35 The Grass divine hath added might to radiant Indra strength

giver,

Laying in Indra wondrous power and sight and strength by
Gayatrî. For gain of wealth let him enjoy the butter.
Offer sacrifice.

36 The Doors divine have magnified bright Indra, who bestoweth strength.

With Ushnih laying mighty power in Indra, vital breath and force. For gain of wealth let them enjoy the butter. Offer sacrifice.

37 Morning and Night, divine Ones, have strengthened bright Indra, strength-giver, the Goddesses advanced the God, With the Anushṭup laying power in Indra, strength and vital force. For gain of wealth let them enjoy. Pay sacrifice.

38 Kind, bounteous, and divine, they have strengthened bright Indra, force-giver, the Goddesses advanced the God,

Laying in Indra power and force and hearing with the Brihatî. For gain of wealth let them enjoy. Pay sacrifice. 39 Bringers of strengthening sacrifice, the Goddesses, two teeming cows, have heightened Indra's power with milk, Laying bright power in Indra with Pankti, and vital energy. For gain of wealth let them enjoy. Pay sacrifice.

40 The Gods, two heavenly Hotars, have strengthened bright Indra, force-giver, those Gods have magnified the God, With Trishṭup giving Indra power, impetuous might, and vital strength. For gain of wealth let them enjoy. Pay sacrifice.

41 Goddesses three, three Goddesses have heightened their Lord Indra's strength, his who bestoweth vital force, Laying in Indra power and might and vital strength with Jagatî. For gain of wealth let them enjoy. Pay sacrifice. 42 The God, the Praise of all men, hath strengthened bright Indra force-giver, the God bath magnified the God, Laying in Indra with Virâj beauty and power and vital force. For gain of wealth let him enjoy. Pay sacrifice.

43 The God the Forest Sovran hath strengthened bright Indra, force-giver, the God hath magnified the God,

With Dvipad storing Indra with fortune and power and vital strength. For gain of wealth let him enjoy. Pay sacrifice.

38 They the deities of the Anuyâjas or Post-offerings.

42 Viraj: the metre of that name, four Pådas of ten syllables each.

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 strengthened 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 Rishi, etc.

44 Kakup: a metre of three Pâdas, 8+12+8 syllables.

45 Atichhandas: hypermeter; any metre of more than forty-eight syl

lables.

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 Bharati with Adityas love our worship! Sarasvati with Rudras be our helper,

And Idâ in accord, invoked with Vasus! Goddesses, place our rite among the Immortals.

This Book is supplementary to Book XXII.-XXV. which treat of the Asvamedha or Horse-Sacrifice.

1 This and the ten following verses form an Apri 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 Ahavaniya fire. Direction: commanding them to offer sacrifice.

The God-devoted son Tvashtar produces: from Tvashṭar springs to life your fleet-foot Courser.

Tvashtar gave being to this All about us. Priest, worship here the mighty work's achiever.

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,
Gods, eat our oblation.

12 What time, first springing into life, thou neighedst, proceeding from the sea or cloudy 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
Sun ye fashioned forth the Courser.

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 Sâdhyas: 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 : Vișvâvasu, 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 vipriktok, excluded separated, could possibly mean 'united.' Three bonds: According to Sayana, his 'media of origin,' the Vasus, Âditya, and Heaven.

15 The waters: meaning here, says Sayaṇa, 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 patas 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. Mahidhara 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 Sayana 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.