comm. has pūti-). This is explained by Daç. Kar. as an "amulet of deodar," devadārumaṇi; and so Dār. and Keç. to 8. 15, and comm. p. 567 end.⌋
⌊The first anuvāka, 2 hymns and 49 verses, ends here. The quoted Anukr. (cf. end of h. 1) says ādyasahitam.⌋
3. To Agni: against sorcerers and demons.
[Cātana.—ṣaḍviṅçam. āgneyam. trāiṣṭubham: 7, I2, 14, 15, 17, 21. bhurij; 25. 5-p. bṛhatīgarbhā jagatī; 22, 23. anuṣṭubh; 26. gāyatrī.]
Found also in Pāipp. xvi. (in the verse-order 1-4, 6, 5, 7-14, 18, 15, 17, 16, 19-22, 24, 26, 25, 23). The first 23 verses are (in slightly different order*) vss. 1-23 of RV. x. 87, and most of them are found in no other text. ⌊Cf. Oldenberg, Die Hymnen des RV. i. 246.⌋ *⌊Namely, with 4 after 6, with 17 and 18 inverted, and with 12 between 21 and 22.⌋
⌊Kāuç. reckons the hymn to the cātana hymns (8. 25). The comm. says (p. 587, l. 18 ff.) that the whole anuvāka, that is hymn 4 as well as 3, is to be used in a variety of practices, which he details. In the vaçāçamana ceremony (44. 16), after the victim's "breath has been stopped" with ii. 34. 5, the performer takes his place at her right and mutters this hymn. Vs. 22 (not 21) is identical with vii. 71. 1, which was prescribed at 2. 10 for use in the parvan sacrifices, to accompany the carrying of fire thrice about the offering. Moreover, verses of this hymn are used in four expiatory rites as follows: vss. 15-18 accompany an oblation (112. 1) made when the cows give bloody milk; vs. 26 is used with vi. 63. 4 if spontaneous combustion occurs (46. 23); and the same vs. is used (130. 3) when there appears a bright glow without any fire; and yet again (131. 3), when the fire puffs (çvasati). Finally, the same vs. is used by Vāit. (6. 11) in the agnyādheya (with vi. 19. 2 etc.) with an offering to Agni Çuci.⌋
Translated: Henry, 7, 43; Griffith, i. 392.
1. I pour ghee upon (a-ghṛ) the vigorous (vājín) demon-slayer; I go for broadest protection to the friend; Agni, sharpened, [is] kindled with acts of skill (? krátu); let him by day, let him by night, protect us from harm.
This verse is found further in TS. (i. 2. 146); neither RV. nor TS. offers a variant reading.
2. Do thou, of iron tusks, O Jātavedas, kindled, touch the sorcerers with thy flame (arcís); take hold of the false-worshipers with thy tongue; cutting off (?) the flesh-eaters, shut them in thy mouth.
The comm. reads dhṛṣṭvā in d, paraphrasing it only with dharṣitvā. RV. has vṛkivī́, which is most probably to be referred to root vṛj. Ppp. has datsvā (for dhatsva).
3. Apply both thy tusks, thou that hast them in both jaws (ubhayāvín), the lower one and the upper, being harmful, sharpened; also in the atmosphere go about, O Agni; put together thy grinders upon the sorcerers.
RV. reads dáṅṣṭrā at end of a, and rājan for agne at end of c. Ppp. has dehy ⌊in a, apparently⌋ and api for abhi in d.
