Library·Atharvaveda Saṃhitā (Śaunaka)·9·9.9
अस्य वामस्य पलितस्य होतुस् तस्य भ्राता मध्यमो अस्त्य् अश्नः । तृतीयो भ्राता घृतपृष्ठो अस्यात्रापश्यं विश्पतिं सप्तपुत्रम् ॥१॥
asya vāmasya palitasya hotus tasya bhrātā madhyamo asty aśnaḥ | tṛtīyo bhrātā ghṛtapṛṣṭho asyātrāpaśyaṃ viśpatiṃ saptaputram ||1||
Of this pleasant (vāmá) hoary invoker—of him the brother is the midmost stone (? áçna); his third brother [is] ghee-backed; there I saw the lord of the people who hath seven sons.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
सप्त युञ्जन्ति रथम् एकचक्रम् एको अश्वो वहति सप्तनामा । त्रिनाभि चक्रम् अजरम् अनर्वं यत्रेमा विश्वा भुवनाधि तस्थुः ॥२॥
sapta yuñjanti ratham ekacakram eko aśvo vahati saptanāmā | trinābhi cakram ajaram anarvaṃ yatremā viśvā bhuvanādhi tasthuḥ ||2||
Seven harness (yuj) a one-wheeled chariot; one horse, having seven names, draws (vah) [it]; of three naves [is] the wheel, unwasting, unassailed, whereon stand all these existences.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
इमं रथम् अधि ये सप्त तस्थुः सप्तचक्रं सप्त वहन्त्य् अश्वाः । सप्त स्वसारो अभि सं नवन्त यत्र गवाम् निहिता सप्त नाम ॥३॥
imaṃ ratham adhi ye sapta tasthuḥ saptacakraṃ sapta vahanty aśvāḥ | sapta svasāro abhi saṃ navanta yatra gavām nihitā sapta nāma ||3||
The seven that stand on this chariot—seven horses draw it, seven-wheeled; seven sisters shout at [it] together, where are set down the seven names of the kine.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
को ददर्श प्रथमं जायमानम् अस्थन्वन्तं यद् अनस्था बिभर्ति । भूम्या असुर् असृग् आत्मा क्व स्वित् को विद्वांसम् उप गात् प्रष्टुम् एतत् ॥४॥
ko dadarśa prathamaṃ jāyamānam asthanvantaṃ yad anasthā bibharti | bhūmyā asur asṛg ātmā kva svit ko vidvāṃsam upa gāt praṣṭum etat ||4||
Who saw it first in process of birth, as the boneless one bears (bhṛ) him that has bones? where forsooth the earth's life (ásu), blood, soul? who shall go to ask that of him who knows?
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
इह ब्रवीतु य ईम् अङ्ग वेदास्य वामस्य निहितं पदं वेः । शीर्ष्णः क्षीरं दुह्रते गावो अस्य वव्रिं वसाना उदकं पदा ऽपुः ॥५॥
iha bravītu ya īm aṅga vedāsya vāmasya nihitaṃ padaṃ veḥ | śīrṣṇaḥ kṣīraṃ duhrate gāvo asya vavriṃ vasānā udakaṃ padā 'puḥ ||5||
Let him who truly knows ⌊here⌋ tell (brū) the set-down track of this pleasant bird; the kine extract (duh) milk from his head; clothing themselves in a wrap, they have drunk water with the foot.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
पाकः पृछामि मनसा ऽविजानन् देवानाम् एना निहिता पदानि । वत्से बष्कये ऽधि सप्त तन्तून् वि तत्निरे कवय ओतवा उ ॥६॥
pākaḥ pṛchāmi manasā 'vijānan devānām enā nihitā padāni | vatse baṣkaye 'dhi sapta tantūn vi tatnire kavaya otavā u ||6||
Simple, not discerning (vi-jñā) with the mind, I ask about the thus set-down tracks of the gods; over the yearling (? baṣkáya) calf have the poets stretched out seven lines (tántu) for weaving.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
अचिकित्वांस् चिकितुषश् चिद् अत्र कवीन् पृछामि विद्वनो न विद्वान् । वि यस् तस्तम्भ षट् इमा रजांस्य् अजस्य रूपे किं अपि स्विद् एकम् ॥७॥
acikitvāṃs cikituṣaś cid atra kavīn pṛchāmi vidvano na vidvān | vi yas tastambha ṣaṭ imā rajāṃsy ajasya rūpe kiṃ api svid ekam ||7||
I, not understanding (cit), ask here the understanding poets, I unknowing (vid), them that know; he who propped asunder these six spaces (rájas), in the form of the goat (? ajá)—was that also alone?
