Sayama also defines sakadhtima as brahmamza, but in a roundabout way. Primarily, according to his view, it is_ the fire in which lumps of dung have been placed, and from which the smoke rises (sakrztaZ sammbandhi dhimo yasminn agnau sa sakadhimas agniz). But agni (e.g. according to Tait. S. V, 2, 8, 2) is identical with brahmaza; cf. his words, agnitvena samkalpya, in the note above!. In the brahmodya-stanza, RV. I, 164, 43=AV. IX, 10, 25, occurs the expression sakamayam dhimam; this is paraphrased in Katyayana’s Sarvanukramazi and in Shadgurusishya’s comment (pp. 11,97 of Macdonell’s edition) by sakadhtiima, ‘dung-smoke.’ Possibly ‘the fire that gives forth dung- smoke’ (cf. Haug in the Proceedings of the Bavarian Academy, 1875, II, p. 506) forms the true mythic back- ground of these conceptions; the Brahman interpreter may be secondarily called sakadhtima. Weber, 1.c., surmises that it may be the first morning fire, kindled while the stars are still shining, and indicating by its rising or falling smoke the weather of the breaking day; cf. also the same author, In- dische Studien, V, 257; X,65; Nakshatra, II, 272, note; 393.
1 Sayama continues, tam sakadhtimam brahmawam pura naksha- trami tarakah raginam kandramasam akurvata. According to this the moon (fire) is the sakadhfima, the controller of the weather. This is good folk-lore: the Brahmawa may be the moon’s repre- sentative on earth,
5 34 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
Ee
VI, 130. COMMENTARY TO PAGE I04.
This and the following two hymns? are accompanied at Kaus. 36, 13-14 by. the following practices: * Bean-loves’ (mdshasmaran; Kesava and Sayama simply ‘beans, mashan) are thrown (upon the head of the person whose love is de- sired 2). Then the points of arrows (sara) are kindled and are cast in every direction about the effigy (of the desired person), its face fronting towards the performer. The bean (masha) is doubtless regarded as inflammatory food (cf. the Pythagorean prohibition), since it is forbidden at the fasts preliminary to holy practices, along with honey, salt, meat, and brandy; see Kaus. 1, 32, and note (and frequently elsewhere): its fitness in a love-charm seems derivable from this notion. A similar practice with the effigy occurs at Kaus. 35, 28 (see the introduction to ITT, 25).
The hymn has been interpreted by Weber, Indische
Studien, V, 244 ff.; Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 515; Grill?,
pp. 58, 174 ff.
The pada-MSS. read rathasgite yindm; Sayama substi- tutes dhinam for this yindm. But the text of the Sazzhita- MSS. justifies rathagiteyindm *. Weber, l. c., p. 345, note, refers by way of illustration of the present epithets of the Apsaras to the names samgayanti (IV, 38, 1), ugragit, ugrampasyd, and rdshfrabhrzt (VI, 118, 1. 2), and to the frequent warlike epithets of the Gandharvas, with whom they are associated closely (cf. e.g. Tait. S. III, 4, 7, 3). Grill, too daringly, emends to arthagitam Arthagitinam, supporting his theory by a reference to IV, 38, where the
* Thus according to the commentators: 131 and 132 are not otherwise rubricated.
* Thus Darila; according to Kesava, upon his couch, house, or bed; according to Séyaza, on the ground which he walks.
* The hymn is wanting in the Paippalada.
Vi, .1.32.., Commentary. 535
* Apsaras are implored for help in gambling. He supposes that they ‘ gain their object’ both in play and in love.
VI, 131. COMMENTARY TO PAGE I04.
For the practices connected with this hymn, see the
introduction to the preceding. Previous translations by
Weber, Indische Studien, V, 244 ff.; Grill’, pp. 58, 175 ff.
Anumati is the goddess of favour and consent; cf. the
play of words in d4nu manyasva (as in VII, 20). Akati
is the goddess of schemes. In XIX, 4, 2 she is called
Rittasya mata, ‘mother of thought’ (‘the wish is father to
the thought’). Cf. III, 8,5; V, 8, 2, &c.
VI, 132. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 104.
