Questions of King Milinda Part 01

SR No.: 007681
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1890
Total Pages: 2695
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 47 MB

Page 1827

308
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
0, d. The relation of this hemistich to the preceding is obscure; it seems to have been introduced secondarily and loosely. Agni purifies life (RV. IX, 66, 19): so far he fits in with the preceding. But Agni also knows all the races of the gods (RV. IV, 2, 18=AV. XVIII, 3, 23): this, the major part of the hemistich, belongs to a different sphere of conceptions ; see the author in Journ. Amer. Or. Soc. XVI, 16 ff. Påda d is obviously formulary, being repeated literally in a different connection at IV, 1, 3. For vayúnâni, see Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 295 ff.; Ludwig, Uber Methode bei Interpretation des Rigveda, pp. 31 ff. Sâyana, here as elsewhere, in accordance with Yaska, Nir. V, 14, &c., pragñanamai stat, iha tu så martlıyât pragñatavyâni vidvân, &c.
Stansa 3. b. The edition of Roth and Whitney has gánitvah, which is the Paippalada reading. Most MSS. used by Shankar Pandit read gan trâh; so also Sâyana, ganitrâh ganishyamânah. But ganitra is not quotable as an adjective: I accept the more recondite reading gánitvah.
Stanga 5. The last stanza occurs in Tait. S. II, 3, 10, 3; Maitr. S. II, 3, 4; Tait. År. II, 5, 1 (the last two with variants).
II, 29. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 47. The tenor of the hymn is vague, and it exhibits strong traces of patch-work, being compiled from a variety of sources. In the ritual it is applied chiefly as a remedial charm against a disease in which thirst plays a prominent rôle (trishnagrihîta ; cf. st. 4). It is described at Kaus. 27, 9-13, as follows: 9. While reciting II, 29 (the performer) at sunrise seats (the patient and a healthy person) back to back. 10. Having seated upon branches the patient with his face to the east, and the healthy person with his face to the west, having churned a stirred drink in a cup made of vetasa-reed by means of two (vetasa-reeds, used as) stirrers, upon the head of the person afflicted with thirst, he
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