44 The Grass divine of water-plants hath helped bright Indra force-giver, the God hath magnified the God, Laying in Indra mighty power with Kakup, fame and vital strength. For gain of wealth let it enjoy. Pay sacrifice. 45 Agni, the God who makes fair rites, hath strengthered Indra force-giver, the God hath magnified the God, Laying with Atichhandas power in Indra, sway, and vital strength. For gain of wealth let him enjoy. Pay sacrifice. 46 To-day the Sacrificer hath elected, etc., as in verse 23. To-day divine Vanaspati, etc. Thee, to-day, O Ṛishi, etc. 44 Kakup: a metre of three Pâdas, 8+12+8 syllables. 45 Atickhandas: hypermeter; any metre of more than forty-eight syllables. DECKING the treasure-house of prayers, O Agni, enkindled, pouring forth sweet-tasted butter, Swift-moving, bearing curd, O Jâtavedas, bear what they love to the Gods' habitation. 2 Balming the paths that lead to heaven with fatness, let the Steed go unto the Gods well-knowing. Courser, the Quarters of the sky attend thee! Bestow thou food upon this Sacrificer. 3 Thou, Steed, art meet for laud and veneration; swift, fit for sacrifice art thou, O Courser. In concert with the Gods aud Vasus Agui Omniscient waft thee a contented bearer ! 4 Pleased with much Sacred Grass which we have scattered wide spread upon the earth, a pleasant carpet, Joined with the Gods may Aditi, accordant, bestowing bliss award it happy fortune. 5 May these your Doors divine that wear all colours, auspicious, with uplifted leaves unfolding, Lofty and closely fitted and sonorous, rich in adornment, offer easy passage. 6 Your two Dawns rich in gold and varied colour, travelling on 'twixt Varuna and Mitra, Acquainted with the face of sacrifices, I settle here within the home of Order. 7 Your two chief Hotars have I pleased, bright-coloured, borne on one car, Gods who behold all creatures, Those who prepare your rules and ordinances and make see the light by their direction. you 8 Bhâratî with Âdityas love our worship! Sarasvatî with Rudras be our helper, And Iḍâ in accord, invoked with Vasus! Goddesses, place our rite among the Immortals. This Book is supplementary to Book XXII.-XXV. which treat of the Aṣvamedha or Horse-Sacrifice. 1 This and the ten following verses form an Âprî or Propitiatory Hymn. See XX. 37, note. 5 Leaves: sides of the double door of the sacrificial hall. 6 Two Dawns: Morning and closely connected Night, Varuna and Mitra: representing, respectively, sky and earth. 7 The light: according to Mahidhara, the Âhavanîya fire. Direction: commanding them to offer sacrifice. The God-devoted son Tvashṭar produces: from Tvashțar Priest, worship 10 Let the Steed seek his home, and balmed with butter go of himself unto the Gods in season. To the Gods' world Vanaspati, well-knowing, bear our oblations which the fire has tasted! 11 Thou, waxing by Prajapati's strong fervour, born quickly, guardest sacrifice, O Agni. With consecrated offering go, preceding, and let the Sâdhyas, 12 What time, first springing into life, thou neighedst, proceeding from the sea or clondy vapour, Limbs of the deer hadst thou, and eagle pinions. O Steed, thy birth is high and must be lauded. 13 This Steed, bestowed by Yama, Trita harnessed, and Indra was the first to mount and ride him. His bridle the Gandharva grasped. O Vasus, from out the 14 Yama art thou, O Horse; thou art Âditya; Trita art thou by secret operation. From Soma thou art thoroughly divided. They say there are three bonds in heaven that hold thee. 15 Three bonds, they say, thou hast in heaven to bind thee, three in the waters, three within the ocean. 11 Sadhyas: see XXIV. 27, and R. V. I. 164. 50; X. 90. 7, 16. 12 This and the twelve following verses are taken from R. V. I. 163. From the sea: the Sacrificial Horse identified with the Sun who rises in the ocean of air. 13 Yama: according to Sâyana, meaning the Controller. Agni. Trita : as a Solar deity, God of the distant birthplace of the Sun. The Gandharva: Visvavasu, a celestial being connected with the Sun and regarded as the chief of that class of semi-deities. 14 Yama: Agni, according to Sâyaṇa. Aditya: the Sun. Secret operation: the mysterious effect of sacrifice. From Soma, etc.: the meaning is obscure. According to Sayana and Mahîdhara, the translation should be With Soma thou art thoroughly united', that is, identified with the Moon. This would certainly be preferable if vipriktoḥ, excluded separated, could possibly mean 'united.' Three bonds: According to Sayana, his 'media of origin,' the Vasus, Aditya, and Heaven. 