Rig-Veda Or Book of Hymns, by Par M. Langlois

[admin]

EIGHTH READING
FIRST ANTHEM.
TO VARIOUS GODS.
[English Version by Google Translate]

1. Beneficent (Agni), may the cup of sacrifice make you happy. Priests, the god wants full libations; bring him that soma he desires. (God) rich and liberal, wood in the cup of the Hotri (1) with the Ritous (2).

2. I ask him today the request that I have already addressed to him; for he deserves to be invoked, this (god) who is the first among beneficent beings. The priests present to you the sweet soma; (god) rich and liberal, wood at the cup of Potri with the Ritous.

3. May the couriers who bring you be covered with the unctuous streams of libations. Good and mighty Vrihaspati, take strength. Appear with greatness, approach our soma; (god) rich and liberal, wood at the cup of the Nechtri with the Ritous.

4. The (god) quenched his thirst at the cup of the hotri; he got drunk at that of the potri; he savored our offerings to that of the nechtri. Let this (god) rich and liberal, friend of those who treat him with liberality, drink from this fourth cup (3), pure and immortal.

5. (Divine Aswins), come hither in this chariot for heroes like you. Take our burnt offerings and our sweet libations. Come then, and drink of this soma, you who are treasures of abundance.

6. Enjoy, o Agni, this hearth we have kindled; enjoy our invocations, our homage, our hymns; and, in the (proper) season, O preserver (god), taste and cause all the other gods to taste our burnt offerings, the objects of your desires.

Author: Gritsamada; meter, Djagati.

HYMN II.

IN SAVITRI.

1. The divine Savitri, who constantly works for the creation (of the world) (4), (Savitri) who carries (all beings), has just arisen for his work. He dispenses his favors to the Devas. May he fill the master of this sacrifice with his blessings!

2. The god who rises for the happiness of the world, extends his long arms far and wide. And, while he pursues his career, under him are played both the purifying Waves, and the Wind which turns (around the earth).

3. (Savitri), in his race, strips himself of his rays. It allows the traveler to rest from the fatigues of walking, and prevents the desire of those who would dare to implore the help of Ahi (5). La Nuit continues the work of Savitri.

4. Sharing half with him, (the Night) is busy weaving his immense web. However, the sage understands that the power of the Creator is not extinguished. Indeed, leaving (his sleep), Savitri has reappeared, and the indefatigable god comes to mark the divisions of time.

5. The fires of Agni are born every morning in every abode; and the mother of Savitri (6) gives her son the illustrious function (to enlighten the world), on the signal that Agni has just given him.

6. He marches towards the end of his career, conqueror of all his enemies, and desired by all living beings. Alois he leaves the stain, the other half of which no longer looks at the divine Savitri.

7. You are asked, (o god!) you are anxiously looking, in the desert plains of the air, for the celestial inhabitant who should be there. But (we say to ourselves that) the forest (although silent) is not deprived of birds, and that nothing can destroy the works of the divine Savitri.

8. However Varuna (7), in darkness, through the happy ways of the air, returns to the place where he is to be reborn. The birds, the animals, are all in the various retreats assigned to them by Savitri.

9. What being can he fear, the one whose work cannot be shaken either by Indra, or by Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, or by Rudra? Honor to the divine Savitri, whose protection I humbly implore!

10. We present our offerings to the sage Bhaga, worthy object of our meditations. May the (god) whom our hymns celebrate, (noble) husband of the chaste, Prayers (8), grant us his help. To obtain happiness and gather upon us all good things, may we be the friends of the divine Savitri!

11. May your desirable favors come to us from heaven, from the air, from the earth! May this happiness extend to the servants of Savitri, to the master of the house who honors him with his offerings, and to the poet who sings of him!

Author: Gritsamada; meter, Trichtoubh.

HYMN III.

AT THE ASWINS.

1. (O gods), like two heavy stones, fall (on) our enemy! Like two vultures flying towards the tree which presents them with prey, (come) towards us! (Come) like two priests often celebrated in the sacrifice; like two benevolent heralds invoked everywhere.

2. Valiants (Aswins), hasten to your servant, like two squires who in the morning hasten their chariot; such as a couple of kids; such as two shining beauties; like two smart spouses.

3. Come before any other, and be to us like two mighty horns, two swift hooves. Hasten to us with the Day, such as two vigorous tchacravacas (9); such as two sturdy charioteers.

4. Take us through (the danger), such as two ships. Be to us like two yokes, two hubs, two wheels, two chariot rims. Like two dogs, our faithful guards, like two breastplates, defend us against evil.

5. Arrive like two rushing winds, two swift rivers, two seeing eyes. Act for our highest good, such as two dexterous hands; such as two feet, lead us to happiness.

6. Be for us like two lips that carry only honey in the mouth. Such as two udders, increase our vital forces. Like two noses, be the guardians of our body. Such as two ears, listen well to us.

7. Such as two arms, be our strength. Like heaven and earth, give us favorable tunes. As we sharpen an ax on stone, so, O Aswins, know how to make our prayer more persuasive.

8. O Aswins, the children of Gritsamada send you these offerings, these prayers, these hymns. Valiant (Gods), deign to receive them with pleasure. Fathers of a happy lineage, may we sing for a long time yet in sacrifice!

Author: Gritsamada; meter, Trichtoubh.

HYMN IV.

AT SOMA AND AT POUCHAN.

1. From Soma and Pouchan are born Wealth, and Heaven, and Earth. Hardly had these two guardians of the world seen the light of day, than the Devas surrounded them with their pious ambrosia.

2. That (the Devas) honor these gods at their birth; may these gods dispel the abhorred darkness. That with Soma and Pouchan, Indra produce within the young cows (celestes) an abundant milk.

3. Soma and Pouchan, (gods) magnificent, launch your chariot as wide as the air, (this chariot) has seven wheels (10), which nothing stops, which is everywhere, which the Prayer harnesses, and which shines of five spokes (11).

4. One took place in heaven, the other on earth and in the air (12). May these (gods) bestow upon us rich treasures of glory and opulence!

5. One created all the worlds (13); the other goes surveying the universe. O Soma and Pouchan, welcome my prayer; that through you we may conquer all our enemies!

6. May Pouchan, everywhere present, receive my prayer. May Soma, master of opulence, grant us wealth; may the invincible and divine Aditi preserve us. Fathers of a happy lineage, may we sing for a long time yet in sacrifice!

Author: Gritsamada; meter, Trichtoubh.

HYMN V.

TO VARIOUS GODS.

1. O Vayou, hasten your steeds, and come, on your thousand chariots, to drink from our soma.

2. O Vayou, come with your couriers. This brilliant (soma) has been shed for you. Visit the dwelling of the one who offers you these libations.

3. Indra and Vayou, hasten with your couriers; and drink this day, O valiant (heroes), and this juice (of the soma), and these (libations) which the cow produces.

4. Mitra and Varuna, this soma has been poured out for you, the greatness of which our sacrifices increase. Hear my invocation here.

5. Benevolent kings (these gods) sit in a supreme, solid dwelling, supported by a thousand columns.

6. Noble princes, Adityas honored with our butter libations, masters of wealth, both protect your pious (servant).

7. Truthful and terrible (14) Aswins, come a way where there will be plenty of cows and horses, where the gods will not lack libations.

8. Bring us, generous benefactors, a fortune that cannot be destroyed, either from afar or near, by a wicked and unheard mortal.

9. Venerable Aswins, bring us abundant and varied opulence.

10. May the wise and mighty Indra cast away from us the fear of a dangerous conqueror.

11. May Indra protect us; that evil does not surprise us from behind. May happiness be ahead of us.

12. May the wise Indra triumph over all his enemies, and establish tranquility in all regions of heaven.

13. O Viswadevas, hasten; hear my invocation, and take your place on this lawn.

14. Get abundant soma, as sweet as honey, offered to you by the children of Sounahotra (15). Drink this intoxicating and happy (liquor).

15. Glorious companions of Indra, o divine Marouts, who possess the treasures of Pushan, all listen to my invocation.

16. O the first of the speaking beings (16), o the best of mothers and goddesses, o Saraswati, we are like accursed people. O mother, give us your blessing.

17. In you, divine Saraswati, are all the resources (of man). Welcomes the tributes of the Sounahotras. O goddess, give us a happy posterity.

18. O Saraswati, possessor of justice and abundance, accept these homages and prayers which the children of Gritsamada present to you in preference to other gods.

18. Let (Heaven and Earth) also come and share the joy of this sacrifice. We invoke both of you and Agni to bear our offerings.

20. O Heaven, o Earth, direct, according to the will of the gods, this sacrifice which we offer today, (sacrifice) which must be a source of good, and ascend into the air.

21. May in your presence the gods of fortune and worthy of our homage place themselves here today to drink the soma.

Author: Gritsamada; meters, Gayatri, Anouchtoubh, Vrihati.

HYMN VI.

TO INDRA, CALLED CAPINDJALA.

1. (Le Capindjala) (17) by its cry announces the future. He launches his voice as the pilot launches his ship. Bird, be a good omen for us. May no accident happen to you.

2. Escape the hawk and the birds (of prey). Let the archer, armed with his arrow, not see you. Make us hear, on the south side (18), your auspicious voice.

3. Auspicious bird, raise your happy cry to the right of our hearths (19). Save us from the domination of a thief or a wicked one. Fathers of a happy lineage, may we sing a long time yet in sacrifice!

Author: Gritsamada; meter, Trichtoubh.

HYMN VII.

TO INDRA, CALLED CAPINDJALA.

1. Like the singers of our sacrifices, the Capindjalas come, with accents of auspiciousness, to announce to us a favorable time. The bird likes to repeat two cries (20), just as those who sing our hymns use the Gayatri and the Trichtoubh.

2. Bird, like our cantor, you also have your hymn; and like the child of the priest (21), at the time of the libation, you make resound your voice. With the eagerness of a stallion approaching his lovers, bird, speak favorably to us; bird, speak to us for our happiness!

3. Bird, if you speak to us, speak to us only favorably. Remain silent to listen to our prayer. As you walk away, sounds like a carcari (22). Fathers of a happy lineage, may we sing for a long time in sacrifice (23)!

Author: Gritsamada; meters, Djagati, Atisakwari, Achti.

HYMN VIII.

TO AGNI.

1. O Agni, you wanted me to bring you (the offerings) in the sacrifice. So accept this soma that I present to you with ardour. I light your fires in honor of the gods, I fill the cup (sacred); I sing to you. O Agni, adorn your body (with all its rays).

2. We set in motion the sacrifice: let the anthem continue. Let Agni be surrounded with (holy) food and invocations. The songs of the poet have sometimes attracted (the gods) from the heights of heaven. The desires of the mighty (Agni) have been tempted by songs.

3. This (god) wise, pure and strong, is, by his birth, our parent. It contains the happiness of heaven and earth. The Devas, by the work (of libations), his sisters (24), obtained Agni shining in the midst of the waves.

4. The seven sources (25) (celestial) increase the greatness of this happy child with the whitish flame. Just as the mares run to their young colt, the Devas come to tend the forms of nascent Agni.

5. However (Agni) lifts up in the air his resplendent limbs; with its noble rays it purifies the sacrifice. It is clothed in light, and from the substance of the libations is made large and magnificent ornaments.

6. He approaches without hurting them, without being hurt, the (Libations), daughters of heaven, some of whom are covered, others stripped of a garment (of foam). And these seven mothers, eternal and ever young, issued from the same womb, raise the same infant.

7. The flames of Agni extend in a thousand forms, from the midst of the (consecrated) butter, under the stream of other libations. However at his side are the foster cows (26); at some distance lie together the two illustrious mothers of the incomparable god (27).

8. Thus strengthen, shine, o Agni, and collect all your swift and luminous forms. Torrents of butter and libations are poured over this generous god, who believes in the midst of hymns.

9. Sometimes (Agni) encloses himself in the breast which the father (28) (of nature has prepared for the earth). He makes streams of milk gush out of it. He exists in this retreat with the (Winds) his happy friends, and the Waves, daughters of the sky; and he reigns there as master.

10. It is he again who is born as father, as creator (of worlds). (Star) unique, it pumps and collects the waves. Generous and pure, he engenders the two great spouses (29). (O god), guard (Heaven and Earth); make them favorable to the children of Manu.

11. Thus extends (Agni) in the immense bosom of the air. And it is to the airwaves, it is to our offerings that it owes its greatness. Surrounded by the care of (Libations) his sisters, Agni, friend of the human abode (30), sits at the hearth of sacrifice.

12. The great and vigorous Agni, in favor of him who lavishes libations, brings and sustains the great clouds; (god) invincible, noble focus of light, it is he who is the father of the cows (celestial) and the infant of the Waves (sacred).

13. Get illustrious infant of the Waves and plants (31), which takes on so many forms, is born of the happy Arani. The Devas assemble to pray to the strong and worthy (god) of so many honours, and they celebrate him in his cradle.

14. Broad rays, shining like lightning, envelop Agni, center of clarity. The hearth where he rests is like the cave (of the lion); and its flames draw immortal nourishment from it, just as from the heart of a deep volcano (32).

15. I bring you burnt offerings; I praise you, I sing your friendship, and ask for your benevolence. Come with the gods to protect your singer, and keep us from the forces of our enemies.

16. O Agni, direct your servants in the right way, and make them possessors of all good. As the price of our sacrifices and our abundant offerings, may we defeat the armies of the impious!

17. You were, Agni, the herald of the gods, and you took a happy part in all our ceremonies. You love all mortals, and cherish their abode; you give a chariot to the gods, and you accompany them with your honors.

18. The immortal king of mortals is on his throne, continuing the work of sacrifice. Agni, sprinkled with our (sacred) butter, shines with splendor, and oversees all our ceremonies.

19. (God) great and helpful, come to us with your happy friendships, with your noble help. Grant us opulence full of abundance and fame, triumph, happiness and glory.

20. Ancient Agni, I have sung your eternal births, your ever new births. In honor of a generous god, we celebrated these great sacrifices. We have multiplied the births of the god who possesses all goods.

21. To multiply the births of the god who possesses all goods, the children of Viswamitra perpetuated their fires. May we obtain the benevolence and happy friendship of the adorable (Agni)!

22. Robust and magnificent God, rejoice in our sacrifice, and make it acceptable to the other gods. (Diviu) priest, bring us happy abundance. O Agni, give us great wealth.

23. O Agni, in exchange for our invocations, make the earth (33) forever free for us, and fruitful in herds. That we have a beautiful line of children and grandchildren. O Agni, may your goodness be with us!

Author: Viswamitra; meter, Trichtoubh.

HYMN IX.

TO AGNI.

1. In honor of Agni, whose sacrifice increases the greatness, in honor of (the god called) Veswanara, we compose the hymn which flows like purified butter. Just as the ax fashions a chariot, so the prayer of the master of the house and of the priest doubly adorns the (god) sacrificer.

2. It is (Agni) who lights up heaven and earth, (Agni), the memorable son of the two mothers (34). The immortal Agni bears the holocaust and receives the offerings, invincible (god), guest of the people, treasury of light.

3. By the work of a victorious force and by their wisdom, the Devas have, in sacrifice, engendered Agni. Full of hope in his goodness, I sing of this great (god), resplendent with light and swift as the courier.

4. We ask for the inestimable favor of this beneficent, honorable (favor) which he bestows only at the prayer of the poet. We adore Agni, who showers the Bhrigus with blessings, who loves (our homage), who acts only with wisdom, and who shines with divine splendor.

5. To obtain happiness, mortals, placed on their cousa seats, honor Agni and surround him with their offerings. Raising the cup (of the sacrifice, they sing) the luminous agent of all the gods, terrible (for his enemies), and able to make his servants gather the fruit of their works.

