If, then, we take duvasyati in the sense of working for, assisting, it may be with the special sense of assisting at a sacred act, like διακονεῖν; and if we take duvás, as it has the accent on the last syllable, as the performer of a sacrifice, we may venture to translate, 'that he should help, as the singer helps the performer of the sacrifice a': The singer or the poet may be called the assistant at a sacrifice, for his presence was not necessary at all sacrifices, the songs constituting an ornament rather than an essential part in most sacred acts. But though I think it right to offer this conjectural interpretation, I am far from supposing that it gives us the real sense of this difficult verse. Duvasyâ´t may be, as Sâyana suggests, an ablative of duvasyá; and duvasyá, like namasyâ´, if we change the accent, may mean he who is to be worshipped, or worshipping. In this way a different interpretation might suggest itself, though I confess I do not see that any other interpretation as yet suggested is satisfactory. Some happy thought may some day or other clear up this difficulty, when those who have

toiled, but toiled in a wrong direction, will receive scant thanks for the trouble they have taken. See Bollensen, Z. D. M. G. XVIII, p. 606.

Note 2. In the second line, the words ó sú varta remind us of similar phrases in the Veda, but we want an accusative, governed by varta; whereas marutah, to judge from its accent, can only be a vocative. Thus we read:

I, 138, 4. ó (íti) sú tvâ vavritîmahi stómebhih.

May we turn thee quickly hither by our praises!

VIII, 7, 83. ó (íti) sú vríshnah—vavrityâ´m.

May I turn the heroes quickly hither!

Compare also passages like III, 33, 8:

ó (íti) sú svasârah kâráve srinota.

Listen quickly, O sisters, to the poet.

I, 139, 7. ó (íti) sú nah agne srinuhi.

Hear us quickly, O Agni.

Cf. I, 182, 1; II, 34, 15; VII, 59, 5; VIII, 2, 19; X, 179, 2.

Unless we change the accent, we must translate, 'Bring hither quickly!' and we must take these words as addressed to the kârú, the poet, whose hymn is supposed to attract the gods to the sacrifice. By a quick transition, the next words, marutah vípram ákkha, would then have to be taken as addressed to the gods, 'Maruts, on to the sage!' and the last words would become intelligible by laying stress on the vah, 'for you, and not for Indra or any other god, has the singer recited these hymns.' See, however, Preface, p. xxi.

Verse 15.

Note 1. I translate Mânya, the son of Mâna, because the poet, so called in I, 189, 8, is in all probability the same as our Mândârya Mânya. But it may also be Mânya, the descendant of Mandâri. The Mânas are mentioned I, 172, 5;182, 8.

Note 2. Vâg.. S. XXXIV, 48. The second line is difficult, owing to the uncertain meaning of vayâ´m.

´ ishâ´ a yâsîshta has been rendered, 'Come hither with