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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1(M.M., Sanskrit Grammar, § 252.) Yet even thus, when vzéshan means simply strong or hero, its sexual sense is not always forgotten, and it breaks out, for instance, in such passages as, I, 32, 7. vréshvahk vadhrif prati-m&nam bubhdshan purutra vritrak asayat vi-astah. Vritra, the eunuch, trying to be like untoa man (like unto Indra), was lying, broken to many pieces. The next passages show vr/shan as applied to Agni: III, 27, 15. veréshaxam tv4 vaydm vrishan vr/shazahk sdm idhimahi. O, strong one, let us the strong ones kindle thee, the strong! V, 1,12. a4vokéama kavaye médhydya vakak vandaru vrishabhiaya vréshne. We have spoken an adoring speech for the worshipful poet, for the strong bull (Agni). Vishzu is called vréshan, I, 154, 3: pra vishzave sishdm etu manma giri-kshite uru-gaydya vrtshne. May this hymn go forth to Vishvu, he who dwells in the mountain (cloud), who strides wide, the hero ! Rudra is called v7/shan : II, 34,2. rudra# yat vak marutad rukma-vakshasah vr/sha agani présnyah sukré Gdhani. When Rudra, the strong man, begat you, O Maruts with NOTES. I, 85, 12. 145 bright ornaments on your chests, in the bright lap of Prisni. That the Maruts, the sons of Rudra, are called v7/shan, we have seen before, and shall see frequently again (I, 165, 1; II, 33,13; VII, 56, 20; 21; 58,6). The whole company of the Maruts is called vrésha gawah, the strong or manly host, i.e. the host of the Maruts, without any further qualification. VI. Vr¢shan, name of various deities. Here lies, indeed, the chief difficulty which is raised by the common use of vr/shan in the Veda, that when it occurs by itself, it often remains doubtful who is meant by it, Indra, or Soma, or the Maruts, or some other deity. We shall examine a few of these passages, and first some where vréshan refers to Indra: IV, 30, 10. dpa ushé& dnasak sarat sdm-pish“at dha bibhyushi, nf ydt stm sisnathat v/sha. Ushas went away from her broken chariot, fearing lest the hero should do her violence. Here vr/shan is clearly meant for Indra, who, as we learn from the preceding verse, was trying to conquer Ushas, as Apollo did Daphne; and it should be observed that the word itself, by which Indra is here designated, is particularly appropriate to the circumstances. I, 103, 6. bhdri-karmaze vrishabhaya vrishve satyd-sushmaya sunavama sémam, yas 4-drftya paripanthi-iva stirak dyagvanaz vi-bhagan éti védak. Let us pour out the Soma for the strong bull, the performer of many exploits, whose strength is true, the hero who, watching like a footpad, comes to us dividing the wealth of the infidel. Here it is clear again from the context that Indra only can be meant. But in other passages this is more doubtful: III, 61, 7. ritdsya budhné ushdsdm ishazydn vr/sha mahi (iti) rédast (iti) & vivesa. The hero in the depth of the heaven, yearning for the dawns, has entered the great sky and the earth. (32] L 146 VEDIC HYMNS,
2But in other passages this is more doubtful: III, 61, 7. ritdsya budhné ushdsdm ishazydn vr/sha mahi (iti) rédast (iti) & vivesa. The hero in the depth of the heaven, yearning for the dawns, has entered the great sky and the earth. (32] L 146 VEDIC HYMNS, The hero who yearns for the dawns, is generally Indra; here, however, considering that Agni is mentioned in the preceding verse, it is more likely that this god, as the light of the morning, may have been meant by the poet. That Agni, too, may be called vv/shan, without any other epithet to show that he is meant rather than any other god, is clear from such passages as, VI, 3, 7. vrésha rukshad dshadhishu ndnot. He the wild hero shouted among the plants. In VII, 60, 9, vrishazau, the dual, is meant for Mitra and Varuza ; in the next verse, vrishamaA, the plural, must mean the same gods and their companions. That Soma is called simply vv/shan, not only in the ninth Mandala, but elsewhere, too, we see from such passages as, III, 43, 7. Indra pfba vv¢sha-dhatasya vréshnak (& ydm te syenah usaté gabhfra), ydsya made Ayavayasi pra krishatk ydsya made dpa gotra vavdrtha. Indra drink of the male (the strong