72. The unmarried of us seek a wife, the liberal seek a son; may we (two), with uninjured life-breath, be companions (sac), in order to what is great, to winning of strength (? vā́ja-).
'Of us' in a is dual (nāu) in the text, but requires, doubtless, emendation to nas or to nú. The corresponding half-verse in RV. (vii. 96. 4 a, b) has nú; it reads janīyárito nv ágravaḥ putrīyántaḥ s-. That our denominatives have a right to their short i is further vouched for by their quotation as examples for it under Prāt. iii. 18. Whether one should emend in d to bṛhatyāi, or translate as is done above, may be made a question; it seems most likely to be a mixed construction, meaning virtually 'in order to the gaining of great vāja.' Vā́jasātaye is never joined with an adjective in RV. Ppp. reads with our text throughout.
73. What bride-beholding Fathers have come to this bridal-car, let them bestow on this bride, with her husband, protection accompanied with progeny.
The pada-text has the bad reading ā́: agaman, instead of ā॰ágaman. Part of our mss. (Bp.P.M.W.O.) read in c sámpatyāi, but doubtless only by the scribes' oversight. According to Kāuç. 77. 12, the verse is to be used when the bridal train passes by a burial-place.
74. She who hath come hither before, girdling herself (?), having given to this woman here progeny and property—her let them carry along the road of what is not gone; this one, a virā́j, having good progeny, hath conquered.
This obscure verse is not made clear by Kāuç. 77. 4; though the latter perhaps means it to be used if another bridal procession goes athwart the track at a cross-roads. The pada-text in a divides without any reason raçanā॰yámānā. Perhaps, too, we ought to resolve pū́rvā́gan into pū́rvā: ā॰ágan, instead of pū́rvā: ágan, as the p. does. The third pāda is perhaps a mere ill-wish with contempt: 'she may go to grass.' Ppp. reads in b dhattām, in c abhi for anu, and combines in d suprajā ’ty-. ⌊For consistency, the Berlin text should have dattvā́.⌋
75. Continue thou awake, waking with good awakening, unto length of life of a hundred autumns; go to the houses that thou mayest be house-mistress; let Savitar make for thee a long life-time.
Ppp. reads for c gṛhān pre ’hi sumanasyamānā, and combines in d tā ”yus sav-. We had ⌊part of a, above, in 31 c⌋; c above as 1. 20 c; and d as 1. 47 d ⌊nearly =⌋ 2. 39 d. According to Kāuç. 77. 13, the verse is to be used if the bride falls asleep on the road.
