- 'Q I ■ PRINCETON, N. J. Shelf BL 1010 .S3 Vedas. Vedic hymns r V.46 THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST [46] £onbon HENRY FROWDE Oxford University Tress Warehouse Amen Corner, E.C. THE MACMILLAN CO., 66 FIFTH AVENUE THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST TRANSI-ATEP BY \'ARIOUS ORIENTAL SCHOLARS AND EDITED BY F. MAX MULLER VOL. XL VI AT THE CLARENDON PRESS 1897 \_An tights rese7i'cd~\ 0;ffor5 PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS BY HORACE HART FRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY VEDIC HYMNS TRANSLATED BY / HERMANN OLDENBERG PART II HYMNS TO AGNI (MA7VZ)ALAS I-V) AT THE CLARENDON PRESS 1897 S^All rights reserved ^^ CONTENTS. Introduction . Hywns, Translation and Notes Ma;/«/ala I, I 1 2 13 Apri 26 27 31 36 44 45 08 59 60 65 66 67 68 69 70 7^ 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 94 Hymn PAGE xi I 6 8 '3 16 22 31 37 42 45 49 52 54 57 61 64 67 70 74 82 88 92 95 96 100 102 103 108 Vlll CONTENTS. Ma« 5, 3- Verse 1. Note 1. This verse being the first verse of the Rig-veda as we now possess it, seems already to have occupied the same position in the time of the author of the hymns X, 20-26. For, after a short benediction, the opening words of this collection of hymns are also agni'm i/e, ' I magnify Agni.' Comp. my Prolegomena, p. 231. Note 2. The verb which I translate by ' magnify ' — being well aware that it is impossible to do full justice to its meaning by such a translation — is \d. There seems to me no doubt that this verb is etymologically connected with the substantives I'sh, 'food,' id, ida., I'ri (not with the root ya^ of which Brugmann, Indogermanische Forschungen I, 171, thinks). We need not ask here whether the connection between id and I'sh is effected by a ' Wurzeldeterminativ ' (root-determinative) d — in this case we should have here \d for izhd, comp. nida. for nizhda, p\d for pizhd, &c. ; see Brugmann's Grundriss, vol. i, § 591 — or whether id is a reduplicated present of id (of the type described by Brug- mann, Grundriss, vol. ii, p. 854 ; comp. i'rte, &c.). The original meaning of ide at all events seems to be ' I give sap or nourishment.' Now in the Vedic poetry and ritual, the idea of sap or nourishment is especially connected with the different products coming from the cow, milk and MANDALX I, HYMN I. butter. The footsteps of the goddess IdX drip with butter. The words ' agnim We ' seem to me, consequently, origincally to convey the idea of celebrating Agni by pouring sacrificial butter into the fire. There is a number of passages in the Rig-veda which, in my opinion, show clear traces of this original meaning of the verb. Thus we read X, s^, 2. ya^amahai ya^;/iyan hanta devan i'/amahai i'rt'yan aVyena, ' let us sacrifice (ya^) to the gods to whom sacrifice is due ; let us magnify {\d) with butter those to whom magnifying is due.' V, 14, 3. tam hi j-a^vanta/^ i/ate sruM devam g\\ritd.ski\\.3. agni'm havyaya v6//^ave, 'for ail people magnify this god Agni with the butter-dripping sacrificial spoon, that he may carry the sacrificial food.' V, 28, i. devan f/ana havi'sha ghritUi, ' magnifying the gods with sacrificial food, (the spoon) filled with butter.' Comp. also I, 84, i« ; VI, 70, 4; VIII, 74, 6; X, 118, 3. Then, by a gradual development, we find the verb \d or the noun i/enya connected with such instrumentals as gira or girbhi'//, ' to magnify by songs,' or stomai// 'by praises,' namasa 'by adoration,' and the like. The Rig-vedic texts, however, show us very clearly that even in such phrases the original meaning of \d was not quite forgotten. For the word is not used indiff'erently of any praise offered to any god whatever. No god of the Vedic Pantheon is praised so frequently and so highly by the poets of the Rig-veda as Indra. Yet, with very few exceptions, the word \d is avoided in connection with this god. The whole ninth Ma/^^T'ala contains nothing but praises of Soma Pava- mana. Yet the word \d occurs, in the whole of this Mawrt'ala, in two passages only (5, 3 ; 66, i) of which one is contained in an Apri verse transferring artificially to Soma such qualifications as belong originally to Agni. On the other hand, in the invocations addressed to Agni, this verb and its derivatives are most frequently used. We may conclude that the idea of celebration, as conveyed by these words, had a connotation which qualified them for the employ- ment with regard to Agni, the god nourished by offerings of butter, much better than for being addressed to Indra, the drinker of the Soma juice, or to the god Soma himself. B 2 VEDIC HYMNS. Last comes, I believe, the meaning of id as contained in a very small number of passages such as VII, 91, 2. I'ndra- vayu sustuti// v^m iyana marrt'ikam i//e suvitam ka navyam, ' Indra and Vayu ! Our beautiful praise, approaching you, asks you for mercy and for new welfare.' Here the construc- tion of i^is such as if in English the phrase, ' men magnify the gods for obtaining mercy,' could be expressed in the words ' men magnify the gods mercy.' I conchide by quoting the more important recent litera- ture referring to id: Prof. Max Miiller's note on V, 60, i (S. B. E. vol. xxxii, p. 354); Physical Religion, p. 170; Bezzenberger, Nachrichten von der Gottinger Gesellsch. d. VVissensch. 1878, p. 264; Bechtel, Bezzenberger's Beitrage, X, 286 ; Bartholomae, ibid. XII, 91 ; Arische Forschungen, II, 78 ; Indogermanische Forschungen, III, 28, note i ; Brugmann, Indogermanische Forschungen, I, 171 ; K. F. Johansson, Indogermanische Forschungen, II, 47. Comp. also Bartholomae, Arische Forschungen, I, 21 ; III, 52, and Joh. Schmidt, Kuhn's Zeitschrift,. XXXII, 389. Verse 4. Note 1. ' Worship ' is a very inadequate translation of adhvara, which is nearly a synonym of ya^/7a, by the side of which it frequently stands. Possibly in the designation of the sacrifice as ya^;7a the stress was laid on the ele- ment of prayer, praises, and adoration; in the designation as adhvara on the actual work which was chiefly done by the Adhvaryu. — Prof. Max Miillcr writes: 'I accept the native explanation a-dhvara, without a flaw, perfect, whole, holy. Adhvara is generally an opus operatum ; hence adhvaryu, the operating priest.' Comp. Physical Religion, p. 171. Bury's derivation of adhvara from madhu (nidhu-ara, Bezzenberger's Beitrage, VII, 339) is much more ingenious than convincing. Verse 7. Note 1. I have translated doshavastar as a vocative which, as is rendered very probable by the accent, was also the opinion of the diaskeuasts of the Sa;;/hita text. MAiVDALA T, HYMN T The author of the sacrificial formula which is given in Aj-val. A'raut. Ill, i2, 4 and 6"arikh. Grihy. V, 5, 4, evidently understood the word in the same way ; there Agni is invoked as doshavastar and as pratarvastar, as shining in the darkness of evening and as shining in the morning. That this may indeed be the true meaning of the word is shown by Rig-veda III, 49, 4, where Indra is called kshapam vasta, 'the illuminator of the nights' (kshapam is gen. plur., not as Bartholomae, Bezzenberger's Beitrage, XV, 208, takes it, loc. sing.). The very frequent passages, however, in which case-forms -of dosha stand in opposition to words meaning ' dawn ' or ' morning ' — which words in most cases are derived from the root vas — strongly favour the opinion of Gaedicke (Der Accusativ im Veda, 177, note 3) and K. F. Johansson (Bezzenberger's Beitrage, XIV, 163), who give to doshavastar the meaning 'in the darkness and in the morning.' This translation very well suits all Rig-veda passages in which the word occurs. If this opinion is accepted, doshavastar very probably ought to be written and accented as two independent words, dosha vastar. See M. M._, Physical Religion, p. 173. VEDIC HYMNS. MATV/^ALA I, HYMN 12. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 1, VARGA 22-23. 1. We choose Agni as our messenger, the all- possessor, as the Hot/7 of this sacrifice, the highly wise. 2. Agni and Agni again they constantly invoked with their invocations, the lord of the clans, the bearer of oblations, the beloved of many. 3. Agni, when born, conduct the gods hither for him who has strewn the Barhis (sacrificial grass) ' ; thou art our Hotr/, worthy of being magnified ^. 4. Awaken them, the willing ones, when thou nroest as messenorer, O Acrni. Sit down with, the i£ods on the Barhis. 5. O thou to whom Ghr/ta oblations are poured out, resplendent (god), burn against the mischievous, O Aeni, acrainst the sorcerers. 6. By Agni Agni is kindled (or, by fire fire is kindled), the sage, the master of the house, the young one, the bearer of oblations, whose mouth is the sacrificial spoon. 7. Praise Agni the sage, whose ordinances for the sacrifice are true, the god who drives away sickness. 8. Be the protector, O Agni, of a master of sacrificial food who worships thee, O god, as his messenger. 9. Be merciful, O purifier, unto the man who is rich in sacrificial food, and who invites Agni to the feast of the gods. 10. Thus, O Agni, resplendent purifier, conduct MAiVDALA I, HYMN 12. the gods hither to us, to our sacrifice and to our food. 11. Thus praised by us with our new Gayatra hymn, bring us weakh of vahant men and food. 12. Agni with thy bright splendour be pleased, through all our invocations of the gods, with this our praise. NOTES. This hymn is ascribed to Medhatithi Ka;/va. It is the opening hymn of a collection which extends from I, 12 to 33 (not, as Ludwig, III, 102, believes, from I, 2 to 17 ; see my Prolegomena, p. 220). That the authorship of this collection belongs indeed to the Ka;/va family, whose poetical compositions are found partly in the first and partly in the eighth Ma;/<^ala, is shown by the text of 14, 2-5, and by other evidence ; see Zeitschr. der Deutschen Morg. Gesellschaft, XXXVIII, 44H. The metre is Gayatri. It is possible, though I do not think it probable, that the hymn should be considered as consisting of Tr/'/C'as. Verse i=SV. I, 3 ; TS. II. 5, 8, 5 ; V, 5, 6, I ; TB. Ill, 5, 2, 3 ; MS. IV, 10, 2. Verses 1-3 = SV. II, 140-142; AV. XX. 101, 1-3. Verse 2 = TS. IV, 3, 13, 8; MS. IV, 10, I. Verse 3 = TB. Ill, 11, 6, 2. Verses 6, 8, 9 = SV. II, 194-196. Verse 6 = TS. I, 4,46,3; III, 5, II, 5; V, 5, 6, i; TB. II, 7, 12, 3; MS. IV, 10, 2 (3). Verse 7 = SV. I, 32. Verse 10 = VS. XVII, 9 ; TS. I, 3, 14, 8 ; 5, 5, 3 ; IV, 6, i, 3 ; MS. I, 5, i- Verse 3. Note 1. On vrzktabarhis, comp. RV. I, 116, i ; M. M., vol. xxxii, pp. 84 seq., 109; Geldner, P. G., Vedische Studien, I, 152. Note 2. On u/ya//, comp. the note on uie I, i, i. 8 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^i9ALA I, HYMN 13. ASHZAKA I, ADHYAyA 1, VARGA 24-25. A ArRi Hymn. I \ Beingf well liohted, O Ao-ni brinor us hither the gods to the man rich in sacrificial food, O Hotri, purifier, and perform the sacrifice. 2. Tanunapat ^ ! make our sacrifice rich in honey and convey it to-day to the gods, O sage, that they may feast. 3. I invoke here at this sacrifice Nara6"a;;^sa ^ the beloved one, the honey-tongued preparer of the sacrificial food. 4. O magnified^ Agni ! Conduct the gods hither in an easy-moving chariot. Thou art the Hotri instituted by Manus '\ 5. Strew, O thoughtful men, in due order ^ the sacrificial grass, the back (or surface) of which is sprinkled with butter, on which the appearance of immortality ^ (is seen). 6. May the divine gates open, the increasers of Rita, which do not stick together, that to-day, that now the sacrifice may proceed. 7. I invoke here at this sacrifice Night and Dawn, the beautifully adorned goddesses, that they may sit down on this our sacrificial grass. 8. I invoke these two divine Hotr/s ', the sages with beautiful tongues. May they perform this sacrifice for us. 9. I/a (' Nourishment'), Sarasvati, and Mahi (' the great one ') \ the three comfort-giving goddesses, they who do not fail, shall sit down on the sacrificial grass. MAATDALA T, HYMN 1 3. 9 10. I invoke hither the foremost, all-shaped Tva- sh^rz to come hither ; may he be ours alone. 1 1. O tree \ let the sacrificial food go, O god, to the gods. May the giver's splendour be foremost. 12. Offer ye the sacrifice with the word Svaha to Indra in the sacrificer's house. Thereto I invoke the eods. &' NOTES. The hymn is ascribed, as the whole collection to which it belongs, to Medhatithi Kaz/va (see the note on the preceding hymn). Its metre is Gayatri. Verses 1-4 — SV. II, 697-700. Verse 9 = RV. V, 5, 8. Verse 10 = TS. Ill, I, II, I ; TB. Ill, 5, 12, I ; MS. IV, 13, 10. The hymn belongs to the class of Apri hymns, which were classed by the ancient arrangers of the Sawhita among the Agni hymns. The Apri hymns, consisting of eleven or twelve verses, were destined for the Praya^a offerings of the animal sacrifice (comp. H. O., Zeitschrift der D, Morg. Gesellschaft, XLII, 243 seq.). They were addressed, verse by verse in regular order, partly to Agni^, partly to different spirits or deified objects connected with the sacrifice, such as the sacrificial grass, the divine gates through which the gods had to pass on their way to the sacrifice, &c. The second verse was addressed by some of the Rishi families to Tanunapat, by some to Naraj-a;«sa ; in some of the hymns we find two verses instead of one (so that the total number of verses becomes twelve instead of eleven) addressed the one to Tanunapit, the other to Naraj-a;;zsa. Bergaigne (Recherches sur I'histoire de la Liturgie Vedique, p. 14) conjectures that some of the7?/shi families had only seven Praya^as. This opinion is based on the identical appearance of four verses (8-1 1) in the Apri hymns of the Viwamitras (III, 4) and of the Vasish- ///as (VII, 2), and on the diversity of metres used in two other Apri hymns, IX, 5 and II, 3. To me this conjecture, though very ingenious, does not seem convincing. lO VEDIC HYMNS. With the text of the Apri hymns should be compared the corresponding Praishas of the Maitravaru;/a priest, i.e. the orders by which this priest directed the Hotrz to pronounce the Praya^a invocations. The text of these Praishas is given Taitt. Brahm. Ill, 6, 2. Comp. on the character and the historical and ritual position of the Apri hymns, Max Miiller, Hist. Anc. Sansc. Literature, p. 403 seq. ; Roth, Nirukta, notes, p. lai seq. ; Weber, Indische Studien, X, 89 seq. ; Ludwig V, 315 seq. ; Hillebrandt, Das Altindische Neu- und Vollmondsopfer, 94 seq. ; Schwab, Das Altindische Thieropfer, 90 seq.; Ber- gaigne, Recherches sur I'histoire de la Liturgie Vedique, 13 seq. Verse 1. Note 1. Comp. Dclbriack, Syntactische Forschungen, 1,97. Verses 2, 3. Note 1. Does Tanunapat, lit. ' son of the body,' mean, as Roth and Grassmann believed, 'son of his own self (comp. I, 12, 6. agni'na agni/i sam idhyate, ' by Agni Agni is kindled '), or is the meaning ' le propre fils' (Bergaigne, Rel. Vedique II, 100)? Narai-awsa, which is nearly iden- tical with the Avestic Nairyosaiiha, means ' the song of men,' or 'praised by men ' (Bergaigne, 1. 1. I, 305 ; M. M.'s note on VII, 46, 4). In III, 29, 11 it is said of Agni: ' He is called Tanunapat as the foetus of the Asura ; he becomes Naraj-az/vsa when he is born.' Of course an expression like this is by no means sufficient to prove that the sacrificial gods Tanunapat and Nara.ya;«sa, as invoked in the Apri hymns, are nothing but forms of Agni. Expressions which are constantly repeated in the Apri verses show that the work of Tanunapat, and like- wise that of Naraj^awsa, consisted in spreading ghr/ta or ' honey' over the sacrifice. Verse 4. Note 1. ' Magnified' is i/ita/^ ; comp. the note on I, i, t. The third, or if both Tanunapat and Naraj-awsa are in- voked, the fourth verse of the Apri hymns is regularly addressed to Agni with this epithet i/ita. MA^DALA I, HYMN 1 3. II Note 2. Manurhita, ' instituted by Manus,' not ' by men.' See Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, I, 65 seq. Verse 5. Note 1. On anushak, comp. Pischel, Vcdische Studicn, II, 125. Note 2. The last Pada is translated by Grassmann, * wo der unsterbliche sich zeigt' (comp. Bergaigne, R.V. I, 194, note 1) ; by Ludwig, ' auf dem man das unsterbliche sieht.' To me it seems impossible to decide, so as to leave no doubt, whether amr/tasya is masculine or neuter. Comp. also Atharva-veda V, 4, 3 ; 28, 7 ; XIX, 39, 6-8, in which passages the phrase amr/tasya kakshauam recurs. Verse 8. Note 1. The two divine Hotr/s are mentioned in the Rig-veda only in the eighth (or seventh) verse of the Aprisuktas and besides in two passages, X, 6^^, lo: 66, 13, which do not throw any light on the nature of these sacri- ficial gods. They are called ^atavedasa VII, 2, 7, puro- hitau X, 70, 7, bhisha^a Va^. Sawh. XXVIII, 7. As regards the duality of these divine counterparts of the human Hotr/ priest, possibly the ' two Hotr/s' should be understood as the Hotr/ and the Maitravaru;/a ; the latter was the constant companion and assistant of the former in the Vedic animal sacrifice. Comp. Schwab, Altin- disches Thieropfer, 96, 1 14, 117, &c. ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 391. Comp. on the two divine Hotr/s also Bergaigne, R.V. I, 233 seq. Verse 9. Note 1. On I/a, see H. O., Religion des Veda, pp. 72, 326. — With regard to Mahi Bergaigne (Rel. Vedique, I, 322) has pronounced the opinion that ' Bharati et Mahi, qui, tantot se remplacent, tantot se juxtaposent tout en paraissant ne compter que pour une, se confondent aux yeux des r/shis.' But Pischel (Ved. Studien, II, 84 seq.) has shown that the eminent French scholar was wrong, and that really Mahi (• the great one ') is independent of Bharati. Pischd's I 2 VEDIC HYMNS. own opinion that Mahi is a name of the goddess Dhisha;/a, does not seem to me to be estabHshed by sufficient reasons. — On the meaning of these three goddesses Prof. Max Miiller writes : ' I should not fix on Nourishment as the true meaning of I/a. Originally those three goddesses seem to be local : I/a, the land or daughter of Manu, the Sarasvati, and another river here called Mahi.' Verse 11. Note 1. To me it seems evident that the tree, or, to translate more literally, the lord of the forest (vanaspati) A invoked in this Apri verse can only be the sacrificial post (yupa) to which the victim was tied before it was killed. The yupa is called vanaspati in the Rig-veda (III, 8, i. 3. 6. 11) as well as in the more modern Vedic texts (for inst., Taitt. Sa7«h. I, 3, 6, i). — In the Apri hymn, IX, 5 (verse 10), the vanaspati is called sahasravaba : with this should be compared III, 8, 11 (addressed to the yupa): vanaspate saiava.\sd/i vi roha sahasravaUa/^ vi vayam ruhema, ' O lord of the forest, rise with a hundred offshoots ; may we rise with a thousand offshoots ! '■ — In the Apri hymn, X, 70 (verse 10), the rope (rai^ana) is mentioned by which the vanaspati should tie the victim ; comp. with this expression the statements of the ritual texts as to the rai"ana with which the victim is tied to the yupa ; Schwab, Das Altin- dische Thieropfer, 81. Comp. also especially Taittiriya Brahma;ALA I, HYMN 27. ASHrAKA I. ADHYAyA 2, VARGA 22-24. A. 1. With reverence I shall worship thee who art long-tailed like a horse, Agni, the king of worship. 2. May he, our son of strength ^ proceeding on his broad way, the propitious, become bountiful to us. 3. Thus protect us always, thou who hast a full life, from the mortal who seeks to do us harm ^ whether near or afar. 4. And mayest thou, O Agni, announce to the gods this our newest efficient Gayatra song. 5. Let us partake of all booty that is highest and that is middle (i. e. that dwells in the highest and in the middle world) ; help us to the wealth that is nearest. 6. O god with bright splendour, thou art the distributor. Thou instantly flowest for the liberal giver in the wave of the river, near at hand. B. 7. The mortal, O Agni, whom thou protectest in battles, whom thou speedest in the races \ he will command constant nourishment : 8. Whosoever he may be, no one will overtake him, O conqueror (Agni) ! His strength^ is glorious. 9. May he (the man), known among all tribes ^, win the race with his horses ; may he with the help of his priests become a gainer. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 27. I 7 10. O (9arabodha^ ! Accomplish this (task) for every hoiise^: a beautiful song of praise for wor- shipful Rudra^ 11. May he, the great, the immeasurable, the smoke-bannered, rich in splendour, incite us to (pious) thoughts and to strength. 12. May he hear us, like the rich lord of a clan, the banner of the gods, on behalf of our hymns, Agfni with brio^ht lio-ht. 13. Reverence to the great ones, reverence to the lesser ones ! Reverence to the young, reverence to the okP ! Let us sacrifice to the gods, if we can. May I not, O gods, fall as a victim to the curse of my better^, NOTES. The hymn is ascribed to Suna/isepa. (see note on I, 26). The metre is Gayatri ; the last verse is Trish/ubh. The laws of arrangement of the Sa//^hita show that this hymn, which has thirteen verses and follows after a hymn of ten verses belonging to the same deity, must be divided into a number of minor hymns. On the question of this division some further light is thrown by the metre. The first six verses and then again the verses 10-12 are composed in the trochaic form of the Gayatri metre ; of the verses 7-9, on the other hand, not a single Pada shows the characteristics of that metre. I believe, therefore, that the verses 1-6 form one hymn by themselves, or possibly two hymns of three verses each. Then follow two hymns : verses 7-9, 10-12. As to verse 13, which is composed in a different metre, it is difficult to determine its exact nature. It may be a later addition : though in that case [4r;] C t8 vedic hymns. we shall hardly be able to explain why it was placed at the end of the hymns addressed to Agni, to which god it contains no reference whatever. Or it may form part of the hymn 10-12 : in that case we should have to consider this whole hymn, which would then violate the rules of arrangement, as an addition to the original collection. We may add that the Sama-veda gives the first twelve verses of this Sukta so as to form four independent hymns: 1-3 = SV. II, 984-6; 4. 