Atharva Veda
The flesh-eating and the householder's fires
naḍam āroha na te atra loka idaṃ sīsaṃ bhāgadheyaṃ ta ehi yo goṣu yakṣmaḥ puruṣeṣu yakṣmas tena tvaṃ sākam adharāṅ parehi
The flesh-eating and the householder's fires
Ascend the reeds (naḍá); no place for thee is here; this lead is thy portion; come! what yákṣma is in kine, [what] yákṣma in men, in company with that do thou go forth downward.
aghaśaṃsaduḥśaṃsābhyāṃ kareṇānukareṇa ca yakṣmaṃ ca sarvaṃ teneto mṛtyuṃ ca nirajāmasi
By evil-plotter and ill-plotter, by actor and helper, both all yákṣma and death do we thereby drive out from here.
nir ito mṛtyuṃ nirṛtiṃ nir arātim ajāmasi yo no dveṣṭi tam addhy agne akravyād yam u dviṣmas tam u te prasuvāmasi
Out from here do we drive death, perdition, out the niggard; whoso hates us, him, O non-flesh-eating Agni, do thou eat; whomso we hate, him do we impel to thee.
yady agniḥ kravyād yadi vā vyāghra imaṃ goṣṭhaṃ praviveśānyokāḥ taṃ māṣājyaṃ kṛtvā prahiṇomi dūraṃ sa gacchatv apsuṣado 'py agnīn
If the flesh-eating Agni, or if the tiger-like, hath entered this stall (goṣṭhá), being not at home (?), him, having made him to have beans for sacrificial butter, I send far forth; let him go unto the Agnis that have seat in the waters.
yat tvā kruddhāḥ pracakrur manyunā puruṣe mṛte sukalpam agne tat tvayā punas tvoddīpayāmasi
If angry men put thee forth (pra-kṛ), with fury, a man having died, that, O Agni, is easy to be arranged by thee; we make thee flame up again.
punas tvādityā rudrā vasavaḥ punar brahmā vasunītir agne punas tvā brahmaṇaspatir ādhād dīrghāyutvāya śataśāradāya
The Ādityas, the Rudras, the Vasus [have set] thee again; again, O Agni, the priest (brahmán), conductor of good; Brahmaṇaspati hath set thee again, in order to length of life-time to a hundred autumns.
yo agniḥ kravyāt praviveśa no gṛham imaṃ paśyann itaraṃ jātavedasam taṃ harāmi pitṛyajñāya dūraṃ sa gharmam indhāṃ parame sadhasthe
If the flesh-eating Agni hath entered our house, seeing this other Jātavedas, him I take afar for the Fathers' sacrifice; let him kindle the hot drink (gharmá) in the highest station.
kravyādam agniṃ prahiṇomi dūram yamarājño gacchatu ripravāhaḥ ihāyam itaro jātavedā devo devebhyo havyaṃ vahatu prajānan
I send far forth the flesh-eating Agni; let him go, carrying evil (riprá-), to Yama's subjects; here let this other Jātavedas carry the oblation, a god to the gods, foreknowing.
kravyādam agnim iṣito harāmi janān dṛṃhantaṃ vajreṇa mṛtyum ni taṃ śāsmi gārhapatyena vidvān pitṝṇāṃ loke 'pi bhāgo astu
I, being sent, take the flesh-eating Agni, a death, making people fixed with the thunderbolt; I, knowing, separate (? ni-çās) him from the householder's fire; also in the world of the Fathers be he [their] portion.
kravyādam agniṃ śaśamānam ukthyaṃ prahiṇomi pathibhiḥ pitṛyāṇaiḥ mā devayānaiḥ punar āgā atraivaidhi pitṛṣu jāgṛhi tvam
The flesh-eating Agni, active, praiseworthy, I send forth by the roads that the Fathers go; come thou not back by those that the gods go; be thou just there (átra); watch thou over the Fathers.
samindhate saṃkasukaṃ svastaye śuddhā bhavantaḥ śucayaḥ pāvakāḥ jahāti ripram aty ena eti samiddho agniḥ supunā punāti
They kindle the devouring one (sáṁkasuka) in order to well-being, becoming cleansed, bright, purifying; he abandons evil (riprá), passes over sin; Agni, kindled, purifies with a good purifier.
devo agniḥ saṃkasuko divas pṛṣṭhāny āruhat mucyamāno nir enaso 'mog asmāṁ aśastyāḥ
God Agni the devouring hath ascended the backs of the sky; being released out of sin, he hath released us from imprecation.
asmin vayaṃ saṃkasuke agnau riprāṇi mṛjmahe abhūma yajñiyāḥ śuddhāḥ pra ṇa āyūṃṣi tāriṣat
On this devouring Agni do we wipe off evils; we have become fit for sacrifice, cleansed; may he prolong our life-times.
