you, VARUNA, of pure vigour, whose imperishable and superior might is triumphant in the crowded conflict over all enemies.

2. They verily are mighty among the gods: they are rulers: they bestow upon us a numerous posterity: may we obtain you, MITRA and VARUNA, whether on earth or in heaven, and wherever the (passing) days may preserve us.

3. Holders are you of many fetters, barriers against the irreligious, invincible by hostile mortals: may we cross over all the danger, MITRA and VARUNA, by the path of sacrifice, to you, as (we cross over) water by a boat.

4. Come, MITRA and VARUŅA, to our offered oblation: sprinkle our place of sacrifice with water and with viands (who) in this world (may) present to you such) excellent (donations) that you may (thereby be induced to) gratify mankind with celestial and beautiful water.1

5. VARUNA and MITRA, this praise, pure as the Soma libation, has been offered to you, and also, ARYAMAN, (to thee): protect our rites: be awake to our praises: and do you ever cherish us with blessings.

This passage is very obscurely expressed, although the purport may be guessed, with the aid of the scholiast: it is literally, towards you two here an excellent to man bestow of water celestial, beautiful, (or flowing), prati vám atra varamá janaya prinitam udnah divyasya chároh.

Varga VIII.

Varga IX.

SÚKTA XI. (LXVI.)

The deities of the three first stanzas are MITRA and VARUNA, of the fourth and following, to the thirteenth inclusive, the ÁDITYAS, SURYA is the deity of the three next, MITRA and VARUNA are again the deities of the last three verses; the metre of the first nine stanzas is Gayatri, of the tenth, twelfth and fourteenth Brihati, of the eleventh, thirteenth and fifteenth Sato-brihati, of the sixteenth Puro-ushnih, and of the rest Gayatrí.

1. May this our propitiatory praise, accompanied by oblations, proceed to you, MITRA and VARUŅA, of reiterated manifestations.1

2. You whom the gods uphold for their invigoration, both mighty, masters of strength and of dif fusive radiance.

3. Protectors of our dwellings, protectors of our persons, MITRA and VARUNA, perfect the rites of your adorers.

4. May MITRA, the destroyer of sin, ARYAMAN, SAVITṚi, Bhaga, bestow (upon us) to-day at sun-rise2 what (we pray for).

5. May this our dwelling be well protected, liberal deities, on your departure, you who purify us from sin;

6. And who are sovereign over all, and, with ADITI, preside over this unobstructed and great ceremony.3

1 Tuvijátayoh, repeatedly born, as presiding over day and night they may be said to be manifest repeatedly in daily suc

cession.

2 Sáma-Veda, 11. 701; Yajur-Veda, 33. 20.

3 Uta swarajo aditiradabdhasya vratasya ye, maho rájána

7. I glorify you, MITRA and VARUNA, and ARYAMAN, the consumer of enemies when the sun has risen.

8. May this praise (be effective) for unimpeached strength, along with golden treasure: may it (be effective), sages, for the fulfilment of (the objects of) the sacrifice.

9. May we be thine, divine VARUŅA: may we, along with pious worshippers, be, MITRA, thine : may we obtain food and water.1

10. Manifold, radiant as the sun, AGNI-tongued augmenters of sacrifice, you who have limited the three universal sacrifices with comprehensive rites.2

11. Who have established the year, and then the Varga X. month and the day, the sacrifice, the night, and the holy text, they, the royal deities, VARUNA, MITRA, ARYAMAN, enjoy unrivalled might.

12. Therefore to-day at sunrise we solicit you with hymns for (wealth), which VARUNA, MITRA, ARYAMAN, bearers of water, you convey.

13. Accepters of rites, generated for rites, aug

işate, the place of Aditi, is rather doubtful, as the text has nó copulative: the scholiast proposes as one reading, Aditis teshám mátá, of them Aditi is the mother, or that which follows, Mitrádayo aditischa, Mitra and the rest and Aditi.

1 Isham suas cha dhímahi is explained, annam udakam cha dhárayámahe, may we retain food and water: this and the two preceding verses form a Tricha, to be repeated at the morning sacrifice they occur also Sáma-Veda, 11. 417-419.

2 Trini ye yemuh vidatháni dhítibhih viṣváni paribhútibhih is explained, ye trini vyáptáni kshityádisthánáni páribhávu

menters of rites, fierce enemies of the neglecter of rites, may we, as well as those men who are your adorers, be in (the enjoyment of) the highest felicity, all confirmed by you.1

14. That beautiful orb (of the sun) rises on the near margin of the sky as the swift, divine, whitecoloured (steed) bears it along for the beholding of all men.

15. The seven gliding steeds convey the sun, the lord of every individual moving or stationary thing,2 traversing the whole world in his chariot for the good (of all).

16. That pure eye (of the universe), beneficial to

kaih kharmabhih prayachchhanti, who give the three spread places, earth and the rest, with overcoming acts: it is not very clear what is intended: perhaps merely to say that Mitra and the rest are worshipped as the objects of three rites, with definite ceremonies or at definite seasons.

1 Teshám vah sumne suchchhardishtame, of those of you in the most blissful opulence, or in happiness, united with a most delightful dwelling, sukhatame dhane, atyantaramaniyagrihayukte sukhe vá.

2 Sirshnah sirshno jagatas tasthushaspatim, the lord of stationary and moveable head by head: the scholiast would apparently connect Siras with the horses of the sun, the ablative or genitive being put for the instrumental, sirasá, swaswașira sá vahanti súryam, they bear the sun by his own head; or the head, he says, may be put for the being with a head, sirah sabdena tad-ván padárthah, that is to say, the whole of such objects, tasya-kártsnyam, or the best of all, sarvasya ṣreshtham : he seems rather puzzled: it probably implies only each or individual.

the gods, rises: may we behold it for a hundred years may we live a hundred years.'

17. Unconquerable, resplendent VARUNA and MITRA, (induced) by our praises, come to drink the Soma juice.

18. Gentle MITRA and VARUŅA, destroyers of foes, come from heaven with your glories, and drink the Soma juice.

19. Come, MITRA and VARUŅA, leaders of rites, propitiated by the oblation, and drink the Soma, augmenters of the sacred rite.

SÚKTA XII. (LXVII.)

The deities are the AşWINS; the metre is Trishṭubh.

1. Lords of men, (I approach) to adore your Varga XII. chariot with devout praise and oblation, I address it as if it were a messenger to awaken you, adorable deities, as a son (addresses) his parents.

2. Kindled by us, AGNI blazes, the extremities of the darkness are seen nigh at hand, the banner (of the sun) is perceived rising with the glory on the east of the dawn, the daughter of heaven.

3. Verily, AṣWINS, the pious priest repeating (your praises) glorifies you, NÁSATYAS, with hymns: come therefore by formerly-trodden paths to our pre

1 Yajur-Veda, 36. 24, which adds, ṣriņuyáma ṣaradah ṣutam, prabravráma ṣaradah ṣatam, adínáh sýáma ṣaradah satam, bhúyascha saradah satam, may we hear, may we speak, may we be independent, for a hundred years or more.