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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Unconfused 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. 4. When he has come together1 (with his com- panions 2), he goes to greet them 3. As soon as born he steals upon (his prey) together with his companions. He strokes the . . ,4 to give him delight and joy, when the loving ones 5 approach him who stands on them 6. 5. He, the animal living in the water and walking in the forest1, has been placed on the highest skin2 (sky ?). He has proclaimed his rules to the mortals : for Agni, the knowing one, is intent upon Rita. (Right) and is true. NOTES. The same Rhhi. Metre, (Jagati ; the last verse is Trish/ubh. — No verse occurs in the other Sawhitas. MAA7)ALA I, HYMN 1 45. 1 65 Verse 1. Note 1. The Sa//zhita text has sa nv iyate, the Pada text, sa/* nu iyate. Comp. Pratuakhya 314. I propose to read sanu (= sa arm) iyate. Verse 2. Note 1. See Geldner, Ved. Studien, II, p. 188. Note 2. Possibly we should read svena eva. Verse 3. Note 1. The text (arvati^) implies that these race-horses are mares. Probably, as Saya^a explains, the prayers (stutaya^) are alluded to. See on the prayers compared with horses, Bergaigne, II, 284 seq. Note 2. Praisha is the technical designation of the sacrificial commands of one priest (or more especially, of the Maitr&varuT/a) to another priest ; comp. Schwab, Das Altindische Thieropfer, p. 90 ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 39°- Verse 4. Note 1. Samarata may be the third person of singular or of plural. Note 2. I supply ' with his companions ' in consideration of the second Pada (yugyebhi/i). It is difficult to say who Agni's companions are (the flames? the officiating priests ?). Note 3. Ludwig's conjecture, upa stayam ^arati, is very ingenious. ' He stealthily approaches them.' — On upa- sthayam, comp. also Bollensen, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenl. Gesellschaft, XLVII, 586. Note 4. The meaning of jvantam, which occurs here and in the obscure passage X, 61, 21 (adha gava^ upamatim kanay^ anu jvantasya kasya kit para iyuA), is unknown. Possibly it is related to jvatra, which means something like ' powerful ' or ' prosperous.' 1 66 VEDIC HYMNS. Note 5. The prayers ? The oblations ? Note 6. Api-sthitam may have active or passive meaning, 'he who stands on somebody or something/ and 'he on whom somebody or something stands.' Verse 5. Note 1. The first Pada (and probably also the fourth) belong to the metrical type described by H. O., Prole- gomena, p. 68 seq. : the first part, before the caesura, consists of four syllables ; and then the Pada goes on as if it had the pentasyllable opening.
2Note 1. The first Pada (and probably also the fourth) belong to the metrical type described by H. O., Prole- gomena, p. 68 seq. : the first part, before the caesura, consists of four syllables ; and then the Pada goes on as if it had the pentasyllable opening. Note 2. After Agni's abode in the Waters and in the wood has been mentioned in the first Pada, the second Pada possibly refers to his heavenly abode to which the adjective upama ('highest') seems to point. Thus the 'highest skin' would be the sky. But Saya^a, who refers it to the Vedi, may possibly be right. His explanation would very well agree with the second hemistich. M AND ALA I, HYMN 1 46. 1 67 MAiW?ALA I, HYMN 146. ASH7AKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 15. i. I praise Agni who has three heads and seven rays (or reins)1, who is without flaw, sitting in the lap of his parents2 and of whatever moves or is firm, who has filled (with his light) all the lights of Heaven. 2. The big bull has grown up to them1; the ageless one who from here (from this world) dis- tributes his blessings, the tall has stood up erect. He puts down his feet on the surface of the wide (Earth) ; his red ones2 lick the udder (the cloud?). 3. Walking towards their common calf the two well-established1 milch-cows2 walk about in different directions. They measure interminable paths ; they have invested themselves with all great desires. 4. Wise poets1 follow his track2 who in manifold ways protect the ageless one with their hearts. Wishing to acquire him they have searched the river3. He the Sun4 became visible to them, to the men5. 5. He is worthy to be looked for, round about in his race-courses, the noble who is to be magnified1, the great one2, in order that the small may live, as he, the all-visible liberal lord, has become a pro- genitor for those germs in many places. NOTES. The same Rishi. The metre is Trish/ubh. — No verse occurs in the other SaMiitcts. 1 68 VEDTC HYMNS. Verse 1. Note 1. Saya/za refers the three heads of Agni to the three Savanas, or the three worlds, or the three sacrificial fires. The last explanation seems to be most probable. The seven reins (rays) are, according to Saya/za, the seven metres or the seven flames of Agni. The last explanation is recommended by III, 6, % (see below). But it is possible also to think of the seven priests (sapta hotara^). — Comp. II, 5, 2 (see below), and Taitt. Sa^hita I, 5, 3, 2 (to which passage Ludwig refers): sapta te agne samidha/z sapta ^ihvaA sapta r/shaya^ sapta dhama priya/zi, &c. Note 2. The parents are Heaven and Earth. Verse 2. Note 1. The text has the dual feminine ; no doubt Heaven and Earth are meant. Note 2. The horses or flames of Agni. Verse 3. Note 1. On su-meka, comp. the article of Prof. Windisch in Festgruss an Bohtlingk, p. 114. Note 2. The cows seem to be Night and Dawn ; comp. above, I, 95, 1 ; 96, 5. Night and Dawn are called su- meke, I, 113, 3. Verse 4. Note 1. The priests.
