Page:Atharva-Veda samhita volume 2.djvu/404

xviii. 3- puruṣaḥ); some of our later mss. (O.Op.R.D.) also give it, and it is to be regarded as the preferable reading, if there is such a thing in this case. In b, SPP. strangely reads in his saṁhitā-text āitad vr- and in his pada-text etat, his pada-'mss. having etat or āit—both, doubtless, by accidental misreadings*; the comm., however, gives etat, and makes it qualify vratena, being itself = etena! For nābhāu in d the comm. has yonāu.

* ⌊If āitat is a "blundering extension of āit" one does not see why W. calls the pada-reading āit "an accidental misreading."—Meantime, in Oertel's edition of JUB., published in JAOS. xvi., we find (i. 48, p. 125-6) ''sa hāi ’vaṁ ṣoḍaçadhā ”tmānaṁ vikṛtya, sārdhaṁ samāit. tad yat sārdhaṁ samāitat, tat sāmnas sāmatvam; and (iii. 38, p. 197) tā ṛcaç çarīreṇa mṛtyur anvāitat. tad yat etc. On p. 234, Oertel suggests that we might regard samāitat and anvāitat as due to dittography of the following tat, "were it not for AV. xviii. 3. 40, anvāitat'', which is protected by the meter." Cf. also Henry, Revue Critique, 1894, no's 39-40, p. 146.—See also SPP's full critical notes upon the verse, p. 160. It may be added that W's O. gives -padīmáṁnvāítád, and his Op. ánu: āitát.⌋

41. For the gods he chose death; for his progeny did he not choose immortality (amṛ́ta)? Brihaspati [as] seer extended the sacrifice; Yama left (ā-ric) his dear self (?).

42. Thou, O Agni, Jātavedas, being praised, hast carried the offerings, having made them fragrant; thou hast given to the Fathers; they have eaten after their wont (? svadháyā); eat thou, O god, the presented oblations.

43. Sitting in the lap of the ruddy ones (f.), assign ye wealth to your mortal worshiper (dāçvā́ṅs); of that good, O Fathers, present ye to your sons; do ye bestow (dhā) refreshment here.