Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book II/Hymn 15

15. Against fear.

[Brahman.—ṣaḍṛcam. prāṇāpānāyurdevatyam. tripādgāyatram.]

Found also in Pāipp. vi., but in a much fuller form, with thirteen verses, of which our six are, in their order, vss. 1, 4, 3, 7, 12, 13; the others deal with wind and atmosphere, cow and ox, Mitra and Varuṇa, Indra and Indra's might (indriya), hero and heroism, breath and expiration, and death and immortality (amṛtam); after bibher is added in vs. 1 evā me ’pāna mā riṣayā, and, at the end of the hymn, the same, but with riṣa for riṣayā. In Kāuç. (54. 11), the hymn is used, with vi. 41, at the end of the godāna ceremony, on giving food to the boy. It is also counted by the schol. (ib., note) to the āyuṣya gaṇa. The comm. makes no reference to the godāna rite, but declares the use to be simply by one desiring long life (āyuṣkāma).

Translated: Weber, xiii. 179; Griffith, i. 59.

1. As both the heaven and the earth do not fear, are not harmed, so, my breath, fear not.

⌊MGS., at i. 2. 13, has evam me prāṇa mā bibha evam me prāṇa mā riṣaḥ.⌋

2. As both the day and the night do not fear etc. etc.

The comm. here applies for the first time the term paryāya to these sentences, correspondent but with elements in part different.

3. As both the sun and the moon do not fear etc. etc.

4. As both sacrament (bráhman) and dominion (kṣatrá) do not fear etc. etc.

That is, the Brāhman and Kṣatriya castes (brāhmaṇajāti and kṣatriyajāti, comm.), as the words might properly enough be translated.

5. As both truth and untruth do not fear etc. etc.

6. As both what is (bhūtá) and what is to be (bhávya) do not fear etc. etc.

The comm. paraphrases bhūtám by sattām prāptaṁ vastujātam; the past would seem to be a better example of fixity than the future; but neither is "untruth" (vs. 5) to be commended as an example. ⌊Weber would read ca ṛtám.⌋