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MANDALA IV, HYMN 3.
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14. Protect us, O Agni, with all thy protection, thou who art protected, O martial one !, and art gladdened (by us). Sparkle forth, and destroy even strong evil! Slay the Rakshas even though it has grown large.
15. Be gracious, O Agni, through these our hymns. Touch, O hero, this wealth moved by our prayers. And accept, O Angiras, our sacred words. May the praise, beloved by the gods, resound to thee 1.
16. I, the priest, have rehearsed to thee the omniscient one, O Agni, worshipper (of the gods), all these songs, these inmost words, these recitations and words of wisdom, to thee the wise one, with prayers and hymns.
NOTES.
The same Rishi and metre.–Verse I=SV. I, 69; TS. I, 3, 14, 1; TB. II, 8, 6, 9; MS. IV, 1, 4. Verse 6 = MS. IV, 11, 4.
Verse 1. Note 1. On the identification of Agni with Rudra, comp. Bergaigne, Rel. Védique, III, 36; von Bradke, Dyâus Asura, p. 54 (Rig-veda I, 27, 10; III, 2, 5; VIII, 72, 3).
Note 2. The second Påda of this verse is identical with VI, 16, 46.
Verse 2. Note 1. Cf. Hirzel, Gleichnisse und Metaphern im Rigveda, p. 69.
Note 2. On párivitah Sayana remarks, yash tavyadevais tegobhir va parivítah. In the commentary on I, 128, 1, on the other hand, he says, ritvigbhih paridhibhir vâ parito veshtitah
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