वेदों की प्राचीनता एवं काल-निर्णय / ओरायन (लोकमान्य बाल गंगाधर तिलक - खगोलीय वैदिक शोध)

174 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. or reasonable than this; but still Prof. Max Muller translates the verse to mean "All those who protect the generations of men, who protect the mortal from injury,"* in spite of the fact that this is tautological and that there is no conjunctive par- ticle in the text (like cha) to join what according to him are the two objects of the verb 'protect.' Mr. Griffith seems to have perceived this difficulty, and has translated, "Who all, through ages of mankind, guard mortal man from injury." Another passage which is equally decisive on this point, is X, 140, 6. The verse† is addressed to Agni, and people are said to have put him in front to secure his blessings. It is as follows :— Ritâvânam mahisham vishva-darshatam agnim sumnâya, dadhire puro janâḥ Shrut-karṇam saprathas-tamam tvâ girâ daivyam mânushâ yugâ ॥ Here ṛitâvânam (righteous), mahisham (strong), vishva-dar- shatam (visible to all), agnim (Agni, fire), shrut-karṇam (attentive eared), saprathas-tamam (most widely-reaching), tvâ (thee) and daivyam (divine) are all in the accusative case governed by dadhire (placed), and describe the qualities of Agni. Janâḥ (people) is the nominative and dadhire (placed) is the only verb in the text. Sumnâya (for the welfare) denotes the purpose for which the people placed Agni in front (puro) ; and girâ (by praises) is the means by which the favour of Agni is to be secured. If we, therefore, leave out the various adjectives of Agni, the verse means, "The people have placed Agni (as described) in front for their welfare, with praises." The only expression that remains is mânushâ yugâ, and it can go in with other words in a natural way only as an accusative of time. The verse would then mean

• See S. B. E. Series, Vol. XXXII, p. 312. † Rig. X, 140, 6,—ऋतावानं महिषं विश्वदर्शतमग्निं सुम्नाय दधिरे पुरो जनाः। श्रुत्कर्णं सप्रथस्तमं त्वा गिरा दैव्यं मानुषा युगा ॥