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


p. 219

HYMN IX

A prayer for general protection and prosperity

1Gentle be heaven, gentle be earth, gentle this spacious,
   atmosphere.
  Gentle be waters as they flow, gentle to us be plants and herbs!
2Gentle be signs of coming change, and that which is and is not.
   done!
  Gentle be past and future, yea, let all be gracious unto us.
3Quickened by Prayer, this Goddess Vāk who standeth in the
   highest place,
  By whom the awful spell was made, even through her to us be
   peace!
4Or, made more keen by Prayer, this mind that standeth in the
   highest place,
  Whereby the awful spell was made, even through this be peace
   to us!
5These five sense-organs with the mind as sixth, sharpened by
  Prayer, abiding in my heart,
  By which the awful spell was made, even by these be peace to
   us.
6Favour us Mitra, Varuna, and Vishnu, and Prajāpati! Gracious•
   to us be Indra and Brihaspati and Aryaman.
7Favour us Mitra, Varuna, Vivasvān, and the Finisher,
  Portents on earth and in the air, and planets wandering in
   heaven!
8Gracious to us be trembling earth, gracious the flaming meteor
   stroke!
  Gracious be kine who yield red milk, gracious be earth when
   sinking down!
9Gracious be meteor-stricken constellation, gracious to us be
   magic spells and witchcraft!
  Gracious to us be buried charms, and gracious the meteors and
   the portents of the region!
10Kind be the Powers who seize the Moon, with Rāhu be Ādityas
   kind!
  Favour us Death and Cornet, and Rudras with penetrating.
   might!
11Rudras and Vasus favour us, Ādityas, Agnis favour us!
  Favour us mighty Rishis, Gods, Goddesses, and Brihaspati!
12Brahma, Dhātar, Prajāpati, Worlds, Vedas, Agnis, Rishis Seven. p. 220
  All these have blessed my happy way. May Indra be my
   guardian, may Brahmā protect and shelter me.
13May all the Gods protect me, may the Gods united shield me
   well.
  May all alleviations in the world which the Seven Rishis know.
  Be kind and gracious unto me. Bliss and security be mine!
14Earth alleviation, air alleviation, heaven alleviation, waters
   alleviation, plants alleviation, trees alleviation, all Gods my al-
   leviation, collective Gods my alleviation, alleviation by allevia-
   tions. By these alleviations, these universal alleviations, I allay
   all that is terrific here, all that is cruel, all that is wicked. This
   hath been calmed, this is now auspicious.
  Let all be favourable to us.


Next: Hymn 10: A prayer for the same