३२

छन्दसां वै षष्ठेनाह्ना ऽऽप्तानां रसो ऽत्यनेदत्स प्रजापतिरबिभेत्पराङयं छन्दसां रसो लोकानत्येष्यतीति तम्परस्ताच्छन्दोभिः पर्यगृह्नान्नाराशंस्या गायत्र्या रैभ्या त्रिष्टुभः पारिक्षित्या जगत्याः कारव्यया ऽनुष्टुभस्तत्पुनश्छन्दःसु रसमदधात् सरसैर्हास्य च्छन्दोभिरिष्टम्भवति सरसैश्छन्दोभिर्यज्ञं तनुते य एवं वेद ।

(On the origin and nature of the so-called Kuntapa[13] hymns, Atharvaveda 20, 127-136. The Narāśaṁsī, Raibhī and Pārikṣitī, Diśām klripti and Janakalpa verses; the Indra-gāthās)

The juice of the metres which were all done by the sixth day (at the Ṣaḷaha) was running (over the brim). Prajāpati got afraid lest the juice of the metres might go away and run over the worlds. Therefore he kept it down by means of metres placed on another part (above them). With the Narāśaṁsī he kept down (the juice) of the Gāyatrī, with the Raibhī that of the Triṣṭubh, with the Pārikṣitī that of the Jagatīs, with the Kāravyā that of the Anuṣṭubhs. Thus he provided again the metres with good juice. The sacrifice of him who has this knowledge becomes performed with metres keeping their juice, and he spreads it with metres keeping their juice, (i.e., the essence of the sacrifice is not lost).

[13]The so-called Kuntâpa hymns are to be repeated by the Brāhmaṇāchchhaṁsī after he has finished the Vṛiṣâkapi. Their repetition has several peculiarities regarding the response, which all are noted by Aśval. Śr. S. (8, 3). The response for the first 14 verses beginning with idaṁ janâ upa śruta is at the end of each verse only, it is simply othâmo daivom. The verses which immediately follow up to *etâ asvá âplavanta have two responses each, after every half verse. The seventy pâdas commencing with etâ aśvā have each a response. The six verses commencing with vitatâu kiraṇâu have each a peculiar response after the first half verse. So the response to vitatâu is dundubhim ahananâbhyâm jaritar othâmo daiva; that to the second is kośabile jaritar, &c. They are all given in the Atharvaveda Saṁhitâ (20, 133) along with the text of which they form, however, no part. For the response (pratigara) is repeated by the Adhvaryu. Similar responses occur in all verses which follow as far as the devanitham, âdityâha jaritar; they all are given in the Atharvaveda, such as pipilakāvaṭaḥ, śvā, parṇaśadaḥ, &c., which all are followed by jaritar othâmo daivom. In the Devanîtha (Athar. 20, 135, 6-10) the response is in the first pâda of each verse; it is om ha jaritar othâmo daiva. These Kuntâpa songs do not bear a strictly religious character: they are praise songs, principally referring to Dakṣiṇâ and belong to that class of ancient poetry which bears the name nârâśaṁsi. This may be clearly seen from the commencement of the whole collection, idam janâ upaśruta nârâśaṁsah, taviṣyate, i. e., hearken ye people to this; Nârâśaṁsah will be praised with chants. The recitation of these pieces is accompanied with musical instruments, such as dundubhi, karkari, &c. The repeater must have been originally the chanter; for in the response he is always addressed by “jaritar," i, e., singer.

छन्दसां वै षष्ठेनाह्ना ऽऽप्तानां रसो ऽत्यनेदत्स प्रजापतिरबिभेत्पराङयं छन्दसां रसो लोकानत्येष्यतीति तम्परस्ताच्छन्दोभिः पर्यगृह्नान्नाराशंस्या गायत्र्या रैभ्या त्रिष्टुभः पारिक्षित्या जगत्याः कारव्यया ऽनुष्टुभस्तत्पुनश्छन्दःसु रसमदधात् सरसैर्हास्य च्छन्दोभिरिष्टम्भवति सरसैश्छन्दोभिर्यज्ञं तनुते य एवं वेद ।

नाराशंसीः शंसति ।

The priest now repeats Narāśaṁsī verses.[14]

[14]Idam jana upa śruta nârâśaṁsa A. V. 20, 127, 1-3.

