14. May the weapon of Rudra avoid us 1, may the great anger of the flaring one pass us by.

[paragraph continues] Unstring thy strong bows 2 for the sake of our liberal lords, O bounteous Rudra, be gracious to our kith and kin.

15. Thus, O tawny and manly god, showing thyself 1, so as neither to be angry nor to kill, be mindful of our invocations 2, and, rich in brave sons, we shall magnify thee in the congregation.

NOTES.

Ascribed to Gritsamada. Metre, Trishtubh. See Muir, S. T. IV, 309; Geldner and Kaegi, p. 90. Bergaigne, III, 153; Leop. v. Schroeder, Indiens Literatur and Cultur, 343. Verse 1 = TB. II, 8, 6, 9; verse 2 = TB. II, 8, 6, 8; verse 10 = TÂ. IV, 5, 7; verse 11 =TS. IV, 5, 10, 3; AV. XVIII, 1, 40; verse 14 = VS. XVI, 50; TS. IV, 5, 10. 4; verse 15 = TB. II, 8, 6, 9.

Verse 1.

Note 1. The words abhí nah vîráh árvati kshameta admit of different interpretation. Grassmann has: 'Der Held sei huldreich unsren schnellen Rossen;' Muir: 'May the hero spare our horses;' Ludwig: 'Unser held möge tüchtig zu Rosse sein.' The passages quoted by Ludwig from the Sat. Br. III, 7, 3, 1, and IV, 3, 4, 14, do not bear out the meaning of tüchtig sein, to be strong, they rather mean, to suffer, to submit to, with a dative. Yet vîráh by itself may mean son or offspring (III, 4, 9; VII, 1, 21; 56, 24), and if abhi-ksham in our passage could mean to be capable and strong, Ludwig's translation would be justified. But if we take vîrá, hero, as intended for Rudra, as Indra also is often called simply vîra, abhi kshameta would lend itself to the translation of 'to be gracious,' or 'to spare,' and I therefore translate: 'May the hero (Rudra) be gracious to our horse.' It should be understood in the same sense in verse 7, at least I see no reason to vary the translation as Geldner does, and also Ludwig, while Muir is right and consistent. Our poet uses the verb abhiksham frequently, II, 28, 3; 29, 2 (abhikshantârah?). It seems confined to the second Mandala.

Verse 2.

Note 1. Vitarám, wherever it occurs, is always joined with ví in the Rig-veda.

Verse 3.

Note 1. If rápas is derived from rap, to whisper, it would have meant originally what is whispered, that is, slander, accusation, and then only crime. Latin crîmen also meant originally what is heard, Leumund. Crîmen is not connected with the Greek κρίνω. The î in crîmen has to be accounted for like the î in lîber, from lubh (libh). The r is irregular, unless we find an analogy in increpare.

Verse 5.

Note 1. Hávate, we expect hûyáte. Ludwig's explanation has not solved the difficulty, and suhávah points back to yo havate. Oldenberg suggests an anacoluthon, He who invokes—may I.