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328
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
(region) is spread over the fire-place!, and (the king) consumes a mess of porridge, mixed with milk. 32. The utensils are taken from the same place as the lump of earth. 34. On the morning of the fourth day (the king) eats the (submerged) rice-cake, and then he is called (to his kingdom).' Professor Weber remarks that an exiled potentate could scarcely expect to be restored by any more simple device. The symbolism of the practice is obvious : especially the bed and the clod of, earth from the native sod (heimathsscholle ') are suggestive. Cf. Kausika's rite at 16, 27. 28 in connection with AV. I, 9 (introduction). Stanzas i and 2 are rubricated at Vait. Su. 9, 2 and 30, 27. The hymn has been translated by Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 441 ff.; Weber, Indische Studien, XVII, 185; cf. also Bergaigne et Henry, Manuel Védique, p. 140 ff. The Anukramani, nânådevatyam utå ssgneyam.
Stansa 1. Agni figures here as the war-god, capable of bringing victory to the cause of the dethroned king. Cf. III, 1 and 2. With him are united the fighting Maruts who hitch up Agni that he may bring (vah) the king. Sayana, curiously, makes the king subject of ákikradat (cf. RV. X, 45, 4), the king calls (!) upon thee that he may again enter his kingdom.' In Pada d amúm is perhaps replaced by the name of the king, in the manner of the ritual; cf. e. g. Vâg. S. IX, 40; Tait. Br. III, 2, 3, 7.
Stansa 2. The stanza is difficult and full of double intent. The crucial word seems to us to be sautråmanya. This is a sacrifice originally devised by the gods to cure Indra from the effects of over-indulgence in soma ; see our Contributions, Third Series, Journ. Amer. Or. Soc. XV, 153 ff.; Oldenberg, Nachrichten von der Königlichen Gesellschaft
* The Sætra, gyotirayatanam; Darila, gyotisha âyatanam sthânam uttaravedim avakîrya.
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