Atharvaveda Samhita — Kanda 20 — Chapter 16

AV 20 16.1

उदप्रुतो न वयो रक्षमाणा वावदतो अभ्रियस्येव घोषाः । गिरिभ्रजो नोर्मयो मदन्तो बृहस्पतिम् अभ्य् अर्का अनावन्

udapruto na vayo rakṣamāṇā vāvadato abhriyasyeva ghoṣāḥ | giribhrajo normayo madanto bṛhaspatim abhy arkā anāvan

Like birds swimming on water, keeping watch, crying again and again, like the roars of the thundercloud, like waves bursting from the mountain, exulting — the chants have roared toward Bṛhaspati.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 20 16.2

सं गोभिर् अङ्गिरसो नक्षमाणो भग इवेद् अर्यमणं निनाय । जने मित्रो न दम्पती अनक्ति बृहस्पते वाजयाशूꣳर् इवाजौ

saṃ gobhir aṅgiraso nakṣamāṇo bhaga ived aryamaṇaṃ nināya | jane mitro na dampatī anakti bṛhaspate vājayāśūṁr ivājau

Approaching together with the cows, the Aṅgirasa led (them) as Bhaga led Aryaman; like Mitra among the folk he anoints husband and wife — O Bṛhaspati, drive to the prize, as (one drives) swift horses in a race.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 20 16.3

साध्वर्या अतिथिनीर् इषिरा स्पार्हाः सुवर्णा अनवद्यरूपाः । बृहस्पतिः पर्वतेभ्यो वितूर्या निर् गा ऊपे यवम् इव स्थिविभ्यः

sādhvaryā atithinīr iṣirā spārhāḥ suvarṇā anavadyarūpāḥ | bṛhaspatiḥ parvatebhyo vitūryā nir gā ūpe yavam iva sthivibhyaḥ

Doing their work well, coming as guests, lively, longed for, of fair colour, of blameless form — Bṛhaspati, forcing (them) out from the mountains, drew forth the cows, as one draws barley from bags.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 20 16.4

आप्रुषायन् मधुना ऋतस्य योनिम् अवक्षिपन्न् अर्क उल्काम् इव द्योः । बृहस्पतिर् उद्धरन्न् अश्मनो गा भूम्या उद्नेव वि त्वचं बिभेद

āpruṣāyan madhunā ṛtasya yonim avakṣipann arka ulkām iva dyoḥ | bṛhaspatir uddharann aśmano gā bhūmyā udneva vi tvacaṃ bibheda

Sprinkling with honey the womb of ṛta, hurling down the chant like a firebrand from heaven — Bṛhaspati, lifting the cows out of the rock, split the skin of the earth as if with water.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 20 16.5

अप ज्योतिषा तमो अन्तरिक्षद् उद्नः शीपालम् इव वात आजत् । बृहस्पतिर् अनुमृश्या वलस्याभ्रम् इव वात आ चक्र आ गाः

apa jyotiṣā tamo antarikṣad udnaḥ śīpālam iva vāta ājat | bṛhaspatir anumṛśyā valasyābhram iva vāta ā cakra ā gāḥ

With light he drove the darkness away out of the midspace, as the wind drives the pondweed out of the water; Bṛhaspati, having felt his way over Vala, drew the cows to himself as the wind (drives) a cloud.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 20 16.6

यदा वलस्य पीयतो जसुं भेद् बृहस्पतिर् अग्नितपोभिर् अर्कैः । दद्भिर् न जिह्वा परिविष्टम् आदद् आविर् निधीꣳर् अकृणोद् उस्रियाणाम्

yadā valasya pīyato jasuṃ bhed bṛhaspatir agnitapobhir arkaiḥ | dadbhir na jihvā pariviṣṭam ādad āvir nidhīṁr akṛṇod usriyāṇām

When Bṛhaspati broke the strength of scornful Vala with fire-hot chants, he seized what was enclosed, as the tongue (seizes) what is held by the teeth; he made manifest the hoards of the ruddy cows.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 20 16.7

