Library·Atharvaveda Saṃhitā (Śaunaka)·8·8.9

Atharvaveda Saṃhitā (Śaunaka) 8.9

कुतस् तौ जातौ कतमः सो अर्धः कस्माल् लोकात् कतमस्याः पृथिव्याः । वत्सौ विराजः सलिलाद् उद् ऐतां तौ त्वा पृछामि कतरेण दुग्धा ॥१॥

kutas tau jātau katamaḥ so ardhaḥ kasmāl lokāt katamasyāḥ pṛthivyāḥ | vatsau virājaḥ salilād ud aitāṃ tau tvā pṛchāmi katareṇa dugdhā ||1||

Whence [were] those two born? which side (árdha) was that? out of what world? out of which earth? the two young (vatsá) of the virā́j rose out of the sea (salilá); of those I ask thee: by whether [of them was] she milked?

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

यो अक्रन्दयत् सलिलं महित्वा योनिं कृत्वा त्रिभुजं शयानः । वत्सः कामदुघो विराजः स गुहा चक्रे तन्वः पराचैः ॥२॥

yo akrandayat salilaṃ mahitvā yoniṃ kṛtvā tribhujaṃ śayānaḥ | vatsaḥ kāmadugho virājaḥ sa guhā cakre tanvaḥ parācaiḥ ||2||

He who caused the sea to resound (krand) with greatness, making a threefold lair (yóni) as he lay, the desire-milking young of the virā́j; he made his bodies secret (gúhā) in the distance.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

यानि त्रीणि बृहन्ति येषां चतुर्थं वियुनक्ति वाचम् । ब्रह्मैनद् विद्यात् तपसा विपश्चिद् यस्मिन्न् एकं युज्यते यस्मिन्न् एकम् ॥३॥

yāni trīṇi bṛhanti yeṣāṃ caturthaṃ viyunakti vācam | brahmainad vidyāt tapasā vipaścid yasminn ekaṃ yujyate yasminn ekam ||3||

What three great ones (bṛhát, n.) there are, the fourth of which [one] disjoins [as] speech—the priest (brahmán) may know it by penance, the inspired one, in which one (ékam) is joined, in which one [is joined].

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

बृहतः परि सामानि षष्ठात् पञ्चाधि निर्मिता । बृहद् बृहत्या निर्मितं कुतो ऽधि बृहती मिता ॥४॥

bṛhataḥ pari sāmāni ṣaṣṭhāt pañcādhi nirmitā | bṛhad bṛhatyā nirmitaṃ kuto 'dhi bṛhatī mitā ||4||

Forth out of bṛhát [as] sixth five sāmans [were] fashioned; bṛhát was fashioned out of bṛhatī́; out of what was bṛhatī́ made?

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

बृहती परि मात्राया मातुर् मात्राधि निर्मिता । माया ह जज्ञे मायाया मायाया मातली परि ॥५॥

bṛhatī pari mātrāyā mātur mātrādhi nirmitā | māyā ha jajñe māyāyā māyāyā mātalī pari ||5||

Bṛhatī́ the measure (mā́trā) was fashioned forth out of measure [as] a mother; illusion (māyā́) was born from illusion, Mātalī out of illusion.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

वैश्वानरस्य प्रतिमोपरि द्यौर् यावद् रोदसी विबबाधे अग्निः । ततः षष्ठाद् आमुतो यन्ति स्तोमा उद् इतो यन्त्य् अभि षष्ठम् अह्नः ॥६॥

vaiśvānarasya pratimopari dyaur yāvad rodasī vibabādhe agniḥ | tataḥ ṣaṣṭhād āmuto yanti stomā ud ito yanty abhi ṣaṣṭham ahnaḥ ||6||

Vāiçvānara's counterpart [is] the sky above, as far as Agni forced (bādh) apart the two firmaments; from that sixth yonder come the sómas; up from here they go unto the sixth of the day.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

षट् त्वा पृछाम ऋषयः कश्यपेमे त्वं हि युक्तं युयुक्षे योग्यं च । विराजम् आहुर् ब्रह्मणः पितरं तां नो वि धेहि यतिधा सखिभ्यः ॥७॥

ṣaṭ tvā pṛchāma ṛṣayaḥ kaśyapeme tvaṃ hi yuktaṃ yuyukṣe yogyaṃ ca | virājam āhur brahmaṇaḥ pitaraṃ tāṃ no vi dhehi yatidhā sakhibhyaḥ ||7||

