Sacred Texts  Hinduism  Index 
Book 5 Index
  Previous  Next 
Buy this Book at Amazon.com

Hymns of the Atharva Veda, by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1895], at sacred-texts.com


p. a191

HYMN XXVIII

A charm to ensure general protection and prosperity

1For lengthened life, to last through hundred autumns, they
   equalize with nine the nine aspirations.
  Three in gold, three in silver, three in iron by heat are stablished
   in their several places.
2May Agni, Sun, and Moon, and Earth, and Waters, Sky, Air,
   the Quarters and the Points between them,
  And Parts of Years accordant with the Seasons by this three-
   threaded Amulet preserve me.
3In three-threaded Charm rest triple fulness! Let Pūshan cover it
   with milk and butter.
  Here rest abundant store of food and people, may ample store
   of cattle rest within it.
4Enrich this charm, Ādityas, with your treasure; magnify this,
   when magnified, O Agni.
  Endow it with heroic strength, O Indra: therein be lodged a
   triple power of increase.
5With gold let Earth protect thee, and with iron, accordant, all-
   sustaining Agni save thee!
  And in accordance with the plants may silver, regarding thee
   with favour, grant thee vigour.
6This gold, born threefold at its first production, grew the one
   thing that Agni loved most dearly: it fell away, one part of
   injured Soma.
  One part they call seed of the sapient Waters. This gold bring
   thee long life when triply threaded!
7Three lives of Jamadagni, thrice the vital force of Kasyapa,
  Three sights of immortality, three lives have I prepared for thee.
8When with the three-stringed charm came three strong eagles,
   sharing the Sacred Syllable and mighty,
  With immortality they drove off Mrityu, obscuring and conceal-
   ing all distresses.
9The golden guard thee from the sky, the silvern guard thee from
   the air,
  The iron guard thee from the earth! This man hath reached the
   forts of Gods.
10May these three castles of the Gods keep thee secure on every
   side.
  Endowed with strength, possessing these, be thou the master of
   thy foes, p. a192
11The God who first bound on in the beginning the deities' im-
   mortal golden castle,—
  Him I salute with ten extended fingers. Blest be the three-
   stringed charm I bind upon thee.
12Aryaman be thy binder-on, and Pūshan and Brihaspati:
  Whatever name the brood of day possess, therewith we fasten
   thee.
13With Seasons and with Lengths of Time, for vigour and exten-
   ded life,
  With all the splendour of the Sun we fasten thee about the neck.
14Drawn forth from butter and with meath besprinkled, firm as
   the earth, unshakable, triumphant.
  Breaking down foes and casting them beneath me, be fastened
   on me for exalted fortune!


Next: Hymn 29: A charm for the destruction of malignant goblins