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VI, 85. COMMENTARY.
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Stanza 1. The conception that a disease fies forth from the patient occurs also at RV. X, 97, 13, 'O yakshma, fly forth, fly with the blue jay, fly with the current of the wind.' See. also AV. V, 30, 9; VI, 40, 3. The converse notion that sores fly on to the body occurs at AV. VII, 76, 4.
Stanza 3. Såyana, glauh varnaganito (Shankar Pandit, vrana-) harshakshayah ... galuntah gandamålodbhavavikårena tatratatra hastapâdådisamdhishu udbhůtân gadùn tasyati (!) upakshapayatî-ti gaduntah. Wise, I. c., p. 311, has, ‘Gilin. The swelling in this disease is like the swelling of a plum, not painful, but hard; and is produced by diseased phlegm, and blood.' Cf. gilayu,' a hard boil in the throat,' Pet. Lex. The correspondence with either is uncertain.
Stanza 4. The formula seems to correspond perfectly with its use in the practice (Kaus. 31, 21) above: whatever oblation suits thee, that do thou comfortably enjoy, while I am mentally making an offering with the auspicious svaha.
The disease is uncertain, hence the exact character of the offering is left undefined.
VI, 85. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 39. The varana-tree (crataeva roxburghii) is extolled very highly for its medicinal and magic qualities. See the longer hymn, X, 3, and cf. Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, p. 60 ff. Apparently the sole basis for this belief is the supposed derivation of the word from the root var, 'shut off;' cf. the similar puns upon ásvattha, khadira, tâgádbhanga, vádhaka at VIII, 8, 3; sará (srināti), vibhidaka (bhinatti) at Tait. S. II, 1, 5, 7, and many more. At Kaus. 26, 33. 37 the practice prescribed consists simply in tying on an amulet derived from the varana-tree. The hymn is also rubricated in the takmanâsanagana of the Ganamâlâ,
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