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HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
Stanza 1. The first hemistich is verbose and obscure. Muir, ‘from thy vicinity, from thy vicinity, from a distance, from thy vicinity (I call) to thee;' Ludwig, without construing,
deine nähe nähe, deine ferne nähe.' We have taken the two Pâdas as quasi-intensive expressions, equivalent respectively to avátas te, and parâvátas te.
Stanza 2. Cf. for Pada b the Italian proverb :
Da chi mi fido, guarda mi, Dio, Da chi mi non, mi guarderd io.
Stanza 5. Cf. Ath. Paris. 4, 1. We have regarded the stanza, not without hesitancy, as a plea of the professional medicineman in behalf of his art, and against domestic remedial expedients (“hausmittelchen'). The expression pratyák sevasva looks as though it meant 'refuse with thanks,' and our rendering of sárgatah aims to reproduce the supposed satirical flavour of the passage.
Stansa 10. Cf. VIII, 1, 13, and the note on the passage.
Stansa 12. b. The construction of the Pâda is not quite clear. Ludwig, anbetung denen die zu den vätern führen;' Muir, 'reverence to the Fathers, and to those who guide us.' Both renderings are non-committal; we have in mind the dogs of Yama as the subject of utá yé náyanti.
Stanza 13. Cf. Ath. Paris. 13, 3.
V, 31. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 76. The hymn belongs to the krityåpratiharanâni, a series of hymns designed to repel spells. It is closely similar in character to X, 1, together with which it is employed in the
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