Page:Atharva-Veda samhita.djvu/563

393 water, comm.) with the direction iti taraṇāny ālambhayati; and again, at 79. 3, in the marriage ceremonies of the fourth day, with the direction iti talpam ālambhayati. Further, the second verse is associated with the third and fourth (properly a separate hymn, 7) at 71. 23, in the rites for preparing the house-fire, and at 86. 26, in the pitṛnidhāna ceremony, in each case in connection with embarking on a boat (and both times our second verse is quoted after the others). In Vāit. (6. 11), the first verse (or first and second?) is quoted as used, with other verses, at the end of the agnyādheya ceremony, and verse 3 (11. 11), or properly hymn 7, in the agniṣṭoma, when the sacrificer is made to sit down on the black-antelope skin; and further (29. 20), verse 4 in the agnicayana, with the offering of oblations called, from the first words of the verse, the vājaprasavīyahomas.

Translated: Ludwig, p. 533; Henry, 3, 51; Griffith, i. 330.—Cf. also Bloomfield, ZDMG. xlviii. 552.

1. Aditi [is] heaven, Aditi atmosphere, Aditi mother, she father, she son; all the gods [are] Aditi, the five races (jána); Aditi [is] what is born, Aditi what is to be born.

2. We call for aid verily on the great mother of them of good courses, the spouse of righteousness (ṛtá), on her of mighty authority, not growing old, wide-spreading, on the well-sheltering, well-conducting Aditi.

3 (7. 1). The well-preserving earth, the unenvious sky, the well-sheltering, well-conducting Aditi, the well-oared ship of the gods, unleaking, may we, guiltless, embark on in order to well-being.

4 (7. 2). Now, in the impulse of might (vā́ja), will we commemorate (? karāmahe) with utterance (vácas) the great mother, Aditi by name, whose lap is the broad atmosphere; may she confirm to us thrice-defending protection.

The first half-verse is found also in VS. (ix. 5 b), TS. (i. 7. 7$5$), MS. (i. 11. 1), without variant; the second half-verse, common to them all, is totally different from ours. A whole series of VS. verses begin with vājasya prasava- (ix. 23-25 etc.): Weber (Vājapeya, p. 796 ff.) renders "Zeuger der Kraft." All the pada-mss. read in c