Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 3

3. Mystic.

[Atharvan (as above).—ātmadevatyam. trāiṣṭubham.]

Found also in Pāipp. xx., and in a whole series of other texts: TS. (i. 7. 12²), MS. (i. 10. 3), ACS. (ii. 19. 32), KÇS. (xxv. 6. 10), ÇÇS. (iii. 17. 1). Kāuç. (15. 11) prescribes the use, with vi. 125 and vii. 110 and a couple of single verses from elsewhere (the comm. includes also vii. 4), in the battle incantations, while the king and his charioteer mount a new chariot; as to its medical employment with vii. 2, see under the latter. Vāit. (9. 15) uses the verse in the sākamedha ceremony, on leaving the sacrificial hut.

Translated: Henry, 2, 48; Griffith, i. 328.

1. By this shape (viṣṭhá) generating exploits (kárvara), he verily, fiery, a wide way for space (? vára); he went up to meet the sustaining top (ágra) of the sweet; with his own self (tanū́) he sent forth (īraya-) a self.

The translation given is purely mechanical. With c compare iv. 32. 7 c. The comm., after a mystic explanation, gives as alternative another, accordant with the use in Kāuç., making the verse relate to a king who desires victory and mounts a new chariot. He understands viṣṭhā as -ās; our pada-text reads vi॰sthā́ ⌊as does SPP's⌋. The other texts all agree with ours in a, b (but TS. understands viṣṭhā́s, MS. viṣṭhā́); in c (cf. iv. 32. 7 c), all* have dharúṇas, TS. accents práti, and MS. reads pratyán̄ (!) āit; for d, TS.KÇS. have svā́yāṁ yát tanúvāṁ tanū́m āírayata, and MS.AÇS.ÇÇS. svā́ṁ yát tanū́ṁ tanvā̀m āírayata. Doubtless āirayata is the reading to be given at the end of the verse in our text; it is accepted by SPP., being favored by the considerable majority of his authorities, as it is of ours (Bp.W.T.R.p.m. -at; K. has -yanta). Ppp. has dharuṇe in c. *⌊AÇS.ÇÇS. in fact have -am.⌋ ⌊KÇS. has tanvām.⌋