# Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book XVIII/Hymn 1

1. ⌊Funeral verses.⌋
⌊Only one verse (46) is found in Pāipp., and that in book ii. Only four sūtras of the Vāit. cite verses from this hymn, and those verses are 44-46, 51, and 55. In the Kāuç., as already noted by Whitney, p. 814, nearly all the verses from 1. 40 to the end of the book have their uses in the ritual. That Parts I. and II. and III. of the hymn as divided below are utterly impertinent to the proper subject of the book and therefore without ritual application, is a fact on which Weber, Sb. 1895, p. 819, has already animadverted.⌋
⌊A clear synoptic statement of the provenience of the different groups of verses, or of the single verses, that enter into the composition of this hymn appears so desirable for the critical study thereof, that I subjoin the following:
Part II., verses 17-26.—This is the Agni-hymn, RV. x. 11, of 9 vss. The order of the last two is inverted, and to the whole part is prefixed a vs. (our 17) not found in other texts.—See Weber, Sb. 1895, p. 828.
Part III., verses 27-36.—This is the Agni-hymn, RV. x. 12, of 9 vss., with the order of vss. 3 and 4 inverted and with its last vs., 9, which we had above as our vs. 25, not repeated. To the whole is prefixed (as our 27, 28) a repetition of the Agni-vss., AV. vii. 82. 4, 5: perhaps vs. 5 (our 28: of which all four pādas begin with práti) is put here as a parallel to our 29 (on account of its pratyán̄); in that case, vs. 4 (our 27) might be regarded as a mere variation of vs. 5, with ánu four times for práti, etc.—See Weber, Sb. 1895, p. 830.
Part IV., verses 37, 38.—To Indra, RV. viii. 24. 1, 2. See Weber, l.c., p. 819 n.
Part V., verse 39.—Corresponds to RV. x. 31. 9.
Part VI., verse 40.—Here begin the vss. used in the ritual.—To Rudra, RV. ii. 33. 11.
Part VII., verses 41-43.—To Sarasvatī with the Fathers, RV. x. 17. 7-9.
Part VIII., verses 44-46.—To the Fathers, RV. x. 15. 1, 3, 2.
Part IX., verse 47.—To the Fathers, RV. x. 14. 3.
Part X., verse 48.—To Soma, RV. vi. 47. 1.
Part XI., verses 49, 50.—To Yama, RV. x. 14. 1, 2.
Part XII., verses 51, 52.—To the Fathers, RV. x. 15. 4, 6.
Part XIII., verse 53.—Tvaṣṭā duhitre etc., RV. x. 17. 1.
Part XIV. a, verse 54.—To the dead man, RV. x. 14. 7.
Part XIV. b, verse 55.—Averruncatio, RV. x. 14. 9.
Part XV., verses 56, 57.—Fire-kindling, RV. x. 16. 12 and variation.
Part XVI., verses 58-60.—To Yama and the Fathers, RV. x. 14. 6, 5, 4.
⌊It thus appears that every verse of our hymn has its correspondent in the RV. save four (or five, if one wishes to count vs. 57): to wit, vs. 17, which is not found to my knowledge in any other text; vss. 27, 28, repeated from AV. vii. (see above); and vs. 61, found in SV.⌋
Translated: as AV. hymn, by Weber, as already noted. Sb. 1895, pages 825-842; Griffith, ii. 215.—Translated, furthermore, in so far as it corresponds to RV. material (see above), by the RV. translators, Wilson, Ludwig, Grassmann; 8 of the 14 verses 47 to 60 are from RV. x. 14, which has been translated by Geldner, Siebenzig Lieder des Rigveda, p. 146. In particular. Part I. (RV. x. 10), "Yama and Yamī," has been rendered by Muir, v. 288-291; Geldner, l.c., p. 142; Ludwig, in his Rigveda, vol. ii., no. 989, with comment in vol. v., p. 510. With reference to this same Part I., J. Ehni, Die ursprüngliche Gottheit des vedischen Yama, Leipzig, 1896, pages 139-141, may be consulted. Most important is Geldner's article in the Gurupūjākaumudī, pages 19-22, in which he subjects his older views concerning RV. x. 10 to a critical revision in the light of Sāyaṇa's interpretation.
1. Unto a friend would I turn with friendship; having gone through much ocean, may the pious one take a grandson of [his] father, considering further onward upon the earth (kṣám).
That is, 'making thoughtful provision for the future.' The verse is, without variant, RV. x. 10. 1. Our Bs.E. have purú in saṁhitā. The verse is also SV. i. 340, which has a considerably different text: for a, ā́ tvā sákhāyaḥ sakhyā́ vavṛtyus; in b, arṇavā́ṅ jagamyāḥ; for d, asmín kṣáye pratarā́ṁ dī́dyānaḥ. The comm. takes vavṛtyām as of causative value, = vartayāmi: dīdhyānas he explains first (as if it were dīdyānas) by dīpyamānas, 'becoming illustrious over the whole earth'; but also, alternatively, by "thinking [upon a means of impregnating me]."—The word sakhyā́ he takes as instr. of sakhyā́ 'friendship' ⌊so Lanman, Noun-Inflection, JAOS. x. 336⌋, and renders by sakhitvena; but also alternatively as instr. of sakhī, 'by means of a female friend,' a go-between!
⌊An oxytone feminine stem sakhī́ corresponding (cf. JAOS. x. 368) to a barytone masculine sákhi should accent its instr. sakhyā̀ (JAOS. x. 368, top, 381), not sakhyā́.⌋ ⌊Aufrecht, Festgruss an Böhtlingk, 1888, page 1, took sakhyā́ as a dative of sakhyá; and Pischel, Ved. Stud. i. 65 (title-page dated 1889), made a cogent and interesting argument against my view and came (independently, without doubt) to the same conclusion as Aufrecht.—For Geldner's interpretation of the whole verse, see Gurupūjākaumudī, p. 19-20.⌋
2. Thy friend wants (vaç) not that friendship of thine, that she of like sign should become of diverse form; the sons of the great Asura, heroes, sustainers of the sky (dív), look widely about.
