Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book IV/Hymn 38
38. For luck in gambling: by aid of an Apsaras.
[Bādarāyaṇi.—dvidevatyam. ānuṣṭubham: 3. 6-p. 3-av. jagatī; 5. bhurigatyaṣṭi; 6. triṣṭubh; 7. 3-av. 5-p. anuṣṭubgarbhā puraupariṣṭājjyotiṣmatī jagatī.]
This and the two following hymns are not found in Pāipp. Kāuç. uses it (doubtless only the first four verses) in a ceremony (41. 13) for success in gambling. Verses 5-7 are called karkīpravādās and used (21. 11) in a rite for the prosperity of kine, and also (66. 13) in the sava sacrifices, with a karkī as sava; and they are reckoned (19. 1, note) to the puṣṭika mantras. The comm. attempts no explanation of the mutual relation of the two apparently unconnected parts of the hymn; ⌊but Weber, in his note to verse 7, suggests a connection⌋. ⌊As to Bādarāyaṇi, see introd. to h. 40.⌋
Translated: Muir, OST. v. 430 (vss. 1-4); Ludwig, p. 454; Grill, 71 (vss. 1-4), 140; Griffith, i. 183; Bloomfield, 149, 412; Weber, xviii. 147.
1. The up-shooting, all-conquering, successfully-playing Apsaras, that wins (kṛ) the winnings in the pool (? gláha)—that Apsaras I call on here.
The form apsarā́, instead of apsarás, is used throughout this hymn; the comm. regards it as a specialized name for the Apsaras in this character or office: dyūtakriyādhidevatām apsarojātīyam. Udbhindatīm is paraphrased by paṇabandhena dhanasyo ’dbhedanaṁ kurvatīm, as if it were the causative participle. The technical terms of the game are only doubtfully translated, our knowledge of its method being insufficient; gláha is taken as the receptacle, of whatever kind, in which the stakes are deposited; the comm. explains it thus: gṛhyate paṇabandhena kalpyata iti dyūtakriyājeyo (mss. -jayo) ‘rtho glahaḥ.
2. The distributing (vi-ci), on-strewing (ā-kir), successfully-playing Apsaras, that seizes (grah) the winnings in the pool—that Apsaras I call on here.
The comm. explains the first two epithets respectively by "collecting" (taking vi as intensive) and "scattering."
3. She who dances about with the dice (? áya), taking to herself the winning from the pool—let her, trying to gain (?) for us the winnings, obtain the stake (? prahā́) by magic (māyā́); let her come to us rich in milk; let them not conquer from us this riches.
The wholly anomalous sīṣatī́ in c is here translated, in accordance with the current understanding of it, as somehow coming from the root san or sā ⌊i.e., as if it were for the normal sí-ṣā-s-atī: considering that the consonant of the root sd happens to coincide with the sibilant which is characteristic of the desiderative, we might be tempted to put sīṣánt: sā:: sī́kṣant: sah (Skt. Gram. §1030 a), but for the accent⌋; the comm. reads instead çéṣantī (= avaçeṣayantī). The comm. further has in b ādadhānas (explained as = ādadhānā: so SPP's K. reads), and in d prahān (= prahantavyān akṣān: a false etymology and worthless interpretation). He explains ayās as ekādayaḥ pañcasaṁkhyāntā akṣaviçeṣāḥ. He divides our vss. 3-5 into four verses of four pādas each, without any regard to the connection of sense, thus giving the hymn eight verses; among our mss. also (SPP. reports nothing of the kind from his) there is more or less discordance in regard to the verse-division, and some of them agree with the comm. ⌊Our sīṣatī́ appears in W's Index Verborum, p. 382, at the very end of the "unclassified residuum" of AV. material.⌋
4. She who delights (pra-mud) in the dice (akṣá), bringing (bhṛ) pain and anger—the rejoicing, the dehghting one: that Apsaras I call on here.
The translation implies retention of bíbhratī at end of b, read by all the mss. and by the comm., and retained by SPP., and the emendation instead in a to yā́ ’kṣéṣu pramódate, which is metrically better, makes better connection, and has the support of the comm., with one ⌊or two⌋ of SPP's authorities. SPP's note to bíbhratī, "so read except by K. who follows Sāyaṇa," is unintelligible, since the latter has also bíbhratī. ⌊Delete the accent-mark under huve.⌋
5. They who (f.) go about (sam-car) after the rays of the sun, or who go about after [its] beams (márīci); of whom the mighty (? vājínīvant) bull from afar moves around (pari-i) at once all the worlds, defending—let him come unto us, enjoying this libation, together with the atmosphere, he the mighty one.
According to the comm., the "they who" and "of whom" in a and c are the Apsarases, this being apparently to him the tie of connection between the two divisions of the hymn; and vājinī is the dawn, and vājinīvant the sun: all of which is very questionable, at least. SPP. reads in d paryāíti, with, as he states, the majority of his mss., but with only two of ours; the comm. has paryeti, and it is also thus quoted by the comment to Prāt. iv. 81. SPP. further leaves the final n of sárvān unassimilated before lokān, for the wholly insufficient reason that nearly all his mss. so read; the point is one that requires to be regulated by the prescriptions of general grammar and of the Prāt., without heed to the carelessness of scribes. The passage is even one of those quoted under Prāt. ii. 35 as an example of assimilation. The metrical definition of the Anukr. is inaccurate, and perhaps corrupt; the verse (12 + 11: 12 + 11: 11 + 11 = 68) should be specified as of 6 pādas and 3 avasānas, like vs. 3; it is not bhurij; and for atyaṣṭi the ⌊London, not the Berlin ms.⌋ reads jagatyaṣṭi. ⌊One is tempted to suspect the syllable saṁ- in a. Pronounce yā́sarṣabhó in C.⌋
6. Together with the atmosphere, O mighty one; defend thou here the karkī́ calf, O vigorous one (vājín); here are abundant drops (stoká) for thee; come hitherward; this is thy karkī́; here be thy mind.
The comm. reads in a vājinīvān, as in 5 f; in b he has karkīn vatsān (and one of SPP's mss. gives karkī́n); and, in d, namas instead of manas, and SPP. reports three of his four pada-mss. as also having námas. The comm. explains karkī as karkavarṇa or çubhra. The minor Pet. Lex. suggests the emendation of vatsā́m to vaçā́m in this verse and the next. Three of SPP's mss. and one of ours (O.) separate karkī́ ihá in saṁhitā in d. The Anukr. ignores the deficiency of a syllable in b.
7. Together with the atmosphere, O mighty one; defend thou here the karkī́ calf, O vigorous one; this is fodder; this is the pen; here we bind (ni-bandh) the calf; according to name we master you: hail!