Chapter 1
22 verses
Section 19 verses
1ब्रह्मा देवानां प्रथमः संबभूव विश्वस्य कर्ता भुवनस्य गोप्ता। स ब्रह्मविद्यां सर्वविद्याप्रतिष्ठामथर्वाय ज्येष्ठपुत्राय प्राहOm ! Brahma, the creator of the Universe and the protector of the world, was the first among the gods to manifest Himself. To His eldest son Atharva He imparted that knowledge of Brahman that is the basis of all knowledge.
2अथर्वणे यां प्रवदेत ब्रह्माऽथर्वा तां पुरोवाचाङ्गिरे ब्रह्मविद्याम्। स भारद्वाजाय सत्यवहाय प्राह भारद्वाजोऽङ्गिरसे परावराम्The knowledge of Brahman that Brahma imparted to Atharva, Atharva transmitted to Angir in days of yore. He (Angir) passed it on to Satyavaha of the line of Bharadvaja. He of the line of Bharadvaja handed down to Angiras this knowledge that had been received in succession from the higher by the lower ones.
3शौनको ह वै महाशालोऽङ्गिरसं विधिवदुपसन्नः पप्रच्छ। कस्मिन्नु भगवो विज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवतीतिSaunaka, well known as a great householder, having approached Angiras duly, asked, ‘ O adorable sir, (which is that thing) which having been known, all this becomes known, ’
4तस्मै स होवाच। द्वे विद्ये वेदितव्ये इति ह स्म यद्ब्रह्मविदो वदन्ति परा चैवापरा चTo him he said, There are two kinds of knowledge to be acired – the higher and the lower ; this is what, as tradition runs, the knowers of the import of the Vedas say. ’
5तत्रापरा ऋग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः समावेदोऽथर्ववेदः शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरूक्तं छन्दो ज्योतिषमिति। अथ परा यया तदक्षरमधिगम्यतेOf these, the lower comprises the Rg-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, Atharva-Veda, the science of pronunciation etc., the code of rituals, grammar, etymology, metre, and astrology. Then there is the higher (knowledge) by which is attained that Imperishable.
6यत्तदद्रेश्यमग्राह्यमगोत्रमवर्णमचक्षुःश्रोत्रं तदपाणिपादम्। नित्यं विभुं सर्वगतं सुसूक्ष्मं तदव्ययं यद्भूतयोनिं परिपश्यन्ति धीराः(By the higher knowledge) the wise realize everywhere that which cannot be perceived and grasped, which is without source, features, eyes, and ears, which has neither hands nor feet, which is eternal, multiformed, all-pervasive, extremely subtle, and undiminishing, and which is the source of all.
7यथोर्णनाभिः सृजते गृह्णते च यथा पृथिव्यामोषधयः संभवन्ति। यथा सतः पुरूषात्केशलोमानि तथाक्षरात्संभवतीह विश्वम्As a spider spreads out and withdraws (its thread), as on the earth grow the herbs (and trees), and as from a living man issues out hair (on the head and body), so out of the Imperishable does the Universe emerge here (in this phenomenal creation).
8तपसा चीयते ब्रह्म ततोऽन्नमभिजायते। अन्नात्प्राणो मनः सत्यं लोकाः कर्मसु चामृतम्Through knowledge Brahman increases in size. From that is born food (the Unmanifested). From food evolves Prana (Hiranyagarbha); (thence the cosmic) mind; (thence) the five elements; (thence) the worlds; (thence) the immortality that is in karmas.
9तपयः सर्वज्ञः सर्वविद्यस्यज्ञानमयं तपः। तस्मादेतद्ब्रह्म नाम रूपमन्नं च जायतेFrom Him, who is omniscient in general and all-knowing in detail and whose austerity is constituted by knowledge, evolve this (derivative) Brahman, name, colour, and food.
Section 213 verses
1तदेतत्सत्यं मन्त्रेषु कर्माणि कवयो यान्यपश्यंस्तानि त्रेतायां बहुधा संततानि। तान्याचरथ नियतं सत्यकामा एष वः पन्थाः सुकृतस्य लोकेThat thing that is such is true.
The karmas that the wise discovered in the mantras are accomplished variously (in the context of the sacrifice) where the three Vedic duties get united. You perform them for ever with desire for the true results. This is your path leading to the fruits of karma acired by yourselves.
2यदा लेलायते ह्यर्चिः समिद्धे हव्यवाहने। तदाज्यभागावन्तरेणाहुतीः प्रतिपादयेत्When, the fire being set ablaze, the flame shoots up, one should offer the oblations into that part that is in between the right and the left.
