198 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
8. ‘ Parikshit has procured for us a secure dwell-
ing, when he, the most excellent one, went to his
seat. (Thus) the husband in Kuru-land, when he
founds his household, converses with his wife.
9. ‘What may I bring to thee, curds, stirred
drink, or liquor ?’ (Thus) the wife asks her husband
in the kingdom of king Parikshit.
10. Like light the ripe barley runs over beyond
the mouth (of the vessels). The people thrive
merrily in the kingdom of king Parikshit.
11. Indra has awakened the poet, saying : ‘Arise,
move about, and sing; of me, the strong, verily, sing
the praises; full every pious one shall offer thee
(sacrificial reward) !’
12. Here, O cattle, ye shall be born, here, ye
horses, here, ye domestics! And Pfshan also, who
bestows a thousand (cows) as sacrificial reward,
settles down here.
13. May these cattle, O Indra, not suffer harm,
and may their owner not suffer harm; may the
hostile folk, O Indra, may the thief not gain posses-
sion of them!
14. We shout to the hero with hymn and song,
we (shout) with a pleasing song. Take delight in
our songs; may we not ever suffer harm! :
XxX, COSMOGONIC AND THEOSOPHIC HYMNS.
XII, 1. Hymn to goddess Earth.
1. Truth, greatness, universal order (vzta), strength,
consecration, creative fervour (tapas), spiritual ex-
altation (brahma), the sacrifice, support the earth.
May this earth, the mistress of that which was and
shall be, prepare for us a broad domain!
2. The earth that has heights, and slopes, and
great plains, that supports the plants of manifold
virtue, free from the pressure that comes from the
midst of men, she shall spread out for us, and fit
herself for us!
3. The earth upon which the sea, and the rivers
and the waters, upon which food and the tribes of
men have arisen, upon which this breathing, moving
life exists, shall afford us precedence in drinking!
4. The earth whose are the four regions of space,
upon which food and the tribes of men have arisen,
which supports the manifold breathing, moving
things, shall afford us cattle and other possessions
also!
5. The earth upon which of old the first men
unfolded themselves, upon which the gods overcame
the Asuras, shall procure for us (all) kinds of cattle,
horses, and fowls, good fortune, and glory!
6. The earth that supports all, furnishes wealth,
200 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
ee Oe Oe
the foundation, the golden-breasted resting-place of
all living creatures, she that supports Agni Vaisva-
nara (the fire), and mates with Indra, the bull, shall
furnish us with property !
7. The broad earth, which the sleepless gods
ever attentively guard, shall milk for us precious
honey, and, moreover, besprinkle us with glory!
8. That earth which formerly was water upon
the ocean (of space), which the wise (seers) found
out by their skilful devices; whose heart is in the
highest heaven, immortal, surrounded by truth, shall
bestow upon us brilliancy and strength, (and place
us) in supreme sovereignty !
9. That earth upon which the attendant waters
jointly flow by day and night unceasingly, shall
pour out milk for us in rich streams, and, moreover,
besprinkle us with glory !
10. The earth which the Asvins have measured,
upon which Vishzu has stepped out, which Indra,
the lord of might, has made friendly to himself; she,
the mother, shall pour forth milk for me, the son!
11. Thy snowy mountain heights, and thy forests,
O earth, shall be kind to us! The brown, the black,
the red, the multi-coloured, the firm earth, that is
protected by Indra, I have settled upon, not sup-
pressed, not slain, not wounded.
12. Into thy middle set us, O earth, and into thy
navel, into the nourishing strength that has grown
up from thy body ; purify thyself for us! The earth
is the mother, and I the son of the earth; Parganya
is the father; he, too, shall save us!
13. The earth upon which they (the priests) in- close the altar (vedi), upon which they, devoted to
all (holy) works, unfold the sacrifice, upon which
X. Cosmogonic and Theosophic Hymns. 201
are set up, in front of the sacrifice, the sacrificial
posts, erect and brilliant, that earth shall prosper us,
herself prospering !
14. Him that hates us, O earth, him that battles
against us, him that is hostile towards us with his
mind and his weapons,'do thou subject to us,
anticipating (our wish) by deed!
