Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book X/Hymn 8
8. Mystic.
Found in greater part (not vss. 1, 7, 15, 18, 30-44) in Pāipp. xvi. (in the verse-order 2. 8, 5, 9, 3, 4, 12, 6, 14, 29, 13, 11, 10, 16, 19-28, 17). Not noticed in Kāuç., and only one verse (42) used in Vāit.
Translated: Muir, v. 368 n., 386 (parts); Ludwig, p. 395; Scherman, p. 60 (parts); Deussen, Geschichte, i. 1. 318 (cf. 310); Henry, 27, 75; Griffith, ii. 34.—Deussen's interpretation should on no account be overlooked.—Cf. the introduction to hymn 7.
1. He who is set over both what is and what is to be and everything, and whose alone is the heaven—to that chief bráhman be homage.
The concluding pāda is that of some of the verses of the preceding hymn (see vs. 32, above, and note).
2. By the skambhá these two stand fixed apart, both sky and earth; in the skambhá [is] all this that has soul, what [is] breathing and what winking.
The Anukr. is scrupulous enough not to sanction the irregular combination skambhé ’dám in c; why it calls the verse bṛhatīgarbhā, instead of simply bhurij (like vs. 5), it were hard to say.
3. Three offspring (prajā́) went an over-going; others settled (ni-viç) about the sun (? arká); great stood the traverser (vimā́na) of space (rájas); the yellow one (m.) entered into the yellow ones (f.).
The verse is RV. viii. 90 (101). 14, which reads, for a, prajā́ ha tisró atyā́yam īyur; at end of b, viviçre; for c, d, bṛhád dha tasthāu bhúvaneṣv antáḥ pávamāno haríta ā́ viveça (the last pāda is our 40 d below). AA. (ii. 1. 14) has the same version as RV. JB. (ii. 224) has a version agreeing in the main with RV., but beginning like ours, tisro ha prajā, ending b with viviçyur, beginning c with bṛhan (but bṛhad in a following brief exposition); in c, again, with our text, rajaso vimānāi ’va (in the exposition simply vimāne); in d as RV. The Anukr. takes no notice of the defective fourth pāda. Ppp. reads na (for ha) and vimānaṁ in c, and combines prajā ’ty-, and anyā ’rkam.
4. Twelve fellies, one wheel, three naves—who understands that? therein are inserted (ā́hata) three hundred and sixty pins (çan̄kú), pegs (? khī́la) that are immovable.
The verse is also RV. i. 164. 48, which, however, has a very different second half: tásmin sākáṁ triçatā́ ná çan̄kávo ‘rpitā́ḥ ṣaṣṭír ná calācalā́saḥ. The 'pins' or 'pegs' must be the equivalents of spokes. The three naves are probably seasons ⌊Hot, Wet, and Cold: cf. Bühler, Epigraphia Indica, ii. 262⌋, though the number is unusual. Ppp. reads kelās for khīlās in d. The Anukr. does not heed that c is a jagatī pāda. ⌊Kaṭha-reading nā́bhyāni, WZKM. xii. 282.⌋
5. This, O Savitar, do thou distinguish: six [are] twins, one [is] sole-born; they seek participation (apitvá) in him who of them is the sole sole-born.
The usual twelve months, two to a season, and the thirteenth occasional intercalary one, are doubtless meant. Ppp. reads in b yomokas (for yamā ekas). ⌊The pada-mss. of both W. and SPP. have api॰tvám; but in the Index W. assumes that āpitvám is the word. Both are well authenticated in BR.; but apitvám seems to fit best here (cf. ÇB. iv. i. 311).⌋
6. Being manifest (āvís), [it is] deposited in secret; the great track (padá), "aged" (járat) by name; there is set (ā́rpita) this all, [there is] established what stirs, what breathes.
7. One-wheeled it rolls, one-rimmed, thousand-syllabled, forth in front, down behind; with a half it has generated all existence; what its [other] half is—what has become of that?
This agrees nearly with xi. 4. 22 below, and Ppp. has it there, though not here. The sun is evidently meant, with half his course lost to view.
8. One carrying five carries the summit (ágra) of them; side-horses, harnessed, carry also along; what is not gone of it was seen, not what is gone; the higher thing [is] closer, the lower more distant.
⌊Or (c) 'of him' (asya).⌋ The sense is wholly obscure, and the version a mechanical one. Pañcavāhī́ may be either fem. (of -vāhá: so çatavāhī́ v. 17. 12) or masc. (of -vāhín); Pet. Lexx. say 'mit Fünfen bespannt.' Some of the mss. read pṛ́ṣṭhayas in b, as often in such cases. Ppp. has asya instead of eṣām at end of a.
