Iv, 1
*
"Vedic Hymns, Part Ii (sbe46)\", by Hermann Oldenberg [1897],
p. 307
Ma\"N"D"Ala Iv, Hymn 1.
Ash\"T"Aka Iii, Adhyya 4, Varga 12-15.
1. Thee, O Agni, the gods concordantly have ever set to work as their divine steward; with this intention 1 they have set thee to work. They have generated 2 thee, O worshipful one 2, the immortal among the mortals, the wise, god-loving god; they have generated every wise, god-loving (Agni) 3.
2. Do thou, [O Agni 1,] turn to brother Varu"n"a, towards the gods 2 with thy kindness 3, to (Varu"n"a) who accepts the sacrifice, to the eldest (god) who accepts the sacrifice, the righteous ditya who supports the (human) tribes, the king who supports the (human) tribes.
3. O friend, turn to thy friend (Varu"n"a), as a wheel of a chariot 1 rapidly (follows) the swift (horse), for our sake, O wonderful one, rapidly. O Agni, find mercy (for us) with Varu"n"a, with the all-brilliant Maruts. Bless (us), O flaming one, that we may propagate ourselves, that we may press onward; bless us, O wonderful one!
4. Mayst thou, O Agni, who knowest Varu"n"a, deprecate for us the god's anger. Being the best sacrificer, the best carrier (of the gods), flaming, remove from us all hatred.
5. As such, O Agni, be for us the lowest 1 (god) with thy help, our nearest (friend) while this dawn shines forth. Being liberal (towards us), cause, by sacrificing, Varu"n"a to go away from us. Love mercy; readily hear our call.
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6. His, the fortunate god's, appearance is excellent, and most brilliant among mortals. Like the bright, heated butter of the cow (the appearance) of the god is lovely, like the bountifulness of a milch-cow.
7. Three 1 are those highest, true, and lovely births of this god Agni. Being enveloped in the infinite 2 he has come hither, the bright, brilliant, shining Aryan.
8. He, the messenger, longs for all seats, the Hot"ri" with the golden chariot, with the lovely tongue, with the red horses, of marvellous appearance, brilliant, always lovely like an assembly abundant in food.
9. He, the kinsman of sacrifice, has enlightened men 1. They lead him forward by a great rope 2. He dwells in his (the mortal's) dwelling, accomplishing (his task). The god has obtained the companionship of the mortal.
10. May this Agni, the knowing one, lead us to the god-given treasure which belongs to him 1. That (treasure) which all the immortals have created by their thought, which Dyaus, the father, the begetter (has created): that real (treasure) they have besprinkled 2.
11. He has been born in the dwellings as the first, at the bottom of the great (air) 1, in the womb of this air 2, footless, headless, hiding both his ends, drawing towards himself (his limbs?), in the nest of the bull 3.
12. The host 1 came forth wonderfully at first, in the womb of "Ri"ta, in the nest of the bull 2, lovely and young, of marvellous appearance, and brilliant 3. Seven friends 4 were born for the bull.
13. Here our human fathers have sat down 1,
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aspiring after "Ri"ta 2. Invoking the dawns 3, they have driven out the milch-cows which dwelt in the rock-stable, in the prison.
14. Having rent the rock they cleaned themselves. Others around told forth that (deed) of theirs. Taking as an instrument (?) 1, they sang triumphantly 2. They found the light; they chanted their prayers.
15. Longing for the cows in their mind, those men, the U"s"i"g"s 1, have opened with godly words the fast-holding, closed rock, which enclosed and encompassed the cows, the firm stable full of cows.
16. They have devised the first name of the milch-cow; they have found the three times seven highest (names or essences) of the mother 1. The hosts 2, understanding this, acclaimed. The red one 3 became visible through the brilliant (milk?) 4 of the cow.
17. The confused 1 darkness disappeared; the sky appeared in splendour; the shine of the goddess Dawn rose up. The Sun ascended to the wide plains, beholding right and wrong deeds among the mortals.
18. Then, afterwards, being awoke they looked around; then they took that treasure given by Heaven, all the gods in all the houses. O Mitra, may true (fulfilment) belong to (our) prayer, O Varu"n"a!
