Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 57 (59)

57 (59). Prayer to Sarasvati etc.

[Vāmadeva.—dvyṛcam. sārasvatam. jāgatam.]

The two verses are both found in Pāipp. xx., but in different places. In Kāuç. (46. 6) it is joined with v. 7. 5 in a rite for success when asking for something (the schol. and comm. specify both verses as employed).

Translated: Ludwig, p. 446; Henry, 22, 84; Griffith, i. 354.

1. What has gone wrong (vi-kṣubh) on the part of me speaking with expectation, what of [me] going about among people begging, what in myself of my body is torn apart—that may Sarasvatī fill up with ghee.

Ppp. arranges differently the matter in a, b: yad açasā me carato janāṅ anu yad yācamānasya vadato vicukṣubhe; and it has a different c: yan me tanvo rajasi praviṣṭam; further, it reads pṛṇād in d. The authorities are divided between tád and yád at beginning of c; our Bp.W.I.O.s.m.T.K. and the comm. have tád; both editions give yád. Some of our mss. (Bp.E.D.O.p.m.) have sárasvati in d, and one (E.) has correspondingly pṛṇa. Both verses are irregular jagatī.

2. Seven flow for the Marut-accompanied young one (çíçu); for the father the sons have made to understand righteous things; both indeed bear rule over this of both kinds; both strive, both prosper (puṣ) of it.

The verse is RV. x. 13. 5; but RV. reads ṛtám at end of b, and twice (in c, d) ubháyasya for ubhé asya. The translation follows the RV. reading in c. "Both," it is to be noticed (in c, d), is neuter (or fem.), not masculine. The sense is intended to be mystic, and is very obscure. SPP. reads in b, with all his authorities (at least, he reports nothing to the contrary), and with the comm., avīvṛtann (the comm. glosses it with vartayanti anutiṣṭhanti); the same is given by our M.W.I. Ppp. has a text that is partly different and partly corrupt: sapta sravanti çiçavo marutvate pitā pitrebhyo apy avīvat padvataḥ: ubhaye piprati ubhaye ‘sya rājahi ubhe ubhe ubhaye ‘sya piṣyakaḥ.