1847.] On the History and Literature of the Veda. 835 



by me, offer the same variations. Now the identical verse occurs in a 

 passage of the Atharvana Sanhita (IV. 15,14) in the same manner 

 closely following the Rig, which is the commencement of Mand. VI. 

 0", 14. (according to the Atharva, MSS. Nos. 1,137 and 682, E. J. 

 H., as above, save upapravada.) It has therefore almost the appear- 

 ance, as if Yaska had at the same time referred to either Veda, to the 

 Atharva for the similarity of the connexion, and to the Rig for men- 

 tioning Vasishta as author, and it is very probable, that the verse has 

 found its way into the Rig, and into that very hymn in consequence of 

 having been mixed up with fragments of the same (hymn) in the Athar- 

 vana Sanhita. That in general a great number of such interpolations 

 owes its origin to the Atharva, has been always my opinion, which we 

 shall have the means of proving, after we know this Veda more exactly, 

 although the examination of the same, in want of all Indian aids, 

 requires an editor extensively read in Vedic literature.* 



Of a very different kind are additions, which occur only in one or 

 the other of the MSS., and generally present all the colours of 

 later poetry. Thus gives the Paris MS. a long hymn, addressed 

 to Sri. The same MS. and No. 131, E. J. H., present at the end 

 of Anuv. 3 of the 7th book an interpolation, bearing evidence to the 

 worship of serpents. f 



An edition of the Riksanhita cannot of course reject such of these 

 passages as are found in agreement with each other in the greater 

 number of MSS., because they are undoubtedly interesting to us, 

 and, as has been proved before, must have been introduced in a com- 

 paratively remote period. On the other hand, the additions that occur 

 only in one or the other MS. and are stamped with the decisive 

 character of a later time, should at least not be taken into the text. 

 The result which we arrive at relative to the history of the Vedic texts, 

 from such scattered remarks as we have made, is perfectly consonant to 

 the conclusion we derive from the Pratisakhya Sutras. It is evident, 



* To be complete, I give another example. The Bvihati, quoted in the Nirukta IX. 

 29, a ratri parthivan etc. is interpolated at the end of Riksanh, M. X. 10, 15 (and does 

 not even occur in No. 132 E. J. H.) 



t I found the same passage also in a Paris MS. of the title of Mantra Sanhita, 

 chiefly giving parrallel passages from the Rig. (Erl. 94, 6) but am unfortunately 

 unable to state, whether it follows the same hymn, to which it succeeds in the Rig, as I 

 was at that time not aware, of the presence of this section in the Rig. 



5 a 



