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 bath 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 Varuna,

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 Vâyu. Thou through our solemn hymns bestowest bounty.

19 Ye Cows, protect the fount. The two mighty Ones 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 Varu a, 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 Mahîdhara, the Chatvala or pit (see VII. 26; VIII. 23) is intended, which the cows are to ap proach. The two Mighty Ones: Heaven and Earth. Bless: conjecturally translated, the meaning of rapsuda being uncertain. The two kinds of milk in the sacrifice are plentiful and fruit-giving' :-Wilson, according to Sâyaya. The handles: of the caldron; but this too is doubtful.

20 R. V. VII. 66. 4. Sinless: anagh: taken by Sayana asanâgasaḥ: may Savitar, Mitra, Aryaman, Aud Bhaga send us sinless 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 case. According to Mahîdhara the trauslation 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
Bay Steeds, say what thou hast against us.

Indra, great in his power and might. Ne'er art thou fruitless. Never art thou neglectful.

22 R. V. III. 38. 4. He: Indra as the Sun. Eternal waters: amṛitâni ; jalani, waters, being understood; ' the forces of eternity,' according to von Roth. Nature: or, title, such as Vritra-slayer, etc.

23 R. V. X. 59. 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: vṛitramavṛinot; a play upon the words, both from vṛi, 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. Mahîdhara's interpretation, and made the lauds of devotees apparent,' seems very far fetched.

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
Gods have joyed at feast and when the Soma flowed.

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 Sâyana; Earth, according to Mahîdhara. 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 dise 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 sacrifice In the original hymn the sense is completed in the following verse, thou metest with thy beams our days.' Mahîdhara 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.

35 Whatever, Vṛitra-slayer! thou Surya hast risen on to-day, That, Indra, all is in thy power.

36 Swift, visible to all art thou, O Súrya, maker of the light, Illuming all the radiant realm.

37 This is the Godhead, this the might of Surya : he hath withdrawn what spread o'er work unfinished.

When he hath loosed his horses from their station, straight over all Night spreadeth out her garment.

38 In the sky's lap the Sun this form assumeth that Varuna and Mitra may behold it.

His Bay Steeds well maintain their power eternal, at one time bright, and darksome at another.

39 Verily, Surya, thou art great; truly, Aditya, thou art great. As thou art great indeed thy greatness is admired: yea, verily thou, God, art great.

40 Yea, Surya, thou art great in fame: thou, evermore, O God, art great.

Thou by thy greatness art the Gods' Home-Priest, divine, far-spread, unconquerable light.

41 Turning, as 'twere, to meet the Sun, enjoy from Indra all good things.

When he who will be born is born with power we look to treasures as our heritage.

42 To-day, ye Gods, when Sirya hath ascended, deliver us from trouble and dishonour.

This boon may Varuna and Mitra grant us, and Aditi and
Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.

35 R, V. VIII. 82. 4. Indra: as identified with Sûrya.

36 R. V. I. 50. 4.

37 R. V. I. 115. 4. He hath withdrawn: 'The cultivator or artisan de. sists from his labour, although unfinished, upon the setting of the Sun'; when the sun 'has withdrawn (into himself) the diffused (light which has been shed) upon the unfinished task':-Wilson. The stanza is difficult, and no thoroughly satisfactory explanation of it has yet been offered. See Ludwig, Der Rigveda, IV. 131, 132.

38 R. V. I. 115. 5. This form: of might and Godhead. Varuna; as God of the Night. Mitra; as God of the Day.

39 R. V. VIII. 90. 11.

40 R. V. VIII. 90. 12.

41 R. V. VIII. 88. 3. This stanza is difficult and obscure. Mahidhara's explanation is: The gathering (rays) proceeding to the sun distribute all Indra's treasures (to living beings, as rain, corn, etc.) may we too by our power leave those treasures as an inheritance to him who has been or will be born'-See Prof. Cowell's note in Wilson's Translation.

42 The second line is the stock conclusion of many Rigveda hymns. Sindhu is the deity presiding over, or identified with, water, and it may mean the Sea, or the Indus.

43 Throughout the dusky firmament advancing, laying to rest the immortal and the mortal,

Borne on his golden chariot he cometh, Savitar, God, beholding living creatures.

44 Soft to the tread the sacred grass is scattered: these go like Kings amid the band around them,

At the folk's early call on Night and Morning,―Vậyu, and
Pushan with his team to bless us.

45 Indra, Vâyu, Brihaspati, Mitra, Agni, Pûshan, Bhaga,
Adityas, and the Marut host.

46 Be Varuna our chief defence, let Mitra guard us with all aids: Both make us rich exceedingly!

47 Regard us, Indra, Vishnu, here, ye Asvins, and the Marut host, us who are kith and kin to you.

Thou in the first old time. See, Vena. O ye eleven Gods.
Loved of all men, may Savitar. With the All-Gods. Ye
Visvedevas who protect.

48 0 Agni, Indra, Varuna, and Mitra, give, O ye Gods, and Marut host, and Vishņu.

May both Nâsatyas, Rudra, heavenly Matrons, Pûshan,
Sarasvati, Bhaga accept us.

49 Indra, Agni, Mitra, Varuna, Aditi, the Waters, Mountains, Maruts, Sky, and Earth and Heaven,

Vishnu I call, Pûshan and Brahmanaspati, and Bhaga, Samsa,
Savitar that they may help.

50 With us are raining Rudras, clouds accordant in call to battle at the death of Vritra,

The strong, assigned to him who sings and praises. May
Gods with Indra as their chief protect us.

43 R. V. I. 35. 2.

44-54 celebrate the Visvedevas or All-Gods. Verse 44 is taken from R. V. VII. 39. 2.

45 R. V. I. 14. 3.

46 R. V. I. 23. 6.

47 The Gayatri verse is taken from VIII. 72. 7. Kith and kin: as common children of Aditi the General Mother of all living beings. The six unconnected Pratikas or Verse-beginnings are repeated from (1, 2) XXXIII. 21; (3) VII. 19; (4) XXXIII. 34 ; (5) XXXIII. 10 : (6) VII. 33.

48 R. V. V. 46. 2.

49 R. V. V. 46. 3. Sumsa: Praise or Prayer, personified. According to Mahidhara, praiseworthy, qualifying Savitar.

50 R. V. VIII. 52. 12. Raining: pouring down riches; bounteous. The strong perhaps the thunderbolt, with which Indra aids the worshipper.