Page:Atharva-Veda samhita.djvu/303

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1. Eastern quarter; Agni overlord; black serpent defender; the Ādityas arrows: homage to those overlords; homage to the defenders; homage to the arrows; homage be to them; who hates us, whom we hate, him we put in your jaws (jámbha).

2. Southern quarter; Indra overlord; cross-lined [serpent] defender; the Fathers arrows: homage to those etc. etc.

3. Western quarter; Varuna overlord; the adder (pṛ́dāku) defender; food the arrows: homage to those etc. etc.

4. Northern quarter; Soma overlord; the constrictor (svajá) defender; the thunderbolt (açáni) arrows: homage to those etc. etc.

The comm. gives for svajá a double explanation, either "self-born" (sva-ja) or else "inclined to embrace" (root svaj). Both the other texts assign Varuṇa as overlord;