Hymns to the Mystic Fire

[3]

RV I.1

First Mandala.

[word] - word(s) omitted by the author or lost through damage to the manuscript that are required by grammar or sense, and that could be supplied by the editors.

I

अग्निमीळे पुरो हितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजं। होतारं रत्नधातमं ॥१॥

अग्निम् ।

The stem is अग्नि, the root अग्, with the addition of न् combined with इ.

The suffix न् is nominal, adjectival and verbal, and as an adjectival or nominal suffix denotes substance or actuality; it uses, like all other such suffixes, the enclitics अ, इ, उ to connect it with the root or with the termination or additional suffix or with both or neither.

The root अग् is a secondary formation from the primary old Aryan root अ which means essentially to be or, transitively, to have. अ expresses being in its widest and barest sense without any idea of substance or attribute. The sound ग् suggests application, contact or a gentle force or insistence. Combining with अ it gives the sense of being or having with an application of force to action, to men, to things and easily acquires significations on the one hand of strength, force, excellence, preeminence, brilliance, on the other of gentle contact, love, possession. Illustrative derivates are Latin and Greek ago, ἄϒω, to lead, drive, act; stir; move; ἀϒαθóς, excellent, good; S. अग्र, foremost, in front, Gr. ἄχρος, top, ἀχμή, extreme height, ἀχτή, extreme limit, border, coast; ἄϒαν, excessively (O.A. अगाम्); ἄϒανóς, brilliant, graceful, gentle; ἀϒλαóς, brilliant; Ἂϒɩς, Ἀϒαμέμνων; ἀϒαπάω, I love, prefer; ager, a possession, field; अगस्ति, and with the nasal, अंग्, making the root अंग्, to stir, move, walk; अंग, beloved, distinguished; afterwards used only, from the two senses, as a respectful, yet affectionate mode of address; अंगति, fire (also a conveyance, cf ago, अंग्), अंगारः, a live coal, अंगिरः, from the sense of brilliant, forceful, distinguished, preeminent, foremost. The word Agni therefore means the strong, brilliant, mighty,

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and may always suggest along with this, its proper signification as determined by usage, an allusion to its other possible sense of "loving" or "loveable". Afterwards, it was confined to the sense of fire, Latin ignis.

ईळे ।

Dialectical form of ईले, also ईडे. Root इळ् with the addition of the verbal suffix ए (composed of the connective enclitic अ and the personal termination इ).

The root ईल् is a secondary formation from the primary root इ, ई which means essentially to be in relation to some thing, person, time or direction, so to go, drive, press towards, master, study, approach, etc and also means to produce, arise, come into being, as opposed to the idea in अ of static existence. The sound ल् is the shabda of love, desire, entreaty, gentle and wooing touch; it expresses softness, sweetness, desire, and by a development passion, intensity, force of the heart. Combining with ई it gives the sense of close adherence, to embrace, cling to, love, adore, approach with love or adoration; of pressure, to crowd, press, pack, press together, make compact or strong; of maternal production, motherhood, to bear, produce, give birth to. It has also the primary senses of motion, to go, move, cast, strike; and by a development from the sense of clinging or persistence in a given place, the opposite idea of motionlessness, rest,—to rest still, lie, sleep. Its derivates are इला meaning mother and applied to the earth, a cow, Speech; इलिका, earth; इली, a short sword or stick; and from the almost identical root इड् or ईड्, the nouns इड् and इडा having the same meanings, and also the meaning "libation, offering, that which is cast or thrown on the altar or earth", "a draught, ie what is taken down at a cast into the throat", "heaven", the place of bliss, love and delight; (इड् also means people or subjects, from another sense, to control, master, rule, cf ईश्); इडः as an epithet of Agni; ईडा, love, desire, prayer or praise; ईडनम्, adoration; ईड्य or ईडेन्य, adorable, desirable. Greek derivatives are ἰλαδóν, in a close throng, pressed together, εἴλƞ, a crowd, troop; εἰλέω, press together, gather, assemble, hem in; εἶλαρ, a stronghold, fortification.

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The word here means not to praise or hymn as taken by the commentators and Europeans, but to love, desire, adore, as is evident from the use of ईड्यः in a later verse. इडः as applied to Agni means the adored, loved or loving, from the other meaning of the root अग् noted under the word अग्नि above.

पुरो हितम् ।

Two words, not one. पुरो in front, originally fifth case (genitive) of पुर्, meaning door, gate, wall, front; then city or house—cf Greek πύλƞ, gate; πύλος, walled fort; πóλɩς, town. Rt पु the nominal suffix र्, in the sense of "cover, protect", common to primary प् roots, as in प, पट, पा,पाल, पति, पुंस् (originally husband, protector, then male), पुमान्, पुटं (cup, sheath, covering), पुष्, to protect, nourish; पिटः (roof, house, basket), पिठरं, etc. Lat. pudor, shame.

हितम् fixed, stationed, put. Rt हि with adjectival suffix त, in the sense of to cast, throw down, strike in, fix, plant, common to the primary ह् roots; afterwards the sense of striking predominated, the other being preferably expressed by धा and other roots. Gr. χέω (O.S. हया), I pour, ἵƞμɩ (O.S. हियामि), I throw, cast, send.

पुरो हितम् means him who stands before or in front of and was afterwards applied to the purohita or chief priest at the sacrifice.

