By far the largest part of Vedas is dedicated to praises and prayers to The One God but in various names
appropriate to the qualities being described. One can find these things often in the form of monologues
with God practically in every Sukta by every Rishi irrespective of the specific topic being discussed. The
prayers are more like the way a son would ask his father rather than the way a poor helpless beggar
requesting for alms. For best effects these Richas should be recited with correct intonations while keeping
their meaning at the back of one's mind. These will have to be learnt under a Guru well versed in the
subject so that you could also experience a bit of the elevated state experienced by the original Rishis who
first saw these Richas bubbling in their pure hearts. Gist of some Richas selected mostly from the last
Kanda of Atharva Veda is given below:
20.51.1 Accept and praise the infinitely rich and generous Indra as He is. He will give you everything.
(Praskanva)
20.61.1 We praise Your joyous state, which has unlimited strength, which enables victory in battle, which
creates the universe and which gifts wealth.
20.62.6 Hey Indra! you are victorious, you have given the shine to the sun, you are the maker of the whole
universe, you are the strongest of all and are worthy of worship. (Nrimedha)
20 64.1 Hey Indra! you loving, won through love, never hiding, are available to us in all directions; you are
spread all over and are the lord of comfort and joy. (Nrimedha)
20.70.1 Hey God! you are the one who rains comfort over us; you give true knowledge. Disclose the
knowledge which is like the cloud now. (Madhuchanda)
20.79.1 Hey God! give us intellect (buddhi) like a father does to his child; show us the way now so that we
find the light. (Vasishta)
20.80.1 Hey Indra! holding thunderbolt in your hand you have filled up the entire earth and space; for us
you are the giver of greatest strength, support and success. (Shamyu)
20.82.1 Hey Indra! from the great wealth which you possess, enable me to be the owner of only that much
by which I can support the learned but not so much as to fall into bad ways. (Vasishta)
20.92.5 Dear men! worship Him like a fear free fort, worship, worship, worship, and your good children
also worship Him (Priyamedha)
20.92.10 He who has created all the necessary materials in a beautiful way, He who frees those who are
near Him from all forms of sorrow, He alone is the leader, the God. (Priyamedha)
20.101.1 Worthy of being searched, honored, remover of sorrows, worthy of being seen, bright, God
spreads light in wonderful ways. (Medhyathithi)
20.103.3 Hey strength giving all-knowing God! your subjects find you only in all of their nonviolent
activities. Hey ancient one! we request you for water and light for our activities. (Sudeethipurameedhau)
20.108.2 Hey you Shelter! you alone have been our father and mother, so we ask you for the joy of your
company. (Nrimedha)
3.5.2 Hey praiseworthy One! establish power and wealth in me. May I be the foremost amidst the nation's
leaders. (Atharva)
5.6.12 Hey God! you are the refuge of my soul. With all my animals, persons, my full strength, my entire
body, and myself in totality I am reaching you and entering you. (Atharva)
7.17.2 May the God who nurtures everyone gift unlimited support for life to the person whose heart is
filled with generosity. May we carry the good, wise and benevolent mind of the God. (Bhrigu)
7.83.3 Hey God! untie all our chains from above and from below. Free us from bad dreams and all
obstacles. May we once again be in the path of righteousness. (Shunashepa)
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