Page:Atharva-Veda samhita.djvu/147

Rh ⌊Tables of verse-norms assumed by the Pañcapaṭalikā.—For the first grand division (books i.-vii.), on the one hand, this treatise assumes a norm for the verse-totals of the anuvākas of each book. These may be shown in tabular statement as follows:

The norm is spoken of (p. 92) as a nimitta, literally, perhaps, 'fundamental determinant.' Frequent reference has already been made to these norms in the main body of this work, either expressly (as at pages 220 and 388: of. also pages 6, 18, 22, 152), or implicitly at the ends of the anuvākas.⌋

⌊By combining (as in lines 2 and 3 of the table) a part of table 1 of p. cxliv with a part of the table on p. cxxix, the actual average of the verse-totals of the anuvākas may be found for each book (as in line 4). It is perhaps a fact of critical significance that for each book this average is greater than the norm assumed by our treatise.⌋

⌊For the second grand division (books viii.-xii.), on the other hand, our treatise assumes a norm which concerns the verse-totals of the hymns, and not (as in the first division) those of the anuvākas. They are, in tabular statement, as follows:

The lengths of the hymns are often (not always) described by stating the overplus or shortage with reference to these norms. This is oftenest the case in book x. (so with seven hymns out of ten: see p. 562); it is the case with all the artha-sūktas of book xii. (four out of five: p. 660); with hymns 1, 3, and 5 of book ix., and 6 and 8 of book xi.; and least often and clearly the case with book viii. (cf. the unclear citation, p. 502, ¶2).—Here again the actual averages are greater than the norms.⌋

⌊The three "grand divisions" are recognized by the Pañcapaṭalikā.—Partly by way of example, and partly with ulterior purpose, we may instance the citations from the Pañcapaṭalikā which give the verse-totals of the six anuvākas of book iii. These totals are respectively 33, 40, 38, 40, 35, and 44. The citations are indeed to be found below, scattered over pages 92, 103, 113, 123, 131, and 141; but it will be better to combine