13. To the instruments and ministers of death.
[Atharvan (svastyayanakāma).—mārtya[va]m. ānuṣṭubham.]
Found also in Pāipp. xix. The hymn is variously employed by Kāuç.: in a rite for victory (14. 25), with iii. 26, 27; and again (15. 6), similarly, in favor of a Vāiçya; in the preparation of the house-fire (72. 13), with an offering; four times in the chapter of portents: once (104. 3) when Brahmans quarrel; again (105. 1) when images play pranks; yet again (113. 3) when a cow suckles an ox (these three in company with i. 19); once more (123. 1), when animals touch sacred things; and it is further reckoned (note to 25. 36) to the svastyayana gaṇa.
Translated: Florenz, 264 or 16; Griffith, i. 251.
1. Homage to the weapons (vadhá) of the gods; homage to the weapons of kings; likewise the weapons that are of the Vāiçyas—to them of thine, O death, be homage.
Ppp. has viçvānām in c.
2. Homage to thy benediction; homage to thy malediction; homage to thy favor, O death; this homage to thy disfavor.
Ppp. omits the first half-verse, doubtless by accident. The comm. takes the datives in a and b as nomina agentis.
3. Homage to thy sorcerers; homage to thy remedies; homage to thy roots, O death; this homage to the Brāhmans.
14. Against the balā́sa.
[Babhrupin̄gala (?).—balāsadevatyatn. ānuṣṭubham.]
Occurs also in Pāipp. xix. Used by Kāuç. (29. 30) in a remedial rite against catarrh (çleṣman), with variously administering prepared water to the patient.
Translated: Florenz, 265 or 17; Griffith, i. 252; Bloomfield, 8, 463; vs. 1 also by Grohmann, Ind. Stud. ix. 397, with an excursus on the balā́sa.
1. The bone-dissolving, joint-dissolving, settled (ā́sthita) heart disease, all the balā́sa, cause thou to disappear, that is seated in the limbs and in the joints.