For the practices connected with this hymn, see the introduction to VI, 130. It has been translated by Weber, Indische Studien, V, 245, who supposes that it is the text of a brewing-charm (sudzauber), in which the person de- sirous cf love boils some concoction that attracts irresistibly the coy beloved. But the absence of any such practice in connection with the hymn casts much doubt upon this interpretation. It seems rather to allude to some mythic touch (akhyayika). Sdyaza suggests that the gods either poured Jove into the water, to quench him, or that they placed him into the atmospheric waters as ruler of all lovers, Varuva in the refrain is, of course, in the position of lord or controller of those waters, and varuvasya dharmawa is not remote from the meaning ‘ by the permission or order of Varuza.’ The whole savours of the conception that the gods poured smara into the waters either by way of punishing him for his attacks upon themselves ', or in order
1 Cf. the stories of their burning Kama, ‘love,’ e. g. Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts. I’, 112 ; 1V’, 364. Oris there still a different notion, namely that the fruitful waters are the natural seat of love?
536 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
Ty thee Se i dp
to quench him, and that the person practtsing the charm
kindles him anew with the permission of Varusa.
b. In Tait. S. III, 4, 7, 3, the Adhis, ‘ yearnings, are
personified as the Apsaras, the wives of Kama, ‘ love, the
Gandharva.
Indravi is the goddess of successful and happy conjugal
love; see our Contributions, Sixth Series, Zeitschrift der
Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesellschaft, XLVIII, 551 ff.
VI, 136. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 31.
The plant nitatni, ‘she that takes root’ (cf. the note on III, 12, 4d, and Ait. Br. VII, 31, 3), is not mentioned else- where.. In Tait..S. IV,.4;.5, 14.Kat%.5.. XL, 250 Vig LXVII, 7, the word designates a personification of one of the bricks of the fire-altar (ishzaka); in Tait. Br. III, 1, 4,1, one of the stars of the constellation kvzttika. This and the next hymn are supplied with practices at Kaus. 31, 28, to wit: The fruit of (the plant) mentioned in the mantra (i.e. the nitatni?), together with the plants givi and 4laka #, (are concocted into a solution) and poured (by the medicine-man) who is clothed in black and has éaten black food 3, in the early morning before the rise of the crows (upon the head of the person for whom the hair cure is undertaken). The exact virtue of these plants escapes
* The scholiasts agree in defining this by kAkama&?. The word is not elsewhere quotable as the name of a plant, but is mentioned in Bohtlingk’s Lexicon as a kind of spirituous liquor.
* Cf. Kausika, Introduction, pp. xlv and 1. Sayama has givantt for givi, and bhvznhgaraga for 4laka. On p. xlv we have written alaka, but Darila has 4l4k4. On the other hand Bohtlingk’s Lexicon, vol. i, p. 294, mentions alaka=alarka, ‘ calotropis gigantea,’
* That is sesame, beans, and the like; cf. Kausika, Introduction, p- xlix.
Vi, 138. Commentary. 537
our knowledge; the black colour symbolises, perhaps, the (black) hair.
The hymn has been translated by Zimmer, Altindisches
Leben, p. 68 (cf. also p. 264); Grill?, pp. 50, 176. The
Anukramazi, vanaspatyam, by kesavardhanakama Vitahavya
(VT, 197,'1).
b. For vriskate the Pet. Lex. suggests vriskyate. So also Sayana, khidyate. Cf. the note on XII, 4, 12.
VI, 137. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 3I.
For the employment in the ritual see the introduction to
the preceding hymn. Previous translations by Ludwig,
Der Rigveda, III, 512; Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, p. 68
(cf. also p. 264); Grill?, pp. 50,176. The Anukramazvi, as
in the preceding.
No further trace of this curious, probably ad hoc, legend (akhyayika) has been found. Sdyaza cites no parallels. Gamadagni is mentioned in connection with helpful charms at II, 32, 3; V, 28, 7; for Asita, cf. the note on I, 14, 4.
Zimmer renders abhisund, ‘ with the finger ;’ so also
Sayava with the Naighazéuka II, 4. 5, angulibhiZ. I do
not feel altogether convinced that the Pet. Lex. (s. v. abhisu)
is right in denying this meaning.
VI, 138. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 108,
Unsavoury and obscure is the performance associated with the recital of this hymn at Kaus. 48, 32-34. Urine and dung are put into the skin-bag that covers the tail of a calf, they are covered up with kakufa-fruits!, the entire
" For sepy4, ‘ skin of the tail,’ see Kausika, Introduction, p. liv ; for kakufa, ibid. xlviii. The latter word, however, is explained by
538 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
mess is crushed and dug into the ground?. Next (Sifitra 33) the (same) skin-bag and a reed (are crushed and dug into the ground?). Finally (Stitra 34) the reed is stuck into the skin-bag and again dug into the ground(?). The Sutras are extremely brief, and the scholiasts do not make clear these performances which reach the lowest plane even of Atharvanic doings.
