Rig Veda · 1002 of 1027
Mandala 10: HYMN CLXV. Viśvedevas.
1.GODS, whatsoe’er the Dove came hither seeking, sent to us as the envoy of Destruction, For that let us sing hymns and make atonement. Well be it with our quadrupeds and bipeds.
2.Auspicious be the Dove that hath been sent us, a harmless bird, ye Gods, within our dwelling. May Agni, Sage, be pleased with our oblation, and may the Missile borne on wings avoid us.
3.Let not the Arrow that hath wings distract us: beside the fire-place, on the hearth it settles. May, it bring welfare to our men and cattle: here let the Dove, ye Gods, forbear to harm us.
4.The screeching of the owl is ineffective and when beside the fire the Dove hath settled, To him who sent it hither as an envoy, to him be reverence paid, to Death, to Yama.
5.Drive forth the Dove, chase it with holy verses: rejoicing, bring ye hither food and cattle, Barring the way against all grief and trouble. Let the swift bird fly forth and leave us vigour.
Asked of Guide
Why does the hymn call the Dove an envoy of Destruction and ask gods to send it away?
The hymn records a Dove as an omen sent “as the envoy of Destruction,” so the community treats the bird as a harmful sign linked to Yama and death and seeks ritual remedy. The singers invoke Agni and recite holy verses to chase the Dove away, offer atonement, and secure welfare for “our quadrupeds and bipeds.”
This response frames the Dove as a liminal messenger whose presence demands ritual action to avert its danger; verses ask that the “Missile borne on wings avoid us” and that the bird “fly forth and leave us vigour.” The procedure resembles other Vedic rites that neutralize ominous signs, as in rituals described elsewhere in the Sama and Atharva traditions.
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