HYMN VIII. Agni.
1. AGNI advances with his lofty banner: the Bull is bellowing to the earth and heavens.
He hath attained the sky’s supremest limits. the Steer hath waxen in the lap of waters.
2. The Bull, the youngling with the hump, hath frolicked, the strong and never-ceasing Calf hath bellowed.
Bringing our offerings to the God’s assembly, he moves as Chief in his own dwelling-places.
3. Him who hath grasped his Parents’ head, they stablished at sacrifice a wave of heavenly lustre.
In his swift flight the red Dawns borne by horses refresh their bodies in the home of Order.
4. For, Vasu thou precedest every Morning, and still hast been the Twins’ illuminator.
For sacrifice, seven places thou retainest while for thine own self thou engenderest Mitra.
5. Thou art the Eye and Guard of mighty Order, and Varuna when to sacrifice thou comest.
Thou art the Waters’ Child O Jatavedas, envoy of him whose offering thou acceptest.
6. Thou art the Leader of the rite and region, to which with thine auspicious teams thou teadest,
Thy light-bestowing head to heaven thou liftest, making thy tongue the oblationbearer, Agni.
7. Through his wise insight Trita in the cavern, seeking as ever the Chief Sire’s intention,
Carefully tended in his Parents’ bosom, calling the weapons kin, goes forth to combat.
8. Well-skilled to use the weapons of his Father, Aptya, urged on by Indra, fought the battle.
Then Trita slew the foe seven-rayed, three-headed, and freed the cattle of the Son of Tvastar.
9. Lord of the brave, Indra cleft him in pieces who sought to gain much strength and deemed him mighty.
He smote his three heads from his body, seizing the cattle of the oniniform Son of Tvastar.
HYMN IX. Waters.
1. YE, Waters, are beneficent: so help ye us to energy
That we may look on great delight.
2. Give us a portion of the sap, the most auspicious that ye have,
Like mothers in their longing love.
3. To you we gladly come for him to whose abode ye send us on;
And, Waters, give us procreant strength.
4. The Waters. be to us for drink, Goddesses for our aid and bliss:
Let them stream to us health and strength.
5. 1 beg the Floods to give us balm, these Queens who rule o’er precious things,
And have supreme control of men.
6. Within the Waters-Soma thus hath told me-dwell all balms that heal,
And Agni, he who blesseth all.
7. O Waters, teem with medicine to keep my body safe from harm,
So that I long may see the Sun.
8. Whatever sin is found in me, whatever evil I have wrought,
If I have lied or falsely sworn, Waters, remove it far from me.
9. The Waters I this day have sought, and to their moisture have we come:
O Agni, rich in milk, come thou, and with thy splendour cover me.
HYMN X.Yama Yami.
1. FAIN would I win my friend to kindly friendship. So may the Sage, come through the air’s wide ocean,
Remembering the earth and days to follow, obtain a son, the issue of his father.
2. Thy friend loves not the friendship which considers her who is near in kindred as stranger.
Sons of the mighty Asura, the Heroes, supporters of the heavens, see far around them.
3. Yea, this the Immortals seek of thee with longing, progeny of the sole existing mortal.
Then let thy soul and mine be knit together, and as a loving husband take thy consort.
4. Shall we do now what we ne’er did aforetime? we who spake righteously now talk impurely?
Gandharva in the floods, the Dame of Waters-such is our bond, such our most lofty kinship.
5. Even in the womb God Tvastar, Vivifier, shaping all forms, Creator, made us consorts.
None violates his holy ordinances: that we are his the heavens and earth acknowledge.
6. Who knows that earliest day whereof thou speakest? Who hatb beheld it? Who can here declare it?
Great is the Law of Varuna and Mitra. What, wanton! wilt thou say to men to tempt them?
7. I, Yami, am possessed by love of Yama, that I may rest on the same couch beside him.
I as a wife would yield me to my husband. Like car-wheels let us speed to meet each other.
8. They stand not still, they never close their eyelids, those sentinels of Gods who wander round us.
Not me-go quickly, wanton, with another, and hasten like a chariot wheel to meet him.
9. May Surya’s eye with days and nights endow him, and ever may his light spread out before him.
In heaven and earth the kindred Pair commingle. On Yam! be the unbrotherly act of Yama.
10. Sure there will come succeeding times when brothers and sisters will do acts unmeet for kinsfolk.
Not me, O fair one,-seek another husband, and make thine arm a pillow for thy consort.
11. Is he a brother when no lord is left her? Is she a sister when Destruction cometh?
Forced by my love these many words I utter. Come near, and hold me in thy close embraces.
12. I will not fold mine arms about thy body: they call it sin when one comes near his sister.
Not me,-prepare thy pleasures with another: thy brother seeks not this from thee, O fair one.
13. Alas! thou art indeed a weakling, Yama we find in thee no trace of heart or spirit.
As round the tree the woodbine clings, another will cling albout thee girt as with a girdle.