15. Ihe mortals born of thee live on thee, thou
supportest both bipeds and quadrupeds. Thine,
O earth, are these five races of men, the mortals,
upon whom the rising sun sheds undying light with
his rays. .
16. These creatures all together shall yield milk for us; do thou, O earth, give us the honey of speech!
17. Upon the firm, broad earth, the all-begetting
mother of the plants, that is supported by (divine)
law, upon her, propitious and kind, may we ever
pass our lives!
18. A great gathering-place thou, great (earth),
hast become; great haste, commotion, and agitation
are upon thee. Great Indra protects thee unceas-
ingly. Do thou, O earth, cause us to brighten as if
at the sight of gold: not any one shall hate us!
19. Agni (fire) is in the earth, in the plants, the
waters hold Agni, Agni is in the stones; Agni is
within men, Agnis (fires) are within cattle, within
horses.
20. Agni glows from the sky, to Agni, the god,
belongs the broad air. The mortals kindle Agni,
the bearer of oblations, that loveth ghee.
21. The earth, clothed in Agni, with dark knees, shall make me brilliant and alert !
22. Upon the earth men give to the gods the sacrifice, the prepared oblation; upon the earth
202 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
mortal men live pleasantly by food. May this earth
give us breath and life, may she cause me to reach
old age!
23. The fragrance, O earth, that has arisen upon
thee, which the plants and the waters hold, which
the Gandharvas and the Apsaras have partaken
of, with that make me fragrant: not any one shall
hate us!
24. That fragrance of thine which has entered
into the lotus, that fragrance, O earth, which the
immortals of yore gathered up at the marriage of
Stirya, with that make me fragrant: not any one
shall hate us!
25. That fragrance of thine which is in men, the
loveliness and charm that is in male and female,
that which is in steeds and heroes, that which is in
the wild animals with trunks (elephants), the lustre
that is in the maiden, O earth, with that do thou
blend us: not any one shall hate us!
26. Rock, stone, dust is this earth; this earth is
supported, held together. To this golden-breasted
earth I have rendered obeisance.
27. The earth, upon whom the forest-sprung trees
ever stand firm, the all-nourishing, compact earth, do
we invoke.
28. Rising or sitting, standing or walking, may
we not stumble with our right or left foot upon the
earth !
29. To the pure earth I speak, to the ground, the
soil that has grown through the brahma (spiritual
exaltation). Upon thee, that holdest nourishment,
prosperity, food, and ghee, we would settle down,
O earth!
30. Purified the waters shall flow for our bodies;
X. Cosmogonic and Theosophic Hymns, 203
what flows off from us that do we deposit upon him
we dislike: with a purifier, O earth, do I purify
myself!
31. Thy easterly regions, and thy northern, thy
southerly (regions), O earth, and thy western, shall
be kind to me as I walk (upon thee)! May I that
have been placed into the world not fall down!
32. Do not drive us from the west, nor from the
east; not from the north, and not from the south!
Security be thou for us, O earth: waylayers shall
not find us, hold far away (their) murderous weapon!
33: As long as I look out upon thee, O earth, |
with Sfirya (the sun) as my companion, so long shall
my sight not fail, as year followeth upon year!
34. When, as I lie, I turn upon my right or left
side, O earth; when stretched out we lie with our
ribs upon thee pressing against (us), do not, O earth,
that liest close to everything, there tnjure us!
35. What, O earth, I dig out of thee, quickly
shall that grow again: may I not, O pure one,
pierce thy vital spot, (and) not thy heart!
36. Thy summer, O earth, thy rainy season, thy
autumn, winter, early spring, and spring; thy decreed
yearly seasons, thy days and nights shall yield us
milk !
37. The pure earth that starts in fright away
from the serpent, upon whom were the fires that
are within the waters, she that delivers (to destruc-
tion) the blasphemous Dasyus, she that takes the
side of Indra, not of Vvztra, (that earth) adheres to
Sakra (mighty Indra), the lusty bull.
