III, 3. To Agni Vai<I>s</I>vânara

Vedic Hymns, Part II (SBE46), by Hermann Oldenberg [1897], at sacred-texts.com

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MANDALA III, HYMN 3.

ASHTAKA II, ADHYÂYA 8, VARGA 20–21.

TO AGNI VAISVÂNARA.

1. They have worshipped Vaisvânara with his broad stream of light with prayers 1 and treasures in order that he may walk on firm ground. For immortal Agni honours the gods, and from of old he has not violated the laws.

2. The wonderful messenger goes between the two worlds (heaven and earth), the Hotri who has sat down, the Purohita of Manus. He takes care of his wide dwelling day by day, Agni who, incited by the gods, gives wealth for our prayers.

3. The priests have exalted with their thoughts Agni, the banner of sacrifices, the achiever of sacrifice 1. From him in whom they have put together their (sacrificial) works and their prayers, the sacrificer desires blessings.

4. The father of sacrifices, the miraculous lord of those who know prayers (?) 1, Agni, is the measure and rule 2 of the sacrificers; he has entered the two manifold-shaped worlds; the sage beloved by many people is glorified in his foundations.

5. The gods have established here in great beauty Agni the bright with his bright chariot, whose every law is golden 1, Vaisvânara who dwells in the waters, who finds the sun, the diver, the swift one covered with strength, the quick one.

6. Agni, spreading out with his thought the manifold-adorned sacrifice, together with the gods and

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with the people of Manus, goes as a charioteer to and fro with (gods and men) who accomplish the sacrifice, the quick, domestic (god), the dispeller of curses.

7. Agni, be wakeful 1 in our life which may be blessed with offspring; swell with sap; shine upon us (plenty of) food. Stir up vigour and the great ones, O watchful (god). Thou art the Usig (or willing one) of the gods, the good-minded (lord) of prayers.

8. The lord of the tribe, the vigorous 1 guest, the guider of prayers, the Usig (or willing one) of those who invoke him, Gâtavedas, the light of worship—him men constantly praise with adoration, with solicitations for their welfare.

9. The resplendent, joyous god, Agni on his chariot, has with his might encompassed the dwellings. May we honour in our house with beautiful prayers 1 his commands who is rich in manifold prosperity.

10. O Vaisvânara, I love thy statutes by which thou hast found the sun, O far-seeing one. When born thou hast filled the worlds, heaven and earth; Agni, thou encompassest all these (beings) by thyself.

11. For Vaisvânara's wonderful deeds he the sage alone has by his great skill mightily 1 let loose (his powers?). Agni has been born exalting. both his parents, Heaven and Earth, rich in seed.

NOTES.

The same Rishi and metre.—Verse 10 = MS. IV, 11, 1. Verse 11 = TS. I, 5, 11, 1.

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Verse 1.

Note 1. A meaning like 'prayer' seems to recommend itself for most of the passages in which the substantive víp occurs, for instance, V, 68, 1. prá vah mitrâ´ya gâyata várunâya víp girâ´; IX, 22, 3. eté pûtâ´h vipaskítah sómâsah … vípâ´ ví â´nasuh dhíyah; IX, 65, 12. ayâ´ kittáh vípâ´ anáyâ hárih pavasva dhâ´rayâ; III, 10, 5 (see below), &c. As the verb vip means 'to be in trembling agitation,' the same word as a substantive may designate enthusiastic thoughts or prayers. Comp. vépate matî´, IX, 71, 3; X, II, 6, and the nouns vípra, vipaskít, vipodhâ´. We need not enter here upon the question, whether some concrete trembling or shaking objects also were designated as vípah, and whether Bergaigne (Religion Védique, I, p. vii) is right in taking the víp áyah-agrâ, with which Trita killed the boar (X, 99, 6), as a 'prière à pointe de fer' (comp. Macdonell, Journ. R. Asiatic Society, 1893, p. 431; 1895, p. 185).—In our verse vípah may be either nominative or accusative. I have translated it as an accusative; in the case of the nominative the translation would be: 'The prayers have worshipped Vaisvânara with treasures.'

Verse 3.

Note 1. The text has vidáthasya.

Verse 4.

Note 1. Ásurah vipah-kítâm. On the meaning of ásura, which implies the possession of secret, supernatural power, see H. O., Religion des Veda, 162 seq.—Comp. von Bradke, Dyâus Asura, pp. 64–65.

Note 2. 'Richtschnur und Weg der Opferer,' Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 306.

Verse 5.

Note 1. Literally, 'whose rules are yellow.' The meaning is that Agni's whole sphere of activity bears the golden

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yellow colour. Sâyana gives the interesting remark 'haritvakam iti sâkhântaram,' but no doubt hárivratam is right.

Verse 7.

Note 1. Comp. Neisser, Bezzenberger's Beiträge, XIII, 297.

Verse 8.

Note 1. Comp. I, 36, 1, note 2.

Verse 9.

Note 1. Comp. II, 4, 1, note 1.

Verse 11.

Note 1. Prof. Max Müller proposes to translate, 'has sent forth his great song,' and observes, 'Might not brihat be like brihat sâ´ma, a name of a hymn?'