Chapter 9

(47) INDRAM MITRAM VARUNAM AGNIM AAHURATHO DIVYAH SA SUPARNO GARUTMAAN! EKAM SAD VIPRAA BAHUDHAA VADANTYAGNIM YAMAM MAATARISHWAAN MAAHUH |

-------------(10/28, Atharveda)

Truth is 'one' but the learned ones explain it in different ways according to their individual experiences. That same truth is known by various names such as Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, Divya, Suvarna, Garutbhaan, Yama and Matarishwa.
This richa is self-explanatory. 'Truth' is one but learned peole describe it in different ways to common people according to the needs of the time, place and envirorment. Unfortunately, we do not understand this simple fact and keep fighting in the name of religion. He, who treads on the path of truth is always victorious.

Chapter 10

(48) BRAHMA ABHYAAVARTE |
TANME DRAVINAM YACHCHATU TANME BRAAHMAN VARCHASAM ||

-------------(5/40, Atharvaveda)

I am led by my knowledge. May He bless me with 'wealth'and radiance of knowledge.
One, who acquires right-knowledge and then engages himself in good deeds, he gets benefited in bothways intellectually as well as economically. Knowledge is like the first step of the 'staircase of virtuousity' on which one has no option but to keep his first step on his way up to wealth, prosperity and ultimately freedom from the cycles of births and deaths.

(49) TIRYAK BALISHCHA MASA URDHVA BUDHNA STASMIN YASHO NIHITAM VISHWARUPAM |
TADAASAT RISHAYAH SAPTA SAAKAM YE ASYA GOPAA MAHTO BABHUVUH ||

-------------(8/9, Atharvaveda)

Man's head is like a slanted 'pot' kept in an inverted position and which contains'multi-dimensional fame', therein dwell the 'Sapt-Rishis', who protect this noble man.
This beautiful richa praises the glory of man's 'head' i.e. intelligence as all his abilities lie there. Something wrong with it and the entire personality of a man gets affected for example an insane man is never conscious of his activities. This amazing pot kept in an inverted position also is the dwelling place of the seven sages i.e. 2 eyes, 2 ears, 1 nose and 1 mouth. This sense organs have been beautifully compared with the sages which means that if we have them in control then we can attain great heights in our life.

(50) ANANTAM VITATAM PURUTRA ANANTA BHANTA VACHCHAA SAMANTE |
TE NAAKPAALASH CHARATI VICHIN VANVI DWAANBHUTAMUTA BHAVYAMASTA ||

-------------(8/12, Atharvaveda)

The 'infinity' is spread all over!! The 'infinity' and the 'boundless one' (God) both meet at a point. The learned ones tries to unravel the misteries of past and then with the help of his inferences thus gathered makes the best use of his present and acts in sucah a way that his future is secured.

This beautiful richa means to say that the limitless-nature and the omnipresent-God are indistinguishable from each other. The almighty God reveals his presence through Nature or in other words it can also be said that Nature is the 'visible' part of God and in the same manner vice versa is also true....both are inseparable...each being the extension of other. There is no distinction between the two and one is absorbed in the other. Scholars, learning from their mistakes of the past plan their present and future accordingly and enjoy success, peace and prosperity.

Chapter 11

(51) EMAA AGURYOSHITAH SHUMBHAMAANAA UTTTISHTHA NAARI TAVASAM RAMASVA |
SUPATNI PATYAA PRAJAYAA PRAJAAVATYAA TVAAGAN YAGYAH PRATI KUMBHAM GRIBHAAYA ||

-------------(1/14 Atharvaveda)

These women have adorned themselves and come here! Get up and acquire strength!May you become an ideal wife of your husband! May you be blessed with good children! The 'yagya' has reached you..... fill up the pot!
This richa exhorts women to perform their duties well and give due importance to their appearances because only then they will be able to attract good husbands. A woman should perform the duties of a wife without any complain, give birth to good children and bring them up as ideal citizens.

