Atharva Veda 18.3: A funeral hymn, taken partly from the Rigveda

Choosing her husband's world, O man, this woman lays herself down beside thy lifeless body.
Preserving faithfully the ancient custom. Bestow upon here both wealth and offspring.

Rise, come unto the world of life, O woman: come, he is lifeless by whose side thou liest.
Wifehood with this thy husband was thy portion who took thy hand and wooed thee as a lover.

I looked and saw the youthful dame escorted, the living to the dead: I saw them, bear her.
When she with blinding darkness was enveloped, then did I turn her back and lead her homeward.

Knowing the world of living beings, Aghnyā! treading the path.
of Gods which lies before thee, This is thy husband: joyfully receive him and let him mount into the world of Svarga.

The speed of rivers craving heaven and cane, thou, Agni, art the waters' gall.

Cool, Agni, and again refresh the spot which thou hast scorched and burnt.
Here let the water-lily grow, and tender grass and leafy plant.

Here is one light for thee, another yonder: enter the third and be therewith united.
Uniting with a body be thou lovely, dear to the Gods in their sublimest mansion.

Rise up, advance, run forward: make thy dwelling in water that shall be thy place to rest in There dwelling in accordance with the Fathers delight thyself with Soma and libations.

Prepare thy body: speed thou on thy journey: let not thy limbs,.
thy frame be left behind thee.
Follow to its repose thy resting spirit: go to whatever spot of earth thou lovest.

With splendour may the Fathers, meet for Soma, with mead and.
fatness may the Gods anoint me.
Lead me on farther to extended vision, and prosper me through life of long duration.

May Agni balm me thoroughly with splendour; may Vishnu.
touch my lips with understanding.
May all the Deities vouchsafe me riches, and pleasant Waters purify and cleanse me.

Mitra and Varuna have stood about me. Ādityas, Sacirifical Posts exalt me!
May Indra balm my hands with strength and splendour. A long, long life may Savitar vouchsafe me.

Worship with sacrificial gift King Yama, Vivasvān's son who gathers men together, Yama who was the first to die of mortals, the first who travelled to the world before us.

Depart, O Fathers, and again come hither; this sacrifice of yours is balmed with sweetness.
Enrich us here with gift of great possessions; grant blessed wealth with ample store of heroes.

Kanva, Kakshivān, Purumidha, Agastya, Syāvāsva Sobhari, and Archanānas, This Visvāmitra, Jamadagni, Atri, Kasyapa, Vāmadeva be our helpers!

Vasishtha, Jamadagni, Visvāmitra, Gotama, Vāmadeva, Bhara-dvaja!
Atri hath won your favour with homage. Gracious to us be ye praiseworthy Fathers.

They, making for themselves a new existence, wash off defilement in the brazen vessel.
May we be fragrant in our houses, ever increasing in our children and our riches.

They balm him, balm him over, balm him thoroughly, caress the mighty power and balm it with the mead, They seize the flying steer at the stream's breathing-place: cleansing with gold they grasp the animal herein.

Fathers, be glorious in yourselves, and follow all that is glad in you and meet for Soma.
Give ear and listen, swiftly-moving Sages, benevolent, invoked in our assembly.

Atris, Angirases, Navagvas, givers of liberal gifts, continual sacrificers, Devout and pious, granting guerdon freely, sit on this holy grass and be ye joyful.

As in the days of old our ancient Fathers, speeding the work of sacred worship, Agni!
Sought pure light and devotion, singing praises, they cleft the ground and made red Dawns apparent.

Gods, doing holy acts, devout, resplendent, smelting like ore their human generation, Brightening Agni and exalting Indra, they came encompassing the stall of cattle.

Strong One! he marked them, and the gods before them, like herds of cattle in a foodful pasture.
There man moaned forth their strong desires, to strengthen even the true; the nearest One, the living.

We have worked for thee, we have toiled and laboured: bright Dawns have shed their light upon our worship.
All that the Gods regard with love is blessed. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.

From eastward Indra, Lord or Maruts, guard me, as in her arms Earth guards the heaven above us!
Those who give room, who made the paths, we worship, you, mid the Gods, who share the gifts we offer.

Dhātar with Nirriti save me from southward, etc. (as in stanza 25).

From westward Aditi was Ādityas save me! etc.

From westward with the All-Gods save me Soma! etc.

May the strong firm Sustainer bear thee upright, as Savitar bears light above the heaven.
Those who give room, who made the paths, we worship, you mid the Gods, whe share the gifts we offer.

Toward the eastward region I supply thee before thou goest homeward, with oblation, as in her arms, etc. (as in stanza 25).

Toward the southern region, etc.

Toward the western region, etc.

Toward the northern region, etc.

Toward the stedfast region, etc.

Toward the upmost region I supply thee, before thou goest homeward, with oblation, as in her arms Earth bears the heaven above us.
Those who give room, who made the paths, we worship, you, mid the Gods, who share the gifts we offer.

Thou art the Bull, Supporter, and Upholder,

Who purifiest wind and mead and water.

From this side and from that let both assist me. As, speeding, ye have come like two twin sisters, Religious-hearted votaries brought you forward. Knowing your several places be ye seated.

Sit near, sit very near beside our Soma: for you I fit the ancient prayer with homage.
The praise-song, like a chieftain on his pathway, spreads far and wide. Let all Immortals hear it.

