_"t˜¡ 18
h¡{^" - _"z@s¡_"s@¡ Y"pX"pY"S" $ Qu\"O"p - 1-4 X"wOY"s, 5 R"pO"p, 6 O\"Í>p, 7-13 {T"O"wX"uR", 14 {T"O"wX"uR" ìP"\"p T"øG"pT"{O" $ F>SQ - {e"Ís>T"o, 11 T"ø_O"pZ T"z{˜¡, 13 G"BpO"r, 14 ìS"sÍs>T"o $
(The metre is differently given in the Sarvdnukrama. For the name of the Rsi see Max Mtiller, Rgveda..)
8961. T"Zzñ X"wOY"pu… ìS"s£ T"Zu]{`… T"SP"pz… Y"_O"u… _\" òO"]Zpu Qu\"…Y"pS"p]O"o $
E"b"s]^X"O"u Ü"wN\"£O"u O"u] V"ø\"r{X"… X"p S"]# T"ø…G"pz Zr]qZ^"pu… X"puO" \"r…ZpS"o :1:
1. Depart, Mrtyu, by a different path: by that which is your own, and distinct from the path of the gods: I speak to you who have eyes, who have ears: do no harm to our offspring, nor to our male progeny.
To our Offspring- Sayana explains prajam as female offspring. Mahidhara rendsrs it by santatim, descandants, family successors (Yajurveda, 35.7).
8962. X"w£OY"pu T"…Qz Y"pu…T"Y"]SO"pu… Y"QvO"… çpC"r]Y"… ìpY"s]# T"øO"…Zz QR"p]S"p# $
ìp…TY"pY"]X"pS"p# T"ø…G"Y"p… R"S"u]S" ðps£«p# T"t£O"p W"]\"O" Y"{c"Y"p_"# :2:
2. If, avoiding the path of death, you go (on the path of the gods), assuming a longer and better life, (my friends), then may you, (O sacrificers), diligent in sacrifice, enriched with progeny and affluence, be cleansed and pure.
Be Cleaned and Pure- Suddhah, according to the comment, means pure from the decay caused by the sins accumulated in a former life; putah, pure from that caused by the sins of the present life.
8963. ò…X"u G"r…\"p {\" X"w£O"vZp\"]\"we"…ß"W"t]¬…çp Qu…\"`m]{O"S"puê ì…ü $
T"øpú"pu] ìBppX" S"w£O"Y"u… `_"p]Y"… çpC"r]Y"… ìpY"s]# T"øO"…Zz QR"p]S"p# :3:
3. May those who are living remain separate from the dead: may our invocation of the gods’ to-day be successful: let us go forward to dancing and laughter, assuming a longer and better life.
Let us go forward- Or, with our faces to the east.
8964. ò…X"z G"r…\"uWY"]# T"qZ…{R"z Q]R"p{X"… X"v^"p…z S"s Bpp…QT"]Zpu… ìP"êñX"u…O"X"o $
ðp…O"z G"r]\"SO"s ðp…ZQ]# T"sá¡…E"rZSO"X"êw£OY"sz Q]R"O"pz… T"\"êñO"uS" :4:
4.I erect this circle (of stones) foiltfre protection of the living, that none other of them may approach this limit; may they live a hundred years, occupied by many holy works, and keep death hidden by this mound.
I erect this Circle of stones- Mahidhara (Yajurveda,35.l5) states that after the buming of the body, the Adhvarya is to raise a bank or lump of earth between the village where the deceased dwelt and the cemetery, as a rampart against death; Sayana makes the paridhi a stone rampart (pasanam).
8965. Y"P"p`p]SY"S"sT"t£\"| W"\"][SO" Y"P"] h¡…O"\"] h¡…O"s{W"…Y"ê[SO"] _"p…R"s $
Y"P"p… S" T"t\"êñX"T"]Zpu… G"`p]OY"u…\"p R"p]O"…ZpY"tzñ{^" @¡ÚT"Y"v…^"pX"o :5:
5.As days pass along in succession; as seasons are duly followed by seasons; as the successor does not abandon his predecessor , so, Dhata, support the lives of these (my kinsmen).
As the successor...predecessor- That is, according to the comment, as a son does not leave his father by dying first.
8966. ìp Zpu]`…O"pY"s]G"ê…Z_"zñ \"wNpp…S"p ì]S"sT"t£\"| Y"O"]X"pS"p… Y"{O"… Î> $
ò…` O\"Í>p] _"s£G"{S"]X"p _"…G"pu^"p] Qr…C"êX"pY"s]# @¡Z{O" G"r…\"_"u] \"# :6:
6.(Ye kinsmen of the dead man), choosing old age. attain length of life, striving one after the other, how many soever you may be: may Tvast, the creator.
Striving one after the other- (Sayana explains "the eldest first." There seems to be implied in yatamanah the notion of men toiling up the hill of old age.) Of good races of men, being at one (with you), grant you (busy) at this (sacrifice), a long life.
8967. ò…X"p S"pZr]Z{\"R"…\"p# _"s£T"Ñ"r…Zpý"]S"uS" _"…{T"ê^"p… _"z {\"]ðpSO"s $
ì…S"…d\"pu]&S"X"r…\"p# _"s£ZÑ"p… ìp Zpu]`SO"s£ G"S"]Y"pu… Y"pu{S"…X"Bpøu] :7:
7. Let these women who are not widows, who have good husbands, enter (anointed) with unguent and butter. Let women without tears, without sorrow, and decorated with jewels, first proceed to the house.
