16 If when awake or in our sleep we have committed acts of sin, May Surya set me free from that iniquity and all distress. 17 Each fault in village or in wild, company or corporeal sense, Each sinful act that we have done to Șûdra or Arya, or to either's disadvantage, e'en of that siu thou art the expiation. 18 Waters, Inviolable ones, etc. Said to be repeated from VI. 22. O ever-moving Cleansing Bath, etc. Repeated from III. 48. 19 Thy heart is in the flood, etc. Repeated from VIII. 25. To us let Waters, etc. Repeated from VI. 22. 20 As one unfastened from a stake, or cleansed by bathing after toil, As butter which the sieve hath purged, let water clean me from my siu. 21 Looking upon the loftier light above the darkness we have come To Surya, God among the Gods, the light that is most excellent. 22 The waters I this day have sought, and to their essence have we come. Agni, come hither rich in milk, splendour and brilliancy bestow on me, and progeny and wealth. 23 A brand art thou: fain would we thrive. Fuel art thou and splendour give me splendour. Earth comes again, the Dawn, the Sun. This Universe all comes again. May I possess Vaiṣvânara's light, may I attain my vast desires. Earth All-hail ! 17 In village or in wild, etc.: cf. III. 45. Arya: one of the third caste; a Vaisya. To either's disadvantage against the interest or wishes of the Sacrificer or his wife, according to Mahidhara. Thou: the jar of Måsara. See 18 This beginning of a verse is the reading of the Taittiriya recension, the Black Yajurveda, differing slightly from the passage referred to. S. B. E. XXVI. p. 206, note. 20 Taken, with a variation ('water' for 'all') from A. V. VI. 115. 3. 21 Taken from R. V. I. 50. 10. 22 Varied from R. V. I. 23. 24. 23 He takes up a piece of wood and lays it on the Âhavaniya fire. Earth: here the Sacrificer offers an oblation of clarified butter. Comes again : sam vartti; according to Mahidhara=masyati, is lost, perishes. Earth!: see verse 12. 24 O Agni, Master of the Vow, on thee I lay the kindlingstick. To the fast-vow and faith I come. I, consecrated, kindle thee. 25 Fain would I know that holy world where Deities with Agui dwell, Where priestly rauk and princely power together in accord auce move. 26 Fain would I know that holy world where want and languor are unknown, Where in complete accordance move Indra and Vâyu side by side. 27 Let thy shoot be unitel with his tendril, joint combine with joint. Imperishable sap for joy, thine odour be the Soma's guard! 28 They pour it out, they sprinkle it, they scatter it, they make it pure. In the brown Surâ's ecstasy he says What art thou? What art thou? 29 Indra, at morn accept our cake accompanied with grain and groats, with wheaten bread and hymns of praise. 30 To Indra sing the lofty hymn, Maruts! that slayeth Vṛitra best, Whereby the Holy Ones created for the God the radiant light that never dies. 31 Adhvaryu, on the straining-cloth pour thou the Sora pressed with stones : Purify it for Indra's drink. 32 The Sovran Lord of living things, he upon whom the worlds depend, Mighty, the mighty's King-by him I take thee, take thee ou myself. 24 He lays three kindling-sticks on the Âhavanîya fire, and recites three formulas. Master of the Vow: see I. 5. 27 The Surâ is addressed and mingled with the Soma. Thy shoot: the part thou hast in the mixture. His: the Soma's part. 28 He: Indra, when he tastes Surà instead of his accustomed Soma. 29 A rice-cake is offered to Indra with a formula taken from R. V. VIII. 78. 1. 30 Maruts: chanters of their thunder-psalm; here meaning the loudvoiced singers of the hymn. The light divine: the Sun, which the Visve Devas or All-Gods generated or created for Indra. 32 Thee the thirty-third fat or marrow libation, completing the prescribed offerings to the thirty-three Gods, which he takes up in a bull's hoof vessel. 33 Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for the Asvins. This is. thy home, etc. 34 Guard of my breath and outward breath, the guardian of mine eye and ear, All-healer of my voice, thou art the mollifier of my mind. 35 Invited I feed upon thee invited, Whom Aṣvies, whom Sarasvatî, whom Indra, Good Protec tor, made. 36 Kindled in forefront of the Mornings, Indra with forwardi light, long-active, waxing mighty, With three and thirty Gods, the Thunder wielder, smote 37 Son of Himself, the Praise of Men, the Hero, measuring out the sacrificial stations, Rich in bulls' fat, anointing with sweet butter; wise, bright with gauds of gold, he sacrificeth. 38 Lauded by Gods, Lord of Bay Steeds, the Helper, showing. his greatness, worshipped with oblations, Fort-render, Cowpen-cleaver, Thunder-wielder, may he ap proach our sacrifice rejoicing. 39: May Indra, Lord of Bays, sit by direction eastward on earth: accepting our oblation, And sacred grass, fair, far-spread, widely-stretching, anointed by Adityas and by Vasus. 4) To the strong Indra go the sounding Portals, dames with a goodly husband, swiftly moving!! Well-manned, divine, wide be the Doors thrown open, expanding in their greatness for the Hero! 33 Repeated from X. 32. 34. The officiating priests inhale the odour of the remains of the oblation.. 