Soma), bruised by the males (the heavy stones), inspirited by whom thou makest the people fall down, inspirited by whom thou hast opened the stables. Here Sayaaa, too, sees rightly that ‘the male bruised by the males’ is the Soma-plant, which, in order to yield the intoxicating juice, has to be bruised by stones, which stones are again likened to two males. But unless the words, enclosed in brackets, had stood in the text, words which clearly point to Soma, I doubt whether SAyaza would have so readily admitted the definite meaning of v7/shan as Soma. I, 109, 3. m& Akedma rasmin iti nidhamanaé pitrfném saktiZ anu-ydékékhamanéf, indragni-bhyam kam vr/shanak madanti t& h{ ddri (iti) dhishévz4y4% upd-sthe. We pray, let us not break the cords (which, by means of the sacrifices offered by each generation of our forefathers, unite us with the gods); we strive after the powers of our fathers. The Somas rejoice for Indra and Agni; for the two stones are in the lap of the vessel. First, as to the construction, the fact that participles are thus used as finite verbs, and particularly when the subject changes in the next sentence, is proved by other passages, NOTES. I, 85, 12. 147 such as II, 11, 4. The sense is that the new generation does not break the sacrificial succession, but offers Soma, like their fathers. The Soma-plants are ready, and, when pressed by two stones, their juice flows into the Somavessel. There may be a double entendre in dhishawayak upd-sthe, which Sanskrit scholars will easily perceive. When vr/shan is thus used by itself, we must be chiefly guided by the adjectives or other indications before we determine on the most plausible translation. Thus we read :
3There may be a double entendre in dhishawayak upd-sthe, which Sanskrit scholars will easily perceive. When vr/shan is thus used by itself, we must be chiefly guided by the adjectives or other indications before we determine on the most plausible translation. Thus we read : I, 55,4. saz {t vane namasyt-bhif vakasyate Aéru ganeshu pra-bruvazaz indriydm, vrtsha kkdndué bhavati haryatas vrisha kshémeza dhénam maghda-va yat {nvati. In the first verse the subject may be Indra or Soma: ‘He alone is praised by worshippers in the forest (or in the wooden vessel), he who shows forth among men his fair power.’ But who is meant to be the subject of the next verse? Even Sayama is doubtful. He translates first: ‘The bounteous excites the man who wishes to sacrifice ; when the sacrificer, the rich, by the protection of Indra, stirs up his voice.’ But he allows an optional translation for the last sentences: ‘when the powerful male, Indra, by his enduring mind reaches the praise offered by the sacrificer.’ According to these suggestions, WILSON translated: He (Indra) is the granter of their wishes (to those who solicit him) ; he is the encourager of those who desire to worship (him), when the wealthy offerer of oblations, enjoying his protection, recites his praise. BENFEY: The bull becomes friendly, the bull becomes desirable, when the sacrificer kindly advances praise. LANGLOIS: When the noble Maghavan receives the homage of our hymns, his heart is flattered, and he responds to the wishes of his servant by his gifts. As far as I know, the adjective #Adndu does not occur again, and can therefore give us no hint. But haryatd, which is applied to vv/shan in our verse, is the standing epithet of Soma. It means delicious, and occurs very frequently in the ninth Mazdala. It is likewise applied to Agni, Paishan, the Haris, the thunderbolt, but wherever L2 148 VEDIC HYMNS. it occurs our first thought is of Soma. Thus, without quoting from the Soma-Mandala, we read, X, 96, 1, haryatam madam, the delicious draught, i.e. Soma. X, 96, 9. pitvd mddasya haryatdsya dndhasa#, means having drunk of the draught of the delicious Soma. VIII, 72, 18. paddm haryatasya ni-dhanyam, means the place where the delicious Soma resides. III, 44, 1. haryata# sémak. Delicious Soma. II, 21, 1. bhara {indraya s6mam yagataya haryatdm. Bring delicious Soma for the holy Indra. I, 130, 2. mddaya haryataya te tuvi4-tamAya dhayase. That thou mayest drink the delicious and most powerful draught, i. e. the Soma.
