Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 60 (62)

60 (62). To the home: on returning or leaving.

[Brahman (ramyān gṛhān vāstospatīn aprārthayat).—saptarcam. vāstoṣpatyam. ānuṣṭubham: 1. parānuṣṭup triṣṭubh.]

Found also in Pāipp. iii. (in the verse-order 1, 2, 6, 3, 4, 5). Used by Kāuç. several times: first, it* is muttered (24. 11) in front of the house by one who has been absent for some time, he taking fuel in his hands; second, it again accompanies the action of taking fuel, in a rite for the harmony of all inmates of the house (42. 8); third, in the ceremony of preparing duly the house-fire (72. 5), with the direction iti prapādayati, for making the persons concerned enter the house; fourth, in the pitṛmedha (82. 15), with the same direction; fifth, in the piṇḍapitṛyajña (89. 11), at the end, on entering the house; further, the schol. add it (note to 8. 23) to the vāstugaṇa, and (note to 19. 1) reckon it among the puṣṭika mantras. As to the separate uses of vs. 7, see under that verse. *⌊For the first, fourth, and fifth uses, the comm., p. 422, lines 5, 18, prescribes only vss. 1-6.⌋

Translated: Ludwig, p. 434; Henry, 23, 86; Griffith, i. 356.

1. Bearing sustenance (ū́rj), good-winning, very wise, with mild friendly eye, I come to the houses, well-willing, greeting; be quiet, be not afraid of me.

The first and third pādas are found in VS. iii. 41, as a second half-verse, and also in LÇS. iii. 3. 1, ĀpÇS. vi. 27. 5, ÇGS. iii. 7. For vasuvánis in a, all read vaḥ sumánās; in c, their reading gṛhā́n āí ’mi (LÇS. emi, ĀpÇS. ā ’gām) mánasā módamānaḥ (LÇS. dāivena). Ppp. has a very different text: gṛhān emi mánasā modamāno ”rjaṁ bibhrad vasumatis sumedhā ’ghoreṇa cakṣuṣā mitriyeṇa gṛhāṇāṁ paçyaṅ paya ut tarāmi. ⌊HGS. (i. 29. 1 a) and Āp. (vi. 27. 3) have a verse whose c is our a (but Āp. has vaḥ suvaniḥ), and whose d is Ppp's a (but Āp. has āi ’mi).⌋

2. These houses [are] kindly, rich in sustenance (ūrjas-), rich in milk, standing filled with what is pleasant; let them recognize us coming.

Ppp. reads in c vāmasya, and at the end jānatas.

3. On whom the absent one thinks (adhi-i), in whom is abundant well-willing—the houses we call on; let them recognize us coming.

The verse is VS. iii. 42, and also found in ĀpÇS. vi. 27. 3, ÇGS. iii. 7 (both these agreeing in text with VS.), LÇS. iii. 3. 1, HGS. i. 29. 1. VS. reads at the end jānatás for āyatás (like Ppp. in 2 d; but Ppp. in this verse has āyatas); LÇS. has eṣu for yeṣu in b, hūyāmahe in c, and jāna (misprint?) at the end; HGS. has eti for yesu, babhus for bahus in b, and jānatas at the end. ⌊Cf. also MGS. i. 14. 5 and p. 155, under yeṣv a-.⌋ The comm. glosses adhyeti with smarati.

4. Called on [are] they of much riches, companions, enjoying sweets together; be ye hungerless, thirstless; ye houses, be not afraid of us.

Ppp. has svādusaṁnaras at end of b, and its second half-verse is ariṣṭās sarvapūrṇā gṛhā nas santu sarvadā. Āp. and HGS. (as above) have our a, b, and a c-d like that of Ppp., save sarvapūruṣās for -pūrṇās (HGS. also bhūrisakhās in a).

5. Called on here [are] the kine, called on the goats and sheep; likewise [is] the sweet drink of food called on in our houses.

The majority of authorities read ṇaḥ at the end (our E.O.R. have n); both editions give naḥ with the minority, and with the other texts (VS. iii. 43; Āp. vi. 27. 3; LÇS. iii. 3. 1; ÇGS. iii. 3, 7; HGS. i. 29. 1); the only variant is in LÇS., yo rasas for kīlālas in c.

6. Full of pleasantness, well-portioned, full of refreshing drink (írā), merry (hasāmudá), thirstless, hungerless be ye; O houses, be not afraid of us.

HGS. makes up a verse thus: a = our 2 b; b = our 6 b; c, anaçyā atṛṣyā; d = our 6 d. Ppp. reads (in b, c) hasāmuda akṣudhyā ’tṛṣyā sta.

6. Be ye just here; go not after; adorn yourselves with all forms; I shall come along with what is excellent; become ye more abundant through me.

'Go not after': that is, 'do not follow me as I go away' (so the comm.). The verse is used in Kāuç. (23. 6) in the ceremony of house-building, on the breaking of previous silence; and again (24. 16), in a rite for prosperity, by one setting out on a journey, contemplating the house and its occupants.