Library·Atharvaveda Saṃhitā (Śaunaka)·4·4.21

Atharvaveda Saṃhitā (Śaunaka) 4.21

आ गावो अग्मन्न् उत भद्रम् अक्रन्त् सीदन्तु गोष्ठे रणयन्त्व् अस्मे । प्रजावतीः पुरुरूपा इह स्युर् इन्द्राय पूर्वीर् उषसो दुहानाः ॥१॥

ā gāvo agmann uta bhadram akrant sīdantu goṣṭhe raṇayantv asme | prajāvatīḥ pururūpā iha syur indrāya pūrvīr uṣaso duhānāḥ ||1||

The kine have come, and have done what is excellent; let them stay (sad) in the stall (goṣṭhá); let them take pleasure with us; may they be rich in progeny here, many-formed, milking for Indra many dawns.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

इन्द्रो यज्वने गृणते च शिक्षत उपेद् ददाति न स्वं मुषायति । भूयोभूयो रयिम् इद् अस्य वर्धयन्न् अभिन्ने खिल्ये नि दधाति देवयुम् ॥२॥

indro yajvane gṛṇate ca śikṣata uped dadāti na svaṃ muṣāyati | bhūyobhūyo rayim id asya vardhayann abhinne khilye ni dadhāti devayum ||2||

To the sacrificer and singer, to the helpful one (?), Indra verily gives further, steals not what is his; increasing more and more the wealth of him, he sets the godly man (devayú) in an undivided domain (? khilyá).

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

न ता नशन्ति न दभाति तस्करो नासाम् आमित्रो व्यथिर् आ दधर्षति । देवांश् च याभिर् यजते ददाति च ज्योग् इत् ताभिः सचते गोपतिः सह ॥३॥

na tā naśanti na dabhāti taskaro nāsām āmitro vyathir ā dadharṣati | devāṃś ca yābhir yajate dadāti ca jyog it tābhiḥ sacate gopatiḥ saha ||3||

They shall not be lost; no thief shall harm [them]; no hostile [person] shall dare attack their track (?); with whom he both sacrifices to the gods and gives, long verily with them does the kine-lord go in company.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

न ता अर्वा रेणुककाटो ऽश्नुते न संस्कृतत्रम् उप यन्ति ता अभि । उरुगायम् अभयं तस्य ता अनु गावो मर्तस्य वि चरन्ति यज्वनः ॥४॥

na tā arvā reṇukakāṭo 'śnute na saṃskṛtatram upa yanti tā abhi | urugāyam abhayaṃ tasya tā anu gāvo martasya vi caranti yajvanaḥ ||4||

No dust-raising horseman (? árvan) reaches them; not unto the slaughter-house (?) do they go; those kine of that sacrificing mortal roam over wide-going fearlessness.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

गावो भगो गाव इन्द्रो म इछाद् गाव सोमस्य प्रथमस्य भक्षः । इमा या गावः स जनास इन्द्र इछामि हृदा मनसा चिद् इन्द्रम् ॥५॥

gāvo bhago gāva indro ma ichād gāva somasya prathamasya bhakṣaḥ | imā yā gāvaḥ sa janāsa indra ichāmi hṛdā manasā cid indram ||5||

The kine [are] Bhaga; Indra has seemed to me the kine; the kine [are] the draught of first soma; these kine—that, O people, [is] Indra; with whatever heart [and] mind I seek Indra.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

यूयं गावो मेदयथ कृशं चिद् अश्रीरं चित् कृणुथा सुप्रतीकम् । भद्रं गृहं कृणुथ भद्रवाचो बृहद् वो वय उच्यते सभासु ॥६॥

yūyaṃ gāvo medayatha kṛśaṃ cid aśrīraṃ cit kṛṇuthā supratīkam | bhadraṃ gṛhaṃ kṛṇutha bhadravāco bṛhad vo vaya ucyate sabhāsu ||6||

Ye, O kine, fatten whoever is lean; the unlovely (açrīrá) one ye make of good aspect; ye make the house excellent, O ye of excellent voice; great is your vigor (váyas) called in the assemblies (sabhā́).

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

प्रजावतीः सूयवसे रुशन्तीः शुद्धा अपः सुप्रपाणे पिबन्तीः । मा व स्तेन ईशत माघशंसः परि वो रुद्रस्य हेतिर् वृणक्तु ॥७॥

prajāvatīḥ sūyavase ruśantīḥ śuddhā apaḥ suprapāṇe pibantīḥ | mā va stena īśata māghaśaṃsaḥ pari vo rudrasya hetir vṛṇaktu ||7||

Rich in progeny, shining in good pasture, drinking clear waters at a good watering-place—let not the thief master you, nor the evil-plotter; let Rudra's weapon avoid you.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)