Vedic Hymns, Part II (SBE46), by Hermann Oldenberg [1897], at sacred-texts.com
Vedic Hymns, Part II (SBE46), by Hermann Oldenberg [1897], at sacred-texts.com
1. Address thy song 1 for your sake to the god Agni, for his help. He is our Vasu. May the son of the dawns(?) 2 give us (wealth). May the righteous one help us across our enemies.
2. He is the true one, whom the men of old, whom the gods have kindled, the Hotri with the delightful tongue, rich in splendour with glorious shine.
3. As such, with thy widest thought and with thy best favour, shine wealth on us, excellent Agni, for our beautiful praises 1.
4. Agni reigns among the gods, Agni among mortals, entering among them. Agni is the carrier of our offerings. Serve ye Agni with prayers!
5. Agni gives to the worshipper a son most mightily renowned, a knower of mighty spells, most excellent, unconquered, who brings renown to his lord 1.
6. Agni gives a good lord who is victorious in battles with his men; Agni (gives) a steed, swiftly running, victorious (in races), unconquered.
7. Sing mightily to Agni the (song) which may best bring him (to us), O (god) rich in splendour 1! From thee (proceeds) wealth (mighty) like a buffalo-cow 2; from thee proceed gains.
8. Thy brilliant flames resound mightily like the pressing-stone (of the Soma) 1. And thy roaring arose like thunder by itself from heaven 2.
9. Thus we have paid homage, desirous of goods, to powerful Agni. May he, the highly wise one, help us, as with a ship, across all enemies.
The Rishis are the Vasûyavah Âtreyâh (cf. verse 9); the metre is Anushtubh. Verse 5 = MS. IV, 11, 1. Verse 6 = MS. IV, 11, 1. Verse 7 = SV. I, 86; VS. XXVI, 12; TS. I, 1, 14, 4. The Sûkta consists of hymns of three verses each.
Note 1. On gâsi, comp. Neisser, Bezzenberger's Beiträge, XX, 70, note 1; Bartholomae, Indogermanische Forschungen, II, 278, 283.
Note 2. Rishûnâ´m: comp. above, I, 127, 10, note 5.
Note 1. On suvriktí, comp. above, II, 4, 1, note 1.
Note 1. I. e. to his father? Or to his patrons?
Note 1. This vocative very probably refers to Agni.
Note 2. Or 'like a king's consort'? It may be doubted whether the difference of accent (máhishî and mahishî´) holds good for the Rig-veda.—Comp. on máhishîva, Roth, Zeitschr. der Deutschen Morgenländ. Gesellschaft, XLVIII, 680.
Note 1. Brihat is not the name of the Sâman; cf. X, 64, 15 (100, 8). grâ´vâ yátra madhu-sút ukyáte brihát. Comp. Hillebrandt, Vedische Mythologie, I, p. 153.—The singular ukyate is explained by the connection with grâ´vâ.
Note 2. With the last Pâda comp. the conclusion of V, 52, 6 (vol. xxxii, p. 312).