That is, Varuna's spies are on the watch against such unpermitted acts. Our Bp.Bs. read in b sálakṣmyā. The comm. understands salakṣmā as ekodaratvalakṣaṇaṁ yasyāḥ 'marked as from the same womb,' and viṣurūpā as "changing from sister to wife." The same expression occurs below in 1. 34, and variations of it in TS. i. 3. 10$^1$ (quoted further at vi. 3. 11$^2$) and MS. i. 2. 17 (a passage corresponding to, but different from, that in TS.); also VS. vi. 20 b (do.). It seems to have a kind of proverbial currency, as applied to things that change from one character to another. The comm. renders pari khyan by pari vadanti or nirākariṣyanti. The verse is RV. x. 10. 2.
3. Truly those immortals want that—posterity (? tyajás) of the one mortal; may thy mind be set in our mind; mayest thou enter [as] husband a wife's body.
The verse shows no variant from RV. x. 10. 3. Bs.E. read in d tanvā̀m. The comm. explains tyajásam by tyāgam, garbhān nirgamanam, utpattim. ⌊Cf. Weber, Sb., p. 824.⌋
4. What we (pl.) did not do formerly, why [do that] now? speaking righteousness, should we prate unrighteousness? The Gandharva in the waters and the watery woman (yóṣā)—that is our (du.) union (nā́bhi), that our ⌊du.⌋ highest relation (jāmí).
RV. x. 10. 4 reads ṛtā́ in b, and sā́ no n- in d, but nāu at the end. ⌊The inconcinnity of number as between no and nāu tempts one to think that here at least the text of the AV. has scored a point against that of the RV. Ánṛta seems to be used here, as hardly elsewhere, in the directly opposed sense to ṛtá. The comm. explains rapema by spaṣṭam brūmaḥ. ⌊Cf. Weber, Sb., p. 825.⌋
5. Verily, the generator made us (du.) in the womb man and spouse—god Tvashṭar, Savitar of all forms; none overthrow (pra-mī) his ordinances (vratá); earth knows us ⌊two⌋ as such, also heaven.
RV. x. 10. 5 has no variants. The treatment oi pṛthivī́ in d as pragṛhya is noticed in Prāt. iii. 34 c. ⌊Presumably, W's literal version of d would be 'earth is cognizant of that [fact] of us two, also heaven.'⌋
6. Who yokes to the pole today the kine of righteousness, the diligent, the bright, the slow to wrath (? durhṛṇāyú), that have arrows in the mouth, that shoot at the heart, amiable ones? whoso shall prosper their burden, he shall live.
This strangely intruded verse ⌊cf. Weber, Sb. 1895, p. 819 n.⌋ is RV. i. 84. 16 (also found in TS. iv. 2. 11$^3$; MS. iii. 16. 4), without variant ⌊save that TS. accents dúrhṛṇāyūn. SV. has it at i. 341 (next after our verse 1), with the bad variants āsánn eṣām apsuvā́haḥ in c. ⌊Cf. Aufrecht's Rigveda$^2$, vol. i., preface, p. xliv.⌋ The comm. understands bhṛtyā́m ṛṇádhat in d as here translated; also durhṛṇāyū́n ⌊alternatively⌋ in b.
7. Who knows of that first day? who saw it? who shall proclaim it here? Great is the ordinance (dhā́man) of Mitra, of Varuṇa; why, O lustful one, wilt thou speak to men with deceit (? vī́ci)?
RV. x. 10. 6 has no variants. The comm. blunderingly attributes the verse to Yamī; he also takes vī́cyā ⌊p. vī́cyā⌋ as for vī́cyās, an adj. meaning vividham añcanto gacchantaḥ saṁcarantaḥ, and qualifying nṛ́n, which is used as nominative, = narās! ⌊See Geldner, Gurupūjākaumudī, p. 21-22.⌋
8. Desire of Yama hath come unto me Yamī, in order to lying together in the same lair (yóni); I would fain yield (ric) my body, as wife to husband; may we whirl off, like two chariot wheels.
9. They stand not, they wink not, those spies of the gods who go about here; with another than me, O lustful one, go quickly; with him whirl off like two chariot wheels.
The verse is RV. x. 10. 8, without variant. The comm. reads eke at end of a; he explains tū́yam in c by tūrṇam, and supplies ramasva: 'hasten to enjoy thyself.'
10. By nights, by days one may pay reverence (daçasy) to him; the sun's eye may open (? ún mimīyāt) for a moment; with heaven, with earth paired, of near connection;—Yamī must bear the unbrotherly (ájāmi) [conduct] of Yama.
RV. x. 10. 9 differs from our text only by reading in d bibhṛyāt; and this reading the translation implies, vivṛhāt seeming unexplainable save as a corruption, suggested by the forms of vi-vṛh in the two preceding verses. The connection of the verse is very loose, and the sense of b especially doubtful. One is tempted to emend to mimīlyāt; but ā́ mimīyāt is found in TB. iii. 6. 13 ⌊2d prāiṣa⌋, explained by its commentary as meaning āgatya praviçeyuḥ. Our comm. explains? ún m- as úrdhvaṁ gacchet (the RV. comm. as ud etu). Our comm. further reads at the end ajāmis, and understands it of Yamī. The adjectives in c are dual; the comm. supplies "earth with heaven and heaven with earth." ⌊Cf. Weber, Sb., p. 823.⌋
11. Verily there shall come those later ages (yugá) in which next of kin (jāmí) shall do what is unkinly ⌊ájāmi⌋. Put thine arm underneath a hero (vṛṣabhá); seek, O fortunate one, another husband than me.
