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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ NOVEMBER, 1926
Nitya thus means priya, dear, pleasing, beloved, favourite. It has this meaning in the following pagsages : 1, 73, 4: tám två náro dáma &' nityam iddhám
ágne sacanta kshitishu dhruvd'su ádhi dyumnam ni dadhur bha'ry asmin .
bhavi visvá'yur dharúno rayind'm Men have worshipped in their firm dwellings, O Agni, thee that art dear and flaming; they have placed much splendour in him. Do thou become the bearer of riches, the vivifier of all". Compare the many passages where Agni is called priya, namely, 1, 26, 7; 1, 75, 4; 1, 91, 3; 1. 128, 7-8; 1, 143, 1; 2, 4,3; 5, 1, 9; 6, 23, 3; 6, 1, 6; 6, 2, 7; 6, 16, 42; 6, 48, 1; 7, 16, 1 ; 8, 84, 1; and also 6, 15, 6 (priyam-priyam); 1, 186, 3 and 8, 84, 1 (preshtham); and 8, 103, 1 (priyanám preshtham); compare also the passages where he receives the epithet purupriya (see Grassmann, 8.v.) and mandra (see ibid., s.v.). 7,1, 2: tám agním áste vásavo ny invan
supraticáksham ávase kútas' cit
daksha'yyo yo dáma d'sa nityah 1 "The bright ones, for their protection from everything, set him down in the dwelling, Agni, beautiful to look at, who sat down in the house, dear and capable." The verse occurs in the first hymn of the seventh Mandala whose authorship is ascribed to the Vasish thas; and as the word vasishtha is the superlative of the word vasu, Sayana is perhaps right in saying that the word vasavak here refers to the Vasishthas. 3, 25, 5: ágne apá'm sám idhyase durone
nityah súno sahaso jatavedah 1
sadhásthani mahayamana uiti' || "Thou, the glorifier of dwelling-houses with thy protection, the beloved, art kindled in the abode of the waters, 0 Agni Jatavedas, son of strength." 5, 1, 7: prá nú tyám vípram adhvaréshu sddhúm
agnim hotaram ilate námobhih! d'yás tata na rodasi tena
nityam mrjanti vajinam ghrténa || "They worship him with adorations, Agni, the wise, the hotr, the ornament of the sacrifices, who extended the two worlds according to divine ordinance. They adorn (him), the beloved (like a) race-horse, with ghrta." 10, 12, 2: devó devá'n paribhu'r rténa
váha no havyan prathamás cikitvá'n dhúmá keluh samídha bha'rjiko
mandró hita nityo vácâ' yájiyan “The god (sc. Agni) encompasses the gods; bear thou, (O Agni), our offering (to the gods) according to divine ordinance, thou that art knowing, that art the first, smoke-bannered and with brightness as thy ornament (when kindled) with fuel, the pleasing beloved hot, that worshippest (the gods) better (than human hotrs) with thy voice." Compare 6, 1, 6: saparyenyah sú priyó vikshv agnir hita mandró ni shasdda yájiyan | tám tvd vayám dáma al *ddivd'unsam úpa jñubd'dho námasd sadema and 1, 26, 7: priyo no astu vispátir hita mandró várenyah where the expression priyo mandro hotá corresponds to nityo mandro hotd in this verse. Compare also 1, 44, 3: adya' dútám vrnimahe vásum agnim purupriyam | dhamáketum bha'rjikam vyushtishu yajña'nam adhvarasriyam 1, 66, 1: rayir ná citrd' sú'ro ná samdr'9
àyúr ná prdno nityo ná súnúk | “(Agni), brilliant like wealth, (effulgent) like the sun in appearance, vivifier like prina (the life-breath), dear like a son." Compare 1, 69, 5: putrá ná játó ranvó durone "pleasing in the house like a son that is born".
