Atharva Veda · 427 of 724

BOOK VIII

HYMN I A charm to recover a dying man 1. Homage to Death the Ender! May thy breathings, inward and    outward, still remain within thee.   Here stay this man united with his spirit in the Sun’s realm, the    world of life eternal! 2. Bhaga hath lifted up this man, and Soma with his filaments,   Indra and Agni, and the Gods the Maruts, raised him up to    health. 3. Here is thy spirit, here thy breath, here is thy life, here is thy    soul:   By a celestial utterance we raise thee from Destruction’s bonds. 4. Up from this place, O man, rise! sink not downward, casting    away the bonds of Death that hold thee.   Be not thou parted from this world, from sight of Agni and the   Sun. 5. Purely for thee breathe Wind and Mātarisvan, and let the   Waters rain on thee their nectar.   The Sun shall shine with healing on thy body; Death shall have    mercy on thee: do not leave us! 6. Upward must be thy way, O man, not downward: with life and    mental vigour I endow thee.   Ascend this car eternal, lightly rolling; then full of years shalt    thou address the meeting. 7. Let not thy soul go thither, nor be lost to us: slight not the    living, go not where the Fathers are.   Let all the Gods retain thee here in safety. 8. Yearn not for the departed ones, for those who lead men far    away.   Rise up from darkness into light: come, both thy hands we    clasp in ours. 9. Let not the black dog and the brindled seize thee, two warders    of the way sent forth by Yama.   Come hither; do not hesitate: with mind averted stay not there. 10. Forbear to tread this path, for it is awful: that path I speak of    which thou hast not travelled.   Enter it not, O man; this way is darkness: forward is danger,    hitherward is safety. 11. Thy guardians be the Fires within the Waters, thy guardian be    the Fire which men enkindle.   Thy guardian be Vaisvānara Jātavedas; let not celestial Fire with    lightning burn thee. 12. Let not the Flesh-Consumer plot against thee: depart thou far    away from the Destroyer.   Be Heaven and Earth and Sun and Moon thy keepers, and from    the dart of Gods may Air protect thee. 13. May Vigilance and Watchfulness protect thee, Sleepless and   Slumberless keep guard above thee!   Let Guardian and let Wakeful be thy warders. 14. Let these be thy preservers, these thy keepers. All hail to these,    to these be lowly worship! 15. May saving Savitar, Vāyu, Indra, Dhātar restore thee to com-    munion with the living.   Let not thy vigour or thy breath forsake thee: we recall thy life. 16. Let not the fiend with snapping jaws, nor darkness find thee:    tongue, holy grass: how shouldst thou perish?   May the Ādityas and the Vasus, Indra and Agni raise thee and    to health restore thee. 17. The Sky hath raised thee, and the Earth, Prajāpati hath raised    thee up.   The Plants and Herbs with Soma as their King have rescued    thee from Death. 18. Here let this man, O Gods, remain: let him not go to yonder    world.   We rescue him from Mrityu with a charm that hath a thousand    powers. 19. I have delivered thee from Death. Strength-givers smelt and    fashion thee!   Let not she-fiends with wild loose locks, or fearful howlers yell    at thee. 20. I have attained and captured thee: thou hast returned restored    to youth.   Perfect in body: so have I found all thy sight and all thy life. 21. Life hath breathed on thee; light hath come: darkness hath past    away from thee.   Far from thee we have buried Death, buried Destruction and:   Decline.