part vi, p. 234.—Note that the sequence of the quarters in this hymn and the next, as also in the parallels thereto cited from AV.TS.TB.MS., is pradakṣiṇa-order.⌋
Translated: Weber, xvii. 291; Griffith, i. 120.
1. Ye gods that are in this eastern quarter, missiles by name—of you there the arrows are fire: do ye be gracious to us, do ye bless (adhi-brū) us; to you there be homage, to you there hail!
The corresponding utterance in TS. reads: "missiles by name are ye; your houses there are in front (in the east); fire is your arrows, ocean (salilá)"—and similarly in what follows. Ppp. prefixes rakṣa (once rakṣaḥ) at the beginning of each verse. The comm. appears to take devā́s throughout as a vocative (he devāḥ); he defines it as meaning "Gandharvas"; the arrows are either fire or else Agni. The Anukr. apparently restores yé asyā́ṁ, and also makes the refrain to be of 11 + 10 = 21 syllables; then the initial "pādas" of 1, of 3 and 4, of 5, of 2, and of 6 count respectively as 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 syllables, and the complete numbers vary from 44 to 48 syllables. ⌊The Anukr. ought to call vs. 2 nicṛt and vs. 5 virāj.—For "gods" as an address to the serpents, cf. vi. 56. 1, where they are called "god-people."⌋
2. Ye gods that are in this southern quarter, impetuous (? aviṣyú) by name—of you there the arrows are love (kā́ma): do ye be etc. etc.
The comm. reads avasyavas instead of aviṣyavas. In TS., the name in this quarter is "smearers" (nilimpa), and the arrows are "the Fathers, sea (ságara)."
3. Ye gods that are in this western quarter, vāirājás by name—of you there the arrows are the waters: do ye be etc. etc.
The name in Ppp. is virājas. In TS., the name is "thunderbolt-wielders" (vajrín), and the arrows are "sleep, thicket (gáhvara)."
4. Ye gods that are in this northern quarter, piercing by name—of you there the arrows are wind: do ye be etc. etc.
In the north, according to TS., the name is "down-standers (avasthā́van)" and the arrows "the waters, ocean (samudrá)."
5. Ye gods that are in this fixed quarter, smearers (nilimpá) by name—of you there the arrows are the herbs: do ye be etc. etc.
Ppp. reads vilimpās for nil-, and makes the arrows to be food (anna). TS. calls the quarter "here (ihá)" and puts it after the one "above" (our vs. 6); the name is "fleshly, earthly," and the arrows (as in Ppp.) "food." The comm. explains nilimpās as nitarāṁ liptāḥ.
6. Ye gods that are in this upward quarter, helpful (ávasvant) by name—of you there the arrows are Brihaspati: do ye be etc. etc.
In this quarter (upári) according to TS., the name is "overlords," and the arrows "rain, the helpful one." Ppp. adds at the end iti rakṣāmantram, and our verse viii. 3. 1 follows. TS. adds an imprecation, nearly like that in our hymn 27: tébhyo vo námas té no mṛḍayata té yáṁ dviṣmó yáç ca no dvéṣṭi táṁ vo jámbhe dadhāmi.