19. I will address flaming Agni, the Hot"ri", the supporter of everything 1, the best sacrificer. He has perforated, as it were, the pure udder of the cows, (and has made flow the milk) purified like the poured sap of the Soma shoots.
20. He, the Aditi (i. e. the freedom) of all the
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worshipful gods, the guest 1 of all men, Agni, choosing (for us) the protection of all gods--may he, "G"tavedas, be merciful.
Notes.
The "Ri"shi is Vmadeva, the metre Trish"t"ubh, except in verses 1-3, the metres of which are Ash"t"i, Ati"g"agat, and Dh"ri"ti respectively.--Verses 4-5 = Vs. Xxi, 3-4; Ts. Ii, 5, 12, 3; Iv, 2, 11, 3; Tb. Iii, 7, 11, 3; 12, 6; T. Ii, 4, 4; Iv, 20, 3; Ms. Iv, 10, 4; 14, 17. Verse 20 = Vs. Xxxiii, 16; Tb. Ii, 7, 12, 5.--The hymn has been translated and commented upon by Bergaigne, Quarante Hymnes du Rig-vda, p. 11 seq.
This Skta seems to be composed of two independent hymns. Grassmann believed that the first three verses are the fragment of one hymn, and that verses 4-20 form a second hymn. His reason was that verses 1-3 are composed in metres similar to Atyash"t"i, while the rest are composed in Trish"t"ubh. I think that he was on the right way, but his opinion should be slightly modified. In verses 1-5 Agni is invoked to appease the anger of Varu"n"a; while, on the other hand, no allusion to Varu"n"a occurs in verses 6-20. I believe, therefore, that the first hymn should be considered as consisting of verses 1-5; it is composed in the metres of the Atyash"t"i class (1-3) with two concluding Trish"t"ubh verses (4, 5). The second hymn comprises the verses 6-20. The arrangers of the Sa"m"hit, however, considered these two hymns as one, as is shown by the position which they have assigned to it, before the second Skta, which has the same number of verses (20) as this first Skta. Comp. my Prolegomena, p. 141.
Verse 1.
Note 1. I. e. with the intention that he should act as the steward of the gods. As to ti krtv, comp. I, 138, 3. ti
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krtv bubhu"g"rir. Delbrck, Altindische Syntax, p. 530, paraphrases ti krtv: mit Entschluss 'so sei es.'
Note 2. Sya"n"a, whom Ludwig follows, seems to be right in explaining ya"g"ata as a vocative ('ya"g"anya'), and "g"anata as 3rd plural ('a"g"anayan'). Bergaigne takes both forms as 2nd plural imperative: 'honorez l'immortel chez les mortels; engendrez le Dieu qui honore les Dieux.'
Note 3. I cannot believe that Bergaigne is right in translating v"s"vam devam, 'celui qui honore tous les Dieux.' His theory is that v"s"vam dpend de , qui logiquement gouverne le terme dev l'accusatif.'
Verse 2.
Note 1. The metre shows, as Benfey (Vedica und Verwandtes, p. 19, note 1) has pointed out, that this vocative agne is a spurious addition.
Note 2. Should we not read devm? 'Turn to brother Varu"n"a with thy kindness, towards the god who accepts the sacrifice.'
Note 3. Or 'for the sake of his kindness, for winning his favour (for the mortals)'? Sumat may be dative; see Lanman, p. 382; Brugmann, Grundriss der vergleichenden Grammatik, II, p. 602. Comp. I, 186, 10. \"k"kh" sumnya vav"ri"tya devn, 'may I turn to the gods for the sake of their favour.'
Verse 3.
Note 1. I believe that rthyeva (Padap"th"a rthy-iva) stands for rthyam-iva. Comp. Lanman, p. 331; Roth, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlndischen Gesellschaft, XLVIII, p. 681 seq. Prof. Max Mller refers rthy-iva to two horses; he translates: 'O friend, bring hither thy friend, as two swift chariot-horses bring rapidly a swift wheel.'
Verse 5.
Note 1. I. e. the nearest to men.
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Verse 7.
Note 1. Literally 'thrice.' But I think that we should correct tr ('three'). The same blunder seems to occur in Iii, 56, 5. tr sadhsth sindhava"h" tr"h" (read tr) kavnm, 'Three are your abodes. O rivers; three (are those) of the sages.' Comp. also Iii, 56, 8; I, 116, 4.
