a. risidd is not analysed by the Padapaz/a, being repro- duced by most MSS. as risédaz, by some as risdda (dual, agreeing both with Mitra and Varuvza? cf. Vag. S. XX XIII, 72). Sayaza takes it as nom. sg., hivvsakanam atta, and the scholiasts generally, beginning with Yaska, Nirukta VI, 14, though they differ in their etymological analysis, arrive at similar interpretations. Aufrecht, in Bohtlingk’s Lexicon, VI, 305, and Grill, p. 95, take it to mean ‘very distin- guished, the latter scholar comparing it with épixvdyjs. One would fain look for das, ‘giving,’ in the last part of the word. At Maitr. S. I, 10, 2 (p. 140, 1. 10)=Tait. S. I, 8, 3, 1, the expression marito yag#avahasah# occurs as the version of marito risadasaz in Vag. S. III, 44; this may be noted for future reference. I have surrendered the version of the native etymologists in favour of Aufrecht and Grill, though the latter has failed to convince me with his fascinating etymological combination.
308 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
e, d. The relation of this hemistich to the preceding is obscure ; it seems to have been introduced secondarily and loosely. Agni purifies life (RV. IX, 66, 19): so far he fits in with the preceding. But Agni also knows all the races of the: gods (RY. IV;.2; 28= AN. XV Hi, 3; 23)2 0 thee major part of the hemistich, belongs to a different sphere of conceptions ; see the author in Journ. Amer. Or. Soc. XVI, 16 ff. Pada d is obviously formulary, being repeated liter- ally in a different connection at IV, 1, 3. For vayunani, see Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 295 ff.; Ludwig, Uber Methode bei Interpretation des Rigveda, pp. 31 ff. Sayaza, here as elsewhere, in accordance with Yaska, Nir. V, 14, &c., prag#anamai s tat, iha tu samarthyat prag#atavyani vidvan, &c.
b. The edition of Roth and Whitney has ganitvaz, which
is the Paippalada reading. Most MSS. used by Shankar
Pandit read ganitraz; so also Sayavza, ganitrak ganish-
yamavar. But ganitra is not quotable as an adjective:
I accept the more recondite reading ganitva.
The last stanza occurs in Tait. S. II, 3, 10, 3; Maitr. S. II, 3,4; Tait. Ar. II, 5, 1 (the last two with variants).
II, 29. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 47.
The tenor of the hymn is vague, and it exhibits strong traces of patch-work, being compiled from a variety of sources. In the ritual it is applied chiefly as a remedial charm against a disease in which thirst plays a prominent role (tr7shzagrzhita ; cf. st. 4). It is described at Kaus. 27, 9-13, as follows: 9. ‘While reciting II, 29 (the per- former) at sunrise seats (the patient and a healthy person) back to back. 10. Having seated upon branches the patient with his face to the east, and the healthy person with his face to the west, having churned a stirred drink in a cup made of vetasa-reed by means of two (vetasa-reeds, used as) stirrers, upon the head of the person afflicted with thirst, he
Ii, 29. Commentary. 309
presents it to the person not suffering from thirst. 11. (Thus) to him he transfers the thirst. 12. (To the patient) he gives water (freshly) drawn to drink’, 13. While re- citing the second half of st. 6 he does as there stated (i.e. he covers them with one and the same garment, and lets them drink of the stirred drink).’ The performance implies the transference (vaguely suggesting the modern trans- fusion) of the disease upon some friend or menial. Cf. Kaiya¢a to Pazini V, 2, 92, as cited by Weber, Ind. Stud. XIII, 159 note. In the Teutonic folk-practices, transfer- ence of disease takes place without knowledge of the healthy; cf. Wuttke, Der deutsche Volksaberglaube, § 492 ff. The nature of the disease which harasses the. patient with thirst is not stated; it is, of course, likely to have been febrile in character.
The hymn figures also at Kaus. 54, 18 in the £idakarama,
the ceremony of tonsure. This in its character as a life-
giving hymn (Ayushya; cf. sts. 1, 2). The third stanza,
a familiar Yagus-formula, is quoted at Vait. Sd. 22, 16.
Previous translations: Weber, Ind. Stud. XIII, 194 ff. ;
Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 493.
The special quality of Agni as a bestower of life is
alluded to very frequently, e.g. II, 13, 1; 28, 1; cf. the
parallels cited in the introduction to the latter hymn.