6. Pure and brilliant Agni, (noble) priest, mortals wishing to honor you with holy ceremonies, around your hearth, which they have worthily prepared, are placed on seats of cousa. Grant them happiness.

7. It was Agni who filled heaven and earth. If the great light was born, it is because in the sacrifice Agni was constituted. Surrounded by our offerings, the wise (god) is brought with honor for the holy work, like the courier whose food has been prepared.

8. Worship the (god) who shines in our ceremonies, and who takes charge of the burnt offering; honor (the domestic god) who owns all goods. The wise Agni is the driver who directs the chariot of the great sacrifice and the pontiff of the gods.

9. The immortal Usijs (35) have purified three homes for the great Agni, which revolves around (the earth). One of these homes was placed by them in this mortal (world) to protect us there. The other two are in the neighboring world (36).

10. The offerings of men have given splendor to the preceptor, to the ruler of the people, as (friction) gives sharpness to the axe. He penetrates into the highest places, into the lowest dwellings; but its cradle is still in this world (37).

11. The liberal (god) and friend of all men (38), at birth, shines in various homes where he roars like a lion. His immortal force grows, and there he dispenses to his servants both wealth and opulence.

12. However, celebrated by the pious hymn, the friend of men takes his ancient road, and rises in the air under the celestial vault. As before, he pours out his blessings on all beings; and, still animated by the same vigor, he pursues his circular way.

13. We also invoke, to obtain a new good, Agni, inhabitant of the air and transported by Matariswan (89), (god) just, wise, adorable, worthy of our praises, following (in heaven) various routes, and adorns with dazzling hair (40).

14. We humbly invoke Agni, who enlightens us in the way (of sacrifice), affable and benevolent (god), brilliant herald of the Sun. He awakens the Dawn, he is the source of celestial, invincible light (divinity) which we approach only with abundant offerings.

15. Generous and pure priest, sincere friend of the (human) dwelling, adorable sage, (divine) chariot full of our treasures, (god) remarkable for his beauty and given to (man) by Manu (41), we always come to implore him to obtain wealth.

Author: Viswamitra; meter, Djagati.

ANTHEM X.

TO AGNI.

1. The sages, in honor of the powerful, the adorable Veswanara, celebrate sacrifices and accumulate the offerings. The immortal Agni honors the gods. Who could disturb his eternal functions?

2. Between heaven and earth he goes, as brilliant messenger (of the gods), where he sits as priest and pontiff of the children of Manu. Agni, excited by the Devas and rich with the treasure of our prayers, adorns the vast hall (of the sacrifice) with his splendors.

3. May the sages, by their ceremonies, increase the greatness of Agni, the herald of our sacred pomps, the director of our holy works. The (god) to whom these homages and prayers are addressed is the one who, by his benefits, can fulfill the wishes of his servant.

4. Agni, father of sacrifices, author of life (42), measures to the wise (the fruit of their works), and assures the reward of those who sing it. Under various forms, he occupies the sky and the earth. (Men) have often experienced his prudent friendship, and celebrate his praises.

5. The Devas have, in his home, and established Agni, the friend of men, the magnificent (Agni) with the superb chariot, with brilliant forms, surrounded by (sacred) Waves, author of light, (god) present everywhere and protector, powerful and luminous defender.

6. Agni, together with the Devas and the children of Manu, becomes the minister of a sacrifice where, with prayer, offerings of all kinds are presented. Mounted on his chariot, he goes, between (heaven and earth), fulfilling the wishes of mortals; (god) swift, friend of our homes, scourge of his enemies.

7. Agni, glorify (your servants) granting them noble children and long life; increase our strength, and give us abundance; increase the opulence of the generous (man). You are worthy of all homage, watchful (god), and priest (43) of Devas and wise mortals.

8. Master of the people, magnificent guest, director of prayer and pontiff (44) of our priests, soul of the holy ceremonies, possessor of all goods, (men) celebrate him, and seek by their homage to exalt his greatness.

9. Agni, resplendent and good god, surrounds all beings with his power. His chariot is covered with treasures; his works are rich, and our duty is to come and adorn him with our praises in the hearth where he resides.

10. Friend of all men, I sing your rays, which make you, o (god) sage, a center of light. Hardly did you fill the worlds, heaven and earth, o Agni! You wrap everything in your greatness.

11. The works of this friend of men are a source of good for us. This (god) wise is satisfied, to grant his favors, with the good intention. Agni was born to develop the greatness of our two grandparents, Heaven and Earth, whose fertility is so admirable.

Author: Viswamitra; meter, Djagati.

HYMN XI.

TO AGNI AND OTHER GODS.

1. Accept our various offerings. May the power of your ever-increasing flames be a source of happiness and wealth for us. God, bring the gods to sacrifice; benevolent friend, o Agni, protect your friends.

2. This Agni, whom the Devas honor three times each day, is also Varuna and Mitra. (God calls) Tanounapat (45), make this sacrifice, where reverently pours the (consecrated) butter over you, become for us as sweet as honey.

3. A wondrous flame unites with the sacrificial (god). It is he first, it is the getiereux (Agni) whom our offerings must honor, whom our invocations must celebrate. Worthy of our homage, may he then be in charge of those whom we send to the gods.

4. (Agni) surrendered to your (46) sacrifice. He arrives, he stands up; its crests rise, its splendors spread. (The god) priest is on his throne of light. We have strewn the earth with turf prepared for the gods.

5. Let (our priests) begin the sacrifice, offering with prayer the seven (47) burnt offerings, and performing all the rites. May the (Devas), clothed in human form, and born within our ceremonies (48), be present at our sacred libations.

6. Dawn and Night, which march together in various forms, come to smile at our hymns; May they protect us, as well as Mitra, Varouna, Indra with the Marouts, and grant us their brilliant support.

7. I invoke, in the first place, the divine couple of priests (49). The (priests), with the seven offerings and the invocation of the Swadha, implore (Agni), whom they celebrate under the name of Rita (50); and, guardians of the (sacred) rites, shining with the fires (of this god), they honor him by their ceremonies.

8. On this lawn come and place the three goddesses (51): Saraswati with the Saraswatas, Bharati with the Bharatis, Ila with the Devas, Agni with the children of Manu; that all give themselves together to the joy of the sacrifice.

9. Divine Twachtri, delight in granting us perfect bliss. It is by law that strong and active heroes are born, who love to serve the gods and offer them the cup of sacrifice.

10. O Vanaspati, worship the gods! Let Agni minister to us and purify the burnt offering. He who knows the births of the gods, let him be our priest full of justice and goodness.

11. Come, Agni, and surround yourself with light. Come with Indra and the other gods, riding in the same fast chariot. May Aditi, mother of happy children, and Swaha be placed on our lawn. Let the immortal gods indulge in pleasure.

Author: Viswamitra; meter, Trichtoubh.

HYMN XII.

TO AGNI.

1. The wise Agni senses the dawn, and awakens, following the path traced by the priests. He shines, he gains strength in the eyes of his eager servants; he takes up the offerings, and breaks down the gates of darkness.

2. By the hymns, the invocations, the prayers of his singers, the adorable Agni rises in splendor. He aspires to surround himself with full radiance, and, messenger (of the gods), he shines in the midst of the fires of dawn.

3. Agni was placed among the children of Manu to be the infant of the (sacred) Waves and the agent of sacrifice. Desirable friend and worthy of being adored, he appears as on a throne. He is wise, and justly awaits our invocations and our holocausts.

4. The brilliant Agni is Mitra. Yes, it is Mitra and Varouna, priest, and possessor of all goods. It is Mitra, priest, swift herald, host of (human) dwellings, companion of the waves and of the (celestial) mountains.

5. The great Agni occupies a supreme place on earth. He occupies (in the sky) the chariot of the traveling sun. He mingles, within the air, with the seven-headed (god) (52). He guards the sacrifice whose flames delight the gods.

6. This powerful god, who knows all the needs (of creatures), gave himself to our homage a great and noble title. When a dark veil, during the sleep of the traveling star, has covered his happy stay, it is Agni who becomes its watchful patron.

7. He hastens to come to his waiting home; the offering of butter (sacre) and songs welcome him there. Agni, pure and purifying, brilliant and magnificent, each day is born from its two mothers (53).

8. At its birth, it is supported by plants and branches, to which the butter (sacred) gives more ardor. The waves (libations) flow in dazzling cascades. May Agni keep us, so place between the two grandparents (54)!

9. The songs continue: the flame grows, and with it the resplendent form of Agni, who, from the earthen vessel where she resides, rises up to heaven. May this adorable god, friend (of man), messenger (heavenly), as swift as Matariswan, bring the gods for the sacrifice.

10. The great Agni is the first among the shining beings: his gleams light up the (celestial) vault, as soon as (called) by the Bhrigus, Matariswan with his breath kindled the flame of the (god) who was hiding, and who will bear the burnt offerings.

11. O Agni, in exchange for our invocations, make the earth forever free for us, and fruitful in herds! May we have a beautiful line of children and grandchildren! O Agni, may your goodness be with us!

Author: Viswamitra; meter, Trichtoubh.

HYMN XIII.

TO AGNI.

1. Ministers of our ceremonies, excited by the sounds of prayer, to honor the gods direct to them (the spoon of sacrifice) (55); laden with our offerings, rich with our treasures, sprinkled with (sacred) butter, and carrying to Agni the (holy) holocaust, it is carried to the eastern side.

2. Barely born, you stood up to receive our homage; and, filling heaven and earth, you have covered with your light all the space that separates them. May your fires, adorned with seven languages, be celebrated by us.

3. Heaven, Earth, all your gods, ask you that in your quality of priest you appear in your hearth, from the moment that the children of Manu, animated by a holy zeal and laden with offerings, celebrate your shining rays.

4. (God) great and desired, (Agni) is firmly seated in his abode, and in the vastness of Heaven and Earth. And, for such a great master, Heaven and Earth, immortal, powerful and invincible spouses, are two cows whose milk is inexhaustible.

5. Agni, you are great, and your works are great. You have by your clothing extended Heaven and Earth. At your birth, generous (god), you were the herald and guide of mortals.

6. Harness therefore and submit to your brake the two horses of the sacrifice, (horses) reddish, covered with butter (sacred), and adorned with beautiful hair. God, bring your gods. Owner of all goods, bless all our sacrifices.

7. May your rays, which accompanied the Dawn, then shine fully with the sun! O Agni, receive the libation that falls on your hearthwood! The Devas celebrate by their songs the priest worthy of their honors.

8. May the gods (56), who play in the spaces of the air, or who exist within the splendors of the sun, and those who protect us on earth (57), all equally eager for our holocausts and our sacrifices, o Agni, come swiftly on their chariot!

9. On the same chariot with them, come also, o Agni! May the other powerful (deities) be led here with equal eagerness. Bring, with their wives, the thirty-three gods (58), and intoxicate them with the sweetness of the Swadha.

10. (Agni), priest, honors Heaven and Earth; and his homage, gladly received, increases the greatness of these immense (gods). Approaching with respect, the two grandparents, holy and just, seem to stop to enjoy the works of him who was born in sacrifice.

11. O Agni, in exchange for our invocations, make the earth forever free for us, and fruitful in herds! May we have a beautiful line of children and grandchildren! O Agni, may your goodness be with us!

Author: Viswamitra; meter, Trichtoubh.

[admin]

NOTES
DE LA DEUXIEME SECTION.
LECTURE I.
[French Version]

(1) Traduction du mot Roudra, epithete qui designe Marout, le dieu du vent.

(2) Ce vers est difficile a comprendre. Je ne pense pas que le mot Asoura designe un ennemi des dieux: c’est un etre qui donne, qui apporte la vie, epithete de Marout.

(3) Traduction de Paridjman, epithete d’Agni.

(4) Agni se manifeste sous differentes formes, et en particulier sous celle du Tretagni: de la le sens du mot Vasarhas.

(5) Parvata est derive du verbe parva, qui signifie remplir, ou de parvan, noeud, comme qui dirait rempli de noeuds. Cette derniere explication rappelle la forme du nuage, dont les differentes parties paraissent comme nouees ensemble. Parvata est donc ici le nuage personnifie et invoque avec Indra. Cependant on attribue aussi cette epithete au vent qui gonfle et remplit le nuage.

(6) Cakchivan. Section I, page 254, note 84; page 267, note 295; page 294, note 19. Le poete doit etre un de ses descendants.

(7) Agni, comme ne des libations.

(8) Il est naturel de donner le nom de meres aux eaux, qui fecondent et nourrissent la nature.

(9) Ce mot, analogue aux mots Manou, Pourou, Nahouch, signifie en cet endroit homme.

(10) Voy. section I, page 297, note 51.

(11) Il faut supposer que le foyer est entoure d’adorateurs qui repetent des invocations.

(12) C’cst l’Ocean, ou l’element humide. Ce peut etre encore le soma.

(13) Le commentateur regarde le mot Padjra comme un nom de Cakchivan. Je distingue ces deux noms: l’un est celui d’un chef de tribu; l’autre est celui du poete, qui devait appartenir a la tribu des Padjras. Voy. section I, page 272, note 32; page 294, note 19.

(14) Le poete emploie ici et plus bas encore le mot Nahouch, que j’explique comme le mot ayou, note 9, plus haut.

(15) Souri, forme de la racine chou, signifie donateur. Il s’entend du chef qui fait les frais du sacrifice; quelquefois aussi du pretre qui l’offre. Voy. section I, page 294, note 19.

(16) Le mot ainsi rendu est Dasataya. C’est, dit le commentaire, le soma offert dans dix vases, on des mets qui rejouissent dix organes; ou bien enfin une offrande presentee sous dix formes differentes. Un autre sens est donne dans le vers suivant. J’ajouterais encore une autre explication: le soma extrait pvec les dix doigts.

(17) Ari, le pere de famille.

(18) C’est-a-dire le pretre et le chef de tribu.

(19) Suivant le commentateur, le poete designe par ce mot ou les nuages, ou les choses necessaires au sacrifice, et provenant de la vache.

(20) Le char attele en l'honneur d’un dieu, c’est le sacrifice: les dieux ou devas immortels ici mentionnes pourraient bien etre les pretres eux-memes.

(21) Damounas est un nom d’Agni; ce mot signifie domptant tout, ou qui aime la demeure du sacrifice. Le commentateur l'explique par Danamanas, qui aime a donner. Savitri et Bhaga, que nous trouverons plus loin, sont des noms du soleil.

(22) L'yodjana est une mesure trop incertaine pour que nous puissions tirer de ce passage quelque parti. L’aurore precede le soleil de trente yodjanas: quand elle est au premier meridien, a Lanca, le soleil en est eloigne de cette distance.

(23) C’est-a-dire Agni. Cependant le mot Deva pourrait s’entendre du chef lui-meme, ou du pretre qui assiste au sacrifice.

(24) Poete dont il est question section I, hymne 1, vers 13.

(25) Ce sont les rayons ou les nuages qui couvrent l'orient au point du jour.

(26) C’est la nuit, qui precede le jour, suivant les idees cosmogoniques de l’Inde.

(27) C’est-a-dire, la flamme du sacrifice.

(28) C’est avec quelque repugnance que j’ai suivi le sens donne a cette piece par le commentateur, qui la regarde comme une action de graces en l’honneur d’un prince; je n’y voyais qu’un hymne en l’honneur d’Indra. Mais la liaison qui semble exister entre cette piece et la suivante, m’a fait rejeter mon idee. Le commentateur dit que Cakchivan, apres ses etudes, se met en voyage pour retourner chez son pere, et s’endort sur la route; Swanaya, filsde Bhavayavya, le rencontrant, le fait monter sur son char, lui donne sa fille en mariage, et le ramene chez son pere, comble d’honneurs et de presents. Le commentateur trouve, dans les vers des deux hymnes qui se suivent, les divers details que je viens de rapporter, et se voit oblige de mettre successivement la parole dans la bouche de divers personnages.