The verse is, without variant, RV. x. 10. 10. Upa barbṛhi in c means 'make an upabárhaṇa (cushion, pillow) of.' Our comm. regards the anomalous barbṛhi ⌊Gram. § 1011 a⌋ as barbṛ + hi, -bṛ- being for -bṛh- by Vedic license.
12. What should brother be when there is no protector? or what sister, when destruction impends (ni-gam)? Impelled by desire, I prate thus much; mingle thou thy body with my body.
The first half-verse apparently means that the matter of near kindred is overborne in importance by the consideration of her loneliness and of the necessity for continuing their race. The verse agrees throughout with RV. x. 10. 11. The comm. renders -mūtā in c by mūrchitā.
13. I am not thy protector here, O Yamī; I may not mingle my body with thy body; with another than me do thou prepare enjoyments; thy brother wants not that, O fortunate one.
All our mss. save Op.K. accent yámi in a; SPP. reports only one of his as doing so. RV. x. 10. 12 is in our text expanded into two verses, its second half being our c, d, without variant. The comm. reads nūnam for tanūm in b; he explains nāthám in a by abhimatārthasampādakas.
14. Verily, I may not mingle my body with thy body; they call him wicked (pāpá) who should approach his sister. That is not consonant ​(? asaṁyát) with my mind [and] heart, that I, a brother, should lie in a sister's bed (çáyana).
The first half-verse ⌊cf. vs. 13⌋ is RV. x. 10. 12 a, b, which latter, however, reads in a te tanvā̀ tanvàṁ sám. All the mss. leave çayīya at the end unaccented, and both editions read accordingly; we ought in ours to have made the necessary emendation to çáyīya. The mss. vary in c between ásaṁyat, asaṁyát, ásaṁyát, and asaṁyat; SPP. gives in his text ásaṁyat, which is better than our asaṁyát; the pada-text divides asam॰yat. The comm. reads instead asuṁ yat, and supplies a verb, apaharet, to govern asum.
15. A weakling (? batá), alas, art thou, O Yama; we have not found mind and heart thine; verily, another woman shall embrace thee, as a girth a harnessed [horse], as a twining plant (líbujā) a tree.
RV. x. 10. 13 varies from this only by reading (as also our Bp.) in d ṣvajāte. The translation given of kakṣyè ’va yuktám agrees with the comm. (also the comm. to RV.), which renders yuktam by svasambaddham açvam. Pāda b evidently alludes to 14 c, where Yama talks of his mind and heart. If batás is a genuine word (the metrical disarray intimates corruption), it looks like being the noun of which the common exclamation bata is by origin the vocative. The RV. Anukr. takes no notice of the defective meter; ours requires the verse to be read as only 40 syllables, which is possible (10 + 9: 10 + 11 = 40); ⌊c and d are good triṣṭubh pādas and b has a triṣṭubh cadence⌋.
16. Another man, truly, O Yamī, another man shall embrace thee, as a twining plant a tree; either do thou seek his mind or he thine; then make for thyself very excellent concord (samvíd).
RV. x. 10. 14 has for a the much better version anyám ū ṣú tváṁ yamy anyá u tvā́m, and in b again ṣvajāte. Our D., and a single ms. of SPP's (with the comm.), also have anyam ⌊at the beginning⌋, and SPP. accordingly admits anyám into his text, in spite of the absence of tvám. But the comment on the Prāt. three times (under ii. 97; iii. 4; iv. 98) reads anya ū ṣu, and it cannot well be questioned that this is the true text of our AV. Our P.M.E. accent again yámi. The Anukr. takes no notice of the lacking syllable in a; ⌊perhaps it balances c against a⌋.
17. Three meters the poets extended (? vi-yat)—the many-formed one, the admirable, the all-beholding; waters, winds, herbs—these are set (ā́rpita) in one being (bhúvana).
The verse is extremely obscure, in meaning and in connection. The mss. vary much as regards the accent of pururūpam; two of ours (O.D.) and several of SPP's accent -rū́p-, which, as it is found in other texts, the latter has very properly admitted in his edition. The comm. renders ví yetire by yatnaṁ kṛtavantaḥ. The Anukr. takes no notice of the irregularity of the meter. ⌊Concerning this prakṣipta-verse, "glossenartige Parallelstelle," see Weber, Sb. 1895, p. 819 note, and p. 828.⌋
18. The bull yieldeth (duh) milks for the bull with the milking of the sky (dív), he the unharmable son (? yahvá) of Aditi; everything knoweth he, like Varuṇa, by thought (dhī́); he, sharing the sacrifice (yajñíya), sacrificeth to the seasons that share the sacrifice.
The verse is RV. x. 11. 1, whose only variant is yajatu for -ti in d. The comm. explains vṛ́ṣā as Agni, and vṛ́ṣṇe as the sacrificer, dóhasā as = dohanasādhanena yajñādinā, yahvás as mahān and qualifying vṛ́ṣā together with ádābhyas, while ádites means "indivisible" and qualifies divás, which is ablative: the general sense being that the god procures rain for his worshiper. His understanding of c agrees with the translation given above. Compare Pischel's version of the verse and general explanation of the RV. hymn in Ved. Stud. i. 183 ff.; his exposition is excessively ingenious and extremely unsatisfactory.
19. Prateth the Gandharvī and watery woman; in the noise of the noisy one (nadá) let [her] protect our mind; let Aditi set us in the midst of what is desired (? iṣṭá); our oldest brother shall first speak out.