नाराशंसीः शंसति ।

प्रजा वै नरो वाक्शंसः ।

For naraḥ (men) means children and śaṁsaḥ speech.

प्रजा वै नरो वाक्शंसः ।

प्रजास्वेव तद्वाचं दधाति ।

He thus places speech in children.

प्रजास्वेव तद्वाचं दधाति ।

तस्मादिमाः प्रजा वदन्त्यो जायन्ते य एवं वेद ।

Therefore children of him who has this knowledge are born with the faculty of speaking.

तस्मादिमाः प्रजा वदन्त्यो जायन्ते य एवं वेद ।

यदेव नाराशंसीः३ शंसन्तो वै देवाश्च ऋषयश्च स्वर्गं लोकमायंस्तथैवैतद्यजमानाः शंसन्त एव स्वर्गं लोकं यन्ति ।

The Gods and Ṛiṣis having gained the heavenly world by repeating the Narāśaṁsa verses, the sacrificers who repeat them go to the heavenly world also.

यदेव नाराशंसीः३ शंसन्तो वै देवाश्च ऋषयश्च स्वर्गं लोकमायंस्तथैवैतद्यजमानाः शंसन्त एव स्वर्गं लोकं यन्ति ।

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

The priest stops when repeating these verses, after each of the two or three first pādas, and after the two or three last taken together,[15] just as he does when repeating the Vṛiṣākapi. For what is of the same nature as the Vṛiṣākapi (as the Narāśaṁsīs are supposed to be) follows the same rule.

[15]This is a translation of the term pragrâhu. Several of the verses are in the Paṅkti metre; then the three last pâdas are taken together. As far as this goes, they are just recited as the Vṛiṣâkapi hymn. Only the Nyûṅhka is not made, but instead of it the Ninarda, which is a substitute for it. This peculiar pronunciation of the vowel takes place in the second syllable of the third, and the fourth of the fourth pada. The Pratigara is madethama daivom othāmo daivom.

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

In repeating them, he shall not make Nyūṅkha,[16] but pronounce them with a kind of Ninarda,[17] for this is the Nyūṅkha of the Narāśaṁsīs verses.

[16]In repeating the Vṛiṣâkapi hymn, both the Nyûṅkha and Ninarda are used. The Nyûṅkha takes place at the second syllable of the third pada, which is the proper place for the Ninarda also. (On the Nyûṅkha see page 322). The Ninarda is described by Aśval. Śr. S. 7, 11, as follows: okâraś chaturninarda udâttân prathamottamâv anudâttâvitasâ uttaro snudâttataraḥ plutaḥ prathamo makârânta uttamaḥ, i. e., the vowel o has four times the Ninarda sound; the first and last times it has the udâtta accent, the two others the anudâtta; the latter of which has even the anudâttatara (lowest anudâtta); the first (and last) is pronounced with three moras. There is another way of making the Ninarda by pronouncing the o successively first with the udâtta, then with the anudâtta, then with the svarita, and lastly with the udâtta accent again.

[17]Nivîva is to be parsed ni vi iva, the ni and vi belonging to the verb nardet. Tho whole means, literally, he ought to make a peculiar species of the Ninarda, as it were.

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

रैभीः शंसति ।

The priest repeats the Raibhī verses.[18]

[18]Vachyasva rebha, A. V. 20, 127, 4.

रैभीः शंसति ।

रेभन्तो वै देवाश्च ऋषयश्च स्वर्गं लोकमायंस्तथैवैतद्यजमाना रेभन्त एव स्वर्गं लोकं यन्ति ।

For the Gods and Ṛiṣis went by making a great noise (rebhantaḥ) to the celestial world; in the same way, therefore, the sacrificers go to the celestial world.

