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384
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
suggests gold; and the changes are rung upon this comparison. See also Yaska's Nighantu I, 2, where krisana is put among the names for gold; cf. especially st. 6.
Stanza 2. a. Sayana, rokanânâm rokamânânâm bhâsvaranam nakshatrâdînâm. He has in mind, doubtless, the beautiful stanza RV. X, 68, 11, 'as a black steed with pearls, thus did the Fathers stud the sky with stars.'
Stansa 3.
b. For sadánväh, see our note on II, 14, 1 d.
Stanza 5. b. Såyana, 'from the body of Vritra, or from the cloud.' The latter alternative hits the point. According to the familiar Hindu notion, the pearl is a drop of rain, and thus it here breaks through the cloud, like the sun, itself a small sun.
Stansa 6. Pada a accounts for the presence of the word krisana among the names for gold, Yaska's Nigh. I, 2. With Påda c cf. RV. I, 35, 4. The extra fifth Påda is formulaic, and betrays its character as an appendage by the change of person (târishat); see the note on II, 4, 6.
Stansa 7. e. The MSS. available for the vulgate read kársanas; so also the majority of Shankar Pandit's MSS. The emendation of the Pet. Lex. to kärsanas is now substan. tiated by Sayana (kârsanah krisanasambandhi manih), and a minority of Shankar Pandit's MSS.
IV, 12. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 19. The purport of this hymn is manifest both from its wording, and its function in the ritual. It is to cure external lesions, and fractures of bones. The Kausika
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