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556
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
Stanza 2. b. The Paippalåda, mukhena nirrite tava. The bird of misfortune is identified with the goddess of misfortune herself.
VII, 65. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 72. Employed at Kaus. 46, 49 as a purificatory charm for cleansing one's self from evil deeds and defiling contact. Fagots derived from the apămârga-tree are placed into a fire built of wood from the same tree. For the apâ mârga, see in general the introduction to IV, 17. Stanzas 1, 2 are rubricated in the krityågana of the Ganamala, Ath. Paris. 32, 2 (see Kaus. 39, 7, note). Cf. also Ath. Paris. 19, 4. Previous translations by Grill?, pp. 38, 186; Henry, Le livre VII de l'Atharva-véda, pp. 25, 89. The Anukramanî, apâ mârgavîruddaivatam.
Stansa 1. For pratîkînaphala, see IV, 19, 7, and the note on IV, 17, 2. Sâyana, agråd ärabhya phalasya můlaparyantam åtmåbhimukham sparsane kantakaråhityadarsanât pratîkî. naphalatvam. The second hemistich is nearly identical with IV, 19, 7 c, d.
Stanza 2. c. Sayana, visvatomukha sarvatah prasritasâkhayukta. Perhaps, however, 'looking in every direction,' because the fruit turns one way, the branches another. The epithet is, too, of more general scope (fire and sun), and may refer to watchfulness against hostile influences.
Stanza 3.
Befouling contact with deformed persons is a standard subject in Vedic texts, and in the law-books : see Maitr. S. IV, 1, 9 (cf. the corresponding passages from the Kath. S. and the Kapishth. S.); Tait. Br. III, 2, 8, 11; Åpast. Sr. IX, 12, 11; Apast. Dh. II, 5, 12, 22; Gaut. XV, 16; Vas. I, 18; cf. the introductions to VI, 112 and 113, and
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