Mythology & Folklore

Atharva Veda 5.25: A charm to facilitate conception

by The Rishis of the Atharva Veda c. 1200–900 BCE (traditional; uncertain)

Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1895–96) · From The Hymns of the Atharva-Veda (1895–96)

Mythology & Folklore

Let the man, sower of the germ, lay, as a feather on a shaft.
Limb drawn from limb, whate'er is culled from cloud and from the womb of heaven.

Even as this broad earth received the germ of all the things that be, Thus within thee I lay the germ. I call thee, Earth, to strengthen it.

O Sinivāli, set the germ, set thou the germ, Sarasvati! In thee let both the Asvins, crowned with lotuses, bestow the germ.

Let Mitra-Varuna and God Brihaspati lay the germ in thee.
Indra and Agni lay the germ, Dhātar bestow the germ in thee.

Let Vishnu form and mould the womb, let Tvashtar duly shape the forms, Prajāpati infuse the stream, and Dhātar lay for thee the germ.

Drink thou the procreative draught well-known to Varuna the King, Known to divine Sarasvati, and Indra slayer of the foe.

Thou art the germ of plants and herbs, thou art the germ of forest trees, The germ of each existing thing, so here, O Agni, lay the germ.

Rise up, put forth thy manly strength, and lay thy germ within the womb.
A bull art thou with vigorous strength: for progeny we bring thee near.

Prepare thee, Bārhatsāmā, let the germ be laid within thy side.
The Soma-drinking Gods have given a son to thee, thy son and mine.

O Dhātar, thou Disposer, lay within the body of this dame.
A male germ with the noblest form, for her, in the tenth month, to bear.

Tvashtar, celestial artist, lay within the body of this dame.
A male germ with the noblest form for her in the tenth month to bear.

Savitar, vivifier, lay within the body of this dame A male germ with the noblest form for her in the tenth month to bear.

O Lord of Life, Prajāpati, within this woman's body lay A male germ with the noblest form for her in the tenth month to bear.

MLA

Veda, The Rishis of the Atharva. “Atharva Veda 5.25: A charm to facilitate conception.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/atharvaveda-rishis/157/.

Chicago

Veda, The Rishis of the Atharva. “Atharva Veda 5.25: A charm to facilitate conception.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/atharvaveda-rishis/157/.

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