________________
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
the Vedas. Cf. also Vait. Sa. 29, 10; Ath. Paris. 19, 5. It has been translated by Ludwig, Der Rigveda, III, 502 : Grill?, pp. 5, 162 ff.
Stanza 1. The second hemistich recurs at X, 4, 8 (cf. also IV, 3, 7) without the formula námo devaganébhyah. This may therefore have been borrowed from the end of st. 2. The divine folks are the serpents themselves, cf. XI, 9, 2. 5. 26; 10, 5, and the sarpadevaganah, Våg. S. XXX, 8. See also Sat. Br. VII, 4, 1, 28.
Stansa 2. For different designations of serpents, see Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, pp. 94 ff. For asitá (Sảyana, krishnavarna) and tiraskiragi (Sayana, tiryag avasthità ... valayo yasya), see III, 27, 12; VII, 56, 1; X, 4, 5 ff.; XII, 3, 55 ff., and the note to the last-mentioned passage. See also the note on V, 13, 5, and TS. V, 5, 10, 1. 2. The Hindu commentators explain svaga als 'self-born.' Sayana, svayam eva gâyate kâranântaranairapekshyena utpadyate ; cf. the gloss, Tait. S. V, 5, 14, 1. The Pet. Lex., 'vivipara,' or 'the embracer.' Weber at Tait. S., 1. c., also derives it from svag, enfold.
Stanga 3. Cf. A. Kuhn, Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung, XIII, 60.
The third Pâda may refer to the forked tongue of the serpent (Sâyana, sarpasya hi dve gihve). But perhaps, more likely, it is a strong way of saying, 'I shut up thy tongue,' continuing under the impetus of the first hemistich. Cf. Pada d.
VI, 57. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 19. The practices of the Kausika, 31, 11-15, contribute not a little towards the elucidation of this medicinal charm. In the hymn the disease is merely designated as the arrow of Rudra, but in the Sätra it is called akshata ; the remedy is akshatavranabhaishagyam (Kesava), and Sâyana explains
Digized by Google