RV. x. 11. 2 has for sole variant me for nas in b. The comm. to the first half-verse appears to be defective; but it certainly understands the goddesses Bhāratī and Sarasvatī to be intended in a; iṣṭasya is either phalasya or yāgasya; the "brother" is Agni. ⌊Pischel discusses the RV. verse at Ved. Stud. i. 183.⌋
20. She now, the excellent, rich in food, full of glory—the dawn hath shone for man (mánu), full of light (svàr-); since they have generated for the council [as] hótṛ Agni, the eager one, after the will (krátu) of the eager ones.
This is RV. x. 11. 3, without variant. The comm. renders kṣumátī a by mantrarūpaçabdavatī, and vidáthāya (of course) by yajñāya, and understands ánu krátum as "for each several ceremony."
21. Then that mighty (vibhū́) conspicuous drop did the bird, the lively falcon, bring at the sacrifice; if the Aryan tribes (víç) choose the wondrous one, Agni, [as] hótṛ, then prayer (dhī́) was born.
RV. x. 11. 4 differs only by reading iṣitás in b. The comm. makes a couple of references, to TB. iii. 2. 1$^1$ and TS. vi. 1. 6$^1$, where the legends of the bringing of soma from heaven by the falcon are given. Prāt. iii. 25 notes the short final of ádha in a and d.
22. Ever art thou pleasant (raṇvá), as pastures to him that enjoys (puṣ) them, being, O Agni, well sacrificed to with the offerings of man (mánus); or when, active, praiseworthy, having won the strength (vā́ja) of the inspired one (vípra), thou approachest with very many.
RV. x. 11. 5 differs only by reading ukthyàm at end of c. The construction and meaning of the second half-verse are difficult and obscure. The comm. explains çaçamānas by çaṅsan yajamānam praçaṅsan (similarly the comm. to RV.); and bhūribhis as "accompanied by many desires or else by many gods" (RV. comm. only the latter).
23. Send thou up the (two) fathers, [as] a lover, unto enjoyment (bhága). The welcome one (haryatá) desires to sacrifice; he sends from the heart; the bearer (váhni) speaks out; the merry one (? makhá) does a good work; the Asura shows might (taviṣy); he trembles with purpose (? matī́).
The verse is RV. x. 11. 6, without variant. It is extremely obscure, and the general sense, as well as the meaning of several words, is in a high degree doubtful; the translation given is no more than mechanical. ⌊Cf. Weber, p. 829.⌋ The 'two fathers' (parents) are declared by the comm., probably rightly, to be heaven and earth; jāras is explained as ādityas, and ā as = iva. Or, alternatively, jāras is "praiser," coming from jarā "praise," and to a is to be supplied hvayati. The iṣyati is made = icchati; vahni is Agni; makhas is makhasādhano maṅhanīyo vā; taviṣyate is vardhiṣyate. All this is of interest only as showing that no help is to be obtained from the native exegetes.
24. Whatever mortal hath seen thy favor, O Agni, son of power, he is renowned exceedingly; acquiring (dhā) food (íṣ), borne by horses, he, lightful, vigorous, passes (? ā-bhūṣ) the days (dív).
RV. x. 11. 7 reads in a ákṣat, of which our ákhyat is doubtless only a corruption. Our Bp. and one of SPP's authorities have akṣat. The comm. renders ā bhūṣati by ābhavati; ⌊he adds alternatively: bhūṣati = bubhūṣati, dyumān...bhavitum icchati⌋. In b he reads abhi instead of ati.
25. Hear us, O Agni, in thy seat, thy station; harness the speedy chariot of the immortal (amṛ́ta); bring to us the two firmaments (ródasī), parents of the gods; be thou of the gods never (mā́kis) away; mayest thou be here.
The verse is RV. x. 11. 9 (and 12. 9), without variant. The comm. comfortably supplies saṁghe in d to govern the genitive devānām. Then, as alternative explanation, he understands bhūs and syās as third persons, and mā́kis as "no one."
26. That, O Agni, this meeting may take place (bhū), divine, among the gods, worshipful, thou reverend one, and that thou mayest share out treasures, O self-ruling one, do thou enjoy here our portion filled with good things.
The verse is, without variant, RV. x. 11. 8 (also found in MS. iv. 14. 15).
27. Agni hath looked after the apex of the dawns, after the days, [he] first, Jātavedas; a sun, after the dawns, after the rays; after heaven-and-earth he entered.
28. Agni hath looked forth to meet the apex of the dawns, to meet the days, [he] first, Jātavedas, and to meet the rays of the sun in many places; to meet heaven-and-earth he stretched out.
These two verses we had above as vii. 82. 4, 5. They are here again written out in full by two of our mss. (O.R.). ⌊Cf. my introduction, above, p. 815.⌋
29. Heaven and earth, first by right, truth-speaking, are within hearing, when the god, making mortals to sacrifice, sits as hótṛ, going to meet his own being (ásu).
The verse is RV. x. 12. 1, without variant. Some of our mss. (Bp.Bs.Op.) read abhisrāvé in b. The comm. explains the word by stotuḥ çravaṇayogye.
​30. A god, encompassing the gods with right, carry thou first our offering, understanding [it]; smoke-bannered by the fuel, light-beaming, a pleasant, constant hótṛ, skilled sacrificer with speech.
The verse is RV. x. 12. 2, without variant. The majority of SPP's mss., with one of ours (Op.), read bhā́rcīko in c. Neither our Anukr. nor that of the RV. notes the deficiency of a syllable in a.
31. I praise (arc) your (du.) work unto increase, ye ghee-surfaced ones; O heaven-and-earth, hear me, ye two firmaments (ródasī); when days, O gods, went to the other life (ásunīti), let the two parents (pitárā) sharpen us here with honey.
