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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1on the sacrificial bed), whose foundations are pleasant, for the brilliant Agni bring forward1 a receptacle 2, which is to him like a drink. Clothe1 the bright one in prayer as in a garment, him whose chariot is light, whose colour is bright, the destroyer of darkness. 2. He who has a twofold birth1, presses on towards the threefold food 2 ; what he has eaten grows again after a year 3. With the mouth and the tongue of the one he (shows himself as) the noble, manly one ; with the other (mouth) the stubborn (Agni) wipes off the trees 4. 3. Both his mothers1, dwelling together, immersed in darkness, and affrighted, proceed towards the young child who stretches forward his tongue, who sparkling moves about thirstily, whom men should attach to themselves, who agitates (the world), the increaser of his father 2. 4. Thy speedy (teams)1 that strive to break loose for the benefit of the man who acts as men do, the swift ones, drawing black furrows — thy quick (horses), striving apart, the agile, swift runners, incited by the wind, are yoked. 5. When he stroking his wide course proceeds panting, thundering, roaring, then those sparkling (rays) of his fly about wildly, displaying wondrous darkness, a large sight1. 6. When he bends down over the brown (plants) x like a busy (servant), he roars and approaches his 142 VEDIC HYMNS. wives like a bull. Displaying his power he adorns his bodies with beauty ; like a terrible beast, difficult to seize, he shakes his horns. 7. He clasps (the plants, &c.) that have been laid together and have been laid out1. Knowing them, while they know him, and being their own (friend or lover) he lies on them. They grow again and attain godhead. They produce together another shape of the parents2. 8. The long-haired virgins1 have embraced him. Having died they stand upright again for him (Agni) the living one (or, for him the Ayu). Delivering them of old age he proceeds roaring, procreating another vital spirit, an indestructible life. 9. Licking everywhere the upper garment of the mother1, he spreads himself over the space with his mightily devouring warriors, giving strength to everything that has feet, licking and licking. The reddish white one2 follows her ways3. 10. Shine, O Agni, among our liberal lords, for thou art a mightily breathing bull, a friend of the house. Throwing down the (mothers) of the young child1 thou hast shone, (a protector of thy friends) like a coat of mail in battles, hurrying around. 11. May this well-composed (prayer), O Agni, be more welcome to thee than a badly-composed one — more welcome than even a welcome prayer. With the bright light of thy body win thou treasures for us. 12. Grant us, Agni, for our chariot and for our house a ship which has its own rudders and which has feet1, which may save our strong men and our liberal lords and our people, and which may be a shelter for us. MAiVDALA I, HYMN I40. 1 43
212. Grant us, Agni, for our chariot and for our house a ship which has its own rudders and which has feet1, which may save our strong men and our liberal lords and our people, and which may be a shelter for us. MAiVDALA I, HYMN I40. 1 43 13. Approve, O Agni, our hymn alone. May Heaven and Earth and the Rivers, delightful by their own nature1, going their way2, (choose for us) bliss in cows and crops, long days ; may the red (Dawns) choose food for us as a choice boon. NOTES. The Rishi is Dirghatamas Au^athya, the metre Gagati ; the two last verses are Trish/ubh (comp. above the note on the metre of I, 94) ; the tenth verse, which is considered as either Gagati or TrishAibh, begins with one £agati Pada which is followed by three Padas in Trish/ubh. — No verse occurs in the other Sa^hitas. Verse 1. Note 1. Pra bhara (Padap. pra bhara) and vasaya (Padap. vasaya) may be 1st person. Note 2. Possibly the ' womb ' or ' receptacle ' (yoni) here means ghrzta or the like, for it is said of Agni that ' his womb is ghrzta' (II, 3, 11), and he is called ghritayonik. This receptacle 'is to him like a drink/ because he con- sumes the ghrzta by which he is surrounded. "Verse 2. Note 1. The terrestrial and the celestial birth. Comp. Bergaigne, I, 28 seq. Note 2. Bergaigne (I, 29) translates : ' . . . s'elance trois fois sur la nourriture/ which he explains as referring to * the three sacrifices of the morning, the midday, and the evening/ But tri-vr/t clearly is an epithet of annam, not an adverb. The explanation of S&ya/za, who understands the threefold food as sacrificial butter, sacrificial cakes (puro^ara), and Soma, may be correct. Note 3. On the locative sa^vatsare, comp. Delbriick, Altindische Syntax, p. 117. 144 VEDIC HYMNS. Note 4. The last words evidently refer to Agni's tongue, i.e. his flames, wiping off as it were the firewood. But it is not clear what the tongue of the other one is. Saya^a thinks of the sacrificial spoon conceived as the tongue of the officiating priest : which is very artificial, but perhaps not too artificial for a verse like this. Verse 3. Note 1. The 'two mothers' of Agni may be the two worlds (comp. Bergaigne, I, 238) or the two kindling-sticks. — Ubha (masc.) instead of ubhe is to be remarked. Note 2. Agni . increases the wealth of the worshipper who has lighted the fire and may thus be considered as Agni's father. Comp. 5atapatha Brahma/za XII, 5, 2, 15. Or the father may be Heaven; on Agni as imparting strength to Heaven, see I, 164, 51. Verse 4. Note 1. The verse begins with feminines ; the gxxvdik (comp. I, 134, 1), literally the quick ones, seem to be something like the niyuta^ of Agni. Then follow mascu- lines ; the horses of Agni are male (comp. Bergaigne, I, I43)- Verse 5. Note 1. Comp. bhuri varpa^ karikrat, III, 58, 9. Verse 6.
