Atharvaveda 12.5
Atharvavedasaṃhitā 12.5
- Language
- Sanskrit
12.5.53
śrámeṇa tápasā sr̥ṣṭā́ bráhmaṇā vittā́ rté śritā́ ||1||
By toil, by penance [is she] created, acquired by bráhman, supported (çritá) on righteousness.
12.5.2
satyénā́vr̥tā śriyā́ prā́vr̥tā yáśasā párīvr̥tā ||2||
Covered with truth, enclosed with fortune, enveloped with glory.
12.5.3
svadháyā párihitā śraddháyā páryūḍhā dīkṣáyā guptā́ yajñé prátiṣṭhitā lokó nidhánam ||3||
Set about with svadhā́, surrounded with faith, guarded by consecration, standing firm in the offering, the world her post (nidhána).
12.5.4
bráhma padavāyáṃ brāhmaṇó 'dhipatiḥ ||4||
Bráhman her guide, the Brahman her over-lord.
12.5.5
tā́m ādádānasya brahmagavī́ṃ jinató brāhmaṇáṃ kṣatríyasya ||5||
Of the Kshatriya who takes to himself that Brahman-cow, who scathes the Brahman,—
12.5.6
ápa krāmati sūnŕ̥tā vīryàṃ púnyā lakṣmī́ḥ ||6||
There departs the happiness (sunṛ́tā), the heroism, the good luck.
12.5.7
ójaś ca téjaś ca sáhaś ca bálaṃ ca vā́k cendriyáṃ ca śrī́ś ca dhármaś ca ||7||
Both force, and brilliancy, and power, and strength, and speech, and sense (indriyá), and fortune, and virtue (dhárma),—
12.5.8
bráhma ca kṣatráṃ ca rāṣṭráṃ ca víśaś ca tvíṣiś ca yáśaś ca várcaś ca dráviṇaṃ ca ||8||
And holiness (bráhman), and dominion ⌊kṣatrám⌋, and kingdom, and subjects (víças), and brightness (tvíṣi), and glory, and honor, and property,—
12.5.9
ā́yuś ca rūpáṃ ca nā́ma ca kīrtíś ca prāṇáś cāpānáś ca cákṣuś ca śrótraṃ ca ||9||
And life-time, and form, and name, and fame, and breath, and expiration, and sight, and hearing,—
12.5.10
páyaś ca rásaś cā́nnaṃ cānnā́dyaṃ ca rtáṃ ca satyáṃ ceṣṭáṃ ca pūrtáṃ ca prajā́ ca paśávaś ca ||10||
And milk, and sap, and food, and food-eating, and righteousness, and truth, and sacrifice (iṣṭá), and bestowal (pūrtá), and progeny, and cattle:—
12.5.11
tā́ni sárvāṇy ápa krāmanti brahmagavī́m ādádānasya jinató brāhmaṇáṃ kṣatríyasya ||11||
All these depart from the Kshatriya who takes to himself the Brahman-cow, who scathes the Brahman.
12.5.12
sáiṣā́ bhīmā́ brahmagavy àgháviṣā sākṣā́t kr̥tyā́ kū́lbajam ā́vr̥tā ||12||
This same Brahman-cow [is] fearful, having deadly poison, witchcraft incarnate (sākṣā́t), kū́lbaja when covered.
12.5.13
sárvāṇy asyāṃ ghorā́ṇi sárve ca mr̥tyávaḥ ||13||
In her are all terrible things and all deaths.
12.5.14
sárvāṇy asyāṃ krūrā́ṇi sárve puruṣavadhā́ḥ ||14||
In her are all cruel things, all men-killers (puruṣavadhá).
12.5.15
sā́ brahmajyáṃ devapīyúṃ brahmagavy ā̀dīyámānā mr̥tyóḥ pádvīṣa ā́ dyati ||15||
This Brahman-cow, when taken to oneself, binds the Brahman-scather, the god-reviler, in the shackle of death.
12.5.16
meníḥ śatávadhā hí sā́ brahmajyásya kṣítir hí sā́ ||16||
Verily (hí) a hundred-killing weapon (mení) is she; verily the destruction of the Brahman-scather is she.
