First & Last Mantras of Vedas

Atharva Veda

The first verse of the Atharva Veda addresses the understanding of God whose power and creation is vast and immeasurable. God is the Creator of all known and unknown, all forms and all materials. The verse pays homage to the Almighty and the subtle communication between the Self and the Supreme. This verse incorporates all elements of the world, its creation, its maintenance and its peoples and their dharma, practises and language. Thrice Seven is mentioned as the complex number of elements in human existence. The number 21 is comprises of divisors 1, 3 and 7 but these numbers cannot add up to 21. It is a triangular number since it is the sum of the first six natural numbers (1+2+3+4+5+6). The numbers 3 and 7 hold their own uniqueness.

The last verse of the Atharva Veda calls on humanity to unite and live in peace and to ensure that their leaders are respectful, respectable and can lead their people.

Atharva Veda 1.1.1

ये त्रिषप्ताः परियन्ति विश्वा रूपाणि बिभ्रतः।
वाचस्पतिर्बला तेषां तन्वो अद्य दधातु मे ॥

Ye triṣhaptaah pariyanti
vishvaa roopaaṇi bibhratah.
Vaachas patir-balaa teṣhaam
tanvo adya dadhaatu me. ¹

Ye trishaptaah the innumerable² unique, materials and elements that make up this vishvaroopaani world and its inhabitants, is bibhratah created and maintained by the vaachaspatih Supreme Lord, the master of our communication. He is the giver of all the balaa strength and power in the world and our tanva body.

ये these त्रिषप्ताः thrice seven substances/elements परियन्ति continuously change, controlled विश्वा world, creation रूपाणि things, forms, रूपण figurative illustration बिभ्रतःcarrying, bearing, holding वाचस्पतिः supreme lord, master of speech बल strength, power, force तेषाम् their तन्वः body अद्य today, now, present time दधातु provide, give, put, donate

Atharva Veda 20.143.9

पनाय्यं तदश्विना कृतं वां वृषभो दिवो रजसः पृथिव्याः।
सहस्रं शंसा उत ये गविष्टौ सर्वाँ इत्ताँ उप याता पिबध्यै ॥

Panaa-iyam tadashvinaa krutam vaam
vriṡhavo divo rajasah prithivyaah.
Sahastram shamsa uta ye gaviṡhṫou
sarvaang ittaam upa yaataa pibadhyai.³

Let us all immerse into the Almighty God, the all-pervading, preserver, almighty One. He is the only one that blesses those who immerse in him with the light of wisdom. He is here there and everywhere, in the cosmos, on earth and everywhere. Salutations to that Almighty One.

पनाय्यम् praiseworthy, laudible तत् that अश्विना pervading कृतम् work, activity, action वाम् preserving वृषभो mighty दिवः of behavior, of sky रजसः of the cosmos पृथिव्याः of earth सहस्रम् thousands शंसा praiseworthy उत and ये this गविष्टौ the attainment of lumination, attain knowledge इत् only सर्वान् all तान् they, them उप respectfully यात all receive पिबध्यै to imbibe