MANDALA I, HYMN 97.

ASHTAKA I, ADHYAYA 7, VARGA 5.

1. Driving away evil with thy light, Agni, shine upon us with wealth--driving away evil with thy light.

2. Longing for rich fields, for a free path, and for wealth, we sacrifice--driving away evil with thy light.

3 . When he stands forth as the most glorious one among them , and when our liberal lords excel--driving away evil with thy light--

4. When through thee, Agni, the liberal lords, and when through thee we may multiply with offspring--driving away evil with thy light--

5. When the rays of the mighty Agni go forth on all sides--driving away evil with thy light--

6. For thou indeed, (O god) whose face is turned everywhere, encompassest (the world) everywhere--driving away evil with thy light.

7. Do thou carry us, as with a boat, across hostile powers, (O god) whose face is turned everywhere--driving away evil with thy light.

8. Do thou carry us across (evil) to welfare, as across a stream with a boat --driving away evil with thy light.

NOTES.

The same Rishi. Metre, Gayatri. The hymn is addressed to Agni Suki.--Verses 1-8 = AV. IV, 33, 1-8: TA. VI, 11, 1-2. Verse 1 = TA. VI, 10, 1.

Verse 1.

Note [1:97:1:1]1. Lanman (Sanskrit Reader, p. 363) translates: 'Driving away with flames our sin.' But agha is not exactly sin.

Verse 3.

Note [1:97:3:1]1. In this verse as well as in the verses 4 and 5--all commencing with the words pra yat--the principal clauses are wanting. As to 3 meaning, however, these clauses are supplied by the refrain; 'driving away evil' of course means 'may he drive away evil.'

Note [1:97:3:2]2. 'Among them' seems to mean among the liberal lords.'

Verse 8.

Note [1:97:8:1]1. Cf. Lanman, p. 434.