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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1e. like a skin in which water is kept and from which it is poured out. The cloud itself being called a skin by Vedic poets (I, 129, 3) makes the comparison still more natural. One other explanation might suggest itself, if the singular of £4rma should be considered objectionable on account of the plural of the verb. Vedic poets speak of the skin of the earth. Thus: X, 68, 4. bhiimy4A/ udné-iva vi tv4zam bibheda. He (Brthaspati) having driven the cows from the cave, cut the skin of the earth, as it were, with water, i. e. saturated it with rain. The construction, however, if we took £4rma in the sense of surface, would be very irregular, and we should have to translate: They moisten the earth with water like a skin, i.e. skin-deep. NOTES. I, 85, 7. 133 We ought to scan #armevodabhi# vi undanti bhima, for karmeva udabhih vyundanti bhOma would give an unusual czsura. Verse 8. Note 1. AV. XX, 13, 2. With your arms, i.e. according to Sfyana, with armfuls of gifts. Though this expression does not occur again so baldly, we read I, 166, 10, of the Maruts, that there are many gifts in their strong arms, bhrivi bhadr& ndryeshu bahishu; nor does bahu, as used in the plural, as far as I am able to judge, ever convey any meaning but that of arms. The idea that the Maruts are carried along by their arms as by wings, does not rest on Vedic authority, otherwise we might join raghupatvanak with bahubhi#, come forth swiftly flying on your arms! As it is, and with the accent on the antepenultimate, we must refer raghupatvana to sd4ptaya, horses. Note 2. The sweet food is Soma. Verse 7. Note 1. The initial ‘a’ of avardhanta must be elided, or ‘té a’ be pronounced as two short syllables equal to one long. Note 2. Taitt. S. IV, 1,11, 3. Vishzu, whose character in the hymns of the Veda is very different from that assumed by him in later periods of Hindu religion, must here be taken as the friend and companion of Indra. Like the Maruts, he assisted Indra in his battle against Vritra and the conquest of the clouds. When Indra was forsaken by all the gods, Vishzu came to his help. IV, 18, 11. uté mat& mahishdm dnu avenat amf (iti) tva gahati putra devaz, 4tha abravit vritram {ndrak hanishyan sdkhe vishvo (iti) vi-tardm vi kramasva. : The mother also called after the bull, these gods forsake thee, O son; then, when going to kill Vritra, Indra said, Friend, Vishzu, step forward ! This stepping of Vishzu is emblematic of the rising, the culminating, and setting of the sun; and in VIII, 12, 27, 134 VEDIC HYMNS.
2: The mother also called after the bull, these gods forsake thee, O son; then, when going to kill Vritra, Indra said, Friend, Vishzu, step forward ! This stepping of Vishzu is emblematic of the rising, the culminating, and setting of the sun; and in VIII, 12, 27, 134 VEDIC HYMNS. Vishzu is said to perform it through the power of Indra. In VI, 20, 2, Indra is said to have killed Vritra, assisted by Vishzu (vishvuna sakanah). Vishzu is therefore invoked together with Indra, VI, 69, 8; VII, 99; with the Maruts, V, 87; VII, 36, 9. In VII, 93, 8, Indra, Vishvu, and the Maruts are called upon together. Nay, mf@ruta, belonging to the Maruts, becomes actually an epithet of Vishzu, V, 46, 2. m@ruta utd vishvo ({ti); and in I, 156, 4. marutasya vedhdsa# has been pointed out by Roth as an appellation of Vishzu. The mention of Vishzu in our hymn is therefore by no means exceptional, but the whole purport of this verse is nevertheless very doubtful, chiefly owing to the fact that several of the words occurring in it lend themselves to different interpretations. The translations of Wilson, Benfey, and others have not rendered the sense which the poet intends to describe at all clear. Wilson says: ‘May they for whom Vishzu defends (the sacrifice), that bestows all desires and confers delight, come (quickly) like birds, and sit down upon the pleasant and sacred grass.’ Benfey: ‘Wenn Vishzu schiitzt den rauschtriefenden tropfenden (Soma), sitzen wie Végel sie auf der geliebten Streu.’ Langlois: ‘Quand Vichmou vient prendre sa part de nos enivrantes libations, eux, comme des oiseaux, arrivent aussi sur le cousa qui leur est cher.’ Ludwig: ‘Als Vishzu half dem zum rauschtrank eilenden stiere, setzten sie sich wie végel aufs liebe barhis.’ Whence all these varieties? First, because &vat may mean, he defended or protected, but likewise, it is supposed, he descried, became aware. Secondly, because vréshan is one of the most vague and hence most difficult words in the Veda, and may mean Indra, Soma, or the cloud : (see the note on Vréshan, p.138.) Thirdly, because the adjective belonging to vrfshan, which generally helps us to determine which vr/shan is meant, is here itself of doubtful import, and certainly applicable to Indra as well as to Soma and the Asvins, possibly even to the cloud. Mada-fyut is readily explained by the commentators as bringing down pride, a meaning which the word might well have in modern Sanskrif, but which it clearly has not in NOTES. I, 85, 7. 135 the Veda. Even where the thunderbolt of Indra is called madafyut, and where the meaning of ‘ bringing down pride’ would seem most appropriate, we ought to translate ‘ wildly rushing down.’ VIII, 96, 5. & y4t vagram bahvod indra dhatse mada- Ayuitam dahaye hantavaf Om (iti). When thou tookest the wildly rushing thunderbolt in thy arms in order to slay Ahi.
3& y4t vagram bahvod indra dhatse mada- Ayuitam dahaye hantavaf Om (iti). When thou tookest the wildly rushing thunderbolt in thy arms in order to slay Ahi. When applied to the gods, the meaning of madafyit is by no means certain. It might mean rushing about fiercely, reeling with delight, this delight being produced by the Soma, but it may also mean sending down delight, i.e. rain or Soma. The root Ayu is particularly applicable to the sending down of rain; cf. Taitt. Samh. II, 4, 9, 23 10, 3; III, 3, 4,1; and Indra and his horses, to whom this epithet is chiefly applied, are frequently asked to send down rain. However, madafyut is also applied to real horses (I, 126, 4) where givers of rain would be an inappropriate epithet. I should therefore translate madafyut, when applied to Indra, to his horses, to the Asvins, or to horses in general by furiously or wildly moving about, as if ‘made or madena éyavate,’ he moves in a state of delight, or in a state of intoxication, such as was not incompatible with the character of the ancient gods. Here again the difficulty of rendering Vedic thought in English, or any other modern language, becomes apparent, for we have no poetical word to express a high state of mental excitement produced by drinking the intoxicating juice of the Soma or other plants, which has not something opprobrious mixed up with it, while in ancient times that state of excitement was celebrated as a blessing of. the gods, as not unworthy of the gods themselves, nay, as a state in which both the warrior and the poet would perform their highest achievements. The German Rausch is the nearest approach to the Sanskrit mada. VIII, 1, 21. visvesham tarut#ram mada-Ayitam made hi sma dadati nak. Indra, the conqueror of all, who rushes about in rapture, for in rapture he bestows gifts upon us. Cf. I, 51, 2. 136 VEDIC HYMNS. The horses of Indra are called madafyut, I, 81, 3; VIII, 33,18; 34,9. Ordinary horses, I, 126, 4. It is more surprising to see this epithet applied to the Asvins, who are generally represented as moving about with exemplary steadiness. However we read: VIII, 22,16. mdanaf-gavas4 vrishaz4 mada-syuta. Ye two Asvins, quick as thought, powerful, wildly moving ; or, as SAyana proposes, liberal givers, humblers of your enemies. See also VIII, 35, 19. Most frequently madafyut is applied to Soma, X, 30, 9; IX, 32,1; 53, 43 79, 23 108, 11; where particularly the last passage deserves attention, in which Soma is called madaekyitam sahdsra-dh4ram vrishabham. Lastly, even the wealth itself which the Maruts are asked to send down from heaven, most likely rain, is called, VIII, 7,13, rayim mada-Zyutam puru-kshim visvadhayasam. . In all these passages we must translate mada-kyut by bringing delight, showering down delight.
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.
