BOOK THE THIRTY-THIRD. His be the fires, eternal, purifying, protectors of our homes, whose smoke is shining, White, waxing in their strength, for ever stirring, and seated in the wood: like winds are Somas. 2 Gold-coloured, bannered with the smoke, urged by the wind, aloft to heaven Rise, lightly borne, the flames of fire. 3 Bring to us Mitra-Varuna, bring the Gods to the great sacrifice; Bring them, O Agni, to thine home. 4 Yoke, Agni, as a charioteer, thy steeds who best invoke the Gods: As ancient Hotar take thy seat. 5 To fair goals travel Two unlike in semblance: each in succession nourishes an infant. One bears a Godlike Babe of golden colour: bright and fairshining is be with the other. 6 Here by ordainers was this God appointed first Invoker, best at worship, to be praised at rites, Whom Apnavâna and the Bhrigus caused to shine, brightcoloured in the wood, spreading to every house. 7 Three times a hundred Gods, and thrice a thousand, and three times ten, and nine have worshipped Agui, For him spread sacred grass, balmed him with butter, and stablished him as Priest and Sacrificer. The formulas for the Universal Sacrifice are continued. 1 The first seventeen verses constitute a litany to Agni. The first verse is taken from R. V. X. 46. 7. Protectors: this is Mahidhara's explanation of aritra, as though the word came from ari, an enemy, and tri, to protect from. The literal meaning is oars, rudders, or propellers. Like winds: as winds fan flame, so Soma libatious increase the might of Agni. 2 Taken from R. V. VIII. 43. 4. 3 R. V. I. 75. 5. 4 Repeated from XIII. 37, 5 R. V. I 95. 1. Two: Day and Night. Infant: Agni as the Sun by day, and Fire, or the Moon, by night. 6 Repeated from III. 15; taken from R. V. IV. 7. 1. 7 R. V. III. 9. 9. In the Vaisvadeva Nivid or Formula of Invitation to the All-Gods, the number of the Gods is said to be 3 times 11, then 33, then 303, then 3003. By adding together 33 +303 + 3000 the number 3339 is obtained. See Haug's Aitareya Brahmaṇam, II. p. 212, note. 8 Him, messenger of earth and head of heaven, Agni Vaiṣvânara, born in holy Order, The Sage, the King, the Guest of men, a vessel fit for their mouths, the Gods have generated. 9 May Agui slay the foemen, -- fain for riches, through the love of song Kindled, bright, served with sacrifice. 10 With the All-Gods, with Indra and with Vayu drink the Soma mead, O Agni, after Mitra's laws. 11 When splendour reached the Lord of men to speed him, down from the heaven was shed the brilliant moisture. Agni brought forth to light and filled with spirit the youthful host benevolent and blameless. 12 Show thyself strong for mighty bliss, O Agni; most excellent be thine effulgent splendours. Make easy to maintain our household lordship and trample down the might of those who hate us. 13 We have elected thee as most delightful for thy beams' glow hear our great laud, O Agni. The best men praise thee as the peer of Indra in strength, mid Gods, like Vâyu in thy bounty. 14 0 Agni who art worshipped well, dear let our princes be to thee, Our wealthy patrons who are governors of men, who part in gifts their stalls of kine. 8 Repeated from VII. 24; taken from R. V. VI, 7. 1. A vessel: through whom they receive sacrificial offerings. 9 R. V. VI. 16. 34. 10 After Mitra's laws: mitrasya dhâmabhiḥ; according to Mahidhara, (praised) by the names of Mitra. 11 R. V. I. 71. 8. The Lord of men the protector of the sacrificer, according to Mahidhara, that is, Agni. From the heaven: the text has dyauḥ. which, Mahidhara says, is used in the sense of the genitive dyoh. into which probably, it may be corrected. See Oldemberg, Vedic Hymns, Part II. p. 80, note. Youthful host: probably the Maruts, the verse being here a Nivid formulary used on drawing the Marutvatiyagraha or cup for Indra attended by the Maruts. 