The two Agnis are explained by Sayama, correctly, we believe, as the fire of the sun and the terrestrial fire, eko seniz anudyatsiryatmako vartate, aparak parthivosgniz przthivya upari vartate. And further: ‘The combined rays of this (terrestrial) fire and the sun, exceedingly strong in their fusion, expand upon heaven and earth.’
Sayama regards Varuva (cf. stanzas 14, 15) as the subject of the first hemistich, abhikrandan . .. megheshu stanitasz gargitam kurvan syatingaz (!Shankar Pandit; the MSS. have syamtigah) syetavarvam galaptrzam praptak evam- bhito varuvzaz. There is no reason for thus separating the twe hemistichs. Sdyaza is squeamish about endowing a Brahmafarin with a brzhak khépah; but he enacts here the rdle of Pragdpati, and the predication of a penis is as natural as that of the more commonplace semen (rétas).
d. Ludwig, ‘ihr 4gya ist der mensch, regen und wasser.’
We have translated with Sayava. Cf. RV. X, 51, 8, ghrztasm
ka=paém purusham kai«shadhindm, which carries the note
of a vague relationship with our passage, but does not
remove the obscurity. ss 2
628 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
: Stanza 24. | For brdhma bhragat (again the sun), cf. Kaus. 97, 8 (p. 253).
XI, 6. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 160.
The hymn is rubricated, Kaus. 9, 2. 4, in the two so-called sAntigazas (cf. Ath. Paris. 32, 26.27). These are lists of purificatory hymns and stanzas, employed especially at the preparation of the santyudaka, ‘holy water’ (Kaus. 9, 8 ff.). According to the Gazamala, Ath. Paris. 32, 32 the hymn, with the exception of stanzas 7, 9, 22, and 23, which strike a different key, is a member of the aholingagama, a list of stanzas characterised by the presence of the word azzhas, ‘ misfortune, calamity ;’ cf. Kaus. 32,27. The chief interest of the hymn lies in the clear and fairly complete presenta- tion of the pantheon of the time. This is very much on the plane of the Yagus-texts and the Brahmawas.
For the group of divinities addressed in this stanza, see the introduction to XI, 2.
For the use of the word bheshag&ni as an equivalent
of ‘holy’ Atharvan charms, cf. Sankh. Sr. XVI, 2,9; Asv.
Sr. X, 7,3; Pazk. Br. XII, 9, 10. See the introduction to
the present volume.
Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, p. 72, assumes that sdha
is the designation of a plant, and this view may be supported
from the Hindu lexicographers. In the Index Verborum
the word figures under the stem sdhas. Our rendering
implies the adjective sdha, ‘mighty,’
The entire stanza and certain turns of its expression are
formulaic; see III, 7, 9. 10, and cf. the Pet. Lex. under artava.
Xi, 7. Commentary. 629
Stanzas 19, 20.
The two are identical, except that sdrvan and sarvabhiz
are substituted in 20, for visvan and visvabhifz in 19.
Cf. Kaus. 56, 133 74, 3.
The little story (4khydyika) here alluded to is not, to our knowledge, illumined by the rest of the literature. Méatalt is mentioned once more, RV. X, 14, 3, in a totally different connection. Cf. Kaus. 58, 25, and Kausika, Index D, under the stanza.
XI, 7. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 226.