saṃkasuko vikasuko nirṛtho yaś ca nisvaraḥ te te yakṣmaṃ savedaso dūrād dūram anīnaśan
The crushing ⌊sáṁkasuka⌋, the bursting (víkasuka), the destroying (nirṛthá) and the noiseless (? nisvará)—they, of like possessions (? sávedas), have made from far thy yákṣma to disappear afar.
yo no aśveṣu vīreṣu yo no goṣv ajāviṣu kravyādaṃ nirṇudāmasi yo agnir janayopanaḥ
The flesh-eating one that is in our horses, heroes, that is in our kine, goats-and-sheep, do we thrust out—the fire that obstructs the people.
anyebhyas tvā puruṣebhyo gobhyo aśvebhyas tvā niḥ kravyādaṃ nudāmasi yo agnir jīvitayopanaḥ
Thee from inexhaustible (? ánya) men, kine, horses, thee the flesh-eating one do we thrust out—the fire that obstructs life.
yasmin devā amṛjata yasmin manuṣyā uta tasmin ghṛtastāvo mṛṣṭvā tvam agne divaṃ ruha
On what the gods wiped off, on what human beings (manuṣyà) also—on that having wiped off the drops of ghee (?), O Agni, do thou mount the sky.
samiddho agna āhuta sa no mābhyapakramīḥ atraiva dīdihi dyavi jyok ca sūryaṃ dṛśe
Being kindled, O Agni, thou to whom oblations are made, go (kram) thou not away against us; shine just here by day, and that [we] long see the sun.
sīse mṛḍḍhvaṃ naḍe mṛḍḍhvam agnau saṃkasuke ca yat atho avyāṃ rāmāyāṃ śīrṣaktim upabarhaṇe
Wipe ye off on the lead; wipe ye off on the reeds; and what on the consuming fire; likewise on the dark (rāmá) ewe; headache on the pillow.
sīse malaṃ sādayitvā śīrṣaktim upabarhaṇe avyām asiknyāṃ mṛṣṭvā śuddhā bhavata yajñiyāḥ
Having settled what is foul upon the lead [and] headache upon the pillow, having wiped off on the black ewe, be ye cleansed, fit for sacrifice.
paraṃ mṛtyo anu parehi panthāṃ yas ta eṣa itaro devayānāt cakṣuṣmate śṛṇvate te bravīmīheme vīrā bahavo bhavantu
Go away, O death, along a distant road which is thine here, other than that the gods go upon; I speak to thee having sight, hearing; let these many heroes be here.
ime jīvā vi mṛtair āvavṛtrann abhūd bhadrā devahutir no adya prāñco agāma nṛtaye hasāya suvīrāso vidatham ā vadema
These living ones have turned away from the dead; our invocation of the gods hath been auspicious (bhadrá) today; we have gone forward unto dancing, unto laughter; may we, rich in heroes, address counsel.
imaṃ jīvebhyaḥ paridhiṃ dadhāmi maiṣāṃ nu gād aparo artham etam śataṃ jīvantaḥ śaradaḥ purūcīs tiro mṛtyuṃ dadhatām parvatena
I set this enclosure for the living; let not another of them now go to that goal; living a hundred numerous autumns, let them set an obstacle to death with a mountain.
ārohatāyur jarasaṃ vṛṇānā anupūrvaṃ yatamānā yati stha tān vas tvaṣṭā sujanimā sajoṣāḥ sarvam āyur nayatu jīvanāya
Mount, choosing old age for life-time, pressing on, one after another, as many as ye be; you here let Tvashṭar, him of good births, in accord [with you], lead on to living your whole life-time.
yathāhāny anupūrvaṃ bhavanti yathartava ṛtubhir yanti sākam yathā na pūrvam aparo jahāty evā dhātar āyūṃṣi kalpayaiṣām
As days take place (bhū) one after another, as seasons go along with seasons, as an after one does not desert (hā) a preceding—so, O creator (dhā́tṛ), arrange their life-times.
aśmanvatī rīyate saṃrabhadhvaṃ vīrayadhvaṃ pra taratā sakhāyaḥ atrā jahīta ye asan durevā anamīvān ut taremābhi vājān
The stony one flows (rī); take ye hold together; play the hero, pass over, O friends; quit here them that are of evil courses; may we pass up unto powers (? vā́ja) that are free from disease.
uttiṣṭhatā prataratā sakhāyo 'śmanvatī nadī syandata iyam atrā jahīta ye asann aśivāḥ śivānt syonān ut taremābhi vājān
Stand up, pass over, O friends; the stony river here runs (syand); quit ye here them that are unpropitious; may we pass up unto propitious pleasant powers.