(29) Le commentateur trouve dans ce vers une allusion au nom de Cakchivan, qui recut de Swanaya une ceinture militaire.

(30) Ces mots pourraient aussi s’entendre du soma; la plante dont on l'extrait est cherchee avec sollicitude, et ce breuvage peut bien etre appele par le poete l'enfant du desir ou du sacrifice, ichteh poutra.

(31) J’ai compris que les mots prinan et papouri correspondaient avec les mots idjana et yakchyamana.

(32) Meme nom que Bhavayavya.

(33) Sindhou est sans doute le nom general des provinces qui bordent le fleuve appele Sindhou, ou la mer appelee aussi du meme nom.

(34) Le Nichka est une mesure de poids appliquee a des quantites differentes. Voy. Wilson, Dictionnaire, a ce mot, et Prinsep (Useful tables).

(35) Le commentateur entend que le don s’est fait au milieu du jour.

(36) Cakchivan s’adresse ici a Dirghatamas son pere, et a sa famille.

(37) Ce mot signifie brebis. Le Gandhara, que l’on identifie avec le Candahar, etait fameux par ses troupeaux.

(38) J’ai vu dans ce passage l'action du sacrificateur qui prepare les bois formant l'arani, et qui en fait jaillir le feu.

(39) Le mot dwita peut offrir differents sens. Le commentaire le rapporte a deux especes de feux, ahavaniyadi.

(40) Asye m’a paru indiquer que le sacrifice pour lequel cet hymne avait ete compose, etait commande par une femme. Le commentaire croit que le poete fait ici allusion a la terre.

(41) Cet hymne, outre le metre atyachti, en offre d’autres, tels que le dhriti, l'outcriti, l'aticriti, le sancriti, le vicriti, le pracriti, le criti, c’est-k-dire des metres de 4 padas, et quelques-uns de plus de 100 syllabes. Voy. Grammaire de Wilson, pages 424 et suivantes.

(42) Manou est ici un nom general qui designe l'humanite. Agni, dans le foyer domestique, est l'ami, l'hote, le compagnon de l'homme; il a, en cette qualite, quelque chose d’humain.

(43) Ousidj est le nom de la mere de Cakchivan. Les Ousidjs forment la famille de ce Richi. Voy. section 1, page 254, note 84.

(44) Le mot swa se prete a deux sens: qui lui appartient ou qui nous appartient, qui est dans notre nature.

(45) Matariswan est le dieu du vent, qui, le matin, soufflant de l'horizon, excite le feu qu’on allume pour le sacrifice. Il semble l'apporler a l'homme, autrement a Manou, instituteur des ceremonies sacrees.

(46) Cette phrase me parait offrir un sens metaphorique, et indiquer une espece de manage mysterieux entre le feu et son foyer.

(47) Le mot Vedhas me semble devoir signifier celui qui contient une partie de l'intelligence divine. On le rend par pradjgna, sage, intelligent. Ce nom se donne a tous les dieux.

(48) Varouna est le soleil nocturne, et, sous ce rapport, il est, dit le commentateur, considere comme papadevata, divinite du mal.

(49) Cette epithete est ajoutee pour indiquer la signification restreinte du mot deva, qui ne s’emploie ici que comme designant les pretres et les personnes nobles, qu’ailleurs, au contraire, on appelle amrita (immortels).

(50) Le sacrifice, nous l’avons deja vu, est compare a un char que l'on prepare a l’usage d’un dieu.

(51) Anenas et Pourou sont d’anciens rois. Le nom de Pourou est pris quelquefois pour le nom d’homme en general.

(52) Le mot indou, que j’ai rendu ici par soma (libation), est quelquefois aussi un des noms de la lune, comme le mot soma lui-meme.

(53) Le texte porte djanita, que le commentaire explique par adicartri, paramewara. Tous ces dieux, en effet, sont crees; il y a quelque chose au-dessus d’eux, et ce quelque chose, inconnu, n’a point de culte.

(54) C'est-a-dire, les hommes.

(55) Il s’agit de ces villes celestes, qui sont les nuages. Il a deje ete fait mention des personnages ici cites. On dit que Pourou et Divodasa sont le meme personnage.

(56) Je m'explique cette epithete de danseur, de sauteur, par l’apparence que presente la foudre aux yeux de l’observateur.

(57) On raconte que sur l'Ansoumati, Indra, envoye par Vrihaspati et accompagne par les Marouts, tua Crichna (le noir Asoura) avec ses dix mille compagnons, qui donnaient la mort a tous les etres vivants.

(58) La legende dit que certains Asouras s’opposerent a la marche d'Indra, forts du privilege qu’ils avaient de ne pouvoir etre tues par lui. Il prit la forme du soleil, prononcant en meme temps le mot djahi, c’est-a-dire, tue. Je cherche vainement la clef de ce conte allegorique.

(59) Voy. section I, page 271, note 27; page 279, note 7; page 300, note 110. Ousanas prend ici le parti des Asouras ses eleves.

(60) Ce mot s’entend ici du soleil.

(61) Le poete designe le pere et la mere de famille qui ont commande le sacrifice, ou bien le pere de famille qui le commande, et le pretre qui le presente aux dieux.

(62) Ce mot signifie venant vers les rayons.

(63) Voy. plus haut, note 5.

(64) Je ne me rends pas compte de ce nombre.

(65) Je me figure le nuage, dont la partie inferieure est dechiree par la foudre.

(66) Les vents sont au nombre de 21.

(67) D’une peau de vache, percee de quelques trous, on formait un filtre pour la liqueur du soma.

(68) Ou le sacrifice se fait pres d’un Aswattha, ou plutot le bois de cet arbre sert a faire une des pieces de l'arani.

(69) Le feu sacre traduit le mot rita, qui signifie et le feu du sacrifice et le feu solaire.

(70) C’est-a-dire le disque du soleil. Bhaga est, comme on sait, un nom du soleil, ainsi que Mitra, Aryaman et Varouna.

(71) La libation personnifiee.

[admin]

NOTES
OF THE SECOND SECTION.
READING I.
[English Version by Google Translate]

(1) Translation of the word Roudra, epithet which designates Marout, the god of the wind.

(2) This verse is difficult to understand. I do not think that the word Asura designates an enemy of the gods: it is a being who gives, who brings life, epithet of Marout.

(3) Translation of Paridjman, epithet of Agni.

(4) Agni manifests in different forms, and particularly in that of the Tretagni: hence the meaning of the word Vasarhas.

(5) Parvata is derived from the verb parva, which means to fill, or from parvan, knot, as if to say filled with knots. This last explanation recalls the shape of the cloud, whose different parts seem knotted together. Parvata is therefore here the cloud personifies and invokes with Indra. However, this epithet is also attributed to the wind which swells and fills the cloud.

(6) Cakchivan. Section I, page 254, note 84; page 267, footnote 295; page 294, note 19. The poet must be one of his descendants.

(7) Agni, as not libations.

(8) It is natural to give the name of mothers to the waters, which fertilize and nourish nature.

(9) This word, analogous to the words Manou, Pourou, Nahouch, means in this place man.

(10) See section I, page 297, note 51.

(11) It must be assumed that the hearth is surrounded by worshipers who repeat invocations.

(12) It is the Ocean, or the wet element. It may still be the soma.

(13) The commentator regards the word Padjra as a name of Cakchivan. I distinguish these two names: one is that of a tribal chief; the other is that of the poet, who must have belonged to the tribe of the Padjras. See. Section I, page 272, note 32; page 294, footnote 19.

(14) The poet uses here and further down the word Nahouch, which I explain as the word ayou, note 9, above.

(15) Souri, form of the cabbage root, means donor. It means the chief who bears the cost of the sacrifice; sometimes also from the priest who offers it. See. section I, page 294, note 19.

(16) The word thus rendered is Dasataya. It is, says the commentary, the soma offered in ten vases, one of the dishes which rejoice ten organs; or finally an offering presented in ten different forms. Another meaning is given in the next verse. I would add yet another explanation: the soma extracted with the ten fingers.

(17) Ari, the father.

(18) That is to say the priest and the chief of the tribe.

(19) According to the commentator, the poet designates by this word or the clouds, or the things necessary for the sacrifice, and coming from the cow.

(20) The chariot harnessed in honor of a god is the sacrifice: the gods or immortal devas here mentioned could well be the priests themselves.

(21) Damunas is a name of Agni; this word signifies all-taming, or loving the abode of sacrifice. The commentator explains it by Danamanas, who likes to give. Savitri and Bhaga, which we will find later, are names of the sun.

(22) The yodjana is too uncertain a measure for us to be able to derive any benefit from this passage. The dawn precedes the sun by thirty yodjanas: when it is at the prime meridian, at Lanca, the sun is that distance away.

(23) That is to say Agni. However, the word Deva could mean the chief himself, or the priest who assists at the sacrifice.

(24) Poet referred to in section I, hymn 1, line 13.

(25) These are the rays or the clouds that cover the east at daybreak.

(26) It is the night, which precedes the day, according to the cosmogonic ideas of India.

(27) That is to say, the flame of sacrifice.

(28) It is with some reluctance that I followed the meaning given to this piece by the commentator, who regards it as a thanksgiving in honor of a prince; I saw in it only a hymn in honor of Indra. But the connection that seems to exist between this piece and the next made me reject my idea. The commentator says that Cakchivan, after his studies, sets out on a journey to return to his father, and falls asleep on the road; Swanaya, son of Bhavayavya, meeting him, makes him mount his chariot, gives him his daughter in marriage, and brings him back to his father, loaded with honors and presents. The commentator finds, in the verses of the two hymns which follow each other, the various details which I have just related, and finds himself obliged to put the word successively into the mouths of various characters.

(29) The commentator finds in this verse an allusion to the name of Cakchivan, who received a military belt from Swanaya.

(30) These words could also be understood as soma; the plant from which it is extracted is solicitously sought, and this beverage may well be called by the poet the child of desire or of sacrifice, ichteh poutra.

(31) I understood that the words prinan and papouri corresponded with the words idjana and yakchyamana.

(32) Same name as Bhavayavya.

(33) Sindhou is undoubtedly the general name of the provinces which border the river called Sindhou, or the sea also called by the same name.

(34) The Nichka is a measure of weight applied to different quantities. See. Wilson, Dictionary, has this word, and Prinsep (Useful tables).

(35) The commentator hears that the gift was made in the middle of the day.

(36) Cakchivan is addressing here Dirghatamas his father, and his family.

(37) This word means sheep. Gandhara, which is identified with Candahar, was famous for its herds.

(38) I saw in this passage the action of the priest who prepares the woods forming the arani, and who makes fire spring from it.

(39) The word dwita can have different meanings. The commentary relates it to two kinds of fires, ahavaniyadi.

(40) Asye seemed to me to indicate that the sacrifice for which this hymn was composed was commanded by a woman. The commentary believes the poet is referring to the earth here.

(41) This hymn, in addition to the meter atyachti, offers others, such as the dhriti, the outcriti, the aticriti, the sancti, the vicriti, the pracriti, the criti, that is to say meters of 4 padas, and some of more than 100 syllables. See. Wilson's Grammar, pages 424 et seq.

(42) Manu is here a general name which designates humanity. Agni, in the domestic hearth, is man's friend, guest, companion; he has, in this quality, something human.

(43) Ousidj is the name of Cakchivan's mother. The Ousidjs form the family of this Richi. See section 1, page 254, note 84.

(44) The word swa lends itself to two meanings: which belongs to it or which belongs to us, which is in our nature.

(45) Matariswan is the god of the wind, which, in the morning, blowing from the horizon, excites the fire that is lit for the sacrifice. He seems to bring it to the man, otherwise to Manu, teacher of the sacred ceremonies.

(46) This sentence seems to me to offer a metaphorical meaning, and to indicate a kind of mysterious marriage between the fire and its hearth.

(47) The word Vedhas seems to me to mean that which contains a part of the divine intelligence. It is rendered by prajgna, wise, intelligent. This name is given to all the gods.

(48) Varuna is the nocturnal sun, and in this respect he is, says the commentator, considered as papadevata, divinity of evil.

(49) This epithet is added to indicate the restricted meaning of the word deva, which is used here only as designating priests and noble persons, who elsewhere, on the contrary, are called amrita (immortals).

(50) The sacrifice, we have already seen, is compared to a chariot that is prepared for the use of a god.

(51) Anenas and Purou are former kings. The name of Pourou is sometimes taken for the name of man in general.

(52) The Hindu word, which I have rendered here as soma (libation), is sometimes also one of the names of the moon, like the word soma itself.

(53) The text carries djanita, which the commentary explains by adicartri, paramewara. All these gods, indeed, are created; there is something above them, and this something, unknown, has no worship.

(54) That is to say, men.

(55) It is about these celestial cities, which are the clouds. Mention has already been made of the characters cited here. It is said that Pourou and Divodasa are the same character.

(56) I explain this epithet of dancer, jumper, by the appearance that lightning presents to the eyes of the observer.

(57) It is said that on the Ansoumati, Indra, sent by Vrihaspati and accompanied by the Maruts, killed Crichna (the black Asura) with his ten thousand companions, who killed all living beings.

(58) The legend says that some Asuras opposed Indra's march, strong in the privilege they had of not being able to be killed by him. He took the form of the sun, pronouncing at the same time the word djahi, that is to say, kill. I search in vain for the key to this allegorical tale.

(59) See. Section I, page 271, note 27; page 279, footnote 7; page 300, note 110. Usanas here takes the side of the Asuras his pupils.

(60) This word means here the sun.

(61) The poet designates the father and the mother of the family who ordered the sacrifice, or else the father of the family who orders it, and the priest who presents it to the gods.

(62) This word means coming towards the rays.

(63) See above, note 5.

(64) I do not realize this number.

(65) I imagine the cloud, whose lower part is torn by lightning.

(66) The winds are 21 in number.

(67) From a cowhide, pierced with a few holes, a filter was formed for the liquor of the soma.

(68) Where the sacrifice is made near an Aswattha, where rather the wood of this tree is used to make one of the pieces of the arani.

(69) The sacred fire translates the word rita, which means both the fire of sacrifice and the solar fire.

(70) That is to say the disc of the sun. Bhaga is, as we know, a name of the sun, as well as Mitra, Aryaman and Varouna.

(71) The libation personified.

[admin]

LECTURE II.
[French Version]

(1) Nous rappelons au lecteur que c’est une maniere de designer le sacrifice. Le mot navyasi, que j’ai rendu par nouveau, peut aussi signifier hymne et louange.

(2) Dans ce passage, le mot vache doit s’entendre des offrandes et des effets du sacrifice. Je suppose aussi que le mot deva peut ici designer les personnes riches et recommandables qui font les frais du sacrifice, et donnent aux Jngiras, c’est-a-dire aux pretres, tout ce qui est necessaire pour l'accomplir. En pareil cas, le lait de la vache, c’est-a-dire, l’offrande destinee a Aryaman ou a tout autre dieu, est deposee dans le feu, qui la devore, et est cense la transmettre a qui de droit. Voici maintenant la legende faite sur cette circonstauce. On dit que les dieux, touches des prieres d’Angiras, lui avaient envoye des vaches qui s’approchaient de lui pour lui donner leur lait. Mais comme il ne pouvait les traire lui-meme, il invoqua Aryaman, et il obtint, par la vertu de son holocauste, de pouvoir jouir de ce lait desire.

(3) Le texte dit Vrihaspati.

(4) Cette enonciation generate de 33 dieux est bien reguliere. Il n’est pas aussi facile de nommer ces dieux avec les distinctions ici tracees. Dans l'Oupnekhat, tome I, page 207, les 33 dieux sont les 12 Adityas, les 8 Vasous, les 11 Roudras, puis Indra et Pradjapati, c’est-a-dire Brahma.