यज्ञस्य ।

Root यज् with the nominal suffix न.

यज् is a derivative from the primary root य which has the essential significances of motion to or from, yearning, contact and union. The sound ज् adds to it the idea of sharply applied and decisive or effective force in the motion, desire or contact. Hence it gets the meaning of effort, seeking after, wooing, application to, adhesion, or strongly maintained union or contact. The sense of successful effort gives that of mastery. Cf यम्, यत्, यस्, (आयासः, प्रयासः, यमः, नियमः, यत्न, यति). It means in its nominals labour, action, control, mastery, Yoga, and when used transitively, ruler, master, Yogin. The word यमः had the same significance. In another sense, to cast before, hand over to, cf यच्छ, it means to give,

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offer, sacrifice. A third sense is to woo, court, worship, adore, cf Gr. ἰάλλω, to desire. यज्ञः may therefore mean either, the Master, the Almighty, the Lord, Vishnu, Ishwara; or, action, or yoga; or, sacrifice. All three senses have to be taken into consideration in the Veda. Here and ordinarily it means Ishwara, the Lord.

देवम् ।

Root दिव् compounded after modification with the nominal and adjectival suffix अ, which gives simply and vaguely the sense of being.

The root दिव् or दीव् has two common senses, to play or sport and to shine, besides some of the significances common to द् roots, viz, to strike, throw; hurt, cause to suffer, vex, torment, harass; destroy; squander, give (द, दा, दान). The sense of to play, gamble, to sport, gambol, rejoice, etc is its most characteristic significance. The sense of shining comes from the sense of coruscation, brilliance caused by light playing brilliantly, vibrating powerfully. The Gods are therefore primarily those who rejoice, to whom life is play, lila or ananda—their occupations being described in the Smriti by the significant expression देवानुक्रीडनम्. Deva subsequently came to have the sense, luminous or flashingly brilliant, jyotirmaya, attached to it; also, heavenly, from दिव् the shining or blissful regions, and was used in the ancient language in all these senses, the associations of which have come down to us in the modern sense of देव. The gods are the jyotirmaya beings of the tejomaya, luminous Chandraloka or Swar and jyotirmaya, brilliant Suryaloka or Mahar, the two heavens attainable by mortals.

ऋत्विजम् ।

An ancient compound word ऋत् and विज् formed in the early childhood of the language before the modern laws of Sandhi were applied.

ऋत् is the root ऋ with the verbal and nominal suffix त् expressing either action or quality. ऋ signifies essentially to move or go vibratingly straight or swift to a mark. It means to go, to go straight; to attempt, attack; reach, acquire; master, know; think. Hence various meanings for its derivatives, eg ऋक्थं acquisitions,

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wealth; ऋध् to flourish, prosper; ऋद्धिः; ऋष्टिः a weapon, sword; ऋक्ण wounded, etc; but the common meaning is based on the idea of straightness, fixity, directness, truth, knowledge, as in ऋजु, ऋतम् (truth, law, rule), ऋतु (fixed time, season; order, rule); ऋषि, knower, thinker, Latin reor, I think, ratio, reason, etc; ऋभु, wise, adept, expert. The word ऋत् here means truth or law.

विज् is a derivative root from the important primary root वि, which has essentially the significance of coming into existence, so to appear, open, separate, be discerned. These meanings can be traced through a host of derivatives in Sanscrit, Latin and Tamil. From the sense of appearing, being open, we get transitively the meaning to see, know, Latin video, Greek εἶδον, οἶδα, ἴσθɩ, etc; (cf Tamil விளங்கு to give light, shine; விழி eye); Sanscrit विद्. The form विज् implies successful, decisive, complete or spontaneous sight or knowledge. ऋत्विज् is therefore the knower of truth, the drashta of the Veda, Agni jatavedas, or the adept in law and rule. In the latter sense it came to mean a sacrificial priest versed in the rules of the sacrifice. The later Nirukta, fixing on the sense of priesthood, the only one then known, very naturally derived it from ऋतु and इज्, sacrificing in season, which is the only possible combination by modern rules and arrives at the right meaning by another road.

होतारम् ।

Root हु after modification with the verbal termination तृ.

The essential significance of ह् roots, हा, हि and हु, is violent contact, movement, application of force. Their primary meanings are to strike, dash, hit, destroy, slay; then, to cast, throw, hurl, fling; then, to hurl forth the voice, shout, call. The sense of abandonment, the sense of casting a libation on the altar, and other derivate senses are of later origin. होता in the old Aryan tongue meant a slayer, striker, destroyer, warrior; हवः and आहवः meant slaughter, battle, war; हविः slaying, strife; हु to hurl, fight, shout, call, invoke assistance (cf Grk βοή, βοƞθέω). The sacrificial application is of later origin and belongs to the Dwapara Yuga, the age of sacrifice and ceremonial.

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रत्नधातमम् ।

रत्न and धा with the superlative termination तम.

The word रत्न is the word रत् with the adjectival & nominal suffix न expressing quality or substance. The root is र which has as its essential significance vibration, swift repeated action, tremulous, eager or impetuous contact, shock or motion, and its characteristic significance, to play, enjoy, sport, take delight; to love, embrace etc; also, to shine, coruscate, shed lustre. It and its derivatives also mean to rule, govern, protect; to fight, attack; set to, begin; to move rapidly, shout loud, make a noise. The word रत् had several of these meanings, but chiefly delight, enjoyment, love, sexual pleasure, passion, lustre, brilliance, and रत्न therefore means delightful, brilliant, and as a noun delight, ananda, or lustre. It is in later Sanscrit that it took the sense of jewel, from the adjectival sense, brilliant.