12.5.17
tásmād vái brāhmaṇā́nāṃ gáur durādhárṣā vijānatā́ ||17||
Therefore indeed is the cow of the Brahmans hard to be dared against by one who understands (vi-jñā).*
12.5.18
vájro dhā́vantī vaiśvānará údvītā ||18||
[She is] a thunderbolt when running, Vāiçvānara when driven up (údvīta).
12.5.19
hetíḥ śaphā́n utkhidántī mahādevò 'pékṣamāṇā ||19||
A missile when extracting (ut-khid) her hoofs, the great god when looking away.
12.5.20
kṣurápavir ī́kṣamāṇā vā́śyamānābhí sphūrjati ||20||
Keen-edged (kṣurápavi) when looking; when bellowing, she thunders at one.
12.5.21
mr̥tyúr hiṅkr̥ṇvaty ùgró deváḥ púchaṃ paryásyantī ||21||
Death when uttering hing; the formidable god when slinging about her tail.
12.5.22
sarvajyāníḥ kárṇau varīvarjáyantī rājayakṣmó méhantī ||22||
Total scathing when twisting about her ears; king-yákṣma when urinating.
12.5.23
menír duhyámānā śīrṣaktír dugdhā́ ||23||
A weapon (mení) when being milked; headache when milked.
12.5.24
sedír upatíṣṭhantī mithoyodháḥ párāmr̥ṣṭā ||24||
Debility when approaching (upa-sthā); mutual strife when felt of.
12.5.25
śaravyā̀ múkhe 'pinahyámāna ŕ̥tir hanyámānā ||25||
A shaft when her mouth is being fastened up; mishap (ṛ́ti) when being slain.
12.5.26
agháviṣā nipátantī támo nípatitā ||26||
Deadly poisonous when falling down; darkness when fallen down.
12.5.27
anugáchantī prāṇā́n úpa dāsayati brahmagavī́ brahmajyásya ||27||
Going after him, the Brahman-cow exhausts the breaths of the Brahman-scather.
12.5.28
váiraṃ vikr̥tyámānā páutrādyaṃ vibhājyámānā ||28||
[She is] hostility when being cut up, the eating of one's children when being shared out.
12.5.29
devahetír hriyámāṇā vyr̥̀ddhír hr̥tā́ ||29||
A gods' missile when being taken, failure when taken.
12.5.30
pāpmā́dhidhīyámānā pā́ruṣyam avadhīyámānā ||30||
Evil when being set on, harshness when being set down.
12.5.31
viṣáṃ prayásyantī takmā́ práyastā ||31||
Poison when heating (? pra-yas), takmán when heated.
12.5.32
agháṃ pracyámānā duṣvápnyaṃ pakvā́ ||32||
Evil (aghá) when being cooked, bad dreaming when cooked.
12.5.33
mūlabárhaṇī paryākriyámāṇā kṣítiḥ paryā́kr̥tā ||33||
Uprooting when being turned about (? pari-ā-kṛ), destruction when turned about.
12.5.34
ásaṃjñā gandhéna śúg uddhriyámāṇāśīviṣá úddhr̥tā ||34||
Discord by smell; pain (çúc) when being taken up, a poison-snake when taken up.
12.5.35
ábhūtir upahriyámāṇā párābhūtir úpahr̥tā ||35||
Non-prosperity when being served up, disaster when served up.
12.5.36
śarváḥ kruddháḥ piśyámānā śímidā piśitā́ ||36||
Çarva angered when being dressed (piç), Çimidā when dressed.
12.5.37
ávartir aśyámānā nírr̥tir aśitā́ ||37||
Ruin when being partaken of, perdition when partaken of.
12.5.38
aśitā́ lokā́c chinatti brahmagavī́ brahmajyám asmā́c cāmúṣmāc ca ||38||
When partaken of, the Brahman-cow cuts off the Brahman-scather from the world, from both this one and the one yonder.
