ATHARVA VEDA-2

TRANSIENT VIEW OF ATHARVA VEDA

PART-II

ARMOUR IN THE FORM OF DIVINITY 

Assuming bodily form and shining in the sky what armour those bounties of nature put on their bodies. May that protect us from all sides what the resplendent self makes armour for ourself.

Heaven and earth may be my armour – the day may be my armour – the sun may be armour. All bounties of nature may be my armour. May any calamity never reach me.

In the mid space whatever He who is the Lord of the universe and the Lord of the creatures breathing has been made an armour for all His creatures.

May all these be my ample defence.

EARTH THE MOTHER

Earth as our benefactress has been described in the Atharv Veda covering the first hymn in chapterXII with sixty three verses. From the dawn of creation man has his social and cultural roots grounded on the earth from his very birth, with which he associates himself. To the mountains and the lakes he gives glory and honour. And to the rivers and forests amongst which he has grown up in life. Originally occurring in the Vedas the concept of earth the mother later reminded man of sentimental feeling towards the mother land.

As per the verse – ‘O’ mother earth – in concord with heaven do you kindly set me down and well established – ‘O’ sage do you set me in fortune and prosperity.

Determination devotedness great truth formidable righteousness are the virtues of the people who sustain the earth to be great and willingness to sacrifice one’s individual interest for social good and happiness.

GLITTERING ONES

With pearl shell we banish disease as well as ignorance also we banish the perpetual bewailers. For us the pearl shell is all healing panacea. From evil may the pearl protect us.

As the sun is born from the covering cloud the pearl jewel is born from the ocean. From the weapons of the enlightened ones and of the evil ones may that glittering jewel protect us from all sides.

Having killed the germs we overpower the flesh – eating worms who are foremost among the glittering ones born from the ocean. 

THE ALL BEARING

Let that earth whose master is the resplendent Lord assign us wealth bearing the universal fire, firm standing gold embedded reposer of moving things. Let that earth set us in first drinking on whom the ocean, the rivers lakes appear all that breath and the things that stir with food grains came into being.

The earth is the mother and Jivas are her sons and daughters. The cloud is the father that drenches the earth with rain.

STREAMS OF WEALTH

“Overflowing with milk as the cow calls to her calf let the earth tranquil, fragrant, pleasant with sweet drink in her udder and rich in milk call unto us”.

‘O’ mother earth. In concord with the divine bliss do kindly set me down well established. Do show the path of prosperity –‘O’ preceptor.

Yield me a thousand streams of wealth as the cow yielding milk stands steady and unresisting while milching.

“In concord with the divine bliss – ‘O’ mother earth, do kindly set me down well established – ‘O’ preceptor do show the path of prosperity.

As the cow yielding milk stands steady and unresisting while mulching yield me a thousand streams of wealth bearing people of divergent speech and diverse customs according to their localities.

HOLY FIG TREE

In begetting a son Asvattha helps when administered to a woman and thus male child birth is assured. Holy fig tree is known as Asvattha.

The five ingredients of the holy fig tree mounted on Sami tree are as follows. They are root, bark, leaf, flower and fruit. When these five ingredients are powdered and administered with milk to a woman, this strengthens retention of a male child in her womb. With sublime thoughts the pregnant woman shall live disciplined life.

To enrich the semen of the husband Vrsamedha Asva, Rsabha are generally used in those days. For erecting the penis ‘O’ medicinal herb we dig you that helps for the purpose. The potency of the medicinal plant “VUSA” may you put in the man which has the strength of the bulls and the virility of men. Chapter VI and hymn 2 prescribes this.

CHARMING APPEARANCE

Invoked from the earliest times, may heaven and earth be for our happiness. With charming appearance may the mid space be for our happiness. The herbs and forests may be for our happiness always. May the Victorious God of the distant regions be favourable to our felicity.

For us may the wind blow in happiness? For our happiness may the sun warm up? To us may the days be full of happiness and may the night bring happiness for us.

With happiness for us may the dawn brighten up?

JANGIDA

 What is known as remover of splitting pain in shoulders the seers have given Jangida uttering the name of the resplendent Lord out of which the enlightened ones have prepared a medicinal remedy from the very beginning?

The crushing pain of Lumbagos the bursting pain of arthritis and the consumptive cough with the disease of the ribs known as pleurisy may be made powerless by Jangida by curing fever affecting every autumn.

May the Jangida protect me all through from sky, from the earth, from the mid space and from each and every quarter. Me from the present and me from the future also.

SIX VIRTUES

Six virtues of the people that keep up and sustain the earth have been enumerated by the hymn 1 and Chapter XII. They are great truth, devotion, hard labour or perseverance irresistible, righteousness determination and sacrifice.

