Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 13 (14)

13 (14). Against one's foes.

[Atharvan (dviṣo varcohartukāmaḥ).—dvyṛcam. sāuryam. ānuṣṭubham.]

Verse 1 found also in Pāipp. xix.* In Kāuç. (48. 35, 36) the hymn is used in a rite of sorcery, against enemies; with the second verse the user goes and looks at them. The mention of the pratīka in the edition of Kāuç. as contained in 58. 11 appears to be an error. On the other hand, the comm. regards this hymn as intended in Kāuç. 39. 26 (not x. 1. 32, as in the edition), in a rite against sorcery. The comm. further quotes the pratīka from the Nakṣatra ⌊error for Çānti, Bl.⌋ Kalpa 15, in a rite against nirṛti. *⌊If I understand Roth's note, Ppp. has vs. 1 without variant, and for vs. 2 what is reported below.⌋

Translated: Ludwig, p. 241; Grill, 23, 179; Henry, 5, 56; Griffith, i. 334; Bloomfield, 93, 544.

1. As the sun rising takes to itself the brilliancies (téjas) of the asterisms, so of both women and men that hate me I take to myself the splendor.

2. Ye, as many of my rivals as look upon me coming—as the rising sun that of sleepers, do I take to myself the splendor of them that hate me.

⌊Ppp. reads varcāṅsi yavater iva: evā sapatnānām ahaṁ varca indriyam ā dadhe.⌋ Pratipaçyatha, literally 'that meet me with your looks' as I come. The comm. reads -paçyata. The Anukr. appears to allow the contraction sūrye ’va in c.

The first anuvāka ends with this hymn; it contains 13 (14) hymns and 28 verses; the quoted Anukr. says aṣṭāv ādye; and another quotation, given in many mss. (Bp.P.M.W.D.T.), says prathame trayodaça sūktāḥ, thus approving the division made in our edition.