Translated: Muir, v. 368 n., 386 (parts); Ludwig, p. 395; Scherman, p. 60 (parts); Deussen, Geschichte, i. 1. 318 (cf. 310); Henry, 27, 75; Griffith, ii. 34.—Deussen's interpretation should on no account be overlooked.—Cf. the introduction to hymn 7.
1. He who is set over both what is and what is to be and everything, and whose alone is the heaven—to that chief bráhman be homage.
The concluding pāda is that of some of the verses of the preceding hymn (see vs. 32, above, and note).
2. By the skambhá these two stand fixed apart, both sky and earth; in the skambhá [is] all this that has soul, what [is] breathing and what winking.
The Anukr. is scrupulous enough not to sanction the irregular combination skambhé ’dám in c; why it calls the verse bṛhatīgarbhā, instead of simply bhurij (like vs. 5), it were hard to say.
3. Three offspring (prajā́) went an over-going; others settled (ni-viç) about the sun (? arká); great stood the traverser (vimā́na) of space (rájas); the yellow one (m.) entered into the yellow ones (f.).
The verse is RV. viii. 90 (101). 14, which reads, for a, prajā́ ha tisró atyā́yam īyur; at end of b, viviçre; for c, d, bṛhád dha tasthāu bhúvaneṣv antáḥ pávamāno haríta ā́ viveça (the last pāda is our 40 d below). AA. (ii. 1. 14) has the same version as RV. JB. (ii. 224) has a version agreeing in the main with RV., but beginning like ours, tisro ha prajā, ending b with viviçyur, beginning c with bṛhan (but bṛhad in a following brief exposition); in c, again, with our text, rajaso vimānāi ’va (in the exposition simply vimāne); in d as RV. The Anukr. takes no notice of the defective fourth pāda. Ppp. reads na (for ha) and vimānaṁ in c, and combines prajā ’ty-, and anyā ’rkam.
4. Twelve fellies, one wheel, three naves—who understands that? therein are inserted (ā́hata) three hundred and sixty pins (çan̄kú), pegs (? khī́la) that are immovable.
The verse is also RV. i. 164. 48, which, however, has a very different second half: tásmin sākáṁ triçatā́ ná çan̄kávo ‘rpitā́ḥ ṣaṣṭír ná calācalā́saḥ. The 'pins' or 'pegs' must be the equivalents of spokes. The three naves are probably seasons ⌊Hot, Wet, and Cold: cf. Bühler, Epigraphia Indica, ii. 262⌋, though the number is unusual. Ppp. reads kelās for khīlās in d. The Anukr. does not heed that c is a jagatī pāda. ⌊Kaṭha-reading nā́bhyāni, WZKM. xii. 282.⌋
5. This, O Savitar, do thou distinguish: six [are] twins, one [is] sole-born; they seek participation (apitvá) in him who of them is the sole sole-born.
The usual twelve months, two to a season, and the thirteenth occasional intercalary one, are doubtless meant. Ppp. reads in b yomokas (for yamā ekas). ⌊The pada-mss. of both W. and SPP. have api॰tvám; but in the Index W. assumes that āpitvám is the word. Both are well authenticated in BR.; but apitvám seems to fit best here (cf. ÇB. iv. i. 311).⌋
6. Being manifest (āvís), [it is] deposited in secret; the great track (padá), "aged" (járat) by name; there is set (ā́rpita) this all, [there is] established what stirs, what breathes.
