An Exegetical Note on the Atharvavedic Phrase “Agatsya Panthah”
Summary
This article by Miss Yasodhara Wadhwani addresses the exegetical problem posed by the Atharvavedic phrase "agatasya panthah," which appears in only two passages of the Atharva Veda, specifically in AV xi. 10.16 and AV xiv. 2.74. The author notes that the attested adjectival and neuter meanings of the word agata, which range from physically un-gone to figuratively un-accomplished, do not fit satisfactorily in these contexts. The article surveys various interpretations by scholars such as Sayana, Bloomfield, Whitney, and the Sanskrit Worterbuch (PW) by Bohtlingk and Roth. Sayana and Bloomfield translate the phrase in AV xi. 10.16 as referring to an enemy who has not yet started, while Whitney offers a more literal but unclear rendering. For the second occurrence in AV xiv. 2.74, Whitney suggests a connection to a bridal procession, whereas PW quotes it to support the neuter meanings of non-coming and non-return, i.e., death. The author argues that none of these traditional explanations are entirely satisfactory. The interpretation of agatasya panthah as the path of death, while plausible, raises doubts regarding the grammatical subjects and the potential for a more favorable meaning. Consequently, the author proposes a new interpretation: agatasya panthah should be understood as a path leading towards one's destination or goal. This favorable meaning, a nominal extension of the adjectival sense of that which has not yet been reached, fits the context of the bridal procession in AV xiv. 2.74 by suggesting that the manes lead the other bride along her destined path. For the enemy context in AV xi. 10.16, the author suggests that the moon may withhold her light to keep the enemies away from their destination. The author concludes that this newly suggested meaning is a logical extension of attested adjectival uses and fits well with both contexts, even if it lacks direct support from other passages.
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Conclusion
This article resolves the exegetical problem of the Atharvavedic phrase *agatasya panthah* by proposing a novel interpretation. The author demonstrates that traditional translations of *agata* as "not yet gone" or "death" fail to satisfactorily account for the phrase's usage in both AV xi.10.16 and AV xiv.2.74, particularly due to contextual and grammatical inconsistencies. Instead, the study suggests that *agatasya* should be understood as a nominal extension of "that which has not been reached," signifying a "path leading to one's destination or goal." This favorable interpretation aligns with the contexts of both an enemy's potential destruction and a bridal procession, offering a coherent and logically sound solution to the phrase's previously obscure meaning.