The rendering is only mechanical, the obscurity of the verse being unresolved. It is RV. x. 12. 4, which, however, reads for c áhā yád dyā́vó ‘sunītim áyan. Our mss. and the authorities of SPP. vary in c between devā́s, dévās, and devās; SPP. reads devā́s, with ⌊at least⌋ two of his; our dévās is not defensible; the translation implies devās. The comm. makes the word the subject of ā́yan, taking áhā (p. áhā) as for ahaḥsu; he explains devās by stotāras or ṛtvijas. Our Bp. is the only pada-ms. that reads (with the RV. pada) ápaḥ in a; the others have ā́paḥ; but, as the comm. gives the former, SPP. adopts it in his text. A majority of SPP's mss. accent ghṛtásnū, but only one of ours (O.) does so.
32. If the god's immortality (amṛ́ta) is easy to appropriate for the cow, thence those who are born maintain themselves on the broad [earth]; all the gods go after that sacrificial formula of thine, when the hind yields (duh) the ghee, heavenly liquor (vā́r).
The verse is RV. x. 12. 3, without variant. It is all extremely obscure, especially the first pāda, which admits of being rendered in half-a-dozen different ways; the translation given is purely tentative. The comm. gives little help. The pada-text does not divide or otherwise change svā́vṛk, which indicates that its makers did not see in the word the formation su-ā-vṛj, which is plausibly seen in it by western scholars and by our comm. The latter takes urvī́ (p. urvī́ íti) as dual, but in the Prāt. it is quoted by the comment (to i. 74) as example of a locative in ī, which it doubtless is. Our comm. derives yájus first from root yuj and makes it = karman; devās is again, as above (vs. 31), stotāras, ṛtvijas. ⌊With the expression divyáṁ vā́ḥ, applied to ghee, compare the expression at x. 4. 3, vā́r ugrám, applied to snake-venom, which may well be called a 'terrible fluid': but see note to x. 4. 3.⌋
33. Why forsooth hath the king seized (grah) us? what have we done in transgression of (áti) his ordinance (vratá)? who discerns [it]? for even Mitra, swerving the gods, like a song of praise (çlóka), is the might also of them that go.
34. Hard to reverence (? durmántu) here is the name of the immortal, that she of like sign should become of diverse form; whoso shall reverence Yama with proper reverence (? sumántu), him, O Agni, exalted one, do thou protect, unremitting.
This verse is found also as RV. x. 12. 6, without variant, but the RV. comm. passes it without notice, as if recognizing it as not genuine. It is very strange to find repeated here as b vs. 2 b, above, as the connection this time does not explain the feminine words in it. The comm. first explains (like Grassmann) the pāda as quoted from the other verse; but goes on to add other interpretations. He defines durmántu by durmananaṁ durvacam.
35. In whom the gods revel at the council, maintain themselves in Vivasvant's seat—they placed light in the sun, rays in the moon: the two, unfailing, wait upon (pari-car) the brightness (dyotaní).
The verse is x. 12. 7, without variant. The comm. separates yásmin from vidáthe, supplying agnāu for the former to qualify (the RV. comm. does the same); perhaps rather manmani is to be inferred from the following verse. ⌊W. suggests by a note to his ms. as an alternative for a, 'In what council the gods revel.'⌋ Our comm. also explains, in d, dyotaním by dyotamānam agnim, and it reads ajasram, understanding it adverbially; aktūn in c is either raçmīn or rātrīs. ⌊This vs. and the next are discussed by Foy, KZ. xxxiv. 228.⌋
36. In what secret (apīcyà) devotion (mánman) the gods go about (sam-car)—we know it not; may Mitra, may Aditi, may god Savitar declare us here guiltless to Varuṇa.
The verse is RV. x. 12. 8, without variant. Our comm. explains mánmani by mantavye sthāne varuṇākhye.
37. O companions, we would supplicate (ā-ças) worship (bráhman) for Indra, possessor of the thunderbolt, to praise, indeed, the most manly, the daring.
The verse is RV. viii. 24. 1 (also SV. i. 390), which reads in a çiṣāmahi (SV. -he), and inserts in c vas after ū ṣú, as required by the meter. The comm's text (but not his exposition) also has the vas. Our Anukr. takes no notice of the lack of a syllable in the pāda. The comm. explains ā́ çiṣāmahe by āçāsmahe, and supplies kartum; he renders stuṣé by either stāumi or stotum. The particles ū ṣú are included in the prescriptions of Prāt. ii. 97; iii. 4; iv. 98. ⌊Weber, Sb. 1895, p. 819 n., can assign no reason why vss. 37-38 should appear here.⌋
38. For thou art famed for might (çávas), for Vritra-slaying, a Vritra-slayer; thou out-bestowest the bounteous with thy bounties, O hero.
39. Thou goest over the earth as a stegá over the ground; let winds blow here on the great earth (bhū́mi) for us; Mitra for us there (átra), Varuṇa, being joined, hath let loose heat (çóka), as fire does in the forest.
