Atharvaveda 14.2

For thee in the beginning they carried about Sūryā, together with the bridal-car; mayest thou, O Agni, give to us husbands the wife, together with progeny.

Agni hath given back the spouse, together with life-time, with splendor; of long life-time, may he who is the husband of her live a hundred autumns.

Soma's wife first; the Gandharva thy next husband; Agni thy third husband; thy fourth, one of human birth.

Soma gave to the Gandharva; the Gandharva gave to Agni; both wealth and sons hath Agni given to me, likewise this woman.

Your favor hath come, O ye (two) of abundant good things (? vājínīvasu); [our] desires have rested in [your] hearts, O Açvins; ye have been twin keepers, O lords of beauty; may we, being dear, attain favorers (aryamán) of our homes (? dúrya).

Do thou (f.), rejoicing with propitious mind, assign wealth having all heroes, to be extolled; an easy crossing (tīrthá), well provided with drink, O lords (du.) of beauty; do ye smite away the pillar standing in the road, [namely] disfavor.

What herbs [there are], what streams, what fields, what forests—let these, O bride, defend from the demon thee, possessing progeny, for thy husband.

We have mounted this road, easy, bringing welfare, on which a hero takes no harm, [but] finds others' goods.

Pray hear ye now of me, O men, by what blessing (āçís) the two spouses attain what is agreeable (vāmá): what Gandharvas [there are] and heavenly Apsarases, who stand upon these forest trees (vānaspatyá), let them be pleasant unto this bride; let them not injure the bridal-car as it is driven.

What yákṣmas go to the bride's brilliant (candrá) car among the people, let the worshipful gods conduct those back whence they came.

Let not the waylayers who pursue (ā-sad) [them] find the two spouses; let them go over what is difficult by an easy [road]; let the niggards run away.

I cause the bridal-car to be viewed by the houses with worship (bráhman), with a friendly, not terrible eye; what of all forms is fastened on about, let Savitar make that pleasant for the husbands.

Propitious hath this woman come to the home; Dhātar appointed this world (sphere) to her; her let Aryaman, Bhaga, both Açvins, Prajāpati, increase with progeny.

[As] a soulful cultivated field hath this woman come; in her here, O men, scatter ye seed; she shall give birth to progeny for you from her belly (vakṣáṇās), bearing the exuded (dugdhá) sperm of the male (ṛṣabhá).

Stand firm; virā́j art thou; as it were, Vishṇu here, O Sarasvatī; O Sinīvālī, let her have progeny; may she be in the favor of Bhaga.

Let your wave smite up the pegs; O waters, release the yoke-ropes (yóktra); let not the two inviolable [kine], not evil-doing, free from guilt, come upon what is unpropitious (? áçuna).

With an eye not terrible, not husband-slaying, pleasant, helpful (çagmá), very propitious, of easy control (suyáma) for the houses, hero-bearing, loving brothers-in-law (?), with favoring mind—may we thrive together with thee.

Not brother-in-law-slaying, not husband-slaying be thou here, propitious to the cattle, of easy control, very splendid, having progeny, hero-bearing, loving brothers-in-law (?), pleasant, do thou worship (sapary) this householder's fire.

Stand up from here; desiring what hast thou (f.) come hither? I [am] thine overcomer, O Iḍā, out of [my] own house; thou that hast come hither, O perdition, seeking the empty—stand up, O niggard; fly forth; rest not here.

When this bride hath worshiped the householder's, the former (pū́rva) fire, then, O woman, do thou pay homage to Sarasvatī and to the Fathers.

Take this protection, defense, to spread under this woman; O Sinīvālī, let her have progeny; may she be in the favor of Bhaga.

What rushes (bálbaja) ye cast down, and [what] hide ye spread under, that let the girl (kanyā̀) of good progeny mount, who finds a husband.

Spread under the rushes upon the red hide; sitting down upon it, of good progeny, let her worship this fire.