vaiśvadevīṃ varcasā ārabhadhvaṃ śuddhā bhavantaḥ śucayaḥ pāvakāḥ atikrāmanto duritā padāni śataṃ himāḥ sarvavīrā madema
Take ye hold on that of all the gods in order to splendor, becoming cleansed, clear, purifying; stepping over difficult tracks, may we revel a hundred winters with all our heroes.
udīcīnaiḥ pathibhir vāyumadbhir atikrāmanto 'varān parebhiḥ triḥ sapta kṛtvarṣayaḥ paretā mṛtyuṃ pratyauhan padayopanena
By upward roads, full of wind, by distant (pára) ones, stepping over those that are lower (ávara), thrice seven times did the departed (páreta) seers bear back death with the track-obstructor.
mṛtyoḥ padaṃ yopayanta eta drāghīya āyuḥ prataraṃ dadhānāḥ āsīnā mṛtyuṃ nudatā sadhasthe 'tha jīvāso vidatham āvadema
Come ye, obstructing the track of death, assuming further on a longer life-time; sitting in your station, thrust ye [away] death; then may we, living, speak to the council.
imā nārīr avidhavāḥ supatnīr āñjanena sarpiṣā saṃspṛśantām anaśravo anamīvāḥ suratnā ārohantu janayo yonim agre
Let these women, not widows, well-spoused, touch themselves with ointment, with butter; tearless, without disease, with good treasures (-rátna), let the wives ascend first to the place of union (yóni).
vyākaromi haviṣāham etau tau brahmaṇā vy ahaṃ kalpayāmi svadhāṃ pitṛbhyo ajarāṃ kṛṇomi dīrgheṇāyuṣā sam imānt sṛjāmi
I separate (vy-ā-kṛ) these two by oblation; I shape them apart with a spell (bráhman); I make for the Fathers unwasting svadhā́; I unite these with a long life-time.
yo no agniḥ pitaro hṛtsv antar āviveśāmṛto martyeṣu mayy ahaṃ taṃ parigṛhṇāmi devaṃ mā so asmān dvikṣata mā vayaṃ tam
What Agni, O Fathers, hath entered into our hearts, an immortal into mortals, that god do I enclose in me; let him not hate us, nor let us [hate] him.
apāvṛtya gārhapatyāt kravyādā preta dakṣiṇā priyaṃ pitṛbhya ātmane brahmabhyaḥ kṛṇutā priyam
Having turned away from the householder's fire, go ye forth to the right with the flesh-eating one; do ye what is dear to the Fathers, to self, what is dear to the priests (brahmán).
dvibhāgadhanam ādāya prakṣiṇāty avartyā agniḥ putrasya jyeṣṭhasya yaḥ kravyād anirāhitaḥ
The flesh-eating Agni that is unremoved (á-nir-ā-hita), taking to himself the double-portioned riches of the oldest son, destroys [him] with ruin.
yat kṛṣate yad vanute yac ca vasnena vindate sarvaṃ martyasya tan nāsti kravyāc ced anirāhitaḥ
What one plows, what one wins (van), and what one gains (vid) by pay (vasná)—all that is not a mortal's, if the flesh-eating one be unremoved.
chinatti kṛṣyā gor dhanād yaṃ kravyād anuvartate
He becomes unfit for sacrifice, of smitten splendor; not by him is the oblation to be eaten; [him] the flesh-eating one cuts off from plowing, kine, riches, whom it pursues.
muhur gṛdhyaiḥ pravadaty ārtim martyo nītya kravyād yān agnir antikād anuvidvān vitāvati
A mortal, going down to mishap, speaks forth repeatedly with greedy ones (? gṛ́dhya); whom (pl.) the flesh-eating Agni, from near by, after-knowing, follows (? vi-tāv).
grāhyā gṛhāḥ saṃsṛjyante striyā yan mriyate patiḥ brahmaiva vidvān eṣyo yaḥ kravyādaṃ nirādadhat
The houses are united with seizure (grā́hi) when a woman's husband dies; a knowing priest (brahmán) is to be sought, who shall remove the flesh-eating one.
yad ripraṃ śamalaṃ cakṛma yac ca duṣkṛtam āpo mā tasmācchumbhantvagneḥ saṃkasukāc ca yat
What evil (riprá), pollution we have committed, and what ill-doing, from that let the waters cleanse me, and from the crushing Agni what.
tā adharād udīcīr āvavṛtran prajānatīḥ pathibhir devayānaiḥ parvatasya vṛṣabhasyādhi pṛṣṭhe navāś caranti saritaḥ purāṇīḥ
These fore-knowing ones (f.) have turned hither upward from below by roads that the gods go upon; upon the back of the virile (vṛṣabhá) mountain the ancient streams (sarít) go about new.