बृहस्पतिर् अमत हि त्यद् आसां नाम स्वरीणां सदने गुहा यत् । आण्डेव भित्वा शकुनस्य गर्भम् उद् उस्रियाः पर्वतस्य त्मनाजत्

bṛhaspatir amata hi tyad āsāṃ nāma svarīṇāṃ sadane guhā yat | āṇḍeva bhitvā śakunasya garbham ud usriyāḥ parvatasya tmanājat

For Bṛhaspati thought out that name of theirs, of the loud-sounding ones, which was hidden in (their) dwelling; and splitting (it) like the eggs holding a bird's germ, he himself drove the ruddy ones up out of the mountain.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 20 16.8

अश्नापिनद्धं मधु पर्य् अपश्यन् मत्स्यं न दीन उदनि क्षियन्तम् । निष् टज् जभार चमसं न वृक्षाद् बृहस्पतिर् विरवेणा विकृत्य

aśnāpinaddhaṃ madhu pary apaśyan matsyaṃ na dīna udani kṣiyantam | niṣ ṭaj jabhāra camasaṃ na vṛkṣād bṛhaspatir viraveṇā vikṛtya

He looked around at the honey shut in by the stone, like a fish dwelling in shallow water; Bṛhaspati bore it out, as a cup (is cut) from a tree, cutting it loose with a roar.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 20 16.9

सोषाम् अविन्दत् स स्वः सो अग्निं सो अर्केण वि बबाधे तमांसि । बृहस्पतिर् गोवपुषो वलस्य निर् मज्जानं न पर्वणो जभार

soṣām avindat sa svaḥ so agniṃ so arkeṇa vi babādhe tamāṃsi | bṛhaspatir govapuṣo valasya nir majjānaṃ na parvaṇo jabhāra

He found the dawn, he the sun, he the fire; with his chant he thrust apart the darkness. Bṛhaspati drew out the marrow of Vala, the cow-shaped, as (marrow) from a joint.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 20 16.10

हिमेव पर्णा मुषिता वनानि बृहस्पतिनाकृपयद् वलो गाः । अनानुकृत्यम् अपुनश् चकार यात् सूर्यामासा मिथ उच्चरातः

himeva parṇā muṣitā vanāni bṛhaspatinākṛpayad valo gāḥ | anānukṛtyam apunaś cakāra yāt sūryāmāsā mitha uccarātaḥ

As the frost (robs) the leaves, as the woods are robbed, so Vala wailed for the cows (taken) by Bṛhaspati. He did what is not to be imitated, not (to be done) again — as long as sun and moon rise up in turn.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AV 20 16.11

अभि श्यावं न कृशनेभिर् अश्वं नक्षत्रेभिः पितरो द्याम् अपिंशन् । रात्र्यां तमो अदधुर् ज्योतिर् अहन् बृहस्पतिर् भिनद् अद्रिं विदद् गाः

abhi śyāvaṃ na kṛśanebhir aśvaṃ nakṣatrebhiḥ pitaro dyām apiṃśan | rātryāṃ tamo adadhur jyotir ahan bṛhaspatir bhinad adriṃ vidad gāḥ

As (one adorns) a dark horse with pearls, the Fathers adorned heaven with the stars; they set darkness in the night and light in the day; Bṛhaspati split the rock, he found the cows.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AV 20 16.12

इदम् अकर्म नमो अभ्रियाय यः पूर्वीर् अन्व् आनोनवीति । बृहस्पतिः स हि गोभिः सो अश्वैः स वीरेभिः स नृभिर् नो वयो धात्

idam akarma namo abhriyāya yaḥ pūrvīr anv ānonavīti | bṛhaspatiḥ sa hi gobhiḥ so aśvaiḥ sa vīrebhiḥ sa nṛbhir no vayo dhāt

This homage we have made to the one of the thundercloud, who roars again and again after the many (waters). For he, Bṛhaspati — with cows, with horses, with heroes, with men — shall grant us vigour.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain