Essentials of Hinduism - Atharvana Veda Samhita

Essentials of Hinduism

Atharvana Veda Samhita

Kanda 1

Prayer for increasing one’s Learning:

Vachaspati, the Lord of Speech, adopts various forms and pervades Everywhere. “O Vachaspati! Come before us with your Divine Intellect. May the Knowledge vest (come to possession) with me. May we never be parted from the Knowledge.”

Prayer for obtaining Victory:

“O Mother Earth! We are your sons. May we thrive. Make our bodies as Firm and strong as Rocks. May we be Charitable. May we be free from hatred. O Indra! The Space between Heaven and Earth (known as Antariksha) is full of Energy. May its Energy be preserved that way.”

Prayer for recovery from illness:

May the Energy of the five Gods Parjanya, Mitra, Varuna, Chandra and Surya enter my Body and make me well. May the Earth pour Long Life unto me. May all the illness be purged from my Body.

Prayer for obtaining Blessings from Water:

It is the Water that enables us to perform a Sacrifice. We offer oblations (act of offering to God) to the Water and sing its Praise. The Water is like a Heavenly Drink (Amrita). In it is the medicine for all illness. The Divine qualities of the Water makes us strong. “O Water! You bring us Happiness. You increase our Strength and bring us Health and Wealth.

Bring us Welfare the way a Mother nourishes her Children. You are the one who satisfies, may you bring us completeness. Make us thrive. Grant us the Happiness that we Desire. You are the one who nourishes all living beings. May Divine Water bring us Happiness. May Divine Water grant our Wishes and bring us Peace. The god Soma has told us that in Water can be found medicines and Herbs. Protect our Bodies so that we may be able to see the Sun for many years. May the Water from rain bring us Happiness.”

Prayer for spreading Righteousness:

You are the one who lives in the best of places and You are the Lord of all Learning. You are the one who controls our senses. “O Agni! Accept the Clarified Butter that has been offered. The Oblations have been offered to You and Indra. You are the One who guides us along the Righteous Path. O Agni! You will be our Messenger. Impart Wisdom and show the Righteous Path.”

Prayer for the granting of Wishes:

May all the Gods, the Vasus, Indra, Pusha, Varuna, Mitra and Agni bring the Riches. May the Adityas and the Vishvedevas bring the Energy. “O Agni! Make the sacrifices successful and grant Energy and Riches. Purify the Mind and shower down the Happiness.”

Prayer for the pardoning of the sins:

Varuna is the Supreme Godhead. Varuna’s wishes are like Truth itself. I use the Power of my Learning to free this sinner from the Varuna’s wrath (anger). “O Varuna! I bow down before your anger. O God! I know well the various sins that Mankind falls prey to. I seek refuge with you to live for a hundred years. O Varuna! I seek to obtain Pardon for all my sins.”

There are many more Prayers in Kanda one – solving urinary problems, disorders of the blood, keeping away thieves, ensuring the Welfare of the subjects, lengthening Life Expectancy and disorders of the Heart.

This article is a snippet from the Book Essentials of Hinduism, Authored by G.S Nilakantan. Hinduism for All is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.