Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 104 (109)

104 (109). Concerning Atharvan's cow.

[Brahman.—ātmadāivatam. trāiṣṭubham.]

Found also in Pāipp. xx. Used by Kāuç. (66. 17) in a savayajña, having as sava a cultivated field {urvarākhye savayajñe, comm.).

Translated: Henry, 41, 116; Griffith, i. 379.—Cf. above, v. 11, introduction.

1. Who, enjoying companionship with Brihaspati, shall shape [its] body at his will—the spotted milch-cow, well-milking, with constant calf, given by Varuṇa to Atharvan?

The translation implies in d tanvàm as read by Ppp.; compare RV. x. 15. 14 d (AV. xviii. 3. 59 reads tanvàs, but with much better reason than here), also iii. 48.4 b and vii. 101. 3 b. The comm. refers to v. 11 as explaining the cow referred to. Some of the mss. (including our Bp.E.O.K.) accent sakhyàm in c, and SPP. adopts it in his text; ours has the correct sakhyám. Ppp. begins with kaṁ, and has in b, for nítyavatsām, dhenum etām, and in c tāṁ bṛhaspatyā sakhyā.