9. A bowl (camasá) with orifice sideways, bottom-side up—in it is deposited glory of all forms; there sit together the seven seers, who have become the keepers of it, the great one.
The verse has a correspondent in ÇB. xiv. 5. 24 (BAU. ii. 2. 4). This reads at the beginning arvā́gbilas; in c, tásya...tī́re for tát...sākám; and, for d, vā́g aṣṭamī́ brā́hmaṇā saṁvidānā́. The Brāhmaṇa itself explains the head as intended, the seven seers being the seven prāṇas or senses (the seven orifices of the head); this is extremely implausible. Ppp. reads at beginning of c atrā ”sata.
10. The one which is applied (yuj) in front and which behind, which is applied in all cases and which in every case, by which the sacrifice is extended forward—that I ask of thee: which one of the verses is it?
The verse is quoted by pratīka in GB. i. 1. 22. All our saṁhitā-mss. save one (R.) ⌊and the great majority of SPP's⌋ read at the end sá rcā́m (Ppp. the same), and the words are quoted under Prāt. iii. 49 as example of that combination ⌊p. sā́ ṛcā́m⌋. The Anukr. does not heed that b is a jagatī pāda. Ppp. reads twice yo ’ta for yā ca.
11. What stirs, flies, and what stands, and what is breathing, not breathing, winking—that, all-formed, sustains the earth; that, combining, becomes one only.
One may conjecture apānát for áprāṇat in b. The Anukr. does not heed that two of the pādas are triṣṭubh. Ppp. reads at end of b ca tiṣṭhat, and, in c, dyām utā ’muṁ ⌊at 7. 35 it was fem.⌋ for viçvarūpam.
12. What is endless, stretched out on many sides; what is endless, and what has an end, ending together—these (two) the lord of the firmament keeps (car) separating (vi-ci), knowing what is and what shall be of it.
Ppp. reads samakte at end of b, prajānan at end of c, yadi for uta in d. Probably earth and heaven are intended. The metrical definition of the Anukr. fits the verse (9 + 10: 11 + 10 = 40) fairly.
13. Prajāpati goes about (car) within the womb; not being seen, he is manifoldly born (vi-jā); with a half he has generated all existence; what his [other] half is—which sign is that?
The third pāda is the same with 7 c above; the second half-verse is found below as xi. 4. 22 c, d; to the first half-verse corresponds VS. xxxi. 19 a, b and TA. iii. 13. 13 a, b: both reading ájāyamānas at beginning of b; ⌊so Kaṭha-hss., p. 84⌋. Ppp. reads in b prajāyate, and, for c, d, ardhene ’daṁ pari babhūva viçvam etasyā ’rdhaṁ kim u taj jajāna. The Anukr. takes no notice of the jagatī pāda b.
14. Him bearing water aloft, as a water-bearer (f.) with a vessel (kumbhá), all see with the eye, not all know with the mind.
Some mss. (P.M.I.) accent vidúḥ at the end.
15. In the distance it dwells with the full one, in the distance it is abandoned by the deficient one—the great monster (yakṣá) in the midst of existence; to it the kingdom-bearers bear tribute.
The verse, as noted above, is wanting in Ppp. ⌊Pāda c occurs as x. 7. 38 a: see note thereon and introd. to hymn 7.⌋
16. Whence the sun arises, and where he goes to rest—that same I think the chief (jyeṣṭhá); that nothing whatever surpasses.
The Kaṭha Up. ⌊iv. 9⌋ has a nearly corresponding verse: yataç co ’d eti sūryo “staṁ yatra ca gacchati: taṁ devāḥ sarve ‘rpitās tad u nā ’ty eti kaç cana; and the first half of this occurs also in ÇB. xiv. 4. 334 (BAU. i. 5. 23). The Anukr. omits to define the meter (anuṣṭubh) of the verse.
17. They who hitherward, in the middle, or also anciently, speak round about him who knows the Veda, they all speak around the sun (ādityá), Agni [as] second, and the threefold swan (haṅsá).
The verse is found also in TA. (ii. 158), which omits mádhye and reads purāṇé in a, and tṛtī́yam (for trivṛ́tam) in d. ⌊Cf. Kaṭha-hss., p. 63.⌋ Our pada-text ⌊as also SPP's⌋ reads near the beginning arvā́n̄, which is doubtless an error for arvā́k (though TA. reads arvā́n̄ utá). Perhaps védam in b is to be rendered simply 'knowledge.' The Anukr. takes no notice of the two redundant syllables in c.
18. A thousand days' journey [are] expanded (vi-yam) the wings of him, of the yellow swan flying to heaven (svargá); he, putting all the gods in his breast, goes, viewing together all existences.
