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


p. 397

MANDALA V, HYMN 14.

ASHTAKA IV, ADHYÂYA 1, VARGA 6.

1. Awaken 1 Agni by thy song of praise, kindling (him) the immortal one. May he place our offerings among the gods.

2. Him, the immortal god, the mortals magnify at their sacrifices, the best sacrificer among the tribe of men.

3. Him indeed they all magnify, the god, with the (sacrificial) ladle that overflows with ghrita, Agni, in order that he may bear the oblation.

4. Agni when born has shone, killing the Dasyus, (killing) darkness by light. He has found the cows, the waters, the sun 1.

5. Worship Agni, the sage who should be magnified, whose back is covered with ghrita. May he come and hear my call 1.

6. They have made Agni grow by ghrita, him who dwells among all tribes, and by longing, eloquent praises.

NOTES.

The same Rishi and metre.—Verse 1 = TS. IV, 1, 11, 4; MS. IV, 10, 1; VS. XXII, 15. Verse 3 = TS. IV, 3, 13, 8; MS. IV, 10, 1. Verse 4 = MS. IV, 10, 2.

Verse 1.

Note 1. We have no reason and, unless we write bodhayâ, no right for taking bodhaya as an equivalent of bodhayâni (Ludwig).

p. 398

Verse 4.

Note 1. Agni is considered here, as is done frequently, as the performer of deeds which properly belong to Indra (see H. O., Religion des Veda, 98 seq.). Indra is the conqueror of the cows and of the waters; as to the sun, it may be said of both gods with the same right that they have acquired it for mankind (Religion des Veda, 110 seq.; 150 seq.).

Verse 5.

Note 1. Although me can be accusative (Pischel, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft, XXXV, 714 seq.), I have no doubt that it is here genitive, and depends on hávam. Cf. II, 24, 15. véshi me hávam; X, 61, 4. vîtám me yagñám.


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