(5) Ce lieu saint, c’est le vedi, c’est-a-dire, l’espace reserve pour le sacrifice.

(6) Il y a une espece de correspondance entre le feu du sacrifice et le feu du soleil. Ces deux feux sont le meme, et le soleil, pour s’allnmer, semble attendre que le sacrifice soit commence. Ce sont les libations qui nourrissent sa lumiere; le culte rendu au feu qui reside dans le foyer terrestre augmente l’ardeur du feu qui reside dans le disque celeste. Agni nait donc le matin doublement sur la terre et dans le ciel; il brille pour bruler au sacrifice et pour eclairer le monde.

(7) Cette triple nourriture donnee au feu, ce sont les libations qui ont lieu trois fois par jour.

(8) Ce sont les deux pieces de bois qui forment l'arani, et tirees du Sami et de l’Aswattha.

(9) C’est-a-dire, sa flamme. Le foyer est tourne du cote de l’orient.

(10) Le pere d’Agni, c’est le maitre du sacrifice.

(11) Litteralement, quand il vent se conduire en Manou. Manou, c’est l’homme en general; mais en particular c’est l’homme religieux, fondateur des rites pieux, et principalement instituteur du culte du feu.

(12) Du ciel et de la terre.

(13) Voy. plus haut, lecture 1, note 21.

(14) Nous savons qu’Agni est nomme l'enfant de la force, a raison des efforts que l’on a faits pour l’extraire de l'arani.

(15) Nous rappelons au lecteur qu’Agni est quelquefois considere sous trois rapports: comme feu du sacrifice, comme feu ethere, vedyouta, comme feu solaire.

(16) Ces sept meres, suivant le commentaire, ce sont les sept vents qui amenent les nuages, ou reside le feu ethere, le feu de l'eclair et de la foudre.

(17) On compte dix points de l’horizon; et le soleil, en parcourant le ciel, regne sur ces dix regions.

(18) Nous avons vu tout a l’heure comment le soleil etait l'enfant du sacrifice, et, par consequent, le nourrisson des pretres.

(19) Le texte porte seulement le mot de meres. Le commentateur l'entend des dix regions celestes; il semble comprendre que le feu s’etend dans l’air, et entre en possession de l'atmosphere: ainsi, plus haut, on disait que le soleil etait le maitre des dix regions, c’est-a-dire du ciel entier. Je n’ai pas cru pouvoir adopter ce sens; je n’ai pas vu dans cette phrase les regions de l’est et de l’ouest; j’y ai vu les branches superieures et inferieures qui composent le bucher, et que gagne successivement le feu.

(20) Voyez, pour ce mot et pour l'hymne entier, la section I, lecture 1, hymne 12.

(21) L’epithete sousamiddha remplace, dans la section I, celle de samiddha, qui signifie enflamme.

(22) Surnom d’Agni, que l'on explique de diverses manieres: destructeur de son corps, parce qu’il devore le bois, et semble consumer sa substance; ou bien enfant de son corps, parce que ce meme bois nourrit et entretient le feu. Voy. ce meme mot, section I, page 251, note 56.

(23) C’est-a-dire, loue par les hommes.

(24) Le matin, a midi, et le soir, aux heures des trois savanas.

(25) J’emploie le mot Deva quand on peut douter s’il est question des dieux ou des sacrificateurs.

(26) C’est-a-dire, chante, celebre.

(27) Voyez la note ci-dessus (25).

(28) Ces portes sont celles de l’enceinte destinee au sacrifice. Elies recoivent une espece de consecration qui les eleve a la dignite des dieux: elles sont appelees devi.

(29) Le sacrifice se fait au moment des deux crepuscules, qui semblent, selon les idees indiennes, lui donner naissance.

(30) Voir section I, page 252, note 59. Ces deux divinites sont peut-etre les Aswins. Cependant, en voyant que l'auteur leur donne le nom de sacrificatcurs, et les decrit de la meme maniere qu’il decrit Agni, on peut croire, avec le commentateur, que ce sont deux formes de ce dieu. Ne seraient-ce pas les deux sacrifices du matin et du soir?

(31) L’offrande personnifiee.

(32) Voy. section I, page 247, note 23.

(33) Pour expliquer ce passage, il me semble qu’il faut distinguer, parmi les ministres du sacrifice, des officiers appeles les uns Devas, les autres Marouts, et charges de fonctions differentes. Les premiers (le mot deva signifiant brillant) auraient entretenu le feu; les seconds, dont le nom rappelle la legerete du vent, auraient eu, dans leurs fonctions, tout ce qui concerne l'action declamatoire, et peut-etre la danse sacree. Dans beaucoup d’endroits le mot Marout ne peut s’expliquer que par l'idee de pretre, ministre du sacrifice; et ce sens une fois adopte nous donne l'interpretation de plusieurs legendes ou les Marouts figurent avec les Angiras. Les Marouts alors ne sont pas les vents bruyants; c’est une espece de pretres qui font entendre les bourdonnements de la priere.

(34) Twachtri, comme nous l'avons vu, est Agni createur des formes plastiques; c’est le feu artiste.

(35) Agni, considere par rapport au bois du bucher: maitre du bois. Le commentaire veut que ce soit le bois des poteaux: youpagni.

(36) Exclamation prononcee au moment de l'offrande. Le poete l’a personnifiee.

(37) Mesure particuliere de vers employee dans les hymnes.

(38) J’avais pense que ces mots fils ou enfant de la force pouvaient se traduire par l'idee de tres-fort, tres-robuste. Cependant je suis force de les faire rapporter a l'action du pretre qui, avec force, extrait le feu des bois qui composent l'arani. Le feu, ainsi produit, est dit fils de la force.

(39) Ces ondes sont les liquides employes dans les sacrifices; ce sont les libations, surtout celles de beurre, qui font croitre et entretiennent le feu. L’enfant des ondes, c’est Agni. Ce meme mot ondes semble quelquefois designer les nuages, les eaux celestes.

(40) Nom du vent, qui va aussi servir a entretenir le feu.

(41) L’expression de l’auteur est plus pittoresque: elle signifie osculantur.

(42) C’est-a-dire, des libations.

(43) Le commentaire se perd ici dans une explication ou il est question du feu brillant dans le ciel, et entoure des nuages. Je crois mon interpretation moins recherchee et plus vraie.

(44) Nous savons que ce char des dieux, c’est le sacrifice.

(45) C’est-a-dire, les deux pieces de bois qui forment l'arani.

(46) Autrement, le matin et le soir, epoques du sacrifice. Le commentateur entend ce passage, comme s’il etait question du pere et de la mere de famille qui offrent le sacrifice.

(47) Les dix ouvriers sont les dix doigts du pretre qui extrait le feu de l'arani.

(48) Ce sont les etincelles du feu.

(49) Ce sont, suivant le commentaire, le ciel et la terre, ou peut-etre le matin et le soir, autrement les Aswins.

(50) Le commentaire donne au mot arvatih le sens de stoutayah.

(51) On distingue trois especes de feux: ce sont les trois tetes d’Agni. Le commentaire explique encore cette idee en disant qu’Agni brille dans les trois mondes, ou bien qu’on l'allume a trois epoques de la journee.

(52) On decompose la flamme en sept rayons; suivant le commentateur, ces sept rayons seraient les sept especes de metres (tchhandas) sur lesquels se composent les hymnes.

(53) C’est-a-dire, entre le ciel et la terre.

(54) C’est l'arani; ou bien ce sont ces deux vaches dont il va etre question. Le commentaire entend ce passage d’une maniere toute differente, en le rapportant au ciel et a la terre, produits par Agni.

(55) Ces deux vaches, qui nourrissent Agni, ce sont les deux especes d’offrandes, l'une liquide, l'autre solide, les boissons et les mets. Je ne pense pas qu’il soit ici question de deux sacrificateurs, ni du pere et de la mere de famille.

(56) Ce distique fait allusion a ce que l’on appelle la seconde naissance d’Agni; par la vertu du sacrifice et par les directions du sacrificateur, il nait dans le soleil. C’est la sa forme, qu’on appelle Sanskararoupam.

(57) Ces deux filles du sacrifice, ce sont l’offrande (ich), et la louange sacree (stouti). Suivant une autre explication, ce seraient la vie et l’abondance, annayouchi.

(58) Le saman est un recueil d’hymnes chantes dans les sacrifices. Plus tard, un des Vedas prit ce nom.

(59) Especes d’offrandes, quelquefois personnifiees.

(60) C’est-a-dire, le feu qui est dans le foyer.

(61) Il est singulier que presque tous ces vieux sages soient consideres comme ayant ete aveugles. Je croirais assez qu’il ne faut pas entendre par ce mot une cecite reelle, mais les tenebres de la nuit, dont Agni est venu les delivrer. Ici le commentaire raconte une petite legende, assez obscene, sur Dirghatamas, qui avait ete aveugle dans le sein de sa mere, et qui, par la protection d’Agni, avait ete gueri. Au reste, je remarque que toutes ces legendes, en general, sont faites sur des passages qu’elles pretendent expliquer, et qui s’expliqueraient fort naturellement sans cela.

(62) Nous l’avons vu, Matariswan est le vent, qui souffle pour exciter le fen.

(63) Ce distique n’est pas suffisamment clair. Il serait possible que Dirghatamas y fit encore allusion a sa cecite. Je comprends qu’Agni, cache au sein de l'arani, n’a pu etre detruit par ses ennemis qui pouvaient le croire eteint pour toujours, et que, par consequent, ces aveugles adversaires ne peuvent jamais esperer de l’atteindre. Les pretres veillent pour perpetuer sa vie.

(64) Nous avons traduit ailleurs ce mot de dwidjanman par ne sous deux formes; ce qui nous a paru presenter la meme idee que ne deux fois: ne une fois comme sorti de l'arani, ne une seconde fois comme transports dans le soleil par les invocations des pretres. Le commentateur incertain entend le mot dwidjanman comme signifiant ne de deux parents: ces deux parents seraient les deux pieces de l'arani, ou bien le ciel et la terre.

(65) Agni est mortel, dans ce sens qu’il est le commensal des mortels, et qu’il meurt au sein du foyer du sacrifice, pour renaitre plus tard.

(66) Ici le commentateur entre dans des details sur la maniere dont l’homme pieux arrive dans le monde de la lune, porte sur les rayons du soleil. Le mot tchandra, contenu dans ce vers, et, suivant moi, mal interprete par lui, l’a entraine dans cette description.

(67) Ce mot est entendu autrement par le commentateur, qui ne voit pas ici les libations, mais les ondes des images, les eaux qui enveloppent Agni vedyouta.

(68) Ces dieux, dans leur revolution, amenent le jour, qui revelele ciel et la terre: le poete leur en attribue la naissance.

(69) Le poete les appelle du nom d'Asoura.

(70) Ces vaches sont les flammes, les rayons d’Agni.

(71) L’expression de l’auteur est singuliere. Elle se traduit ainsi litteralement: triangularem occidit quadrangularis.

(72) Il est ici question de l’aurore: rapide et legere, elle est arretee par le soleil; elle disparait dans ses rayons, suivant le poete indien, elle perd son pied. La mythologie posterieure, en substituant a l’aurore le personnage d’Arouna, l’a prive de pieds: on trouve ici l’explication de ce mythe.

(73) Mitra et Varouna, dit le commentaire, c’est le Jour et la Nuit (ahoratro). Dans l'intervalle du jour et de la nuit nait le soleil, qui semble sortir de leur sein et devient leur fruit, leur enfant, garbha. Le soleil amene la lumiere et repousse les tenebres, et se montre de cette maniere l’ami du bien et l’ennemi du mal.

(74) Ce passage peut tout aussi bien s’entendre du sage sacrificateur.

(75) Le commentaire semble reconnaitre ici le nom d’un prince qu’il nomme Ratahavya.

(76) Je n’ai pas besoin de faire remarquer que le mot vache, ici et ailleurs, peut etre pris au propre ou an figure et, dans ce dernier cas, signifier le sacrifice, la libation ou les rayons d’Agni.

(77) Les trois pas de Vichnou, ne l’oublions pas, sont les trois stations du soleil, a son lever, a midi, a son coucher.

(78) Ces trois choses, suivant le commentaire, seraient ou les trois mondes (locatrayam), ou les trois temps (calatrayam), ou les trois qualites (gounatrayam).

(79) Ces mondes (bhouvanani), au nombre de sept, composent un espace intermediaire entre le ciel et la terre. Des mondes connus sous le nom de loca, on peut en compter tantot trois, tantot quatorze.

(80) Cette demeure est le ciel ou peut-etre le soleil, ou les Indiens pensaient qu’ils devaient etre transports apres la mort.

(81) Le mot bandhou est plus fort: il signifie parent, attache par le lien de la famille.

(82) C’est-a-dire, pour le pere et la mere de famille, pour les deux epoux offrant le sacrifice.

(83) Ces vaches sont les nuages, ou, suivant le commentateur, les rayons du soleil.

(84) Agni porte sur ses flammes, qui sont ses fleches, les voeux des mortels adresses aux dieux, ou bien il lance ces memes flammes contre leurs ennemis.

(85) Le commentaire entend cette phrase de Vichnou, qui fait apparaitre le Ciel et la Terre, grands parents de la Nature.

(86) Ce passage m’a paru difficile. Voici comme je le comprends. Agni doit etre considere sous trois rapports: comme fils de l'arani, comme pere du ciel et de la terre, et enfin comme Vichnou illuminant le ciel. Il serait absurde de trouver ici la moindre allusion au dogme d’une trinite quelconque.

(87) Voici les noms et le nombre de ces 94 periodes: 1 an, 2 ayanas ou demi-annees, 5 ritous ou saisons, 12 mois, 24 pakchas ou demi-mois, 30 jours, 8 yamas ou heures, 12 lagnas ou divisions de l’equateur. Dans ce calcul je trouve 5 saisons; je serais porte a n'en compter que 4, et a ajouter aux 12 mois le mois supplementaire.  

[admin]

READING II.
[English Version by Google Translate]

(1) We remind the reader that this is a way of designating sacrifice. The word navyasi, which I have rendered new, can also mean hymn and praise.

(2) In this passage, the word cow is to be understood of the offerings and the effects of the sacrifice. I also suppose that the word deva can here designate the rich and worthy people who bear the cost of the sacrifice, and give to the Jngiras, that is to say to the priests, all that is necessary to accomplish it. In such a case, the milk of the cow, that is to say, the offering intended for Aryaman or any other god, is deposited in the fire, which devours it, and is supposed to transmit it to whom it may concern. Here is now the legend made on this circumstauce. It is said that the gods, touched by the prayers of Angiras, had sent him cows which approached him to give him their milk. But as he could not milk them himself, he invoked Aryaman, and he obtained, by virtue of his holocaust, to be able to enjoy this desired milk.

(3) The text says Vrihaspati.

(4) This general enunciation of 33 gods is very regular. It is not so easy to name these gods with the distinctions here traced. In the Oupnekhat, volume I, page 207, the 33 gods are the 12 Adityas, the 8 Vasous, the 11 Roudras, then Indra and Pradjapati, that is to say Brahma.

(5) This holy place is the vedi, that is to say, the space reserved for the sacrifice.

(6) There is a kind of correspondence between the fire of the sacrifice and the fire of the sun. These two fires are the same, and the sun, to light itself, seems to wait for the sacrifice to begin. It is the libations that nourish its light; the worship rendered to the fire which resides in the earthly hearth increases the ardor of the fire which resides in the celestial disk. Agni is therefore born in the morning doubly on earth and in heaven; it shines to burn in sacrifice and to light up the world.

(7) This triple food given to the fire, these are the libations which take place three times a day.

(8) These are the two pieces of wood that form the arani, and taken from the Sami and the Aswattha.