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.
1(M.M., Sanskrit Grammar, § 252.) Yet even thus, when vzéshan means simply strong or hero, its sexual sense is not always forgotten, and it breaks out, for instance, in such passages as, I, 32, 7. vréshvahk vadhrif prati-m&nam bubhdshan purutra vritrak asayat vi-astah. Vritra, the eunuch, trying to be like untoa man (like unto Indra), was lying, broken to many pieces. The next passages show vr/shan as applied to Agni: III, 27, 15. veréshaxam tv4 vaydm vrishan vr/shazahk sdm idhimahi. O, strong one, let us the strong ones kindle thee, the strong! V, 1,12. a4vokéama kavaye médhydya vakak vandaru vrishabhiaya vréshne. We have spoken an adoring speech for the worshipful poet, for the strong bull (Agni). Vishzu is called vréshan, I, 154, 3: pra vishzave sishdm etu manma giri-kshite uru-gaydya vrtshne. May this hymn go forth to Vishvu, he who dwells in the mountain (cloud), who strides wide, the hero ! Rudra is called v7/shan : II, 34,2. rudra# yat vak marutad rukma-vakshasah vr/sha agani présnyah sukré Gdhani. When Rudra, the strong man, begat you, O Maruts with NOTES. I, 85, 12. 145 bright ornaments on your chests, in the bright lap of Prisni. That the Maruts, the sons of Rudra, are called v7/shan, we have seen before, and shall see frequently again (I, 165, 1; II, 33,13; VII, 56, 20; 21; 58,6). The whole company of the Maruts is called vrésha gawah, the strong or manly host, i.e. the host of the Maruts, without any further qualification. VI. Vr¢shan, name of various deities. Here lies, indeed, the chief difficulty which is raised by the common use of vr/shan in the Veda, that when it occurs by itself, it often remains doubtful who is meant by it, Indra, or Soma, or the Maruts, or some other deity. We shall examine a few of these passages, and first some where vréshan refers to Indra: IV, 30, 10. dpa ushé& dnasak sarat sdm-pish“at dha bibhyushi, nf ydt stm sisnathat v/sha. Ushas went away from her broken chariot, fearing lest the hero should do her violence. Here vr/shan is clearly meant for Indra, who, as we learn from the preceding verse, was trying to conquer Ushas, as Apollo did Daphne; and it should be observed that the word itself, by which Indra is here designated, is particularly appropriate to the circumstances. I, 103, 6. bhdri-karmaze vrishabhaya vrishve satyd-sushmaya sunavama sémam, yas 4-drftya paripanthi-iva stirak dyagvanaz vi-bhagan éti védak. Let us pour out the Soma for the strong bull, the performer of many exploits, whose strength is true, the hero who, watching like a footpad, comes to us dividing the wealth of the infidel. Here it is clear again from the context that Indra only can be meant. But in other passages this is more doubtful: III, 61, 7. ritdsya budhné ushdsdm ishazydn vr/sha mahi (iti) rédast (iti) & vivesa. The hero in the depth of the heaven, yearning for the dawns, has entered the great sky and the earth. (32] L 146 VEDIC HYMNS,
2But in other passages this is more doubtful: III, 61, 7. ritdsya budhné ushdsdm ishazydn vr/sha mahi (iti) rédast (iti) & vivesa. The hero in the depth of the heaven, yearning for the dawns, has entered the great sky and the earth. (32] L 146 VEDIC HYMNS, The hero who yearns for the dawns, is generally Indra; here, however, considering that Agni is mentioned in the preceding verse, it is more likely that this god, as the light of the morning, may have been meant by the poet. That Agni, too, may be called vv/shan, without any other epithet to show that he is meant rather than any other god, is clear from such passages as, VI, 3, 7. vrésha rukshad dshadhishu ndnot. He the wild hero shouted among the plants. In VII, 60, 9, vrishazau, the dual, is meant for Mitra and Varuza ; in the next verse, vrishamaA, the plural, must mean the same gods and their companions. That Soma is called simply vv/shan, not only in the ninth Mandala, but elsewhere, too, we see from such passages as, III, 43, 7. Indra pfba vv¢sha-dhatasya vréshnak (& ydm te syenah usaté gabhfra), ydsya made Ayavayasi pra krishatk ydsya made dpa gotra vavdrtha. Indra drink of the male (the strong Soma), bruised by the males (the heavy stones), inspirited by whom thou makest the