धा is the root धा to arrange, place, dispose, used as an adjective or noun. रत्नधा therefore means disposer of delight, रत्नधातमम्, mightiest disposer of delight.

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॥२॥ अग्निः पूर्वेभिर् ऋषिभिर् ईड्यो नृतनैर् उत । स देवाँ एह वक्षति ॥

पुर्वेभिः ।

Root पुर्, पूर् previously explained under the first sloka and the suffix व which indicates substance, possession or being. Originally the word meant protecting, covering, in front, anterior, and by transference from place to time former, ancient, पुरातन. It had also the sense of first, foremost, best, leading, chief. Here the sense is ancient, those that were before.

ऋषिभिः ।

Root ऋ to think, reach, know forming the intensitive derivative ऋष्, to know, reach or acquire thoroughly or finally, with the nominal suffix इ expressing action or possession. The rishi is one who knows, possesses, has reached or acquired knowledge, an adept, आप्त, master. (Cf the German word reich, English rich, O.S. ऋश्). See under ऋत्विजम् in the first sloka.

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ईड्यो ।

Root ईड् to love, desire, with the possessive or qualitative suffix y used either actively or passively; here passively = desirable, adorable. See under ईळे in the first sloka.

नूतनैः ।

Root नु or नू with the suffix तनः from root तन् meaning to hold, possess, contain (tenere, terra, तनुः) and therefore expressing a quality.

The root नु means to come forward, appear, come into being, come in, enter, penetrate, push in or forward, move forward, sail, walk etc. It belongs to the न् family of roots, whose essential signification is birth, manifestation, presence, appearance, entry, motion forward, progress (cf नः, nos, nascere, nare, natare, नौः, nauta, नट् meaning in Tamil to walk, नि, नुद्, नदः) and from the sense of birth or new appearance or arrival acquires the sense of newness, in नवः, Latin novus, Gr. νέος. The adverb नु or नू, meaning now, (cf the particle नु, Grk νυ, Latin nunc, which properly means now, now then, then) takes the adjectival suffix तन to signify the quality of newness;—like पुरा of old, पुरातन old, चिरं long, चिरन्तनः lasting, eternal.

उत

Also. This is a particle which has survived from the ancient Aryan tongue. It belongs to the class represented [by] the Latin et, ut, at, Sanscrit इद्, उ, उत, अति, Greek ɩ at the end of a word for emphasis, οὑτοσί, Bengali ই, ও, (তুমিই, তুমিও). They are all based on the original particles अ, इ and उ, meaning, "this here", "this there", "that", and used for distinction, emphasis, addition, connection; with the addition of the definitive sound त्, they formed अत्, इत्, उत्, which again by the addition of the emphatic अ, इ, formed अति, इति, उति, अत, इत, उत. From these words a number of pronouns, adverbs, suffixes, affixes, conjunctions and prepositions are descended in the Aryan languages.

उत has the force as an adverb of also, in addition, verily, much more, quite as much, indeed, or of course, according to the context and spirit of the passage or phrase in which it occurs.

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स ।

The static root स, signifying existence in rest, used as a pronoun, expresses a fixed object resting before the eyes. It is the original of the Greek article, ὁ, ἡ, τό, the Greek relative ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, (O.S. सः, सा, स), cf ὅτɩ because, and in the old Aryan and Vedic languages had not only the demonstrative force, but also when connecting two clauses, the relative or copulative. Here it is the causal relative who, because, and connects ईड्यो and वक्षति. वक्षति gives the reason for ईड्यो yo. Adorable or desirable because he habitually bears.

देवाँ ।

The nasal at the end of a word in old Aryan tended always to be a pure nasal, anuswara, as in French, just as s final tended to become a pure aspiration, visarga. This is the reason for the metrical peculiarity by which final s in old Latin and final m both in old and classical Latin become silent and are elided before a vowel or do not affect the quantity of the syllable in the prosody of a verse. The later tendency was to materialise the sound.

एह ।

The spirit of the sound इ is a certain narrowness and intensity. The root accordingly easily acquires an association of force and strength in action; it easily forms derivatives like ईर् to force out, utter, इरस्यति to be angry, hostile, Latin ira, anger, Gr. ἵƞμɩ, I throw, ἴσχω, to control, rule, and in certain forms compounded with strong sounds like ह, प, भ or even with soft sounds like न and ल it has the pure idea of strength, cf S. इन्द्र, इन्द्रियम्, Gr. ἴφɩος, ἴφθɩμος, ἰσχύς, ἴς (ἰνóς G.), इष्, ईश्वरः. From this sense of the root इह् is formed इह्, एह्, substantives meaning strength, force, with an old form of the dwitiya or accusative case एह used adverbially to mean strongly, forcibly, with strength. (The derivation of इह, here, is different and it was by an error that this sense was extended to the archaic word एह by the later grammarians on the analogy of इव, एव etc.)

वक्षति ।

Root वह् in the derivative वक्ष् (वह् + स्), to bear habitually.

