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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
17. He who has kindled him strives1 towards Agni as towards Mitra (or, towards a friend) — (to Agni) whose face shines with ghee, the charioteer of Rite. May he who when kindled becomes a racer 2, shining at the sacrifices 3, lift up our bright- coloured prayer. 8 1. Preserve us, O Agni, never failing with thy never-failing, kind and mighty guardians ; protect our people all around with those undeceived, undis- mayed, never slumbering (guardians), O thou our wish 2 ! NOTES. The same Rishi. Metre, Gagati ; the last verse Trish/ubh. The hymn has been translated by Kaegi, Siebenzig Lieder des Rigveda, p. 100. — Verse 7 = TB. I, 2, 1, 12. Verse 1. Note 1. Comp. VIII, 59, 6. vkkkh matim. Note 2. Agni who is considered as born from the Waters, is identified several times with a god who, like Matamvan, in my opinion had an independent origin, with Apam napat (' Child of the Waters '). Comp. Bergaigne, Rel. Vedique, II, 17 seq. ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 118 seq. Verse 3. Note 1. There is no sufficient reason for transposing verses 3 and 4 (Kaegi). Note 2. Probably we should read ati aktun ; comp. VI, 4, 5. ati eti aktfin. — See Bergaigne, Melanges Renier, p. 96. MA7VDALA I, HYMN 143. 159 Verse 4. Note 1. Bhuvanasya seems to depend on ma^mana ; comp. VII, 82, 5. bhuvanasya ma^manA. Verse 5. Note 1. Pischel (Vedische Studien, I, 231) seems to me to be right in denying that sena ever means 'Geschoss,' and in translating sena srishtai 'exercitus effusus/ The opinion of Prof, von Bradke and Prof. Bloomfield is dif- ferent; see Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenl. Gesellschaft* XLVI,45«; XLVIII,549- Verse 7. Note 1. The text adds the dativus ethicus va^, 6 for you ' (comp. Delbriick, Altindische Syntax, 206), which can scarcely be translated. Note 2. Geldner (Vedische Studien, I, 168) has shown that akra very probably means 'horse.' Agni is very frequently compared to a horse. — Comp. Ludwig, Ueber die neuesten Arbeiten auf dem Gebiete der J?/gveda- Forschung, p. 54; Roth, Zeitschrift der D. Morg. Ges., XLVIII, 118. Note 3. See above, I, 31, 6, note 2. Verse 8. Note 1. With Padas C D compare the verse VI, 8, 7. adabdhebhi/fc tava gopabhi^ ishfe asmakam p£hi trisha- dhastha surih. Note 2. * What is ishfe ? Is it thou our wish, or thou our sacrifice ? ' M. M. l6o VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^ALA I, HYMN 144. ASH7AKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 13. i . The Hotrz l goes forward 2 (in order to fulfil) his duty by his wonderful power, directing upwards the brightly adorned prayer. He steps towards the (sacrificial) ladles which are turned to the right3, and which first kiss his foundation 4. 2. They have greeted with shouts the streams of jRttai 1 which were hidden at the birthplace of the god, at his seat. When He dwelt dispersed in the lap of the waters, he drank the draughts by (the power of) which he moves 2.
