Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1That this decision is by no means easy, may be inferred from the fact that two scholars, Roth and Ludwig, differ completely, the former preferring the technical, the latter the geographical meaning. We must 398 VEDIC HYMNS. remember that in the hymns to the Maruts the poets speak occasionally of the countries, far and near, visited by the storm-winds. We must also bear in mind that in our very passage the poet asks the Maruts to come to him, and not to tarry with other people. When, therefore, he says, that they went to Saryavdvat, &c., is that likely to be meant for a tank of Soma at his own or any other sacrifice ? Saryam4vat is derived from sarya, this from sara. Sara means reed, arrow ; sarya, made of reeds, sary4, an arrow, but also reeds tied together and used at the sacrifice for carrying Soma-oblations. From it, saryana, which, accord- . ing to SAyama, means lands in Kurukshetra (RV. VIII, 6, 39), and from which Saryav4vat is derived, as the name of a lake in that neighbourhood (not a Landstrich, B.-R.). When this sarya4vat occurs in the Rig-veda, the question is, does it mean that lake, evidently a famous lake and a holy place in the early settlements of the Vedic Aryas, or does it mean, as others suppose, a sacrificial vessel made of reeds? It occurs in the Rig-veda seven times. In I, 84, 14, Indra is said to have found the head of the horse, which had been removed among the mountains (clouds) at Saryazavat. This seems to me the lake in which the sun sets. In the 8th Mazdala saryam4vat occurs ‘three times. In VIII, 6, 39, Indra is invoked to rejoice at Saryawavat, or, according to others, in a vessel full of Soma. In our passage the Maruts went to Saryavdvat, to Sushoma, Argika, and Pasty4vat, countries, it would seem, not vessels. In VIII, 64, 11, after saying that the Soma had been prepared among the Parus, it is added that the Soma is sweetest in Saryavdvat, on the SushomA, and in Argikiya. In IX, 65, 22, we read of Somas prepared far and near, and at Saryazavat, and in the next verse we read of Somas to be found either among the Argikas, among the Pasty4s, or among the Five Tribes. In IX, 113, 1; 2, Indra is asked to drink Soma at Saryam4vat,and the Soma is asked to come from Argika. In X, 35, 2, the aid is implored of heaven and earth, of the rivers and the mountains, and these mountains are called saryandvatak. NOTES. VIII, 7, 36. 399 Argikiya, besides the three passages mentioned already, occurs X, 75, 5, where it is clearly a river as well as Sushomé, while in IX, 65, 23, the Argikas, in the plural, could only be the name of a people.
2NOTES. VIII, 7, 36. 399 Argikiya, besides the three passages mentioned already, occurs X, 75, 5, where it is clearly a river as well as Sushomé, while in IX, 65, 23, the Argikas, in the plural, could only be the name of a people. Taking all this into account, it seems to me that we ought to accept the tradition that Saryam4vat was a lake and the adjoining district in Kurukshetra, that Argika was the name of a river, Argika the name of the adjoining country, Argik4A, of the inhabitants, Argikiya another name of Argika, the river, and Argikiyam another name of the country Argika. Sushoma in our passage is probably the name of the country near the Sushomé, and PastyAvat, though it might be an adjective meaning filled with hamlets, is probably another geographical name ; see, however, IX, 65, 23. Ludwig takes Saryaw4vat as a name of the Eastern Sarasvati; see Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, p. 19 ; but we should expect Saryaz4vati as the name of a river. See also Bergaigne, I, 206, who, according to his system, takes all these names as ‘ préparateurs.célestes du Soma.’ Verse 31. See I, 38, 1, note 1. Verse 36. Note 1. Sayava may be right in stating that this verse was intended for an Agniméruta sacrifice, and that therefore Agni was praised first, and afterwards the Maruts. In that case pdrvya might mean first. Note 2. Kfandas is doubtful ; see, however, I, 92, 6. 400 VEDIC HYMNS. MANDALA VIII, HYMN 20. ASH7AKA VI, ADHYAYA 1, VARGA 36-40, To THE Maruts (THE STORM-GoODS). 1. Come hither, do not fail, when you march forward! Do not stay away, O united friends, you who can bend even what is firm. 2. O Maruts, Azbhukshans, come hither on your flaming strong fellies?,O Rudras, come to us to-day with food, you much-desired ones, come to the sacrifice, you friends of the Sobharis *, 3. For we know indeed the terrible strength of the sons of Rudra, of the vigorous Maruts, the liberal givers? of Soma ® (rain). 4. The islands (clouds) were scattered, but the monster remained, heaven and earth were joined together. O you who are armed with bright rings, the tracts (of the sky)? expanded, whenever you stir, radiant with your own splendour. 