The verse is found again below as xiii. 2. 38; 3. 14. It is, as noted above, wanting here in Ppp.
19. By truth he burns aloft; by bráhman he looks abroad hitherward, by breath he breathes crosswise—he on whom rests (çritá) the chief thing.
20. Whoever indeed knows those two churning-sticks, with which is churned out what is good (vásu), he may think himself to know the chief thing; he may know the great bráhmaṇa ⌊neut.⌋.
21. Footless came he into being in the beginning; he in the beginning brought the heaven (svàr); having become four-footed, enjoyable, he took to himself all enjoyment (bhójana),
Ppp. reads, for b, so ‘gre asurā ’bhavat.
22. Enjoyable shall he become, likewise shall he eat much food, who shall worship (upa-ās) the everlasting god who gives superiority (uttarā́vant).
⌊After bhógyo bhavat, for which there are no variants, Bp. has a mark of pāda-division; but the Anukr. evidently scans as 12: 8 + 8, eliding the a of ánnam after a pragṛhya.⌋ Bhā́gyo at the beginning is a misprint for bhógyo.
23. Everlasting they call him, also may he be at present ever-renewed; day and night are generated (pra-jā) in each other's forms.
The pada-text reads anyáḥ: anyásya in d, although the masc. anyás shows that the two words are virtually a compound, as later.
24. A hundred, a thousand, a myriad, a hundred million, an innumerable [number], is his own entered into him; that of him they slay, even as he looks on; therefore this god shines (ruc) thus.
Instead of eṣa etat at the end, Ppp. reads what appears to be agha bhavat. The version is as literal (and as unintelligent) as possible. The Anukr. takes no notice of the irregularity of the meter; it is possible, by violence, to count only 44 syllables in the verse.
25. One thing is more minute (áṇu) than a child (bā́la), also one is hardly (né ’va) seen; than that a more embracing deity, is she dear to me.
Ppp. reads, for a, ārāgramātraṁ dadṛçe, and begins c with ataṣ pa-, thus doing nothing to help our comprehension of the wholly obscure verse.
26. This beautiful one (f.) [is] unaging, an immortal in the house of a mortal; for whom she [was] made, he lies; he who made [her] grew old.
Ppp. reads tasmāi for yasmāi in c. ⌊The natural reading of b would be mártyasya amṛ́ta gṛhé; but⌋ the definition of the Anukr. forbids us to make ⌊it. Can a sā́ have dropped out before çáye sá? Cf. note to iv. 5. 5.⌋
27. Thou art woman, thou [art] man, thou boy, or also girl; thou, when aged, totterest (vañc) with a staff; thou, when born, becomest facing all ways.
Ppp. politely puts kumārī first and kumāras second in b, and reads jātam in d. The verse is found, without variant, in Çvet. Up. iv. 3. It is so far correctly described by the Anukr. that it counts 37 syllables (7 + 10: 9 + 11 = 37).
28. Both their father, or also their son; both the chief or also the meanest (kaniṣṭhá) of them; the one god, who has entered into the mind, born the first, and he within the womb.
The verse is also found, quoted as a çloka, in JUB. 85 (iii. 10. 12): utāi ’ṣāṁ jāiṣṭha uta vā kaniṣṭha utāi ’ṣāṁ putra uta vā pitāi ’ṣāṁ: eko ha devo manasi praviṣṭaḥ pūrvo ha jajñe sa u garbhe ‘ntaḥ. Ppp. reads, for a, b, ute ’va jyeṣṭho ’ta vā kaniṣṭho ’tāi ’ṣa bhrāto ’ta vā pitāi ’ṣaḥ; and, in d, pūrvo jātaḥ.
29. The full from the full he bends up (ud-ac); the full is poured with the full; also that may we know today, whence that is poured out.
This verse is akin with ⌊the oft-repeated⌋ one in ÇB. xiv. 8. 1 (BAU. v. 1): pūrṇám adáḥ pūrṇám idám pūrṇā́t pūrṇám úd acyate etc. What follows of the hymn is (as noted above) wanting in Ppp.
30. She, everlasting, born indeed of old, she, ancient, encompassed (pari-bhū) all; the great goddess of the dawn, shining forth, she looks forth by every one who winks.
The Anukr. calls the verse bhurij on account of the redundant syllable in b, not heeding the corresponding deficiency in c.
31. The deity, Avi by name, sits enveloped with right; by her form these trees [are] green, green-garlanded.
Or, 'by the form of her, the green-garlanded one' (so Ludwig). Ávi means 'sheep,' but is possibly here a derivative from the root av 'favor, aid.' All the saṁhitā-mss. combine in a, b -ta rténa.
