Page:Atharva-Veda samhita volume 2.djvu/472

xix. 20- 'ti. ⌊The verse is properly 12 + 11: 11 + 11: for d has triṣṭubh cadence, and there are three possibilities of excising a syllable from its prior half.⌋

3. What [defense] those gods fastened on themselves, when fighting for overlordship, what defense Indra made for himself, let that protect us on all sides.

4. Defense for me may heaven-and-earth, defense may day, defense may the sun, defense for me may all the gods make; let not the affrontress (? pratīcikā́) reach me.

1. Gāyatrī, uṣṇih, anuṣṭubh, bṛhatī, pan̄kti, triṣṭubh-and-jagatī.

The mss. are at variance as to the use of any kampa-sign between the first two words. ⌊The metrical definition (18 syllables) calls for the resolution gāyatrī uṣ-.⌋