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The Pancapatalika is a short text which deals with the division and the arrangement of the Saunaka samhita of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension It consists, as the title indicates, of five chapters (patalas). These are further divided into nineteen sections (khandas)'. As is well-known, the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension -samhita is divided into kandas, (prpathakas,)² anuvakas, suktas, rks as well as paryayas and avasanas³. The Pancapatalika furnishes us with the information regarding the number of rks in a sukta or the number of avasanas in a paryaya, the number of suktas in an anuvaka and the number of anuvakas in a kanda. The Pancapatalika divides the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension -samhita into three (1) The division of the patalas into the khandas is as follows: Patala 1.1-4; 2.5-9; 3.10-13; 4.14-17; 5.18-19. In fact there are twenty sections. Khanda 9 has been wrongly counted twice in the ed. of Bhagawaddatta (pp. 7-8). (2) The division into prapathakas appears to be later. The Pancapatalika does not take note of this division. The division into prapathakas extends upto the 18 th kanda only. (3) A prose hymn is called paryaya-sukta as different from a hymn in verse which is called arthasukta. A paryayasukta is divided into parts which are called paryayas. These paryayas are further divided into small sections called avasanas, which are equivalent to rks. BO MEDE

238 units (akrtis). They are constituted respectively of kandas I to VII, VIII to XI and XII to XVIII. This division may be said to be quite logical in view of the fact that the arrangement of rks, suktas and anuvakas is quite different in each of these three units. The first unit embodying kandas I to VII contains no paryaya-suktas and consists 5 of short hymns on miscellaneous subjects. The second unit of kandas VIII to XI contains paryaya-suktas and each kanda consists of ten long suktas The third unit of kandas XII to XVIII contains paryaya-suktas but the arrangement of this unit is of an altogether different nature. Kanda XII has five suktas, kandas XIII and VIII have four each, kandas XIV, XV and XVI have two, whereas kanda XVII has only one sukta. The Pancapatalika counts the suktas according to the anuvakas in the first unit and according to the suktas in the second and the third units. W.D. Whitney too has divided the Av-samhita into 8 three units, which he calls the 'Grand Divisions 9. However, (4) Patala 2 (beginning). (5) Kanda X contains a paryaya-sukta which is not subdivided into parvayas. (6) In this case, each paryaya-sukta (or paryaya-samuha as it is otherwise called) is counted as one hymn. In their edition, Roth and Whitney also count them similarly. (7) Kandas XIV, XVII and XVIII have no paryaya-suktas. (8) Suktasas ca ganana pravartate - Khanda 15 (end). (9) The Atharvaveda Samhita, English translation, intro., PP. cxxvii ff.

239 his units do not correspond completely with those of the Pancapatalika. Whitney includes Kandas I to VII in the first unit, but his second Grand Division contains Kandas VIII to XII and the third, Kandas XIII to XVIII. He counts Kanda XII in the second Grand Division, because it contains long suktas on different subjects, while the suktes in the third Grand Division are characterised by a sort of unity of subjects. The Pancapatalika has included kanda XII in the third unit presumably for the following reasons: 1) Kandas VIII to XI contain ten hymns each, and are divided into five anuvakas of two suktas each; kanda XII, on the other hand, contains only five suktas and each sukta therein is considered to be an anuvaka. This arrangement corresponds with that in the remaining kandas, namely, from XIII to XVIII, wherein the hymn-division coincides with the anuvaka division 10. 2) The variation in the number of verses in a single sukta in the first unit is between 1 and 18; in the second (kandas VIII-XI), it is between 21 and 44, while in kanda XII it is between 53 and 63. In the third unit, the number of verses in a sukta varies from 26 to 89. 3) As regards the versetotals, we find that the numbers ascend in the first unit (excepting the last kanda VII), and the same is the case in the second unit. The verse-totals in the first six kandas are respectively 153, 207, 230, 324, 376, 454; that in the (10) The paryaya-samuhas is kandas XV and XVI are to be counted as suktas.