रेभन्तो वै देवाश्च ऋषयश्च स्वर्गं लोकमायंस्तथैवैतद्यजमाना रेभन्त एव स्वर्गं लोकं यन्ति ।

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

The priest stops when repeating these verses, after each of the two or three first pādas, and after the two or three last taken together, just as he does when repeating the Vṛiṣākapi. For what is of the same nature as the Vṛiṣākapi (as the Narāśaṁsīs are supposed to be) follows the same rule.

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

In repeating them, he shall not make Nyūṅkha, but pronounce them with a kind of Ninarda, for this is the Nyūṅkha of the Narāśaṁsīs verses.

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

पारिक्षितीः शंसति ।

He repeats the Pārikṣitī verses.[19]

[19]Râjño viśvajanâyasya, A. V. 20, 127, 7-10. In every verse the word pârikṣit, i. e., dwelling round about (said of Agni) occurs.

पारिक्षितीः शंसति ।

अग्निर्वै परिक्षिदग्निर्हीमाः प्रजाः परिक्षेत्यग्निं हीमाः प्रजाः परिक्षियन्ति ।

For Agni is the dweller round about (parikṣit); he lives round the people, and the people live round (parikṣi) him.

अग्निर्वै परिक्षिदग्निर्हीमाः प्रजाः परिक्षेत्यग्निं हीमाः प्रजाः परिक्षियन्ति ।

अग्नेरेव सायुज्यं सरूपतां सलोकतामश्नुते य एवं वेद ।

He who has such a knowledge, obtains union with Agni, and shares the same character and abode with him.

अग्नेरेव सायुज्यं सरूपतां सलोकतामश्नुते य एवं वेद ।

यदेव पारिक्षितीः३ संवत्सरो वै परिक्षित्संवत्सरो हीमाः प्रजाः परिक्षेति संवत्सरं हीमाः प्रजाः परिक्षियन्ति ।

As to these Pārikṣitī verses (they may have another meaning too. For the year is Parikṣit (dwelling round about); for it dwells round about men, and men dwell round about the year.

यदेव पारिक्षितीः३ संवत्सरो वै परिक्षित्संवत्सरो हीमाः प्रजाः परिक्षेति संवत्सरं हीमाः प्रजाः परिक्षियन्ति ।

संवत्सरस्यैव सायुज्यं सरूपतां सलोकतामश्नुते य एवं वेद ।

Therefore he who has this knowledge, obtains union with the year (saṁvatsara) and shares its character and abode.

संवत्सरस्यैव सायुज्यं सरूपतां सलोकतामश्नुते य एवं वेद ।

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

The priest stops when repeating these verses, after each of the two or three first pādas, and after the two or three last taken together, just as he does when repeating the Vṛiṣākapi. For what is of the same nature as the Vṛiṣākapi (as the Narāśaṁsīs are supposed to be) follows the same rule.

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

In repeating them, he shall not make Nyūṅkha, but pronounce them with a kind of Ninarda, for this is the Nyūṅkha of the Narāśaṁsīs verses.

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

कारव्याः शंसति ।

He repeats the Kāravyā verses.[20]

[20]Indraḥ kârum ububudhat, A. V. 20, 127, 11-14. Because of the word kâru, i.e., singer, praiser, occurring in the first verse, they are called kâravyâs.

कारव्याः शंसति ।

देवा वै यत्किंच कल्याणं कर्माकुर्वंस्तत्कारव्याभिरवाप्नुवंस्तथैवैतद्यजमाना यत्किंच कल्याणं कर्म कुर्वन्ति तत्कारव्याभिराप्नुवन्ति ।

For any work of the gods crowned with success was performed by means of the Kāravyās; and the same is then the case with the sacrificers.

देवा वै यत्किंच कल्याणं कर्माकुर्वंस्तत्कारव्याभिरवाप्नुवंस्तथैवैतद्यजमाना यत्किंच कल्याणं कर्म कुर्वन्ति तत्कारव्याभिराप्नुवन्ति ।

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

The priest stops when repeating these verses, after each of the two or three first pādas, and after the two or three last taken together, just as he does when repeating the Vṛiṣākapi. For what is of the same nature as the Vṛiṣākapi (as the Narāśaṁsīs are supposed to be) follows the same rule.