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The suffix स or क्ष added to a root gave three senses, intention or futurity, desire, or frequency and habit. It is in the last sense that it occurs here and forms words like वस् to dwell (be or occupy habitually), वक्षः breast, लक्ष् to notice, observe; ऋक्ष star, constellation, etc, इरस्यति. In the former sense स् forms the future in Greek and Sanscrit.

The root वह् is derivative from the primary root व in its sense of "be in space & substance, hold matter, contain, bear". It also means to bring, carry, sweep, lead.

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॥३॥ अग्निना रयिम् अश्नुवत् पोषम् एव दिवे दिवे। यशसम् वीरवत्तमम् ।

रयिम् ।

From the sense of vibration and motion in the root र, the word being the root र + the nominal suffix इ, य a merely connective semivowel between two vowels as in जाये, म्रिये, मन्ये (मँये). Sanscrit has lost, Tamil has preserved this connective use of the semivowels य and व as a constant rule of its system of euphony. रयिः is that which vibrates, moves, is in constant play; it comes therefore to signify substance, matter, force, energy, strength, prosperity, play, delight, laughter, with other kindred or derivative senses. It is the Latin res, "thing, affair, object, matter, fact". In the sense of substance or matter it is constantly used in the Veda. In this passage it means substance or force of substance.

अश्रुवत् ।

Root अश् to have or enjoy, with the connective verbal affix नु and the impersonal adjectival or participial termination वत्. We find this general use of व in Tamil with the verbal stem to indicate a verbal adjective, "one who enjoys". The root अश् is a secondary root from अ in its transitive sense "to have". It is the same word as the Greek ἔχω, I have (अशा), and from the sense of possession develops other significances, to eat, enjoy, etc. अश्रुवत् is in this passage "one enjoys."

पोषम् ।

Stem पुष् modified with the nominal suffix अ. पुष् is a habitual, frequentative or desiderative form from पु, to produce, beget,

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possess, protect (see under पुरो in the first sloka) and develops the sense "to nourish, rear, increase". It also means "to perfect, develop", and "to cherish, foster, love". Cf पुत्र, Latin, pullus; पूषा the Sun; पूज् to worship, adore, developed from the sense of cherishing or loving. The substantive पोषः means, therefore, "increase, development, increasing, perfection".

एव ।

The pronominal and adverbial particle व (still used for the second personal pronoun plural as न is used for the first) meant originally "a substantial object, a thing before the eyes". It came to mean, especially when compounded with अ, इ, उ, thus, this way, in that direction; cf इव, originally meaning, "so", then, "as"; अव in that direction, in the direction of, then, down to, down; वौ so indeed, verily, वा "or", originally meaning "so", "and", "or". एव is merely a variant of इव giving a vaguer and more comprehensive sense. It was used formerly with its other form एवम् to mean, "so, and", the latter significance surviving in the Bengali এবং and only afterwards came to mean "indeed, verily, that and no other, so and not otherwise". In this passage it has the significance of "and, also".

दिवे ।

Root दिव् to shine, be bright, with the nominal suffix अ, "the bright period, day", or "the bright world", "heaven". Here दिवे दिवे means "from day to day".

यशसम् ।

Root यश् with the nominal suffix अस् "enjoyment, satisfied possession".

यश् is an intensitive derivative from य, to reach, join or embrace entirely, (see under यज्ञः in the first sloka) and meant "success, fame, glory, possession, mastery". It also meant "enjoyment, a thing enjoyed or enjoyable, love, beauty, charm, splendour," (cf योषा, योषित्, from युष्) which it subsequently lost, and "seat of enjoyment, the vital organs, heart, liver etc," Latin, jecur.

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वीरवत्तमम् ।

विर्, manifestation from Root वी, with the adjectival suffix वत् and the superlative suffix तमः, from त in the sense of to stretch, extend; cf तन्, ततः, तालः etc. तमः means extensive, extreme, very, so "most".

The roots वि and वी mean to open, expand, manifest, a sense chiefly found in the roots विद्, विल् (Tamil, Sanscrit, Latin), cf also आविः, वियत्, the open sky, B. বিজলি, lightning, Lat. verus, true etc, etc. From this sense it developed the idea of full and forceful manifestation, strength, energy, courage, heroism, Lat. vis, vir, virtus, Sanscrit वीरः, वीर्यं. The word वीर is here plainly used as a substantive since it needs वत् to give it the adjectival sense. वीर means either "strength, force", or "manifestation, splendour, openness, fullness". With यशः in the sense of enjoyment goes most suitably the latter signification, "fullest, most expanded, unstinted"; but "forceful" would also not be inappropriate to the character and function of Agni.

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॥४॥ अग्ने यम् यज्ञम् अध्वरम् विश्वतः परिभूः असि । स इद् देवेषु गच्छति ॥

यम् ।

The demonstrative relative in the old Aryan tongue, यः, implies motion or direction from one point to another as opposed to the static force of सः. यः means the one who is yonder, सः the one who is here.

यज्ञम् ।

Yajna (the Lord, Isha) here refers to the Jivatman; the distinction from the universal Yajna is indicated in the epithet अध्वरम्.

