________________
III KÂNDA, 15 KANDIKA, 22.
367
16. And wheresoever else it be, let him always say, 'Adoration to Rudra.' For the Sruti says, 'Rudra is this universe.'
17. If the skirt (of his garment) is blown upon him (by the wind), he addresses (that skirt): 'A skirt art thou. Thou art not a thunder-bolt. Adoration be to thee. Do no harm to me!'
18. The thunder he addresses: 'May the rains be friendly to us; may (Indra's) darts be friendly to us-may they be friendly to us which thou throwest, O killer of Vritra.'
19. A howling jackal he addresses: 'Friendly by name' (Vâg. Samh. III, 63).
20. A shrieking bird he addresses: 'Goldenwinged bird who goest where the gods send thee! Messenger of Yama, adoration be to thee! What has the Kârkârina told thee?'
21. A tree that serves as a mark (of a boundary, &c.), he addresses: 'May neither the flash of lightning (destroy thee), nor axe nor wind nor punishment which the king sends. May thy shoots grow up; may rain fall on thee, in safety from the wind. May fire not destroy thy root. Blessing on thee, O lord of the forest! Blessing on me, O lord of the forest!'
22. If he receives something (given to him), he accepts it with (the formula), May Heaven give thee; may the Earth accept thee.' Thus (the thing given) does not decrease to him who gives it, and what he receives increases.
6
19. The play on words is untranslatable; 'jackal' is sivâ, 'friendly,' sivah.
20. I do not know the meaning of kârkârinah. Gayarâma takes it for a genitive standing instead of an accusative, and explains it by asmadbâdhakam.
Digitized by Google