Three paces hath the stake gone up, and followed her, the four-footed, with devout observance.
He with the Syllable copies the praise-song; he thoroughly purifies at Order's centre.

Chose he then, death for Gods to be their portion? Why chose he not for men a life eternal?
Brihaspati span sacrifice, the Rishi; and Yama yielded up his own dear body.

Thou, Agni Jātavedas, when entreated, didst bear our offerings, having made them fragrant.
And give them to the Fathers who consumed them with Svadhā.
Eat, thou God, the gifts we bring thee.

Lapped in the bosom of the purple Mornings, give riches to the man who brings oblations.
Grant to your sons a portion of that treasure, and, present, give them energy, O Fathers.

Fathers whom Agni's flames have tasted, come ye nigh: in per-fect order take ye each your proper place.
Eat sacrificial food presented on the grass: grant riches with a multitude of hero sons.

May they, the Fathers who deserve the Soma, invited to their favourite oblations.
Laid on the sacred grass, come nigh and listen. May they be gracious unto us and bless us.

Our Father's Fathers and their sires before them who came, most noble, to the Soma banquet, With these let Yama, yearning with the yearning, rejoicing eat our offerings at his pleasure.

Come to us, Agni, with the gracious Fathers who dwell in glow-ing light, the very Sages, Who thirsted mid the Gods, who hasten hither, oblation-winners, theme of singers' praises.

Come, Agni, come with countless ancient Fathers, dwellers in light, primeval, God-adorers, Eaters and drinkers of oblation, truthful, who travel with the Deities and Indra.

Betake thee to the lap of Earth, our mother, of Earth far-spread-ing, very kind and gracious.
May she, wool-soft unto the guerdon-giver, guard thee in front upon the distant pathway.

Heave thyself, Earth, nor press him downward heavily: afford him easy access pleasant to approach, Cover him as a mother wraps her skirt about her child, O Earth!

Now let the heaving earth be free from motion: yea, let a thousand clods remain above him.
Be they to him a home distilling fatness: here let them ever be his place of refuge.

I stay the earth from thee, while over thee I place this piece of earth. May I be free from injury.
The Fathers firmly fix this pillar here for thee; and there let Yama make thee an abiding-place.

Forbear, O Agni, to upset this chalice: the Gods and they who merit Soma love it.
This cup, yea this which serves the Gods to drink from,—in this let the Immortals take their pleasure.

The chalice brimming o'er which erst Atharvan offered to Indra, Lord of wealth and treasure, Indu therein sets draught of virtuous action, and ever purifies himself within it.

What wound soe'er the dark bird hath inflicted, the emmet, or the serpent, or the jackal, May Agni who devoureth all things heal it, and Soma, who hath passed into the Brāhmans.

The plants of earth are rich in milk, and rich in milk is this my milk.
With all the milky essence of the Waters let them make me clean.

Let these unwidowed dames with goodly husbands adorn them-selves with fragrant balm and unguent.
Decked with fair jewels, tearless, free, from trouble, first let the dames go up to where he lieth.

Meet Yama, meet the Fathers, meet the merit of virtuous action in the loftiest heaven.
Leave sin and evil, seek anew thy dwelling: so bright with glory let him join his body.

Our Father's Fathers and their sires before them, they who have entered into air's wide region, For them shall self-resplendent Asuniti form bodies now accord-ing to her pleasure.

Let the hoar-frost be sweet to thee. sweetly on thee the rain descend!
O full of coolness, thou cool Plant, full of fresh moisture, fresh-ening Herb, Bless us in waters, female Frog: calm and allay this Agni here.

Vivasvān make us free from fear and peril, good rescuer, quick-pouring, bounteous giver!
Many in number be these present heroes! Increase of wealth be mine in kine and horses!

In immortality Vivasvān set us! Go from us Death, come to us life eternal!
To good old age may he protect these people: let not their spirits pass away to Yama.

The Sage of Fathers, guardian of devotions who holds thee up with might in air's mid-region,— Praise him ye Visvāmitras, with oblation. To lengthened life shall be, this Yama, lead us.

Mount and ascend to highest heaven, O Rishis: be ye not afraid.
Soma-drinkers to you is paid this Soma-lover's sacrifice. We have attained the loftiest light.

Agni is shining forth with lofty banner: the Bull is bellowing to earth and heaven.
From the sky's limit even hath he stretched near us: the Steer hath waxen in the waters' bosom.

They gaze on thee with longing in their spirit, as on an eagle that is mounting skyward; On thee with wings of gold, Varuna's envoy, the Bird that hasteth to the home of Yama.

O Indra, bring us wisdom as a sire gives wisdom to his sons.
Guide us, O much-invoked in this our way: may we still living look upon the Sun.

Let these which Gods have held for thee, the beakers covered o'er with cake, Be full of sacred food for thee, distilling fatness, rich in mead.

Grains which for thee I scatter, mixt with Sesamum, as holy food, May they for thee be excellent and potent: King Yama look on them as thine with favour!

O Tree, give back again this man who is deposited on thee.
That he may dwell in Yama's home addressing the assemblies there.

Seize hold O Jātavedas; let thy flame be full of fervent heat.
Consume his body: to the world of pious ones transport this man.

To these, thy Fathers who have passed away at first and after-ward, Let the full brook of butter run, o'erflowing with a hundred streams.

Mount to this life, removing all defilement: here thine own kindred shine with lofty splendour.
Depart thou; be not left behind: go forward, first of those here, unto the world of Fathers.