RV. x. 31. 9 corresponds, but has very considerable differences of reading: in a, eti pṛthvī́m; for b, míhaṁ ná vā́to ví ha vāti bhū́ma; in c, yátra (for no átra) and ajyámānas (for yuj-); in d, ‘gnír v-. Part of the AV. mss. also have ‘gnír v- (our O.R., and nearly half of SPP's), which accordingly might well be adopted in the text; but SPP., like our edition, reads agnír v-. One or two of our mss. (Op.R.s.m.) read in d asṛṣṭa (vyàs-), and so do a minority of SPP's; and the latter gives in his saṁhitā-text vyásṛṣṭa, but (apparently by an oversight) in his pada-text ví: asṛṣṭa; one sees no reason at all for the accentuation of the verb ⌊the AV. text, with its átra⌋.* Our text is plainly an unintelligent corruption of an unintelligible verse. The RV. comm. guesses raçmisaṁghāty ādityaḥ to be the meaning of the ⌊very rare⌋ stegá, but only on the ground of a worthless etymology. Our comm. is defective here, but the lacuna is filled up by the editor, who makes it signify "a frog "! ⌊a meaning possibly suggested by the passage at TS. v. 7. 11 (which is parallel to VS. xxv. 1)⌋. Ludwig conjectures "a plowshare" ⌊and Weber follows him⌋. Our pada-text reads in b mahī́ íti, and the case is quoted under Prāt. i. 74 as that of a locative in ī; our comm. renders it ⌊alternatively⌋ by mahatīm; he also renders vyásṛṣṭa by nāçayatu! The ṁ of pṛthivī́ṁ is ⌊almost or quite illegible⌋ in our text. The Anukr. takes no notice of the metrical irregularities of the verse (10 + 11: 12 + 11 = 44).
*⌊The RV. reads vy ásṛṣṭa, and has the difficult pada-reading ví: ásṛṣṭa: here the RV's accentuation of ásṛṣṭa is accounted for by the RV's yátra; and the accent of ví is to be put with the remarkable cases (some thirty) mentioned by W., Gram. § 1084 a, whether we regard it as a blunder helped by the wavering tradition as to átra, yátra, or not. (Cf. what is said about "blend-readings" under xiv. 2. 18 and, just below, under xviii. 1. 42.) Whitney's Bp. follows the RV. in giving ví: ásṛṣṭa and his Bs. has vyásṛṣṭa; cf. the ví: ádadhus of xix. 6. 5 a.⌋
40. Praise thou the famed sitter on the hollow of men (jána), the terrible king, formidable assailant (? upahatnú); being praised, O Rudra, be gracious to the singer; let thine army (? sénya) lay low (ni-vap) another than us.
41. On Sarasvatī do the pious call; on Sarasvatī , while the sacrifice is being extended; on Sarasvatī do the well-doers call: may Sarasvatī give what is desirable to the worshiper (dāçvā́ṅs).
RV. x. 17. 7 is the same verse, but makes better meter by having ahvayanta for havante in c; and the comm. agrees with it. Verses 41-43, with others to Sarasvatī (vii. 68. 1-2; also xviii. 3. 25), are used by Kāuç. (81. 39) in the pitṛmedha ceremony, accompanying offerings to Sarasvatī. ⌊And they recur below, as noted under vs. 43.⌋ The Anukr. takes no notice of the deficiency of a syllable in 41 c, and 42 a, nor of the excess of two syllables in 43 a.
42. On Sarasvatī do the Fathers call, arriving at the sacrifice on the south; sitting on this barhís do ye revel; assign thou to us food (íṣas) free from disease.
Here again the RV. version (x. 17. 9 a, b, 8 c, d) makes the meter good by inserting ⌊or rather (cf. vs. 59), by not omitting⌋ yā́m in a before pitáras (and hence accenting hávante*); it also accents dakṣiṇā́ in b, as other texts do; two of our mss. (O.s.m.Op.) do the same, with the majority of SPP's, whence the latter adopts dakṣiṇā́ in his edition; it is undoubtedly the correct reading ⌊as is explicitly stated also by the comm. to xix. 13. 9, page 325$^{21}$⌋. RV. also avoids the change of subject in the second line by reading mādayasva in c. *⌊It is interesting to note that SPP's C$^P$ accents hávante, as if the missing yā́m were not missing: cf. my note about "blend-readings" under xiv. 2. 18, and the end of my note under xviii. 1. 39; also note to 4. 57.⌋
43. O Sarasvatī, that wentest in company (sarátham) with the songs (ukthá), with the svadhā́s, O goddess, reveling with the Fathers, assign thou to the sacrificer here a portion of refreshment (íḍ) of thousandfold value, abundance of wealth.
Here, once more, the AV. disturbs the meter by the intrusion into a of ukthāís, which is wanting in the RV. version (x. 17. 8 a, b, 9 c, d). ⌊RV. reads yájamāneṣu in d.⌋ The three Sarasvatī verses are repeated below as xviii. 4. 45-47. The comm. gives annasya as equivalent of iḍás.
44. Let the lower, let the higher, let the midmost Fathers, the soma-drinking (? somyá), go up; they who went to life (ásu), unharmed (avṛká), right-knowing—let those Fathers aid us at our calls.
The verse is found, without variant, as RV. x. 15. 1, VS. xix. 49, and in TS. ii. 6. 12$^3$, MS. iv. 10. 6. It is used twice by Kāuç. in the funeral book: once (80. 43) at the piling of the funeral pile, and once (87. 14), in the piṇḍapitṛyajña, at the digging of a pit for receiving certain offerings. Verses 44-46 appear together (87. 29) in the latter ceremony with the bringing in of certain water-pots ⌊i.e. the pouring in (of their contents)?⌋. In Vāit. (30. 14), vss. 44 and 45, with 51, and 3. 44, 45, are prescribed to be repeated after the pouring of surā into a perforated vessel, in the sāutrāmaṇī ceremony; and again, vss. 44-46 accompany (37. 23) the binding of a victim to the sacrificial post in the puruṣamedha.
​45. I have won hither (ā-vid) the beneficent Fathers, both the grandson and the wide-striding of Vishṇu; they who, sitting on the barhís, partake of the pressed drink with svadhā́—they come especially hither.
The verse is, without variant, RV. x. 15. 3, VS. xix. 56, and found in TS. ii. 6. 12$^3$ and MS. iv. 10. 6 (MS. puts yé after svadháyā in c). Our comm. is uncertain from which root vid to make avitsi, and casts no light on the obscure second pāda; he renders āgamiṣṭhās either by āgamaya or āgacchantu. The abbreviated form barhiṣádas (p. barhi॰sádaḥ) is one of those quoted by the Prāt. comment as aimed at by rules ii. 59; iv. 100. For the use of the verse by Kāuç. and Vāit., see under vs. 44.