Mount the hide; sit by the fire; this god slays all the demons; here give birth to progeny for this husband; may this son of thine be of good primogeniture.

Let there come forth (vi-sthā) from the lap of this mother animals (paçú) of various forms, being born; as one of excellent omen, sit thou by this fire; with thy husband (sámpatnī), be thou serviceable to the gods here.

Of excellent omen, extender (pratáraṇa) of the houses, very propitious to thy husband, wealful to thy father-in-law, pleasant to thy mother-in-law, do thou enter these houses.

Be thou pleasant to fathers-in-law, pleasant to husband, to houses, pleasant to all this clan; pleasant unto their prosperity (puṣṭá) be thou.

Of excellent omen is this bride; come together, see her; having given unto her good-fortune, go asunder and away with ill-fortunes.

What evil-hearted young women, and likewise what old ones, [are] here—do ye all ⌊sám⌋ now give splendor to her; then go asunder and away home.

The gold-cushioned (? prastaraṇa) vehicle, bearing all forms, did Sūryā, Savitar's daughter, mount, in order to great good-fortune.

Mount the couch with favoring mind; here give birth to progeny for this husband; like Indrāṇī, waking with good awakening, mayest thou watch to meet dawns tipped with light.

The gods in the beginning lay with (ni-pad) their spouses; they embraced (sam-spṛç) bodies with bodies; like Sūryā, O woman, all-formed, with greatness, having progeny, unite (sam-bhū) here with thy husband.

Stand up from here, O Viçvāvasu; with homage do we praise thee; seek thou a sister (jāmí) sitting among the Fathers, inserted (? nyàktām); that is thy portion by right of birth; know thou that.

The Apsarases revel a joint reveling, between the oblation-holder and the sun; they are thy birthplace; go away to them; homage I pay thee with the Gandharva-season.

Homage to the Gandharva's mind (?), and homage to his terrible (bhā́ma) eye we pay; O Viçvāvasu, homage [be] to thee with worship (bráhman); go away unto thy wives, the Apsarases.

With wealth may we be well-willing; we have made the Gandharva go (vṛt) up from here; that god hath gone to the highest station (sadhástha); we have gone where they lengthen out [their] life-time.

Unite (sam-sṛj), O ye (two) parents (pitṛ́), the (two) things that are seasonable; ye shall be mother and father of seed; as a male (márya) a female (yóṣā), do thou mount her; make ye (two) progeny; here enjoy (puṣ) wealth.

Send, O Pūshan, her, most propitious, in whom men scatter seed (bī́ja); who, eager, shall part our thighs; in whom we, eager, may insert the member.

Mount thou the thigh; apply the hand; embrace thy wife with well-willing mind; make ye (two) progeny here, enjoying; let Savitar make for you a long life-time.

Let Prajāpati generate progeny for you (two); let Aryaman unite (sam-añj) [you] with days-and-nights; not ill-omened, enter thou this world of thy husband; be weal to our bipeds, weal to [our] quadrupeds.

This bridal garment and bride's dress, given by the gods together with Manu, whoso gives to a knowing (cikitvā́ṅs) priest (brahmán), he verily slays the demons of the couch (?).

What priest's portion they (dual) give to me the bride-seeker (vadhūyú), the bridal garment and bride's dress, do ye, O Brihaspati and Indra, assenting, together give it to the priest (brahmán).

Awaking out of a pleasant lair (yóni), mightily enjoying yourselves, merry, having good kine, good sons, good houses, may ye, living, pass the outshining dawns.

Clothing myself anew, fragrant, well-dressed, I have risen alive unto the outshining dawns; as a bird from the egg, I have been released out of all sin.

Beautiful [are] heaven-and-earth, pleasant near by, of great courses; seven divine waters have flowed; let them free us from distress.

Unto Sūryā, unto the gods, unto Mitra and Varuṇa, unto them who are forethoughtful of that which exists, have I paid this homage.

