2 Bring forth the God with song divine, bring Jâtavedas hitherward,

To bear our gifts at once to heaven.

3 He here, a God-devoted Priest, led forward comes to sacrifice. Like a car covered for the road, he, glowing, knows, himself, the way.

4 This Agni rescues from distress, as 'twere from the Immortal Race, A God yet mightier than strength, a God who hath been made

for life.

HYMN CLXXVII.

Mâyâbheda.

THE sapient with their spirit and their mind behold the Bird adorned with all an Asura's magic might.

Sages observe him in the ocean's inmost depth : the wise disposers seek the station of his rays.

2 The flying Bird bears Speech within his spirit: erst the Gandharva in the womb pronounced it:

And at the seat of sacrifice the sages cherish this radiant, heavenly-bright invention.

3 I saw the Herdsman, him who never resteth, approaching and departing on his pathways.

He, clothed in gathered and diffusive splendour, within the worlds continually travels.

THIS very mighty one whom Gods commission, the Conqueror of cars, ever triumphant,

Swift, fleet to battle, with uninjured fellies, even Târkshya for our weal will we call hither.

3 Like a car: perhaps, as Prof. Ludwig suggests, like a chariot which, as the driver is concealed from sight by the canopy, seems to find its way without a guide.

4 As 'twere from the Immortal Race: 'as (well as) from peril caused by the immortals.'- Wilson. Stanzas 2-4 are recited at the Agni-pranayana, the ceremony of carrying the sacrificial fire to the altar used for animal aud Soma sacrifices. See Haug's Aitareya Brahmanam, II. 60, 61.

The subject is Mâyâbheda, 'the discernment of Máyá, or illusion (the cause of material creation).'-Wilson.

1 The Bird: the Sun. In the ocean's inmost depth: in the solar orb, according to Sayana. Wise disposers: ordainers (of solar worship).'—Wilson. 2 Speech or song; the morning song of the Sun-Bird. The Gandharva : the breath of life, according to Sayana. The ray of the Sun is probably meant. 3 This stanza has occurred before. See I. 164. 31. The Herdsman: the Sun. Resteth: or, stumbleth; literally, sinks or falls down.

1 Tarkshya: a personification of the Sun, usually described as a divine horse. Cp. I. 89. 6.

2 As though we offered up our gifts to Indra, may we ascend him as a ship for safety.

Like the two wide worlds, broad, deep, far-extended, may we be safe both when he comes and leaves you.

3 He who with might the Five Lands hath pervaded, like Sûrya with his lustre, and the waters,

His strength wins hundreds, thousands: none avert it, as the young maid repelleth not her lover.

Now lift ye up yourselves and look on Indra's seasonable share.
If it be ready, offer it; unready, ye have been remiss.

2 Oblation is prepared: come to us, Indra; the Sun hath travelled over half his journey.

Friends with their stores are sitting round thee waiting like lords of clans for the tribe's wandering chieftain.

3 Dressed in the udder and on fire, I fancy; well-dressed, I fancy, is this recent present.

Drink, Indra, of the curd of noon's libation with favour,
Thunderer, thou whose deeds are mighty.

O MUCH-INVOKED, thou hast subdued thy foemen: thy might is loftiest; here display thy bounty.

In thy right hand, O Indra, bring us treasures: thou art the
Lord of rivers filled with riches.

2 Like a dread wild beast roaming on the mountain thou hast approached us from the farthest distance.

Whetting thy bolt and thy sharp blade, O Indra, crush thou the foe and scatter those who hate us.

3 Thou, mighty Indra, sprangest into being as strength for lovely lordship o'er the people.

Thou drovest off the folk who were unfriendly, and to the
Gods thou gavest room and freedom.

3 Her lover: I adopt, with a modification, Professor Pischel's interpretation of the difficult words yuvatím ná sáryẩm. See Vedische Studien, I. p. 106.

3 The milk is twice cooked; first matured in the cow's udder and then heated on the fire. Curd: the hymn was employed in the Dadhigharma ceremony when Soma juice was offered mixt with curd or sour inspissated milk. Čf. VIII. 2. 9, and IX. 11. 6. See Hillebrandt, V. M., I. 221.

Oblation, portion of fourfold oblation, known by the names Saprathas and Prathas.

2 These sages found what lay remote and hidden, the sacrifice loftiest secret essence.

From radiant Dhâtar, Savitar, and Vishnu, from Agni, Bharad vâja brought the Brihat.

3 They found with mental eyes the earliest Yajus, a pathway to the Gods, that had descended.

From radiant Dhâtar, Savitar, and Vishnu, from Sûrya did these sages bring the Gharma.

BRIHASPATI lead us safely over troubles, and turn his evil thought against the sinner;

Repel the curse, and drive away ill-feeling, and give the sacrificer peace and comfort!