अध्वरम् ।

This word is an adjective formed by the addition of the common adjectival suffix र to अध्व (रुचिर from रुचि, असुर from असु, मधुर from मधु). अध्व itself is a substantive formed by the root अध् by the direct addition of the nominal suffix व. Kindred vocables are अधस्, below, अध्वन्, path, distance, sky, attack, time, place, अधम lowest, अधर, lower, अधि, originally meaning

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towards, down to, so from above, above, concerning (Gr. χατά), अधिक, more, आधिः, pain, अधिः, pain, misfortune. अध्वर itself is used in later Sanscrit to mean, "lasting, uninterrupted, attentive, the sky or air, and a sacrificial ceremony". All these significations are recognisable as developments from the original Aryan root अध्, a secondary formation from अ, to be. The sound ध् signifies dull contact, downward motion or pressure from above, rest, finality with an idea of tamasic condition, establishment, etc. अध् therefore means to oppress, cover, rest, descend and rest, reach and end, attack, etc. The air or atmosphere covering or pressing on the earth, place, Time and distance, as continents, grief as a dull tamasic condition, are early derivative meanings. The same relation viewed from two different standpoints creates the opposite senses of "down, lower", अधः and "above, towards, more", अधि, अधिक.

अध्वरः means lower, relative, individual, from the lost word अध्व which signified philosophically the lower planes of the universe, the aparardha, τὸ ἔνερθεν. In relation to the word यज्ञः, adhwara signifies the Purusha, Lord or Ishwara manifesting in the aparardha and attached to an individual adhara; the Jivatman, not bound but relative in his manifestation.

विश्वतः ।

विश्व, root श्व to lie, remain, be spread out, with the prefix वि meaning open, outspread, diverse, manifold, and the suffix तः which expresses possession, relation or origin, commonly used to form adverbial expressions. On all sides.

परिभूः ।

पर, परि or प्र, all signifying in front, beyond, above, from in front, and afterwards variously for, to, towards, around, about, are kindred words from the root प to cover, protect. In the old language परि as preposition governs the second case even when it is part of a compound verb, adjective or noun; it had not at that time either become otiose or lost its separate existence in the compound, but was easily detachable and always bore its especial significance and power. भूः means "existent or in being", परि "round about or in relation to".

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असि ।

Thou art. Root अ with the personal termination सि. In the old language there were two forms अस्सि and असि from the secondary अस् (अस्मि, अस्ति) and the primary अ; but the latter alone has survived.

इद् ।

The old enclitic इत्, kindred to अत् (Latin et) and उत् (Latin ut) and signifying that (Latin id), also, and, indeed, verily, the same (Lat. idem). Cf the use of इति answering to English "that". "He, the same Yajna whom you surround as the individual soul, is also beyond that relation and universal."

देवेषु ।

The gods, as masters of the forces and functions, physical, mental and spiritual which surround with their activities and minister to the individual knowledge and action of the Jiva.

गच्छति ।

The secondary root गच्छ् from ग is used to form certain tenses of the verb गम् which has replaced both ग and गच्छ्. Cf यच्छ् and यम् from the primary root य. ग means originally to move softly or steadily, or continuously. It is the characteristic root for general motion as opposed to the more specific senses of इ, ऋ, या, and conveys here the same sense of primary cosmic motion as in जगत्, जगती, गा (the world or earth).

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॥५॥ अग्निः होता कविकतुः सत्यश्चित्रश्रवस्तमः । देवो देवेभिरागमत् ॥

कविऋतुः ।

कवि. Root कु modified before a vowel with the nominal suffix इ. This root is only found in later Sanscrit in the modified form कव्, to praise or describe, to compose a poem, to paint a picture. The क् roots are among those of the widest scope in the Aryan language. Primarily, they convey the idea of any kind of violent, strong or masterful contact, action or relation to any thing, person or action. The root कु was used in the more ancient language in the sense of do, act, form, make, design, create. को in कोविदः is the substantive, meaning "art, practice". It also meant

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to desire, enjoy (Lat. cupio, and from the idea of any strong passion connected with love कुप् to be angry, cf कम्, कामः, χυνέω, to kiss, कुमारः etc), to master, seize, hold, contain, shut, confine, protect, imprison (कवचः, कवसः, कवषः, armour, a shield; कवकः, कवलः, कवडः, a mouthful; कवरकी, a prisoner; कव्यं, a handful, then the oblation to the Manes; कुटं, कुटी, कुटीरः; cf कोशः, कोलः, कोरकः, कोशः, कोटः, कोटरः, कुलं, कूपः, कुक्षिः, कुः, earth). Various ideas of calling, crying, crying on or at, praising, reviling (कु, कू, कुज्, कूट्, कुत्स् etc). The idea of curve or crookedness derived from the sense of the circle (Gr χύχλος, χυλίνδω, कुलं, the circle, society, herd, race, family, कुटिलः, कुह्, to deceive, कुच्, कुटी, को in कोदण्डः etc) is fairly common. On the other hand, the root very rarely accepts the more strong and violent senses common to the forms क, कि and कृ, but it has them sometimes as in कुरु a master, ruler or priest, कुट्ट् to cut, pound, burn etc. In the word कवि the sense of perfect creative action is dominant. कवि meant a poet, artist, scientist, craftsman, sage, anyone who was कोविद, who could deal perfectly with his material physical or intellectual. It also meant the art or science itself and so, wisdom, skill, mastery, proficiency. It is in this latter sense that it is used in the compound कविॠतुः, "whose strength is in the mastery of knowledge".