15 The waters: meaning here, says Sayana, the habitable world, the bonds being seed, rain, and tillage. Ocean: of air, in which the bonds are cloud, lightning, and thunder. Varuna: on account of the three bonds with which Varuņa binds the sinner. See R. V. I. 24. 15. To me thou seemest Varuna, O Courser, there where they say is thy sublimest birthplace. 16 Here, Courser, are the places where they groomed thee; here are the traces of thy hooves as winner. Here have I seen the auspicious reins that guide thee, which those who guard the holy Law keep safely. 17 Thyself from far I recognized in spirit, a Bird that from below flew through the heaven. I saw thy head still soaring, striving upward by paths unsoiled by dust, pleasant to travel. 18 Here I beheld thy form matchless in beauty, eager to win thee food at the Cow's station. Whene'er a man brings thee to thine enjoyment, thou swallowest the herbs, most greedy eater. 19 After thee, Courser, come the car, the bridegroom, the kine come after, and the charm of maidens. Full companies have followed for thy friendship: the pattern of thy vigour Gods have followed. 20 His horns are golden and his feet are iron. Less fleet than he, though swift as thought, was Indra. The Gods came only to the oblation-banquet of him who mounted first of all the Courser. 21 Symmetrical in flank, with rounded haunches, mettled like heroes, the celestial Coursers Put forth their strength like swans in lengthened order when they, the Steeds, have reached the heavenly causeway. 22 A body formed for flight hast thou, O Charger; swift as the wind in motion is thy spirit. Thy horns are spread abroad in all directions; they move with restless beat in wildernesses. 16 Who guard the holy Law: the Gods who maintain the order of the universe. Here the reference is to the course of the Sun, with whom the Horse is identified. 17 A Bird: the swiftly-moving Sun. 18 Food in the shape of oblations. : The Cow's station: the chief place of earth, the Cow being the altar. Mahîdhara explains it as the station of the Bull, that is, the disc of the Sun: 'I beheld thy form in the disc of the Sun.' Most greedy eater: regarded as an earthly horse. 20 His horns: according to Sayaṇa his mane is intended. There may be a reference also to the rays of the Sun. Him who mounted: Indra, as is said in verse 13. 21 The horses of the Sun are spoken of. The exact meaning of two of the epithets is uncertain. 22 Thy horns; here, perhaps, meaning hoofs, Fly 23 The strong Steed hath come forward to the slaughter, pondering with a mind directed God-ward. The goat who is his kin is led before him: the sages and the singers follow after. 24 The Steed is come unto the noblest mansion, is come unto his Father and his Mother. This day shall he approach the Gods, most welcome: then he declares good gifts to him who worships. 25 Thou in the house of man this day enkindled worshippest Gods, a God, O Jâtavedas. Wealthy in friends! observant, bring them hither. Thou art a sapient envoy, full of wisdom. 26 Tanûnapât, fair-tongued, with sweet mead balming the paths and ways of Order, make them pleasant. Convey our sacrifice to heaven, exalting with holy thoughts our hymns of praise and worship. 27 With sacrifice to these we with laudations will honour holy Narasamsa's greatness To these the pure, most wise, the thought-inspirers, Gods who enjoy both sorts of our oblatious. 28 Invoked, deserving laud and adoration, O Agni, come accor- Thou art, O vigorous One, the Gods' Invoker, so, best of 29 By rule the Sacred Grass is scattered eastward, a robe to Widely it spreads around and far extended, fair for the Gods and bringing peace and freedom. 30 Let the expansive Doors be widely opened, like wives who deck their beauty for their husbands. Lofty, celestial, all-impelling Portals, admit the Gods and give them easy access. 23 The goat: te be attached to the Horse at the sacrificial stake. 24 Noblest mansion: heaven, to which he goes by sacrifice. His Futher and his Mother: Heaven and Earth. 25 This and the following verse are taken from R. V. X. 110. 1, 2. 26 Order: sacrifice. 27 Both sorts: libations of Soma juice and offerings of clarified butter, rice-cakes, etc. 28 This and the eight following verses are taken from R. V. X. 110. 3-11, forming, with verses 25 and 26, a complete Apri or Propitiatory Hymn. W |