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608
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
Stanza 8.
The first hemistich recurs at VI, 56, 1 c, d; cf. the note there.
Stanza 10.
a. aghâsvá seems here to be the designation of a serpent. In RV. I, 116, 6 aghasva with different (bahuvrîhi) accent seems to be Pedu, the possessor of the serpent-killing horse; cf. Bergaigne, 1. c., p. 451. The relation of the two is very obscure. For svaga and the subsequent designations of serpents, see the note on VI, 56, 2.
Stanza 22.
c. kândâvishám and kanáknakam are åπ. λey.; it is not even certain that the latter refers to a particular substance: the word may be an adjective qualifying kândâvishám. It seems to be an intensive formation from root kan.
Stanza 24.
a, b. taúdî and ghritákî seem to be fanciful names of plants, 'the piercer,' and 'dripping with ghee.' The latter is personified in many ways, as night (AV. XIX, 48, 6); Sarasvatî (RV. V, 43, 11); cf. ghritápâdî as an epithet of Ida (e. g. Sat. Br. I, 8, 1, 26).
Stanza 25.
Rubricated at Ath. Paris. 33, 3.
X, 6. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 84.
The chief interest of this rather banale production lies in the practice which it harbours. From st. 2 we gather that the hymn is addressed to an amulet prepared from the ploughshare. In st. 6 the amulet itself is spoken of as a ploughshare1, but in addition it is said to be 'strong khadira-wood' (acacia catechu). From Dârila at Kaus.
1 Cf. also the allusions to the ploughshare in sts. 12 and 33.
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