samidhas tisra āhus tato mahnā pra ririce mahitvā ॥
The Lord establishes the ocean of energy in the region of light by cosmic dynamics and Jagati hymns of Omnipotence. In the solar regions, over the middle regions of energy and on earth he establishes the sun, generative radiating source of light and energy, by the dynamics of Rathantara Samans. The blazing samits, orders of fire, cosmic energy, they say, are three: the sun in the regions of light, lightning, wind, and electricity in the middle regions, and fire and magnetic energy on the earth. And by His grand and adorable omnipotence, the Lord transcends them all.
9.10.4
उप ह्वये सुदुघां धेनुम् एतां सुहस्तो गोधुग् उत दोहद् एनाम् ।
श्रेष्ठं सवं सविता साविषन् नो ऽभीद्धो घर्मस् तद् उ षु प्र वोचत् ॥
upa hvaye sudughāṃ dhenum etāṃ suhasto godhug uta dohad enām ।
śreṣṭhaṃ savaṃ savitā sāviṣan no 'bhīddho gharmas tad u ṣu pra vocat ॥
I invoke and call upon this generous mother Cow, Mother Nature, Mother Sarasvati of knowledge, the Vedic voice of divinity at the closest—only a perceptive, intelligent and dexterous person can distil the essence and power of her generosity. May Savita, the creator, the sun, the teacher, create the soma of milk, honey and the light of knowledge for us and bless us. Lit up and blazing is the fire in the vedi. The same, the Lord has proclaimed for us.
9.10.5
हिङ्कृण्वती वसुपत्नी वसूनां वत्सम् इछन्ती मनसाभ्यागात् ।
दुहाम् अश्विभ्यां पयो अघ्न्येयं सा वर्धतां महते सौभगाय ॥
hiṅkṛṇvatī vasupatnī vasūnāṃ vatsam ichantī manasābhyāgāt ।
duhām aśvibhyāṃ payo aghnyeyaṃ sā vardhatāṃ mahate saubhagāya ॥
Lowing and loving, this holy Cow, this Vedic Voice, this sustainer of breath and supports of life, caressing her children with a heart of tenderness comes to bless us all round. May she, never never to be killed or hurt, distil the milk of life’s energy from the sun and wind and ever grow for the great good fortune and prosperity of life on earth.
9.10.6
गौर् अमीमेद् अभि वत्सं मिषन्तं मूर्धानं हिङ्ङ् अकृणोन् मातवा उ ।
सृक्वाणं घर्मम् अभि वावशाना मिमाति मायुं पयते पयोभिः ॥
gaur amīmed abhi vatsaṃ miṣantaṃ mūrdhānaṃ hiṅṅ akṛṇon mātavā u ।
sṛkvāṇaṃ gharmam abhi vāvaśānā mimāti māyuṃ payate payobhiḥ ॥
The holy Cow goes to the calf winking its eyes in loving expectation, lowing with love, and licks its head with caress. And lowing and loving more and more in response to the yearning affection of the calf, she overflows with the milk of life. (This same is the response of Mother Earth and Mother Sarasvati to her children yearning for love, nourishment and knowledge.)
9.10.7
अयं स शिङ्क्ते येन गौर् अभिवृता मिमाति मयुं ध्वसनाव् अधि श्रिता ।
सा चित्तिभिर् नि हि चकार मर्त्यान् विद्युद् भवन्ती प्रति वव्रिम् औहत ॥
ayaṃ sa śiṅkte yena gaur abhivṛtā mimāti mayuṃ dhvasanāv adhi śritā ।
sā cittibhir ni hi cakāra martyān vidyud bhavantī prati vavrim auhata ॥
This is that cloud, the thunder voice of Divinity, which roars and by which, covered and surrounded in the vapours, the earth reverberates in response. The earth, with her own acts of kindness and generosity, sustains the mortal children of hers, and her generosity, being in sonance with light and lightning, reveals and realises her own form and character, and recedes into the cloud at the end.
9.10.8
अनच् छये तुरगातु जीवम् एजद् ध्रुवं मध्य आ पस्त्यानाम् ।
जीवो मृतस्य चरति स्वधाभिर् अमर्त्यो मर्त्येना सयोनिः ॥
anac chaye turagātu jīvam ejad dhruvaṃ madhya ā pastyānām ।
jīvo mṛtasya carati svadhābhir amartyo martyenā sayoniḥ ॥
Living and breathing, moving at the speed of infinity yet constant, omnipresent, unmoved, the Spirit of the universe abides eternal, impelling the individual soul to move among the multitude of material forms. And thus the immortal spirit of mortal man moves around in love and company with the mortal forms of material beauty by virtue of its karma and yajnic service.
