Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book IV
Book IV.
⌊The fourth book is made up of forty hymns, divided into eight anuvāka-groups of five hymns each. The normal length of each hymn, as assumed by the Anukramaṇī, is 7 verses; but this is in only partial accord with the actual facts. There are twenty-one hymns of 7 verses each, as against nineteen of more than 7 verses each. Of these nineteen, ten are of 8 verses each; three are of 9 and three are of 10; two are of 12; and one is of 16 verses. The seven hymns which make the Mṛgāra group (hymns 23-29) have 7 verses each. And they are followed by a group of four Rigveda hymns (30-33). The last two hymns of the book (39-40) have a decided Brāhmaṇa-tinge. The entire book has been translated by Weber, Indische Studien, vol. xviii. (1898), pages 1-153.⌋
⌊Weber's statement, that there are twenty-two hymns of 7 verses each and two of 9, rests on the misprinted number (7, for 9) at the end of hymn 20.⌋
⌊The Anukr. states (at the beginning of its treatment of book ii.) that the normal number of verses is 4 for a hymn of book i., and increases by one for each successive book of the first five books. That gives us, for
| Book | i. | ii. | iii. | iv. | v., | as normal number of |
| Verses | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8, | respectively. |
In accord therewith is the statement of the Anukr. (prefixed to its treatment of book iv.) that the seven-versed hymn is the norm for this book: brahina jajñānam iti kāṇḍaṁ, saptarcaṁ sūktaṁ prakṛtir, anyā vikṛtir ity avagachet.⌋
| Hymn- number |
Page | |
IV. Book the fourth | ||
| 1 | Mystic | 142 |
| 2 | To the unknown god | 145 |
| 3 | Against wild beasts and thieves | 148 |
| 4 | For recovery of virility: with a plant | 149 |
| 5 | An incantation to put to sleep | 151 |
| 6 | Against the poison of a poisoned arrow | 152 |
| 7 | Against poison | 154 |
| 8 | Accompanying the consecration of a king | 156 |
| 9 | For protection etc.: with a certain ointment | 158 |
| 10 | Against evils: with a pearl-shell amulet | 161 |
| 11 | In praise of the draft-ox | 163 |
| 12 | To heal serious wounds: with an herb | 166 |
| 13 | For healing | 168 |
| 14 | With the sacrifice of a goat | 169 |
| 15 | For abundant rain | 172 |
| 16 | The power of the gods | 176 |
| 17 | Against various evils: with a plant | 179 |
| 18 | Against witchcraft: with a plant | 181 |
| 19 | Against enemies: with a plant | 182 |
| 20 | To discover sorcerers: with an herb | 184 |
| 21 | Praise of the kine | 186 |
| 22 | For the success and prosperity of a king | 188 |
| 23 | Praise and prayer to Agni | 190 |
| 24 | Praise and prayer to Indra | 191 |
| 25 | Praise and prayer to Vāyu and Savitar | 193 |
| 26 | Praise and prayer to heaven and earth | 194 |
| 27 | Praise and prayer to the Maruts | 196 |
| 28 | Praise and prayer to Bhava and Çarva | 197 |
| 29 | Praise and prayer to Mitra and Varuṇa | 198 |
| 30 | Self-laudation of Speech (?) | 200 |
| 31 | Praise and prayer to fury (manyú) | 201 |
| 32 | Praise and prayer to fury (manyú) | 203 |
| 33 | To Agni: for release from evil | 205 |
| 34 | Extolling a certain rice-mess offering | 206 |
| 35 | Extolling a rice-mess offering | 208 |
| 36 | Against demons and other enemies | 209 |
| 37 | Against various superhuman foes: with an herb | 211 |
| 38 | For luck in gambling: by aid of an Apsaras | 214 |
| 39 | For various blessings | 216 |
| 40 | Against enemies from the different quarters | 218
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