8968. íQr]^\"ê S"pY"ê…{W" G"r]\"“pu…@z¡ Bp…O"p_"s]X"u…O"X"sT"] ðpu^"… ï{`] $
`…_O"…Bpøp…W"_Y"] {Q{R"…^"pu_O"\"u…Qz T"OY"s]G"ê{S"…O\"X"…{W" _"z V"]W"tP" :8:
8. Rise, woman, (and go) to the world of living beings: come, this man near whom you sleep is lifeless: you have enjoyed this state of being the wife of your husband, the suitor who took you by the band.
(This verse is to be spoken by the husband’s brother etc., to the wife of the dead man, and he is to make her leave her husbands body. See the, Asvalayana Grhya Sutras, 4.2.)
Go to beings- (Sayana, "go to the home of the living, i.e., your sons, grandsons, etc. " This verse is interesting as showing that in the latest part of the Vedic age there was no trace of Suttee.)
8969. R"S"s£`ê_O"p]Qp…QQp]S"pu X"w£O"_Y"p…_X"u b"…e"pY"… \"E"êñ_"u… V"“p]Y" $
ìe"v…\" O\"{X"…` \"…Y"z _"s£\"rZp… {\"Ä"p…# _T"wR"pu] ì…{W"X"p*]O"rG"êY"uX" :9:
9. Taking his bow from the hand of the dead man, for the sake of our vigour, energy and strenfith, (I say) you are there; may we (who are) here, blessed with male offspring, overcome all the enemies who assail us.
Taking his bow, etc.- This applies to a Ksatriya.
You are there- (Sayana, "are you there?")
8970. íT"] _"T"ê X"p…O"Zz W"t{X"]X"u…O"pX"s]à…\Y"E"]_"z T"w{P"…\"rë _"s£ðpu\"p]X"o $
î¡NpêñX"øQp Y"s\"…{O"Qê{b"]Npp\"O" ï…^"p O\"p] T"pO"s£ {S"hêñ¡O"uà…T"_P"p]O"o :10:
10. Go to this your mother-earth, the wide-spread, delightful earth; this virgin (earth is) as soft as wool, to the liberal (worshipper) may she protect you from the proximity of Niryti.
(Sayana says the four verses 10 to 13 are to be repeated at the death of a diksita (initiated person), and cites Asvalayana S. VI. 10. On the repetition of verse 10, the bones which have been collected are to be placed in the grave; see Asvalayanagyhya S. IV. 5.)
8971. íE']ú"_\" T"w{P"{\"… X"p {S" V"p]R"P"p# _"tT"pY"…S"p_X"v] W"\" _"tT"\"ú"…S"p $
X"p…O"p T"s£e"z Y"P"p] {_"…E"pWY"u]S"z W"tX" î¡Npês{` :11:
11. Earth, rise up above him; oppress him not; be attentive to him (and) comfortable; cover him up, earth, as a mother covers her child with the skirt of her garment.
Earth, rise up above him- (Le. so as to give him breathing room. Whilst &-is verse is being recited, dust is to be scattered over the grave. Asva, Gyhya S., IV. 5.)
Comfortable- (Supavancana=deceiving well. Sayana says, "Treat him kindly for the sake of the sacrifice: " fondle him, lull him to rest. The alternative explanation supratistha bhava seems to mean, be a good resting-place.)
8972. í…E'ú"]X"pS"p T"w{P"…\"r _"s {O"]Î>O"s _"…`¾z… {X"O"… íT"… {` dY"]SO"pX"o $
O"u Bpw£`p_"pu] C"wO"…Æ"sO"pu] W"\"SO"s {\"…Ä"p`p]_X"v ðpZNpp# _"…SO\"e"] :12:
12. May the earth heaped over him lie light: may thousands of particles (of dust) envelope him; may these mansions distil ghi (for him); may they every day be an asylum to him in this world.
8973. íOO"u] _O"W"np{X" T"w{P"…\"rë O\"OT"Zr…X"z “puBpz… {S"…QR"…SX"pu ì…`z qZ]^"X"o $
ï…O"pz _P"tNppzñ {T"…O"Zpu] R"pZY"SO"s£ O"u&e"p] Y"…X"# _"pQ]S"p O"u {X"S"puO"s :13:
13. I heap up the earth around you, placing (upon you) this clod of earth: may I not be injured: may the Pitrs sustain this your monument: may Yama make you a dwelling here.
I heap up the earth around you- (Sayana, "O urn, I keep off the earth above you with your lid, he asthikumbha tavopari tvadiyena kapalena prthivim pratibadhnami) this is addressed to the urn, containing the bones and ashes. Which is buried after the corpse has been burnt. "In quo reliquias divinique ossa porentis condidimus terra," Aeed, Y. 68.
(The verse is to be recited when the bones are covered with the lid; see Asval-Grhya-S., IV. 5.)
This clod of earth- (I.e., the lid of the urn.)
8974. T"ø…O"r…E"rS"u… X"pX"`…S"r^\"p]# T"…Npê{X"…\"p Q]R"s# $
T"ø…O"rE"rëñ G"BpøW"p… \"pE"…X"Ä"zñ Zðp…S"Y"p] Y"P"p :14:
14. At the decline of the day they have placed me (in the grave) like the feathers of an arrow; I have restrained my declining voice as (they check) a horse with a bridle.