An Exegetical Note on the Atharvavedic Phrase “Agatsya Panthah”
By Y. K. Wadhwani
Summary
Miss Yashodhara Wadhwani analyses the Atharvavedic phrase ‘agatsya panthāḥ’, which appears in two hymns. The term panthāḥ means ‘path’, while agatsya is an irregular participial form derived from gam (‘to go’). Scholars have variously interpreted the phrase as ‘path of Agastya’, ‘path that has not been traversed’ or ‘path for the departed’. Wadhwani surveys occurrences in the Śaunaka and Paippalāda recensions and consults grammatical rules. She concludes that agatsya modifies panthāḥ to mean ‘path of those who have not gone’, i.e., the route for the living in ritual contexts. The article demonstrates the value of careful philology.
Conclusion
Through systematic comparison of textual occurrences and application of Pāṇinian grammar, Wadhwani shows that agatsya panthāḥ refers to the path for those who remain alive. This interpretation fits the ritual context and avoids forced readings, illustrating how philological analysis clarifies Vedic texts.