32. Him that is near by he (?) deserts not; him that is near by he (?) sees not; see the wisdom (kā́vya) of the god: he died not, he grows not old.
There is nothing to determine the subject of the verbs in a, b; Ludwig renders 'she.'
33. The voices sent forth by the unpreceded one—they speak as they should (yathāyathám); where they go speaking, that [people] call the great brā́hmaṇa ⌊n.⌋.
34. Where both gods and men (manuṣyà) are set (çritá) as spokes in a nave—I ask thee of the flower (púṣpa) of the waters, where that by magic was placed.
The Anukr. takes no notice of the redundant syllable ⌊perhaps the first ca?⌋ in a.
35. They by whom the wind sent forth blows on, who give the five quarters together (sadhryàñc), the gods who thought themselves above (ati-man) the offering (ā́huti), conductors of the waters—which were they?
The first half-verse is found also in Ppp. ⌊xvi.⌋, but not in connection with the rest of the hymn. The Anukr. does not heed that a is defective by one syllable. Read in b, with all ⌊W's and SPP's⌋ mss., dádante; the form is from the same secondary root dad as the sing. dadate in 36 c. ⌊JUB. (i. 34) has this verse, putting it in the mouth of Pṛthu Vāinya, and its answer (vs. 36), with appended Brāhmaṇa-comment. It reads samīcīḥ for sadhrīcīḥ of our 35 b, and āhutīs in c.⌋
36. One of them clothes himself in this earth; one encompassed the atmosphere; he of them who is disposer (vidhartṛ́) gives the sky; some defend respectively all regions (ā́çā).
⌊JUB. (see under vs. 35) has ekas for eṣām of our c and anye for eke of our d.⌋
37. Whoso may know the stretched-out string in which these offspring (prajā́) are woven in, whoso may know the string of the string, he may know the great brā́hmaṇa.
38. I know the stretched-out string in which these offspring are woven in; the string of the string I know, likewise the great brā́hmaṇa.
39. As between heaven-and-earth Agni went, burning on, all-consuming, where stood beyond they (f.) of one husband—where perchance was Mātariçvan then?
The bṛhatī of the Anukr. ⌊scanning 11 + 9: 11 + 11⌋ the second pāda, read with āit included as a part (the pada-text so marks the division)—which is, of course, artificial and wrong. ⌊Read as 12 + 8: 11 + 11, pronouncing -dāvías and kúe ’vā ”sīn.⌋ Ludwig's 'spouses of the only one' for ékapatnīs is against the accent.
40. Mātariçvan was entered into the waters; the gods were entered into the seas; great stood the traverser of space; the purifying one entered into the green ones.
The third pāda is identical with 3 c above, and the fourth with RV. viii. 90 (101). 14 d. 'The purifying one' is probably here the wind.
41. Higher, as it were, than the gāyatrī́, upon the immortal (amṛ́ta) he strode out; they who know completely chant with chant—where then was seen the goat?
Or, 'the unborn one' (ajá: so Ludwig); the verse is too utterly obscure to let us choose between them.
42. The reposer, the assembler of good things, like god Savitar, of true ordinances (-dhárman), he stood like Indra in the conflict for riches.
The verse corresponds with pādas a, c, d of RV. x. 139. 3 and of VS. xii. 66, TS. iv. 2. 54, MS.ii. 7. 12. RV. reads at the beginning rāyó budhnáḥ (for nivéçanaḥ) the other texts have at the end pathīnā́m. The verse is quoted in Vāit. 28. 28.
43. The lotus-flower of nine doors, covered with three strands (guṇá) — what soulful prodigy (yakṣá) is within it, that the bráhman-knowers know.
The 'nine doors' indicate that the human body with its nine orifices is intended; the three guṇas are probably the three temperaments familiar under that name later. The second half-verse was found above as 2. 32 c, d ⌊cf. vs. 31⌋. ⌊☞ See p. 1045.⌋
44. Free from desire, wise (dhī́ra), immortal, self-existent, satisfied with sap, not deficient in any respect—knowing that wise, unaging, young soul, one is not afraid of death.
⌊See Deussen, Geschichte, i. 1. 334: "die erste und älteste Stelle, die wir kennen, in der rückhaltlos der Ātman als Weltprincip proklamiert wird, AV. x. 8. 44." Cf. also p. 312, end. Muir, Metrical Translations from Sanskrit Writers, p. 1, gives a metrical paraphrase of the verse.⌋
⌊The quoted Anukr. says caturdaça (i.e. 14 above 30). The fourth anuvāka, with 2 hymns and 88 verses, ends here.⌋