# Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 60 (62)

60 (62). To the home: on returning or leaving.
[Brahman (ramyān gṛhān vāstospatīn aprārthayat).—saptarcam. vāstoṣpatyam. ānuṣṭubham: 1. parānuṣṭup triṣṭubh.]
Found also in Pāipp. iii. (in the verse-order 1, 2, 6, 3, 4, 5). Used by Kāuç. several times: first, it* is muttered (24. 11) in front of the house by one who has been absent for some time, he taking fuel in his hands; second, it again accompanies the action of taking fuel, in a rite for the harmony of all inmates of the house (42. 8); third, in the ceremony of preparing duly the house-fire (72. 5), with the direction iti prapādayati, for making the persons concerned enter the house; fourth, in the pitṛmedha (82. 15), with the same direction; fifth, in the piṇḍapitṛyajña (89. 11), at the end, on entering the house; further, the schol. add it (note to 8. 23) to the vāstugaṇa, and (note to 19. 1) ​reckon it among the puṣṭika mantras. As to the separate uses of vs. 7, see under that verse. *⌊For the first, fourth, and fifth uses, the comm., p. 422, lines 5, 18, prescribes only vss. 1-6.⌋
1. Bearing sustenance (ū́rj), good-winning, very wise, with mild friendly eye, I come to the houses, well-willing, greeting; be quiet, be not afraid of me.
The first and third pādas are found in VS. iii. 41, as a second half-verse, and also in LÇS. iii. 3. 1, ĀpÇS. vi. 27. 5, ÇGS. iii. 7. For vasuvánis in a, all read vaḥ sumánās; in c, their reading gṛhā́n āí ’mi (LÇS. emi, ĀpÇS. ā ’gām) mánasā módamānaḥ (LÇS. dāivena). Ppp. has a very different text: gṛhān emi mánasā modamāno ”rjaṁ bibhrad vasumatis sumedhā ’ghoreṇa cakṣuṣā mitriyeṇa gṛhāṇāṁ paçyaṅ paya ut tarāmi. ⌊HGS. (i. 29. 1 a) and Āp. (vi. 27. 3) have a verse whose c is our a (but Āp. has vaḥ suvaniḥ), and whose d is Ppp's a (but Āp. has āi ’mi).⌋
2. These houses [are] kindly, rich in sustenance (ūrjas-), rich in milk, standing filled with what is pleasant; let them recognize us coming.
Ppp. reads in c vāmasya, and at the end jānatas.
3. On whom the absent one thinks (adhi-i), in whom is abundant well-willing—the houses we call on; let them recognize us coming.
The verse is VS. iii. 42, and also found in ĀpÇS. vi. 27. 3, ÇGS. iii. 7 (both these agreeing in text with VS.), LÇS. iii. 3. 1, HGS. i. 29. 1. VS. reads at the end jānatás for āyatás (like Ppp. in 2 d; but Ppp. in this verse has āyatas); LÇS. has eṣu for yeṣu in b, hūyāmahe in c, and jāna (misprint?) at the end; HGS. has eti for yesu, babhus for bahus in b, and jānatas at the end. ⌊Cf. also MGS. i. 14. 5 and p. 155, under yeṣv a-.⌋ The comm. glosses adhyeti with smarati.
4. Called on [are] they of much riches, companions, enjoying sweets together; be ye hungerless, thirstless; ye houses, be not afraid of us.
Ppp. has svādusaṁnaras at end of b, and its second half-verse is ariṣṭās sarvapūrṇā gṛhā nas santu sarvadā. Āp. and HGS. (as above) have our a, b, and a c-d like that of Ppp., save sarvapūruṣās for -pūrṇās (HGS. also bhūrisakhās in a).
5. Called on here [are] the kine, called on the goats and sheep; likewise [is] the sweet drink of food called on in our houses.
The majority of authorities read ṇaḥ at the end (our E.O.R. have n); both editions give naḥ with the minority, and with the other texts (VS. iii. 43; Āp. vi. 27. 3; LÇS. iii. 3. 1; ÇGS. iii. 3, 7; HGS. i. 29. 1); the only variant is in LÇS., yo rasas for kīlālas in c.
6. Full of pleasantness, well-portioned, full of refreshing drink (írā), merry (hasāmudá), thirstless, hungerless be ye; O houses, be not afraid of us.
HGS. makes up a verse thus: a = our 2 b; b = our 6 b; c, anaçyā atṛṣyā; d = our 6 d. Ppp. reads (in b, c) hasāmuda akṣudhyā ’tṛṣyā sta.
​6. Be ye just here; go not after; adorn yourselves with all forms; I shall come along with what is excellent; become ye more abundant through me.
'Go not after': that is, 'do not follow me as I go away' (so the comm.). The verse is used in Kāuç. (23. 6) in the ceremony of house-building, on the breaking of previous silence; and again (24. 16), in a rite for prosperity, by one setting out on a journey, contemplating the house and its occupants.