240 seventh kanda is 28611. The verse-totals in the second unit are respectively 293, 313, 350 and 367. The twelfth kanda contains 304 verses, and, therefore, cannot be included in the second unit. The Brhatsarvanukramani seems to agree with the Pancapatalika in the matter of the arrangement of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension -samhita. It states (patala 6) at the beginning of the treatment of kanda VIII that 'up to the end of kanda XI, the artha-suktas constitute the norm, the paryayas beginning with virad va (VIII.10.1) being the exception 12. The analysis of the three units given above will show that the division made by the Pancapatalika and sanctioned by the Brhatsarvanukramani is more logical' 13 The contents of the Pancapatalika may be summarised as follows: The first patala, which is in verse, explains some general rules which govern the writing of the text of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension by the scribes. In ancient times when printing was not known and books had to be copied for the sake of preservation and circulation, it was essential to devise some method by means of which the labour of the copyist could be minimised. We find that the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension contains a number of padas (11) Cf. Whitney, loc. cit., p.elii. (12) yavadeka dakkandaparyantamarthamuktaprakrtistavad vihaya sriman virad va prabhrtiniti| (13) Cf. Bolling, American Journal of Philology 1921, pp. 367-8; Bhagawaddatta, The Atharvavediya Pancapatalika, intro., p. 7.

241 varying but slightly from one another and which are often repeated. There are also verses, scattered in + different parts of the text, which are identical. These might not be reproduced in full at every place. It would be a great relief for the copyists if some method were devised to avoid the reproduction in full of such repeated padas and verses without causing any ambiguity in the understanding of the rks or the paryayas. Systematic rules in this connection have been formulated in the first patala of the Pancapatalika. These rules are said to have been laid down by a seer named Paribabhrava 14. The method recommended in this patala, whereby a few initial words are reproduced while others are 15 dropped is called uktamukta It is further found that many consecutive (avyaveta) rks have identical initial words. In such cases the Pancapatalika lays down the rule that only the last among the words which are identical should be quoted together with the following word to represent that rk or avasana. To illustrate this rule, two examples are given. The first is te harah. It is from Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension II.19.2. All the rks in this sukta begin with the words agne yat te. Hence the word te and the (14) This name is not found elsewhere in the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension literature. In Kausika Sutra 9.10 there is a reference to Uparibabhrava. Upari babhrava is the seer of Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension Vedic Index 31, VII.9, 75 etc. (15) Cf. Whitney, op. cit., p.exx; 'Refrains and the like in the MSS: Written out in full only in first and last verses of a sequence'.

242 following word harah are given to denote the second verse. The second example is sa 'ntarikse. This is from Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VIII.10. 2.1. Many of the parvavas in this extensive hymn contain avasanas beginning with so 'd akramat sa. Hence the word sa and the following distinguishing word antarikse are quoted as the pratika 16. In order to avoid ambiguity in this connection, sometimes two of the common words are to be repeated. When in a sukta, whole lines are similar with only a word or two differing in the middle, two of the common words following the differing words should be quoted. The examples given are te cakruh (V.31.1) and disa 'ghayuh (V.10.1). Two words are to be repeated also when the first word ends in an a (or an enclitic). The example given is sa pitin (VIII.10.4.5). The text gives some more rules for quoting identical rks with their pratikas. Sometimes a group of words occurs either in one and the same avasana, or is divided so as to occur in two avasanas. In such cases the pratika should be used only for such words as occur in one and the same avasana. The (16) Cf. Whitney, op. cit., p.exx: "Sometimes the case is a little more intricate. Thus in VIII.10.the initial words so 'd akramat are written only in verse 2 and 29, although they are really wanting in verses 9-17, paryaya II (verses 8-17) being in this respect treated as if all one verse with sub-divisions."

243 example given in this connection is Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XVIII.2.44 wherein the words yathaparam na masatai, sate saratsu no pura are divided so as to occur in two avasanas. But in the next verse they are covered by one avasane only. Here the Pancapatalika mentions the rule that, in the case of parvayas, the avasanas are to counted as rks. Sometimes identical words appear either in consecutive lines or in scattered lines. Even in such cases the rule given above, namely the dropping of all identical words except the last one, is to be observed. The example given is yad enam aha vratya (XV.11) in which these words are repeated in verses 3-6, 8 and 10. Sometimes we find that complete rks one or more in number, are identical and are scattered in the samhita of 17. the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension In such cases specification should be made by stating the number (e.g. ity eka) after giving the pratika. The example given is that of Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension I.20.3 ya sasapa ... which is identical with IV.17.3. When two consecutive verses are identical with two consecutive verses occurring in the earlier part of the text, the words iti dve are to be added after mentioning the pratika of the first verse. The example given is III.8.5 and 6 which is identical with Vedic Index 94.1 and 2. Similar method should be adopted when three consecutive rks are identical. The example is II.32.3-5 which is identical with V.23.10-12. (17) Whitney (loc. cit. p. exix) has shown that at 41 places there are repetitions which involve 52 verses. Sametimes two and even three consecutive verses have been repeated.