The citizens of any country are inspired by these virtues. For the sustenance of the country truthfulness in thought speech and action of citizen is the bed rock. In abiding by the law of the land their correct conduct keeps the country safe from falling. To follow the prescribed rules, this becomes possible when the inhabitants are resolute in their normal duties.

When its occupants possess a strong will and work very hard a country becomes strong keeping in view the prosperity of the land as a whole. For the progress of the country self confidence and control of senses of the ruler and the ruled are the prime requirements.

TWO DOGS GUARDING THE PATH

That a dying man shall soon meet his death if nearby the dogs bark. This is the speculative idea commonly prevalent. It is an aberration of a beautiful thought of a Vedic verse although the notion is without logic.

Sent-out by the controller Yama two dogs guarding the path, not seize you. To the further side stay not here with your inclined mind. Do not be ill tempted towards the dogs which may be black or bridled. 

The two dogs day and night are metaphorically described. They do not see each other out of envy. 

In Vedic texts Yama refers to the eternal time whose day and night are standard components caused by the rotation of earth and these two are said to be faithful messengers of Yama. To benevolent person they are obedient like dogs but they bark and bite the wicked ones.

Alike in course of time all the virtuous and the vicious on earth breathe their last. The honest accomplish good deeds. A malignant one causes grief of in the hearts of the people. Dragged by time, they leave their physical abode at the end.

For the welfare of the people the wise use to utilize their time purposefully.

RAJANI

Cure of leprosy by a plant called “Rajani” is indicated in the hymns 23 &24 of chapter I. this is to be pulled out from earth.

‘O’ herb – you are night born – dusky cloudy and black in hue – ‘O’ Rajani.

Your place of repose is darkness; your dwelling space is dark. You make the skin uniform. You make every spot disappear.

Due to your touch man becomes natural in appearance.

FROM THE BACK OF TRUTH

“To the mid space I have ascended from the back of truth. I have ascended to heaven from the mid space. I have reached the world of light from the top of heaven the sorrow less world”.

To the world of light devotion is the dependable carrier where sacrifice performed with humility. Who so ever has succeeded to reach the goal has used the instrument of dedication.

Farther into the psychic and spiritual planes the act of uninterrupted deep meditation moves the austere devotee as per the verse. He gains a pure mind that enables him to feel all beings in the self itself and the self in all beings bereft of evil desires. When all the knots of the heart disappear he wipes off delusion and sorrow. To the mid space this is the ascent from the earth. Where in the supreme self dwells, he visualizes his real nature then. He enjoys heavenly bliss with the joyous company of resplendent Lord. When he reaches the world of light a spiritual dawn engulfs the cavity of his heart.

APAMARGA

That which cleanses and wipes out is the word Apamarga means. By some scholars it is the plant identified as “auchyranthes aspera “. To the herb “Apamarga” hymn 17-19, chapter IV of Atharv Veda is devoted with the cures rendered by it.

Chronic diseases are sweeped away by Apamarga. Stingy and malignant witchcraft, black magic terrors are all sweeped away by this herb.

As the queen of healing remedies this herb is glorified by driving away germs of diseases, unpleasant dreams and unwholesome living. It is the sovereign of all plants and an army of archers.

THE BOON GIVING MOTHER

Veda is the boon giving mother, “This is praised by all alike including me. May she go to the world of divine supreme bestowing on me long life, progeny, cattle, glory, vital, breath, intellectual lustre and material prosperity”.

With the power of divine supreme desirable deed has been performed. With that favour may the bounties of nature protect me here from which treasure the sacred knowledge of Vedas has been lifted up.

DEVOTIONAL SYMPATHY

With devotional sympathy a trained physician is supposed to utter these words for the treatment of the patient as follows. “Like thunder of the cloud powerful is my voice. I drive it away from you with formidable words. That power of his with me as it has been seized by me.

In the entine hymn V.15. Containing eleven verses is associated with the treatment of snake poison. In three verses peculiar names of the snakes have been given. All the snakes are not venomous. Panic of possible danger makes the injured sick with devotional sympathy for the treatment of the patient a trained physician is supposed to utter these words.

In the hymn unidentified antidote of snake poison called TABUVA and TASTUVA find place.

MASTER OF SPEECH

An adept in both the physical and spiritual sciences the word Atharv is the name of a great yogin. With a fervent prayer of the student to the master of speech the Atharv text opens which inculcates in him the mysterious ingredients that form the creation. Over the successful deliberation of knowledge between the two in which the supreme Lord and the bounties of nature had bestowed their blessings upon the preceptor and the student the concluding verse shows satisfaction. ‘O’ preceptor and student. Your work deserves wonder and praise. Rule the earth mid space and heaven.”