6. 5 = SV. II, 847-9 ; 7-9 = sv. II, 765-7; 10-12 = SV. II, 1013-15. Besides, verse i is found in SV. I, 17. Verse 4 = SV. I, 28 ; TAr. IV, 11, 8. Verse 7 = VS. VI, 29 ; TS. I, 3, 13, 2 ; MS, I, 3, 1. Verse 10 = SV. I, 15. Comp. Bergaigne, Recherches sur I'histoire de la Sa;//hita, II, pp. 7-8 ; H. O., Prolegomena, 225-226. Verse 2. Note 1. It requires a stronger belief in the infallibility of Vedic text tradition than I possess, not to change j-avasa into javasa//. I do not think that I, 62, 9 (sanemi sakhyam svapasyamana// sixnu/i dadhara i'avasa sudawsa/^) furnishes a sufficient argument against this conjecture. Verse 3. Note 1. Grassmann reads aghaayo/i for the sake of the metre; Prof. Max Mliller proposes aghay(5//. I think that the missing syllable should be gained by disyllabic pro- nunciation of -at in martyat or rather martiat. Comp. my Prolegomena 185 and the quotations given there in note i. Verses 7-9. Note 1. It is not my intention to enter here into a new discussion on so frequently discussed a word as va^a. I have translated it in verses 7, 9 by ' race,' in verse 8 by ' strength.' Note 2. The expression used in verses 7 and 8 should be compared especially with VII, 40, 3. sa/i it ugra/i astu maruta/^ sa/i j-ushmi' yam martyam pr/shadaj-va// avatha, uta im agni/i sdrasvati ^unanti na tasya vaya/i paryeta asti. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 27. jg Note 3. Vuva^arsha«i, a frequent epithet of Agni, here refers to the mortal hero protected by Agni; comp. I, 64, 14 (vol. xxxii, p. 108) ; X, 93, 10 (vi^vai-arsha/zi srsLva/i). Verse 10. Note 1. I think that Ludwig is right in taking 6^ara- bodha for a proper name. Note 2. Vij-e-vij-e may possibly depend on ya^;2iyaya, so that we should have to translate : ' Administer this task : a beautiful song of praise to Rudra who is worshipful for every house.' Note 3. Rudra is here a designation of Agni, as the next verses show. Comp. Pischel-Geldner, I, ^6. Verse 13. Note 1. The word as'ma., 'old,' occurring only here, is doubtful. In III, I, 6 ; IV, ss, 3 ; X,S9, 4, sana or sanaya stands in contrast with yuvan. Shall we conjecture nama^ a sanehhya/i ? Note 2. The last Pada of this verse, ma £jayasa/i sam- sam a vnkshi deva/^ C May I not, O gods, neglect the praise of the greatest,' Muir, V, 12), offers some difficulty. It may be doubted whether a vr/kshi belongs to a-vH^ or to a-vraj^. Let us see what would be the meaning of the passage, if we were to decide for a-vri^. VIII, loi, 16 the cow speaks : devTm devihhya/i pari eyiishim gam a ma avrtkta martya/^ dabhra^-eta//, ' Me the goddess, the cow, who has come hither from the gods, the weak-minded mortal has appropriated.' ^atapatha Brahmawa XIV, 9, 4, 3. ya evam vidvan adhopahasaw /-araty a sa stri;m;/z sukrzta;« vrmkte ^tha ya idam avidvan adhopahasa;^ /^araty asya striya// sukrzta;// vrzV/^ate, ' He who knowing this, &c., appro- priates the good works of the women. But the women appropriate the good works of him who without knowing this,' &c. In Rig-veda X, 159, 5 also we probably have a form of ^-vrig: There we find the triumphant utterance C 2 20 VEDIC HYMNS. of a wife who has gained superiority over her fellow-wives : a avrz'ksham anyasam var^a/z, ' I have won for myself the splendour of the other wives.' We may conclude from these passages that our Pada, if a v;-zkshi is derived from 3i-vrig, would mean : ' May I not draw on myself the curse of my better.' On the other hand we have a great number of passages — they have been collected by Ludwig, IV, 249 seq. — in which the verb a-vraj-/^ appears. Referring the reader for fuller information to Ludwig, I content myself here with selecting one or two of these passages. Taitt. Sa;«h. II, 4, II, 4. devatabhyo va esha a vrisky^ie. yo yakshya ity uktva na ya^ate. In translating this we should remember that wdisk means ' to cut down ; ' a-vraj",^, therefore, must be ' to cut down so that the object reaches a certain desti- nation.' I translate therefore : ' He who says, " I shall sacrifice," and does not sacrifice, is cut down for the deities,' — i. e. he is dedicated or forfeited to the deities and is thus destroyed (comp. a different explanation of 3.-yva.sk by Delbriick, Altindische Syntax, 143). In other passages not the dative but the locative is used for indicating the being to whom somebody is forfeited ; see Atharva-veda XII, 4, 6. 12. 26; XV, 12, 6. 10. A Rig-vedic passage containing a-vrai^/' (with the dative) is X, 87, 18. a vrisky3.nikm. aditaye dureva//, 'May the evil-doers be forfeited to Aditi.' Several times we find the first person aor. med. in the same form as in our passage, a vr/kshi ; see, for instance, the Nivid formula to the Vijve deva//, vS'ankhayana ^"rautasutra VIII, 21. In this Nivid, the text of which as given by Hillebrandt is not quite identical with that of Ludwig, we read according to Hillebrandt's edition : mi vo deva avijasa ma vij'asayur a vr/kshi. This ma ... a vrz'kshi looks quite similar to our passage. The same may be said of Taittiriya Sa;;/hita I, 6, 6, i. yat te tapas tasmai te mavr/kshi. Considering such passages it is difficult not to believe that it is the verb a \xd.sk which we have before us in our verse. It must be admitted indeed that the accusative MANDAhA I, HYMN 27. 21 S3.msa.m does not agree with the construction of the later Vedic passages. Can the accusative stand in the ancient language of the Rig-veda in the same connection in which we have found the dative and the locative ? So that d-vrajX' (in the middle or passive) with the accusative would mean : to be cut down in the direction towards another being, i. e. being forfeited to that being ? In that case the translation of our passage would be : ' May I not, O gods, fall as a victim to the praise (or rather, to the curse) of my better/ If this explanation of the accusative is thought too bold, we should propose to correct the text so as to get a dative or, which would suit the metre better, a loca- tive : ma ^yayasa// i-awsaya (or sawse) a v;7'kshi dev4//. 2 2 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^i9ALA I, HYMN 31. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 32-35. 1. Thou, O Agni, (who art) the first Aiigiras 7?/shi, hast become as god the kind friend of the gods. After thy law the sages, active in their wisdom \ were born, the Maruts with brilHant spears. 2. Thou, O Agni, the first, highest Arigiras, a sage, administerest the law of the gods, mighty for the whole world, wise, the son of the two mothers \ reposing everywhere for (the use of) the living^. 3. Thou, O Agni, as the first, shalt become^ manifest to Matari^van, through thy high wisdom, to Vivasvat. The two worlds trembled at (thy) elec- tion as Hot/'/. Thou hast sustained the burthen ; thou, O Vasu, hast sacrificed to the great (gods) ^ 4. Thou, O Agni, hast caused the sky to roar^ for Manu, for the well-doing Pururavas, being thyself a greater well-doer. When thou art loosened by power (?)- from thy parents, they led thee hither before and afterwards again. 5. Thou, O Agni, the bull, the augmenter of pros- perity, art to be praised by the sacrificer who raises the spoon, who knows all about the offering^ and (the sacrifice performed with) the word VashaA Thou (god) of unique vigour art the first to invite' the clans. 6. Thou, O Agni, leadest forward the man who follows crooked wa)s', in thy company at the sacri- fice-, O god dwelling among all tribes, who in the strife of heroes, in the decisive moment for the UANDALA I, HYMN 3 1. 23 obtainment of the prized even with few companions killest many foes in the battle*. 7. Thou, O Agni, keepest that mortal^ in the highest immortahty, in glory day by day, (thou) who being thirsty thyself^ givest happiness to both races (gods and men), and joy to the rich. 8. Thou, O Agni, praised by us, help the glorious singer to gain prizes. May we accomplish our work with the help of the young active (Agni). O Heaven and Earth ! Bless us together with the gods. 9. Thou, O Agni, in the lap of thy parents, a god among gods, O blameless one, always watchful, be the body's creator and guardian to the singer. Thou, O beautiful one, pourest forth all wealth. 10. Thou, O Agni, art our guardian, thou art our father. Thou art the giver of strength ; we are thy kinsmen. Hundredfold, thousandfold treasures come together in thee, who art rich in heroes, the guardian of the law, O undeceivable one. 11. Thee, O Agni, the gods have made for the living as the first living \ the clan-lord of the Nahusha-. They have made (the goddess) I/a the teacher of men (manusha), when a son of my father is born^. 12. Thou, O Agni, protect with thy guardians, O god, our liberal givers and ourselves, O venerable one ! Thou art the protector of kith and kin^ and of the cows, unremittingly watching over thy law. 13^ Thou, O Agni, art kindled four-eyed, as the closest guardian for the sacrificer who is without (even) a quiver^ Thou acceptest in thy mind the hymn even of the poor'^ who has made offerings*, that he may prosper without danger. 14. Thou, O Agni, gainest' for the widely-re- >4 VEDIC HYMNS. nowned worshipper that property which is desirable and excellent. Thou art called the guardian and father even of the weak^ ; thou instructest the simple, thou, the greatest sage, the quarters of the world ^. 15. Thou, O Agni, protectest on every side like well-stitched armour the man who gives sacrificial fees. He who puts sweet food (before the priests), who makes them comfortable in his dwelling, who kills living (victims), he (will reside) high in heaven ^ 16. Forgive, O Agni, this our fault (?)\ (look graciously at) this way which we have wandered from afar. Thou art the companion, the guardian, the father of those who offer Soma ; thou art the quick one^ who makes the mortals 7?zshis^ 17. As thou didst for Manus, O Agni, for Angiras, O Angiras, for Yayati on thy (priestly) seat, as for the ancients, O brilliant one, come hither, conduct hither the host of the gods, seat them on the sacrificial grass, and sacrifice to the beloved (host). 18. Be magnified, O Agni, through this spell which we have made for thee with our skill or with our knowledore. And lead us forward to better things. Let us be united with thy favour, which bestows strength. NOTES. The Rish'i of the hymn is Hira;/yastupa Aiigirasa. To him tradition ascribes the authorship of the collection I, 31- c^[^, probably because in X, 149, 5 the poet invokes Savitr/, 'as Hirawyastupa the Aiigirasa has called thee, O Savitr/.' Vedic theologians of course tried to find out where this invocation of Hira/zyastupa to Savitr/ v^as preserved, and the hymn, I, 35, seemed to agree best with the conditions MAiVZ>ALA I, HYMN 3 1. 25 of the case (comp. Zeitschrift der D. Morg. Ges. XLII, 330). By this and many similar cases it is made probable that at the time when the Anukramawi was composed, all real knowledge as to authors to whom the collections of the first Ma.7ida.\a. belong, was lost. The metre is 6^agati ; only the verses 8, 16, 18 are Trish/ubh. Verse 1 =VS. 34, 12. Verse 8 = MS. IV, 11, I. Verse 12 = VS. 34, 13. With verse 16 comp. AV. Ill, 15,4- Verse 1. Note 1. Vidmanapasa// seems to be nom. plur., not gen. sing. Comp. I, in, i. takshan ratham . . . vidmanapasa//, ' they (the A'zbhus), active in their wisdom, have wrought the chariot.' Verso 2. Note 1. As to dvimata sayu/i, comp. Ill, ^^, 6 (sa.yu/i parastat adha nu dvimata); Pischel, Vedische Studien, II, 50. — On Agni's two mothers and his double birth see Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, II, 52. Note 2. By 'living' I have translated ayu. See on this word, Bergaigne, Rel. Ved., I, 59 seq. Verse 3. Note 1. Probably Bergaigne (Rel. Ved. I, ^S, note 2) is right in conjecturing hhava/i for bhava. In this case we should have to translate : ' Thou as the first hast become manifest to Matari^-van.' Note 2, I believe that to maha/z we have to supply devan ; see II, ^y, 6 ; III, 7, 9 ; VI, 16, 2 ; 48, 4, &c. ' Can it not be an adverb ? See vol. xxxii, p. 307 ; Lanman, p. 501,' M. M. Verse 4. Note 1. Comp. V, 58, 6. let Dyu (sky) roar down, the bull of the dawn. V, 59, 8. may Dyaus Aditi (the un- bounded) roar for our feast. 26 VEDIC HYMNS. Note 2. The translation of j-vatra is purely conjectural. It rests on the supposition that the word is related to j'u^uve, j-avas, &c. (thus Grassmann). Boehtlingk-Roth connect it with svad, which is phonetically impossible ; they give the meaning ' schmackhaft,' and paraphrase our passage : das mit einer Lockspeise (z. B. mit einem Spahn) von den Reibholzern abgenommene Feuer kann man hin und her tragen. Ludwig : mit Geprassel. I do not see how this translation would fit for a number of the passages in which the word occurs. Verse 5. Note 1. With the third Pada compare VI, i, 9. ya// ahutim pari veda namobhi//. Note 2. Avi'vasasi cannot belong to the relative clause. The accent must be changed accordingly. Verse 6. Note 1. It is very curious to find here Agni as the pro- tector of the v;7^inavartani, the man who follows crooked ways. Ludwig tries to explain the passage by under- standing the vidatha, in which Agni is here said to protect the sinner, as an asylum, but we have no reason to believe that the word could have this meaning. See the next note. Note 2. On the derivation and meaning of vidatha various opinions have been pronounced in the last years, which have been collected by Prof. Max Miiller in his note on V, 59, 2 (vol. xxxii, p. 349 seq. ; see also Bartholomae, Studien zur indogermanischen Sprachgeschichte, I, 41). Without trying to discuss here all different theories, I im- mediately proceed to state my own opinion, though I am far from claiming certainty for it. It will, however, I believe, solve the difiiculties tolerably well. I propose to derive vidatha from vi-dha ; the dh was changed into d by the same 'Hauchdissimilationsgesetz'(Brugmann,Grundriss der vergleichenden Grammatik, vol. i, p. 355 seq.), accord- ing to which Arian *bhaudhati was. changed into Sanskrit MAA^DALA I, HYMN 3I. 27 bodhati. No one will doubt that the operation of this 'Hauchdissimilationsgesetz' could be annihilated by oppo- site forces, but it must be admitted that the forms with ' Hauchdissimilation ' could also remain intact. The verb vi-dha means ' to distribute, to arrange, to ordain ; ' thus the original meaning of vidatha must be, like the meaning of vidhana, ' distribution, disposition, ordinance.' In V, 3, 6 we read vidatheshu ahnam : this phrase receives its explana- tion by VII, 66, J I. VI ye dadhu// j-aradam masam at aha/^ ; ahoratraV/i vidadhat, X, 190, 2 ; masam vidhanam, X, 138, 6 ; ritun . . . vi dadhau, I, 95, 3. We may call attention also to VI, 51, 2. veda ya/i tri;n vidathani esham devanam ^anma, ' he who knows their threefold division, the birth of the gods;' VI, 8, i. pra nii vo/^am vidatha ^atavedasa/^ ' I will proclaim the ordinances of 6^atavedas.' Within the sphere of the Vedic poets' thoughts, the most prominent example of something most artificially ' vi'hita ' was the sacrifice (comp. vi ye dadhii/^ . . . ya^;/am, VII, 66, 11 ; sAvisati uktham ya^ate vi u dha/i, IV, 6, 1 1 ; [the moon] bhagam devebhya/i vi dadhati a-yan, X, 85, 19; and the following very significant passage: ya^/?asya tva vidatha pn'kk/iam atra kati hotara/^ j^itusa/i ya^anti, Va^. Sawh. XXIII, 57). Thus ya^;7a and vidatha, 'sacrifice' and ' ordinance,' became nearly synonymous (comp. Ill, 3, 3, &c.). It would be superfluous to quote the whole number of passages which show this, but I believe that an attentive reader will discern at least in some of them the traces of the original meaning of vidatha ; see, for instance, II, 1,4; III, 28,4. — Finally vidatha seems to mean ' the act of disposing of any business ' or the like ; this meaning appears, I believe, in passages like the well-known phrase, brz'hat vadema vidathe suvfra// (comp. suvTrasa// vidatham a vadema) : ' may we with valiant men mightily raise our voice at the determining (of ordinances, &c.).' Thus the words vidatha and sabha approach each other in their meaning ; a person influential in council is called both vidathya and sabheya (see Boehtlingk-Roth, s. v. vidathya). Note 3. The exact meaning of paritakmya is not quite 28 VEDIC HYMNS. free from doubt. Comp. Bartholomae, Bezzenberger's Beitrage, XV, 203, note i. Note 4. Prof Max Miiller translates this verse : ' Thou savest the man who has gone the wrong way in the thick of the battle, thou who art quick at the sacrifice ; thou who in the strife of heroes, when the prize (or the booty) is sur- rounded (beset on all sides), killest,' &c. Verse 7. Note 1. The phrase begins as if a relative clause were to follow attached to the words ' that mortal.' But, instead of this, afterwards a relative clause follows referring to ' thou, 0 Agni.' Note 2. Roth (Ueber gewisse Kiirzungen des Wortendes, p. 4) and Bartholomae (Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXIX, 559) think that a dative (like tatrz'shawaya) is required ; Agni gives comfort to both thirsty races, gods and men. Roth takes tat;7'sha«a[//] for an abbreviation of tatr/sha;/aya ; Bartholomae conjectures tatr/shaya. It would be more easy to change the form into a dative with the ending -a (=:-ai); comp. Kluge, Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXV, 309; Pischel-Geldner, I, 61 ; Aufrecht, Festgruss an Bohtlingk, 1 ; J. Schmidt, Pluralbildungen, 234. But why not leave the nominative ? Agni, being thirsty himself, quenches the thirst of other beings. Comp. J. Schmidt, Pluralbil- dungen, 309. Verse 11. Note 1. Ayum ayave. See verse 2, note 2. Note 2. The names Nahus, Nahusha have much the same value as Manus, Manusha. But it seems that not all the Aryan tribes, but only a certain part of them, were con- sidered as descendants of Nahus. Comp. Bergaigne, Rel. Vedique, II, 324. Note 3. The last words are very obscure. Mamaka occurs only in one other passage, belonging to the same collection of hymns, I, 34, 6 : there the A^vins are invoked to bestow blessings on ' my son ' (mamakaya sunave). ' When a son of my father is born ' may mean ' When I am MAiVDALA I. HYMN 31. 29 born,' or 'When a new issue is born within our tribe:' then — thus we may possibly supply — the goddess I/a, the teacher of mankind, will be the new-born child's teacher also. Another possible explanation would be to take Mamaka as a proper name. Or Prof. Max Miiller may be right, who writes : 'Could not pitu// yat putra/^ mamakasya ^ayate refer to Agni, who, in III, 29, 3, was called i/aya/^ putra//. Her father and husband (Manu) is also the father of mankind, therefore of the poet who says : Whenever the son of my father is born, they made I/a (his mother) the teacher of man.* Verse 12. Note 1. Trata tokasya tanaye seems to be nothing else but trata tokasya tanayasya, which would have had one syllable too much. Verse 13. Note 1. Comp. on this verse, Pischel, I, 216 seq. Note 2. Agni is to protect the man who has no quiver, and cannot, therefore, protect himself. The four eyes of the divine guardian seem to signify that he can look in all directions, and perhaps also that he has the power of seeing invisible bad demons. The watchdogs of Yama also are four-eyed, X, 14, 10. 11 ; comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, 474, note 4. Comp. nishahgin, Rig-veda III, 30, 15 ; V,S7, 2; X, 103,3. Note 3. On kiri, comp. Pischel loc. cit. Note 4. Ratahavya/^ means either a man who has made offerings, or a god to whom offerings are made. That it stands here in the first sense is shown with great proba- bility by VIII, 103, 13, where the khi/i rat£ihavya// svadhvara/^ is described, the man who, though poor, makes offerings and is a good sacrifices But if we are right in our translation of ratahavya/^, the verb vanoshi cannot belong to the relative clause; I propose to read vanoshi without accent. The way in which Pischel tries to explain the accent of vanoshi, by taking the words kire/^ /('it man- tram manasd as a parenthesis, is too artificial. 30 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 14. Note 1. I think that we should here, as in verse 13, read vanoshi without accent. Note 2. This must be at least the approximate meaning of adhra. ' For adhrasya one expects radhrasya,' M. M. Note 3. I think that the quarters of the world have nothing to do here, but that instead of pra disa/i we should read (with Ludwig) pra.disa./i. A similar mistake regarding the word pradii' occurs several times in the text of the Rig- veda. I propose to translate the corrected text : ' Thou instructest the simple, well knowing the (divine) command- ments.' Comp. vayunani vidvan, dutyani vidvan, &c. Verse 15. Note 1. ' Der ist des himels ebenbild ' (Ludwig). But this word upama is, as far as we can see, not very ancient. I take upama, with Boehtlingk-Roth, as an adverbial instru- mental like dakshi;m', madhya, &c. Prof. Max Muller translates ' close or near to heaven.' Verse 16. Note 1. SarAm designates in the Atharva-veda VI, 43, 3 a fault or defect, the exact nature of which cannot be deter- mined. Boehtlingk-Roth propose Widerspanstigkeit, Hart- nackigkcit ; Max Muller, Abweg, Fehltritt. Note 2. On bhr/mi, comp. M. M.'s note on II, 34, i. Note 3. Comp. Ill, 43, 5. kuvi't ma ?7'shim papivawsam sutasya (supply karase), ' Wilt thou make me a /v/shi after I have drunk Soma ? ' MAA^DALA I, HYMN 2^- 31 MATV^Z^ALA I, HYMN 36. ASHZAKA I, ADHYAyA 3, VARGA 8-11. 1. We implore^ with well-spoken words the vi'o-o- rous- Agni who belongs to many people ^ to the clans that worship the gocls^ whom other people (also) magnify. 2. Men have placed Agni (on the altar) as the augmenter of strength. May we worship thee, rich in sacrificial food. Thus be thou here to-day gracious to us, a helper in our striving for gain, O good one ! 