Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 55 (57. 2)

55 (57. 2). To Indra (?).

[Bhṛgu.—āindram . virāṭ paroṣṇih.]

For the true position of this verse, see the introduction to the preceding hymn. It is not found in Pāipp. This verse (separate from its predecessor) is used in Kāuç. (50. 1-3) for welfare on setting out upon a road, etc. (so at least the comm. determines: he pratīka is doubtful, being identical with that of xii. i. 47).

Translated: Henry, 21, 82; Griffith, i. 353.

1 (57. 2). The paths which are thine, downward from the sky, by which thou didst send the all—by those, O Vasu, do thou set us in what is pleasant.

The first two pādas nearly correspond to SV. i. 172 a, b: yé te pánthā adhó divó yébhir vyàçvam āírayaḥ; with the wholly different close utá çroṣantu no bhúvaḥ. The comm. (as also the Anukr.) regards the verse as addressed to Indra; 'O Vasu' may be 'O good one.' The construction seems so decidedly to call for a locative in c that sumnayā́ (p. sumna॰yā́, by Prāt. iv. 30) is rendered as if it were for -yāú, from -yú; the comm. glosses it with sumne sukhe. The irregular verse (8 + 7: 10 = 25) is but ill defined by the Anukr.