Vedic Hymns, Part II: Hymns to Agni (Mandalas I–V) — SBE Vol. 46 (trans. Hermann Oldenberg, 1897)

1. O friends, (bring) together your united food and praise to Agni, the strongest (god) of (human) dwellings, the offspring of Vigour, the mighty one —

2. At whose onslaught ], wherever it be, men rejoice in the seat of men, whom the worthy ones kindle, whom (human) creatures produce.

3. When we get together the food and the offerings of men, he has grasped, with the strength of his splendour, the rein of 7?zta.

4. He indeed produces light even by night to him who is afar, when he, the ever-young purifier, destroys the lords of the forest.

5. He at whose officiating (men) pour down the offering of their sweat on the paths — to Him who is noble by his own nature, the worlds have risen as to ridges (of hills) —

6. He whom the mortal has acquired, the muchdesired (god), for the refreshment of every one, the sweetener of nourishment, the homestead for the Ayu—

7. He indeed, the beast, mows off deserts and habitable land like a mower, the golden-bearded with brilliant teeth, the i?zbhu of undecaying strength.

8. The bright one for whom (the ghma) streams
(quickly) like an axe 2, as at (the sacrifice of) Atri.
Him the well-bearing mother has born, as soon as2
she had enjoyed love 3.

9. He who satisfies thee for refreshment, O Agni

MAiVDALA V, HYMN 7. 383

who drinkest butter : mayst thou bestow splendour, renown, and (wise) mind on such mortals 1.

10. Thus I have seized upon the spirit of Adhri£"(?) as upon a head of cattle given by thee 1. May then Atri, O Agni, overcome the Dasyus who do not give (to the Brahmans) ; may Isha overcome the men (who do not give).

NOTES.

The i?/shi is Isha Atreya (cf. verse 10) ; the metre is
Anush/ubh (verse 10, Pankti). — Verse i=VS. XV, 29;
TS. II, 6, 11, 4 ; IV, 4, 4, 3 ; MS. IV, 11, 1. Verses 2, 3
= TS. II, 1, 11, 3 ; MS. IV, 12, 4.

Verse 2.
Note 1. Yasya sam-rztau : see I, 127,3.

Verse 8.

Note 1. With the expression svadhiti^-iva riyate (Lanman, Noun-Inflection, p. 375), compare V, 48, 4. ritim para.r6/£-iva. Of course we must ask: what is the thing that streams so brightly and quickly as an axe moves ? The thing in question is stated to stream (riyate) for Agni now as it did at Atri's sacrifice. The expression ' as at Atri's sacrifice ' seems to show that something like prayers or libations is alluded to. The verb riyate, on the other hand, seems to point either to rivers, or to streams of Soma or of Ghrzta. Thus, considering that Ghrzta is mentioned much more frequently in connection with Agni than Soma, we are led to the conclusion that the poet speaks here of streams of Ghrzta. Should we not for .ru^i^'read suki, which would be here as in IV, 1, 6; VI, 10, 2 ; IX, 67, 12, an epithet of GhWta? * He for whom the bright (Ghr/ta) •streams quickly like an axe.' The origin of the readingp. 384 sxxklk may easily be accounted for ; the word was thought to refer to Agni. — Another interpretation of this hemistich has been given by Benfey, Vedica und Linguistica, p. 177.

* He for whom the bright (Ghr/ta) •streams quickly like an axe.' The origin of the readingp. 384 sxxklk may easily be accounted for ; the word was thought to refer to Agni. — Another interpretation of this hemistich has been given by Benfey, Vedica und Linguistica, p. 177.

Note 2. Kra/za : cf. I, 58, 3, note 1 (p. 47).

Note 3. * Sobald sie den Liebesgenuss erlangt hatte.'
Pischel, Ved. Studien, I, 71.

Verse 9.

Note 1. The first hemistich speaks of the worshipper in the singular, the second in the plural.

Verse 10.

Note 1. This hemistich is quite obscure. With manyum a dade, cf., for instance, X, 48, 2. dasyubhya^ pari nr/m^am a dade. Adhvigak may be the genitive of a proper name, as I have translated it ; but this is quite doubtful. Was the hymn intended for a charm in which the sacrificer seized a head of cattle which represented the spirit of an enemy, and thus deprived that enemy of his courage?

p. 385

p. 8p. 26i. Thee, O Agni, the men who love 7?zta have kindled, the ancient ones thee the ancient, for the sake of bliss, O (god) who art produced by strength ; the highly-brilliant, worshipful, in whom all refreshment dwells, the household god, the lord of the house, the chosen.

2. Thee, O Agni, the clans have set down, the ancient guest, the flame-haired lord of the house, with mighty light, with many shapes, the winner of prizes, giving good shelter and good help, who is busy among the decayed (wood) 1.

