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Agatasya Panthaḥ
2)
Who are the stipulated agents of the verb vahantu ? The Kausika Satra etc, do not make this clear. But since the preceding Mantra (AV xiv, 2.73) refers to “manes who have come near the bridal car to see the bride'y, it seems most appropriate that the same be Intended in 74; and if that is so, then why not insist on application of both Mantra In the former One, viz. upon the bridal procession pass. ing through a cremation ground 210
In these circumstances, we must accept that Mantra 74 refers only to one bride whom the manes (of ancestors) would have come to see, and since they are expected to lead her along the path of agata, this agata cannot imply anything inauspicious. I, therefore, suggest for agata a favourable meaning which is merely a nominal extension of the meaning 2 Aii above : 'that which has not been reached, destination"; accordingly 'agatasya pànthah will mean 'a path leading towards one's destination or goal'. Cp. rtasya panthaḥ - Path of / leading to Rta.
Even if we stick to the traditional prescription for the application of AV xiv, 2.74, this meaning of dgatasya panthah can stand: for, the other bride need not be punished to death just because she happened to pass that way. 74 c-d could mean that : "Let them (- the manes - lead her (= the other bride) along the path of her destination; (but) may this one surpags her with good progeny".
With all this, we have won only half the battle; for, how will this newly suggested meaning fit in AV xi, 10.16 ? Well, that is not difficult because its last quarter has the root yu which could convey both joining and separating. Acceptance of the latter would give the meaning: May the moon keep away from them (our enemies) the path leading towards their destination by withholding her light from them".
Although the suggested meaning of agata here cannot find direst support from any other passage except the two discussed here, that is no criterion for rejecting it. Firstly because, in most of the attested cases - vedic or non-vedic -- agata is used as an adjective whlle our phrase uses It as a noun; even when it is rarely used as a neuter noun (see fn. 3), we do not fad It connected with panthaḥ. Secondly, it is a mere logical extention of one of the adjectival meanings of agata. Thirdly, it fits well with both the contexts of enemy and of bride - where the phrase ágatasya pántham (accusative) is used,
Footnotes : 1. This statement is made on the authority of Bloomfield (1906) and Viśvabandhu
(1942-1961) and data available from the scriptoriu n of the project on An Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Sanskrit at the Deccan College, Poona where the author
