MANDALA I, HYMN 79.

ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 5, VARGA 27-28.

I.

1. The golden-haired in the expanse of the atmosphere, the roaring snake, is hasting (through the air) like the wind; the brightly resplendent watcher of the dawn , he who is like the glorious, ever active and truthful (goddesses) .

2. By thy goings the beautifully-winged (birds) were disparaged ; the black bull has roared, when here (all this happened). He has come as if with the bounteous smiling (women) . The mists fly, the clouds thunder.

3. When they have led him, who swells with the milk of Rita, on the straightest paths of Rita, then Aryaman, Mitra, and Varuna, he who walks round the earth , fill the leather-bag (the cloud) in the womb of the lower (atmosphere [?]) .

II.

4. Agni, who art lord of booty, rich in cows, young son of strength , bestow on us, O Gatavedas, great glory.

5. Being lighted, a Vasu, a sage, Agni who is to be magnified by (pious) words, O (god) with many faces, shine to us so that riches may be ours.

6. Reigning by night by thy own power, O Agni, and at the break of dawn, O god with sharp teeth, burn against the sorcerers.

III.

7. Bless us, O Agni, with thy blessings, when our Gayatra song is brought forward (to thee), thou to whom reverence is due in all our prayers.

8. Bring us wealth, O Agni, which may be always conquering, excellent and invincible in all battles.

9. Bestow on us, Agni, through thy kindness wealth which may last all our life , and have mercy on us that we may live.

IV.

10. O Gotama , bring forward purified words, bring songs to the sharp-flaming Agni, desirous of his favour.

11. May he who tries to harm us, whether nigh or afar, fall down. Do thou lead us alone to increase.

12. The thousand-eyed Agni, who dwells among all tribes, scares away the Rakshas. The praiseworthy Hotri (Agni) is praised .

NOTES.

The same Rishi. Metre, 1-3 Trishtubh; 4-6 Ushnih; 7-12 Gayatri.

What in the traditional text is one hymn, consists really of four independent hymns of three verses each. This is to be concluded from the well-known laws of arrangement of the Samhita, and is confirmed by the change of metre and by the reception of two of the four hymns into other Vedic Samhitas: the second (verses 4-6) is found in the Sama-veda II, 911-913; Vag. Samhita XV, 35-37; Taitt.

[paragraph continues] Samhita IV, 4, 4, 5; Maitr. Samhita II, 13, 8; the third (verses 7-9) in the Sama-veda II, 874-876. Besides, verses 1-2 occur Taitt. Samh. III, 1, 11, 4-5; verse 2, Maitr. Samh. IV, 12, 5; verse 4, Sama-veda I, 99; verses 8, 9, Maitr. Samh. IV, 12, 4; verse 9, Maitr. Samh. IV, 10, 6; Taitt. Br. II, 4, 5, 3.

Verse 1.