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
माता पितरम् ऋत आ बभाज ऽधीत्य् अग्रे मनसा सं हि जग्मे । सा बीभत्सुर् गर्भरसा निविद्धा नमस्वन्त इद् उपवाकम् ईयुः ॥८॥
mātā pitaram ṛta ā babhāja 'dhīty agre manasā saṃ hi jagme | sā bībhatsur garbharasā nividdhā namasvanta id upavākam īyuḥ ||8||
The mother portioned the father in righteousness, for with meditation (dhītí), with mind, came together in the beginning she, repugnant, womb-sapped, pierced; paying homage, verily, they went unto encouragement.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
युक्ता मातासिद् धुरि दक्षिणाया अतिष्ठद् गर्भो वृजनीष्व् अन्तः । अमीमेद् वत्सो अनु गाम् अपश्यद् विश्वरूप्यं त्रिषु योगनेषु ॥९॥
yuktā mātāsid dhuri dakṣiṇāyā atiṣṭhad garbho vṛjanīṣv antaḥ | amīmed vatso anu gām apaśyad viśvarūpyaṃ triṣu yoganeṣu ||9||
The mother was yoked to the pole of the sacrificial gift; the embryo stood among the wiles (? vṛjanī́); the calf bleated, looked after the cow of all forms, in the three distances (yójana).
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
तिस्रो मतॄस् त्रीन् पितॄन् बिभ्रद् एक उर्ध्वस् तस्थौ नेम् अव ग्लापयन्त । मन्त्रयन्ते दिवो अमुष्य पृष्ठे विश्वविदो वाचम् अविश्वविन्नाम् ॥१०॥ २४
tisro matṝs trīn pitṝn bibhrad eka urdhvas tasthau nem ava glāpayanta | mantrayante divo amuṣya pṛṣṭhe viśvavido vācam aviśvavinnām ||10|| 24
The one, bearing three mothers [and] three fathers, stood upright; verily they do not exhaust him; on the back of yon sky the all-knowing ones talk a speech not found by all.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
पञ्चारे चक्रे परिवर्तमाने यस्मिन्न् आतस्थुर् भुवनानि विश्वा । तस्य नाक्षस् तप्यते भूरिभारः सनाद् एव न छिद्यते सनाभिः ॥११॥
pañcāre cakre parivartamāne yasminn ātasthur bhuvanāni viśvā | tasya nākṣas tapyate bhūribhāraḥ sanād eva na chidyate sanābhiḥ ||11||
On the five-spoked circumvolving wheel on which stood all existences—its axle, much-burdened, is not heated; even from of old it is not severed with the nave.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
पञ्चपादं पितरं द्वादशाकृतिं दिव आहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम् । अथेमे अन्य उपरे विचक्षणे सप्तचक्रे षडर आहुर् अर्पितम् ॥१२॥
pañcapādaṃ pitaraṃ dvādaśākṛtiṃ diva āhuḥ pare ardhe purīṣiṇam | atheme anya upare vicakṣaṇe saptacakre ṣaḍara āhur arpitam ||12||
The five-footed father, of twelve shapes (-ā́kṛti), they call rich in ground (purīṣín) in the far (pára) half of the sky; then these others call [him] set (árpita) in the lower outlook that is seven-wheeled, six-spoked.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
द्वादशारं नहि तज् जराय वर्वर्ति चक्रं परि द्याम् ऋतस्य । आ पुत्रा अग्ने मिथुनासो अत्र सप्त शतानि विंशतिश् च तस्थुः ॥१३॥
dvādaśāraṃ nahi taj jarāya varvarti cakraṃ pari dyām ṛtasya | ā putrā agne mithunāso atra sapta śatāni viṃśatiś ca tasthuḥ ||13||
The twelve-spoked wheel—for that is not to be worn out—revolves greatly about the sky of righteousness; there, O Agni, stood the sons, paired, seven hundred and twenty.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
सनेमि चक्रम् अजरं वि ववृत उत्तानायां दश युक्ता वहन्ति । सूर्यस्य चक्षू रजसैत्य् आवृतं यस्मिन्न् आतस्थुर् भुवनानि विश्वा ॥१४॥
sanemi cakram ajaraṃ vi vavṛta uttānāyāṃ daśa yuktā vahanti | sūryasya cakṣū rajasaity āvṛtaṃ yasminn ātasthur bhuvanāni viśvā ||14||
The unwasting wheel, with rim, rolls about; ten harnessed ones draw upon the outstretched one (fem.); the sun's eye goes surrounded with the welkin (rájas), in which stood all existences.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
स्त्रियः सतीस् ताम् उ मे पुंसः आहुः पश्यद् अक्षण्वान्न् वि चेतद् अन्धः । कविर् यः पुत्रः स ईम् आ चिकेत यस् ता विजानात् स पितुष् पितासत् ॥१५॥
striyaḥ satīs tām u me puṃsaḥ āhuḥ paśyad akṣaṇvānn vi cetad andhaḥ | kavir yaḥ putraḥ sa īm ā ciketa yas tā vijānāt sa pituṣ pitāsat ||15||