(9) That is to say, its flame. The fireplace faces east.

(10) Agni's father is the master of sacrifice.

(11) Literally, when he winds up behaving like Manu. Manu is man in general; but in particular he is the religious man, founder of pious rites, and principally instituter of the cult of fire.

(12) Of heaven and earth.

(13) See. above, reading 1, note 21.

(14) We know that Agni is called the child of strength, because of the efforts that have been made to extract him from the arani.

(15) We remind the reader that Agni is sometimes considered in three respects: as sacrificial fire, as ethereal fire, vedyouta, as solar fire.

(16) These seven mothers, according to the commentary, are the seven winds which bring the clouds, where resides the ethereal fire, the fire of lightning and lightning.

(17) There are ten points of the horizon; and the sun, traversing the sky, reigns over these ten regions.

(18) We saw earlier how the sun was the child of the sacrifice, and, consequently, the infant of the priests.

(19) The text bears only the word mothers. The commentator hears it from the ten celestial regions; he seems to understand that the fire spreads in the air, and enters into possession of the atmosphere: thus, above, it was said that the sun was the master of the ten regions, that is to say of the whole sky . I did not believe I could adopt this meaning; I did not see in this sentence the eastern and western regions; I saw there the upper and lower branches which make up the pyre, and which the fire successively gains.

(20) See, for this word and for the whole hymn, section I, reading 1, hymn 12.

(21) The epithet subamiddha replaces, in section I, that of samiddha, which means inflamed.

(22) Nickname of Agni, which is explained in various ways: destroyer of his body, because he devours wood, and seems to consume its substance; or else child of his body, because this same wood nourishes and maintains the fire. See. this same word, section I, page 251, note 56.

(23) That is to say, praised by men.

(24) In the morning, at noon, and in the evening, at the times of the three savanas.

(25) I use the word Deva when it is doubtful whether it is a question of the gods or the priests.

(26) That is to say, sing, celebrate.

(27) See note above (25).

(28) These doors are those of the enclosure intended for the sacrifice. Elias receive a kind of consecration which raises them to the dignity of the gods: they are called devi.

(29) The sacrifice is made at the time of the two twilights, which seem, according to Indian ideas, to give birth to it.

(30) See section I, page 252, note 59. These two divinities are perhaps the Aswins. However, seeing that the author gives them the name of priests, and describes them in the same way as he describes Agni, we can believe, with the commentator, that they are two forms of this god. Wouldn't these be the two sacrifices of morning and evening?

(31) The personified offering.

(32) See. section I, page 247, note 23.

(33) To explain this passage, it seems to me that it is necessary to distinguish, among the ministers of sacrifice, officers called some Devas, others Marouts, and charged with different functions. The first (the word deva meaning brilliant) would have maintained the fire; the second, whose name recalls the lightness of the wind, would have had, in their functions, all that relates to declamatory action, and perhaps the sacred dance. In many places the word Marout can only be explained by the idea of ​​priest, minister of sacrifice; and this meaning once adopted gives us the interpretation of several legends where the Marouts figure with the Angiras. The Marouts then are not the noisy winds; they are a kind of priests who make the hummings of prayer heard.

(34) Twachtri, as we have seen, is Agni creator of plastic forms; it is the artistic fire.

(35) Agni, considered in relation to the wood of the stake: master of the wood. The comment wants it to be the wood of the poles: youpagni.

(36) Exclamation uttered at the time of the offering. The poet personified it.

(37) Particular measure of verse employed in hymns.

(38) I had thought that these words son or child of the force could be translated by the idea of ​​very strong, very robust. However, I am forced to relate them to the action of the priest who, with force, extracts the fire from the woods that make up the arani. Fire, thus produced, is said to be the son of force.

(39) These waves are the liquids used in the sacrifices; it is the libations, especially those of butter, which make the fire grow and keep it going. The child of the waves is Agni. This same word waves sometimes seems to designate the clouds, the celestial waters.

(40) Name of the wind, which will also be used to maintain the fire.

(41) The author's expression is more picturesque: it means osculantur.

(42) That is to say, libations.

(43) The comment is lost here in an explanation where it is a question of the fire shining in the sky, and surrounding clouds. I believe my interpretation less researched and truer.

(44) We know that this chariot of the gods is the sacrifice.

(45) That is to say, the two pieces of wood which form the arani.

(46) Otherwise, morning and evening, times of sacrifice. The commentator hears this passage as if it were a question of the father and the mother of the family who offer the sacrifice.

(47) The ten workers are the ten fingers of the priest who extracts the fire from the arani.

(48) These are the sparks of fire.

(49) These are, according to the commentary, heaven and earth, or perhaps morning and evening, otherwise the Aswins.

(50) The commentary gives the word arvatih the meaning of stoutayah.

(51) Three species of fires are distinguished: these are the three heads of Agni. The commentary further explains this idea by saying that Agni shines in the three worlds, or that he is kindled at three times of the day.

(52) The flame is decomposed into seven rays; according to the commentator, these seven rays would be the seven kinds of meters (tchhandas) on which the hymns are composed.

(53) That is to say, between heaven and earth.

(54) It is arani; or it is these two cows that will be discussed. The commentary understands this passage in quite a different way, relating it to heaven and earth, produced by Agni.

(55) These two cows, which feed Agni, are the two kinds of offerings, one liquid, the other solid, the drinks and the dishes. I don't think there is any question here of two priests, nor of the father and the mother of the family.

(56) This couplet alludes to what is called the second birth of Agni; by the virtue of the sacrifice and by the directions of the priest, he is born in the sun. This is his form, which is called Sanskararoupam.

(57) These two daughters of the sacrifice are the offering (ich), and the sacred praise (stouti). According to another explanation, it would be life and abundance, annayouchi.

(58) The saman is a collection of hymns sung in the sacrifices. Later, one of the Vedas took this name.

(59) Species of offerings, sometimes personified.

(60) That is to say, the fire that is in the hearth.

(61) It is singular that almost all these old sages are considered to have been blind. I would rather believe that this word should not mean a real blindness, but the darkness of the night, from which Agni came to deliver them. Here the commentary relates a little legend, rather obscene, about Dirghatamas, who had been blind in his mother's womb, and who, by the protection of Agni, had been healed. For the rest, I notice that all these legends, in general, are made on passages which they claim to explain, and which would otherwise be explained very naturally.

(62) We have seen it, Matariswan is the wind, which blows to excite the fen.

(63) This couplet is not sufficiently clear. It would be possible that Dirghatamas again alluded to his blindness. I understand that Agni, hidden within the arani, could not be destroyed by his enemies who might believe him extinguished forever, and therefore these blind adversaries can never hope to reach him. The priests watch to perpetuate his life.

(64) We have elsewhere translated this word dwidjanman by ne in two forms; which seemed to us to present the same idea as not twice: born once as if coming out of the arani, born a second time as being transported into the sun by the invocations of the priests. The uncertain commentator hears the word dwidjanman as meaning born of two parents: these two parents would be the two pieces of the arani, or heaven and earth.

(65) Agni is mortal, in the sense that he is the commensal of mortals, and that he dies within the hearth of the sacrifice, to be reborn later.

(66) Here the commentator goes into detail about how the pious man arrives in the world of the moon, carried on the rays of the sun. The word tchandra, contained in this verse, and, in my opinion, misinterpreted by him, led him into this description.

(67) This word is understood differently by the commentator, who does not see here the libations, but the waves of the images, the waters which envelop Agni vedyouta.

(68) These gods, in their revolution, bring day, which reveals heaven and earth: the poet attributes their birth to them.

(69) The poet calls them by the name of Asura.

(70) These cows are the flames, the rays of Agni.

(71) The expression of the author is singular. It translates literally as follows: triangularem occidit quadrangularis.

(72) It is a question here of the dawn: fast and light, it is stopped by the sun; she disappears in its rays, according to the Indian poet, she loses her footing. Later mythology, by substituting the character of Arouna for the dawn, deprived it of its feet: here we find the explanation of this myth.

(73) Mitra and Varouna, says the commentary, it is Day and Night (ahoratro). In the interval of day and night the sun is born, which seems to come out of their womb and becomes their fruit, their child, garbha. The sun brings light and repels darkness, and in this way shows itself the friend of good and the enemy of evil.

(74) This passage can just as well be understood of the wise priest.

(75) The commentary here seems to recognize the name of a prince whom it calls Ratahavya.

(76) I need not point out that the word cow, here and elsewhere, can be taken literally or in a figure and, in the latter case, signify the sacrifice, the libation or the rays of Agni.

(77) The three steps of Vishnu, let us not forget, are the three stations of the sun, at its sunrise, at noon, at its sunset.

(78) These three things, according to the commentary, would be either the three worlds (locatrayam), or the three times (calatrayam), or the three qualities (gounatrayam).

(79) These worlds (bhuvanani), seven in number, make up an intermediate space between heaven and earth. Of the worlds known by the name of loca, one can count sometimes three, sometimes fourteen.

(80) This abode is the sky or perhaps the sun, where the Indians thought they were to be transported after death.

(81) The word bandhou is stronger: it means relative, attached by the bond of the family.

(82) That is to say, for the father and the mother of the family, for the two spouses offering the sacrifice.

(83) These cows are the clouds, or, according to the commentator, the rays of the sun.

(84) Agni bears on his flames, which are his arrows, the wishes of mortals addressed to the gods, or else he launches these same flames against their enemies.

(85) The commentary hears this sentence of Vishnu, which makes Heaven and Earth appear, grandparents of Nature.

(86) This passage seemed difficult to me. Here is how I understand it. Agni must be considered in three respects: as son of the arani, as father of heaven and earth, and finally as Vishnu illuminating the sky. It would be absurd to find here the slightest allusion to the dogma of any trinity.

(87) Here are the names and the number of these 94 periods: 1 year, 2 ayanas or half-years, 5 ritous or seasons, 12 months, 24 pakchas or half-months, 30 days, 8 yamas or hours, 12 lagnas or divisions of the equator. In this calculation I find 5 seasons; I would be inclined to count only 4, and to add the additional month to the 12 months.

[admin]

LECTURE III.
[French Version]

(1) Ces deux mots traduisent les mots Vasou et Roudra, que le poete attribue ici aux Aswins, et qui appartiennent a deux classes particulieres de dieux.

(2) Outchathya etait le pere de Dirghatamas.

(3) Un roi, fils de Tougra, vaincu et pris par ses ennemis, fut lie et jete dans la mer. Il invoqua les Aswins, qui le souleverent sur leur char. Voy. section I, page 290, note 76; page 293, note 16; page 297, note 64; page 298, note 79.

(4) Je suppose que ces deux etres sont le jour et la nuit, represents peut-etre par les Aswins.

(5) Tout ce passage est d’une grande obscurite. Il semble qu’il contient des allusions a la vie particuliere de Dirghatamas, fils d’Outchathya, alors centenaire. Accable d’infirmites, il craint d’etre bride par le feu du sacrifice, ou submerge par les libations. Ce feu, ces libations peuvent etre l’image de la chaleur ou du froid, dont le vieillard redoute l’influence. Il est meme possible que le mot dasati, signifiant a la fois dix offrandes et dixieme dizaine, soit une allusion a son Age. Le commentaire, suivant son usage, fait une histoire de Dirghatamas, ou il est sauve du feu et de l’eau. Je me suis vu reduit a deviner.

(6) J’ai conserve fidelement cette expression, que le commentaire explique par l'impossibilite de marcher. Gantoumasaktah: celui qui ne peut marcher, est dit manger la terre.

(7) Je suppose que ce personnage est le dieu Agni: je rapproche le mot Tretana de Trita, un des noms portes par cette divinite, qui guerit la tete de Dirghatamas et attaque sa poitrine. Le mot que j’ai rendu par rayon peut aussi signifier jus du soma.

(8) Litteralement, dans son dixieme youga.

(9) Les devas terrestres, c’est-a-dire les rites personnifies, ou les pretres, par le sacrifice, ont donne naissance a Agni et au soleil, qui ont eux-memes enfante, c’est-a-dire revele par la lumiere, le ciel et la terre. Le commentaire comprend que les pretres aiment le ciel et la terre comme on aime un enfant.

(10) La suite des idees est, dans cet hymne, difficile a saisir, surtout a cause de l’equivoque de certains mots. Par exemple, le mot sounou peut signifier fils et homme faisant des libations. En adoptant le premier sens, les devas, qui, dans le premier distique, sont les peres du ciel et de la terre, en seraient ici les enfants.

(11) Les deux pieces de l'arani sont de bois, quoiqu’elles ne soient pas d’une meme essence. Le commentaire rapporte ces mots au ciel et a la terre. Au reste, je ne serais pas etonne qu’il existat quelque rapport mystique entre le ciel et la terre, et ces deux pieces de l'arani, l'une superieure, l’autre inferieure.

(12) En d’autres termes, la terre et le ciel vivifiees par les rayons du soleil.

(13) Les Ribhous sont des dieux qui represented, dit-on, les rayons du soleil, et dont le culte est moins ancien que celui des autres divinites. Il semblerait qu’avant d’etre reconnus comme dieux, ils furent homines sur la terre. Leur legende, comme on peut le voir dans cet hymne meme, paraitrait indiquer qu’ils inventerent plusieurs ceremonies, et fonderent une espece de culte nouveau. Voy. section I, page 254, note 1. Les details de cette legende peuvent se rapporter a une espece de revolution religieuse; mais ils sont assez obscurs pour qu’il soit difficile d’exprimer sur cet objet une opinion definitive.

(14) Agni, charge de porter les holocaustes adresses aux dieux, est naturellement leur messager aupres des Ribhous, qui ont la pretention d’arriver a ce rang eleve. Ils veulent avoir aussi les honneurs du vase des libations, reserves a Agni seul. Ils sont trois, et les dieux consentent a ce qu’il soit fait quatre vases de celui qu’avait fait Twachtri, leur artiste.

(15) Cette expression est connue; elle fait allusion aux apprets du sacrifice.

(16) Le sacrifice des Ribhous est interrompu; en d’autres termes, leur vache est morte; car la vache, c’est le sacrifice. Ils’agit de la faire revivre.

(17) Quels sont ces deux vieillards, pere et mere des Ribhous, sinon le ciel et la terre, que les rayons du soleil doivent faire renaitre?

(18) Par le sacrifice les dieux recoivent un char, c’est-a-dire les honneurs et les presents qui l’accompagnent. Vrihaspati est une forme d’Agni, et ses vaches sont des sacrifices de diverses especes.

(19) Le moundja est une plante dont la tige pouvait servir a remuer les boissons, ou bien a enlever les impuretes qui s'y trouvaient melees. Une autre explication reconnait une montagne Moundjana, qui produit la plante du soma.

(20) Autrement, le troisieme savana, celui du soir.

(21) Ce dieu est Agni, ou le soleil.

(22) Traduction incertaine: car ces deux personnages peuvent etre aussi le Ciel et la Terre, aieuls du monde, et assistant partout les Ribhous.

(23) Les bras de cette espece de dieux, ce sont leurs rayons. Arreter leur bras, c’est peut-etre aussi gener leur sacrifice.

(24) Le chien qui rompt le silence de la nuit, c’est le vent, suivant le commentaire. Mais il faut se rappeler qu’il y a une chienne nommee Sarama, et qui n’est autre chose que la priere, dont la voix eveille, le matin, tous les etres pour le sacrifice.

(25) Agni est un quatrieme Ribhou; et reciproquement les Ribhous doivent etre des formes d’Agni, lequel est, comme on salt, enfant de la force.

(26) Ces trois noms sont ceux de trois Adityas: nous savons que Mitra est l’aditya du jour, et Varouna celui de la nuit. Nous avons vu tout a l’heure que ce dernier habitait les eaux et les mers, parce que la nuit engendre les vapeurs et l’humidite. Pour Aryaman, le commentaire dit ici que c’est l’aditya de la mort, antacalabhimani.

