Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 12 (13)

12 (13). For success in the assembly.

[Çāunaka.—caturṛcam. sabhyam: 1. ⌊dvidevatyā⌋ uta pitryā*; 3. āindrī; 4. mantroktadevatyā. anuṣṭubham: 1. bhurik triṣṭubh.]

The first two verses are found in Pāipp. xx. Kāuç. (38. 27) uses it, with v. 3 and other hymns, in a ceremony for gaining the victory in debate, or in the deliberations of an assembly (the comm. describes it repeatedly as "of five verses," apparently including in its uses 13. 1). *⌊The London ms. reads dvidevatyāuta pitryā; the Berlin ms., -tyāutatpitryā.⌋

Translated: Muir, v. 439; vss. 1, 3, 4, Ludwig, p. 253; vss. 2-4, Zimmer, p. 173; Grill, 70, 178; Henry, 5, 55; Griffith, i. 333; Bloomlield, 138, 543.—Cf. Hillebrandt, Veda-chrestomathie, p. 44.

1. Let both assembly (sabhā́) and gathering (sámiti), the two daughters of Prajāpati, accordant, favor me; with whom I shall come together, may he desire to aid (? upa-çikṣ) me; may I speak what is pleasant among those who have come together, O Fathers.

Ppp's version of c, d is very different: yena vadāṁ upa mā sa tiṣṭhā ’ntar vadāmi hṛdaye janānām. The verse is also found in PGS. (iii. 13. 3), with much variation: ubhe for avatām in a, sacetasāu for samvidāne in b; and, for c, d, yo mā na vidyād upa mā sa tiṣṭhet sacetano bhavatu çaṅsathe janaḥ. The comm. explains upa çikṣāt as either upetya çikṣayatu: samīcīnaṁ vādayatu or māṁ vaktuṁ çaktaṁ samartham icchatu. He reads vadāmi in d. Henry renders upa-çikṣ by "pay homage," and emends pitaras to nṛṣu. The meter is irregular.

2. We know thy name, O assembly; verily sport (naríṣṭā) by name art thou; whoever are thine assembly-sitters, let them be of like speech with me.

Ppp. reads very differently: veda vāi sabhe te nāma subhadrā ’si sarasvati: atho ye te sabhāsadaḥ suvācasaḥ. Our Bp. also reads súvācasas. The comm. takes nariṣṭā as na-riṣṭā 'not injured.' The Anukr. ignores the deficiency of a, as the redundancy of 3 a.

3. Of these that sit together I take to myself the splendor, the discernment (vijñā́na); of this whole gathering (saṁsád) make me, O Indra, possessor of the fortune (bhagín).

4. Your mind that is gone away, that is bound either here or here—that of you we cause to turn hither; in me let your mind rest.

This verse does not appear to have anything to do with the rest of the hymn.