Atharvavedaparishishta 4

English (machine translation) 4

Language: English

4.1 — 24 parts
4.2 — 15 parts
4.3 — 6 parts
4.4 — 12 parts
4.5 — 16 parts
4.6 — 6 parts

4.1.1

Om. Now, the duties of the royal domestic priest. For the king who has risen in the morning and performed his auspicious recitations,

4.1.2

now the royal domestic priest, having bathed, anointed himself, pure, wearing white garments and a turban—[the recitation beginning] "Savitṛ of impulses" has been explained.

4.1.4

Consecrating the king's garment with the two verses beginning "Put on...", he should hand it to him.

4.1.5

The ornaments with "That which they bound..."

4.1.6

The throne with "In the lion, in the tiger..."

4.1.7

The perfumes with "The scent of yours which..."

4.1.8

He anoints the two eyes with "Come, the living, the protecting..."

4.1.11

The palanquin with "What your mother, what your father..."

4.1.12

The sword with "And I consecrate the sword..."

4.1.13

"And I consecrate the sword which will crush the enemies; / crushed by this, may enemies always come under your control."

4.1.14

The couch, seat, sword, banner, umbrella with chowrie, / chariot, excellent horse and elephant, bow, armor, arrows, and quiver,

4.1.15

eye-salve, perfumes, garlands, garments, and ornaments— / having sprinkled all these with the pacifying water, he should consecrate them.

Having placed dūrvā grass and other things on his head, he should consecrate him with auspicious recitations. Consecrated with "Freedom from danger, O Heaven and Earth...", having first bowed down to the brahmins,

4.1.17

[the king says:] "By your favor, I obtain peace."

4.1.18

Addressed with "So be it!", he should go forth.

4.1.19

Having thus performed the auspicious recitation, whatever he looks upon succeeds.

4.1.20

On this there are also verses:

4.1.21

Afflicted by the Asuras in ancient times, Śakra, the lord of the world, / had Bṛhaspati installed according to rule in the office of royal domestic priest.

4.1.22

Chosen by him who was terrified by fear and desired pacification, / he emitted eight auspicious things for the safety of Śatakratu.

4.1.23

The eight auspicious things are declared: a brahmin, a cow, fire, / earth, white mustard seeds, clarified butter, the śamī tree, and rice and barley.

4.1.24

Always looking upon and venerating these holy things, / the king does not meet with misfortune and attains unsurpassed prosperity.

4.2.1

Now, the duties of the king.

4.2.2

Bathed at the Viśvāvasu muhūrta, consecrated with consecration mantras,

4.2.3

anointed with ointments,

4.2.4

with garments, ornaments, and the like according to the previously stated rule,

4.2.5

taking a golden niṣka or a kṛṣṇala with his left hand,

4.2.6

saying: 'Whatever evil deed, whatever blemish [there is], let it burn away all evil,'

4.2.7

rubbing the gold on his body with this mantra, he should give it to a brāhmaṇa with his right hand,

4.2.8

and a healthy cow.

4.2.9

Having placed an immeasurable quantity of sesame seeds in a vessel made of gold or copper, and having consecrated it with: 'Whatever out of ignorance...', he should give it to a brāhmaṇa.

4.2.10

'Whatever blemish was committed by me out of ignorance or out of knowledge, / let all that be burnt by the gift of sesame, O Lord!'

4.2.11

And land endowed with crops should indeed be given to a brāhmaṇa who has crossed to the end of the Veda, / according to one's ability, in accordance with the word of Bṛhaspati.

4.2.12

Having enjoyed various pleasures, having obtained the earth / encircled by the seven oceans, that lord of the earth would rejoice like the moon.

4.2.13

He should constantly present diverse foods to the twice-born, / accompanied by the sound of musical instruments, and having auspicious blessings performed.

4.2.14

And having worshipped the household deities, a festival should be held in the home; / and he himself should properly worship the parasol, other royal insignia, and conveyances.

4.2.15

[And the wise man should worship with various radiant flowers and fruits;] / therefore, the king, having continually made all gifts with faith, / surrounded by brāhmaṇas, should eat with restrained speech.

4.3.1

Then he should set up before him [an effigy of] Night made of flour, together with four lamps, / worshipped with fragrant unguents and garlands.

