MANDALA III, HYMN 15.

ASHTAKA III, ADHYAYA 1, VARGA 15.

1. Flaming with thy broad stream of light beat away fiends, sorcerers, plagues. May I dwell in the protection of the great, well-protecting (god), under the guidance of Agni who readily listens to our call.

2. Be thou our protector when this dawn shines forth, he thou (our protector) when the sun has risen. Cherish, O Agni, well-born in body, this praise of mine as (a man rejoices) in the birth (of a son), in his own offspring .

3. Beholding men, shine thou after many (dawns) , O bull, Agni, red in the dark (nights). O Vasu! Lead us and bring us across anguish. Help us, the Usigs , to wealth , thou youngest (of the gods)!

4. Shine, O Agni, thou the invincible bull, who hast conquered all strongholds and all delights, the leader of the first, the protecting , mighty sacrifice, O Gatavedas, best guide.

5. O singer, thou who art wise, brightly shining towards the gods , bring to us thy many perfect shelters, and gain like a victorious car ; Agni, (carry) thou (hither) towards us the two well-established worlds (Heaven and Earth).

6. O bull, increase and rouse our gains. Agni! (Increase) for us the two worlds (Heaven and Earth) rich in milk, O god together with the gods, shining with beautiful shine! May a mortal's hatred never enclose us.

7 = III, 1, 23.

NOTES.

The Rishi is Utkila Katya, the metre Trishtubh.--Verse 1 = VS. XI, 49; TS. IV, 1, 5, 1; MS. II, 7, 5; III, 1, 6.

Verse 2

Note [3:15:2:1]1. Comp. VII, 1, 21. tanaye nitye; X, 39, 14. nityam na sunum tanayam dadhanah, and besides II, 26, 3. ganena ... visa' ... ganmana ... putraih; Hirzel, Gleichnisse und Metaphern im Rig-veda, 77.

Verse 3.

Note [3:15:3:1]1. For this expression, compare IV, 19, 8; IX, 71, 7; X, 31, 7, and especially III, 6, 7; VI, 39, 4.

Note [3:15:3:2]2. The poet compares himself and his friends with the mythical priestly tribe of the Usigs (Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, I, 57 seq.), using, as it seems, at the same time the word usigah in its adjective sense 'the willing ones.'

Note [3:15:3:3]3. The Padapa'tha is right in giving raye; comp. VIII, 26, 13. subhe kakrate.

Verse 4.

Note [3:15:4:1]1. Is the text correct? I think that payoh should be corrected into payo or payuh: 'the leader and protector of the first mighty sacrifice.' The mistake may have been caused by the genitives which surround the word.

Verse 5.

Note [3:15:5:1]1. Geldner (Vedische Studien, I, 160) translates this hemistich: 'Die vielen sicheren Zufluchtsorte (= Opferplatze) bis zu den Gottern erleuchtend als Weiser, o Sanger.' I do not believe that sarma is the object of di'dyanah; and 'Zufluchtsorte = Opferplatze' is too much in the style of Sayana. I take akkhidra sarma as depending on abhi vakshi; comp. I, 34, 6. tridha'tu sarma vahatam.