244 Sometimes the beginnings of two verses are identical, so that their pratikas mentioning the first word (or words) would be ambiguous. In such cases the word purva etc. should be added in order to indicate the exact mantra. This happens at XVIII.4.43 where the pratika: yas te dhana may indicate either XVIII.3.69 or XVIII.4.26. The word purva added to the pratika would show that XVIII.3.69 (and not XVIII.4.26) is intended. When two consecutive verses are identical with two consecutive verses occurring in the earlier part of the text and only one of them is found also in the earlier part, the pratikas of both the verses should be mentioned. The example given is purvaparam and navo navo, VII.81.1 and 2 18 which are identical with XIV.1.23 and 24 respectively" the pratika was given as purvaparam iti dve (at XIV.1.23), it would be ambiguous, as perhaps denoting also Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIII.2. 11-12 (as XIV.1.23 is identical with XIII.2.11). If It will be thus seen that the Pancapatalika has taken great care in laying down the rules governing the indication of the repeated padas and mantras through their pratikas, while copying out the samhita of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension While aiming at minimising the labour of the scribe, these rules also see to it that there remains no doubt as to the significance of a particular pratika. The Pancapatalika seems to have fully realised that any ambiguity in this connection might lead to the corruption of the text. (18) Cf. Whitney, op. cit., p. cxx.

245 Patala 2: The various kandas of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension have anuvakas which usually consist of a fixed number of hymns. Thus the first five kandas have anuvakas consisting of five suktas each. The sixth kanda has anuvakas consisting of ten suktas each. The seventh kanda which mainly contains suktas each consisting of one rk only, does not, however, observe this rule. Kandas VIII to XI have anuvakas consisting of two suktas each. Kandas XII to XVIII have anuvakas 19 20 of only one sukta each. consisting Exceptions to this general rule are given in the second patala. It first mentions how many exceptions there are in a particular group of kandas and then gives the differing number of suktas in an anuvaka by referring to the anuvaka with its pratika (1.e. the pratika of the first hymn in that anuvaka). Thus in the group of first four kandas there are six exceptions. They are I.1; III.6 (these contain six suktas each); 1.5,6; II.3 (these contain seven suktas each); and II.4 (this contains nine suktas). In kanda V there is only one exception, namely, V.4 which contains six suktas. In kanda VI there are five exceptions. They are Vedic Index 3,7,11,12 (these contain eleven suktas each) and Vedic Index 13 (19) The seventeenth kanda consists only of one anuvaka so that in that case sukta anuvaka = kanda. Cf. kandasuktah sese, Pancapatalika, khanda 5 (middle). (20) The fourth amuvaka of kanda XIII, however, consists of six small hymns.

246 (which contains eighteen suktas). In kanda VII the first and the fourth anuvakas consist of thirteen suktas each, the second and the eighth contain nine suktas each, the third and the last (tenth) contain sixteen suktas each, the fifth and the seventh contain eight suktas each, the sixth anuvaka 21 contains fourteen and the ninth contains twelve suktas The second patala then turns to the exceptions regarding the number of rks within a hymn. The first seven kandas are expected to contain in their hymns a fixed number of rks. Thus the norm of the first kanda is that the suktas 22 in it should consist of four rks each ; of the second, five rks each; of the third, six rks each; of the fourth, sevens rks each, of the fifth, eight rks each, of the sixth, three rks each and of the seventh, one rk each. The Pancapatalika (khandas 7-10) states the exceptions to this general rule. The exceptions are: Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension I.3,7,11,29 (these contain six rks each) and 34 (this contains five rks). Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension II.3,4,14,15 and 32 (these contain six rks each); 5,17,27,29,33 (these contain seven rks) and 10,12 (these contain eight rks). (21) In kandas VIII to XVIII, there is only one exception, namely, XIII, 4 which consists of six hymns instead of one. This has been noted above in f.n. 20. (22) Cf. Brhatsarvanukramani 1.13: purvanyavirityevamuktarakandesu pa yavadekadhika sakta suktesu rmiti vijaniyat |

