Krishna Yajur Veda - Kanda 3 and 4

Krishna Yajur Veda

Translator – Arthur Berriedale Keith
KANDA III

PRAPATHAKA I
The Supplement to the Soma Sacrifice

iii. 1. 1.

Prajapati desired, ‘May I create offspring.’ He did penance, he created serpents. He desired, ‘May I create offspring.’ He did penance a second time, he created birds. He desired, ‘May I create offspring.’ He did penance a third time, he saw this speech of the consecrated, he spoke it. Then indeed did he create offspring. In that after undergoing penance he speaks the speech of the consecrated, the sacrificer thus [1] creates offspring. If one who is consecrated sees anything impure, the consecration departs from him; his dark colour, his beauty goes away. ‘Mind unbound; eye weak; sun best of lights; O consecration, forsake me not’, he says, and consecration departs not from him, his dark colour and his beauty go not away. If rain falls on one who is consecrated, the heavenly waters if unappeased destroy his force, might, consecration [2], and penance. ‘Do ye flowing waters place might (in me), place force, place might; do not destroy my consecration, nor my penance’, he says; verily he places all that in himself; they do not destroy his force, might, consecration, or penance. Agni is the divinity of the consecrated man, and he is concealed as it were from him, when he goes (out), and the Raksases are able to hurt him [3]. ‘From good to better do thou advance; may Brhaspati be thy forerunner’, he says. Brhaspati is the holy power (Brahman) of the gods; verily he grasps hold of him, and he brings him safely through. ‘Here we have come (a-idam) to the place on earth for sacrifice to the gods’, he says, for he comes to the place on earth for sacrifice, who sacrifices. ‘Wherein aforetime all the gods rejoiced’, he says, for all the gods delight in it, in that the Brahmans so do. ‘Accomplishing (the rite) with Rc, Saman, and Yajus’, he says, for he who sacrifices accomplishes (the rite) with Rc, Saman, and Yajus. ‘Let us rejoice in fullness of wealth, in sustenance’, he says; verily he invokes this blessing.

iii. 1. 2.

‘This is thy Gayatri part’, say for me to Soma.
‘This is thy Tristubh, Jagati, part’, say for me to Soma.
‘Become lord of the Chandomas’, say for me to Soma.

He who purchases King Soma after making it go to the world of lordship, becomes lord of his own (people). The world of lordship of King Soma is the metres; he should utter these verses before the purchase of Soma. It is to the world of lordship that he makes it go when he buys (Soma) [1], and he becomes lord of his own. He, who knows the support of the Tanunaptra finds support. The theologians say, ‘They do not eat, nor offer; then where does the Tanunaptra find support?’ ‘In Prajapati, in the mind, he should reply. He should smell at it thrice, (saying), ‘In Prajapati thee, in the mind I offer’; this indeed is the support of the Tanunaptra; he who knows thus finds support. He who [2] knows the support of the Adhvaryu finds support. He should call (on the Agnidhra) standing in the place without moving whence he is minded to sacrifice. This is the support of the Adhvaryu; he who knows thus finds support. If he were to sacrifice moving about, he would lose his support; therefore he should sacrifice standing in the same place, for support. He who knows the possession of the Adhvaryu, becomes possessed (of what he needs). His possession is the offering-spoon, his possession is the Vayu cup, his [3] possession is the beaker. If he were to call without holding the Vayu cup or the beaker, he would lose his own; therefore he must hold it when he calls; verily he loses not his own. If he begins the litany without placing the Soma,” the Soma is not supported, the Stoma is not supported, the hymns are not supported, the sacrificer is not supported, the Adhvaryu is not supported. The support of the Soma is the Vayu cup, the support of it is the beaker, (the support) of the Stoma is Soma, (the support) of the hymns is the Stoma. He should grasp the cup or fill up the beaker, and then begin the litany; a support to the Soma he verily (eva) gives, to the Stoma, to the hymns; the sacrificer finds support, the Adhvaryu finds support.

iii. 1. 3.

They gather together the sacrifice when (they gather the dust of) the foot-print of the Soma cow; the oblation-holders are the mouth of the sacrifice; when they move forward the oblation-holders, then he should oil the axle with it; verily he extends the sacrifice in the mouth of the sacrifice. They lead Agni forward, they take the wife forward, and they make the carts follow after. Now the altar of him (Agni) is deserted; he broods on it, and is liable to become terrible (rudrá) [1], and lay to rest the offspring and cattle of the sacrificer. When they are leading northward the sacrificial animal over which the Apris have been said, he should take (from the altar the fire) for cooking it; verily he makes him share in it. The Ahavaniya is the sacrificer; if they take (the fire) for cooking the victim from the Ahavaniya, they tear the sacrificer asunder; the fire should therefore be thus, or he should make it by friction, so that the sacrificer’s body may remain together. If a portion of the victim be lost, he should cut off an equivalent portion of the butter; that is then the atonement. If men disturb his victim and he wish of them, ‘May they come to ruin’, he should make an offering in the Agnidh’s altar with the Rc containing the word ‘paying of homage’ (and beginning), ‘What then?’ Verily he appropriates their paying of homage and speedily do they go to ruin.

iii. 1. 4.

a. The offspring, being born of Prajapati And those that have been born, To him declare them;
Lot the wise one reflect thereon.

b. This victim, O lord of cattle, for thee to-day, I bind, O Agni, in the midst of righteous action;
Approve it, and let us sacrifice with a good offering May this offering be welcome to the gods.

c. The ancient wise ones grasp The breath as it speedeth from the limbs; Go to heaven by the paths which lead to the gods; Be among the plants with thy members.

d. What cattle the lord of cattle ruleth [1], Both the four-footed and the two-footed, May he, bought off, go to his sacrificial share; May abundances of wealth fall to the sacrificer.

e. Those, who being bound, contemplated With mind and with eye him who was being bound Let the god Agni first release them, Lord of offspring, in harmony with offspring.

f. The cattle of the forest, of all forms, Of various forms, many of one form. Let the god Vayu first release them, Lord of offspring, in harmony with offspring.

g. Releasing [2] the seed of being, Do ye further the sacrificer, O gods; May that which hath stood ready and strenuous, Go alive to the place of the gods.

h. The breath of the sacrificer is apart from the victim; The sacrifice goeth to the gods with the gods;
Let it go alive to the place of the gods; Fulfilled may the desires of the sacrificer be.

i. If the victim has uttered a cry, Or striketh its breast with its feet, May Agni release me from that sin,
From all misfortune.

k. O ye slayers, come To the sacrifice [3] sped by the gods; Free the victim from the noose,
The lord of the sacrifice from the bond.

I. May Aditi loosen this noose; Homage to the cattle, to the lord of cattle, I pay; I cast down the enemy;
On him whom we hate I fasten the noose.

m. Thee they keep to carry the offering, To cook (the victim) and as worthy of sacrifice; 0 Agni, with thy strength and thy body, be present And accept our offerings, O Jatavedas.

n. O Jatavedas, go with the caul to the gods, For thou art the first Hotr; With ghee do thou strengthen their bodies; May the gods eat the offering made with the cry of ‘hail!

o. Hail to the gods; to the gods hail!

iii. 1. 5.

Cattle belong to Prajapati; their overlord is Rudra. In that he prepares (them) with these two (verses), verily by addressing him with them he secures him, so that his self is not injured. He prepares (them) with two; the sacrificer has two feet; (verily it serves) for support. Having prepared them, he offers five libations; cattle are fivefold; I verily he wins cattle. Now the victim is led to death, and if he should lay hold on it, the sacrificer would be likely to die. ‘ The breath of the sacrifice is apart from the victim’, he says, for distinction [1]. ‘If the victim has uttered a cry’–(with these words) he offers a libation, for calming. ‘O ye slayers, come to the sacrifices’, he says; that is according to the text. When the omentum. is being taken, the strength goes away from Agni. ‘Thee they keep to carry the offering’–(with these words) he pours a libation over the omentum; verily he wins the strength of Agni; (it serves) also for making (the victim) ready. In the case of some gods the cry of ‘hail!’ is uttered before (an offering), in the case of others the cry of ‘hail!’ is uttered after. ‘Hail to the gods, to the gods hail!’–(with these words) he pours a libation on either side of the omentum; verily he delights both (sets of gods).

iii. 1. 6.

a ‘He who performs the sacrifice not according to the deities falls a victim to the deities, he becomes worse. He who (performs) in accordance with the deities does not fall a victim to the deities, he becomes better. He should rub the Agnidh’s place with a verse addressed to Agni, the oblation-holder with one addressed to Visnu, the offering-spoons with one addressed to Agni, the Vayu cups with one addressed to Vayu, the Sadas with one addressed to Indra. Thus he forms the sacrifice in accordance with the deities, he does not fall a victim to the deities, he becomes better.
b I yoke earth for thee with light, I yoke wind for thee with the atmosphere [1], I yoke speech for thee with the sun, I yoke the three spaces of the sun for thee.
c Agni is the deity, Gayatri the metre, thou art the vessel of the silent offering. Soma is the deity, Tristubh the metre, thou art the vessel of the restrained offering. Indra is the deity, Jagati the metre, thou art the vessel of Indra and Vayu. Brhaspati is the deity, Anustubh the metre, thou art the vessel of Mitra and Varuna. The Açvins are the deity, Pañkti the metre, thou art the vessel of the Açvins. Surya is the deity, Brhati the metre [2], thou art the vessel of the pure (Soma). Candramas is the deity, Satobrhati the metre, thou art the vessel of the mixed (Soma). The All-gods are the deity, Usnih the metre, thou art the vessel of the opening offering. Indra is the deity, Kakubh the metre, thou art the vessel of the hymns. Earth is the deity, Viraj the metre, thou art the vessel of the reserved (offering).

iii. 1. 7.

The Adhvaryu is he that brings trouble on the sacrificer, and he that brings trouble himself is ruined before the trouble. ‘From the formula spoken, guard me, from every execration’–(with these words) he should pour a libation before the morning litany (of the Hotr). So the Adhvaryu girds himself in front with a protection, to avert trouble.
For entry thee, for rest thee, for the overcoming of the Gayatri, of the Tristubh, of the Jagati, hail! O expiration and inspiration, protect me from death, O expiration and inspiration forsake me not.
They contend as to the deities and to expiration and inspiration [1], whose Soma (offerings) compete. ‘For entry thee, for rest thee’, he says; entry and rest are the metres; verily by the metres he appropriates his metres. The Ajya (Stotras) have the word ‘forward’ in them, for conquest. The beginning verses are addressed to the Maruts, for victory. Both the Brhat and the Rathantara (Samans) are used. The Rathantara is this (earth), the What yonder (sky); verily he cuts him off from these two. The Rathantara is to-day, the Brhat to-morrow; verily he cuts him off from to-day and to-morrow. The Rathantara is the past [2], the Brhat the future; verily he cuts him off from the past and the future. The Rathantara is the measured, the Brhat the unmeasured; verily he cuts him off from the measured and the unmeasured. Viçvamitra and Jamadagni had a quarrel with Vasistha. Jamadagni saw this Vihavya (hymn), and by means of it he appropriated the power and strength of Vasistha. In that the Vihavya is recited, the sacrificer appropriates the power and strength of his enemy. ‘He who performs more rites of sacrifice’, they say, ‘appropriates the gods.’ If the Soma (sacrifice) on the other side is an Agnistoma, he should perform an Ukthya; if it is an Ukthya, he should perform an Atiratra; verily by means of rites of sacrifice he appropriates his deities; he becomes better.

iii. 1. 8.

a. Ye are the Nigrabhyas, heard by the gods. Delight my life, delight my expiration, delight my inspiration, delight my cross-breathing, delight my eye, delight my ear, delight my mind, delight my speech, delight my trunk, delight my limbs, delight my offspring, delight my cattle, delight my house, delight my troops, delight me with all my troops, delight me [1]; may my troops not go thirsty.

b. The plants are the subjects of Soma; the subjects indeed are able to give up the king; Soma is connected with Indra. ‘I have made you grow in my mind, O ye well born; O ye born of right, may we enjoy your favour; may the divine plants in accord with Indra grant us the Soma for the pressing’, he says verily having begged him from the plants, his subjects, and his deity he presses him.

c. When the Soma is pressed [2] the first drop which falls has potency to destroy the power, strength, offspring, and cattle of the sacrificer; he should pronounce over it the formula, ‘Thou hast fallen to me with offspring, with abundance of wealth; destroy not my power and strength’; verily he invokes this blessing to prevent the destruction of his power, strength, offering, and cattle.

d. The drop hath fallen on the earth, the sky, On this seat and on the one which was aforetime
The drop that wandereth over the third seat I offer in the seven Hotras.’

iii. 1. 9.

a. He who bestows upon the gods the glory of the gods, and on men the glory of men, has the divine glory among the gods, the human glory among men. The libations which he draws off before the Agrayana libation, he should draw off silently; those after with noise; verily he bestows upon the gods the glory of the gods, and on men the glory of men; verily he has the divine glory among the gods, the human glory among men.

b. May Agni protect us at the morning pressing, He that belongeth to all men, all-wealful in his might; May he, the purifier, grant us wealth [1]; May we that share the draught be long-lived

c. May the All-gods, the Maruts, Indra, Not leave us at the second pressing; Long-lived, speaking what is pleasing to them, May we enjoy the favour of the gods.

d. This third libation belongeth to the sages Who righteously set the beaker in motion; May these Saudhanvanas, who have attained heaven, Bear our good offering to what is better

e. Some libations have bases, some have not. Those which have a sprinkling have bases, those [2] of Soma have not bases. Taking (the cup) for Indra and Vayu he should sprinkle it (saying), ‘May the sacrifice be harmless for plants, for our cattle, for our folk; for all creatures harmless thou art; swell like ghee, O god Soma.’ Verily so he makes the libations of Soma to have a base. He becomes possessed of a base who knows thus. Verily also he wets with ghee the sky and earth: they being wet are to be lived upon; he is to be lived upon [3] who knows thus.

f. This is thy share, O Rudra, for which thou didst ask; rejoice in it, find (for us) the lordship of cows, abundance of wealth, with good heroes and a year’s prosperity.’

g. Manu divided his property among his sons. He deprived Nabhanedistha, who was a student, of any portion. He went to him, and said, ‘How hast thou deprived me of a portion?’ He replied, ‘I have not deprived you of a portion; the Angirases here are performing a Sattra; they [4] cannot discern the world of heaven; declare this Brahmana to them; when they go to the, world of heaven they will give thee their cattle.’ He told them it, and they when going to the world of heaven gave him their cattle. Rudra approached him as he went about with his cattle in the place of sacrifice, and said, ‘These are my cattle.’ He replied, ‘They have given them [5] to me.’ They have not the power to do that’, he replied, (whatever is left on the place of sacrifice is mine.’ Then one should not resort to a place of sacrifice. He said, ‘Give me a share in the sacrifice, and I will not have designs against your cattle. He poured out for him the remnants of the mixed (Soma). Then indeed had Rudra no designs against his cattle. When one who knows thus offers the remnants of the mixed (Soma), Rudra has no designs against his cattle.

iii. 1. 10.

a. May I be pleasing to speech; pleasing to the lord of speech, O divine speech. The sweetness of speech place in me; hail to Sarasvati.

b. By the Rc make the Soma to prosper, By the Gayatra the Rathantara, The Brhat with the Gayatri for its metre.

c. The drop that falleth of them, that shoot, Shaken by the arms, from the womb of the pressing-planks,
Or from the filter of the Adhvaryu, Over it I say Hail! and offer it to Indra.

d. The drop, the shoot, that hath fallen on the ground, From the rice grains [1], the cake, the mush, From the Soma with grain, from the mixed, O Indra, from the pure, Over it I say Hail! and offer it to Indra.

e. Thy sweet drop, powerful, Over which Hail! is said and which goeth back to the gods From the sky, the earth, the atmosphere Over it I say Hail! and offer it to Indra.

f. The Adhvaryu is the first of the priests to start work, verily they say the Stoma should be started by him.

g. ‘May speech that goes in front go in front, going straight to the gods, placing glory in me, breath in cattle, offspring in me [2] and in the sacrificer’, he says; verily he yokes speech at the beginning of the sacrifice. The place of the sacrifice is made when having drawn off the libations they creep to the Bahispavamana; for they go away, and they praise with verses which go away; he returns, and with a verse addressed to Visnu reverences (the Soma); Visnu is the sacrifice; verily he makes the sacrifice. ‘O Visnu, as our nearest, O mighty one, grant us protection; the streams dripping honey milk for thee the unfailing source’, he says; verily he makes to swell by it whatever of the Soma has dried up through lying (in the barrels).

iii. i. 11.

a. By Agni may one win wealth And abundance day by day, Glory, full of heroes.

b. Rich in cattle, in sheep, O Agni, in horses is the sacrifice; With manly companions, ever unalterable;
Rich in food is this, O Asura, in offspring, Enduring, wealth, deep based and rich in houses.

C. Swell up.

d. Together for thee.

e. Here Tvastr the first, Of all forms, I call. May he be ours only.

f. That procreant strength for us do thou, O God Tvastr, graciously lot loose, Whence is born a hero [1] of great deeds, of skill, Who wieldeth the pressing-stone and loveth the gods.

g. Come hither, O Tvastr, propitious, Pervasive for abundance, and of thy own will, Aid us in every sacrifice.,

h. The hero is born, loving the gods, Of brilliant hue, strong, and full of vigour;, Tvastr accord us offspring and descendants; May he go to the place of the gods.

i. Forth for us, O goddess.

k. From the sky.

l May we milk offspring and food From Sarasvant’s breast, Swelling for all to see [2].1

m. May we enjoy the favour Of thy waves, O Sarasvant, Which are full of honey and drip ghee.

n. Let us call for aid on this Sarasvant, Whose ordinance all cattle follow, Whose ordinance the waters obey,
And in whose ordinance the lord of increase doth rest.

o. The divine, well-feathered bird, the great one, Germ of the waters, male of the plants, Who delighteth with rain from near, This Sarasvant let us call on for aid.

p. O Sinivali, with broad braids, Who art the sister of the gods, Accept the offering [3] which is made;
Reveal, O goddess, offspring unto us.

q. To her that hath fair hands, fair fingers, Prolific, and mother of many, To her the queen Sinivali,
Pour the offering.

r. Indra from all sides.

s. Indra men.

t. The dark-coloured steeds with fair feathers, Clad in the mist, spring up to the sky; They turn hitherward having established their abodes; Then the earth is wet with ghee.

u. He hath golden tresses in the expanse of the air, A raging serpent like the rushing wind, With pure radiance [4], knowing the dawn, Like true, glorious and toiling (women).

v. Thy winged (steeds) have charged them as they are wont; The dark bull hath roared when this was;
He hath come hither with (lightnings) that smile like kindly (women); The rains fall, the clouds thunder.

w Like a cow the lightning loweth; It tendeth its young like a mother, When their rain hath been let loose.

x The mountain that hath waxed great is afraid Even the ridge of heaven trembleth at your roaring; When ye sport, O Maruts [5], with your spears, Ye speed along together like the waters.

y. Roar and thunder, deposit a germ, Fly around with thy chariot water-laden; Draw downward thy opened water-skin, And let the heights and the depths be level.

z. Even these immovable things (dost thou eat), O Agni, like a beast at grass; What time, O immortal, the hosts of thee, The strong, rend the woods.

aa O Agni, many are the hosts of the immortal all-knower, O God, powerful; and (many) the [6] wiles of the wily Which of yore they deposited in thee, O thou that impellest all, O seeker of friends.

bb From the sky grant us rain, O ye Maruts; Make ye to swell the streams of the strong steed Come hither with this thunder, Pouring the waters, the Asura our father.

cc. The bounteous Maruts make to swell the waters Which yield milk with ghee for the sacrifices; The strong steer they lead about as it were for rain; They milk the thundering and never-failing spring.

dd. O ye Maruts, swimming in water, send forth The rain [7], which all the Maruts strengthen;
May it call aloud like a maiden, Like a wife with her husband in union.

ee With ghee anoint sky and earth, with honey; Make the plants rich in milk, the waters;
Make to swell strength and goodwill, When, O hero Maruts, ye pour the honey,

ff. Upwards that. gg The radiant.

hh. Like Aurva, like Bhrgu, like Apnavana, I summon the pure Agni who is clothed with the sea.

ii. As the impulse of Savitr, The favour of Bhaga, I call Agni who is clothed with the sea.

kk. I call the wise one, who soundeth like the wind, The might that roareth like Parjanya,
Agni who is clothed with the sea.

PRAPATHAKA II
The Supplement to the Soma Sacrifice (continued)

iii. 2. 1.

He who sacrifices knowing the ‘ascent’ verses of the Pavamana (Stotras) mounts on the Pavamanas and is not cut off from the Pavamanas. ‘Thou art the hawk, with the Gayatri for thy metre; I grasp thee; bring me over in safety. Thou art the eagle, with the Tristubh for thy metre; I grasp thee; bring me over in safety. Thou art the vulture, with the Jagati for thy metre; I grasp thee; bring me over in safety’, he says. These [1] are the ascents of the Pavamanas; he who knowing thus these sacrifices mounts on the Pavamanas, and is not cut off from the Pavamanas. He who knows the continuity of the Pavamana lives all his days; he does not die before his time; be becomes rich in cattle; he obtains offspring. The Pavamana cups are drawn off, but these are not drawn off by him, the wooden vessel, the stirring-vessel, and the vessel which holds the purified Soma. If he were to begin (the Stotra) without drawing them off, he would split the Pavamana [2], and with its being split the breath of the Adhvaryu would be split. ‘Thou art taken with a support; to Prajapati thee!’, (with these words) he should rub the wooden vessel; ‘to Indra thee!’, (with these words) the stirring-vessel; ‘to the All-gods thee!’, (with these words) the vessel which holds the purified Soma verily he renders continuous the Pavamana, he lives all his days; he does not die before his time; he becomes rich in cattle; he obtains offspring.

iii. 2. 2.

