Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VI/Hymn 91

91. For remedy from disease.

[Bhṛgvan̄giras.—mantroktayakṣmanāçanadevatyam. ānuṣṭubham.]

Found also in Pāipp. xix. Used by Kāuç. (28. 17-20) in a healing rite against all diseases (in 17 with v. 9; in 20 alone), with binding on of a barley amulet; also reckoned to the takmanāçana gaṇa (note to 26. 1).

Translated: Grill, 14, 168; Griffith, i. 295; Bloomfield, 40, 507.

1. This barley they plowed mightily with yokes of eight, with yokes of six; therewith I unwrap away the complaint (rápas) of thy body.

The last half-verse is defaced in Ppp.; it appears to end pratīcīna apahvayatā.

2. Downward blows the wind; downward burns the sun; downward the inviolable [cow] milks; downward be thy complaint.

This verse is RV. x. 60. 11; the latter rectifies the meter of a by introducing áva (‘va) before vāti ⌊or rather, by not being guilty of the haplography which spoils our AV. text: cf. note to iv. 5. 5⌋. The Anukr. ignores the deficiency of our text.

3. The waters verily are remedial; the waters are disease-expelling; the waters are remedial of everything; let them make remedy for thee.

The first three-pādas are the same with those of iii. 7. 5, above; and the whole verse corresponds with RV. x. 137. 6, which differs only by reading sárvasya for víçvasya in c. Ppp. has a wholly original second half-verse: āpaḥ samudrārthāyatīṣ parā vahantu te rapaḥ.