14. Embrace another, Yami; let another, even as the woodbine rings the tree, enfold thee.
Win thou his heart and let him win thy fancy, and he shall form with thee a blest alliance.
HYMN XI. Agni
1. THE Bull hath yielded for the Bull the milk of heaven: the Son of Aditi can never be deceived.
According to his wisdom Varuna knoweth all: may he, the Holy, hallow times for sacrifice.
2. Gandharvi spake: may she, the Lady of the flood, amid the river’s roaring leave my heart untouched.
May Aditi accomplish all that we desire, and may our eldest Brother tell us this as Chief.
3. Yea, even this blessed Morning, rich in store of food, splendid, with heavenly lustre, hath shone out for man,
Since they, as was the wish of yearning Gods, brought forth that yearning Agni for the assembly as the Priest.
4. And the fleet Falcon brought for sacrifice from afar this flowing Drop most excellent and keen of sight,
Then when the Aryan tribes chose as Invoking Priest Agni the Wonder-Worker, and the hymn rose up.
5. Still art thou kind to him who feeds thee as with grass, and, skilled in sacrifice, offers thee holy gifts.
When thou, having received the sage’s strengthening food with lauds, after long toil, cornest with many more.
6. Urge thou thy Parents, as a lover ‘ to delight: the Lovely One desires and craves it from his heart.
The priest calls out, the sacrificer shows his skill, the Asura tries his strength, and with the hymn is stirred.
7. Far-famed is he, the mortal man, O Agni, thou Son of Strength, who hath obtained thy favour.
He, gathering power, borne onward by his horses, makes his days lovely in his might and splendour.
8. When, Holy Agni, the divine assembly, the sacred synod mid the Gods, is gathered,
And when thou, Godlike One, dealest forth treasures, vouchsafe us, too, our portion of the riches.
9. Hear us, O Agni, in your common dwelling: harness thy rapid car of Amrta.
Bring Heaven and Earth, the Deities’ Parents, hither: stay with us here, nor from the Gods be distant.
HYMN XII. Agni
1. HEAVEN and Earth, first by everlasting Order, speakers of truth, are near enough to hear us,
When the God, urging men to worship. sitteth as Priest, assuming all his vital vigour.
2. As God comprising Gods by Law Eternal, bear, as the Chief who knoweth, our oblation,
Smoke-bannered with the fuel, radiant, joyous, better to praise and worship, Priest for ever.
3. When the cow’s nectar wins the God completely, men here below are heaven’s sustainers.
All the Gods came to this thy heavenly Yajus which from the motley Pair milked oil and water.
4. 1 praise your work that ye may make me prosper: hear, Heaven and Earth, Twain Worlds that drop with fatness.
While days and nights go to the world of spirits, here let the Parents with sweet meath refresh us
5. Hath the King siezed us? How have we offended against his holy ordinance? Who knoweth?
For even Mitra mid the Gods is angry there are both song and strength for those who come not.
6. ‘Tis hard to understand the Immortal’s nature, where she who is akin becomes astranger.
Guard ceaselessly, great Agni, him who ponders Yama’s name, easy to be comprehended.
7. They in the synod where the Gods rejoice them, where they are seated in Vivasvan’s dwelling,
Have given the Moon his beams, the Sun his splendour-the Two unweariedly maintain their brightness.
8. The counsel which the Gods meet to consider, their secret plan,-of that we have no knowledge.
There let God Savitar, Aditi, and Mitra proclaim to Varuna that we are sinless.
9. Hear us, O Agni, in your comninn dwell ing: harness thy rapid car, the car of Amrta.
Bring Heaven and Earth, the Deities’ Parents, hither: stay with us here, nor from the Gods be distant.
HYMN XIII Havirdhanas.
1. I YOKE with prayer your ancient inspiration: may the laud rise as on the prince’s pathway.
All Sons of Immortality shall hear it, all the possessors of celestial natures.
2. When speeding ye came nigh us like twin sisters, religious-hearted votaries brought you forward.
Take your place, ye who know your proper station: be near, be very near unto our Soma.
3. Five paces have I risen from Earth. I follow her who hath four feet with devout observance.
This by the Sacred Syllable have I measured: I purify in the central place of Order,
4. He, for God’s sake, chose death to be his portion. He chose not, for men’s good, a life eternal
They sacrificed Brhaspati the Rsi. Yama delivered up his own dear body.
5. The Seven flow to the Youth on whom the Maruts wait: the Sons unto the Father brought the sacrifice.
Both these are his, as his they are the Lords of both: both toil; belonging unto both they prosper well.
HYMN XIV. Yama.
1. HONOUR the King with thine oblations, Yama, Vivasvan’s Son, who gathers men together,
Who travelled to the lofty heights above us, who searcbes out and shows the path to many.
2. Yama first found for us a place to dwell in: this pasture never can be taken from
Us.