ऋतु is the Root ऋत्, a tertiary formation from कृ by modification of the vowel to र. The root कृ expresses action, work, mastery, strength, rule or any strong, violent or mastering activity, to cut, pierce, slaughter, hurt etc. ऋतुः meant strength, action, force, power of any kind mental or physical. It often meant the Will or any activity of the will. Cf Greek χράτος, χάρτος, χαρτερóς. The word शतऋतु as a name of Indra meant not "he of the hundred sacrifices", but he whose force was that of a hundred.

सत्यम् ।

True; free from the dwandwa of truth and falsehood. The root स to be in a fixed state or state of rest, to lie, rest, remain, be fixed, gives to सत् and सत्य the idea of that which is or is true, fact, reality, abidingness. सत्य is formed by the adjectival य from

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the old substantive सत् existence, truth, reality.

चित्रश्रवस्तमः ।

चित्र, Rt चि with the verbal suffix त्र. चि indicates fundamentally any action that cuts, splits, divides, separates or distinguishes. Its characteristic significance is to discern, distinguish, analyse, group, arrange and collect. Its verbal adjective चित्र means that which discerns, groups, arranges in a collection or that which is so discerned, grouped and arranged. It has the sense of various, variegated, decorative or decorated, well-arranged and assorted.

श्रवः, from the Root श्रु, to hear, modified, before the nominal suffix अस्. The word is the same as the Greek χλέος, (χλύω, श्रुया, I hear) and had in early times the sense of "fame, repute, renown", but the sense "to move vibrating, react with a strong harmonious contact", developing the sense, "to resort to, take refuge with, join" in श्रि and "to be heard, to hear" in श्रु are a yet more essential and original association. श्रव means the thing heard, the thing received by revelation, knowledge, learning, belief, faith (cf श्रद्धा).

चित्रश्रवस् means "analysed and grouped knowledge of great variety" or one who possesses such knowledge. Agni is he among the gods who possesses most such knowledge, proper to the vijnanam, ideal or purely ideative consciousness. He is जातवेदाः, the one who has the revealed knowledge, in whom and by whom it is born.

आगमत् ।

Root गम् to go, move, properly with a sense of direction, finality or intended or accomplished arrival. The preposition आ originally conveyed the idea of general relation; in this compound the sense of approach and arrival predominates. The preposition has no relation to the instrumental देवेभिः, which by itself implies union or accompaniment; divus cum divis, a god with the gods. The form आगमत् does not convey the idea of past time, but of general action, the time being vague, "arriveth", whether now or habitually or as a past experience we have of him. It was from this vagueness that the form afterwards

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acquired an imperfect or habitual significance with regard to the past.

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॥६॥ यद् अंग दासुषे त्वम् अग्ने भद्रं करिष्यसि । तव इत् तत् सत्यम् अंगिरः ॥

यद् ।

That. The demonstrative यत् like स was originally used either as a demonstrative pronoun or a relative and in the neuter as a conjunction; the transition from the relative to the conjunctional use is seen in this construction, where यत् is really the relative to the correlative तत्. यत् is a hanging introductory relative vaguely referring to the idea of the sentence भद्रं करिष्यसि and not a relative pronoun qualifying भद्रम्.

अंग ।

See under अग्निम् in the first sloka.

दासुषे ।

Root दास् with the verbal suffix ष् preceded by enclitic उ, in a desiderative sense, the one who wishes to hurt, the enemy. The root d with its congeners दा, दि, दी, दु, दू, दृ, द्ध, expressed always effective, rapid and aggressive movement, contact, action etc. It had predominatingly an aggressive sense, in the beginning to cut, slay, tear, bite, divide; to destroy, ruin, waste, squander; to burn, pillage, havoc. Its most important derivatives as well as its less important, दंश् to bite, दशनं, दत्, दान्तः tooth; दक्ष् to act quickly, hurt, kill (also to act or think ably); दध् to kill, hurt; दंध् to abandon (also, protect, cherish); दंड् to chastise; दंभ् to injure, hurt, deceive, drive; दम् to conquer, crush, tame; दय् to hurt, divide, as well as to love or pity; दल् to burst open, split, divide; दवः fire, heat, pain; दस् to toss up, destroy, perish; दहर wasted, thin; small and so young; दह् to burn, destroy, torment; दा to cut, divide, then, to give, its later though still ancient use; दात्रम् a sickle, दाश् to hurt, kill, give, grant, are all instances of the predominating frequency of this use. The same tendency may be found in the roots द्ध, दू, etc, but other significances were developed in them more frequently, and by a not infrequent irony

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of transmutation, the sense of loving, cherishing, protecting was developed from the sense of hurting, crushing, taming, and we find such words of tender import as दमः, house, Gr. δóμος, दानं, the Persian दिल् (cf the name दिलीप), दयिता, दया, दाराः, etc as descendants of this root of violent or baleful significance. The word दस्यु in the Veda, meaning enemy, afterwards robber, दासः, a captured enemy, slave, (Gr. δοῦλος from दसुल) are from the roots दस्, दास्, meaning to hurt, afflict. दासुषे bears the same sense. There is no reason to take it in the later sense of "giver".

त्वम्

Thou. तु, Lat. tu, Gr. σύ, with the old definitive particle अम्. Cf अहम्, इदम्, Lat. idem, वयम् from व, यूयम् from यु etc. The word तु is demonstrative, that there, like the plural यु (cf यः, the one who yonder) and was used by itself or with the suffix व (त्व) to indicate the second person.

