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410
VEDIC HYMNS.
MANDALA V, HYMN 20. ASHTAKA IV, ADHYAYA 1, VARGA 12. I! Whatever good, O Agni, best acquirer of gain, thou thinkest (fit), praise thou? that (good), which is celebrated in songs, among the gods as our share.
2. They, Agni, who do not set into motion for thee (prayers or offerings), when grown full of mighty strength ?, turn away to encounter the hatred and the tricks of him who follows another (i. e. a wrong) law ?
3. We choose thee as our Hotri, Agni, the giver of skill ; offering delight (to thee) we call with our prayer (thee), the foremost at the sacrifices.
4. So that we, O strong one, (may be ready) for thy favour, for wealth and Rita, O highly wise one : thus may we day by day rejoice with cows and rejoice with heroes.
NOTES.
The Rishi is Prayasvanta Åtreya (cf. verse 3. práyasvantah havâmahe), the metre Anushtubh, verse 4 Pankti.Verse 1=VS. XIX, 64.
Verse 1. Note 1. Professor Max Müller proposes to read vågasatamam, as in IX, 98, 1. Pischel (Vedische Studien, I, 200) translates this verse: 'O Agni, das rühmenswerte Gut, das du für geeignet hältst, das preise du zugleich mit unsern Liedern (no girbhir yúgam) den Göttern an (diis vendita).' He explains : Agni soll den Göttern Gut bringen und sie
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