Note 2. This seems to mean, in the infinite sky.
Verse 9.
Note 1. Mnusha"h" seems to be acc. plur.; comp. Vii, 86, 7. \"k"etayat a"k"ta"h", 'he has enlightened the unenlightened ones.' Bergaigne takes mnusha"h" as a genitive depending on ya"g"bandhu"h", 'fils du sacrifice de Manus.'
Note 2. Bergaigne compares Ix, 87, 1, where it is said that they lead Soma to the sacrificial grass like a horse by ropes ("k"kh" barh"h" ra"s"anbhi"h" nayanti). Sya"n"a says, stutirpay ra"g"g"v, 'by a rope which has the shape of praises.'
Verse 10.
Note 1. Comp. below, verse 18.
Note 2. I. e. anointed, adorned. 'Poured down.' M. M.
Verse 11.
Note 1. Mah"h" budhn seems to mean, mah"h" r"g"asa"h" budhn; comp. r"g"asa"h" budhnm, I, 52, 6; budhn r"g"asa"h", Ii, 2, 3; mah"h" r"g"asa"h", I, 6, 10; r"g"asa"h" mah"h", I, 168, 6; mah r"g"as, Ix, 68, 3.
Note 2. With the second Pda, compare Iv, 17, 14. tva"k"h" budhn r"g"asa"h" asya ynau.
Note 3. The bull seems to be Agni himself. Comp. verse 12.
Verse 12.
Note 1. The word "s"rdha (or "s"rdha"h"? see note 3), which in most passages is applied to the host of the Maruts (see vol. xxxii, p. 67 seq.), seems here to refer to the company of the Agiras or seven "Ri"shis, alluded to in the fourth
p. 313
[paragraph continues] Pda. The seven "Ri"shis, 'our fathers' (verse 13), have, with the aid of Agni, rent the mountain and delivered the cows or dawns (verses 13 seqq.; Iv, 2, 15 seq.). Comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, p. 145 seq.
Note 2. The bull again seems to be Agni. Comp. verse 11, note 3.
Note 3. Do these epithets (comp. verse 8, Pda 3) refer to the srdha (host)? Or are they applied to Agni, so that we would have to translate: 'Lovely was the young one (Agni), of marvellous appearance, and brilliant'? In this way Bergaigne interprets the passage. If this translation is right, "s"rdha"h" may be considered as neuter, and the first Pda could be translated: The first host came forth wonderfully.
Note 4. Evidently the seven "Ri"shis (see note 1). Bergaigne: Les sept prires? ou les sept rivires?
Verse 13.
Note 1. The seven "Ri"shis sat down for chanting and sacrificing, by which they have opened the mountain-prison of the cows.
Note 2. The mention of "Ri"ta in this connection is both Vedic and Avestic. Comp. Darmesteter, Ormazd et Ahriman, p. 146; H. O., Religion des Veda, p. 144, note 2.
Note 3. The cows in this myth seem to be a mythical representation of the dawns. Comp. M. M., Science of Language, II, p. 584; H. O., Religion des Veda, pp. 147, 149 seq.
Verse 14.
Note 1. Pa"s"vyantra (comp. "s"lkayantra, Ix, 73, 6) is quite doubtful. Does there exist a stem pa"s"va, meaning possibly, 'the herd of cattle'? And can we translate, they who had their (battering-?) machines directed on the cow-herds'? Or, 'holding the herds with their instruments (i. e. with the ropes used for drawing the cows out of the cavern)'?--Prof. Max Mller suggests the translation, 'the cattle-drivers,' and writes, 'Does it stand for pa"s"u-yantrsa"h"?
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[paragraph continues] Yantra seems the same as yoktra, or something like it, cf. X, 94, 7, 8. Pa"s"uyantra would be they who hold the ropes of the cattle, who drive them away.' Bergaigne's translation, 'n'ayant rien (d'autre) pour conduire le btail' (pa"s"u-ayantra), and that of Roth ('die der Sperre ledigen Thiere [pa"s"va"h" ayantrsa"h"] erhoben ein Freudengeschrei,' Zeitschr. der D. Morg. Gesellschaft, Xlviii, 678), do not carry conviction, nor does a conjecture like pa"s"v yantra"h" ('the leaders of the cattle together with the cattle itself shouted triumphantly'), seem to furnish a satisfying solution of the difficulty.
