Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1ecration of a king, and the firm establishment of his royalty. The four classes of persons whose aid is regarded as desirable for the king belong to the so-called ratna, 'jewels,' of the court, i. e. they are honoured and indispensable members of his household. Their number altogether is about a dozen, and according to Tait. Br. I, 7, 3, 1 ff., they are the ' givers and takers of royalty (rash/rasya pradatara^, rash- frasya* padatara/^).' As a preliminary to the consecration of a king they must be conciliated, and an oblation is offered in the house of each. See for the entire subject Professor Weber's notes on the two stanzas, and his still more elaborate exposition of this interesting theme in his monograph, Uber die Konigsweihe, p. 19 ff. ; cf. also Zim- mer, Altindisches Leben, p. i$i ; Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 246", 249, 25i- 7 a. Weber in the note on this passage, and Uber die Konigsweihe, p. %% ff., presents serious evidence in favour of reading ye^ra^ano (ara^ano) for ye ra^ano, ' they who make kings, though themselves not kings :' see vSat. Br. Ill, 4, 1, 7. 8 ; XIII, 2, 4, 18. Certainly this suits the character of the suta and gramam better than the title ra^*a. Nevertheless minor potentates, influential in the choice of a greater king, may be alluded to here ; cf. the expressions 334 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA. ra^*a varu^a^ and v&runaik in III, 4, 5. 6, and our note to the passage. Weber himself has not embalmed his sugges- tion in the translation, ' die kon' ge konigsmacher audi.' III, 6. Commentary to page 91. The a^vattha-tree (ficus religiosa) is a strong tree of hard wood whose branches grow into other trees, resulting in their destruction \ On the other hand the union of the two trees is regarded as sexual (VI, 11), and emblematic of strength. In this hymn, as well as in the associated prac- tices, the a^vattha is employed to destroy enemies. At Kaui*. 48, 3-6, the hymn is worked up in the following sorcery-practice (abhiHrika) : 3. 'While reciting III, 6 (the performer) ties on as a talisman the substance mentioned in the hymn (i. e. wood from an a^vattha-tree which has fastened itself upon a khadira-tree), after an oblation has been poured upon it, and it has been anointed (with ghee). 4. As many enemies (as this practice is aimed at) so many fetters, anointed with ingiVa-oil 2, besmeared with the dregs (of that same oil?), (the performer), having recited the hymn over them, (places) along with the threads3 into a soma- vessel, and digs them into the vital spot 4 (of the enemies). 5. While reciting st.
2etters, anointed with ingiVa-oil 2, besmeared with the dregs (of that same oil?), (the performer), having recited the hymn over them, (places) along with the threads3 into a soma- vessel, and digs them into the vital spot 4 (of the enemies). 5. While reciting st. 8 of this hymn along with IX, 2, 4 (q. v.), he pushes off what is mentioned in the stanza (namely, a boat) by means of a branch (of the awattha-tree). 6. While reciting st. 7 he causes (the fetters) to float down (the water)/ The practices are not quite clear, nor do the commentators seem to understand them at all points. Cf. also Santikalpa 195. 1 Cf. Ka//i S. XIX, 10, esha (sc. asvattho) vai vanaspatinaw sapatnasaha^. 2 The oil of ingi^a takes the place of ghee (a^ya) in witchcraft ; see the paribhasha, Kauj. 47, 3, and cf. 14, 28 ; 25, 30. 3 Which threads ? Darila, sutre^a sa^bandhaw kn'tva. 4 This presupposes an efligy of the enemy who is thus reached by proxy. Cf. 47, 51. 5 Erroneously quoted by Saya^a as Nakshatrakalpa. Ill, 6. COMMENTARY. 