Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VII/Hymn 79 (84)

79 (84). To Amāvāsyā (night or goddess of new moon).

[Atharvan.—caturṛcam. amāvāsyādevatākam. trāiṣṭubham: 1. jagatī.]

The first verse is found in Pāipp. xx., the second and third in Pāipp. i. Used by Kāuç. (5. 6) in the parvan sacrifice on the day of new moon; also (59. 19) with hymns 17 etc. (see under 17), for various benefits. It has in Vāit. (1. 16) an office similar to that prescribed by Kāuç. 5. 6.

Translated: Henry, 32, 100; Griffith, i. 367.

1. What portion (bhāgadhéya) the gods made for thee, O Amāvāsyā, dwelling together with might, therewith fill our offering, O thou of all choice things; assign to us, O fortunate one, wealth rich in heroes.

The verse occurs in TS. (iii. 5. 1¹), with ádadhus for ákṛṇvan in a, and ⌊rectifying the meter⌋ sā́ for ténā in c. Ppp. combines devā ’kṛṇvan in a, and has saṁvadantas in b, and sa imaṁ y- at beginning of c. Saṁ-vas plays upon the equivalent amā-vas, which gives name to the day and its goddess. The verse has no jagatī character. ⌊We had the second half-verse above at 20. 4 c, d.⌋

2. I myself am Amāvāsyā; on me, in me dwell these well-doers; in me came together all, of both classes, the gods and the sādhyás, with Indra as chief (jyéṣṭa).

The Petersburg Lexicon* suggests the plausible emendation of mā́m ā́ to amā́ at beginning of b: if it is not rather ā́ mā vasanti intended as a play on amāvāsyā̀. For the sādhyas, see note to vii. 5. 1. The Anukr. overlooks the irregularity of a. *⌊vi. 832.⌋

3. The night hath come, assembler of good things, causing sustenance, prosperity, [and] good to enter in; we would worship Amāvāsyā with oblation; yielding (duh) sustenance with milk is she come to us.

TS. has (iii. 5. 1¹) a verse quite accordant with this in general meaning, but too different in detail to be called the same; it reads nivéçanī saṁgámanī vásūnāṁ víçvā rūpā́ṇi vásūny āveçáyantī: sahasrapoṣáṁ subhágā rárāṇā sā́ na ā́ ’gan várcasā saṁvidānā́. Ppp. reads, in b, viçvaṁ for ū́rjam; and, in d, vasānā (for duhānā) and nā ’gaṁ.

The comm., and some of the mss., end the hymn here, carrying over our vs. 4 to the following hymn; our division agrees with the sense, the Anukr., and other of the mss.; and SPP. accepts the same. ⌊The decad ends here: cf. p. 389.⌋

4. O Amāvāsyā, no other than thou, encompassing, gave birth to all these forms; what desiring we make libation to thee, be that ours; may we be lords of wealth.

This is, with alteration of the first word only, a repetition in advance of 80. 3. For the parallels etc., see under that verse.