Page:Atharva-Veda samhita.djvu/531

361 and spoken of in third person in c, d. Three asterisms are here ⌊and in 112⌋ referred to, all in our constellation Scorpio: Antares or Cor Scorpionis (either alone or with σ, τ) is usually called jyeṣṭhā 'oldest,' but also (more anciently?), as an asterism of ill omen, jyeṣṭhaghnī 'she that slays the oldest'*; mūla 'root,' also in the same manner mūlabarhaṇī ⌊or -ṇa⌋, lit. 'root-wrencher,'* is the tail, or in the tail, of which the terminal star-pair, or the sting (λ, υ), has the specific name vicṛtāu. ⌊See note to ii. 8. i.⌋ The comm. takes yamasya as belonging to mūlabarhaṇāt. By a misprint, our text begins with jyāi- (read jye-). *⌊See TB. i. 5. 2$8$.⌋

3. On the tiger day hath been born the hero, asterism-born, being born rich in heroes; let him not, increasing, slay his father; let him not harm his mother that gave him birth.

1. Free thou this man for me, O Agni, who here bound, well-restrained, cries loudly; thenceforth shall he make for thee a portion, when he shall be uncrazed.

2. Let Agni quiet [it] down for thee, if thy mind is excited (ud-yu); I, knowing, make a remedy, that thou mayest be uncrazed.

3. Crazed from sin against the gods, crazed from a demon—I, knowing, make a remedy, when he shall be uncrazed.

4. May the Apsarases give thee again, may Indra again, may Bhaga again; may all the gods give thee again, that thou mayest be uncrazed.