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Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often transmitted under Atharvan/Āṅgiras lineages; specific r̥ṣi attribution depends on anukramaṇī tradition for AVŚ 2.13).
Devata: Agni (as āyurdāḥ—bestower of longevity and protector).
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (edition-dependent; Atharvavedic meters here may be catalogued variably—verify against the AV anukramaṇī).
AVŚ 2.13は長寿と護りを願う讃歌であり、āyurdāḥ(生命の授与者)としてのアグニに、受け手へ熟した老い(jaras)を与え、父が子らを囲んで守るように守護することを祈願する。アグニの養いを示す「酥と蜜」のイメージに加え、護りの衣(vāsaḥ)を携行できる盾として用い、呪詛や害を退け、家と家畜のために安寧・富・増益を確かなものとして封じる。
Mantra 1
दीर्घायुःप्राप्तिः। आ॒युर्दा अ॑ग्ने ज॒रसं॑ वृणा॒नो घृ॒तप्र॑तीको घृ॒तपृ॑ष्ठो अग्ने । घृ॒तं पी॒त्वा मधु॒ चारु॒ गव्यं॑ पि॒तेव॑ पु॒त्रान॒भि र॑क्षतादि॒मम्
寿命を授けるアグニ(Agni)よ、円熟した老いを選び取りたまえ。酥油を面に、酥油を背に負うアグニよ。酥油を飲み——甘く、麗しく、牛より生まれたそれを——父が子らを守るように、この人を取り囲み護りたまえ。
Mantra 2
परि॑ धत्त ध॒त्त नो॒ वर्च॑से॒मं ज॒रामृ॑त्युं कृणुत दी॒र्घमायुः॑ । बृह॒स्पतिः॒ प्राय॑च्छ॒द् वास॑ ए॒तत् सोमा॑य॒ राज्ञे॒ परि॑धात॒वा उ॑
汝らよ、めぐらし、包みまとわせよ、われらの光輝のためにこの衣を。老いと死を退け、長寿を形づくれ。ブリハスパティ(Bṛhaspati)はこの衣をソーマ王(Soma)に授け、まことに周りにまとわせるためのものとした。
Mantra 3
परी॒दं वासो॑ अधिथाः स्व॒स्तयेऽभू॑र्गृष्टी॒नाम॑भिशस्ति॒पा उ॑ । श॒तं च॒ जीव॑ श॒रदः॑ पुरू॒ची रा॒यश्च॒ पोष॑मुप॒संव्य॑यस्व
汝はこの衣を身にめぐらして安泰のためとした。汝はまことに、呪詛・悪言から群れ(家畜)を守る護り手となった。百年を生きよ、多くの秋を重ねよ。富と繁栄とを、身にしっかりと巻きまとえ。
Mantra 4
एह्यश्मा॑न॒मा ति॒ष्ठाश्मा॑ भवतु ते त॒नूः । कृ॒ण्वन्तु॒ विश्वे॑ दे॒वा आयु॑ष्टे श॒रदः॑ श॒तम्
来たれ、石よ。近くに立て。汝の身は石のごとくあれ。すべての神々がともに、汝のために寿命を形づくれ——百の秋を。
Mantra 5
यस्य॑ ते॒ वासः॑ प्रथमवा॒स्यं॑१ हरा॑म॒स्तं त्वा॒ विश्वे॑ऽवन्तु दे॒वाः । तं त्वा॒ भ्रात॑रः सु॒वृधा॒ वर्ध॑मान॒मनु॑ जातन्तां ब॒हवः॒ सुजा॑तम्
汝の最初の衣、最初にまとった衣をわれらは取り上げる。すべての神々が汝を助け、守護せよ。増え広がりつつある汝に、善き増益者たる兄弟たちが、多く生まれて従い来たれ――よく生まれし者よ。
It is used to pray for long life and safe old age, while also protecting the person from harm caused by curses or hostile speech and strengthening prosperity in the home.
These are symbols (and sometimes ritual substances) of nourishment and life-sap; Agni ‘receives’ them and, in return, is asked to convert that nourishment into vitality, protection, and longevity.
The garment functions like a wearable protection: it is ritually put around the person for svasti (well-being), to guard the herd/wealth-base, and to ‘wrap on’ thriving and a “hundred autumns” of life.
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