Atharva Veda 5.17

te 'vadan prathamā brahmakilbiṣe 'kūpāraḥ salilo mātariśvā vīḍuharās tapa ugraṃ mayobhūr āpo devīḥ prathamajā ṛtasya

The Brahman's wife

These spoke first at the offense against the Brahman (bráhman-): the boundless sea, Mātariçvan, he of stout rage (-háras), formidable fervor, the kindly one, the heavenly waters, first-born of right (ṛtá).

somo rājā prathamo brahmajāyāṃ punaḥ prāyacchad ahṛṇīyamānaḥ anvartitā varuṇo mitra āsīd agnir hotā hastagṛhyā nināya

King Soma first gave (pra-yam) back the Brahman's wife, not bearing enmity; he who went after [her] was Varuṇa, Mitra; Agni, invoker, conducted [her] hither, seizing her hand.

hastenaiva grāhya ādhir asyā brahmajāyeti ced avocat na dūtāya praheyā tastha eṣā tathā rāṣṭraṃ gupitaṃ kṣatriyasya

To be seized by the hand indeed is the pledge (? ādhí) of her, if one has said "[she is] the Brahman's wife"; she stood not to be sent forth for a messenger: so is made safe (gupitá) the kingdom of the Kshatriya.

yām āhus tārakaiṣā vikeśīti ducchunāṃ grāmam avapadyamānām sā brahmajāyā vi dunoti rāṣṭraṃ yatra prāpādi śaśa ulkuṣīmān

The misfortune, descending (ava-pad) upon the village, of which they say "this is a star with disheveled hair"—as such, the Brahman's wife burns up the kingdom, where hath gone forth a hare (? çaçá) accompanied with meteors (ulkuṣī́-).

brahmacārī carati veviṣad viṣaḥ sa devānāṃ bhavaty ekam aṅgam tena jāyām anv avindad bṛhaspatiḥ somena nītāṃ juhvaṃ na devāḥ

The Vedic student (brahmacārin) goes about serving (viṣ) much service; he becomes one limb of the gods; by him Brihaspati discovered the wife, conducted by Soma, like the sacrificial spoon, O gods.

devā vā etasyām avadanta pūrve saptaṛṣayas tapasā ye niṣeduḥ bhīmā jāyā brāhmaṇasyāpanītā durdhāṃ dadhāti parame vyoman

The gods of old verily spoke about her, the seven seers who sat down with penance (tápas); fearful [is] the wife of the Brahman when led away; she makes (dhā) discomfort (durdhā́) in the highest firmament (vyòman).

ye garbhā avapadyante jagad yac cāpalupyate vīrā ye tṛhyante mitho brahmajāyā hinasti tān

What embryos are aborted (ava-pad), what living creatures (jágat) are torn away (apa-lup), what heroes are mutually shattered—them the Brahman's wife injures.

uta yat patayo daśa striyāḥ pūrve abrāhmaṇāḥ brahmā ceddhastam agrahīt sa eva patir ekadhā

And if [there were] ten former husbands of a woman, not Brahmans—provided a Brahman has seized her hand, he is alone her husband.

brāhmaṇa eva patir na rājanyo na vaiśyaḥ tat sūryaḥ prabruvann eti pañcabhyo mānavebhyaḥ

A Brahman [is] indeed her husband, not a noble (rājanyà), not a Vāiçya: this the sun goes proclaiming to the five races of men (mānavá).

punar vai devā adaduḥ punar manuṣyā adaduḥ rājānaḥ satyaṃ gṛhṇānā brahmajāyāṃ punar daduḥ

The gods verily gave back; men (manuṣyà) gave back; kings, apprehending (grah) truth, gave back the Brahman's wife.

punardāya brahmajāyāṃ kṛtvā devair nikilbiṣam ūrjaṃ pṛthivyā bhaktvorugāyam upāsate

Having given back the Brahman's wife, having brought about (kṛ) freedom of offense with the gods, sharing (bhaj) the refreshment (ū́rj) of the earth, they occupy (upa-ās) broad space (urugyá).

nāsya jāyā śatavāhī kalyāṇī talpam ā śaye yasmin rāṣṭre nirudhyate brahmajāyācittyā

Not on his couch lies a beautiful hundred-bringing (-vāhī́) wife, in whose kingdom the Brahman's wife is obstructed through ignorance.

na vikarṇaḥ pṛthuśirās tasmin veśmani jāyate yasmin rāṣṭre nirudhyate brahmajāyācittyā

A wide-eared, broad-headed [ox?] is not born in that dwelling, in whose etc. etc.

nāsya kṣattā niṣkagrīvaḥ sūnānām ety agrataḥ yasmin rāṣṭre nirudhyate brahmajāyācittyā

A distributer (kṣattár) with necklaced neck goes not at the head of his crates (? sūnā́) [of food], in whose etc. etc.

nāsya śvetaḥ kṛṣṇakarṇo dhuri yukto mahīyate yasmin rāṣṭre nirudhyate brahmajāyācittyā

A white, black-eared [horse] does not make a show (mahīy), harnessed to his [chariot-] pole, in whose etc. etc.

nāsya kṣetre puṣkariṇī nāṇḍīkaṃ jāyate bisam yasmin rāṣṭre nirudhyate brahmajāyācittyā

Not in his field [is] a lotus-pond, the bulb (? bísa) of the bulb-bearing lotus is not produced (jan), in whose etc. etc.

nāsmai pṛśniṃ vi duhanti ye 'syā doham upāsate yasmin rāṣṭre nirudhyate brahmajāyācittyā

Not for him do they who attend to (upa-ās) her milking milk out the spotted [cow], in whose etc. etc.

nāsya dhenuḥ kalyāṇī nānaḍvānt sahate dhuram vijānir yatra brāhmaṇo rātriṃ vasati pāpayā

Not his [is] a beautiful milch-cow, [his] draft-ox endures not the pole, where a Brahman stays a night miserably (pāpáyā) without a wife (-jāni).