For besides these passages in which váhni clearly means vector, carrier, drawer, horse, there is a large class of verses in which it can only be translated by minister, i. e. officiating minister, and, as it would seem, chiefly singer or reciter a.

The verb vah was used in Sanskrit in the sense of carrying out (ud-vah, ausführen), or performing a rite, particularly as applied to the reciting of hymns. Hence such compounds as ukthá-vâhas or stoma-vâhas, offering hymns of praise, and yagñá-vâhas. Thus we read

V, 79, 4. abhí yé tvâ vibhâ-vari stómaih grinánti váhnayah.

The ministers who praise thee, splendid Dawn, with hymns.

I, 48, 11, yé tvâ grinánti váhnayah.

The ministers who praise thee.

VII, 75, 5. ushâ´h ukkhati váhni-bhih grinânâ´.

The dawn lights up, praised by the ministers.

VI, 39, 1. mandrásya kavéh divyásya váhneh.

Of the sweet poet, of the heavenly priest …

VII, 82, 4. yuvâ´m ít yut-sú prítanâsu váhnayah yuvâ´m kshémasya pra-savé mitá-gñavah, îsânâ´ vásvah ubháyasya kârávah índrâvarunâ su-hávâ havâmahe.

We, as ministers, invoke you only in fights and battles; we, as suppliants, (invoke) you for the granting of treasure; we, as poets, (invoke) you, the lords of twofold wealth, you, Indra and Varuna, who listen to our call.

VI, 32, 3. sáh váhni-bhih ríkva-bhih góshu sásvat mitágñu-bhih puru-krítvâ gigâya.

He (Indra) was victorious often among the cows, always with celebrating and suppliant ministers.

I have placed these two passages together because they seem to me to illustrate each other, and to show that although in the second passage the celebrating and suppliant ministers may be intended for the Maruts, yet no argument could be drawn from this verse in favour of váhni by itself meaning the Maruts. See also VIII, 6, 2; 12, 15; X, 114, 2.

IV, 21, 6. hótâ yáh nah mahâ´n sam-váraneshu váhnih.

The Hotar who is our great priest in the sanctuaries.

I, 128, 4. váhnih vedhâ´h ágâyata.

Because the wise priest (Agni) was born.

The same name which in these passages is applied to Agni, is in others, and, as it will be seen, in the same sense, applied to Indra.

II, 21, 2. tuvi-gráye váhnaye.

To the strong-voiced priest or leader.

The fact that váhni is followed in several passages by ukthaíh would seem to show that the office of the váhni was chiefly that of recitation or of addressing prayers to the gods.

III, 20, 1. agním ushásam asvínâ dadhi-krâ´m ví-ushtishu havate váhnih ukthaíh.

The priest at the break of day calls with his hymns Agni, Ushas, the Asvins, and Dadhikrâ.

I, 184, 1. tâ´ vâm adyá taú aparám huvema ukkhántyâm ushási váhnih ukthaíh.

Let us invoke the two Asvins to-day and to-morrow, the priest with his hymns is there when the dawn appears.