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364
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
thus the criticism must be made for a very early period, to say the least. The stanza may, however, have stood in a different position in the hymn.
Stansa 7. The stanza concatenates with 5; cf. e. g. the relation of RV. II, 38, 7 and 9, where st. 8 interrupts a similar relation.
b. Såyana reads ekasnushtin. On p. 256 Ludwig emends samvánanena to savanena, but on p. 516 he adheres to the text and translates it by 'versöhnungsspruch.' Sây., vasîkaranena anena sammanasyakarmana.
c. In RV. I, 71, 9, Mitra and Varuna are said to be guarding the amrita.
d. Ludwig on p. 516 emends saumanasó to saumanasám, but this is unnecessary if we remember that the leader or chief is referred to in gyâyas, in st. 5 a, and eka-, in 7 b. Moreover at Tait. S. IV, 7, 3, 1, saumanasáh, masc., is an abstract = saumanasám.
III, 31. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 51. This extraordinary composition makes draughts upon a variety of mythological and philosophical (psychophysical) conceptions for the purpose of accentuating the desired separation from misfortune, and union with life. Accordingly each of its eleven stanzas ends in a refrain which states this desire distinctly. Further the hymn is divisible into two halves, the first of which (sts. 1-4) has for its key-note the subject of separation illustrated by cosmic examples; the second (6-11) illustrates union with the principles of life. The intermediate stanza is more problematic; it has been discussed by the translator in connection with his treatment of the marriage of Saranya in the third series of his Contributions, Journ. Amer. Or. Soc. XV, pp. 181 ff.
The principal employment of the hymn in the ritual is in connection with the initiation (upanayana) of the young Aryan into the Brahmanical community. At Kaus. 58, 3
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