3Note 2. The horses or flames of Agni. Verse 3. Note 1. On su-meka, comp. the article of Prof. Windisch in Festgruss an Bohtlingk, p. 114. Note 2. The cows seem to be Night and Dawn ; comp. above, I, 95, 1 ; 96, 5. Night and Dawn are called su- meke, I, 113, 3. Verse 4. Note 1. The priests. Note 2. I have translated padam nayanti in the way indicated by Atharva-veda XI, 2, 13. viddhasya padanK- iva; comp. also Manu VIII, 44. Prof. Max Mliller translates, 'Wise poets lead (Agni) to the ageless place, keeping many things in their heart — or, lead the ageless Agni to his place (the sacrifice).' Note 3. They have tried to find Agni in his proper dwelling, in the water. Note 4. The Sun is here identified with Agni. Note 5. On the form nrai standing for different cases, M AND ALA I, HYMN 1 46. 1 69 compare Lanman, Noun-Inflection, 430 ; Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, I, 136, note 1 ; Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 42, and Gottinger Gel. Anzeigen, 1890, p. 541 seq. ; Hillebrandt, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenl. Gesellschaft, XLVIII, 420. Here it seems most natural to take nrfn, as Pischel has proposed, as standing for the dative plural. Bartholomae (Studien zur indogermanischen Sprachge- schichte, I, 1 18, comp. p. 48), referring to III, 14, 4, believes that nri'n (or, more correctly, *n^m), both here and there is genitive plural, and that Agni is called ' the sun of men ' because men are able to light this sun themselves. To me it seems very doubtful that this is a Vedic idea, and as to the verse III, 14, 4, I believe that nrfn there is a regular accusative plural : Agni is called there, c a sun that spreads out men over their dwellings/ Verse 5. Note 1. 1/enya^. Comp. I, 1, 1, note 2. Note 2. Agni may be called maha/z, ' the great one.' But it seems more natural to read mahe, the ancient pronunciation of which word before a word commencing with a vowrel (maha') coincided, or nearly coincided, with that of maha^. The translation then would be : ' he who is to be magnified in order that the great and the small may live.' 170 VEDIC HYMNS. MA7VZ?ALA I, HYMN 147. ASH7AKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 16. i. How, O Agni, have the resplendent ones wor- shipped thee, aspiring through the powers of the Ayu1, when2 the gods, obtaining kith and kin of both races3 (human and divine ?), rejoiced in the song of -ffrta (or Right)4? 2. Give heed to this my proffered hymn, O youngest one, which is most rich in liberal gifts1, O self-dependent one ! The one abuses thee, the other praises thee : I thy reverer revere thy body, O Agni 2 ! 3. Thy guardians, O Agni, who saw and saved the blind son of Mamata from distress1 — he the possessor of all wealth has saved them who have done good deeds2. The impostors, trying to deceive, have not deceived. 4. The niggard, O Agni, the harmful and malicious who injures us by falsehood : may the heavy spell recoil on him ; may he injure his own body by his evil words1.
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.
