Vedic Hymns, Part II (SBE46), by Hermann Oldenberg , at sacred-texts.com
1. We, thy friends 1, have chosen thee for our protection, (we) the mortals (thee) the god, the offspring of the Waters, the blessed one with fine splendour 2, who gloriously advances, the unmenaced one.
2. When thou, finding pleasure in the wood, hast gone to thy mothers, the Waters, that return of thine, Agni, (to this world) should not be slighted, when dwelling afar thou hast come hither.
3. High above (all) pungent sharpness thou hast grown up 1, and verily thou art kind-hearted. Some go forward here and there; others sit around thee, in whose friendship thou abidest 2.
4. He who has passed beyond (all) failures, beyond all hindrances 1, the guileless, watchful ones 2 have found him as a lion (is found), when he had gone into the Waters;
5. He who had run as it were by his own might, Agni, who thus dwelt in concealment—Him Mâtarisvan brought hither from afar, from the gods, when he had been produced by attrition (of the woods).
6. (And thus) the mortals have taken thee up, O carrier of sacrificial food towards the gods 1, because thou, O (god) belonging to Manus, protectest all sacrifices by the power of thy mind, O youngest one!
7 1. This is something glorious; herein thy wonderful power shows itself even to the simple, that the cattle lie down round about thee when
thou hast been kindled, O Agni, at the approach of darkness 2.
8. Make your offerings in (Agni), the best performer of worship, the sharp one who purifies with his flames 1. Serve ye, obediently the god, the quick messenger, the agile, the old, the adorable.
9 1. Three hundred and three thousand gods and thirty and nine did service to Agni. They sprinkled him with ghee and spread out for him the sacrificial grass: then they made him sit down as a Hotri.
The same Rishi. The metre is Brihatî; the last verse is Trishtubh.—Verse 1 = SV. I, 62. Verse 2 = SV. I, 53. Verse 9 = VS. XXXIII, 7; TB. II, 7, 12, 2.
Note 1. For this expression, compare I, 30. 7; VIII, 21, 2. 9.
Note 2. Comp. VIII, 19, 4. subhágam sudî´ditim.
Note 1. Comp. I, 81, 5. áti vísvam vavakshitha; 102, 8. áti idám vísvam bhúvanam vavakshitha.
Note 2. The different officiating priests seem to be alluded to.
Note 1. Comp. I, 42, 7. áti nah saskátah naya; VII, párshat nah áti saskátah; Lanman, Noun-Inflection. 467.
Note 2. The gods who searched for Agni.
Note 1. For devébhyah havyavâhana, comp. X, 118, 5; 119, 13; 150, 1.
Note 1. Comp. Prof. von Schroeder's translation of this verse, Kuhn's Zeitschrift, XXIX, 205.
Note 2. Regarding apisarvaré, comp. VIII, 1, 29: Geldner, Vedische Studien, II, 178. I cannot adopt the conclusions of Prof. Bloomfield, Contributions to the Interpretation of the Veda, Fifth Series, p. 36. 'Wild animals run away from the fire at night, tame animals are attracted by it.' M. M.
Note 1. For this Pâda, comp. VIII, 43, 31; 102, 11; X, 21, 1.
Note 1. This verse is identical with X, 52, 6.