3The verse begins with feminines ; the gxxvdik (comp. I, 134, 1), literally the quick ones, seem to be something like the niyuta^ of Agni. Then follow mascu- lines ; the horses of Agni are male (comp. Bergaigne, I, I43)- Verse 5. Note 1. Comp. bhuri varpa^ karikrat, III, 58, 9. Verse 6. Note 1. The brown ones, according to Saya«a, are the plants. They are called brown (babhru) also in X, 97, 1. ' Are they the dry leaves in which the spark is caught ? ' M. M. Verse 7. Note 1. Prof. Max Miiller translates sawstira^ vishrira^, ' (the flames) that are together and apart.' Note 2. The parents seem to be Heaven and Earth, as Sayaf/a explains. — Possibly pitro^ depends on saM (comp. MANDA1LA I, HYMN I4O. I45 pitro/fc sa£a, II, 17, 7; IV, 5, 10), 'being with their parents they produce a new shape.' Prof. Max Miiller translates: 'They produce together a different shape of their parents.' Verse 8. Note 1. Should not the plants again be referred to? ' I think it refers to the ^*valas, the flames that are hidden under the ashes and are lighted again.' M. M. Verse 9. Note 1. The mother is the Earth whose surface Agni licks. Note 2. I believe the Dawn is alluded to whom the Vedic poets represent now as preceding Agni, now as following him. See Bergaigne, II, pp. 14, 15. Note 3. For vartanir aha of the Sa^hitapa^a the Pada- pa/^a has vartani^ aha ; comp. Rig-veda PratLrakhya, Sutra 259. Vartanir of course is correct. Comp. X, 172, 1. gava^ sa^anta vartanim. Verse 10. Note 1. The mothers of the young child are very probably the mothers of Agni represented as a young child. They may be the Waters which Agni leaves resting on the surface of the earth while he himself rises to heaven. Or the mothers may be the woods or plants which he burns and thus throws them down as it were. Verse 12. Note 1. ' Which has feet in its own rudders,' M. M. That the ship has feet seems to mean only that it has the faculty of moving forward freely and quickly, and not that any real beings having feet are designated by this com- parison. The ship that carries the worshippers across all dangers, is the protection and help which Agni grants, or the sacrifice which he helps to perform. [46] L I46 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 13. Note 1. Comp. Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, 275. Note 2. Yanta^ seems to be corrupt; one or two syllables are wanting. Something like yatayantaA (IX, 39, 2) or vardhayanta^, or, as Prof. Max Miiller proposes, vyantaA would do. He translates: 'May Heaven and Earth and the Rivers . . . accepting (vyanta^) sacrifices of milk and corn choose for us, and may the Dawns choose for us food as a boon for many days.' — Cf. Lanman, PP- 5io, 539- M AND ALA I, HYMN 141. 1 47 MAiVZ?ALA I, HYMN 141. ASH7AKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 8-9. i. Lo, that beautiful splendour of the god, when he was born of strength, has truly come to be a wondrous sight. Though he slinks away1, the prayer goes straight to him2. They have led forward the flowing streams of Rita..
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.