Pada d is repeated elsewhere, e.g. I, 10, 2d.
The stanza, quoted at Vait. Sa. 22, 16, is repeated with variants in Maitr. S.1V,12, 3; Kats. 5. V, 2; Tait. S. III. 2, 8,5; Katy. Sr. X. 5, 3. The second hemistich also in Kats. S. XXXII, 2. In all these the difficult duals dhattam and saf#etasau are replaced by the singulars dadhatu and sdvarkasam (KAazz. suvarkasam), and all these texts under- stand Asir to be the nominative of the stem Asir, ‘ milk added to soma;’ see especially Vait. Sa. and Katy. Sr.,1.c. (4siram
' Cf. stanzas 5 and 6 of the hymn.
410 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
in the text of the Sitra). This construction fails here, and we have, as also Sayama (alternatively), and the former interpreters, taken 4siZ from stem Asis,‘ prayer.’ The dual dhattam in Pada b seems to refer proleptically to dyava- przthivi in st. 4, as Sayava assumes without hesitation The entire stanza is adapted secondarily ; we must in such cases follow the adaptation sympathetically, not the original sense which is entirely out of keeping with the situation.
e. gayam in the MSS. (Samhita and Padapa¢Za) seems to
stand for gayan (the other versions samgayan). Sayama
takes gayam as the noun, ‘victory and lands obtaining,’ &c.
This, too, is possible.
d. For anydn sapatnan, cf. Nala, I, 13, 14; III, 2, and
expressions like moAcTéy kal Tév GAAwv E€vwv, very common
in Greek; see the author in Amer. Journ. Phil. VII, 101.
The transition from the praying modal form in PAadas
a, b to the prophetic aorist in c, d, isa common one in the
Atharvan, e.g. II, 26, 5.
e, d. Cf. the Sftra in the introduction above. It seems difficult to conceive this hemistich in any other connection than that indicated by the Sitra. There it fits admirably. The patient and the healthy person clothed in the same garment assume a magically deceptive identity, like that of the Asvins!, so that the disease passes from one to the other. And yet this may not be a sautra mantra, but an adaptation of materials, originally composed in a different connection for a different purpose! Sayama, here as else- where, follows the Sdtra through thick and thin.
a. Sdyava says that Indra was struck by the demons,
Vritra, &c., but does not refer to any particular narrative.
ett
* ‘The Asvins, moreover, are the heavenly physicians, presumably conceived as being themselves free from disease. Thus both persons engaged in the practice are symbolically made healthy,
Il, 230. COMMENTARY. 311 Cf. RV. I, 32, 12.14; Tait.S. VI, 5, 5, 2. Weber suggests that the mention of Indra’s injury indicates that the patient’s thirst is due to fever consequent upon wounds.
II, 30. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 100.
The practices in the Kausika (part of the strikarmavi, 32, 28-36, 40) are stated at 35, 21. They seize upon and ~ embody with rather delicate symbolism the comparisons and metaphors which naturally appear in such poems. The performances are, however, not built up upon this hymn alone, but upon three others, VI, 8, 9, and 102, as follows: ‘While reciting the four hymns just mentioned, he places between two chips, taken respectively from a tree and a creeper which embraces it, an arrow!, sthakara-powder?, salve, kushtka (costus speciosus), sweet-wood, and a stalk of grass which has been torn by the wind; he mixes them with melted butter and anoints (the woman he loves) %.’ Cf. the following stanzas of the hymns: VI, 8,1; II, 30, 3; VI, 102, 3; II, 30,1; and VI, 102, 2. The paraphernalia and emotions of love are concretely embodied in a mixture, and drastically transferred upon the woman.
Previous translations: Weber, Ind. Stud. V, 218; XIII,
197 ff.; Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 517; Grill?, pp. 52,
97 ff. The Anukramazi, kaminimanosbhimukhikaravza-
kamasz.
b. The use of the root manth suggests the later man-
matha, ‘ god of love.’
" This represents, of course, Kama’s, the love-god’s, arrow. Cf. Weber, Ind. Stud. V, 225; XVUI, 290.
? No less than four forms of this word occur, sthakara, sthagara, tagara {-ri), and takar?. It is a fragrant powder; see, e.g Tait. Br. ll, 3, 10, 1-3; Gobh. Grzh. 1V, 2, 29.