3यस्याग्निहोत्रमदर्शमपौर्णमासमचातुर्मास्यमनाग्रयणमतिथिवर्जितं च। अहुतमवैश्वदेवमविधिना हुतमासप्तमांस्तस्य लोकान्हिनस्तिIt (i.e. the Agnihotra) destroys the seven worlds of that man whose Agnihotra (sacrifice) is without Darsa and Paurnamasa (rites), devoid of Caturmasya, bereft of Agrayana, unblest with guests, goes unperformed, is unaccompanied by Vaisvadeva (rite), and is performed perfunctorily.
4काली कराली च मनोजवा च सुलोहिता या च सुधूम्रवर्णा। स्फुलिङ्गिनी विश्वरूची च देवी लेलायमाना इति सप्त जिह्वाःKali, Karali, Manojava, and Sulohita and that which is Sudhumravarna, as also Sphulingini, and the shining Visvaruci – these are the seven flaming tongues (Literally the names mean: Black, terrible, speedy as the mind, very red, coloured like thick smoke, emitting sparks, and having innumerable rays).
5एतेषु यश्चरते भ्राजमानेषु यथाकालं चाहुतयो ह्याददायन्। तं नयन्त्येताः सूर्यस्य रश्मयो यत्र देवानां पतिरेकोऽधिवासःThese oblations turn into the rays of the sun and taking him up they lead him, who performs the rites in these shining flames as the proper time, to where the single lord of the gods presides over all.
6एह्येहीति तमाहुतयः सुवर्चसः सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिर्यजमानं वहन्ति। प्रियां वाचमभिवदन्त्योऽर्चयन्त्य एष वः पुण्यः सुकृतो ब्रह्मलोकःSaying, ‘ Come, come ’, uttering pleasing words such as, ‘ This is your well-earned, virtuous path which leads to heaven ’, and offering him adoration, the scintillating oblations carry the sacrificer along the rays of the sun.
7प्लवा ह्येते अदृढा यज्ञरूपा अष्टादशोक्तमवरं येषु कर्म। एतच्छ्रेयो येऽभिनन्दन्ति मूढा जरामृत्युं ते पुनरेवापियन्तिSince these eighteen constituents of a sacrifice, on whom the inferior karma has been said to rest, are perishable because of their fragility, therefore those ignorant people who get elated with the idea ‘ This is (the cause of) bliss ’, undergo old age and death over again.
8अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितं मन्यमानाः। जङ्घन्यमानाः परियन्ति मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाःRemaining within the fold of ignorance and thinking, ‘ We are ourselves wise and learned ’, the fools, while being buffeted very much, ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.
9अविद्यायां बहुधा वर्तमाना वयं कृतार्था इत्यभिमन्यन्ति बालाः। यत्कर्मिणो न प्रवेदयन्ति रागात्तेनातुराः क्षीणलोकाश्चयवन्तेContinuing diversely in the midst of ignorance, the unenlightened take airs by thinking. ‘ We have attained the goal. ’ Since the men, engaged in karma, do not understand (the truth) under the influence of attachment, ther y they become afflicted with sorrow and are deprived of heaven on the exhaustion of the results of karma.
10इष्टापूर्तं मन्यमाना वरिष्ठं नान्यच्छ्रेयो वेदयन्ते प्रमूढाः। नाकस्य पृष्ठे ते सुकृतेऽनुभूत्वेमं लोकं हीनतरं वा विशन्तिThe deluded fools, believing the rites inculcated by the Vedas and the Smrtis to be the highest, do not understand the other thing (that leads to) liberation. They, having enjoyed (the fruits of actions) in the abode of pleasure on the heights of heaven, enter this world or an inferior one.
11तपःश्रद्धे ये ह्युपवसन्त्यरण्ये शान्ता विद्वांसो भैक्षचर्यां चरन्तः। सूर्यद्वारेण ते विरजाः प्रयान्ति यत्रामृताः स पुरूषो ह्यव्ययात्माThose who live in the forest, while begging for alms – viz those (forest-dwellers and hermits (The householders who repair to the forest in the third stage of their lives, or becomes monks in the fourth stage) who resort to the duties of their respectives stages of life as well as to meditation – and the learned (householders) who have their senses under control – (they) after becoming freed from dirt, go by the path of the sun to where lives that Purusa, immortal and undecaying by nature.
12परीक्ष्य लोकान्कर्मचितान्ब्राह्मणो निर्वेदमायान्नास्त्यकृतः कृतेन। तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरूमेवाभिगच्छेत्समित्पाणिः श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठम्A Brahmana should resort to renunciation after examining the worlds acired through karma, with the help of this maxim: ‘ There is nothing (here) that is not the result of karma; so what is the need of (performing) karma, ’ For knowing that Reality he should go, with sacrifical faggots in hand, only to a teacher versed in the Vedas and absorbed in Brahman.
13तस्मै स विद्वानुपसन्नाय सम्यक् प्रशान्तचित्ताय शमान्विताय। येनाक्षरं पुरूषं वेद सत्यं प्रोवाच तां तत्त्वतो ब्रह्मविद्याम्