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46
VEDIC HYMNS.
invoke for people ; thee the Hotri, O Agni, the excellent guest, a delightful friend like Mitra to the divine race!
7. I worship with good cheer Agni the steward' of all treasures, whom the seven ladles? (of the priests), the worshippers choose as the Hotri, the best sacrificer at the rites, and I pray for treasures
8. Son of strength, great like Mitra, grant to-day flawless protection to us who magnify thee. Agni! guard from distress with strongholds of iron him who praises thee, O offspring of vigour!.
9. Be a shelter to him who praises thee, O resplendent one; be protection, generous giver, to the generous. Agni! guard him who praises thee from distress. May he who gives wealth for our prayer, come quickly in the morning?
NOTES.
The hymn is ascribed to Nodhas Gautama, who is considered as the Rishi of the whole collection, I, 58–64. This tradition is based on, and confirmed by, several passages of the text: I, 61, 14; 62, 13; 64, 1.
The metre is Gagati verses 1-5, Trishtubh verses 6-9. None of the verses of this hymn occurs in the other Samhitas.
Verse 1. Note 1. I believe that Professor Aufrecht (Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXV, 435) is right in reading nů kit sahah-gák amritah nú tandate. Comp. as to nữ kit nú, I, 120, 2; VI, 37, 3 ; VII, 22, 8. Agni is frequently called standrah datáh or similarly. Possibly we might read, instead of nú tandate, ni tandate, though parallel passages for the combination of this root with ní are not known.-Prof. Max
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