Men born on earth tread their own paths that lead them whither our ancient Fathers have departed.
3. Mitali prospers there with Kavyas, Yama with Angiras’ sons, Brhaspati with Rkvans:
Exalters of the Gods, by Gods exalted, some joy in praise and some in our oblation.
4. Come, seat thee on this bed of grass, O Yama, in company with Angirases and Fathers.
Let texts recited by the sages bring thee O King, let this oblation make thee joyful.
5. Come, Yama, with the Angirases the Holy, rejoice thee here with children of Virupa.
To sit on sacred grass at this our worship, I call Vivasvan, too, thy Father hither.
6. Our Fathers are Angirases, Navagvas, Atharvans, Bhrgus who deserve the Soma.
May these, the Holy, look on us with favour, may we enjoy their gracious loving-kindness.
7. Go forth, go forth upon the ancient pathways whereon our sires of old have gone before us.
‘Mere shalt thou look on both the Kings enjoying their sacred food, God Varuna and Yama.
8. Meet Yama, meet the Fathers, meet the merit of free or ordered acts, in highest heaven.
Leave sin and evil, seek anew thy dwelling, and bright with glory wear another body.
9. Go hence, depart ye, fly in all directions: this place for him the Fathers have provided.
Yama bestows on him a place to rest in adorned with days and beams of light and waters.
10. Run and outspeed the two dogs, Sarama’s offspring, brindled, four-eyed, upon thy happy pathway.
Draw nigh then to the gracious-minded Fathers where they rejoice in company with Yama.
11. And those two dogs of thine, Yama, the watchers, four-eyed, who look on men and guard the pathway,-
Entrust this man, O King, to their protection, and with prosperity and health endow him.
12. Dark-hued, insatiate, with distended nostrils, Yama’s two envoys roam among the People;
May they restore to us a fair existence here and to-day, that we may see the sunlight.
13. To Yama pour the Soma, bring to Yama consecrated gifts:
To Yama sacrifice prepared and heralded by Agni goes.
14. Offer to Yama holy gifts enriched with butter, and draw near:
So may he grant that we may live long days of life among the Gods.
15. Offer to Yama, to the King, oblation very rich in meath:
Bow down before the Rsis of the ancient times, who made this path in days of old.
16. Into the six Expanses flies the Great One in Trkadrukas.
The Gayatri, the Trstup, all metres in Yama are contained.
HYMN XV. Fathers.
1. MAY they ascend, the lowest, highest, midmost, the Fathers who deserve a share of Soma-
May they who have attained the life of spirits, gentle and righteous, aid us when we call them.
2. Now let us pay this homage to the Fathers, to those who passed of old and those who followed,
Those who have rested in the earthly region, and those who dwell among the Mighty Races.
3. 1 have attained the gracious-minded Fathers, I have gained son and progeny from Visnu.
They who enjoy pressed juices with oblation seated on sacred grass, come oftenest hither.
4. Fathers who sit on sacred grass, come, help us: these offerings have we made for you; accept them.
So come to us with most auspicious favour, and give us health and strength without a trouble.
5. May they, the Fathers, worthy of the Soma, invited to their favourite oblations.
Laid on the sacred grass, come nigh and listen: may they be gracious unto us and bless us.
6. Bowing your bended knees and seated southward, accept this sacrifice of ours with favour.
Punish us not for any sin, O Fathers, which we through human frailty have committed.
7. Lapped in the bosom of the purple Mornings, give riches to the man who brings oblations.
Grant to your sons a portion of that treasure, and, present, give them energy, ye Fathers.
8. Our ancient Fathers who deserve the Soma, who came, most noble, to our Soma banquet,-
With these let Yama, yearning with the yearning, rejoicing eat our offerings at his pleasure.
9. Come to us, Agni, with the gracioug Fathers who dwell in glowing light, the very Kavyas,
Who thirsted mid the Gods, who hasten hither, oblation winners, theme of singers’ praises.
10. Come, Agni, come with countless ancient Fathers, dwellers in light, primeval, God-adorers,
Eaters and drinkers of oblations, truthful, who travel with the Deities and Indra.
11. Fathers whom Agni’s flames have tasted, come ye nigh: ye kindly leaders, take ye each your proper place.
Eat sacrificial food presented on the grass: grant riches with a multitude of hero sons.
12. Thou, Agni Jatavedas, when entreated, didst bear the offerings which thou madest fragrant,
And give them to the Fathers who did cat them with Svadha. Eat, thou God, the gifts we bring thee.
13. Thou, Jatavedas, knowest well the number of Fathers who are here and who are absent,
Of Fathers whom we know and whom we know not: accept the sacrifice wellprepared with portions.
14. They who, consumed by fire or not cremated, joy in their offering in the midst of heaven,-
Grant them, O Sovran Lord, the world of spirits and their own body, as thy pleasure wills it.