There are three pressings. Now they spoil the third pressing if there are no stalks of the Soma in it. Having offered the silent cup, he puts a shoot in the vessel which holds it, and placing it with the third pressing he should press it out. In that he makes it swell, it has a stalk (of the Soma); in that he presses it out, it has the lees (of the Soma); verily he makes all the pressings have stalks and pure Soma, and be of equal strength.
Two oceans are there extended, unperishing;
They revolve in turns like the waves in the bosom of the sea;
Seeing they pass over one of them,
Seeing not [1] they pass over the other with a bridge.
Two garments continuous one weareth;
With locks, knowing all the worlds;
He goeth in secret clad in the dark;
He putteth on his bright robe abandoning that of the worn-out one.
Whatever the gods did at the sacrifice the Asuras did. The gods saw this great sacrifice, they extended it, they performed the Agnihotra as the vow; therefore one should perform the vow twice, for twice they offer the Agnihotra. They performed the full moon rite, as the animal sacrifice to Agni and Soma [2]. They performed the new moon rite, as the animal sacrifice to Agni. They performed the sacrifice to the All-gods as the morning pressing. They performed the Varunapraghasas, as the midday pressing. They performed the Sakamedhas, the sacrifice to the fathers, and the offering to Tryambaka, as the third pressing. The Asuras sought to follow their sacrifice, but could not get on its tracks. They said, ‘These gods have become inviolable (adhvartavyah). That is why the sacrifice (adhvara) is inviolable. Then the gods prospered, the Asuras were defeated. He who knowing thus offers the Soma, prospers himself, the enemy is defeated.

iii. 2. 3.

a. Surrounding Agni, surrounding Indra, surrounding the All-gods, surrounding me with splendour, be purified for us, with healing for cattle, healing for men, healing for the horses, healing, O king, for the plants; may we possess the abundance of wealth that is thine who art unbroken and of heroic power, O lord of wealth; of that give me, of that may I share, of that that is thine I procure this.

b. For my expiration, be purified, giving splendour, for splendour;

c. For my inspiration;

d. For my cross-breathing;

e. For my speech [1];

f. For my skill and strength;

g. For my two eyes do ye be purified, giving splendour, for splendour;

h. For my ear;

i. For my trunk;

k For my members;

I. For my life;

m. For my strength

n. Of Visnu,

o. Of Indra,

p. Of the All-gods thou art the belly, giving splendour to me, be purified for splendour.

q. Who art thou? (Thou art) who by name. To who (kásmai) thee, to who (káya) thee, thee whom I have delighted with Soma, thee whom I have gladdened with Soma. May I be possessed of fair offspring with offspring, of noble heroes with heroes, of excellent splendour with splendour, of great abundance with abundances.

r. To all my forms giving splendour [2], be purified for splendour; of that give me; of that may I share, of that that is thine I procure this. He who desires to be great should look (on the offerings); Prajapati is here in the vessels, Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he delights him, and he being delighted is purified for him with prosperity. He who desires splendour should look (on the offerings); Prajapati is here in the vessels, Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he delights him, and he being delighted is purified for him with splendour. He who is ill [3] should look (on the offerings); Prajapati is here in the vessels, Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he delights him, and he being delighted is purified for him with life. He who practises witchcraft should look (on the offerings); Prajapati is here in the vessels, Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he delights him, and he being delighted cuts off him (the enemy) from expiration and inspiration, from speech, from skill and strength, from his eyes, from his ears, from his trunk, from the members, from life; swiftly he comes to ruin.

iii. 2. 4.

a. The wooden sword is safety, the hammer is safety, the knife, the sacrificial enclosure, the axe is safety; sacrificial ye art, makers of the sacrifice; do ye invite me to this sacrifice.

b. May sky and earth invite me; (May) the place of singing, the bowl, Soma, the fire (invite me);
(May) the gods, the sacrifice, The Hotras call upon me in invitation.

c. ‘Homage to Agni, slayer of Makha; may the glory of Makha impel me’–(with these words) he reverences the Ahavaniya. Makha is the sacrifice [1]; verily he slays the sacrifice; verily paying homage to him he creeps to the Sadas, for his own safety.

d. ‘Homage to Rudra, slayer of Makha; for this homage guard me’ (with these words he reverences) the place of the Agnidh; verily paying homage to him he creeps to the Sadas, for his own safety.

e. ‘Homage to Indra, slayer of Makha; injure not my power and strength’–(with these words he reverences) the place of the Hotr; verily he invokes this blessing, for the preserving of his power and strength [2].

f. He who creeps forward knowing the gods who cause ruin at the Sadas is not ruined at the Sadas. ‘Homage to Agni, slayer of Makha’, he says. These gods cause ruin at the Sadas. He, who knowing them thus creeps forward, is not ruined at the Sadas.

g. Ye two are firm, loose; united guard me from trouble.

h. May the sun, the god, guard me from trouble from the sky, Vayu from the atmosphere [3], Agni from earth, Yama from the fathers, Sarasvati from men.

i. O ye divine doors, oppress me not.

k. Homage to the Sadas, homage to the lord of the Sadas, homage to the eye of the friends who go before, homage to sky, homage to earth.

l. Ho! son of a second marriage, get thee hence; sit on the seat of another more foolish than we are.

m. From the low, from the high may I go.

n. O sky and earth protect me from this day to-day.

o. When he creeps forward to the seat [4], the fathers creep along after him; they have power to injure him; having crept to the seat he should look along the south side (saying), ‘Come, O ye fathers; through you may I possess the fathers; may ye have good offspring in me’; verily paying reverence to them he creeps to the Sadas, for his own safety.

iii. 2. 5.

a. Food come hither, enter me for long life, for health, for increase of wealth, for splendour, for good offspring. Come hither, O Vasu, preceded by wealth; thou art dear to my heart.

b May I grasp thee with the arms of the Açvins.

c. With clear sight may I gaze’ upon thee, O god Soma, who regardest men.

d. Gentle control, banner of the sacrifices, may speech accept and delight in the Soma; I may Aditi, gentle, propitious, with head inviolable, as speech, accept and delight in the Soma.

e. Come hither, O thou who art of all men [1], with healing and favour; with safety come to me, O tawny-coloured, for skill, for strength, for increase of wealth, for good heroes.

f Terrify me not, O king, pierce not my heart with thy radiance, for manly strength, for life, for splendour.

g. Of thee, O god Soma, who hast the Vasus for thy troop, who knowest the mind, who belongest to the first pressing, who hast the Gayatri as thy metre, who art drunk by Indra, who art drunk by Naraçansa, who art drunk by the fathers, who hast sweetness, and who art invited, I invited eat.

h. Of thee, O god Soma, who hast the Rudras for thy troop, who knowest the mind, who belongest to the midday pressing, who hast the Tristubh for thy metre, who art drunk by Indra, who art drunk by Naraçansa [2], who art drunk by the fathers, who hast sweetness, and who art invited, I invited eat.

i. Of thee, O god Soma, who hast the Adityas for thy troop, who knowest the heart, who belongest to the third pressing, who hast the Jagati for thy metre, who art drunk by Indra, who art drunk by Naraçansa, who art drunk by the fathers, who hast sweetness, and who art invited, I invited eat.

k. Swell up, lot thy strength be gathered From all sides, O Soma; Be strong in the gathering of might.

l. Impel my limbs, O thou with tawny steeds, Do not distress my troops; Propitious do thou honour for me the seven sages; Do not go below my navel [3].

m. We have drunk the Soma, we have become immortal, We have seen the light, we have found the gods; What can the enmity, what the treachery, Of mortal man do to us, O immortal?

n. Whatever fault has been mine, Agni hath put that right, all-knower, he who belongeth to all men;
Agni hath given back the eye, Indra and Brhaspati have given it back;
Do ye two, O Açvins, Replace my eye within its sockets.

o. Of thee, O god Soma, over whom the Yajus is spoken, the Stoma sung [4], the Uktha recited, who hast tawny steeds, who art drunk by Indra, who hast sweetness, and who art invited, I invited eat.

p. Ye are to be filled; fill me With offspring and wealth.

q. That is thine, O father, and those that are after thee. That is thine, O grandfather, O great-grandfather, and those that are after thee.

r. Rejoice therein, O fathers, according to your shares.

s. Homage to your taste, O fathers; homage to your birth, O fathers; homage to your life, O fathers; homage to your [5] custom, O fathers; homage to your anger, O fathers; homage to your terrors, O fathers; O fathers, homage to you.

t. Ye that are in that world, may they follow you; ye that are in this world, may they follow me.

u. Ye that are in that world, of them be ye the most fortunate; ye that are in this world, of these may I be the most fortunate.

v. O Prajapati, none other than thou Comprehendeth all these creatures [6]. What we seek when we sacrifice to thee, let that be ours; May we be lords of riches.

w. Thou art the expiation of sin committed by the gods, thou art the expiation of sin committed by men, thou art the expiation of sin committed by the fathers.

x. Of thee, O god Soma, that art purified in the waters, that art pressed by men, over whom the Yajus is spoken, the Stoma sung, the Çastra recited, who art made by the fathers into food to win horses and cows, and who art invited, I invited eat.

iii. 2. 6.

a. Thou art the milk of the great ones, the body of the All-gods; may I to-day accomplish the cup of the speckled ones; thou art the cup of the speckled ones; thou art the heart of Visnu, once hath Visnu stepped apart along thee, O vigorous one; with curds and ghee may prosperity be increased; may wealth come to me from this which is offered and enjoyed thou art the light for all men, milked from the dappled one.

b. As great as are sky and earth in mightiness, As great as the expense of the seven rivers, So great is the cup of thee, O Indra [1], Which unvanquished I draw off with strength. If a black bird touch the speckled butter, his slaves would be likely to die; if a dog touch it, his fourfooted cattle would be likely to die; if it were to be spilt, the sacrificer would be likely to die. The speckled butter is the cattle; his cattle fall, if his speckled butter falls; in that he takes again the speckled butter, he takes again cattle for him. The speckled butter is the breath; his breath [2] falls, if his speckled butter falls; in that he takes again the speckled butter, he takes again breath for him. He takes it after placing gold (in the ladle), gold is immortality, the speckled butter is the breath; verily he places immortality in his breath. It is of a hundred measures, man has a hundred years of life, a hundred powers; verily on life and power he rests. He makes a horse sniff it, the horse is connected with Prajapati; verily from his own place of origin he fashions offspring for him. His sacrifice is broken whose speckled butter is spilt. He takes it again with a Rc addressed to Visnu; Visnu is the sacrifice; verily he unites the sacrifice by the sacrifice.

iii. 2. 7.

a. O God Savitr, he hath declared that to thee; that do thou impel and offer.

b. The Brahman is Brhaspati.

c. Depart not from the life-giving Rc, from the Saman which protecteth the body.

d. Let your wishes be accomplished, let your purposes (be accomplished).

e. Speak right and truth.

f. Praise ye on the impulse of the god Savitr.

g. The praised of the praised art thou, may the praised milk strength for me, may the praised of the praised come to me.

h. Thou art the Çastra of the Çastra [1], may the Çastra milk strength for me, may the Çastra of the Çastra come to me.

i. With power may we conquer, May we milk offspring and food.

k. May my wish be accomplished among the gods.

l. May splendour come to me.

m. The sacrifice hath become, it hath come into being, It hath been born, it hath waxed great;
It hath become the overlord of the gods, May it make us overlords, May we be lords of wealth.

n. Either the sacrifice [2] milks the lord of the sacrifice, or the lord of the sacrifice milks the sacrifice. Him, who sacrifices not knowing the milking of the Stotra and the Çastra, the sacrifice milks, he after sacrificing becomes worse; he, who knowing the milking of these two sacrifices, milks the sacrifice; he after sacrificing becomes better. ‘The praised of the praised art thou, may the praised milk strength for me, may the praised of the praised come to me. The Çastra, of the Çastra thou art, may the Çastra milk strength for me, may the Çastra of the Çastra come to me’, he says; this is the milking of the Stotra and the Çastra; he who sacrifices knowing thus milks the sacrifice, and by sacrificing becomes better.

iii. 2. 8.

a. To the flying eagle hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To the support, the law, hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To the enclosing-stick which extendeth men hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To the strength of the Hotras hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To the milk of the Hotras hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To Prajapati, to Manu, hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. Right, guardian of right, heaven-bearing, hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage.

b. Let the Hotras delight in the sweet ghee.

c. To the lord of the sacrifice the Rsis said, ‘By thy sin [1] creatures are famishing and troubled’;
He did not secure the two drops of honey; May Viçvakarman unite us with them.

d. Dread are the Rsis; homage be to them, In the union with their eye and mind;
To Brhaspati great, real, and glorious reverence; Homage to Viçvakarman; may he guard us.

e Deeming that the Soma-drinkers are his own, Knowing the breath like a valiant man in battle,–
He hath committed a great sin and is bound by them– Him set free, O Viçvakarman [2], for safety.

f. Those who eating deserved not riches, Whom the fires of the hearths did trouble,
That is their offering to expiate the ill sacrifice A good sacrifice for us may Viçvakarman make it.

g. Homage to the Pitrs, who have watched around us,Making the sacrifice, loving the sacrifice, the benignant deities; We have not brought you the offering without desires;
Trouble us not for this sin.

h. All those who are in the Sadas must have presents; he who did not [3] give them a present would fall a victim to them; in that he offers the libations to Viçvakarman, he thus delights those who are in the Sadas.

i. Ye gods, have regard to this wonder, The good thing which the husband and wife win with the milk admixture; A male child is born, be findeth riches, And all the house prospereth unhurt.

k. May the husband and wife who give the milk admixture win good; May wealth unharmed attend them dwelling in harmony; May he, who poureth that which hath been milked together with the pot (of Soma),
By the sacrifice leave misfortune on his way.

l. Butter-necked [4], fat is his wife; Fat his sons and not meagre,
Who with his wife eager to offer a good sacrifice Hath given to Indra the milk admixture together with the pot (of Soma).,

m. May the milk admixture place in me strength and good offspring And food, wealth and fair fame,
(Me that am) conquering the fields with might, O Indra, And casting down my rivals.

n. Thou art being, place me in being; thou art the mouth, may I be
the mouth.

o. From sky and earth I take thee.

p. May the All-gods, belonging to all men [5], move thee forward.

q. In the sky make firm the gods, in the atmosphere the birds, on earth the creatures of earth.

r. With the firm offering the firm Soma, we transfer,
That the whole world may be for us Free of sickness and of kindly intent;

s. That Indra may make All the clans for us of one mind, That all the quarters May be ours alone.

iii. 2. 9.

In that the Hotr addresses the Adhvaryu, he makes the thunder bolt advance towards him; ‘O reciter of hymns’, he says in response at the morning pressing; the syllables herein are three, the Gayatri has three Padas, the morning pressing is connected with the Gayatri; verily with the Gayatri he places the thunderbolt within the morning pressing. ‘The hymn hath been uttered’, he says in response at the midday pressing; the syllables herein are four, the Tristubh has four Padas, the midday pressing is connected with the Tristubh; verily with the Tristubh he places the thunderbolt within the midday pressing [1]. ‘The hymn hath been uttered to Indra’, he says in response at the third pressing; the syllables herein are seven, the Çakvari has seven Padas, the thunder bolt is connected with the Çakvari; verily with the thunderbolt he places the thunderbolt within the third pressing. The theologians say, ‘He indeed would be an Adhvaryu who should produce the metres in the responses according to the pressings; he would bestow brilliance upon himself at the morning pressing, power at the midday pressing, and cattle at the third pressing.’ ‘O reciter of hymns’, he says in response at the morning pressing; the syllables herein are three, [2], the Gayatri has three Padas, the morning pressing is connected with the Gayatri; verily at the morning pressing he produces the metres in the response; now the Gayatri is brilliance, the morning pressing is brilliance; verily at the morning pressing he bestows brilliance upon himself. ‘The hymn hath been uttered’, he says in response at the midday pressing; the syllables herein are four, the Tristubh has four Padas, the midday pressing is connected with the Tristubh; verily at the midday pressing he produces the metres in the response; now the Tristubh is power, the midday pressing is power [3]; verily at the midday pressing he bestows power upon himself. ‘The hymn hath been uttered to Indra’, he says in response at the third pressing; the syllables herein are seven, the Çakvari has seven Padas, cattle are connected with the Çakvari, the third pressing is connected with the Jagati; verily at the third pressing he produces the metres in the response; now the Jagati is cattle, the third pressing is cattle; verily at the third pressing he bestows cattle upon himself that the Hotr addresses the Adhvaryu, he puts fear in him; if be were not to smite it off [4], they would have fear in his house before the year (was over). ‘Recite, let us two rejoice’,’ he responds, and thereby he smites it off. Just as one looks for the exact interval, so the Adhvaryu looks for the response. If he were to respond in advance, that would be as when one goes to meets the exact interval. If the (response) were to be omitted after the half-verse, that would be as when one is left behind those that are running. The Udgithas are similar for the priests, the Udgitha for the Udgatrs, [5], the Rces and the Pranavas for the singers of hymns, the response for the Adhvaryus. He, who knowing thus responds, becomes an eater of food, a strong one is born among his offspring. The Hotr is this (earth), the Adhvaryu yonder (sky); in that he recites sitting, so the Hotr goes not away from the (earth), for this (earth) is seated as it were; verily thereby the sacrifice milks this (earth). In that he responds standing, so the Adhvaryu goes not away from yonder (sky) [6], for yonder (sky) stands as it were; verily thereby the sacrificer milks yonder (sky). In that he recites sitting, therefore the gods live on that which is given hence; in that he responds standing, therefore men live on what is given thence. In that he recites seated towards the east, and he responds standing towards the west, therefore seed is impregnated in front, offspring are born behind. In that the Hotr addresses the Adhvaryu, he makes the thunderbolt advance towards him; he turns towards the West; verily he overcomes the thunderbolt.

iii. 2. 10.

a. Thou art taken with a support; thou art seated in speech for the guardians of speech, for the guardians of insight, for the overseers of this established sacrifice do I take thee.

b. Thou art taken with a support; thou art seated in holy order; for the guardians of sight, &c., do I take thee.

c. Thou art taken with a support; thou art seated in holy lore; for the guardians of the ear, &c., do I take thee.

d. For the gods thee!

e. For the All-gods thee!

f. For all the gods thee!

g. O Visnu, wide striding, this is thy Soma; guard it [1] let not the evil-eyed one espy this of thine.

h. In me is the Vasu, whom wealth precedeth, who guardeth the voice; guard my voice.

i. In me is the Vasu, who winneth wealth, who guardeth the eye; guard my eye.

k. In me is the Vasu, who keepeth wealth together, who guardeth the ear; guard my ear.

l. Thou art Bhuh, best of rays, guardian of expiration; guard my expiration.

m. Thou art Dhuh, best of rays, guardian of inspiration; guard my inspiration.

n. The foe who, O Indra and Vayu, is hostile to us, Who seeketh to assail us, O lords of splendour,
May I here burl him below my feet, So that, O Indra, I may shine as the highest.

o. (The foe who), O Mitra and Varuna, &c.

p. (The foe who), O Açvins, &c.

iii. 2. 11.

a. He by thy help, O Agni,
With good heroes, making strength, is victorious,
Whose companionship thou dost favour.

b. Your ancient lofty praise bear
To Agni, the Hotr
The creator who beareth as it were the light of songs.

c. O Agni, three are thy powers, three thy stations,
Three are thine ancient tongues, O born of holy order;
Three are thy bodies in which the gods find pleasure,
With them guard thou our songs unfailing.

d. With the rite, with food [1] I impel you,
O Indra and Visnu, to the end of this work;
Rejoice in the sacrifice and bestow wealth,
Furthering us with safe ways.

e. Both are victorious, they are not defeated
Neither of them at any time hath been defeated;
When, with Indra, O Visnu, ye did strive,
Then did ye in three divide the thousand.

f. Three ages are thine, O All-knower,
Three births in the dawns, O Agni;
With them, knowing, do thou propitiate the gods,
And [2] be for the sacrificer health and wealth.

g. Agni abideth in three abodes
Of three foundations, the sage;
May he offer and may he satisfy for us,
The three sets of eleven (gods);
The wise envoy made ready,
Let the others all be rent asunder.

h. O Indra and Visnu, ye overthrew
The nine and ninety strong forts of Çambara;
Of Varcin, the Asura, a hundred and a thousand heroes
Do ye slay irresistibly.

i. Then did his mother seek to persuade him,
‘O son, these gods are abandoning thee.’
Then said Indra, about to slay Vrtra,
‘O friend Visnu, step thou more widely.’

PRAPATHAKA III
The Supplement to the Soma Sacrifice (continued).

iii. 3. 1.

a. O Agni, brilliant, be thou brilliant among the gods; make me brilliant, of long life, radiant among men; for the brilliance of consecration and of penance do I offer to thee.

b. Thou dost win brilliance; may brilliance forsake me not, may I forsake not brilliance, may brilliance forsake me not.

c. O Indra, full of force, be thou full of force among the gods, make me full of force, of long life, radiant among men; for the force of the Brahmanhood and royalty [1] do I offer to thee.

d. Thou dost win force; may force forsake me not, may I forsake not force, may force forsake me not.

e. O sun, blazing, be thou blazing among the gods; make me blazing, of long life, radiant among men; for the blazing of the wind and of the waters do I offer to thee.

f. Thou dost win the light; may the light forsake me not, may I not forsake the light, may the light forsake me not.

g. On me wisdom, on me offspring, on me brilliance may Agni bestow; on me wisdom, on me offspring, on me power may Indra bestow; on me wisdom, on me offspring, on me blazing may Surya bestow.

iii. 3. 2.

a. The maker of the sound ‘Him’ is Vayu, the Prastotr is Agni, the Saman is Prajapati, the Udgatr is Brhaspati, the subordinate singers are the All-gods, the Pratihartrs are the Maruts, the finale is Indra; may these gods who support breath bestow breath upon me.

b. All this the Adhvaryu, as he begins, begins for the Udgatrs; ‘May these gods who support breath bestow breath upon me’, he says; verily he bestows all this on himself.

c. May Ida who summoneth the gods, Manu who leadeth the sacrifice,

d. May Brhaspati recite the hymns and acclamations.

e. The All-gods [1] are reciters of the hymns.

f. O earth mother, do not harm me.

g. Of honey shall I think, honey shall I produce, honey shall I proclaim, honey shall I speak, may I utter speech full of honey for the gods, and acceptable to men.

h. May the gods aid me to radiance, may the Pitrs rejoice in me.

iii. 3. 3.

a. Let the Vasus press thee with the Gayatri metre; go thou to the dear place of Agni.

b. Lot the Rudras press thee with the Tristubh metre; go thou to the dear place of Indra.

c. Let the Adityas press thee with the Jagati metre; go thou to the dear place of the All-gods.

d. The pure for thee, O pure one, I stir in the gladdening (water);

e. In the joyous (ones);

f. In the Kotanas;

g. In the new (ones);

h. In the Regis;

i. In the Mesis;

k. In the roaring (ones);

l. In the all-supporting (ones);

m. In the sweet (ones);

n. In the lofty (ones);

o. In the strong (ones) [1];

p. In the pure ones, I stir the pure for thee, O pure.

q. The pure for thee I take with the pure form of day, with the rays of the sun.

r. Herein the dread (ones) have moved themselves,
The streams of the sky have consorted.

s. The lofty form of the bull shineth on high;
Soma precedeth Soma,
The pure precedeth the pure.

t. That undeceived, watchful, name of thine, O Soma, to that of thine, O Soma, to Soma hail!

u. Gladly do thou, O god Soma, go to the dear place of Agni [2] with the Gayatri metre.

v. Willingly do thou, O god Soma, go to the dear place of Indra with the Tristubh metre.

W. Our friend, do thou, O god Soma, go to the dear place of the All-gods with the Jagati metre.

x. Come breath to us from afar,
From the atmosphere, from the sky,
Life from the earth;
Thou art ambrosia; for breath thee!

y. May Indra and Agni confer radiance upon me,
Radiance (may) Soma and Brhaspati (confer);
Radiance on me the All-gods,
Radiance confer on me, O ye Açvins.

z. When one doth hasten after him,
Or uttereth prayers, he doth accept it
All knowledge doth he embrace,
Even as the felly the wheel.

iii. 3. 4.