Note 2. See Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, 120.
Verse 15.
Note 1. On the U"s"i"g"s, compare Bergaigne's Religion Vdique, I, 57 seq.
Verse 16.
Note 1. The mother seems again to be the cow, or more exactly the Dawn considered as the mother of the cows (mt gvm, Iv, 52, 2. 3; Vii, 77, 2), and as the mother of the "Ri"shis (iv, 2, 15). Comp. V, 45, 2. rvt gvm mt "g"nat gat. The seven names of the cow are mentioned also in I, 164, 3, its three times seven names, in Vii, 87, 4.
Note 2. Bergaigne (Quarante Hymnes, p. 14) and Pischel (Ved. Studien, II, 121 seq.) give to the word vr the meaning 'woman' (Bergaigne: 'femme,' particulirement 'femme en rut, femme amoureuse'). I prefer to follow the opinion of Bechtel, Nachrichten der Gttinger Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, philolog.-historische Klasse, 1894, p. 393 seq. The hosts seem to be the assembly of the "Ri"shis.
Note 3. The dawn.
Note 4. Comp. Ix, 81, 1 (h. O., Religion des Veda, p. 147, note 1). dadhn yt m nnt"h" ya"s"s gvm, 'When (the Somas) have been drawn, together with the brilliant curds of the cow.' The brilliant milk of the cow which the
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[paragraph continues] "Ri"shis have obtained, seems to be considered as a magical means for procuring to men the aspect of the brilliant light of the dawn. Comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, p. 450.
Verse 17.
Note 1. On ddhitam, comp. Geldner, Ved. Studien, II, 9, and see Rig-veda Ii, 17, 4; Iv, 16, 4.
Verse 19.
Note 1. Comp. vol. xxxii, p. 330 (v, 54, 10, note 1).
Verse 20.
Note 1. 'Guest' is tithi"h"; the play on words (diti"h" and tithi"h") is untranslatable.
"Vedic Hymns, Part Ii (sbe46)\", by Hermann Oldenberg [1897],
p. 307
Ma\"N"D"Ala Iv, Hymn 1.
Ash\"T"Aka Iii, Adhyya 4, Varga 12-15.
1. Thee, O Agni, the gods concordantly have ever set to work as their divine steward; with this intention 1 they have set thee to work. They have generated 2 thee, O worshipful one 2, the immortal among the mortals, the wise, god-loving god; they have generated every wise, god-loving (Agni) 3.
2. Do thou, [O Agni 1,] turn to brother Varu"n"a, towards the gods 2 with thy kindness 3, to (Varu"n"a) who accepts the sacrifice, to the eldest (god) who accepts the sacrifice, the righteous ditya who supports the (human) tribes, the king who supports the (human) tribes.
3. O friend, turn to thy friend (Varu"n"a), as a wheel of a chariot 1 rapidly (follows) the swift (horse), for our sake, O wonderful one, rapidly. O Agni, find mercy (for us) with Varu"n"a, with the all-brilliant Maruts. Bless (us), O flaming one, that we may propagate ourselves, that we may press onward; bless us, O wonderful one!
4. Mayst thou, O Agni, who knowest Varu"n"a, deprecate for us the god's anger. Being the best sacrificer, the best carrier (of the gods), flaming, remove from us all hatred.
5. As such, O Agni, be for us the lowest 1 (god) with thy help, our nearest (friend) while this dawn shines forth. Being liberal (towards us), cause, by sacrificing, Varu"n"a to go away from us. Love mercy; readily hear our call.
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6. His, the fortunate god's, appearance is excellent, and most brilliant among mortals. Like the bright, heated butter of the cow (the appearance) of the god is lovely, like the bountifulness of a milch-cow.
7. Three 1 are those highest, true, and lovely births of this god Agni. Being enveloped in the infinite 2 he has come hither, the bright, brilliant, shining Aryan.
8. He, the messenger, longs for all seats, the Hot"ri" with the golden chariot, with the lovely tongue, with the red horses, of marvellous appearance, brilliant, always lovely like an assembly abundant in food.
