३०

आर्भवं शंसति ।

(Story of the Ṛibhus. On their Share in the Evening Libation.)

He repeats the Ṛibhu hymn (takṣan ratham, 1, 111).[17]

[17]The Nivid inserted before the last verse of the Ribhu hymn is:

ऋभवो देवाः सोमस्य मत्सन । विष्ट्रवी स्वपसः । कर्मण सुहस्ताः । धन्या धनिष्ठाः । शम्या शमिष्ठाः । शच्या शचिष्ठाः । ये धेनुं विश्वजुवं विश्वरूपामतक्षन् । अतक्षं धेनुमभवद्विश्वरूपी । अयुंजत हरी अयुदवानुप । अबुध्रनत्सं कनीनां अदंतः । संवत्सरे स्वपसो यज्ञियं भागमायन् । ऋभवो देवा इह श्रवन्निह सोमस्य मत्सन् । प्रेमां देवा देवहूतिमवंतु० May the divine Ṛibhus enjoy the Soma, who are busy and clever, who are skilful with their hands, who are very rich, who are full of bliss, full of strength, who cut the cow which moves everywhere, and has all forms (i.e., the earth), who cut the cow (that) she became of all forms, who yoked the two yellow horses (of Indra) who went to the gods, who when eating got aware of the girls, who entered by their skill upon their share in the sacrifice in the year (at the sacrificial session lasting for one year); may the divine Ṛibhus hear (us) here and enjoy the Soma, &c.

आर्भवं शंसति ।

ऋभवो वै देवेषु तपसा सोमपीथमभ्यजयन् ।

The (beings called) Ṛibhus among the gods, had, by means of austerities, obtained the right to a share in the Soma beverage.

ऋभवो वै देवेषु तपसा सोमपीथमभ्यजयन् ।

तेभ्यः प्रातःसवने वाचि कल्पयिषन् ।

They (the gods) wished to make room for them in the recitations at the morning libation;

तेभ्यः प्रातःसवने वाचि कल्पयिषन् ।

तानग्निर्वसुभिः प्रातःसवनादनुदत ।

but Agni with the Vasus (to whom this libation belongs), turned them out of the morning libation.

तानग्निर्वसुभिः प्रातःसवनादनुदत ।

तेभ्यो माध्यंदिने सवने वाचि कल्पयिषन् ।

They (the gods) then wished to make room for them in the recitations at the midday libation;

तेभ्यो माध्यंदिने सवने वाचि कल्पयिषन् ।

तानिन्द्रो रुद्रैर्माध्यंदिनात्सवनादनुदत ।

but Indra with the Rudras (to whom this libation belongs), turned them out of this libation.

तानिन्द्रो रुद्रैर्माध्यंदिनात्सवनादनुदत ।

तेभ्यस्तृतीयसवने वाचि कल्पयिषन् ।

They then wished to make room for them in the recitations at the evening libation;

तेभ्यस्तृतीयसवने वाचि कल्पयिषन् ।

तान्विश्वे देवा अनोनुद्यन्त नेह पास्यन्ति नेहेति ।

but the Viśve Devāḥ (to whom it belongs), tried to turn them out of it, saying, “They shall not drink here; they shall not.”

तान्विश्वे देवा अनोनुद्यन्त नेह पास्यन्ति नेहेति ।

स प्रजापतिरब्रवीत्सवितारं तव वा इमे ऽन्तेवासास्त्वमेवैभिः सम्पिबस्वेति ।

Prajāpati then said to Savitar, “These are thy pupils; thou alone (among the Viśve Devāḥ), therefore, shalt drink with them.”

स प्रजापतिरब्रवीत्सवितारं तव वा इमे ऽन्तेवासास्त्वमेवैभिः सम्पिबस्वेति ।

स तथेत्यब्रवीत्सविता तान्वै त्वमुभयतः परिपिबेति ।

He consented, and said (to Prajāpati), “Drink thou also, standing on both sides of the Ṛibhus.”

स तथेत्यब्रवीत्सविता तान्वै त्वमुभयतः परिपिबेति ।

तान्प्रजापतिरुभयतः पर्यपिबत् ।

Prajāpati drank standing on both sides of them.

तान्प्रजापतिरुभयतः पर्यपिबत् ।

ते एते धाय्ये अनिरुक्ते प्राजापत्ये शस्येते अभित आर्भवं सुरूपकृत्नुमूतये ऽयं वेनश्चोदयत्पृश्निगर्भा इति ।

(That is the reason that) these two Dhāyyās (required for the Vaiśvadeva Śastra) which do not contain the name of any particular deity, and belong to Prajāpati, are repeated, one before the other, after the Ṛibhu hymn. (They are) surûpakṛtnum ûtaye (1, 4, 1) and ayam venaś chodayat (10, 123, 1).[18]

[18]This whole story is invented for explaining the position assigned to certain verses and hymns in the Vaiśvadeva Śastra. After the hymn addressed to Savitar, abhûd devaḥ savitâ (4, 54), there follows the verse surûpakṛitnum, which is called a Dhâyyâ; then comes the hymn addressed to the Ṛibhus, takṣan ratham, and then the verse ayam venaś, which is also a Dhâyyâ. See Âśv, Śr. S. 5, 8.

ते एते धाय्ये अनिरुक्ते प्राजापत्ये शस्येते अभित आर्भवं सुरूपकृत्नुमूतये ऽयं वेनश्चोदयत्पृश्निगर्भा इति ।

प्रजापतिरेवैनांस्तदुभयतः परिपिबति ।

Prajāpati thus drinks on both their sides.

प्रजापतिरेवैनांस्तदुभयतः परिपिबति ।

तस्मादु श्रेष्ठी पात्रे रोचयत्येव यं कामयते तम् ।

Thus it comes that a chief (śreṣṭhî) favours with a draught from his goblet whom he likes.

तस्मादु श्रेष्ठी पात्रे रोचयत्येव यं कामयते तम् ।

तेभ्यो वै देवा अपैवाबीभत्सन्त मनुष्यगन्धात् ।

The gods, however, abhorred them (the Ṛibhus), on account of their human[19] smell.

[19]They are said to have been men, and raised themselves to an equal rank with the gods by means of sacrifice and austerities.

तेभ्यो वै देवा अपैवाबीभत्सन्त मनुष्यगन्धात् ।

त एते धाय्ये अन्तरदधत येभ्यो मातैवा पित्र इति ।

(Therefore) they placed two (other) Dhāyyās between the Ṛibhus and themselves. (These are) yebhyo mātā madhumat (10, 63, 3), and evā pitre viśva devāya (4, 50, 6).[20]

[20]These two verses immediately follow: ayam venaś chodayat. Âśv. Śr. S. 5,18.

त एते धाय्ये अन्तरदधत येभ्यो मातैवा पित्र इति ।