1e. like a skin in which water is kept and from which it is poured out. The cloud itself being called a skin by Vedic poets (I, 129, 3) makes the comparison still more natural. One other explanation might suggest itself, if the singular of £4rma should be considered objectionable on account of the plural of the verb. Vedic poets speak of the skin of the earth. Thus: X, 68, 4. bhiimy4A/ udné-iva vi tv4zam bibheda. He (Brthaspati) having driven the cows from the cave, cut the skin of the earth, as it were, with water, i. e. saturated it with rain. The construction, however, if we took £4rma in the sense of surface, would be very irregular, and we should have to translate: They moisten the earth with water like a skin, i.e. skin-deep. NOTES. I, 85, 7. 133 We ought to scan #armevodabhi# vi undanti bhima, for karmeva udabhih vyundanti bhOma would give an unusual czsura. Verse 8. Note 1. AV. XX, 13, 2. With your arms, i.e. according to Sfyana, with armfuls of gifts. Though this expression does not occur again so baldly, we read I, 166, 10, of the Maruts, that there are many gifts in their strong arms, bhrivi bhadr& ndryeshu bahishu; nor does bahu, as used in the plural, as far as I am able to judge, ever convey any meaning but that of arms. The idea that the Maruts are carried along by their arms as by wings, does not rest on Vedic authority, otherwise we might join raghupatvanak with bahubhi#, come forth swiftly flying on your arms! As it is, and with the accent on the antepenultimate, we must refer raghupatvana to sd4ptaya, horses. Note 2. The sweet food is Soma. Verse 7. Note 1. The initial ‘a’ of avardhanta must be elided, or ‘té a’ be pronounced as two short syllables equal to one long. Note 2. Taitt. S. IV, 1,11, 3. Vishzu, whose character in the hymns of the Veda is very different from that assumed by him in later periods of Hindu religion, must here be taken as the friend and companion of Indra. Like the Maruts, he assisted Indra in his battle against Vritra and the conquest of the clouds. When Indra was forsaken by all the gods, Vishzu came to his help. IV, 18, 11. uté mat& mahishdm dnu avenat amf (iti) tva gahati putra devaz, 4tha abravit vritram {ndrak hanishyan sdkhe vishvo (iti) vi-tardm vi kramasva. : The mother also called after the bull, these gods forsake thee, O son; then, when going to kill Vritra, Indra said, Friend, Vishzu, step forward ! This stepping of Vishzu is emblematic of the rising, the culminating, and setting of the sun; and in VIII, 12, 27, 134 VEDIC HYMNS.
2: The mother also called after the bull, these gods forsake thee, O son; then, when going to kill Vritra, Indra said, Friend, Vishzu, step forward ! This stepping of Vishzu is emblematic of the rising, the culminating, and setting of the sun; and in VIII, 12, 27, 134 VEDIC HYMNS. Vishzu is said to perform it through the power of Indra. In VI, 20, 2, Indra is said to have killed Vritra, assisted by Vishzu (vishvuna sakanah). Vishzu is therefore invoked together with Indra, VI, 69, 8; VII, 99; with the Maruts, V, 87; VII, 36, 9. In VII, 93, 8, Indra, Vishvu, and the Maruts are called upon together. Nay, mf@ruta, belonging to the Maruts, becomes actually an epithet of Vishzu, V, 46, 2. m@ruta utd vishvo ({ti); and in I, 156, 4. marutasya vedhdsa# has been pointed out by Roth as an appellation of Vishzu. The mention of Vishzu in our hymn is therefore by no means exceptional, but the whole purport of this verse is nevertheless very doubtful, chiefly owing to the fact that several of the words occurring in it lend themselves to different interpretations. The translations of Wilson, Benfey, and others have not rendered the sense which the poet intends to describe at all clear. Wilson says: ‘May they for whom Vishzu defends (the sacrifice), that bestows all desires and confers delight, come (quickly) like birds, and sit down upon the pleasant and sacred grass.’ Benfey: ‘Wenn Vishzu schiitzt den rauschtriefenden tropfenden (Soma), sitzen wie Végel sie auf der geliebten Streu.’ Langlois: ‘Quand Vichmou vient prendre sa part de nos enivrantes libations, eux, comme des oiseaux, arrivent aussi sur le cousa qui leur est cher.’ Ludwig: ‘Als Vishzu half dem zum rauschtrank eilenden stiere, setzten sie sich wie végel aufs liebe barhis.’ Whence all these varieties? First, because &vat may mean, he defended or protected, but likewise, it is supposed, he descried, became aware. Secondly, because vréshan is one of the most vague and hence most difficult words in the Veda, and may mean Indra, Soma, or the cloud : (see the note on Vréshan, p.138.) Thirdly, because the adjective belonging to vrfshan, which generally helps us to determine which vr/shan is meant, is here itself of doubtful import, and certainly applicable to Indra as well as to Soma and the Asvins, possibly even to the cloud. Mada-fyut is readily explained by the commentators as bringing down pride, a meaning which the word might well have in modern Sanskrif, but which it clearly has not in NOTES. I, 85, 7. 135 the Veda. Even where the thunderbolt of Indra is called madafyut, and where the meaning of ‘ bringing down pride’ would seem most appropriate, we ought to translate ‘ wildly rushing down.’ VIII, 96, 5. & y4t vagram bahvod indra dhatse mada- Ayuitam dahaye hantavaf Om (iti). When thou tookest the wildly rushing thunderbolt in thy arms in order to slay Ahi.
3& y4t vagram bahvod indra dhatse mada- Ayuitam dahaye hantavaf Om (iti). When thou tookest the wildly rushing thunderbolt in thy arms in order to slay Ahi. When applied to the gods, the meaning of madafyit is by no means certain. It might mean rushing about fiercely, reeling with delight, this delight being produced by the Soma, but it may also mean sending down delight, i.e. rain or Soma. The root Ayu is particularly applicable to the sending down of rain; cf. Taitt. Samh. II, 4, 9, 23 10, 3; III, 3, 4,1; and Indra and his horses, to whom this epithet is chiefly applied, are frequently asked to send down rain. However, madafyut is also applied to real horses (I, 126, 4) where givers of rain would be an inappropriate epithet. I should therefore translate madafyut, when applied to Indra, to his horses, to the Asvins, or to horses in general by furiously or wildly moving about, as if ‘made or madena éyavate,’ he moves in a state of delight, or in a state of intoxication, such as was not incompatible with the character of the ancient gods. Here again the difficulty of rendering Vedic thought in English, or any other modern language, becomes apparent, for we have no poetical word to express a high state of mental excitement produced by drinking the intoxicating juice of the Soma or other plants, which has not something opprobrious mixed up with it, while in ancient times that state of excitement was celebrated as a blessing of. the gods, as not unworthy of the gods themselves, nay, as a state in which both the warrior and the poet would perform their highest achievements. The German Rausch is the nearest approach to the Sanskrit mada. VIII, 1, 21. visvesham tarut#ram mada-Ayitam made hi sma dadati nak. Indra, the conqueror of all, who rushes about in rapture, for in rapture he bestows gifts upon us. Cf. I, 51, 2. 136 VEDIC HYMNS. The horses of Indra are called madafyut, I, 81, 3; VIII, 33,18; 34,9. Ordinary horses, I, 126, 4. It is more surprising to see this epithet applied to the Asvins, who are generally represented as moving about with exemplary steadiness. However we read: VIII, 22,16. mdanaf-gavas4 vrishaz4 mada-syuta. Ye two Asvins, quick as thought, powerful, wildly moving ; or, as SAyana proposes, liberal givers, humblers of your enemies. See also VIII, 35, 19. Most frequently madafyut is applied to Soma, X, 30, 9; IX, 32,1; 53, 43 79, 23 108, 11; where particularly the last passage deserves attention, in which Soma is called madaekyitam sahdsra-dh4ram vrishabham. Lastly, even the wealth itself which the Maruts are asked to send down from heaven, most likely rain, is called, VIII, 7,13, rayim mada-Zyutam puru-kshim visvadhayasam. . In all these passages we must translate mada-kyut by bringing delight, showering down delight.
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.
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