We these six seers ask thee, O Kaçyapa, for thou didst join what is joined and what is to be joined; they call (ah) virā́j the father of the bráhman; distribute (? vi-dhā) it to us [thy] friends according to [our] numbers.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

यां प्रच्युताम् अनु यज्ञाः प्रच्यवन्त उपतिष्ठन्त उपतिष्ठमानाम् । यस्या व्रते प्रसवे यक्षम् एजति सा विराट् ऋषयः परमे व्योमन् ॥८॥

yāṃ pracyutām anu yajñāḥ pracyavanta upatiṣṭhanta upatiṣṭhamānām | yasyā vrate prasave yakṣam ejati sā virāṭ ṛṣayaḥ parame vyoman ||8||

After whom, when removed, the sacrifices remove (pra-cyu), [whom], when attending, they attend on (upa-sthā), in whose course (vratá) ⌊and?⌋ impulse the monster (? yakṣá) stirs—that, O seers, is the virā́j in the highest firmament.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

अप्राणैति प्राणेन प्राणतीनां विराट् स्वराजम् अभ्य् एति पश्चात् । विश्वं मृशन्तीम् अभिरूपां विराजं पश्यन्ति त्वे न त्वे पश्यन्त्य् एनाम् ॥९॥

aprāṇaiti prāṇena prāṇatīnāṃ virāṭ svarājam abhy eti paścāt | viśvaṃ mṛśantīm abhirūpāṃ virājaṃ paśyanti tve na tve paśyanty enām ||9||

Breathless, she goes by the breath of breathing ones (f.); virā́j goes unto svarā́j from behind; virā́j that touches, that is adapted to, everything—some see her, some see her not.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

को विराजो मिथुनत्वं प्र वेद क ऋतून् क उ कल्पम् अस्याः । क्रमान् को अस्याः कतिधा विदुग्धान् को अस्या धाम कतिधा व्युष्टीः ॥१०॥ २२

ko virājo mithunatvaṃ pra veda ka ṛtūn ka u kalpam asyāḥ | kramān ko asyāḥ katidhā vidugdhān ko asyā dhāma katidhā vyuṣṭīḥ ||10|| 22

Who understandeth (pra-vid) the pair-ness of virā́j? who the seasons, who the ordering (kálpa) of her? who her steps (kráma), how many times milked out (vi-duh)? who her abode (dhā́man), how many times dawnings (vyùṣṭi)?

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

इयम् एव सा या प्रथमा व्यौछद् आस्व् इतरासु चरति प्रविष्टा । महान्तो अस्यां महिमानो अन्तर् वधूर् जिगाय नवगज् जनित्री ॥११॥

iyam eva sā yā prathamā vyauchad āsv itarāsu carati praviṣṭā | mahānto asyāṃ mahimāno antar vadhūr jigāya navagaj janitrī ||11||

This same is she that first shone forth; among these other ones (f.) she goes about having entered; great mightinesses [are] within her; the woman, the new-going generatrix, hath conquered.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

छन्दःपक्षे उषसा पेपिशाने समानं योनिम् अनु सं चरेमे । सूर्यपत्नी सं चरतः प्रजानती केतुमती अजरे भूरिरेतसा ॥१२॥

chandaḥpakṣe uṣasā pepiśāne samānaṃ yonim anu saṃ careme | sūryapatnī saṃ carataḥ prajānatī ketumatī ajare bhūriretasā ||12||

The two meter-winged dawns, greatly adorning themselves, move on together toward the same lair (yóni); spouses of the sun, they move on together, understanding, having ensigns, unaging, having abundant seed.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

ऋतस्य पन्थाम् अनु तिस्र आगुस् त्रयो घर्मा अनु रेत आगुः । प्रजाम् एका जिन्वत्य् ऊर्जम् एका राष्ट्रम् एका रक्षति देवयूनाम् ॥१३॥

ṛtasya panthām anu tisra āgus trayo gharmā anu reta āguḥ | prajām ekā jinvaty ūrjam ekā rāṣṭram ekā rakṣati devayūnām ||13||

Three (f.) have come along the road of righteousness; three heats (gharmá) have come after the seed; one (f.) enlivens the progeny, one the refreshment (ū́rj); one defends the realm of the godly ones.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

