THE TEXT · ATHARVAVEDA
Hymns discussed in this article
These verses give the wording and sequence examined in the article below.
ATHARVAVEDA · BOOK III IN FOCUS
Morning invocation to various gods, especially Bhaga
Early (prātár) do we call Agni, early Indra, early Mitra-and-Varuṇa, early the (two) Açvins, early Bhaga, Pūshan, Brahmaṇaspati, early Soma and Rudra do we call.
The early-conquering formidable Bhaga do we call, the son of Aditi who is disposer (vidhartár), to whom every one that thinks himself weak [or] strong, ⌊to whom even the king⌋ says: "apportion [me] a portion."
O Bhaga, conductor, Bhaga, thou of true bestowal, Bhaga, help upward this prayer (dhī́), giving to us; O Bhaga, cause us to multiply with kine, with horses, O Bhaga, with men,—rich in men may we be.
Both now may we be fortunate (bhágavant), and in the advance (? prapitvá) and in the middle of the days; and, O bounteous one, at the up-going of the sun, may we be in the favor of the gods.
Read the remaining 3 verses of III.16
Let the god Bhaga himself be fortunate; through him may we be fortunate; on thee here, Bhaga, do I call entire; do thou, O Bhaga, be our forerunner here.
The dawns submit themselves (? sam-nam) to the sacrifice (adhvará), as Dadhikrāvan to the bright place; hitherward let them convey for me Bhaga, acquirer of good things, as vigorous (vājín) horses a chariot.
Let excellent dawns, rich in horses, rich in kine, rich in heroes, always shine for us, yielding (duh) ghee, on all sides drunk of: do ye protect us ever with well-beings.
Whitney–Lanman translation as printed (1905) · Read III.16 at Wikisource ↗
ATHARVAVEDA · BOOK V IN FOCUS
Against niggardliness and its effects
Bring to us, stand not about, O niggard; do not prevent (? rakṣ) our sacrificial gift as led [away]; homage be to baffling (vīrtsā́), to ill-success; homage be to the niggard.
What wheedling (? parirāpín) man thou puttest forward, O niggard, to him of thine we pay homage: do not thou disturb my winning (vaní).
Let our god-made winning progress (pra-kḷp) by day and by night; we go forth after the niggard; homage be to the niggard.
Sarasvatī, Anumati, Bhaga, we going call on; pleasant (juṣṭá) honeyed speech have I spoken in the god-invocations of the gods.
Read the remaining 6 verses of V.7
Whomever I solicit (yāc) with speech, with Sarasvatī, mind-yoked, him may faith find today, given by the brown soma.
Do not thou baffle our winning nor speech. Let Indra and Agni both bring good things to us. De ye all, willing today to give to us, welcome the niggard.
Go thou far away, O ill-success; we conduct away thy missile; I know thee, O niggard, as one putting (? mīv) down, thrusting down.
Likewise, greatly making thyself naked, thou fastenest on (sac) a person in dreams, O niggard, baffling the plan and design of a man (púruṣa).
She that, being great, of great height (-unmāna), permeated all regions—to her, the golden-haired, to perdition have I paid homage.
Gold-colored, fortunate, gold-cushioned, great—to her, the golden-mantled, to the niggard have I paid homage.
Whitney–Lanman translation as printed (1905) · Read V.7 at Wikisource ↗
ATHARVAVEDA · BOOK III IN FOCUS
For success in trade
I stir up (cud) the trader Indra; let him come to us, be our forerunner; thrusting [away] the niggard, the waylaying wild animal, let him, having the power (īç), be giver of riches to me.
The many roads, travelled by the gods, that go about (sam-car) between heaven-and-earth—let them enjoy me with milk, with ghee, that dealing (krī) I may get (ā-hṛ) riches.
With fuel, O Agni, with ghee, I, desiring, offer the oblation, in order to energy (táras), to strength;—revering with worship (bráhman), so far as I am able—this divine prayer (dhī́), in order to hundred-fold winning.
This offense (? çaráṇi) of ours mayest thou, O Agni, bear with (mṛṣ), what distant road we have gone. Successful (çuná) for us be bargain and sale; let return-dealing make me fruitful; do ye two enjoy this oblation in concord; successful for us be our going about and rising.
Read the remaining 4 verses of III.15
With what riches I practise (car) bargaining, seeking riches with riches, ye gods—let that become more for me, not less; O Agni, put down (ni-sidh) with the oblation the gain-slaying gods.
With what riches I practise bargaining, seeking riches with riches, ye gods—therein let Indra assign me pleasure (? rúci), let Prajāpati, Savitar, Soma, Agni.
Unto thee with homage do we, O priest Vāiçvānara ('for all men'), give praise; do thou watch over our progeny, our selves, our kine, our breaths.
Every day may we bring constantly for thee as for a standing horse, O Jātavedas; rejoicing together with abundance of wealth, with food, may we thy neighbors, O Agni, take no harm.
Whitney–Lanman translation as printed (1905) · Read III.15 at Wikisource ↗
V.7 gives the first stage a voice
V.7 addresses niggardliness and resists the blocking of winning and speech. Verse 4 invokes honeyed speech, while verse 5 links a request to mind-yoked words and the confidence of the person addressed. This is ritual speech within an ancient struggle over giving, not a template for a sales pitch. It does, however, show why a request for resources is more than private desire: it must reach another person. A modern conversation about work may open that channel, yet interest expressed aloud is still only interest. The listener’s attention does not itself create a paid assignment.
III.15 moves from words to exchange
The trader’s hymn asks for successful bargain and sale in verse 4 and for riches risked to return fruitfully in verse 5. These are later steps than V.7’s plea to be heard. For a current work opportunity, the analogous transition occurs when a conversation produces scope, price, responsibilities, and a genuine agreement. III.15 does not specify modern contract terms, but its commercial setting prevents vague praise from being confused with a bargain. A friendly call can end without any offer; a promising offer can change when the work is defined. The ancient trader’s uncertainty remains visible until the exchange has actually advanced.
Bhaga names the desired portion
III.16 asks Bhaga to apportion a share and in verse 3 seeks forms of prosperity such as cattle, horses, and people. A modern fee is not one of those goods, but a worker can compare the wish for a livelihood share with the hoped-for income from a new client. The comparison should remain modest. Bhaga’s morning prayer does not say that the person who speaks most convincingly receives the largest portion. It places gain within a broad appeal for favor. By reading it after V.7 and III.15, the article separates being recognized, reaching an agreement, and enjoying the eventual proceeds.
The benefit is a modern bridge
The attached working imagines the next conversation leading to paid work. That hope is contemporary and has no claimed Vedic origin. The texts clarify what would have to happen for the wish to be fulfilled: another person listens, both parties agree on an exchange, and work produces payment. Each stage can fail independently. Treating them as a sequence protects the article from promising income after every meeting. It also respects the ancient sources: V.7 concerns speech and giving, III.15 concerns trade, and III.16 concerns a prayed-for share, rather than a single spell that converts words to wages.
WORKED READING
Worked reading: praise without an assignment
A potential client enjoys a call and says the worker’s ideas are excellent, but no scope or fee follows. V.7 verse 5 resembles the effort to win a listener’s confidence, and that stage may have gone well. III.15 verse 4 has not yet happened as a bargain, so there is no defined exchange to pay for. III.16 verse 2 remains a hope for a share rather than evidence that one is already allotted. If the client later requests a proposal and accepts it, the reading moves to trade; if the conversation ends there, warmth alone is not paid work.