12.5.39
tásyā āhánanaṃ kr̥tyā́ menír āśásanaṃ valagá ū́badhyam ||39||
The slaying of her is witchcraft, her cutting up (āçásana) is a weapon (mení), the contents of her bowels a secret charm.
12.5.40
asvagátā párihṇutā ||40||
[She is] homelessness when hidden (? pari-hnu).
12.5.41
agníḥ kravyā́d bhūtvā́ brahmagavī́ brahmajyáṃ pravíśyātti ||41||
The Brahman-cow, having become the flesh-eating Agni, entering into the Brahman-scather, eats him.
12.5.42
sárvāsyā́ṅgā párvā mū́lāni vr̥ścati ||42||
All his limbs, joints, roots, she cuts off (vraçc).
12.5.43
chinátty asya pitr̥bandhú párā bhāvayati mātr̥bandhú ||43||
She severs (chid) his paternal connection, makes perish his maternal connection.
12.5.44
vivāhā́ṃ jñātī́nt sárvān ápi kṣāpayati brahmagavī́ brahmajyásya kṣatríyeṇā́punardīyamānā ||44||
All the marriages, acquaintances of the Brahman-scather does the Brahman-cow scorch (? api-kṣā), when not given back by a Kshatriya.
12.5.45
avāstúm enam ásvagam áprajasaṃ karoty aparāparaṇó bhavati kṣīyáte ||45||
Without abode, without home, without progeny, she makes him; he becomes without succession (?); he is destroyed:—
12.5.46
yá eváṃ vidúṣo brāhmaṇásya kṣatríyo gā́m ādatté ||46||
Whatever Kshatriya takes to himself the cow of a Brahman who knoweth thus.
12.5.47
kṣipráṃ vái tásyāhánane gŕ̥dhrāḥ kurvata ailabám ||47||
Quickly, indeed, at his killing the vultures make a din (āilabá).
12.5.48
kṣipráṃ vái tásyādáhanaṃ pári nr̥tyanti keśínīr āghnānā́ḥ pāṇínórasi kurvāṇā́ḥ pāpám ailabám ||48||
Quickly, indeed, about his place of burning dance the long-haired women, beating on the breast with the hand, making an evil din.
12.5.49
kṣipráṃ vái tásya vā́stuṣu vŕ̥kāḥ kurvata ailabám ||49||
Quickly, indeed, in his abodes do the wolves make a din.
12.5.50
kṣipráṃ vái tásya pr̥chanti yát tád ā́sī3d idáṃ nú tā́3d íti ||50||
Quickly, indeed, they ask about him: what that was, is this now that?
12.5.51
chindhy ā́ chindhi prá chindhy ápi kṣāpaya kṣāpáya ||51||
Cut thou, cut on, cut forth, scorch, burn (kṣā).
12.5.52
ādádānam āṅgirasi brahmajyám úpa dāsaya ||52||
O daughter of An̄giras, exhaust thou the Brahman-scather, that takes to himself [the cow].
12.5.53_2
vaiśvadevī́ hy ùcyáse kr̥tyā́ kū́lbajam ā́vr̥tā ||53||
For thou art called belonging to all the gods, witchcraft, kū́lbaja when covered.
12.5.54
óṣantī samóṣantī bráhmaṇo vájraḥ ||54||
Burning (uṣ), consuming, thunderbolt of the brahman.
12.5.55
kṣurápavir mr̥tyúr bhūtvā́ ví dhāva tvám ||55||
Having become a keen-edged death, run thou out.
12.5.56
ā́ datse jinatā́ṃ várca iṣṭáṃ pūrtáṃ cāśíṣaḥ ||56||
Thou takest to thyself the honor of the scathers, their sacrifice and bestowal, their expectations.
12.5.57
ādā́ya jītáṃ jītā́ya lokè 'múṣmin prá yachasi ||57||
Taking to thyself what is scathed for him who is scathed, thou presentest [it to him] in yonder world.
12.5.58
ághnye padavī́r bhava brāhmaṇásyābhíśastyā ||58||
O inviolable one, become thou the guide of the Brahman out of imprecation.
12.5.59
meníḥ śaravyā̀ bhavāghā́d agháviṣā bhava ||59||
Become thou a weapon (mení), a shaft; become thou deadly poisonous from evil (aghá).