The stirrings are the secret name of the waters; ‘The pure for thee, O pure one, I stir in the gladdening (waters)’, he says; verily with the secret name of the waters he wins the rain from the sky. ‘The pure for thee I take with the pure’, he says; the night is of the form of the day, the rays of the sun, he makes the rain to fall from the sky. ‘Herein the dread (ones) have moved themselves’ [1], he says; that is as in the text. ‘The lofty form of the bull shineth on high,’ he says; the rain is in its lofty form; verily by the form he wins the rain. ‘That undeceived, watchful, name of thine, O Soma’, he says; he indeed offers an oblation with an oblation who drawing the Adabhya (cup) offers it to Soma. The life and breath him [2] who draws the Ançu depart; ‘Come breath to us from afar’, he says; verily he bestows life and breath upon himself. ‘Thou art ambrosia; for breath thee!’ (with these words) he breathes over the gold; the gold is ambrosia, breath is life; verily with ambrosia he bestows life upon him self. It is of a hundred (Krsnalas) in weight; man has a hundred years of life, a hundred powers; verily he finds support in life and power. He touches the waters; the waters are medicine; verily he makes medicine.

iii. 3. 5.

a. Thou art the wind, expiration by name, in the lordship of Savitr give me expiration.

b. Thou art the eye, the ear by name, in the lordship of Dhatr give me life.

c. Thou art the form, colour by name, in the lordship of Brhaspati, give me offspring.

d. Thou art holy order, truth by name, in the lordship of Indra, give me lordly power.

e. Thou art the past, the future by name, in the lordship of the Pitrs, expugnate the waters and the plants.

f. Thee for the realm of holy order!

g. Thee for the might of holy order! [1]

h. Thee for the circumference of holy order!

i. Thee for the truth of holy order!

k. Thee for the light of holy order!
Prajapati saw the Viraj; by it he created the past and the future; he concealed it from the Rsis; by penance Jamadagni beheld it, and by it he created various delights; that is why the various (cups) have their name. In that the various (cups) are drawn, so the sacrificer wins various delights. ‘Thou art the wind, expiration [2] by name’, he says; verily he wins expiration and inspiration.’ ‘Thou art the eye, the ear by name’, he says; verily he wins life. ‘Thou art the form, colour by name’, he says; verily he wins offspring. ‘Thou art holy order, truth by name’, he says; verily he wins lordly power. ‘Thou art the past, the future by name’, he says; the foetus of the waters and the plants is cattle; verily he wins cattle [3]. So much as is around a man, that does he thus win. ‘Thee for the realm of holy order’, he says; the realm of holy order is this (earth); verily he conquers this (earth). ‘Thee for the might of holy order’, he says; the might of holy order is the atmosphere; verily he conquers the atmosphere. ‘Thee for the circumference of holy order’, he says; the circumference of holy order is the sky; verily he conquers the sky. ‘Thee for the truth of holy order’ [4], he says; the truth of holy order is the quarters; verily he conquers the quarters. ‘Thee for the light of holy order’, he says; the light of holy order is the world of heaven; verily he conquers the world of heaven. So many are the worlds of the gods; verily he conquers them. They make up ten; the Viraj has ten syllables, the Viraj is food; verily he finds support in the Viraj, the eating of food.

iii. 3. 6.

What the gods could not win by the sacrifice, that they won by the Para (Grahas), and that is why the Paras have their name. In that the Paras are drawn, (it serves) to win that which one does not win by the sacrifice. The first he draws, by this he conquers the world; the second (he draws), by this he conquers the atmosphere; the third (he draws), by this he conquers yonder world. In that they are drawn, (they serve) to conquer these worlds [1]. In the latter days they are drawn hitherward from yonder, verily having conquered these worlds they descend again towards this world. In that in the former days they are drawn thitherward from hence, therefore these worlds are thitherward from hence; in that in the latter days they are drawn hitherward from thence, therefore these worlds are hitherward from thence; therefore men depend on the worlds in variation. The theologians say, ‘For what reason do plants spring from the waters, the food of man is plants [2], and offspring are born through Prajapati?’ ‘Through the Paras’, he should reply. In that he draws (saying),’For the waters thee, for the plants I take’, therefore from the waters plants spring; in that he draws (saying), ‘For the plants thee, for offspring I take’, therefore the food of man is the plants; in that he draws (saying), ‘For offspring thee, for Prajapati I take’, therefore through Prajapati offspring are born.

iii. 3. 7.

Prajapati created the gods and the Asuras; thereafter the sacrifice was created, after the sacrifice the metres; they went away in all directions, the sacrifice went after the Asuras, the metres after the sacrifice; the gods reflected, ‘These have become what we are’; they had recourse to Prajapati; Prajapati said, ‘Taking the strength of the metres I shall bestow it upon you.’ He took the strength of the metres [1] and bestowed it upon them. Then the metres ran away, and the sacrifice followed the metres. Then the gods prospered, the Asuras were defeated. He who knows the strength of the metres–’Do thou proclaim’, ‘Be it proclaimed’, ‘Utter’, ‘We that utter’, the Vasat call–prospers himself, his foe is defeated. The theologians say, ‘For whose gain does the Adhvaryu cause (him) to proclaim?’ ‘For the strength of the metres’, he should reply; ‘Do thou proclaim’, ‘Be it proclaimed’, ‘Utter’, ‘We that utter’, the Vasat call, that is the strength of the metres [2]; he who knows thus sings what ever he sings with the metres in full strength. ‘In that Indra, slew Vrtra, there is impurity, in that he destroyed the Yatis, there is impurity; then why is the sacrifice Indra’s up to the completion?’ they say. The sacrifice is the sacrificial body of Indra, and it is this they sacrifice. To him who knows thus the sacrifice resorts.

iii. 3. 8.

a. Giving life, O Agni, rejoicing in the oblation,
Be thou faced with ghee and with thy birthplace of ghee;
Having drunk the ghee, the sweet, the delightful product of the cow,
As a father his son, do thou protect him.
The sacrificer falls a victim to the two fires in that having made (the offering) ready in them he goes elsewhere to the final bath; ‘Giving life, O Agni, rejoicing in the oblation’, (with these words) should he offer when about to go to the final bath; verily by the offering he appeases the two (fires); the sacrificer does not go to destruction.

b. That loan which I have not yet paid back [1],
The tribute that I still owe to Yama,
Here do I make requital for it;
Here, O Agni, may I be freed from that debt.

c. O Viçvalopa, I offer thee in the mouth of the burner of all;
One is an eater of the uneaten, one an eater of the unoffered, one an eater of that which is gathered;
May they make for us medicine,
An abode, delightful strength.’

d. May he that fatteneth protect us
From in front with the cloud
Many be our houses,
That houses fail us not.

e. Do thou [2], O lord of cloud,
Bestow on us strength with kindliness;
Return to us what is lost,
Return wealth to us.

f. O god that dost fatten, thou art a lord of a thousandfold prosperity; do thou give us increase of wealth unfailing, rich in heroes, prosperity abiding through the year.
Yama is Agni, Yama is this (earth); the sacrificer becomes under a debt to Yama in that he strews the altar with plants; if he were to go away with out burning (them), they would drag him about bound by the neck [3] in yonder world. In that he burns, (saying) ‘The loan which I have not yet paid’, being here, having made requital of the loan to Yama, he goes freed from the debt to the world of heaven. If he does manifold things as it were, he should offer in the forest (fire) groats with his hand; the forest (fire) is Agni Vaiçvanara; verily he appeases him. On the Ekastaka the divider of the days, he should cook a cake of four Çaravas in size, and early with it should fire the thicket; if [4] it burns, it becomes a good season, if it does not burn, a bad season. By this mode of prognostication the seers of old used to undertake a long Sattra. He who knowing the seer, the hearer, the reciter, sacrifices, is united in yonder world with what he has sacrificed and bestowed. The seer is Agni, the hearer is Vayu, the reciter Aditya; he, who offers knowing thus to them, in yonder world is united with what be has sacrificed and bestowed. ‘May he from in front with the cloud’ [5], he says; (he that is) from in front with the cloud is Agni; verily he says to Agni, ‘Guard this for me.’ ‘Do thou, O lord of cloud’, he says; the lord of cloud is Vayu; verily he says to Vayu, ‘Guard this for me.’ ‘O god, that dost fatten’, he says; the god that fattens is yonder Aditya; verily he says to Aditya, ‘Guard this for me.’

The Special Animal Offerings

iii. 3. 9.

a. This young one I put around you,
Playing with him that is dear do ye move;
Afflict us not in birth, O ye prosperous ones;
May we rejoice in increase of wealth, in food.

b. Homage to thy greatness, to thine eye,
0 father of the Maruts, that do I sing;
Be propitious, with a fair sacrifice may we offer;
Be this oblation acceptable to the gods.

c. This was the bundle of the gods,
The germ of the waters smeared upon the plants;
Pusan chose a drop of Soma [1];
A great stone was there then for them.

d. Father of calves, husband of cows,
And father too of great gulfs,
Calf, afterbirth, fresh milk, beestings,
Clotted milk, curd, ghee is his seed.

e. Thee the cows chose for lordship,
Thee the Maruts, sweet singers, bailed;
Resting on the summit, the pinnacle, of lordly power,
Then O dread one to us assign wealth.
Unsuccessful is his animal offering for whom these (rites) are not performed; successful is the offering of him for whom they are performed.

iii. 3. 10.

a. Surya, the god, for those that sit in the sky, Dhatr for lordly power, Vayu for offspring, Brhaspati for Prajapati offer thee radiant.

b. Thee have I united with the gods,
Who hast a tawny embryo
And a womb of gold,
Whose limbs are uninjured.

c. Bring near, O bringer,
Remove away, O remover,
O Indra Nardabuda,
With the four quarters of the earth
Do thou bring near.

d. I split apart thy urinator,
Thy womb, the two groins, [1]
The mother and the child,
The embryo and the after-birth.

e. Apart from thee let it be. So!

f. The drop, far extending, of all forms,
Purified, wise, hath anointed the embryo.

g. With one foot, two feet, three feet, four feet, five feet, six feet, seven feet, eight feet may she extend over the worlds; hail!
h Nay the two great ones, sky and earth,
Mingle for us this sacrifice,
May they sustain us with support.

iii. 3. 11.

a. This oblation is dear in your mouth,
O Indra and Brhaspati,
The hymn and acclamation is recited.

b. This Soma is poured for you,
O Indra and Brhaspati,
Dear for delight, for drinking.

c. To us, O Indra and Brhaspati,
Grant wealth of a hundred kine,
Of horses a thousandfold.

d. From behind may Brhaspati guard us,
From above, from below, from the plotter of evil;
May Indra from the front, from the middle,
Friend to friend, grant us wide room.

e. Sped by the winds on all sides, O Agni,
Thy flames [1], O pure one, pure are diffused
Mightily destroying, the divine ones, the Navagvas
Assail the forests, rudely crushing (them).

f. Thee, O Agni, the tribes of men praise,
Who knowest the Hotr’s duty, discerning, best bestower of jewels,
Who art in secret yet, O happy one, seen by all,
Of impetuous spirit, a good sacrificer, brilliant with ghee.

g. May Dhatr give us wealth,
The lord the ruler of the world,
May he favour us with a full (gift).

h. Dhatr is lord of offspring and of wealth,
Dhatr created all this world.
Dhatr giveth a son to the sacrificer [2]
To him let us offer the oblation rich in ghee.

i. may Dhatr give us wealth,
Life in days to come and unfailing;
May we obtain the favour
Of the god whose gifts are true.

k. May Dhatr give wealth to the giver,
Desiring offspring, generous in his home;
Let all the immortal gods roll themselves up for him,
The All-gods and Aditi in unison.

l. For us to-day may Anumati
Among the gods favour our sacrifice,
And be she and Agni, bearer of the oblation,
A joy to the giver.

m. Accord thy favour, O Anumati [3],
And grant us wealth;
For inspiration, for insight impel us,
Lengthen our days for us.

n. May she favouring, favour (us)
With wealth, undecaying, rich in offspring;
In her disfavour may we not fall;
May the goddess easy to invoke grant us protection.

o. Anumati men reverence in the quarter
Wherein is that which shineth;
May she in whose lap is the broad atmosphere,
The goddess, easy to invoke, grant us protection [4].

p. Raka, easy to invoke, I invoke with fair praise;
May the fortunate one hear us and be aware of us
With needle that breaks not may she sew her task;
May she give a hero, whose wergild is a hundred, worthy of song.

q. The fair thoughts of thine, O Raka,
Whereby thou art wont to give wealth to the giver,
With them to-day come to us in kindliness,
Granting, O fortunate one, a thousandfold prosperity.

r. O Sinivali,

s. The fairhanded.

t. I invoke at the sacrifice Kuhn the fortunate,
Who accomplisheth her work, the easy to invoke;
May she give us the fame of our fathers;
To thee, O goddess, let us offer with oblation.

u. Kuhn, lady of the gods and of immortality,
Worthy of invocation, may she be aware of the oblation
To the giver may she assign much good fortune,
To the wise may she grant increase of wealth.

PRAPATHAKA IV
The Optional and Occasional Offerings

iii. 4. 1.

The sacrifice of him whose offering is too large is unsuccessful; ‘Surya, the god, for those that sit in the sky’, he says; verily with the aid of Brhaspati and Prajapati he makes good the deficiency in the sacrifice. Now the Raksases infest the victim if it being offered to one deity is greater (than normal); ‘Thou who hast a tawny embryo’, he says; verily he sends it to the gods, to smite away the Raksases. ‘Bring near, O bringer’, he says [1]; verily with the holy power he brings it. ‘I split apart thy urinator’, he says; that is according to the text. ‘The drop, far extending, of all forms’, he says; the drop is offspring and cattle; verily with offspring and cattle he unites him. To the sky the deficiency of the sacrifice goes, to the earth the redundancy; if he were not to appease it, the sacrificer would be ruined; ‘May the two great ones, sky and earth, for us’ [2], he says; verily by means of sky and earth he appeases both the deficiency and the redundancy of the sacrifice; the sacrificer is not ruined. He covers (the offering) with ashes for the call of ‘Godspeed’; now this is the embryo of these two; verily in these two he deposits it. If he were to cut off, he would make it redundant; if he were not to cut off, he would fail to cut off from the victim which has been offered; one portion he should cut off from in front of the navel, another behind it; the expiration is in front of the navel [3], the inspiration behind; verily he cuts off from the whole extent of the victim. He offers to Visnu Çipivista; Visnu Çipivista is the redundancy of the sacrifice, the greatness of the victim, the prosperity thereof; verily in the redundant he deposits the redundant, to appease the redundant. The sacrificial fee is gold of eight measures, for the (victim) has eight feet; the self is the ninth; (verily it serves) to win the victim. It is enveloped in a turban in an inner box, for so as it were is the victim, the omentum, the skin, the flesh, the bone; verily he obtains and wins the whole extent of the victim. He, for whom in the sacrifice this expiration is offered, by his sacrificing becomes richer.

iii. 4. 2.

a. O Vayu, drinker of the pure, come to us;
A thousand are thy teams, O thou that hast all choice boons;
For thee the sweet drink bath been drawn,
Whereof, O God, thou hast the first drink.

b. For intent thee, for desire thee, for prosperity thee; Kikkita thy mind! to Prajapati hail! Kikkita thy breath, to Vayu hail! Kikkita thy eye, to Surya hail! Kikkita thy ear, to sky and earth hail! Kikkita, thy speech, to Sarasvati hail! [1]

c. Thou, the fourth, art the barren, the eager one,
Since once in thought the embryo hath entered thy womb;
Do thou, the barren, go eagerly to the gods,
Be the desires of the sacrificer fulfilled.

d. Thou art the goat, resting on wealth, sit on the earth, mount aloft on the atmosphere, in the sky be thy great radiance.

e. Stretching the thread of the atmosphere do thou pursue the light;
Guard the paths of light made by prayer.

f. Weave ye without a flaw the work of the singers;
Become Manu; produce thou. the host divine.

g. Thou art the offering of mind, the colour of Prajapati, may we share thy limbs.

iii. 4. 3.

These two were together, Vayu blew them apart; they conceived a child, Soma generated it, Agni swallowed it. Prajapati saw this (offering) to Agni on eight potsherds, he offered it, and thereby he redeemed this (victim) from Agni. Therefore though sacrificing it to another god, still one should first offer on eight potsherds to Agni; verily redeeming it from Agni he offers it. Because [1] Vayu blew (them apart), therefore is it connected with Vayu; because these two conceived, therefore is it connected with sky and earth; because Soma generated, and Agni swallowed, there fore is it connected with Agni and Soma; because when the two parted speech was uttered, therefore is it connected with Sarasvati; because Prajapati redeemed it from Agni, therefore is it connected with Prajapati; the barren goat is connected with all the gods. To Vayu should he offer it who desires wealth. the swiftest deity is Vayu; verily he has recourse to Vayu with his own share [2], and he causes him to attain wealth. To sky and earth should he offer it who in ploughing desires support; verily from the sky Parjanya rains for him, plants spring up in this (earth), his corn prospers. To Agni and Soma should he offer it who desires, ‘May I be possessed of food, an eater of food’; by Agni he wins food, by Soma the eating of food; verily he becomes possessed of food, an eater of food. To Sarasvati should he offer it who [3], being able to utter speech, cannot utter speech; Sarasvati is speech; verily he has recourse to Sarasvati with her own share, and she bestows speech upon him. To Prajapati should he offer it who desires, ‘May I gain that which has not been gained’; all the deities are Prajapati; verily by the deities he gains what has not been gained. He brings (the victims) up with a verse ad dressed to Vayu; verily winning it from Vayu he offers it. ‘For intent thee, for desire thee!’ [4] he says; that is according to the text. He offers with the sound kikkita; at the sound kikkita the domestic animals stop, the wild run away. In that he offers with the sound kikkita, (it serves) to support domestic animals. He offers while the circumambulation by fire is taking place; verily alive he sends it to the world of heaven. ‘Thou, the fourth, art the barren, the eager one’, he says; verily he sends it to the gods. ‘Be the desires of the sacrificer fulfilled’, he says; this is the desire [5] of the sacrificer that (the sacrifice) should proceed to its conclusion without injury. ‘Thou art the goat, resting in wealth’, he says; verily in these worlds he makes it find support. ‘In the sky be thy great radiance’, he says; verily in the world of heaven he bestows light upon him. ‘Stretching the thread of the atmosphere do thou pursue the light’, he says; verily he makes these worlds full of light for him. ‘Weave ye without a flaw the work of the singers, [6], he says; whatever flaw is committed in the sacrifice, this serves to atone for it. ‘Become Manu; produce thou the host divine’, he says; offspring are connected with Manu; verily he makes them fit for food. ‘Thou art the offering of mind’, he says, to make ‘Godspeed’. ‘May we share thy limbs’, he says; verily he invokes this blessing. Of this (victim) there is one time unpropitious for sacrifice to the gods, when a cloud appears when it has been offered [7]; if a cloud should appear when it has been offered, he should either cast it into the waters or eat it whole; if he were to cast it into the waters, he would con fuse the sacrifice; he should eat it whole; verily he bestows power upon himself. By three people is this to be performed, him who performs a year-long Sattra, him who offers with a thousand (gifts), and him who is a domestic sacrificer; with it let them sacrifice, for them is it fit.

The Jaya, Abhyatana, and Rastrabhrt Offerings

iii. 4. 4.

a. Thought and thinking, intent and intention, known and knowledge, mind and power, the new and the full moon, the Brhat and the Rathantara.

b. Prajapati bestowed victories on Indra
The strong, he who is dread in battle contest,
To him all the people bowed in reverence,
For he waxed dread, worthy of offering.
The gods and the Asuras were in conflict. Indra had recourse to Prajapati, to him he gave these victories (offerings); he offered them; then indeed were the gods victorious over the Asuras; in that they were victorious, that is why (the offerings) are called ‘victorious’. They should be offered by one engaged in conflict; verily does he win in the conflict.

iii. 4. 5.

a. Agni overlord of creatures, may he help me; Indra of powers, Yama of earth, Vayu of the atmosphere, Surya of the sky, Candramas of Naksatras, Brhaspati of holy power, Mitra of truths, Varuna of waters, the ocean of streams, food of lordships overlord, may it help me; Soma of plants, Savitr of instigations, Rudra of cattle, Tvastr of forms, Visnu of mountains, the Maruts of troops overlords, may they help me.

b. O ye fathers, ye grandfathers, ye further, ye nearer, ye dadas, ye granddadas, do ye here help me.

c. In this holy power, this worldly power, this prayer, this Purohitaship, this rite, this invocation of the gods.

iii. 4. 6.

What the gods did at the sacrifice, the Asuras did. The gods saw these overpowering (Homas), they performed them; the rite of the gods succeeded, that of the Asuras did not succeed. If he is desirous of prospering in a rite, then should he offer them, and in that rite he prospers. In that the All-gods brought together (the materials), the Abhyatanas are connected with the All-gods; in that Prajapati bestowed the victories (Jayas), therefore the Jayas are connected with Prajapati [1]; in that they won the kingdom by the Rastrabhrts, that is why the Rastrabhrts (supporters of the kingdom) have their name. The gods overpowered the Asuras with the Abhyatanas, conquered them with the Jayas, and won the kingdom with the Rastrabhrts; in that the gods overpowered (abhyátanvata) the Asuras with the Abhyatanas, that is why the Abhyatanas have their name; in that they conquered (ájayan) them with the Jayas, that is why the Jayas have their name; in that they won the kingdom with the Rastrabhrts, that is why the Rastrabhrts have their name. Then the gods prospered, the Asuras were defeated. He who has foes should offer these (offerings); verily by the Abhyatanas he overpowers his foes, by the Jayas he conquers them, by the Rastrabhrts he wins the kingdom; he prospers himself, his foe is defeated.

iii. 4. 7.

a. Supporting holy order, abounding in truth, Agni is the Gandharva; his Apsarases are the plants, called strength; may he protect this holy power, this lordly power; may they protect this holy power, this lordly power; to him hail! To them hail!

b. The compact, possessing all the Samans, the sun is the Gandharva, his Apsarases are the rays (called) active, &c.

c. The all-blessed, sun-rayed Candramas is the Gandharva; his Apsarases are the Naksatras, (called) the bright, &c.

d. The active, the winged sacrifice is the Gandharva, his Apsarases are the sacrificial fees, (called) praises, &c.

e. Prajapati, all-creator, the mind [1], is the Gandharva; his Apsarases are the Rc and Saman verses, (called) hymns, &c.

f. The swift, all-pervading wind is the Gandharva; his Apsarases are the waters, (called) delights, &c.

g. O lord of the world, thou who hast houses above and here, do thou give us increase of wealth, unfailing, rich in heroes, prosperity abiding through the year.

h. The supreme ruler, the overlord, death is the Gandharva; his Apsarases are the whole (world), (called) the worlds. &c.

i. With fair abode, fair wealth, doer of good deeds, holding the light, Parjanya. is the Gandharva; his Apsarases are the lightnings, (called) the radiant, &c.

k. Whose dart speeds afar, the pitiless [2], death is the Gandharva; the Apsarases are his offspring, (called) the timid, &c.

I. The dear one, looking with desire, love is the Gandharva; his Apsarases are thoughts, (called) the burning; may he protect this our holy power, our lordly power; may they protect this our holy power, our lordly power; to him hail! To them hail!

m. O lord of the world, thou who hast houses above and here, do thou accord wide, great, protection to this holy power, this holy work.

iii. 4. 8.

They should be offered for one who desires the kingdom; the Rastrabhrts are the kingdom; verily with the kingdom he wins the king dom for him; he becomes the kingdom. They should be offered for oneself; the Rastrabhrts are the kingdom, the people are the kingdom, cattle are the kingdom, in that he becomes the highest he is the kingdom; verily with the kingdom he wins the kingdom, he becomes the richest of his equals. They should be offered for one who desires a village; the Rastrabhrts are the kingdom, his fellows are the kingdom; verily with the kingdom he wins for him his fellows and the kingdom; he becomes possessed of a village [1]. He offers on the dicing-place; verily on the dicing-place he wins his fellows for him, and being won they wait upon him. They should be offered on the mouth of the chariot for him who desires force; the Rastrabhrts are force, the chariot is force; verily by force he wins force for him; he becomes possessed of force. They should be offered for him who is expelled from his kingdom; to all his chariots he should say, ‘Be yoked’; verily he yokes the kingdom for him [2]. The oblations of him whose realm is not in order are disordered; he should take off the right wheel of his chariot and offer in the box; so he puts in order his oblation, and the kingdom comes into order in accord with their coming into order. They should be offered when battle is joined; the Rastrabhrts are the kingdom, and for the kingdom do they strive who go to battle together; he for whom first they offer prospers, and wins this battle. The kindling-wood is from the Madhuka tree [3]; the coals shrinking back make the host of his foe to shrink back. They should be offered for one who is mad; for it is the Gandharva and the Apsarases who madden him who is mad; the Rastrabhrts are the Gandharva and the Apsarases. ‘To him hail! To them hail!’ (with these words) he offers, and thereby he appeases them. Of Nyagrodha, Udumbara, Açvattha, or Plaksa (wood) is the kindling-wood; these are the homes of the Gandharva and the Apsarases; verily he appeases them in their own abode [4]. They should be offered in inverse order by one who is practising witchcraft; so he fastens on his breaths from in front, and then at pleasure lays him low. He offers in a natural cleft or hollow; that of this (earth) is seized by misfortune; verily on (a place) seized by misfortune he makes misfortune seize upon him. With what is harsh in speech he utters the Vasat call; verily with the harshness of speech he cuts him down; swiftly he is ruined. If he desire of a man, ‘Let me take his eating of food’ [5], he should fall at length in his hall and (with the words), ‘O lord of the world’, gather blades of grass; the lord of the world is Prajapati; verily by Prajapati he takes his eating of food. ‘Here do I take the eating of food of N. N., descendant of N. N.’, he says; verily he takes his eating of food. With six (verses) he takes, the seasons are six; verily the seasons having taken by Prajapati his eating of food bestow it on him [6]. If the head of a family is expelled, they should be offered for him, placing him on a mound and cooking a Brahman’s mess of four Çaravas in size; the Rastrabhrts are pre-eminence, the mound is pre-eminence; verily by pre-eminence he makes him pre-eminent among his equals. (The offering) is of four Çaravas in size; verily he finds support in the quarters; it is made in milk; verily he bestows brilliance upon him; he takes it out, to make it cooked; it is full of butter, for purity; four descended from Rsis partake of it; verily he offers in the light of the quarters.

iii. 4. 9.

