From out the forest trees and herbs that grow on ground, thou, Sovran Lord of men, art generated pure. 28 At Savitar's, the Shining One's, impulsion, with arms of Asvins and with hands of Pûshan, As Angiras was wont to do, I dig thee forth from the seat of Earth, Agni Purîshya. Thee, Agni, luminous and fair of aspect, resplendent with imperishable lustre, gracious to living creatures, never harming, As Angiras was wont to do, we dig thee forth from the seat of Earth, Agni Purîshya. 29 Thou art the Waters' back, the womb of Agni, around the ocean as it swells and surges. Waxing to greatness, resting on the lotus, spread thou in amplitude with heaven's own measure. 30 Yea are a shelter and a shield, uninjured both, and widely spread. Do ye, expansive, cover him: bear ye Purishya Agni up. 31 Cover him, finders of the light, united both with breast and self, Bearing between you Agni, the refulgent, 32 Thou art Purishya, thou support of all. first, Agui, who rubbed thee into life. everlasting One. Atharvan was the Agni, Atharvan brought thee forth by rubbing from the lotus, from The head of Visva, of the Priest. 33 Thee too as Vritra-slayer, thee breaker of forts, the Sage Dadhvach, Son of Atharvan, lighted up. 28 He digs round the lump of clay and recites the text. 29 Northward of the hole from which he has dug the hidden lump of clay (see verse 16. note) he spreads a black-antelope's skin with the neck turned to the east; on this he puts a lotus-leaf, and on this the lump of clay. Thou: he address the lotus leaf representing the sky. Waxing: Agni, represented by the lump of clay. Spread forth as the Sun, fill the whole heaven with thy grandeur 30 Ye: the antelope skin and the lotus-leaf, both of which he touches as he recites the two texts. 32 He touches the lump of clay reciting the first line of the text taken, in part, from R. V VI. 16. 13. Purishya: according to Mahidhara=paṣavya, favourable to cattle. See XI. 9, note. Atharvan: see VIII. 56. Here he takes hold of the lump of clay with both hands. The lotus: the sky, or the waters of the air. Visva: perhaps Heaven personified; or the Universe. The last line of the text is obscure, and has been variously explained. See Sacred Books of the East, XII. 217, 218, note. 83 Taken from R. V. VI. 16. 14. Dadhyach: see The Hymns of the Rigveda, I. 84. 13. 34 Pâthya the Bull, too, kindled thee the Dasyus' most destruc tive foe, Winner of spoil in every fight. 35 Sit, Hotar, in the Hotar's place, observant: lay down the sacrifice in the place of worship. Thou, dear to Gods, shalt serve them with oblation. Agni, give long life to the Sacrificer. 36 Accustomed to the Hotar's place, the Hotar hath seated him, bright, splendid, passing mighty, Whose foresight keeps the Law from violation, excellent, pure-tongued, bringing thousauds, Agni. 37 Seat thee, for thou art mighty: shine, best entertainer of the Gods. Worthy of sacred food, praised Agni! loose the smoke, ruddy and beautiful to see. 38 Pour heavenly Waters honey-sweet here for our health, for progeny. Forth from the place whereon they fall let plants with goodly berries spring. 39 May Vâyu Mâtarişvan heal and comfort thy broken heart as there supine thou liest. Thou unto whom the breath of Gods gives motion, to Ka, yea, unto thee, O God, be Vashat! 40 He, nobly born with lustre, shield and refuge, hath sat down in light. O Agni, Rich in Splendour, robe thyself in many-hued attire. 41 Lord of fair sacrifice, arise! With Godlike thought protect us well. 34 From R. V. VI. 16. 15. Pathya the Bull: or, the hero Pathya, probably some celebrated Sacrificer. Prof. Max Müller (Vedic Hymns, Part I. p. 153) takes vrisha here as a Proper Name, Vrishan Pâthya. Dasyus: hostile aborigines. 35 Hotar: Agni, the Sacrificing Priest, or Invoker, of the Gods. The text is taken from R. V. III. 29. 8. 36 The text is taken from R. V. II. 9. 1. 37 Taken from R. V. I. 36. 9. Seat thee: on the lotus-leaf. 38 He pours water into the hole from which the lump of clay was taken. Pour: Spade, or O Heaven, or O Adhvaryu: Mabidhara. 39 He fans air into the hole, and with the first line of the text addresses the wounded earth. Mâtarişvan: in the R. V. generally a name or form of Agni, here a designation of Wind as breathing, moving, or growing in his mother the Air. See I. 2, note. Ka: Prajapati (see I. 6, note), that is, Vâyu in his form. Vashat: a sacrificial exclamation; benediction. 40 He takes up the edges or corners of the antelope-skin and the lotus-leaf, ties them together, and wraps them round the lump of clay, reciting the text. 41 He takes the wrapped up lump of clay and stands up reciting the text. Cf. R. V. VIII. 23. 5. With great light splendid to behold come, Agni, through sweet hymns of praise. 42 Rise up erect to give us aid, stand up like Savitar the God; Erect as strength-bestower when we call aloud, with unguents and with priests on thee. 43 Thou, being born, art Child of Earth and Heaven, parted, fair Babe, among the plants, O Agni. The glooms of night thou, brilliant child, subduest, and art come forth, loud roaring, from the Mothers. 44 Steady be thou, and firm of limb. Steed, be a racer fleet of foot. Broad be thou, pleasant as a seat, bearing the store which 45 Be thou propitious, Angiras, to creatures of the human race. Set not on fire the heaven and earth, nor air's mid-region, nor the trees. 