Part II, Book II — Uttarārcika hymns

INDU, flow on, a mighty juice ; glorify us among

And in thy friendship, Indu, most sublime and

Those awful weapons which thou hast, sharpened at

FOR thou art strong by splendour : we, O Pavam&na

When thou art sprinkled with the streams, thoa

Do thou, rejoicing, nobly-armed ! pour upon us heroic

WE seek to win thy friendly love, even PavainAna'a

With those same waves which in their stream o*er-

O Soma, being purified, bring us from all sides — for

AGNI we choose as envoy, skilled performer of this

With constant calls they invocate Agni, Agni, Lord

Bring the Gods hither, Agni, born for him who

MITRA and Varuna we call to drink the draught of

Agni, Agni : Agni Again aud Again. Lord of the house : vispatim : or, Lord of the clan or community.

For him who trims the sacred grass : the priest who prepares the Kusa grass which is strewn on the altar and ou the floor of the sacri- ficial chamber,

INDRA the singers with high praise, Indra reciters

Indra is close to his two bays, with chariot ready

Help us in battles Indra, in battles whore thousand

Indra raised up the son aloft in heaven, that he may

FLOW onward, mighty with thy stream, inspiriting

I send thee forth to battle from the press, O Pava-

Acknowledged by this song of mine, flow, tawny-

A RED Bull belowing to the kine, thou goest, caus- ing the heavens and earth to roar and thunder.

Swelling with milk, abounding in sweet juices, urg-

So flow thou on inspiriting, for rapture, turning the

THAT we may win us wealth and power we poets

As such, O wonderful, whose hand holds thunder,

Turning the weapon of the waters Bolder: that is, of Vritra, and

To you will I sing India's praise who gives good

As with a hundred hosts, he rushes boldly on, and

O THUNDERER, zealous worshippers gave thee drink

Lord of bay steeds, fair-helmed, rejoice thee : thee

FLOW onward with that juice of thine most excellent,

As with a hundred hosts. : satdnikeva : ' like a weapon with a hundred edges.' — Cowell.

Red-hued, be blended with the milk that seems

FAR-SEEING Soma flows, the Steer, the Lord of hymns, the furtherer of days, of mornings, and of

The foeman and his hate : or, the unfriendly Vritra,

Milk : dhenubhih : literally, milch-cowe,

FOR so thou art the brave man's friend ; a hero, too, art thou, and strong :

So hath the offering, wealthiest Lord, been paid by

Be not thou like a slothful priest, O Lord of spoil

ALL sacred songs have magnified Indra expansive as

Lord of might, Indra, may we ne'er, strong in -thy

The gifts of Indra from of old, his saving succours

THESE rapid Soma-drops have been poured through

Dispelling manifold mishap, giving the courser's

Bringing prosperity to kine, they pour perpetual strengthening food

KINO Pavamana is implored with holy songs, on

Pressed for the banquet of the Gods, O Soma, bring

Bring us, O Indu, ^'hundredfold increase of June,

WITH sacrifice we seek to thee fair cherisher of

Drink gladdening, crusher of the bold, praiseworthy,

Hence riches came to thee, the King, O sapient one :

And now, sent forth, he hath attained to mighty

That each may see the light, the bird brought us the

FOR food, flow onward with thy stream, cleansed and

While thou art cleansed, song-lover, bring comfort

Purified for the feast of Gods, go thou to Indra's

BY Agni Agni is inflamed, Lord of the house, wise,

God, Agni, be his sure defence who, lord of sacrifi-

Resting-place : the vessel prepared;to receive the libations intended for the God. The word nishkritam is, literally, a settled place, a rendezvous. Benfey translates it by Palast, palace. Furthered : hitah,

He : Soma. This and the following stanza are transposed in the

The friend of all : sA'lhdranam : or, the comrr.on possession. The speeder through the air : rajasturam : which Silyana explains by udakasya prerakam : ' the showerer of water. ' — Wilson. Cf. stanza 1 of the preceding hymn.

MITRA of holy strength I call, and foe-destroying Varuna,

By Law, O Mitra, Varuna, Law-strengtheners who

The Sages, Mitra, Varuna, of wide dominion, mighty

So mayst thou verily be seen coming with fearless Indra : both

By Law : in accordance with ritam, the enternal law or everlasting order of the universe.

Thou, Indra, with the rapid Gods who shatter even

THE living drops of Soma juice pour, as they flow the gladdening drink,

May Pavamana, King and God, speed with his wave

Far-seeing, lovely, guided by the men, the God

THREE are the voices that the car-steed utters : he speaks the lore of prayer, the thought of Order.

To Soma come the cows, the milch-kine longing,

Thus, Soma, as we pour thee into vessels, while

O INDRA, if a hundred heavens and if a hundred earths were thine, —

Thou, hero, hast performed thy hero deeds with ini^ht, yea, all with strength, O strongest one.

WE compass thee like waters, we whose grass is trimmed and Soraa pressed.

Men, Vasu ! by the Soma with lauds call thee to

O valiant hero, boldly win thousandfold spoil with

THREE several words are uttered : kine are lowing

The young and sacred mothers of the holy rite have

From every side, O Soma, for our profit, pour thou

THE Somas, very rich in sweets, for which the sieve

Mothers of the holt/ rite : apparently, the cows who supply milk for libations. The Child of Heaven : Soma.

Four seas : imaginary peas, to correspond with the four quarters of heaven.

SPREAD is thy cleansing filter, Brahnmnaspati : as prince thou enterest its limbs from every side.

High in the seat of heaven is placed the scorcher's

The foremost spotted Steer hath made the Mornings

SING forth to him, the Holy, most munificent, sublime

Worshipped with gifts, enkindled, splendid, Magha-

This day too singers of the hymn praise, as of old,