1859. J Notices of New Works. 503 



pear to bear a closer resemblance to those in the Kalila wa Dimiia. 

 The present fasciculus contains the first nine fables of the first book. 



Zwei Vedisclie Texte iiher Omlna tend Portenta von A. Weber. 

 1, Das Adbhuta Brahmana des Sdma Veda. 2, der Adbhutadhyaya 

 des Kaus'aki-sutra. Berlin, 1859. 



Dr. Weber in this brochure has given us the text of two Vedic 

 works on omens and portents, accompanied by a translation and 

 running commentary. The papers were read before the Royal 

 Academy of Berlin, on the 10th and 24th of June, 1858, and they 

 are now republished from the Academy's Transactions. 



The Adbhuta Brahmana is the concluding part of the Shadvin'sa 

 Brahmana of the Sama Veda, and consists of twelve sections. ■ Each 

 section (from the 3rd) gives a formula to avert certain inauspicious 

 phenomena, — each being directed to a different deity. The first is 

 to be directed to the East and belongs to Indra, the second to the 

 South and Yama, the third to the West and Varuna, the fourth to 

 the North and Vaisravana, the fifth to the Earth and Agni, the sixth 

 to the Atmosphere and Vayu, the seventh to the Sky and Soma, the 

 eighth to the highest Heaven (param divam) and Vishnu, the ninth 

 to the nether Quarter (adhastdd dis'am) and Rudra, the tenth to 

 every Quarter and to Surya. The two last are not found in some 

 MSS. and are probably a later addition. 



One of the most remarkable passages in this Brahmana is that 

 which mentions certain portents connected with the temples and 

 images of the gods (§ 10). 



^TrTT^rRnfiT 3W^ t^rTSfairr ^f*ff JlTSjfa ^fai W^fal fe^ntl- 

 ssffcrfa frRWfal I " If the temples of the gods are shaken, or if the 

 images of the gods laugh, sing, dance, burst, sweat, open or close 

 their eyes." 



Dr. Weber appears, by his note on § 5, to entertain some doubt 

 as to patanga meaning a ' grasshopper' as well as 'a bird;' but in 

 the Kumara Sambh, iv. 20, Mallinatha expressly explains it by 

 8'alabha* 



* The line in the K. S. is easily understood by any one who lias seen his lamp 

 covered with the pharingas (^f^5f ) of Bengal, 



3 T 2 