3. We choose thee, the all-possessor, as our mes- senger and as our Hot;/. The flames of thee, who art great, spread around ; thy rays touch the heaven. 4. The gods, Varu;^a, Mitra, Aryaman, kindle thee, the ancient messenger. The mortal, O Agni, who worships thee, gains through thee every prize. 5. Thou art the cheerful Hotrz and householder, O Agni, the messenger of the clans. In thee all the firm laws are comprised which the gods have made'. 6. In thee, the blessed one, O Agni, youngest god, all sacrificial food is offered. Sacrifice then thou who art gracious to us to-day and afterwards \ to the gods that we may be rich in valiant men. 7. Him, the king, verily the adorers approach reverentially. With oblations men kindle Agni, having overcome all failures. 8. Destroying the foe\ they (victoriously) got through Heaven and Earth and the waters; they 32 VEDIC HYMNS. have made wide room for their dwelling. May the manly (Agni)^, after he has received the oblations, become brilliant at the side of Ka;^va ; may he .neig^h as a horse in battles. 9. Take thy seat ; thou art great. Shine forth, thou who most excellently repairest to the gods. O Agni, holy god, emit thy red, beautiful smoke, O orlorious one ! 10. Thou whom the gods have placed here for Manu as the best performer of the sacrifice, O carrier of oblations, whom Ka;/va and Medhyatithi, whom Vr/shan and Upastuta^ (have worshipped,) the winner of prizes. 11. That Agni's nourishment has shone brightly whom Medhyatithi and Ka;^va have kindled on behalf of RitdK Him do these hymns, him do we extol. 12. Fill (us with) wealth, thou self-dependent one, for thou, O Agni, hast companionship with the gods. Thou art lord over glorious booty. Have mercy upon us ; thou art great. 1 3. Stand up straight for blessing us, like the god Savitr/, straight a winner of booty, when we with our worshippers and with ointments^ call thee''^ in emulation (with other people). 14. Standing straight, protect us by thy splendour from evil; burn down every ghouls Let us stand straight that we may walk and live. Find out our worship- among the gods. 15. Save us, O Agni, from the sorcerer, save us from mischief, from the niggard. Save us from him MAiVZ)ALA I, HYMN 36. 33 who does us harm or tries to kill us, O youngest god with bright splendour ! 16. As with a club^ smite the nieeards in all directions, and him who deceives us, O god with fiery jaws. The mortal w^ho makes (his weapons) very sharp by night, may that impostor not rule over us. 1 7. Agni has won abundance in heroes, Agni prosperity (for Kauva). Agni and the two Mitras (i.e. Mitra and Varu/^a) have blessed Medhyatithi, Agni (has blessed) Upastuta in the acquirement (of w^ealth)\ 18. Through Agni we call hither from afar Tur- vai-a, Yadu, and Ugradeva. May Agni, our strength against the Dasyu, conduct Navavastva, B/'^had- ratha, and Turviti^ 19. Manu has established thee, O Agni, as a light for all people. Thou hast shone forth with Kanva., born from 7?/ta, grown strong, thou whom the human races worship. 20. Agni's flames are impetuous and violent ; they are terrible and not to be withstood. Always burn down the sorcerers, and the allies of the Yatus, every ghouls NOTES. The authorship of this hymn, and of the whole collection to which it belongs (I, 36-43), is ascribed to Ka/^va Ghaura. Numerous passages show indeed that it was the family of the Ka;zvas, or rather, to speak more accurately, a branch of that family, among which this group of hymns has been composed. But it is as great a mistake in this as in [4»S] D 34 VEDIC HYMNS. a number of similar cases to accept the founder of one of the great Brahmanical families as an author of Vedic poems. Comp. Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morg, Gesell- schaft, XLII, 215 seq. The metre is alternately Brzliati and Satob/'zhati, so that the hymn consists of strophes (Pragatha) of two verses. Verse i = SV. I, 59. Verse 9 = VS. XI, 37 ; TS. IV, i, 3, 3 (V, 1, 4, 5) ; TAr. IV, 5, 2 (V, 4, 6) ; MS. II, 7, 3 ; IV, 9, 3- Verse i3 = SV. I, SI \ VS. XI, 42 ; TS. IV, 1, 4, 2 (V, i, 5, 3) ; MS. II, 7, 4. Verses 13, i4=TB. Ill, 6, i, 2 ; TAr. IV, 20, I ; MS. IV, 13, I. Verse i9 = SV. I, 54. Verse 1. Note 1. Literally, we entreat for you. Comp. on this use of the pronoun va//, Delbrlick, Altindische Syntax, 206. See also Neisser, Bezzenberger's Beitrage, XX, 64. Note 2. The meaning of yahva cannot be determined with full certainty. Note 3. There is no sufficient reason to change with Ludwig (IV, 254) puruwam to Puru;/am, and thus to convert the metrically correct Pada into an irregular one. — Comp. Bollensen, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenl. Gesellschaft, XXII, 593- Note 4. On devayatfnam, comp. Lanman, p. 399. Verse 5. Note 1. 'On thee all the eternal works are united, i.e. depend, which the gods have wrought ; such as sun, stars, lightning.' M. M. Verse 6. Note 1. With the third Pada compare the third Pada of verse 2. It is a galita. Verse 8. Note 1. The word ' the foe ' (vr/tra) alludes to the name of the demon conquered by Indra ; see H. O., Religion des Veda, 135, note 2. MAiVDALA T, HYMN 36. 35 Note 2. The metre would become more correct by reading vrishahhi/i instead of v;7sha. Or V;-/sha«i, ' with V;7shan'? Comp. verse 10. Verse 10. Note 1. Medhyatithi or Mcdhatithi is very frequently mentioned in connection with Ka;^va. Vrz'shan is taken as a proper name by Boehtlingk-Roth and by Grassmann (not by Ludw^ig) in VI, 16, 15. Possibly they are right, but in no case can Vr/shan of the sixth book, named by the side of DadhyawX' and Atharvan, be identified with any probability with the Vr/shan mentioned in our passage, who evidently belongs to the ancestors of the Ka;^vas. Upastuta is mentioned again together with Ka;/va and Medhyatithi in verse 17 of our hymn, together with Kawva inVIII, 5, 25. Comp. I, 112,15; VIII, 103, 8; X, 115, 8. 9; Bergaigne, Rel. Ved., II, 448. Verse 11. Note 1. Comp. I, 139, 2. yat ha tyat mitrivaru;^av r/tat adhi adadathe anntam svena manyuna; X, 73, 5. man- damana// r/tat adhi. Verse 13. Note 1. Auoihh\/i can possibly mean 'who have salved themselves.' There is no reason to think of the anointing of the yupa (sacrificial post), to which Saya;/a refers the word. Note 2. On vi-hva, comp. Pischel-Geldner, 1, 144. There must be a technical reason, unknown to me, for the con- nection in which this verb repeatedly occurs, as is the case in our passage, with the noun vaghat : comp. Ill, ^it hi vam nara vihvayante manishiwa/^ vaghadbhi/^ asvin^ si gatam. Verse 14. Note 1. The exact meaning of atn'n is unknown. Note 2. Geldner's conjectures on duvas seem rather bold D 2 2,6 VEDIC HYMNS. to me (Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXVII, 233). Comp. vol. xxxii, pp. 203-206 (I, 165, 14). Verse 16. Note 1. On ghaneva, see Lanman, Noun-Inflection, 334. Verse 17. Note 1. On Medhyatithi and Upastuta, see the note on verse 10. Aufrecht (Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXVI, 612) beheves that in mitrota an abbreviation of the name Mitratithi (X, ^'^, 7) is contained ; he translates : ' Agni has promoted Mitratithi, Medhyatithi, and Upastuta in the acquirement of wealth.' This is very ingenious, but I do not think that the reason which Aufrecht gives is sufficient : it cannot be understood, he says, why Mitra (or Mitra and Varu;za) should be mentioned in a hymn exclusively addressed to Agni. But similar cases are quite frequent, — Prof. Max M tiller writes : ' Could mitra stand for mitra;n ? Agni has protected his friends and also Medhyatithi.' Comp. also Lanman, p. 342. Vdrse 18. Note 1. On Turva^a and Yadu, comp. Muir, V, 2H6 ; Bergaigne, II, 354 seq. ; Zeitschr. der D. Morg. Ges. XLII, 220. There is not the slightest reason for Ludwig's state- ment (IV, 254) that this hymn is a ' gebet um sig fiir den auf einem kriegszuge befindlichen Turva^akonig.' Ugradeva is not mentioned again. On Navavastva and BrzTiadratha, comp. X, 49, 6 ; VI, 20, 11 ; on Turviti, the materials collected by Bergaigne, Rel. Ved., II, 358 seq. Verse 20. Note 1. See verse 14, note i. MAiVDALA T, HYMN 44. 37 MAiVi9ALA I, HYMN 44. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 3, VARGA 28-30. 1. Agni, at the rising of the dawn^ bring splendid wealth, immortal 6"atavedas, to the worshipper, (and bring hither) to-day the gods awakening with the dawn. 2. For thou art the accepted messenger, the bearer of sacrificial food, O Agni, the charioteer of worship. United with the two Ajrvins and with the Dawn bestow on us abundance of valiant heroes, and high glory. 3. We choose to-day as our messenger Agni, the Vasu, the beloved of many, whose banner is smoke, whose ... Ms light, at the dawning of the day, the beautifier of sacrifices^. 4. I magnify at the dawning of the day Agni G"atavedas, the best, the youngest guest, the best receiver of offerings, welcome to pious people, that he may go to the gods^ 5. I shall praise thee, O food on which everything lives, immortal one', Agni, the immortal protector. O holy god, the best sacrificer, O bearer of sacrificial food. 6. Be kind-spoken to him who praises thee, O youngest god, honey-tongued, the best receiver of offerings. Lengthening Praska;^va's life, that he may reach old age, do homage' to the host of the gods. 7. The clans kindle thee, the all-possessing Hotr/: '^S VEDIC HYMNS. J therefore conduct hither speedily, much-invoked Agni, the provident gods — 8. Savitr/, the Dawn, the two A^vins, Bhaga, Agni\ at the dawning (of the day), (at the end) of night". The Ka;^vas, having pressed Soma, inflame thee, the bearer of sacrificial food, O best performer of worship. 9. As thou, O Agni, art the lord of worship, the messenger of the clans, conduct hither to-day the gods awakening with the dawn, of sun-like aspect, that they may drink Soma. 10. Agni, rich in splendour! thou hast shone after the former dawns, visible to all. Thou art the guardian in the hamlets, the Purohita ; thou be- lono^est to men at the sacrifices \ 1 1. O Agni, let us put thee down (on the altar) as Manus did, O god, to be the performer of the sacri- fice, the Hotr^, the wise priest, the quick immortal messenger. 12. When thou, the Purohita of the gods, who art great like Mitra, goest on thy errand as messenger in their midst, then the flames of Agni shine like the roaring waves of the Sindhu^ 1 3. Agni with thy attentive ears, hear me, together with the gods driven (on their chariots)^ who accom- pany thee. May Mitra and Aryaman sit down on the sacrificial grass, they who come to the ceremony early in the morning. 14. May the Maruts, they who give rain, the fire- tongued increasers of Rita, hear my praise. May Varu//a, whose laws are firm, drink the Soma, united with the two Ai-vins and with the Dawn ! MAiVDALA T, HYMN 44. 39 NOTES. The hymn is ascribed to Praska;/va Kd/^va, who is the reputed author of the whole group of the hymns, I, 44-50. It is certain that these hymns really belong to a branch of the great Ka;/va family, for which the name Praska;/va is characteristic. Comp. my Prolegomena, p. 260. The metre is Barhata Pragatha. Verse i = SV. I, 40. Verses 1-2— SV. II, T130-J131. Verse ii = TB. II, 7, 12, 6. Verse 13 =SV. I, 50; VS. y^, 15 ; TB. II, 7, 12,5. This Agni-hymn contains a number of allusions which show that it was destined for the morning service. The same may be said of the next hymn, 1, 45, and of the whole collection of Praska/^va hymns, which are addressed ex- clusively to the deva// prataryava;^a/^, viz. Agni in his special character as a matutinal deity, the two Aj'vins, the Dawn, the rising Sun. From the mention of the Soma tiroahnya 45, 10 ; 47, i, and from other circumstances, Ber- gaigne has very ingeniously drawn the conclusion that in the Praska;/va collection an ancient Aj'vinaj'astra is preserved ; see Recherches sur Thistoire de la Liturgie Vedique, 45. Verse 1. Note 1. I believe that the text, I may perhaps not say requires, but very strongly invites, a slight correction. The tradition gives ague vi'vasvat ushasa/^ kxivAm. radha// amartya. To connect vi'vasvat with radha/^ and to make the genitive ushasa// depend on radha// would give an expression which is not, strictly speaking, impossible but in every case very unusual. Nothing, on the other hand, is more frequent than combinations of the locative of a noun derived from vi-vas with the genitive ushasa//, ' at the rising of the dawn' (ushasa/^ vyush/au, vyush/ishu, vyushi ; comp. the phrase vasto usra// treated of by Kaegi, Festgruss an Bohtlingk, 48 ; vasto/^ usra//, Bartholomae, Bezzenberger's Beitrage, XV, 185). I think that such 40 VEDIC HYMNS. a phrase should be restored in our verse, and propose to read agne vivasvan ushasa//, &c. The word vivasvan occurs in VIII, 102, 22. agni'm idhc vivasvabhi/^ The expression used here would thus be similar to that of III, 15, 2. tvam na/z asya/z ushasa// vyush/au . . . bodhi gopa/i ; comp. IV, I, 5, &c. Verse 3. Note 1. The meaning of bha7/-rzVika is quite uncertain. The accent would well agree with the explanation of the word as a possessive compound ; dhumaketum bha/'-r/^ikam would then be exactly parallel : whose banner is smoke, whose rigika. is light. We have then go-rz^ika as an epithet of Soma, 'he whose rig'ika. the cows are,' i.e. ' whose rig\kdi is milk,' and avi7/-rz^ika as an epithet of Dadhikravan (' he whose rigika. is visible '). All this taken together is clearly insufficient for giving a result, and there is scarcely a better prospect for etymological guesses. Bergaigne's (Rel. Ved., I, 206) translation of rigika. by ' fleche ' would do for bha7/-rz^ika, but it is not very tempting in the cases of go-rigika. and avi/i-rigika.. Roth (Zeitschrift der D. Morg. Ges. 48, ii 7- Verse 1, Note 1. Comp. VIII, 5, ;^;^. akk/ia. svadhvaram ^anam. Note 2. As to the gods being considered here as off- spring of Manu, comp. especially X, S3, 6. manu// bhava ^anaya dai'vyam ^anam, ' become Manu, procreate the divine hosts.' See also Bergaigne, Rel.Vedique, I, 69. Verse 3. Note 1. This passage is one of those which show that the Atris stood in especially friendly connection with the Kawvas. Of the Priyamedhas the same may be said, or perhaps we may even go further and consider them as one branch of the Ka;/vas. For a fuller discussion of these questions I refer to my paper, ' Ueber die Liedverfasser des Rig-veda,' Zeitschr. der D. Morg. Gesellschaft, XLII, 213 seq. Verse 4. Note 1. Mahikerava//, which I have translated as a proper name, may be an adjective belonging to Priyamedha//. Possibly it is derived from the root kar, ' to praise : ' ' the 44 VEDIC HYMNS. Priyamedhas with mighty hymns/ Comp. Bartholomae, Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXVII, 341. Verse 7. Note 1. As go-ish/i means ' the striving for cows,' thus diV-ish/i means ' the striving for day,' or possibly ' the striving for heaven.' Ludwig (III, 2)''^'^) takes it for ' mor- genopfer,' and it is true that most of the passages, in which the word occurs, are addressed to matutinal deities. Thus our passage belongs to a hymn addressed to the matutinal Agni ; I, 48, 9 is addressed to Ushas ; I, 139, 4 ; VII, 74, ] ; VIII, 87, 3 to the Ajvins ; IV, 46, i ; 47, i to V^yu who was invoked in the Praiiga-j-astra belonging to the Prata/^-savana, and who received the Soma offering before the other deities. There is, nevertheless, at least one passage which shows that Ludwig has gone too far : VIII, 76, 9. piba it indra marutsakha sutam somam di'vish/ishu, ' Drink, O Indra, with the Maruts thy friends the Soma which has been pressed at the divish/is.' The Soma obla- tion offered to Indra Marutvat formed part of the second (midday) Savana. Note 2 ' Saprathastamam, the most renowned, repandu,' M. M. Verse 8. Note 1. Comp. IV, 5, i. katha da^ema agnaye brzliat bha/^, ' how may we offer great light to Agni ? ' — which seems to mean, ' how may we make Agni brilliant ? ' Thus in our passage the meaning seems to be : the priests kindle Agni and perform oblations. Verse 10. Note 1. The tira//-ahnya Soma, which was kept from one day to the next day (not, as Ludwig translates, ' der von vorgestern '), was offered to the A^vins at the Atiratra sacrifice. Comp. Rig-veda I, 47, i ; III, 58, 7 ; VIII, '3,S, 19 ; KAtyayana vSVautasutra XII, 6, 10 ; XXIV, 3, 42. There the commentary says, aj-vina^astrakayagasamban- dhina/^ >tamasastha// soma/^ purvadinanishpannatvat tiro- hnya ity Uy^yante. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 58. 45 MAA^i9ALA I, HYMN 58. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAyA 4, VARGA 23-24. 1. The strength-begotten immortal never grows tired ^ when he, the Hotr/, has become the messenger of Vivasvat^. He passes through the air on the best paths. In the divine world he invites (the gods) with the sacrificial food. 2. Seizing his own food the undecaying, greedy (Agni) stands on the brushwood wishing to drink. When he has been sprinkled (with ghee), he shines like a racer with his back^ Thunderinor he has roared like the ridge of heaven. 3. As soon as ^ the Rudras, the Vasus have made him their Purohita, the immortal sitting down as Hotrt, the conqueror of wealth, pressing forward A like a chariot among the clans, among the Ayus^, the p^od in due course discloses desirable boons. 4. Stirred by the wind he spreads among the brushwood lightly^ (driven forward) by the sacrificial ladles, wnih his sickle ^ loudly roaring. When thou, O Agni, thirstily rushest on the wooden sticks like a bulP, thy course, O never-aging god with fiery waves, becomes blacks 5. He who has fiery jaws, stirred by the wind, blazes down on the forest^ as a strong bull (rushes) on the herd. When he proceeds ^ with his stream of light to the imperishable atmosphere, then what is moveable and immoveable (and) the winged (birds) are afraid. 6. The Bhr/gus have placed thee among men, w^ho art beautiful like a treasure, who art easy to 46 VEDIC HYMNS. invoke for people ; thee the Hotr/, O Agni, the excellent guest, a delightful friend like Mitra to the divine race ! 7. I worship with good cheer Agni the steward^ of all treasures, whom the seven ladles- (of the priests), the worshippers choose as the Hotr/, the best sacrificer at the rites, and I pray for treasured 8. Son of strength, great like Mitra, grant to-day flawless protection to us who magnify thee. Agni ! guard from distress with strongholds of iron him who praises thee, O offspring of vigour ! 9. Be a shelter to him who praises thee, O resplendent one ; be protection, generous giver, to the generous. Agni ! guard him who praises thee from distress. May he who gives wealth for our prayer, come quickly in the morning^ NOTES. The hymn is ascribed to Nodhas Gautama, who is considered as the 7?zshi of the whole collection, I, 58-64. This tradition is based on, and confirmed by, several passages of the text: I, 61, 14; 62, 13 ; 64, 1. The metre is Cagati verses 1-5, Trish/ubh verses 6-9. None of the verses of this hymn occurs in the other Sa;«hitas. Verse 1. Note 1. I believe that Professor Aufrecht (Kuhn's Zeit- schrift, XXV, 435) is right in reading nu /('it sa.ha/i-£-a/i amrha./i nii tandate. Comp. as to nii lit nu, I, 120, 2 ; VI, 37, 3 ; VII, 32, 8. Agni is frequently called atandra/^ duta/i or similarly. Possibly we might read, instead of mi tandate, ni tandate, though parallel passages for the com- bination of this root with ni are not known. — Prof Max MANDALA T, HYMN 58. 47 Miiller's opinion is different. He writes : We say, der Funke schlagt oder fiingt. Why should not the Hindu have said that Agni strikes out. That would be vi tundate, Agni schlagt aus im Augenblick. But even ni tundate may have been used in the sense of the spark striking down on the tinder — the atas^s, mentioned in verse 2 — which he ignites. I should translate : ' The strength- begotten immortal strikes down or breaks forth (vi) quickly, whenever the Hotri (Agni) becomes the messenger of the sacrificer (?).' Note 2. I cannot follow Aufrecht in his translation ' zum boten des opfernden.' Comp. on Agni as the messenger of Vivasvat, Rergaigne, Rel. Vedique, I, 87 ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 122, 275. Verse 2. Note 1. Literally, his back shines like a racer. On this kind of comparison, see Bergaigne, Melanges Renier, 86 ; Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 107. Verse 3. Note 1. Kra;/a : comp. von Bradke, Dyaus Asura, Ahura Mazdi und die Asuras, p. ^6 ; Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 70. Note 2. Bergaigne, Rel. Vedique, I, 59 seq. Verse 4. Note 1. On vr/tha, see Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, 116 ; Neisser, Bezzenberger^s Beitrage, XIX, 148 seq. Note 2. The meaning is : with his flames which are sharp like a sickle. Sr//n is written here as a paroxytonon ; in several other passages it is an oxytonon. Such differ- ences are not quite rare, and there is no reason for taking on this account srinyk as an instr. plur. fem. of the adjective s;-/;/ya, ' mit verkiirzter Endung' (Geldner, loc. cit.). ' His sickle is the sharp edge of Agni.' M. M. — On ^uhubhi//, comp. Pischel, Vedische Studien, H, iii. 48 VEDIC HYMNS. Note 3. As to v/7shayase with the accusative, comp. Gaedicke, 74. RV. X, 44, 4. nrgih skambham . . . vr/- shayase. Note 4. With the last Pada comp. IV, 7, 9. kr/sh;/am te ema ruj-ata// pura/^ bha//. Verse 5. Note 1. That is, among the fuel. Note 2. I think that we have here probably — (though, of course, this explanation can be avoided) — an anacoluthon. The poet began with the nominative (abhivra^an), and then he changed the construction and went on as if he had begun with the ablative, taking sthatu/^ >^aratham (comp. Lanman, 422) as the subject instead of Agni. — PatatnV/a// seems to be nom. pi. ; comp. I, 94, 11 (see below). Verse 7. Note 1. The translation of arati is only approximative and conjectural. Note 2. Comp. Pischel, Ved. Studien, II, 113. Note 3. Comp. Ill, 54, 3. saparyami prayasa yami ratnam. Verse 9. Note 1. The last Pada is the standing conclusion of the Nodhas hymns. MAArZ)ALA I, HYMN 59. 