Artic Home of the Aryans by Lokamanya Bal ... - Mandhata Global

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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 janâh |
Shrut-karnam saprathas-taman
tvâ girâ daivyam mânushâ yugâ ||
Here ritâvânam (righteous), mahisham (strong), vishvadarshatam
(visible to all), agnim (Agni, fire), shrut-karnam (attentive
eared), saprathas-taman (most widely-reaching), tvâ (thee) and
daivyam (divine) are all in the accusative case governed by dadhire
(placed), and describe the qualities of Agni. Janâh (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
favor 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 the
other words in a natural way only as an accusative of time. The verse
would then mean “The people have placed Agni (as described), in
front for their welfare, with praises, during human ages.” But Griffith
takes yuga to mean “generations,” and supplying a verb of his own;
translates the last part of the verse thus: “Men’s generations magnify
(Agni) with praise-songs (girâ).” This shows what straits, we are
reduced to if we once make up our mind not to interpret mânushâ
yugâ to mean “a period of time,” for the word “magnify” does not exist
in the original. This verse also occurs in the Vâjasaneyî Samhitâ (XII,
111),
* Rig. X, 140, 6, — रतावानं मिहषं िवदशतमि ं साय ु दिधरपरो े ु जनाः । शण
सूथमं तवा िगरा दैानषा ु यगा ु ॥