335 The hymn has been translated by Kuhn, Die Herab- kunft des Feuers1, p. 224 ; Weber, Ind. Stud. XVII, 204 ff.; Grill2, pp. 21, 104 ff. ; cf. also Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, pp. 58, 257. The Anukrama;zi, vanaspatya^vatthade- vatyam. Stanza 1. Both ajvattha and khadira are masculines, i. e. males ; hence the virility of the a^vattha is, as it were, in the second power. The a^vattha, moreover, is intimately related with the production of fire (cf. Tait. Br. I, 1,3, 9), being in fact an embodiment of the lightning. Hence its special fitness for aggressively hostile practices ; see Weber's note, 1. c. Stanza 2. b. Saya/za reads vaibadha dodhata^ without support from the MSS. (Sa^hita or Padapa^a). We have adopted this emendation which is indeed self-evident in the light of st. 7. It is of interest to note that the Pet. Lexs., Weber, and Grill felt constrained to resort to the same remedy. The name c displacer ' for the a^vattha becomes clear in the light of the natural history of the tree ; see the introduction above, and Lassen, Indische Altertumskunde I2, 304 ff. Saya^a takes vaibadha as ' sprung from the vibadha, i. e. the khadira,' the latter being so-called because it strikes with its thorns (ka/z/akair badhate). Stanza 3. a. Saya/za with the Paippalada reads nir abhina/^ (nir- bhidya utpanno*si) ; some of Shankar Pandit's MSS. (both Padapa//za and Sa/^hita) support this by reading nirabhinno (ni>& abhinna/^) ; cf. Pada c. b. Saya/^a, correctly, anzave antarikshe ; cf. RV. VIII, 26,17; TS. IV, 5, 11, 1. c.
3alada reads nir abhina/^ (nir- bhidya utpanno*si) ; some of Shankar Pandit's MSS. (both Padapa//za and Sa/^hita) support this by reading nirabhinno (ni>& abhinna/^) ; cf. Pada c. b. Saya/^a, correctly, anzave antarikshe ; cf. RV. VIII, 26,17; TS. IV, 5, 11, 1. c. Saya/za, the Paippalada, and some of Shankar Pandit's MSS., nir bhinddhi ; cf. P&da a. Stanza 4. a. Saya^a, the Paippalada, and some of Shankar Pandit's MSS., £arati. 336 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA. Stanza 7. The stanza is repeated at IX, 2, 12 with the variant sayakapra/mtt&nam for vaib&dhapra/zuttanam. The similes in this and the next stanza are put into practice in the rites of the Sutra ; see the introduction above. Ill, 7. Commentary to page 15. This hymn and the practices connected with it harbour the peculiar conception that the horn and the skin of the antelope have the power to drive out inherited disease. Kaui*. 27, 29-31 we have the following performances: 29. 'While reciting AV. Ill, 7 (the practitioner) fastens (an amulet made from the horn of an antelope upon the patient), gives him (water) to drink, lets him rinse himself (with water), and at the time when the stars fade away (at dawn) he sprinkles him with water which has been warmed by quenching in it the kindled piece of antelope's skin pierced by the peg with which it is fastened (when it is spread out) *. 30. From a heap of undetermined measure he offers as much barley (cf. AV. II, 8, 3) as can be taken up by a single grasp (of the hand). 31. He gives food (to the patient).' The relation of the antelope and the practices to the kshetriya are extremely obscure. Again as in II, 8 it seems to rest upon a rapprochement with kshetra, { field,' at least if we trust the vague suggestion of the obscure stanzas, \dg. S. XXIII, 30. 31; Maitr. S. Ill, 13, i; Tait. S.VII, 4, 19, 2 ; cf. also Tait. Br. Ill, 9, 7, 2 ; >Sat. Br. XIIT, 2, 9, 8. Here the antelope is said to eat grain (yad dhari/zo yavam atti ; cf. yava in Kau^. 27, 30). But we are 1 The words ' he sprinkles him, &c/ to the end of the sentence are all of them a paraphrase with the help of the scholiasts of the words jankudhana^-valena . . . avasi^ati. For jarikudhana, see Kaiu. 26, 16, as explained in the introduction to I, 22 (p. 263); for ava^-vala, cf. also Kau^. 28, 2, in the introduction to IV, 6 (p. 374), and Kauj. 27, 33; 29, 8; 30, 8; 32, 10. Ill, 7. COMMENTARY. 337 attempting to explain obscurum per obscurius. Perhaps the swiftness of the animal (st. 1) symbolises the rapid removal of the disease.