2. If (yát) by down-utterance, out-utterance, forth-utterance we have offended (upa-ṛ), waking or (yát) sleeping, let Agni put far away from us all disagreeable ill-deeds.
The verse corresponds to RV. x. 164. 3, which reads in a yád āçásā niḥçásā ’bhiçásā; of these words the first and third have usage elsewhere, and a determinable meaning, 'wish' or 'expectation' and 'imprecation.' The Atharvan substitutes occur only here, and the root çaṅs is not met with combined with either ava, nis (except in the doubtful ániḥçasta, RV. once), or parā; so that it has been necessary to render the words mechanically above. TB. (iii. 7. 124) has a only, with niçásā (instead of niḥçásā), which is equally unsupported.* The comm. regards all the words as containing the root ças 'cut,' paraphrasing it by hiṅs 'injure'; upārima he renders by upārtāḥ pīḑitā bhavema, turning the active into a passive. ⌊Pāda b recurs at vi. 96. 3.⌋ *⌊TB. has yád āçásā niçásā yát parāçásā, blending RV. and AV. readings.⌋
3. If (yát), O Indra, O Brahmaṇaspati, we also proceed falsely, let the Ān̄girasa, forethoughtful, protect us from difficulty, from distress.
The verse is RV. x. 164. 4, which, however, has the better readings abhidrohám for ápi mṛ́ṣā in b, and dviṣatā́m for duritā́t in d. Ppp. reads, for d, dviṣatas pātu tebhyaḥ.
It is probably only on account of the occurrence in it of the word svapantas (2 b) that this hymn is in our text put in connection with the one that follows.
46. Against evil dreams.
[An̄giras.—pūrvoktadevatyam uta svāpnam. 1. kakummatī vistārapan̄ktiḥ; 2. 3-av. çakvarīgarbhā 5-p. jagatī; 3. anuṣṭubh.]
The first and third verses are found also in Pāipp. xix.,* but not in connection with the hymn which here precedes. The first two "verses" are pure prose, and their description as metrical gives the Anukr. much trouble, with unsatisfactory result. The hymn is used by Kāuç. (46. 9) with the preceding: see under the latter; further, in the same ceremonies against bad dreams appears (46. 13) a pratīka which might signify either vs. 2 or xvi. 5. 1: the comm. holds that the former is intended (as including vss. 2 and 3). *⌊Roth reports xix. 57. i (= vs. 3 here) as occurring in Pāipp. ii.⌋
Translated: Ludwig, p. 498; Florenz, 306 or 58; Griffith, i. 269; Bloomfield, 167, 485.
1. Thou who art not alive, not dead, immortal-embryo of the gods art thou, O sleep; Varuṇāni is thy mother, Yama thy father; Araru by name art thou.
Ppp. reads yamaṣ pitā. The mss. are much at variance as to two points in this verse: whether asi or ási after -garbhás, and whether árarus or arárus. As regards the former, they are nearly equally divided; both printed texts give asi, which is doubtless preferable. In the other case, the great majority of authorities have árarus, which is accordingly adopted in both texts (our Bp.E.T.K. read arárus); but TB. (iii. 2. 94) and MS. (iv. i. 10), which have a legend about an Asura of this name, accent aráru, and this was probably to have been preferred.
2. We know thy place of birth (janítra), O sleep; thou art son of the gods' sisters (-jāmí), agent of Yama; end-maker art thou; death art
