Vedic Hymns, Part II (SBE46), by Hermann Oldenberg [1897], at sacred-texts.com

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MANDALA V, HYMN 15.

ASHTAKA IV, ADHYÂYA 1, VARGA 7.

1. I bring a prayer to the worshipper, the renowned sage, the glorious, ancient one. Agni is the highly gracious Asura, taking his seat in ghrita, the holder of wealth, supporting goods.

2. By Rita they have supported the supporting Rita, near the powerful (performer) 1 of sacrifice, in highest heaven, the men who sit 2 on the supporting support of the sky, and who with born (men) attained to the unborn.

3. Dispelling anguish 1 they spread out for the ancient one 2 his bodies 3, mighty vital power, difficult to overcome. May he, the new-born, traverse the spaces. They have stood round him as round an angry lion.

4. When thou carriest, spreading out, man after man like a mother, for their nourishment and for their sight, when thou growest old 1 assuming life after life, thou goest around by thyself in manifold shapes.

5. May gain protect now the boundaries of thy strength, the wide, firmly supporting milkstream 1 of wealth, O god! Putting down thy foot in secret like a thief 2, thou hast enlightened and freed Atri for the sake of wealth mightily 3.

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NOTES.

The Rishi is Dharuna Âṅgirasa (cf. dharúnah vásvah agníh, verse 1; ritám dharúnam, diváh dhárman dharúne, verse 2; dógham dharúnam, verse 5); the metre, Trishtubh.—No verse of this hymn occurs in the other Samhitâs.

Verse 2.

Note 1. It may be asked whether sâká, beside its meaning 'the powerful (helper),' may also mean 'the power.' This would suit very well, V, 30, 10. sám tâ´h (scil. gâ´h) índrah asrigat asya sâkaíh; VI, 19, 4. tám vah índram katínam asya sâkaíh ihá nûnám vâgayántah huvema. The translation then would be: 'by the power of sacrifice.' Böhtlingk-Roth conjecture sâ´ke.

Note 2. I believe that sedúshah stands for the nominative, cf. devâ´h ábibhyushah, I, 11, 5; S. B. E. XXXII, p. 28. This sedúshah led on to a second accusative standing for the nominative, nrî´n.—The men sitting on the support of the sky seem to be the forefathers who have established the universal laws, the Aṅgiras.

Verse 3.

Note 1. I consider amhoyúvah as nom. plur. masc., but it may also be gen. sing. masc., or acc. plur. fem., as an epithet either of Agni or of his tanṽah.

Note 2. The ancient one (pûrvyá) seems to be Agni (cf. verse i).

Note 3. Cf. VI, 46, 12. yátra sû´râsah tanṽah vitanvaté.

Verse 4.

Note 1. I think, like Ludwig, that garase should be accented.

Verse 5.

Note 1. These are accusatives.—Cf. on this passage, Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 39 seq.

Note 2. Cf. H. O., Prolegomena, p. 73.

Note 3. Cf. VI, 1, 2. maháh râyé kitáyantah.—See Geldner, Ved. Studien, I, 268.