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अनुसंधान - १७ • 91
rechten Zeit empfangenen (Keim)". This is very unlikely. ṛtápravit m as an adjective rátham makes good sense. The chariot (in the form of Agni) was set in motion, was impelled, by ṛtá (i.e.by the hymn14 recited by the seer while performing the sacrificial rite). The use of Pravita in the the context of driving a chariot is attested in the Mahābhāṣya. Patañjali while commenting on Panini 2.4.56 cites as an example pravito rathaḥ.15
The line, therefore, may be translated as: "Whom (i.e. Agni) many nights of different forms (and many dawns), as well as what is stationary (and what moves), may strengthen, (Agni who is) the chariot' set in motion by the hymn".
Agni is strengthened by the offerings of clarified butter (obtained from cowmilk) and of fire-wood. Hence he is said to be strenghthened by one that moves (cow) and one that is stationary (tree). This is specifically referred to in stanza 9 of the hymn (góșu prásartiṁ váneṣu dhiṣe “you value the cows and the woods"17).
Foot-notes
1. In the above translation, the words pūrviḥ kṣapó virūpāḥ are treated as nom. pl. Oldenberg (Noten) considers the other possibility of treating them as acc. pl. possible. Geldner prefers this other possibility and translates "Whom they reared during many dissimilar nights (and daybreaks)".
2. SBE Vol. 32 (1891), pp. LXII-LXXIV. According to him, the suggestion was made by Benfey, Bollensen, Roth and others. He does not give references. It is difficult to know whom he refers to by 'and others'. Roth (BR dictionary s.v. carátha) gives reference to Benfey's Samaveda Glossar (1948). There Benfey shows his preference to consider carátham, instead of ca ratham, to be the original reading. Roth seems to favour this suggestion. Bollensen (Die Lieder des Parascara, ZDMG 22, 1868, p. 596) also considered ca rátham to be an error for the old reading carátham. I am thankful to Prof. H. P. Schmidt for conveying to me the information from Bollensen and to Mrs. Madhavi Kolhatkar for supplying to me the information contained in Benfey's Glossar.
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