By Swami Shivanand Saraswati*
Life flows when rivers do! All life revolves around water. While water is the source of life, if uncared for it can also cause death and destruction. The 2nd Sookta in the same 19th Kaand of Atharvaveda throws light on ensuring that water is always beneficial for our lives.
2nd Sookta, 19th Kaand of Atharvaveda has 5 Mantras.
ऋषि: – सिंधुद्वीपम् ; देवता – आप: (जल) (Rishi: – Sindhudweepam; Devta – Aap: (Jal)
शं त आपो हैमवती: शमु ते संतुलस्या:। शं ते सनिष्यदा आप: शमु ते सन्तु वर्ष्या: ॥1॥
शं त आपो धन्वन्या: शं ते सन्त्वनूपया:। शं ते खनित्रिमा आप: शं या: कुम्भेभिराभृता: ॥ 2 ॥
अनभ्रय: खनमाना विप्रा गम्भीरे अपस:। भिषग्भ्यो भिष्कतरा आपो अच्छा वदामसि ॥ 3 ॥
अपामह दिव्यानामापां स्रोतस्यानां। अपामह प्रणेजनेऽश्वा भवथ वाजिन: ॥4॥
ता अप: शिवा अपोऽ यक्ष्मंकरणीरप: । यथैव तृप्यते मयस्तास्त आ दत्त भेषजी: ॥ 5 ॥
In this Sookta, Rishi is Atharva, son of Brahma. God (Devta) is Water (Jal).
The way to maintain Brahma’s Yagya is to ensure that every step of the water cycle is completed without obstruction. Only the water of such a river, which flows from her original source (mountains/lakes etc.) to the sea, runs her course without interruption and finally culminates into the sea, is beneficial for life. During her run, the springs and waterfalls, tributaries and streams, ponds and lakes that originate from a healthy, free-flowing river bring prosperity and vitality to mankind.
In a thriving hydro cycle, water from all three sources – from rains, rivers and the ground are all salient for good health and carry immense medicinal properties. Even a thin stream of water dug out with difficulty in a barren desert will be laden with enriching minerals and add to the health as long as the equilibrium is maintained.
On the other hand, if this flow is interrupted, then all the impact of this water turns negative. The same water will turn hazardous and poisonous. The flow of wind (Vaayu) also gets hindered by the stopping of water, causing disturbances in the atmosphere and ultimately leading to the destruction of life everywhere. The flight of birds and the swimming of fishes also gets interrupted.
The hazards can be different in forms – cloud bursts, droughts or even contamination. Water’s medicinal properties turn opposite when interrupted, and water whose journey has been obstructed will only increase the sickness, not bring health.
Atharvaveda continues the criticality of the free, uninterrupted flow of rivers in further chapters as well. From Kaand 6, Sookta 23, we read:
सस्रुषीस्तदपसो दिवा नक्तं च सस्रुषी:। वरेण्यक्रतुरहमपो देवीरुप ह्वये ॥ 1॥
ओता आप: मुञ्चन्त्वित: प्रणीतये। सद्य: कृण्वन्त्वेतवे ॥ 2॥
देवस्य सवितुः सवे कर्म कृण्वन्तु मानुषा:। शां नो भवन्त्वप ओषधी: शिवा: ॥3॥
River water, taken from uninterrupted, free-flowing rivers without obstacles, is highly auspicious, invokes good deeds, and brings life to all living beings. Like a divine light, it rises the life in us. It removes our sins, purifies us and even removes illnesses.
Like Shiva, the motivator to all actions, this water inspires man to work, for both cosmic and Vedic Actions, and bring welfare to self and others.
Atharvaveda, Kaand 6, Sookt 24:
हिमवत: प्र स्रवन्ति सिन्धौ समह सङ्गम । आपो ह मह्यं तद्देवीर्ददंह्रिद्योतभेषजं ॥ १॥
यन्मे अक्ष्योरामदद्योत पार्ष्ण्यो: प्रपदोश्च यत्। आपस्तत्सर्वं निष्करणभिषजां सुभीषक्तमा: ॥ २॥
सिन्धुपत्नी: सिंधुराज्ञी: सर्वा या नद्य स्थन। दत्त नस्तस्य भेषजां तेना वो भुनजामहै ॥ ३॥
This set of Shlokas focuses on the medicinal and health-giving attributes of water that comes from a river which is free-flowing without any hindrances.
When the water from snow laden Himalaya mountains flows continuously and reaches the sea (Sindhu Sea – water bodies of the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean) without interruption or obstacles, and when this flow continues to ensue, then this water gains medicinal properties, specifically to calm and strengthen the heart, the eyes and all parts of the leg. The mere consumption of such water is enough to remove all kinds of diseases and bring wellness to life.
The River from the Himalayas is considered the wife, the Queen of the Sea. She must complete her journey as a whole. Her Aviralta (incessant flow) will ensure the purity of not just water, but of the entire atmosphere as well (Vaayu Mandal). Interruptions will lead to disasters on the ground and in the sky.
…to continue
*Founder of Matri Sadan, Haridwar which is an organization fighting against corruption and environmental disaster.