DISTRESSING WORMS AND DIFFERENT FORM OF FEVER

In chapter V and hymn 22 and 23, there is a description of distressing worms and different forms of fever in an unique way. 

We hereby wipe out the worm that one moves with his two eyes and one nose and the one that goes to the midst of his teeth. Having various shapes and forms the succeeding verse speaks of worms there are various types of worms like “YAVASA”, “EJATKA”, “KASKASA” etc where investigation is required.

All types of fever are enlisted below.

1. Constant, 2.Autumnal, 3.tertian, 4.intermittent, 5.incold, 6.cold winter, 7.pertaining to skin eruption 8.Summer 9.during the rains.

BODY AS A PURPOSEFUL WONDER

Constitution of human body as a purposeful wonder has been described in the chapter X, hymn 3 very nicely in 31 verses. That cannot be overcome by force as it is named as “AYODHYA”. It has the capacity to resist all attacks. To the first group of men the Vedic knowledge was revealed. They found themselves surrounded with unfamiliar things which had no names till then. For the appropriate names those seers hunted out. They ascribed names for the Vedic word with ingenuity. Thus Vedic AYODHYA is no historical city.

With nine gates or portals impregnable having eight circles the castle is enlightened. Conductor to the world of bliss encompassed by brilliant light there in lies the golden chest. Having three spokes and three supports there is a mighty being as its soul with the golden chest. The controller of the body is the soul where eight circles are famous. They are “MULADHARA”, SVADHISTHANA”, Manipuraka, Anahata, visudha Lalana, ajna and sahasrara discovered by the yogins. The nine gates are – two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, the urinary track and the anus.

PSYCHIC TREATMENT BY TOUCH

The psychic treatment by touch and pass has been prescribed by the Atharv Veda in it chapter IV hymn 13. With wisdom selflessness and benevolence the expert physician is an ascetic. Systematic touches and passes with sympathetic words impart strength to the tissues and vigour to the mind of the diseased person by fingers on different parts of the body. Read as follows the last two verses of chapter IV.

This left hand of mine is a disperser of disease and the right hand of mine is ever more disperser. This auspicious hand has got a benevolent touch is verily a panacea the all healer.

 The tongue becomes fore runner of speech for the hands having ten branches. To make you disease free. I touch your body all over with such healthy hands that cure all ills. 

The wasting disease will be driven away by the formidable strength bestowed. May you restore him to life again with the gracious bounties of nature.

PROTECTOR OF THE EARTH

The flag bearing the symbols of the inspiring sun has been prescribed by the Vedas for human beings that invigorate the external and internal vision of a human being. He pervades all times and climes being the protector of the earth. Shining in the limitless sky the eye of the Lord has been burning himself from time immemorial to sustain all life on the earth. May we conquer the evil forces having the symbol of sun as banner. Single minded. Let the rays of the sun Carry vigour and leadership with respective virtues. The solar light has seven colours.

       

COLOR  QUALITY                  THOUGHT

GREEN  ADDS TO INTELLACT  Intelligence

BLUE ADDS  TO STRENGTH          Power

SKYBLUE  ADDS TO SPLENDOUR  Splendour

ORANGE  PURIFIER                  Purity

YELLOW  HELP DIGESTION  Digestion

VIOLET  ADDS TO PATIENCE  Patience

On the earth with the sun flag the world citizen marches as the symbol of his mission to establish fraternity peace and power among his fellow men.

CLEAR CHANTING OF DIVINE VERSES

To the sick person sublime thoughts along with correct and clear chanting of divine verses bring benefits. The diseased person becomes mentally strong by listening to the comforting words of the physician. Addressing the sick person one well wisher physician recites a Vedic verse.

“Forsake fear and doubt ‘O’ the disease man” under my treatment you are safe. With joy my hearty thoughts are inspiring your hearts. By my consolatory words symptoms of your disease are vanishing. In you the vigour of life is manifesting. Slowly your pain is getting less and less slowly.

Address yourself like this – “o sick man” get away from me – ‘o’ disease. In my path do not be an obstacle. To accomplish great tasks. I have been chosen. To have health and cheerful life, I therefore need your help. In eradicating most of the apprehension of the diseased person the pleasing thoughts and divine touch of all noble physicians will help many a times.

You will not die fear not. To reach old age I make you able. I have drawn out all the wastes of you limbs with my utterings.

SURPASS YOUR EQUALS

After attaining superiority surpass your equals ‘O’ ruler. Of the missile you are the weapon. You are the bolt of the thunderbolt.

‘O’ ruler you are the prime mover and dynamic. To the evil you are the counter point.

‘O’ ruler you are blazing and bright. You are light and illumination.

You pollute the polluter – ‘O’ ruler come up and rise to the occasion.

Do your best for the humanity and for the country.