6. Be ye just here; go not after; adorn yourselves with all forms; I shall come along with what is excellent; become ye more abundant through me.
'Go not after': that is, 'do not follow me as I go away' (so the comm.). The verse is used in Kāuç. (23. 6) in the ceremony of house-building, on the breaking of previous silence; and again (24. 16), in a rite for prosperity, by one setting out on a journey, contemplating the house and its occupants.
61 (63). For success of penance.
[Atharvan.—dvyṛcam. āgneyam. ānuṣṭuhham.]
In Pāipp. (xx.) is found only the second half* of vs. 1. The hymn is, according to Kāuç. (10. 22), to be pronounced at āgrahāyaṇa full-moon, in a medhājanana rite (for acquisition of sacred knowledge); also (57. 23), in the ceremony of reception of a Vedic student, in the ⌊agnikārya⌋, next after hymn 33 (both verses are quoted, each by its pratīka); and the schol. (note to 53. 4) introduce both verses in the godāna ceremony. *⌊But R's notes give a variant for 1 b, as below!⌋
Translated: Henry, 24, 87; Griffith, i. 357.
1. In that, O Agni, penance with penance, we perform additional (?) penance, may we be dear to what is heard, long-lived, very wise.
'What is heard' (çrutá), the inspired or revealed word. Nearly all the mss. (all ours save Bp.1 M.) read priyā́ instead of priyā́ḥ at beginning of c. Ppp. has for b upa prekṣāmahe* vayam. The comm. gives several diverse guesses at the sense of the obscure first half-verse. ⌊The vs. recurs with variants at MGS. i. 1. 18.⌋ *⌊R. suggests that pṛkṣāmahe (root pṛc) may be intended.⌋
2. O Agni, we perform penance, we perform additional penance—we, hearing things heard, long-lived, very wise.
It is questionable whether upa-tapya in both these verses has not a more pregnant meaning ⌊as above: BR., simply, 'Kasteiung leiden'⌋: Henry takes it as equivalent to simple tapya.
62 (64). To Agni: against enemies.
[Kaçyapa Mārīca.—āgneyam. jagatī.]
Found also, almost without variant, in Pāipp. xx. Kāuç (69. 7) uses it, with xii. 2, in the preparation of the house-fire, with scattering of holy water. In Vāit. (29. 9) it appears in the agnicayana.
Translated: Henry, 24, 88; Griffith, i. 357.
1. This Agni, lord of the good, household priest, conquered them of increased virility (?), as a chariot-warrior [conquers] footmen; set down on earth in the navel, brightly shining, let him put under foot them who desire to fight [us].
