16 After his ancient splendour they, the bold, have drawn the bright milk from The Sage who wins a thousand gifts. Guard thou my body. Give me life. Give me splendour. All that is wanting in my body, Agni, supply for me. 18 Enkindled we enkindle thee through hundred winters, thee the bright; We healthy, thee who givest health; we strong, thee author of our strength; We, never injured, Agni, thee uninjured injurer of foes. O rich in shining lights, may I in safety rich the end of thee. 19 Thou hast attained, O Agni, to the splendour of Sûrya, to the eulogy of Rishis, and to the habitation which thou lovest. May I attain to lengthened life, to splendour, to offspring and abundant store of riches. 20 Ye are food, may I enjoy your food. Ye are might, may I enjoy your might. Ye are energy, may I enjoy your energy. Ye are abundant riches, may I enjoy your abundant riches. 21 Sport, wealthy ones, in this abode, this fold, this spot, this dwelling-place. Remain just here, and go not hence. 22 Composed art thou of every form and colour. With sap and ownership of kine approach me. To thee, dispeller of the night, O Agni, day by day with prayer, Bringing thee reverence, we come ; 16 Taken from R. V. IX. 54. 1. In the original hymn the bold are the Soma-pressers, and the sage is Soma. Here Malidhara, to suit the sacrificial occasion, explains the words as 'milkers' and 'cow.' 18 Enkindled brightened or made illustrious by thy favour. Hundred winters: implying a prayer for life extended to that period. Shining lights : Moon and stars; he addresses Night. 19 Splendour of Surya : at night, when the setting Sun has entered the Âhavanîya fire. Habitation: or dainty offering. 20 He approaches the cow that has been milked for the oblation. Ye: thou and the other cows. Food in the shape of milk and butter. 22 Thou: he touches and addresses the cow. To thee he approaches the Gârhapatya fire and reverences it. This text and verses 23, 24 are taken from R. V. I. 1. 7-9. 23 Ruler of sacrifices, guard of Law eternal, radiant One, Increasing in thine own abode. 24 Be to us easy of approach, even as a father to his son: Agni, be with us for our weal. 25 O Agui, be our nearest Friend; be thou a kind deliverer and gracious Friend. Excellent Agui, come thou nigh to us, and give us wealth most splendidly renowned. 26 To thee then, O most bright, O radiant God, we come with prayer for happiness for our friends. So hear us, listen to this call of ours, and keep us far from every evil man. 27 O Ida, come, O Aditi, come hither. Come hither, much desired! From you may I obtain my heart's desire. 28 O Brahmanaspati, make him who presses Soma glorious, Even Kakshîvan Aușija. 29 The rich, the healer of disease, who findeth wealth, increaseth store, The prompt,-may he be with us still. 30 Let not the foeman's curse, let not a mortal's treachery fall on us: Preserve us, Brahmanaspati ! 31 Great, heavenly, unassailable, ours be the favour of the Three, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna. 32 For over them, neither at home nor upon pathways perilous, The evil-minded foe hath power. 33 For they, the Sons of Aditi, bestow eternal light upon A mortal man that he may live. 23 Law eternal: the order of the universe, or. specially, established sacrifice25 This and the following verse make up Hymn 24 of R. V. V., the two halves of 26, transposed, forming verses 3 and 4. 27 He approaches and addresses the cow. Idd or Ila, Nourishment personified; here a symbolical name of the cow as representing pleuty. Aditi here and elsewhere a sacrificial name of the cow. 28 This verse and the two following are taken from R. V. I. 18. 1-3. Brahmanaspati :-Brihaspati; Lord of prayer, or Guardian of the Veda, the special deity and prototype of the Brahmans and the priestly community, and Purohita or tribal Priest of the Gods. Kakshiván: called Aușija or son of Ușij, a renowned Rishi, the seer of several hymns of the Rigveda. Glorious or clear of voice. 29 The rich, etc.: Brahmanaspati. 31 This verse and the two following form, with a variation in 33. Hymn 185 of Book X. of the Rigveda. Aryaman: the name of one of the Adityas, commonly invoked with Mitra and Varuņa. gaydu 34 Ne'er art thou fruitless, Indra, ne'er dost thou forsake thy But now. O Liberal Lord, thy bounty as a God is ever pour- 35 May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the God: 36 May thine inviolable car wherewith thou guardest worship pers Come near to us from every side. 37 Earth! Ether! Sky! May I be rich in offspring, well-manned with men and opulent with riches. Friendly to men! do thou protect my offspring. Worthy of praise! do thou protect my cattle. O pointed One, protect the food that feeds me. 38 We have approached the Omniscient, best finder out of wealth for us. Splendour and strength bestow on us, O Agni, thou Imperial Lord. 39 Lord of the Home, this Agui Gârhapatya is best at finding Splendour and strength bestow on us, O Agni, Master of the 40 Rich, furtherer of plenty is this Agni, Master of the Herd. 41 Fear not, nor tremble thou, O House. To thee who bearest strength we come. 34 Indra, as Deity of the sacrifice, is associated with Agni. The verse is taken from R. V., Vâlakhilya, 3. 7. 35 Taken from R, V. III. 62. 