Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book I/Hymn 5
5. To the waters: for blessings.
[Sindhudvīpa.—(etc., as 4).]
The first three verses occur, without variants, in Pāipp. xix. The whole hymn, with the first three verses of the one next following, are, also without variants, RV. x. 9. 1-7 (vs. 5 is here put before 4; 6, 7 are also RV. i. 23. 20 a, b, c, 21); and they likewise occur in other texts: thus, 5. 1-3 in SV. (ii. 1187-1189), VS. (xi. 50-52 et al.), TS. (iv. c. 51 et al.), MS. (ii. 7. 5 et al.), and TA. (iv. 42 .4 et al.), everywhere with the same text ⌊for other references, see MGS., p. 147⌋; as to 5. 4 and the verses of 6, see under the verses. Hymns 5 and 6 together are called çambhumayobhū, Kāuç. 9. 1; for their uses in connection with the preceding hymn, see under that hymn. Both appear also in the house-building ceremony (43. 12), and this one alone in the darçapūrṇamāsa- or parvan-sacrifices (6. 17); while the schol. add it (42. 13, note) to the ceremony on the home-coming of the Vedic student. For the use in Vāit. with hymns 4 and 6, see under 4; with 6 (also under the name çambhumayobhū) it accompanies in the paçubandha (10. 19) the washing of articles employed; and with it alone, in the agnicayana (28. 11), is the lump of earth sprinkled. The comm., finally, quotes the hymn from Nakṣ. Kalpa 17, 18, as used in a mahāçānti called ādityā.
Translated: Weber, iv. 397; Griffith, i. 7.
1. Since ye are kindly waters, do ye set us unto refreshment (ū́rj), unto sight of great joy.
2. What is your most propitious savor (rása), of that make us share here, like zealous mothers.
3. We would satisfy you in order to that to the possession of which ye quicken, O waters, and generate us.
⌊May not janáyathā, like English produce, here mean 'bring,' and so signify about the same thing as jínvatha?⌋
4. Of the waters, having mastery of desirable things, ruling over human beings (carṣaṇí), I ask a remedy.
The verse follows in RV. our 6. 1. It is found, without variants, in TB. (ii. 5. 85) and TA. (iv. 42. 4); but MS. (iv. 9. 27) has a corrupt third pāda, with much discordance among the mss., and adds a fourth.