47 This is that Agni where the longing Indra took the pressed Soma deep within his body. Winner of spoils in thousands like a courser, with prayer art thou exalted, Jâtavedas. 48 The splendour which is thine in heaven, O Agni, in earth, O Holy One, in plants, in waters, Wherewith thou hast o'erspread mid-air's broad region, that light is brilliant, billowy, man-surveying. 49 0 Agni, to the flood of heaven thou mountest, thou callest hither Gods, the thought-inspirers. The waters, those beyond the light of Surya, and those that are beneath it here, approach thee. 50 May the Purîshya Agnis in accord with those that spring from floods, May they, benevolent, accept the sacrifice, full, wholesome draughts. 51 As holy food, Agni, to thine invoker give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels. To us be born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this tby gracious will to us-ward. 52 This is thine ordered place of birth whence, sprung to life, thou shonest forth. Knowing this, Agni, mount on high and cause our riches to increase. 53 Ranker art thou: Angiras-like sit steady with that Deity. Ranker-round art thou: Angiras-like sit steady with that Deity. 47 Sitting on the south of the circle and looking northward the Adhvaryu lays down four bricks in the middle of the circle, the first with the text from R. V. III. 22. 1. 48 He lays the second brick with the text from R. V. III. 22. 2. 49 He lays the third brick with the text from R. V. III. 22. 3. 50 He lays the fourth with the text from R. V. III. 22. 4. Purishya: according to Mahidhara, friendly to cattle; 'Fires that dwell in mist': The Hymns of the R. V. Born from floods: the meaning of pravanebhiḥ is un certain. 51 He sits on the north side facing the south, and lays down the southward one of the two hinder bricks with the text from R. V. III. 22. 5. 52 He lays down the northern one with the text, repeated from III. 14, taken from R. V. III. 29. 10. 53 Sitting on the south side, facing the north, he lays the northern one of the two front bricks, reciting the text. Angiras-like: as thou wast wont to do with the ancient Fire-priest Angiras. Ranker-round: he lays down the second southward brick. That Deity: according to Mahidhara, that famous deity Vâyu. 54 Fill up the room, supply the void, then settle steady in thy place. Indr-Âgni and Brihaspati have set thee down in this abode. 55 The dappled kine who stream with milk prepare his draught of Soma juice Clans in the birthplace of the Gods, in the three luminous realms of heaven. 56 All sacred songs have magnified Indra expansive as the sea, The best of warriors borne on cars, the Lord, the very Lord of Strength. 57 Combine ye two and harmonize together, dear to each other, brilliant, friendly-minded, Abiding in one place for food and vigour. 58 Together have I brought your minds, your ordinances, and your thoughts. Be thou our Sovran Lord, Agni Purîshya; give food and vigour to the Sacrificer. 59 Thou art Purishya Agni, thou art wealthy, thou art prosper ous. Having made all the regions blest, here seat thee in thine own abode. 60 Be ye one-minded unto us, both of one thought, free from deceit. Harm not the sacrifice, harm not the Patrou of the sacrifice. Be gracious unto us to-day, ye knowers of all things that be. 61 Even as a mother bears her son, Earth, Ukhâ hath borne within her womb Purîshya Agni. Maker of all, accordant with the All-Gods and Seasons, may 62 Seek him who pours not, offers not oblation; follow the going of the thief and robber. 54 He lays down three lokamprinds or Space-filling bricks-those that have no special prayer appropriated to them, and addresses each. Indr-Âgní : the two Gods combined as a dual Deity. 55 As he settles the two bricks (verse 53) he recites the text called the Sudadohas from the word sûdadokasuḥ, streaming with milk, taken from R. V. VIII. 58. 3. 56 He brings mould from the place of the pit and throws it on the Gârhapatya hearth that is building, with the text taken from R. V. I. 11. 1. 57 He throws the Ukhya Agni, that is the fire in the pan, on the Gárha patya hearth, with the four following texts. 61 He fills the Fire-pau with sand, looses it from the suspensory sling, and sets it down at the distance of a cubit north of the fire, reciting the text. 62 Formulas for averting Nirriti, the Goddess of Destruction. He lays down the black bricks dedicated to Nirriti, that have been baked with ricehusks, Nirriti's perquisites, in some natural hollow in the ground or a barren place, with the following texts. This is thy way; leave us and seek some other. To thee, 63 To thee, sharp-pointed Nirriti, fall homage! Loose and detach this iron bond that binds him. Unanimous with Yama and with Yami to the sublimest vault of heaven uplift him. 64 Thou, Awful One, thou in whose mouth I offer for the unloosing of these binding fetters, Whom people hail as Earth with their glad voices, as Nirriti in every place I know thee. 65 The binding noose which Nirriti the Goddess hath fastened on thy neck that none may loose it, I loose for thee as from the midst of Ayus. now, eat thou the food we offer. Sped forward To Fortune, her who hath done this, be homage. 66 Establisher, the gatherer of treasures, he looks with might on every form and figure. Like Savitar the God whose laws are constant, like Indra he hath stood where meet the pathways. 67 Wise, through desire of bliss with Gods, the skilful bind the traces fast, and lay the yokes on either side. 68 Lay on the yokes and fasten well the traces: formed is the furrow, sow the seed within it. Through song may we find hearing fraught with plenty : near to the ripened grain approach the sickle. 