Compare AÇS. i. 2. 1 ⌊and ĀpÇS. xiv. 26. 1⌋ with a, b; both substitute agnis for ahar. The verse, as noted above, is wanting in Ppp. The comm. omits me in c. The first half-verse occurs again as xix. 20. 4 a, b.
19. Indra-and-Agni's abundant formidable defense, which not all the gods together pierce through—let that, being great, save my body on all sides, that I may be long-lived, attaining old age.
With d compare VS. xxxiv. 52 d, which differs from it only by reading at the end the irregular form ásam. Ppp. has te for me in c, and asat in d ⌊though the pronoun calls for asas⌋.
20. The divine amulet hath ascended me, in order to great unharmedness; enter ye together unto this post (? methí), body-protecting, thrice-defending, in order to vigor (ójas).
Ppp. reads tvā instead of mā in a, and enyam instead of methim in c. The comm. questions whether mahyāi in b means mahatyāi or mahyam! The difficult and doubtful second half-verse puzzles him (as us) greatly: first he regards 'men' as addressed (he narāḥ), and takes methi as 'a stirrer-up, a destroyer of enemies,' or alternatively as a post in a threshing floor (methī khale yatho ’cchirā vartata evam ayam api ’ti; or, secondly, the gods are addressed, and methi means an amulet representing such a post (methīsthānīyam maṇim).
21. In this let Indra deposit manliness; this, O gods, enter ye together unto, in order to long life-time of a hundred autumns; that he may be long-lived, attaining old age.
⌊With d, cf. MP. ii. 1. 3 d.⌋
22. Giver of welfare, lord of the people, Vritra-slayer, masterful remover of scorners, let Indra bind ⌊for thee⌋ the amulet, [he] that has conquered, is unconquered, soma-drinking, fearless-making bull; let him defend thee on all sides, by day and by night on all sides.
The majority of mss. (nearly all SPP's) put no pause at the end of d (after aparājitaḥ). The first two pādas are nearly the same with i. 21. 1 a, b, above (and with other texts: see the note to that verse). Ppp. omits a, b, and reads (better) sarvadā instead of sarvatas at end of f. ⌊An accent-mark is lacking under the so of somapā́ḥ.⌋
⌊Here ends the fifth artha-sūkta. The quoted Anukr. says pañcame.⌋
⌊Here also ends the eighteenth prapāṭhaka.⌋
6. To guard a pregnant woman from demons.
Found also in Pāipp. xvi., ⌊but with vs. 8 before 7, vs. 15 between 11 and 12, and vs. 24 between 13 and 14⌋.
⌊The hymn is reckoned by Kāuç. (8. 24), with ii. 2 (which see) and vi. 111, to the mātṛnāmāni. It is employed in the sīmanta rite (35. 20) in the eighth month of a woman's pregnancy with binding on an amulet "as specified in the text" (cf. vs. 20):
