V, 19
*
"Vedic Hymns, Part Ii (sbe46)\", by Hermann Oldenberg [1897],
p. 407
Ma\"N"D"Ala V, Hymn 19.
Ash\"T"Aka Iv, Adhyya 1, Varga 11.
1. They are born for retirement 1. Out of the cover he 2 has shone forth, being a cover himself. In the lap of the mother he looks about 3.
2. Causing him to discern (the pious and the impious?), they have sacrificed. With unwinking eyes they protect his manly power. They have penetrated into the firm stronghold 1.
3. The people of "S"vaitreya 1, his clans, have thriven brilliantly. B"ri"haduktha with a golden ornament at his neck, is eager for the race as if by this honey-drink 2.
4. Like the dear milk of love 1--(a thing) unrelated with two (things) related 2--like the gharma vessel with booty in its belly--undeceived, the deceiver of all 3.
5. Sporting, O beam of light, appear to us, joined with the ash, with the wind. May those well sharpened of his, standing on , be sharp like 1.
Notes.
The "Ri"shi is Vavri treya (cf. verse 1. pr vavr"h" vavr"h k"iketa). The metre is Gyatr in verses 1, 2, Anush"t"ubh in verses 3, 4, Vir"d"rp in verse 5.--No verse occurs in the other Sa"m"hits.
This Skta seems to be anything rather than an ordinary Agni hymn. It may be a collection of verses belonging to an khyna, or of verses serving another purpose which we can scarcely hope to discover. In several parts of this
p. 408
[paragraph continues] Skta I must content myself with translating the words without being able to elucidate the poet's meaning.
Verse 1.
Note 1. I translate the noun avasth in accordance with the Vedic meaning of the verb ava-sth. Possibly it means the secret parts, cf. avastha, Av. Vii, 90, 3 (b.-r.). Ludwig translates: 'Ein zustand erzeugt einen andern,' and paraphrases, 'Nur zustnde und formen, gestalten lernen wir kennen, das wesen des gottes bleibt uns verborgen.' This seems too modern. Prof. Max Mller proposes: 'The remnants (afterbirth) have been brought forth. Skin has shone forth from skin.'--On the question who are the beings 'born for retirement,' I do not venture any conjecture.
Note 2. Is Agni meant?
Note 3. Cf. X, 5, 1. (Agn"h") asmt hrid"h" bhri"g"anm v "k"ash"t"e.
Verse 2.
Note 1. The meaning seems to be that the worshippers (possibly the first worshippers, the Agiras), by discovering Agni and by worshipping him, have conquered the hostile strongholds.
Verse 3.
Note 1. "S"vaitreya is mentioned as a victorious hero also in I, 33, 14.
Note 2. Does this phrase allude to the rite of offering, at the V"g"apeya sacrifice, to the horses that were going to run the sacred race, a naivra "k"aru? In the Mantras connected with this rite the words occur: 'Drink of this honey-drink' (asy mdhva"h" pibata). See Rig-veda Vii, 38, 8; Taittirya Sa"m"hit I, 7, 8, 2; Weber, Ueber den V"g"apeya, p. 30.
Verse 4.
Note 1. The retas?
Note 2. Does this refer to an offering or the like, composed of two substances related among each other (such as
p. 409
milk and butter), and a third substance unrelated (such as rice)? Of course all this is absolutely uncertain.
Note 3. Is this Agni?
Verse 5.
Note 1. The meaning of dh"ri"sh"g", vaksh, vaksha"n"esth is unknown.--On the first hemistich of this verse, compare Pischel Vedische Studien, II, 54.
"Vedic Hymns, Part Ii (sbe46)\", by Hermann Oldenberg [1897],
p. 407
Ma\"N"D"Ala V, Hymn 19.
Ash\"T"Aka Iv, Adhyya 1, Varga 11.
1. They are born for retirement 1. Out of the cover he 2 has shone forth, being a cover himself. In the lap of the mother he looks about 3.
2. Causing him to discern (the pious and the impious?), they have sacrificed. With unwinking eyes they protect his manly power. They have penetrated into the firm stronghold 1.
3. The people of "S"vaitreya 1, his clans, have thriven brilliantly. B"ri"haduktha with a golden ornament at his neck, is eager for the race as if by this honey-drink 2.
4. Like the dear milk of love 1--(a thing) unrelated with two (things) related 2--like the gharma vessel with booty in its belly--undeceived, the deceiver of all 3.
5. Sporting, O beam of light, appear to us, joined with the ash, with the wind. May those well sharpened of his, standing on , be sharp like 1.
Notes.
The "Ri"shi is Vavri treya (cf. verse 1. pr vavr"h" vavr"h k"iketa). The metre is Gyatr in verses 1, 2, Anush"t"ubh in verses 3, 4, Vir"d"rp in verse 5.--No verse occurs in the other Sa"m"hits.
This Skta seems to be anything rather than an ordinary Agni hymn. It may be a collection of verses belonging to an khyna, or of verses serving another purpose which we can scarcely hope to discover. In several parts of this
p. 408
[paragraph continues] Skta I must content myself with translating the words without being able to elucidate the poet's meaning.
Verse 1.
Note 1. I translate the noun avasth in accordance with the Vedic meaning of the verb ava-sth. Possibly it means the secret parts, cf. avastha, Av. Vii, 90, 3 (b.-r.). Ludwig translates: 'Ein zustand erzeugt einen andern,' and paraphrases, 'Nur zustnde und formen, gestalten lernen wir kennen, das wesen des gottes bleibt uns verborgen.' This seems too modern. Prof. Max Mller proposes: 'The remnants (afterbirth) have been brought forth. Skin has shone forth from skin.'--On the question who are the beings 'born for retirement,' I do not venture any conjecture.
Note 2. Is Agni meant?
Note 3. Cf. X, 5, 1. (Agn"h") asmt hrid"h" bhri"g"anm v "k"ash"t"e.
Verse 2.
Note 1. The meaning seems to be that the worshippers (possibly the first worshippers, the Agiras), by discovering Agni and by worshipping him, have conquered the hostile strongholds.
Verse 3.
Note 1. "S"vaitreya is mentioned as a victorious hero also in I, 33, 14.
Note 2. Does this phrase allude to the rite of offering, at the V"g"apeya sacrifice, to the horses that were going to run the sacred race, a naivra "k"aru? In the Mantras connected with this rite the words occur: 'Drink of this honey-drink' (asy mdhva"h" pibata). See Rig-veda Vii, 38, 8; Taittirya Sa"m"hit I, 7, 8, 2; Weber, Ueber den V"g"apeya, p. 30.
Verse 4.
Note 1. The retas?
Note 2. Does this refer to an offering or the like, composed of two substances related among each other (such as
p. 409
milk and butter), and a third substance unrelated (such as rice)? Of course all this is absolutely uncertain.
Note 3. Is this Agni?
Verse 5.
Note 1. The meaning of dh"ri"sh"g", vaksh, vaksha"n"esth is unknown.--On the first hemistich of this verse, compare Pischel Vedische Studien, II, 54.
