Religion

Atharva Veda 13.3: A glorification of Rohita. with a malediction on the man who wrongs a Brāhman

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)

Religion

He who engendered these, the earth and heaven, who made the worlds the mantle that he weareth, In whom abide the six wide-spreading regions through which the Bird's keen vision penetrateth, This God is wroth offended by the sinner who wrongs the Brāhman who hath gained this knowledge Agitate him, O Rohita; destroy him: entangle in thy snares the Brāman's tyrant.

He from whom winds blow pure in ordered season, from whom the seas flow forth in all directions, This God, etc.

He who takes life away, he who bestows it; from whom comes breath to every living creature, This God, etc.

Who with the breath he draws sates earth and heaven, with expiration fills the ocean's belly, This God, etc.

In whom Virāj, Prajāpati, Parameshthin, Agni Vaisvānara abide with Pankti, He who hath taken to himself the breathing of the Supreme, the vigour of the Highest, This God, etc.

On whom rest six expenses and five regions, four waters, and three syllables of worship, He who hath looked between both spheres in anger, This God, etc.

He who, consuming food, became its master, the Lord of Prayer, the Regent of Devotion, The world's Lord, present and to be hereafter, This God, etc.

He who metes out the thirteenth month, constructed with days and nights, containing thirty members, This God, etc.

Dark the descent; the strong-winged birds are golden: they fly aloft to heaven, enrobed in waters.
They have come hither from the seat of Order, This God, etc.

What silver. Kasyapa, thou hast refulgent, what brightly-shining lotus-flower collected, Wherein are gathered seven Suns together, This God, etc.

In front the Brihat-Sāman is his mantle, and from behind Rathantara enfolds him, Ever with care robing themselves in splendour.
This God, etc.

One of his wings was Brihat, and the other Rathantarr., vigorous with one same purpose, What time the Gods gave Rohita his being.
This God, etc.

At evening he is Varuna and Agni, ascending in the morning he is Mitra.
As Savitar, he moves through air's mid region, as Indra warms-the heavens from the centre.
This God, etc.

This gold-hued Harisa's wings, soaring to heaven spread o'er a thousand days' continued journey.
Supporting all the Gods upon his bosom, he goes his way behol-ding every creature.
This God, etc.

This is the God who dwells-within the waters, the thousand-rooted, many-powered Atri, He who brought all this world into existence.
This God; etc.

With flying feet his tawny coursers carry the bright God through, the sky, aglow with splendour.
Whose limbs uplifted fire and heat the heavens: hither he shines-with beams of golden colour.
This God, etc.

He beside whom his bay steeds bear the Ādityas, by whom as sacrifice go many knowing.
The sole light shining spread through various places.
This God, etc.

This seven make the one-wheeled chariot ready: bearing seven names the single courser draws it.
The wheel, three-naved, is sound and undecaying: thereon these worlds of life are all dependent.
This God, etc.

Eight times attached the potent Courser draws it, Sire of the Gods, father of hymns and praises.
So Mātarisvan, measuring in spirit the thread of Order, purifies all regions.
This God, etc.

The thread that goes through all celestial quarters within the Gāyatri, womb of life eternal.
This God, etc.

There are the settings, three the upward risings, three are the-spaces, yea, and three the heavens.
We know thy triple place of birth, O Agni, we know the deities'' triple generations.

He who, as soon as born, laid broad earth open, and set the ocean in the air's mid-region, This God, etc.

Thou, Agni, kind with lights and mental powers, hast up in heaven shone as the Sun, enkindled.
The Maruts, sons of Prisni, sang his praises what time the Gods gave Rohita his being. This God, etc.

Giver of breath, giver of strength and vigour, he whose com-mandment all the Gods acknowledge, He who is Lord of this, of man and cattle, This God, etc.

The single-footed hath outstepped the biped, the biped overtakes the triple-footed.
The quadruped hath wrought when bipeds called him, standing and looking on the five collected.
This God is wroth offended by the sinner that wrongs the Brāhman who hath gained this knowledge.
Agitate him, O Rohita; destroy him: entangle in thy snares the Brāhman's tyrant.

Born is the darksome Mother's Son, the whitely shining Calf of Night.
He, Rohita, ascendeth up to heaven, hath mounted to the heights.

MLA

Veda, The Rishis of the Atharva. “Atharva Veda 13.3: A glorification of Rohita. with a malediction on the man who wrongs a Brāhman.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/atharvaveda-rishis/462/.

Chicago

Veda, The Rishis of the Atharva. “Atharva Veda 13.3: A glorification of Rohita. with a malediction on the man who wrongs a Brāhman.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/atharvaveda-rishis/462/.

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