He who, without a clamp (? abhiçríṣ), before the piercing of the neck-ropes (? jatrú), combines (sam-dhā) a combination—he the bountiful, the one of much good—removes again what is spoiled (víhruta).

Away from us let the darkness shine (vas), that is deep blue, brown (piçán̄ga), also red; she who is consuming, spotted, her I fasten (ā-saj) on this pillar.

How many witchcrafts in the outer garment (? upavā́sana), how many fetters of king Varuṇa, what failures, what non-successes—them I cause to sit upon this pillar.

What is my dearest self (tanū́), that of me is afraid of the garment; of it do thou, O forest-lord, make first (ágre) for thyself an inner wrap (nīví); let us not suffer harm.

What ends [there are], how many edges (síc), what webs, and what lines; what garment woven by the spouses—may that touch us pleasantly.

Eager, these young girls, going to a husband from the father's world, have let go the consecration: hail!

Her, let go by Brihaspati, all the gods maintained; what splendor is entered into the kine, with that do we unite this woman.

Her, let go etc. etc.; what brilliancy (téjas) is entered etc. etc.

Her, let go etc. etc.; what fortune (bhága) is entered etc. etc.

Her, let go etc. etc.; what glory is entered etc. etc.

Her, let go etc. etc.; what milk (páyas) is entered etc. etc.

Her, let go etc. etc.; what sap is entered etc. etc.

If these hairy people have danced together in thy house, doing evil with wailing—from that sin let Agni and Savitar release thee.

If this daughter of thine has wailed with loosened hair (vikeçá) in thy house, doing evil with wailing—from that sin etc. etc.

If (yát) sisters (jāmí), if young women, have danced together in thy house, doing evil with wailing—from that sin etc. etc.

If in thy progeny, in thy cattle, or in thy houses is settled (ni-sthā) any evil done by the evil-doers—from that sin etc. etc.

This woman, scattering shrivelled grains (pū́lya) appeals: be my husband long-lived; may he live a hundred autumns.

Here, O Indra, do thou push together these two spouses like two cakravākás; let them, with [their] progeny, well-homed, live out all their life-time.

What is done on the chair (āsandī́), on the cushion (upadhā́na), or what on the covering (upavā́sana); what witchcraft they have made at the wedding (vivāhá)—that do we deposit in the bath.

What ill deed, what pollution at the wedding, and what on the bridal car—that difficulty do we wipe off on the dress (kambalá) of the wooer.

Having settled the defilement on the wooer, the difficulty on the dress, we have become worshipful, cleansed (çudh); may he extend our life-times.

The artificial hundred-toothed comb (?) that is here shall scratch away the defilement of the hair of her, away that of her head.

Away from every limb of her do we deposit the yákṣma; let that not attain (pra-āp) the earth nor the gods; let it not attain the heaven, the wide atmosphere; let that defilement not attain the waters, O Agni; let it not attain Yama and all the Fathers.

I gird thee with the milk of the earth; I gird thee with the milk of the herbs; I gird thee with progeny, with riches; do thou, being girded, win (ā-san) this strength (? vā́ja).

He am I, she thou; chant am I, verse thou; heaven I, earth thou; let us (two) come together here; let us generate progeny.

The unmarried of us seek a wife, the liberal seek a son; may we (two), with uninjured life-breath, be companions (sac), in order to what is great, to winning of strength (? vā́ja-).

What bride-beholding Fathers have come to this bridal-car, let them bestow on this bride, with her husband, protection accompanied with progeny.

She who hath come hither before, girdling herself (?), having given to this woman here progeny and property—her let them carry along the road of what is not gone; this one, a virā́j, having good progeny, hath conquered.

Continue thou awake, waking with good awakening, unto length of life of a hundred autumns; go to the houses that thou mayest be house-mistress; let Savitar make for thee a long life-time.