Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Literally, in one day. But sadya/z has already in the Rig-veda the secondary meaning * immediately, quickly.' Note 2. Comp. Ill, 56, 7. rag-ana mitra-varu^a supam. Note 3. See below, 72, 6. Verse 10. Note 1. Comp. VII, 18, 3: there the words abhi vlduA kavi/z 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, 1. min&'ti .m'yam ^arimS tanun&m. [46] 82 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^ALA I, HYMN 72. ASH7AKA I, ADHYAYA 5, VARGA 17-18. i. He has brought down (i.e. surpassed) the wisdom of many a worshipper1, 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 1. All the clever immortals when seeking did not find the calf though sojourning round about us. The attentive (gods), wearying themselves, follow- ing his footsteps2, stood at the highest, beautiful3 standing-place of Agni. 3. When the bright ones1 had done service2 to thee, the bright one, Agni, with Ghrzta 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 powers1. The mortal, when (beings) were in discord2, perceived and found out Agni standing in the highest place. 5. Being like-minded they1 reverentially ap- proached him on their knees. Together with their wives they venerated the venerable one2. Aban- doning their bodies they made them their own3, the (one) friend waking when the (other) friend closed his eyes4. 6. When the worshipful (gods) have discovered the thrice seven secret steps1 (or, places) laid down in thee, they concordantly guard with them immor- MAiTOALA I, HYMN 7 2. 83 tality. Protect thou the cattle .and that which remains steadfast2 and that which moves. 7. Knowing, O Agni, the established orders1 of (human) dwellings, distribute in due order gifts2 that they may live. Knowing the ways which the gods go3, 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 young1 (rivers) and the doors of riches. Sarama found the strong stable of the cows from which human clans receive their nourishment2. 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 bird1, with her sons who have assumed all powers of their own dominion2, preparing (for themselves) the way to immortality.
29. The Earth has spread herself far and wide with them who are great in their greatness, the mother Aditi, for the refreshment of the bird1, with her sons who have assumed all powers of their own dominion2, preparing (for themselves) the way to immortality. 10. When the immortals created the two eyes of heaven1, they placed fair splendour in him (Agni)2. Then they rush down3 like streams let loose. The red ones have recognised, O Agni, those which are directed downwards4. NOTES. The Same Rhhx and metre. — Verse 1 = TS. II, 2, 12, 1. 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 Miiller 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 j&rvat, see VI, 61, i; VII, x8, 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 Saya/^a, Bollensen, and Ludwig in taking Mru as a locative. Verse 3. Note 1. ' Was not Saya/za right in taking this verse as referring to the Maruts? Cf. VI, 48, 21. . . . su^ata also is an epithet of the Maruts, I, 88, 3 ; 166, 11.' M. M. Note 2. As to the subjunctive, comp. Delbruck, Syn- taktische Forschungen, I, p. 67. The Taittiriya Brahma/za (II, 4, 5, 6) reads saparyan. Verse 4. Note 1. I follow the Padapa/^a which has rudriya. But possibly we may have the nom. plur. rudriya/z : ' 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 ririkva^sa^ tanva^ krzVzvata tram, 'abandoning (i.e. risking) their bodies they took him (Indra) for their pro- tector ' (comp. I, 100, 7). Should sva^ have supplanted another word, for instance, tram ? As the pronoun sva very frequently stands in apposition with tantf, it may have found its way also into passages to which it did not belong. MAN DAL A I, HYMN "J 2. 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, Studien zur indogerm, Sprachgeschichte, I, 95. Verse 6.
385 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, Studien zur indogerm, Sprachgeschichte, I, 95. Verse 6. Note 1. Saya/za explains the tri^ sapta pada as the three times seven kinds of sacrifices, the seven Pakaya^Tzas, the seven Havirya^as, the seven Somaya^Tzas. But this later system of the twenty-one forms of sacrifice can scarcely have existed at the time of the Rig-veda Sa//zhita. Three times seven is a favourite number in Rig-vedic mysticism ; comp. I, 191, 12. 14; IV, 1, 16; VII, 87, 4 ; VIII, 46, 26 ; 69, 7 ; 96, 2 ; IX, 70, 1 ; 86, 21 ; X, 64, 8 ; 90, 15. 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//za) I think we must read avidan. Note 2. Ludwig certainly is wrong in translating ' hiite 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, 1 ; 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 sthatii/z (Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXV, 287 ; comp. Lanman, p. 422); the reading sthatr//z may be due to the neighbourhood of pa^fin. This sort of blunder is very frequent in the text of the Rig-veda. Prof. Max Miiller suggests : the stabled cattle and what moves about (in the meadows). 86 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 7. Note 1. On vayiina, comp. Pischel, Ved. Studien, I, 295. 300. ' The thoughts of human beings.' M. M. Note 2. Surudh : Pischel, Ved. Studien, I, 32. 50. Note 3. ' Which lead to the gods ?' M. M. Verse 8. Note 1. Comp. 1, 26, 10, note 1. — * 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.