5. Even things that cannot be thrown down resound at your race, the mountains, the lord of the forest,—the earth quivers on your marches. 6. The upper sky makes wide room, to let your violence pass, O Maruts, when these strong-armed heroes display their energies in their own bodies. 7. According to their wont these men, exceeding terrible, impetuous, with strong and unbending forms?, bring with them beautiful light *. 8. The arrow of the Sobharis is shot from the bowstrings at the golden chest on the chariot of the Maruts'. They, the kindred of the cow (Prdsni), MANDALA VIII, HYMN 20. 401 the well-born, should enjoy their food, the great ones should help us. g. Bring forward, O strongly-anointed? (priests), your libations to the strong host of the Maruts, the strongly advancing.
3They, the kindred of the cow (Prdsni), MANDALA VIII, HYMN 20. 401 the well-born, should enjoy their food, the great ones should help us. g. Bring forward, O strongly-anointed? (priests), your libations to the strong host of the Maruts, the strongly advancing. 10. O Maruts, O heroes, come quickly hither, like winged hawks, on your chariot with strong horses, of strong shape, with strong naves, to enjoy our libations. 11. Their anointing is the same, the golden chains shine on their arms, their spears sparkle. 12. These strong, manly, strong-armed Maruts, do not strive among themselves ; firm are the bows, the weapons on your chariot, and on your faces are splendours. 13. They whose terrible name’, wide-spreading like the ocean, is the one of all that is of use, whose _ strength is like the vigour of their father, 14. Worship these Maruts, and praise them! Of these shouters, as of moving spokes}, no one is the last; this is theirs by gift, by greatness ? is it theirs. 15. Happy.is he who was under your protection, O Maruts, in former mornings, or who may be so even now. 16. Or he, O men, whose libations you went to enjoy; that mighty one, O shakers, will obtain your favours with brilliant riches and booty. 17. As the sons of Rudra, the servants of the divine Dyu?, will it, O youths, so shall it be. 18. Whatever liberal givers may worship! the Maruts, and move about together as generous? benefactors, even from them turn * towards us with a kinder heart, you youths! 19. O Sobhari, call loud with your newest song [32] pd 402 VEDIC HYMNS. the young, strong, and pure Maruts, as the plougher calls the cows. 20. Worship the Maruts with a song, they who are strong like a boxer, called in to assist those who call? for him in all fights; (worship them) the most glorious, like bright-shining bulls. 21. Yes, O united friends, kindred, O Maruts, by a common birth, the oxen lick one another’s humps’. 22. O ye dancers, with golden ornaments on your chests, even a mortal comes (to ask) for your brotherhood !; take care of us, ye Maruts, for your friendship lasts for ever. 23. O bounteous Maruts, bring us some of your Marut-medicine, you friends, and (quick, like) steeds. 24. With the favours whereby you favour the Sindhu, whereby you save, whereby you help Krivi?, with those propitious favours be our delight, O delightful ones, ye who never hate your followers *. 25. O Maruts, for whom we have prepared good altars, whatever medicine! there is on the Sindhu, on the Asiknt, in the seas, on the mountains, 26. Seeing it, you carry it all on your bodies. Bless us with it! Down to the earth, O Maruts', with what hurts our sick one,—straighten what is crooked ! NOTES. VIII, 20, 4. 403 NOTES. Ascribed to Sobhari Kaava ; metre, Kakubha pragatha. Verse 1=SV. I, 401; verse 21=SV. I, 404. Verse 1. SV. reads sthata, and dridh4 kid yamayishaavah. Verse 2. Note 1. It might be better to supply rathaif, but the poet may have used pars pro toto.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1That this decision is by no means easy, may be inferred from the fact that two scholars, Roth and Ludwig, differ completely, the former preferring the technical, the latter the geographical meaning. We must 398 VEDIC HYMNS. remember that in the hymns to the Maruts the poets speak occasionally of the countries, far and near, visited by the storm-winds. We must also bear in mind that in our very passage the poet asks the Maruts to come to him, and not to tarry with other people. When, therefore, he says, that they went to Saryavdvat, &c., is that likely to be meant for a tank of Soma at his own or any other sacrifice ? Saryam4vat is derived from sarya, this from sara. Sara means reed, arrow ; sarya, made of reeds, sary4, an arrow, but also reeds tied together and used at the sacrifice for carrying Soma-oblations. From it, saryana, which, accord- . ing to SAyama, means lands in Kurukshetra (RV. VIII, 6, 39), and from which Saryav4vat is derived, as the name of a lake in that neighbourhood (not a Landstrich, B.