Vol. V, No. 4.] The Hero-Gods of the Rigveda. 121 
[NV.S.] 
35. at galat afe aagaay Sq Bear anat walafa | 
faat a aratag wraatuea araaaeaurgraaraa | 
2 | 28128 
Begging of them spacious houses for protection, we glorify 
them by this hymn. 
Whom armed with shields, 7'rita for sacrificing and for 
protection elected (as priests) as the inferior five priests are 
elected. 
Remarks :—This rik is a very obscure one. The rendering 
given above is different from that hitherto given. I think, 
however, it will be found correct. ay has been used in the 
sense of a house in a number of places. Though seven priests 
have been generally mentioned, five priests have also been re- 
ferred to in a few places. qfafe = aw; here wary 1 wataq= 
SI+saqnq, from eq ava, fea, fast aorist. The appropriate- 
ness of the election of the Maruts as priests will become clear 
if we will remember the fact mentioned in the 12th verse of 
this very hymn that they were the gmat who first founded 
the institute of sacrifice. ‘fmar is a vedic form of the third case 
of “faa as appears in verse 9th ;—ayget afmat—by hot ata \ 
afma = like a wa = a shield. The Maruts were armed with 
spears, and spears and shield go together. They were for this 
reason called qagqaq:—armed with shining breast-plates. It is 
different from @tz which is a bracelet ; now called arg in Bengali 
and in Hindi. The Maruts were wrewer:'| Bfaea = IAS | 
aia afrarea STARA Sa ATA <fa ie: | 
V. rita as the god of the mid-region was displaced by 
Indra and driven to a distant place. 
36, azifaaeaiet Barat aie TTS 
faa afequig mt sMeuTaaTaeat... 1 51 B91 LR 
Evil that has made its appearance and that lies hidden, O 
gods, place all that evil and sin away from us in Aptya Tita. 
ey WEEE a; 
37. aq ay Seqgqq aaa afeafea: l 
faara afeutaafera vat aetawat.-. 1 8 
The evil dream that forebodes misery to our’ cattle or to 
us, O daughter of heaven; i 
That and sin, O bright one (-: Dawn) remove far to Aptya 
tila. 6 
