MANDALA I, HYMN 96.

ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 7, VARGA 3-4.

1. Being born by strength in the ancient way, lo! he (Agni) has assumed instantly all the qualities of a sage. The Waters and the Dhishana have furthered the friend (Mitra ). The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth.

2. By the ancient Nivid , by Ayu's wisdom he has procreated these children of men. With his irradiating look (he has procreated) the Sky and the Waters. The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth.

3. The Aryan clans magnified him as the first performer of sacrifices, as receiving offerings, as striving forward, the son of strength, the Bharata , the bestower of mighty rain (?) . The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth.

4. He, Matarisvan , the lord of bountiful prosperity, has found a path for (his?) offspring, he who has found the sun, the shepherd of the clans, the begetter of the two worlds. The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth.

5. Night and Dawn, who constantly destroy each other's appearance, suckle one young calf unitedly . The piece of gold shines between Heaven and Earth. The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth.

6. (He is) the base of wealth, the assembler of all goods , the beacon of sacrifice, the fulfiller of thought, the bird . In order to guard their immortality

the gods have held him, Agni, as the giver of wealth.

7. Him who is now and who was formerly the abode of wealth, the earth (i. e. the dwelling-place or support) of what is born and of what will be born, the shepherd and guardian of what is and of much that comes into being. The gods have held Agni as the giver of wealth.

8. May (Agni,) the giver of wealth, present us with quick wealth. May the giver of wealth (present us with wealth) united with strong men . The giver of wealth (should grant us) food together with valiant heroes. The giver of wealth should grant us long life.

9 = 95, 11.

NOTES.

The same Rishi and metre.--Verses 1, 2 = MS. IV, 10, 6. Verse 5 = VS. XII, 2; XVII, 70; TS. IV, 1, 10, 4; 6, 5, 2; 7, 12, 3; MS. II, 7, 8.

Verse 1.

Note [1:96:1:1]1. I. e. by the attrition of the woods, as sahasah putrah.

Note [1:96:1:2]2. Two new discussions on dhishana have been given by Hillebrandt (Ved. Mythologie, I, 175 seq.; comp. the criticisms of Ludwig, Ueber die neuesten arbeiten auf dem gebiete der Rgveda-forschung, 85 seq.) and Pischel (Ved. Studien, II, 82 seq.). Hillebrandt arrives at the conclusion that dhishana is the Earth (in the dual, Heaven and Earth; in the plural, Heaven. Air, and Earth), and besides the Vedi, i. e. the excavated spot of ground which serves as a kind of altar for the sacrifice. Similar is