247 Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension III.4,7,13,16,24 and 30 (these contain seven rks); 5,7,11,15,19 and 29 (these contain eight rks); 12,17 (these contain nine rks); 20,21 (these contain ten rks); 31 (this contains eleven rks) and 10 (this contains thirteen rks). Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IV.2,4,6,17,18,19,30,33 34 and 40 (these contain eight rks); 14,16,20 (these contain nine rks) 9,36,39 ( these contain ten rks); 11 and 37 (these contain twelve rks) and 15 (this contains sixteen rks). The case of the fifth kanda is rather curious. Among its 31 suktas, those consisting of the normal number of rks are not in a majority, as will be seen from the following: Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension V.9 and 10 (these two suktas only contain the normal number of eight rks); 4,7 (these contain ten rks); # 3,11,12, 13,15 and 16 (these contain eleven rks); 20,21,26,27 and 31 (these contain twelve rks); 14,23 and 25 (these contain thirteen rks) 6,22 and 28 (these contain fourteen rks); 24 and 30 (these contain seventeen rks); and 17 (this contains eighteen rks). The following are the exceptions in the hymns of kanda VI: 16,17,38,63,76,83,84,107,111,121,128 and 130 (these contain four rks); 34,108,122,123,132,133,138 and 139 (these contain five rks). The exceptions in the hymns of kanda VII are: 1,13,18, 22,25,29,40,42,45,47,48,49,52,54,55,56,57,61,64,75,78,108, 112,113,114 and 116 (these contain two rks); 35,46,65,68,72,

248 77,84,90,95 and 110 (these contain three rks); 6,9,12,14,17, 13 74 79,8014, 83,89 and 115 (these contain four rks); 5, 38 and 70 (these contain five rks); 20,7615, 81 and 62 (these contain six rks); 26,56 and 97 (these contain eight rks); 50 (this contains nine rks) and 73 (this contains eleven rks). Thus, as regards the first unit of seven kandas, it may be said that in kanda I there are 5 exceptions among the 35 hymns, in kanda II there are 14 exceptions among the 36 hymns; in kanda III there are 18 exceptions among 31 hymns, in kanda IV there are 19 exceptions among 40 hymns; in kanda V there are 29 exceptions among 31 hymns, in kanda VI there are 20 exceptions among 31 hymns and in kanda VII there are 56 exceptions among the 118 hymns. It can be seen that the number of exceptions goes on increasing in the subsequent kandas and that a rule is honoured more in the breach than in the observance. This is noted by the Pancapatalika which says: tatra na pratyupayah apavadikani adhikani 16. (13) This has been separately mentioned at the end of the second patala. (14) The 80 th hymn is addressed to full-moon night. The Pancapatalika points out that one of its rks (3 rd) is addressed to Prajapati. (15) This has, however, not been counted in the Pancapatalika, but is indirectly referred to at the end of patala 2 as dealing with apacit. (16) Khanda 5, end.

249 The second patala refers to the various kandas of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension -samhita by their technical names. Kanda V is called mahat as it contains the longest hymns in the first unit; kanda VI is called trea as it contain suktas of three rks each; and kanda VII is called ekarca as it contains suktas of one rk each. Kandas VIII to XI which form the second 17 unit are called ksudra, kandas XII to XIV are called 18 ekanrca ; kanda XV is called vratya on account of its subject-matter and kanda XVI is called prajapatya as its deity is Prajapati. Patala 3: Usually a rk in a sukta is supposed to contain two lines (avasanas). But there are some exceptions to this rule. Some rks contain only one line, some contain three, four or five lines. The third patala gives such (17) It is difficult to say asto why this unit is called ksudra. Perhaps it is because it contains shorter hymns as compared to those in kanda XII and the following kandas. Cf. Whitney (op. cit., p. clviii): "What pertinence the word ksudra may have as applied to books VIII to XI, I cannot divine". (18) Whitney (loc. cit.) thinks: "Probably ekanrcebhyah is a corrupt reading". Such need not, however, be the case. The word occurs at Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.23.22 (= Atharvaveda-Parisistas 46.10.22). It means 'that which contains suktas one of which consists of non-rks (1. e. paryayas). The word ekarca (applied to kanda VII) may be noted in this connection. It may be noted in this connection further noted that kandas XI to XIII contain each one paryaya-sukta.

