Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 77 (82)
77 (82). To the Maruts.
[An̄giras.—tṛcam. mantroktamaruddevatākam. 1. 3-p. gāyatrī; 2. triṣṭubh; 3. jagatī.]
The second and third verses are found also in Pāipp. xx. Used by Kāuç. (48. 38), next after hymn 31 etc., with laying on of fuel from an upright dry tree, in a witchcraft rite. In Vāit. (9. 2) it appears in the cāturmāsya sacrifice, with noon offering to the Maruts.
Translated: Ludwig, p. 373; Henry, 31, 99; Griffith, i. 366.
1. Ye much-heating (sāṁtapaná) ones, here [is] oblation; enjoy that, ye Maruts; with favor to us, O foe-destroyers (? riçā́das).
This verse and the next following are two successive RV. verses (in inverted order, vii. 59. 9, 8), and are also found together (in the AV. order) in MS. (iv. 10. 5), and, with our verse 3 added, in TS. (iv. 3. 133-4). The other texts all have yuṣmā́ka for asmā́ka in c. The warming winds after the cold season are probably intended by the sāṁtapana Maruts.
2. Whatever very inimical mortal, O Maruts, desires to smite us, O good ones, across [our] intents, let that man put on the fetters of hate; smite ye him with the hottest heat.
Tirāç cittā́ni, in b, is an obscure and doubtful expression; Henry renders "without our suspecting it." The RV. text (with which MS. agrees throughout) omits mártas in a, inserting abhí after marutas; in c, it has sá mucīṣṭa for muñcataṁ sá, and, in d, hánmaná for tápasā. T.S. makes marutas and vasavas exchange places in a and b, reads in b satyā́ni (for cittā́ni) and jíghāṅsāt, and has in c pā́çam práti sá mucīṣṭa. Ppp. has, for c, d, tasmin tān pāçān prati muñcata yūyaṁ tapiṣṭhena tapasām açvinā çam. SPP. reads, in c, d, sás táp-, with half his authorities; we have noted no such reading in ours, and it appears to be unparalleled elsewhere. The verse (11 + 12: 10 + 11 = 44) is irregular, but sums up as triṣṭubh.
3. The Maruts, of the year, well-singing, wide-dwelling, troop-attended, humane (mā́nuṣa)—let them release from us the fetters of sin, they the much-heating, jovial, reveling.
T.S., in b, accents urukṣáyās and reads mā́nuṣeṣu (which is better); in c it combines tè ‘smát and reads āṅhasas (for énasas); in d it has madirā́s (for matsarā́s). Ppp. gives, in c, pāçān prati muñcantu sarvān. The comm. explains saṁvatsarīnās by varṣevarṣe prādurbhaviṣyantaḥ. This "jagatī" is half triṣṭubh.