63 Yama: here meaning Agni. Yamt: Yama's sister. See The Hymus of the Rigveda, X. 10. Him: the Sacrificer. Iron bond: of sin. 65 He throws down on the farther side of the bricks the suspensory sling, the cord of the gold plate (see 1) the two reed mats (2) and the wooden seat (2), and addresses the Sacrificer with the text. From the midst of Âyus : from the Garhapatya hearth which is the middle of Agni: Mahidhara. Âyus may rather have to be taken in the seuse of 'life' or 'vital power' : Eggeling. Sped forward: by being freed from the bonds of Nirṛiti. To Fortune: he pours out a jarful of water. 66 The Brahman-priest, the Sacrificer, and the Adhvaryu return to the sacrificial enclosure from the place where the Nirṛiti bricks were laid down, and the Adhvaryu stands worshipping Agni, in the form of the Garhapatya hearth, with the texts, taken with variations, from R. V. X. 139. 3. Pathways the R. V. has dhandnim, that is in the meeting or conflict for booty; and Mahidhara explains pathinam, of the pathways, by 'with robbers or infesters of the way.' 67 Standing behind the right or southern hip of Agni or the Fire-altar, the Adhvaryu addresses the plough to which oxen are being yoked for the purpose, with two texts from R. V. X. 101, 4, 3. Through desire of bliss with Gods: or, through desire of pleasing the Gods; 'with mind devoted to the Gods': Eggeling. 69 Happily let the shares turn up the ploughlaud, happily go the ploughers with the oxen! Suna and Sira, pleased with our oblation, cause ye our plants to bear abundant fruitage. 70 Approved by Visvedevas and by Maruts, balmed be the furrow with sweet-flavoured fatness. Succulent, teeming with thy milky treasure, turn hitherward to us with milk, O Furrow. 71 The keen-shared plough that bringeth bliss, good for the Soma-drinker's need, Shear out for me a cow, a sheep, a rapid drawer of the car, a blooming woman, plump and strong! 72 Milk out their wish, O Wishing-Cow, to Mitra and to Varuṇa, To Indra, to the Asvins, to Pushan, to people and to plants. 73 Be loosed, inviolable, Godward-farers! We have attained the limit of this darkness: we have won the light. 74 The year together with the darksome fortnights; Dawn with the ruddy-coloured cows about her; the Asvins with their wonderful achievements; the Sun together with his dappled Courser; Vuiṣvânara with Idâ and with butter. Svâhâ! 75 Herbs that sprang up in time of old, three ages earlier than the Gods, Of these, whose hue is brown, will I'declare the hundred powers and seven. 69 On the site of the Altar, near the enclosing stones, he ploughs four furrows, south, west, north, and east, with four texts, one for each furrow. The first text is from A. V. III. 17. 5, the first half being taken from R. V. IV. 57. 8. Suna and Sira: two deities or deified objects which bless or are closely connected with agriculture. See A. V. III. 17, 5, note. 70 Taken from A. V. III. 17. 9. 4 71 Taken from A. V. III. 17. 3. with a variation. See S. B. E. XLI. 328. 72 0 Wishing-Cow: 0 Furrow, productive as the Cow of Plenty. 73 He looses and addresses the oxen. Inviolable: aghnya, not to be slain or injured. The word is usually applied to cows. Godward farers: as assistants at sacrifice. Limit of this darkness R. V. I. 92. 6. Darkness here meaning distress arising from hunger and thirst, according to Mahîdhara. 74 He places a bunch of Kuga grass in the middle of the Altar site and offers an oblation with five takings of sacrificial butter, reciting the formula of thirteen utterances (Sva-hâ, divided, counting as two) each of which represents a layer of the Fire-altar. See S, B. E. XLI. 334. 75 Having poured fifteen jars of water on the Altar site he sows the seed of various plants and herbs reciting five triplets. Verses 75-96 are taken from R. V. X. 97 which is a physician's charm addressed to the medicinal herbs, some of which he is about to apply to a patient. Pakaru: perhaps dyspepsia; or some disease of the mouth, abscess or gumboil, 76 Ye, Mothers, have a hundred homes, yea, and a thousand are your growths. Do ye who have a thousand powers free this my patient from disease. 77 Be glad and joyful in the Plants, both blossoming and bearing fruit, Plants that will lead us to success like mares who conquer in the race. 78 Plants, by this name I speak to you, Mothers, to you the Goddesses: Steed, cow, and garment may I win, win back thy very self, O man. 79 The Holy Fig tree is your home, your mansion is the Parna tree: Winners of cattle shall ye be if yo regain for me this man. 80 He who hath store of Herbs at hand like Kings amid a crowd of men, Physician is that sage's name, fiend-slayer, chaser of disease. 81 Herbs rich in Soma, rich in steeds, in nourishment, in strengthening power, All these have I provided here, that this man may be whole again. 82 The healing virtues of the Plants stream forth like cattle from the stall,- Plants that shall win me store of wealth, and save thy vital breath, O man. 83 Reliever is your mother's name, and hence Restorers are ye called. Rivers are ye with wings that fly: keep far whatever brings disease. 84 Over all fences have they passed, as steals a thief into the fold. The Plants have driven from the frame whatever malady was there. 85 When, bringing back the vanished strength, I hold these herbs within my hand, The spirit of disease departs ere he can seize upon the life. 86 He through whose frame, O Plants, ye creep member by member, joint by joint, From him ye drive away disease like some strong arbiter of strife. 87 Fly, Spirit of Disease, begone, with the blue jay and kingfisher. Fly, with the wind's impetuous speed, vanish together with the storm. |