9. He, the kinsman of sacrifice, has enlightened men 1. They lead him forward by a great rope 2. He dwells in his (the mortal's) dwelling, accomplishing (his task). The god has obtained the companionship of the mortal.
10. May this Agni, the knowing one, lead us to the god-given treasure which belongs to him 1. That (treasure) which all the immortals have created by their thought, which Dyaus, the father, the begetter (has created): that real (treasure) they have besprinkled 2.
11. He has been born in the dwellings as the first, at the bottom of the great (air) 1, in the womb of this air 2, footless, headless, hiding both his ends, drawing towards himself (his limbs?), in the nest of the bull 3.
12. The host 1 came forth wonderfully at first, in the womb of "Ri"ta, in the nest of the bull 2, lovely and young, of marvellous appearance, and brilliant 3. Seven friends 4 were born for the bull.
13. Here our human fathers have sat down 1,
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aspiring after "Ri"ta 2. Invoking the dawns 3, they have driven out the milch-cows which dwelt in the rock-stable, in the prison.
14. Having rent the rock they cleaned themselves. Others around told forth that (deed) of theirs. Taking as an instrument (?) 1, they sang triumphantly 2. They found the light; they chanted their prayers.
15. Longing for the cows in their mind, those men, the U"s"i"g"s 1, have opened with godly words the fast-holding, closed rock, which enclosed and encompassed the cows, the firm stable full of cows.
16. They have devised the first name of the milch-cow; they have found the three times seven highest (names or essences) of the mother 1. The hosts 2, understanding this, acclaimed. The red one 3 became visible through the brilliant (milk?) 4 of the cow.
17. The confused 1 darkness disappeared; the sky appeared in splendour; the shine of the goddess Dawn rose up. The Sun ascended to the wide plains, beholding right and wrong deeds among the mortals.
18. Then, afterwards, being awoke they looked around; then they took that treasure given by Heaven, all the gods in all the houses. O Mitra, may true (fulfilment) belong to (our) prayer, O Varu"n"a!
19. I will address flaming Agni, the Hot"ri", the supporter of everything 1, the best sacrificer. He has perforated, as it were, the pure udder of the cows, (and has made flow the milk) purified like the poured sap of the Soma shoots.
20. He, the Aditi (i. e. the freedom) of all the
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worshipful gods, the guest 1 of all men, Agni, choosing (for us) the protection of all gods--may he, "G"tavedas, be merciful.
Notes.
The "Ri"shi is Vmadeva, the metre Trish"t"ubh, except in verses 1-3, the metres of which are Ash"t"i, Ati"g"agat, and Dh"ri"ti respectively.--Verses 4-5 = Vs. Xxi, 3-4; Ts. Ii, 5, 12, 3; Iv, 2, 11, 3; Tb. Iii, 7, 11, 3; 12, 6; T. Ii, 4, 4; Iv, 20, 3; Ms. Iv, 10, 4; 14, 17. Verse 20 = Vs. Xxxiii, 16; Tb. Ii, 7, 12, 5.--The hymn has been translated and commented upon by Bergaigne, Quarante Hymnes du Rig-vda, p. 11 seq.
This Skta seems to be composed of two independent hymns. Grassmann believed that the first three verses are the fragment of one hymn, and that verses 4-20 form a second hymn. His reason was that verses 1-3 are composed in metres similar to Atyash"t"i, while the rest are composed in Trish"t"ubh. I think that he was on the right way, but his opinion should be slightly modified. In verses 1-5 Agni is invoked to appease the anger of Varu"n"a; while, on the other hand, no allusion to Varu"n"a occurs in verses 6-20. I believe, therefore, that the first hymn should be considered as consisting of verses 1-5; it is composed in the metres of the Atyash"t"i class (1-3) with two concluding Trish"t"ubh verses (4, 5). The second hymn comprises the verses 6-20. The arrangers of the Sa"m"hit, however, considered these two hymns as one, as is shown by the position which they have assigned to it, before the second Skta, which has the same number of verses (20) as this first Skta. Comp. my Prolegomena, p. 141.
Verse 1.
