“As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up and going down, up the aerial way and down the earth, down the earth and up the aerial way:  thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made the aerial way.  Up! rise up and roll along! thou swift-horsed Sun, above Hara Berezaiti, and produce light for the world, and mayest thou, O man! rise up there, if thou art to abide in Garo-nmanem, along the path made by Mazda, along the way made by the gods, the watery way they opened.  And the Holy Word shall keep away the evil.  Of thee, O child!  I will cleanse the birth and growth; of thee, O woman!  I will make the body and the strength pure; I make thee rich in children and rich in milk; rich in seed, in milk, in fat, in marrow, and in offspring.  I shall bring to thee a thousand pure springs, running towards the pastures that give food to the child.”

TO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE MOON

As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up and going down, up the aerial way and down the earth, down the earth and up the aerial way:  Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made the earth.  Up! rise up, thou Moon, that dost keep in thee the seed of the bull; rise up above Hara Berezaiti, and produce light for the world, and mayest thou, O man! rise up there, if thou art to abide in Garo-nmanem, along the path made by Mazda, along the way made by the gods, the watery way they opened.  And the Holy Word shall keep away the evil:  Of thee, O child!  I will cleanse the birth and growth; of thee, O woman!  I will make the body and the strength pure; I make thee rich in children and rich in milk; rich in seed, in milk, in fat, in marrow, and in offspring.  I shall bring to thee a thousand pure springs, running towards the pastures that give food to the child.

TO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE STARS

As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up and going down, up the aerial way and down the earth, down the earth and up the aerial way:  Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made everything that grows.  Up! rise up, ye deep Stars, that have in you the seed of waters; rise up above Hara Berezaiti, and produce light for the world, and mayest thou, O man! rise up there, if thou art to abide in Garo-nmanem, along the path made by Mazda, along the way made by the gods, the watery way they opened.  Thus rise up and roll along! ye in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made everything that rises.  In your rising, away will the Kahvuzi fly and cry; away will the Ayehi fly and cry; away will the Gahi, who follows the Yatu, fly and cry.

THE DHAMMAPADA

Translation by F. Max Mueller

INTRODUCTION