अग्नीषोमाव् अदधुर् या तुरीयासीद् यज्ञस्य पक्षाव् ऋषयः कल्पयन्तः । गायत्रीं त्रिष्टुभं जगतीम् अनुष्टुभं बृहदर्कीं यजमानाय स्वर् आभरन्तीम् ॥१४॥

agnīṣomāv adadhur yā turīyāsīd yajñasya pakṣāv ṛṣayaḥ kalpayantaḥ | gāyatrīṃ triṣṭubhaṃ jagatīm anuṣṭubhaṃ bṛhadarkīṃ yajamānāya svar ābharantīm ||14||

She that was fourth set Agni-and-Soma; the seers arranging the (two) wings of the sacrifice— gāyatrī́, triṣṭúbh, jágatī, anuṣṭúbh, bṛhadarkī́, bringing heaven (svàr) for the sacrificer.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

पञ्च व्युष्टीर् अनु पञ्च दोहा गां पञ्चनाम्नीम् ऋतवो ऽनु पञ्च । पञ्च दिशः पञ्चदशेन क्ळ्प्तास् ता एकमूर्ध्नीर् अभि लोकम् एकम् ॥१५॥

pañca vyuṣṭīr anu pañca dohā gāṃ pañcanāmnīm ṛtavo 'nu pañca | pañca diśaḥ pañcadaśena kḷptās tā ekamūrdhnīr abhi lokam ekam ||15||

Five milkings after five dawnings; five seasons after the five-named cow; five quarters arranged by the fifteenth—those (f.) [are] one-headed toward one world.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

षट् जाता भूता प्रथमजा ऋतस्य षट् उ सामानि षटहं वहन्ति । षट्योगं सीरम् अनु सामसाम षट् आहुर् द्यावापृथिवीः षट् उर्वीः ॥१६॥

ṣaṭ jātā bhūtā prathamajā ṛtasya ṣaṭ u sāmāni ṣaṭahaṃ vahanti | ṣaṭyogaṃ sīram anu sāmasāma ṣaṭ āhur dyāvāpṛthivīḥ ṣaṭ urvīḥ ||16||

Six [are] born the beings first-born of righteousness; six sā́mans carry the six-day (?) [sacrifice]; after the six-yoked plough (sī́ra) severally a sā́man; six they call (ah) the heavens and earths, six the wide [spaces].

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

षड् आहुः शीतान् षड् उ मास उष्णान् ऋतुं नो ब्रूत यतमो ऽतिरिक्तः । सप्त सुपर्णाः कवयो नि षेदुः सप्त छन्दांस्य् अनु सप्त दीक्षाः ॥१७॥

ṣaḍ āhuḥ śītān ṣaḍ u māsa uṣṇān ṛtuṃ no brūta yatamo 'tiriktaḥ | sapta suparṇāḥ kavayo ni ṣeduḥ sapta chandāṃsy anu sapta dīkṣāḥ ||17||

Six they call the cold, and six the hot months; tell ye us the season, which one [is] in excess (átirikta); seven eagles (suparṇá), poets, sat down; seven meters after seven consecrations.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

सप्त होमाः समिधो ह सप्त मधूनि सप्त ऋतवो ह सप्त । सप्ताज्यानि परि भूतम् आयन् ताः सप्तगृध्रा इति शुश्रुमा वयम् ॥१८॥

sapta homāḥ samidho ha sapta madhūni sapta ṛtavo ha sapta | saptājyāni pari bhūtam āyan tāḥ saptagṛdhrā iti śuśrumā vayam ||18||

Seven [are] the offerings (hóma), the fuels seven, the sweet things (mádhu, n.) seven, the seasons seven; seven sacrificial butters (ā́jya) went about the existent thing (bhūtá); those (f.) are seven-vultured, so have we heard.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

सप्त छन्दांसि चतुरुत्तराण्य् अन्यो अन्यस्मिन्न् अध्य् आर्पितानि । कथं स्तोमाः प्रति तिष्ठन्ति तेषु तानि स्तोमेषु कथम् आर्पितानि ॥१९॥

sapta chandāṃsi caturuttarāṇy anyo anyasminn adhy ārpitāni | kathaṃ stomāḥ prati tiṣṭhanti teṣu tāni stomeṣu katham ārpitāni ||19||

Seven [are] the meters increasing (-úttara) by four, the one set upon the other: how do the praises (stóma) stand firm in them? how are they set in the praises?

