English
The production of fire by the friction of wood, or its sudden descent from the sky in the form of lightning, is to them as marvellous as the birth of a child. They feel their dependence on fire ; they have experienced what it is to be without it. They were not yet acquainted with lucifer-matches, and hence, when describing the simple phenomena of fire, they do it naturally with a kind of religious reverence. The following verses, taken from a hymn of Yasishtha (vii. 3.) may serve as a specimen : "Neighing like a horse that is greedy for food, when it steps out from the strong prison ; — then the wind blows after his blast ; thy path, 0 Agni, is dark at once.^ 1 The construction of this verse is very abrupt, particularlj the transition from the simile of the horse, which is put in the third person, to the address to Agni in the second person. The idea, how- ever, is clear. Agni, the fire, when first lighted, is compared with a neighing horse, on account of the crackling noise. He is greedy for food as soon as he steps out of his prison, viz., from the wood from which fire is produced by friction, like a horse stepping N H 2 548 HTMNS TO AGNL 0 Agni, ttou from whom, as a new-born male, undying flames proceed, the brilliant smoke goes to* wards the sky, for as messenger thou art sent to the gods. Thou whose power spreads over the earth in a mo- ment when thou hast grasped food with thy jaws,— like a dashing, array thy blast goes forth ; with thy lambent flame thou seemest to tear up the grass. Him alone, the ever-youthful Agni, men groom, like a horse in the evening and at dawn ; they bed him as a stranger in his couch ; the light of Agni, the worshipped^ male, is lighted. Thy appearance is fair to behold, thou brightfaced Agni, when like gold thou shinest at hand; thy brightness comes like the lightning of heaven ; thou showest splendour like the bright sun." The human, and afterwards divine Qualities ascribed to Agni arise chiefly from his character as messenger between gods and men, or, as high-priest, when he is supposed to carry the oblation to the gods. It is one of the most favourite themes of the Vedic poets, though perhaps of the modern rather than of the ancient, to celebrate Agni as a priest, as endowed with all priestly powers, and enjoying all the honorific titles given to the various persons who minister at the great sacrifices. The following hymns, one of Vatsa (Rv. viii. 11,), the other of Gotama (Rv. i. 74.), are rather simple as compared* with others of the same class, though there are ex- out of his stable. Then the wind is supposed to kindle the blaze of the fire, and as the path of the horse is darkened bj dust, the path of Agni is darkened by smoke. ^ Ahuta is used in the general sense of worshipped, well at- tended, with special reference to a guest. Cf. Rv. i. 44. 4. HYB4NS TO AGNI. 549^ pressions in both which indicate their more modern character. 1. Thou Agni, art the guardian of sacred rites : thou art a god among mortals^ ; thou art to be praised at the sacrifices. 2. Thou strong Agni, art to be praised at the fes- tivals, thou who like a charioteer carriest the offerings to the gods. 3. Fight and drive thou away from us the fiends, 0 J&tavedas, the ungodly enemies, 0 Agni ! 4. Thou, J&taveJas, desirest not the offering of a hostile man, be it ever so nigh to thee. 5. We mortals and sages worship the great name of thee, the immortal J&tavedas. 6. We sages call the sage to help, we mortals call on the god for protection, we call on Agni with songs. 7. May the poet draw thy mind even from the most distant abode with the song that longs for thee, OAgni. 8. Thou art the same in many places, a lord among all people : we call upon thee in battles. 9. In battles we call upon thee, Agni, for help when we want strength ; we call in struggles upon the giver of precious gifts. 10. Thou art ancient, to be praised at the sacrifices ; thou sittest as priest from of old and to-day. Reple- nish thy own body, 0 Agni, and grant happiness to us! 1. As we go to the sacrifice let us say a song to Agni, to him who hears us even from afar. ' Might it be " deveshv a martjeshv a," " among gods and among men"? K H 3 650 HYMNS TO AGNI. 2. He who, existing from of old, defended the hoase for the sacrificer when hostile tribes were gathering together. 3. Let even the nations confess, " Agni was born, the slayer of the enemy, the winner of booty in every battle." 4. He whose messenger thoa art in the house, whose offerings thou art pleased to accept, and whose sacri- fice thou renderest efficient, 5. Of him indeed, 0 Angiras, son of strength, people say that his offerings are good, his gods are good and his altar is good. 6. Bring hither, 0 serene Agni, these gods, bring them that they may be praised, that they may accept the offerings. 7. When thou, 0 Agni, goest on a mission, the sound of the horses of thy moving chariot is never heard. 8. If protected by thee, the warrior is unabashed. Onward he goes, one after another, forward he steps, 0 Agni, who offers oblations. 9. Thou, 0 bright god, bestowest with increase a brilliant array of heroes upon him who offers obla- tions to the bright gods.^ It is curious to watch the almost imperceptible transition by which the phenomena of nature, if re- 1 Every word of this verse baffles translation. V ivasasi is not simply "thou bestowest," but "thou spreadest out as the sun spreads out his rays." Suvirya is not " an array of heroes," but an abstract, signifying the possession of good strength, only that this good strength means " the chief of all their strength," and has special reference to the sons and all the males bom in the house. Dyumad, brilliant, corresponds with the verb viv&sasi. Brihat should be taken as an adverb, signifying the ever increasing na- ture of the gift bestowed by Agni. HYMN TO USHAS. 551 fleeted in the mind of the poet, assume the charactep of divine beings. The dawn is frequently described in the Veda as it might be described by a modem poet. She is the friend of men, she smiles like a young wife, she is the daughter of the sky. She goes to every house, (i. 123. 4.); she thinks of the dwellings of men (i. 123. 1.) ; she does not despise the small or the great (i. 124. 6.) ; she brings wealth (i. 48. L) ; she is always the same, immortal, divine, (i. 124. 4.; i. 123. 8.); age cannot touch her, (i. 113. 15.); she is the young goddess, but she makes men grow old, (i. 92. 11.). All this may be simply allegorical language. But the transition from de^, the bright, to det)i, the goddess, is so easy ; the daughter of the sky assumes so readily the same per- sonality which is given to the sky, Dyaus, her father, that we can only guess whether in every passage the poet is speaking of a bright apparition, or of a bright goddess ; of a natural vision, or of a visible deity. The following hymn of Yasishtha, (vii. 77.), will serve as an instance : — '* She shines upon us, like a young wife, rousing every living being to go to his work. The fire had to be kindled by men ^ ; she brought light by striking down darkness. She rose up, spreading far and wide, and moving towards every one. She grew in brightness, wearing her brilliant garment. The mother of the cows (of the morning clouds), the leader of the days, she shone gold-coloured, lovely to behold. She, the fortunate, who brings the eye of the god, who leads the white and lovely steed (of the ' The fire of the altar for the morning prayers. H H 4 552 IiATER HTHN8. sun), the Dawn was seen, revealed by her rays, with brilliant treasures she follows every one. Thou, who art a blessing where thou art near, drive far away the unfriendly; make the pastures wide, give us safety ! Remove the haters, bring treasures I Raise up wealth to the worshipper, tlioa mighty Dawn. Shine for us with thy best rays, thou bright Dawn, thou who lengthenest our life, thou the love of all, who givest us food, who givest us wealth in cows, horses, and chariots. Thou, daughter of the sky, thou high-bom Dawn, whom the Yasishthas magnify with song^ give us riches high and wide : all ye gods, protect us always with your blessings ! " This hymn addressed to the Dawn is a fair speci* men of the original simple poetry of the Veda.