9.10.9
विधुं दद्राणं सलिलस्य पृष्ठे युवानं सन्तं पलितो जगार ।
देवस्य पश्य काव्यं महित्वाद्य ममार स ह्यः सम् आन ॥
vidhuṃ dadrāṇaṃ salilasya pṛṣṭhe yuvānaṃ santaṃ palito jagāra ।
devasya paśya kāvyaṃ mahitvādya mamāra sa hyaḥ sam āna ॥
Old age consumes even the youthful man of versatile action whom many fear to face, and flee in battle. Look at the inscrutable power of the Lord Divine by whose law of mutability the man alive yesterday is dead today, and the man who died yesterday is living today.
9.10.10
य ईं चकार न सो अस्य वेद य ईं ददर्श हिरुग् इन् नु तस्मात् ।
स मातुर् योना परिवीतो अन्तर् बहुप्रजा निरृतिर् आ विवेश ॥
ya īṃ cakāra na so asya veda ya īṃ dadarśa hirug in nu tasmāt ।
sa mātur yonā parivīto antar bahuprajā nirṛtir ā viveśa ॥
The One that creates this universe, the other, the ordinary individual soul, knows not of. The man that sees the creator of the universe is off from the process of mortality. But the other that knows not, goes off from the world, and, enveloped in the mother’s womb, covered in the folds of materiality within, is bom and enters the world of mortality for ages birth after birth.
9.10.11
अपश्यं गोपाम् अनिपद्यमानम् आ च परा च पथिभिश् चरन्तम् ।
स सध्रीचीः स विषूचीर् वसान आ वरीवर्ति भुवनेष्व् अन्तः ॥
apaśyaṃ gopām anipadyamānam ā ca parā ca pathibhiś carantam ।
sa sadhrīcīḥ sa viṣūcīr vasāna ā varīvarti bhuvaneṣv antaḥ ॥
I have seen and realised that universal protector of the world of nature and of the mother powers of life who, ever infallible and immaculate, is immanent and active over the nearest paths of existence and, pervading the centrifugal and centripetal forces of Prakrti, eternally rolls around in the worlds of the universe. (Note: This mantra can be interpreted with reference to the individual soul which is infallible and immaculate in the essence but not so in the existential state.)
9.10.12
द्यौर् नः पिता जनिता नाभिर् अत्र बन्धुर् नो माता पृथिवी महीयम् ।
उत्तानयोश् चम्वोर् योनिर् अन्तर् अत्रा पिता दुहितुर् गर्भम् आधात् ॥
dyaur naḥ pitā janitā nābhir atra bandhur no mātā pṛthivī mahīyam ।
uttānayoś camvor yonir antar atrā pitā duhitur garbham ādhāt ॥
The heaven above is our father and progenitor, our centre-hold, our haven and home here, our brother support to stand by. And this great earth, this nature, is our mother. Into the womb of these two great expansive creative powers, the middle region between heaven and earth, the father places the seeds of life through rain on the planet earth.
9.10.13
पृछामि त्वा परम् अन्तं पृथिव्याः पृछामि वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतः ।
पृछामि विश्वस्य भुवनस्य नाभिं पृछामि वाचः परमं व्योम ॥
pṛchāmi tvā param antaṃ pṛthivyāḥ pṛchāmi vṛṣṇo aśvasya retaḥ ।
pṛchāmi viśvasya bhuvanasya nābhiṃ pṛchāmi vācaḥ paramaṃ vyoma ॥
What is the highest ultimate end of the earth? I ask you. Where is the centre and centre-hold of the earth? I ask you. What is the life seed of the mighty generative force of Prajapati Ishvara? I ask. What is the ultimate source and origin from where the first boom of the Word arises? I ask you.
9.10.14
इयं वेदिः परो अन्तः पृथिव्या अयं सोमो वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतः ।
अयं यज्ञो विश्वस्य भुवनस्य नाभिर् ब्रह्मायं वाचः परमं व्योम ॥
iyaṃ vediḥ paro antaḥ pṛthivyā ayaṃ somo vṛṣṇo aśvasya retaḥ ।
ayaṃ yajño viśvasya bhuvanasya nābhir brahmāyaṃ vācaḥ paramaṃ vyoma ॥
This vedi, yajnic creativity and productivity of the earth, is the ultimate end and symbol of the earth. The vitality of the sun and the shower of Soma is the life seed of the infinitely generous creator. This yajna, meeting of solar vitality and earthly productivity, is the centre hold of the world. And this Brahma, immanent divine consciousness of the Lord, is the ultimate home of the Word whence it incarnates in the world as Veda.
