Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book I/Hymn 1
1. For the retention of sacred learning.
[Atharvan.—vācaspatyam. caturṛcam. ānuṣṭubham: 4. 4-p. virāḍ urobṛhatī.]
The hymn is found also near the beginning of Pāipp. i. MS. (iv. 12. 1 end) has the first two verses. It is called in Kāuç. (7. 8; 139. 10) triṣaptīya, from its second word; but it is further styled (as prescribed in 7. 8) briefly pūrva 'first,' and generally quoted by that name. It is used in the ceremony for "production of wisdom" (medhājanana: 10. 1), and in those for the welfare of a Vedic student (11. 1); further, with various other passages, in that of entrance upon Vedic study (139. 10); and it is also referred to, in an obscure way (probably as representing the whole Veda of which it is the beginning), in a number of other rites with which it has no apparent connection (12. 10; 14. 1; 18. 19; 25. 4; 32. 28); finally (13. 1, note), it is reckoned as belonging to the varcasya gaṇa. And the comm. ⌊p. 5, end⌋ quotes it as used by a pariçiṣṭa (5. 3) in the puṣpabhiṣeka of a king. The Vāit. takes no notice of it.
Translated: Weber, iv. 393; Griffith, i. 1.
1. The thrice seven that go about, bearing all forms—let the lord of speech assign to me today their powers, [their] selves (tanū́).
Trisaptā́s is plainly used as the designation of an indefinite number, = 'dozens' or 'scores.' Supposing çrutá to signify one's acquired sacred knowledge, portion of çruti, it perhaps refers to the sounds or syllables of which this is made up. If, on the other hand, çruta (as in vi. 41. 1) means 'sense of hearing,' the triṣaptās may be the healthy hearers, old and young (so R.). R. prefers to regard tanvàs as gen. sing.: tanvò me = 'to me'; the comm. does the same; Weber understands accus. pl. Read in our edition bálā (an accent-sign dropped out under -lā).
As an example of the wisdom of the comm., it may be mentioned that he spends a full quarto page and more on the explanation of triṣaptās. First, he conjectures that it may mean 'three or seven'; as the three worlds, the three guṇas, the three highest gods; or, the seven seers, the seven planets, the seven troops of Maruts, the seven worlds, the seven meters, or the like. Secondly, it may mean 'three sevens,' as seven suns (for which is quoted TA. i. 7. 1) and seven priests and seven Adityas (TA. i. 13. 3; RV. ix. 114. 3), or seven rivers and seven worlds and seven quarters (TB. ii. 8. 38), or seven planets and seven seers and seven Marut-troops. Thirdly, it may signify simply thrice seven or twenty-one, as twelve months + five seasons + three worlds + one sun (TS. vii. 3. 105), or five mahābhūtas + five breaths + five jñānendriyas + five karmendriyas + one antaḥkaraṇa. At any rate, they are gods, who are to render aid. ⌊Discussed by Whitney, Festgruss an Roth, p. 94.⌋
2. Come again, lord of speech, together with divine mind; lord of good, make [it] stay (ni-ram); in me, in myself be what is heard.
Two of our mss. (H. O.) have rāmaya in c. Ppp. begins with upa neha, and has asoṣpate in c, which R. prefers. But MS. rather favors our text, reading, for c, d, vásupate ví ramaya máyy evá tanvàm máma; and it begins a with upapréhi. The comm. explains çrutam as upādhyāyād vidhito 'dhītaṁ vedaçāstrādikam; and adds "because, though well learned, it is often forgotten."
3. Just here stretch thou on, as it were the two tips of the bow with the bow-string; let the lord of speech make fast (ni-yam); in me, in myself, be what is heard.
Ppp. reads, in a, b, tanū ubhey aratnī. With the verse is to be compared RV. x. 166. 3. Prāt. i. 82 prescribes the pada-reading of ā́rtnī॰iva, and iv. 3 quotes abhi vi tanu. ⌊That is, apparently (a), 'Do [for me] some stretching [or fastening],' namely, of my sacred learning, as also in c.⌋
4. Called on is the lord of speech; on us let the lord of speech call; may we be united with (sam-gam) what is heard; let me not be parted with what is heard.
Ppp. has, for b ff., upahūto 'haṁ vācaspatyu soṁsṛtena rādhasi sāmṛtena vi rādhasi—badly corrupt. For similar antitheses with upahū, see AB. ii. 27; VS. ii. 10 b, 11 a. In AA. (ii. 7. 1) is a somewhat analogous formula for the retention of what is heard or studied (adīta): çrutam me mā pra hāsīr anenā 'dhītenā 'horātrānt saṁ dadhāmi. The Anukr. notes the metrical irregularity of the second pāda.