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2. ATIHAYAT (?)
By
M. A. MEHENDALE Sanskrit Dictionary Deptt., Deccan College, Poona-6
In the Vedic Word-Concordance, Vol. II (Brahmaņas), appears an entry atihayat with a question mark. Apparently the form has been looked upon, doubtfully, as a present participle from att ha (jihite).
The form in question occurs twice in the Jaimini ya-Brahmana 3. 205 and 3. 208.
The Jaim. Br. 3. 205 reads as : kavir girbhiḥ kayyena kavis san somah pavitram aty eti rebhann' ity atihdyan.
The Jaim. Br. 3. 208 reads as : supravir astu sa kşayah pra nu yaman sudanavah ye no amho 'ti pi prati ity atihayan.
In these two passages, the Brāhmaṇa portion has not been correctly read. What appears as atiha yan should really be read as ati hayan - ati ha ayan "they have, indeed, gone beyond, i.e., they have indeed, completed (the performance of)". The Brāhmaṇa remark is intended to justify the choice of the mantras which contain the words atyeti 'goes over, or goes beyond' (Jaim. Br. 3. 205) and atipi prati 'they carry over or beyond' (Jaim. Br. 3. 208). The Brāhmana passages say that these particular mantras containing the words atyeti and atipi prati are used because “they (the priests) have, indeed, gone beyond, i.e., they have completed (the performance of the ritual pertaining to the pr sthya şadaha)".
In the second passage (Jaim. Br. 3. 208) the author of the Brabmaņa could have said ati ha api paruḥ, instead of ati ha ayan, because the mantra contains the verbal form ati pi prati (from the root pr) and not at yeti (from the root i). But the author chose to repeat
1. SV 2. 525 ; RV IX. 96. 17 (küyyena). 2. SV 2.702; RV VII. 66.5.
Madhu Vidyā/147
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