Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VI/Hymn 60

60. For winning a spouse.

[Atharvan (?).—āryamaṇam. ānuṣṭubham.]

Found also in Pāipp. xix. Used by Kāuç. (34. 22), in a women's rite, for obtaining a husband, with an oblation to Arymaman (it is added, purā kākasampātāt, which the comm. explains by kākasaṁcārāt pūrvam).

Translated: Weber, Ind. Stud. v. 236; Zimmer, p. 306; Grill, 56, 164; Griffith, i. 278; Bloomfield, 95, 491.

1. Here cometh Aryaman, with locks ⌊-stupá⌋ loosened in front, seeking a husband for this spinster, and a wife for a wifeless one.

Ppp. reads in b viṣatastugaḥ (i.e. viṣitastukaḥ). Our edition has -srupaḥ, the manuscript distinction of sru and stu being always doubtful, and the majority of the authorities here giving as plainly sru as it is possible to give it. The comm. explains viṣita- as viçeṣeṇa sito baddhaḥ, and as used of the "rays" (stupa-) of the sun (aryaman) in the east (purastāt). Aryaman is perhaps properly rendered here by 'suitor, match-maker' ('Brautwerber,' Weber, Grill); but doubtless at any rate the address implies an identification of such a functionary with the god Aryaman. The pada-reading in b, vísita॰stupaḥ, is quoted under Prāt. iv. 77. In c, asyā́ ichán is the chosen example in the Prāt. commentary (under ii. 21 et al.) of the saṁdhi it illustrates, although the meter shows that the irregular combination asye ’chan requires to be made, and the Anukr. apparently winks at it. Ppp. has the corrupt reading sa vāi chāyad ag- ⌊intending sa vāi ’ched?⌋. ⌊Correct the ed. to -stupaḥ.⌋

2. This woman, O Aryaman, hath toiled, going to other women's assembly; now, O Aryaman, shall another woman come to her assembly.

Ppp. reads in c nv asyā ’ryaman. The comm. has çamanam in b and d, and anu for nu in c. He makes no difficulty in taking ā́yati (p. ā॰áyati) as a 3d pl., which it is not; we ought to have either ā́yan (ā॰áyan), or ā́nya instead of anyā́ḥ: the translation implies the latter. The proper pada reading would be ā́: ayati. ⌊For sámanam 'wedding-assembly,' see Bergaigne, Rel. Véd. i. 159, n. 3. Comm. renders an̄gá by he; Bloomfield, "without fail."⌋

3. The creator (dhātár) sustains the earth; the creator [sustains] the sky and the sun; let the creator assign (dhā) to this spinster a husband that is according to her wish.

Ppp. combines asyā ’gruvāi in c, and reads dadātu in d.