He who desires offspring should offer (the oblations to) the minor deities; the minor deities are the metres, offspring are as it were the metres; verily by the metres he produces offspring for him. He makes Dhatr first; verily he produces pairing with him, Anumati gives approval to him, Raka gives, Sinivali produces, and in offspring when produced by Kuhu he places speech. These (offerings) also should he make who desires cattle; the minor deities are the metres, cattle are as it were the metres [1]; verily by the metres he produces offspring for him. He makes Dhatr first; by him he scatters, Anumati gives approval to him, Raka gives, Sinivali produces, and by Kuhu he establishes offspring when produced. These (offerings) also should he make who desires a village; the minor deities are the metres, a village is as it were the metres; verily by the metres he wins a village for him [2]. He puts Dhatr in the middle; verily he places him in the middle of a village. These (offerings) also should he offer who is long ill; the minor deities are the metres, the metres are unfavourable to him whose illness is long; verily by the metres he makes him well. He puts Dhatr in the middle, it is not in order in the middle of him whose illness is long; verily thereby in the middle he puts (things) in order for him. These (offerings) also [3] should he offer to whom the sacrifice does not resort; the minor deities are the metres, the metres do not resort to him to whom the sacrifice does not resort. He puts Dhatr first; verily in his mouth he places the metres; the sacrifice resorts to him. These (offerings) also should he make who has sacrificed; the minor deities are the metres, the metres of him who has sacrificed are worn out as it were. He puts Dhatr last [4]; verily afterwards he wins for him metres unwearied; the next sacrifice resorts to him. These (offerings) should he make to whom wisdom does not resort; the minor deities are the metres, the metres do not resort to him to whom wisdom does not resort. He puts Dhatr first; verily in his mouth he places the metres; wisdom resorts to him. These (offerings) also should he make [5] who desires brilliance; the minor deities are the metres, brilliance is as it were the metres; verily by the metres he bestows brilliance upon him. They are made in milk; verily he bestows brilliance upon him. He puts Dhatr in the middle; verily he places him in the middle of brilliance. Anumati is the Gayatri, Raka the Tristubh, Sinivali the Jagati, Kuhu the Anustubh, Dhatr the Vasat call. Raka is the first fortnight, Kuhu the second, Sinivali the new moon (night), Anumati the full moon (night), Dhatr the moon. The Vasus are eight [6], the Gayatri has eight syllables; the Rudras are eleven, the Tristubh has eleven syllables; the Adityas are twelve, the Jagati has twelve syllables, the Anustubh is Prajapati, the Vasat call Dhatr. Thus indeed the minor deities are all the metres and all the gods and the Vasat call. If he were to offer them all at once, they would be likely to burn him up; he should offer first two, and a third for Dhatr, and then offer likewise the last two; thus they do not burn him up, and for whatever desire they are offered that he obtains by them.

iii. 4. 10.

a. O Vastospati, accept us;
Be of kind entrance for us and free from ill;
That which we seek from thee, do thou accord us,
And health be thou for our bipeds, health for our quadrupeds.

b. O Vastospati, may we be comrades of thee
In a friendship, effectual, joyful, and proceeding well;
Aid our wishes in peace, in action;
Do ye guard us ever with blessings.
In that evening and morning he offers the Agnihotra the sacrificer thus piles up the oblation bricks [1]; the bricks of him who has established a sacred fire are the days and nights; in that he offers evening and morning, verily he obtains the days and nights, and making them into bricks piles them up. He offers ten in the same place; the Viraj has ten syllables; verily having obtained the Viraj, he makes it into a brick and piles it up; verily in the Viraj he obtains the sacrifice; the piling up must be repeated by him. Therefore that is the place of sacrifice where he advances having spent ten (nights); not suitable is the place where (he spends) less time than that [2] Now Vastospati is Rudra. If he were to go on without offering to Vastospati, the fire becoming Rudra would leap after him and slay him; he offers to Vastospati; verily with his own share he appeases him; the sacrificer does not come to ruin. If he were to offer with the chariot yoked, that would be as when one offers an oblation on a place he has left; if he were to offer without the chariot being yoked, that would be as when one offers an oblation at rest; verily no offering would be made to Vastospati [3]. The right (animal) is yoked, the left not yoked, and thus he offers to Vastospati; verily he does both, and appeases him completely. If he were to offer with one (verse) he would make (it) a ladle offering; having pronounced the Puronuvakya he offers with the Yajya, to win the gods. If he were to load (his cart) after the offering, he would make Rudra enter his house. If he were to set out without extinguishing the smouldering embers, it would be like a con fusion of the sacrifice or a burning. ‘This is thy birthplace in season’, (with these words) he places (the embers) on the kindling-sticks [4]; this is the birthplace of Agni; verily he mounts it on its own birthplace. Now they say, ‘If being placed on the kindling-sticks it should be lost, his fire would be dispersed, it would have to be piled up again. ‘With thy body, O Agni, worthy of sacrifice, come hither and mount’, (with these words) he makes it mount on himself; the birthplace of fire is the sacrificer; verily on its own birthplace he causes it to mount.

iii. 4. 11.

a. Long life thou givest, O Agni,
O god, to the giver,
Sage, lord of the house, the youthful.

b. Bearing the oblations, Agni, immortal, our father,
Wide extending, widely refulgent, fair to see for us,
With good household fire, do thou shine forth food,
Mete out to uswards renown.

c. O do thou, O Soma, will life for us,
That we may not die,
Thou that lovest praise, lord of the forest.

d. Brahman of the gods, leader of poets,
Sage of seers, bull of wild beasts,
Eagle of vultures, axe of the forests,
Soma [1] goeth over the seive singing.

e. With our hymns to-day we choose
The god of all, the lord of the true,
Savitr of true instigation.

f. Coming with true light,
Placing the mortal and the immortal,
With golden car Savitr
The god advanceth gazing on the worlds.

g. That Aditi may accord
To our cattle, our men, our kine,
To our offspring, Rudra’s grace.

h. Harm us not in our children, our descendants, nor in our life,
Harm us not in our cattle, in our horses [2]
Smite not in anger our heroes, O Rudra,
With oblations let us serve thee with honour.

i. Like watchful birds swimming in water,
Like the noises of the loud thundercloud,
Like joyous waves breaking forth from the mountains,
The praises have lauded Brhaspati.

k. With comrades shouting like swans,
Casting aside his stone-made fetters,
Brhaspati thundered towards the cows,
And praised and sang in celebration perceiving them.

l. Hither, O Indra, enduring wealth [3],
Victorious, bearing all,
Highest for help, do thou bring.

m. O thou much invoked, thou dost endure the foes;
Best be thy strength, thy gift here;
Bring riches with thy right (hand), O Indra,
Thou art the lord of rich rivers.

n. Thou were born, in full size at once,
For the drinking of (Soma) when pressed,
O Indra, O wise one, for pre-eminence.

o. Thou art mighty, O Indra, with holy power,
To be adored at every pressing;
Thou art an overthrower of men in every conflict,
And highest song [4], O lord of all the people.

p. The fame of Mitra, supporter of the people,
Of the god is eternal,
True, and most varied in fame.

q. Mitra stirreth men, the wise one,
Mitra supporteth earth and sky;
Mitra regardeth men with unwinking (eye);
To the true one, let us offer an oblation rich in ghee.

r. Rich in food be that mortal, O Mitra,
Who, O Aditya, seeks to follow thy law;
Aided by thee he is not slain nor oppressed;
Affliction cometh to him neither from near nor from afar.

s. Whatever [5] law of thine, as men,
O god Varuna,
Day by day we transgress.

t. Whatever wrong we mortals here do
Against the host divine,
Whatever breach of thy laws we make through lack of thought,
For that sin, O god, harm us not.

u. As gamesters cheat in dicing,
What we know in truth or what we know not,
All that do thou, O god, loosen as it were,
And may we be dear to thee, O Varuna.

PRAPATHAKA V
Miscellaneous Supplements

iii. 5. 1.

a. Full behind, and full in front,
In the middle hath she of the full moon been victorious;
In her let the gods dwelling together
Rejoice here in the highest firmament.

b. The share that the gods dwelling together
In greatness bestowed on thee, O new moon,
(Therewith) do thou fill our sacrifice, O thou of every boon
Grant us wealth of good heroes, O fortunate one.

c. Holder and gatherer of riches,
Clad in all rich forms,
Granting a thousandfold prosperity,
The fortunate one hath come to us with radiance accordant [1].

d. O Agni and Soma, the first in strength,
Do ye quicken the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas here;
Rejoice in him of the full moon in the midst,
Ye that are made to grow by holy power, won by good deeds,
And allot to us wealth with heroes.
The Adityas and the Angirases piled up the fires, they desired to obtain the new and the full moon (offerings); the Angirases offered the oblation, then the Adityas saw these two offerings, and offered them; then they first grasped the new and full moon (offerings) [2]. He who is commencing the new and full moon (sacrifices) should first offer these two (offerings); verily straightway he commences the new and full moon (sacrifices). The theologians say, ‘He indeed would begin the new and full moon (sacrifices) who should know the normal and reversed order’. What follows on the new moon is the normal, what is after the full moon is the reversed order; if he were to begin the full moon (offering) first, he would offer these two (libations) in reverse order; he would waste away as the moon waned [3]; he should offer these libations to Sarasvant and Sarasvati in front; Sarasvati is the new moon; verily he commences them in normal order; he waxes as the moon waxes. He should offer first on eleven potsherds to Agni and Visnu, to Sarasvati an oblation, to Sarasvant on twelve potsherds. In that it is (offered) to Agni, and the mouth of the sacrifice is Agni, verily he places in front prosperity and the mouth of the sacrifice; in that it is (offered) to Visnu, and Visnu is the sacrifice, verily commencing the sacrifice he continues it. There is an oblation for Sarasvati, and (an offering) on twelve potsherds for Sarasvant; Sarasvati is the new moon, Sarasvant is the full moon; verily straightway he commences these (offerings), he prospers by them. That to Sarasvant is on twelve potsherds, for pairing, for generation. The sacrificial fee is a pair of kine, for prosperity.

iii. 5. 2.

The Rsis could not see Indra face to face; Vasistha saw him face to face; he said, ‘Holy lore shall I proclaim to you so that people will be propagated with thee as Purohita; therefore do thou proclaim me to the other Rsis.’ To him he proclaimed these shares in the Stoma, therefore people were propagated with Vasistha as their Purohita; therefore a Vasistha should be chosen as the Brahman priest; verily he is propagated. ‘Thou art the ray; for dwelling thee! Quicken the dwelling’ [1], he says; the dwelling is the gods; verily to the gods he announces the sacrifice. ‘Thou art advance; for right thee! Quicken right’, he says; right is men; verily to men he announces the sacrifice. ‘Thou art following; for sky thee! Quicken the sky’, he says; verily to these worlds he announces the sacrifice. ‘Thou art a prop; for rain thee! Quicken rain’, he says; verily he wins rain [2]. ‘Thou art blowing forward; thou art blowing after’, he says, for pairing. ‘Thou art the eager; for the Vasus thee! Quicken the Vasus’, he says; the Vasus are eight, the Rudras eleven, the Adityas twelve; so many are the gods; verily to them he announces the sacrifice. ‘Thou art force; to the Pitrs thee! Quicken the Pitrs’, he says; verily the gods and the Pitrs he connects. ‘Thou art the thread; for offspring thee! Quicken offspring’ [3], he says; verily the Pitrs and offspring he connects. ‘Thou dost endure the battle; for cattle thee! Quicken cattle’, he says; verily offspring and cattle he connects. ‘Thou art wealthy; for the plants thee! Quicken the plants’, he says; verily in the plants he makes cattle find support. ‘Thou art the victorious, with ready stone; for Indra thee! Quicken Indra’, he says, for victory. ‘Thou art the overlord; for breath thee! Quicken breath’ [4], he says; verily upon offspring he bestows breath. ‘Thou art the Trivrt, thou art the Pravrt’, he says, for pairing. ‘Thou art the mounter, thou art the descender’, he says, for propagating. ‘Thou art the wealthy, thou art the brilliant, thou art the gainer of good’, he says, for support.

iii. 5. 3.

a. By Agni, the god, I win battles, with the Gayatri metre, the Trivrt Stoma, the Rathantara Saman, the Vasat call, the thunderbolt, I trample under foot my foes born before me, I depress them, I repel them, in this home, in this world of earth; him who hateth us and him whom we hate I step over him with the stride of Visnu.

b. By Indra, the god, I win battles, with the Tristubh metre, the Pañcadaça Stoma the Brhat Saman, the Vasat call, the thunderbolt [1], (I trample under foot my foes) born along (with me), &c.

c. By the All-gods I win battles, with the Jagati metre, the Saptadaça Stoma, the Vamadevya Saman, the Vasat call, the thunderbolt, (I trample under foot my foes) born after (me), &c.

d. In unison with Indra, may we
Withstand our foes,
Smiting the enemy irresistibly.

e. With the brilliance that is thine, O Agni, may I become brilliant; with the radiance that is thine, O Agni, may I become radiant; with the splendour that is thine, O Agni, may I become resplendent.

iii. 5. 4.

a. The gods, destroying the sacrifice, stealing the sacrifice,
That are seated on earth,
May Agni protect me from them;
May we go to those that do good deeds.

b. We have come, O noble ones, Mitra and Varuna,
To the share of the nights that is yours,
Grasping the firmament, in the place of good deeds,
On the third ridge above the light of the sky.

c. The gods, destroyers of the sacrifice, stealers of the sacrifice,
That sit in the atmosphere,
From them may Vayu guard me;
May we go to those that do good deeds.

d. The nights of thine, O Savitr [1], that go, traversed by gods,
Between sky and earth,
With all your houses and offspring,
Do ye first mounting the light traverse the regions.

e. The gods, destroyers of the sacrifice, stealers of the sacrifice,
That sit in the sky,
From them may Surya guard me;
May we go to those that do good deeds.

f. That highest oblation wherewith, O All-knower,
Thou didst collect milk for Indra,
Therewith, O Agni, do thou make him grow;
Bestow on him lordship over his fellows.
The gods are destroyers of the sacrifice, stealers of the sacrifice [2]; they sit these worlds taking and destroying from him who gives and sacrifices. ‘The gods, destroyers of the sacrifice, that sit on the earth, that (sit) in the atmosphere, that sit in the sky’, he says; verily traversing the worlds, he goes to the world of heaven with his household, with his cattle. From him who has sacrificed with the Soma (sacrifice), the deities and the sacrifice depart; he should offer to Agni on five potsherds as the final act; all the deities are Agni [3], the sacrifice is fivefold; verily he wins the deities and the sacrifice. Now Agni is connected with the Gayatri and has the Gayatri as his metre; he severs him from his metre, if he offers on five potsherds; it should be made on eight potsherds; the Gayatri has eight syllables, Agni is connected with the Gayatri and has the Gayatri for his metre; verily he unites him with his own metre. The Yajya and the Anuvakya are in the Pañkti metre the sacrifice is fivefold; verily thereby he does not depart from the sacrifice.

iii. 5. 5.

a. May Surya, the god, protect me from the gods, Vayu from the atmosphere; may Agni, the sacrificer, protect me from the (evil) eye; O strong one, O impetuous one, O instigator, O thou of all men, with these names, O Soma, we will worship thee; with these names, O Soma, we will worship thee.

b. I from above, I from below,
I revealed the darkness with the light;
The atmosphere hath become my father;
On both sides have I seen the sun;
May I become highest of my equals [1].

c. To the ocean, to the atmosphere, Prajapati makes the cloud to fall; may Indra distil (it), may the Maruts cause (it) to rain.

d. Flood the earth,
Break this divine cloud;
Give to us of the divine water;
Ruling loosen the water bag.

e. The Aditya (cup) is these cattle, Agni is Rudra here, having cast plants in the fire he offers the Aditya (cup); verily he hides the cattle from Rudra, and causes the cattle to find support in the plants [2].

f. The sage stretcheth the path of the sacrifice,
On the back of the vault, above the light of the sky,
Whereby thou carriest the offering, thou goest as messenger,
Hence wisely, thence with more gain.

g. All the fire-sticks that are thine, O Agni,
Or on earth, on the strew, or in the sun,
Lot these of thine approach the oblation of ghee,
A protection to the pious sacrificer.

h. Invoking increase of wealth,
Rich in heroes and rich in steeds,
Bidden I God-speed’ by Brhaspati, with wealth
Abide thou for me, the sacrificer.

iii. 5. 6.

a. I yoke thee with milk, with ghee;
I yoke thee with water, and plants;
I yoke thee with offspring;
To-day being consecrated do thou win strength for us.

b. Let the lady of holy power advance,
Let her sit on the altar with fair colour;

c. Then may I, full of desire,
Enter my own place, here.

d. With fair offspring, with noble husbands,
We are come to thee,
O Agni, to thee that deceivest the foe,
The undeceivable, we that are not deceived.

e. I loosen this bond of Varuna [1],
Which Savitr, the kindly, hath bound,
And in the birthplace of the creator, in the place of good action,
I make it pleasant for me with my husband.

f. Go forth, go up, to the lovers of holy order; may Agni lead thy head, Aditi give (thee) a middle, thou art that let loose by Rudra, Yuva by name; harm me not.

g. For the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, for the All-gods, I take you, foot-washing (waters);

h. For the sacrifice I place you, foot-washing (waters).

i. In the sight of thee that art all, that hast all, that hast manly power [2], O Agni, in the lovers, may I deposit all seed.

k. The sacrifice hath come to the gods, the goddesses have left the sacrifice for the gods, to the sacrificer that poureth blessings, accompanied by the cry ‘Hail!’, standing in the waters, do ye follow the Gandharva, in the rush of the wind, food that is praised.

iii. 5. 7.

The Vasat call cleft the head of the Gayatri; its sap fell away, it entered the earth, it became the Khadira; he, whose dipping-spoon is make of Khadira wood, cuts off with the sap of the metres; his oblations are full of sap. Soma was in the third sky from hence; the Gayatri fetched it, a leaf of it was cut off, that became the Parna, that is why the Parna is so called. He whose ladle is made of Parna wood [1] has his oblations acceptable; the gods rejoice in his oblation. The gods discussed regarding holy power; the Parna overheard it; he whose ladle is made of Parna wood is styled famous; he hears no evil bruit. The Parna is holy power, the Maruts are the people, the people are food, the Açvattha is connected with the Maruts; he whose ladle is made of Parna wood, and his spoon (upabhrt) is of Açvattha, by holy power wins food, and the holy class [2] puts over the people. The Parna is the royalty, the Açvattha is the people; in that the ladle is made of Parna wood and the spoon of Açvattha, verily he puts the royalty over the people. Prajapati sacrificed; where the oblation found support, thence sprung the Vikankata; there he created offspring; the oblation of him whose Dhruva, is made of Vikankata, wood finds rest; verily he is propagated. That is the form of the offering-spoons; on him whose spoons are so formed all forms of cattle attend, nothing unshapely is born in him.

iii. 6. 8.

a. Thou art taken with a support; for Prajapati thee, for him full of light, thee full of light I take; for Daksa who increases cleverness, (thee) that are acceptable to the gods, thee for those whose tongue is Agni, who are righteous, whose highest is Indra, whose king is Varuna, whose friend is Vata, whose breath is Parjanya, for sky thee, for atmosphere thee, for earth thee!

b. Smite away, O Indra, the mind of him who hateth us,
Who desireth to oppress us,
Smite him away who practiseth evil against us.

c. For expiration thee, for inspiration thee, for cross-breathing thee for
being thee, for not being thee; for the waters thee, for the plants for
all beings thee; whence offspring arose unhurt, for that thee, for Prajapati, of bounteous gifts, full of light, (thee) full of light I offer.

iii. 5. 9.

To that deity whom the Adhvaryu and the sacrificer overlook do they fall victims; he should draw the cup of curd for Prajapati, all the gods are Prajapati; verily they make reparation to the gods. This is the foremost of cups; verily he for whom it is drawn attains a foremost place. This cup is the form of all the deities; on him for whom it is drawn all forms of cattle attend. ‘Thou are taken with a support [1]; for Prajapati thee, for him full of light, (thee) full of light I take’, he says; verily he makes him a light of his equals. ‘For those whose tongue is Agni, who are righteous’, he says; so many are the deities; verily for all of them he draws it. ‘Smite away, O Indra, the mind of him who hateth us’, he says, for the smiting away of foes. ‘For expiration thee, for inspiration thee’, he says; verily he bestows the breaths on the sacrificer. ‘For that thee, for Prajapati, of bounteous gifts, full of light, (thee) full of light I offer’ [2], he says; all the deities are Prajapati; verily for all the deities he offers it. He should draw the cup of butter for one who desires brilliance; butter is brilliance; verily he becomes brilliant; he should draw the cup of Soma for one who desires splendour; Soma is splendour; verily he becomes resplendent; he should draw the cup of curd for one who desires cattle; curd is strength, cattle are strength; verily by strength he wins him strength and cattle.

iii. 5. 10.

a. All turn their minds towards thee
When these twice or thrice become helpers;
Mix with the sweet what is sweeter than sweet,
I have won with the mead the mead.

b. Thou art taken with a support; to Prajapati I take thee acceptably; this is thy birthplace; for Prajapati thee!
He draws the Prana, cups; so much is there as are these cups, these Stomas, these metres, these Prstha (Stotras), these quarters; whatever there is [1] that he wins. The highest Brahmans have proclaimed these before; they have therefore won all the quarters. He for whom these are drawn attains supremacy, he conquers the quarters. Five are drawn, the quarters are five; verily they prosper in all the quarters. Nine each are drawn; nine are the vital airs in man; verily upon the sacrificers he bestows the vital airs. At the beginning and at the end they are drawn; the Prana cups are the vital airs [2]; verily they begin with the vital airs, and end with the vital airs. Now offspring leave their vital airs in that the Vamadevya (Saman) departs from its norm; on the tenth day the Vamadevya departs from its norm; in that they are drawn on the tenth day, offspring leave not their vital airs.

iii. 5. 11.

a. Bring onward with meditation divine
The god, who knoweth all;
May he duly bear our sacrifices.

b. He, the Hotr is led forward for the sacrifice,
The servant of the gods;
Like a covered chariot glowing
He himself knoweth health.

c. This Agni rescueth
Us from the immortal race,
He that is stronger than strength,
The god made for life.

d. In the place of Ida we set thee down,
On the navel of the earth,
O Agni, all-knower,
To bear the oblation [1].

e. O Agni of kindly aspect, do thou with the All-gods
Sit first on the birthplace made of wool,
Nest-like, rich in ghee, for Savitr
Do thou lead well the sacrifice, for the sacrificer.

f. Sit thou, O Hotr, in thine own world, wise,
Place thou the sacrifice in the birthplace of good deeds
Eager for the gods, do thou sacrifice to them with oblation;
O Agni, bestow great strength on the sacrificer.

g. The Hotr hath sat him down in the place of the Hotr wise,
Glittering, shining, skilful,
With vows and foresight undeceived, most wealthy,
Bearing a thousand, pure-tongued Agni.

h. Thou art the envoy, thou [2] our guardian,
Thou, O bull, leadest us to better fortune;
0 Agni, be thou the guardian of our offspring, our descendants
In their bodies, unfailing and radiant.

i. To thee, O god Savitr,
Lord of things delightful,
We come for fortune, O thou of constant help.

k. May the great ones, sky and earth,
Mingle for us this sacrifice,
May they sustain us with support.

l. Thee, O Agni, from the lotus
Atharvan passed out,
From the head of every priest.

m. Thee [3] the sage, Dadhyañc,
Son of Atharvan, doth kindle,
Slayer of Vrtra, destroyer of forts.

n. Thee Pathya Vrsan doth kindle,
Best slayer of foes,
Winner of booty in every conflict.

o. Let men say too,
‘Agni hath been born, slayer of Vrtra,
Winning booty in every conflict.’

p. Whom, like a quoit in their bands,
Like a child at birth, they bear,
Agni, fair sacrificer of the folk.

q. Bring forward the god, best finder of riches,
For offering to the gods;
May he sit down in his own birthplace [4].

r. In the all-knower cause to rest
The dear guest on birth,
In a pleasant place, the lord of the house.

s. By Agni is Agni kindled,
The wise, the young, the lord of the house,
The bearer of the oblation, with ladle in his mouth.

t. Thou, O Agni, by Agni,
The sage by the sage, the good by the good,
The comrade by the comrade, art kindled.

u. Him they make bright, the wise,
Victorious in the contests,
Strong in his abodes.

v. By the sacrifice the gods sacrificed the sacrifice;
These were the first ordinances;
These mighty powers frequent the vault
Where are the ancient Sadhya gods.

