Essentials of Hinduism - Atharvana Veda Samhita

Essentials of Hinduism

Atharvana Veda Samhita

Oblations:

The Sage Atharva was the first one to light a Fire and offer Oblations. He was the first one to Worship the Learned Agni. Agni accepted these Oblations and that was the beginning of all the Sacrifices. I too offer Oblations to the famous Agni. May Agni accept my Oblations.

I Pray to the Goddess who grants all Wishes. She is like a Mother to my Mind and she will remove all my impediments. Whatever be the direction I travel in, may all my desires be Satisfied. May the Goddess who grants all Wishes look upon me with favor.

“O Brihaspati! Use the Power of your will to come to me. You are the one who should be summoned according to the Prescribed Rites. Come to me and grant me the Good Fortune. Brihaspati was born in the line of the Great Sage Angirasa. May Brihaspati become acquainted with the Power of my words. May he Learn what my wishes are. Brishaspati is the one who dwells with all the Gods. May he Listen to my Prayers and grant me my Wishes.”

The Paramatma:

There is one who is the Lord of all Animals, Birds and Men. There is one who is the Lord of Indra and all other Gods. He alone is the Lord of all the various objects that can be found on the Earth. He is the one who is the source of all the Riches. Pray to Him if you desire to acquire the Riches.

The Paramatma alone is the lord of all that is mobile and immobile. He is the Lord of all Objects. The Paramatma has a thousand arms, a thousand eyes and a thousand feet. He surrounds the Earth from the four Directions.

Three-fourth of the Paramatma are to be found in Heaven. The remaining one-fourth can be found on Earth in the form of all that is sentient (faculty of feeling) and insentient (lacking feeling), all that eats and does not eat.

Wonderful is the Paramatma’s Greatness. One-fourth of His Body constitutes all the Elements that can be found on Earth. The remaining three–fourths are immortal in Heaven. Everything that has been created is in the Paramatma. Everything that will be created is also in the Paramatma. The Paramatma is the Lord of immortality.

The Brahmanas are like the Paramatma’s mouth, the Kshatriyas are his arms, the Vaishyas his waist, the Sudras his legs.

It is the Mind of the Paramatma that created the Moon. The Sun was born out of His eyes. His mouth gave birth to Indra and Agni. His breath of life created Vayu. The Paramatma’s navel (umbilical cord detachment point on the surface of the abdomen or simply the belly-button) created the Atmosphere. Heaven was made out of this Great Being’s head. The Earth was born from His feet and His ears gave birth to the directions. Other Worlds were created from other parts of the Paramatma’s Anatomy.

The Nakshatras (Stars):

This was also covered in the Yajur Veda Chapter, but covered here some more. “I sing the praise of the Nakshatras that decorate the Heaven. For the sake of Divine Happiness, I sing the praise of these constant Stars. O Agni! I pray so that the Nakshatras Krittika and Rohini may grant me Happiness; Mrigashira ensure my Welfare; Arudra grant me Peace; Purnarvasu increase my Happiness; Pushya develop my power of Speech; Ashlesha and Magha manifest themselves and Elevate me; Purva and Uttara Palguni lead me along the Righteous Path; Satabisha grant me Riches. The Nakshatras can be seen in Heaven too, besides the Earth.

May the time of sunset ensure my Welfare. May dawn bring me Happiness. O Agni! Let these Prayers ensure Happiness. You are the immortal one. Be pleased and come here.

O Savita! You are the Lord of Everything. May my pots be never empty. May sin keep its distance. May I always eat food that is Pure. May I tread along the Righteous Path. O Brahmanaspati! The winds blow in various Directions. O Indra! Make the Winds blow along the proper Paths. May they bring us Happiness. May our Welfare be ensured.”

Peace:

May Heaven grant Peace. May the Earth grant Peace. May the wide Atmosphere grant Peace. May the Herbs bring us Peace. May the acts we perform and the Acts we are yet to perform grant Peace. May the past and the future grant Peace. May Everything that there is bring us Peace.

Mitra and Varuna will grant us Peace. The Planets which travel in Heaven will grant us Peace. The Sun and the Moon will grant us Peace. Rudra will grant us Peace. The Vasus will grant us Peace. The Adityas will grant us Peace. Agni will grant us Peace. Brihaspati will grant us Peace. All the Gods and the Sages will grant us Peace.

The four Vedas will lead us on the Path to Happiness. The seven Great Sages will lead us on the Path to Happiness. Agni will lead us on the Path to Happiness. Indra and Brahma will grant us Happiness. All the Gods will grant us Happiness.

The seven Great Sages know about all that is peaceful in the Universe. May they instruct us on the way to attain Peace. May we be Peaceful. May we know freedom from fear.

Let the Universe be full of Peace. May all that is violent, cruel and terrible be banished. May all the sins be banished and may Everything be Peaceful. May there be Welfare Everywhere. May there be Peace Everywhere.

There are more Suktas on Peace in this Kanda. There are Prayers for obtaining protection and freedom from fear. Some Suktas are devoted to Charms and Prayers to specific Gods. There are Prayers for removing ailments and bad dreams.

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.