38. Upon whom rests the sacrificial hut (sadas)
and the (two) vehicles that hold the soma (havir-
dhane), in whom the sacrificial post is fixed, upon
204 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
whom the Brdhmamas praise (the gods) with vzks
and sAmans, knowing (also) the yagur-formulas; upon
whom the serving-priests (7ztvig) are employed so
that Indra shall drink the soma ;—
39. Upon whom the seers of yore, that created
the beings, brought forth with their songs the cows,
they the seven active (priests), by means of the satra-
offerings, the sacrifices, and (their) creative fervour
(tapas) ;—
40. May this earth point out to us the wealth
that we crave; may Bhaga (fortune) add his help,
may Indra come here as (our) champion!
41. The earth upon whom the noisy mortals sing
and dance, upon whom they fight, upon whom re-
sounds the roaring drum, shall drive forth our
enemies, shall make us free from rivals!
42. To the earth upon whom are food, and rice
and barley, upon whom live these five races of men,
to the earth, the wife of Parganya, that is fattened
by rain, be reverence!
43. The earth rpon whose ground the citadels
constructed by the gods unfold themselves, every
region of her that is the womb of all, Pragapati
shall make pleasant for us!
44. The earth that holds treasures manifold in
secret places, wealth, jewels, and gold shal] she give
to me; she that bestows wealth liberally, the kindly
goddess, wealth shall she bestow upon us!
45. The earth that holds people of manifold
varied speech, of different customs, according to
their habitations, as a reliable milch-cow that does
not kick, shall she milk for me a thousand streams
of wealth!
46. The serpent, the scorpion with thirsty fangs,
X. Cosmogonic and Theosophic Hymns. 205
that hibernating torpidly lies upon thee; the worm,
and whatever living thing, O earth, moves in the
rainy season, shall, when it creeps, not creep upon
us: with what is auspicious (on thee) be gracious
to us!
47. Thy many paths upon which people go, thy
tracks for chariots and wagons to advance, upon
which both good and evil men proceed, this road,
free from enemies, and free from thieves, may we
gain: with what is auspicious (on thee) be gracious
to us!
48. The earth holds the fool and holds the wise,
endures that good and bad dwell (upon her); she
keeps company with the boar, gives herself up to
the wild hog.
49. Thy forest, animals, the wild animals homed
in the woods, the man-eating lions, and tigers that
roam; the ula, the wolf, mishap, injury (vzkshik4),
and demons (rakshas), O earth, drive away from us!
50. The Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Ardyas
and Kimidins; the Pisa#as and all demons (rakshas),
these, O earth, hold from us!
51. The earth upon whom the biped birds fly
together, the flamingoes, eagles, birds of prey, and
fowls; upon whom M§tarisvan, the wind, hastens;
raising the dust, and tossing the trees—as the wind
blows forth and back the flame bursts after ;—
52. The earth upon whom day and night jointly,
black and bright, have been decreed, the broad
earth covered and enveloped with rain, shall kindly
place us into every pleasant abode!
53. Heaven, and earth, and air have here given
me expanse; Agni, Sfirya, the waters, and all the
gods together have given me wisdom,
206 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA. ee
54. Mighty am I, ‘Superior’ (uttara) by name,
upon the earth, conquering am I, all-conquering,
completely conquering every region.
ss. At that time, O goddess, when, spreading
(prathamana) forth, named (przthivi ‘broad’) by
the gods, thou didst extend to greatness, then pros-
perity did enter thee, (and) thou didst fashion the
four regions.
56. In the villages and in the wilderness, in the
assembly-halls that are upon the earth; in the
gatherings, and in the meetings, may we hold forth
agreeably to thee!
57. As dust a steed did she, as soon as she was
born, scatter these people, that dwelt upon the
earth, she the lovely one, the leader, the guardian
of the world, that holds the trees and plants.
58. The words I speak, honied do I speak them:
the things I see they furnish me with. Brilliant
Iam and alert: the others that rush (against me)
do I beat down.
59. Gentle, fragrant, kindly, with the sweet drink
(kilala) in her udder, rich in milk, the broad earth
together with (her) milk shall give us courage!
60. She whom Visvakarman (the creator of all)
did search out by means of oblations, when she had
entered the surging (flood of the) atmosphere, she,
the vessel destined to nourish, deposited in a secret
place, became visible (to the gods) and the (heavenly)
mothers.
61. Thou art the scatterer of men, the broadly
expanding Aditi that yields milk according to wish.
What is wanting in thee PragApati, first-born of the
divine order (7zta), shall supply for thee |