Page:Atharva-Veda samhita volume 2.djvu/104

ix. 10- 22. Black the descent, the yellow eagles, clothing themselves in waters, fly up to the sky; they have come hither from the seat of righteousness; then, forsooth, with ghee they deluged the earth.

23. She that is footless goes first of them (fem.) that have feet: who understood (ā-cit) that of you, O Mitra and Varuṇa? the embryo brings (ā-bhṛ) the burden of her; she (?) fills (? pṛ) truth, protects (ni-pā) untruth.

24. Virā́j [is] speech, virā́j earth, virā́j atmosphere, virā́j Prajāpati; virā́j became death, the over-king of the perfectibles (sādhyá); in his control are what was, what is to be; let him put in my control what was, what is to be.

25. The dung-made smoke I saw from far, with the dividing one, thus beyond the lower; the heroes cooked a spotted ox (ukṣán); those were the first ordinances.

26. Three hairy ones look out seasonably; in the (a?) year one of them shears itself; another looks upon all with might (çácībhis); of one is seen the rush, not the form.

27. Speech [is] four measured out quarters (padá); those are known by Brahmans who are skilful; three, deposited in secret, they do not set in motion (in̄gay-); a fourth of speech human beings speak.