1Unconfused 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. 4. When he has come together1 (with his com- panions 2), he goes to greet them 3. As soon as born he steals upon (his prey) together with his companions. He strokes the . . ,4 to give him delight and joy, when the loving ones 5 approach him who stands on them 6. 5. He, the animal living in the water and walking in the forest1, has been placed on the highest skin2 (sky ?). He has proclaimed his rules to the mortals : for Agni, the knowing one, is intent upon Rita. (Right) and is true. NOTES. The same Rhhi. Metre, (Jagati ; the last verse is Trish/ubh. — No verse occurs in the other Sawhitas. MAA7)ALA I, HYMN 1 45. 1 65 Verse 1. Note 1. The Sa//zhita text has sa nv iyate, the Pada text, sa/* nu iyate. Comp. Pratuakhya 314. I propose to read sanu (= sa arm) iyate. Verse 2. Note 1. See Geldner, Ved. Studien, II, p. 188. Note 2. Possibly we should read svena eva. Verse 3. Note 1. The text (arvati^) implies that these race-horses are mares. Probably, as Saya^a explains, the prayers (stutaya^) are alluded to. See on the prayers compared with horses, Bergaigne, II, 284 seq. Note 2. Praisha is the technical designation of the sacrificial commands of one priest (or more especially, of the Maitr&varuT/a) to another priest ; comp. Schwab, Das Altindische Thieropfer, p. 90 ; H. O., Religion des Veda, 39°- Verse 4. Note 1. Samarata may be the third person of singular or of plural. Note 2. I supply ' with his companions ' in consideration of the second Pada (yugyebhi/i). It is difficult to say who Agni's companions are (the flames? the officiating priests ?). Note 3. Ludwig's conjecture, upa stayam ^arati, is very ingenious. ' He stealthily approaches them.' — On upa- sthayam, comp. also Bollensen, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenl. Gesellschaft, XLVII, 586. Note 4. The meaning of jvantam, which occurs here and in the obscure passage X, 61, 21 (adha gava^ upamatim kanay^ anu jvantasya kasya kit para iyuA), is unknown. Possibly it is related to jvatra, which means something like ' powerful ' or ' prosperous.' 1 66 VEDIC HYMNS. Note 5. The prayers ? The oblations ? Note 6. Api-sthitam may have active or passive meaning, 'he who stands on somebody or something/ and 'he on whom somebody or something stands.' Verse 5. Note 1. The first Pada (and probably also the fourth) belong to the metrical type described by H. O., Prole- gomena, p. 68 seq. : the first part, before the caesura, consists of four syllables ; and then the Pada goes on as if it had the pentasyllable opening.
2Note 1. The first Pada (and probably also the fourth) belong to the metrical type described by H. O., Prole- gomena, p. 68 seq. : the first part, before the caesura, consists of four syllables ; and then the Pada goes on as if it had the pentasyllable opening. Note 2. After Agni's abode in the Waters and in the wood has been mentioned in the first Pada, the second Pada possibly refers to his heavenly abode to which the adjective upama ('highest') seems to point. Thus the 'highest skin' would be the sky. But Saya^a, who refers it to the Vedi, may possibly be right. His explanation would very well agree with the second hemistich. M AND ALA I, HYMN 1 46. 1 67 MAiW?ALA I, HYMN 146. ASH7AKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 15. i. I praise Agni who has three heads and seven rays (or reins)1, who is without flaw, sitting in the lap of his parents2 and of whatever moves or is firm, who has filled (with his light) all the lights of Heaven. 2. The big bull has grown up to them1; the ageless one who from here (from this world) dis- tributes his blessings, the tall has stood up erect. He puts down his feet on the surface of the wide (Earth) ; his red ones2 lick the udder (the cloud?). 3. Walking towards their common calf the two well-established1 milch-cows2 walk about in different directions. They measure interminable paths ; they have invested themselves with all great desires. 4. Wise poets1 follow his track2 who in manifold ways protect the ageless one with their hearts. Wishing to acquire him they have searched the river3. He the Sun4 became visible to them, to the men5. 5. He is worthy to be looked for, round about in his race-courses, the noble who is to be magnified1, the great one2, in order that the small may live, as he, the all-visible liberal lord, has become a pro- genitor for those germs in many places. NOTES. The same Rishi. The metre is Trish/ubh. — No verse occurs in the other SaMiitcts. 1 68 VEDTC HYMNS. Verse 1. Note 1. Saya/za refers the three heads of Agni to the three Savanas, or the three worlds, or the three sacrificial fires. The last explanation seems to be most probable. The seven reins (rays) are, according to Saya/za, the seven metres or the seven flames of Agni. The last explanation is recommended by III, 6, % (see below). But it is possible also to think of the seven priests (sapta hotara^). — Comp. II, 5, 2 (see below), and Taitt. Sa^hita I, 5, 3, 2 (to which passage Ludwig refers): sapta te agne samidha/z sapta ^ihvaA sapta r/shaya^ sapta dhama priya/zi, &c. Note 2. The parents are Heaven and Earth. Verse 2. Note 1. The text has the dual feminine ; no doubt Heaven and Earth are meant. Note 2. The horses or flames of Agni. Verse 3. Note 1. On su-meka, comp. the article of Prof. Windisch in Festgruss an Bohtlingk, p. 114. Note 2. The cows seem to be Night and Dawn ; comp. above, I, 95, 1 ; 96, 5. Night and Dawn are called su- meke, I, 113, 3. Verse 4. Note 1. The priests.
