A glorification of the typical sacrificial bull

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

p. a365

HYMN IV

A glorification of the typical sacrificial bull

1The Bull, fierce, thousandfold, filled full of vigour, bearing
   within his flanks all forms and natures,
  Brihaspati's Steer, hath stretched the thread, bestowing bliss on
   the worshipper, the liberal giver.
2He who at first became the Waters' model, a match for everyone,
   like Earth the Goddess;
  The husband of the cows, the young calves' father, may be
   secure us thousandfold abundance.
3Masculine, prégnant, stedfast. full of vigour, the Bull sustains a
   trunk of goodly treasure.
  May Agni Jātavedas bear him offered, on pathways traversed by
   the Gods, to Indra. p. a366
4The husband of the cows, the young calves' father, father is he
   of mighty water-eddies.
  Calf, after-birth, new milk drawn hot, and biestings, curds, butter,
   that is his best genial humour.
5He is the Gods' allotted share and bundle, essence of waters,
   and of plants, and butter.
  Sakra elected him, the draught of Soma. What was his body
   was a lofty mountain.
06. A beaker filled with Soma juice thou bearest. framer of forms,
   begetter of the cattle.
  Kindly to us be these thy wombs here present, and stay for us,
  O Axe, those that are yonder.
7He bears oblation, and his seed is butter. Thousand-fold plenty;
   sacrifice they call him.
  May he, the Bull, wearing the shape of Indra, come unto us, O
  Gods, bestowed, with blessing.
8Both arms of Varuna, and Indra's vigour, the Maruts' hump is
   he, the Asvins' shoulders.
  They who are sages, bards endowed with wisdom, call him
  Brihaspati compact and heightened.
9Thou, vigorous, reachest to the tribes of heaven. Thee they call
  Indra, thee they call Sarasvān.
  Turned to one aim, that Brāhman gives a thousand who offers
   up the Bull as his oblation.
10Brihaspati, Savitar gave thee vital vigour: thy breath was
   brought from Tvashtar and from Vāyu.
  In thought I offer thee in air's mid-region. Thy sacrificial grass
   be Earth and Heaven!
11Let the priest joyfully extol the limbs and members of the Bull
  Who moved and roared among the kine as Indra moves among
   the Gods.
12The sides must be Anumati's, and both rib-pieces Bhaga's share,
  Of the knee-bones hath Mitra said, Both these are mine, and
   only mine.
13The Ādityas claim the hinder parts, the loins must be Brihas-
   pati's.
  Vāta, the God, receives the tail: he stirs the plants and herbs
   therewith,
14To Sūryā they assigned the skin, to Sinivāli inward parts. p. a367
  The Slaughterer hath the feet, they said, when they distributed
   the Bull.
15They made a jest of kindred's curse: a jar of Soma juice was set,
  What time the deities, convened, assigned the Bull's divided
   parts.
16They gave the hooves to tortoises, to Saramā scraps of the feet:
  His undigested food they gave to worms and things that creep
   and crawl.
17That Bull, the husband of the kine, pierces the demons with his
   horns,
  Banishes famine with his eye, and hears good tidings with his
   ears.
18With hundred sacrifices he worships: the fires consume him not:
  All Gods promote the Braman who offers the Bull in sacrifice.
19He who hath given away the Bull to Brāhmans frees and cheers
   his soul.
  In his own cattle-pen he sees the growth and increase of his
   cows.
20Let there be cattle, let there be bodily strength and progeny:
  All this may the Gods kindly grant to him who gives away the
  Bull.
21Indra here verily hath rejoiced: let him bestow conspicuous
   wealth.
  May he draw forth at will from yonder side of heaven a deft
   cow, good to milk, whose calf is never wanting.
22With close connexion mingle with the cows in this our cattle-
   pen:
  Mingle, the Bull's prolific flow, and, Indra! thine heroic
   strength!
23Here we restore this Bull, your youthful leader: sporting with
   him, go, wander at your pleasure.
  Ne'er, wealthy ones! may he be reft of offspring; and do ye
   favour us with growth of riches.