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.
1Literally, in one day. But sadya/z has already in the Rig-veda the secondary meaning * immediately, quickly.' Note 2. Comp. Ill, 56, 7. rag-ana mitra-varu^a supam. Note 3. See below, 72, 6. Verse 10. Note 1. Comp. VII, 18, 3: there the words abhi vlduA kavi/z 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, 1. min&'ti .m'yam ^arimS tanun&m. [46] 82 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^ALA I, HYMN 72. ASH7AKA I, ADHYAYA 5, VARGA 17-18. i. He has brought down (i.e. surpassed) the wisdom of many a worshipper1, 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 1. All the clever immortals when seeking did not find the calf though sojourning round about us. The attentive (gods), wearying themselves, follow- ing his footsteps2, stood at the highest, beautiful3 standing-place of Agni. 3. When the bright ones1 had done service2 to thee, the bright one, Agni, with Ghrzta 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 powers1. The mortal, when (beings) were in discord2, perceived and found out Agni standing in the highest place. 5. Being like-minded they1 reverentially ap- proached him on their knees. Together with their wives they venerated the venerable one2. Aban- doning their bodies they made them their own3, the (one) friend waking when the (other) friend closed his eyes4. 6. When the worshipful (gods) have discovered the thrice seven secret steps1 (or, places) laid down in thee, they concordantly guard with them immor- MAiTOALA I, HYMN 7 2. 83 tality. Protect thou the cattle .and that which remains steadfast2 and that which moves. 7. Knowing, O Agni, the established orders1 of (human) dwellings, distribute in due order gifts2 that they may live. Knowing the ways which the gods go3, 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 young1 (rivers) and the doors of riches. Sarama found the strong stable of the cows from which human clans receive their nourishment2. 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 bird1, with her sons who have assumed all powers of their own dominion2, preparing (for themselves) the way to immortality.
29. The Earth has spread herself far and wide with them who are great in their greatness, the mother Aditi, for the refreshment of the bird1, with her sons who have assumed all powers of their own dominion2, preparing (for themselves) the way to immortality. 10. When the immortals created the two eyes of heaven1, they placed fair splendour in him (Agni)2. Then they rush down3 like streams let loose. The red ones have recognised, O Agni, those which are directed downwards4. NOTES. The Same Rhhx and metre. — Verse 1 = TS. II, 2, 12, 1. 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 Miiller 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 j&rvat, see VI, 61, i; VII, x8, 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 Saya/^a, Bollensen, and Ludwig in taking Mru as a locative. Verse 3. Note 1. ' Was not Saya/za right in taking this verse as referring to the Maruts? Cf. VI, 48, 21. . . . su^ata also is an epithet of the Maruts, I, 88, 3 ; 166, 11.' M. M. Note 2. As to the subjunctive, comp. Delbruck, Syn- taktische Forschungen, I, p. 67. The Taittiriya Brahma/za (II, 4, 5, 6) reads saparyan. Verse 4. Note 1. I follow the Padapa/^a which has rudriya. But possibly we may have the nom. plur. rudriya/z : ' 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 ririkva^sa^ tanva^ krzVzvata tram, 'abandoning (i.e. risking) their bodies they took him (Indra) for their pro- tector ' (comp. I, 100, 7). Should sva^ have supplanted another word, for instance, tram ? As the pronoun sva very frequently stands in apposition with tantf, it may have found its way also into passages to which it did not belong. MAN DAL A I, HYMN "J 2. 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, Studien zur indogerm, Sprachgeschichte, I, 95. Verse 6.
385 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, Studien zur indogerm, Sprachgeschichte, I, 95. Verse 6. Note 1. Saya/za explains the tri^ sapta pada as the three times seven kinds of sacrifices, the seven Pakaya^Tzas, the seven Havirya^as, the seven Somaya^Tzas. But this later system of the twenty-one forms of sacrifice can scarcely have existed at the time of the Rig-veda Sa//zhita. Three times seven is a favourite number in Rig-vedic mysticism ; comp. I, 191, 12. 14; IV, 1, 16; VII, 87, 4 ; VIII, 46, 26 ; 69, 7 ; 96, 2 ; IX, 70, 1 ; 86, 21 ; X, 64, 8 ; 90, 15. 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//za) I think we must read avidan. Note 2. Ludwig certainly is wrong in translating ' hiite 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, 1 ; 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 sthatii/z (Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXV, 287 ; comp. Lanman, p. 422); the reading sthatr//z may be due to the neighbourhood of pa^fin. This sort of blunder is very frequent in the text of the Rig-veda. Prof. Max Miiller suggests : the stabled cattle and what moves about (in the meadows). 86 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 7. Note 1. On vayiina, comp. Pischel, Ved. Studien, I, 295. 300. ' The thoughts of human beings.' M. M. Note 2. Surudh : Pischel, Ved. Studien, I, 32. 50. Note 3. ' Which lead to the gods ?' M. M. Verse 8. Note 1. Comp. 1, 26, 10, note 1. — * 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.
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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