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MANDALA I, HYMN 69.
and the comparison of X, 147, 1 (see next note), where it is said áhan yát vritrám ... vivéh apáh, seems even to confirm the traditional reading. It cannot be denied. however, that the double yát and the use of áhan without an object raises some suspicion. In I, 34, 3; 186, 4 we have samâné áhan. Possibly we may read, tát tú te dámsah khan samâne, 'this wonderful deed of thine has been accomplished on one and the same day (with that mentioned in verse 7). I am fully aware of the uncertainty of such guesses. The removal of yát has already beers proposed by Bollensen (Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morg. Gesellschaft, XXII, 592).
Note 2. Here we may correct the text with greater certainty than in the first hemistich, or to speak more accurately, we shall have to correct not the traditional text itself, but that ancient grammatical commentary on the text which has been preserved to us in the Pada pâtha. The words vivérápânsi of the Samhità pâtha are written in the Padapatha vivéh rápâmsi. Now we read IV, 19, 10. ápâmsi ... náryá áviveshîh, thou hast performed manly works.' In X, 147, 3 we have áhan yát vritrám náryam vivéh apáh: here the adjective nárya clearly shows that apáh is a blunder for ápah, and we must translate, 'when thou hast killed Vritra and performed thy manly work.' This passage shows that in X, 76, 3 also vivéh apáh should be corrected (v. ápah). Thus we have three passages in which áviveshîh or vivéh has the object ápah, ápamsi, and we may infer with full certainty that in our passage vivérápåmsi does not correspond to a Padapatha reading vivéh rápâmsi but vivéh ápâmsi. The same may be said with regard to VI, 31, 3 (mushầyah kakrám áviveh rápâmsi; Samh. ávive rápåmsi).
Verse 9. Note 1. Comp. above, verse 1.
Verse 10. Note 1. Comp. above, 66, 10.
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