Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book I/Hymn I 1

Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book I/Hymn I

ATHARVA-VEDA-SAHIT TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH WITH A CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY. Book I. The first book is made up mostly of hymns of 4 verses each, and no other ground of its existence as a book needs to be sought. It contains 30 such hymns, but also one (34) of 5 verses, two (11 and 29) of 6 verses, one (7) of 7, and one (3) of 9. There are conjectural reasons to be given in more than one of these cases for the exceptional length. Hymns of 4 verses are also found in books vi. and vii. (12 in vi., and 11 in vii.), also 9 in xix. The whole book has been translated by Weber, Indische Studien, vol. iv. (1858), pages 393-430. 1. For the retention of sacred learning.
[Atharvan.vcaspatyam. caturcam. nuubham: 4. 4-p. vir urobhat.] The hymn is found also near the beginning of Pipp. i. MS. (iv. 12. 1 end) has the first two verses. It is called in Ku. (7. 8; 139. 10) triaptya, from its second word; but it is further styled (as prescribed in 7. 8) briefly prva 'first,' and generally quoted by that name. It is used in the ceremony for "production of wisdom" (medhjanana: 10. 1), and in those for the welfare of a Vedic student (11. 1); further, with various other passages, in that of entrance upon Vedic study (139. 10); and it is also referred to, in an obscure way (probably as representing the whole Veda of which it is the beginning), in a number of other rites with which it has no apparent connection (12. 10; 14. 1; 18. 19; 25. 4; 32. 28); finally (13. 1, note), it is reckoned as belonging to the varcasya gaa. And the comm. p. 5, end quotes it as used by a pariia (5. 3) in the pupabhieka of a king. The Vit. takes no notice of it.

Translated: Weber, iv. 393; Griffith, i. 1. 1. The thrice seven that go about, bearing all formslet the lord of speech assign to me today their powers, [their] selves (tan).
Ppp. reads paryanti in a, and tanvam adhydadhtu me for d. MS. combines trisapts in a, and tanv 'dy in d. The of our triapta is prescribed in Prt. ii. 98; vcas p- is quoted under Prt. ii. 71.

Trisapts is plainly used as the designation of an indefinite number, = 'dozens' or 'scores.' Supposing rut to signify one's acquired sacred knowledge, portion of ruti, it perhaps refers to the sounds or syllables of which this is made up. If, on the
other hand, ruta (as in vi. 41. 1) means 'sense of hearing,' the triapts may be the healthy hearers, old and young (so R.). R. prefers to regard tanvs as gen. sing.: tanv me = 'to me'; the comm. does the same; Weber understands accus. pl. Read in our edition bl (an accent-sign dropped out under -l).

As an example of the wisdom of the comm., it may be mentioned that he spends a full quarto page and more on the explanation of triapts. First, he conjectures that it may mean 'three or seven'; as the three

worlds, the three guas, the three highest gods; or, the seven seers, the seven planets, the seven troops of Maruts, the seven worlds, the seven meters, or the like. Secondly, it may mean 'three sevens,' as seven suns (for which is quoted TA. i. 7. 1) and seven priests and seven Adityas (TA. i. 13. 3; RV. ix. 114. 3), or seven rivers and seven worlds and seven quarters (TB. ii. 8. 3
8

), or seven planets and seven seers and seven Marut-troops. Thirdly, it may signify simply thrice seven or twenty-one, as twelve months + five seasons + three worlds + one sun (TS. vii. 3. 105), or five mahbhtas + five breaths + five jnendriyas + five karmendriyas + one antakaraa. At any rate, they are gods, who are to render aid. Discussed by Whitney, Festgruss an Roth, p. 94. 2. Come again, lord of speech, together with divine mind; lord of good, make [it] stay (ni-ram); in me, in myself be what is heard.
Two of our mss. (H. O.) have rmaya in c. Ppp. begins with upa neha, and has asopate in c, which R. prefers. But MS. rather favors our text, reading, for c, d, vsupate v ramaya myy ev tanvm mma; and it begins a with upaprhi. The comm. explains rutam as

Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book I/Hymn I 2

updhyyd vidhito 'dhta vedastrdikam; and adds "because, though well learned, it is often forgotten."

3. Just here stretch thou on, as it were the two tips of the bow with the bow-string; let the lord of speech make fast (ni-yam); in me, in myself, be what is heard.
Ppp. reads, in a, b, tan ubhey aratn. With the verse is to be compared RV. x. 166. 3. Prt. i. 82 prescribes the padareading of rtn iva, and iv. 3 quotes abhi vi tanu. That is, apparently (a), 'Do [for me] some stretching [or fastening],' namely, of my sacred learning, as also in c.

4. Called on is the lord of speech; on us let the lord of speech call; may we be united with (sam-gam) what is heard; let me not be parted with what is heard.
Ppp. has, for b ff., upahto 'ha vcaspatyu sostena rdhasi smtena vi rdhasibadly corrupt. For similar antitheses with upah, see AB. ii. 27; VS. ii. 10 b, 11 a. In AA. (ii. 7. 1) is a somewhat analogous formula for the retention of what is heard or studied (adta): rutam me m pra hsr anen 'dhten 'hortrnt sa dadhmi. The Anukr. notes the metrical irregularity of the second pda.

2. Against injury and disease: with a reed.

[Atharvan.cndramasam; prjanyam. nuubham: 3. 3-p. virnma gyatr.] The hymn is not found in the Pipp. ms., but may have been among the contents of the missing first leaf. In the quotations of the Ku. it is not distinguishable from the following hymn; but the comm. is doubtless right in regarding it as intended at 14. 7,

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