Them, being women, they declared (ah) to me to be men; he who hath eyes may see, [but] the blind will not distinguish (vi-cit); the son that is a poet, he verily understood (ā-cit); whoever knows those things apart, he shall be [his] father's father.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
साकंजानां सप्तथम् आहुर् एकजं षड् इद् यमा ऋषयो देवजा इति । तेषाम् इष्टानि विहितानि धामश स्थात्रे रेजन्ते विकृतानि रूपशः ॥१६॥
sākaṃjānāṃ saptatham āhur ekajaṃ ṣaḍ id yamā ṛṣayo devajā iti | teṣām iṣṭāni vihitāni dhāmaśa sthātre rejante vikṛtāni rūpaśaḥ ||16||
Of those born together the seventh they call sole-born; six, they say, are twins, god-born seers; the sacrifices (? iṣṭá) of them, distributed according to their abodes, quake in their station, being altered (vi-kṛ) in respect to form.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
अवः परेण पर एना अवरेण पदा वत्सं बिभ्रती गौर् उद् अस्थात् । सा कद्रीची कं स्विद् अर्धं परागात् क्व स्वित् सूते नहि यूथे अस्मिन् ॥१७॥
avaḥ pareṇa para enā avareṇa padā vatsaṃ bibhratī gaur ud asthāt | sā kadrīcī kaṃ svid ardhaṃ parāgāt kva svit sūte nahi yūthe asmin ||17||
Below the distant (pára), thus beyond the lower, bearing (bhṛ) her calf with her foot, the cow hath stood up; whitherwards, to what quarter (árdha) hath she forsooth gone away? where giveth she birth? for [it is] not in this herd.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
अवः परेण पितरं यो अस्य वेदावः परेण पर एनावरेण । कवीयमानः क इह प्र वोचद् देवं मनः कुतो अधि प्रजातम् ॥१८॥
avaḥ pareṇa pitaraṃ yo asya vedāvaḥ pareṇa para enāvareṇa | kavīyamānaḥ ka iha pra vocad devaṃ manaḥ kuto adhi prajātam ||18||
Below the distant whoever knows his father, below the distant, thus beyond the lower—who, playing the poet, shall proclaim [him] here? from whence [is] heavenly mind produced?
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
ये अर्वाञ्चस् ताम् उ पराच आहुर् ये पराञ्चस् तां उ अर्वाच आहुः । इन्द्रश् च या चक्रथुः सोम तानि धुरा न युक्ता रजसो वहन्ति ॥१९॥
ye arvāñcas tām u parāca āhur ye parāñcas tāṃ u arvāca āhuḥ | indraś ca yā cakrathuḥ soma tāni dhurā na yuktā rajaso vahanti ||19||
Them that are hitherward they call off-ward; them, again, that are off-ward they call hitherward; what things, O Soma, thou and Indra have done, those they draw, harnessed as it were with the pole of the welkin.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परि षस्वजाते । तयोर् अन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्व् अत्त्य् अनश्नन्न् अन्यो अभि चाकशीति ॥२०॥
dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pari ṣasvajāte | tayor anyaḥ pippalaṃ svādv atty anaśnann anyo abhi cākaśīti ||20||
Two eagles (suparṇá), joint companions, embrace the same tree; of them the one eats the sweet berry; the other looks on all the time, not partaking.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
यस्मिन् वृक्षे मध्वदः सुपर्णा निविशन्ते सुवते चाधि विश्वे । तस्य यद् आहुः पिप्पलं स्वाद्व् अग्रे तन् नोन् नशद् यः पितरं न वेद ॥२१॥
yasmin vṛkṣe madhvadaḥ suparṇā niviśante suvate cādhi viśve | tasya yad āhuḥ pippalaṃ svādv agre tan non naśad yaḥ pitaraṃ na veda ||21||
On what tree the honey-eating eagles all settle and give birth—what they call the sweet berry in the top of it, that cannot he attain who knoweth not [his] father.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)
यत्रा सुपर्णा अमृतस्य भक्षम् अनिमेषं विदथाभिस्वरन्ति । एना विश्वस्य भुवनस्य गोपाः स मा धीरः पाकम् अत्रा विवेश ॥२२॥ २५
yatrā suparṇā amṛtasya bhakṣam animeṣaṃ vidathābhisvaranti | enā viśvasya bhuvanasya gopāḥ sa mā dhīraḥ pākam atrā viveśa ||22|| 25
Where the eagles, with counsel (vidátha), sound incessantly (ánimeṣam) unto the draught of amṛ́ta,—thus the shepherd of all existence, he the wise one entered there into me that am simple.
Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)