भद्रम्

The word भद्र from the root भ compounded with the noun द्र. It originally meant household wealth, from भ (भवनं, भुवनम्) being, a house, place, world, sky, etc, and द्र (द्रव्य) spoil, plunder, substance, possessions, wealth. From this sense it came to mean ease, happiness, good condition etc. Here it means simply "good", its latest sense.

करिष्यसि ।

Thou intendest or desirest to do. The future sense was originally one conveying the significance of intention, purpose, will, all conveyed by the sibilant suffixes स, ष. Cf "I will do" in English.

तव ।

Originally possessive adjective from तु, thou.

सत्यम् ।

Here in the sense of "nature", "essential quality", from सत् being with the adjectival य, belonging to the being, essential, real. It may also be taken in the sense of truth, which will have the same significance. The sense "oath, vow, promise", would be

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out of place in the early language, though it would make good verbal sense, if the line stood by itself in some other context.

अंगिरः ।

Root अंग् to love with the adjectival suffix इर्, makes अंगिर् the lover, loving, and from the adjectival sense loving, is formed a secondary substantive अंगिरस्, again meaning lover or one who loves. Agni as Angiras is the lord of love.

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॥७॥ उप त्वाग्ने दिवे दिवे दोषावस् तर् धिया वयम् । नमः भरन्तः एमसि ॥

उप ।

उ with the sense to cover, pervade, उप, over, above, through, under, and from the sense of over, in the direction of, towards; from the sense of under, in subjection to, up to. उप has here the sense of approach by an inferior to a superior.

दोषावस् ।

दोषा darkness, tamas, from दुष्, to assail, attack, overcome, oppress, cover, darken, eclipse. दोषा or दोः also means the striking part of the arm, the forearm.

अवस् Root अव् with the nominal suffix अस्. अव्, a secondary formation from अ, to be in substance, (व् conveying the idea of substance, solidity, patent or objective existence), to be strong, strengthen, maintain, keep, cherish, protect, confirm, desire, love; to rise, soar, fly, be exalted.

दोषावस् he who strengthens, maintains or protects in the darkness.

तर् ।

An old adverbial form still preserved in तर्हि and the Mahratti तर्, "so"; it meant there, then, thus, इति. Here it is used almost as a vocative "O!"

धिया ।

The essential meaning of the roots ध, धा, धि, is to set down, fix, place, settle, keep, hold. धि is that operation of the intellect which fixes, arranges and retains, the buddhi or discerning and judging intellect.

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वयम् ।

व with the definitive particle अम् connected by the semivowel य; cf त्वम्, यूयम् (see under त्वम् in the sixth sloka). व was used for the plural of the pronoun both in the first and the second persons with a distinguishing prefix which was afterwards lost or replaced the व, न वः or नु वः, we, Latin, nos; य व or यु वः, you. When यूयम् replaced the second form, वयम् came to be restricted to the first pronoun.

नमो ।

The root नम् means originally go or bring to an end or conclusion. To lead, guide, control, dispose, distribute, mark off, arrange, shape, bend, are its more common later meanings. The Greek νóμος, law, νέμω, to distribute, give, arrange, regulate, occupy or to pasture, graze; νέμος, an apportioned ground or enclosure, so grove or pasturage; νέμεσɩς (O.A. नमतिः) the goddess who arranges, controls, rewards, punishes, avenges; ὄνομα, designation, name, (S. नाम), Lat. nemus, are survivals of these significations. In later Sanscrit only the intransitive sense of submission, being governed, ruled, subject, to bend, submit, bow, salute has left traces except in the sense, "to give", attached to नम्, in the particle नाम, "granted", "allowed", "certainly", and the substantive नाम, name. नमो means submission, self-surrender, नतिः; the later sense of salutation, obeisance does not apply to this passage.

भरन्तः ।

The participle used in place of the finite verb; the use is almost that of a loose nominative absolute or an anacoluthon. Rt भृ (Gr. φέρω, Lat. fero) with the verbal adjective or participial form of अ, to be. भृ means to occupy, fill, hold, uphold, bear, carry, contain, convey, bestow, be full of, feel within. It is used in this passage in the latter sense, to be full of.

एमसि ।

There are two words, the locative of एमस् (Rt इ modified with the nominal suffix मस् signifying, "way, path") and the second person of the verb ईम् or एम्, a final derivative from

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इ, to reach, to culminate, to grow to full strength. From this root comes ईम्, the intensive particle, meaning, utterly, actually, indeed, at once, now, and इमथा, as things actually are, now, under present circumstances, Lat. imus, uttermost, last, lowest. एमसि means, "thou culminatest, risest to thy full force".

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॥८॥ राजन्तम् अध्वराणाम् गोप अमृतस्य दीदिविम् । वर्धमानम् स्वे दमे ॥

राजन्तम् ।

Rt राज् intensive form of रा, as रज् of र in the participial form. Like र, रा has chiefly the cognate senses of play, enjoyment, satisfaction, bounty, love, (रागः, राध्, रात्रिः, रामः, रासः, etc) and, to shine, glitter, colour etc. A third set of significations depend on the idea of darting on, seizing, pouncing on,—to seize, ravish, plunder, hold and keep, squeeze, subdue, rule, regulate, conquer, oppress, strike, rend etc (रक्ष्, रद्, रध्, रसः, रक्षः, रावण etc, Lat. rapio, rego). We find राज् itself used in two senses, to shine or to rule, (cf राजी, a shining streak, line etc, राजीव, coloured blue lotus). He who rules, controls.