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Krishna Yajur Veda

Translator – Arthur Berriedale Keith

KANDA IV
THE PILING OF THE FIRE ALTAR

PRAPATHAKA I
The Placing of the Fire in the Fire-pan

iv. 1. 1.

a. Yoking mind first,
Extending his thoughts, Savitr
Discerning the light,
Hath brought Agni from the earth.

b. Yoking with mind the gods,
Going to the heaven, the sky, with thought,
Those that are to make great light,
Savitr instigates.

c. With mind well yoked are we
In the instigation of god Savitr,
For strength to go to the heaven.

d. They yoke their minds, they yoke their thoughts,
The priests of the mighty wise priest,
He alone, who knoweth the way, appointeth their functions [1]
Great is the praise of the god Savitr.

e. I yoke with honour your ancient prayer;
The praises go like Suras on their way;
All the sons of immortality hear (it),
Who have achieved dwellings divine.

f. He whose advance others followed,
Gods, of the god praising might,
He who meted out the regions of earth,
He is the brilliant god Savitr in greatness.

g. O god Savitr, instigate the sacrifice, instigate the lord of the sacrifice [2] to good luck; may the divine Gandharva, who purifieth thoughts purify our thought; may the lord of speech to-day make sweet our utterance.

h. This sacrifice for us, O god Savitr
Do thou instigate, serving the gods,
Finding comrades, ever victorious,
Winning booty, winning heaven.

i. By the Rc make the Stoma to prosper,
By the Gayatra the Rathantara,
The Brhat with the Gayatri for its metre.

k. On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, with the Gayatri metre, I take thee, in the manner of Angiras.

l. Thou art the spade, thou art the woman [3], from the abode of the earth I bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras; with the Tristubh metre I grasp thee in the manner of Angiras.

m. Thou art the bearer, thou art the woman; through thee may we be strong to dig Agni of the dust in his place; with the Jagati metre I grasp thee in the manner of Angiras.

n. Grasping in thy hand, Savitr,
Bearing the spade of gold,
Therewith digging Agni
Do thou bring for us light unperishing.
With the Anustubh metre I grasp thee in the manner of Angiras.

iv. i. 2.

a. This bond of order they grasped
At their assemblies in ages gone by, the sages;
Therewith the gods mastered the pressed (juice)–
In the Saman of order proclaiming the stream.

b. Swiftly run hither, O steed,
Along the most extended space;
In the sky is thy highest birth,
In the atmosphere thy navel, on the earth thy birthplace.

c. Yoke ye two the ass,
In this course, O ye of mighty wealth,
Which beareth Agni, serving us.

d. In each need more strong,
In each contest, we invoke,
As friends, Indra to aid us.

e. Hastening [1] come hither, trampling the enemy,
Come with wondrous skill from the leadership of Rudra;
Fare along the broad atmosphere,
With happy pastures, bestowing security.

f. With Pusan as fellow, from the abode of the earth do thou approach
Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.

g. We approach Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.

h. We will bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.

i. We bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.

k. Agni gazed along the forefront of the dawns,
Along the days first, the all-knower,
And in many ways along the rays of the sun [2],
He hath extended along sky and earth.

I. The steed coming from the way
Driveth every foe;
He is fain to gaze with his eye
On Agni in his great abode.

m. Coming to earth, O steed,
Do thou seek Agni with thy radiance;
Turning from earth I tell us
Whence we shall dig him up.

n. Thy back is the sky, thy abode earth,
Thy breath the atmosphere, thy birthplace the ocean;
Discerning with thine eye,
Do thou overcome [3] the enemy.

o. Arise for great prosperity
From this abode, giving wealth, O steed;
May we enjoy the loving favour of earth,
That are about to dig fire in her lap.

p. The strong steed hath stepped forward, giving wealth;
He hath made the place of earth well wrought;
Thence let us dig Agni of fair aspect,
Mounting the heaven on the top of the vault.

q. The water divine do thou pour, full of sweetness
To avert diseases for men,
From their place let arise
Plants with fair leaves.

r. I touch [4] Agni with mind, with ghee,
Who lordeth it over all the worlds,
Broad, vast, with pervading vital power,
Most extensive, impetuous, winning, food.

s. I touch thee with speech, with ghee,
With friendly mind accept it;
With mortal glory, with engaging colour,
Agni, with body full of life may not be touched.

t. Round the offerings hath Agni gone,
The sage, the lord of strength,
Bestowing jewels on the donor.

u. May we set thee around us, O Agni,
The sage, O strong one, as a fort,
Of daring due, day by day,
Destroyer of that which may be broken.

v. Thou, O Agni, with days, fain to shine towards us,
Thou from the waters, thou from the rock,
Thou from the woods, thou from the plants,
Thou, O lord of men, art born pure.

iv. 1. 3.

a. On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, in the abode of earth, I dig Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.

b. Full of light, thou, O Agni; of fair aspect,
Shining with unaging radiance,
Auspicious and harmless to offspring,
In the abode of earth, I dig Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.

c. Thou art the back of the waters, expansive, wide,
About to bear Agni, least to be laid aside;
Growing to might as the lotus-flower,
Do thou extend in width with the measure of heaven.

d. Ye two are protectors [1] and a help,
Unbroken, both expansive;
Do ye expanding be united;
Bear Agni of the dust.

e. Be ye united, that win the heaven,
In union of heart and self;
Who shall bear within Agni
Full of light and unaging.

f. Thou art of the dust, all-supporting; Atharvan first pressed out thee, O Agni.

g. Thee, O Agni, from the lotus
Atharvan pressed out,
From the head of every priest.

h. Thee the sage, Dadhyañc,
Son [2] of Atharvan, doth kindle,
Slayer of Vrtra, destroyer of foes.

i. Thee Pathya Vrsan doth kindle,
Best slayer of foes,
Winner of booty in every conflict.

k. Sit thou, O Hotr, in thine own world, wise,
Place thou the sacrifice in the birthplace of good deeds,
Eager for the gods, do thou sacrifice to them with oblation;
O Agni, bestow great strength on the sacrificer.

l. The Hotr hath sat him down in the place of the Hoty, wise,
Glittering, shining, skilful,
With vows and foresight undeceived, most wealthy,
Bearing a thousand, pure-tongued Agni.

m. Sit thou down, thou art great,
Burn [3] best servant of the gods;
O Agni, pure one, send forth the ruddy smoke,
O famous one, that can be seen afar.

n. Be born noble in the forefront of the days,
Kind to the kindly, red in the woods;
Bestowing seven jewels in every home
Hath Agni sat him down as Hotr.

iv. 1. 4.

a. May I Vayu, Matariçvan, unite
The broken heart of thee that art outstretched
To him who moveth with the expiration of the gods,
With thee, O goddess, be Vasat.

b. Wellborn, with light,
Guard and protector, thou hast sat on the heaven;
O Agni, thy garment of many hues,
Put on, O thou that dost abound in light.

c. Arise, thou of fair sacrifice,
Aid us with thy divine radiance;
Brilliant to behold, with mighty blaze,
Do thou come hither, O Agni, in response to our prayers [1].

d. Arise erect to aid us,
Like Savitr, the god;
Erect to win the booty,
When in contest we call on thee with the shining praisers.

e. Born, thou art the child of the two worlds,
O Agni; a brilliant child distributed among the plants;
A beauteous babe beyond the darkness outspread,
Thou didst come thundering from thy mothers.

f. Be firm, of strong limbs,
Swift, a mighty steed;
Be broad, of kindly seat,
Thou art the carrier of dust for Agni.

g Be auspicious [2], for offspring
Of men, O Angiras;
Scorch not sky and earth,
Nor the atmosphere, nor the trees.

h Let the steed advance, thundering
And resounding, the ass, the flier;
Bearing Agni of the dust
May he fall not before his day.

i. The ass, well yoked to your chariot,
O ye strong ones, that thundereth,
May he as swift envoy
Bear hence Agni of the dust.

k. The strong, bearing the strong Agni,
Germ of the waters, him of the ocean,
O Agni, come hither, for enjoyment [3],
As holy order and truth.

l. O plants, do ye accept Agni here
Who cometh auspicious towards you;
Casting aside all hostilities, all evil imaginings,
Sitting down, may he smite away from us misfortune.

m. O plants, do ye rejoice in him,
O ye that are rich in flowers, and have fair berries;
This germ of yours, of due season,
Hath sat him in his ancient seat.

iv. 1. 5.

a. Radiant with extending blaze,
Do thou repel the enemy, the Raksas’s hostility;
May I enjoy the protection of the great protector,
May I enjoy the leadership of Agni, easy to invoke.

b. Ye, waters, are healing;
Further us to strength,
To see great joy.

c. The most auspicious flavour that is yours,
Accord to us here,
Like eager mothers.

d. To him may we come with satisfaction,
To whose dwelling ye quicken us,
O waters, and propagate us.

e. Mitra [1], having united the earth
And the ground with light,
Agni well-born, all-knower,
Common to all men, the wide extending.

f. For health I unite thee, for offspring; may the All-gods, common to all men, unite thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras.

g. The Rudras, having gathered together the earth,
Kindled a great light;
Their ray undying
Shineth clear among the gods.

h. United by the Vasus, the cunning Rudras,
The mud fit for the rite,
Making it smooth with her hands,
May Sinivali fashion [2] this (pan).

i. Sinivali, of fair braids,
Of fair head-dress, with fair locks,
May she, O Aditi, O great one,
Place within thy hands the pan.

k. Let Aditi fashion the pan with might,
With her arms , with wisdom,
Let her bear Agni in her womb
As a mother a child in her lap.

I. Thou art the head of Makha.

m Ye are the two feet of the sacrifice.

n. May the Vasus fashion thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the earth; may the Rudras fashion thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the atmosphere [3]; may the Adityas fashion thee with the Jagati metre in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the sky; may the All-gods, common to all men, fashion thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the quarters; thou art the fixed (quarter); fix in me offspring, increase of wealth, richness in cattle, richness in heroes, (subject) his fellows to the sacrificer.

o. Thou art the girdle of Aditi.

p. Let Aditi seize thy hole with the Pankti metre, in the manner of Angiras.

q. Having made the great pan,
Wrought of clay, as a birthplace for Agni,
Aditi gave it to her sons,
(Saying), ‘Let them cook it.’

iv. 1. 6.

a. May the Vasus fumigate thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Rudras fumigate thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Adityas fumigate thee with the Jagati metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the All-gods, common to all men, fumigate thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may Indra fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras; may Visnu fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras; may Varuna fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras.

b. May Aditi, connected with the All-gods, the goddess, dig thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O trench.

c. May the wives of the gods [1], the goddesses, connected with the All-gods, place thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan.

d. May the Dhisanas, the goddesses connected with the All-gods, kindle thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan; may the wives, the goddesses, connected with the All-gods, prepare thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan; may the protectors, the women, the goddesses, connected with the All-gods, cook thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan.

e. O Mitra, cook this pan; may it not break.

f. This I place around thee, to prevent breaking.

g. Mitra, extending, compasseth
This sky in greatness [2],
And the earth with his fame.

h. The fame of Mitra, supporter of the people,
Of the god is eternal,
True, and most varied in fame.

i. May the god Savitr dig thee out,
With fair hands, fair fingers,
Fair arms, with his might.

k. Breaking not, O earth,
Do thou fill the regions, the quarters;
Arise, become great,
Stand upright, be thou firm.

l. May the Vasus fill thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras: may the Rudras fill thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Adityas fill thee with the Jagati metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the All-gods, common to all men, fill thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras.

iv. 1. 7.

a. Let the half-years, the seasons, increase thee, O Agni,
The years, the Rsis, and what truths there are;
Shine with thy heavenly lustre,
Illuminate all the quarters of the earth.

b. Be kindled, O Agni, and awake him;
Arise for great good fortune;
May he that waiteth on thee, O Agni, be not harmed;
May thy priests be famous, not the others.

c. These Brahmans, O Agni, choose thee;
Be thou propitious, O Agni [1], to us in the sanctuary;
Slaying our rivals, conquering the foes,
Do thou watch unfailing in thine own home.

d. Here, O Agni, do thou grant wealth;
May not the overcomers, anticipating (us); overcome thee;
May the lordly power be easily wielded by thee, O Agni
Let him who waiteth on thee prosper, unassailed.

e. With good life, O Agni, unite thee with the lordly power;
O Agni, vie with Mitra in friendlihood;
Be thou the midmost of thine equals;
O Agni, shine forth here to be invoked by kings.

f. (Be thou) over the [2] enemy, the obstructor,
Unwisdom, niggardliness, O Agni,
All obstacles do thou overcome,
And bestow upon us wealth with heroes.

g. Unassailable, all-knower, unoverpowered,
Ruling, O Agni, supporting the lordly power, do thou shine here;
Through all the regions, freeing men from fear,
Do thou this day guard us for increase with kindliness.

h. O Brhaspati, instigator, awake him;
The sharp do thou more thoroughly sharpen;
Increase him to great prosperity [3]
Let the All-gods rejoice in him.

i. What time, O Brhaspati, thou didst free
From life yonder, from Yama’s enmity,
The Açvins removed death from him,
O Agni, the physicians of the gods with their powers.

k. We from the darkness,
Gazing on the higher light,
Surya a god among the gods,
Have come to the highest light.

iv. 1. 8.

a. Uplifted are his kindling-sticks,
Uplifted and pure are the rays of Agni,
Most brilliant (are they) of the son of fair countenance.

b. The son of self, the Asura, all-knower,
God, god among gods,
Anointeth the ways with mead and ghee.

c. With mead thou attainest the sacrifice,
Delighting, as Naraçansa, O Agni,
The kindly god Savitr, with every boon.

d. Hither he cometh, with might, with ghee,
The priest implored with adoration;
To Agni the ladles (move) when the rites proceed.

e. Worship let him pay to the greatness of him, of Agni;
He [1] indeed is pre-eminent among the delightful,
The wealthy, the wisest, best bestower of wealth.

f. The divine doors–all–preserve
The rules of him, of Agni,
Of wide expanse, lording it with dominion.

g. May day and night
Like heavenly maidens in his birthplace
Protect this our sacrifice and offering.

h. O ye divine Hotrs, sing ye
To our uplifted sacrifice, to Agni’s tongue,
Make for us good offering.

i May the three goddesses sit on this strew,
Ida, Sarasvati [2], Bharati, the great, being sung.

k. That seminal fluid of ours, wondrous,
Abundant, may Tvastr release
As increase of wealth with good heroes, as offspring to us.

l. O tree, let free,
Bestowing with thyself among the gods;
Let Agni as queller make ready the oblation.

m. O Agni, utter ‘Hail!’ O all-knower, over the oblation for Indra;
May all the gods rejoice in this offering.

n. The golden germ first arose;
Born he was the only lord of creation;
He supporteth the earth and the sky [3]
To what god shall we offer with oblation?

o. He that alone by his might is king
Of the breathing, the winking world,
Who is lord of these bipeds and quadrupeds;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?

p. He who is giver of breath, giver of strength,
Upon whose bidding all, even the gods, wait,
Whose shadow is immortality and death;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?
He whose are these snowy mountains through his might,
Whose they call the ocean with the Rasa [4],
Whose two arms are these quarters;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?

q. To whom the armies stablished
Through his aid gazed with minds disturbed,
Over whom on the rising of the sun it goeth;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?

r. He by whom the dread earth and the sky were made firm,
By whom the heaven was established, by whom the vault,
Who is the measure of the region in the atmosphere;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?

s. When the waters, the great ones, went
Bearing all [5] strength, begetting Agni,
Then one breath of the gods arose;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?

t. He who in his might beheld the waters
Bearing strength, begetting Agni,
Who was the god alone over the gods;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?

iv. 1. 9.

a. Purpose, Agni, impulse, hail! Mind, intellect, Agni, impulse, hail! Thought, knowledge, Agni, impulse, hail! Discrimination of speech, Agni, impulse, hail! To Manu, lord of creatures, hail! To Agni Vaiçvanara hail!

b. Let every man choose the companionship
Of the god who leadeth;
Every man prayeth for wealth;
Let him choose glory that he may prosper; hail!

e. Be not broken, nor come to harm;
Be firm and enduring;
O mother, daringly show thy heroism [1];
With Agni wilt thou do this deed.

d. Be firm, O goddess earth, for prosperity;
Thou art the wile of the Asura, made with power;
Let this oblation be pleasing to the gods;
Do thou emerge uninjured at this our sacrifice.

e. O Mitra, heat this pan; may it not break.

f. This I place around thee, to prevent breaking.

g. Feeding on wood, sipping clarified butter,
The ancient desirable Hotr,
Son of strength, the wondrous.

h. From a far region
Come hither to these lower ones [2]
Favour those in the region where I am.

i. From a far distance
Do thou of ruddy steeds come hither;
Of the dust, dear to many,
O Agni, do thou overcome obstructions.

k. Do thou sit down in the lap of this mother,
O Agni, knowing all the ways;
Consume her not with light nor with heat,
Within her shine with pure radiance.

l. O Agni, with glow
Within thine own seat of the pan,
Heating with her blaze,
Be thou, O all-knower, auspicious.

m. Becoming auspicious to me, O Agni,
Do thou sit down auspicious;
Having made all the quarters auspicious
Sit here on thine own birthplace.

iv. 1. 10.

a. Whatever logs we place
In thee, O Agni,
Be that ghee for thee;
Accept it, O youngest one.

b. What the insect eateth,
What the ant climbeth over,
All that be ghee for thee;
Accept it, O youngest one.

c. Mighty by night, unfailingly bearing (food)
For him as fodder to a stalled horse,
May we, O Agni, thy neighbours, be not harmed,
Rejoicing in increase of wealth, in food.

d. Kindled on earth’s navel [1], Agni
We invoke for great increase of wealth,
Delighting in drink, recipient of great praise, worthy of offering,
The victor, Agni, sustainer in battles.

e. The hosts that attack,
That pierce, the trooping,
The thieves and the robbers,
Them, O Agni, do I place in thy mouth.

f. With thy tusks the burglars,
With thy teeth the robbers,
With thy jaws the thieves, O blessed one,
Do thou chew, well chewed.

g. The burglars among men,
The thieves and robbers in the forest,
The [2] mischief-workers in the thickets,
Them I place within thy jaws.

h. The man who is hostile to us,
And him who hateth us,
Him who revileth us, and him who seeketh to hurt,
Every one of them do thou crush to atoms.

i. Sharpened is my holy power,
Sharpened the strength and might,
Sharpened the conquering lordly power of him
Whose domestic priest I am.

k. Their arms have I uplifted,
Their radiance, their might;
With holy power I waste the foes,

l. I support [3] my own.
I Shining like gold, he hath become widely resplendent,
For glory shining with immortal life;
Agni became immortal in his strength
What time prolific Dyaus begat him.

m. The sage showeth all forms;
He hath produced bliss for biped and quadruped;
Savitr, the desirable, hath discerned the vault;
After the moving forward of the dawn he shineth.

n. Night and the dawn, one-minded but of various form,
United suckle one child;
The radiant one shineth between sky and earth [4]
The gods, granters of wealth, support Agni.

o. Thou art the bird of fair feathers; thy head the Trivrt (Stoma), thy eye the Gayatra, thy breath the Stoma, thy body the Vamadevya Saman, thy wings the Brhat and the Rathantara, thy tail the Yajñayajñiya, thy limbs the metres, thy hoofs the altars, thy name the Yajus formulae.

p. Thou art the bird of fair feathers; go to the sky, fly to the heaven.

iv. 1. 11.

a. O Agni, that sacrifice, that offering,
Which on all sides thou dost encircle,
It of a truth goeth to the gods.

b. O Soma, the wondrous aids
That there are of thine for the generous man,
With these be thou our helper.

c. Agni the, head.

d. Be.

e. Thou, O Soma.

f These abodes of thine.

g. That excellent glory of Savitr,
The god, we meditate,
That he may stimulate our prayers.

h. What we have done in thoughtlessness against the host divine,
With feeble insight, with violence as is man’s way [1],
Among gods and men, do thou, O Savitr,
There instigate us to sinlessness.

i. Impeller of righteousness,
Instigator of devotions,
Sarasvati hath established the sacrifice.

k. May the maiden of the lightning, the one of varied life,
Sarasvati, wife of a hero, inspire our devotion;
In accord with the ladies, may she accord to the singer
Protection uninjured, and guardianship unsurpassable.

I. May Pusan follow the cows for us,
May he guard our horses;
May Pusan win booty for us.

m. Bright is part of thee, worthy of offering another [2],
Like day and night of various hue, like the sky art thou;
All magic thou dost further, O powerful one;
Propitious here, O Pusan, be thy bounty.

n. They grew in might with their own power;
They mounted the vault, they made a broad seat;
When Visnu helped the strong one who causeth gladness,
Like birds they sat on the dear strew.

o. Bear ye variegated praise to the strong singer,
The host of the Maruts, which hath strength;
Who with might endure might [3],
For the jocund ones, O Agni, the earth shakes.

p. The All-gods.

q. O All-gods.

r. May sky and earth this day
Place among the gods this sacrifice,
Successful, touching the sky.

s. Bring forward the parents born of old with now songs,
In the seat of holy order,
Come to us, O sky and earth, with the host divine;
Great is your protection.

t. Awaken Agni with the praise,
Kindling the immortal;
May he place our oblations among the gods.

u. Bearing the oblation, immortal,
The eager messenger, well-inclined,
Agni uniteth with our prayer.

v. Health be they.

w. For each prize.

