Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book I/Hymn 19

19. Against enemies.

[Brahman.—diçvaryam. ānuṣṭubham: 2. purastādbṛhatī; 3. pathyāpan̄kti.]

The hymn is found also in Pāipp. i. With the two that follow it (and others), it is reckoned by Kāuç. (14. 7) among the sāṃgrāmikāṇi or battle-hymns, or likewise (ib., note) to the aparājita ('unconquered') gaṇa; without them, but with vi. 13, it is used in several of the charms to ward off the effects of portents (104. 3; 105. 1; 113. 3). In Vāit. (9. 21), vs. 3 appears alone in the cāturmāsya or seasonal sacrifice, accompanying the release of the two puroḍāça baskets.

Translated: Weber, iv. 413; Griffith, i. 23; Bloomfield, 120, 262.—Cf. Bergaigne-Henry, Manuel, p. 134.

1. Let not the piercers find us, nor let the penetraters find [us]; far from us make the volleys (çaravyā̀) fly, dispersing, O Indra.

Ppp. combines mo 'bhi- in b. The rendering of çaravyā follows the comm., here and to vs. 3 (çarasaṁhati).

2. Dispersing from us let the shafts fly, those that are hurled and that are to be hurled; ye divine arrows of men (manuṣyà-), pierce my enemies.

The comm. inserts an "and" in c: "divine and human arrows"; this is possible, but opposed by the accent. Ppp. has for c, d: devā manuṣyā ṛṣayo 'mitrān no vi viddhatu; the comm. also reads vidhyatu.

3. Whether one of our own or whether a stranger, fellow or outsider, whoso assails (abhi-dās) us—let Rudra with a volley pierce those my enemies.

Ppp's version is somewhat different: yas samāno yo 'samāno 'mitro no jighāṅsati: rudraç çavyā tān amitrān vi viddhata. With a, b compare RV. vi. 75. 19 a, b: yó naḥ svó draṇo yáç ca níṣṭyo jíghāṅsati (= SV. ii. 1222 a, b, which combines svó 'raṇo); the latter half of this verse is our 4 c, d. Two or three of our mss. (P.M.O.p.m.) follow RV. in omitting yó after svó. Āp. iv. 16. 1 has yo naḥ sapatno yo 'raṇo marto 'bhidāsati devāḥ, with a wholly different second half. The comm. absurdly explains niṣṭyas as nirgatavīryo nikṛṣṭabalaḥ çatruḥ.

4. Whatever rival (sapátna), whatever non-rival, and whatever hater shall curse us, him let all the gods damage (dhūrv); incantation (bráhman) is my inner defense.

Ppp. has as first half-verse sabandhuç cā 'sabandhuç ca yo na indrā 'bhidāsati. The second half-verse is found, without variant, in RV. (and SV.: see under vs. 3). The comm. explains sapatna well as jñātirūpaḥ çatruḥ. SPP. follows the very bad example of a part of his mss. by reading dviṣan ch- (instead of -añ or -aṅ) in b ⌊cf. i. 33. 2, ii. 4. 6, and see Prāt. ii. 10, 17, and especially 11.—The pada-text reads dviṣán⌋.