I847.J On the History and Literature of the Veda. 839 



It is evident, that under Takman some disease must be understood, 

 but which, the passage does not define. K. V. 4 is invoked the medicinal 

 herb Kushta, which grows on the Himavat, and is repeatedly called 

 takmanasana (destroyer of Takman) ; according to Wilson kushta is 

 the plant Costus speciosus. The variety in writing must undoubt- 

 edly be ascribed to the MS., and as kushtha means also leprosis, 

 and the plant probably has the name from its power to heal that dis- 

 ease, takman, no doubt, signifies a similar cutaneous disease, to which 

 the 2 rig alludes. 



To 5. I meet again with the Mujavats in the Vajasaneyasauhita 

 III. 61 etat te Rudravasan tena paro Mujavata 'tihi I avatata-dhanwa 

 pina kavasa : Krittivasa ahinsan na: sivo 'tihi 1 1 (according to No. 

 2391, E. J. H.) " This is your travelling fare, Rudra ; with this pro- 

 ceed further far to the Mujavats. With bow unbent ; the staff in 

 hand, clothed with skins, without harming us, may he graciously pro- 

 ceed on." Mahidhara explains the Mujavatas, as follows : Mujavan 

 nama kachit parvato Rudrasya vamasthanam l ... mujavata : parva- 

 tan pa : pabhagavarti (para : parabhagavarti) san, atikramya gacha : 

 " Mujavat is the name of a mountain, the favourite abode of Rudra, &c. 

 therefore proceed beyond the Mujavat mountains. " Durga, the com- 

 mentator of the Nirukta (ap. I. C.) simply explains the word by 

 parvatat, and consequently takes it as the ablative. According to Ni- 

 rukta IX. 8, Mujavan is the same with parvata, and we find in Rik. 

 X. 3, 5, 1, somasyeva maujavatasya bhaksha; as the enjoyment of the 

 mountain-born Soma. The Mujavats are therefore mountaineers, and 

 as they in V. 7, are mentioned in connexion with the Vahlikas, and V. 

 14, in connexion with the Gandharis, we have to consider them 

 mountainous tribes to the N. W. The Mahavrichas (magni libatores or 

 validi progenitores) according to V. 5 and 8 must be assigned to the 

 same countries. All agree, that the Vahlikas are a Bactrian nation. 

 (Lassen, Zeitschrift II. p. 53 etc. Wilson, Vishnu P. p. 191.) 



Prabharvyan (681, E. J. H. reads, however, Prapharvyan) from 

 bharvati, according to Naigh. II. 7, attikarma, consonantly to the 

 Nirukta IX. 23, where we meet with the proper name of Subharva 

 That we have under the name of Sudra not to think of the later caste, 

 but of a nation of this name, appears to me beyond doubt, until the 

 castes can be traced in the Vedic hymns. I am not aware of any such 