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1ecration of a king, and the firm establishment of his royalty. The four classes of persons whose aid is regarded as desirable for the king belong to the so-called ratna, 'jewels,' of the court, i. e. they are honoured and indispensable members of his household. Their number altogether is about a dozen, and according to Tait. Br. I, 7, 3, 1 ff., they are the ' givers and takers of royalty (rash/rasya pradatara^, rash- frasya* padatara/^).' As a preliminary to the consecration of a king they must be conciliated, and an oblation is offered in the house of each. See for the entire subject Professor Weber's notes on the two stanzas, and his still more elaborate exposition of this interesting theme in his monograph, Uber die Konigsweihe, p. 19 ff. ; cf. also Zim- mer, Altindisches Leben, p. i$i ; Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 246", 249, 25i- 7 a. Weber in the note on this passage, and Uber die Konigsweihe, p. %% ff., presents serious evidence in favour of reading ye^ra^ano (ara^ano) for ye ra^ano, ' they who make kings, though themselves not kings :' see vSat. Br. Ill, 4, 1, 7. 8 ; XIII, 2, 4, 18. Certainly this suits the character of the suta and gramam better than the title ra^*a. Nevertheless minor potentates, influential in the choice of a greater king, may be alluded to here ; cf. the expressions 334 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA. ra^*a varu^a^ and v&runaik in III, 4, 5. 6, and our note to the passage. Weber himself has not embalmed his sugges- tion in the translation, ' die kon' ge konigsmacher audi.' III, 6. Commentary to page 91. The a^vattha-tree (ficus religiosa) is a strong tree of hard wood whose branches grow into other trees, resulting in their destruction \ On the other hand the union of the two trees is regarded as sexual (VI, 11), and emblematic of strength. In this hymn, as well as in the associated prac- tices, the a^vattha is employed to destroy enemies. At Kaui*. 48, 3-6, the hymn is worked up in the following sorcery-practice (abhiHrika) : 3. 'While reciting III, 6 (the performer) ties on as a talisman the substance mentioned in the hymn (i. e. wood from an a^vattha-tree which has fastened itself upon a khadira-tree), after an oblation has been poured upon it, and it has been anointed (with ghee). 4. As many enemies (as this practice is aimed at) so many fetters, anointed with ingiVa-oil 2, besmeared with the dregs (of that same oil?), (the performer), having recited the hymn over them, (places) along with the threads3 into a soma- vessel, and digs them into the vital spot 4 (of the enemies). 5. While reciting st.
2etters, anointed with ingiVa-oil 2, besmeared with the dregs (of that same oil?), (the performer), having recited the hymn over them, (places) along with the threads3 into a soma- vessel, and digs them into the vital spot 4 (of the enemies). 5. While reciting st. 8 of this hymn along with IX, 2, 4 (q. v.), he pushes off what is mentioned in the stanza (namely, a boat) by means of a branch (of the awattha-tree). 6. While reciting st. 7 he causes (the fetters) to float down (the water)/ The practices are not quite clear, nor do the commentators seem to understand them at all points. Cf. also Santikalpa 195. 1 Cf. Ka//i S. XIX, 10, esha (sc. asvattho) vai vanaspatinaw sapatnasaha^. 2 The oil of ingi^a takes the place of ghee (a^ya) in witchcraft ; see the paribhasha, Kauj. 47, 3, and cf. 14, 28 ; 25, 30. 3 Which threads ? Darila, sutre^a sa^bandhaw kn'tva. 4 This presupposes an efligy of the enemy who is thus reached by proxy. Cf. 47, 51. 5 Erroneously quoted by Saya^a as Nakshatrakalpa. Ill, 6. COMMENTARY. 