Translated: Muir, i.2 280; Ludwig, p. 446 (part); Zimmer, p. 197; Griffith, i. 212; Weber, xviii. 222; also, in part, as RV. hymn, by Muir, i2. 256; Ludwig, no. 1020; Grassmann, ii. 495.—Cf. also Oldenberg, Die Hymnen des RV., i. 244.
1. These spoke first at the offense against the Brahman (bráhman-): the boundless sea, Mātariçvan, he of stout rage (-háras), formidable fervor, the kindly one, the heavenly waters, first-born of right (ṛtá).
RV. reads ugrás in c, and ṛténa at the end. Ppp. reads -haras and -bhuvas in c, and apas in d. The first pāda is properly jagatī, though the Anukr. takes no notice of the fact.
2. King Soma first gave (pra-yam) back the Brahman's wife, not bearing enmity; he who went after [her] was Varuṇa, Mitra; Agni, invoker, conducted [her] hither, seizing her hand.
Ppp. reads mitro ā- in c. Anvartitár ⌊Gram. §233 a⌋ is doubtful; perhaps 'one who disputes possession': cf. MS. iii. 7. 3 (p. 78. 1).
3. To be seized by the hand indeed is the pledge (? ādhí) of her, if one has said "[she is] the Brahman's wife"; she stood not to be sent forth for a messenger: so is made safe (gupitá) the kingdom of the Kshatriya.}}
The sense of a and c is obscure; perhaps we ought to read háste (or -tena) nāí ’vá in a, 'nothing of hers is to be meddled with, when once she is declared the Brahman's.' The mss. vary between grāhyás (B.), grā́hyas (E.), and grāhyàs (the rest). RV. reads ávocan in b, and adds iyám before íti, by omitting which our text damages the meter (but the Anukr. does not notice it). RV. also has in c prahyè for prahéyā; the two readings are of virtually identicjil meaning; emendation to dūtyā̀ya is desirable. Ppp. reads ādir in a.
4. The misfortune, descending (ava-pad) upon the village, of which they say "this is a star with disheveled hair"—as such, the Brahman's wife burns up the kingdom, where hath gone forth a hare (? çaçá) accompanied with meteors (ulkuṣī́-).
That is, such apparent portents are really the woman, that has been misused. A very awkwardly constructed verse. Ppp. reads in a tārakāṁ vik-, and, in c, tinotu for dunoti. It is, of course, the reference to meteoric portents that causes the verse to be quoted in Kāuç. 126.
5. The Vedic student (brahmacārin) goes about serving (viṣ) much service; he becomes one limb of the gods; by him Brihaspati discovered the wife, conducted by Soma, like the sacrificial spoon, O gods.
In d RV. has the doubtless better reading devā́s, 'as the gods [discovered] the sacrificial spoon.' For nītā́m Ppp. reads nihatām. Though called a triṣṭubh, the verse has two jagatī pādas.
6. The gods of old verily spoke about her, the seven seers who sat down with penance (tápas); fearful [is] the wife of the Brahman when led away; she makes (dhā) discomfort (durdhā́) in the highest firmament (vyòman).