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

In repeating them, he shall not make Nyūṅkha, but pronounce them with a kind of Ninarda, for this is the Nyūṅkha of the Narāśaṁsīs verses.

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

दिशांकॢप्तीः शंसति दिश एव तत्कल्पयति ।

The priest now repeats the “directions forming verses” (diśām kḷiptis). For in this way he forms the directions.

दिशांकॢप्तीः शंसति दिश एव तत्कल्पयति ।

ताः पञ्च शंसति पञ्च वा इमा दिशश्चतस्रस्तिरश्च्य एकोर्ध्वा ।

He repeats five such verses;[21] for there are five directions, viz., the four points (east, west, south and north) and one direction above crossing (them all).

[21]These are, yaḥ sahbeyo vidathya, A. V, 20, 128, 1-5.

ताः पञ्च शंसति पञ्च वा इमा दिशश्चतस्रस्तिरश्च्य एकोर्ध्वा ।

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नेवैव च निनर्देन्नेदिमा दिशो न्युङ्खयानीति ता अर्धर्चशः शंसति प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।

He ought not to repeat (these verses) with Nyūṅkha, nor make the Ninarda in the same way as above. Thinking, I will not mutilate (nyūṅkhayāni)[22] these directions, he repeats these verses, half verse by half verse.

[22]From ukh, unkh, to move, go.

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

The priest stops when repeating these verses, after each of the two or three first pādas, and after the two or three last taken together, just as he does when repeating the Vṛiṣākapi. For what is of the same nature as the Vṛiṣākapi (as the Narāśaṁsīs are supposed to be) follows the same rule.

ताः प्रग्राहं शंसति यथा वृषाकपिं वार्षाकपं हि वृषाकपेस्तन्न्यायमेति ।

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

In repeating them, he shall not make Nyūṅkha, but pronounce them with a kind of Ninarda, for this is the Nyūṅkha of the Narāśaṁsīs verses.

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नी वीव नर्देत्स हि तासां न्यूङ्खः ।

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नेवैव च निनर्देन्नेदिमा दिशो न्युङ्खयानीति ता अर्धर्चशः शंसति प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।

जनकल्पाः शंसति प्रजा वै जनकल्पाः ।

For making a footing, he then repeats the Janakalpa verses.[23] For children are janakalpa (production of men).

[23]Yo nāktākṣo anabhyakto, A. V. 20, 128, 6-11.

जनकल्पाः शंसति प्रजा वै जनकल्पाः ।

दिश एव तत्कल्पयित्वा तासु प्रजाः प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

Having made the directions in the above manner, he places people in them.

दिश एव तत्कल्पयित्वा तासु प्रजाः प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नैवैव च निनर्देन्नेदिमाः प्रजा न्यूङ्खयानीति ता अर्धर्चशः शंसति प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।

He shall not repeat these verses with Nyūṅkha, nor with the Ninarda, but just in the same way and for the same reasons as the diśām kḷripti.

तासु न न्यूङ्खयेन्नैवैव च निनर्देन्नेदिमाः प्रजा न्यूङ्खयानीति ता अर्धर्चशः शंसति प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।

इन्द्रगाथाः शंसति ।

He repeats the Indra-gāthās.[24]

[24]Yad indrādo dasurâjñe, A. V. 20, 128, 12-16.

इन्द्रगाथाः शंसति ।

इन्द्रगाथाभिर्वै देवा असुरानभिगायाथैनानत्यायंस्तथैवैतद्यजमाना इन्द्रगाथाभिरेवाप्रियम्भ्रातृव्यमभिगायाथैनमतियन्ति ।

For by means of the Indra songs, the Devas sang the Asuras down and defeated them. In the same way, the sacrificers put down their enemies by these songs.

इन्द्रगाथाभिर्वै देवा असुरानभिगायाथैनानत्यायंस्तथैवैतद्यजमाना इन्द्रगाथाभिरेवाप्रियम्भ्रातृव्यमभिगायाथैनमतियन्ति ।

ता अर्धर्चशः शंसति प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।

They are repeated, half verse by half verse, to obtain a footing for the sacrificer.

ता अर्धर्चशः शंसति प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।