Atharva Veda

The Hymns of the Atharvaveda

Translation by Ralph T.H. Griffith

BOOK II

HYMN II

A charm to ensure success in gambling

1          Lord of the World, divine Gandharva, only he should be
             honoured in the Tribes and worshipped.
            Fast with my spell, celestial God, I hold thee. Homage to thee!
            Thy home is in the heavens.

2          Sky-reaching, like the Sun in brightness, holy, he who averts
            from us the Gods' displeasure.
            Lord of the World, may the Gandharva bless us, the friendly
            God who only must be worshipped.

3          came, I met these faultless, blameless beings: among the
            Apsarases was the Gandharva.
            Their home is in the sea—so men have told me,—whence they
            come quickly hitherward and vanish.

4          Thou, Cloudy! ye who follow the Gandharva Visvā-vasu, ye,
            Starry! Lightning-Flasher!
            You, O ye Goddesses, I truly worship.

5          Haunters of darkness, shrill in voice, dice-lovers, maddeners of
            the mind
            To these have I paid homage, the Gandharva's wives, Apsarases.

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