3Note 2. The horses or flames of Agni. Verse 3. Note 1. On su-meka, comp. the article of Prof. Windisch in Festgruss an Bohtlingk, p. 114. Note 2. The cows seem to be Night and Dawn ; comp. above, I, 95, 1 ; 96, 5. Night and Dawn are called su- meke, I, 113, 3. Verse 4. Note 1. The priests. Note 2. I have translated padam nayanti in the way indicated by Atharva-veda XI, 2, 13. viddhasya padanK- iva; comp. also Manu VIII, 44. Prof. Max Mliller translates, 'Wise poets lead (Agni) to the ageless place, keeping many things in their heart — or, lead the ageless Agni to his place (the sacrifice).' Note 3. They have tried to find Agni in his proper dwelling, in the water. Note 4. The Sun is here identified with Agni. Note 5. On the form nrai standing for different cases, M AND ALA I, HYMN 1 46. 1 69 compare Lanman, Noun-Inflection, 430 ; Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, I, 136, note 1 ; Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 42, and Gottinger Gel. Anzeigen, 1890, p. 541 seq. ; Hillebrandt, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenl. Gesellschaft, XLVIII, 420. Here it seems most natural to take nrfn, as Pischel has proposed, as standing for the dative plural. Bartholomae (Studien zur indogermanischen Sprachge- schichte, I, 1 18, comp. p. 48), referring to III, 14, 4, believes that nri'n (or, more correctly, *n^m), both here and there is genitive plural, and that Agni is called ' the sun of men ' because men are able to light this sun themselves. To me it seems very doubtful that this is a Vedic idea, and as to the verse III, 14, 4, I believe that nrfn there is a regular accusative plural : Agni is called there, c a sun that spreads out men over their dwellings/ Verse 5. Note 1. 1/enya^. Comp. I, 1, 1, note 2. Note 2. Agni may be called maha/z, ' the great one.' But it seems more natural to read mahe, the ancient pronunciation of which word before a word commencing with a vowrel (maha') coincided, or nearly coincided, with that of maha^. The translation then would be : ' he who is to be magnified in order that the great and the small may live.' 170 VEDIC HYMNS. MA7VZ?ALA I, HYMN 147. ASH7AKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 16. i. How, O Agni, have the resplendent ones wor- shipped thee, aspiring through the powers of the Ayu1, when2 the gods, obtaining kith and kin of both races3 (human and divine ?), rejoiced in the song of -ffrta (or Right)4? 2. Give heed to this my proffered hymn, O youngest one, which is most rich in liberal gifts1, O self-dependent one ! The one abuses thee, the other praises thee : I thy reverer revere thy body, O Agni 2 ! 3. Thy guardians, O Agni, who saw and saved the blind son of Mamata from distress1 — he the possessor of all wealth has saved them who have done good deeds2. The impostors, trying to deceive, have not deceived. 4. The niggard, O Agni, the harmful and malicious who injures us by falsehood : may the heavy spell recoil on him ; may he injure his own body by his evil words1.
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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