The Vedic writings are extremely shifty in assigning to a first cause the creation and maintenance of the universe, | in the course of their cosmogonic speculations. There are purely philosophical abstractions like sat (being) and asat (non-being), tad (that), eka (the only); cosmic forces like brahma, kala (time), kama (love), praza (breath) ; and per- sonal creators like Pragapati, Purusha, Visvakarman, Hira- myagarbha, and Paramesh¢din. But further, in the course of the speculations of the Brahmawas, universal or special cosmogonic power is attributed to all sorts of trivial circum- stances, even down to the special features and implements of the sacrifice. The priestly power (cf. XI, 5), and the priestly activity, are made to stand for the cosmic force with which they aim to establish relations. Sdyavzea is quite right, therefore, in correlating the present hymn with such a statement as is made in Tait. Br. I, 1, 9, 1 (cf. also Mait. S. II, 1, 12), where divinities are born of the leavings of the brahmaudana (see XI, 1; XII, 3) which had been eaten by Aditi. The hymn is nothing but a momentary symbolic transfer of the divine, or pantheistic attributes to a certain ritualistic feature made prominent for the time being. The writer knows that he is simply transferring his most fulsome cosmogonic conceptions in order to accen- tuate a to him important ritualistic act, the consumption of the leavings of the sacrifice. The veil is thin; everything
630 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
that is said here fits the brahma, or some other embodi- ment, and Sayava boldly establishes the equation ukkishéa =brahma. Accordingly, too, in at least two stanzas (15, 16) the uskishZa is personified as the masculine ukkishZas, quite in the manner of the relation of the neuter brahma to the masculine brahmdan. We may note, however, that the road for this drastic transfer is opened in a measure by the philosophical position of the word anna, ‘food.’ This is a prominent link in the chain that unites man to the universe. See, e.g. Tait. Up. III, 3, and the stately array of passages in Jacob’s Concordance to the principal Upani- shads, s.v. The interest of the hymn lies rather in the attempt which it makes to exploit exhaustively the chief concerns of Brahmanical existence and belief. Except. for its metrical form it belongs to Brahmavza literature. See Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, vol. v, p. 396 ff., and Scherman, Philosophische Hymnen aus der Rig- und Atharva-veda-Samzhita, p. 87 ff., where partial translations of the hymn are essayed.
d. The translation of Pada d is mere guess-work. Since vra means ‘ throng,’ dra would seem to mean the converse ; cf. the root dra, ‘run:’ ‘that which is assembled and that which is scattered, i.e. ‘that which is confined and that which is free,’ or the like. Sdayava, vrak varako varuzah drak dravakak amrztamayak somak. The difficulty is in- creased by the appearance of another mystic monosyllable, nyaz in st.4a. The Pet. Lex. suggests that all three are artificial abbreviations.
a. This Pada is again nearly hopeless. The vulgate reads drzmha sthiro, and Whitney in the Index Verborum classifies drvzmha as an imperative. But an imperative is out of place in this hymn which is throughout descriptive. Shankar Pandit with the Padapa¢ha and Sdyawa reads drimhasthiré as a compound (Sayama, drimhanena sthirikrito loka). I have thought of dridhadrzmha{Z), ‘he who fastens that
XI, 9. COMMENTARY. 631
which is firm:’ it is a mere guess. Cf. bhimidvzszha, V,
28,14; XIX, 33, 2. Sdyavza glosses nya by netarah,
‘leaders,’ but we should then at least expect nya# with the
circumflex. I have preferred the singular; cf. vraZ and
draz in 3d.
Information regarding the great variety of terms con-
nected with the liturgy and the sacrifice in this and the
following stanzas is to be obtained every time from the
Pet. Lex. For this stanza, cf. Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III,
25. For the obscure expression tan mdyi in Pada d, cf.
sts. 12, 14, and srir mayi in st. 1.
The beginning of the mahdndmni-verses is given by Sayama, as follows: vida maghavan vida gatum anu samsisho disak (Ait. Ar. IV,1). Cf. Proc. Berl. Acad. 1868, p. 244.
Stanza ll.
b. The expression ubhayaz saha has been rendered, not
without grave misgivings, upon Sayavza’s authority, ubhaya
ity anena £atdratradinam dviguzitatvazz vivakshitam.
Three earths and three heavens are mentioned frequently ; see Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, vol. v, p. 304 ff., and the note on IV, 20, 2. Nine are unique.
According to Sdyawva the mantras called #aturhotarah are Tait. Ar. III, 1-5. Cf. the Pet. Lex. s.v.
d. We have followed Sayava, who reads samsritah sritaz.
The error which extends to the Padapa/da seems to be due
to the singulars ahita nihita hita at the end of the next
stanza.
XI, 9. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 123.
