BOOK VIII

HYMN I

A charm to recover a dying man

1Homage to Death the Ender! May thy breathings, inward and
   outward, still remain within thee.
  Here stay this man united with his spirit in the Sun's realm, the
   world of life eternal!
2Bhaga hath lifted up this man, and Soma with his filaments,
  Indra and Agni, and the Gods the Maruts, raised him up to
   health.
3Here is thy spirit, here thy breath, here is thy life, here is thy
   soul:
  By a celestial utterance we raise thee from Destruction's bonds.
4Up from this place, O man, rise! sink not downward, casting
   away the bonds of Death that hold thee.
  Be not thou parted from this world, from sight of Agni and the
  Sun.
5Purely for thee breathe Wind and Mātarisvan, and let the
  Waters rain on thee their nectar.
  The Sun shall shine with healing on thy body; Death shall have
   mercy on thee: do not leave us!
6Upward must be thy way, O man, not downward: with life and
   mental vigour I endow thee.
  Ascend this car eternal, lightly rolling; then full of years shalt
   thou address the meeting.
7Let not thy soul go thither, nor be lost to us: slight not the
   living, go not where the Fathers are.
  Let all the Gods retain thee here in safety.
8Yearn not for the departed ones, for those who lead men far
   away.
  Rise up from darkness into light: come, both thy hands we
   clasp in ours.
9Let not the black dog and the brindled seize thee, two warders
   of the way sent forth by Yama.
  Come hither; do not hesitate: with mind averted stay not there. p. a323
10Forbear to tread this path, for it is awful: that path I speak of
   which thou hast not travelled.
  Enter it not, O man; this way is darkness: forward is danger,
   hitherward is safety.
11Thy guardians be the Fires within the Waters, thy guardian be
   the Fire which men enkindle.
  Thy guardian be Vaisvānara Jātavedas; let not celestial Fire with
   lightning burn thee.
12Let not the Flesh-Consumer plot against thee: depart thou far
   away from the Destroyer.
  Be Heaven and Earth and Sun and Moon thy keepers, and from
   the dart of Gods may Air protect thee.
13May Vigilance and Watchfulness protect thee, Sleepless and
  Slumberless keep guard above thee!
  Let Guardian and let Wakeful be thy warders.
14Let these be thy preservers, these thy keepers. All hail to these,
   to these be lowly worship!
15May saving Savitar, Vāyu, Indra, Dhātar restore thee to com-
   munion with the living.
  Let not thy vigour or thy breath forsake thee: we recall thy life.
16Let not the fiend with snapping jaws, nor darkness find thee:
   tongue, holy grass: how shouldst thou perish?
  May the Ādityas and the Vasus, Indra and Agni raise thee and
   to health restore thee.
17The Sky hath raised thee, and the Earth, Prajāpati hath raised
   thee up.
  The Plants and Herbs with Soma as their King have rescued
   thee from Death.
18Here let this man, O Gods, remain: let him not go to yonder
   world.
  We rescue him from Mrityu with a charm that hath a thousand
   powers.
19I have delivered thee from Death. Strength-givers smelt and
   fashion thee!
  Let not she-fiends with wild loose locks, or fearful howlers yell
   at thee.
20I have attained and captured thee: thou hast returned restored
   to youth.
  Perfect in body: so have I found all thy sight and all thy life. p. a324
21Life hath breathed on thee; light hath come: darkness hath past
   away from thee.
  Far from thee we have buried Death, buried Destruction and:
  Decline.

Next: Hymn 2: The same