Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
116. Do thou, O Agni, thou who knowest (how to grant) happiness, prolong our life here, O God ! May Mitra and Varu/za grant us this, may Aditi, the Sindhu, the Earth, and the Sky1 ! NOTES. This hymn with the whole collection which it opens is ascribed to Kutsa Angirasa. The metre is Cagati ; the two last verses, as is frequently the case in Gagati-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 1 = MS. II, 7,3 ; SV. I, 66 ; AV. XX, 13, 3. Verses 1, 3, 4 = SV. II, 414- 416. 415. Verse 1. Note 1. Prof. Max Miiller translates, ' Let us build up this hymn of praise.' To me it rather seems that the reading should be, as Boehtlingk-Roth have proposed, s. v. sam-hi, sam ahema. Comp. I, 61, 4. asmai it u stomam sam MAiVDALA T, HYMN 94. Ill hinomi ratham na tash/a-iva, c to him I send forward a song of praise as a carpenter (fits out) a chariot.' Compare besides, IX, 71, 5 ; I, 184, 4 ; II, 19, 7 ; VI, 45, J4, &c. Verse 2. Note 1. Comp. vol. xxxii, p. 65, I, 37, 1 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^a-sacrifices). As to the temporal use of the instrumental, comp. r/tuna and /-z"tubhi/£ ; Delbrlick, Altindische Syntax, p. 130. Verse 5. Note 1. Ludwig proposes the correction of vuam gopsiA into vLfam gopak (genitive). But I think it will be suffi- cient to write asya accented. As to visam gopa^, comp. 96,4. Verse 6. Note 1. The Pra^astrz (or Upavaktrz"), literally, * the commander,' is the same priest who is more usually designated as the Maitravaru/za. All the priests mentioned here (with the exception of the Purohita, see next note) belong to the ancient system of the ' seven Hotrz's,' enum- erated, for instance, II, 1, 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 (rz'tvi^a^), though of course the Purohita could act as a ritvlg. Geldner (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 ritvig; i. e. officiating priest' Comp. H. O., loc. cit, 374 seq.; 379, note 2. 112 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 dhumaketiina. 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 patatrfea/^, comp. above, I, 58, 5. Verse 12.
2But 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 patatrfea/^, 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, 66, 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. II3 Verse 15. Note 1. Agni is invoked here by the name of Aditi, with an evident allusion to the 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. ASH7AKA I, ADHYAYA 7, VARGA 1-2. i. Two (sisters) of different shapes wander along, pursuing a good aim. The one and the other suckles the calf1. With the one (the calf) is golden, moving according to its wont2. With the other it is seen clear, full of fine splendour. 2. The ten unwearied 1 young women 2 have brought forth this widely-spread germ of Tvash/r/3. Him, the sharp-faced (Agni) who is endowed with his own splendour, the shining one, they4 carry around among men. 3. They celebrate his three births: one in the sea, one in heaven, one in the waters1. In the eastern region2 he commanding determines the seasons of the dwellers on earth by his present power 3. 4. Who among you has understood this hidden (god) ? 1 The calf has by itself given birth to its mothers2. The germ of many (mothers), the great seer, moving by his own strength, comes forward from the lap of the active ones 3. 51. 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^rz2, when he was born, but turning back they caress the lion.
351. 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^rz2, 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 1 5 powers \ he whom they anoint with sacrificial gifts from the right side 2. 7. He raises his arms again and again like Savitrz1. He the terrible pressing on ranges both wings 2 (of his army). He raises up his bright vesture from himself alone3. 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(?) 2. This was the meeting among the gods3. 9. The wide space encompasses thy base, the resplendent foundation1 of the buffalo. Agm ! Being kindled protect us with all thy undeceivable guard- ians who are endowed with their own splendour. 10. On the dry ground he produces a stream1, 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 grass2. 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/za grant us this, may Aditi, Sindhu, the Earth, and the Sky ! NOTES. The same Rzshl The metre is Trish/ubh. — Verse 1 = VS. XXXIII, 5 ; TB. II, 7, 12, 2. Verse % = 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 I 1 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. 335) 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. V<£d., III, 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 birth in the waters are distinguished. The poet's meaning is not quite clear. Prof. Max Muller thinks of the rising sun and the lightning in the clouds. Comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, 107.
