Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book I/Hymn 23
23. Against leprosy: with a healing herb.
[Atharvan (çvetalakṣmavināçanāyā 'nenā 'siknīm oṣadhim astāut).—vānaspatyam. ānuṣṭubham.]
Found in Pāipp. i., but defaced, so that for the most part comparison is impossible. Also, with vs. 3 of the next hymn, in TB. (11. 4. 41-2). Used by Kāuç. (26. 22-24), in company with the next following hymn, in a remedial rite (against white leprosy, (çvetakuṣṭha, schol. and comm.).
Translated: Weber, iv. 416; Ludwig, p. 506; Grill, 19, 77; Griffith, i. 27; Bloomfield, 16, 266; furthermore, vss. i, 2 by Bloomfield, AJP. xi. 325.—Cf. Bergaigne-Henry, Manuel, p. 135.
1. Night-born art thou, O herb, O dark, black, [and] dusky one; O colorer (rajanī), do thou color this leprous spot and what is pale (palitá).
According to the comm., the herb addressed is the haridrā (Curcuma longa). R. writes: "The rajanī is known to the lexicographers, and has later as principal name parpaṭī [an Oldenlandia dyeing red, OB.], Madana 46. 47, Dhanvantari (ms.) i. 27. In Bhāvapr. i. 194 (where, according to my old and good ms., rañjanī is to be read instead of -nā), it is noted that this remedy is fragrant, and comes out of the north. It has a dark aspect. The species not to be determined, because the later identifications are entirely untrustworthy." ⌊See Dhanvantari, Ānanda-āçrama ed., p. 17.⌋ The causative stem rajaya (the meter calls for rāj-) is found only here.
2. The leprous spot, what is pale, do thou cause to disappear from hence, the speckled; let thine own color enter thee; make white things (çuklá) fly away.
TB. has na (naḥ?) for tvāa and açnntām for viçatām in c, and in d çvetā́ni for çuklāni. The comm. gives pṛ´thak for pṛ´ṣat in b, and has the usual support of a small minority of SPP's mss.
3. Dusky is thy hiding-place, dusky thy station (āsthā́na); dusky art thou, O herb; make the speckled disappear from hence.
TB. has the easier reading niláyanam in a. The comm. again gives pṛthak in d; he holds that the plant here addressed is the indigo (nīlī).
4. Of the bone-born leprous spot, and of the body-born that is in the skin, of that made by the spoiler (dū́ṣi)—by incantation have I made the white (çvetá) mark disappear.
Ppp. has in c dhūṣya; TB. reads instead kṛtyáyā; the comm. explains dūṣi as çatrūtpāditā kṛtyā. Ppp. has at the end anenaçam.