Griffith translation:

As in his rapid course the Sun encompasses the heaven and earth, So do I compass round thy mind that thou mayst be in love with. me, my darling, never to depart.

Does the first line looks like scientific error?

It says like Sun revolves around the earth.

  • 3
    I just checked the translation by Indian writer of that verse and it is translated as "Just as Sun fills the Earth and the Sky with lights, in the similar way may I be able to attract your mind, so that may your mind becomes full of desires towards me and you may not go far from me." – Tejaswee May 27 '17 at 0:55
  • Moving across the sky does not mean revolve... – Swami Vishwananda May 27 '17 at 4:25

Atharvaveda 6.8 is called Kãmãtma Sukta (or Hymn to fulfill desire). It was heard by sage Jamadagni.

The first line of 6.8.3 is as:

यथेमे द्यावापृथिवी सद्यः पर्येति सूर्यः ।
yatheme dyāvāpṛthivī sadyaḥ paryeti sūryaḥ ।

The meaning is as:

यथेमे (yatheme) = Just like

द्यावापृथिवी (dyāvāpṛthivī) = Earth and Heaven

सद्यः (sadyaḥ) = Immediately

पर्येति (paryeti) = Reaches

सूर्यः (sūryaḥ) = Sun

As the word 'सद्य' / 'Sadya' is used there which means 'Immediately'. So it is referring to the 'Light of Sun'. As it is light of Sun which reaches immediately. So, the meaning is:

Just as light of Sun reaches immediately Earth and Heaven...

In anycase if one interprets it as 'Sun' only also then it doesn't matter because the verse is nowhere talking about revolution of sun towards earth.

And Vedas do not propagate the idea that rising and setting of sun is due to revolution of Sun towards earth. For eg. RigVeda Aitreya Brahmana 3.44 states:

एष न कदा चनास्तमेति नोदेति
eṣa na kadā canāstameti nodeti

This (Sun) never rises and never sets.

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