Adhyāya 12: Agnicayana, continued

Fab hath he shone abroad like gold to look on, l^eaming im- ~^ perUhaWe life for glory,

Night and Dawn, different in hue, accordant, meeting to-

The Sapient One arrays himself in every form ; iox quadrup-

Thou art the goodly-pinioned Bir^ : thou bast the Trivrit for

Thou art the rival-slaying stride of Vishnu. Mount the

Agni roared out like Dyaus what time he thunderd : licking

Return to me, thou still-returning Agni, with life, with

A hundred, Agni Angiraa ! be thy ways, a thousand thy re-

Return again With nourishment; Agni, again with food and

Agni, return with store of wealth. Swell with thine over-

I brought thee : thou hast entered in. Stand stedfast and

He unties the cord of the suroensory sHng and the string of the gold diiey reciting the text taken from R. T. I. 24. 15. Varuna : addressed in the original hymn as the Moral Qoyemor of the world, armed with a noote tr oota with wbioh he bmda the wicked.

High bath the Mighty risen before the Mornings, and come to us with light from oat the darkness. Fair-shapen Agni with white-shining splendour hath filled at birth all human habitations. H The Hazpsa homed in light, the Vasu in mid-air, the Priest beside the altar, Guest within the house,

He lowers him with the test (repeated from X. 24) taken from R. Y. IV. 40. 5, and a sacrificial formula of one word. TheOreat: hnhat; Truth, understood ; that is, Agni. As he pronounces this formula he lays Agni ou the seat.

Knowing all holy ordinances^ Agni, be seated in the lap of

Within this Fire-pan with thy light, Agni, in thy proper seat. Glowing with warmth, be gracious thou, Jlltavedas, unto her.

Being propitious unto me, Agni, sit propitiously. Having made all the regions blest, in thine own dwelling

First Agni sprang to life from out of heaven, the second

Agni, we know thy three powers in three stations, we know

The Manly-souled lit thee in sea and waters, Man's Viewer

Agni roared out, etc. (rerse 6 repeated).

The spring of glories and support of riches, rouser of

Germ of the world, ensign of all creation, he sprang to life

Whoso this day, God whose flames are lovely, makes thee

Endow him, Agni, with a share of glory, at every song of

While, Agni, day by day men pay thee worship they win

Agni, man's gracious Friend, the Soma's keeper, Vaisvaoara,

Pay service unto Agni with your fuel, rouse your Guest

May all the Gods, Agoi, bear thee upward wtth their ear^

Agni, go forth rei^lendent, thoa with thine anspicious fliinie»

Agni roared out, etc. (verse 21 repeated.)

Far famed is this the Bharata's own Agni : he shineth like

Receive these ashes, ye celestial Waters, and lay them in &

Agni, thy home is in the floods : into the plants thou foro-

Thoa art the offspring of the plants, thou art the ofispring'

With ashes having reached the womb, the waters, Agni \

Seated again upon thy seat, the waters, Agui ! and the earth. In her, thou, most auspicious One, liest as in a mother's lap.

Raving returned from the pool he throws into the Fire-pan some of the ashes taken from the water, and stands by the fire worshipping with twa

Mark this my speech^ Divine One, thou Most Youthful^

Again let the Adityas, Kudras> Vasns, and Br&hmaHfl with

Go hencC) depart, creep off in all directionsi both ancient visitors and recent comers. Yama hath given a place on earth to rest in. This place for him the Fathers havo provided.

This is thftt Agni where the longing Indra took the pressed

The splendour which is thine in heaven, Agni, in earth, O

Agni, to the flood of heaven thou mountest, thou callest

May the Purishya Agnis in accord with those that spring

As holy food, Agni, to thine invoker give wealth in cattle,

This is thine ordered place of birth whence, sprung to life,

Ranker art thou : Angiras-like sit steady with that Deity. Ranker-round art thou : Angiras-like sit steady with that

Fill up the room, supply the void, then settle steady in thy

The dappled kine who stream with milk prepare his draught

All saored songs have magnified lodra expansive as the sea, The best of warriors borne on cars, the Lord, the very Lord

He throws the Ukhy^ Agnii that is the fire in the pan, on the Q&rba- I patya hearth, with the four following texts.

