Enunciation of mystico-theological and cosmological doctrine

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

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HYMN IX

Enunciation of mystico-theological and cosmological doctrine

1The second brother of this lovely Hotar, hoary with eld, is the
   voracious Lightning.
  The third is he whose back is balmed with butter. Here have I
   seen the King with seven male children.
2The seven make the one-wheeled chariot ready: bearing seven
   names the single Courser draws it.
  The wheel, three-naved, is sound and undecaying: thereon these
   worlds of life are all dependent.
3The seven who on this seven-wheeled car are mounted have
   horses, seven in tale, who draw them onward.
  Seven sisters utter songs of praise together, in whom the Cows'
   seven names are held and treasured.
4Who hath beheld at birth the Primal Being, when She who hath
   no bone supports the bony?
  Where is the blood of earth, the life, the spirit? Who may ap-
   proach the man who knows, to ask it?
5Let him who knoweth presently declare it, this lovely Bird's
   securely-founded station.
  Forth from his head the Cows draw milk, and wearing his ves-
   ture with their foot have drunk the water.
6Unripe in mind, in spirit undiscerning, I ask of these the Gods'
   established places.
  High up above the yearling Calf the sages, to form a web, their
   own seven threads have woven.
7Here, ignorant, I ask the wise who know it, as one who knows
   not, for the sake of knowledge,
  What is That One, who in the Unborn's image hath stablished
   and fixed firm this world's six regions.
8The Mother gave the Sire his share of Order. With thought at
   first she wedded him in spirit.
  She, coyly loth, was filled with dew prolific. With adoration
   men approached to praise her.
9Yoked was the Mother to the boon Cow's car-pole; in humid
   folds of cloud the infant rested.
  Then the Calf lowed and looked upon the Mother, the Cow
   who wears all shapes in three directions.
10Bearing three mothers and three fathers, single he stood erect:
   they never made him weary. p. a383
  On yonder heaven's high ridge they speak together in speech
   not known to all, themselves all-knowing.
11Upon the five-spoked wheel revolving ever, whereon all crea-
   tures rest and are dependent,
  The axle, heavy-laden, is not heated: the nave from ancient
   time remains unheated.
12They call him in the farther half of heaven the Sire five-footed,
   of twelve forms, wealthy in watery store.
  These others, later still, say that he takes his stand upon a seven-
   wheeled car, six-spoked, whose sight is clear.
13Formed with twelve spokes, too strong for age to weaken, this
   wheel of during Order rolls round heaven.
  Herein established, joined in pairs together, seven hundred sons
   and twenty stand, O Agni.
14The wheel revolves, unwasting, with its felly: ten draw it, yoked
   to the far-stretching car-pole.
  Girt by the region moves the eye of Sūrya, on whom dependent
   rest all living creatures.
15They told me these were males, though truly females. He who
   hath eyes sees this, the blind discerns not.
  The son who is a sage hath comprehended: who knows this
   rightly is his father's father.
16Of the co-born they call the seventh single-born: the six twin,
   pairs are called the Rishis, sons of Gods.
  Their good gifts sought of men are ranged in order due, and,
   various, form by form, move for their guiding Lord.
17Beneath the upper realm, above this lower, bearing her Calf at
   foot, the Cow hath risen.
  Whitherward, to what place hath she departed? Where doth she
   calve? Not in this herd of cattle.
18Who, that the father of this Calf discerneth beneath the upper
   realm, above the lower,
  Showing himself a sage, may here declare him? Whence hath
   the godlike spirit had its rising?
19Those that come hitherward they call departing, those that depart
   they call directed hither.
  Whatever ye have made, Indra and Soma! steeds draw, as' twere,
   yoked to the region's car-pole.
20Two Birds with fair wings, knit with bonds of friendship, in the
   same sheltering tree have found a refuge, p. a384
  One of the twain eats the sweet Fig-tree's berry: the other, eat-
   ing not, regardeth only.
21The tree whereon the fine Birds eat the sweetness, where they
   all rest and procreate their offspring
  Upon the top, they say the fruit is luscious: none gaineth it who
   knoweth not the Father.
22Where the fine birds hymn ceaselessly their portion of life eter-
   nal, and the sacred synods.
  There is the Universe's Guard and Keeper who, wise hath
   entered into me the simple.

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