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.
116. Do thou, O Agni, thou who knowest (how to grant) happiness, prolong our life here, O God ! May Mitra and Varu/za grant us this, may Aditi, the Sindhu, the Earth, and the Sky1 ! NOTES. This hymn with the whole collection which it opens is ascribed to Kutsa Angirasa. The metre is Cagati ; the two last verses, as is frequently the case in Gagati-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 1 = MS. II, 7,3 ; SV. I, 66 ; AV. XX, 13, 3. Verses 1, 3, 4 = SV. II, 414- 416. 415. Verse 1. Note 1. Prof. Max Miiller translates, ' Let us build up this hymn of praise.' To me it rather seems that the reading should be, as Boehtlingk-Roth have proposed, s. v. sam-hi, sam ahema. Comp. I, 61, 4. asmai it u stomam sam MAiVDALA T, HYMN 94. Ill hinomi ratham na tash/a-iva, c to him I send forward a song of praise as a carpenter (fits out) a chariot.' Compare besides, IX, 71, 5 ; I, 184, 4 ; II, 19, 7 ; VI, 45, J4, &c. Verse 2. Note 1. Comp. vol. xxxii, p. 65, I, 37, 1 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^a-sacrifices). As to the temporal use of the instrumental, comp. r/tuna and /-z"tubhi/£ ; Delbrlick, Altindische Syntax, p. 130. Verse 5. Note 1. Ludwig proposes the correction of vuam gopsiA into vLfam gopak (genitive). But I think it will be suffi- cient to write asya accented. As to visam gopa^, comp. 96,4. Verse 6. Note 1. The Pra^astrz (or Upavaktrz"), literally, * the commander,' is the same priest who is more usually designated as the Maitravaru/za. All the priests mentioned here (with the exception of the Purohita, see next note) belong to the ancient system of the ' seven Hotrz's,' enum- erated, for instance, II, 1, 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 (rz'tvi^a^), though of course the Purohita could act as a ritvlg. Geldner (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 ritvig; i. e. officiating priest' Comp. H. O., loc. cit, 374 seq.; 379, note 2. 112 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 dhumaketiina. 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 patatrfea/^, comp. above, I, 58, 5. Verse 12.
2But 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 patatrfea/^, 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, 66, 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. II3 Verse 15. Note 1. Agni is invoked here by the name of Aditi, with an evident allusion to the 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. ASH7AKA I, ADHYAYA 7, VARGA 1-2. i. Two (sisters) of different shapes wander along, pursuing a good aim. The one and the other suckles the calf1. With the one (the calf) is golden, moving according to its wont2. With the other it is seen clear, full of fine splendour. 2. The ten unwearied 1 young women 2 have brought forth this widely-spread germ of Tvash/r/3. Him, the sharp-faced (Agni) who is endowed with his own splendour, the shining one, they4 carry around among men. 3. They celebrate his three births: one in the sea, one in heaven, one in the waters1. In the eastern region2 he commanding determines the seasons of the dwellers on earth by his present power 3. 4. Who among you has understood this hidden (god) ? 1 The calf has by itself given birth to its mothers2. The germ of many (mothers), the great seer, moving by his own strength, comes forward from the lap of the active ones 3. 51. 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^rz2, when he was born, but turning back they caress the lion.
351. 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^rz2, 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 1 5 powers \ he whom they anoint with sacrificial gifts from the right side 2. 7. He raises his arms again and again like Savitrz1. He the terrible pressing on ranges both wings 2 (of his army). He raises up his bright vesture from himself alone3. 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(?) 2. This was the meeting among the gods3. 9. The wide space encompasses thy base, the resplendent foundation1 of the buffalo. Agm ! Being kindled protect us with all thy undeceivable guard- ians who are endowed with their own splendour. 10. On the dry ground he produces a stream1, 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 grass2. 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/za grant us this, may Aditi, Sindhu, the Earth, and the Sky ! NOTES. The same Rzshl The metre is Trish/ubh. — Verse 1 = VS. XXXIII, 5 ; TB. II, 7, 12, 2. Verse % = 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 I 1 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. 335) 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. V<£d., III, 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 birth in the waters are distinguished. The poet's meaning is not quite clear. Prof. Max Muller thinks of the rising sun and the lightning in the clouds. Comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, 107.
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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