13 . Thou, O Agni, art kindled four-eyed, as the closest guardian for the sacrificer who is without (even) a quiver . Thou acceptest in thy mind the hymn even of the poor who has made offerings , that he may prosper without danger.

14. Thou, O Agni, gainest for the widely-renowned

worshipper that property which is desirable and excellent. Thou art called the guardian and father even of the weak ; thou instructest the simple, thou, the greatest sage, the quarters of the world .

15. Thou, O Agni, protectest on every side like well-stitched armour the man who gives sacrificial fees. He who puts sweet food (before the priests), who makes them comfortable in his dwelling, who kills living (victims), he (will reside) high in heaven .

16. Forgive, O Agni, this our fault (?) , (look graciously at) this way which we have wandered from afar. Thou art the companion, the guardian, the father of those who offer Soma; thou art the quick one who makes the mortals Rishis .

17. As thou didst for Manus, O Agni, for Angiras, O Angiras, for Yayati on thy (priestly) seat, as for the ancients, O brilliant one, come hither, conduct hither the host of the gods, seat them on the sacrificial grass, and sacrifice to the beloved (host).

18. Be magnified, O Agni, through this spell which we have made for thee with our skill or with our knowledge. And lead us forward to better things. Let us be united with thy favour, which bestows strength.

NOTES.

The Rishi of the hymn is Hiranyastupa Angirasa. To him tradition ascribes the authorship of the collection I, 31-35, probably because in X, 149, 5 the poet invokes Savitri, 'as Hiranyastupa the Angirasa has called thee, O Savitri.' Vedic theologians of course tried to find out where this invocation of Hiranyastupa to Savitri was preserved, and the hymn, I, 35, seemed to agree best with the conditions

of the case (comp. Zeitschrift der D. Morg. Ges. XLII, 230). By this and many similar cases it is made probable that at the time when the Anukramani was composed, all real knowledge as to authors to whom the collections of the first Mandala belong, was lost.

The metre is Gagati; only the verses 8, 16, 18 are Trishtubh. Verse 1 = VS. 34, 12. Verse 8 = MS. IV, 11, 1. Verse 12 = VS. 34, 13. With verse 16 comp. AV. III, 15, 4.

Verse 1.

Note [1:31:1:1]1. Vidmana'pasah seems to be nom. plur., not gen. sing. Comp. I, 111, 1. takshan ratham ... vidmana'pasah, 'they (the Ribhus), active in their wisdom, have wrought the chariot.'

Verse 2.

Note [1:31:2:1]1. As to dvimata' sayuh, comp. III, 55, 6 (sayuh parastat adha nu dvimata'); Pischel, Vedische Studien, II, 50.--On Agni's two mothers and his double birth see Bergaigne, Religion Vedique, II, 52.

Note [1:31:2:2]2. By 'living' I have translated ayu. See on this word, Bergaigne, Rel. Ved., I, 59 seq.

Verse 3.