4.3.2

Then, having bowed to Night and worshipped her according to rule, / he should venerate her with incense, food, drink, and a hymn of praise:

4.3.3

'Protect me always, O goddess, together with my realm and friends; / deliver us to the dawn, and always make peace for me; / for those who take refuge in you, O goddess, no fear exists.

4.3.4

I take refuge in Night, the mother, who causes all beings to rest, / the auspicious, the divine, the dark, the night of the entire world.

4.3.5

Her who brings to rest, who restrains, garlanded with planets and lunar mansions, / in the auspicious Night I have taken refuge; O auspicious one, may we reach the other shore!

4.3.6

Whom all beings, both motionless and moving, / constantly revere evening and morning, let that Night protect me!'

4.4.1

The Night-hymns are: 'Into the earthly space, O Night...', 'The active maiden...', and 'The saving...'

4.4.2

Touching [the king], he should murmur the two hymns: 'Both mine...' and 'The waters to me...'

4.4.3

With the five [stanzas beginning with] 'He who is our own...', he should offer mustard seeds into the fire.

4.4.4

Having circled [the lamp] three times over the king with the lamp to the accompaniment of 'He who in this...' and 'He who... from the mother', he should hand it to the messenger.

4.4.5

With the verse 'Fearlessness...', he should cast four pebbles clockwise in every direction.

4.4.6

With 'Come, step upon the stone...', he should make him stand on the fifth [stone].

4.4.7

With 'Let not consumption approach him, O god...', he should offer incense of bdellium and costus.

4.4.8

With 'Whatever fragrance is yours...' and 'A triple lifetime...', he should apply sacred ashes.

4.4.9

Having fastened an amulet with 'You are an undoer of hexes...',

4.4.10

he should cast pebbles clockwise in every direction with 'May Agni protect me from the east with the Vasus...'

4.4.11

Going outside, having gone north, having stepped outside, he should perform it for a friend, he should perform it for one who has faith.

4.4.12

The nightly rite of fearlessness [according to] Paiṭhīnasi, son of Mausalī.

4.5.1

Now next we shall explain the ritual procedure for the Night-hymns.

4.5.2

The royal priest, pure and clad in white,

4.5.3

having performed the king's evening twilight devotion, holding sacred darbha-grass in his hands, having approached the king,

4.5.4

having fashioned [an effigy of] Night made of flour,

4.5.5

having worshipped her with food, drink, incense, lamps, and garlands,

4.5.6

having worshipped her with four burning lamps,

4.5.7

having attended upon Night with the two hymns 'Into the earthly space, O Night...' and 'The active maiden...',

4.5.8

having circumambulated the king three times with 'O saving, all-conquering one' and 'To the day and you',

4.5.9

having dismissed [the effigy] at the door of the royal palace,

4.5.10

he should offer incense of bdellium and costus with 'Let not consumption approach him, O god...'

4.5.11

Having consecrated sacred ashes with 'Whatever fragrance is yours...',

4.5.12

having made protection for the king with 'A triple lifetime...',

4.5.13

having consecrated a pebble with 'Rival-free...', he should throw it from his thumb clockwise in each direction.

4.5.14

Having murmured 'Peaceful is the sky...', he should lead the king to his bedchamber.

4.5.15

Having made protection with sacred ashes, having stepped outside,

4.5.16

he should perform it thus day after day.

4.6.1

In whose realm an Atharvan priest who has mastered propitiatory rites resides, / that king's realm flourishes free of calamities.

4.6.2

In whose realm such a priest does not exist, that king's realm / is afflicted by various fears and sinks like a cow in the mud.

4.6.3

Therefore, a king should constantly and especially honor / a self-controlled Atharvan priest with gifts, honor, and hospitality.

4.6.4

And he should constantly have propitiatory rites performed, worship the planets and lunar mansions, / and carry out milking-rites of the earth in the temples of deities.

4.6.5

At crossroads, in cowpens, at bathing places, and at waters, he should have performed / the proper water libation for cows, which destroys all defects.

4.6.6

A king who, having mastered his senses, has this performed at all times, / attains endless happiness and enjoys the entire earth.

4.6.6.p1

Thus the duties of the royal priest are completed.

4.6.6.p2

(Supplement 5. The Royal Consecration under Puṣya)

Linked texts (1)

Atharvavedapariśiṣṭa — Sanskrit

Atharvavedaparishishta 4

Contents

Linked texts (1)