12 R. V. V. 28. 3. Make easy to maintain: or, to follow Sayana and Mahidhara: Perfect the well-knit bond of wife and husband. 13 R. V. VI. 4. 7. 14 R. V. VII. 16. 7. Gifts: sacrificial offerings of milk, curds, and clarified butter as well as honoraria to the priests. 15 Hear, Agni who hast ears to hear, with all thy train of escort Gods. Let Mitra, Aryaman, seeking betimes our rite, seat them upon the sacred grass. 16 The Freedom of all Gods who merit worship, freely received as Guest in all men's houses, Agni who hath secured the Gods' high favour, may he be gracious to us, Jâtavedas. 17 In great enkindled Agni's keeping and, for bliss, free from all sin before Mitra and Varuņa, May we share Savitar's best animating help. We crave this gracious favour of the Gods to-day. 18 Like barren cows, moreover, swelled the waters: singers approched thy holy cult, O Indra. Come thou to us as to his team comes Vayu. Thou through our solemn hymns bestowest bounty. 19 Ye Cows, protect the fount. The two mighty Oues bless the sacrifice. The handles twain are wrought of gold. 20 Now when the Sun hath risen to-day may sinless Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, and Savitar speed us forth. 21 Pour on the juice the ornament which reaches both the heaven and earth: 15 R V. I. 44. 13. Let Mitra, Aryaman: and Varua, implied and understood. 16 R. V. IV. 1. 20. Freedom: or, Aditi, meaning the freest, most independent. There is a play on the words aditiḥ and atithiḥ, guest. 17 R. V. X. 36. 12. The verse is a Nivid formula used when the Sâvitragraha, or cup for Savitar, is drawn. 18 Verses 18-29 constitute a service of praise addressed to Indra. Verse 18 is taken from R. V. VII. 23 4. Barren cows: supposed to be fatter than, others. The waters: used for swelling the stalks of the Soma plant. 19 R. V. VIII. 61. 12. The fount: the caldron called gharma or mahâvira in which libations of milk are heated. According to Mahidhara, the Chitvala or pit (see VII. 26; VIII. 23) is intended, which the cows are to approach. The two Mighty Ones: Heaven an Earth. Bless: conjecturally translated, the meaning of rapsudâ being uncertain. The two kinds of milk in the sacrifice are plentiful and fruit-giving' :-Wilson, according to Siyaa. The handles: of the caldron; but this too is doubtful. 20 R. V. VII. 66. 4. Sinless: andgth: taken by Siyana as anâgasaḥ : may Savitar, Mitra, Aryaman, Aud Bhaga send us siuless forth. 21 R. V. VIII. 61. 13. The ornament: the milk which is mingled with Soma. The Bull: the mighty Soma. I take rasa (as Prof. Ludwig has done) as an instrumental cise. According to Mahidhara the translation should be: The river nourishes the Bull; i. e. the Soma which grows near it. Thou: See: the beginnings of two Nivid formulas repeated, respectively, from VII. 12 and 16. Supply the liquid to the Bull. Thou in the first old time. See, Vena. 22 As he was rising up they all revered him: self-luminous he travels, clothed in splendour. That is the Bull's, the Asura's lofty nature: he, Omniform, hath reached the eternal waters. 23 I laud your Mighty One who joyeth in the juice, him who is good to all men, who pervadeth all ; Indra whose conquering strength is powerful in war, whose fame and manly vigour Heaven and Earth revere. 24 Great is their fuel, strong their laud, wide is their sacrificial post Whose Friend is Indra, ever young. 25 Come, Indra, and delight thee with the juice at all the Soma feasts, Conqueror, mighty in thy strength. 26 Leading his band, Indra encompassed Vṛitra; weak grew the wily leader of enchanters. He who burns fierce in forests slaughtered Vyamsa, and made the milch-kine of the nights apparent. 27 Whence comest thou alone, thou who art mighty, Indra, Lord of the Brave? What is thy purpose? Thou greetest us, encountering us the Bright Ones. Lord of Indra, great in his power and might. Ne'er art thou fruit- 22 R. V. III. 38. 