Atharva Veda · 446 of 724
HYMN X
Continuation of Hymn 9 1. How on the Gāyatri the Gāyatri was based; how from the Trishtup they fashioned the Trishtup forth: How on the Jagatī was based the Jagatī—they who know this have won themselves immortal life. 2. With Gāyatri he measures out the praise-song, Sāman with praise-song, triplet with the Trishtup, The triplet with the two or four-foot measure, and with the syllable they form seven metres. 3. With Jagatī the flood in heaven he stablished, and saw the Sun in the Rathantara Sāman. Gāyatri hath, they say, three logs for burning: hence it excels in majesty and vigour. 4. I invocate this Milch-cow good at milking, so that the Milker, deft of hand, may milk her. May “Savitar give goodliest stimulation. The caldron is made hot: he will proclaim it. 5. She, Lady of all treasures, hath come hither, yearning in spirit for her calf, and lowing. May this Cow yield her milk for both the Asvins, and may she prosper to our high advantage. 6. The Cow hath lowed after her blinking youngling: she licks his forehead as she lows, to form it. His mouth she fondly calls to her warm udder, and suckles him with milk while gently lowing. 7. He also snorts, by whom encompassed round the Cow lows as she closely clings to him who sheds the rain. She with her shrilling cries hath humbled mortal men, and turn- ed to lightning, hath stripped off her covering robe. 8. That which hath breath and life and speed and motion lies firmly stablished in the midst of houses. The living moves by powers of the departed: the immortal is the brother of the mortal. 9. The old hath waked the young Moon from his slumber, who runs his circling course with many round him. Behold the God’s high wisdom in its greatness: he who died yesterday to-day is living. 10. He who hath made him doth not comprehend him: from him who saw him surely he is hidden. He, yet enveloped in his mother’s bosom, source of much life, hath sunk into destruction. 11. I saw the Herdsman, him who never stumbles, approaching by his pathways and departing. He clothed with gathered and diffusive splendours, within the worlds continually travels. 12. Dyaus is our father, our begetter: kinship is here. This great Earth is our kin and mother. Between the wide-spread world-halves is the birth-place. The Father laid the Daughter’s germ within it. 13. I bid thee tell me earth’s extremest limit, about the Stallion’s genial flow I ask thee; I ask about the universe’s centre, and touching highest heaven where Speech abideth. 14. The earth’s most distant limit is this altar: this Soma is the Stallion’s genial humour; This sacrifice the universe’s centre: this Brāhman highest heaven where Speech abideth. 15. What thing I truly am I know not clearly: mysterious, fettered in my mind I wander. When the first-born of holy Law approached me, then of this Speech I first obtain a portion. 16. Back, forward goes he, grasped by power inherent, immortal born the brother of the mortal. Ceaseless they move in opposite directions: men mark the one and fail to mark the other. 17. Seven germs unripened yet are Heaven’s prolific seed: their functions they maintain by Vishnu’s ordinance. Endued with wisdom through intelligence and thought, present on every side they compass us about. 18. Upon what syllable of holy praise-hymn, as ’twere their highest heaven, the Gods repose them Who knows not this, what will he do with praise-hymn? But they who know it well sit here assembled. 19. They, ordering the verse’s foot by measure, with the half-verse arranged each thing that moveth. Prayer was diffused in many forms three-footed thereby the world’s four regions have their being 20. Fortunate mayst thou be with goodly pasture, and may we also be exceeding wealthy. Feed on the grass, O Cow, through all the seasons, and coming hitherward drink limpid water. 21. Forming the water-floods the Cow herself hath lowed, one-foot- ed or two-footed or four-footed, she, Who hath become eight-footed or acquired nine feet, the uni- verse’s thousand-syllabled Pankti. From her descend in streams the seas of water. 22. Dark the descent: the birds are golden-coloured. Robed in the floods they fly aloft to heaven. Again from Order’s seat have they descended, and inundated all the earth with fatness. 23. The footless Maid precedeth footed creatures. Who marketh, Mitra Varuna! this your doing? The Babe unborn supporteth this world’s burthen, supporteth Right and watcheth Wrong and Falsehood. 24. Virāj is Speech, and Earth, and Air’s mid-region. He is Praja- pati, and he is Mrityu. He is the Lord Imperial of the Sādhyas. He rules what is and what shall be hereafter. May he make me lord of what is and shall be. 251 saw from far away the smoke of fuel with spires that rose on high o’er that beneath it. The heroes cooked and dressed the spotted bullock. These were the customs in the days aforetime. 26. Three with long tresses show in ordered season. One of them sheareth when the year is ended. One with his powers the universe regardeth. Of one the sweep is seen, but not the figure. 27. Speech hath been measured out in four divisions: the Brāhmans who have wisdom comprehend them. Three, kept in close concealment, cause no motion. Of Speech men speak the fourth division only. 28. They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni; and he is heavenly nobly-winged Garutmān. That which is One bards call by many a title: they call It Agni, Yama, Mātariswan.