Page:Atharva-Veda samhita.djvu/226

ii. 12- the rest of the hymn that we can hardly consider them as properly belonging to it. Their omission, with that of the borrowed RV. verse (our 6), would reduce the hymn to the norm of this book.

1. Giving life-time, O Agni, choosing old age; ghee-fronted, ghee-backed, O Agni—having drunk the sweet pleasant (cā́ru) ghee of the cow, do thou afterward defend (rakṣ) this [boy] as a father his sons.

2. Envelop, put ye him for us with splendor; make ye him one to die of old age; [make] long life; Brihaspati furnished (pra-yam) this garment unto king Soma for enveloping [himself].

The verse is repeated below, as xix. 24. 4. It is found also in HGS. (i. 4. 2) ⌊MP. ii. 2. 6⌋, and a, b in MB. (i. 1. 6). HGS. in a omits nas, and reads vāsasāi ’nam for varcase ’mam, and in b it has çatāyuṣam for jarāmṛtyum; MB. agrees with this, only making the verse apply to a girl by giving enām and çatāyuṣīm. There appears to be a mixture of constructions in a: pári dhatta várcasā is right, but dhattá requires rather várcase. Emending to kṛṇutá would enable jarā́mṛtyum to be construed with imam