46. Be this homage today to the Fathers, who went first, who went after, who are seated in the space (rájas) of earth, or who are now in regions (díç) having good abodes (suvṛjána).
The verse is RV. x. 15. 2, which, however, reads in b úparāsas, and in d vikṣú; and with it in both respects read the corresponding verses in TS. ii. 6. 12$^4$ and MS. iv. 10. 6; also VS. xix. 68 (but this, with our E., has námo ‘stu in a). Ppp. also gives the verse in book ii., reading in b ye parāsaṣ pareyuḥ, and in d suvṛjināsu vikṣu. Some of our mss. (P.M.I.R.T.), and one of SPP's, agree with RV. in reading úparāsas; the comm. divides u parāsas; and our E. has vikṣú, while P.M. give divikṣú, and I. prikṣú. For the use of the verse in Kāuç. and Vāit. with vss. 44-45, see under 44; it also (or else, more probably, 4. 51: see under that verse) is prescribed alone (80. 51) to accompany the scattering of darbha-grass in preparing the funeral pile.
47. Mātālī with the kavyás, Yama with the An̄girases, Brihaspati increasing with the ṛ́kvans ('praisers'); both they whom the gods increased and who [increased] the gods—let those Fathers aid us at our calls.
RV. x. 14. 3 has the first three pādas, but, instead of repeating our 44 d, reads for the fourth svā́hā ‘nyé svadháyā ‘nyé madanti; and TS. (ii. 6. 12$^5$) and MS. (iv. 14. 16) agree with it in so doing.
48. Sweet verily is this [sóma], and full of honey is this; strong (tīvrá) verily is this, and full of sap is this; and no one soever overpowers in conflicts (āhavá) Indra, having now drunk of it.
The verse is RV. vi. 47. 1, without real variant; its applicability in the funeral book is not apparent, and neither Kāuç. nor Vāit. uses it. Part of our mss. (O.R.K.), with nearly all SPP's, combine at the beginning svādúṣ k-, which RV. also has; and SPP., with good reason, adopts this in his text.
49. Him that went away to the advances called great, spying out the road for many, Vivasvant's son, gatherer of people, king Yama, honor (sapary) ye with oblation.
50. Yama first found for us a track (gātú); that is not a pasture to be borne away; where our former Fathers went forth, there (enā́) [go] those born [of them], along their own roads.
The corresponding RV. verse (x. 14. 2) reads pareyús at end of c, and MS. (in iv. 14. 16) agrees with it. The comm. has yena instead of enā in d. The verse (with vs. 51?) is used by Kāuç. (81. 35) next after the preceding one, in the same ceremony.
51. Ye barhís-seated Fathers, hitherward with aid! these offerings have we made for you; enjoy [them]! do ye come with most wealful aid; then assign to us weal [and] profit, free from evil.
The corresponding RV. verse (x. 15. 4) has áthā at beginning of d. VS. (xix. 55) agrees throughout with RV.; TS. (in ii. 6. 12$^2$) spoils the meter of d by changing nas to asmábhyam; MS. (in iv. 10. 6) has at the end dadhātana; ⌊so has W's Op.⌋. The comm. also reads atha. The verse is used by Kāuç. (87. 27), along with 3. 44-46 and 4. 68, to accompany the untying and strewing of the barhis in the piṇḍapitṛyajña. In Vāit. 30. 14, it appears with 1. 44, 45 etc. (see under 1. 44); and again (9. 8), in the cāturmāsya sacrifice, accompanying (with 3. 44, 45 and 4. 71) a libation to Soma and the Fathers.
52. Bending the knee, sitting down on the right, let all assent to (abhi-gṛ) this libation of ours; injure us not, O Fathers, by reason of any offense (ā́gas) which we may do to you through humanity.
That is, through human frailty. The corresponding RV. verse (x. 15. 6) reads for b imáṁ yajñám abhí gṛṇīta víçve; and VS. (xix. 62) agrees with RV.; the comm., too, so far as to have gṛṇīta. In Kāuç. (83. 28), the verse accompanies the arranging of the bone relics of the deceased at their place of burial (repeated, with two other verses, in the piṇḍapitṛyajña, 87. 28). The Anukr. takes no notice of the redundant syllable in b.
53. Tvashṭar makes a wedding-car for his daughter; by reason of this, all this creation comes together; the mother of Yama, wife of great Vivasvant, being drawn about, disappeared.
The corresponding RV. verse (x. 17. 1) has íti for téna at beginning of b; and the comm. also reads iti. With the first half-verse compare iii. 31. 5 a, b, which is a sort of travesty of it. The second verse of the curious and obscure and much discussed (see Bloomfield in JAOS. xv. 172 ff.) bit of legend is found below, as 2. 33, as much out of all connection with its surroundings as this one here. Neither of the two is used by Kāuç. or Vāit. The comm. quotes a passage of eight verses from the Bṛhaddevatā in explanation of the legend.
54. Go thou forth, go forth by roads that go to the stronghold (pūryā́ṇa), as (yénā) thy Fathers of old went forth; both kings, reveling with svadhā́, shalt thou see, Yama and god Varuṇa.