Thou art Purlshya Agni, thou art wealthy, thou art prosper-

Be ye one-minded unto us, both of one thought, free from

Even as a mother bears her son. Earth, XJkbi hath borne

Seek him Who p^rurs not, offers not oblation ; follow the

To thee, sharp-pointed Nirfiti, fall homage ! Loose and

Thou, Awful One, thou in whose mouth I offer for the un-

The binding noose which Nirpti the Goddess hath fastened

Establisher, the gatherer of treasures, he looks with migh^

Standing behind the right or southern hip of Agni or the Fire-altar,

Lay on the yokes and fasten well the traces : formed is the furrow, sow the seed within it. Through song may we find hearing fraught with plenty : near to the ripened grain approach the sickle.

Happily let the shares turn up the ploaghland, happily go

Approved by Yisvedevas and by Maruts, balmed be the

The keen-shared plough that bringeth bliss, good for the

Milk out their wish, Wishing-Cow, toMitraand to Varuna, To Indra, to tho Afvius, to P^shan, to people and to plants,

Be loosed^ inviolable, Oodward-farers ! We have attained

Herbs that sprang up in time of old, three ages earlier thait the Gods,—

Ye, Mothers, have a bandred homesi yea, and a thousand are

Be glad andjoyfal in the Plants, both blossoming and bearing • fruit,

Plants, by this name I speak to you. Mothers, to you the

The Holy Fig tree is your home, your mansion is the Parna

J^ovmahu for the Vanlv&banam or Driving Hither and Thith^ of A^gm, The Sacriffoer stations a car northward of Ukhva Agni, turned tof »rds the «aft| ai>4 Iftyi a kindling-stick on the fire, reciting the text.

Herbs rich in Soma, rich in steeds, in nourishment, in strength-

The healing virtues of the Plants stream forth like cattle

Believer is your mother's name, and hence Restorers are ye

Over all fences have they passed, ^s steals a thief into the fold. The Plants have driven fh)m the frame whatever malady was

When, bringing back the vanished strength, I hold these herbs

He through whose frame, Plants, ye creep member by

Fly, Spirit of Disease, begone, with the blue jay and king-

With his little finger he takes some asheyi from the water, and throws part of them baok, reciuog the four texts.

Let fruitful Plants, and firoitless, those that blossom, and

Realese me from the curse's plague and woe that comes from

What time, descending from the sky, the Plants flew earth-

Of all the mauy Plants whose King is Sona, Plants of hun>

all ye various Herbs whose King is Soma, that o'erspread

All Plants that hear this speech, and those that have

Unharmed be he who digs you up, unharmed thfi^man for

With Soma as their Sovran Lord the Plants hold colloquy

Most excellent of all art thou, Plant : thy rassals are the

Banisfa^r of cfttafrh art thou, of tumours and of hemorr-

Thee did Gandhurvas dig from earth, thee Indra and Bphaspati.

Conquer mine enemies, the men who ohallenge me do thou subdue.

Most exoellent of all art thou, Plant ; thy vassals are the

May he not harm me who is earth's begetter, nor he whose

Turn thyseU hitherward, Earth, to us with sacrifice and

I from this pl^^qe have fed on strength and vigour, the

Agni, life^ower and fame are thine : thy fires bla^se nughtily,

With brilliant, purifying sheen, with perfect sheen thou

Jdtayedas, Son of Strength^ rejoice thjaelf, gracious, in

To him, the wise, who orders sacrifieei who hath great riches

The men have set before them for their wel&ne Agni, strong,

Soma, wax great From every side may vagorous poweM

In thee be juiey nutriments united, and power and mighty

Wax, O most gladdening Soma, great thiot^h all thy

May Vatsa draw thy mind away, ev«n from thy loftiest

Agni, best Angiras, to thee all people who have pleasant

In dear homes, Agni, the desire of all tlukt is and is to be, Shines forth the One Imperial Lord.