S'USHNA: the wise have known of this thy (greatness). Bestow upon them (abundant) food.

8. The reciters of sacred hymns praise, with all their might, INDRA, the ruler of the world, whose bounties are (computed by) thousands, or even

more.

ANUVÁKA IV.

SÚKTA I. (XII.)

The deity addressed is AGNI; the Rishi is MEDHÁTITHI, the son of KANWA; the metre, Gáyatrí.

b

1. We select AGNI, the messenger of the gods, Varga XXII. their invoker, the possessor of all riches, the perfecter of this rite.

2. (The offerers of oblations) invoke, with their invocations, AGNI, AGNI, the lord of men," the bearer of offerings, the beloved of many.

3. AGNI, generated (by attrition), bring hither

a Sushna is described as an Asura slain by Indra: but this is, evidently, a metaphorical murder. Sushña means drier up, exsiccator: bhútánam soshanahetu, the cause of the drying or withering of beings, heat or drought,-which Indra, as the rain, would put an end to.

The commentator cites the Taittiriya Bráhmaña, in confirmation of this function; Uśanas, the son of Kavi, being the messenger of the Asuras. Agnir devánám dúta ásíd; Uśanah kávyo 'suránám.

с

e Vispati; Vis being constantly used for prajá, progeny, people, men.

a The original has only jajnánah, 'being born,' that is, being

Varga XXIII.

the gods to the clipped sacred grass. Thou art their invoker for us, and art to be adored.

4. As thou dischargest the duty of messenger, arouse them, desirous of the oblation: sit down, with them, on the sacred grass.

5. Resplendent AGNI, invoked by oblations of clarified butter, consume our adversaries, who are defended by evil spirits."

b

6. AGNI, the ever-young and wise, the guardian of the dwelling (of the sacrificer), the bearer of offerings, whose mouth is (the vehicle) of oblations, is kindled by AGNI.

7. Praise, in the sacrifice, AGNI, the wise, the observer of truth, the radiant, the remover of disease.

8. Resplendent AGNI, be the protector of that offerer of oblations who worships thee, the messenger of the gods.

9. Be propitious, PÁVAKA,a to him who, present

artificially produced by the friction of two pieces of a particular species of wood, that of the Premna spinosa, used for the purpose. a Rakshaswinah, having or being attended by Rakshasas.

b Grihapati. But pati is most usually interpreted, by Sáyaña, pálaka, the cherisher or protector. Hence it here characterizes Agni as the protector of the house of the Yajamána.

• That is, the Ahavaniya fire, into which the oblation is poured, is lighted by the application of other fire, whether taken from the household fire, or produced by attrition.

d A name of fire, or a fire; literally, the purifier.

ing oblations for the gratification of the gods, approaches AGNI."

10. AGNI, the bright, the purifier, bring hither the gods to our sacrifice, to our oblations.

11. Praised with our newest hymn, bestow upon us riches and food, the source of progeny.

12. AGNI, shining with pure radiance, and charged with all the invocations of the gods, be pleased by this our praise.

SÚKTA II. (XIII).

The Rishi and the metre are the same; but the Hymn is addressed to a variety of divinities, or deified objects, to which the general name APR is applied. The first five stanzas hymn various forms of AGNI; the sixth, the doors of the hall of sacrifice; the seventh, morning and night; the eighth, two divine or deified priests; the ninth, the goddesses ILA, SARASwatí, and BHÁRATÍ; the tenth, TWASHTRI; the eleventh, VANASPATI; and the twelfth, SwÁHÁ. They are, all, considered as identifiable or connected with AGNI.b

с

1. AGNI, who art SUSAMIDDHA, invoker, purifier, Varga XXIV. bring hither the gods to the offerers of our oblation;

and do thou sacrifice.