1on the sacrificial bed), whose foundations are pleasant, for the brilliant Agni bring forward1 a receptacle 2, which is to him like a drink. Clothe1 the bright one in prayer as in a garment, him whose chariot is light, whose colour is bright, the destroyer of darkness. 2. He who has a twofold birth1, presses on towards the threefold food 2 ; what he has eaten grows again after a year 3. With the mouth and the tongue of the one he (shows himself as) the noble, manly one ; with the other (mouth) the stubborn (Agni) wipes off the trees 4. 3. Both his mothers1, dwelling together, immersed in darkness, and affrighted, proceed towards the young child who stretches forward his tongue, who sparkling moves about thirstily, whom men should attach to themselves, who agitates (the world), the increaser of his father 2. 4. Thy speedy (teams)1 that strive to break loose for the benefit of the man who acts as men do, the swift ones, drawing black furrows — thy quick (horses), striving apart, the agile, swift runners, incited by the wind, are yoked. 5. When he stroking his wide course proceeds panting, thundering, roaring, then those sparkling (rays) of his fly about wildly, displaying wondrous darkness, a large sight1. 6. When he bends down over the brown (plants) x like a busy (servant), he roars and approaches his 142 VEDIC HYMNS. wives like a bull. Displaying his power he adorns his bodies with beauty ; like a terrible beast, difficult to seize, he shakes his horns. 7. He clasps (the plants, &c.) that have been laid together and have been laid out1. Knowing them, while they know him, and being their own (friend or lover) he lies on them. They grow again and attain godhead. They produce together another shape of the parents2. 8. The long-haired virgins1 have embraced him. Having died they stand upright again for him (Agni) the living one (or, for him the Ayu). Delivering them of old age he proceeds roaring, procreating another vital spirit, an indestructible life. 9. Licking everywhere the upper garment of the mother1, he spreads himself over the space with his mightily devouring warriors, giving strength to everything that has feet, licking and licking. The reddish white one2 follows her ways3. 10. Shine, O Agni, among our liberal lords, for thou art a mightily breathing bull, a friend of the house. Throwing down the (mothers) of the young child1 thou hast shone, (a protector of thy friends) like a coat of mail in battles, hurrying around. 11. May this well-composed (prayer), O Agni, be more welcome to thee than a badly-composed one — more welcome than even a welcome prayer. With the bright light of thy body win thou treasures for us. 12. Grant us, Agni, for our chariot and for our house a ship which has its own rudders and which has feet1, which may save our strong men and our liberal lords and our people, and which may be a shelter for us. MAiVDALA I, HYMN I40. 1 43
212. Grant us, Agni, for our chariot and for our house a ship which has its own rudders and which has feet1, which may save our strong men and our liberal lords and our people, and which may be a shelter for us. MAiVDALA I, HYMN I40. 1 43 13. Approve, O Agni, our hymn alone. May Heaven and Earth and the Rivers, delightful by their own nature1, going their way2, (choose for us) bliss in cows and crops, long days ; may the red (Dawns) choose food for us as a choice boon. NOTES. The Rishi is Dirghatamas Au^athya, the metre Gagati ; the two last verses are Trish/ubh (comp. above the note on the metre of I, 94) ; the tenth verse, which is considered as either Gagati or TrishAibh, begins with one £agati Pada which is followed by three Padas in Trish/ubh. — No verse occurs in the other Sa^hitas. Verse 1. Note 1. Pra bhara (Padap. pra bhara) and vasaya (Padap. vasaya) may be 1st person. Note 2. Possibly the ' womb ' or ' receptacle ' (yoni) here means ghrzta or the like, for it is said of Agni that ' his womb is ghrzta' (II, 3, 11), and he is called ghritayonik. This receptacle 'is to him like a drink/ because he con- sumes the ghrzta by which he is surrounded. "Verse 2. Note 1. The terrestrial and the celestial birth. Comp. Bergaigne, I, 28 seq. Note 2. Bergaigne (I, 29) translates : ' . . . s'elance trois fois sur la nourriture/ which he explains as referring to * the three sacrifices of the morning, the midday, and the evening/ But tri-vr/t clearly is an epithet of annam, not an adverb. The explanation of S&ya/za, who understands the threefold food as sacrificial butter, sacrificial cakes (puro^ara), and Soma, may be correct. Note 3. On the locative sa^vatsare, comp. Delbriick, Altindische Syntax, p. 117. 144 VEDIC HYMNS. Note 4. The last words evidently refer to Agni's tongue, i.e. his flames, wiping off as it were the firewood. But it is not clear what the tongue of the other one is. Saya^a thinks of the sacrificial spoon conceived as the tongue of the officiating priest : which is very artificial, but perhaps not too artificial for a verse like this. Verse 3. Note 1. The 'two mothers' of Agni may be the two worlds (comp. Bergaigne, I, 238) or the two kindling-sticks. — Ubha (masc.) instead of ubhe is to be remarked. Note 2. Agni . increases the wealth of the worshipper who has lighted the fire and may thus be considered as Agni's father. Comp. 5atapatha Brahma/za XII, 5, 2, 15. Or the father may be Heaven; on Agni as imparting strength to Heaven, see I, 164, 51. Verse 4. Note 1. The verse begins with feminines ; the gxxvdik (comp. I, 134, 1), literally the quick ones, seem to be something like the niyuta^ of Agni. Then follow mascu- lines ; the horses of Agni are male (comp. Bergaigne, I, I43)- Verse 5. Note 1. Comp. bhuri varpa^ karikrat, III, 58, 9. Verse 6.