Arbudi and Nyarbudi, two divinities, friends of Indra
(indramedinau, sts. 4 and 18), are implored to help in
battle, and destroy the enemy. These two are associated
632 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
in XI, 9, and especially XI, 10 with a third, Trishamdhi, ‘Three-joints, who is evidently the personification of a three-jointed weapon (vagreva trishamdhina in XI, 10, 3 and 27). Cf. the trishamdhi ishu, or the trikazda ishu, ‘ three- jointed arrow,’ in Ait. Br. I, 25, 5; III, 33, 5; Sat. Br. II, I,2,9. Further, the employment of the two hymns (XI, g and 10) in the Kausika renders it possible to assume that all three divinities are personifications of peculiar weapons, or machines employed in the rough warfare of the time. The warlike practices in question (Kesava and Sayaza, gayakarmAavi) are described, Kaus. 16, 21-26, as follows: 21. ‘With the two hymns, XI, 9 and 10 (the king’s chaplain, the purohita), exhorts (the warriors) in accordance with the indications (of the hymns). 22. For sacrifice he employs “speckled ghee!.” 23. He next performs the practices which end with the act of handing over (the bow), and the practices of scattering (snares and traps in the way of the enemy”). 24. Along with the scattered (snares, &c.) he places three-jointed weapons (trishaszdhini), weapons that have the form of bolts (vagrarfipavi), and weapons that have the form of arbudi®. 25. A white-footed (cow) is anointed with the dregs of ghee and fastened with a rope of darbha-grass to the staff which serves the king to rest upon(?). 26. A second (white-footed cow) is driven (toward the enemy).’ The last two Siitras bristle with
* Cf. XI, 10, 19, ‘Speckled ghee’ is ghee mixed with sour milk. See the Pet. Lex. s.v. przshadagya.
* They are given in detail, respectively at Kaus. 14, 8-11 (cf. the introduction to VI, 97), and 14, 28-9.
* Darila: The trishamdhini are for cutting (khedaya), the vagra- riipami are for breaking (bhedaya), the arbudirfipami are for bringing to fall (pataya). To these vague statements may be added the following, vagraripazi pamduramgakapdlakartrzka shash/ikatu- shkam arbuder eva riipam yeshdm vartulani. And further ‘all are made of brass, all are tied with ropes.’ They would seem to be destructive instruments placed in the way of the enemies’ attack. Sayawa explains trisamdhini (!) as lohamayani patrami, ‘ brazen vessels.” Kesava offers nothing of consequence.
Xi, 9. Commentary. 633
difficulties. Sdyawa says. sitipadim gam, ‘a white-footed cow,’ but Darila at Kaus. 14, 22 (cf. AV. III, 19) has me- shim, ‘a white-footed she-goat.’ At AV. XI, Io, 6 (see the note on the passage, and cf. also XI, 10, 20) a white-footed, four-footed arrow is spoken of; this seems to indicate that the white-footed animal is let loose as a symbolic arrow, to find its way into the camp of the enemy (scape-goat ?): in this way Sutra 26 obtains sense. Further, the word up4- sanga is obscure. We have translated tentatively and doubtfully according to Darila’s indication, visramawartho- rdhvagadazdah; Kesava has simply rag#o (Cod. ragaa daudah ; Sayana, rag#as kihnitaketudazde rahasyam ba- dhniyat, ‘he shall secretly tie (the cow) to the staff of the characteristic banner of the king.’ The Pet. Lex. assumes for updsanga the meaning ‘vicinity, but the word ordinarily | means ‘ quiver.’ Is there a ‘staff of the quiver?’
We have no information in the Veda itself regarding Arbudi and Nyarbudi, aside from this and the next hymn. Sayaza says that they were serpents (see st. 5), the sons of that Serpent-Azshi Arbuda (Kadraveya, the son of Kadri), to whom tradition ascribes the composition of RV. X, 94 and 175; cf; Asv. Sr. V, 12, 9. 23; X, 7. Four words are concerned in the elucidation of this matter, arbuda (arbuda), and nyarbuda, arbudi and nyarbudi, and their manifold meanings do not bridge over to our subject with any degree of firmness. Only one point I would suggest: the forms with the prefix ni are in all probability the result of a verbal misconstruction. Arbuda in the Rig-veda is a demon-serpent whom Indra is bound to slay. At RV. II, 11, 20 we have ny arbudasm vavrzdhano asta, ‘thou (Indra),having waxed mighty, didst prostrate Arbuda ;’ similarly VIII, 32, 3, ny 4rbudasya vishtapam varshmanzam brzhatds tira, ‘ pierce the high resting-place of great Arbuda;’ cf. also I, 51,6; II, 14, 4. I believe that nyarbuda and nyarbudi owe their intrinsically meaningless prefix ni to such verbal juxtapositions which could be easily misunderstood. A still greater curiosity is the friendly relation of Arbudi and Nyarbudi, as ancillary war-gods, with Indra, notwith-
634 HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
standing Indra’s hostility to Arbuda in the RV. Note also the apparent epithet of Indra, nardabuda, at TS. ITI, 3, 10,1. Whether it is in any way connected with this cycle of ideas it is impossible to say. The present hymn has been translated by Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 530-1.