4. He: Indra as the Sun. Eternal waters: amritáni ; jalani, waters, being understood; the forces of eternity,' according to von Roth. Nature: or, title, such as Vritra-slayer, etc. 23 R. V. X. 50. 1. 24 R. V. VIII. 45. 2. Well provided with the materials of sacrifice, and consequently successful, are those whom Indra favours. 25 R. V. I. 9. 1. 26 R. V. III. 34. 3. His band: the Maruts. Encompassed Vritra: vritramavṛinot; a play upon the words, both from vri, to encompass; Vritra the drought demon being the encompasser or obstructer of the seasonal rains. He who burns fierce: perhaps the thunderbolt. Vyamsa: the name of one of the demons of drought. See R. V. I. 101. 2; 103. 2. Milch-kine of the nights according to Sayana, the (stolen) cows (that had been hidden) in the night; that is, he recovered the vanished rays of light. Mahidhara's interpretation, and made the lauds of devotees apparent,' seems very farfetched. : 27 R. V. I. 165. 3. The Maruts address Indra whom they meet alone, unattended by them as usual, in consequence of some ill-feeling that has arisen See M. Müller. Vedic Hymns, Part I. (Sacred Books of the East, XXXII. PP. 179-208). The verse ends with 'against us.' Then follow the beginnings of three Nivid formulas repeated respectively, from VII. 40, VIII. 2 and 3. 28 Those men extolled that deed of thine, O Indra, those who would fain burst through the stall of cattle, Fain to milk her who bare but once, great, lofty, whose sons are many and her streams a thousand. 29 To thee the Mighty One I bring this mighty hymn, for thy desire hath been gratified by my laud. In Indra, yea, in him victorious through his might, the 30 May the Bright God drink glorious Soma-mingled mead, giving the sacrifice's lord uninjured life; He who, wind-urged, in person guards our offspring well, hath nourished them with food and shone o'er many a land. 31 His bright rays bear him up aloft, the God who knoweth all that lives, Sûrya, that all may look on him. 32 Pure Varuņa, with that same eye wherewith thou lookest upon one Actively stirring mid the folk 33 Ye two divine Adhvary us, come hither upon a sun-bright car : Bedew our sacrifice with mead. Thou in the first old time. See, Vena. The brilliant presence. 34 Loved of all men, may Savitar through praises offered as sacred food come to our synod, That ye too, through our hymns, ye ever youthful, may gladden at your visit all our people. : 28 R. V. X. 74. 4. Those men: the Angirases. Burst through the stall of cattle to recover the stolen cows, the rays of light that had been carried away by the demons of darkness. Her who bare but once: Heaven, according to Sayana; Earth, according to Mahidhara. Prisni, the mother of the Maruts, must be meant.-Ludwig. See R. V. VI. 48. 22. 29 R. V. I. 102. 1. 30 R. V. X 170. 1. Verses 30-43 are formulas in praise of Súrya, accompanying libations to that deity on the third day of the ceremony. Wind-urged the disc of the Sun deriving its motion from the wind. 31 R. V. I. 50. 1. See VII. 41. 32 R. V. I. 50. 6. Varuna: the word is, âs Sâyana points out, used as an appellative (encompasser) and applied to Surya. Sayana explains it as anishṭaniv traka, averter of evils. Actively stirring: in the performance of acrifice. In the original hymn the sense is completed in the following verse, thon metest with thy beams our days.' Mahidhara supplies, look upon us who are similarly busied here.' 33 Two divine Adhvuryus: the Aṣvins, the Adhvaryus of the Gods, the heralds of the Sun's approach, are addressed. Thou etc.: see verse 21, and VII. 42. 34 R. V. I. 186. 1. Savitar: the Sun, especially regarded as the vivifier and generator. Ye too: the Visvedevas or All-Gods. |