9.10.15
न वि जानामि यद् इवेदम् अस्मि निण्यः संनद्धो मनसा चरामि ।
यदा मागन् प्रथमजा ऋतस्याद् इद् वाचो अश्नुवे भागम् अस्याः ॥
na vi jānāmi yad ivedam asmi niṇyaḥ saṃnaddho manasā carāmi ।
yadā māgan prathamajā ṛtasyād id vāco aśnuve bhāgam asyāḥ ॥
I do not know for sure what I am like or what this world is. Self-imposed, self-bound, I move around limited by mind and understanding. But when the first evolutes of Rtam, cosmic law and knowledge, and the revelations of this divine Word of truth bless me then I would realise my share of the knowledge of the reality of existence as it is.
9.10.16
अपाङ् प्राङ् एति स्वधया गृभीतो ऽमर्त्यो मर्त्येना सयोनिः ।
ता शश्वन्ता विषूचीना वियन्ता न्य् अन्यं चिक्युर् न नि चिक्युर् अन्यम् ॥
apāṅ prāṅ eti svadhayā gṛbhīto 'martyo martyenā sayoniḥ ।
tā śaśvantā viṣūcīnā viyantā ny anyaṃ cikyur na ni cikyur anyam ॥
The immortal soul, caught up in its own potential, goes back and forth coexistent with the mortal body. Both body and soul are eternal and eternally together, the body as Prakrti in the essence, and the soul as spirit. Both are different and going apart. Those who know, know one and the other, some know one but not the other, and those who do not know know neither.
9.10.17
सप्तार्धगर्भा भुवनस्य रेतो विष्णोस् तिष्ठन्ति प्रदिशा विधर्मणि ।
ते धीतिभिर् मनसा ते विपश्चितः परिभुवः परि भवन्ति विश्वतः ॥
saptārdhagarbhā bhuvanasya reto viṣṇos tiṣṭhanti pradiśā vidharmaṇi ।
te dhītibhir manasā te vipaścitaḥ paribhuvaḥ pari bhavanti viśvataḥ ॥
Seven evolutes of Prakrti, i.e., five elements and mind and senses (which evolve from Ahankara and Mahat-tattva) represent half of the divine process of creation, the other half being the creative seed or thought-sankalpa of Vishnu, Parameshthi Prajapati. By the will of Vishnu they bide by their functions and abide in the time-space continuum with their powers and properties, and they comprehend and rule the entire worlds of existence by the immanent will of the omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent Vishnu.
9.10.18
ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन् यस्मिन् देवा अधि विश्वे निषेदुः ।
यस् तन् न वेद किम् ऋचा करिष्यति य इत् तद् विदुस् ते अमी सम् आसते ॥
ṛco akṣare parame vyoman yasmin devā adhi viśve niṣeduḥ ।
yas tan na veda kim ṛcā kariṣyati ya it tad vidus te amī sam āsate ॥
The Rks, Vedas, exist in the omniscient Supreme Spirit of existence, infinite and imperishable as the eternal and ultimate Space-time continuum. In That all the divine powers of creation and existence subsist. If one does not know that what would he or she achieve by mere words of the Rks? Those who know and realise That, reside with That.
9.10.19
ऋचः पदं मात्रया कल्पयन्तो ऽर्धर्चेन चकॢपुर् विश्वम् एजत् ।
त्रिपाद् ब्रह्म पुरुरूपं वि तष्ठे तेन जीवन्ति प्रदिशश् चतस्रः ॥
ṛcaḥ padaṃ mātrayā kalpayanto 'rdharcena cakḷpur viśvam ejat ।
tripād brahma pururūpaṃ vi taṣṭhe tena jīvanti pradiśaś catasraḥ ॥
Deconstructing, reconstructing and realising the reality content, ‘artha’ (Patanjali’s yoga sutras, 3, 17), of the Rks, which is Aum, stage by stage through A, U, and M (Mandukyopanishad, 9-11), the sages simulate and recreate for themselves the active presence of Brahma by analytical study of the Rks and experience the three-stage Brahma of universal nature immanent in the threefold world of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, over earth, firmament and the heavens, by which they know that all the four quarters of space vibrate with life. (Refer also to Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 1, 3 how the sages come to realise the immanent presence of Brahma vibrating in the world of Prakrti.)