अध्वराणाम् ।

τῶν νερτέρων. Of things or beings in the lower planes or aparardha.

गोप ।

Not a vocative, but the old accusative of गोप्, root गूप् modified and forming a noun, both substantive and adjective. Cf Grk. ϒύψ, ϒύπα. The secondary root गूप् is a strongly active, sometimes causal form of गू, to seize, swallow up, hold, contain, screen, hide, protect, embrace. The Grk. ϒύψ, vulture, is literally the seizer, the bird of prey. It also means, to hide from, fear, shun, loathe (जुगुप्सा). In this passage, as in most, it means "protector".

अमृतस्य ।

अ, negative, with मृतः mortal, liable to death, Greek βροτóς. The word is not अमृतम् but अमृतः, used like अक्षरः, to connote the Divine Personality, the imperishable being who is not subject to life or death, who as eternal, unchangeable Sat is the source of the principle of Immortality in the world.

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दीदिविम् ।

Reduplication from दिव् to shine, with the nominal termination इ. The reduplication gives the idea of intensity, frequency or variety. "A shining force, brilliance, fiery energy."

वर्धमानम् ।

Rt वृध्, secondary root from वृ to be, extend, cover, be in force, excel, be in activity, act, operate etc. The sound ध् always adds the idea of solid or heavy strength and persistence,—to spread, increase, be exalted.

स्वे ।

Own. स with the suffix व conveying the idea possession, makes either स्व (Lat. suus) or सव (Greek ἑóς) as in तव.

दमे ।

दम् to conquer entirely, crush, tame, possess as entirely one's own, with the nominal suffix अ. Possession, personal property, home. (Lat. domus,Grk. δóμος.) His own home, ie, the parardha planes as opposed to the Aparardha which he protects.

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॥९॥ स नः पिता इव सूनवे अग्ने सृपायनो भव । सचस्व आ नः स्वस्तये ॥

स ।

Again the causal relative sense used loosely to mean therefore.

नः ।

The demonstrative न, used generally to indicate the person here, I, we.

पिता ।

The प roots mean principally to reach, obtain, make, do, produce, protect, cherish, strike, strike out. From the sense "to produce" in पि and पु, come पिता, the begetter, and पुत्र, the begotten.

इव ।

So, as. इ, this and व. See under एव in the third sloka.

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सूनवे ।

The roots सु, सू are found chiefly in three senses, to press out, distil, pour out, create, beget, from which we have सूनुः, son or daughter, सू with the nominal नुः (न, नि); to besiege, strike, attack, wound, (सूद्, सूर्, सूना, सूच् to pierce); and to be at rest, ease, firm, to confirm, ascertain, teach etc, सु, सुखं, सुष्टु, सूच्, सूत्र, सूरिः etc. The last is the primary meaning of the roots in स, but the addition of उ, gives as often an idea of violence, pressure etc, from which comes originally the sense, to press, squeeze, besiege, encroach on, insist, confirm and afterwards all the derivative meanings, even to the most remote from the original idea of rest, eg Greek σείω, I shake (साया from सि, सी), and the sense of siege and battle common in the Veda. See the next hymn.

सूपायनो ।

The adverb सु, well or very and उपायनो, Rt इ with आ (making the verb ए to go, come, approach) and उप towards, with the idea of submission or inferiority, prefixed and followed by the nominal suffix न preceded by the enclitic अ. One who can easily be approached, accessible, open.

भव ।

Root भू, Grk. φύω, Lat. fui, to be, become, from the sense of substantial containing existence essential in the sound भ्. Cf भुवन, भवन, भ, भृ etc.

सचस्व ।

Imperative of Root सच्. स means to be in a state of rest, to lie, lie with, adhere to, be with, embrace. सच् and सज् are intensitive and decisive, to be entirely with, cling, adhere utterly. It means to resort to, follow, love, serve, aid, also to enjoy physically. सचस्व means "Be with us, adhere to, abide with us."

आ ।

Expressing relation, emphasises the idea of adherence in सच्.

स्वस्तये ।

सु and अस्ति, substantive from अस् to be, with the common nominal suffix ति, "happiness, welfare, prosperity, increase".

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Translation.

Agni I desire who standeth before the Lord, the god who knoweth all the law, the warrior who disposeth utterly delight.

Agni whom the ancient seers desired, the modern too adore; for in his strength he beareth all the Gods.

By Agni one getteth substance, yes, and increase day by day, and glorious success.

O Agni, that Lord here below whom thou encompassest on every side, is he that moveth in the Gods.

Agni, the warrior whose strength is wisdom, he of the Truth who has the knowledge rich, cometh, a God attended by the Gods.

O beloved, O Agni, that thou desirest to do good to him who seeks to hurt thee, this is utterly thy nature, O Lord of Love.

To thee, O Agni who protectest us in darkness day by day, if with hearts full of self-surrender we come, then thou towerest to thy height,

To thee, controller and protector of all things below, of the Immortal brilliant force, ever increasing in thy home.

So be thou easy to our approach as a father to his child, abide with us for our bliss.

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Rishi—Madhuchchhanda Vaisvamitra.

Metre—Gayatri.

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