49 MAiV/^ALA I, HYMN 59. ASHrAKA I, ADHYAYA 4, VARGA 25. 1. The other Agnis (the other fires) are verily thy branches, O Agni. In thee all the immortals enjoy themselves^ Vai^vanara ! Thou art the centre- of human settlements ; like a supporting column thou holdest men^ 2. The head of heaven, the navel of the earth is Agni; he has become the steward^ of both worlds. Thee, a god, the gods have engendered, O Vai5- vanara, to be a light for the Arya. 3. As in the sun the rays are firmly fixed, thus in Acrni Vaii"vanara all treasures have been laid down^ (The treasures) which dwell in the mountains, in the herbs, the waters, and among men — of all that thou art the king. 4. As the two great worlds to their son\ like a Hotri, like a skilful man, (we bring) praises — manifold (praises) to him who is united with the sun, to the truly strong one, new (praises) to Vaii"vanara, the manliest god. 5. Thy greatness, O 6'atavedas, Vaii'vanara, has exceeded even the great heaven. Thou art the king of the human tribes ; thou hast by fighting gained wide space for the gods. 6. Let me now proclaim the greatness of the bull whom the Piirus worship as the destroyer of enemies \ Agni Vaii"vanara, having slain the Dasyu, shook the (aerial) arena and cut clown 6'ambara. [46] E 50 VEDIC HYMNS. 7. Agni Vabvanara, extending by his greatness over all dominions, who is to be worshipped, the bright one, rich in loveliness, is awake (or, is praised) among the Bharadva^as, in the homestead of Puru;^itha 6'atavaneya, with his hundredfold blessings. NOTES. The same Rishi as in I, 58. Metre, Trish/ubh. None of the verses of this hymn occurs in the other Sa;//hitas. Verse 1. Note 1. Comp. VII, 11, i. na rite tvat amr/ta/z maday- ante, ' the immortals do not enjoy themselves without thee.' Note 2. Literally, ' the navel.' Comp. Muir, V^, 214. Note 3. Comp. IV, 5, i (see below), upa stabhayat upami't na rodha/^. Verse 2. Note 1. Comp. the remark on I, 58, 7 (note i). Verse 3. Note 1. I cannot follow Prof, von Roth (Zeitschrift der D. Morgenl. Gesellschaft, XLVIII, 116), who explains dadhire as a third person sing, of dhri. Verse 4. Note 1. The incompleteness both of the construction and of the metre shows that the text of the first Pada is corrupt. I doubt whether it ever will be possible to restore the correct reading with full certainty, but I shall be glad if others succeed better than I did — and I may add, better than Prof, von Roth (Zeitschrift der D. Morg. Gesellschaft, XLVIII, 117 seq.) seems to me to have succeeded — in cor- recting and in interpreting the text. I think that after sunave MANDALA I, HYMN 59. 5 I rodasi clearly one syllable is wanted to complete the Pada : possibly we should read therefore sunave rodasyo/^ (comp. verse 2, Pada 2, arati/i rodasyo/^, which words form the end of the Pada). Agni, as is well known, is the son of the two worlds, the sunu// rodasyo//. In the beginning of the Pada br/hati' must either refer to the two worlds : in this case we have to read hrihatyo/i (instead of br/hati' iva) ; or brzTiati' may refer, as this adjective frequently does, to the gi'ra/z, and we shall possibly have to read hrihatUi vsi/i (as to va./i, comp. Delbrlick, Altindische Syntax, 206). But of course all these are mere guesses. In every case the verb on which the accusative gira/i depends (' we bring,' or something like that) must be supplied. Verse 6. Note 1. Or, as the killer of Vr/tra. See H. O., Religion des Veda, 135, note 3. E 2 52 VEDIC HYMNS. MAiVZ^ALA I, HYMN 60. ASHZAKA I, ADHYAYA 4, VARGA 26. 1. Matarijvan brought (Agni) to Bhr/gu as a gift precious like wealth, of double birth ^, the carrier, the famous, the beacon of the sacrifice -, the ready and immediately successful messenger. 2. Both follow his command, the Ui"i^s ^ offering sacrificial food, and the mortals. The Hotrz (Agni) has sat down before daybreak among the clans, the lord of the clans, whose leave should be asked, the performer of worship. 3. May our new, beautiful praise, born^ from our heart, reach him the honey-tongued (Agni), whom A the human priests in our settlement ^ the Ayus, offering enjoyment have engendered. 4. The Us'ig-^, the purifier, the Vasu has been established among men, the best Hotr/ among the clans, the domestic^ master of the house in the house : Agni has become the treasure-lord of treasures. 5. Thus we, the Gotamas, praise thee, O Agni, the lord of treasures, with our (pious) thoughts, rubbing thee as (they rub down) a swift racer that wins the prize. May he who gives wealth for our prayer, come quickly in the morning ^ NOTES. Rishl and metre are the same. No verse occurs in the other Sawhitas. Verse 1. Note 1. The celestial and the terrestrial birth of Agni. Comp, Bergaigne, Rel. Ved., II, 52. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 6o. 5'* O Note 2. The text has vidathasya. Comp. I, 31, 6, note 2. Verse 2. Note 1. On us{£- (' the vvilh'ng one '), as denoting the mythical priests who have first established Agni and have sacrificed as the first, comp. Bergaigne, I, 57 seq. The ubhayasa/^ seem to be these mythical ancestors and the actual sacrificers. Verse 3. Note 1. I propose to read ^ayamana. Comp. I, 171, 2. stoma// . . . h;'/da tashta/i ; II, ;^^, 2. hrtda/i a siitash/am mantram ; VIII, 43, 2. agne ^anami sush/utim ; V, 42, 13. gi'ram , . . ^ayamanam, &c. — Comp. Lanman, 356. Note 2. On the meaning of vrz'^ana, see Max Miiller, vol. xxxii, pp. XX, 208, 304 ; Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, 139 seq., with my remarks, Gottinger Gelehrte Anzeigen. 1890, 410 seq.; Liidwig, Ueber Methode bei Interpretation des i?zg-veda, 27 seq. ; Colinet, Les Principes de I'Exegese Vedique d'apres MM. Pischel et Geldner, 28 seq.; von Bradke, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morg. Gesellschaft, XLVIII, 500 ; Bechtel, Nachrichten der Gottinger Gesell- schaft der Wiss., 1894, 392 seq. Verse 4. Note 1. See verse 2, note i. Note 2. Bartholomae's theory (Bezzenberger's Beitrage. XV, 194) that the stem damunas has been developed out of the phrase damu na/i, 'in our house,' does not carry conviction. Verse 5. Note 1. See I, 58, 9, note i. 54 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^Z^ALA I, HYMN 65. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 5, VARGA 9. I \ Thee who hidest thyself in secret like a thief with an animaP (which he has stolen) — who hadst harnessed ^ adoration and carriedst adoration — 2. The wise unanimously followed by thy foot- marks ^ All (gods) deserving worship (reverentially) sat down near thee. ■X. The orods followed the laws of i?/ta. There was an encompassing as the heaven (encompasses) the earth ^ 4. In the lap, in the womb of 7?/ta, the waters nourish the fine child with praise, him who is well born. 5. Like good fortune, like a broad abode, like the fertile hill \ like the refreshing stream, 6. Like a racer urged forward in the race, like the rapids of the Sindhu ^ — who can hold him back ? 7. (He is) the kinsman of the rivers, as a brother of his sisters. He eats the forests as a king (eats, i. e. takes the wealth of) the rich \ 8. When he has spread through the forests, driven by the wind, Agni shears the hair of the earth. 9. Sitting in the waters he hisses like a swan. (He is) most famous by his power of mind, he who belongs to the clans, awakening at dawn — 10. A performer of worship like Soma, the god born from R/ta., like a young (?)^ beast, far-extending, far-shining. MA;Vi)ALA I, HYMN 65. 55 NOTES. The authorship of the whole collection, I, 6^-^^, is ascribed to Para^-ara vSaktya. These hymns are addressed exclusively to Agni. The greater part of them (65-70) is composed in the Vira^ metre ; comp. on this metre my Prolegomena, 95 seq. I have given there my reasons for considering that each verse consists of twenty, not of forty syllables. This section ascribed to Paraj-ara has been treated of by Bollensen, Zeitschrift der D. Morg. Gesellschaft, XXII, 569 seq. No verse of these hymns composed in the metre Dvipada Vira^ (I, 65-70) occurs in the other Sa/whitas. Verse 1. Note 1. Professor Max Miiller proposes the following translation for verses i and 2 : The wise (gods) together followed thee (Agni) when in hiding, by means of footsteps, as one follows a thief by the animal ; they followed thee who accepts and carries adoration (to the gods). All the worshipful gods sat down (reverentially) near thee. Note 2. There is no reason for reading with Earth olomae (Studien zur indogermanischen Sprachgeschichte, I, 48) paj"van (gen. plur.) na tayum. Note 3. Ludwig proposes yuvanam, which is quite un- necessary.— See also Gaedicke, 173. Verse 2. Note 1. We have here the well-known myth of the hidden Agni discovered by the gods. The * wise ones,' (dhfra/^) are no doubt the searching gods, the same who are called ya^atra/z in the last Pada, and who are expressly designated as dcva/i in verse 3. Comp. Bergaigne, I, no. Verse 3. Note 1. Regarding the construction, see Gaedicke, 192. — Professor Max Muller's opinion on this phrase differs from 56 VEDIC HYMNS. mine. He writes : ' I should prefer parish/i. But parish/i seems to mean a running about, reconnoitring, searching. " There was searching on earth as in heaven," Ht, earth, like heaven, was reconnoitring-ground.' Verse 5. Note 1. Comp. VIII, 50, 2. glri/i na bhu^ma. I believe that Boehtlingk-Roth, Bollensen, and Grassmann are right in correcting our passage accordingly ; ranva, pr/thv", j"ambhu follow the gender of the corresponding substantives, and the same may be expected here. Comp. Lanman, 530. The meaning is that Agni yields nourishment to all beings as a mountain fertilises the country by the waters which come down from it ; comp. VIII, 49, 2. glre/i iva pra rasd// asya pinvire datra«i purubhq^asa/^. Verse 6. Note 1. Regarding the construction, comp. Gaedicke, 252 seq. ; Bergaigne, Melanges Renier, 95. Joh. Schmidt (Die Pluralbildungen der indogerm. Neutra, 305) and Lud- wig (V, 524J are wrong in taking kshoda// as a locative or as an instrumental respectively. Verse 7. Note 1. Comp. Pischel-Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, p. xvi. Verse 10. Note 1. Can sisva be the nominative of a stem j'uvan which stands by the side of sisu as r/bhvan of ribhu ? Prof. Max Muller proposes : ' Large like a cow with young, like a pregnant cow.' MA^DALA I, HYMN 66. 57 MAiV/^ALA I, HYMN 66. ASH^AKA I, ADHYAyA 5, VARGA 10. 1. Like unto excellent wealth, like unto the shine of the sun, like unto living breath, like unto one's own ^ son — 2. Like unto a quick takvan ^ he (Agni) holds the wood, like milk, like a milch cow '\ bright and shininof. 3. He holds safety, pleasant like a homestead, like ripe barley, a conqueror of men, 4. Like a /?/shi uttering (sacred) shouts, praised among the clans ; like a well-cared-for race-horse ^, Agni bestows vigour. 5. He to whose flame men do not grow accus- tomed \ who is like one's own mind ^, like a wife on a couch, enough for all (happiness). 6. When the bright (Agni) has shone forth, he is like a white (horse [?])^ among people, like a chariot with golden ornaments, impetuous in fights. 7. Like an army which is sent forward he shows his vehemence, like an archer's shaft with sharp point. 8. He who is born is one twin ; he who will be born ^ is the other twin — the lover of maidens, the husband of wives ^. 9 ^ As cows go to their stalls, all that moves and we, for the sake of a dwelling, reach him who has been kindled. 10. Like the flood of the Sindhu ^ he has driven forward the downwards-flowing (waters)^. The cows lowed at the sight of the sun ^ 58 VEDIC HYMNS, NOTES. The same Rishi and metre. Verse 1. Note 1. Comp. I, 166, 2; 185, 2; X, 39, 14. The second passage (ni'tyam na sunum pitro/^ updsthe dyava rakshatam pr/thivi na// abhvat) would be sufficient to show that we cannot translate ' wie ein iiberlebender sohn ' (Ludwig). Verse 2. Note 1, We do not know what animal the takvan is. Comp. I, 134, 5 with M. M.'s note. Note 2. See Bergaigne, Mel. Renier, loi ; Gaedicke, ^53- Verse 4. Note 1. Comp. X, 101, 7. priwita asvan hitam ^ayatha. Verse 5. Note L Comp. VII, 4, 3. durokam agni// ayave susoka.. Note 2. Prof. Max Muller believes that kratu here means, ' like kartr/, a sacrificer, so that kratu// na nhya/i sounds like sunu// na nltya/i, one's own sacrificing son. But all this is very obscure.' Verse 6. Note 1. The second Pada is translated by Grassmann : 'wie Licht in Hausern ;' by Ludwig: * fast weiss, bei den menschenstammen.' I think that there can be no doubt that the words sveta/i na contain a comparison like all the other comparisons of which these hymns are full ; this comparison is unduly effaced in Ludwig's translation. Nor is Grassmann right in translating sveta/i bei 'Licht;' the word is an adjective meaning 'white' and nothing else. We must supply here, as in many passages, a substantive, and I do not see any reason why this should not be that MANDALA I, HYMN 66. 59 substantive with which sveta. is most frequently combined in the Rig-veda, namely a^va ; comp. I, 116, 6; 118, 9 [119, 10] ; VII, 77, 3 ; X, 39, 10. In V, I, 4 it is said of Agni : sveta/i va^i' ^ayate agre ahnam, ' the white racer is born in the beginning of the days.' "Verse 8. Note 1. The traditional text is yama// ha ^atd/i yama// ^anitvam. Ludwig translates ' bewaltiger des gebornen, bewaltiger auch des, was erst geboren wird.' It will scarcely be necessary to state the reasons which make against this translation. Yama// . . . yama/^ evidently means : ' the one twin . , . the other twin.' Now if we leave the text unchanged, we cannot but translate : ' the one twin is he who has been born, the other twin is that which will be born' — which sounds very strange. In I, 89, 10 we have aditi/^ ^atam aditUi ^anitvam ; IV, 18, 4. anta/^^ateshu uta ye^anitva// ; X, 45, 10. ut^atena bhinadat lit ^anitvai/A In all these cases ^ata and ^anitva stand parallel ; there is no such difference as in our passage, according to the traditional text, between him (masc.) who is . . . and that (neuter) which will be . . . Thus I propose to read ^anitva//, of which conjecture Ludwig has thought also (see his note, IV, 259): that present Agni who has been born, and that future Agni who will be born, are twins. — Prof Max Muller has discussed this passage in his Science of Language, II, 630 seqq. He interprets the twin who has been born as Agni representing the morning ; the twin who will be born as the evening. Note 2. The maidens very probably are the dawns (comp. Prof. Max Miiller's discussion quoted in the last note). Are the wives the sacrificial ladles which approach Agni, or the offerings of ghee, or the prayers ? See Bergaigne, Rel. Vedique, II, 9 seqq. Verse 9. Note 1. This verse is very obscure, and I am quite aware of the merely tentative character of the translation which 6o VEDIC HYMNS. I propose. I leave va.h untranslated (comp. Delbruck, Altindische Syntax, 206), which must be done in most of the numerous verses beginning with the words tam va/^. I then read i-aratha (comp. 68, i ; 70, 3. 7). Vasatya seems to be either a dative similar to the newly-discovered datives in -a of a-stems, or we possibly should read vasatyai (vasatya in the Sa7«hita-pa///a). — Prof. Max Miiller thinks of a correction ^arama/^ and would translate : ' To him (whom you know — va//) when lighted we go for our dwelling, as the cows reach their home.' Verse 10. Note 1. Comp. above, 6q, 6. Note 2. Or the downwards-streaming libations of Ghrz'ta and the like ? Comp. below, I, 73, 10 with note 4. Note 3. Comp. below, 69, 10. MAiVDALA I, IIY^rN 67. 6 1 MAiVZ^ALA I, HYMN 67. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAyA 5, VARGA 11. 1. Victorious^ in the forests, a friend among men, he demands obedience like a king, the undecaying one ^. 2. Like good peace, like fortunate wisdom, may- he (Agni) be a kind Hot;V, a carrier of offerings. 3. Having taken in his hand all manly powers, he has made the gods fear, when sitting down in his hiding-place. 4. There the thoughtful men find him, when they have recited the spells which they had fashioned in their heart. 5. As the goat^ (supports) the earth-, thus he supports the earth ^ ; he upholds the sky by his efficacious spells. 6. Protect the dear^ footsteps of the cattle^. O Agni, thou who hast a full life, thou hast gone from covert to covert ^. 7. He who has seen him the hidden one, he who has got near to the stream of Rit2i ' — 8. They who get him off, doing service to RiX2., to him ^ he then indicates riches. 9. He who grows up with might within the plants, and within the children \ and within the sprouting grass -■ — 10. The splendour [?] in the home of the waters \ the full-lived. The sages made him as if building a seat. 62 VEDIC HYMNS. NOTES. The same Rtshl and metre. Verse 1. Note 1. ' Gayuk : aus ^yayu/^, wie der compar. ^yayan ^esh//^a// zeigt,' Ludwig. But what shows that ^yayan is the comparative of ^ayuZ; and that the utterly impossible change of ^ into g is possible ? Ludwig's translation ' iiberwindend ' is right ; comp. I, 119, 3. Note 2. I propose to read a.£nrya./i. Prof. Max Miiller conjectures — as Roth (Pet. Diet.) has done— that jrush^i may mean ' obedient, servant ;' he translates : ' He desires a servant (or worshipper) who is not aged.' Verse 5. Note 1. On the mythical goat whose office it is to support the worlds, comp. I, 164, 6; VIII, 41, 10; X, 82, 6 ; Bergaigne, III, 21 ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 72. Note 2. For ' earth ' the text has two different words, ksham and prz'thivi'm. Prof. Max Miiller conjectures dyam for ksham : ' He, Agni; supports the earth, as the buck the sky.' Verse 6. Note 1. Literally, ' the dear footsteps ; ' but the meaning of priya may be compared to that of the Homeric 0tAos, his own. Note 2. One could be tempted to refer the word pa.su to Agni, whose footsteps (padani) the ' wise ones ' follow [6^, 2), and whom they find out in his hiding. Thus we could translate, ' Look at the dear footsteps of the beast.' But the comparison of 70, 6 makes it more probable that the imperative ni pahi is addressed to Agni. I believe therefore that Grassmann is right in translating ' Die lieben Statten der Heerden schiitze.^ Ludwig's translation is M AND ALA I, HYMN 67. 6t^ similar to this. Prof. Max Mliller translates : ' Observe the footsteps of the animal (the stolen animal of the thief Agni).' Note 3. With guha giiham comp. 1,53, 7. yudha yiidham, pura puram. Verse 7. Note 1. Dharam r/tasya : comp. V, 12, 2. r/tasya dhara/? anu tr/ndhi purvi//, 'open the many streams of iv/ta;' VII, 43, 4. rztasya dhara/i sudugha/i duh^na//, ' milking the streams of Rita, flowing with plenty.' The stream of Rita. seems to mean the stream of blessings (such as rain, ghee, &c.) which flows to mankind according to the eternal laws of Rita. Verse 8. Note 1. The poet passes over from the plural to the singular. Verse 9. Note 1. Bollensen's conjecture pra^asu (instead of pra^a/^ uta) seems very probable to me. Prof von Roth (Ueber gewisse Kiirzungen des Wortendes, p. 2) takes a different view. Note 2. Comp. I, 95, 10 (see below) ; VII, 9, 3. apam girhha/i prasva// a vive^a, ' the son of the waters has entered upon the sprouting grass.' Verse 10. Note 1. ' Why not kit'i/i apam dame, that is, the (burning) pile in the home of the waters.' M. M. 64 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^/^ALA I, HYMN 68. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAyA 5, VARGA 12. 1. Cooking^ (the oblations?) the quick one has approached the sky. He has revealed the nights and what stands and moves ^ — • 2. When he the god, alone of all these gods^ encompassed (the others) by his greatness. 3. When thou, O god, hadst been born living from the dry (wood), then all (gods and men ?) were pleased with thy wisdom. 4. They all obtained the name of divinity, of immortality \ serving the 7?/ta in due way. 5. The instigations of 7?/ta, the thought of Riidi ^ : they all performed the works of [?] the full-lived one ^. 6. Bestow wealth, thou who art the knowing one, on him who worships thee or who does service to thee ^ 7. He who sits down as the Hot;-/ among the offspring of Manu : he verily is the master of all these riches. 8. They longed together for the seed in their bodies \ and the wise ones were concordant among each other in their minds. 9. They took pleasure in his will, as sons (take pleasure) in their father's (will), the quick ones who have listened to his command. 10. He who is rich in food has opened the gates of wealth ^ The householder (Agni) has adorned the sky with stars. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 68. 65 NOTES. The same Rishi and metre. Verse 1. Note 1. Boehtlingk-Roth are wrong in deriving j-ri;/an (which should more correctly be written sri/iAn, comp. my Prolegomena, 477) from the root j-ri. They supply an object like soH/i and translate : ' Licht verbreitend hebt er sich zum Himmel.' Note 2. Lanman, 422. Verse 2. Note 1. Bollensen conjectures devanam deva// (instead of deva/i devanam) which seems to be right (comp. below, 69, 2), though this conjecture is not absolutely necessary (see my Prolegomena, 97). Verse 4. Note 1. Am/v'tam belongs to na'ma ; comp. V, 57, 5. amr/tam na'ma bhe^ire ; X, 1 23, 4. vidat gandharva// amr/- tani na'ma. Verse 5. Note 1. With rztasya dhiti// comp. I, 71, 3 ; IV, 23, 8 ; IX, 76, 4; 97, 34; III, 2. — Prof. Max Muller thinks that rita should be taken as a name of Agni : ' for the righteous (Agni) are the prayers, for the righteous the devotion.' Note 2. Is visvayu/i an adverb meaning ' eternally ' ? As vij-vayu is an epithet of Agni frequently used in the Rig- veda and especially in the Paraj'ara hymns (see 67, 6. 