PRAPATHAKA II
The Preparation of the Ground for the Fire

iv. 2. 1.

a. Thou art the step of Visnu, overcoming hostility, mount the Gayatri metre, step along the earth, excluded is he whom we hate. Thou art the step of Visnu, overcoming imprecations, mount the Tristubh metre, step along the atmosphere, excluded is he whom we hate. Thou art the step of Visnu, overcomer of the enemy, mount the Jagati metre, step along the sky, excluded is he whom we hate. Thou art the stop of Visnu [1], overcomer of the foe, mount the Anustubh metre, step along the quarters, excluded is he whom we hate.

b. Agni hath cried, like Dyaus thundering,
Licking the earth, devouring the plants
Straightway on birth he shone aflame,
He blazeth with his light within the firmaments.

c. O Agni, returner, to us return
With life, with radiance, with gain, with wisdom, with offspring, with wealth.

d. O Agni [2], O Angiras, a hundred be thy returns,
A thousand thy movements;
With the increase of their increase
Do thou bring back for us what is lost,
Bring back to us wealth.

e. Return with strength,
Return, O Agni, with food and life;
Again guard us on all sides.

f. Return with wealth,
O Agni, fatten with the stream,
All-gaining on every side.

g. Unloose from us, O Varuna, the highest,
The lowest, the midmost knot [3];
Then may we, O Aditya, in thy rule,
Be guiltless before Aditi.

h. I have drawn thee, thou hast become within,
Be thou firm and motionless,
Lot all the folk desire thee;
In him establish the kingship.

i. In greatness hath he arisen erect in the van of the dawns;
Emerging from the darkness, he hath come with the light;
Agni, with radiant brilliance, fair limbed,
On birth hath filled every seat.

k. Do thou sit down in the lap of this mother [4],
O Agni, knowing all the ways;
Consume her not with light nor with heat,
Within her shine with pure radiance.

l. O Agni, with glow
Within thine own seat of the pan,
Heating with her blaze,
Be thou, O all-knower, auspicious.

m. Becoming auspicious to me, O Agni,
Do thou sit down auspicious;
Having made all the quarters auspicious,
Sit here on thine own birthplace.

n. The gander seated in purity, the bright one seated in the atmosphere,
The Hotr seated at the altar, the guest seated in the house,
Seated among men, seated in the highest, seated in holy order, seated in the firmament,
Born of the waters, born of the cows, born of holy order, born of the mountain, the great holy order.

iv. 2. 2.

a. From the sky was Agni first born,
From us secondly he who knoweth all,
In the waters thirdly the manly,
The pious man singeth of him, the undying, as he kindleth him.

b. We know thy three places threefold, O Agni,
We know thy seat that is established in many places;
We know thy highest name in secret;
We know the spring whence thou hast come.

c. The manly souled kindleth thee in the ocean, in the waters,
In the breast of the sky, O Agni, he who gazeth on men;
Thee standing in the third region [1],
In the birthplace of holy order, the steers inspirited.

d. Agni hath cried, like Dyaus thundering,
Licking the earth, devouring the plants;
Straightway on birth he shone aflame,
He blazeth with his light within the firmaments.

e. Eager, purifying, the envoy, the wise one,
Agni, the immortal, hath been established among men;
He beareth and darteth forward his ruddy smoke;
The sky he attaineth with his pure radiance.

f. The banner of the whole world, the germ [2],
Filled on birth the firmaments;
Even the firm mountain he cleft passing over,
When the five peoples sacrificed to Agni.

g. Receptacle of prosperity, supporter of riches,
Granter of thoughts, guardian of the Soma,
Son of the bright one, of strength, the king
Is resplendent within the waters, kindled before the dawns.

h. He who first maketh for thee to-day, O thou of wondrous radiance,
A cake rich in ghee, O god Agni;
Do thou bear him ever on to the better,
To glory allotted by the gods, O youngest one [3].

i. Give him portion, O Agni, in praises;
Give him portion in every hymn that is sung,
Dear shall he be before Surya, dear before Agni
With what is born, what is to be born shall he be victorious.

k. Thee, O Agni, the sacrificers through the days
Bear as many riches desirable;
With thee desiring wealth,
Eagerly they revealed the stall rich in kine.

l. Shining like gold, he hath become widely resplendent,
For glory shining with immortal life;
Agni became immortal in his strength,
What time prolific Dyaus begat him.

iv. 2. 3.

a. O Lord of food, accord us food,
Uninjurious, impetuous;
Do thou further the donor,
Bestow strength on our bipeds, our quadrupeds.

b. May the All-gods thee,
O Agni, bear up with their thoughts;
Be thou to us most propitious,
With kindly face, abounding in light,

c. Come forward, O Agni, rich in light,
With auspicious rays;
Shining with great radiance,
Harm not our offspring with thy body.

d. With kindling-wood serve Agni,
Awaken the guest with ghee;
In him [1] offer oblations.

e. Far-famed is this Agni of Bharata,
Since his great light shineth like the sun;
He who overcame Puru in battle
Hath shone forth, the heavenly guest, propitious for us.

f. O ye waters divine, accept these ashes;
Place them on a resting-place, in the fragrant region
To him may the ladies with noble spouses bow;
Like a mother her son, do ye kindly bear him.

g. In the waters, O Agni, is thy seat [2],
Thou enterest the plants;
Being in the germ thou art born again.

h. Thou art the germ of plants,
The germ of trees,
The germ of all things,
O Agni, thou art the germ of the waters.

i. With ashes having satisfied thy birthplace
And the waters, on the earth, O Agni,
In unison with thy mothers,
Full of light hast thou again taken thy seat.

k. Having again come to thy seat,
And to the waters, to the earth, O Agni,
Within her thou liest, most auspicious,
As on the lap of a mother.

l. Return with strength [3],
Return, O Agni, with food and life;
Again guard us on all sides.

m. Return with wealth,
O Agni, fatten with the stream,
All-gaining on every side.

n. May the Adityas, the Rudras, the Vasus, kindle thee again;
The Brahmans again with offerings, O bringer of wealth;
With ghee do thou increase our bodies;
May the wishes of the sacrificer become true.

o. Hearken to this our call, that is offered, O youngest one,
Of the most generous one, O thou that hast power;
One hateth, one praiseth.
As praiser I praise thy body, O Agni.

p. Be thou a bounteous patron,
Giver of riches, lord of riches;
Repel from us the foes.

iv. 2. 4.

a. Go hence depart, creep away, hence,
Ye that are here of old and ye that are new,
Yama hath given this resting-place of earth,
The Pitrs have made this world for him.

b. Thou art the ash of Agni, thou art the dust of Agni.

c. Thou art accord, fulfilling love; in me be the fulfilling of thy love.

d. Be united your dear bodies,
Be united your dear hearts,
Be your breath united [1],
United my body.

e. This is that Agni in whom as a belly
Indra placed the pressed Soma eagerly;
Thou art praised, O all-knower, for winning
Booty a thousandfold, like a swift steed.

f. O Agni, thou comest to the wave of the sky,
To the gods thou speakest, those of the altar;
The waters above in the realm of the sun,
And those below wait (on thee).

g. O Agni, thy radiance in the sky, the earth,
The plants [2], or the waters, O holy one,
That whereby thou didst outspread the broad atmosphere,
Glittering is thy gleam, moving and men espying.

h. May the Agnis of the dust
In unison with those of the floods
Accept the oblation offered,
The rich healthful viands.

i. As food, O Agni, accord to the sacrificer
The gain of a cow, wondrous enduring;
Be to us a son, a scion, full of life;
This, O Agni, be thy lovingkindness towards us.

k. This is thy due place of birth,
Whence born thou didst shine,
Mount it, O Agni, knowing it [3],
And make our wealth increase.

l. Thou art a piler; in the manner of Angiras be firm with that deity.

m. Thou art a piler round; in the manner of Angiras be firm with that deity.

n. Fill the world, fill the hole, do thou sit down auspicious;
Indra and Agni and Brhaspati
Have placed thee on this birthplace

o. The dappled kine, streaming with milk,
Mix the Soma,
Clans in the birthplace of the gods,
In the three realms of sky.

iv. 2. 5.

a. Be united, be in harmony, in affection,
Radiant, with kindly thought,
Clothed in food and strength,
United have I made your minds, your ordinances, your hearts.

b. O Agni of the dust be overlord for us;
Bestow food and strength on the sacrificer.

c. Thou, O Agni, art of the dust,
Rich, full of increase,
Making all the regions propitious
Thou hast sat down on thine own birthplace.

d. Be ye of one mind for us,
One dwelling [1], spotless;
Harm not the sacrifice, nor the lord of the sacrifice, O all-knowers;
Be ye two auspicious to-day unto us.

e. As a mother her son, the earth,
The pan, hath borne Agni of the dust in his own birthplace
In unison with the All-gods, the seasons,
Let Prajapati, all-worker, release it.

f. The bright light
Born beyond this firmament,
May that convey us beyond our foes,
O Agni Vaiçvanara, hail!

g. Homage to thee, O Nirrti of every form [2],
Loosen ye this bond made of iron;
Do thou in accord with Yama and Yami
Mount this highest vault.

h. The bond that Nirrti, the goddess,
Bound on thy neck, not to be loosened,
This I loosen for thee as from the middle of life;
Then living, let loose, do thou eat the food.

i. Thee in whose cruel mouth here I make offering,
For the loosening of these bonds,
As ‘earth’ men know thee,
As ‘Nirrti’ [3], I know thee on every side.

k. Seek the man who poureth not offering nor sacrifices;
The road of the thief and robber thou followest;
Seek another than us, that is thy road;
Homage be to thee, O Nirrti, O goddess.

l. Praising Nirrti, the goddess,
Like a father his son, I weary her with my words;
She who knoweth all that is born,
Discerneth, the lady, every head.

m. Abode and collector of riches,
Every form she discerneth with might [4],
Like the god Savitr of true laws,
Like Indra, she standeth at the meeting of the ways.

n. Make firm the straps,
Fasten the buckets;
We shall drain the well full of water,
That never is exhausted, never faileth.

o. The well with buckets fastened,
With strong straps, that yieldeth abundantly,
Full of water, unexhausted, I drain.

p. The sages yoke the ploughs;
They stretch apart the yokes,
Wise with goodwill among the gods.

q. Yoke the ploughs, stretch apart the yokes,
Here sow in the womb made ready the seed [5]
Through our song be there audience with profit for us;
May the ripe (grain) be brought low by the sickle.

r. The plough, of keen share,
Propitious, with well-polished handle,
Plougheth up a cow, a sheep,
And a fat blooming maid,
A chariot support with a platform.

s. With prosperity may our ploughs cleave the ground,
With prosperity may the ploughers go round the yokes;
Prosperity (may) Parjanya (give) with honey and milk,
And do ye, O Çuna and Sira, accord prosperity to us.

t. Wishes, O milker of wishes, do thou milk
To Mitra and Varuna;
To Indra, to Agni, to Pusan,
To the plants, and to offspring.

u. The furrow anointed with ghee, with honey,
Approved by the All-gods, the Maruts,
Full of strength, swelling with milk,
Do thou, O furrow, turn towards us with milk.

iv. 2. 6.

a. The plants born
Three generations before the gods,
Of the brown ones I celebrate
The seven and a hundred abodes.

b. A hundred, O mother, are your abodes,
A thousand too your shoots,
Therefore do ye, with a hundred powers,
Make him whole for me.

c. With flowers, with shoots,
Fruit-bearing and without fruit,
Like steeds victorious
The plants are strong to help.

d. ‘Plants’, O ye mothers,
I hail you, O goddesses;
Go bearing away defilement,
Defilement [1] destroying.

e. In the Açvattha is your seat,
In the Parna is your dwelling made;
Cows shall in truth be your share
If ye shall gain this man.

f. In that in strength I seize
These plants in my hand,
The soul of the disease perisheth,
As before one that taketh alive.

g. When the plants come together
Like princes at the assembly,
Sage is the physician called,
Slayer of Raksases, overpowerer of diseases.

h. Remover is your mother by name,
And ye are helpers;
Ye are winged streams [2];
Remove whatever is unwell.

i. Let one of you aid another,
Let one be of assistance to another;
All the plants in unison
Do ye further this speech of mine.

k. The strength of the plants hath arisen
Like cows from the pasturage,
Of them that are fain to win gain,
To the self of thee, O man.

I. Beyond all obstacles,
Like the thief the pen, they have strode,
The plants have shaken away
Every defilement in the body.

m. Those [3] that have mounted thy self,
That have entered every limb,
May they repel thy disease,
Like a dread intercessor.

n. O disease, do thou fly forth
With the eagle, the blue jay (kikidivi)
With the rush of the wind,
With the whirlwind do thou disappear.

o. Rich in steeds, rich in Soma,
Full of strength, full of power,
I have found all the plants
For his safety.

p. The fruitful, the fruitless,
The flowering, the flowerless,
Impelled by Brhaspati,
May they free us from tribulation.

q. The [4] plants whose king is Soma,
And which have entered the earth,
Of them thou art the highest,
Impel us to long life.

r. Falling from the sky
The plants said,
‘He, whom we reach while in life,
Shall not come to ill.’

s. Those that hear now
And those that are gone far away,
Coming all together here
Give ye him healing.

t. May the digger of you come to no ill,
Nor he for whom I dig you;
May all our bipeds and quadrupeds
Be free from disease.

u. The plants hold converse
With Soma, the king,
‘The man for whom the Brahman prepares (us),
We, O king, bring to safety.’

iv. 2. 7.

a. May I be harm us not who is father of earth
Or who, of true law, created the sky,
And he who created the great bright waters;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?

b. Turn towards (us), O earth,
With the sacrifice, with milk;
Over thy caul let Agni, aroused, creep.

c. O Agni, that of thee which is pure, which is bright,
Which is cleansed, which is fit for offering,
That we bear to the gods.

d. Food and strength do I take hence [1],
From the abode of holy order, from the birthplace of immortality.
May it enter us, in cattle and in plants;
I abandon decline, lack of food, and ill-health.

e. O Agni, strength and fame are thine,
Thy rays shine mightily, O rich in light;
O thou of broad radiance, with thy might, strength worthy of laud,
Thou bestowest on the worshipper, O sage.

f. Do thou extend over men, O Agni,
Ruling over wealth for us, O immortal one;
Thou art the master of a glorious form,
Thou fillest glorious wealth.

g. O son of strength, O all-knower,
Rejoice in our fair praises [2], being adored in our prayers;
In thee have they placed food, rich in seed,
Of wondrous aid, of prosperous birth.

h. With pure radiance, with bright radiance,
With undiminished radiance, thou comest forth with thy light;
Visiting thy parents thou aidest them;
Thou fillest both worlds.

i. The righteous, the bull, common to all men,
Agni, men place before them for favour,
Thee with their speech, that art ready to hear and most extending,
The divine, the generations of men.

k. Preparer of the sacrifice, the wise,
Who ruleth for great gain,
The giver of the Bhrgus, the eager, skilled in the sacrifice
Thou fillest glorious wealth.

l. Ye are pilers, ye are pilers around, do ye pile upwards as a support,
with that deity, sit ye firm in the manner of Angiras.

m. Swell up, let thy strength be gathered
From all sides, O Soma.
Be strong in the gathering of might.

n. Let thy milk draughts, thy strength be united,
The mightinesses of him who overcometh the foe;
Swelling for immortality, O Soma,
Place in the sky the highest glories,

iv. 2. 8.

a. He hath overcome every foe, every enemy;
That Agni saith, that saith Soma too;
Brhaspati, Savitr, say this of me,
Pusan hath placed me in the world of good action.

b. When first thou didst cry on birth,
Arising from the ocean or the dust,
The wings of the eagle, the limbs of the gazelle,
That is thy famed birth, O steed.

c. Thou art the back of the waters, the birthplace of Agni,
The ocean swelling on either side;
Growing to might [1] as the lotus flower,
Do thou extend in width with the measure of heaven.

d. The holy power born first in the east
Vena hath disclosed from the shining boundary,
He hath revealed its fundamental nearest forms,
The womb of being and of not being.

e. The golden germ first rose;
Born he was the only lord of creation;
He supporteth the earth and the sky;
To what god shall we offer with oblation.

f. The drop hath fallen on the earth [2], the sky,
On this seat, and on the one which was aforetime;
The drop that wandereth over the third seat
I offer in the seven Hotras.

g. Homage to the serpents
Which are on the earth,
The serpents in the atmosphere, in the sky,
To those serpents homage.

h. Those that are there in the vault of the sky,
Or those who are in the rays of the sun,
Those whose seat is made in the waters,
To those serpents honour.

i. Those that are the missiles of sorcerers,
Or those that are among the trees,
Or those that lie in the wells,
To those serpents honour.

iv. 2. 9.

a. Thou art firm, supporting, unoverpowered,
Well wrought by Viçvakarman;
Let not the ocean smite thee, nor the eagle;
Unshaking do thou make firm the earth.

b. May Prajapati seat thee on the back of earth, capacious, extending; thou art extent, thou art earth, thou art the world, thou art the earth, thou art Aditi all-sustaining, sustainer of all the world; sustain the earth, make firm the earth, harm not the earth, for all expiration, cross-breathing, up-breathing, for support [1], for motion; may Agni protect thee with great prosperity, with most auspicious covering; with that deity, in the manner of Angiras, do thou sit firm.

c. Arising from every stem,
From every joint,
Do thou, O Durva, extend us
With a thousand, a hundred.

d. Thou that extendest with a hundred,
That arisest with a thousand,
To thee, O goddess, O brick,
Let us sacrifice with oblation.

e. Unovercomable art thou, overcoming, overcome our enemies, over come those that practise enmity.

f. Overcome the foe, overcome the foemen of a thousandfold strength [2] art thou; do thou inspirit me.

g. To the pious the winds pour honey,
The streams honey;
Be sweet to us the plants.

h. Sweet is the night, and sweet
At dawn the air of earth,
Sweet be the sky, our father.

i. Sweet to us be the lord of the forest,
Sweet the sun,
Sweet be the cows to us.

k. May the two great ones, sky and earth,
Mingle for us this sacrifice;
May they sustain us with support.

l. That highest step of Visnu [3]
The singers ever gaze upon
Like an eye stretched in the sky.

m. Thou art firm, O earth,
Overcome the foemen;
Fashioned by the gods hast thou come with ambrosia.

n. Those beams of thine, O Agni, which rising
In the sun with rays envelop the sky,
With all of them bring us to brilliance, to men.

o. Those flames of yours in the sun,
O gods, in cattle, in horses,
O Indra and Agni, O Brhaspati,
With all of these grant us brilliance.

p. The brilliant [4] bore the light, the shining bore the light, the self-resplendent bore the light.

q. O Agni, yoke,
O god, thy good steeds,
The swift that readily bear.

r. Yoke, like a charioteer, O Agni,
The steeds that best invite the gods
Sit down as ancient Hotr.

s. The drop hath fallen on the earth, the sky,
On this seat and on the one which was aforetime
The drop that wandereth over the third seat
I offer in the seven [5] Hotras.

t. There hath come into being this might of all the world,
And of Agni Vaiçvanara,
Agni full of light with light,
The disk radiant with radiance.

u. For the verse thee, for brilliance thee

v. Like streams the offerings flow together,
Purified within with heart and mind;
I behold the streams of ghee;
A golden reed is there in the midst of them.

w. In it sitteth an eagle, honey-making, nested,
Assigning honey to the deities,
On its brink sit seven tawny ones,
Milking at will the stream of ambrosia.

iv. 2. 10.

a. Anointing with milk Aditya, the embryo,
Counterpart of a thousand, of every form,
Spare him, injure him not with thy heat;
Make him of a hundred (years of) life, as thou art piled.

b. Injure not this biped of animals,
O hundred-eyed one, being piled for the sacrifice;
I appoint for thee the wailer in the forest;
Therewith piling thy forms, be seated.

c. The rush of the wind, the navel of Varuna,
Born as a steed in the midst of the waters,
The child of the streams, the tawny one, rooted in the mountain,
O Agni, harm him not [1] in the highest heaven.

d. Harm not this one-hooved of cattle,
The thundering, the courser among the contests;
I appoint for thee the Gayal of the forest;
Therewith piling thy forms, be seated.

e. The undying drop, the ruddy, the active,
Agni I hymn with praises with first inspiration;
Do thou forming thyself with joints in due order,
Harm not the cow, Aditi, the resplendent.

f. This ocean, the spring of a hundred streams,
Expanded in the middle of the world,
Aditi milking ghee for men,
O Agni, harm not [2] in the highest heaven;
I appoint for thee the Gayal of the forest;
Therewith piling thy forms, be seated.

g. Guard of Tvastr, navel of Varuna,
Born as the sheep from the furthest region,
The great thousandfold wile of the Asura,
O Agni, harm not in the highest heaven.

h. This woolly wile of Varuna,
The skin of cattle, biped and quadruped,
The first birthplace of the offspring of Tvastr,
O Agni, harm not in the highest heaven;
I appoint for thee the buffalo of the forest [3];
Therewith piling thy forms, be seated.

i. The Agni born of the heat of Agni,
From the burning of the earth or of the sky,
That whereby Viçvakarman attained creatures,
Him, O Agni, let thy wrath spare.

k. The goat was born from Agni as an embryo;
She beheld her begetter before;
Thereby those worthy of sacrifice attained pre-eminence,
Thereby first the gods attained godhead;
I appoint for thee the Çarabha of the forest;
Therewith piling thy forms, be seated.

iv. 2. 11.

a. O Indra and Agni, the realms of the sky
Ye adorn in your strength;
That might of yours is dear.

b. The foe shall he pierce and wealth he doth gain
Who worshippeth Indra and Agni, the strong ones,
Who rule over much wealth,
The most strong who with strength show their power.

c. Men ye surpass in the battle call,
Earth ye surpass, and sky,
The mountains and the streams (ye surpass) in greatness,
And, O Indra and Agni, all other worlds.

d. In whose house [1], O Maruts,
Ye drink, O joyous ones of the sky
That man hath the best of guardians.

e. Either through sacrifices receiving worship,
Or from the prayers of the singer,
Do ye, O Maruts, hearken to our call.

f. For glory they are wreathed in flames,
In the rays (of the sun), adorned with rings they (are accompanied) with singers;
They wearing daggers, impetuous, fearless,
Have found the dear home of the Maruts.

g. Thy wrath.

h. The highest.

i. With what aid will he come to us,
Our wondrous, ever-waxing, friend?
With what most potent aid [2]?

k. Who to-day yoketh to the pole of holy order
The oxen, eager, of keen spirits, the furious,
With darts in their mouths, heart-piercing, healthful?
He who attaineth their service shall live.

l. O Agni, lead.

m. Of the gods.

n. May they be prosperous for us

o. In every contest.
In the waters, O Agni, is thy seat,
Thou enterest the plants;
Being in the germ thou art born again.

p. Thou art strong, O Soma, and bright;
Thou art strong, O god, and strong thy rule;
Strong laws dost thou establish.

q. This for me, O Varuna.

r. That of thine I approach.

s. Thou, O Agni.

t. Do thou to us, O Agni.

