ATHARVA VEDA

There is no one greater in the three worlds than the GURU, it is he who grants divine knowledge & should be worshipped with supreme devotion. Abiding in the midst of ignorance, but thinking themselves wise & learned, fools aimlessly go hither & thither, like blind led by the blind. Taking as a bow the great weapon of the sacred scriptures, one should put upon it an arrow sharpened by meditation, stretching it with a thought directed to the essence of that, penetrate that imperishable as the mark. Just as the luminous day is born from light, so may the radiant singers shine far & wide! Truly, the poets wisdom enhances the glory of the ordinance decreed by GOD, the powerful, the ancient. From all knowledge, yoga practice & meditation, all that relates to the AUM sound is to be meditated on as the only blissful (SHIVA) indeed, the AUM sound is SHIVA. Contemplating HIM, who has neither beginning, middle, nor the end, the one , the all pervading, who is wisdom & bliss, the formless, the wonderful, whose consort is UMA , the highest Lord, the ruler, having three eyes & a blue throat, the peaceful, the silent sage reaches the source of being, the universal witness, on the other shore of darkness. He should fulfill, according to the rules ordained, for twelve years the observance of bramacharya, such as the service of the guru. Let him approach him properly with mind & senses tranquil & peaceful, then will this master disclose the essence of the knowledge of Brahman, whereby may he known the imperishable real, the person. Let him approach with humility a GURU who is learned in the scriptures & established in Brahman, to such a seeker, whose mind is tranquil & senses

controlled, & who has approached him in the proper manner, let the learned GURU impart the science of Brahman, through which the true, imperishable being is realized. The rights of oblation, O lovers of truth, which the sages divined from the sacred verses, were variously expounded in the threefold Veda, perform them with constant care. This is your path to the world of holy action. May the forefathers of ancient days protect me in this my prayer, in this my act, in this my priestly duty, in this my performance, in this my thoughts, in this my purpose & desire, in this my calling on the GODS ! All Hail. Having reached the last order of life, one should sit ina solitary place ina relaxed posture, with pure heart, with head, neck & body straight, controlling all the swense organs, having bowed with devotion to the master. To you, O Lord, the priest, beloved of all men, we bring our praise with reverence, Keep watch over our children & ourselves, we pray, Guard both our lives & our cattle. Of one mind & one purpose I make you, following one leader, be like the gods, ever deathless! Never stop loving. Have your eating & drinking in common, I bind you together. Assemble for worship of the Lord, like spokes around a hub. May this our Lord of cloudy sky, bedewed with liquid drops preserve unequalled riches in our homes, Lord of the cloudy sky, bestow vigor & strength on our abodes, let wealth & treasure come to us. Let this man be again bedewed with this presented sacrifice, & comfort with the sap of life the bride whom they have brought to him. Thus steadfast & firm as a horse, we shall offer our praises, Omniscient Lord, forever, Replete with food & with riches, being close to you always, may we never suffer reverses.

Love, children, happiness & wealth will come to answer your hopes. Devoted to your husbands needs, be girded for immortality. Unite, O lord, this couple like a pair of lovebirds, May they surrounded by children be, living both long & happily. May the lord of the clouds protect our stores, piled high in our homes , May the lord of the clouds give us vitality in our homes, granting goods & riches. If we have injured space, the earth or heaven, or if we have offended mother or father, from that may Agni, fire of the house, absolve us & guide us safely to the world of goodness. The subtle self is known by thoughts in which the senses in five different forms have centered. The whole of mens thoughts is pervaded by the senses, when thought is purified, the self shines forth.