22. They have greeted with shouts the streams of jRttai 1 which were hidden at the birthplace of the god, at his seat. When He dwelt dispersed in the lap of the waters, he drank the draughts by (the power of) which he moves 2. 3. Two (beings) of the same age1 try to draw that wonderful shape (Agni) towards themselves, progressing in turns towards a common aim2. Then he is to be proclaimed by us like a winner3 (in a contest). The charioteer 4 (governs all things) as if pulling in the reins of a draught-horse. 4. He whom two (beings) of the same age1 serve, two twins dwelling together in one common abode, the gray one has been born as a youth by night as by day2, the ageless one who wanders through many generations of men. 5. The prayers, the ten fingers1 stir him up. We, the mortals, call him, the god, for his pro- tection. From the dry land he hastens to the declivities2. With those who approached him he has established new rules 3. 6. Thou indeed, O Agni, reignest by thy own nature over the heavenly and over the terrestrial MANDALA I, HYMN 1 44. l6l world as a shepherd (takes care of his cattle). These two variegated, great (goddesses) striving for gloriousness, the golden ones who move crookedly 1, have approached thy sacrificial grass. 7. Agni ! Be gratified and accept graciously this prayer, O joy-giver, independent one, who art born in the i?zta, good-willed one, whose face is turned towards us from all sides, conspicuous one, gay in thy aspect, like a dwelling-place rich in food 1. NOTES, The same Rishi. Metre, Gagati. — No verse occurs in the other Sa;/zhitas. Verse 1. Note 1. The Hotri is Agni. Note 2. Comp. Ill, 27, 7, where it is said of Agni: purastat eti mayaya. — The poet says eti pra, and not pra eti, in order to avoid the hiatus. Note 3. Comp. below, III, 6, 1. dakshiz/a-vaV. Note 4. ' Which first, i. e. at the time when the sacrificial vessels are put down, kiss his dhaman (foundation), i.e. the place of Agni/ Saya/za. Verse 2. Note 1. Comp. IX, 75, 3. abhi im rztasya dohana/£ anushata, and VIII, 12, 32. nabha ya^asya dohana pra adhvare. I take dohan&A as ace. plur. of an abstract noun dohana formed like ^ara^a, bhandana, &c. But possibly it might be the nom. plur. either of the same noun or of a nomen agentis dohana : * the streams of Rita, (the liba- tions?) or the milkers of Rita, hidden at the birthplace of the god, have greeted him With shouts/ It would [46] M 1 62 VEDIC HYMNS. be difficult, however, to say why the milkers of Rita. (i.e. the priests?) are called * hidden at the birthplace of the god/ Prof. Max Muller thinks of a reading pari- vritak, ' surrounding Agni/ He refers the ' streams of Rita,' (nom.) to the water, cf. I, 105, 12. rztam arshanti sindhava^.
3be difficult, however, to say why the milkers of Rita. (i.e. the priests?) are called * hidden at the birthplace of the god/ Prof. Max Muller thinks of a reading pari- vritak, ' surrounding Agni/ He refers the ' streams of Rita,' (nom.) to the water, cf. I, 105, 12. rztam arshanti sindhava^. Note 2. Svadha/£ adhayat yabhlA lyate. In my opinion svadha means ' the inherent power,' c the power of moving according to one's own will/ and then the drink which confers this power on a being, especially on the dead ancestors. — Comp. M.M., vol. xxxii, p. 32 seq. ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 531, note 2. Verse 3. Note 1. According to Saya/za the two beings spoken of here and in the next verse are the Hotri and the Adhvaryu. Note 2. See I, 130, 5. ayu^-ata samanam artham akshi- tam ; III, 61,3. samanam artham /£aramyamana. Note 3. On bhagak na havya/z, see Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, 121. Note 4. The charioteer is Agni. Verse 4. Note 1. See verse 3, note 1. Note 2. Comp. Gaedicke, Der Accusativ, p. 175. He translates : * bei Tage noch bei Nacht ergrauend/ Verse 5. Note 1. Vris (cura£ keyo^vov) is ranged in the Nigha/zAis among the angulinamani and explained by Saya^a accord- ingly. The word seems indeed to mean * finger/ Compare with our passage IX, 8, 4 ; 15, 8 ; 93, 1 ; 97, 57. Note 2. Comp. I, 33, 4. dhano^ adhi vishu/zak te vi ayan, and especially X, 4, 3. dhano^ adhi pravata yasi haryan. I cannot follow Pischel (Vedische Studien, II, 69 seq.) in explaining these passages. ' Over the heavenly expanse he hastens down towards us.' M. M. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 1 44. 1 63 Note 3. See Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 300. Like Pischel I do not know who ' they who approached Agni ' are. Possibly the worshippers or priests are alluded to. * He received new praises with (or from) those who approached him., M. M. Verse 6. Note 1. Saya^a explains the two female beings here in question as Heaven and Earth. Does the ' crooked move- ment ' refer to the daily revolution of the sky ? Verse 7. Note 1. The last Pada recurs X, 64, 11. M 2 164 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^?ALA I, HYMN 145. ASH7AEA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 14. 1. Ask ye him. He has come. He knows. He the intelligent one moves forward ; He moves along (his way) (?)\ In him all commands, all wishes dwell. He is the lord of strength, of mighty power. 2. They ask him. He himself1 does not ask in turn what he, the wise one, has grasped by his own mind alone 2. He does not forget the first word nor another word. Unconfused he adheres to his own power of mind. 3. To him go the sacrificial ladles, to him go the racers1. He alone may hear all my words. He who pronounces many praishas 2, the conqueror, the accomplisher of sacrifices whose blessings are flawless, the young child has assumed vigour.
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.