250 exceptions in the proper order, referring to the suktas by means of their pratikas. Thus the rks having only one avasana are: Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension I .26.2.4. II .16-23. ma .6.8, 9.1-6, 16.1-11, 26.1-11, 27.2-7. VI .10.1-3, 83.4, 123.4, and 136.2. VII .22.1, 116.2. VIII .1.14. IX .1.21, 3.25-31, 5-38. X .1.22, 7.44. VI Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XI .5.25. XII .1.16, 21, 2.42,44,46. XVIII.3.36,37, 4.27,67,68,71-$86. The rks having three avasanas are: II .10.2-8 III .10.7, 11.8, 15.4, 19.6, 22.4, 27.1-6, 29.7. IV .11.7, 34.5, 37.3, 38,3,5,719, 39.2,4,6,8. 嘟� .1.9, 8.2,9, 9.8, 10,8, 11.11, 30.17. VI .29.3, 46.2, 70.1-3, 127.3, 139.1. VII .26.3, 75.2, 88.1, 90.3. 20 VIII .1.12, 2.14, 5.14, 22, 6.10,15,17, 7.24, 8.24. (19) The ed. of Roth and Whitney divides this rk into four avasanas. (20) The ed. of Roth and Whitney divides this rk into four avasanas.

251 IX .1.24, 3.15. X .4.26, 5.7-14,25-35, 6.7-10,12-17,31, 7.17. XI .2.31, 9.1,4,15,16,22,24,25, 10.2,16. XII .1.6,10-13,13,22,25,34,37,38,41,51, 3.55-60. 21 XIII .3.2,3,4,8,20,22. XIV .2.9,69. 22 XVII.1.1-8,10-13,16,18,19,24. XVIII 23.3.60, 4.13,8824. The rks having four avasanas are: Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IX .5.31. X .5.15-21. XIII .3.1, 5.7,9-19,21,23-25. The rks having five avasanas are: Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IX .5.32-36. (The paryayas are considered separately in patala 5) Patala 4: This patala gives the number of rks contained in each of the anuvakas of the first unit of seven kandas (21) The ed. of Roth and Whitney contains two avasanas in the rks 3,4,8 and 20. (22) The ed. of Roth and Whitney divides XVII.1.1 into two avasanas. (23) The rks in kanda XVIII are mentioned first and then those in kanda XVII. (24) This rk is identical with IV V.6.4, where it has only two avasanas. Samaveda 1.419; II.372; Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.4.6 and Maitrayani Samhita II.13.7 agree with the NV regarding the number of avasanas.

252 and then gives the number of rks in each of the suktas of the remaining kandas. The number of paryayas in the parvaya-suktas is also given. It is interesting to note the method adopted by the patala in this connection. It takes some round number as the norm while counting the rks and gives the extra (or less) number of rks in an anuvaka or a sukta as the case may be. norm for kandas I, II, VII, VIII, IX and XI; the number 30 is taken as the standard for kandas III, IV, VI and X and the number 60 is taken as the norm for kangas V and XII. Thus the number 20 is taken as the According to the Pancapatalika the six anuvakas of kanda I contain 29 (20+ 9), 25 (20 + 5 etc.), 20,22,28 and 31 rks respectively. The six anuvakas of kanda II contain 29,28,42,48,29 and 31 rks respectively. The six anuvakas of kanda III contain 33 (30 + 3), 40 (30 + 10 etc.), 38,40, 35 and 44 rks respectively. The eight anuvakas in kanda IV contain 37,39,51,42,35,36,37 and 47 rks respectively. The six anuvakas in kanda V contain 48 (60 - 12), 49 (60 - 11 etc.) 57,8325, 69 (60 + 9 etc.) and 70 rks respectively. The ten anuvakas in kanda VII contain 28 (26 + 8), 22 (20 + 2 etc.) 31,30,25,42,31,24,21 and 32 rks respectively. In kanda VIII the first nine suktas contain 21 (20 + 1), 28 (20 + 8 etc.) 26,25,22,26,28,24 and 26 rks respective- (25) This has been mentioned separately by referring to the anuvaka (4) as eka vrsah.