(27) Le texte porte ayou, que l’on explique par l’idee du vent qui va toujours.

(28) C’est ordinairement une epithete d’Indra: cependant comme le mot signifie sejour des Ribhous, ce pourrait bien etre le soleil.

(29) Ce sont les devas, c’est-a-dire les pretres, qui le choisissent pour le sacrifice.

(30) Ainsi le col et le front doivent etre blancs. Voyez, dans le Dabistan de M. Troyer, tome II, page 79, des details curieux sur cette espece de sacrifice.

(31) Vitaprichtha: le commentaire l’explique par homavanita ou paryagnicrita.

(32) Litteralement, un bon parent, soubandhou.

(33) Le Sritapaca est le moment du sacrifice ou la chair de la victime est bouillie.

(34) On l’appelle Twachtri.

(35) Ce sont le coeur, la langue, la poitrine.

(36) Boulettes de riz et de beurre.

(37) Le cheval du sacrifice devient un cheval celeste; il est le soleil lui-meme, appele deja aswa, cheval, a cause de sa rapidite. Cet hymne est donc proprement un hymne au soleil.

(38) Le texte porte simplement samoudra, mer. Le sens de ce mot n'est pas celui qu’en francais nous pouvons lur donner, quand nous disons que le soleil sort de la mer. Cette mer dont parle l’auteur, c’est ou cet amas de vapeurs celestes d’ou se degage le soleil, ou plutot ces libations du sacrifice qui donnent naissance a l’astre divin, suivant la doctrine des poetes de cette epoque. Selon cette idee, le cheval, qui va devenir le soleil, sort du foyer d’Agni, ou son corps a ete jete comme offrande; il sort aussi de ce corps terrestre et corruptible.

(39) C’est-a-dire, tes rayons.

(40) Yama est le dieu de la mort; la victime a ete remise par lui au feu du sacrifice.

(41) Ce feu du sacrifice, c’est Trita, autrement Agni. C’est lui qui, comme on sait, attelle le char des dieux; expression que nous n’avons plus besoin d’expliquer.

(42) Le commentaire suppose que Gandharva, c’est le soma. Le soma est represente par les poetes comme brillant, et refletant quelquefois les rayons du soleil; el, en termes poetiques renes et rayons sont synonymes. Gandharva signifie aussi cheval. C’est un nom du soleil ou d’Agni.

(43) Le ne sont pas neuf stations differentes, ce sont trois memes stations vues a travers un milieu different, que forment trois etats du ciel: le ciel brillant, le ciel nuageux, le ciel nebuleux. Ce sont des couches diverses de l’air, que les Indiens appellent mondes, ou le soleil semble se tenir, suivant l’apparence du temps. Le commentaire invente, a ce sujet, des triades singulieres, telles que le nuage, l’eclair et le tonnerre, ou bien la nourriture, la plante, la semence: j’ai pense que tout cela n’avait aucun rapport avec la phrase presente, qui exprimait, d’une maniere plus complexe, une idee que nous connaissons depuis longtemps, les trois positions du soleil au levant, a midi, au couchant.

(44) Varouna est le soleil considere comme retournant, cache pendant la nuit, a son poste du matin.

(45) C’est-a-dire, tes rayons.

(46) Je pense que monter le cheval ou preparer le char d'un dieu, ce sont deux expressions qui ont le meme sens. Cependant on a dit tout a l'heure qu’Indra avait le premier monte sur le char du cheval celeste; cette phrase pourrait donc signifier: les dieux se sont reunis pour l'holocauste offert a celui qui, etc.

(47) Que sont ces coursiers? les jours peut-etre, ou les rayons.

(48) Ce sont les rayons du soleil.

(49) Ce frere d’Agni est le feu celeste, le feu de la foudre, Vedyouta, qui siege surtout dans les nuages et dans l'air: c’est pour cela que le commentaire semble le confondre avec Vayou. Nous respirons aussi ce feu, c’est pour nous le souffle de vie.

(50) Ces trois freres me semblent etre le feu du sacrifice, le feu celeste et le feu solaire.

(51) Le nombre sept s’applique a plusieurs especes de choses: sept rayons, sept flammes, et par consequent sept chevaux du soleil, sept mondes inferieurs, sept mondes superieurs, sept meres, ondes ou genres de soma, sept mers ou lacs, sept genres de metres, sept pretres officiant dans un sacrifice.

(52) Le commentaire veut que ces trois moyeux representent trois saisons, ou les trois temps. La roue, dit-il, c’est l'annee, ou plutot le disque solaire.

(53) Ces personnages, suivant le commentaire, sont l'Ayana (semestre), le Ritou (saison), le Masa (mois), le Pakcha (demi-mois), le Divasa (jour), la Ratri (nuit), et le Mouhourtta (heure).

(54) Que sont ces soeurs? Le commentateur pense que ce sont les six saisons, auxquelles il faut ajouter, pour completer le nombre sept, le treizieme mois complementaire.

(55) Ces sept vaches sont les sept matris ou especes d’ondes.

(56) Les sept especes de metres sur lesquels se composent les hymnes.

(57) Ce sont les rayons ou les nuages.

(58) Ce pere et cette mere, suivant moi, ce sont les deux pieces de l'arani. Jusqu’a present nous avons vu qu’elles etaient appelees les deux meres: ici, il m’a semble que la pensee de l’auteur etait de supposer un mariage entre ces deux pieces, dont l'une (outtara), pour produire le feu, est introduite dans l'ouverture que presente la seconde (outtana). Le commentateur rapporte ce passage au ciel et a la terre, et se trouve force de faire violence aux mots et meme a la grammaire. Voy. section I, page 261, note 49.

(59) C’est la libation qui nourrit et augmente le feu.

(60) Voir la note 48.

(61) Le feu, etant triple, est considere comme naissant trois fois, et comme devant ces naissances a des parents differents. Je n'ose dire jusqu'a quel point le commentateur est ici embarrasse, parlant des trois mondes et de leurs gardiens, des trois temps, etc. Je crois avoir ete plus heureux que lui.

(62) Agni est le messager du sacrifice, et porte aux dieux les offrandes et les prieres.

(63) Ce sont les jours et les nuits; 360, nombre rond repete deux fois.

(64) Pourichin est l'ayana du midi: ce mot est traduit par aqueux.

(65) Ce sont les mois, le demi-mois, le jour, la nuit et l'heure.

(66) Je suppose que ce sont douze pakchas ou demi-mois.

(67) C’est-a-dire, eleve. C’est l'ayana du nord.

(68) Voy. note 52. Les roues sont ici ce que tout a l'heure il appelait pieds, ce que dans le vers suivant il va nommer rayons.

(69) Les rayons sont les six ritous ou saisons.

(70) Voy. la note 64.

(71) Je suppose que ce sont les dix points cardinaux.

(72) Ce frere unique est le treizieme mois, ou mois intercalaire. Les mois ainsi disposes par couples peuvent prendre le nom des six ritous.

(73) L’enfant savant est en quelque sorte le pere de son pere. Voy. Lois de Marion, la meme pensee exprimee a l’occasion des Angiras, livre III, sl. 153.

(74) Cette image represente la libation tombant sur le feu: le pied de la vache, c’est la flamme qui recoit la libation, et qui, par des mouvements alternatifs, eclate ou s’affaisse. Cette flamme pourrait encore etre consideree comme brulant ici dans le sacrifice: c’est le pied inferieur; et comme brulant dans le soleil, c’est le pied superieur.

(75) Manas lokicam.

(76) Ces deux esprits (le texte dit souparnas, etres ailes) n’en font qu’un (ekatmyam), et sont l'esprit supreme (paramatma) et l'esprit de vie (djivatma). C’est ainsi que Plotin fait l'ame du monde soeur de l'ame humaine. Heracleon dit que l’ame pneumatique a son autre moitie dans la region des intelligences superieures, moitie avec laquelle elle doit s’unir un jour. Il y a de l'Indien dans toutes ces doctrines.

(77) Sous l’allegorie d’un arbre, les poetes font souvent allusion ou au monde, ou au corps humain. Voy. Oupnekhat, tome I, p. 320. En m’abstenant de toute reflexion, je ferai remarquer qu’il y a ici un reflet du commencement de la Genese. Le pippala est l’arbre appele ficus religiosa.

(78) Le commentaire dit que ce seigneur est le djivatma, ainsi identifie avec Agni, ou le pere du monde.

(79) Les esprits dans cet etat sont appeles kchetradjnah: ils connaissent l'enveloppe corporelle.

(80) Ces trois especes de metres, suivant le commentaire, etaient consacrees aux trois savanas, qui en avaient pris leurs noms, et qui se trouvaient eux-memes sous la dedicace de trois divinites particulieres. En effet, le distique 25 indiquerait que la Gayatri est reservee a Agni; le Trichtoubh, au Soleil; la Djagati, au dieu de l’air.

(81) L'arca est un hymne, une piece artchnasadhanam.

(82) Le saman est un recueil d’hymnes chantes.

(83) Le vaca est une reunion d’hymnes appeles souktas, et qui me sembleraient avoir ete parles.

(84) J’ai imagine qu’il devait y avoir deux especes de vacas, pour que l’un puisse se composer de l'autre. Voila pourquoi j’ai employe le nom d'anouvaca.

(85) Un akchara est une lettre ou une syllabe. Mais ici ce mot me semble avoir un autre sens: il signifie vers, lequel est compose de deux ou quatre padas, c’est-a-dire fragments de vers, hemistiches. Le mot pada a encore un autre sens (vers 23 et 45); il veut dire le sujet chante dans le vers. Il est un autre mot que je veux aussi expliquer ici: c’est le mot vyoman (vers 34, 35, 39). Il m'a paru avoir quelque rapport avec le pranava. C’est le titre de l’hymne; c’est le personnage sous le nom duquel on met cet hymne, en quelque sorte le patron qui le couvre.

(86) Le commentateur et M. Wilson disent que c’est le saman. Je croirais assez que c’est une epithete du Trichtoubh, plus rapide que la Djagati.

(87) J'entends que la Gayatri est employee pour depeindre les vertus d’Agni et de ses trois feux. Je presume que la destination de ces trois metres n’est pas d’une observation rigoureuse, car cette regle me parait subir plus d’une exception.

(88) Il me semble que la vache est la libation qui doit augmenter la force du feu, devenu son nourrisson, et communiquer ensuite les rayons au soleil.

(89) Cest-a-dire, la libation est jetee sur le feu qu’elle alimente, et fremit en y tombant.

(90) Je pense que le lecteur s’explique bien toute cette allegorie, en la rapportant a la libation. Le commentaire pense que la vache, c’est le nuage; que son veau, c’est la terre; que la tete de ce veau, ce sont les montagnes.

(91) Le mal est appele ici nirriti.

(92) Je suppose que l'auteur designe le pole du nord, outtanayoh tchamwoh, dans l’endroit septentrional ou les deux surfaces se touchent. L’etoile polaire se nomme outtanapada. C’est le point qui a ete plus tard le sommet du mont Merou, partie la plus elevee de la terre, et partie centrale du ciel.

(93) Le mot douhitri peut ne pas signifier fille: il marque l'etat de celle qui se nourrit de lait.

(94) Vichnou est un des noms du soleil, dont les rayons se decomposent en sept parties.

(95) La vache dont il va etre question maintenant, c’est la parole sainte, que l'on a aussi divinisee sous le nom de Saraswati, deesse de la parole, vagdevi.

(96) Dans la supposition que cette vache est la parole, et par consequent la poesie sacree, on se rend bien compte de la multiplicite de ses pieds; ses mamelles, ce sont les akcharas, ou les vers qu’ils composent. (Le mot akchara signifie aussi onde: j’ai cru pouvoir modifier la traduction.) Le commentateur, adoptant une autre idee, et voulant que cette vache soit le nuage, depense beaucoup d’esprit pour expliquer les diverses epithetes qui ont rapport aux pieds que l'auteur donne a sa vache. Ses efforts ont contribue a me faire persister dans le sens que j’ai suivi. Ces ondes dont il est question sont ou celles des libations qui accompagnent la priere du sacrifice, ou les ondes du ciel que fait tomber la priere.

(97) Ce sont les trois feux dont nous avons parle au commencement de cet hymne: le feu solaire, le feu du sacrifice, et le feu celeste, qui est aussi le feu vital.

(98) Le mot brahmana se trouve ici pour la premiere fois. Il signifie fils de brahman ou de pretre. Je ne pense pas qu’alors il fut usite comme distinction de caste.

(99) Le mot gouha, employe icsi, me represente cette grande voute formee par le ciel, et qui, sans les trois Agnis, ressemblerait a une caverne tenebreuse.

(100) C’est-a-dire, quatrieme. Ainsi s’appelle l'ame supreme non melee a la matiere: le paramatma ou adhyatma, distingue du bhoutatma qui est appele aussi djivatma et dehatma, noms de l’ame universelle unie aux elements materiels.

(101) C’est-a-dire, les rayons.

(102) Ce mot traduit sankou, que le commentateur explique par oupatchara. Je remarque que ce meme mot siguifie l’aiguille da gnomon.

(103) Les Sadhyas sont, comme le dit le mot, des hommes devenus parfaits, et formant, apres leur mort, une classe de demi-dieux celestes.

(104) Autrement, de l’homme.

[admin]

READING III.
[English Version by Google translate]

(1) These two words translate the words Vasou and Roudra, which the poet attributes here to the Aswins, and which belong to two particular classes of gods.

(2) Uchathya was the father of Dirghatamas.

(3) A king, son of Tugra, defeated and taken by his enemies, was bound and thrown into the sea. He called upon the Aswins, who lifted him up in their chariot. See. Section I, page 290, note 76; 293, footnote 16; page 297, footnote 64; page 298, footnote 79.

(4) I suppose these two beings are day and night, perhaps represented by the Aswins.

(5) This whole passage is very dark. It seems to contain allusions to the particular life of Dirghatamas, son of Uchathya, then a centenarian. Overwhelmed with infirmities, he fears being bribed by the fire of sacrifice, or overwhelmed by libations. This fire, these libations can be the image of heat or cold, the influence of which the old man dreads. It is even possible that the word dasati, meaning both ten offerings and tenth ten, is an allusion to his Age. The commentary, according to its usage, makes a story of Dirghatamas, where he is saved from fire and water. I saw myself reduced to guessing.

(6) I have faithfully preserved this expression, which the commentary explains by the impossibility of walking. Gantoumasaktah: one who cannot walk is said to eat the earth.

(7) I suppose that this character is the god Agni: I bring the word Tretana closer to Trita, one of the names borne by this divinity, who heals the head of Dirghatamas and attacks his chest. The word I rendered ray can also mean soma juice.

(8) Literally, in his tenth youga.

(9) The terrestrial devas, i.e. the personified rites, or the priests, by the sacrifice, gave birth to Agni and to the sun, who themselves gave birth, i.e. revealed by light, heaven and earth. The commentary understands that priests love heaven and earth as one loves a child.

(10) The sequence of ideas in this hymn is difficult to grasp, especially because of the ambiguity of certain words. For example, the word sounou can mean son and man making libations. By adopting the first meaning, the devas, who, in the first couplet, are the fathers of heaven and earth, would here be their children.

(11) The two pieces of the arani are of wood, although they are not of the same essence. The commentary relates these words to heaven and earth. Besides, I would not be surprised if there were some mystical connection between heaven and earth, and these two parts of the arani, one superior, the other inferior.

(12) In other words, the earth and the sky vivified by the rays of the sun.

