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

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MANDALA III, HYMN 20.

ASHTAKA III, ADHYÂYA 1, VARGA 20.

1. The carrier (of the gods) 1 calls by his hymns Agni, Ushas (dawn), the two Asvins, Dadhikrâ 2 at daybreak. May the gods rich in light, unanimously longing for our sacrifice, hear us.

2. Agni, threefold is thy strength; three are thy abodes; three are thy many tongues, O thou who art born in Rita! And three, O Agni, are thy bodies beloved by the gods. With these protect our prayers unremittingly.

3 1. Agni! Many are the names, O Gâtavedas, of thee the immortal one, O self-dependent god! And whatever the secret powers of the powerful 2 are, thou all-enlivener, in thee they have placed together (those) many (powers), O (god) after whose relations men ask 3.

4. Agni is the divine leader of the divine tribes like Bhaga, the guardian of the seasons 1, the righteous. May He, the killer of Vritra 2, the ancient one, the possessor of all wealth, bring the singer across all troubles.

5. I invite hither 1 Dadhikrâ 2, Agni, and the goddess Ushas, Brihaspati and the god Savitri, the Asvins, Mitra and Varuna and Bhaga, the Vasus, Rudras, and Âdityas.

NOTES.

The same Rishi and metre.—Verse 2 = TS. II, 4, 11, 2; III, 2, 11, 1; MS. II, 4, 4. Verse 3 = TS. III, 1, 11, 6.

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Verse 1.

Note 1. The 'carrier' of the gods is the Hotri. See above, I, 127, 8, note 1, and compare the article of Dr. Neisser quoted there. See also M. M., vol. xxxii, pp. 40–43 (I, 6, 5).

Note 2. On Dadhikrâ or Dadhikrâvan, the deified horse of Trasadasyu, see Pischel, Vedische Studien, I, 124; Ludwig, vol. iv, p. 79; H. O., Religion des Veda, 71. Prof. Max Müller writes, 'It seems to me some form of Agni generally in company with matutinal gods.'

Verse 3.

Note 1. The reader who compares this passage with 19, 4, will observe a general resemblance pointing to the conclusion that both verses belong to the same author.

Note 2. Mâyâ´h mâ´yínâm: comp. concerning the idea of mâyâ´, H. O., Religion des Veda, 163, 294.

Note 3. With prishtabandhu, comp. bandhupríkh, bandhveshá.

Verse 4.

Note 1. Perhaps ritu-pâ´h should be changed into rita-pâ´h 'the god who protects the Rita, the righteous.'

Note 2. Or 'the killer of foes.'

Verse 5.

Note 1. Possibly we have to read, on account of the metre, ihá hve.

Note 2. See above, verse I, note 1.