2 May Narâșansa aid us at Prayâja blest be our Annyâja at invokings.

May he repel the curse, and chase ill-feeling, and give the sacrificer peace and comfort.

3 May he whose head is flaming burn the demons, haters of prayer, so that the arrow slay them.

May he repel the curse and chase ill-feeling, and give the sacrificer peace and comfort.

1 Rathantara: one of the most important Sâma-hymns, consisting of verses 22 and 23 of Rigveda VII. 32= Sâmaveda II. i. i. 11. The meaning here is uncertain, and the whole stanza is obscure. Saprathas and Prathas: meaning, apparently, 'far-extending' and 'extending,' the former referring to the Rathantara and the latter to the Brihat, which is also one of the most important Sâmans (Rigveda VI. 46. 1, 2=Sâmaveda II. ii. 1. 12).

3 Yajus sacrificial prayers and formulas of the Yajurveda. Gharma: warm libation of milk or other beverage.

The Súkta refers evidently to technical ritual to which no key is given by the commentary.'-Wilson. See Mme. Zénaïde Ragozin's Vedic India, p. 398.

2 Nardṣansa: Agni. Prayaja: part of the introductory ceremony at a Soma sacrifice. Anuyája: a secondary or final sacrifice.

3 He whose head is flaming: tápurmûrdhan: Brihaspati or Agni as Lightning.

I SAW thee meditating in thy spirit what sprang from Fervour and hath thence developed.

Bestowing offspring here, bestowing riches, spread in thine offspring, thou who cravest children.

2 I saw thee pondering in thine heart, and praying that in due time thy body might be fruitful.

Come as a youthful woman, rise to meet me: spread in thine offspring, thou who cravest children.

3 In plants and herbs, in all existent beings I have deposited the germ of increase.

All progeny on earth have I engendered, and sons in women who will be hereafter.

GREAT, unassailable must be the heavenly favour of Three Gods,
Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.

2 Oer these, neither at home nor yet abroad on pathways that are strange,

The evil-minded foe hath power:

3 Nor over him, the man on whom the Sons of Aditi bestow Eternal light that he may live.

HYMN CLXXXVI.

Vâyu.

FILLING our hearts with health and joy, may Vâta breathe his balm on us :

May he prolong our days of life.

2 Thou art our Father, Vâta. yea, thou art a Brother and a friend: So give us strength that we may live.

3 The store of Amrit laid away yonder, O Vâta, in thine home,— Give us thereof that we may live.

To Agni send I forth my song, to him the Bull of all the folk :
So may he bear us past our foes.

The deities are the Sacrificer, his Wife, and the Hotar-priest.

1 According to Sâyana, the wife is the speaker of the first stanza, the Yajamana or sacrificer of the second, and the Hotar-priest of the third. Ludwig considers Agni to be the speaker of the whole hymn. What sprang from Fervour the results of ardent devotion or tápas.

3 The Hotar-priest regards himself as the procreator of all living beings through the efficacy of the sacrifices which he performs: matsådhyena yâgena sarvasyot patteraham sarvajanaheturbhavâmi.—Ŝâyaṇa.

1 Bull: chief and lord, as the indispensable household fire.

2 Who from the distance far away shines brilliantly across t

wastes :

So may he bear us past our foes.

3 The Bull with brightly-gleaming flame who utterly consume the fiends:

So may he bear us past our foes.

4 Who looks on all existing things and comprehends them wit his view:

So may he bear us past our foes.

5 Resplendent Agni, who was born in farthest region of the air So may he bear us past our foes.

HYMN CLXXXVIII.

Agni

Now send ye Jâtavedas forth, send hitherward the vigorou Steed

To seat him on our sacred grass.

2 I raise the lofty eulogy of Jâtavedas, raining boons, With sages for his hero band.

3 With flames of Jâtavedas which carry oblation to the Gods, May he promote our sacrifice.

HYMN CLXXXIX.

Surya.

THIS spotted Bull hath come, and sat before the Mother in the east,

Advancing to his Father heaven.

2 Expiring when he draws his breath, she moves along the lucid spheres:

The Bull shines out through all the sky.

3 Song is bestowed upon the Bird: it rules supreme through thirty realms

Throughout the days at break of morn.

2 Across the wastes: as the fire that burns the jungle and prepares the ground for cultivation.

5 In farthest region of the air: or beyond the firmament, as the Sun.

The deity is alternatively Sårparâjñî, the Serpent-Queen, Kadrù, who is also the Rishi of the hymn.

1 This spotted Bull: the Sun. The Mother: Dawn.

3 The Bird: the Sun, His morning song, representing prayer, is supreme through all the divisions of the world, the number thirty being used indefinitely. Cf. I. 123. 8.

See X.

1 From Fervour: from the tépas, devotional ardour or asceticism of Brahmâ, according to Sâyaṇa. But the meaning here may be 'from warmth 129. 3 and note. Thence from that fervour, or warmth.