(13) The Ribhous are gods who represent, it is said, the rays of the sun, and whose worship is less ancient than that of the other divinities. It would seem that before being recognized as gods, they were homines on earth. Their legend, as can be seen in this very hymn, would seem to indicate that they invented several ceremonies, and founded a new species of worship. See. section I, page 254, note 1. The details of this legend may relate to a kind of religious revolution; but they are obscure enough to make it difficult to express a definitive opinion on this subject.

(14) Agni, responsible for carrying the holocausts addressed to the gods, is naturally their messenger to the Ribhous, who claim to reach this high rank. They also want to have the honors of the vase of libations, reserved for Agni alone. They are three, and the gods consent to four vases being made of the one made by Twachtri, their artist.

(15) This expression is known; it alludes to the preparations for sacrifice.

(16) The sacrifice of the Ribhous is interrupted; in other words, their cow is dead; because the cow is the sacrifice. It's about bringing it back to life.

(17) What are these two old men, father and mother of the Ribhous, if not the sky and the earth, which the rays of the sun must bring back to life?

(18) By the sacrifice the gods receive a chariot, that is to say the honors and the presents which accompany it. Vrihaspati is a form of Agni, and his cows are sacrifices of various kinds.

(19) The moundja is a plant whose stem could be used to stir drinks, or to remove the impurities that were mixed in it. Another explanation recognizes a Moundjana mountain, which produces the soma plant.

(20) Otherwise, the third savana, the evening one.

(21) This god is Agni, or the sun.

(22) Translation uncertain: because these two characters can also be Heaven and Earth, ancestors of the world, and assisting the Ribhous everywhere.

(23) The arms of this species of gods are their rays. To stop their arm is perhaps also to hamper their sacrifice.

(24) The dog that breaks the silence of the night is the wind, according to the commentary. But it must be remembered that there is a female dog named Sarama, and who is nothing but prayer, whose voice awakens, in the morning, all beings for the sacrifice.

(25) Agni is a fourth Ribhu; and conversely the Ribhous must be forms of Agni, who is, as we know, the child of force.

(26) These three names are those of three Adityas: we know that Mitra is the Aditya of the day, and Varuna that of the night. We saw earlier that the latter inhabited the waters and the seas, because the night generates vapors and humidity. For Aryaman, the commentary here says it is the aditya of death, antacalabhimani.

(27) The text carries ayou, which is explained by the idea of ​​the wind which always goes.

(28) It is usually an epithet of Indra: however, as the word means abode of the Ribhous, it could well be the sun.

(29) It is the devas, that is to say the priests, who choose him for the sacrifice.

(30) Thus the collar and the forehead must be white. See, in the Dabistan of M. Troyer, volume II, page 79, curious details on this species of sacrifice.

(31) Vitaprichtha: the commentary explains it by homavanita or paryagnicrita.

(32) Literally, a good parent, soubandhu.

(33) The Sritapaca is the moment of sacrifice where the flesh of the victim is boiled.

(34) It is called Twachtri.

(35) These are the heart, the tongue, the chest.

(36) Rice and butter dumplings.

(37) The sacrificial horse becomes a celestial horse; he is the sun himself, already called aswa, horse, because of his speed. This hymn is therefore properly a hymn to the sun.

(38) The text simply bears samoudra, sea. The meaning of this word is not the one we can give it in French, when we say that the sun comes out of the sea. It is where that heap of celestial vapors from which the sun emerges, or rather those libations of the sacrifice which give birth to the divine star, according to the doctrine of the poets of that time. According to this idea, the horse, which will become the sun, comes out of the hearth of Agni, where his body was thrown as an offering; he also comes out of this earthly and corruptible body.

(39) That is to say, your rays.

(40) Yama is the god of death; the victim was handed over by him to the fire of sacrifice.

(41) This fire of sacrifice is Trita, otherwise Agni. It is he who, as we know, harnesses the chariot of the gods; expression that we no longer need to explain.

(42) The commentary assumes that Gandharva is soma. The soma is represented by the poets as shining, and sometimes reflecting the rays of the sun; el, in poetic terms reins and rays are synonymous. Gandharva also means horse. It is a name of the sun or Agni.

(43) The are not nine different stations, they are three same stations seen through a different medium, which form three states of the sky: the brilliant sky, the cloudy sky, the nebulous sky. They are various strata of the air, which the Indians call worlds, where the sun seems to stand, according to the appearance of time. The commentary invents, on this subject, singular triads, such as the cloud, the lightning and the thunder, or else the food, the plant, the seed: I thought that all that had no relation with the sentence present, which expressed, in a more complex way, an idea that we have known for a long time, the three positions of the sun at sunrise, at noon, at sunset.

(44) Varuna is the sun considered as returning, hidden during the night, to its post in the morning.

(45) That is to say, your rays.

(46) I think that riding the horse or preparing the chariot of a god, these are two expressions which have the same meaning. However, it was said a while ago that Indra was the first to ride the chariot of the celestial horse; this sentence could therefore mean: the gods have come together for the holocaust offered to him who, etc.

(47) What are these couriers? the days perhaps, or the rays.

(48) These are the rays of the sun.

(49) This brother of Agni is the celestial fire, the fire of lightning, Vedyuta, which sits above all in the clouds and in the air: this is why the commentary seems to confuse him with Vayu. We also breathe this fire, it is for us the breath of life.

(50) These three brothers seem to me to be the fire of sacrifice, the celestial fire and the solar fire.

(51) The number seven applies to several kinds of things: seven rays, seven flames, and therefore seven horses of the sun, seven inferior worlds, seven superior worlds, seven mothers, waves or kinds of soma, seven seas or lakes. , seven kinds of meters, seven priests officiating in a sacrifice.

(52) The commentary has it that these three hubs represent three seasons, or the three times. The wheel, he says, is the year, or rather the solar disc.

(53) These characters, according to the commentary, are the Ayana (semester), the Ritou (season), the Masa (month), the Pakcha (half month), the Divasa (day), the Ratri (night), and the Mouhourtta (time).

(54) What are these sisters? The commentator thinks that these are the six seasons, to which must be added, to complete the number seven, the thirteenth complementary month.

(55) These seven cows are the seven matris or kinds of waves.

(56) The seven kinds of meters on which the hymns are composed.

(57) These are the rays or the clouds.

(58) This father and this mother, according to me, are the two parts of the arani. So far we have seen that they were called the two mothers: here, it seems to me, the author's thought was to suppose a marriage between these two pieces, one of which (outtara), to produce fire, is introduced into the opening presented by the second (outtana). The commentator relates this passage to heaven and earth, and finds himself forced to do violence to words and even to grammar. See. section I, page 261, note 49.

(59) It is the libation that nourishes and increases the fire.

(60) See footnote 48.

(61) Fire, being triple, is considered to be born three times, and as before these births to different parents. I dare not say how embarrassed the commentator is here, speaking of the three worlds and their guardians, of the three times, etc. I think I was happier than him.

(62) Agni is the messenger of sacrifice, and carries offerings and prayers to the gods.

(63) These are the days and the nights; 360, round number repeated twice.

(64) Pourichin is the ayana of the south: this word is translated as watery.

(65) These are the months, the half-month, the day, the night and the hour.

(66) I suppose it is twelve pakchas or half months.

(67) That is to say, high. It is the ayana of the north.

(68) See. note 52. The wheels here are what earlier he called feet, what in the next verse he will name spokes.

(69) The rays are the six ritous or seasons.

(70) See. footnote 64.

(71) I suppose these are the ten cardinal points.

(72) This unique brother is the thirteenth month, or intercalary month. The months thus arranged in pairs can take the name of the six ritous.

(73) The learned child is in a way the father of his father. See. Laws of Marion, the same thought expressed on the occasion of the Angiras, book III, sl. 153.

(74) This image represents the libation falling on the fire: the foot of the cow is the flame which receives the libation, and which, by alternating movements, bursts or collapses. This flame could still be considered burning here in the sacrifice: it is the lower foot; and as if burning in the sun, it is the upper foot.

(75) Manas lokicam.

(76) These two spirits (the text says souparnas, winged beings) are one (ekatmyam), and are the supreme spirit (paramatma) and the spirit of life (djivatma). This is how Plotinus makes the soul of the world sister to the human soul. Heracleon says that the pneumatic soul has its other half in the region of the higher intelligences, half with which it must unite one day. There is something Indian in all these doctrines.

(77) Under the allegory of a tree, poets often allude either to the world or to the human body. See. Oupnekhat, volume I, p. 320. Abstaining from reflection, I will point out that there is a reflection here of the beginning of Genesis. The pippala is the tree called ficus religiosa.

(78) The commentary says that this lord is the djivatma, thus identified with Agni, or the father of the world.

(79) The spirits in this state are called kchetrajnah: they know the bodily envelope.

(80) These three kinds of meters, according to the commentary, were consecrated to the three savanas, which had taken their names from them, and which were themselves under the dedication of three particular divinities. Indeed, couplet 25 would indicate that the Gayatri is reserved for Agni; the Trichtoubh, to the Sun; the Djagati, to the god of the air.

(81) The arca is a hymn, an artchnasadhanam piece.

(82) The saman is a collection of sung hymns.

(83) The vaca is a collection of hymns called souktas, which would seem to me to have been spoken.

(84) I imagined that there must be two kinds of vacas, so that one can be composed of the other. This is why I used the name anouvaca.

(85) An akchara is a letter or a syllable. But here this word seems to me to have another meaning: it means verse, which is composed of two or four padas, that is to say fragments of verse, hemistiches. The word pada has yet another meaning (lines 23 and 45); he means the subject sings in the verse. There is another word that I also want to explain here: it is the word vyoman (verses 34, 35, 39). It seemed to me to have something to do with pranava. This is the title of the anthem; it is the character under whose name we put this anthem, in a way the boss who covers it.

(86) The commentator and Mr. Wilson say it is the saman. I would rather believe that it is an epithet of Trichtoubh, faster than Djagati.

(87) I mean that the Gayatri is used to portray the virtues of Agni and his three fires. I presume that the destination of these three meters is not subject to rigorous observation, for this rule seems to me to suffer from more than one exception.

(88) It seems to me that the cow is the libation which must increase the strength of the fire, which has become its suckling, and then communicate the rays to the sun.

(89) That is to say, the libation is thrown on the fire which it feeds, and shudders while falling there.

(90) I think that the reader explains all this allegory well, by relating it to the libation. The commentary thinks the cow is the cloud; that his calf is the earth; that the head of this calf is the mountains.

(91) Evil is here called nirriti.

(92) I suppose that the author designates the north pole, outtanayoh tchamwoh, in the northern place where the two surfaces meet. The pole star is called outtanapada. This is the point that was later the summit of Mount Merou, the highest part of the earth, and central part of the sky.

(93) The word douhitri may not mean daughter: it marks the state of one who feeds on milk.

(94) Vishnu is one of the names of the sun, whose rays break down into seven parts.

(95) The cow that will be discussed now is the holy word, which has also been deified under the name of Saraswati, goddess of the word, vagdevi.

(96) In the supposition that this cow is the word, and consequently the sacred poetry, one realizes well the multiplicity of its feet; her breasts are the akcharas, or the verses they compose. (The word akchara also means wave: I thought I could modify the translation.) The commentator, adopting another idea, and wanting this cow to be the cloud, expends a great deal of wit in explaining the various epithets which refer to the feet. that the author gives to his cow. His efforts helped me to persist in the direction I followed. These waves in question are either those of the libations which accompany the prayer of sacrifice, or the waves of the sky which the prayer causes to fall.

(97) These are the three fires of which we spoke at the beginning of this hymn: the solar fire, the fire of the sacrifice, and the celestial fire, which is also the vital fire.

(98) The word brahmana is found here for the first time. It means son of brahman or priest. I don't think it was then used as a caste distinction.

(99) The word gouha, used here, represents to me this great vault formed by the sky, and which, without the three Agnis, would resemble a dark cave.

(100) That is to say, fourth. Thus is called the supreme soul not mixed with matter: the paramatma or adhyatma, distinguished from the bhutatma which is also called djivatma and dehatma, names of the universal soul united to the material elements.

(101) That is to say, the rays.

(102) This word translates sankou, which the commentator explains by oupatchara. I notice that this same word signifies the needle of a gnomon.

(103) The Sadhyas are, as the word says, men become perfected, and forming, after their death, a class of celestial demi-gods.

(104) Otherwise, of man.

[admin]

LECTURE IV.
[French Version]

(1) Allusion a la legende qui raconte que, dans la recherche des vaches enlevees par les enfants de Bala, les Marouts et les Angiras agirent de concert, et marcherent avec Indra. Voy. section I, page 249, note 36.

(2) Voy., plus haut, lecture III, note 28.

(3) Ce mot, qui signifie brillant, s’applique tantot a la Terre, tantot au Ciel, quelquefois a Aditi. Le commentaire dit ici: Prithivi nanavarna, terra multicolor. Quoique les vents se jouent dans l'air, il semble qu’on les a faits de preference enfants de la terre. Voy. section I, page 257, note 23; page 268, note 37.

(4) Agastya est frere d’Indra par l'amitie que le dieu lui porte.

(5) C’est-a-dire, les rayons.

(6) C’est ou le nom d’un homme, ou plutot une epithete du nuage, dont les eaux coulent sur le gazon.

(7) L’offrande composee de mets, et l’offrande formee de boissons.

(8) Je crois que le mot sarad s’emploie pour signifier libation.

(9) C’est-a-dire, le feu du sacrifice resonne.

(10) Cette vache, c’est la priere.

(11) Traduction du mot asoura.

(12) Ce nombre sept correspond sans doute au nombre des torrents qu’ailleurs on voit s’ouvrir sous les coups de la foudre d’Indra.

(13) Voy., pour cette legende, section I, page 275, note 11.

(14) L’air a vu naitre et a porte ces nuages, consideres comme ennemis d'Indra, et personnifies sous le nom des Asouras; que ces nuages perissent dans l'air ou ils sont nes.

(15) Personnage dont il a ete souvent question. Voy. section I, page 266, note 8; page 275, note 10; page 288, note 49; page 290, note 85; page 292, note 117; page 300, note 109. Coutsa etait ami d’Indra, qui le prit sur son char dans sa guerre contre Souchna. Des deux roues du soleil, Indra en prit une pour lui, et donna l'autre a Coutsa. Il est a croire que, dans cette legende, il faut voir un conte sur la foudre d’Indra.

(16) Nous avons vu qu’Aryaman est un des noms du soleil, considere comme destructeur.

(17) Douryona est, dit-on, le nom d’un prince, et Coutyavatch celui d’un Asoura.

(18) On trouve dans ce passage deux mots: nabhas et sahas, qui sont les noms de deux mois de l’ancienne annee indienne, assez eloignes l'un de l’autre. Je n’ai pu supposer qu’il fallut reconnaitre ici ces deux mois. J’ai vu dans sahas, la force; et dans nabhas, la puissance de nuire.

(19) Voy., pour Tourvasa, section I, page 267, note 33; page 288, note 58. Pour Yadou, section I, page 267, note 33; page 288, note 58.

(20) Voy. section I, page 249, note 39.

(21) Lopamoudra est l’epouse d’Agastya. Cet hymne est une invitation faite a Agastya par Lopamoudra pour le sacrifice. Il me semble renfermer certaines allusions hardies que repousse la pudeur francaise: c’est un dialogue allegorique entre la priere et la libation. Le mot vrichan, que je traduis par mari, represente le breuvage sacre; et son epouse, c’est la priere, a laquelle il doit s’associer. Au moment des sacrifices, les femmes etaient chargees de preparer les libations, et d’aller sur la montagne rechercher la plante qui servait a faire le soma. Voila pourquoi Lopamoudra debute par se plaindre de sa fatigue.

(22) Saradah, rendu encore ici par libations.

(23) C’est-a-dire, il fit des prieres et des libations. Le commentaire entend qu'il se livra a l’amour et a la penitence.