46 Forth with loud neighing go the Steed, the Ass that shouteth as he runs. Bearing Purishya Agni on, let him not perish ere his time, 47 The Law the Truth, the Law the Truth. As Angiras was Removing all distresses and afflictions, here settle down and banish evil purpose. 42 With uplifted arms he holds it up towards the east, and recites the text taken from R. V. I. 36. 13. Unguents...priests; or, shining ministrants; priests who bear oblations. 43 Among the plants: the shrubs that serve as fuel; or phosphorescent plants in which he dwells; or, according to Mahidhara, rice and other plants from which sacrificial cakes are made, The Mothers: the trees whose dry wood feeds him. The text is taken from R. V. X. 1. 2. 44 He addresses the ass (see verse 12). The store: the equipment of Agni, all that is required to make the Altar complete. See V. 13, note. 45 He addresses the goat, here called Angiras, a name of Agni (see III. 3), as sacred to that God. 46 He holds the lump of clay over the animals without touching them, first over the horse, reciting the text. The Ass here ironically coupled with the horse. Bearing: the horse. Male: the ass, over which he now holds the lump of clay. Offspring of the Sea: born as lightning in the aërial ocean. Agni, come hither: he takes the lump down. 47 He holds the clay-lump over the goat, and recites the first Pâda or quarter-division of the text. The Law, etc.: meaning Agni as the Sun, being himself both Law and Truth. 48 Welcome him joyfully, ye Plants, laden with bloom and goodly fruit. This seasonable Child of yours hath settled in his ancient seat. 49 Resplendent with thy wide-extending lustre dispel the terrors of the fiends who hate us. May lofty Agni be my guide and shelter, ready to hear our call, the good Protector. 50 Ye, Waters, are beneficent, so help ye us to energy That we may look on great delight. 51 Give us a portion of the sap, the most propitious that ye have. Like mothers in their longing love. 52 To you we gladly come for him to whose abode ye lead us on: And, Waters, give us procreant strength. 53 Mitra, having commingled earth and ground together with the light For health to creatures mix I thee Omniscient and nobly born. 54 The Rudras, having mixed the earth, set all aglow the lofty Bright and perpetual their light verily shines among the 55 The lump of clay that hath been mixed by Vasus, Rudras, May Sinîvâli with her hands soften and fit it for the work. 56 May Sinîvâli with fair braids, with beauteous crest, with lovely locks, May she, O mighty Aditi, bestow the Fire-pan in thy hands. 49 The lump of clay has been deposited on a mound sprinkled and covered with gravel. It is now freed from its wrapper (see verse 40), with the text taken from R. V. III. 15. 1. Some of the goat's hair is then cut off, and the three animals are driven towards the north-east. 50 He pours on the lump of clay water that has been heated with the gum of the Parna or Palâsa tree, and recites the triplet from R. V. X. 9. 1—3. 53 He mixes the clay with the goat's hair and recites the text. Mitra: the Sun. Earth: meaning sky, according to Mahidhara. Light: symbolized by the hair of the goat sacred to Agni. Thee: Agni, identified with the clay. 54 He mixes with gravel, iron-filings or rust, and small stones, and recites the text. Rudras: the Maruts, sons of Rudra the Storm-God. 55 He mixes the mass more thoroughly, and recites three texts. Sinîválí: the presiding Goddess of the day of New Moon, associated with child-birth. 56 Fire-pan: ukhâ; a sort of saucepan ; a pot or cooking-vessel. M 1 57 Aditi shape the Fire-pan with her power, her arms, her in tellect, And in her womb bear Agni as a mother, in her lap, her son. 58 With Gâyatrî, like Angiras the Vasus form and fashion thee! Stedfast art thou, thou art the Earth. Establish in me progeny, command of cattle, growth of wealth, kinsmen for me the worshipper. With Trishṭup may the Rudras, like Angiras, form and fashion thee. Stedfast art thou, thou art the Air. Establish in me, etc., With Jagati, like Angiras, Adityas form and fashion thee! Stedfast art thou, thou art the Quarters. Establish in me, etc. 59 The zone of Aditi art thou. She, having made the great Aditi seize thy hollow space. Fire-pan, a womb for Agni, Aditi, gave it to her Sons and, Let them bake it, were her words. 60 The Vasus make thee fragrant, as Angiras did, with Gâyatri! The Rudras make thee fragrant with the Trishṭup, as did Angiras ! With Gayatri, like Angiras, may the Âdityas perfume thee. Dear to all men, may the All-Gods with the Anushṭup sweeten thee, as Angiras was wont to do. May Indra make thee odorous. May Varuna make thee odorous. May Vishņu make thee odorous. 57 Aditi: as Mother of the Gods. Thou: the lump of clay out of which the Fire-pan is to be made, representing the hearth of the Ahavanîya fire. Of sacrifice: or of Makha, a certain mythical being. Cf. XXXVII. 3—10; R. V. IX. 101. 13; X. 171. 2. 58 He spreads the clay which is to form the bottom of the Fire-pan. The Rudras: here he lays down the first lower side of the pan. Adityas: here he adds the upper side. With the rest of the formulas he continues the work. 59 He puts on the rim and addresses it. Aditi seize: he takes hold of the pan by the mouth. She: he places the completed pan on the ground. Her Sons: the Gods. 60 He fumigates the pan with the smoke of seven lumps of horse-dung, reciting seven formulas, one for each Deity or class of Deities mentioned. |