-R.). When this sarya4vat occurs in the Rig-veda, the question is, does it mean that lake, evidently a famous lake and a holy place in the early settlements of the Vedic Aryas, or does it mean, as others suppose, a sacrificial vessel made of reeds? It occurs in the Rig-veda seven times. In I, 84, 14, Indra is said to have found the head of the horse, which had been removed among the mountains (clouds) at Saryazavat. This seems to me the lake in which the sun sets. In the 8th Mazdala saryam4vat occurs ‘three times. In VIII, 6, 39, Indra is invoked to rejoice at Saryawavat, or, according to others, in a vessel full of Soma. In our passage the Maruts went to Saryavdvat, to Sushoma, Argika, and Pasty4vat, countries, it would seem, not vessels. In VIII, 64, 11, after saying that the Soma had been prepared among the Parus, it is added that the Soma is sweetest in Saryavdvat, on the SushomA, and in Argikiya. In IX, 65, 22, we read of Somas prepared far and near, and at Saryazavat, and in the next verse we read of Somas to be found either among the Argikas, among the Pasty4s, or among the Five Tribes. In IX, 113, 1; 2, Indra is asked to drink Soma at Saryam4vat,and the Soma is asked to come from Argika. In X, 35, 2, the aid is implored of heaven and earth, of the rivers and the mountains, and these mountains are called saryandvatak. NOTES. VIII, 7, 36. 399 Argikiya, besides the three passages mentioned already, occurs X, 75, 5, where it is clearly a river as well as Sushomé, while in IX, 65, 23, the Argikas, in the plural, could only be the name of a people.
2NOTES. VIII, 7, 36. 399 Argikiya, besides the three passages mentioned already, occurs X, 75, 5, where it is clearly a river as well as Sushomé, while in IX, 65, 23, the Argikas, in the plural, could only be the name of a people. Taking all this into account, it seems to me that we ought to accept the tradition that Saryam4vat was a lake and the adjoining district in Kurukshetra, that Argika was the name of a river, Argika the name of the adjoining country, Argik4A, of the inhabitants, Argikiya another name of Argika, the river, and Argikiyam another name of the country Argika. Sushoma in our passage is probably the name of the country near the Sushomé, and PastyAvat, though it might be an adjective meaning filled with hamlets, is probably another geographical name ; see, however, IX, 65, 23. Ludwig takes Saryaw4vat as a name of the Eastern Sarasvati; see Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, p. 19 ; but we should expect Saryaz4vati as the name of a river. See also Bergaigne, I, 206, who, according to his system, takes all these names as ‘ préparateurs.célestes du Soma.’ Verse 31. See I, 38, 1, note 1. Verse 36. Note 1. Sayava may be right in stating that this verse was intended for an Agniméruta sacrifice, and that therefore Agni was praised first, and afterwards the Maruts. In that case pdrvya might mean first. Note 2. Kfandas is doubtful ; see, however, I, 92, 6. 400 VEDIC HYMNS. MANDALA VIII, HYMN 20. ASH7AKA VI, ADHYAYA 1, VARGA 36-40, To THE Maruts (THE STORM-GoODS). 1. Come hither, do not fail, when you march forward! Do not stay away, O united friends, you who can bend even what is firm. 2. O Maruts, Azbhukshans, come hither on your flaming strong fellies?,O Rudras, come to us to-day with food, you much-desired ones, come to the sacrifice, you friends of the Sobharis *, 3. For we know indeed the terrible strength of the sons of Rudra, of the vigorous Maruts, the liberal givers? of Soma ® (rain). 4. The islands (clouds) were scattered, but the monster remained, heaven and earth were joined together. O you who are armed with bright rings, the tracts (of the sky)? expanded, whenever you stir, radiant with your own splendour. 5. Even things that cannot be thrown down resound at your race, the mountains, the lord of the forest,—the earth quivers on your marches. 6. The upper sky makes wide room, to let your violence pass, O Maruts, when these strong-armed heroes display their energies in their own bodies. 7. According to their wont these men, exceeding terrible, impetuous, with strong and unbending forms?, bring with them beautiful light *. 8. The arrow of the Sobharis is shot from the bowstrings at the golden chest on the chariot of the Maruts'. They, the kindred of the cow (Prdsni), MANDALA VIII, HYMN 20. 401 the well-born, should enjoy their food, the great ones should help us. g. Bring forward, O strongly-anointed? (priests), your libations to the strong host of the Maruts, the strongly advancing.