agne akravyān niḥ kravyādaṃ nudā devayajanaṃ vaha
O non-flesh-eating Agni, push out the flesh-eating one; bring the god-sacrificing one.
imaṃ kravyād āviveśāyaṃ kravyādam anvagāt vyāghrau kṛtvā nānānaṃ taṃ harāmi śivāparam
The flesh-eating one entered into this man; he has gone after the flesh-eating one; having made two tigers severally, I take him, who is other than propitious.
antardhir devānāṃ paridhir manuṣyāṇām agnir gārhapatya ubhayān antarā śritaḥ
Concealment of the gods, defense (paridhí) of men (manuṣyà), the householder's fire is set (çritá) between both classes.
jīvānām āyuḥ pratira tvam agne pitṝṇāṃ lokam api gacchantu ye mṛtāḥ sugārhapatyo vitapann arātim uṣāmuṣāṃ śreyasīṃ dhehy asmai
Lengthen thou out, O Agni, the life-time of the living; let them who are dead go unto the world of the Fathers; do thou, a good householder's fire, burning away the niggard, assign to this man an ever better dawn.
sarvān agne sahamānaḥ sapatnān aiṣām ūrjaṃ rayim asmāsu dhehi
Overcoming, O Agni, all [our] rivals, do thou assign to us their refreshment [and] wealth.
imam indraṃ vahniṃ paprim anvārabhadhvaṃ sa vo nirvakṣad duritād avadyāt tenāpahata śarum āpatantaṃ tena rudrasya paripātāstām
Take ye hold after this saving (pápri) carrier (váhni) Indra; he shall carry you out of difficulty [and] reproach; by him smite away the on-flying shaft; by him ward off (pari-pā) Rudra's hurled [missile].
anaḍvāhaṃ plavam anvārabhadhvaṃ sa vo nirvakṣad duritād avadyāt ārohata savitur nāvam etāṃ ṣaḍbhir urvībhir amatiṃ tarema
Lay ye hold after the draft-ox [as] float (plavá); he shall carry you out of difficulty [and] reproach; mount this boat of Savitar; may we cross over misery by the six wide [directions].
ahorātre anveṣi bibhrat kṣemyas tiṣṭhan prataraṇaḥ suvīraḥ anāturānt sumanasas talpa bibhraj jyog eva naḥ puruṣagandhir edhi
Day-and-night thou goest after, bearing, standing comfortable (kṣemyá), prolonging [life], having good heroes; bearing, O couch, healthful (ánātura), well-minded ones (m.), do thou long be for us smelling of men (púrusagandhi).
te devebhya āvṛścante pāpaṃ jīvanti sarvadā kravyād yān agnir antikād aśva ivānuvapate naḍam
They fall under the wrath of the gods, they live always evilly, after whom the flesh-eating fire, from near by, like a horse, scatters reeds.
ye 'śraddhā dhanakāmyā kravyādā samāsate te vā anyeṣāṃ kumbhīṃ paryādadhati sarvadā
Whoever, without faith, from desire of riches then sit together with the flesh-eating one, they verily feed the fire (ā-dhā) about the pot (kumbhī́) of others ⌊always⌋.
preva pipatiṣati manasā muhur āvartate punaḥ kravyād yān agnir antikād anuvidvān vitāvati
He desires, as it were, to fly forth with his mind; repeatedly he returns again—they whom the flesh-eating Agni, from near by, after-knowing follows.
aviḥ kṛṣṇā bhāgadheyaṃ paśūnāṃ sīsaṃ kravyād api candraṃ ta āhuḥ māṣāḥ piṣṭā bhāgadheyaṃ te havyam araṇyānyā gahvaraṃ sacasva
A black ewe [is] of cattle [thy] portion; lead, too, they call thy gold (? candrá), O flesh-eating one; ground beans ⌊are⌋ thy portion [as] oblation; seek (sac) thou the thicket of the forest-spirit (araṇyānī́).
iṣīkāṃ jaratīm iṣṭvā tilpiñjaṃ daṇḍanaṃ naḍam tam indra idhmam kṛtvā yamasyāgniṃ nirādadhau
Having made offering of withered (? járat) cane (iṣī́kā), of tilpíñja, of dáṇḍana, of reeds; having made fuel of this, Indra removed Yama's fire.
pratyañcam arkaṃ pratyarpayitvā pravidvān panthāṃ vi hy āviveśa parāmīṣām asūn dideśa dīrgheṇāyuṣā sam imānt sṛjāmi
Having sent in opposition an opposing (pratyáñc) song (arká), I, foreknowing, have entered abroad on the road; I have directed away the lifebreaths of them yonder; these here I unite with long life-time.