tector, (the sages) have fixed (of old) their minds upon this ceremony.

14. Lord of dwellings, may the (roof) pillar be strong; may there be vigour of body for the offerers of the libation; may INDRA, the drinker (of the Soma), the destroyer of the numerous cities (of the Asuras), ever be the friend of the Munis.1

15. With head uplifted like a serpent,2 adorable, the recoverer of the cattle, INDRA single is superior to

be more naturally rendered, he who was, Sringavrisha, thy grandson, thy great-grandson, Kunḍapayya; but Sáyana quotes a legend which describes Indra as taking upon himself the character of the son of a Rishi named Sringavrish (or Sringavrishan), which is therefore here in the genitive case; napát, he says, means apatya, offspring generally, and is therefore not incompatible with putra, "son." Sringavrish may also mean the sun, i. e. ṣringair varshati, “he rains with rays;" and na-pát may have its etymological sense, not causing to fall, na pátayitá, i.e. he who was the establisher of the sun in heaven, Indra. Again, Kunḍapayya, upon the authority of Pánini, 3. 1. 130, means a particular ceremony, in which the Soma is drunk from a vessel called Kunda, and this is said to be te praṇapát, tava rakshitá," the protector of thee, Indra." The construction is loose, and the explanation not very satisfactory. Sáma Veda II. 77 [II. 1. 2. 5. 3].

1 Sáma Veda I. 275 [I. 3. 2. 4. 3].

2 Pridákusánu is explained pridákuh sarpah, a serpent; sa iva sánuh samuchchhritah tadvad unnataṣiraskah, having the head lifted up in like manner. [Sáyana gives a second meaning of sánu, as sambhajaniya, to be served or propitiated as a snake is, with many gems, mantras, medicaments, &c.; sa yatha bahubhir manimantraushadhádibhis samsevyo nálpair evam Indro'pi bahubhis stotrádibhir yatnais seryaḥ.]

multitudes: (the worshipper) brings INDRA to drink the Soma by a rapid seizure,* like a loaded horse (by a halter).

SÚKTA VI. (XVIII.)

The deities of the eighth stanza are the AswINS, of the ninth
AGNI, SURYA, and VÁYU, of the rest the ADITYAS; the
Rishi is as before; the metre is Ushnih.

1. Let a mortal now earnestly solicit at the wor- Varga XXV. ship of these ÁDITYAS unprecedented riches.

2. The paths of these ÁDITYAS are unobstructed

and unopposed; may they yield us security and augment our happiness.

3. May SAVITRI, BHAGA, VARUNA, MITRA, and ARYAMAN bestow upon us that ample felicity which we solicit.

4. Divine ADITI, bringer of safety, beloved of many, come propitiously with the wise and happy divinities.

5. These sons of ADITI know how to drive away (our) enemies; and, doers of great deeds and donors. of security, (they know how to extricate us) from sin.

6. May ADITI protect our cattle by day, and, free Varga XXVI. from duplicity,' (guard them) by night; may ADITI,

by her constant favour, preserve us from sin.

1

1 Adwayah is explained as Kapaṭarahitá. [Cf. v. 14.]

* Sáyana explains gribhá as "means of seizing," i.e. a praise.

+ Rather, "whose fostering care is unimpeded."

Varga XXVII.

7. May the monitress ADITI come to us for our protection by day: may she grant us tranquil felicity, and drive away (our) enemies.1

8. May the two divine physicians, the AṣWINS, grant us health: may they drive away from hence iniquity: (may they drive) away our foes.

9. May AGNI with his fires grant us happiness: may the sun beam upon us felicity: may the unoffending wind blow us happiness: (may they all drive) away our foes.

10. ÁDITYAS, remove (from us) disease, enemies, malignity; keep us afar from sin.2

11. Keep afar from us, ÁDITYAS, malignity, ill-will ; do you who are all-wise keep afar those who hate

us.

12. Grant freely to us, generous ÁDITYAS, that happiness which liberates even the offending (worshipper) from sin.

13. May that man who, from his diabolical nature, seeks to do us evil—may he, injuring himself by his own devices, incur that evil.

14. May iniquity pervade that calumniating and hostile mortal who wishes to do us harm, and is treacherous towards us.3

1 Sáma Veda I. 102 [I. 2. 1. 1. 6].

2 Ibid. I. 397 [I. 5. 1. 1. 7].

3 Dwayu, double-he who professes kindness to our face and maligns us behind our back; pratyakshakṛito hitam vadati parokshakritas tu ahitam.

15. Deities, you are (propitious) to sincere (worshippers), you know, VASUS, the hearts of men, and distinguish between the single and double minded.

16. We solicit the happiness of the mountains and of the waters; Heaven and Earth, remove sin far from us.

17. Convey us, VASUS, in your vessel, with auspicious felicity, beyond all calamities.

18. Radiant ÁDITYAS, grant to our sons and grandsons to enjoy long life.'

19. The duly-presented sacrifice is ready for you, ÁDITYAS; grant us, therefore, happiness: may we ever abide in near relationship with you.

20. We solicit of the divine protector of the MARUTS, of the AṣWINS, of MITRA, and of VARUNA, a spacious dwelling for our welfare.

21. MITRA, ARYAMAN, VARUNA, and MARUTS, grant us a secure, excellent, and well-peopled dwelling, a threefold shelter.2

22. Since, ÁDITYAS, we mortals are of kin to death, do you benevolently (exert yourselves to) prolong our lives.

1 Sáma Veda I. 395 [I. 5. 1. 1. 5].

2 Trivarútham, a guard against heat, cold, and wet; or it may mean, according to the scholiast, tribhúmikam, "threestoried." Sáyana, therefore, did not believe that the Hindús of the Vaidik period lived in hovels.

Varga

XXVIII.

Varga XXIX.

SÚKTA VII. (XIX.)

The deity is AGNI, except in the thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth verses, in which it is the ADITYAS, and the thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh, in which it is the liberality of Raja TRASADASYU; the Rishi is Sobhari. The metre varies that of the twenty-seventh verse is Viráj of two lines, of the thirty-fourth Ushnih, of the thirty-fifth Satobrihati, of the thirty-sixth Kakubh, of the thirty-seventh Pankti; of the rest the metre of the odd verses is Kakubh, of the even Satobrihati.

1. Glorify (AGNI), the leader of all (sacred rites): the priests approach the divine lord, (and through him) convey the oblation to the gods.1

2. Praise, pious SOBHARI, at the sacrifice this ancient AGNI, who is the giver of opulence, the wonderfully luminous, the regulator of this rite, at which the Soma is presented.*

3. We adore thee, the most adorable deity, the invoker of the gods, the immortal, the perfecter of this sacrifice;2

4. AGNI, the great grandson of (sacrificial) food, the possessor of opulence, the illumer, the shedder of excellent light may he obtain for us by sacrifice the

1 Sáma Veda I. 109 [I. 2. 1. 2. 3; II. 8. 2. 11. 1].

2 Ibid. I. 312. II. 763 [I. 2. 1. 2. 6; II. 6. 2. 13.1]. [Sáyaṇa explains it "we adore thee, the most adorable, the deity among deities, the invoker," &c.]

* Sáma Veda II. 8. 2. 11. 2.