10. This stanza is the Savitrî, the Gâyatri par excellence, the celebrated verse of the Vedas which forms part of the daily devotions of the Brahmans. and was first made known to English readers by Sir William Jones's translation of a paraphrastic interpretation : he renders it, Let us adore the supremacy of that divine sun who illuminates all, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, whom we invoke to direct our understandings aright in our progress towards his holy seat.' Wilson. See Rigveda Sanhitâ, Vol. III. p. 111. Prayers: or, thoughts. 36 Addressed to Agni Come near to or, encompass. 37 Earth! etc.: see III. 5. Friendly to men; he approaches and addresses the Gârhapatya fire. Pointed One: flame of the fire. 38 He approaches the Âhavanîya fire. The Omniscient: Agni. 40 Master of the Herd: purishya; the original meaning of purisha is rubbish, loose soil, manure, and is used symbolically for the cattle which produce the manure. 41-43 Formulas to be used by the householder on approaching the Dak, china fire on departing from and returning to his house. Fear not in the master's absence. I, bearing strength, intelligent and happy, come to thee, 42 The home on which the wanderer thinks, where cheerfulness We call the Home to welcome us. May it know us who know it well. 43 Here have the cows been called to us, the goats and sheep have been called near, And in our home we have addressed the meath that sweeteneth our food. I come to thee for safety and for quiet. May joy be ours, felicity, and blessing. 44 We invocate the Maruts, the voracious, eaters of their foes, Delighting in their mess of meal. 45 We expiate by sacrifice each sinful act that we have done, Whether in village or the wild, in company or corporeal sense. Svâhâ! 46 Let us not here contend with Gods, O Indra, for, Fierce One! here is thine own sacred portion, Thine, Mighty Oue, whose friends, the bounteous Maruts, his song who pours oblation, streamlike, honours. 47 The skilful workers have performed their work with voice that gives delight. Having performed the work for Gods, go, ye companions, to your home. 48 O ever-moving Cleansing Bath, thou movest gliding on thy way. 42 Meath: kîlâlu; a sweet beverage, the nature of which is uncertain. 44 Formulas follow for the three Four-monthly sacrifices at the beginning of Spring, the Rains, and Autumn. The Sacrificer's wife is first called upon to confess her infidelities, if she has been guilty of any; and to declare the name or names of her lover or lovers. After confession, or declaration of innocence, she is made to recite the text. Eaters: consumers, destroyers. The correctness of this traditional interpretation is doubtful. See Prof. Oldenberg, Vedic Hymns, Part II. p. 14. Mess of meal: a sort of gruel or porridge. 45 Spoken by the Sacrificer's wife, or by her and her husband. In village: by oppression. The wild: by cruelty to wild animals. In company by contemptuous behaviour. Corporeal sense: by abuse of the tongue or other unruly member. 46 Taken from R. V. I. 173. 12. Spoken by the Sacrificer. 47 Spoken by the Matron. Skilful workers: priests. 48 The Avabhritha, or Purificatory Baptism in a stream of fresh water, is performed by the Sacrificer and his wife. Who loudly roars: the terrible fiend. With Gods may I wash out the sin that I have sinned against the Gods, with meu the sin against mankind. Preserve me safe from injury, O God, from him who loudly roars. 49 Full, fly away, O spoon, and filled completely fly thou back to us. O Satakratu, let us twain barter, like goods, our food and strength. 50 Give me, I give thee gifts: bestow on me, and I bestow on thee. To me present thy merchandize, and I to thee will give my wares. 51 Well have they eaten and regaled: the friends have risen The sages, luminous in themselves, have praised thee with Now, Indra, yoke thy two Bay Steeds. 52 Thee will we reverence, thee, O Lord of Bounty, who art Thus praised, according to our wish come now with richly- 53 We call the spirit hither with a hero-celebrating strain, 54 The spirit comes to us again for wisdom, energy, and life, That we may long behold the Sun. 55 O Fathers, may the Heavenly Folk give us the spirit once again, That we may be with those who live. 49 Here begin the formulas for the presentation of the Sâkamedha offer. ings on the full moon of Kârttika (October-November). The Adhvaryu officiates. Full of the boiled rice to be offered to Indra. Spoon the ladle called darvi. Filled completely: with blessings in return. Sutakratu: Lord of a Hundred Powers; or sacrifices, according to the Commentators. Barter: cf. A. V. III. 15. 1: I stir and animate the merchant Indra. Food and strength · the sacred food purchasing strength for the worshipper. 50 Give me, etc.: dehi me, dadami te; do ut des: the fundamental principle underlying sacrifice. According to Mahîdhara, line 1 is spoken by Indra and line 2 by the Sacrificer. 51, 52 Taken from R V. I. 82. 2, 3. Food is offered to the Fathers, and Indra is addressed. They. the friends the Fathers. See II. 31. 53-56 Taken from R. V. X. 57, 3-6. The spirit: the mind or thought of the worshippers which in paying obeisance to the Fathers has, as it were, gone to the world of the Departed and is now invited to return to earth. In the original hymn the application is different, the spirit of a deceased man being recalled. See Max Müller, Royal Asiatic Society's Journal, 1866. pp. 449 and 458. Strain: stomena: the R. V. has somena, with Soma. A |