9.10.20
सूयवसाद् भगवती हि भूया अधा वयं भगवन्तः स्याम ।
अद्धि तृणम् अघ्न्ये विश्वदानीं पिब शुद्धम् उदकम् आचरन्ती ॥
sūyavasād bhagavatī hi bhūyā adhā vayaṃ bhagavantaḥ syāma ।
addhi tṛṇam aghnye viśvadānīṃ piba śuddham udakam ācarantī ॥
Adorable Voice of knowledge, vision and wisdom, be great and illustrious with holy food for mind and soul and then, we pray, we too may have the honour and prosperity of knowledge and well being. Holy and inviolable as mother cow living on pure food and drinking pure water, and conducting yourself always with kindness and grace, bless us with the generous gift of knowledge and the joy of life.
9.10.21
गौर् इन् मिमाय सलिलानि तक्षती एकपदी द्विपदी सा चतुष्पदी ।
अष्टापदी नवपदी बभूवुषी सहस्राक्षरा भुवनस्य पङ्क्तिस् तस्याः समुद्रा अधि वि क्षरन्ति ॥
gaur in mimāya salilāni takṣatī ekapadī dvipadī sā catuṣpadī ।
aṣṭāpadī navapadī babhūvuṣī sahasrākṣarā bhuvanasya paṅktis tasyāḥ samudrā adhi vi kṣaranti ॥
The Voice of Veda, knowledge and enlightenment, in spotless white light of the Word in the highest heaven of eternal omniscience, ever keen to reveal and grow, speaks loud and bold, stirring the stillness of space in waves of consciousness in the universal mind and in the pools of the seer’s mind, and thus reveals the Word in forms and structures for humanity: One Veda as the knowledge, two Vedas as knowledge and action, three Vedas as knowledge, action and prayer, four Vedas as one compendium of discrete forms, eightfold knowledge of four Vedas and four Upa-Vedas of practical knowledge such as health science (Ayurveda), military science (Dhanurveda), etc., and nine stage knowledge, the nineth being grammar, phonetics, etc. Indeed, this is knowledge contained in countless thousand variations of the One imperishable Word AUM. This is the expansive evolution of the universe of one Prakrti and of the one Word, and from that One, flow out the oceanic streams of nature and the Word.
9.10.22
कृष्णं नियानं हरयः सुपर्णा अपो वसाना दिवम् उत् पतन्ति ।
तं आववृत्रन्त् सदनाद् ऋतस्याद् इद् घृतेन पृथिवीं व्य् ऊदुः ॥
kṛṣṇaṃ niyānaṃ harayaḥ suparṇā apo vasānā divam ut patanti ।
taṃ āvavṛtrant sadanād ṛtasyād id ghṛtena pṛthivīṃ vy ūduḥ ॥
Bright and beautiful rays of the sun, wearing vestments of vapour rise to the sun which holds the earth and its atmosphere. They turn round and down from the regions of water and flood the earth with showers of rain.
9.10.23
अपाद् एति प्रथमा पद्वतीनां कस् तद् वां मित्रावरुणा चिकेत ।
गर्भो भारं भरत्य् आ चिद् अस्या ऋतं पिपर्ति अनृतं नि पाति ॥
apād eti prathamā padvatīnāṃ kas tad vāṃ mitrāvaruṇā ciketa ।
garbho bhāraṃ bharaty ā cid asyā ṛtaṃ piparti anṛtaṃ ni pāti ॥
Just as the dawn arises all at once, not in parts. before active humanity, so does Original Speech arise in creative wholeness without having been analysed into its formal constituents, with the stir of Prakrti by the Divine Will. O Mitra and Varuna, sun and moon, teacher and disciple, which one of you knows of this wonder? And just as the sun itself, which is the embryo of the dawn, bears the burden of the dawn, so does Divine Omniscience, which itself is the content of that silent speech, bear the burden of that speech. And that will, knowledge and speech protects and promotes the truth and knowledge of Rtam, law and evolution of life, and wholly rejects untruth and negation.
9.10.24
विराड् वाग् विराट् पृथिवी विराड् अन्तरिक्षं विराट् प्रजापतिः ।
विराण् मृत्युः साध्यानाम् अधिराजो बभूव तस्य भूतं भव्यं वशे स मे भूतं भव्यं वशे कृणोतु ॥
virāḍ vāg virāṭ pṛthivī virāḍ antarikṣaṃ virāṭ prajāpatiḥ ।
virāṇ mṛtyuḥ sādhyānām adhirājo babhūva tasya bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ vaśe sa me bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ vaśe kṛṇotu ॥
Virat, the Infinite, through self-will and immanence, in the course of Nature’s evolution, became the Vak, universal speech. Virat is Prthivi, the earth. Virat is Antariksha, the middle region. Virat is Prajapati, universal father and guardian of the world of creation. Virat is death and involution. Virat became the supreme ruler of superior beings and of all that is possible and feasible. All that has been, all that is, and all that shall ever be is under the rule and law of Virat. May Virat give me the knowledge and competence to control my present, past and future.
