The practice consists in washing the calf, sprinkling it with the cow’s urine, leading it thrice around (the cow), and tying it (near her), while the hymn is being recited. It is then recited once more over the head and ears of the calf. The symbolic force of these acts is apparent. The hymn has been translated by Grill’, pp. 65,165. The Anukramavzi, aghnyam.
a, b. Sdyava, ‘as meat is liked by the eater, as brandy is most welcome, and as dice are most welcome at the gaming-place.’ Grill connects mamsam and surda rather too closely, ‘as sura goes with meat. But cf. RV. VII, 86, 6; AV. XIV, I, 35. 36; XV, 9,1. 2, where sura and gambling are associated. All three, being forbidden fruit, inspire strong attachment in their devotees. Cf. the practices in the introduction to III, 30 (Kaus. 12, 6-9).
The interrelation of the parts of the wheel are not clear: pradhi and upadhi may be respectively the outer felloe (Sayama, rathakakrasya nemiz), and a second circular part closely joined to the felloe (Sayava, nemisaszbaddhak aravam sambandhako valayad). They may be, respectively the tire (ordinarily pavi), and the felloe; or, the felloe,and some inner connective circle next to the felloe. We have, how- ever, followed the Pet. Lex. and Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, p. 248, in regarding upadhi as the spokes, taken collectively. Sayawa takes nabhyam in this latter sense,
494 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
nabhyasz nabhaye hitasz rathakakramadhyaphalakam pra-
dhav adhi nemidese sambadhnati. ;
VI, 71. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 106.
An expiatory prayer (prayaskittam) to obviate any im- propriety, such as greed and worldliness, on the part of the Brahman who receives gifts, or the absence of sacredness in the gift itself. At Kaus. 45, 17 it is recited along with other mantras upon the receipt of the dakshiva; at Kaus. 57, 29-30 the begging Brahman disciple offers, while re- citing the hymn, the fruits of his mendicancy: the firewood which he has begged is put on the fire in the evening and in the morning, while reciting this hymn. At Vait. St. 4. 16 the Brahman consumes with it his share of the rice-cakes at the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices.
The hymn has been translated by Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 433; Grill’, pp. 66,165. The Anukramazi, brahma
ssoneyain.
This seems to be spoken by a non-Brahmanical sacrificer (yagamana), to make sure that the fruits of his sacrifice shall not fail him. For the second hemistich the Dasa Karmavi (paddhati) at Kaus. 57, 29 substitutes the second hemistich of VI, 53, 2.
VI, 73. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 135.
This is one of the saszmanasydani (sc. siktani), ‘charms designed to produce harmony,’ treated at Kaus. 12, 5 ff. See the introduction to III, 30 for the practices connected with these hymns. The charm seems to be undertaken by the patriarchal head of a community ; cf. Sat. Br. IV, 1, 5, 3 ff. The hymn is rubricated also among the vastosh- patiyani (sc. siktani), ‘hymns to Vastoshpati’ (cf. st. 3, note), at Kaus. 8, 23, and note; the third stanza in the course of ceremonies connected with the building of a house, Kaus.
Vi, 75. Commentary. 495
23,6. Cf. also the push¢ika mantra, in the note on Kaus. Ig, I.
e. The MSS. are divided between ta khrivayami, tan
khri-, and tan sri- (Padapazfa, tan sri-). The vulgate has
tam kfri-, emended in the Index Verborum to td sri-.
Shankar Pandit adopts Sdyaza’s rather vapid sivayami
(tas vividham akttisz bala ha... parasparasamzbaddham
karomi).
Both Pishan, the guardian of the distant ways, and Vastoshpati, the genius of home, are invited to co-operate with the person desiring adherents, in order to put a stop to dissension and disintegration.
VI, 74. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 135.
This is one of the saszmanasy4ni (sc. siktani), ‘charms designed to produce harmony,’ treated at Kaus. 12, 5. See the introduction to III, 30 for the practices connected with
these hymns.
d. The word srantam seems suspicious. Possibly santam is intended ‘with the peace of Bhaga.’ The root sam is
used with words for ‘strife,’ vigraha, Kathdsaritsdgara 56, 96; vaira, Mahabh. XIV, 2509.
Cf. Tait. S. II, 1, 11, 3, with the variant rudra% for ugraz (Sayava = rudrak). Sayava explains triviman as the threefold fire of the earth, lightning, and sun, or, as the threefold fire of the sacrifice (garhapatya, &c.). Cf. the gloss at Tait. S., l.c.
