Page:Atharva-Veda samhita.djvu/458

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vi. 9-
BOOK VI. THE ATHARVA-VEDA-SAṀHITĀ.
288


2. I make thee cling to my arm, cling to my heart; that thou mayest be in my power, mayest come unto my intent.

The second half-verse is the same with iii. 25. 5 c, d, and nearly so with i. 34. 2 c, d ⌊cf. vi. 42. 3, note⌋. Ppp. reads, for a, b, māi tvā dūṣaṇimṛgaṁ kṛṇomi hṛdayaspṛgam; and begins c with mame ’d apa kr-.


3. They whose navel is a licking, in [whose] heart is made conciliation—let the kine, mothers of ghee, conciliate her yonder to me.

The comm. reads amū́s in d, and so is able to understand yā́sām at the beginning as relating to "women" understood, and not a gā́vas; and he explains āréhaṇam by āsvādanīyam 'something to be enjoyed by tasting.' The obscure and difficult first pāda is perhaps corrupt.


10. Greeting to divinities etc. of the three spheres.

[Çaṁtāti.—nānādevatyam: 1. āgneyī, 2. vāyavyā, 3. sāuryā. 1. sāmnī triṣṭubh, 2. prājāpatyā bṛhatī, 3. sāmnī bṛhatī.]

This prose hymn is not found in Pāipp. In Kāuç. (9. 3, 5), it is quoted after each çānti gaṇa, to accompany a pouring out of water three times (iti triḥ pratyāsiñcati; the comm. does not notice this use); and again (12. 3), it is prescribed in all rites for success; being further (note to 8. 23) reclconed to the vāstu gaṇa.

Translated: Florenz, 258 or 10; Griffith, i. 249.


1. To earth, to hearing, to the forest-trees—to Agni [their] overlord, hail!

It is not easy to read 22 syllables in the verse.


2. To breath, to the atmosphere, to the birds—to Vāyu [their] overlord, hail!

It is strange that in this verse the sphere is placed after the human faculty.


3. To the sky, to sight, to the asterisms—to Sūrya [their] overlord, hail!

The first anuvāka, of 10 hymns and 30 verses, ends here. The quotation is simply prathama (or -mā): see under the next anuvāka.


11. For birth of sons.

[Prajāpatiḥ.—retodevatyam uta mantroktadevatyam. ānuṣṭubham.]

The hymn is found also in Pāipp. xix. Accompanies in Kāuç. (35. 8) a rite for conception of a male child (puṁsavana); fire is generated between çamī and açvattha, and is variously applied to the woman.

Translated: Weber, v. 264; Ludwig, p. 477; Zimmer, p. 319; Florenz, 260 or 12; Griffith, i. 250; Bloomfield, 97, 460.


1. The açvatthá [has] mounted upon the çamī́; there is made the generation of a male; that verily is the obtainment of a son; that we bring into women.