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

कथं गायत्री त्रिवृतं व्य् आप कथं त्रिष्टुप् पञ्चदशेन कल्पते । त्रयस्त्रिंशेन जगती कथम् अनुष्टुप् कथम् एकविंशः ॥२०॥ २३

kathaṃ gāyatrī trivṛtaṃ vy āpa kathaṃ triṣṭup pañcadaśena kalpate | trayastriṃśena jagatī katham anuṣṭup katham ekaviṃśaḥ ||20|| 23

How did gāyatrī permeate (vi-āp) the triple [stóma]? how is triṣṭúbh adapted to that of fifteen? how jāgatī to that of thirty-three? how [is] anuṣṭúbh that of twenty-one?

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

अष्ट जाता भूता प्रथमजा ऋतस्याष्टेन्द्र ऋत्विजो दैव्या ये । अष्टयोनिर् अदितिर् अष्टपुत्रास्तमीं रात्रिम् अभि हव्यम् एति ॥२१॥

aṣṭa jātā bhūtā prathamajā ṛtasyāṣṭendra ṛtvijo daivyā ye | aṣṭayonir aditir aṣṭaputrāstamīṃ rātrim abhi havyam eti ||21||

Eight [are] born the beings first-born of righteousness; eight, O Indra, are the priests (ṛtvíj) who are of the gods; Aditi has eight wombs (yóni), eight sons; the oblation (havyám) goes unto the eighth night.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

इत्थं श्रेयो मन्यमानेदम् आगमं युष्माकं सख्ये अहम् अस्मि शेवा । समानजन्मा क्रतुर् अस्ति वः शिवः स वः सर्वाः सं चरति प्रजानन् ॥२२॥

itthaṃ śreyo manyamānedam āgamaṃ yuṣmākaṃ sakhye aham asmi śevā | samānajanmā kratur asti vaḥ śivaḥ sa vaḥ sarvāḥ saṃ carati prajānan ||22||

Thus thinking what is better have I come hither; in your friendship I am auspicious (çéva); being of the same birth, your skill is propitious; it (m.), understanding, goes about to you all (f.).

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

अष्टेन्द्रस्य षड् यमस्य ऋषीणां सप्त सप्तधा । अपो मनुष्यान् ओषधीस् तां उ पञ्चानु सेचिरे ॥२३॥

aṣṭendrasya ṣaḍ yamasya ṛṣīṇāṃ sapta saptadhā | apo manuṣyān oṣadhīs tāṃ u pañcānu secire ||23||

Eight of Indra, six of Yama, seven of the seers, seven-fold; waters, men (manuṣyà), herbs—them five followed (sac) after.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

केवलीन्द्राय दुदुहे हि गृष्टिर् वशम् पीयूषं प्रथमं दुहाना । अथातर्पयच् चतुरश् चतुर्धा देवान् मनुष्यां असुरान् उत ऋषीन् ॥२४॥

kevalīndrāya duduhe hi gṛṣṭir vaśam pīyūṣaṃ prathamaṃ duhānā | athātarpayac caturaś caturdhā devān manuṣyāṃ asurān uta ṛṣīn ||24||

Since the heifer milked solely (kévalī) for Indra [his] will (váça), the beestings, [when] first milked, then [she] gratified in four ways the four—gods, men, Asuras, and seers.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

को नु गौः क एकऋषिः किम् उ धाम का आशिषः । यक्षम् पृथिव्याम् एकवृद् एकर्तुः कतमो नु सः ॥२५॥

ko nu gauḥ ka ekaṛṣiḥ kim u dhāma kā āśiṣaḥ | yakṣam pṛthivyām ekavṛd ekartuḥ katamo nu saḥ ||25||

What now [is] the ox (gó), who the sole seer, what the abode (dhā́man), what the blessings (āçís)? the monster on the earth [is] simple (ekavṛ́t); the sole season—which now is that?

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

एको गौर् एक एकऋषिर् एकं धामैकधाशिषः । यक्षं पृथिव्याम् एकवृद् एकर्तुर् नाति रिच्यते ॥२६॥ २४

eko gaur eka ekaṛṣir ekaṃ dhāmaikadhāśiṣaḥ | yakṣaṃ pṛthivyām ekavṛd ekartur nāti ricyate ||26|| 24

One [is] the ox, one the sole seer, one the abode, singly the blessings; the monster on the earth [is] single; the sole season is not in excess.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)