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M. A. MEHENDALE
do not move from their place. Some of their other discomfitures are described in the following words:
apaši vazaite arštiš yam anhayeiti avi-mieris frāna avanam mąeranam
yă vərəzyeiti avi.mioriš GERSHEVITCH, The Avestan Hymm to Mithra (p. 83), translates the above passage as follows: 'Back flies the spear which the Antimithra throws, because of the evil spells which the Antimithra performs."
Earlier, BARTHOLOMAE had taken frāna (loc. sg. of frānay meaning Fülle, Menge') to mean at the abundance of (the evil spells)'. In essence, GERSHEVITCH agrees with BARTHOLOMAE in looking upon the recitation of the evil spells as the cause of the return of the spear. He only feels that the number of spells can have nothing to do with the return of the spear, for that was achieved by the fact that they were cast. This enables GERSHEVITCH to dispense with the meaning 'Fülle, Menge'assigned by BARTHOLOMAE to the word. GERSHEVITCH explains fräna as an adverbial instrumental of *frāna, a derivative of frá that corresponds in form to Latin pronus, and in meaning to Lat. pro and Parth. frh'h because of'.8
LOMMEL also has followed BARTHOLOMAE as can be seen from his translation: “Zurück fliegt die Lanze, welche der Mithra-feind schleudert, wegen der Menge böser Sprüche, welche der Mithra-feind ausübt."9
The above translations are based on the wrong notion regarding the purpose of the evil spells. These spells are definitely not the cause of the return of the spear thrown by the Mithra-enemy. If that were so, he would have certainly stopped reciting them. The spear returns, just as the contract-breaker suffers from other discomfitures. The horse, the spear are of no avail to the Mithra-enemy because of his sin of having broken the contract. The purpose of the spells muttered by him while throwing the spear is to make it more effective. The spells are apparently supposed to reach the body of the enemy together with the weapon. References to the recitetion of the mantras while shooting the weapons to make them more powerful are met with frequently in the literature. cf. mahābānam räkşasendrena mantritam, Rām. 6.70.21
8. The Avestan Hymm to Mithra, pp. 177-78. 9. Die Yašt's des Awesta, p. 69.
Madhu Vidyā/190
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