MANDALA III, HYMN 8.

ASHTAKA III, ADHYAYA 1, VARGA 3-4.

1. The worshippers of the gods anoint thee at the sacrifice, O lord of the forest , with heavenly honey . When standing upright bestow wealth (on us) here, or when abiding in this mother's lap .

2. Situated in front of the kindled (fire), accepting our sacred spell which protects from old age and gives valiant offspring, driving away far from us lack of thoughts , rise up for the sake of great prosperity.

3. Rise up, O lord of the forest, on the summit of the earth. Erected by skilful erection bestow splendour on (the worshipper) who fits out the sacrifice as a vehicle .

4. A well-clothed youth dressed has come hither. He becomes more excellent when born . Wise sages full of pious thoughts, longing for the gods in their mind, bring him forth.

5. He who has been born is born in the auspiciousness of days, growing up in the assembly and at the sacrifice . Wise, active men purify him by pious thoughts; the priest approaching the gods raises his voice .

6. You whom the worshippers of the gods have fastened down (in the earth), or whom the axe has fashioned, O lord of the forest: may those divine posts standing (here) take care to bestow on us treasures with offspring.

7. (The posts) which have been hewn on the earth and fastened down, and to which the sacrificial

ladles have been raised : may they, giving bliss to our fields , eagerly seek precious goods for us among the gods.

8. May the Adityas, the Rudras, the Vasus, the good leaders, Heaven and Earth, the Earth and the Air--may the gods unanimously bless this sacrifice; may they raise up the banner of the sacrifice (the Yupa).

9. Like swans ranging themselves in rows, arraying themselves in brightness the sacrificial posts have come to us. Led up by the sages they go forward as gods to the abode of the gods.

10. Like horns of horned animals the sacrificial posts with their head-pieces are seen on the earth. Hearing (us) in the emulating call of the invoking (priests) may they protect us in the racings of battles.

11. O lord of the forest, rise with a hundred branches; may we rise with a thousand branches (offspring)--thou whom this sharpened axe has led forward to great prosperity.

NOTES.

The same Rishi. The metre is Trishtubh (verses 3 and 7 Anushtubh).

This Sukta is a collection of liturgical verses that refer to the erecting and anointing of the sacrificial post, and to the winding of a rope about it. See Aitareya Brahmana II, 2; Asvalayana Srautasutra III, 1, 8 seq.; Sankhayana Srautasutra V, 15, 2 seq.; Schwab, Das Altindische Thieropfer, 68 seq.; Bergaigne, Recherches sur l'Histoire de la Liturgie Vedique, 16. On the ritual acts referring to the sacrificial post which seem to be connected with ancient