CWTVKS Volume 6

HYMN 21

ihendrāgni, etc., is the fourth hymn, of six Riks, in the fifth Section. The Rishi and the metre are as before. The deities are Indra and Agni.

This is the first Rik.

1. ihendrāgni upahvaye tā yoritstomamuśmasi, tā somam somapätamā.
   iha indrāgni iti upahvaye tayoḥ it stomam uśmasi, tā somam soma’pātamā.

iha in this sacrifice in session; indrāgni Indra and Agni; upahvaye I call; tayorit Indra and Agni also; stomam laud; uśmasi we desire (vas to attract. mas is the termination in the Present and the suffix i on mas); tā they two; somapātamā Gods who drink Soma-juices exceedingly; somam the Soma poured out (may they drink).

Indra is stationed in the heaven, Agni on earth; the association of these parents of the universe-heaven and earth will be effected in the sacrifice by this pair of Deities satisfied of Soma.

Tr. Here I call Indra and Agni; we desire their praise alone; may they, superb drinkers of Soma, take the Soma.

This is the second Rik.

2. tā yajñeșu praśamsatendrāgni sumbhatā narah, tā gāyatreșu gāyata.
   tā yajñeșu pra samsata indrāgni iti sumbhata naraḥ tā gāyatreșu gāyata.

O naraḥ men; tā them; indrāgni both the Gods Indra and Agni; yajâneșu in the sacrifice; praśamsata laud superbly; sumbhata make them lustrous (sumbh in the sense of lustre. The lengthening of ta in the Samhita text is Vedic.); tā those Gods; gāyatreşu in the mantras cast in gayatri metre that are sung; gāyata laud by chanting.

Tr. O men, laud superbly the Gods Indra and Agni in the sacrifice, glorify them; chant their praise in Gayatris.

This is the third Rik.

3. tā mitrasya praśastaya indrăgni tā havāmahe, somapā somapitaye.
   tā mitrasya pra’śastaye indrāgni iti tā havāmahe, soma’pā soma’pitaye.

tā those;" indrāgni both the Gods Indra and Agni, joined together, paired; havāmahe we call; for what purpose? mitrasya praśastaye for the excellent fame of God Surya as Mitra the Friend who by eliminating inequalities brings about equal delight in the many limbed sacrifice; and again tā those; somapā Gods Indra and Agni who drink the Soma; somapitaye to drink Soma (we call).

When Indra and Agni come together satisfied of Soma, the fame spreads of Mitra who effects companionship, friendliness, etc.

Tr. We call them Indra and Agni for the fame of Mitra, the Soma-drinkers to drink the Soma.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. ugrā santā havāmaha upedam savanam sutam, indrāgni eha gacchatām.
   ugrā santā havāmahe upa idam savanam sutam indrāgni iti ā iha gacchatām.

sutam in which Soma is pressed out (like cows drunk, cows that have drunk the water, Brahmins eaten, Brahmins who have eaten the food. Similarly sacrifice pressed, that is in which Soma is pressed); idam this savanam sacrifice; upa to approach; ugrā the valiant; santā the Gods who are overpowering in the destruction of the haters of sacrifice; havāmahe we call; indrāgni Indra and Agni; iha to this our sacrifice; āgacchatam may they come.

Tr. We call to this libation in sacrifice the valiant ones; may Indra and Agni come hither.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. tā mahāntā sadaspati indrāgni rakṣa ubjatam, aprajāḥ santvatriņaḥ.
   tā mahāntā sadaspati iti indrāgni iti rakṣaḥ ubjatam aprajāḥ santu atriņaḥ.

tā those (presently concerned); mahāntā great; sadaspati guardians of the house of the sacrifice- the body of the sacrificer with all its inner and outer being; indrägni you, Indra and Agni; rakṣaḥ fiends (singular to denote collectivity); ubjatam kill (ubj act of killing); atriņaḥ devourers of us (ad to eat), demons; aprajāḥ progenyless; santu may they become bereft of virility.

sådaspati : The s of sadas, the uninflected part, does not become ș in the compound-Vedic.

Tr. Indra and Agni, you great lords of the House, kill the fiends; issueless be the devourers.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. tena satyena jāgȚtamadhi pracetune pade, indrāgni sarma yacchatam.
   tena satyena jāgrtam adhi pra’cetune pade indrāgni iti śarma yacchatam.

O indrāgni Indra and Agni; tena denoted by the word that; satyena by the eternal law, by following which we sacrifice to the Gods, or wait on you; jāgrtam be awake, be winkless in our matters; where? adhi above; pracetune supremely instilling consciousness; pade in the station, the station celebrated by Mantras like ’in the Supreme beyond’, ’Immortality in the Heaven is his triple quarters’, ‘The highest step of Vishnu’, is this very pracetanam padam (station supremely instilling consciousness); (cit to be conscious, here causal belongs to the unadi class with the termination una); those you, śarma refuge, divine home; yacchatam give (to us).

The flaming will is the glory of Agni, the luminous consciousness is that of Indra. The state to be attained by means of both of them together and awake is our settled refuge. This certainty is posited.

Tr. Indra and Agni, by the truth be awake in the station above instilling supremely the consciousness, give us refuge.

Thus ends the third group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.