Religion
Atharva Veda 4.22: A benediction on a newly consecrated king
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1895–96) · From The Hymns of the Atharva-Veda (1895–96)
Exalt and strengthen this my Prince, O Indra, Make him sole lord and leader of the people.
Scatter his foes, deliver all his rivals into his hand in struggles for precedence.
Give him a share in village, kine, and horses, and leave his enemy without a portion.
Let him as King be head and chief of Princes, Give up to him, O Indra, every foeman.
Let him be treasure-lord of goodly treasures, let him as King be master of the people.
Grant unto him great power and might, O Indra, and strip his enemy of strength and vigour.
Like milch-kine yielding milk for warm libations, pour, Heaven and Earth! on him full many a blessing.
May he as King be Indra's well-beloved, the darling of the kine, the plants, the cattle.
I join in league with thee victorious Indra, with whom men conquer and are ne'er defeated.
He shall make thee the folk's sole lord and leader, shall make thee highest of all human rulers.
Supreme art thou, beneath thee are thy rivals, and all, O King, who were thine adversaries.
Sole lord and leader and allied with Indra, bring, conqueror, thy foremen's goods and treasures.
Consume, with lion aspect, all their hamlets, with tiger aspect, drive away thy foemen.
Sole lord and leader and allied with Indra, seize, conqueror, thine enemies' possessions.
Cite this poem
MLA
Veda, The Rishis of the Atharva. “Atharva Veda 4.22: A benediction on a newly consecrated king.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/atharvaveda-rishis/115/.
Chicago
Veda, The Rishis of the Atharva. “Atharva Veda 4.22: A benediction on a newly consecrated king.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/atharvaveda-rishis/115/.
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- Atharva Veda 19.31: A charm to ensure general prosperity, accompanying self-investiture with an amulet of Udumbara