17. He who has kindled him strives1 towards Agni as towards Mitra (or, towards a friend) — (to Agni) whose face shines with ghee, the charioteer of Rite. May he who when kindled becomes a racer 2, shining at the sacrifices 3, lift up our bright- coloured prayer. 8 1. Preserve us, O Agni, never failing with thy never-failing, kind and mighty guardians ; protect our people all around with those undeceived, undis- mayed, never slumbering (guardians), O thou our wish 2 ! NOTES. The same Rishi. Metre, Gagati ; the last verse Trish/ubh. The hymn has been translated by Kaegi, Siebenzig Lieder des Rigveda, p. 100. — Verse 7 = TB. I, 2, 1, 12. Verse 1. Note 1. Comp. VIII, 59, 6. vkkkh matim. Note 2. Agni who is considered as born from the Waters, is identified several times with a god who, like Matamvan, in my opinion had an independent origin, with Apam napat (' Child of the Waters '). Comp. Bergaigne, Rel. Vedique, II, 17 seq. ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 118 seq. Verse 3. Note 1. There is no sufficient reason for transposing verses 3 and 4 (Kaegi). Note 2. Probably we should read ati aktun ; comp. VI, 4, 5. ati eti aktfin. — See Bergaigne, Melanges Renier, p. 96. MA7VDALA I, HYMN 143. 159 Verse 4. Note 1. Bhuvanasya seems to depend on ma^mana ; comp. VII, 82, 5. bhuvanasya ma^manA. Verse 5. Note 1. Pischel (Vedische Studien, I, 231) seems to me to be right in denying that sena ever means 'Geschoss,' and in translating sena srishtai 'exercitus effusus/ The opinion of Prof, von Bradke and Prof. Bloomfield is dif- ferent; see Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenl. Gesellschaft* XLVI,45«; XLVIII,549- Verse 7. Note 1. The text adds the dativus ethicus va^, 6 for you ' (comp. Delbriick, Altindische Syntax, 206), which can scarcely be translated. Note 2. Geldner (Vedische Studien, I, 168) has shown that akra very probably means 'horse.' Agni is very frequently compared to a horse. — Comp. Ludwig, Ueber die neuesten Arbeiten auf dem Gebiete der J?/gveda- Forschung, p. 54; Roth, Zeitschrift der D. Morg. Ges., XLVIII, 118. Note 3. See above, I, 31, 6, note 2. Verse 8. Note 1. With Padas C D compare the verse VI, 8, 7. adabdhebhi/fc tava gopabhi^ ishfe asmakam p£hi trisha- dhastha surih. Note 2. * What is ishfe ? Is it thou our wish, or thou our sacrifice ? ' M. M. l6o VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^ALA I, HYMN 144. ASH7AKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 13. i . The Hotrz l goes forward 2 (in order to fulfil) his duty by his wonderful power, directing upwards the brightly adorned prayer. He steps towards the (sacrificial) ladles which are turned to the right3, and which first kiss his foundation 4. 2. They have greeted with shouts the streams of jRttai 1 which were hidden at the birthplace of the god, at his seat. When He dwelt dispersed in the lap of the waters, he drank the draughts by (the power of) which he moves 2.
