Varga XXIII.

4. ÁDITYAS, to you, repairing to the sacrifice, the path is easy and free from thorns: no unworthy oblation is here prepared for you.

5. ÁDITYAS, guides, may the sacrifice which you come to by a straight path be, to you, for your gratification.

6. That mortal (whom you favour), exempt from harm, obtains all valuable wealth, and offspring like himself.

7. How, my friends, shall we recite praise (worthy) of the great glory of MITRA, VARUÑA, and ARYAMAN?

8. I do not denounce to you him who assails or reviles the man devoted to the gods: I rather propitiate you with offered wealth.

9. For he (the worshipper,) loves not, but fears to speak, evil (of any one); as a gamester fears (his adversary) holding the four (dice), until they are thrown.

a The text has only chaturas chid dadamánád bibhryad á nidhátoh, he may fear from one holding four, until the fall. The meaning is supplied by the Scholiast, with the assistance of Yáska, chaturo' kshán dhárayatah * * kitavát, from a gambler holding four dice; Sáyaña says, four cowri shells,-kapardakáh. That is, where two men are playing together, the one who has not the throw of the dice or the shells is in anxious apprehension lest it should be against him.

SÚKTA VII. (XLII.)

Rishi and metre, as before: the deity is PÚSHAN.a

1. PUSHAN, convey us over the road; remove the Varga XXIV. wicked (obstructer of the way). Son of the cloud, deity, go before us.

2. If a wicked (adversary), PÚSHAN, a robber, or one who delights in evil, points out to us (the way we ought not to go), do thou drive him from the road.

3. Drive him far away, apart from the road, the hinderer of our journey, a thief, a deceiver.

a Púshan is, usually, a synonym of the sun; that is, he is one of the twelve Adityas. He is described, by the Scholiast, as the presiding deity of the earth,-prithivyabhimání devah: he is, also, the cherisher of the world; from push, to nourish. According to the tenour of the hymn, he is the deity presiding especially over roads or journeyings. His being called the son of the cloud is not incompatible with his character of earth personified as a male; as, according to other texts of the Veda, the earth was born of the water,-adbhyah prithivi; and, again, earth was the essence of the water; Tad yad apám sára ásít tat samahanyata sá prithivyabhavat,―That which was the essence of the waters, that was aggregated, and it became earth. Púshá occurs, also, as a feminine noun, in which case it appears to be synonymous with prithivi, the earth, as in the text : Púshádhwanah pátu, which is explained, iyampúshá, May this Púshá protect the roads; where the gender is denoted by the feminine pronoun iyam: and, in another text, Iyam vai púsheyam hidam sarvam pushyati,—This is, verily, Púshá; for she cherishes this whole world. Throughout the hymn, however, Pushan is masculine.

Varga XXV.

4. Trample, with your feet, upon the mischievous (body) of that evil-minded pilferer of both (what is present and what is absent), whoever he be.

5. Sagacious and handsome PÚSHAN, we solicit of thee that protection wherewith thou hast encouraged the patriarchs.

6. Therefore, do thou, who art possessed of all prosperity, and well-equipped with golden weapons, bestow upon us riches that may be liberally distributed.

7. Lead us past our opponents: conduct us by an easy path: know, PÚSHAN, how to protect us on this (journey).a

8. Lead us where there is abundant fodder let there be no extreme heat by the way: PÚSHAN, know how to protect us on this (journey).

9. Be favourable to us; fill us (with abundance); give us (all good things); sharpen us (with vigour); fill our bellies PÚSHAN, know how to protect us on this (journey).

10. We do not censure PÚSHAN, but praise him with hymns: we solicit the good-looking (PÚSHAN) for riches.

a In this and the two next verses, we have an example of what is not unfrequent, the repetition of a phrase, as a sort of burden or refrain. The expression is, Púshann iha kratum vidah,—Púshan, know, here, the act or business; that is, on this occasion, or journey, know how to fulfil your function of giving us protection. Rosen renders it, Púshan! hic sacrificium animadverte; kratu meaning an act of sacrifice, as well as act or action in general.

SÚKTA VIII. (XLIII.)

a

The Rishi is the same: the deity is RUDRA; the third stanza is

addressed to MITRA and VARUÑA, also; and the last three verses, to SOMA: the metre of the last verse is Anushťubh; of

the rest, Gayatri.

1. When may we repeat a most grateful hymn Varga XXVI. to the wise, the most bountiful, and mighty RUDRA, who is (cherished) in our hearts?

2. By which earth may (be induced to) grant the gifts of RUDRA' to our cattle, our people, our cows, and our progeny;

3. By which MITRA, and VARUÑA, and RUDRA, and all the gods, being gratified, may show us (favour).

a

4. We ask the felicity of S'ANYU from RUDRA,

According to the Scholiast, Rudra means, "he who makes to weep, who causes all to weep at the end of time;" thus identifying him with the destroying principle, or Siva. But there is nothing, in the hymn, to bear out such an identification: on the contrary, he appears as a beneficent deity, presiding especially over medicinal plants.

b Aditi is here said to mean the earth, who, it is wished, may so act (karat), that Rudriya may be obtained. The meaning of Rudriya, according to the Scholiast, is, Rudrasambandhi bheshajam, medicament in relation to, or presided over by, Rudra, conformably to the text, Yá te Rudra śivá tanúh, śivá viśwá ha, bheshaji sivá, Rudrasya bheshaji,—Whatever are thy auspicious forms, O Rudra, they are all auspicious; auspicious are medicaments, the medicaments of Rudra.

с

Sanyu is said to be the son of Brihaspati: nothing more is related of him.

arga XXVII.

the encourager of hymns, the protector of sacrifices, possessed of medicaments that confer delight;"

5. Who is brilliant as SURYA, who gratifies like gold, the best of the gods, the provider of habitations;

6. Who bestows easily-obtained happiness on our steeds, our rams, our ewes, our men, our women, and our cows.

7. SOMA, grant us prosperity more than (sufficient for) a hundred men, and much strength-engendering food.

8. Let not the adversaries of SOMA, let not our enemies, harm us: cherish us, INDRA, with (abundant) food.

9. SOMA, who art immortal, and abidest in an excellent dwelling, have regard for thy subjects, when, at their head, in the hall of sacrifice, thou observest them (engaged in) decorating thee."

ANUVÁKA IX.

SÚKTA I. (XLIV.)

PRASKANWA, the son of KANWA, is the Ṛishi: AGNI is the deity;

a

Jaláshabheshajam, he who has medicaments conferring delight; from ja, one born, and lásha, happiness; an unusual word, except in a compound form, as abhilasha, which is of current use. Or it may mean, "sprung from water (jala);" all vegetables depending upon water, for their growth.

b Apparently, there is some confusion of objects in this place; Soma, the moon, being confounded with Soma, libation.