10 ; 68, 5 ; 73, 4), one feels tempted to read visvsiyo/i (comp. IV, 42, 1. rash/ram kshatri'yasya v\svsiyo/i). Verse 6. Note 1. Comp. Ill, 59, 2. yA/i te aditya ji'kshati vratena. [46] F 66 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 8. Note 1. Some light is thrown on this obscure verse by the hymn, I, 72, a hymn belonging, as our hymn does, to the Paraj-ara collection. It is shown by the second verse of that hymn (see below) that the searching ones, ' amura//,' are the gods who seek Agni. It seems probable, consequently, that the 'seed' is Agni (comp. I, 164, ^^, where Soma is said to be vr/shna/i ajvasya reta//, ' the seed of the manly horse'). Of the same searching gods in I, 72, 5 the ex- pression sa;/4^anana7/ is used ; comp. sam Janata in our passage. Verse 10. Note 1. Kaya/i must be a genitive ; comp. I, 72, 8. raya/; dura// VI ritaguah a^anan. Probably the accent should be xkykh; comp., however, Lanman, 431. MAiViJALA I, HYMN 69. 67 MA/V/;ALA I, HYMN 69. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAyA 5, VARGA 13. 1. Bright, flaming, like the lover of the Dawn \ he has, like the light of the sky, filled the two (worlds of Heaven and Earth) which are turned towards each other. 2. As soon as thou wert born thou hast excelled by thy power of mind ; being the son of the gods thou hast become their father. 3. (Agni is) a worshipper (of the gods), never foolish, (always) discriminating ; (he is) like the udder of the cows ; (he is) the sweetness of food ^ — 4. Like a kind friend to men, not to be led astray ^ sitting in the midst, the lovely one, in the house ; 5. Like a child when born, he is delightful in the house; like a race-horse which is well cared for^, he has wandered across the clans ^. 6. When I call (to the sacrifice) the clans who dwell in the same nest with the heroes, may Agni then attain all divine powers ^ 7. When thou hast listened to these heroes, no one breaks those laws of thine. 8. That verily is thy wonderful deed that thou hast killed \ with thy companions, (all foes), that, joined by the heroes, thou hast accomplished thy works -. 9. Like the lover of the Dawn \ resplendent and bright, of familiar form : may he (thus) pay attention to this (sacrificer). F 2 68 VEDIC HYMNS. lo. Carrying (him) they opened by themselves the doors {of heaven). They all shouted at the aspect of the sun '. NOTES. The same 7?/shi and metre. Verse 1. Note 1. The lover of the Dawn is here the Sun. See Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 31. Verse 3. Note 1. Agni is the sweetness of food (comp. V, 7, 6. svadanam pitunam) ; it is not probable that sva'dma and ddha/i should depend on vi^anan, as Ludwig believes. Verse 4. Note 1. I adopt Boehtlingk-Roth's conjecture ahurya//. Ahurya// would mean, ' he who is to be led astray.' Verse 5. Note 1. See above, 66, 4. Note 2. ' He has overcome the (hostile) clans.' M. M. Verse 6. Note 1. Perhaps devatva is an instrumental, as Ludwig takes it. In this case we should have to translate : ' may Agni by his divine power attain everything.' — Prof. Max Mijller translates this verse : ' When I with my men call the clans of the same nest (the gods), Agni will obtain all divine honours.' Verse 8. Note 1. The first hemistich of this verse has eleven syllables instead of ten and shows the regular Trish/ubh type. The same irregularity occurs in 70, 4. 10. As I have shown in my Prolegomena, p. 97, this metrical irregularity does not necessitate corrections of the text, MAA^DALA I, HYMN 69. 69 and the comparison of X, 147, i (see next note), where it is said ahan yat vrz'tram . . . vWe/i a.pa/i, seems even to confirm the traditional reading. It cannot be denied, however, that the double yat and the use of ahan without an object raises some suspicion. In I, 34, 3 ; 1H6, 4 we have samine ahan. Possibly we may read, tat tii te dawsa// ahan samane, ' this wonderful deed of thine has been accomplished on one and the same day (with that mentioned in verse 7).' I am fully aware of the uncertainty of such guesses. The removal of yat has already been proposed by Bollensen (Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morg. Gesellschaft, XXII, 592). Note 2. Here we may correct the text with greater certainty than in the first hemistich, or to speak more accurately, we shall have to correct not the traditional text itself, but that ancient grammatical commentary on the text which has been preserved to us in the Padapa///a. The words viverapawsi of the Sa;«hitapa///a are written in the Padapa//^a vive/i rapawsi. Now we read IV, 19, 10. apa;;/si . . . narya aviveshi//, ' thou hast performed manly works.' In X, 147, i we have ahan yat vritram naryam vive/i apa// : here the adjective narya clearly shows that apa/! is a blunder for apa//, and we must translate, ' when thou hast killed Vr/tra and performed thy manly work.' This passage shows that in X, 76, 3 also vive/i apa/z should be corrected (v. apa/z). Thus we have three passages in which aviveshi/; or v'lve/i has the object apa//, ap^wsi, and we may infer with full certainty that in our passage viverapa;;zsi does not correspond to a Padapa///a reading vive/i rapa7;/si but vive/i apawsi. The same may be said with regard to VI, 31,3 (nmshaya/z kakrim avive/z rapawsi; Sa.i/ih. avive rapawsi). Verse 9. Note 1. Comp. above, verse i. Verse 10. Note 1. Comp. above, 66, 10. yO VEDIC HYMNS. MAA/"i9ALA I, HYMN 70. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 5, VARGA 14. 1. May we, the poor^ succeed in many (pious) thoughts 2. May Agni with his pure splendour attain everything — 2. He who understands the divine laws and the birth of the human race. 3. He who is the child of the waters, the child of the trees, the child of that which stands, and the child of that which moves. 4. Even in the rock (they have done homage [?]) to him, in his dwelling \ (He is) like a protector [?] ^ of the clans, the immortal one, he who is of a good mind. 5. For he, Agni, (shows himself as) an earth- protecting (lord) of riches ^ to the man who satisfies him with well-spoken (prayers). 6. Protect, 6 knowing one, these beings, thou who knowest the birth of gods and men \ 7. He whom many nights (and dawns), in their different forms \ may increase, whom that which moves - and that which stands (increases), the god penetrated by 7?/ta — 8. That Hot77' who has sat down in the sun ^ has been successfully worshipped- (by the human sacrificers), he who truly accomplishes all his works. 9. On the cows, on the trees thou hast conferred excellence. May all men bring us tribute in the sun \ MAA'DALA I, IIVMN JO. 7 1 lo. In many places men have worshipped thee. They have brought (thee) to different places ^ as sons (divide) the property of an aged father 2. II ^ (He is) like a greedy man- who goes straight (to his aim), like a mighty archer, like a fearful avenger [?] ^, impetuous in contests ■*. NOTES. The same Ris\\\ and metre. Verse 1. Note 1. I adopt Bergaigne's opinion on the word an' (see Religion Vedique, II, 218 seq.). Note 2. The Padapa///a has manisha instead of manisha/^. See my Prolegomena, 385 ; Lanman, 363. Prof Max Miiller proposes to translate: 'May we by wisdom overcome many enemies!' He writes: 'Is not vanema almost a standing formula as applied to enemies ? Let us conquer the enemies. The enemies are masculine in VI 1, 48, 3. vuvan arya/^ . . . van- van, feminine in VI, 16, 27. vanvanta/^ arya// arati//. VIII, 39, 2. visva/i axykJi arati//. X, 133, 3. \\s\kh arataya/^ arya/;. IV, 50, II. ^a^astam arya/i vaniisham arati/^ (repeated VII, 97, 9 ; cf. I, 29, 4).' For my translation I refer to II, 5, 7. stomam . . . vanema; II, 11, 12. dhi'yam vanema ; I, 122, 14. arya/i gira/i ; X, 148, 3. arya/i va gira//- abhi ar/('a vidvan. Verse 4. Note 1. Or : even in the rock (they have done homage) to him, and in the (human) dwelling ? I believe we must supply a verb on which the dative asmai depends. Ludwig proposes to read duro//am : 'within the stone is his dwelling.' Comp. II, i, i; VI, 48, 5. Note 2. I do not understand vij^am na visva/i. Ludwig translates ' er ist der menschen allgemeiner, unsterblicher 72 VEDIC HYMNS. fiirsorger.' But visva. does not mean ' allgemein,' and Ludwig omits na, 'like.' One should expect a phrase like visam na vispitUi, which of course is metrically impossible. Is it too bold to correct visvak into vlspa/i, a word hitherto not found in the texts, but formed exactly like stipa, pa.fupa, tanupa and others?— Prof. Max Miiller takes asmai as dependent on svadhi'// and visva/i as belonging at the same time to amr/ta// and to vij-am. He translates : ' To him also who dwells in the rock and in the house, every immortal like every one among men is well disposed.' Verse 5. Note 1. Comp. VII, jo, 5. sa hi kshapavan abhavat rayiwam. Verse 6. Note 1. Most probably we have here not the accusative martan but the genitive martam, which was confounded by the arrangers of the traditional text with the accusative and treated according to the Sandhi rules which govern the ending -an. See Lanman, Noun-Inflection, 353 ; Bartholomae, Studien zur indogermanischen Sprachge- schichte, I, 48. Verse 7. Note 1. Lanman (p. 422) takes kshapa// vi'rupa// as ac- cusatives, and translates, ' Whom through many nights and mornings all beings worship.' I believe that they are nominatives, and that we should accentuate kshapa/^. As vi'rupa is a regular epithet of naktoshasa, I think that kshapa/^ is to be understood as an elliptic plural similar to the elliptic duals ushasa or ahani (comp. Delbriick, Alt- indische Syntax, 102), and that it means, ' the nights (and mornings).' — Comp. VI, 38,4. vardhan masa/i sa.vada./i dyava/? I'ndram, ' May months, years, days increase Indra's great- ness.' Note 2. Of course ka ratham is a mistake for /^aratham, as first pointed out by Benfey. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 70. Verse 8. Note 1. On the locative svar, see Lanman, 4 n we read .ryavi ka. . . . arushi ka. svasarau, ' the two sisters, the dark one and the red one.' Is it not probable that in our passage also it is the sisters who are described as dark and red? The dark goddess and the red goddess of course are Night and Dawn, and Night and Dawn, as is well known, are sisters in Vedic poetry. And furthermore the 'sisters" are de- scribed in our verse as amorously exciting the god Agni : for it cannot well be doubted that the svasara// of the third Pada are identical with the usciti/i of the first : similarly it is said in 70, 7 — in a hymn belonging to the same collection with our Sukta — that the Nights and Dawns augment Agni's greatness ; in other passages Agni is represented as beloved by the Dawn, or as suckled by Night and Dawn (Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, II, 14. 15). The 'sisters' then are stated in our verse to delight (a^ushran), probably m Agni : now we read in II, 2, 2. abhi tva nakti// ushasa/^ vavai'ire agne vatsam na svasareshu dhenava//, ' The Nights and Dawns, Agni, have lowed at thee as the milch-cows in their stalls at their calves ;' comp. Bergaigne, II, 15. Thus everything is clear, if we take the usati/i and the svasara/^ for the bright and dark goddesses, i. e. for the Dawns and Nights. The correction of the text to which this inter- pretation leads, is svasara// syavi/i arushi/^ a^ushran, 'the dark and the red sisters have delighted (in Agni).' It is easy to understand that the corruption of the text was occasioned by the simile of the fourth Pada. The words ushasam na gava// seemed to demand a parallel nominative and a parallel accusative in the third Pada. The nomina- tive was svasara/^, but there was no accusative. Thus probably arose the reading syavlm arushim. MAiVDALA I, TiYMN 7 1. 77 Verse 2. Note 1. On the Angiras as the fathers of the priestly tribes, see H. O., Religion des Veda, 278. Note 2. The phrase ushasa// ketu/? occurs several times in the Rig-veda. I think that ketum u&rak means exactly the same ; it has been shown by Kaegi, Festgruss an Boehtlingk, p. 49, and by Bartholomae, Bezzenberger's Beitrage, XV, 185, that a genitive sing, nsrih existed. Verse 3. Note 1. Ludwig refers asya to the sacrificer, Bollensen to Agni, and so does Saya;/a. I believe that asya should be explained as r/tasya ; the phrase r/tasya dhiti is frequently used, comp. IV, 23, 8 ; IX, 76, 4; 97,34; 111,2. See also Ludwig's note on III, 31, i (vol. v, p. 65).— Prof. Max Muller refers r/ta to Agni. ' One might translate it by righteous : They established the righteous (Agni), they moved his mind (made him attend ?).' Note 2. The substantive (of feminine gender) which is to be supplied to didhishva//, atrzshyanti//, &c., seems to me to be gi'ra/^ or the like. Arya// stands frequently together with gi'ra/^.— Prof. Max Muller writes : ' Could not ari be a feminine like /^arsha;/i and vi^- ; see before, I, 70, i. We should then translate, and then the people emulous, widely spread, never flagging [the stones also are called atr/shita/^ at;7sh;/a^a//, X, 94, 11], and active go tov\ards the gods.' Note 3. See above, 70, i, note i. Note 4. Are the prayers called ' free from thirst ' because they are accompanied by libations of Ghr/ta, Soma, &c. ? Note 5. I believe that devan ^anma depends both on 3.kklidi and on vardhayanti/^. Note 6. Devan, or rather devam, is gen. plur. ; see above, 70, 6, with note i. Verse 4. Note 1. The place in which vibhr/ta// stands would seem to show that it is an epithet of Matarij-van, and so it is understood by Ludwig and by Bergaigne (Rel.V^ed. I, 54). 78 VEDIC HYMNS. But it is Agni himself, not Matarij-van, who is very fre- quently mentioned as vi'bhrz'ta or the hke. As we read here, vi'bhrz'ta// . . . grzhe-gr/he, it is said in V, ii, 4. agni'm nara/z vi bharante grzhe-grihe, ' the men carry Agni hither and thither, to every house;' comp. I, 70, 10; III, So, 4; X, I, 2 ; 45, 2 ; 80, 4. Thus I believe the poet means to say that Matarijvan first kindled Agni, in one place of course, and that Agni then was brought to many places, to all human dwellings. I think that the text indeed can be understood in this way, if we suppose that the author, for the sake of the metre, allowed himself a hyperbaton or synchysis. We must not omit to mention that the first Pada of I, 148, I is nearly identical with our passage: mathit yat im vish/a/z mataruva. This Pada is deficient by one syllable. If we were to read vibhrzta/z, as in our passage, this would lead indeed to the conclusion that there is no hyperbaton in our verse — for the verse, I, 148, i, could not be explained in that way — but that vibhrzta/z refers to Matarijvan. I think, however, that it is more than doubtful that the verse, I, 148, i, really ought to be corrected in this way ; whatever may have been the original form of that verse, it is quite possible, and even probable, that it differed from our passage just in that one word. Note 2. The exact meaning of Bhrz'gavizza is doubtful. It is, of course, derived from Bhr/gu as vasavana, takavana, from vasu, taku. Agni is called Bhrigav^/za also in IV, 7, 4. Comp. Bergaigne, I, 54. Note 3. With the words a dutyam vivaya comp. IV, 9, 6. veshi it u asya dutyam. Verse 5. Note 1. This difficult verse evidently treats of the incest which the father Dyaus has committed with his daughter. Compare on this subject Bergaigne, Rel. Ved. II, 109 seq. Agni seems to be represented here as stimulating the desire of the father ; the 'sap ' (rasa) probably is the sperm, comp. I, 105, 2. MAiVZ>ALA I, HYMN 7 1. 79 In the second Pada, Agni, having done, as it seems, some mischief, goes away to the ' speckled cows.' We cannot say who these speckled cows were ; they evidently are identical with those mentioned in another passage treating of the same story, X, 61, (S. — Bergaigne paraphrases the second Pada of our verse, wrongly in my opinion, ' Agni sort furtivement de cette fille, de cette vache, prwani'.' The archer who shoots at Agni (third Pada) is not better known to us than the speckled cows. Bergaigne's opinion, ' que cet archer n'est autre que le pere lui-meme,' is not very convincing. Verse 6. Note 1. The traditional reading vibhati (' he who shines for thee in his house ') gives no satisfactory sense. I pro- pose to read vidhati. Cf. I, i 20, i. katha vidhati apra/'eta/^. Note 2. I have some doubts as to the correctness of usSita/i (Sa;//hitapa//^a, uj-ato) anu dyun. Ui'at, of course, is an epithet not of the days, but of Agni. But then we expect the dative. Correcting the text (ui-ate) is all the easier, because before a following vowel the dative and the genitive were, in the original pronunciation, identical (u^-ata^ anu ; see my Prolegomena, 447 sqq.) ; the spellings of the Sa;«hitapa///a, u.fat6 anu and ui-ate anu, belong to the inven- tions of Vedic grammarians. Note 3. Literally, May he whom thou incitest drive on the same chariot with riches. Comp. such expressions as rathi'/^ raya/^ and the like. Verse 7. Note 1. Comp. IV, 44, 2. yuvo/i vapu// abhi pr/ksha/i sa/^ante ; VII, 90, 5. Note 2. Comp. I, 26, 10, note i. Note 3. Ludwig : nicht unter unsern freundcn ward auszfundig gemacht die kraftspeise. Grassmann : nicht bei Verwandten ward uns Nahrung sichtbar. Wilson : Our food is not partaken of by our kinsmen. Griffith : Not by our brethren was our food discovered. — Ludwig and Grass- mann translate as if the text had ^ami'shu. What the 8o VEDIC HYMNS. instrumental means is shown, I believe, for instance, by IV, 14, 2. VI surya/; rai-mibhi// /tekitana//, ' the sun shining with his rays.' Thus in our passage the poet seems to me to say, ' We have no strong kinsmen who might add lustre to our strength. Agni, procure thou strength to us.' Comp. X, 23, 7. vidma hi te pramatim deva ^amivat, ' for we know, O god, thy providing care like that of a kinsman.' — Prof Max Miiller proposes the translation : ' Our wealth is not known by our kinsmen, i.e. we cannot support them as we ought.' Verse 8. Note 1. The poet returns here to the myth of which he had spoken in verse 5. Should the order of the verses be changed ? — On our verse, compare Geldner, Ved. Studien, II, 34- Note 2. Te^as seems to be here a synonym of retas, as in the later language. Note 3. Is the lord of men Agni ? See the third Pada. — Ishe I consider, with Geldner, as an infinitive. Note 4. My translation rests on the supposition that dyai'i// is to be corrected into dyoh ; thus the ablative is obtained, of which the word abhi'ke is usually accompanied (comp. Lanman, 433 ; Collitz, Bezzenberger's Beitrage, X, 15). If we leave the reading dyau//, this nominative will be the subject of the verb ana/". Then tegdih must be accu- sative dependent on ana^, and we can scarcely avoid making nr/patim to depend on the infinitive ishe. This is the way which Geldner has followed in interpreting this passage. But I cannot consider this separation of nrzpatim from the verb anai!' very probable. Note 5. The exact meaning of ^anayat seems to be here, *he caused them to be born.' Comp. ^atapatha Brahmawa I, 7,4,4. yatha tad dev^ reta/^ pra^anayan (comp. Aitareya Brahma;/a III, 34 ; see also Rig-veda X, 61, 7). Note 6. This may be the host of the seven 7?zshis. Comp. Ill, 31, i-s ; IV, I, 12 seq. (?). Or the Maruts are alluded to (comp. below, 72, 4), though that seems to me less probable. MANDW.A I, HYMN 7 1. 8 1 Verse 9. Note 1. Literally, in one day. But sadya// has already in the Rig-vcda the secondary meaning 'immediately, quickly.' Note 2. Comp. Ill, 56, 7. raVana mitra-varu;/a supa«i'. Note 3. See below, 72, 6. Verse 10. Note 1. Comp. VII, 18, 2 : there the words abhi v\du/i kavi'// san are identical with our text. Note 2. Of the second hemistich Prof. Collitz has treated in Bezzenberger's Beitrage, X, 15, note. He paraphrases the meaning in the following way : ' Der Sinn des ganzen Verses ist : unsere Freundschaft mit dir, Agni, stammt aus alter Zeit. Nun sagt man zwar " im Alter andert sich das Aussehn wie das der Wolke." Aber stehe du uns bei vor diesem Fluche.' I do not believe that this interpretation, though very ingenious, gives the real meaning of the Vedic poet. — Comp. I, 179, I. minati jriyam ^arima tanunam. [46] 82 VEDIC HYMNS. MAiV/^ALA I, HYMN 72. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAyA 5, VARGA 17-18. I. He has brought down (i.e. surpassed) the wisdom of many a worshipper \ he who holds in his hand all manly power. Agni has become the lord of treasures, he who brought together all (powers of) immortality. 2 \ All the clever immortals when seeking did not find the calf though sojourning round about us. The attentive (gods), wearying themselves, follow- ing his footsteps^, stood at the highest, beautiful^ standing-place of Agni. 3. When the bright ones^ had done service- to thee, the bright one, Agni, with Ghr/ta through three autumns, they assumed worshipful names ; the well-born shaped their own bodies. 4. Acquiring (or, exploring ?) for themselves the two great worlds, the worshipful ones brought for- ward their Rudra-like powers \ The mortal, when (beings) were in discord^, perceived and found out Agni standing in the highest place. 5. Being like-minded they^ reverentially ap- proached him on their knees. Togedier with their wives they venerated the venerable one^. Aban- doning their bodies they made them their own'*, the (one) friend waking when the (other) friend closed his eyes*. 6. When the worshipful (gods) have discovered the thrice seven secret steps ^ (or, places) laid down in thee, they concordantly guard with them immor- MAiVZJALA I, HYMN 72. 8 O tality. Protect thou the cattle and that which remains steadfast- and that which moves. 7. Knowing, O Agni, the estabhshed orders^ of (human) dwelhngs, distribute in due order gifts- that they may Hve. Knowing the ways which the ofods Q-o\ thou hast become the unwearied mes- senger, the bearer of oblations. 8. They who knew the right way and were filled with good intentions, beheld from heaven the seven young ^ (rivers) and the doors of riches. Sarama found the stronor stable of the cows from which human clans receive their nourishment-. 