22. They have greeted with shouts the streams of jRttai 1 which were hidden at the birthplace of the god, at his seat. When He dwelt dispersed in the lap of the waters, he drank the draughts by (the power of) which he moves 2. 3. Two (beings) of the same age1 try to draw that wonderful shape (Agni) towards themselves, progressing in turns towards a common aim2. Then he is to be proclaimed by us like a winner3 (in a contest). The charioteer 4 (governs all things) as if pulling in the reins of a draught-horse. 4. He whom two (beings) of the same age1 serve, two twins dwelling together in one common abode, the gray one has been born as a youth by night as by day2, the ageless one who wanders through many generations of men. 5. The prayers, the ten fingers1 stir him up. We, the mortals, call him, the god, for his pro- tection. From the dry land he hastens to the declivities2. With those who approached him he has established new rules 3. 6. Thou indeed, O Agni, reignest by thy own nature over the heavenly and over the terrestrial MANDALA I, HYMN 1 44. l6l world as a shepherd (takes care of his cattle). These two variegated, great (goddesses) striving for gloriousness, the golden ones who move crookedly 1, have approached thy sacrificial grass. 7. Agni ! Be gratified and accept graciously this prayer, O joy-giver, independent one, who art born in the i?zta, good-willed one, whose face is turned towards us from all sides, conspicuous one, gay in thy aspect, like a dwelling-place rich in food 1. NOTES, The same Rishi. Metre, Gagati. — No verse occurs in the other Sa;/zhitas. Verse 1. Note 1. The Hotri is Agni. Note 2. Comp. Ill, 27, 7, where it is said of Agni: purastat eti mayaya. — The poet says eti pra, and not pra eti, in order to avoid the hiatus. Note 3. Comp. below, III, 6, 1. dakshiz/a-vaV. Note 4. ' Which first, i. e. at the time when the sacrificial vessels are put down, kiss his dhaman (foundation), i.e. the place of Agni/ Saya/za. Verse 2. Note 1. Comp. IX, 75, 3. abhi im rztasya dohana/£ anushata, and VIII, 12, 32. nabha ya^asya dohana pra adhvare. I take dohan&A as ace. plur. of an abstract noun dohana formed like ^ara^a, bhandana, &c. But possibly it might be the nom. plur. either of the same noun or of a nomen agentis dohana : * the streams of Rita, (the liba- tions?) or the milkers of Rita, hidden at the birthplace of the god, have greeted him With shouts/ It would [46] M 1 62 VEDIC HYMNS. be difficult, however, to say why the milkers of Rita. (i.e. the priests?) are called * hidden at the birthplace of the god/ Prof. Max Muller thinks of a reading pari- vritak, ' surrounding Agni/ He refers the ' streams of Rita,' (nom.) to the water, cf. I, 105, 12. rztam arshanti sindhava^.
3be difficult, however, to say why the milkers of Rita. (i.e. the priests?) are called * hidden at the birthplace of the god/ Prof. Max Muller thinks of a reading pari- vritak, ' surrounding Agni/ He refers the ' streams of Rita,' (nom.) to the water, cf. I, 105, 12. rztam arshanti sindhava^. Note 2. Svadha/£ adhayat yabhlA lyate. In my opinion svadha means ' the inherent power,' c the power of moving according to one's own will/ and then the drink which confers this power on a being, especially on the dead ancestors. — Comp. M.M., vol. xxxii, p. 32 seq. ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 531, note 2. Verse 3. Note 1. According to Saya/za the two beings spoken of here and in the next verse are the Hotri and the Adhvaryu. Note 2. See I, 130, 5. ayu^-ata samanam artham akshi- tam ; III, 61,3. samanam artham /£aramyamana. Note 3. On bhagak na havya/z, see Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, 121. Note 4. The charioteer is Agni. Verse 4. Note 1. See verse 3, note 1. Note 2. Comp. Gaedicke, Der Accusativ, p. 175. He translates : * bei Tage noch bei Nacht ergrauend/ Verse 5. Note 1. Vris (cura£ keyo^vov) is ranged in the Nigha/zAis among the angulinamani and explained by Saya^a accord- ingly. The word seems indeed to mean * finger/ Compare with our passage IX, 8, 4 ; 15, 8 ; 93, 1 ; 97, 57. Note 2. Comp. I, 33, 4. dhano^ adhi vishu/zak te vi ayan, and especially X, 4, 3. dhano^ adhi pravata yasi haryan. I cannot follow Pischel (Vedische Studien, II, 69 seq.) in explaining these passages. ' Over the heavenly expanse he hastens down towards us.' M. M. MAiVDALA I, HYMN 1 44. 1 63 Note 3. See Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 300. Like Pischel I do not know who ' they who approached Agni ' are. Possibly the worshippers or priests are alluded to. * He received new praises with (or from) those who approached him., M. M. Verse 6. Note 1. Saya^a explains the two female beings here in question as Heaven and Earth. Does the ' crooked move- ment ' refer to the daily revolution of the sky ? Verse 7. Note 1. The last Pada recurs X, 64, 11. M 2 164 VEDIC HYMNS. MAA^?ALA I, HYMN 145. ASH7AEA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 14. 1. Ask ye him. He has come. He knows. He the intelligent one moves forward ; He moves along (his way) (?)\ In him all commands, all wishes dwell. He is the lord of strength, of mighty power. 2. They ask him. He himself1 does not ask in turn what he, the wise one, has grasped by his own mind alone 2. He does not forget the first word nor another word. Unconfused he adheres to his own power of mind. 3. To him go the sacrificial ladles, to him go the racers1. He alone may hear all my words. He who pronounces many praishas 2, the conqueror, the accomplisher of sacrifices whose blessings are flawless, the young child has assumed vigour.
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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