Atharva Veda: Book 11: Hymn 8: On the origin of some Gods and the creation of man
Hymns of the Atharva Veda, by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1895]
1When Manyu brought his consort home forth from Sankalpa's
dwelling-place,
Who were the wooers of the bride, who was the chief who
courted her?
2Fervour and Action were the two, in depths of the great billowy
sea?
These were the wooers of the bride; Brahma the chief who
courted her.
3Ten Gods before the Gods were born together in the ancient
time.
Whoso may know them face to face may now pronounce the
mighty word.
4Inbreath and outbreath, eye and ear, decay and freedom from.
decay, p. 65
Spiration upward and diffused, voice, mind have brought us
wish and plan.
5As yet the Seasons were unborn, and Dilator and Prajāpati,
Both Asvins, Indra, Agni. Whom then did they worship as
supreme?
6Fervour and Action were the two, in depths of the great billowy
sea;
Fervour sprang up from Action: this they served and worship-
ped as supreme.
7He may account himself well versed in ancient time who knows
by name.
The earth that was before this earth, which only wisest Sages
know.
8From whom did Indra spring? from whom sprang Soma?
whence was Agni born?
From whom did Tvashtar spring to life? and whence is Dilator's
origin?
9Indra from Indra, Soma from Soma, Agni from Agni sprang
Tvashtar from Tvashtar was produced, Dilator was Dhātar's
origin.
10Those Gods who were of old, the Ten begotten earlier than the
Gods,
What world do they inhabit since they gave the world unto
their sons?
11When he had brought together hair, sinew and bone, marrow
and flesh.
And to the body added feet, then to what world did he depart?
12Whence, from what region did he bring the hair, the sinews, and
the bones,
Marrow and limbs, and joints, and flesh? Who was the bringer,
and from whence?
13Casters, those Gods were called who brought together all the
elements:
When they had fused the mortal man complete, they entered
into him.
14The thighs, the knee-bones, and the feet, the head, the face,
Land both the hands,
The ribs, the nipples, and the sides—what I ishi hath constructed
that? p. 66
15Head, both the hands, and face, and tongue, and neck, and inter-
coastal parts,
All this, investing it with skins, Mahi conjoined with bond and
tie.
16What time the might body lay firmly compact with tie and bond,
Who gave its colour to the form, the hue wherewith it shines
to-day?
17All Deities had lent their aid: of this a noble Dame took note,
Tsā, the Consort of Command. She gave its colour to the form.
18When Tvashtar, Tvashtar's loftier Sire, had bored it out and
hollowed it.
Gods made the mortal their abode, and entered and possessed
the man.
19Sleep, specially, Sloth, Nirriti, and deities whose name is Sin,
Baldness, old age, and hoary hairs within the body found their
way.
20Theft, evil-doing, and deceit, truth, sacrifice, exalted fame,
Strength, princely power, and energy entered the body as a
home.
21Prosperity and poverty, kindnesses and malignities,
Hunger and thirst of every kind entered the body as a home.
22Reproaches, freedom from reproach, all blamable, all blameless
deeds,
Bounty, belief, and unbelief entered the body as a home.
23All knowledge and all ignorance, each other thing that one may
learn,
Entered the body, prayer, and hymns, and songs, and sacrificial
texts.
24Enjoyments, pleasures, and delights, gladness, and rapturous
ecstasies.
Laughter and merriment and dance entered the body as a home.
25Discourse and conversation, and the shrill-resounding cries of
woe,
All entered in, the motives and the purposes combined there-
with.
26Inbreath and outbreath, ear and eye, decay and freedom from
decay.
Breath upward and diffused, voice, mind, these quickly with the
body move, p. 67
27All earnest wishes, all commands, directions, and admonish-
ments.
Reflections, all deliberate plans entered the body as a home.
28They laid in the abhorrent frame those waters hidden, bright,
and thick,
Which in the bowels spring from blood, from mourning or from
hasty toil.
29Fuel they turned to bone, and then they set light waters in the
frame.
The molten butter they made seed: then the Gods entered into
man.
30All Waters, all the Deities. Virāj with Brahma at her side:
Brahma into the body passed: Prajāpati is Lord thereof.
31The Sun and Wind formed, separate, the eye and vital breath of
man.
His other person have the Gods bestowed on Agni as a gift.
32Therefore whoever knoweth man regardeth him as Brāhman's
self:
For all the Deities abide in him as cattle in their pen.
33At his first death he goeth hence, asunder, in three separate
parts.
He goeth yonder with one part, with one he goeth yonder:
here he sinketh downward with a third.
34In the primeval waters cold the body is deposited.
In this there is the power of growth: from this is power of
growth declared.