Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book XI/Hymn 7
7. Extolling the remnant (úcchiṣṭa) of the offering.
Found also (except vs. 25) in Pāipp. xvi. ⌊The hymn is not cited in the text of Kāuç. nor of Vāit.⌋
Translated: Muir, v. 397 (part); Scherman, p. 87 (part); Deussen, Geschichte, i. 1. 305-310; Henry, 120, 156; Griffith, ii. 75; Bloomfield, 226, 629.—See Deussen's valuable introduction. He does not believe that ucchiṣṭa means 'remnant of the offering' in this hymn, but rather 'residuum in general,' the remainder that we get after subtracting from the universe all the forms of the world of phenomena.
1. In the remnant [are set] name and form, in the remnant [is] set the world; within the remnant both Indra and Agni, everything is set together.
The comm. connects the hymn with hymn 3, above, making the ucchiṣṭa the remnant of Aditi's rice-dish; he quotes Tāitt. Brah. i. 1. 91, where it says "they gave her what remained" (uccheṣaṇa) etc. Ppp. reads rūpāṇi for rūpaṁ ca in b.
2. In the remnant heaven-and-earth, all existence is set together; in the remnant the waters, the ocean, the moon, the wind is set.
Ppp. combines at the end vātā ”hitaḥ.
3. In the remnant [are] the being one and the non-being one, both, death, vigor, Prajāpati; they of the world (lāukyá) are supported (ā-yat) on the remnant, both vrá and drá; also fortune (çrī́) in me.
4. Being fixed, fix thou, being stanch, nyá, the bráhman, the ten all-creators; as the wheel on all sides of the nave, the divinities [are] set (çritá) in the remnant.
Ppp. gives no variant in a; at the end it has devatā hitāḥ (i.e. ”hitāḥ?). SPP., against the authority of all the pada-mss., combines dṛṅhasthiras into one word, merely because the comm. so explains it (dṛṅhaṇena sthirīkṛto lokaḥ)—which is no reason at all for such an absurdity. Nyas the comm. glosses with netāras tatratyāḥ prāṇinaḥ, which gives us no help.
5. The verse (ṛ́c), the chant (sā́man), the formula (yájus) [are] in the remnant, [also] the song (udgīthá), the introductory praise (prástuta),the praise (stutá); the sound hing [is] in the remnant, the tone (svára), and the ring (? meḍí) of the chant; that in me.
The comm. gives alternative explanations of svára and meḍí, showing that their technical meaning was doubtful to him, as to us. Ppp. has for b udgītaṣ prastutaṁ sthitam; in d it has mīḍhus for meḍis. ⌊To the last clause the comm. supplies bhavatu: cf. vss. 12, 14.⌋
6. That relating to Indra-and-Agni, that to the purifying [Soma] (pāvamāná), the great-named ones (f., mahā́nāmnīs), the great ceremony (makāvratá)—within the remnant are [all] the members of the sacrifice, like an embryo within a mother.
The āindrāgna and pāvamāna are explained by the comm. as two sāmans; for the mahānāmnīs he refers to Āit. Ār. iv. 1.
7. The rājasūya (royal consecration), the vājapéya (vigor-drinking), the agniṣṭomá (fire-praise), then the sacrifice (adhvará), the arká and açvamedhá (horse-sacrifice) [are] in the remnant, the one having a living barhís, most intoxicating.
Ppp. has in b the preferable reading tato ‘dhvaraḥ.
8. The establishing of a fire, also the consecration, the desire-fulfiller, together with the meter (chándas); the removed (? útsanna) sacrifices, the sacrificial sessions (sattrá), are set together in the remnant.
All the pada-mss. read in b kāma॰práḥ: chándasā:, but no saṁhitā-ms. gives correspondingly kāmapráç chán- they vary between -prá chán- (thus the majority) and -práḥ chán- (including our I.K.); both editions emend to -práç chán-; the comm. understands the two words as one compound. He also reads utsannayajñās as a compound in c, and takes it to mean sacrifices that have gone out of use and knowledge.
9. Both the fire-offering (agnihotrá) and faith, the váshaṭ-exclamation, the vow (vratá), penance, the sacrificial gift (dákṣiṇā), what is offered (iṣṭá) and what is bestowed (pūrtá)—are set together in the remnant.
Ppp. reads ‘ti instead of ‘dhi in d. The comm. explains iṣṭá as çrutivihitaṁ yāgahomādi karma, and pūrtá as smṛtipurāṇābhihitaṁ vāpīkūpataṭākadevāyatanārāmādinirmāṇam.
10. The one-night [sacrifice], the two-night, the same-day-purchase (sadyaḥkrī́), the purchasable (? prakrī́), the praiseworthy (ukthyà)—[it] is woven, deposited, in the remnant; the minute things of the sacrifice, by wisdom.
Ppp. betters the grammar of the last half-verse by reading for d yajñasyā ’no nu vidyayā. The comm. reads in b sadyaskrīḥ; sadyaḥkrī is especially prescribed by Prāt. ii. 62.
11. The four-night [sacrifice], the five-night, and the six-night, of both kinds, together, the one of sixteen (ṣoḍaçín), and the seven-night—from the remnant were born all the sacrifices that are put in immortality.