Note 1. I. e. with the intention that he should act as the steward of the gods. As to ti krtv, comp. I, 138, 3. ti
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krtv bubhu"g"rir. Delbrck, Altindische Syntax, p. 530, paraphrases ti krtv: mit Entschluss 'so sei es.'
Note 2. Sya"n"a, whom Ludwig follows, seems to be right in explaining ya"g"ata as a vocative ('ya"g"anya'), and "g"anata as 3rd plural ('a"g"anayan'). Bergaigne takes both forms as 2nd plural imperative: 'honorez l'immortel chez les mortels; engendrez le Dieu qui honore les Dieux.'
Note 3. I cannot believe that Bergaigne is right in translating v"s"vam devam, 'celui qui honore tous les Dieux.' His theory is that v"s"vam dpend de , qui logiquement gouverne le terme dev l'accusatif.'
Verse 2.
Note 1. The metre shows, as Benfey (Vedica und Verwandtes, p. 19, note 1) has pointed out, that this vocative agne is a spurious addition.
Note 2. Should we not read devm? 'Turn to brother Varu"n"a with thy kindness, towards the god who accepts the sacrifice.'
Note 3. Or 'for the sake of his kindness, for winning his favour (for the mortals)'? Sumat may be dative; see Lanman, p. 382; Brugmann, Grundriss der vergleichenden Grammatik, II, p. 602. Comp. I, 186, 10. \"k"kh" sumnya vav"ri"tya devn, 'may I turn to the gods for the sake of their favour.'
Verse 3.
Note 1. I believe that rthyeva (Padap"th"a rthy-iva) stands for rthyam-iva. Comp. Lanman, p. 331; Roth, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlndischen Gesellschaft, XLVIII, p. 681 seq. Prof. Max Mller refers rthy-iva to two horses; he translates: 'O friend, bring hither thy friend, as two swift chariot-horses bring rapidly a swift wheel.'
Verse 5.
Note 1. I. e. the nearest to men.
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Verse 7.
Note 1. Literally 'thrice.' But I think that we should correct tr ('three'). The same blunder seems to occur in Iii, 56, 5. tr sadhsth sindhava"h" tr"h" (read tr) kavnm, 'Three are your abodes. O rivers; three (are those) of the sages.' Comp. also Iii, 56, 8; I, 116, 4.
Note 2. This seems to mean, in the infinite sky.
Verse 9.
Note 1. Mnusha"h" seems to be acc. plur.; comp. Vii, 86, 7. \"k"etayat a"k"ta"h", 'he has enlightened the unenlightened ones.' Bergaigne takes mnusha"h" as a genitive depending on ya"g"bandhu"h", 'fils du sacrifice de Manus.'
Note 2. Bergaigne compares Ix, 87, 1, where it is said that they lead Soma to the sacrificial grass like a horse by ropes ("k"kh" barh"h" ra"s"anbhi"h" nayanti). Sya"n"a says, stutirpay ra"g"g"v, 'by a rope which has the shape of praises.'
Verse 10.
Note 1. Comp. below, verse 18.
Note 2. I. e. anointed, adorned. 'Poured down.' M. M.
Verse 11.
Note 1. Mah"h" budhn seems to mean, mah"h" r"g"asa"h" budhn; comp. r"g"asa"h" budhnm, I, 52, 6; budhn r"g"asa"h", Ii, 2, 3; mah"h" r"g"asa"h", I, 6, 10; r"g"asa"h" mah"h", I, 168, 6; mah r"g"as, Ix, 68, 3.
Note 2. With the second Pda, compare Iv, 17, 14. tva"k"h" budhn r"g"asa"h" asya ynau.
Note 3. The bull seems to be Agni himself. Comp. verse 12.
Verse 12.
Note 1. The word "s"rdha (or "s"rdha"h"? see note 3), which in most passages is applied to the host of the Maruts (see vol. xxxii, p. 67 seq.), seems here to refer to the company of the Agiras or seven "Ri"shis, alluded to in the fourth
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[paragraph continues] Pda. The seven "Ri"shis, 'our fathers' (verse 13), have, with the aid of Agni, rent the mountain and delivered the cows or dawns (verses 13 seqq.; Iv, 2, 15 seq.). Comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, p. 145 seq.
Note 2. The bull again seems to be Agni. Comp. verse 11, note 3.