VI, 75. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 92.
This hymn is an abhifarika-hymn, and is, accordingly,
rubricated twice in the sixth adhydya of the Kausika,
which is devoted to hostile (witchcraft) practices. The
496 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
so-called samsthitahomas, ‘final oblations,’ in the case of auspicious (santa) performances, are undertaken while VII, 97 is being recited. Thus according to Kaus. 6, 3 (cf. also 3,19, note). But in the case of abhi#arika-practices, accord- ing to the Paribhasha-sitra 47, 10, a sinister turn is given to the sasthitahomas by reciting the present hymn with them!. The more special practice attached to this hymn is at Kaus. 48, 29-31. The sacrificial straw is spread with the thumb. Reed-grass (or an arrow, sara?) is thrown upon it from baskets made of kadvindu*. By means of a leaf of the red asvattha an oblation® (of ingida-oil; 47, 3); dashed with poison, is offered. There is no special rapport between the hymn and the ceremony.
Previous translations by Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 373;
Grill*, pp. 22, 165 ff. The Anukramavz?, mantroktade-
vatyam aindram sapatnakshayakamaz. The entire hymn
recurs with variants, and markedly different arrangement
of the Padas, at Apast. Or. Jil, t4, %>. Ch, also LalGrse we
1, 10, Sit,
VI, 77. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 106.
This charm is obviously a patchwork of mantras of various original values. The first hemistich of stanza 1 is identical with VI, 44,1 a,b. The second hemistich of st. 3 is also formulaic (cf. Vag. S. XII, 8), and fits poorly into the present conception of the hymn. The second stanza (= RV. X, 19, 5) is clearly derived from a charm calculated to bring stray cattle home. As the hymn stands it would answer this purpose quite well, but the Kausika, 36, 5-9, as explained by the commentaries, treats it as a charm for capturing a runaway woman, or holding in check a woman
* The oblations in the latter case, implicitly, are not of ghee, but of ingida-oil; cf. 47, 3.
> Cf. 47,1; Tait. S. II, 1, 5. 7. Our rendering of the dz. Xey. kadvindukosh/haif is conjectural.
* This is the nairbadhyam havfs (st. 1). For these especially pointed havis, see the note on VI, 39, 1.
Vi, 77. Commentary, 497
disposed to run away?. The proceedings consist in fasten- ing a band down the cross-beam of the house and then fastening it to the middle post”. Then the foot of the (woman’s) bed is fastened to an utpala-plant (nymphaea) °. Further it is fastened to an akvishZa*. Finally sesame is offered by means of a coal-rake (akarsha: cf. Darila). The two words akrzshza and akarsha both contain the root karsh with 4, ‘drag back;’ cf. Akvzsh¢imantra, ‘charm for drawing a person to one’s self,’ Hitopadesa, book I, sloka go. There can be no doubt as to the meaning of the performances: they are intended to hold fast, or to compel the return of a person that has gone off.
The hymn has been translated by Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 468, under the heading asvah (‘ horses’).
For the use of the aorists in this and the following stanza, cf. Delbriick, Syntaktische Forschungen, II, 87. To our feeling presents would be preferable to the aorists, and we might perhaps have better so rendered. In Padad Sayana supplies iva (luptopamam) with asvan, and striyam with atish7Zipam, in slavish adherence to the Sitra.. See the introduction.
Padas b, c are formulaic: cf. Vag. S. XII, 8. °
1 Sayama, palayanasilayaA striya nirodhanakarmazi. The posi- tion of the charm in the second part of the fourth adhydya of the Sfitra, among the strikarmazi (Kaus. 32, 28-36, end), shows that Kausika himself regards it as a practice concerning women.
* The symbolism is obvious. For the parts of the house, cf. III, 12, 6, and the introduction to III, 12. See also Zimmer, Altin- disches Leben, p. 153.
* This is very doubtful. The word utpale here, as at Kaus. 35, 26 (see the introduction to III, 25), is very problematic. SAdyana has upale, ‘to a stone.’ Apparently a specious, easier reading.
* Whatever that may be. Darila, 4krzsh/ah matrzke sti prasi- ddhabhidhanas tasmin sayanapadam badhnati. See Pet. Lex. under m4tr7k4.
