Page:Atharva-Veda samhita.djvu/284

iii. 16- 3. O Bhaga, conductor, Bhaga, thou of true bestowal, Bhaga, help upward this prayer (dhī́), giving to us; O Bhaga, cause us to multiply with kine, with horses, O Bhaga, with men,—rich in men may we be.

4. Both now may we be fortunate (bhágavant), and in the advance (? prapitvá) and in the middle of the days; and, O bounteous one, at the up-going of the sun, may we be in the favor of the gods.

5. Let the god Bhaga himself be fortunate; through him may we be fortunate; on thee here, Bhaga, do I call entire; do thou, O Bhaga, be our forerunner here.

6. The dawns submit themselves (? sam-nam) to the sacrifice (adhvará), as Dadhikrāvan to the bright place; hitherward let them convey for me Bhaga, acquirer of good things, as vigorous (vājín) horses a chariot.

7. Let excellent dawns, rich in horses, rich in kine, rich in heroes, always shine for us, yielding (duh) ghee, on all sides drunk of: do ye protect us ever with well-beings.

Four verses of this hymn are found together in Pāipp. ii., in the order 2, 1, 5, 4; vs. 5 occurs in Pāipp. xix., and there are verses in Pāipp. xii. and xix. resembling our vs. 6. Much of its material appears also in RV. x. 101, iv. 57, and parts in VS., TS., TA., and MS.: see under the several verses. The hymn is used by Kāuç. (20. 1 ff.) in an extended ceremony for success in plowing, the details of which, however, do not help the interpretation of the verses; vs. 8 (ib. 10) is specially quoted as accompanying an oblation to Indra at the further end of a furrow, or of each one of three furrows; the comm. also regards it as intended by çunāsīrāṇi at 106. 8, in the book of portents, in a charm against