PRAPATHAKA III
The Five Layers of Bricks

iv. 3. 1.

a. I place thee in the going of the waters; I place thee in the rising of the waters; I place thee in the ashes of the waters; I place thee in the light of the waters; I place thee in the movement of the waters.

b. Sit on the billows as thy place of rest; sit on the ocean as thy place of rest; sit on the stream as thy place of rest; sit in the abode of the waters; sit on the seat of the waters.

c. I place thee in the seat of the waters; I place thee in the dwelling of the waters; I place thee in the dust of the waters; I place thee in the womb of the waters; I place thee in the stronghold of the waters.

d. The metro the Gayatri; the metre the Tristubh; the metro the Jagati; the metre the Anustubh; the metre the Pankti.

iv. 3. 2.

a. This one in front the existent; his, the existent’s breath; spring born of the breath; the Gayatri born of the spring; from the Gayatri the Gayatri (Saman); from the Gayatra the Upançu (cup); from the Upançu the Trivrt (Stoma); from the Trivrt the Rathantara; from the Rathantara Vasistha, the Rsi; with thee taken by Prajapati, I take breath for offspring.

b. This one on the right, the all-worker; his, the all-worker’s, mind; summer born of mind; the Tristubh born of summer; from the Tristubh the Aida (Saman); from the Aida the Antaryama (cup); from the Antaryama the fifteenfold (Stoma); from the fifteenfold the Brhat; from the Brhat Bharadvaja, the Rsi; with thee taken by Prajapati, I take mind for offspring [1].

c. This one behind, the all-extending; his, the all-extending’s, eye; the rains born of the eye; the Jagati born of the rains; from the Jagati the Rksama (Saman); from the Rksama the Çukra (cup); from the Çukra the seventeenfold (Stoma); from the seventeenfold the Vairupa; from the Vairupa Viçvamitra, the Rsi; with thee taken by Prajapati, I take the eye for my offspring.

d. This one on the left, the light; his, the light’s, ear; the autumn born of the ear; the Anustubh connected with the autumn; from the Anustubh the Svara (Saman); from the Svara the Manthin (cup); from the Manthin the twenty-onefold (Stoma); from the twenty-onefold the Vairaja; from the Vairaja Jamadagni, the Rsi; with thee taken by Prajapati [2], I take the ear for offspring.

e. This one above, thought; his, thought’s, speech; the winter born of speech; the Pankti born of winter; from the Pankti that which has finales; from that which has finales the Agrayana (cup); from the Agrayana the twenty-sevenfold and the thirty-threefold (Stomas); from the twenty-sevenfold and the thirty-threefold the Çakvara and Raivata; from the Çakvara and Raivata Viçvakarman, the Rsi; with thee taken by Prajapati, I take speech for offspring.

iv. 3. 3.

a. The east of the quarters; the spring of the seasons; Agni the deity; holy power the wealth; the Trivrt the Stoma, and it forming the path of the fifteenfold (Stoma); the eighteen-month-old calf the strength; the Krta of throws of dice; the east wind the wind; Sanaga the Rsi.

b. The south of the quarters; the summer of the seasons; Indra the deity; the kingly power the wealth; the fifteenfold the Stoma, and it forming the path of the seventeenfold (Stoma); the two-year-old the strength; the Treta of throws; the south wind the wind; Sanatana, the Rsi.

c. The west of the quarters; the rains of the seasons; the All-gods the deity; the peasants [1] the wealth; the seventeenfold the Stoma, and it forming the path of the twenty-onefold (Stoma); the three-year-old the strength; the Dvapara of throws; the west wind the wind; Ahabuna the Rsi.

d. The north of the quarters; the autumn of the seasons; Mitra and Varuna the deity; prosperity the wealth; the twenty-onefold the Stoma; and it forming a path of the twenty-sevenfold (Stoma); the four-year-old the strength; the Askanda of throws; the north wind the wind; Pratna the Rsi.

e. The zenith of the quarters; the winter and the cool season of the seasons; Brhaspati the deity; radiance the wealth; the twenty-sevenfold the Stoma, and it forming a path of the thirty-threefold; the draught ox the strength; the Abhibhu of throws; the wind all through the wind; Suparna the Rsi.

f. Fathers, grandfathers, near and far, may they protect us, may they help us, in this holy power, this lordly power, this prayer, this Purohita-ship, this rite, this invocation of the gods.

iv. 8. 4.

a. Firm is thy dwelling, thy place of birth, firm art thou
Settle thou duly in thy firm place of birth;
Banner of the fire in the pan,
May the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here first in the east.

b. In thine own skill sit thou whose sire is skill,
As the great earth bountiful among the gods,
Be of kindly approach and come with thy body,
Kindly as a father to his son;
May the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here.

c. Nesting, rich in wealth, strength bestowing,
Increase for us wealth, abundant, rich in heroes [1],
Driving away hostility and enmity,
Granting the lord of the sacrifice a share in increase of wealth,
Do thou bestow the heaven as increase to the sacrificer;
May the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here.

d. Thou art the dust of Agni, the leader of the gods;
May the All-gods favour thee as such;
With Stomas for thy back, rich in ghee, sit thou here,
And win to us by sacrifice riches with offspring.
May the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here!

e. Thou art the head of sky, the navel of earth, the holder apart of the quarters, the lady paramount of the worlds [2], the wave, the drop of the waters thou art; Viçvakarman is thy seer; may the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here.

f. In unison with the seasons, in unison with the ordainers, in unison with the Vasus, in unison with the Rudras, in unison with the Adityas, in unison with the All-gods, in unison with the gods, in unison with the gods establishing strength, to Agni Vaiçvanara, thee; may the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here.

g. Protect my expiration; protect my inspiration; protect my cross breathing; make my eye to shine widely; make my ear to hear.
h Make thick the waters; quicken the plants; protect bipeds; help quadrupeds; from the sky make rain to start.

iv. 3. 5.

a. (Thou art) the calf of eighteen months in strength, the Tristubh metre; the two-year-old in strength, the Viraj metre; the two-and-a-half year-old in strength, the Gayatri metre; the three-year-old in strength, the Usnih metre; the four-year-old in strength, the Anustubh metre; the draught ox in strength, the Brhati metre; the bull in strength, the Satobrhati metre; the bullock in strength, the Kakubh metre; the milch cow in strength, the Jagati metre; the beast of burden in strength, the Pankti metre; the goat in strength, the spacious metre; the ram in strength, the slow metre; the tiger in strength, the unassailable metre; the lion in strength, the covering metre; the support in strength, the overlord metre; the lordly power in strength, the delight-giving metre; the all-creating in strength, the supreme lord metro; the head in strength, the Prajapati metre.

iv. 3. 6.

a. O Indra and Agni, do ye two make firm
The brick that quaketh not;
And let it with its back repel
The sky and earth and atmosphere.

b. Let Viçvakarman place thee in the ridge of the atmosphere, encompassing, expanding, resplendent, possessing the sun, thee that dost illumine the sky, the earth, the broad atmosphere, support the atmosphere, make firm the atmosphere, harm not the atmosphere; for every expiration, inspiration, cross-breathing, out-breathing, support, movement; let Vayu protect thee with great prosperity, with a covering [1] most healing; with that deity do thou sit firm in the manner of Angiras.

c. Thou art the queen, the eastern quarter; thou art the ruling, the southern quarter; thou art the sovereign, the western quarter; thou art the self-ruling, the northern quarter; thou art the lady paramount, the great quarter.

d. Protect my life; protect my expiration; protect my inspiration; protect my cross-breathing; protect my eye; protect my ear; quicken my mind; strengthen my voice; protect my breath; accord me light.

iv. 3. 7.

a. (Thou art) Ma metre, Prama metre, Pratima metre, Asrivis metre, Pankti metre, Usnih metre, Brhati metre, Anustubh metre, Viraj metre, Gayatri metre, Tristubh metre, Jagati metre. (Thou art) earth metre, atmosphere metro, sky metre, seasons metre, Naksatras metre, mind metre, speech metre, ploughing metre, gold metre, cow metre, female goat metre, horse metre. (Thou art) Agni, the deity [1], Vata, the deity, Surya, the deity, Candramas, the deity, the Vasus, the deity, the Rudras, the deity, the Adityas, the deity, the All-gods, the deity, the Maruts, the deity, Brhaspati, the deity, Indra, the deity, Varuna, the deity.

b. The head thou art, ruling; thou art the firm, the supporting; thou art the prop, the restrainer; for food thee; for strength thee; for ploughing thee: for safety thee! (Thou art) the prop, ruling; thou art the firm, the supporting; thou art the holder, the sustainer; for life thee; for radiance thee; for force thee; for might thee!

iv. 3. 8.

(Thou art) the swift, the triple (Stoma); the shining, the fifteenfold the sky, the seventeenfold; speed, the eighteenfold; fervour, the nineteen. fold; attack, the twentyfold; support, the twenty-onefold; radiance, the twenty-twofold; maintenance, the twenty-threefold; the womb, the twenty-fourfold; the embryo, the twenty-fivefold; might, the twenty sevenfold; inspiration, the thirty-onefold; support, the thirty-threefold; the surface of the tawny one, the thirty-fourfold; the vault, the thirty-six fold; the revolving, the forty-eightfold; the support, the fourfold Stoma.

iv. 3. 9.

a. Thou art the portion of Agni, the overlordship of consecration, the holy power saved, the threefold Stoma.

b. Thou art the portion of Indra, the overlordship of Visnu, the lordly power saved, the fifteenfold Stoma.

c. Thou art the portion of them that gaze on men, the overlordship of Dhatr, the birthplace saved, the seventeenfold Stoma.

d. Thou art the portion of Mitra, the overlordship of Varuna, the rain from the sky, the winds saved, the twenty-onefold Stoma.

e. Thou art the portion of Aditi, the overlordship of Pusan, force saved, the twenty-sevenfold Stoma.

f. Thou art the portion of the Vasus [1], the overlordship of the Rudras, the quadruped saved, the twenty-fourfold Stoma.

g. Thou art the portion of the Adityas, the overlordship of the Maruts, offspring saved, the twenty-fivefold Stoma.

h Thou art the portion of the god Savitr, the overlordship of Brhaspati, all the quarters saved, the fourfold Stoma.

i. Thou art the portion of the Yavas, the overlordship of the Ayavas, offspring saved, the forty-fourfold Stoma.

k. Thou art the portion of the Rbhus, the overlordship, of the All-gods, being calmed and saved, the thirty-threefold Stoma.

iv. 3. 10.

They praised with one, creatures were established, Prajapati was overlord. They praised with three, the holy power: was created, the lord of holy power was overlord. They praised with fire, beings were created, the lord of beings was the overlord. They praised with seven, the seven seers were created, Dhatr was the overlord. They praised with nine, the fathers were created, Aditi was the overlady. They praised with eleven, the seasons were created, the seasonal one was the overlord. They praised with thirteen, the months were created, the year was the overlord [1]. They praised with fifteen, the lordly class was created, Indra was the overlord. They praised with seventeen, cattle were created, Brhaspati was the overlord. They praised with nineteen, the Çudra and the Arya were created, day and night were the overlords. They praised with twenty-one, the whole-hooved cattle were created, Varuna was the overlord. They praised with twenty-three, small cattle were created, Pusan was the overlord. They praised with twenty-five, wild cattle were created, Vayu was the overlord. They praised with twenty-seven, sky and earth [2] went apart, the Vasus, Rudras, and Adityas followed their example, theirs was the overlordship. They praised with twenty-nine, trees were created, Soma was the overlord. They praised with thirty-one, creatures were created, the Yavas and the Ayavas had the overlordship. They praised with thirty-three, creatures came to rest, Prajapati was the overlord and chief.

iv. 3. 11.

a. This is she that first dawned;
Within this (earth) she hath entered and moveth;
The new-made bride as mother beareth the mothers;
Three greatnesses attend her.

b. Charming, the dawns, adorned,
Moving along a common birthplace,
Wives of the sun, they move, wise ones,
Making a banner of light, unaging, rich in seed.

c. Three have followed the path of holy order,
Three cauldrons have come with the light,
Offspring one guardeth, strength one [1],
Another the law of the pious guardeth.

d. The fourth hath become that of four Stomas,
Becoming the two wings of the sacrifice, O Rsis;
Yoking the Gayatri, Tristubh, Jagati, and Anustubh, the Brhat,
The hymn, they have borne forward this heaven.

e. By five the creator disposed this (world),
What time he produced sisters of them, five by five,
By their mingling go five strengths
Clad in various forms.

f. Thirty sisters go to the appointed place,
Putting on the same badge [2],
The sages spread out the seasons, the knowing ones
With the metres in their midst, go about in brilliance.

g. The shining one putteth on clouds,
The ways of the sun, the night divine;
The beasts of many forms that are born
Look around on the lap of their mother.

h. The Ekastaka, undergoing penance,
Hath borne a child, the great Indra;
Therewith the gods overpowered the Asuras;
Slayer of Asuras he became in his might.

i. Ye have made me, who am not younger, the younger;
Speaking the truth I desire this;
May I [3] enjoy his lovingkindness as do ye;
May not one of you supplant another.

k. He hath enjoyed my lovingkindness, the all-knower;
He hath found a support, for he hath won the shallow;
May I enjoy his lovingkindness as do ye
May not one of you supplant another.

l. On the five dawns follow the five milkings,
On the cow with five names the five seasons;
The five quarters are established by the fifteenfold (Stoma),
With equal heads over the one world [4].

m. She who first shone forth is the child of holy order;
One supporteth the might of the waters;
One moveth in the places of the sun,
And one in those of the heat; Savitr governeth one.

n. She who first shone forth
Hath become a cow with Yams;
Do thou, rich in milk, milk for us
Season after season.

o. She of bright bulls hath come with the cloud, the light,
She of all forms, the motley, whose banner is fire;
Accomplishing thy common task,
Bringing old age, thou hast come, O unaging dawn.

P. Lady, of seasons the first, she hath come hither,
Leading the days, and bearer of offspring;
Though one, O Usas, in many places dost thou shine forth
Unaging thou dost make to age all else.

iv. 3.12.

a. O Agni, drive away those foes of ours that are born;
Drive away those too that are unborn, O all-knower;
Shine out for us in kindliness and without anger,
In thy protection may I be with threefold protection and victorious.

b. O Agni, drive away those foes of ours that are born with force;
Drive away those that are unborn, O all-knower;
Favour us in kindliness,
May we (enjoy thy protection); drive away our foes.

c. (Thou art) the forty-fourfold Stoma, radiance the wealth.

d. (Thou art) the sixteenfold Stoma, force the wealth.

e. Thou art the dust of earth [1], called Apsas.

f. (Thou art) the course metre; the space metre; the health-bringing metre; the overpowering metre; the covering metre; the mind metre; the expanse metre; the river metre; the sea metro; the water metre; the uniting metro; the separating metre; the Brhat metro; the Rathantara metre; the collecting metre; the parting metre; the voices metre; the radiant metro; the Sastubh metre; the Anustubh metre; the Kakubh metre; the Trikakubh metre; the poetic metre; the water metre [2]; the Padapankti metre, the Aksarapahkti metre, the Vistarapankti metre: the razor-with-strop metre; the enveloping metre; the side metre; the course metre; the space metre; the strength metre; the maker of strength metre; the expansive metre; the conflict metre; the covering metre; the difficult of access metre; the slow metre; the Ankanka metre.

iv. 3. 13.

a. May Agni slay the foe,
Eager for wealth, joyfully,
Kindled, pure as offered.

b. Thou Soma art very lord,
Thou art king, and slayer of foes;
Thou art favouring strength.

c. Favouring is thy look, O fair-faced Agni,
That art dread and extending, pleasant (is it);
Thy radiance they cover not with the darkness;
The defiling leave no stain in thy body.

d. Favouring is thy face, O mighty Agni;
Even by the side of the sun it is bright [1],
Radiant to behold it is seen even by night,
Pleasant to the sight is food in thy form.

e. With his countenance the kindly one
Will sacrifice to the gods for us, most skilled to win prosperity by sacrifice;
Guardian undeceived and protector of us,
O Agni, shine forth with radiance and with wealth.

f. Prosperity for us from sky, O Agni, from earth,
With full life do thou procure, O god, for worship;
That splendid thing, O sky-born, which we ask,
Do thou bestow upon us that radiant wealth.

g. As thou, O Hotr, in man’s worship [2],
O son of strength, shalt sacrifice with offerings,
Verily do thou to-day, gladly, offer sacrifice
To the glad gods together assembled.

h. I praise Agni, domestic priest,
God of the sacrifice and priest,
The Hotr, best bestower of jewels.

i. Thou art strong, O Soma, and bright,
Thou art strong, O god, and strong thy rule,
Strong laws dost thou establish.

k. O Maruts, that burn, this offering (is yours)
Do ye rejoice in it,
For your aid, ye destroyers of the foe.

l. The man of evil heart, O bright ones, O Maruts,
Who is fain to smite us contrary to right [3],
In the noose of destruction may he be caught,
Slay him with your most burning heat.

m. The Maruts, of the year, fair singers,
With wide abodes, in troops among men,
May they from us unloosen the bonds of tribulation,
Those that burn, delighting, granting delight,

n. Delight the eager gods, O thou most young,
Knowing the seasons, O lord of the season, do thou sacrifice here;
With the priests divine, O Agni,
Thou art the best sacrificer of Hotrs.

o. O Agni, whatever to-day, O offering Hotr of the people,
O pure [4] and radiant one, thou dost enjoy, for thou art the sacrificer,
Rightly shalt thou sacrifice, since thou hast grown in might,
Carry the oblations that are thine to-day, O thou most young.

p. By Agni may one win wealth
And abundance, day by day,
Glory full of heroes.

q. Enricher, slayer of disease,
Wealth-finder, prospering prosperity,
O Soma, be a good friend to us.

r. Come hither, O ye that tend the house,
Depart not, O Maruts,
Freeing us from tribulation.

s. For in autumns gone by
We have paid worship, O Maruts,
With the means [5] of mortal men.

t. Your greatness surgeth forth from the depths,
Make known your names, O active ones;
O Maruts, accept the thousandth share of the house,
Of the householder’s offering.

u. Him to whom, the strong, the youthful maiden,
Rich in oblation, bearing ghee, approacheth night and morning,
To him his own devotion (approacheth) seeking wealth.

v. O Agni, these most acceptable oblations,
Immortal one, bear for the divine worship;
Let them accept our fragrant (offerings).

w. The playful horde of the Maruts,
Sporting, resplendent on the chariot [6],
O Kanvas, do ye celebrate.

x. The Maruts, speeding like steeds,
Disport themselves like youths gazing at a spectacle,
Standing in the home like beauteous younglings,
Bestowing milk, like playful calves.

y. At their advance the earth moves as if trembling,
When they yoke (their teams) for their journeys, for brilliance;
Playing, resounding, with flaming weapons,
They display their own greatness, the shakers.

z. What time on the steeps ye pile the moving one,
Like birds, O Maruts, on whatever path [7],
The clouds spill their water on your chariots;
Do ye sprinkle for the praiser ghee of honey hue.

aa. Agni with invocations
They ever invoke, lord of the people,
Bearer of the oblation, dear to many.

bb. For him they ever praise,
The god with ladle dripping ghee,
Agni to bear the oblation.

cc. O Indra and Agni, the spaces of sky.

dd. Pierce Vrtra.

ee. Indra from all sides.

ff. Indra men.

gg. O Viçvakarman, waxing great with the oblation.

hh. O Viçvakarman, with the oblation as strengthening.

PRAPATHAKA IV
The Fifth Layer of Bricks (continued)

iv. 4. 1.

a. Thou art the ray; for dwelling thee! Quicken the dwelling. Thou art advance; for right thee! Quicken right. Thou art following; for sky thee! Quicken the sky. Thou art union; for atmosphere thee! Quicken the atmosphere. Thou art propping; for earth thee! Quicken earth. Thou art a prop; for rain thee! Quicken rain. Thou art blowing forward; for day thee! Quicken day.

b. Thou art blowing after; for night thee! Quicken night. Thou art eager [1]; for the Vasus thee! Quicken the Vasus. Thou art intelligence; for the-Rudras thee! Quicken the Rudras. Thou art the brilliant; for the Adityas thee! Quicken the Adityas. Thou art force; for the Pitrs thee! Quicken the Pitrs. Thou art the thread; for offspring thee! Quicken offspring. Thou dost endure the battle; for cattle thee! Quicken cattle.

c. Thou art wealthy; for plants thee! Quicken plants. Thou art the victorious with ready stone; for Indra thee! Quicken Indra. Thou art the overlord; for expiration [2] thee! Quicken expiration. Thou art the restrainer; for inspiration thee! Quicken inspiration. Thou art the glider; for the eye thee! Quicken the eye. Thou art the bestower of strength; for the ear thee! Quicken the ear. Thou art threefold.

d. Thou art Pravrt, thou art Samvrt, thou art Vivrt. Thou art the mounter, thou art the descender, thou art the fore mounter, thou art the after mounter.

e. Thou art the wealthy, thou art the brilliant, thou art the gainer of good.

iv. 4. 2.

a. Thou art the queen, the eastern quarter; the Vasus, the deities, are thine overlords, Agni stayeth missiles from thee; may the threefold Stoma support thee on earth, may the Ajya hymn establish thee in firmness, the Rathantara Saman be thy support.

b. Thou art the ruling, the southern quarter; the Rudras, the deities, are thine overlords, Indra stayeth missiles from thee; may the fifteenfold Stoma support thee on earth, may the Praüga hymn establish thee, in firmness, the Brhat Saman be thy support.

c. Thou art the sovereign, the western quarter [1]; the Adityas, the deities, are thine overlords, Soma stayeth missiles from thee; may the seventeenfold Stoma support thee on earth, the Marutvatiya hymn establish thee in firmness, the Vairupa Saman be thy support.

d. Thou art the self-ruling, the northern quarter; the All-gods are thine overlords, Varuna stayeth missiles from thee; may the twenty-onefold Stoma support thee on earth, the Niskevalya Uktha establish thee, in firmness, the Vairaja Samana be thy support.

e. Thou art the lady paramount, the great quarter; the Maruts, the deities, are thine overlords [2], Brhaspati stayeth missiles from thee; may the twenty-sevenfold and the-thirty-threefold Stomas secure thee on earth, the Vaiçvadeva and the Agnimaruta hymns establish thee in firmness, the Çakvara and Raivata Samans be thy support.

f. For the atmosphere may the Rsis firstborn among the gods extend thee with the measure, the breadth, of the sky, and be that is disposer and overlord; let all of them in unison establish thee and the sacrificer on the ridge of the vault, on the world of heaven.

iv. 4. 3.

a. This in the front, with tawny hair, with the sun’s rays; the leaders of his host and bands are Rathagrtsa and Rathaujas, and Puñjikasthala and Krtasthala his Apsarases, his missile wizards, his weapon the Raksases.

b. This on the right, all worker; the leaders of his host and bands are Rathasvana and Rathecitra, and Menaka and Sahajanya his Apsarases, his missile biting beasts, his weapon the death of men.

c. This behind, all extending; the leaders of his host and bands are Ratheprota and Asamaratha, and Pramlocanti [1] and Anumlocanti his Apsarases, his missile the serpents, his weapon tigers.

d. This on the left, collecting riches; the leaders of his host and bands are Senajit and Susena, and Viçvaci and Ghrtaci his Apsarases, his missile the waters, his weapon the wind.

e. This above, bringing riches; the leaders of his host and bands Tarksya and Aristamemi, and Urvaçi and Parvacitti his Apsarases, his missile the lightning, his weapon the thunder.

f. To them homage; be they gracious to us; him whom [2] we hate and who hateth us I place in your jaws.

g. I place thee in the seat of the living, in the shadow of the helper; homage to the ocean, homage to the splendour of the ocean.

h. May the supreme lord place thee on the ridge of the vault, encompassing, expanding, mighty, powerful, overcoming; support the sky, make firm the sky, harm not the sky; for every expiration, inspiration, cross-breathing, out-breathing, support, movement; let Surya protect thee with great prosperity, with a covering most healing; with that deity do thou sit firm in the manner of Angiras.

i. Like a horse neighing eager for the pasture,
When he hath wandered from the great enclosure,
Then the wind bloweth after his splendour,
And then thy path becometh black.

iv. 4. 4.

a. Agni is the head of the sky, the height,
Lord of the earth here,
He quickeneth the seed of the waters.

b. Thee, O Agni, from the lotus
Atharvan pressed out
From the head of every priest.

c. This Agni is lord of a thousandfold,
A hundredfold, strength;
The sage, the head of wealth.

d. Leader of the sacrifice and the region art thou,
Where with steeds auspicious thou dost resort;
Thou placest in the sky thy head winning light,
Thou makest, O Agni, thy tongue to bear the oblation.