The hymn has been rendered by Weber, Indische Studien,
V, 246; Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 470; cf. also Geldner,
Vedische Studien, I, 131; Zimmer, Altindisches Leben,
Index, p. 455 a.
d. The exact meaning of opasinam escapes us, owing to the complete absence of graphic representations. The lexicons, Weber and Zimmer, ‘ gelockt ;’ Ludwig, ‘ bezopft.’ - Sayama, as the scholiasts in general, derives opasa from the verb upasete, and arrives at the meaning ‘one with female organs’ (strivya%ganam). Geldner, |.c., has gone peculiarly astray in comparing the cuckold and translating ‘with horns, since, in .Maitr, 5, IT, 7, 5=Tait..S: [Vote eee Vag. S. XI, 56 the goddess Sinivali is described as suka- parda sukurira svopasa. All three epithets obviously refer to female methods of dressing the hair and the head. The notion here is that the eunuch shall develop hermaphroditic characteristics, and hence assume the head-gear of a woman. See stanzas 2 and 3, and cf. in addition AV. VIII, 6, 77; iW Be ae Apast. or. X, 9, 5-7; Sat, Br. Vl ieee 4, 1, 1; Katy. Sr. XIV, T, 14; AV, 5, 22.0 ee
Kesava in a very different way, namely, tasya (sc. vatsasya) wr7sha- naih, i.e., ‘the skin containing the mitrapurisham is covered up with the testicles of the calf.
* The scholiasts say, marmami nikhanati (cf. Kaus. 47,513; 48, 4). The digging is supposed to take place, symbolically, in the vital spot of the rival.
® The Gr. dey. tiri/in in this passage is doubtless identical with the later kirf/in, and again refers to some feminine mode of dressing, the head.
Vi, 139. Commentary. 539
seems to be some form of coiffure which has become at this stage of the literature a characteristic ornamentation of women; its primary meaning may have been ‘horn, but this is by no means rendered certain by Pazk. Br. XIII, 4, 3 (upon which Geldner relies), since it may be figurative in that sense.
Stanzas 2, 3.
The exact meaning of kurira (Sayava, kesagdlam),
kuririn (Sayava, kuriraZ kesak tadvantam kuru), and
kumba (Sayava, abharavam strivdm) is again uncertain,
but they all refer to female head-gear.
VI, 139. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 102.
The present charm is apparently addressed to a plant which is, however, not mentioned by name, unless nyastika be a proper noun. The hymn is rubricated, along with VI, 129 and VII, 38, at Kaus. 36,12: the person practising the charm digs up a suvarfala-plant 1, with the ceremonies pertaining to the digging up of plants (cf. Kaus. 33, 9. 16), fastens (its) white blossoms upon his head, and thus enters the village. Neither of the two other hymns (VI, 129 and VII, 38) defines the plant more specifically *: the exactitude of the Sitra does not inspire confidence.
The hymn has been rendered by Weber, Indische Studien, V, 247; Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 515.
For the formulaic numbers see the analogical parallels
mentioned by A. Kuhn in Zeitschrift fiir vergleichende
Sprachforschung, XIII, 133. The Gz. Aey. nyastika is
* Darila, suvarkala prasiddha trisamdhyasadrzsi (cf. the introduc- tion to lV, 20); Kesava has sankhapushpi and sfiryavela (cf. sirya- valli) ; Sayama, sankhapushpik4, ‘andropogon aciculatus.’
* Cf. however the epithet mampasy4a, VII, 38, 1, with the descrip- tion in LV, 20, 1. This again points to the plant trisamdhya.
540 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
We ee ES rr
obscure: Kuhn and Ludwig incline to its construction as
a proper noun, and that may ‘be correct. Sayama, (‘the
plant) that suppresses the characteristics of ill-luck.’ Our
rendering is etymological, and equally guess-work.
a. Most of Shankar Pandit’s MSS. read samushpala for
samushyala. SAyava also, samushpala samyak uptaphala
sati. The Pet. Lexs. derive the word (a dm. Aey.) from
a root ush=us, the weak form of vas, ‘arousing love’;’
Ludwig, doubtfully, ‘ procuress.’ We, with Weber (‘ zusam-
men uns brennend’), derive the word from ush, ‘burn.’
Everything is uncertain.
The hostility of the ichneumon and the serpent is known
in Hindu literature from earliest to latest times’. The
putting together of the serpent by the ichneumon refers
perhaps to the cat-like antics of the animal over his prey.
It is a lame comparison at the best.
VI, 140. COMMENTARY TO PAGE IIo.