3. Thee, O Agni, the human clans magnify, who knowest (the art of sacrificial) libations, who separatest (what was mixed) \ the highest bestower of treasures, who, (though) dwelling in secret, O blessed one, (yet) art visible to all, mightily roaring, an excellent sacrificer, shining with ghee.

4. Thee, O Agni, the supporter, we always have praised with our songs and have sat down near thee with adoration. Thus being kindled, O Angiras, be pleased with us, as a god through the mortar s brilliant (offering) \ with thy glorious splendours.

5. Thou, O Agni, manifold-shaped, bestowest vigour on every house in thy ancient way, O muchpraised one ! Thou rulest with might over much food. This impetuousness of thine, when thou rushest forward impetuously, is not to be defied.

6. Thee, O Agni, when kindled, O youngest one, the gods have made their messenger and bearer of

[46] c cp. 386 oblations. Thee who extendest over wide spaces, who dwellest in ghee, into whom offerings are poured, they have made their eye, impetuous, stirring thoughts.

7. Thee, O Agni, on whom offerings of ghee are poured, (men) desirous of thy favour have kindled from of old with good fuel. Thus, grown strong, increased by the plants, thou spreadest thyself over the terrestrial spaces.

NOTES.

The same Rzshl Metre, Gagati. — Verse 3 = TS. Ill, 3,
11, 2. Verses 6, 7 = TB. I, 2, 1, 12.

Verse 2.

Thus, grown strong, increased by the plants, thou spreadest thyself over the terrestrial spaces.

NOTES.

The same Rzshl Metre, Gagati. — Verse 3 = TS. Ill, 3,
11, 2. Verses 6, 7 = TB. I, 2, 1, 12.

Verse 2.

Note 1. The Padapd/^a gives ^arat-visham. I prefer this explanation to ^ara-dvisham (' who hates decay ').

Verse 3.

Note 1. Agni is, in the later ritual, worshipped as 'separator' (vivi^i), if the sacriflcer's fires have become mixed with other fires. See Taittiriya Brahma^a III, 7, 3j 5l .Satapatha Brahma^a XII, 4, 4, 2 (where this very verse is quoted), &c.

Verse 4.

Note 1. For yai-asa, Bohtlingk-Roth conjecture yarasa,
which seems to me a conjectura nimis facilis. I think
that the adjective ya^asa is right, and that a noun, meaning
' offering ' or the like, should be supplied. Cf. above, IV,
1, 16, note 4.

MAiTOALA V, HYMN <}. 387

p. 9p. 1i . Thee, O Agni, the god, mortals bringing offerings magnify. I deem thee the Gâtavedas. Carry then the offerings (to the gods) in thy due way.

2. Agni is the Wotri of the dwelling where they offer gifts and spread the sacrificial grass, he with whom sacrifices, with whom glorious gains assemble.

3. And he whom the kindling-stick has born, the young one, like a young (calf), the supporter of human clans, Agni the best sacrificer —

4. And thou showest thyself hard to seize like a son of ... x, thou who art a burner of many woods, O Agni, like an animal (that consumes all grass) on a meadow2.

5 1. And he whose smoky 2 flames come together, when Trita in heaven blows upon him like a smelter, sharpens (him) as in smelting (him) 3 . . .

6. May I through thy protection, O Agni, and through the praises of Mitra — may we1, like dispellers of malice, overcome the dangers of mortals.

7. Bring this wealth to us, O powerful Agni, to (these our) men. May he * give us dwelling ; may he * give us prosperity ; may he * help us in winning booty. And help us to grow strong in fights !

NOTES.

The Rzshl is Gaya Atreya (cf. V, 10, 3) ; the metre is
Anush/ubh (verses 4 and 7, Pankti). — Verse i=TB. II, 4,

c c 2

p. 388

Verse 4.

Note 1. Putra^ na hvarya/zam. The meaning of hvarya is conjectural. Cf. on hvara, to which it very probably is related, I, 141, 7, note 1 ; II, 2, 4, note 1. Does hvarya mean 'serpent/ or a kind of horse (VI, 2, 8. atya^ na hvarya^ sisuk) ?

Note 2. The last Pada is identical with VI, 2, 9. Considering the occurrence of the word hvarya here and in VI, 2, 8 (see note 1) we cannot believe that this is merely a casual coincidence.

Verse 5.

Note 1. On this verse, compare Neisser, Bezzenberger's
Beitrage, XX, 40 ; Macdonell, Journal Roy. As. Soc, 1893,
p. 446.

Note 2. Dhumma^ may be gen. sing. : { he whose, the smoky (god's), flames.'