Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book IX

Book IX.

⌊This ninth book is the second of the second grand division of the Atharvan collection. For a general statement as to the make-up of the books of this division, see page 471. The Old Anukramaṇī describes the length of hymns 1, 3, and 5 by stating in each case the excess over 20 verses—perhaps assuming 20 as the normal length. The whole book has been translated by Victor Henry, Les livres VIII et IX de l'Atharva-véda traduits et commentés, Paris, 1894. The bhāṣya is lacking for this book.⌋

⌊Paryāya-hymns: for details respecting them, see pages 471-2. The paryāya-hymns of this book are hymn 6 (with 6 paryāyas) and hymn 7 (with 1 paryāya).⌋

⌊The anuvāka-division of the book (as is explained on page 472 also) is into five anuvākas of two hymns each. The "decad"-division likewise is as described on page 472. A tabular conspectus for book ix. follows:

Anuvākas	1		2		3		4		5
	$\scriptstyle {\overbrace {\quad \quad \quad \quad \quad } }$		$\scriptstyle {\overbrace {\quad \quad \quad \quad \quad } }$		$\scriptstyle {\overbrace {\quad \quad \quad \quad \quad } }$		$\scriptstyle {\overbrace {\quad \quad \quad \quad \quad } }$		$\scriptstyle {\overbrace {\quad \quad \quad \quad \quad } }$
Hymns	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Verses	24	25	31	24	38	62¶	26¶	22	22	28
Decad-div.	10+14	10+10+5	10+10+11	10+14	10+10+10+8	6P	1P	10+12	10+12	10+10+8

Here ¶ means "paragraph of a paryāya" (such as is numbered as a "verse" in the Berlin edition) and P means "paryāya." The last line shows the "decad"-division. These divisions are shown also in both editions. Of these "decads," anuvākas 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 contain respectively 5, 5, 4, 2, and 5 (in all, 21 "decads"); while anuvākas 3 and 4 have respectively 6 paryāyas and 1. The sum is 21 "decad"-sūktas and 7 paryāya-sūktas or 28 sūktas.⌋

Hymn- number		Page
IX. Book the ninth
1	To the honey-whip etc	517
2	To Kāma: for various blessings	521
3	To accompany the releasing of a house	525
4	Accompanying the gift of a bull	529
5	With the offering of a goat and five rice-dishes	533
6	Exalting the entertainment of guests (second paryāya-hymn, with 6 paryāyas)	539
7	Extolling the ox (third paryāya-hymn, with 1 paryāya)	547
8	Against various diseases	549
9	Mystic	552
10	Mystic	556