Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book IV/Hymn 24
24. Praise and prayer to Indra.
[Mṛgāra.—(see h. 23). 1. çakvarīgarbhā puraḥçakvarī.]
Found in Pāipp. iv., with the other mṛgāra hymns, and used by Kāuç. only as one of the group (see under h. 23); its first and last verses occur in the same Black Yajur-Veda texts (do.).
Translated: Griffith, i. 165; Weber, xviii. 100.
1. We reverence Indra; constantly do we reverence him; these praise-hymns (stoma) of the Vṛtra-slayer have come unto me; he who goes to the call of the worshiper (dāçvā́ṅs), of the well-doer—let him free us from distress.
2. He who, having formidable arms, is repeller (? yayú) of the formidable ones (f.); who battered the strength of the Dānavas; by whom are conquered the rivers, by whom the kine—let him free us from distress.
Ppp. has in a yo ‘graṇāṁ and omits, yayus; and at end of b it reads āsasāda. The first pāda is full of questionable points, and probably corrupt; the comm. explains yuyus (though SPP. says in a note that his text reads yayus), and by yāvayitā pṛthakkartā; to ugrīṇām he supplies çatrusenānām.
3. He who is filler of people (carṣaṇí-), bull, heaven-finder (svarvíd); for whom the pressing-stones proclaim [his] manliness; whose is the sacrifice with seven priests, most intoxicating—let him free us from distress.
Ppp. has carṣaṇi instead of vṛṣabhas in a, and, for c, yasyā ’dhvaryus saptahotā mudicyut. The comm. renders carṣaṇi- by manusya-.
4. Whose are cows (vaçā́), bulls, oxen; for whom, the heaven-finder, sacrificial posts (sváru) are set up; for whom the bright (çukrá) [soma] purifies itself, adorned with sacred words (bráhma-)—let him free us from distress.
Ppp. has in c yasmiṅ çukras pravartate. The comm. explains vaçā in a as "barren cow" (vandhyā gāuḥ), and svaru as yūpāvatakṣaṇaçakala, used for yūpa. ⌊Cf. RV. vi. 16. 47.⌋
5. He whose enjoyment (júṣṭi) the offerers of soma desire; whom, possessed of arrows, men call on in the cattle-raid (gáviṣṭi); on whom depends song (? arká), on whom force—let him free us from distress.
Ppp. reads in b iṣuvantam. Prāt. ii. 23 teaches the form of gaviṣṭi. The comm. explains arkas as arcanasādhanabhūto mantraḥ stutaçastrādilakṣaṇaḥ.
6. He who was born first for the doing of deeds; of whom first the heroism was noted; by whom brandished (ud-yam) the thunderbolt went at (abhi-i) the dragon—let him free us from distress.
As in one or two other cases,* the mss. have in a yajñé instead of jajñé; but one or two of SPP's follow the comm., who reads jajñé, as does also Ppp.; and both of the editions give this. In b the comm., with three of SPP's authorities, gives ánubaddham; in c he derives āyata from root yam, and renders it by ahiṅsīt; we might emend to abhyā́yató ‘him and get a form from that root, which would yield a preferable sense. ⌊For the use of abhi-i with vajra as subject and with acc., Whitney has noted the excellent parallel, RV. i. 80. 12.⌋ *⌊So x. 10. 18.⌋
7. He who, controlling, leads together hosts (saṁgrāmá) for fighting; who mingles (sam-sṛj) the possessions (puṣṭá) of the two parties—I praise Indra, [as a] suppliant I call loudly on [him]: let him free us from distress.
Ppp. has in b puṣṭyā nas. TS. and MS. read in a (as does also the comm.) the sing. saṁgrānám, and they put yudhé after vaçī́; at end of b they give trayā́ṇi instead of dvayā́ni. The comm. thinks dvayāni to be strīpuṁsātmakāni mithunāni.