(52) VRISHABHO SI SWARGA RISHI NAARVEYAAN GACHCHA |
SUKRITAAM LOKE SEEDA TATRA NAU SANSKRITAM ||

-------------(1/35 Atharvaveda)

You are strong! You are the provider of joy! Go to the sages and their sons!Live at the place of virtuous souls to become well-cultured !
This particular richa advises humans to acquire srength, power and happiness. It also praises the virtues of living in the company of learned souls because by doing so a man acquires knowledge and becomes well cultured.

(53) SAMAACHIN USHVANU SAMPRAYAAHMAAGNE PATHAH KALPAYA
DEVYAANAAN |

-------------(1/36,Atharvaveda)

O Agni ! Unite all! Come with pleasure! Make a path for the Gods to tread!
Unity can only come when there is better co-ordination and mutual understanding in the society; when there is no friction of thoughts and clash of ideologies. We should therefore follow the ideals established by the scholars and engage ourselves in virtuous deeds.

(54) MA NO HINSEE RADHI NO BRU HI PARINO VRINGDHI MAA KRADHAH |
MAAM TVAYAA SAMARAAMAHIM ||

-------------(2/20, Atharvaveda)

Do not kill us! preach us! protect us and do not become angry! May we never oppose you!
This 'richa' praises the glory of 'Agni' and seeks His protection and blessings. It also advises us to be free from negative qualities like violence, anger and hatred.We should never be indignant and resentful. We should make efforts to acquire right knowledge and refrain from violence. We should work in unison and with co-operation because disunity leads to problems and failures.

(55) PRAANAYA NAMO YASTA SARVAMIDAM VASHE |

-------------(4/1,Atharvaveda)

I prostrate before 'Prana'(vital force)-the controller of the entire universe.
In this richa the importance of 'prana' has been highlighted. It is prana that helps us to exist. Our life sustains on prana. Our body is dependent upon prana (breath) for all its functions. We should bring this mighty force into our control, by practicing pranayama.

(56) BRAHMACHAARI ISHNA ANSHCHARATI RODASI UBHE TASMIN DEVAAH SAMMANASO BHAVANTI |

-------------(5/1, Atharvaveda)

A 'brahmachari' (a celibate) acts in such a way that treading the paths of both earth and heaven becomes a pleasurable experience; that is why all the Gods always dwell with him(in his heart).
In this richa the qualities of a Brahmachari are described. A brahmachari is he, who tries to attain enlightenment while he is alive and aspires for 'salvation' after his death. He incessantly makes efforts to improve upon his intellect and knowledge and to treads on the path of truth. Quite naturally gods are pleased by him and dwell in his heart.

Chapter 12

(57) SA NO BHUMIRVI SRIJATAAM MAATAA PUTRAYA ME PACHAH |

-------------(1/10,Atharvaveda)

May earth provide us with all the things of our requirements just like a 'mother', who breast-feeds her child.
This beautiful richa compares the earth with mother and rightly so because she gives us all that we need for our survival- food to eat and water to drink just as a mother, who breast feeds her child. Therefore, we should protect the dignity of mother Earth because that's the only way we can atleast repay some fraction of our debts (Matru rin) to Her.

(58) TAA NAH PRAJAAH SAM DUHATAAM SAMAGRAA VAACHO MADHU PRITHIVI DHEHI MAHYAM |

-------------(1/16,Atharvaveda)

O Motherland! May we,your subjects unite and be 'sweet-speakers'! Bless all of us so that we too could be soft spoken. Soft spokenness breeds brotherhood, peace and prosperity in the society. On the contrary harsh speech leads to hostility, hatred and enemity.
Therefore we should be polite and soft-spoken.

(59) UDIRAANAA UTAASEENA ASTISHTHANTAH PRAKAAMANTAH |
PADBHYAAM DAKSHINA SAVYAABHYAAM MAA VYATHISHMAHI BHUMYAAM ||

-------------(1/28,Atharvaveda)

May we not inflict pain on anybody while(making body movements like) walkling....sitting.... getting up.... and taking strides with right or left foot! This beautiful richa praises the virtues of non-violence and advises us to be watchful while making body movements lest any creature shuould get trampled under feet. We should not engage in any action that causes pain to others.