36 The Adhvaryu's part of the ceremony is fiuished, and the Hotar now begins to officiate. The portals :: of the rain-cloud, which the demon of drought had obstructed: 37 This and the seven following verses form an Apri or propitiatory hymn constituting the Inviting-prayers at the prayajus or fore-offerings of an animal sacrifice They are addressed to a series of Deities or deified. objects, all of which are regarded by Sayana as manifestations of Agni. See The Hymns of the Rigveda, Index. Son of Himself: or, Tanûnapât, Fire, lighted from Fire, a title of Agni. The Praise of Men or Desire of Men, Narasamsa; Agni. Some families must invoke Tan..nap it and others Narasamsa as their tutelary Deity. 38 Indra is invited to the sacrifice. Port-render: splitting the cloudcastles of the demons of drought. Cowpen cleaver: opener of the stores of fertilizing rain. 39 On earth on the sacrificial ground.. 40 Portals of the sacrificial hall. See R.. V.. II. 3. 5. 41 Dawn and Night, lofty, sapful, richly-yielding, fair showing, as they weave with varied colour The long-extended thread in concert, worship the God of Gods, the lofty Hero Indra. 42 The two first pleasant-voiced celestial Hotars, arranging rites for man in sundry places, At head of sacrifice stablishing Indra, increase the eastern light with sweet oblation. 43 Thriving by sacrifice may the three Bright Ones, taking delight like wedded dames in Indra, Sarasvati, Iḍi, Bâratî all-surpassing, with milk preserve our sacred thread unbroken. 44 My Tvashtar coming fron afar, the active, give strength and plenty to strong glorious Indra, And strong, prolific, worshipping, the Mighty at sacrifice's head give the Gods honour. 45 Let the divine Stake, like an Immolator, bind, as one ordered, to himself the victim, And, filling Indra's belly with oblations, season the sacrifice with sweets and butter. 46 Indra the Bull, swift conqueror, wildly rushing bull-like to meet the Indu of the droppings Delighting in a mind that scatters fatness, let the immortal 47 May Indra come to us for our protection, here, lauded Hero, be our feast-companion. May he whose powers are many, waxen mighty, cherish, like Dyaus, the sovran sway of princes. 48 From near or far away may mighty Indra, giver of succour, come for our protection, Lord of men, armed with thunder, with the Strongest, slaying his foes in conflict, in the battles. 41 Cf. R. V. II. 3. & Long extended thread: their perpetual course of succession to each other. 42 Two.... Hotars: Agni and Vây, according to Mahîdhara. According to Siyana, two Agnis, terrestrial and firmamental. 43 Three Bright Ones: or, Goddesses, connected with sacrifice. See R. V. II. 3. 8. 45 Stake: Vanaspati, the Tree; the Sacrificial Stake regarded as a form of Agni. Immolator: the priest who slaughters the victim. 46 Indu of the droppings: Soma connected with the dripping fat or marrow. 47 Taken from R. V. IV. 21 1. 48 Taken from R. V. IV. 20. 1. The Strongest: the Maruts. 83 By thought Sarasvatî with both Nâsatyas forms lovely treasure and a beauteous body. Like shuttle through the loom the steady ferment mixes the red juice with the forming spirit. 84 By milk they generated bright immortal, productive seed, by Surâ seed from urine, Chasing afar folly and ill intention, crude food and wind and meat that loads the stomach. 85 Heart with his heart Indra Good Guardian gendered: with rice-cake Savitar gave truth its being. Varuna, doctoring the lungs and liver, forms, as with Vâyu cups, the gall and kidneys. 86 Cooking-pots pouring honey were the entrails: like a wellmilking cow the pans were bowels. A hawk's wing was the spleen: through mighty powers the stool as mother was navel and belly. 87 The pitcher was the father of the rectum by powers, the womb which first contained the infant. Plain was the hundred-streaming fount as penis: the jar poured forth libations to the Father. 83 His face the basket, thence his head; the strainer his tongue, his mouth Sarasvatî and Asvins. The Chapya was his rump, his leech the filter, the bladder was his penis keen with ardour. 89 Asvins with both cups made his eye immortal, the goat and cooked oblation gave it keenness. With wheat eyelashes and with jujube eyebrows they clothe as 'twere a black and brilliant figure. 90 The sheep, the ram to give his nostril vigour. the immortal path of breath by both libations. By Indra-grains and sacrificial jujubes Sarasvatî produced through-breath and nose hairs. 83 Nisatyas: a title of the Asvins, explained by Indian Commentators as not untrue', na-asatya. See Mcdouell, Vedic Mythelogy, p. 49. Ferment: Nagnahu, the root used as yeast. See verse 14. 85 Truth Indra's quality of truthfulness. Vayu cups: See verse 27. 87 The pitcher: or jar, for holding Sura. The infant: in the shape of the Surâ contained in it. Fount: the pitcher. See verse 37. 88 The basket: see verse 27. Chapya: a kind of sacrificial vessel, the use of which is not explained. 89 Both cups: libations offered to the Pair. The goat: offered in sacrifice. They the Aşvins. Black and brilliant figure: the eye of Indra. 90 The ram sacred to Sarasvatt. now offered in sacrifice. By both libations: ' was made' understood. Cf. XXI. 49. |