MANDALA IV, HYMN 14.

ASHTAKA III, ADHYAYA 5, VARGA 14.

1. Agni Gatavedas, the god, has looked on the dawns that shine with all their might . Come hither, O Nasatyas , wide-ruling (gods), on your chariot to this our sacrifice.

2. The god Savitri has sent his shine upward, producing light for the whole world. The Sun, shining with his rays, has filled Heaven and Earth and the air.

3. The red one , carrying hither (bliss) , has come with her light, the great, brilliant one, shining with her rays. Ushas, the goddess, awakening (all beings) to welfare, goes along on her well-yoked chariot.

4. May those chariots and horses, most ready to drive, drive you hither at the break of dawn. For these Somas are for you that you may drink the honey-drink . Rejoice, O manly ones, at this sacrifice.

5 IV, 13, 5.

NOTES.

The same Rishi and metre.--No verse of this hymn occurs in the other Samhitas. On the parallelism in which IV, 14 stands to IV, 13, see the introductory note on IV, 13.

Verse 1.

Note [4:14:1:1]1. On mahobhih, see vol. xxxii, p. 196 seq. (I, 165, 5, note 3). Here the word refers to the powerful light of

the dawn, not of Agni, cf. VI, 64, 2. ushah devi rokamana mahobhih.

Note [4:14:1:2]2. On the mention of the Nasatyas (Asvins) in this connection, compare the introductory note on IV, 13.

Verse 3.

Note [4:14:3:1]1. The Dawn as before.

Note [4:14:3:2]2. That an object like 'bliss' is to be supplied, is shown by such passages as I, 48, 9. ushah ... avahanti bhu'ri asmabhyam saubhagam; I, 92, 3. (the Dawns) isham vahantih sukrite suda'nave; I, 113, 15. (the Dawn) avahanti poshya va'ryani.

Verse 4.

Note [4:14:4:1]1. The text has the dual of the pronoun. The Asvins are addressed.

Note [4:14:4:2]2. It is the peculiar character of the Asvins that they drink madhu; see Hillebrandt, Vedische Mythologie, vol. i, p. 239 seq. H. O., Religion des Veda, p. 208, note 4; p. 367, note 2.