* So~Sdyana, striy4 angam anulimpet. Differently Kesava,
aigam samAalabhet rudyartham, i.e. ‘he anoints himself so as to
make himself attractive.’
312 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
d, e. The two Padas are formulary; see I, 34, 5; VI, 8, 1-3.
a, b. Weber, Ludwig, and Grill regard kamina as dual, ‘the loving pair. I have adopted this, and not followed Sayavza in construing it as instrumental singular. The sense would then be, ‘if ye shall unite her with (me), her lover. The two Asvins, who woo Saryd for Soma (RV. X, 85, 8. 9. 14. 15), play here the part of gods of love; cf. AVE XIV, 15. 35.36 525-505) VI, 102) 4. The. anagolae thon between the two hemistichs is reproduced in the translation.
e. bhagdso, ‘fortunes, good fortunes, possibly with a
double entente (bhaga = vulva); cf. st. 5. The Pada,
moreover, suggests secondary adaptation; vam seems to
refer primarily to the Asvins, ‘your fortunes (i.e. the good
fortune bestowed by you) have arrived.’
The sense seems to be that the time of the birds’ amorous chirping, when they call to one another to mate, is the proper time for the lover's call to his mistress. Weber, Ind. Stud. V, 219, and Ludwig suggest, however, that the cry of the birds is regarded as a good omen. Sayama, vaktum ikavo bhavanti. In speaking of the arrow-point and the shaft, the poet has in mind the arrow as the weapon of the god of love; see III, 25, 1. 2; Ind. Stud. V, 2253; XVII, 290; Zeitschr. d. Deutsch. Morgenl. Gesellsch. XIV, 40, 269.
a,b. The entire mental condition of the maiden, and
perhaps also her utterances, shall be altered: the passage
is formulary. Sayama, ‘by this the conflict between her
speech and her thought is removed.’
e. Sayava on visvaripazdm, ‘having limbs full of fault-
lessness, and not previously enjoyed (in sexual love).’ But
the word may mean simply ‘of all sorts.’
Ii, 31. Commentary. 313
d. bhaga here seems to be used in a double meaning
(‘fortune,’ and ‘ vulva’); it is to be noted that Sayaza does
not paraphrase the word. Cf. XX, 136, 5. The Anukra-
mavzi, dampati parasparasz manograhavam akurutdm.
II, 31. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 22.
The Atharvan contains three charms against worms, II, 31 and 32; V,23'. The first of these seems to be of the general sort; the second is directed against worms in . cattle; the third is intended to cure worms in children. We must not, in my opinion, suppose that the assumption of the presence of worms was preceded by acute diagnosis. Professor A. Kuhn, in his admirable treatise on the con- nection between Teutonic and Vedic medicinal charms (Zeitschrift fiir vergleichende Sprachforschung. XIII, pp. 49 ff.; 113 ff.), has shown that the greatest variety of diseases are regarded in the naive view of folk-medicine as due to the presence of worms (see pp. 135 ff.); doubtless similar conceptions are at the base of the Hindu formulas. This accounts for ‘worms in the head’ (II, 31, 4); ‘the variegated worm, the four-eyed’ (II, 32, 2), and the like. Cf. also Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, pp. 98, 393; Wise, Hindu System of Medicine, pp. 307, 348 ff.; and Mann- hardt, Der Baumkultus der Germanen, pp. 12 ff. Less certain is the same scholar’s view that the similarity of the conceptions in this matter points back to proethnic charms, since the equal endowment of the two peoples (Hindus and Germans) may of itself suffice to account for the parallel results. But I must say that the more modern scepticism
1 Cf. elsewhere, Tait. Ar. IV, 36; Apast. Sr. XV, 19, 5; Gobh. Grih. 1V, 9, 19; Mantrabrahmama of the Sdma-veda II, 7; also Maitr. S. II], 14, 11; Tait. S. V, 5. 11,1; Vag. S. XXIV, 30; and the correlated hymn, RV. I, 191.
314 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
which stoutly denies the possibility of such productions in Indo-European times is at the present time more dogmatic than is at all warranted by the evidence. It is likely a priori that some of these folk-notions had crystallised in prehistoric times; if there was an Indo-European people —some will deny even that—there was also a crude Indo- European folk-lore. Cf. also the introduction to IV, 12.