A VEDIC HYMN

1.3

1. O Ashwins, to him who striveth¹ towards Yajna² swift-footed lords of bliss,³ O much-enjoying Ashwins, become⁴ delight.

2. O strong, much-destroying⁵ Ashwins, with the firm and brilliant⁶ understanding take⁷ joy in my words.

3. O wasters,⁸ O sons of Nasata, arrive, ye fierce of deed, for I have put myself in Yoga,⁹ I have manifested the flame.¹⁰

4. Come, O Indra, of manifold brilliance, here are these vital juices¹¹ put forth, extend them with the Powers of being, O thou of purified strength^.12

¹Riṣ is either to strive, to injure, to speed or to thrill, quiver or writhe with ecstasy.

²Yajna may mean (1) Lord (2) Yoga (3) action (4) sacrifice. ³Or, good, ⁴Or, take

⁵Puru, Gr. polus, much — or, freely giving. ⁶Saviraya — hailos (Gr.). ⁷Or, accept

⁸ Or, givers, ⁹Yuvāku: yu+aku like yuvan: yu+an.

¹⁰ Vṛktabarhiṣaḥ: vṛkta, spread or opened and barhis, light, force, fire.

¹¹ Āyavaḥ: a clear proof that the Soma of the Veda is not primarily the Soma-juice, but Amrita.

¹² Or, come with Powers of being and with material Force.

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5. Come, O Indra, commanded by the understanding and forcibly impelled to the soul-movements of the full of substantial strength,¹the joyously expanding in soul.²

6. Come, O Indra, with force of impulsion³ to the soul movements, O dweller in the brilliance,⁴ uphold our delight in the outpouring of the Soma.

7. O loving⁵ ones, O upholders of our activities,⁶ ye general gods, approach, divide the giver's outpoured Soma.

8. O general gods, ye active ones,⁷ full of substance,^{8 c}ome with speed like lovers to their stalls.

9. O general gods mighty in force,⁹ who stumble¹⁰ not, neither to hurt, cleave to the fullness of my capacity,¹¹ O ye who support.

¹Sutāvataḥ: Either suta+van or su+tavan (cf. revān); I take the latter.

²Vāghataḥ — a doubtful word. The rendering given is provisional, deduced from the original force of vā.

³Or, force of excitation or, confirmative, protecting force. ⁴ For harivaḥ cf. adrivaḥ.

⁵Omāsaḥ: ūmāḥ from um to love, foster (cf. Uma), « to be in width between imperfection + completive or fulfilling m or, kindly.

⁶Carṣaṇī: either (1) vision (2) movement (3) action.

⁷Ap to act and tur expressing the agent or else meaning swift.

⁸Or, most blissful or auspicious. Sutamā cf. tamisrā (dense), tanū, tanva etc.

⁹Māyāsaḥ: Lat. majores but not in comparative sense.

¹⁰ Stumble for sridh is provisional.

¹¹ Medham: either (1) sap (2) brain (3) capacity, (cf. medhā).

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10. Let purifying Saraswati plentiful with florescence of being dwell in Yajna,¹ rich with the understanding.

11. Inspirer of true intuitions, awakener of right thoughts, Saraswati supporteth the Yajna.

12. Saraswati awakeneth to consciousness by force of will² Mahas the ocean and shineth out this way and that in all the movements of the understanding.

¹Yajna: either (1) the Lord (2) action.

²Or, by thought ketu, keta will, intuition, intellect.

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