(42] Kk
498 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
VI, 78. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 96.
In the light of the words bhiténa (st. 1 a), and rash/réva (st. 2 b) it would seem as though this blessing related to the marriage of a royal personage (kshatriya). The central idea of this charm is the bhitazz havis, ‘oblation that produces power;’ cf. especially IV, 8, 1, and the yaso havis, ‘oblation that yields glory, VI, 39. The latter forms also part of the practices of a king (see the introduction to VI, 38). But there is nothing in the treatment of the hymn. Kaus. 78, 10. 14-16, to show that it refers to a royal couple, though that is not conclusive as regards its original intent. The practices consist in pouring the dregs of ghee upon the heads of the couple, after they have come home (a kind of consecration, abhisheka) ; in causing them to eat together of fluid food (rasa; cf. st. 1 d) and porridge; and, finally, in offering as much barley mixed with ghee as can be held in the two hands placed side by side.
The hymn has been translated by Weber, Indische
Studien, V, 238; Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 371 ff.; Grill ?,
pp. 57, 166. The Anukramazi to the first two stanzas,
kandramasyau (cf. 4 pyayatam, st. 1; abhi vardhatam, st.
2)... gayabhivrzddhyai Zandramasam astaud rayis ka
dampatyor aprarthayat; to the third stanza, tvash/¢ri.
a; b. For bhaténa the Paippalada reads bhitasya; Grill suggests bhityena. But the use of the noun in apposition. rather than the attributive adjective, seems to be idiomatic in connection with these pregnantly employed havis: see yaso havis, VI, 39, 1 (cf. the note there), and abhivartam havis, RV. X, 174, 1. Weber regards Agni as the subject . of 4 pydyatam ; Sdyava, the bridegroom. The latter is correct, but it would seem as though the passage alluded to the moon (cf. the Anukramavi), the typical bridegroom ; cf. RV. X, 85, 6 ff. = AV. XIV, 1, 6 fff.
d. The Paippalada has sa rasenabhi vardhatam. The rendering of the Pada is not at all certain; the word rdsena
Vi, 79. Commentary. 499
(and payasa in st. 2) surely alludes to sexual sap (cf. RV. I, 105, 2): some such sense as ‘he causes the wife to increase with his semen’ is to be expected. But vardhatam is not causative, and we have given a purely philological rendering. Cf. alsoRV.X,174,1d; AV.I,29,1d. Weber, ‘das (weib) még’ umwachsen er mit kraft ;’ Ludwig, ‘die soll er mit dem besten gedeihen machen (vardhatam);’ Grill, ‘ fiir's weib ... nehm er an zeugungskrdften zu.’
VI, 79. COMMENTARY TO PAGE I4I.
The performance which accompanies this charm at Kaus. 21,7 consists in placing a stone upon a grain-bag (cf. st. 2b), sprinkling it, laying upon it a handful of grain with each of the three stanzas, and letting (another person also) lay on (three hands full). The hymn is also rubricated at Vait. Sa. 31,4; Gop. Br. II, 4, 9, where nabhasaspati is explained as vayu, ‘wind, and deva saszsphana as aditya, ‘sun.’ The Atharvaziya-paddhati (Kaus. 19, 1, note) counts the hymn among the push¢ika mantra, ‘hymns that produce pros- perity. The hymn recurs with notable variants at Tait. S. III, 3, 8, 2-3; cf. also III, 3, 8, 6.
ce. The Padapazha does not analyse dsamatim, either here of at RV. X, 60, 2. 51. The Pet.. Lex. renders. it, by ‘incomparable.’ Bohtlingk, in the smaller lexicon, emends it to dsamarti, ‘exemption from injury;’ cf. asamartyai in the passage cited above from the Tait. S. We with Sayava, matir manam parifkfedas tena saha vartata iti samati#, tadvaiparityam asamatiz.
ce. The PAda is formulaic: Tait. Br. III, 7, 5,7, tasyas te bhakshivawak sy4ma; Maitr. S. I, 4, 3; 5, 3. 10; Apast.
' The later tradition regards asamati as a proper name; cf. Sayana on RV., and Weber, Ind. Stud. X, 33.
Kk 2
500 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
ee NE Ren ia eS
Sr. IV, 13, 7, tasyds (tasya) bhaktivano bhfyasma ; cfi
Whitney, Sanskrit Grammar?, § 462 d.
VI, 80. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 13.