12.5.60
ághnye prá śíro jahi brahmajyásya kr̥tā́gaso devapīyór arādhásaḥ ||60||
O inviolable one, smite forth the head of the Brahman-scather that has committed offense, of the god-reviler, the ungenerous.
12.5.61
tváyā prámūrṇaṃ mr̥ditám agnír dahatu duścítam ||61||
Let Agni burn the malevolent one, slaughtered, crushed (mṛd) by thee.
12.5.62
vr̥ścá prá vr̥śca sáṃ vr̥śca dáha prá daha sáṃ daha ||62||
Cut (vraçc) thou, cut off, cut up; burn thou, burn off, burn up.
12.5.63
brahmajyáṃ devy aghnya ā́ mū́lād anusáṃdaha ||63||
The Brahman-scather, O divine inviolable one, do thou burn up all the way from the root.
12.5.64
yáthā́yād yamasādanā́t pāpalokā́n parāvátaḥ ||64||
That he may go from Yama's seat to evil worlds, to the distances.
12.5.65
evā́ tváṃ devy aghnye brahmajyásya kr̥tā́gaso devapīyór arādhásaḥ ||65||
So do thou, O divine inviolable one, of the Brahman-scather that has committed offense, of the god-reviler, the ungenerous,—
12.5.66
vájreṇa śatáparvaṇā tīkṣṇéna kṣurábhr̥ṣṭinā ||66||
With a thunderbolt hundred-jointed, sharp, razor-pronged,—
12.5.67
prá skandhā́n prá śíro jahi ||67||
Smite forth the shoulder-bones, forth the head.
12.5.68
lómāny asya sáṃ chindhi tvácam asya ví veṣṭaya ||68||
His hairs (lóman) do thou cut up (sam-chid); his skin strip off;—
12.5.69
māṃsā́ny asya śātaya snā́vāny asya sáṃ vr̥ha ||69||
His flesh cut in pieces; his sinews wrench off;—
12.5.70
ásthīny asya pīḍaya majjā́nam asya nír jahi ||70||
His bones distress (pīḍ); his marrow smite out;—
12.5.71
sárvāsyā́ṅgā párvāṇi ví śrathaya ||71||
All his limbs, [his] joints unloosen.
12.5.72
agnír enaṃ kravyā́t pr̥thivyā́ nudatām úd oṣatu vāyúr antárikṣān maható varimṇáḥ ||72||
Let the flesh-eating Agni thrust him from the earth, burn (uṣ) up; let Vāyu [do so] from the atmosphere, the great expanse (varimán);—
12.5.73
sū́rya enaṃ diváḥ prá ṇudatāṃ ny òṣatu ||73||
Let the sun thrust him forth from the sky, burn him down.
Translations (2)
- Atharva-Veda Saṃhitā (HOS 7–8) — William Dwight Whitney 1905, English
- The Hymns of the Atharvaveda — Ralph T. H. Griffith 1895, English
Commentaries (2)
- Atharvavedabhāṣya (Sāyaṇa) — Sāyaṇa, Sanskrit
- Atharvavedasaṃhitābhāṣya — Mādhavācārya, Sanskrit
Linked texts (13)
- Atharvaveda — Sanskrit
- A Vedic Concordance — Maurice Bloomfield, English
- Aṅgirasī — Sanskrit
- Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India, their Religion and Institutions — John Muir, English
- Vedic Index of Names and Subjects — Arthur A. Macdonell & A. Berriedale Keith, English
- Altindische Grammatik — Jacob Wackernagel & Albert Debrunner, German
- History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) — P. V. Kane, English
- Minerals and Metals in Ancient India — Arun Kumar Biswas & Sulekha Biswas, English
- Ṛgvedabhāṣyabhūmikā — Dayānanda Sarasvatī, Sanskrit
- The History and Culture of the Indian People — R. C. Majumdar & A. D. Pusalker, English
- Die Religion des Veda — Hermann Oldenberg, German
- Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. — V. S. Agrawala, English
- Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. — J. P. Sharma, English