Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VI/Hymn 141

141. With marking of cattle's ears.

[Viçvāmitra.—āçvinam. ānuṣṭubham.]

Found also in Pāipp. xix. (in the verse-order 1, 3, 2). Used by Kāuç. (23. 12-16) in a ceremony for welfare called citrākarman: after due preparation and ceremony, the ears are cut with vs. 2, and the blood is wiped off and eaten (by the creature, comm.) with vs. 3. The hymn is reckoned (note to 19. 1) to the puṣṭika mantras. The schol. also uses vs. 2 in the ceremony of letting loose a bull (note to 24. 19).

Translated: Ludwig, p. 469; Zimmer, p. 234; Griffith, i. 324.

1. May Vāyu collect them; let Tvashṭar stay fast in order to [their] prosperity; may Indra bless them; let Rudra take care for [their] numbers.

Samā́karat (p. sam॰ā́karat) might, of course, also be indicative (sam-ā́-akarat). Ppp., in c, combines indrā ”bhyo, and reads bruvat; in d, it has ‘va gachatu for cikitsatu. The comm. renders dhriyatām by dhārayatu, and d by pādāsyādirogaparihāreṇa bahvīḥ karotu.

2. With the red knife (svádhiti), make thou a pair (mithuná) on [their] two ears; the Açvins have made the mark; be that numerous by progeny.

The comm. explains mithunam as strīpuṅsātmakaṁ cihnam, and regards it as applied to the calf's ears. ⌊If the comm. is correct on this point, as is altogether likely, this marking the cattle's ears with marks resembling the genitals is a bit of symbolism most interesting to the student of folk-lore.⌋ The 'red' knife is doubtless of copper ⌊so also the comm.⌋. Ppp. reads lakṣmi in c (but lakṣma in vs. 3). MB. (i. 8. 7) has the first half-verse, with kṛtam for kṛdhi.

3. As the gods and Asuras made [it], as human beings also, so, O Açvins, make ye the mark, in order to thousand-fold prosperity.