Sukta 3
प्राच्यै त्वा दिशे३ग्नयेऽधिपतयेऽसिताय रक्षित्र आदित्यायेषुमते । एतं परि दद्मस्तं नो गोपायतास्माकमैतोः । दिष्टं नो अत्र जरसे नि नेषज्जरा मृत्यवे परि णो ददात्वथ पक्वेन सह सं भवेम
prā́cyai tvā diśé ’gnáye ’dhipátaye ’sitā́ya rakṣitré ādityā́yeṣumate | etáṃ pári dadmás táṃ no gopāyatā́smākam aitóḥ | diṣṭáṃ no átra járase ní neṣaj jarā́ mṛtyáve pári ṇo dadātv átha pakvéna sahá sám bhavema ||
To the Eastern Quarter thee we commit—unto Agni the Overlord, unto Asita the Guardian, unto the Āditya armed with arrows. This do we set about: let it guard us from the assailant that comes against our own. Let the appointed ill here settle for old age; let Old Age assign us away from Death; then with full ripeness may we together be made whole.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (AVŚ 12.3; anukramaṇī-dependent)
Devata: Regents of the East: Agni (adhipati), Asita (rakṣitṛ), Āditya (iṣumat)
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-expanded / mixed (Atharvanic liturgical prose-verse)
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