Or svadháyā may be 'at their pleasure' or 'according to their wont.' The corresponding RV. verse (x. 14. 7) has in a-b pathíbhiḥ pūrvyébhir yátrā naḥ pū́rve pitáraḥ pareyúḥ, and, in c, rā́jānā and mádantā; and MS. (in iv. 14. 16) agrees with it except in reading, with our text, páretās ⌊in b, and in having pūrvébhis in a⌋. Our comm. reads rājānā in c. Prāt. iii. 83 prescribes the ṇ in pūryā́ṇāis (p. pūḥ॰yā́nāiḥ); the comm. absurdly explains the word as = pumāṅso yena...yanti! for the pūr, compare x. 2. 28 ff.; xix. 17 and 19. The Anukr. takes no notice of the metrical irregularity in the verse. ⌊It is due to the displacement of pūrviébhis by pūryā́ṇāis: the secondary character of the latter (occurring elsewhere only at 4. 63 below) is palpable in more ways than one.⌋ Kāuç. does not quote the verse; but our comm. declares it to accompany the laying of the dead body on the cart (for transportation to the funeral pile).
55. Go ye away, go asunder, and creep apart from here; for this man the Fathers have made this world; adorned with days, with waters, with rays (aktú), a rest (avasā́na) Yama gives to him.
The verse is RV. x. 14. 9, without variant; and TA. (in i. 27. 5; vi. 6. 1) has the first, third, and fourth pādas; while VS. (xii. 45) and TS. (in iv. 2. 4$^1$), TB. (i. 2. 1$^{16}$), and MS. (ii. 7. 11), have only the first (agreeing with TA. in the second). TA., however, reads dadātv av- in d, and that is found also in our P.M.I. The comm. has for b the pāda of the other texts: ye ‘tra stha purāṇā ye ca nūtanāḥ. ⌊My discussion of the verse in Skt. Reader, p. 378, may be consulted.⌋ The verse, with 2. 37, accompanies in Kāuç. (So. 42) the sprinkling of the place of cremation with holy water; in V^ait. (28. 24), the sweeping of the site for the householder's fire, in the agnicayana ceremony. ⌊Weber, Sb. 1895, p. 839, takes the verse as a call, addressed to all creatures (whether animals or demons) that may infest the resting-place of the dead man, to quit the same (averruncatio).⌋
⌊Böhtlingk, in his paper Ueber esha lokaḥ, discusses this verse at Ber. der sächsischen Gesell. for 1893, xlv. 131.—He would read vī́ta, not vī̀ta, referring to Whitney's Grammar$^2$ § 128, and suggesting that divī̀va is perhaps the only example for the circumflex; but I have noted vī̀ndra, RV. x. 32. 2, vī̀va, vii. 55. 2, nī̀ta, AV. iii. 11. 2, and bhindhī̀dám, vii. 18. 1, and suspect that Whitney has collected all the prāçliṣṭa svaritas from AV. (nearly a score) in his note to the Prāt. iii. 56.⌋
56. Eager (uçánt) would we light thee, eager would we kindle; do thou, eager, bring the eager Fathers to eat the oblation.
57. Lightful (dyumánt) would we light thee, lightful would we kindle; do thou, lightful, bring the lightful Fathers to eat the oblation.
More than half the mss. (including all ours except O.Op.T.K. ⌊which have dyumatá, p. dyu॰matáḥ⌋) read dyumantás in c, which we accordingly adopted in our text, though the form is of course ungrammatical; SPP. reads correctly dyumatás. ⌊Cf. my Noun-Inflection, p. 521.⌋ ⌊This vs. is a mere variation of the preceding, with dyumánt-forms in place of uçánt-forms. Perhaps in this connection the fact is noteworthy that W's codex I. does not accent the vs. Here again the comm. reads havāmahe for idhimahi.⌋
58. The An̄girases, our návagva Fathers, the Atharvans, the Bhṛigus, soma-drinkers (somyá)—may we be in the favor of those worshipful ones, likewise in their excellent well-willing.
The verse is RV. x. 14. 6, also VS. xix. 50, and in TS. ii. 6. 12$^6$ all without variant; the second half is met with further at AV. vi. 55. 3 ⌊reading as here⌋; and in other verses of RV. and AV.: ⌊namely, RV. iii. 1. 21; vi. 47. 13; x. 131. 7; AV. vii. 92. 1: but with tásya yajñíyasya instead of our plural⌋. It is used by Kāuç. (81. 36) in the cremation service ⌊with vss. 59-61 and 2. 1-3: see note to vs. 49⌋.
59. Come thou hither with the worshipful An̄girases; revel here, O Yama, with the Vāirūpas—I call Vivasvant, who is thy father—sitting down upon this barhís.
The verse is found as RV. x. 14. 5, and in TS. ii. 6. 12$^6$ and MS. iv. 14. 16. All these rectify the meter by inserting ⌊or rather (cf. vs. 42), by not omitting⌋ yajñé after asmín in d, and they have in a the equivalent reading an̄girobhir ā́ gahi yajñíyebhiḥ. The AV. version is bṛhatī ⌊possibly because one can count its d as 9 syllables: purābṛhatī does not seem to occur elsewhere and perhaps it is wrong⌋.
60. Ascend thou, O Yama, this cushion (prastará), in concord with the An̄giras Fathers; let the sacred utterances (mántra) made in praise by the poets bring thee; then (enā́), O king, revel thou in the oblation.
This verse also is found as RV. x. 14. 4, and in TS. ii. 6. 12$^6$ and MS. iv. 14. 16, all of which have sī́da for róha in a, and havíṣā for -ṣas in d. The comm., too, reads sīda. The only one of our mss. that accents róha is Op., and our reading the word with an accent was an emendation; SPP. gives the same, on the authority of most of his mss. ⌊The comm. calls hí an expletive.⌋ Kāuç. 84. 2 uses the verse with an offering to Yama in the ceremony of interment of the bones; and the comment appears to quote the same rule under 45. 14, in the vaçāçamana rite.
61. These ascended up from here; they ascended the backs of the sky (dív); the An̄girases have gone forth to heaven (dív), like bhūrjís, by the road.