MANDALA I, HYMN 145.

ASHTAKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 14.

1. Ask ye him. He has come. He knows. He the intelligent one moves forward; He moves along (his way) (?) . In him all commands, all wishes dwell. He is the lord of strength, of mighty power.

2. They ask him. He himself does not ask in turn what he, the wise one, has grasped by his own mind alone . He does not forget the first word nor another word. Unconfused he adheres to his own power of mind.

3. To him go the sacrificial ladles, to him go the racers . He alone may hear all my words. He who pronounces many praishas , the conqueror, the accomplisher of sacrifices whose blessings are flawless, the young child has assumed vigour.

4. When he has come together (with his companions ), he goes to greet them . As soon as born he steals upon (his prey) together with his companions. He strokes the ... to give him delight and joy, when the loving ones approach him who stands on them .

5. He, the animal living in the water and walking in the forest , has been placed on the highest skin (sky?). He has proclaimed his rules to the mortals: for Agni, the knowing one, is intent upon Rita (Right) and is true.

NOTES.

The same Rishi. Metre, Gagati; the last verse is Trishtubh.--No verse occurs in the other Samhitas.

Verse 1.

Note [1:145:1:1]1. The Samhita text has sa' nv iyate, the Pada text, sah nu iyate. Comp. Pratisakhya 314. I propose to read sa'nu (= sa anu) iyate.

Verse 2.

Note [1:145:2:1]1. See Geldner, Ved. Studien, II, p. 188.

Note [1:145:2:2]2. Possibly we should read svena eva.

Verse 3.

Note [1:145:3:1]1. The text (arvatih) implies that these race-horses are mares. Probably, as Sayana explains, the prayers (stutayah) are alluded to. See on the prayers compared with horses, Bergaigne, II, 284 seq.

Note [1:145:3:2]2. Praisha is the technical designation of the sacrificial commands of one priest (or more especially, of the Maitravaruna) to another priest; comp. Schwab, Das Altindische Thieropfer, p. 90; H. O., Religion des Veda, 390.

Verse 4.

Note [1:145:4:1]1. Sama'rata may be the third person of singular or of plural.

Note [1:145:4:2]2. I supply 'with his companions' in consideration of the second Pada (yugyebhih). It is difficult to say who Agni's companions are (the flames? the officiating priests?).

Note [1:145:4:3]3. Ludwig's conjecture, upa sta'yam karati, is very ingenious. 'He stealthily approaches them.'--On upastha'yam, comp. also Bollensen, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenl. Gesellschaft, XLVII, 586.