Note 3. Do these epithets (comp. verse 8, Pda 3) refer to the srdha (host)? Or are they applied to Agni, so that we would have to translate: 'Lovely was the young one (Agni), of marvellous appearance, and brilliant'? In this way Bergaigne interprets the passage. If this translation is right, "s"rdha"h" may be considered as neuter, and the first Pda could be translated: The first host came forth wonderfully.
Note 4. Evidently the seven "Ri"shis (see note 1). Bergaigne: Les sept prires? ou les sept rivires?
Verse 13.
Note 1. The seven "Ri"shis sat down for chanting and sacrificing, by which they have opened the mountain-prison of the cows.
Note 2. The mention of "Ri"ta in this connection is both Vedic and Avestic. Comp. Darmesteter, Ormazd et Ahriman, p. 146; H. O., Religion des Veda, p. 144, note 2.
Note 3. The cows in this myth seem to be a mythical representation of the dawns. Comp. M. M., Science of Language, II, p. 584; H. O., Religion des Veda, pp. 147, 149 seq.
Verse 14.
Note 1. Pa"s"vyantra (comp. "s"lkayantra, Ix, 73, 6) is quite doubtful. Does there exist a stem pa"s"va, meaning possibly, 'the herd of cattle'? And can we translate, they who had their (battering-?) machines directed on the cow-herds'? Or, 'holding the herds with their instruments (i. e. with the ropes used for drawing the cows out of the cavern)'?--Prof. Max Mller suggests the translation, 'the cattle-drivers,' and writes, 'Does it stand for pa"s"u-yantrsa"h"?
p. 314
[paragraph continues] Yantra seems the same as yoktra, or something like it, cf. X, 94, 7, 8. Pa"s"uyantra would be they who hold the ropes of the cattle, who drive them away.' Bergaigne's translation, 'n'ayant rien (d'autre) pour conduire le btail' (pa"s"u-ayantra), and that of Roth ('die der Sperre ledigen Thiere [pa"s"va"h" ayantrsa"h"] erhoben ein Freudengeschrei,' Zeitschr. der D. Morg. Gesellschaft, Xlviii, 678), do not carry conviction, nor does a conjecture like pa"s"v yantra"h" ('the leaders of the cattle together with the cattle itself shouted triumphantly'), seem to furnish a satisfying solution of the difficulty.
Note 2. See Geldner, Vedische Studien, I, 120.
Verse 15.
Note 1. On the U"s"i"g"s, compare Bergaigne's Religion Vdique, I, 57 seq.
Verse 16.
Note 1. The mother seems again to be the cow, or more exactly the Dawn considered as the mother of the cows (mt gvm, Iv, 52, 2. 3; Vii, 77, 2), and as the mother of the "Ri"shis (iv, 2, 15). Comp. V, 45, 2. rvt gvm mt "g"nat gat. The seven names of the cow are mentioned also in I, 164, 3, its three times seven names, in Vii, 87, 4.
Note 2. Bergaigne (Quarante Hymnes, p. 14) and Pischel (Ved. Studien, II, 121 seq.) give to the word vr the meaning 'woman' (Bergaigne: 'femme,' particulirement 'femme en rut, femme amoureuse'). I prefer to follow the opinion of Bechtel, Nachrichten der Gttinger Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, philolog.-historische Klasse, 1894, p. 393 seq. The hosts seem to be the assembly of the "Ri"shis.
Note 3. The dawn.
Note 4. Comp. Ix, 81, 1 (h. O., Religion des Veda, p. 147, note 1). dadhn yt m nnt"h" ya"s"s gvm, 'When (the Somas) have been drawn, together with the brilliant curds of the cow.' The brilliant milk of the cow which the
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[paragraph continues] "Ri"shis have obtained, seems to be considered as a magical means for procuring to men the aspect of the brilliant light of the dawn. Comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, p. 450.
Verse 17.
Note 1. On ddhitam, comp. Geldner, Ved. Studien, II, 9, and see Rig-veda Ii, 17, 4; Iv, 16, 4.
Verse 19.
Note 1. Comp. vol. xxxii, p. 330 (v, 54, 10, note 1).
Verse 20.
Note 1. 'Guest' is tithi"h"; the play on words (diti"h" and tithi"h") is untranslatable.
