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582
HYMNS OF THE ATHARVA-VEDA.
113; and Proc. Amer. Or. Soc., May, 1894 (Journ., vol. xvi, p. cxix ff.). Cf. especially Apast. Sr. XIII, 17, 9; Pañk. Br. I, 6, 10.
VIII, 8. COMMENTARY TO PAGE 117. This battle-song deals especially with the obstacles that are placed in the way of an advancing enemy. Traps and nets are constructed to capture and destroy: see stanzas 5 ff. The Kausika, 16, 9-20, rubricates a number of the stanzas among the practices of the king (râgakarmani, chapters 14-17), to wit: 16, 9. With stanza i (or rather the entire hymn) the fire is churned. 10. With stanza 2 a rotten rope is put down (upon the fire-place). 11. The fire is churned with (two sticks, one of) asvattha-wood, (the other of) badhaka-woodl. 12. With Padas c, d of stanza 2 the smoke of the fire is addressed. 13. With the same two Pâdas, beginning at the word agni, the fire (is addressed). 14. Upon this fire (which is removed) into the forest, sticks of wood that destroy enemies, namely, asvattha, badhaka, tagadbhanga, âhva, khadira, and sara ?, are placed. 15. The snares mentioned in Kaus. 14, 28: they are prepared of bhanga, “hemp" [bhang, "break!"], and muñga, "reed") are cast. 16. Hammers made out of asvattha-wood, and nets of hemp are placed. 17. (Also) staffs of badhaka-wood (bàdh, "oppress!"). 18. With the exclamation, “ Hail to these here” (st. 24 c), an offering is made for the friends (one's own army). 19. With the exclamation," Perdition to those yonder" (ibid.), an offering is made, with the left hand, of ingida-butter 3 into fire built out of badhaka-wood. 20. To the north of the fire a
· The symbolism of these acts is clear: the stench of the old rope (Dârila, gîrnaragpu) in the fire, and the etymological qualities of the two kinds of wood, delineated in st. 3, shall operate against the enemy, each in its own way.
* For the real and symbolic meanings of these names, see the notes on sts. 3-5.
Singida is the typical substance that takes the place of ghee (âgya) in hostile practices. See the Paribhâshâ-sûtra, Kaus. 47, 3.
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