(60) BHUME MATARNI DHEHI BHAA BHADRAYAA SUPRATISHTHITAM |
SAMVIDAANAA DIVAA KAVE SHRIYAAM MAA DHEHI BHUTYAAM ||

-------------(1/63,Atharvaveda)

O Motherland! Bless us with a benevolent mind! Help us realize all the knowledge with the each passing day and may I acquire wealth from the earth!
In this richa prayer has been made to mother earth that She blesses us with the knowledge required to exploit the treasures of the nature but without disturbing the environmental balance.

(61) NIRITO MRITYUM NIRARITNIM NIRARAATIM AJAAMASI |
YO NO DVESHTI TAMADDHAGNE SAKRAVYAADA YAMU DVISHMASTAMU TE PRA SUVAAMASI ||

-------------(2/3 Atharvaveda)

Let there be no death, sorrow and enemy! O agni! devour those who oppose us! Whoever we oppose, we hand them over to you!
Here in this richa a prayer is made to Agni to liberate us from death, pain and enemies. We should work hard so that we are freed from the bondages of all kinds of sufferings, sorrows and poverty. We should acquire power and strength so that we could vanquish our enemies and enjoy a long life full of happiness and prosperity and face death without fear.

(62) YAT TVAA KRUDDHAAH PRACH AKRUR MANYUNA PURUSHE MRITE|
SUKALPA MAGNE TAT TVAYAA PUNASTVOD DIPAYAAMASSI ||

-------------(2/5 Atharvaveda)

Those who exploit thine wrath at the death of a man, O Agni! this deed of thine is just! so, we enkindle you once again.
According to hindu traditions, after the death of a man his dead body is consigned to flames. This particular richa hails the glory of Agni and says that after death all the physical pains and sufferings cease to trouble us. This means to say that fears, sufferings, joys, sorrows, etc. trouble us as long as we are alive and once the soul departs from the body and the body is consigned to flames all emotions cease to have effect on that body constitued of 'panchtatva'. The tremendous wrath of Agni helps the physical body to fragment and then disappear in it's original form i.e. 'panchtatva'.

(63) YE SHRADDHA DHANKAAMYA KRAVYAADA SAMAASATE |
TE VA ANYESHA KUMBHIM PARYADADHI SANRVADA ||

-------------(2/51 Atharvaveda)

Those who are greedy and 'devoid of devotion' sit together and devour flesh, they definitely have an eye on other's wealth.

Those who are greedy and avaricious end up in misery. Because of their evil deeds they are short lived.

(64) PITEVA PUTRAANABHI SAM SWAJASVA NAH |

-------------(3/12 Atharvaveda)

Just as a father 'treats' his children, you treat us all.
Let us all love each other the same way a father loves his children
Mutual affection only leads to co-operation and peace this propagates happiness and prosperity in the society.

(65) YADYAJJAYAA PACHATI TVAT PARAH PARAH PATIRVAA JAAYE TVAT TIRAH|
SA TAT SUJETAA SAH VAAM TADASTU SAMPADAYANTAU SAH LOKAM EKAM ||

-------------(3/39 Atharvaveda)

Whatever your wife cooks of which 'you' are unaware...whatever your 'husband' does that you are not aware of.... make them known to each other...every(activity) should be done by 'one' (in such a way) that the 'another' is aware about it... may you both attain to the same 'Loka'.
If there is difference of opinion between husband and wife then household chores will become impossible to accomplish. To avoid this the relationship between husband and wife should be cordial and loving. Concealing any activity from the other may create unnecessary suspicion and mistrust between husband and wife and the situation may go beyond repairs one day. Therefore it is in the best interest of both to share what ever they have so that it strengthens the mutual-bond and love.

(66) PRIYAM PRIYAANAAM KRINAVAAM NAMASTE YANTU YATEM DWISHANTI |

-------------(3/49 Atharvaveda)

May our friends be dear to us! May those who hate us, end up in darkness of ignorance!
We should never have any kind of malevolence towards our friends. Hostility pollutes the mind and actions and brings harmful repercussions. Therefore, we should always be loving towards our friends