335 The hymn has been translated by Kuhn, Die Herab- kunft des Feuers1, p. 224 ; Weber, Ind. Stud. XVII, 204 ff.; Grill2, pp. 21, 104 ff. ; cf. also Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, pp. 58, 257. The Anukrama;zi, vanaspatya^vatthade- vatyam. Stanza 1. Both ajvattha and khadira are masculines, i. e. males ; hence the virility of the a^vattha is, as it were, in the second power. The a^vattha, moreover, is intimately related with the production of fire (cf. Tait. Br. I, 1,3, 9), being in fact an embodiment of the lightning. Hence its special fitness for aggressively hostile practices ; see Weber's note, 1. c. Stanza 2. b. Saya/za reads vaibadha dodhata^ without support from the MSS. (Sa^hita or Padapa^a). We have adopted this emendation which is indeed self-evident in the light of st. 7. It is of interest to note that the Pet. Lexs., Weber, and Grill felt constrained to resort to the same remedy. The name c displacer ' for the a^vattha becomes clear in the light of the natural history of the tree ; see the introduction above, and Lassen, Indische Altertumskunde I2, 304 ff. Saya^a takes vaibadha as ' sprung from the vibadha, i. e. the khadira,' the latter being so-called because it strikes with its thorns (ka/z/akair badhate). Stanza 3. a. Saya/za with the Paippalada reads nir abhina/^ (nir- bhidya utpanno*si) ; some of Shankar Pandit's MSS. (both Padapa//za and Sa/^hita) support this by reading nirabhinno (ni>& abhinna/^) ; cf. Pada c. b. Saya/^a, correctly, anzave antarikshe ; cf. RV. VIII, 26,17; TS. IV, 5, 11, 1. c.
3alada reads nir abhina/^ (nir- bhidya utpanno*si) ; some of Shankar Pandit's MSS. (both Padapa//za and Sa/^hita) support this by reading nirabhinno (ni>& abhinna/^) ; cf. Pada c. b. Saya/^a, correctly, anzave antarikshe ; cf. RV. VIII, 26,17; TS. IV, 5, 11, 1. c. Saya/za, the Paippalada, and some of Shankar Pandit's MSS., nir bhinddhi ; cf. P&da a. Stanza 4. a. Saya^a, the Paippalada, and some of Shankar Pandit's MSS., £arati. 336 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA. Stanza 7. The stanza is repeated at IX, 2, 12 with the variant sayakapra/mtt&nam for vaib&dhapra/zuttanam. The similes in this and the next stanza are put into practice in the rites of the Sutra ; see the introduction above. Ill, 7. Commentary to page 15. This hymn and the practices connected with it harbour the peculiar conception that the horn and the skin of the antelope have the power to drive out inherited disease. Kaui*. 27, 29-31 we have the following performances: 29. 'While reciting AV. Ill, 7 (the practitioner) fastens (an amulet made from the horn of an antelope upon the patient), gives him (water) to drink, lets him rinse himself (with water), and at the time when the stars fade away (at dawn) he sprinkles him with water which has been warmed by quenching in it the kindled piece of antelope's skin pierced by the peg with which it is fastened (when it is spread out) *. 30. From a heap of undetermined measure he offers as much barley (cf. AV. II, 8, 3) as can be taken up by a single grasp (of the hand). 31. He gives food (to the patient).' The relation of the antelope and the practices to the kshetriya are extremely obscure. Again as in II, 8 it seems to rest upon a rapprochement with kshetra, { field,' at least if we trust the vague suggestion of the obscure stanzas, \dg. S. XXIII, 30. 31; Maitr. S. Ill, 13, i; Tait. S.VII, 4, 19, 2 ; cf. also Tait. Br. Ill, 9, 7, 2 ; >Sat. Br. XIIT, 2, 9, 8. Here the antelope is said to eat grain (yad dhari/zo yavam atti ; cf. yava in Kau^. 27, 30). But we are 1 The words ' he sprinkles him, &c/ to the end of the sentence are all of them a paraphrase with the help of the scholiasts of the words jankudhana^-valena . . . avasi^ati. For jarikudhana, see Kaiu. 26, 16, as explained in the introduction to I, 22 (p. 263); for ava^-vala, cf. also Kau^. 28, 2, in the introduction to IV, 6 (p. 374), and Kauj. 27, 33; 29, 8; 30, 8; 32, 10. Ill, 7. COMMENTARY. 337 attempting to explain obscurum per obscurius. Perhaps the swiftness of the animal (st. 1) symbolises the rapid removal of the disease.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
No commentary for this page.