MANDALA IV, HYMN 12.

ASHTAKA III, ADHYAYA 5, VARGA 12.

1. May the man who holds the sacrificial ladle and kindles thee, O Agni, who thrice prepares food for thee on this day, victoriously overcome (his foes) through his lustre, wise through the power of thy mind, O Gatavedas.

2 . He who toiling brings fuel to thee, doing service to thy, the great (god's) face, O Agni, kindling thee at evening and at dawn--he prospers, obtains wealth, and destroys his enemies.

3. Agni is master of mighty royal power ; Agni (is master) of gain, of the highest wealth. He, the youngest, self-dependent (god) in the right way distributes treasures to the mortal worshipper.

4. Whatever sin, O youngest (god), we have committed against thee in thoughtlessness, men as we are , make thou us sinless before Aditi; release us from (every) guilt on all sides, O Agni!

5. Even from great guilt, O Agni, from the prison of gods and of mortals--let us, thy friends, never be harmed; grant luck and weal to kith and kin.

6 . As you formerly have released, O Vasus, the buffalo cow bound by the foot, O worshipful gods, thus take away from us this distress. May, O Agni, our life be further prolonged.

NOTES.

The same Rishi and metre.--Verse 4 = TS. IV, 7, 15, 6; MS. III, 16, 5. Verse 5 = MS. IV, 11, 1. Verse 6 = TS. IV, 7, 15, 7; MS. III, 16, 5; IV, 11, 1.

Verse 2.

Note [4:12:2:1]1. With the beginning of this verse, comp. above, IV, 2, 6.

Verse 3.

Note [4:12:3:1]1. Comp. Roth, Zeitschr. der D. Morg. Ges., XLVIII, 114.

Verse 4.

Note [4:12:4:1]1. Grassmann is right in giving to purushatra' the meaning 'unter den Menschen,' and in observing with reference to our passage: 'wo die Bedeutung "nach Menschenweise" (s. purushata) besser passt.' The same is the opinion of Bohtlingk-Roth. No doubt we should read purushata; cf. VII, 57, 4 = X, 15, 6. yat vah a'gah purushata karama; IV, 54, 3. akitti yat kakrima.... purushatvata.

Verse 6.

Note [4:12:6:1]1. This verse is identical with Rig-veda X, 126, 8.