9.10.25
शकमयं धूमम् आराद् अपश्यं विषूवता पर एनावरेण ।
उक्षाणं पृश्निम् अपचन्त वीरास् तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्य् आसन् ॥
śakamayaṃ dhūmam ārād apaśyaṃ viṣūvatā para enāvareṇa ।
ukṣāṇaṃ pṛśnim apacanta vīrās tāni dharmāṇi prathamāny āsan ॥
I have ‘seen’ that infinite omnipotent Being wrapped in mystery beyond the eye. I have it from far and near, boundless, dynamic, here, there, everywhere, yet far beyond this closest light of mundane reality. That mighty brave generous Spirit, the brave realise to their self-perfection, and what they do and the way they do are the first ordinances of noble living.
9.10.26
त्रयः केशिन ऋतुथा वि चक्षते संवत्सरे वपत एक एषाम् ।
विश्वम् अन्यो अभिचष्टे शचीभिर् ध्राजिर् एकस्य ददृशे न रूपम् ॥
trayaḥ keśina ṛtuthā vi cakṣate saṃvatsare vapata eka eṣām ।
viśvam anyo abhicaṣṭe śacībhir dhrājir ekasya dadṛśe na rūpam ॥
Three powers of nature with their distinct identities express themselves and operate according to the cycle of the seasons in the year. One of these, the fire, procreates, i.e., helps in the sowing of the seeds and ripening of the crops. This is the fire-vitality of the earth. Another, the sun, with its actions and operations, illuminates the world. The third is wind and electricity : its force can be perceived but not its form.
9.10.27
चत्वारि वाक् परिमिता पदानि तानि विदुर् ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिणः ।
गुहा त्रीणि निहिता नेङ्गयन्ति तुरीयं वाचो मनुष्या वदन्ति ॥
catvāri vāk parimitā padāni tāni vidur brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ ।
guhā trīṇi nihitā neṅgayanti turīyaṃ vāco manuṣyā vadanti ॥
There are four stages of the evolution of speech which Vak comprehends and which men of thought and higher vision know. Three of them are hidden in the cave, they move not, neither are they analysed. Only the fourth part, ‘turiya’, they speak in ordinary human communication. (Four constituents of the structure of language are: Nama or name-words of things, Akhyata or root words of verbs, Upasarga or affixes, and Nipata or accepted forms. These four, analysed this way, are subjects for the linguists and grammarians, not for the ordinary speaker. For the ordinary speaker, language is speech, just what it is and accepted without the understanding of structure and grammar. For such a person, it is behaviour purely at the social level and means what it does. But at the higher level, language is analysed into four layers of existence and consciousness: Para or language at the transcendental level beyond thought and imagination. It may be regarded as the language correspondence of God’s omniscience. The second is Pashyanti, one step closer to us from Para. It may be understood as the language existing in the unconscious layers of the mind. The third is Madhyama, another step closer to our consciousness. It may be regarded as existing in our sub-conscious mind. And the fourth is Vaikhari, existing at the conscious level of the mind and operative in communication at the social level. This is the fourth part called ‘turiya’ in the mantra. This is analysed into Nama, Akhyata, Upasarga amd Nipata. Yet another way, language may be understood in Vedic terminology: Ila, the language of omniscience, Sarasvati, the language of Veda, and Mahi, spoken language at the level of the earth, nation, region, family and the mother (Rgveda 1,13, 9).
9.10.28
इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणम् अग्निम् आहुर् अथो दिव्यः स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान् ।
एकं सद् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्य् अग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानम् आहुः ॥
indraṃ mitraṃ varuṇam agnim āhur atho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān ।
ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadanty agniṃ yamaṃ mātariśvānam āhuḥ ॥
Reality is one. Truth is one, Ishvara, God, is One and only One, not more than One. The noble and the wise speak of it in many ways. They call it Indra, glorious, Mitra, universal friend, Varuna, highest adorable, Agni, light of life, Suparna, supreme beauteous, Garutman, supreme dynamic. They say it is Agni, life and leader of existence, Yama, supreme controller, law and justice, and the judge, and Matarishva, supreme energy of the universe.