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HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
(nådi) which generates calculi (asmarî), and finally describes it more explicitly as a kind of canal crooked like a bow, and the seat of the urine,' dhanûr dhanurvad vakro můtrasayo nádiviseshah. And he quotes a similar statement from a Smriti, matrasayo dhanur vakro vastir ity abhidhiyate. It would seem accordingly that he imagines the bladder, or some similar vessel, capable as it is of producing sand or calculi, a fitting agent to stop the flow of blood-an interesting conceit at any rate! Grill thinks that the entire stanza is a later addition. But Kausika, at any rate, found it where it is, and the original diaskeuasis of the AV. postulates four or more stanzas for each hymn of the first book ; see Seven Hymns of the Atharva-veda, Amer. Journ. Phil. VII, 470 ff. Against this, there is only the deviation in the metre.
c. The Pâda is a formula ; see RV. I, 191, 6.
I, 18. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 109. Såyana, in the introduction to the hymn, describes the practices associated with it at Kaus. 42, 19-21 as designed to remove the blemishes of a woman afflicted with the evil characteristics mentioned in the samudrika-treatises. These blemishes are supposed to be on her face, hands, feet, and other members, mukhahastapâdadyangeshu sâmudrikoktadurlakshanayuktayah striyas taddoshanivrittaye. The samudrika-books (treatises on chiromancy) treat of both good and evil characteristics, for in his comment on st. I c he says, yâni samudrikasastra prasiddhani ... saubhagyakarani kihnâni santi. Cf. Pet. Lex. under 2. sâmudra, and Kesava to Kaus. 42, 19, sâmudrike strilakshanam vyakhyatam, and note also Kaus. 18, 38, samudra ity åkakshate karma.
The practices of the Kausika are as follows: 42, 19. While reciting AV. I, 18, the face of the woman afflicted
Cf. with these statements Sâyana's comment on vasti, I, 3, 6, dhanurákaro můtrâsayo vastir ukyate.
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