253 ly and the tenth sukta contains six paryayas. In kanda IXthe first five suktas contain 24 (20+ 4), 25,31,24 and 38 rks, the sixth and the seventh suktas contain 6 and 7 26 paryayas and the suktas from eight to ten contain 22,22 and 28 rks respectively. The ten suktas in kanda X contain 32 (30 + 2 etc.), 33,25,26,50,35,44,44,27 and 34 rks respectively. In kanda XI the first two suktas contain 37 (20 + 17 etc.) and 31 rks, the third sukta contains 3 parvayas and the remaining suktas from four to ten contain 26,26,23,27,34,26 and 27 rks respectively. The first four suktas in kanda XII contain 63 (60 + 3), 55 (60 - 5 etc.) 60 and 53 rks respectively and the fifth sukta contains 7 parvavas. The first three suktas in kanda XIII contain 60,46 and 26 stanzas respectively and the fourth sukta contains six paryayas. The two suktas of kanda XIV contain 64, and 75 rks, the two suktas of kanda XV contain 7 and 11 parvayas and the two suktas of kanda XVI contains contain 4 and 5 parvayas respectively. Kanda XVII 27 (26) The rks in the tenth hymn have not, however, been enumerated. (27) The suktas of kanda XVIII are counted first and then the sukta of kanda XVII. The same thing is seen also in the 13 th khanda of patala 3. (Cf.f.n. 23 above). Thus it appears that, according to the Pancapatalika, kanda XVIII is to be counted as XVII and vice versa. Bolling (op. cit. p. 367) feels that the two passages have been misplaced.

254 only one sukta consisting of 30 rks and the four suktas of kanda XVIII contain 61,60,73 and 89 rks respectively. Patala 5: In the previous patala it was stated that certain suktas from the kandas VIII, IX, XII, XIII, XV, and XVI containparyayas. The fifth patala gives the number of avasanas in the paryayas of these kandas, referring to each of the paryaya-sukta by means of its pratika. Thus Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VIII:6 contains six paryayas. The numbers of avasanas in them are 13,10,8,16,16 and 4 respectively. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IX.6 contains six paryayas. The numbers of avasanas in them are 17,13,9,10, 10 and 14 respectively. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IX.7 contains only one paryaya consisting of 26 avasanas. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XI.3 contains three paryayas. 28 The number of avasanas in them are 31,72 and 7 respectively. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XII.5 contains seven paryayas which consist of 6, 5,16,11,8,15 and 12 avasanas respectively. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIII.4 contains six paryayas consisting of 13,8,7,17,6 and 5 avasanas respectively. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XV.1 (forming the first anuvaka) contains seven paryayas. The numbers of avasanas in them are 8,28,11,18,16,26 and 5 respectively. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XV.2 (forming the second anuvaka consists of eleven parvayas which contain 3,3,11,11,11,14,24,9,7,10 and 5 avasanas respectively. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension (28) The ed. of Roth and Whitney divides this second paryaya into 18 verses of seven lines each. Acc. to the Pancapatalika each of these 18 verses is to be divided into four lines. The Brhatsarvanukramani (7.14) agrees with the Pancapatalika in this division.

255 XVI.1 (forming the first anuvaka) contains four paryayas. The numbers of avasanas in them are 13,6,6 and 7 respectively. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XVI.2 (forming the second anuvaka) contains five paryavas. The number of avasanas in them are 10,11,13,332 29 and 4 respectively. Thus according to the Pancapatalika the first unit of kandas I to VII contains 2030 rks, the second unit of kandas VIII to XI contains 1047 rks and 276 avasanas, and the third unit of kangas XII to XVIII contains 822 rks and 452 avasanas. Thus, in all, there are 3899 rks and 728 ava sanas 30 the grand total being 4627 mantras. According to Whitney the grand total is 4432, the difference being due to the division of the paryayas 31. The Pancapatalika is one of the most important Laksanagranthas of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension ; as it lays down the rules for a (29) The ed. of Roth and Whitney contains in this fourth paryaya 27 verses of 5 lines each. It appears that according to the Pancapatalika and the Brhatsarvanukramani (9.22) the first and the last verses are to be divided into four lines each and only the fourth lines from all the remaining 25 verses are to be quoted. The lines 1 to 3 and 5 are the same in all the verses, only a word or two in the fourth lines are different. For a similar division See XVI.2.1.1-10. (30) The Pancapatalika (khanda 3) states that avasanas in the paryayas are to be treated as equal to the rks: paryayesv avasananan rgbhis tuluo vidhir bhavet. (31) op. cit., p. cxlvii.

256 very practical purpose, namely, the copying out of the AVsamhita. It also mentions the numbers of rks or avasanas in a sukta, the number of suktas in an anuvaka and the mumber of amuvakas in a kanda. The scribes could very well minimise their labour, without causing any ambiguity, by following its rules and could know where the text is to be divided and how the kandas, anuvakas, suktas etc. are to be numbered. The Panca patalika lays down very carefully all the rules regarding these matters; so that there is no chance of corruption. Thus the Pancapatalika has served the useful purpose of preserving the text of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension -samhita.