Ralph T. H. Griffith - The Hymns of the Atharva Veda

THE

HYMNS OF THE ATHARVAVEDA

TRANSLATED

BY

RALPH T.H. GRIFFITH

1895-1896

The Hymns Of The Atharva Veda Translated By Ralph T.H. Griffith.

This edition was created and published by Global Grey

GlobalGrey 2019

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HYMN I

A prayer to Vchaspati for divine illumination and help.

Now may Vchaspati assign to me the strength and powers of
Those
Who, wearing every shape and form, the triple seven, are
wandering round.
Come thou again, Vchaspati, come with divine intelligence.
Vasoshpati, repose thou here. In me be Knowledge, yea, in me.
Here, even here, spread sheltering arms like the two bow-ends
strained with cord.
This let Vchaspati confirm. In me be Knowledge, yea, in me.
Vchaspati hath been invoked: may he invite us in reply.
May we adhere to Sacred Lore. Never may I be reft thereof.

HYMN II

A charm against dysentery

We know the father of the shaft, Parjanya, liberal nourisher,
Know well his mother: Prithiv, Earth with her manifold
designs.
Do thou, O Bowstring, bend thyself around us: make my body
stone.
Firm in thy strength drive far away malignities and hateful
things.
When, closely clinging round the wood, the bowstring sings
triumph to the swift and whizzing arrow,
Indra, ward off from us the shaft, the missile.
As in its flight the arrow's point hangs between earth and
firmament,
So stand this Munja grass between ailment and dysenteric ill!

HYMN III

A charm against constipation and suppression of urine

We know the father of the shaft, Parjanya strong with hundred
powers:
By this may I bring health unto thy body: let the channels pour
their burthen freely as of old.
We know the father of the shaft, Mitra, the Lord of hundred
powers:
By this, etc.
We know the father of the shaft, Varuna, strong with hundred
powers:
By this, etc.
We know the father of the shaft, the Moon endowed with
hundred powers:
By this, etc.
We know the father of the shaft, the Sun endowed with hundred
powers:
By this may I bring health unto thy body: let the channels pour
their burthen freely as of old.
Whate'er hath gathered, as it flowed, in bowels, bladder, or in
groins,
Thus let the conduit, free from check, pour all its burthen as of
old.
I lay the passage open as one cleaves the dam that bars the
lake:
Thus let, etc.
Now hath the portal been unclosed as, of the sea that holds the
flood:
Thus let, etc.
Even as the arrow flies away when loosened from the archer's
bow,
Thus let the burthen be discharged from channels that are checked
no more.

HYMN IV

To the waters, for the prosperity of cattle

Along their paths the Mothers go, sisters of priestly
ministrants,
Blending their water with the mead.
May yonder Waters near the Sun, or those wherewith the Sun is
joined,
Send forth this sacrifice of ours.
I call the Waters, Goddesses, hitherward where our cattle
drink:
The streams must share the sacrifice.
Amrit is in the Waters, in the Waters balm.
Yea, through our praises of the Floods, O horses, be ye fleet and
strong, and, O ye kine, be full of strength.

HYMN V

To the waters, for strength and power

Ye, Waters, truly bring us bliss: so help ye us to strength and
power
That we may look on great delight.
Here grant to us a share of dew, that most auspicious dew of
yours,
Like mothers in their longing love.
For you we fain would go to him to whose abode ye send us
forth,
And, Waters, give us procreant strength.
I pray the Floods to send us balm, those who bear rule o'er
precious things,
And have supreme control of men.

HYMN VI

To the waters, for health and wealth

The Waters be to us for drink, Goddesses, for our aid and
bliss:
Let them stream health and wealth to us.
Within the WatersSoma thus hath told medwell all balms
that heal,
And Agni, he who blesseth all.
O Waters, teem with medicine to keep my body safe from harm,
So that I long may see the Sun.
The Waters bless us, all that rise in desert lands or marshy
pools!
Bless us the Waters dug from earth, bless us the Waters brought
in jars, bless us the Waters of the Rains!

HYMN VII

To Indra and Agni, for the detection and destruction of evil spirits

Bring the Kimidin hither, bring the Ytudhna self-declared
For Agni, God, thou, lauded, hast become the Dasyu's
slaughterer.
O Jtavedas, Lord Supreme, controller of our bodies, taste
The butter, Agni, taste the oil: make thou the Ytudhnas
mourn.
Let Ytudhnas mourn, let all greedy Kimidins weep and
wail:
And, Agni, Indra, may ye both accept this sacrifice of ours.
May Agni seize upon them first, may strong-armed Indra drive
them forth:
Let every wicked sorcerer come hither and say, Here am I.
Let us behold thy strength, O Jtavedas. Viewer of men, tell us
the Ytudhnas.
Burnt by thy heat and making declaration let all approach this
sacrifice before thee.
O Jtavedas, seize, on them: for our advantage art thou born:
Agni, be thou our messenger and make the Ytudhnas wail.
O Agni, bring thou hitherward the Ytudhnas bound and
chained.
And afterward let Indra tear their heads off with his thunder
bolt.

HYMN VIII

To Indra, Brihaspati, Soma and Agni, for the destruction of sorcerers

This sacrifice shall bring the Ytudhnas as the flood brings
foam:
Here let the doer of this deed woman or man, acknowledge it.
This one hath come confessing all: do ye receive him
eagerly.
Master him thou, Brihaspati; Agni and Soma, pierce him
through.
O Soma-drinker, strike and bring the Ytudhna's progeny:
Make the confessing sinner's eyes fall from his head, both right
and left.
As thou, O Agni Jtavedas, knowest the races of these secret
greedy beings,
So strengthened by the power of prayer, O Agni, crushing them
down a hundred times destroy them.

HYMN IX

Benediction on a King at his inauguration

May Indra, Pshan, Varuria, Mitra, Agni, benignant Gods,
maintain this man in riches.
May the dityas and the Vive Devas set and support him in
supremest lustre.
May light, O Gods, be under his dominion, Agni, the Sun, all;
that is bright and golden.
Prostrate beneath our feet his foes and rivals. Uplift him to the.
loftiest cope of heaven.
Through that most mighty prayer, O Jtavedas, wherewith thou.
broughtest milk to strengthen Indra,
Even therewith exalt this man, O Agni, and give him highest rank
among his kinsmen.
I have assumed their sacrifice, O Agni, their hopes, their glory,.
and their riches' fulness.
Prostrate beneath our feet his foes and rivals. Uplift him to the
loftiest cope of heaven.

HYMN X

Absolution of a sinner after intercession with Varuna

This Lord is the Gods' ruler; for the wishes of Varuna the King
must be accomplished.
Therefore, triumphant with the prayer I utter, I rescue this man
from the Fierce One's anger.
Homage be paid, King Varuna, to thine anger; for thou, dread
God, detectest every falsehood.
I send a thousand others forth together: let this thy servant live
a hundred autumns.
Whatever falsehood thou hast told, much evil spoken with the
tongue,
I liberate thee from the noose of Varuna the righteous King.
I free thee from Vaisvnara, from the great surging flood of sin.
Call thou thy brothers, Awful One! and pay attention to our
prayer.

HYMN XI

A charm to be used at child-birth