(24) L’aurore.

(25) Nous savons ce que signifie ce miracle, qui consiste a rendre le lait a la vache. Voy. l'histoire des Ribhous, page 254, note 1.

(26) Voy. section I, page 271, note 14; page 290, note 79; page 294, note 21; page 296, note 44; page 298, note 81; page 299, note 93.

(27) Voy. section I, page 290, note 76; page 293, note 16; page 297, note 64; page 298, note 79; section II, page 558, note 3. Il s’appelait Bhoudjyou.

(28) Le soleil et la lune. Dans les deux distiques qui suivent, il est question d’abord du soleil, qui eclaire le monde; ensuite de la lune, qui semble avoir une influence sur l'element humide.

(29) Voy. section I, page 290, note 87; page 295, note 29; page 297, note 58; page 298, note 85.

(30) Voir plus haut, note 27.

(31) Le commentaire, qui donne ce sens, dit que ces metaux sont l'or, l’argent, et le cuivre. Je donnerais au mot tridhatou un tout autre sens; j’y verrais plutot une allusion aux trois stations du soleil.

(32) Nom de Richis, ou saints personnages presents.

[admin]

READING IV.
[English Version by Google Translate]

(1) Allusion to the legend which tells that, in the search for the cows kidnapped by the children of Bala, the Marouts and the Angiras acted in concert, and walked with Indra. See. section I, page 249, note 36.

(2) See above, reading III, note 28.

(3) This word, which means brilliant, applies sometimes to Earth, sometimes to Heaven, sometimes to Aditi. The comment here says: Prithivi nanavarna, terra multicolor. Although the winds play in the air, it seems that they were made by preference children of the earth. See. Section I, page 257, note 23; page 268, footnote 37.

(4) Agastya is brother of Indra by the friendship that the god has for him.

(5) That is, the rays.

(6) It is either the name of a man, or rather an epithet of the cloud, whose waters flow over the lawn.

(7) The meat offering, and the drink offering.

(8) I believe the word sarad is used to mean libation.

(9) That is to say, the fire of sacrifice resounds.

(10) This cow is prayer.

(11) Translation of the word asura.

(12) This number seven undoubtedly corresponds to the number of torrents that elsewhere we see opening under the blows of Indra's lightning.

(13) See, for this legend, section I, page 275, note 11.

(14) The air saw born and carried these clouds, considered as enemies of Indra, and personified under the name of Asuras; that these clouds perish in the air where they are born.

(15) Character that has often been discussed. See. Section I, page 266, note 8; page 275, footnote 10; page 288, footnote 49; page 290, footnote 85; page 292, footnote 117; page 300, note 109. Coutsa was a friend of Indra, who took him on his chariot in his war against Souchna. Of the two wheels of the sun, Indra took one for himself, and gave the other to Coutsa. It is to believe that, in this legend, we must see a tale on the lightning of Indra.

(16) We have seen that Aryaman is one of the names of the sun, considered as destroyer.

(17) Douryona is said to be the name of a prince, and Coutyavatch that of an Asura.

(18) We find in this passage two words: nabhas and sahas, which are the names of two months of the old Indian year, quite far from each other. I could not imagine that these two months had to be recognized here. I saw in sahas, strength; and in nabhas, the power to harm.

(19) See, for Tourvasa, section I, page 267, note 33; page 288, note 58. For Yadou, section I, page 267, note 33; page 288, footnote 58.

(20) See. section I, page 249, note 39.

(21) Lopamudra is the wife of Agastya. This hymn is an invitation made to Agastya by Lopamudra for the sacrifice. It seems to me to contain certain bold allusions that French modesty rejects: it is an allegorical dialogue between prayer and libation. The word vrichan, which I translate as husband, represents the sacred beverage; and his wife is prayer, to which he must associate himself. At the time of the sacrifices, the women were in charge of preparing the libations, and going to the mountain to look for the plant that was used to make the soma. This is why Lopamoudra begins by complaining about his fatigue.

(22) Saradah, rendered again here by libations.

(23) That is to say, he made prayers and libations. The commentary hears that he gave himself up to love and penance.

(24) Aurora.

(25) We know what this miracle means, which consists in returning the milk to the cow. See. the history of the Ribhous, page 254, note 1.

(26) See. Section I, page 271, note 14; page 290, footnote 79; page 294, footnote 21; page 296, footnote 44; page 298, footnote 81; page 299, footnote 93.

(27) See. Section I, page 290, note 76; 293, footnote 16; page 297, footnote 64; page 298, footnote 79; section II, page 558, note 3. His name was Bhoudjyou.

(28) The sun and the moon. In the two couplets that follow, it is first a question of the sun, which illuminates the world; then of the moon, which seems to have an influence on the humid element.

(29) See. Section I, page 290, note 87; page 295, footnote 29; page 297, footnote 58; page 298, footnote 85.

(30) See above, note 27.

(31) The commentary, which gives this meaning, says that these metals are gold, silver, and copper. I would give the word tridhatou a completely different meaning; I would rather see in it an allusion to the three stations of the sun.

(32) Name of Richis, or holy personages present.

[admin]

LECTURE V.
[French Version]

(1) Voy. section I, page 270, note 1; page 291, note 110.

(2) Voy. section I, page 295, note 31.

(3) Voy. section I, page 258, note 29, et page 260, note 37.

(4) On traduit aussi: Que les Devas traitent comme leurs enfants.

(5) Nom d’Agni.

(6) Le poete emploie le mot Ila au pluriel.

(7) Nom du nuage, ou d’Indra lui-meme, qui a ce nuage pour base de son sejour. Ahi, comme nous l'avons vu, est un nom de ces Asouras qui habitent les nuages. Le mot boudhna signifie racine, partie inferieure.

(8) C'est-a-dire, Agni, ne des libations. Des libations du sacrifice se forme le nuage, qu’Indra doit faire fondre sur la terre. Dans ce meme sens, on peut appeler aussi le soleil fils des ondes ou des libations, puisqu’il nait du sacrifice.

(9) Nom d’Indra.

(10) Anna devata, appele aussi Pitou.

(11) Voy. section I, page 271, note 36; page 286, note 39.

(12), Demarche naturelle a ceux qui respirent une odeur dans l’air.

(13) Vatapi est le nuage que le vent pousse, et dont il augmente le volume. Les Pouranas contienneut une legende de Vatapi et d’Agastya. Le commentaire donne Vatapi pour une forme de Pitou, dieu des offrandes.

(14) Le dieu de la libation, que le commentaire veut distinguer de Pitou.

(15) Le poete designe la somalata, qui est la sarcostema viminalis, ou l'asclepias acida; et, sans doute aussi, les autres vegetaux qui peuvent etre employes a former la matiere des offrandes.

(16) Le nom de ces gateaux est carambha; ils sont fails de fleur de fame et de caille. Il me semble que la forme de ces gateaux est celle que doit presenter le nuage que les vapeurs des offrandes contribuent a former.

(17) Je rappellerai au lecteur que, par le mot deva, j'entends les ministres du sacrifice, ou bien ces etres divinises qui representent les rites et les hymnes.

(18) Nom d’Agni. Voy. section I, page 251, note 56.

(19) Je renvoie pour ce passage aux notes qui se trouvent section I, page 252, note 59; et section II, page 552, note 30.

(20) Voy. section I, page 246, note 23. Le commentateur dit que ces trois deesses sont des formes differentes de l'essence d’Aditya, appartenant, Bharati au ciel, Ila a la terre Saraswati a l’air.

(21) Voy. section I, page 252, note 61. Twachtri est le feu vital, et l'on voit comment il pent contribuer a l’accroissement des formes.

(22) Vanaspati, nom d’Agni.

(28) Non, d’une offrande faite en prononcant ce mot.

(24) C'est-a-dire, ceux qui font les frais du sacrifice et ceux qui en surveilleut les ceremonies, en quelque sorte les laiques et les clercs.

(25) Ce sont les enfants de Cakchivan.

(26) Nom d'Agni.

(27) Voy., pour le mot apri, la note 54, page 251, section I. L’explication de ce mot doit etre ici modifiee; le soleil tient la place d’Agni.

 
(28) Je suppose que le poete designe ici Agni et le soleil, le feu du sacrifice et le feu solaire. L’hymne represente l'etat du ciel avant que le sacrifice commence.

(29) Ce que j’appelle tenebres, par une espece d’hypallage, est appele dans le texte les invisibles.

(30) Voici les noms de ces plantes:. sara, saccharum sara, vulg. sarahari; cousara, espece de mauvais sara, creux; darbha, autrement cousa, poa cynosuroides; senya, ou serya, barleria cristata, autrement aswabala, saccharum spontaneum; moundja (saccharum munja); virana (andropogon muricatum).

(31) Il y a ici une antithese que je ne reproduis pas: les invisibles ont ete vus.

(32) Ces tenebres sont formees par des vapeurs semblables a celles que le poete suppose ailleurs issues de l’offrande du soma. Je ne pense pas, avec le commentaire, que le Soma soit ici la lune, sejour des vapeurs tenebreuses de la nuit: il semble meme que ce sejour soit plutot le soleil.

(33) Ces genies s’appellent yatoudhanas.

(34) Le mot rendu par cette periphrase est souravan. Le soleil doit envoyer en pluie les vapeurs qui s’elevent vers lui; il les recueille, et ressemble a ces hommes qui distribuent, sous une tente qui met les buveurs a l'abri des chaleurs du jour, des boissons spiritueuses (soura).

(35) Cette liqueur est la pluie elle-meme, qui prolonge la vie de l'homme en donnant a la terre une heureuse fecondite. Le dieu qui la forme, c’est Indra.

(36) Nous avons vu que ce nombre vingt et un etait forme de trois fois les sept langues ou rayons d’Agni. Si le nombre trois n’est pas forme par celui des savanas, il l'est peut-etre par celui des trois couleurs qui composent la teinte des rayons, savoir, le rouge, le noir, et le blanc.

(37) Voy. section I, page 264, note 81.

(38) La note 36 rend compte des vingt et une flannnes; la note 80 de la lecture II, de la section I, nous apprend ce que l'on entend par les sept rivieres. Les rayons du soleil, d’un cote, pompent les vapeurs; ces vapeurs retombent en pluie, et sont, d’un autre cote, recues par les rivieres: tel est, ce me semble, le sens de ce passage.

(39) Quel est ce personnage de Couchoumbhaca? Je suppose que c’est Indra, le dieu qui met l'ordre dans le monde, et dont la foudre doit separer les nuages pour en extraire l’eau, comme il est dit dans ce vers. Le commentuteur semblerait croire que c’est un Asoura, chef presume des tenebres. On peut encore penser que ce personnage est ici joue par le poete Agastya, agissant en vertu du sacrifice, et detruisant les malefices par une espece de vidya ou de charme, pour former une pluie bienfaisante; de sorte que le Couchoumbhaca serait le nom donne au pretre qui fait une conjuration dont le resultat doit etre salutaire. Ma premiere explication me parait plus naturelle. Couchoumbhaca et Harichthas, suivant moi, sont une meme personne. Dans le cas ou l'on admettrait la fonction du Couchoumbhaca, au lieu de la foudre il faudrait mettre la coupe du sacrifice.

(40) Metaphore qui indique que les vapeurs de la nuit sont devenues une onde bienfaisante. Je me suis observe dans la traduction de cet hymne, pour n’employer aucune expression qm put rappeler des legendes que je crois plus modernes que le Rig-Veda, et qui en sont comme le commentaire poetique. Ainsi, j'ai evite de rendre le mot vicham par poison, parce que je serais entre dans l’esprit de ces auteurs qui representent les vapeurs comme le poison des serpents de la nuit. Or, ces serpents, ce sont les nuages qui serpentent sur le ciel. Le soleil, compare a un oiseau, devient Garouda, et fait la guerre a ces serpents. L’hymne que je viens de traduire ne m’a point paru presenter de semblables idees: c’est ce qui doit faire rejeter, avec encore plus de confiance, une piece ici intercalee, ou il est question de cette race de serpents celestes. Le premier mandala (Voy. section I, page 245, note 1) finit en cet endroit; il parait que le copiste a l’habitude de clore ainsi chaque mandala par une piece de son invention, dont il n’est point question dans le commentaire, et qui d’ailleurs se trahit elle-meme par son style moderne. Le second mandala porte le nom de Gritsamada. Le premier etait celui des cent Richis.

(41) Le poete dit Asoura.

(42) Nom d’Agni, qui donne des richesses.

(43) Il me semble qu’il existe un autre Gritsamada, fils de Sounaca, de la famille de Bhrigou.

(44) Dans le texte se trouve le mot Prisni, qui s’emploie pour la terre. Cependant il peut aussi signifier air (antarikcha).

(45) Ayou et Manou sont employes, dans cette phrase, d’une maniere generale pour dire l'homme.

(46) Voy. section I, page 249, note 39.

(47) Cet hymne a des rapports avec le treizieme de la lecture I, section I, et le sixieme de la lecture II de la section II. Je renvoie aux notes de ces deux hymnes pour les renseignements relatifs aux epithetes.

(48) Il faut se rappeler que Twachtri est le feu vital, qui anime les formes auxquelles il vient s’allier.

(49) Les enfants d’Ousidj sont les descendants de Cakchivan, ou bien le mot Ousidj doit s’entendre comme synonyme de pretre.

(50) C’est-a-dire que les reflets du feu se repandent sur les officiers du sacrifice.

(51) Le sacrifice du soir.

(52) Hotri. Le poete, dans cet hymne, emploie sept expressions differentes, affectees aux diverses fonctions du pretre. Je tache de les traduire par une periphrase qui en explique la racine.

(53) Les pretres viennent de produire le feu: ils sont ses peres, et lui, en les protegeant, se montrera leur pere.

(54) Guides aurait du etre mis au feminin: car rasmi signifie a la fois renes et rayons. Or, ces sept guides ou rayons, ce sont les sept officiants qui prennent part au sacrifice (hotracas).

(55) Potri.

(56) Agni, dans le sacrifice, nait et meurt; il est considere comme un Mauou, comme un mortel.

(57) Dadhanou: ce mol m’a semble un des sept noms affectes aux ministres du sacrifice.

(58) Prasastri.

(59) Nechtri.

(60) Ces trois soeurs sont les flammes des trois feux garhapatya, ahavaniya et dakchina. Voy. livre I, page 251, note 52.

(61) Je rends ainsi le mot masculin matri, vase qui mesure, qui renferme la libation. Ce mot signifie aussi l'homme, le pere de famille qui mesure, qui compose le sacrifice. Le commentaire voit ici un nom feminin, et le rapporte a l’enceinte du sacrifice (vedi). Cette soeur, dont il est ici question, est la cuiller (djouhou) qui sert aux libations. On peut bien encore donner le nom de matri (mere) an reservoir des ondes du sacrifice.

(62) Adwaryou.

(63) Ritwig.

(64) Il nait comme feu du sacrifice et comme feu solaire: de la son nom de dwimatri.

(65) Cette epithete est remarquable, Bharata. Le commentaire donne ce mot comme etant un nom affecte aux pretres.

(66) Le texte porte les vaches, les taureaux et les octopodes. J’ai pense que par le mot vaches il fallait entendre, comme nous l'avons vu souvent, les flammes du foyer; par le mot taureaux (oukchan), les libations et par le mot octopodes, les invocations divisees en huit padas. Il y a aussi un metre appele achti. Le commentateur dit que le mot achtapadi se rapporte a la vache quand elle est pleine, parce que ses pieds et ceux de son veau forment le nombre de huit. Le mot achtapadi peut aussi designer le plat des offrandes, divise en huit compartiments. Voy. Dictionnaire de Wilson, achtangarghya. Le sacrifice dans lequel est offert le beurre sacre dans huit vases, est appele achtacapala.