9. The Earth has spread herself far and wide with them who are great in their greatness, the mother Aditi, for the refreshment of the bird\ with her sons who have assumed all powers of their own dominion-, preparing (for themselves) the way to immortality. 10. When the immortals created the two eyes of heaven', they placed fair splendour in him (Agni) 2. Then they rush down^ like streams let loose. The red ones have recognised, O Agni, those which are directed downwards*. NOTES. The same Rishi and metre. — Verse i = TS. II, 2, 12, i. Verse 3 = TB. II, 4, 5, 6. Verses 8-9 == TB. II, 5, 8, 10. Verse 1. Note 1. The meaning seems to me to be : by his wisdom he excels all human wisdom. Prof Max Muller translates: * Agni, who holds in his hand all that men desire, conquers G 2 84 VEDIC HYMNS. (or, wins for himself) the praises of many a wise worshipper.' And the last Pada: 'he who brought together all immortal blessings.' — On sasvat, see VI, 6i, i; VII, i8, 18; VIII, 23, 28. Verse 2. Note 1. Here we have again the myth of the hidden Agni whom the gods seek. Agni is meant by the calf. Note 2. Going on foot, Saya;/a. Note 3. I follow Sayawa, Bollensen, and Ludwig in taking Mru as a locative. Verse 3. Note 1. ' Was not Sayawa right in taking this verse as referring to the Maruts? Cf. VI, 48, 21. . . . sii^ata also is an epithet of the Maruts, I, 88, 3 ; 166, 12.' M. M. Note 2. As to the subjunctive, comp. Delbriick, Syn- taktische Forschungen, I, p. 6y. The Taittiriya Brahma/;a (II, 4, 5, 6) reads saparyan. Verse 4. Note 1. I follow the Padapa//^a which has rudn'ya. But possibly we may have the nom. plur. rudn'ya/^ : ' the worshipful Rudriyas (i.e. Maruts) rushed forward.' Note 2. The translation of nemadhita is in jeopardy. Verse 5. Note 1. Probably the mortals, as Ludwig understands it. Comp. marta/^, verse 4. Note 2. The venerable one is Agni. Note 3. Possibly the text is corrupt. In IV, 24, 3 we read ririkvawsa// tanva// krzV/vata tram, 'abandoning (i.e. risking) their bodies they took him (Indra) for their pro- tector ' (comp. I, 100, 7). Should svak have supplanted another word, for instance, tram ? As the pronoun sva very frequently stands in apposition with tanii, it may have found its way also into passages to which it did not belong. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 72. 85 Note 4. The meaning seems to be that whenever the attention of one of the friends relaxed, another friend watched instead of the first. See Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenl. Gesellschaft, XLIV, 328; Bartholomae, Stndien zur indogerm. Sprachgeschichte, I, 95. Verse 6. Note 1. Saya7/a explains the tri7/ sapta pada as the three times seven kinds of sacrifices, the seven Pakaya^/^as, the seven Havirya^was, the seven Somaya^was. But this later system of the twenty-one forms of sacrifice can scarcely have existed at the time of the Rig-veda Sawhita. Three times seven is a favourite number in Rig-vedic mysticism ; comp. I, 191, 12. 14; IV, i, 16; VII, 87, 4 ; VIII, 46, 26 ; 69, 7 ; 96, 2 ; IX, 70, I ; 86, 21 ; X, 64, 8 ; 90, 1^. Possibly three times seven pieces of wood (sami- dha/^) are alluded to, comp. X, 90, 15, but everybody who has studied Bergaigne's Arithmetique mythologique (Rel. Ved. II, 114 seq. ; see especially p. 122) will admit that there are ever so many possible interpretations of a passage like this. Prof. Max Miiller's translation is : ' The worship- ful gods found in thee the twenty-one words which are hidden in thee. They guard with them the immortal (Agni).' — Instead of avidan (Padapa///a) I think we must read avidan. Note 2. Ludwig certainly is wrong in translating ' hi.ite du den wandel von tier und pflanze.' The author of this group of hymns is very fond of the phrase sthatu// /-aratham and the like ; see I, 68, i ; 70, 3. 7. The same phrase, in one or the other of its possible shapes, has evidently been used by him here also. The plural masculine sthatr/n is indeed very strange. Possibly J. Wackernagel is right in reading sthatu// (Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXV, 287 ; comp. Lanman, p. 422); the reading sthatr/// may be due to the neighbourhood of pasun. This sort of blunder is very frequent in the text of the Rig-veda. Prof. Max M tiller suggests : the stabled cattle and what moves about (in the meadows). 86 VEDTC HYMNS. Verse 7. Note 1. On vayuna, comp. Pischel, Ved. Studien, I, 295. 3C0. ' The thoughts of human beings.' M. M. Note 2. Sumdh : Pischel, Ved. Studien, I, 32. 50. Note 3. ' Which lead to the gods ?' M. M. Verse 8. Note 1. Comp. I, 26, 10, note i.— ' Beheld the seven young rivers coming down from heaven.' M. M. Note 2. See Delbruck, Syntaktische Forschungen, I, 87. Verse 9. Note 1. The bird seems to be Agni. Note 2. The Padapa///a gives su-apatyani. There is no doubt a word su-apatya, 'blessed with good offspring.' This is frequently used together with such nouns as rayi, kshaya, ish ; it stands in several passages by the side of pra^avat. See I, 1 17, 19 ; H, 2, 12 ; 4> 8 ; 9, 5 ; III, 3, 7 ; 16 1 • IV, 2, 11 ; X, 30, 12. But from this word should be distinguished sva-patya, derived from sva-pati (X, 44, I, &c.), ' a man's own dominion,' or ' own rulership ; ' comp. ^aspatya. This word is found here, and in some other passages, for instance, VII, 91, 3. vuva it nara/^ svapatyani kakru/i, ' the heroes have exercised all the powers of their own dominion;' VIII, 15,10. satra vuva svapatyani dadhishe, ' thou hast assumed (Indra) all powers of thy own dominion altogether.' — Ludwig translates correctly, ' alle selbsther- lichkeit.' The Taittiriya Brahma;/a reads >^akru// for tasthu/^. This reading evidently rests on Rig-veda IV, 34, 9 ; VII, 91, 3. There is no reason, however, for preferring this to the traditional reading of our Rik-text. Verse 10. Note 1. The sun and the moon ? This very natural explanation will scarcely be modified on account of passages like the following (5atapatha Brahma;^a I, 6, 3, 38): MAiVDALA I, HYMN 72. Sj ' These are the two eyes of the sacrifice, the (oblations of butter called) A^^yabhagas.' Note 2. Comp. below, 73, 4. Note 3. It is not necessary to change the text ; I believe, however, that the conjecture adha/; ksharanti (they stream downwards) would not be quite improbable. Comp. my Prolegomena, p. 369, note ].— The subject seems to be the streams of sacrificial libations. Note 4. Both expressions, ' the red ones ' and ' those which are directed downwards,' are feminine. The red ones may be the dawns. But these cannot be called ' directed downwards.' I take, therefore, the one noun as a nominative, the other as an accusative. Cannot ' those which are directed downwards ' be the libations of Gh/-/ta and the like, which the dawns see?— Prof. Max Muller translates : ' People recognised the red netherward mares (of thee), O Agni.' He supplies ^vala// or takes arushi// as mares, cf. V, 56, 6. 88 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^Z^ALA I, HYMN 73. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAyA 5, VARGA 19-20. 1. He who gives vigour like wealth acquired by the fathers \ who is a good guide like the instruction of a sage, who is pleased (by worship) like a comfort- ably resting guest-, (Agni) has crossed the (sacrificial) seat of the worshipper like a Hotrz. 2. He who being truthful like the god Savitrz'^ protects by his power of mind all settlements-, praised by many like impetuous splendour", the truthful one has become dear like vital breath and worthy to be searched for^. 3 \ (Agni) who possessing every refreshment dwells on the earth like a god, like a king who has made himself (valiant) friends^ like heroes who sit in front and under shelter, like a blameless wife beloved by her husband — 4. Thee, O Agni, who art constantly kindled in the house, men have worshipped in their firm dwellings. They have placed in him rich splendour^ Be thou possessed of all life, a supporter of riches'-. 5. May the liberal givers, O Agni, attain nourish- ment, may the rich^ who bestow gifts (on us) attain to a full span of life. May we win in battles the booty of him who does not give\ obtaining a (rich) share before the gods, that we may win glory ^. 6. The lowing milch-cows of Rita, assigned by Heaven, were exuberant with their full udders. The rivers imploring the favour (of the gods) from afar MAiVDALA I, HYMN y 7^. 89 have broken through the midst of the rock with their floods. 7. Imploring favour from thee, O Agni, the wor- shipful (gods) have won glory in the sky. They have made Night and Dawn of different shapes; they have joined the black and red colour (to Night and Dawn). 8. And may we, our liberal givers and ourselves, be the mortals whom thou furtherest to wealth, O Agni\ Like a shadow thou followest the whole world, having filled the two worlds (Heaven and Earth) and the air-. 9. May we, O Agni, guarded by thee, conquer with our racers the racers, with our men the men, with our heroes the heroes (of our enemies). Being masters of the riches which their fathers^ have con- quered, may our rich (givers) reach a hundred winters. 10. May these hymns, O Agni, worshipper (of the gods), be grateful to thee, to thy mind and heart. May we be able to bridle thee, the well- harnessed wealthy acquiring the glory which the gods have assigned us. NOTES. The same Rishi and metre.— Verse 5 = MS. IV, 14, 15. Verse 7 = TB. II, 7, 12, 5. Verse 10 = MS. IV, 14, I5- Verse 1. Note 1. Agni is compared to wealth acquired by the fathers, being himself pitr/vitta, found by the forefathers 90 VEDIC HYMNS. of the Brahmanic tribes. Prof. Max Miiller proposes to translate : ' wealth inherited from the fathers.' Note 2. Comp.VII, 42, 4, and see also VI, 16, 42. Verse 2. Note 1. The first Pada is identical with the fourth of IX, 97, 48. There the expressions are referred to Soma. Note 2. On vHgAna., comp. the quotations given above, I, 60, 3, note 2 ; of. IX, 87, 2. vn^anam rakshama;/a//. Note 3. Comp. I, 64, 9. amati/^ na dar^ata. Note 4. Comp. II, 4, 1 (see below). Verse 3. Note 1. The first three Padas are nearly identical with 111,55,21. Note 2. As to the meaning of hitamitra, comp. X, 108,3. mitram ena dadhama ; see also X, 132, 5, and H. O., Religion des Veda, 186, note i. Verse 4. Note 1. Comp. I, 72, 10 (see above). Note 2. I cannot accept Pischel's translation of dharuwa/; rayi;/am, ' der Reichtum fliessen lasst' (Vedische Studien, I, 40). — ' Be thou, who art rich in all food, the protector of riches.' M. M. Verse 5. Note 1. On SLiri and an', see Bergaigne, Rel. Ved. II, 2 1 8 seq. Arya/i may also be nom. pi. and mean ' (we) the poor ones.' Note 2. ' May we win in battles the booty of the enemy, setting aside a share for the gods to their glory.' M. M. Verse 8. Note 1. In the first Pada one syllable is wanting. Perhaps the ace. plur. yan had here dissyllabic value. Note 2. The last Pada is identical with the second of X, 139, 2. MAiVDALA I, HYMN '] T^. 9 1 Verse 9. Note 1. Comp. above, verse i , note j . Verse 10. Note 1. Comp. jakema vagina// yamam, II, 5, 1 ; agne .yakema te vayam yamam devasya va^fna//. III, 27, 3. As sudhur and sudhura are epithets of horses, the poet of course could say, j-akema sudhura// yamam te. But Agni is not only a horse; he is also wealth (II, i, 12 ; IV, 2, 5, &c.). The combination of the two metaphors explains the curious expression sudhiira// raya//. 92 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^Z^ALA I, HYMN 74. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 5, VARGA 31-22. 1. Going forward to the sacrifice let us repeat a prayer to Agni who hears us, may he be afar or with us — 2. He who foremost^ in . . . .-, when the human tribes met (in battle), has preserved his home to the worshipper. 3. And let the people say ' Agni is born, the slayer of foes (or, the slayer of Vr^'tra), he who wins the prize in every battle.' 4. The man in whose home thou art a messenger, and to whose sacrificial food thou eagerly comest for feasting, to whose worship thou impartest won- derful power — 5. Such a man the people call a giver of good oblations, O Aiigiras, a friend of the gods, O son of strength \ and a possessor of a good Barhis (or sacrificial grass), 6. And thou shalt conduct them hither, the gods\ that we may praise them, that they may eagerly come, O resplendent one, to the sacrificial offerings. 7. No noise' of the horses of the moving chariot - is heard any way, when thou goest on thy messen- gership, O Agni. 8. When guarded by thee the racer becomes fearless ; the worshipper, O Agni, who is behind, ofains the advantao^e^ over him who is ahead. MAA'DALA I, HYMN 74. g^ 9. And thou winnest, O Agni, brilliant, high bliss in strong heroes from the gods, O god, for the worshipper. NOTES. This hymn opens the section ascribed to Gotama Rahu- ga;/a, and belonging indeed, as several passages show, to the family of the Gotamas (comp. Zeitschrift der D. Morg. Gesellschaft, XLII, 221). The metre is Gayatri.— Verse i = VS. Ill, 11; TS. I, 5, s, 1; MS. I, 5, 1 (I, 5, 5. 6). Verses 1-3 = SV. II, 729. 730. 732. Verse 3 = TS. Ill, 5, 11,4; MS. IV, 10, 3. Verse 2. Note 1. Or purvya/z, 'the old Agni,' cf IX, 96, 10 ? (M. M.) Note 2. I have left untranslated the obscure word sni'hitishu (Saya;?a, vadhakari/nshu). It seems to be iden- tical with snehiti, which occurs VIII, 96, 13. apa snehiti// nnmana/i adhatta (the Sama-veda has the reading snih'). Here the verb apa adhatta (comp. VI, 20, 5; X, 164, 3) and the comparison of the second hemistichs of the two following verses, 14 and 15, seem to show that the word means some kind of hostile powers, which would do very well for our passage. — In Taittiriya Arawyaka IV, 23 the word snihiti occurs in an enumeration of the ' terrible substances' (ghora// tanuva//) of Agni. — Comp. Ludwig, Ueber die neuesten Arbeiten auf dem Gebiete der Rtg- veda-Forschung, p. 93. Verse 5. Note 1. See above, I, 26, 10, note i. Verse 6. Note 1. See Delbruck, Syntaktische Forschungen, I, 20, 111. 94 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 7. Note 1. On upabdi, which Hterally means the noise produced by going, see Joh. Schmidt, Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXV, ^^-j Hiibschmann, Das indogermanische Vocal- system, 124. Note 2. Y6/1 (comp. X, 176, 3?) seems to be a genitive of yu, ' the going one ;' comp. sva-yu, i-ubham-yu ; Lanman, 401. Verse 8. Note 1. The last syllable of asthat has the value of two syllables. MANDALA I, HVMN 75. 95 or MATV/^/^ALA I, HYMN 75. ASH^AKA I, ADHYAyA 5, VARGA .'3. 1. Accept gladly our most widely-soundino- ' speech, the most agreeable to the gods, thou who, in thy mouth, ofterest the sacrificial food (to the ods). 2. And may we then pronounce to thee, O highest Ahgiras, Agni, best worshipper, a prayer agreeable to thee and successful. 3. Who is thy kinsman among men, O Agni ? Who performs worship to thee ^ ? Who art thou, and where dost thou rest ? 4. Thou, O Agni, art the kinsman, the dear friend (' Mitra ) of men, a friend who is to be magnified by his friends. 5. Sacrifice for us to Mitra and Varu;^a. Sacrifice to the gods, (a sacrifice conforming to) the great Rita \ Sacrifice, O Agni, to thy own house. NOTES. The same Rzshi and metre. — Verse i = TB. Ill, 6, 7, i ; MS. Ill, 10, I (IV, 13, 5). Verses ^-5 = SV. II, 885-887. Verse 5 = VS. XXXIII, 3 ; TB. II, 7, 12, 1. Verse 1. Note 1. Comp. VI, 68, 9. manma . . . saprathaZ;. Verse 3. Note 1. May we not take daj-u-adhvara as a compound with governed final member, Hke vidadvasu, sadadyoni &c. ? Verse 5. Note 1. Comp. Gaedicke, Der Accusativ im Veda, 159. 96 VEDIC HYMNS. MATV^Z^ALA I, HYMN 76. ASHrAKA I, ADHYAyA 5, VARGA 24. 1. What supplication is to thy mind's taste ^ ? What (pious) thought may be, O Agni, most agreeable to thee ? Or who has won for himself thy wisdom by sacrifices ? Or with what thoughts may we worship thee - ? 2. Come hither, Ao-ni, sit down here as a Hotr/. Become our undeceivable leader \ May Heaven and Earth, the all-embracing, protect thee. Offer the sacrifice to the gods that they may be highly gracious to us. 3. Burn down all sorcerers, O Agni; become a pro- tector of the sacrifices against imprecations. And conduct hither the lord of Soma (Indra) with his two bay horses. We have prepared hospitality for him, the good giver. 4. With words procuring offspring, carrying thee (to our sacrifice) with my mouth \ I call - thee hither, and thou shalt sit down here with the gods. Perform the service of a Hotri and of a Potr^^ O worshipful one. Be thou a giver and a father "* of riches. 5. As thou didst perform sacrifice to the gods with the sacrificial food of the wise Manu \ a sage together with sages, thus, O highly truthful Hot?'/, perform thou the sacrifice to-day, O Agni, with thy joy-giving sacrificial ladled MANDALA I, HYMN y6. 97 NOTES. The same I\ishl. Metre, TrishAibh. Verse 1. Note 1. Saya;/a takes vara in the sense of 'holding back' (comp. I, 143, 5), and makes manasa/^ depend on varaya. He says, 'he agne te tava manaso varaya nivara/zayasmasv avasthapanaya kopetir bhuvat kidrzVam upagamana;/^ bha- vet.' The modern translators are evidently right in as- signing to vara the meaning of ' wish ' or the like (comp. Vir, 59, 2. ya/i va./i varaya da'j-ati), but they differ as to whether manasa// should be taken as belonging to varaya or to upeti//. Ludwig translates, ' Welches nahen des geistes ist gegenstand der wal dir?' Grassmann, 'Welch Nahen ist nach deines Herzens Wunsche ? ' My opinion is that the tradition of the text is not quite free from suspicion. My doubts are based on VI, 21, 4. kas te yaghih manase jram varaya, 'What sacrifice (O Indra) is agreeable to thy mind, to thy wish ? ' Here we have a question addressed to the god, beginning with kas te, quite similar to the question of our poet, which begins with ka te. We have the word sim, as in our passage .s-awtama. We have varaya exactly as in our passage. We have, by the side of varaya, a case-form of manas as in our passage. But we have the dative manase instead of the genitive manasa/z. We may add that there are some other passages in which a dative of a similar meaning stands likewise by the side of varaya: thus, VHI, ^ asya yonau) mentioned, quite as in our passage, together with the leather-bag (tva/'), i. e. the cloud. — Bergaigne (Rel. Ved. II, 505) translates and explains, ' arrose la peau dans le sejour de I'inferieur,' c'est-a-dire fait cooler les eaux du ciel pour I'Agni terrestre. Verse 4. Note 1. See above, I, 26, 10, note i. Verse 6. Note 1. R%"an seems to be the participle of rkg- ; comp. VIII, 19, 31. kshapa/^ vastushu ra^asi. Now it is very im- probable that of this participle a vocative should occur ; see Lanman, 509. I believe, therefore, that we should accentuate raVan (comp. the remarks of Bartholomae, Bezzenberger's Beitrage, XV, 204). Verse 8. Note 1. Comp. IX, 6^, 11. rayim . . . dush/aram. MAiVJDALA I, HYMN 79. IO7 Verse 9. Note 1. As to su/'etuna, comp. I, 159, 5. Note 2. Comp. VI, 59, 9. rayi'm vuvayuposhasain. Note 3. Marrt^ikam is a second object of dhehi, not an epithet of rayi'm. Comp. VIII, 7, 30. Verse 10. Note 1. Comp. above, 78, 2, note 1. Verse 12. Note 1. On the use of the middle of grz with passive meaning, comp. Delbruck, Altindische Syntax, 264. I08 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^Z^ALA I, HYMN 94. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 6, VARGA 30-32. 1. We have sent forward^ with thoughtful mind this song of praise Hke a chariot to the worthy 6^atavedas. For bHssful is his care for us in his companionship. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 2. He prospers for whom thou performest the sacrifice ; he dwells untouched ^ ; he acquires abundance of heroes. He is strong; no distress overtakes him. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 3. May we be able to light thee. Prosper our prayers. The gods eat the sacrificial food that is offered m thee. Bring thou hither the Adityas, for we long for them. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 4. Let us bring fuel and prepare sacrificial gifts for thee, awaking thy attention at each joint ^ (of the month). Help forward our prayers that we may live. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 5. (He is) the shepherd of the clans'; by his nightly light the creatures walk, the two-footed and four-footed. Thou art the bright, great splendour of dawn. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 6. Thou art the Adhvaryu and the ancient Hotr/, the PraJast/^/', the Potr/, the born Purohita -. Knowing the duties of every priest thou givest M AND ALA I, HYMN 94. 1 09 success, O wise one. Aorni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 7. Thou who art beautiful, of Hke appearance on all sides, thou shinest forth even when afar like lightning. Thou seest, O god, even over the darkness of night. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 8. May the chariot of him who presses Soma, be to the front ^ O gods. May our curse overcome the malicious ones. Accept (O gods) this prayer and make it prosper. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 9. Strike away with thy weapons those who curse us, the malicious ones, all ghouls, be they near or afar. And make a good path to the sacrifice of him who praises thee. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 10. When thou hast yoked to thy chariot the two ruddy, red horses, whom the wind drives forward, and thy roaring is like that of a bull, then thou movest the trees with thy banner of smoke \ Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 11. And when thy grass-consuming sparks are scattered, the winged (birds) ^ also fear the noise. Then all goes well with thee and thy chariots. Agni! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 12. He makes Mitra and Varu;/a get refreshing drink. He mysteriously turns away the anger of the Maruts ^ Be merciful towards us. May their mind be again (as it was before). Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 13. Thou art god of the gods, a wonderful Mitra (i.e. friend, of the gods) \ Thou art the Vasu no VEDIC HYMNS. of the Vasus, welcome at the sacrifice. May we be under thy most wide-reaching protection. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 14. That is thy glorious (nature) that when kindled in thy own house, and fed with Soma, thou art awake ^ the most merciful one. Thou bestowest treasures and wealth on the worshipper. Agni ! May we suffer no harm in thy friendship. 15. May we be of those to whom thou, O pos- sessor of beautiful wealth, O Aditi ^ art pleased to grant sinlessness in health and wealth '\ and whom thou wilt quicken with glorious strength and with abundance of progeny. 16. Do thou, O Agni, thou who knowest (how to grant) happiness, prolong our life here, O God ! May Mitra and Varima. grant us this, may Aditi, the Sindhu, the Earth, and the SkyM NOTES. This hymn with the whole collection which it opens is ascribed to Kutsa Aiigirasa. The metre is Cagati ; the two last verses, as is frequently the case in G^agati-hymns (see H. O., Prolegomena, 144 seq.), are composed in Trish/ubh. The hymn has been translated by Prof. Max Miiller, Physical Religion, p. 173.— Verse i = MS. II, 7,3; SV. I, 66 ; AV. XX, 13, 3. Verses i, 3, 4 = SV. II, 414. 416.415. Verse 1. Note 1. Prof. Max Muller translates, ' Let us build up this hymn of praise.' To me it rather seems that the reading should be, as BoehtHngk-Roth have proposed, s. v. sam-hi, sam ahema. Comp. I, 61, 4. asmai it u stomam sam MAiVDALA I, HYMN 94. I I I hinomi ratham na tash/i-iva, ' to him I send forward a song of praise as a carpenter (fits out) a chariot' Compare besides, IX, 71, 5; I, KS4, 4; II, 19, 7 ; VI, 45, 14, &c. Verse 2. Note 1. Comp. vol. xxxii, p. 6^, I, 37, i note. Verse 4. Note 1. Parvan, 'joint,' seems to refer here, as it very frequently does in the later Vedic and post-Vedic texts, to the joints of the month, the sacrificial days of the full and change of the moon (the parva;2a-sacrifices). As to the temporal use of the instrumental, comp. r/tuna and ri\.\xh\\\h ; Delbrlick, Altindische Syntax, p. 130. Verse 5. Note 1. Ludwig proposes the correction of vi^am gopa/^ into vij-am gopa/^ (genitive). But I think it will be suffi- cient to write asya accented. As to vi.yam gopa//, comp. 96,4. Verse 6. Note 1. The Praj-astr/ (or U pavaktr/), literally, ' the commander,' is the same priest who is more usually designated as the Maitravaruwa. All the priests mentioned here (with the exception of the P.urohita, see next note) belong to the ancient system of the ' seven Hotr/s,' enum- erated, for instance, II, i, 2. Comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, 383 seq. Note 2. The Purohita or house-priest does not, pro- perly speaking, belong to the number of the priests officiating at a sacrifice {riiv\ga.k), though of course the Purohita could act as a riW\g. Geldiier (Vedische Studien, II, 144) seems to be wrong in concluding from our passage that 'already in the Rig-veda the Purohita, being the superintendent of the holy service, was a real ritv'\g, i. e. officiating priest' Comp. H. O., loc. cit., 374 seq. ; 379, note 2. I I 2 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 8. Note 1. On purva//, comp. I, 34, 10; V, 31, 11. Verse 10. Note 1. The regular accentuation of a determinative compound ('banner of smoke') would be dhumaketuna. But it is very natural that the traditional text gives the accent of the Bahuvrihi ('he whose banner is smoke') which so frequently occurs. Verse 11. Note 1. As to patatnV/a//, comp. above, I, 58, 5. Verse 12. Note 1. Most probably the meaning is not that the Maruts are expected to turn away the anger of somebody else, but that the anger of the Maruts shall be turned away by Agni. Comp. I, 171, i; VI, t6, 5; VII, 58, 5; Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, II, 401. It seems, conse- quently, that we should read avayata. — On avayatahe/a/^, scil. Indra, see vol. xxxii, p. 292 (I, 171, 6), and also IV, 1, 4; VI, 66, 5. The genitives Mitrasya Varu/^asya may be understood as depending, together with Marutam, on he/a//. In this case the translation would be : ' He mysteriously turns away the anger of Mitra and Varu;/a and of the Maruts in order that (men) may get refreshing drink.' Verse 13. Note 1. On the frequent identification of Agni with Mitra, see Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, III, 134 seq. Verse 14. Note 1. On the root ^ar used with regard to Agni, see the remarks of Dr. Neisser in Bezzenberger's Beitrage, XIII, 297 seq. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 94. 113 Verse 15. Note 1. Agni is invoked here by the name of Aditi, with an evident alhision to tlie goddess Aditi, as granting freedom from bonds, which is the original meaning of Aditi. Comp. M. M., vol. xxxii, pp. 241, 260, 262 ; H. O., Religion des Veda, p. 204. Note 2. Comp. Ill, 54, 19. On sarvatat (sarvatati), see M. M.'s note, vol. xxxii, p. 260, note a, and compare Darmesteter, Haurvata/ et Amereta/, p. 80. See also Lanman, p. 386. Verse 16. Note 1. The last hemistich is the regular conclusion of the Kutsa hymns. [46]- 114 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^/^ALA I, HYMN 95. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 7, VARGA 1-2. 1 . Two (sisters) of different shapes wander along, pursuino- a good aim. The one and the other suckles the calf ^ With the one (the calf) Is golden, moving accordlngr to its wont -. With the other it is seen clear, full of fine splendour. 2. The ten unwearied ^ young women - have brought forth this widely-spread germ of Tvash/r/\ Him, the sharp-faced (Agnl) who is endowed with his own splendour, the shining one, they* carry around among men. 3. They celebrate his three births : one in the sea, one in heaven, one in the waters \ In the eastern region - he commanding determines the seasons of the dwellers on earth by his present power ^ 4. Who among you has understood this hidden (god) ? ' The calf has by Itself given birth to Its mothers^. The germ of many (mothers), the great seer, moving by his own strength, comes forward from the lap of the active ones ^. 5\ The fair (child Agni) grows up visibly in them in his own glory, standing erect in the lap of the down-streaming (waters). Both (Heaven and Earth) fled away In fear of (the son of) Tvash//'/ -, when he was born, but turning back they caress the lion. 6. They caress him both, like two kind women ; like lowing cows they have approached him In their own way. He has become the lord of all MAiVDALA I, HYMN 95. I 15 powers \ he whom they anoint with sacrificial gifts from the right side ^. 7. He raises his arms again and again like Savitr/'. He the terrible pressing on ranges both wings - (of his army). He raises up his bright vesture from himself alone ^. He gives new garments to his mothers. 8. He assumes his fierce appearance which is above (i.e. the lightning?), being united with the cows \ the waters in his seat. The prayer purifies the bottom of the seer(?)-. This was the meeting amono- the orods '\ 9. The wide space encompasses thy base, the resplendent foundation' of the buffalo. Agni ! Being kindled protect us with all thy undecelvable guard- ians who are endowed with their own splendour. 10. On the dry ground he produces a stream \ a course, a flood. With his bright floods he reaches the earth. Whatever is old he receives into his belly. He moves about within the young sprout- ing grass ^. 11. Thus, O Agni, being strengthened by fuel shine thou to us with wealth-giving shine, O purifier, for the sake of glory. May Mitra and Varu;/a grant us this, may Aditi, Sindhu, the Earth, and the Sky! NOTES. The same Rishi. The metre is Trish/ubh. — Verse i = VS. XXXIII, 5 ; TB. II, 7, 12, 2. Verse 2 = TB. II, 8, 7, 4. Verse 5 = TB. II, 8, 7, 4; MS. IV, 14, 8. Verse 1. Note 1. The two females are evidently Night and Dawn I 2 1 I 6 VEDIC HYMNS. (comp. below, 96, 5). The calf is Agni whose bright appearance by night is contrasted here with his paler splendour by day (comp. below, 127, 5). The explanation of Professor Hillebrandt (Vedische Mythologie, I, 331) that ' das von ihnen wechselnd gesaugte Kalb der bald als Sonne bald als Mond erscheinende Lichtgott, d. h. Agni ist,' does not seem convincing to me. Note 2. I cannot follow Hillebrandt (loc cit. ^^5) in translating svadhavan ' an Labung reich.' Verse 2. Note 1. On feminine nominatives in -^sa// like atandrasa//, see Lanman, Noun-Inflection, 362. Note 2. The ten young women are the fingers which produce the fire by the attrition of woods. Note 3. On Tvash/rz as the father of Agni, see Hille- brandt, Vedische Mythologie, I, 522 seq.; Bergaigne, Rel. Ved., HI, 47 seq. Note 4. Hillebrandt (loc. cit.) takes the ten fingers as the subject of pari nayanti, which does not seem probable. Verse 3. Note 1. It is surprising that Agni's birth in the sea and his birtli in the waters are distinguished. The poet's meaning is not quite clear. Prof. Max Miiller thinks of the rising sun and the lightning in the clouds. Comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, 107. Note 2. We ought to read pradi.yam ; comp. IV, 29, 3 ; IX, III, 3. Note 3. Comp. X, 85, i(S, where it is said of the moon that she ' is born again, determining the seasons.' Thus it is possible that the poet understands here Agni as dwelling in the moon as light. Comp. on this identification Bergaigne, I, 159, and Hillebrandt, Ved. Mythologie, I, 330 seq. But this interpretation of our passage is by no means certain. Verse 4. Note 1. Possibly we should correct ka/i idam va/i ni;/yam ; comp. VII, 56, 4; 61,5. The translation would be : 'Who MAiVDALA I, HYMN 95. j j 7 among you has understood this secret?'— the secret that a calf should give birth to cows. Note 2. In my opinion the mothers are the waters ; the calf is Agni. The meaning must be, consequently, that, as Agni is born from the waters thus the waters are born from Agni. Agni— we may try to interpret the poet's meaning— sends his smoke to the sky. The smoke is changed to clouds ; the clouds send forth water. Exactly the same meaning seems to be expressed in I, 164, 51. Comp. also Manu III, 76. agnau prastahuti// samyag adityam upatish//^ate, aditya^ ^ayate vr/sh/ir vr/sh/er anna?// tata// pra^a//.— Prof. Max Miiller observes: 'The mothers are day and night, or heaven and earth. The calf, the son, Agni, being born of the night gives birth to the day, and being born of the day (in the evening) gives birth to the night. Or it may be that Agni, light, makes Dyaus and Pr/thivi to be visible.'— Prof. Hillebrandt's interpretation of our verse is quite different ; see Vedische Mythologie, I, ^^^'^. Note 3. I. e. the fire is born from the waters. Verse 5. Note 1. Comp. Hillebrandt, Ved. Myth., I, 371, 523. Note 2. I.e. the son of Tvash/rz (see above, verse 2) considered as identical with his father. Comp. Bergaigne, III, 47, and see also Aufrecht, Kuhn's Zeitschrift, I, ^^6. Verse 6. Note 1. On daksha and its relation to kratu, comp. Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, 267. Note 2. The poet seems to play upon words ; ' power ' is daksha, ' from the right side' dakshi/zata// (i.e. approach- ing respectfully, dakshi/^ikntya). Verse 7. Note 1. Comp. Bergaigne, Rel. Ved., Ill, 46. Note 2. Observe the dual form si7'au ending in -au, not in -a. Comp. Lanman, Noun-Inflection, 576. Prof I\Iax I I 8 VEDIC HYMNf^. M tiller translates here: ' He the terrible tries and stretches out the hems of his sleeves.' This may indeed be the meaning of s\k. Note 3. See Geldner, Vedische Studien, II, 189, Verse 8. Note 1. The cows of course are intended for the sacrificial food coming from the cow, such as milk and butter. Note 2. The two nominatives, kavi'// and dhi//, can scarcely be right. The subject seems to be the prayer which cleanses, as it were, Agni, and thus augments his splendour (comp. IV, 15, 6 ; VIII, 103, 7). Possibly we should read kave/; budhnam. Comp., however, IX, 47, 4. svayam kavi/i vidhartari vipraya ratnam ikk/iati yadi ma.vmri£-ya.te dhi'ya//. In this difficult verse so much is clear that the seer (kaviV/) is subject, and that he is stated to purify the prayers. Note 3. The meaning seems to be that at the sacrificial fire all gods assemble. Verse 9. Note 1. On dhaman, comp. M. M., vol. xxxii, p. 383 seq. — Prof Max Muller proposes the following translation : ' Thy wide effulgence goes round the firmament, the firm seat of the strong one (buffalo).' Verse 10. Note 1. Ludwig takes srota// as a locative. But it is very improbable that we should have here a survival of the ancient locatives of stems in -s without a case-ending (Joh. Schmidt, Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXVII, 306; Brugmann, Grundriss der vergl. Grammatik, vol. ii, p. 611). In Ludwig's opinion ' it follows from the corresponding gatum Lirmim that srotas stands for srotasi as dhanvan for dhan- vani.' But this is not convincing. Note 2. On Agni as inhabiting the sprouting grass, comp. Ill, 5, 8; VII, 9, 3. 'I believe this refers to the blades of grass used as tinder to catch the sparks of fire.' M. M. MAiVDALA I, IIVMN 96. im MAA^i^ALA I, HYMN 9(). ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 7, VARGA 3-4. 1. Being- born by strength^ In the ancient way, lo ! he (Agni) has assumed instantly all the qualities of a sage. The Waters and the Dhisha;2a - have furthered the friend (Mitra '^). The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth. 2. By the ancient Nivid \ by Ayu's - wisdom he has procreated these children of men. With his irradiating look '^ (he has procreated) the Sky and the Waters. The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth. 3. The Aryan clans magnified ^ him as the first performer of sacrifices, as receiving offerino-s as striving forward, the son of strength, the Bharata -, the bestower of mighty rain (?) ^ The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth. 4. He, Matari^van\ the lord of bountiful pros- perity, has found a path for (his ?) offspring, he who has found the sun, the shepherd of the clans, the begetter of the two worlds. The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth. 5. Night and Dawn, who constantly destroy each other's appearance, suckle one young calf ^ unitedly-. The piece of gold'' shines between Heaven and Earth. The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth. 6. (He is) the base of wealth, the assembler of all goods \ the beacon of sacrifice, the fulfillcr of thought, the bird -. In order to guard their immor- I20 VEDIC HYMNS. tality the gods have held him, Agni, as the giver of wealth. 7. Him who is now and who was formerly the abode of wealth, the earth ^ (i.e. the dwelling-place or support) of what is born and of what will be born, the shepherd and guardian of what is and of much that comes into being. The gods have held Acrni as the griver of wealth. 8. May (Agni,) the giver of wealth, present us with quick wealth. May the giver of wealth (pre- sent us with wealth) united with strong men \ The giver of wealth (should grant us) food together with valiant heroes. The giver of wealth should ofrant us lonof life. 9 = 95' II' NOTES. The same Rhhi and metre. — Verses i, 2 = MS. IV, 10, 6. Verse 5 = VS. XII, 3; XVII, 70; TS. IV, i, 10, 4; 6,5,2; 7,12,3; MS. II, 7, «• Verse 1. Note 1. I.e. by the attrition of the woods, as sahasa/^ putra//. Note 2. Two new discussions on dhisha;/a have been given by Hillebrandt (Ved. Mythologie, I, 175 seq.; comp. the criticisms of Ludwig, Ueber die neuesten arbeiten auf dem gebiete der Rgveda-forschung, 85 seq.) and Pischel (Ved. Studien, II, 82 seq.). Hillebrandt arrives at the conclusion that dhisha;/a is the Earth (in the dual, Heaven and Earth ; in the plural. Heaven, Air, and Earth), and besides the Vedi, i. e. the excavated spot of ground which serves as a kind of altar for the sacrifice. Similar is MAA^DALA I, HYMN 96. I 2 I Pischel's opinion. He believes that the singular dhisha/^a is everywhere to be interpreted as a proper name: the name of a goddess of wealth and prosperity. The dual dhisha//e means • Heaven and Earth : ' thus the oricrinal meaning of dhisha;/a must have been, as Pischel concludes, either Heaven or Earth. He tries to show that it is Earth, and so does Prof. Hillebrandt. The goddess of wealth originally was a goddess of the earth conceived as the liberal giver of wealth. This goddess, Prof. Pischel thinks, was closely related to, or even identical with, the goddess Aditi, whom the same scholar also believes to be a personification of the Earth. I must confess that even this close agreement of these two distinguished scholars has failed to convince me. It is quite true that the dual dhishawe means Heaven and Earth, and it is possible that the singular may, at least in some passages, mean the Earth. But I cannot believe that this is the original meaning of the word. Originally, in my opinion, dhisha;/a was an implement used at the sacri- fice, more especially at the Soma sacrifice. The adri (Soma-stones) are said to rest in the lap of the dhishawa (I, 109, 3). In a Ya^us Mantra referring to the sacrificial preparation of Soma (Vao-asaneyi Sawhita VI, 26) the dhisha;/a, or more exactly the Dhisha;/as, as goddesses (dhishawaj- ka. devi'/i), are mentioned together with the sacrificial fire, the waters, and the grava;/a/^, the stones. In a similar connection we find a Ya^us formula pronounced when the Adhvaryu began to beat the Soma plants with the Upa;;wusavana stone (see Weber, Indische Studien, X, 370}. There the Soma was addressed first, and then the two Dhisha;^as : ' Do not be afraid, do not be terrified, assume sap (O Soma !). O two Dhisha/^as ! Being firm show firm- ness !' (Va^asaneyi Sa/z/hita VI, ^j). Here the 5atapatha Brahmawa (III, 9, 4, 18) says, that some authorities refer the last words to the two boards (phalake) on which the pressing-stones rest (see Hillebrandt, Ved. Mythologie, I, 149 seq.). But the author of the Brahma/^a himself declares that Heaven and Earth are addressed; for as to the boards 122 VEDIC HYMNS. used for pressing the Soma, it would be of no consequence if they were broken. — Other passages in which the dhishawa/^ are mentioned in connection with the preparation of the Soma, are Rig-veda IX, 59, 2 ; X, 17, 2. In the last passage ' the lap of the Dh.' is mentioned as in I, 109, 3 (see above). The dhisha;/a was anointed, I, 102, i. The dhisha;?^ is men- tioned in connection with the waters which were fetched by the Adhvaryus and used at the sacrifice, X, 30, 6, and in connection with the sacrificial fire, III, 2, i, and in our passage. I have therefore no doubt that according to the original meaning the Dhishawa was, as stated above, a sacrificial implement used chiefly, though not exclusively, at the pressing of the Soma. I do not venture to determine the exact nature of this implement, but I think that from the passages collected above it will be evident that it was a sort of support on which the pressing-stones rested. A similar support may have been used for the vessel containing the sacrificial water, and for the sacrificial fire. This support was considered as yielding the Soma to Indra, as strengthening Indra, as inciting Indra and the gods to liberality towards men. Thus we have a goddess Dhisha;za who wears the aspect of a goddess of wealth. She is invoked as one of the Gnas in I, 22, 10 with Hotra Bharati. Finally the Earth, the support of everything, was likened to this support of the pressing-stones and of the Soma ; and Heaven and Earth were then considered as the two Dhisha;^as. Note 3. Comp. above, 94, 13, note 1. Verse 2. Note 1. On the solemn formulas of invocation, called Nivids, see Haug's Aitareya Br^hma/m, p. 32 seq. ; Weber, Indische Studien, IX, ^55', H. O., Religion des Veda, 387, note 2. Of course, the Nivids which vSahkhayana (5rauta- sutra VIII, 16-25) gives, cannot be those to which the poets of the Rig-veda several times allude. Note 2. On Ayu as one of the mythical ancestors of MAiVDALA I, HYMN 96. I 23 mankind, nearly related to Manu, see Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, I, 59 seq. Note 3. Ushas is called vivasvati, III, 30, 13 (cf. Bergaigne, I, 86) ; we are justified, consequently, in trans- lating vivasvata ^akshasa, ' with the irradiating look.' But in giving this translation we should not forget that the poet no doubt at the same time intended to allude to the name of Vivasvat, the father of Yama. Verse 3. Note 1. The text has i/ata. Comp. above, I, i, 1, note 2. Note 2. Agni seems to be called Bharata as belonging to the people of Bharatas. Comp. H. O., ' Buddha, sein Leben, seine Lehre, seine Gemeinde' (first edition), p. 414 seq. More usually Agni is designated as Bharata. Note 3. Srz'pradanum. On danu, the meaning of which I consider to be ' rain ' or the like, comp. the discussion of Prof. Max Miiller, vol. xxxii, 113 seq. The exact meaning of sr/pra, which should not be compared with the Greek Xtirapos, cannot be determined. The etymology is a very unsafe guide in such questions, and neither the connection with the root sr/p, ' to creep,' ' to crawl,' nor with the noun sarpis, ' butter,' seems to lead to a satisfactory result. The passages in which sr/pra or compounds of this adjective occur, point to a meaning like ' great,' ' mighty,' ' fine.' Thus srzprabho^as seems to be something like purubh6^as or subhq^as ; Indra's arms (karasna) are called both srzpra (VIII, 32, 10) and prithii (VI, 19, 3); finally sr/pradanu, which is used here as an epithet of Agni, and VIII, 25, 5 of Mitra and Varu//a, does not seem to differ very much from sudanu. Verse 4. Note 1. Matarii-van, the messenger of Vivasvat, who car- ried the fire from heaven to earth, was originally distinct from Agni, but is identified with him in several passages. See M. M., Physical Religion, p. 152; Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, I, 52 seq. ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 122. 124 VEUIC HYMNS. Verse 5. Note 1. Comp. above, 95, i, and T, 113, 2. ru^advatsa. The calf, of course, is Agni. Note 2. Literally, ' turned towards each other.' Note 3. The gold is again Agni. Verse 6. Note 1. The first Pada is identical with X, 139, 3. Note 2. I prefer with Ludwig to take v€h as a nomina- tive (comp. Lanman, Noun-Inflection, '^'j^ instead of a genitive. Verse 7. Note 1. Compare the very obscure verse X, 31, 5. iyam sa bhuya ushasam iva ksha/^, ' may she be the earth, as it were, of the dawns,' ' She ' may possibly be the earth, which would be designated here as a dwelling-place or support of the dawns. Verse 8. Note 1. Prof. Max Mliller proposes another translation of sanara. He writes : ' One expects an opposition between tura and sanara. Sanara can hardly be the same as viravat in the next line. I should like to take sanara as a variety of sana and sanatana. Give us fleeting, i. e. daily wealth, and give us old, i. e. lasting wealth ! ' MAiVDAI.A I, MYMN 97. 125 MAyVZ^ALA I, HYMN 97. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 7, VARGA 5. 1. Driving away eviP with thy hght, Agni, shine upon us with wealth — driving away evil with thy light. 2. Longing for rich fields, for a free path, and for wealth, we sacrifice — driving away evil with thy light. 3 \ When he stands forth as the most glorious one among them ^, and when our liberal lords excel — driving away evil with thy light — 4. When through thee, Agni, the liberal lords, and when through thee we may multiply with offspring — driving away evil with thy light — 5. When the rays of the mighty Agni go forth on all sides — driving away evil with thy light — 6. For thou indeed, (O god) whose face is turned everywhere, encompassest (the world) everywhere — driving away evil with thy light, 7. Do thou carry us, as with a boat, across hostile powers, (O god) whose face is turned everywhere — driving away evil with thy light. 8. Do thou carry us across (evil) to welfare, as across a stream with a boat ^ — driving away evil with thy light. 126 VEDIC HYMNS. NOTES. The same T^z'shi. Metre, Gayatri. The hymn is addressed to Agni Suki. — Verses i-8 = AV. IV, ^^, 1-8 ; TA. VI, II, 1-2. Verse i = TA. VI, 10, 1. Verse 1. Note 1. Lanman (Sanskrit Reader, p. ;^6^) translates : ' Driving away with flames our sin.' But agha is not exactly sin. Verse 3. Note 1. In this verse as well as in the verses 4 and 5 — all commencing with the words pra yat — the principal clauses are wanting. As to the meaning, however, these clauses are supplied by the refrain ; ' driving away evil ' of course means ' may he drive away evil.' Note 2. ' Among them ' seems to mean ' among the liberal lords.' Verse 8. Note 1. Cf. Lanman, p. 434. MAA'DALA I, HYMN 98. 127 MA7V^/?ALA I, HYMN 98. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 7, VARGA 6. 1. May we dwell in the favour of (Agni) Vai^- vanara. He indeed is a king, leading all beings to glorlousness K As soon as born from here he looks over this whole world. Vai^vanara unites with the Sun ^. 2. Agni who has been looked and longed for ^ in Heaven, who has been looked for on Earth — he who has been looked for, has entered all herbs. May Agni Vaij-vanara, who has strongly been looked for, protect us from harm by day and by night. 3. Vaii-vanara ! May this be true of thee : may wealth and liberal givers attend us ! May Mitra and Varu/-!a grant us this, may Aditi, the Sindhu, the Earth, and the Sky ! NOTES. The same Rtshl. Metre, Trish/ubh. — Verse i = VS. XXVI, 7; TS. I, 5, 11,3; MS. IV, J I, I. Verse 2= VS. XVIII, 73; TS. 1,5, 11,1; IV,4, 12, 5; 7. 15, 6; TB. Ill, II, 6, 4; MS. II, 13, 11. Verse 1. Note 1. Comp. VI, 70, i. bhiivananam abhijriya. AbhijTi seems to mean, going or leading towards (abhi) gloriousness (sri). Prof. Pischel's opinion on the word is different; see Vedische Studien, I, ^^ seq. Note 2. As to yatate, comp. V, 4, 4. yatamana// rasmihhUt suryasya ; IX, 11 J, 3. sam rasmibhi/i yatate darj-ata/^ ratha/^. Verse 2. Note 1. On the disappearance of Agni wlio is looked for everywhere, see IM. M., Physical Religion, 264 scq. : Bergaigne, Rel.Vedique, II, yS- 128 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^Z^ALA I, HYMN 99. ASHTAKA I, ADHYAyA 8, VARGA 7. I. Let us press Soma for G^atavedas ^ May he burn clown the property of the niggard -. May he, Agni, bring us across all troubles, across all difficul- ties, as across a stream with a boat. NOTES. The Rishi is Ka^-yapa Mari/?'a. Metre, Trish/ubh. — Verse i = TA. X, i. Verse 1. Note 1. This is one of the very rare passages in which Agni standing alone and not accompanied by Indra or the Maruts &c. is mentioned as drinking Soma. It seems as if this verse were not composed for the regular Soma sacrifice, but for a special occasion. Note 2. Cf Delbriick, Syntakt. Forschungen, I, 1 1 2. MANDALA I, HYMN I 27. 129 MAiV^/^ALA I, HYMN ]27. ASHTAKA II, ADHYAyA 1, VARGA 12-13. 1. I deem Agni to be the munificent Hotr/, the Vasu, the Son of strength \ 6"atavedas, like a priest, C^atavedas^ : the best performer of the sacrifice, the god who with his upright body that is turned towards the gods, and with his flame longs for the shine of the (boiling) ghee^ of the butter that is offered in (the fire). 2. May we, the sacrificers, call thee hither, the best of sacrificers^ the first of the Aiigiras, O priest, with our prayers, with priestly prayers, O bright one 2; thee who like the heaven encompassest the earthy the Hotri of human tribes, the manly flame- haired, whom these folks— whom all folks should favour in order to speed him (to our sacrifice). 3. He indeed, shining mightily with his shining strength \ becomes the conqueror of deceitful foes ^ — like an axe, the conqueror of deceitful foes 2. He at whose onslaught^ even what is strong melts away*, steady things (waste away) like forests (which are burnt or bend down in the storm) \ Conquering he holds himself back; he does not proceed*^. As with a conquering bow-man he proceeds". 4. Even what is firm gives way before him : thus it is known. With hottest kindlino-sticks^ one wor- ships him^ for winning his favour, one worships Agni for winning his favour. He who dives into many forests as if carving the wood with his flame, destroys even firm food^ with his strength — he destroys even what is firm with his strencrth. [46] K I 30 VEDIC HYMNS. 5. Let US place that power' of his In our neigh- bourhood^— {that power) which is more visible by night than by day^ — (more visible) than by day to the unremitting* (worshipper). Therefore his life is a firm hold^, like (a father's) safe refuge to a son : (the fires) that never grow old, tending to blessings enjoyed or not enjoyed (before)" — the fires that never grow old, tending (to such blessings). 6. He indeed makes a mighty noise like the host of the Maruts, . . .' on the rich fields, . . .^ on the . . .^ He, the seizer, ate the offerings-, he who has deservedly become the banner of the sacrifice. And when he joyously and joyfully (proceeds), all followed gladly on his path ; men (have followed) his path as for a triumphal procession. 7. When forsooth the Kistas' striving for heaven, when the Bhr/gus have addressed him paying reverence — the Bhr/gus producing him by attrition, with worship: Agni is the lord of goods, the bright one, who is their^ supporter. May the wise one accept the wonted coverings^; may the wise one accept them. 8. We invoke thee, the lord of all people, the common master of the house of all, to enjoy (the sacrifice) : (we call) thee who truly art carried by prayers as by a vehicle^ to enjoy (the sacrifice): the guest of men in whose presence (they live) as before a father's (face), and all those immortals (attain) to strength, and the offerings among the gods (attain) to strength. 9. Thou, O Agni, art born, the mightiest by mighty for the divine world, the strongest one, like wealth for the divine world. For thy delight is most strong, and thy power is most brilliant. And MANDALX I, HYMN I 2 7. 131 they walk around thee-, O (god) who never growest old, like obedient (servants), O (god) who never grrowest old. 10. Let your praise go fordi to the great Agni, who is mighty in his might, who awakens at dawn, like a winner of cattle^ — let it go forth to Agni. When (the worshipper) rich in offerings has loudly praised him- in all lands ^ he wakes'* like a singer in front of the dawns', the flaming one (?), the Uotri (in front) of the dawns ^ 11. Thus being seen by us, bring near to us, O Agni, graciously united with the gods, benig- nantly, great wealth benignantly. Make us behold great (bliss of valiant offspring^), O mightiest one, that we may obtain such enjoyment. Produce great bliss of valiant offspring, O bountiful Lord, (as fire is produced) by attrition, for those who praise thee, like a strong hero in thy might. NOTES. The Rzshi is ParU/^Mepa Daivodasi, the metre Atyash/i (verse 6 Atidhrzti). — Verses 1-3 = SV. II, 1 163-1 165. Verse i = SV. I, 465 ; VS. XV, 47 ; TS. IV, 4, 4, 8 ; MS. II, 13, 8 ; AV. XX, 6y, 3. Verse 1. Note 1. There is no doubt that the reading of the Rig-veda text vasum is correct ; the Sama-veda has va.so/i. Comp. H. O., Prolegomena, p. 280. Note 2. 'Is it a play on the word ? Like a priest knowing all things? ' M. M. Note 3. There is a metrical irregularity in this Pada ; it has six syllables instead of five before the caesura. The text, however, seems to be correct. K 2 132 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 2. Note 1. The first Pada is Trish/ubh instead of 6'agati. It would be easy to correct huvemahi, but that form is never found in the Rig-veda, though both huvema and havamahe are frequent. Thus it is very probable that we have here a metrical irregularity of the type described by H. O., Prolegomena, p. 117. Note 2. Comp. VIII, 60, 3. vi'prebhi// ^ukra manmabhi//. Note 3. If the explanation of pari^man which we have adopted (see above, I, 79, 3, note a) is correct, it will be impossible, of course, to accept Bergaigne's opinion (Rel. Ved., II, 505, note i) that the accusative dyam is governed by pari^manam. Verse 3. Note 1. In the second Pada one syllable is wanting. The text seems to be correct, and the irregularity apparently is the typical one described by H. O., Prolegomena, p. 68 seq. : the Pada has the tetrasyllable beginning (before the caesura), and it goes on as if the beginning had been pentasyllable. Several Padas of the same irregular structure occur in our hymn, thus in verse 9 : tvam (read tuam) agne 11 sahasa sahantama// ; verse 10 : pra va/^ mahe 11 sahasa sahasvate ; usha/^-budhe 11 paj-u-se na agnaye. Note 2. The comparison paraju// na, ' like an axe,' raises doubts as to the correctness of druham-tara/^. VRvasuk seems to point to a compound containing the element dru, 'wood;' comp. below, 130, 4; VII, 104, 21. The second member of the compound would be han, which is frequently used with the meaning of cutting wood (II, 14, 2 ; X, 89, 7). Thus the reading would be dru-hantara/^ (comp. vrz'tra- hantama//), 'a mighty wood-cutter.' As to this use of the comparative, see Delbrlick, Altindische Syntax, p. 196. Note 3. Comp. V, 7, 2. yasya samrztau. Note 4. Prof. Max Mliller (Science of Thought, p. 325) believes that the root sru occurs here in the sense of shaking. To me it seems that this jruvat is a misspelling IIANDALA 1, HYMN I 2 7. 1 33 for sruvat. The opinion of Pischel and Geldncr (Vedische Studien, I, p. vi) is different. Note 5. The meaning of the comparison which I have indicated by the words in parentheses, becomes clear from VIII, 40, I. vana-iva vate it. Wote 6. The two last Padas are very obscure. In the last Pada but one na would seem to be comparative, not negative, because it has the same meaning in the last Pada. and because its vowel does not coalesce with the following initial vowel (comp. Benfey's dissertation, ' Behandlung des auslautenden a in na " wie " und na " nicht." ' But then instead of yamate a substantive meaning something like ' hero ' would be required. And also instead of the in- strumental dhanva-saha one should expect to find a nomi- native; comp. Benfey, Vedica und Linguistica, p. 180. note 1. — Prof. Max Muller translates: 'Holding out (or resisting) he stands firm, he does not budge ; holding his bow he does not budge.' Verse 4. Note 1. The words te^ish///abhi// ara;Hbhi// are repeated, probably by the same poet, below, 129, 5. Note 2. It may be observed that several times in the ParuH'/^epa hymns the parallelism between two subsequent Padas has corrupted the text, the reading of the one P^da being wrongly introduced into the other. For instances I refer to I, 129, 11, where the last vaso has been added from the preceding Pada, and to the last Pada but one of I, 135, 4. Possibly our Pada, which in its traditional form is metrically abnormal (comp., however, M. M.'s Hymns to the Maruts, ist ed., p. cxii), has suffered damage in the same way. The comparison of I, 129, 5 would lead us to conjecture : te^ish///abhi// ara;nbhi// na avase. ' One wor- ships him in order that he may grant his favour as if (he were to help us) with hottest kindling-sticks. One worships Agni in order that he may grant his favour.' Note 3. Comp. IV, 7, 10. sthira >^it anna dayate vi ^ambhai//. The food is the wood which Agni consumes. 134 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 5. Note 1. See Prof, von Roth's translation of this verse, Zeitschrift der D. Morg. Gesellschaft, XLVIII, 117. On pr/ksham, comp. M. M., vol. xxxii, p. 302 ; Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, p. 96 seq. The translation of such a word can only be tentative. Note 2. To uparasu something like vikshu (IV, 37, 3) seems to be supplied. Note 3. Comp. the Latin expression, ' argutius quam verius.' Pischel, Gottinger Gelehrte Anzeigen, 1884, p. 516 seq.; Delbriick, Altindische Syntax, p. 196. Note 4. Aprayus seems to be an anomalous formation, instead of aprayu, unless we have to read aprayuve. Ac- cording to Pischel (Gottinger Gel. Anzeigen, 1890, p. 542), aprayushe would mean 'dem der da lebt' But I do not think that this aprayus should be separated from aprayu, which, as may be seen from I, 89, i compared with III, 5, 6 and X, 4, 7, is identical in meaning with, and evidently etymologically related to, aprayu/^Mant. Note 5. Grabhawavat is the contrary of agrabha;/a, I, 116,5. Note 6. Comp. Ill, 30, 7. abhaktam Z-it bha^ate. Verse 6. Note 1. Ludwig : ' in den bebauten fluren zu verehren, auf den wusten flachen zu verehren.' Prof. Max Muller observes with regard to ish/aniZ; : ' it stani/;, or ish + stani/^ (ish-karta), much thundering.' P'or artana he proposes the translation, ' ploughed field.' I have left both words un- translated. Note 2. Adat is imperfect of ad ; there is a play upon words (adat and a-dadi'/;). Verse 7. Note 1. Who the Kistas (cf. Lanman, p. 346) are is not known. They seem, however, either to be identical with the Bhrzgus or to be another ancient and probably mythical family of priests like them. They are mentioned also in VI, 67, 10. MAiVDALA I, IIVMN I 2 7. I35 Note 2. ' Their ' refers to ' goods.' Note 3, The fuel and libations with which Agni is covered ? Verse 8. Note 1. Vahas and its compounds, such as stomavahas, ukthavahas, gi'rvahas, have been treated of by Dr. Neisser in his ingenious article on vahni, Bezzenbcrger's Beitrage, XVIII, 301 seq. (comp. on vahni, vol. xxxii, p. 37 seq.). Dr. Neisser tries to show that by the side of vahni, derived from vah = Latin vehere, and meaning ' draught-horse ' (and besides — though Dr. Neisser does not admit this, see p. 316 — ' a person that drives in a chariot '), there existed a second substantive vahni connected with the Greek evx^(TOai, and meaning both 'erhaben' and ' erhebend,' i.e. praising the gods (loc. cit, p. 314). With this second vahni he connects vahas and its compounds. One of the principal arguments of Dr. Neisser is the fact quite correctly stated by him (p. 301), that 'the word vahni very frequently associates itself to the term hotrz, while it does not with the com- pounds havyavah and havyavahana.' This fact, indeed, points to the conclusion that 'those compounds belong to another sphere of ideas than vahni' (p. 302). But Dr. Neisser seems to me to go too far in concluding that vahni, standing as an epithet of Agni, is not derived from vah = vehere. Agni's action consists not only in carrying the sacrificial food to the gods, but also in carrying the gods to the sacrifice of men, and in coming to that sacrifice himself with his chariot and his horses. Nor do the words stomavahas or ukthavahas, if derived from vah = vehere, necessarily presuppose the admissibility of expressions such as ' uktham (stomam) vahati vipra//! devan ^kk/iTX ' (p. 303), but those compounds may also rest on an idea conveyed by expressions such as ' uktham (stoma//) vahati devan upa ya^;7am,' which idea is quite Vedic. Thus stomavahas in my opinion means, as an epithet of the god, ' carried by the stoma as by a vehicle' (comp. VII, 24, 5- esha stoma// mahe ugraya vahe dhun'-iva atya// na va^^ayan adhayi). or, as an epithet of the human worshippers, 'fitting out the 136 VEDIC HYMNS. stoma as a vehicle.' I believe that the words in question can thus be explained in conformity with the whole range of Vedic thought, and the artificial distinction of two differ- ent substantives vahni, &c., will be avoided. For special indications pointing in the same direction, which are furnished by the passages which contain the words here treated of, I refer to Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, II, 2(S6 seq., and to the article of Dr. Neisser himself, p. 321 seq. Verse 9. Note 1. On the metrical irregularity, see above, verse 3, note I. Note 2. Te seems to stand for the accusative, comp. Pischel, Zeitschrift der D. Morgenl. Gesellschaft, XXXV, 714 seq.; Delbriick, Altindische Syntax, 205. Or may the meaning be : ' and thy (worshippers) walk around thee . . . like obedient (servants) ? ' Verse 10. Note 1. On the metre, see above, verse 3, note i. Prof. Max Mliller translates, ' like a hunter for cattle.' Note 2. The phrase vuvasu kshasu ^oguve occurs also, V, 64, 2. The same hymn contains the word su-ztetuna, which is found in the eleventh verse of our hymn. Note 3. Literally, ' on all earths.' Comp. X, 2, 6. nnVati/^ anu ksha//. Note 4. (karate, 'he wakes,' at the same time can mean 'he sings,' and 'he is praised.' Comp. Neisser, Bezzen- berger's Beitrage, XIII, 298. Note 5. The translation ' dawn ' is conjectural only. But it gives a good meaning in all the passages which contain the word rz'shuwam (besides our passage, V, 25, i ; VIII, 71, 15 ; X, 6, i). Prof. Max Miiller translates the last two Padas : ' he sings like Rebha at the head of all singers, like a clever Hotri among the singers.^ — Comp. Lanman, p. 424. Verse 11. Note 1. I supply suvi'ryam ; see the last Pdda but one. MAiVZ)ALA I, HYMN 1 28. 1 37 MAA^Z^ALA I, HYMN 128. ASHTAKA II, ADHYAyA 1, VARGA 14-15. 1. He was born in Manu's firm law', the Hot?^, the best sacrlficer, accordino^ to the will of the U/iiTs-, Agni, according to his own will. Always listening to him who wishes to be his friend, like a treasure to him who aspires to renown, the unbeguiled Hotrz sat down in the abode of food (on the altar) ; en- veloped ^ (he sat clown) in the abode of food. 2. We render him attentive \ the promoter of sacrifice, on the path of 7?/ta, by adoration with offerings, in the divine world, by (adoration) with offerings ". In brin^ino^ us vio^our he never becomes worn out with this body of his : he whom Mata- ri^van (has brought) to Manu from afar, the god whom he has brought from afar. 3. In his (own) way he moves in one moment round the terrestrial (space), the sudden devourer (emitting) his sperm, the bellowing bull emitting his sperm, the bellower^ looking round with a hundred eyes, the god who quickly courses in the forests ^ taking his seat on the lower ridges, Agni, and on the highest ridges. 4. This highly wise Purohita, Agni watches sac- rifice and service' house by house; by (the power of) his mind he is intent upon sacrifice. By (the power of) his mind helpful to him who desires food^, he looks on all creatures, since he has been born, the guest adorned with ghee, (since) the helpful carrier (of the gods)^ has been born. 138 VEDIC HYMNS. 5. When through his (Agni's) power the bounties grow in strength, with the roar of Agni ^ as with that of the Maruts- — Hke bounties offered to a vigorous man : then he by his greatness stirs up the gift of goods. May he protect us from misfor- tune and injury, from evil spell and injury. 6. The far-reaching^ steward ^ has taken all goods ^ in his right hand, and strongly advancing does not let them loose ; desirous of glory he does not let them loose. For every supplicant* thou hast carried the oblations to the gods^ For every righteous one he procures a treasure ; Agni opens both folds of the door (for him). 7. He has been established as the most blissful one in the enclosures of men, Agni, at the sacrifices, like a noble lord of the clans, a beloved lord of the clans at the sacrifices : he rules over the oblations of men to which nourishing power has been imparted \ May he protect us from harm that comes from Varu;m, from harm ^ that comes from the great god. 8. They magnify Agni the Hotr/, the dispenser of goods. They have roused the beloved, the most shining steward^ (of sacrifice) ; they have roused the carrier of oblations. The gods desirous of goods (have roused) him in whom all life dwells, who pos- sesses all wealth, the Hotri, the worshipful sage, the lovely one for the sake of bliss ; with praises (they have roused), desirous of goods, the lovely one. NOTES. The same Rz'shl and metre. — Verse 6 = TB. II, 5, 4, 4- MANDALA I, HYMN T28. 1^9 Verse 1. Note 1. As to dharima//i, comp. IX,