20. Endowed with great wisdom, preserve us for fame, for strength, for victory,* for happiness, for prosperity.

21. Although, AṣWINS, you be seated in the region of the paternal† (heaven engaged in) holy rites, or, glorified by us, (abide there) with pleasures, (yet come hither).

SÚKTA V. (X.)

The deities are as before: the Rishi is PRAGÁTHA, son of KANWA: the metre varies-that of the first verse is Brihatí; of the second, Madhyejyotish Trish ṭubh; of the third, Anushtubh; of the fourth, Ástárapankti; of the fifth, Brihati; and of the sixth, Satobrihati.

1. Whether, AṣWINS, you are at present where the spacious halls of sacrifice (abound), whether you are in yonder bright sphere of heaven, or whether you are in a dwelling constructed above the firmament, come hither.

2. In like manner, as you have prepared, AṣwINS, the sacrifice for MANU, consent (to prepare it) for the son of KANWA; for I invoke BRIHASPATI, the universal gods, INDRA and VISHŅU, and the AṢWINS with rapid steeds.

3. I invoke those AṣWINS, who are famed for great

* Sáyana takes nṛishahyaya as an epithet of sarmane, "for happiness to be borne by men," nribhiḥ soḍhavyáya sukháya.

In the original, pituḥ, which is explained as dyulokasya, or yajamánasya. In the latter sense we must render the clause "If you abide with your praises in the sacrificial hall of the worshipper, or with the pleasure-conferring (oblations), then come hither."

Varga, XXXIV.

deeds, induced (to come hither) for acceptance (of our oblations), of whom among the gods the friendship is especially to be obtained.

4. Upon whom (all) sacrifices are dependent,' of whom there are worshippers in a place where there is no worship,2 those two familiar with undecaying sacrifices (I invoke) with praises, that you may drink the sweet juice of the Soma.

5. Whether, AşWINS, you abide to-day in the west; whether, opulent in food, you abide in the east; whether you sojourn with DRUHYU, ANU, TURVASA, or YADU, I invoke you; therefore come

to me.

6. Protectors of many, whether you traverse the firmament, or pass along earth and heaven; whether you ascend your chariot with (all) your splendours ; come from thence, AṣWINS, hither.

SÚKTA VI. (XI.)

The deity is AGNI; the Rishi VATSA, of the race of KAṆWA; the metre of the first verse is the Gáyatrí termed Pratishṭhá; of the second, that termed Vardhamáná; of the next seven, the ordinary Gayatri; and of the tenth, Trishṭubh.

1 Yayor adhi pra yajnáh, aṣwinor upari sarve yágáh prabhavanti, alluding, the commentator says, to a legend in which it is said that the Aswins replaced the head of the decapitated yajna. Taitt. Sanhitá vi. 4. 9. 5.

2 Asúre santi súrayah, stotrarahite deṣe yayoh stotárah santi is the explanation of the scholiast.

1. AGNI, who art a god among mortals,1 (and Varga XXXV. among gods), thou art the guardian of religious obligations: thou art to be hymned at sacrifices.

2. Victor (over enemies), thou art to be hymned at solemn rites: thou, AGNI, art the charioteer of sacrifices.

3. Do thou, JÁTAVEDAS, drive away from us those who hate us; (drive away), AGNI, the impious hostile hosts.

4. Thou desirest not, JÁTAVEDAS, the sacrifice of the man who is our adversary, although placed before thee. 5. Prudent mortals, we offer abundant homage to thee, who art immortal and all-knowing.

6. Prudent mortals, we invoke the sage deity AGNI with hymns to propitiate him for our protection.

7. VATSA, by the praise that seeks to propitiate thee, AGNI, would draw thy thought3 from the supreme assembly (of the gods).

8. Thou lookest upon many places, thou art

The text has only mortals, and the scholiast asserts that among gods is thereby implied. [Sáyana rather says, "Agni, thou, the divine, art among mortals (and among gods) the guardian of religious rites."]

2 Mahídhara interprets Vatsa by yajamána, the sacrificer dear to Agni, as a calf, or child; vatsa-samah priyah, Yajur

Veda 12. 115.

3 Mano yamat, mana áyamayati, or, as Mahídhara more explicitly interprets it, mana áhṛitya grihnati, manonigraham karoti. For twám-kámayá girá, Benfey's text, Sáma Veda I. 8. II. 516 [I. 1. 1. 8; II. 4. 2. 12. 1], reads twám hámaye girá, I desire thee with my hymn.

Varga

XXXVI.

lord over all people: we call upon thee in

battles.1

9. Desiring strength, we call upon AGNI for protection in battles; upon him who is the granter of wonderful riches (won) in conflicts.*

10. Thou, the ancient, art to be hymned at sacrifices: from eternity the invoker of the gods, thou sittest (at the solemnity) entitled to laudation: cherish, AGNI, thine own person, and grant us prosperity.

1 This, and the next line, are found in Sáma Veda II. 517. 518 [II. 4. 2. 12. 2. 3]. In the first stanza the printed Saman reads dişah for visah-countries for people.

Benfey renders it " den schätzereichen in dem Kampf."

END OF THE FIFTH ASHTAKA.

SIXTH ASHTAKA.

FIRST ADHYAYA.

MANDALA VIII. CONTINUED.

ANUVÁKA II. CONTINUED.

SÚKTA VII. (XII.)

The deity is INDRA; the Rishi, PARVATA, of the race of
KANWA; the metre is Ushnih.

1. We solicit,' most powerful INDRA, who art the Varga I. deep quaffer of the Soma, that exhilaration2 which contemplates (heroic deeds), whereby thou slayest the devourer (of men).

2. We solicit that (exhilaration) whereby thou hast defended Adhrigu, the accomplisher of the ten

1 Tam imahe: the verb is the burthen of this and the two next verses, and so throughout the Súkta each tricha terminates with the same word. [Or it may mean, "We solicit thee as possessing that exhilaration," tádrin-madopetam twám yáchámahe.]

2

Somapátamah madah: the first, by its collocation, should be an epithet, though rather an incompatible one, of the second; but the scholiast refers to twam, thou, understood. Sáma Veda I. 394 [I. 5. 1. 1. 4].

3 See vol. i. 294; and 167, note d.