Note 1. Návyasînâm has been a puzzle to all interpreters. Sâyana seems to me to give the right interpretation, namely, nûtanânâm. As from añgasâ, instr. sing., straightway, añgasî´na was formed, straightforward; from návyasâ, instr. sing., anew, návyasîna seems to have been formed in the sense of new. Návyasînâm might then be a somewhat

irregular gen. plur., referring to ganám mâ´rutam, the Marut-host of the young men; see V, 58, 1. Lanman (p. 515) takes it for a gen. plur. fem., but in that case it could not refer to ráthânâm. Zimmer translates endlos, Bergaigne (II, 400) thinks of new or rejuvenescent mothers.

Verse 11.

Note 1. See III, 26, 6.

Verse 14.

Note 1. Usrí, in the morning. Lanman (p. 427) proposes to read ushári, but the metre would be better preserved by reading vrishtvî´ as trisyllabic. The difficulty is the construction of the gerund vrishtvî´, which refers to the Maruts, and syâ´ma sahá, which refers to the sacrificers.

Note 2. On sám yóh, see I, 165, 4, note 2.

The metrical structure of this hymn is interesting. If we represent the foot of eight syllables by a, that of twelve by b, we find the following succession:

I

1

a b a

II

3

a a a a

2

a a b a

4

b a a

III

5

a a a

IV

8

a a a

6

b a b a

9

b a b a

7

b a b a

VI

12

a a a

V

10

a b a

13

b a b a

VII

15

a b a

11

a b a

14

b a b a

16

b a b a

We find that I contains the question, II the answer, III description of rain, IV prayer and invitation, V praise of the companions, VI prayer, VII conclusion. Comp. Oldenberg's Prolegomena, p. 106 seq.

Next: V, 54. To the Maruts (the Storm-gods)

Hinduism

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