3The verse begins with feminines ; the gxxvdik (comp. I, 134, 1), literally the quick ones, seem to be something like the niyuta^ of Agni. Then follow mascu- lines ; the horses of Agni are male (comp. Bergaigne, I, I43)- Verse 5. Note 1. Comp. bhuri varpa^ karikrat, III, 58, 9. Verse 6. Note 1. The brown ones, according to Saya«a, are the plants. They are called brown (babhru) also in X, 97, 1. ' Are they the dry leaves in which the spark is caught ? ' M. M. Verse 7. Note 1. Prof. Max Miiller translates sawstira^ vishrira^, ' (the flames) that are together and apart.' Note 2. The parents seem to be Heaven and Earth, as Sayaf/a explains. — Possibly pitro^ depends on saM (comp. MANDA1LA I, HYMN I4O. I45 pitro/fc sa£a, II, 17, 7; IV, 5, 10), 'being with their parents they produce a new shape.' Prof. Max Miiller translates: 'They produce together a different shape of their parents.' Verse 8. Note 1. Should not the plants again be referred to? ' I think it refers to the ^*valas, the flames that are hidden under the ashes and are lighted again.' M. M. Verse 9. Note 1. The mother is the Earth whose surface Agni licks. Note 2. I believe the Dawn is alluded to whom the Vedic poets represent now as preceding Agni, now as following him. See Bergaigne, II, pp. 14, 15. Note 3. For vartanir aha of the Sa^hitapa^a the Pada- pa/^a has vartani^ aha ; comp. Rig-veda PratLrakhya, Sutra 259. Vartanir of course is correct. Comp. X, 172, 1. gava^ sa^anta vartanim. Verse 10. Note 1. The mothers of the young child are very probably the mothers of Agni represented as a young child. They may be the Waters which Agni leaves resting on the surface of the earth while he himself rises to heaven. Or the mothers may be the woods or plants which he burns and thus throws them down as it were. Verse 12. Note 1. ' Which has feet in its own rudders,' M. M. That the ship has feet seems to mean only that it has the faculty of moving forward freely and quickly, and not that any real beings having feet are designated by this com- parison. The ship that carries the worshippers across all dangers, is the protection and help which Agni grants, or the sacrifice which he helps to perform. [46] L I46 VEDIC HYMNS. Verse 13. Note 1. Comp. Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, 275. Note 2. Yanta^ seems to be corrupt; one or two syllables are wanting. Something like yatayantaA (IX, 39, 2) or vardhayanta^, or, as Prof. Max Miiller proposes, vyantaA would do. He translates: 'May Heaven and Earth and the Rivers . . . accepting (vyanta^) sacrifices of milk and corn choose for us, and may the Dawns choose for us food as a boon for many days.' — Cf. Lanman, PP- 5io, 539- M AND ALA I, HYMN 141. 1 47 MAiVZ?ALA I, HYMN 141. ASH7AKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 8-9. i. Lo, that beautiful splendour of the god, when he was born of strength, has truly come to be a wondrous sight. Though he slinks away1, the prayer goes straight to him2. They have led forward the flowing streams of Rita..
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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