3They, the kindred of the cow (Prdsni), MANDALA VIII, HYMN 20. 401 the well-born, should enjoy their food, the great ones should help us. g. Bring forward, O strongly-anointed? (priests), your libations to the strong host of the Maruts, the strongly advancing. 10. O Maruts, O heroes, come quickly hither, like winged hawks, on your chariot with strong horses, of strong shape, with strong naves, to enjoy our libations. 11. Their anointing is the same, the golden chains shine on their arms, their spears sparkle. 12. These strong, manly, strong-armed Maruts, do not strive among themselves ; firm are the bows, the weapons on your chariot, and on your faces are splendours. 13. They whose terrible name’, wide-spreading like the ocean, is the one of all that is of use, whose _ strength is like the vigour of their father, 14. Worship these Maruts, and praise them! Of these shouters, as of moving spokes}, no one is the last; this is theirs by gift, by greatness ? is it theirs. 15. Happy.is he who was under your protection, O Maruts, in former mornings, or who may be so even now. 16. Or he, O men, whose libations you went to enjoy; that mighty one, O shakers, will obtain your favours with brilliant riches and booty. 17. As the sons of Rudra, the servants of the divine Dyu?, will it, O youths, so shall it be. 18. Whatever liberal givers may worship! the Maruts, and move about together as generous? benefactors, even from them turn * towards us with a kinder heart, you youths! 19. O Sobhari, call loud with your newest song [32] pd 402 VEDIC HYMNS. the young, strong, and pure Maruts, as the plougher calls the cows. 20. Worship the Maruts with a song, they who are strong like a boxer, called in to assist those who call? for him in all fights; (worship them) the most glorious, like bright-shining bulls. 21. Yes, O united friends, kindred, O Maruts, by a common birth, the oxen lick one another’s humps’. 22. O ye dancers, with golden ornaments on your chests, even a mortal comes (to ask) for your brotherhood !; take care of us, ye Maruts, for your friendship lasts for ever. 23. O bounteous Maruts, bring us some of your Marut-medicine, you friends, and (quick, like) steeds. 24. With the favours whereby you favour the Sindhu, whereby you save, whereby you help Krivi?, with those propitious favours be our delight, O delightful ones, ye who never hate your followers *. 25. O Maruts, for whom we have prepared good altars, whatever medicine! there is on the Sindhu, on the Asiknt, in the seas, on the mountains, 26. Seeing it, you carry it all on your bodies. Bless us with it! Down to the earth, O Maruts', with what hurts our sick one,—straighten what is crooked ! NOTES. VIII, 20, 4. 403 NOTES. Ascribed to Sobhari Kaava ; metre, Kakubha pragatha. Verse 1=SV. I, 401; verse 21=SV. I, 404. Verse 1. SV. reads sthata, and dridh4 kid yamayishaavah. Verse 2. Note 1. It might be better to supply rathaif, but the poet may have used pars pro toto.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
No commentary for this page.