18. For protection: to various gods.
[Atharvan.—daçaham. pratyṛcam mantroktadevatyam. dvāipadam: 1, 8. sāmnī triṣṭubh; 2-6. ārcy anuṣṭubh (5. samrāj ⌊intending svarāj?⌋); 7, 9, 10. prājāpatyā triṣṭubh.]
⌊Prose.⌋ ⌊Not found in Pāipp.⌋ See note to the preceding hymn ⌊for ritual uses⌋. The gods etc. are throughout the same as in that hymn. ⌊The two hymns are closely accordant in general and special peculiarities of structure.⌋ ⌊A similar passage is found at MS. i. 5. 4, p. 719-15, as W. notes in the Collation Book: he also says "cf. K. vii. 2." AV. v. 10 presents some analogies with our hymn, and iv. 40 still more.⌋
Translated: Griffith, ii. 277.
1. Let those malignants (aghāyú) who shall attack (abhi-dās) me from the eastern quarter come upon (ṛch) Agni with (-vant) the Vasus.
The comm. has the more regular vasumantam. All the mss., and the comm., have at the end of all the verses ‘bhidā́sāt, which SPP. accordingly retains; our edition makes the absolutely necessary emendation to -sān. ⌊Is -dā́sāt a faulty reminiscence of AV. v. 10?⌋ Most of the saṁhitā-mss. also accent diçó ‘bhi-. Some of the mss. leave té unaccented. 'With' is represented throughout the hymn by -vant or -mant, not by the instrumental case. As usual, ṛch signifies a coming into hostile or detrimental contact or collision. ⌊W. interlines "run against" as alternative for "come upon."⌋
2. Let those malignants who shall attack me from that quarter come upon Vāyu with the atmosphere.
3. Let those malignants who shall attack me from the southern quarter come upon Soma with the Rudras.
4. Let those malignants who shall attack me from that quarter come upon Varuṇa with the Ādityas.
The Anukr. ought properly to call this verse bhurij.
5. Let those malignants who shall attack me from the western quarter come upon the sun with heaven-and-earth.
⌊The accent of dyā́vā- is noted by W., Skt. Gram. §94 b.⌋
6. Let those malignants who shall attack me from that quarter come upon the waters with the herbs.
7. Let those malignants who shall attack me from the northern quarter come upon Viçvakarman with the seven seers.
In our text there has dropped out an accent-sign under va before údīcyā.
8. Let those malignants who shall attack me from that quarter come upon Indra with the Maruts.
9. Let those malignants who shall attack me from the fixed quarter come upon Prajāpati with generative qualities.
10. Let those malignants who shall attack me from the upward quarter come upon Bṛihaspati with all the gods.
Verse 8 is properly bhurij (23 syllables). Verses 9 and 10 are each properly of 27 syllables; but by restoring elided initial a here and there (with regard to which the Anukr. appears to acknowledge no rule) the meters as defined can be made out.