Ppp. combines yajñā ’mṛte near the end. The comm. understands by ubhayas in b the doubles of the numbers of nights given. Ṣoḍaçin is the subject of Prāt. iv. 51, and catūrātra (p. catuḥ॰rātraḥ) of Prāt. iv. 80.
12. The response (pratīhārá), the conclusion (nidhánd), both the all-conquering and the on-conquering (abhijít) one, the same-day and overnight ones [are] in the remnant, the twelve-day one: also that in me.
Ppp. has at the beginning pratihāro. ⌊The comm. joins the "also" to what precedes and says that "that in me" (supply bhavatu) is to be understood as a prayer: cf. vss. 5, 14.⌋
13. Pleasantness, compliance (sáṁnati), comfort (kṣéma), custom (? svadhā́), refreshment, immortality, power—in the remnant all occurring (pratyáñc) desires are satisfied with desire.
Ppp. reads at the end tṛmpanti. Most of the pada-mss. and many of the saṁhitā-mss. read simply kṣéma in a (including our Bp.O.D.R.K.Kp.).
14. The nine earths, oceans, skies, are set (çritá) in the remnant; the sun shines in the remnant; day-and-night: also that in me.
The pada-mss. in general read simply çritā́ (or çṛtā́) in b. Two or three mss. (including our O.) read ‘pi in d. Ppp. reads in a, b bhūmyāṁ samudrasyo ’chiṣṭe, and has ca for api in d. ⌊The comm. treats the last words of the vs. as under vs. 12.⌋
15. The added oblation (upahávya), the dividing [day], and the sacrifices that are put in secret, the remnant bears, bearer of all, father of the generator.
Ppp. reads divi çrutaḥ ⌊intending çritāḥ?⌋ for guhā hitāḥ in b. The mss. are divided between upahávyam and upahavyám; the latter is read by our B.W.O.s.m.D.R.T.; and K. has -havyàm.
16. The remnant, father of the generator, of breath (ásu) the grandson, grandfather—he dwells, ruler of all, an overpowering (? atighnyà) bull upon the earth.
Ppp. reads in b ‘sāu putraç ca, which, without the ca, is an acceptable improvement.
17. Righteousness, truth, penance, kingship, toil, and virtue (dhárma) and deed (kárman), being (bhūtá), what will be, [is] in the remnant; heroism, fortune (lakṣmī́), strength in strength.
Ppp. has dīkṣā for rāṣṭram in a: a better reading. The comm. explains ṛta here by manasā yathārthasaṁkalpanam 'right conception'; bale at the end he makes = balavati tasminn ucchiṣṭe.
18. Success, force, design, dominion, kingship, the six wide [quarters], the year [is] in the remnant, íḍā, the orders (prāiṣá), the dips (gráha), the oblation.
Ppp. combines ojā ”hūtiḥ in a. ⌊W. interlines 'potions' as an alternative for 'dips.'⌋
19. The four-priest (cátur-hotṛ) [sacrifices], the āprī́s, the seasonal [oblations], the nivíds—in the remnant [are] the sacrifices, the invocations, the victim-offerings (paçubandhá), then the offerings (íṣṭi).
Tádiṣṭayaḥ at the end in our edition is a misprint for tád íṣṭayaḥ.
20. Both the half-months and the months, the year-divisions (ārtavá) with the seasons; in the remnant [are] the noisy waters, the thunder, the great sound (? çrúti).
The comm. reads çuci in d, so we lack his conjecture as to the meaning of çruti.
21. Pebbles, gravel, stones, herbs, plants, grasses, clouds, lightnings, rain—in the remnant [are they] set together, set.
Ppp. combines sikatā ’çm- in a. ⌊Read oṣadhīr?⌋
22. Success (rā́ddhi), attainment, obtainment, permeation, greatness, prosperity ⌊edhatú⌋—in the remnant over-attainment and growth (bhū́ti) [is] put in, put down, put.
Several of our mss. (P.M.W.I.O.) accent vyā́pti in b. All the mss. save one or two (including our B.) leave edhatuḥ unaccented, as if it were taken for a 3d dual perfect; both editions read edhatúḥ. The comm. strangely reads at the end hitāḥ; ⌊but the pada-text makes all three words of d singular⌋.
23. Both what breathes with breath and what sees with sight: from the remnant were born all the gods in heaven, heaven-resorters.
24. The verses (ṛ́c), the chants, the meters, the ancient (purāṇá), together with the formula (yájus): from the remnant were born etc. etc.
Ppp. reads, for ṛcaḥ sāmāni, ṛgyajussāmāni, and also prefixes to the verse our 27 a, b (combining devāṣ pit-).
25. Breath-and-expiration, sight, hearing, indestructibleness and destruction: from the remnant etc. etc.
The first half-verse is found below as 8. 4 a, b, 26 a, b. The verse, as noted above, is wanting in Ppp.
26. Delights, joys, enjoyments, and they that enjoy enjoyments—from the remnant etc. etc.
⌊The first half-verse recurs as 8. 24 a, b.⌋ ⌊in the Berlin ed., there should be a space between módāḥ and pra-.⌋
27. The gods, the Fathers, human beings, and they that are Gandharvas-and-Apsarases: from the remnant etc. etc.
⌊The quoted Anukr. says "uchiṣṭe."⌋