16. Let those creatures, without exception (samagrá), together yield fruit (duh) to us; the honey of speech, O earth, do thou assign unto me.
Té for tā́s at the beginning, allowing us to regard prajā́s as accus., would be a welcome emendation.
17. The all-producing (-sū́) mother of herbs, the fixed earth (bhū́mi), the earth maintained by ordinance, the auspicious, the pleasant, may we go about over always.
This verse (10 ⌊properly 11⌋ + 12: 12 = 34 syll.) is overlooked by the Anukr.; it nearly accords in structure with vs. 14, above. ⌊Dr. Ryder observes that the dual (mahābṛhatyāu) of the Anukr.-text suggests the possible falling out of the pratīka of this verse. See under vs. 14.⌋ ⌊There is a play of words in dhármaṇā dhṛtā́m which cannot easily be reproduced in translation.⌋
18. Thou hast become great, a great station (sadhástha) great is thy trembling, stirring, quaking; great Indra defends thee unremittingly. Do thou, O earth (bhū́mi), make us to shine forth as in the aspect (saṁdṛ́ç) of gold; let no one soever hate us.
Ppp. reads vīryeṇa for apramādam in c, and from e ⌊samdṛçi⌋ passes directly on to our 19 c (agnir antaṣ pur- etc.): probably an accidental omission. The verse (12 + 11: 8 + 8 + 8 = 58) lacks two syllables of a full atiçakvarī.
19. Agni is in the earth (bhū́mi), in the herbs; the waters bear Agni; Agni [is] in the stones (áçman); Agni is within men; in kine, in horses are Agnis.
This and the two following verses are quite out of connection here, and seem to be an intrusion. They are quoted together in Kāuç. 2. 41 as accompanying the feeding of the fire with fuel; in 120. 5, in a ceremony against the cleaving open of the ground; and in 137. 30 (each singly) to accompany the strewing of the sacrificial hearth in the ājyatantra. The first part of the verse (as noted above) is wanting in Ppp.
20. Agni sends heat from the sky; the wide atmosphere is god Agni's; mortals kindle Agni [as] oblation-bearer, ghee-lover.
Ppp. combines in a divā ”tapaty.
21. Let the earth, fire-clad, black-kneed, make me sharpened, brilliant (tvíṣīmant).
This verse is quoted by pratīka in GB. i. 2. 9. As to the ritual uses of it and of vs. 20, see the note to vs. 19. Ppp. reads tviṣīvantaṁ in b.
22. On the earth (bhū́mi) they give to the gods the sacrifice, the oblation, duly prepared; on the earth (bhū́mi) mortal men (manuṣyà) live by svadhā́, by food; let that earth (bhū́mi) assign us breath, life-time; let earth make me one who attains old age.
The verse (8 + 8: 8 + 8: 11 + 11 = 54) should be called by the Anukr. svarāj instead of virāj. Ppp. reads in a juhvati instead of dadati.