people fall down, inspirited by whom thou hast opened the stables. Here Sayaaa, too, sees rightly that ‘the male bruised by the males’ is the Soma-plant, which, in order to yield the intoxicating juice, has to be bruised by stones, which stones are again likened to two males. But unless the words, enclosed in brackets, had stood in the text, words which clearly point to Soma, I doubt whether SAyaza would have so readily admitted the definite meaning of v7/shan as Soma. I, 109, 3. m& Akedma rasmin iti nidhamanaé pitrfném saktiZ anu-ydékékhamanéf, indragni-bhyam kam vr/shanak madanti t& h{ ddri (iti) dhishévz4y4% upd-sthe. We pray, let us not break the cords (which, by means of the sacrifices offered by each generation of our forefathers, unite us with the gods); we strive after the powers of our fathers. The Somas rejoice for Indra and Agni; for the two stones are in the lap of the vessel. First, as to the construction, the fact that participles are thus used as finite verbs, and particularly when the subject changes in the next sentence, is proved by other passages, NOTES. I, 85, 12. 147 such as II, 11, 4. The sense is that the new generation does not break the sacrificial succession, but offers Soma, like their fathers. The Soma-plants are ready, and, when pressed by two stones, their juice flows into the Somavessel. There may be a double entendre in dhishawayak upd-sthe, which Sanskrit scholars will easily perceive. When vr/shan is thus used by itself, we must be chiefly guided by the adjectives or other indications before we determine on the most plausible translation. Thus we read :
3There may be a double entendre in dhishawayak upd-sthe, which Sanskrit scholars will easily perceive. When vr/shan is thus used by itself, we must be chiefly guided by the adjectives or other indications before we determine on the most plausible translation. Thus we read : I, 55,4. saz {t vane namasyt-bhif vakasyate Aéru ganeshu pra-bruvazaz indriydm, vrtsha kkdndué bhavati haryatas vrisha kshémeza dhénam maghda-va yat {nvati. In the first verse the subject may be Indra or Soma: ‘He alone is praised by worshippers in the forest (or in the wooden vessel), he who shows forth among men his fair power.’ But who is meant to be the subject of the next verse? Even Sayama is doubtful. He translates first: ‘The bounteous excites the man who wishes to sacrifice ; when the sacrificer, the rich, by the protection of Indra, stirs up his voice.’ But he allows an optional translation for the last sentences: ‘when the powerful male, Indra, by his enduring mind reaches the praise offered by the sacrificer.’ According to these suggestions, WILSON translated: He (Indra) is the granter of their wishes (to those who solicit him) ; he is the encourager of those who desire to worship (him), when the wealthy offerer of oblations, enjoying his protection, recites his praise. BENFEY: The bull becomes friendly, the bull becomes desirable, when the sacrificer kindly advances praise. LANGLOIS: When the noble Maghavan receives the homage of our hymns, his heart is flattered, and he responds to the wishes of his servant by his gifts. As far as I know, the adjective #Adndu does not occur again, and can therefore give us no hint. But haryatd, which is applied to vv/shan in our verse, is the standing epithet of Soma. It means delicious, and occurs very frequently in the ninth Mazdala. It is likewise applied to Agni, Paishan, the Haris, the thunderbolt, but wherever L2 148 VEDIC HYMNS. it occurs our first thought is of Soma. Thus, without quoting from the Soma-Mandala, we read, X, 96, 1, haryatam madam, the delicious draught, i.e. Soma. X, 96, 9. pitvd mddasya haryatdsya dndhasa#, means having drunk of the draught of the delicious Soma. VIII, 72, 18. paddm haryatasya ni-dhanyam, means the place where the delicious Soma resides. III, 44, 1. haryata# sémak. Delicious Soma. II, 21, 1. bhara {indraya s6mam yagataya haryatdm. Bring delicious Soma for the holy Indra. I, 130, 2. mddaya haryataya te tuvi4-tamAya dhayase. That thou mayest drink the delicious and most powerful draught, i. e. the Soma.
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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