2. Wise (AGNI), who art TANÚNAPÁT, present,

This verse is to be repeated, when the worshipper approaches the combined Ahavaniya and Gárhapatya fires, to offer the oblation. The Apris are, usually, enumerated as twelve, but, sometimes, -omitting one of the names of fire, Naráśansa,—only eleven. • Su, well, sam, completely, and iddha, kindled; 'the thoroughly kindled.'

a Tanúnapát, the devourer of clarified butter (tanúnapa); or, according to another etymology, the consumer of its own substance

Varga XXV.

this day, our well-flavoured sacrifice to the gods, for their food.

3. I invoke the beloved NARÁSANSA," the sweettongued, the offerer of oblations, to this sacrifice.

4. AGNI, (who art) ÍĻITA, bring hither the gods, in an easy-moving chariot; for thou art the invoker instituted by men.

с

5. Strew, learned priests, the sacred grass, well bound together (in bundles), and sprinkled with clarified butter, the semblance of ambrosia.

d

6. Let the bright doors, the augmenters of sacrifice, (hitherto) unentered, be set open; for, certainly, to-day is the sacrifice to be made.

7. I invoke the lovely night and dawn to sit upon the sacred grass, at this our sacrifice.

(tanú) or fuel. Napát occurs, in the Nighantu, as a synonym of tanaya, son or offspring; but, in this compound, the second member is considered to be either ad, who eats, or pá, who preserves,--the latter, with na prefixed, napát, who does not preserve, who destroys. Narásansa, him whom men (naráh) praise (śansanti).

а

b Ilita, the worshipped; from il, to adore, to praise.

• Barhis is said, here, to be an appellative also of Agni. The double meaning pervades the concluding phrase, wherein (in which grass, or in which Agni,) is the appearance of ambrosia, amritadarśanam; amrita implying either the clarified butter sprinkled on the grass, or the immortal Agni. Amritasamánasya ghṛitasya, or marañarahitasaya barhirnámakasyágneh.

a The doors of the chamber in which the oblation is offered; said to be personifications of Agni: Agniviseshamúrtayah.

е

According to the ordinary import of nakta and ushas. But they, according to the Scholiast, denote, in this place, two forms of fire, presiding over those seasons,-tatkálábhimánivahnimúrtidwaye.

a

8. I call the two eloquent, divine, and sage invokers (of the gods), that they may celebrate this our sacrifice.

9. May the three undecaying goddesses, givers of delight, ILÁ, SARASWATÍ, and MAHÍ, sit down upon the sacred grass.

10. I invoke the chief and multiform TwASHTRI:° may he be, solely, ours.

11. Present, divine VANASPATI,d our oblation to

a The construction shows that we have two persons, or divinities, here; the Scholiast says, two Agnis. The Index has daivyau hotárau prachetasau, two divine invokers (prachetasas): or the latter word may mean, merely, sages, like the kavi of the text.

b Mahi is said to be a synonym of Bháratí, as appears from an analogous passage, where the names occur Ilá, Saraswatí, Bháratí. These are, also, designated, by the Scholiast, as personifications of Agni, Vahnimúrtayah: they are, also, called the three personified flames of fire. As goddesses, the first, Ilá, is the earth, the bride of Vishnu; Saraswati is, as usual, the goddess of eloquence, and wife of Brahmá: the third, synonymous with speech, is called the wife of Bharata, one of the Adityas: but these mythological personifications are of a post- Vaidik period.

с

Twashtri, in the popular system, is identified with Viswakarma, the artificer of the gods; and he seems to possess some attributes of that nature in the Vedas, being called the fabricator of the original sacrificial vase or ladle. A text of the Veda is, also, quoted, which attributes to him the formation of the forms of animals in pairs: Twashťá vai paśúnám mithunánám rúpakṛid iti śrutéh. He is, also, one of the twelve Adityas, and here is said to be an Agni : Twashtrinámakam agnim.

a Vanaspati, lord of the woods; usually, a large tree; here, said to be an Agni,—as if the fuel and the burning of it were identified.