e. Agni hath been awakened by the kindling-stick of men
To meet the dawn that cometh on like a cow [1];
Like young ones rising up to a branch,
The rays rise towards the vault.

f. We have uttered to the sage, the worshipful,
Our voice of praise, to the strong bull;
Gavisthira with his homage hath raised to Agni this laud,
Wide extending like brilliance in the sky.

g. He hath been born as guardian of men, wakeful,
Agni, skilful, for fresh prosperity;
Ghee-faced, with mighty sky-reaching (blaze)
He shineth gloriously, pure for the Bharatas.

h. Thee, O Agni [2], the Angirases found
When hidden in secret, resting in every wood;
Thou when rubbed art born as mighty strength;
Son of strength they call thee, O Angiras.

i. Banner of the sacrifice, first domestic priest,
Agni men kindle in the three stations;
With Indra and the gods conjoined on the strew
Let him sit, as Hotr, well skilled for sacrificing.

k. Thee of most resplendent fame
Men invoke in their dwellings,
With flaming hair, O dear to many,
O Agni, to bear the oblation.

l. O friends, together (offer) fit [3]
Food and praise to Agni,
Highest over the folk,
The son of strength, the mighty.

m. Thou gatherest, O strong one,
O Agni, all that belongeth to the niggard;
Thou art kindled in the place of offering;
Do thou bear us good things.

n. With this homage Agni,
Son of strength, I invoke,
Dear, most effectual messenger, the good sacrificer,
The envoy of all, immortal.

o. He, the ruddy, shall yoke (his steeds) all cherishing,
He shall hasten when well adored;
The sacrifice hath good prayer and strong effort [4],
Of the Vasus, the divine gift of men.

p. The radiance of the bounteous offerer
Hath mounted on high,
The ruddy smoke (riseth) touching the sky;
Men in unison kindle Agni.

q. O Agni, lording it over strength rich in kine,
Youthful son of strength,
Bestow upon us, O all-knower, great fame.

r. Being kindled, bright, sage,
Agni, to be praised with song,
Do thou shine with wealth for us, O thou of many faces.

s. O Agni, lord of the night,
And of the morning, and of the dawn,
Do thou burn against the Raksases with sharp jaws [5].

t. May we kindle thee, O Agni,
Radiant, O god, and unaging;
When this most desirable
Kindling-stick maketh radiance for thee in the sky,
Do thou bear food to thy praisers.

u. With the song, O Agni, the oblation,
O lord of brilliant light,
Bright shining, wonderworker, lord of the people,
O bearer of the oblation, is offered to thee;
Do thou bear food to thy praisers.

v. O bright one, in thy mouth thou cookest
Both ladles (full) of butter;
Do thou make us full [6],
For our hymns, O lord of strength;
Do thou bear food to thy praisers.

w. O Agni to-day, let us make to prosper by praises,
By devotions, for thee this (sacrifice) like a (good) steed,
Like a noble resolve which toucheth the heart.

x. O Agni, thou hast become master
Of noble resolve, of true inspiration,
Of mighty holy order.

y. With these songs singing to thee, O Agni,
This day let us pay worship;
Thy strengths thunder forth as from the sky.

z. At these our hymns of praise do thou be propitious [7],
Like the light of heaven,
O Agni, propitious with all thy faces.

aa. Agni I deem the Hotr, the generous wealth-giver,
The son of strength, the all-knower,
Who knoweth all as a sage,

bb. Who offereth sacrifice well,
With beauty soaring aloft towards the gods, the god,
Following the flames of the ghee,
Of the butter of brilliant radiance when offered up.

c.c O Agni, be thou our nearest,
Our protector, kindly, a shield;

dd. Thee, O shining and most radiant one,
We implore for favour, for our friends.

ee. Agni, bright, of bright fame,
Come hither in thy greatest splendour and give us wealth.

iv. 4. 5.

a. I yoke thee in bonds of fellowship with Indra and Agni, with the ghee sprinklings, with brilliance, with radiance, with the hymns, with the Stomas, with the metres, for the increase of wealth, for pro-eminence among thy fellows; I yoke thee in bonds of fellowship with me.

b. Amba, Duhi, Nitatni, Abhrayanti, Meghayanti, Varsayanti, Cupunika, art thou by name, with Prajapati, with our every prayer, I deposit thee.

c. The earth penetrated by food, a reservoir of water (thou art), men are thy guardians, Agni is placed in this (brick), to it I resort, and may it [1] be my protection and my refuge.

d. The over-sky penetrated by holy power, the atmosphere (thou art); the Maruts are thy guardians, Vayu is placed in this (brick), to it I resort, and may it be my protection and my refuge.

e. The sky, penetrated by ambrosia, the unconquered (thou art); the Adityas are thy guardians, the sun is deposited in this (brick), to it I resort, and may it be my protection and my refuge.

iv. 4. 6.

a. Let Brhaspati place thee on the ridge of earth, full of light, for every expiration, inspiration; support all the light, Agni is thine overlord.

b. Let Viçvakarman place thee on the ridge of the atmosphere, full of light, for every expiration, inspiration; support all the light, Vayu is thine overlord.

c. Let Prajapati place thee on the ridge of the sky, full of light, for every expiration, inspiration; support all the light, the supreme lord is thine overlord.

d Thou art the bringer of the east wind; thou art the winner of rain; thou art the winner of lightning [1]; thou art the winner of thunder; thou art the winner of rain.

e. Thou art the path of Agni; thou art the gods’ path of Agni.

f. Thou art the path of Vayu; thou art the gods’ path of Vayu.

g. Thou art the path of the atmosphere; thou art the gods’ path of the atmosphere.

h. Thou art the atmosphere; to the atmosphere thee!

i. To the ocean thee, to water thee, to the watery thee, to impulse thee, to the wise thee, to the radiant thee, to the light of the sky thee, to the Adityas thee!

k. To the Rc thee, to radiance thee, to the shining thee, to the blaze thee, to the light thee!

l. Thee, giving glory, in glory; thee, giving brilliance, in brilliance; thee, giving milk, in milk; thee, giving radiance, in radiance; thee giving wealth, in wealth I place; with this seer, the holy power, this deity, sit firm in the manner of Angiras.

iv. 4. 7.

a. Thou art the furtherer; thou art the maker of wide room; thou art the eastern; thou art the zenith; thou art the sitter in the atmosphere, sit on the atmosphere.

b. Thou art the sitter on the waters; thou art the sitter on the hawk thou art the sitter on the vulture; thou art the sitter on the eagle; thou art the sitter on the vault.

c. In the wealth of earth I place thee; in the wealth of the atmosphere I place thee; in the wealth of the sky I place thee; in the wealth of the quarters I place thee; giver of wealth I place thee in wealth.
d Protect my expiration; protect my inspiration; protect my cross-breathing [1]; protect my life; protect all my life; protect the whole of my life.

e. O Agni, thy highest name, the heart,
Come let us join together,
Be thou, O Agni, among those of the five races.

f. (Thou art) the Yavas, the Ayavas, the courses, the helpers, the Sabda, the ocean, the firm one.

iv. 4. 8.

(Thou I art) all overcoming through Agni; self-ruling through the sun; lord of strength through might; creator with the bull; bountiful through the sacrifice; heavenly through the sacrificial fee; slayer of enemies through rage; supporter of the body through kindliness; wealth through food; through the earth he hath won; (thou art) eater of food with verses; increased by the Vasat cry; protector of the body through the Saman; full of light with the Viraj; drinker of Soma through the holy power; with cows he supporteth the sacrifice; with lordly power men; with horse and car bearer of the bolt; lord with the seasons; enclosing with the year; unassailable through penance; the sun with bodies.

iv. 4. 9.

(Thou art) Prajapati in mind, when come to the Soma; the creator in the consecration; Savitr in the bearing; Pusan in the cow for the purchase of the Soma; Varuna when bound (in the cloth); Asura in the being bought; Mitra when purchased; Çipivista when put in place; delighter of men when being drawn forward; the overlord on arrival; Prajapati being led on; Agni at the Agnidh’s altar; Brhaspati on being led from the Agnidh’s altar; Indra at the oblation-holder; Aditi when put in place; Visnu when being taken down; Atharvan when made wet; Yama when pressed out; drinker of unpurified (Soma) when being cleansed; Vayu when purifying; Mitra as mixed with milk; the Manthin when mixed with groats; that of the All-gods when taken out; Rudra when offered; Vayu when covered up; the gazer on men when revealed; the food when it comes; the famed of the fathers; life when taken; the river when going to the final bath; the ocean when gone; the water when dipped; the heaven when arrived at completion.

iv. 4. 10.

a. (Thou art) Krttikas, the Naksatra, Agni, the deity; ye are the radiances of Agni, of Prajapati, of the creator, of Soma; to the Re thee, to radiance thee, to the shining thee, to the blaze thee, to the light thee

b. (Thou art) Rohini the Naksatra, Prajapati the deity; Mrgaçirsa the Naksatra, Soma the deity; Ardra the Naksatra, Rudra the deity; the two Punarvasus the Naksatra, Aditi the deity; Tisya the Naksatra, Brhaspati the deity; the Açresas the Naksatra, the serpents the deity; the Maghas the Naksatra, the fathers the deity; the two Phalgunis the Naksatra [1], Aryaman the deity; the two Phalgunis the Naksatra, Bhaga the deity; Hasta the Naksatra, Savitr the deity; Citra the Naksatra, Indra the deity; Svati the Naksatra, Vayu the deity; the two Viçakhas the Naksatra, Indra and Agni the deity; Anruradha the Naksatra, Mitra the deity; Rohini the Naksatra, Indra the deity; the two Viçrts the Naksatra; the fathers the deity; the Asadhas the Naksatra, the waters the deity; the Asadhas the Naksatra, the All-gods the deity; Çrona the Naksatra, Visnu the deity; Çravistha the Naksatra, the Vasus [2] the, deity; Çatabhisaj the Naksatra, Indra the deity; Prosthapadas the Naksatra, the goat of one foot the deity; the Prosthapadas the Naksatra, the serpent of the deep the deity; Revati the Naksatra, Pusan the deity; the two Açvayujs the Naksatra, the Açvins the deity; the Apabharanis the Naksatra, Yama the deity.

c. Full on the west; what the gods placed.

iv. 4. 11.

a. (Ye are) Madha and Madhava, the months of spring.

b. (Ye are) Çukra and Çuci, the months of summer.

c. (Ye are) Nabha and Nabhasya, the months of rain.

d. (Ye are) Isa and Urja, the months of autumn.

e. (Ye are) Saha and Sahasya, the months of winter.

f. (Ye are) Tapa and Tapasya, the months of the cool season.

g. Thou art the internal bond of the fire,
Be sky and earth in place,
Be waters and plants in place,
Be the fires severally in place
In unison for my greatness [1]
May the fires which of one mind
Are between sky and earth,
Taking place according to the months of the cool season,
Attend (on them), as the gods on Indra.

h. (Thou art) the uniter and forethinker of Agni, Soma, Surya.

i. Thou art the dread, the terrible, of the fathers, of Yama, of Indra.

k. Thou art the firm (quarter) and the earth of the god Savitr, the Maruts, Varuna.

l. Thou art the support, the upholder, of Mitra and Varuna, Mitra, Dhatr,

m. Thou art the eastern, the western (quarter) of the Vasus, the Rudras [2], the Adityas.

n. These are thine overlords, to them honour, be they gracious to us, him whom we hate and who hateth us I place in your jaws.

o. Thou art the measure of a thousand, thou art the image of a thousand, thou art the size of a thousand, thou art the replica of a thousand, thou art of a thousand, for a thousand thee!

p. May these bricks, O Agni, be milch cows for me, one, and a hundred, and a thousand, and ten thousand [3], and a hundred thousand, and a million, and ten million, and a hundred million, and a thousand million, and ten thousand million, and a hundred thousand million, and ten hundred thousand million, and a hundred hundred thousand million; may these bricks, O Agni, be for me milch cows, sixty, a thousand, ten thousand unperishing; ye are standing on holy order, increasing holy order, dripping ghee, dripping honey, full of strength, full of power; may these bricks, O Agni, be for me milkers of desires named the glorious yonder in yon world.

The Horse Sacrifice

iv. 4. 12.

a. May the kindling-stick of the quarters, that winneth the heaven, (Guard us) according to our hopes; from Madhu may Madhava protect us;
Agni, the god, hard to overcome, the undeceivable,
May he guard our kingly power, may he protect us.

b. May the Rathantara with the Samans protect us,
The Gayatri with every form of metres,
The Trivrt Stoma with the order of the days,
The ocean, the wind, make full this strength.

c. (May) the dread among the quarters, the overpowering, giver of strength,
Pure, full of might on a bright day (protect us);
O Indra, as overlord, make full,
And for us [1] on all sides do thou preserve this great kingly power.

d. (May) the Brhat Saman, which supporteth kingly power, with vast strength,
The force made beautiful by the Tristubh, that of fierce strength (protect us);
O Indra, with the fifteenfold Stoma
Do thou guard this in the midst with the wind, with the ocean.

e. (May) the eastern among the quarters, famous and renowned,
O ye All-gods, heavenly with the rain of the days (protect us);
Let this kingly power be unassailable,
Force unoverpowerable, a thousandfold and mighty.

f. Here in the Vairupa Saman may we have strength for this;
With the Jagati we place him in the people;
O ye All-gods [2] through the seventeenfold (Stoma) this radiance,
This kingly power with the ocean wind (be) dread.

g. The supporter among the quarters doth support this lordly power,
The stay of the regions; may force rich in friends be ours;
O Mitra and Varuna, ye wise ones with the autumn of the days,
Do ye accord great protection to this kingdom.

h. In the Vairaja Saman is my devotion;
By the Anustubh (be) manly strength collected;
This kingly power rich in friends, with dripping wet,
Do ye, O Mitra and Varuna, guard through your overlordship.

i. May the victorious among quarters, with the Saman, the strong one,
The season winter in order make us full;
May the great ones, the Çakvari (verses), with favouring winds [8]
Aid this sacrifice, full of ghee.

k. May the heavenly of the quarters, the easily milked, the rich in milk,
The goddess aid us, full of ghee;
Thou art the protector, who goest in front and behind;
O Brhaspati, yoke a voice in the south.

l. (May) the upright of the quarters, the bounteous region of the plants,
And Savitr with the year of the days (aid us);
The Revat Saman, and the Atichandas metre;
Without a foe, be kindly to us.

m. O thou of the three-and-thirtyfold Stoma, lady of the world,
Breathed on by Vivasvant, do thou be gracious to us [4];
Rich in ghee, O Savitr, through thy overlordship,
Be the bounteous region rich in milk, for us.

n. The firm among the quarters, lady of Visnu, the mild,
Ruling over this strength, the desirable,
Brhaspati, Matariçvan, Vayu,
The winds blowing together be gracious to us.

o. Prop of the sky, supporter of the earth,
Ruling this world, lady of Visnu,
All-extending, seeking food, with prosperity,
May Aditi be auspicious to us in her life.

p. Vaiçvanara to our help.

q. Present in the sky.

r. Us to-day Anumati.

s. O Anumati, thou.

t. With what to us radiant shall he be?

u. Who to-day yoketh?

PRAPATHAKA V
The Offerings to Rudra

iv. 5. 1.

a. Homage to thy wrath, O Rudra,
To thine arrow homage also;
Homage to thy bow,
And homage to thine arms.

b. With thy most kindly arrow,
And kindly bow,
With thy kindly missile,
Be gentle to us, O Rudra.

c. That body of thine, O Rudra, which is kindly,
Not dread, with auspicious look,
With that body, most potent to heal,
O haunter of the mountains, do thou look on us.

d. The arrow which, O haunter of mountains,
In thy hand [1] thou bearest to shoot,
That make thou kindly, O guardian of mountains;
Harm not the world of men.

e. With kindly utterance thee
We address, O liver on the mountains,
That all our folk
Be free from sickness and of good cheer.

f. The advocate hath spoken in advocacy,
The first divine leech,
Confounding all the serpents
And all sorceries.

g The dusky, the ruddy,
The brown, the auspicious,
And the Rudras which in thousands
Lie around this (earth) in the quarters [2],
Their wrath do we deprecate.

h. He who creepeth away,
Blue-necked and ruddy,
Him the cowherds have seen,
Have seen the bearers of water
And him all creatures;
May be, seen, be gentle unto us.

i Homage to the blue-necked,
Thousand-eyed one, the bountiful
And to those that are his warriors
I have paid my homage.

k. Unfasten from the two notches
Of thy bow the bowstring,
And cast thou down
The arrows in thy hand [3].

l Unstringing thy bow,
Do thou of a thousand eyes and a hundred quivers,
Destroying the points of thine arrows,
Be gentle and kindly to us.

m. Unstrung is the bow of him of the braided hair
And arrowless his quiver;
His arrows have departed,
Empty is his quiver.

n O most bountiful one, the missile
That is in thy hand, thy bow,
With it on all sides do thou guard us,
Free from sickness.

o. Homage to thy weapon,
Unstrung, dread;
And homage to thy two hands,
To thy bow.

p. May the missile from thy bow
Avoid us on every side,
And do thou lay far from us
This quiver that is thine.

iv. 5. 2.

a. Homage to the golden-armed leader of hosts, and to the lord of the quarters homage!

b. Homage to the trees with green tresses, to the lord of cattle homage!

c. Homage to the one who is yellowish-red like young grass, to the radiant, to the lord of paths homage!

d. Homage to the brown one, to the piercer, to the lord of food homage!

e. Homage to the green-haired, wearer of the cord, to the lord of prosperity homage!

f. Homage to the dart of Bhava, to the lord of the moving world homage!

g. Homage to Rudra, with bent bow, to the lord of fields homage!

h. Homage to the minstrel, the inviolate, to the lord of the woods homage!

i. Homage [1] to the ruddy one, the ruler, to the lord of woods homage!

k. Homage to the minister, the trader, to the lord of thickets homage!

l. Homage to the extender of the world, the offspring of the maker of room, to the lord of plants homage!

m. Homage to the loud calling, the screaming, to the lord of footmen homage!

n. Homage to the wholly covered, to the running, to the lord of warriors homage!

iv. 5. 3.

a. Homage to the strong, the piercing, to the lord of assailers homage!

b. Homage to the leader, the holder of the quiver, to the lord of thieves homage!

c Homage to the holder of the quiver, to the owner of the quiver, to the lord of robbers homage!

d. Homage to the cheater, the swindler, to the lord of burglars homage!

c. Homage to the glider, to the wanderer around, to the lord of the forests homage!

f Homage to the bolt-armed destructive ones, to the lord of pilferers homage!

g. Homage to the bearers of the sword, the night wanderers, to the lord of cut-purses homage!

h. Homage to the turbaned wanderer on the mountains, to the lord of pluckers homage!

i Homage [1] to you, bearers of arrows, and to you, bowmen, homage!

k. Homage to you that string (the bow), and to you that place (on the arrow), homage!

l. Homage to you that bend (the bow), and to you that let go the arrow) homage!

m. Homage to you that hurl, and to you that pierce homage!

n. Homage to you that art seated, and to you that lie homage!

o. Homage to you that sleep, and to you that wake homage!

P. Homage to you that stand, and to you that run homage!

q. Homage to you assemblies, and to you, lords of assemblies, homage!

r. Homage to you horses, and to you, lords of horses, homage!

iv. 5. 4.

a. Homage to you that wound, and to you that pierce homage!

b. Homage to you that are in bands, and to you that are destructive homage!

c. Homage to you sharpers, and to you, lords of sharpers, homage!

d. Homage to you hosts, and to you, lord of hosts, homage!

e. Homage to you troops, and to you, lords of troops, homage

f. Homage to you of misshapen form, and to you of all forms homage!

g. Homage to you that are great, and to you that are small homage!

h. Homage to you that have chariots, and to you that are chariotless homage!

i. Homage to you chariots [1], and to you, lords of chariots, homage!

k. Homage to you hosts, and to you, lords of hosts, homage!

I. Homage to you, doorkeepers, and to you, charioteers, homage!

m. Homage to you, carpenters, and to you, makers of chariots, homage!

n. Homage to you, potters, and to you, smiths, homage!

o. Homage to you, Puñjistas, and to you, Nisadas, homage!

p. Homage to you, makers of arrows, and to you, makers of bows, homage!

q. Homage to you, hunters, and to you, dog-leaders, homage!

r. Homage to you dogs, and to you, lords of dogs, homage!

iv. 5. 5.

a. Homage to Bhava and to Rudra.

b. Homage to Çarva and to the lord of cattle.

c. Homage to the blue-necked one, and to the white-throated.

d. Homage to the wearer of braids, and to him of shaven hair.

e. Homage to him of a thousand eyes, and to him of a hundred bows.

f. Homage to him who haunteth the mountains, and to Çipivista.

g. Homage to the most bountiful, and to the bearer of the arrow.

h. Homage to the short, and to the dwarf.

i. Homage to the great, and to the stronger.

k. Homage to him who hath waxed, and to the waxing.

I. Homage to the chief, and to the first.

m. Homage to the swift, and to the active.

n. Homage to the rapid, and to the hasty.

o. Homage to him of the wave, and to the roaring.

p. Homage to him of the stream, and to him of the island.

iv. 5. 6.

a. Homage to the oldest, and to the youngest.

b. Homage to the first born, and to the later born.

c. Homage to the midmost, and to the immature.

d. Homage to the hindmost, and to him in the depth.

e. Homage to Sobhya, and to him of the amulet.

f. Homage to him who dwelleth with Yama, and to him at peace.

g. Homage to him of the ploughed field, and to him of the threshing-floor.

h. Homage to him of fame, and to him at his end.

i. Homage to him of the wood, and to him of the thicket.

k. Homage to sound, and to echo [1].

I. Homage to him of the swift host, and to him of the swift car.

m. Homage to the hero, and the destroyer.

n. Homage to the armoured, and to the corsleted.

o. Homage to the mailed, and to the cuirassed.

p. Homage to the famous, and to him of a famous host.

iv. 5. 7.

a. Homage to him of the drum, and to him of the drumstick.

b. Homage to the bold, and to the cautious.

c. Homage to the messenger, and to the servant.

d. Homage to the quiver-bearer, and to the owner of the quiver.

e. Homage to him of the sharp arrow, and to him of the weapon.

f. Homage to him of the good weapon, and to him of the good bow.

g. Homage to him of the stream,’ and to him of the way.

h Homage to him of the hole,’ and to him of the pool.

i. Homage to him of the ditch, and to him of the lake.

k. Homage to him of the stream, and to him of the tank

l. Homage to him of the cistern, and to him of the well.

m. Homage to him of the rain, and to him not of the rain.

n. Homage to him of the cloud, and to him of the lightning.

o. Homage to him of the cloudy sky, and to him of the heat.

p. Homage to him of the wind, and to him of the storm.

q. Homage to him of the dwelling, and to him who guardeth the dwelling.

iv. 5. 8.

a. Homage to Soma, and to Rudra.

b. Homage to the dusky one, and to the ruddy one.

c. Homage to the giver of weal, and to the lord of cattle.

d. Homage to the dread, and to the terrible.

e. Homage to him who slayeth in front, and to him who slayeth at a distance.

f. Homage to the slayer, and to the special slayer.

g. Homage to the trees with green tresses.

h. Homage to the deliverer.

i. Homage to the source of health, and to the source of delight.

k. Homage to the maker of health, and to the maker of delight.

I. Homage to the auspicious, and to the more auspicious.

m. Homage to him of the ford, and to him of the bank.

n. Homage to him beyond, and to him on this side.

o. Homage to him who crosseth over, and to him who crosseth back.

p. Homage to him of the crossing, and to him of the ocean.

q. Homage to him in the tender grass, and to him in foam.

r. Homage to him in the sand, and to him in the stream.

iv. 5. 9.

a. Homage to him in the cleft, and to him in the distance.

b. Homage to him dwelling in the stony and to him in habitable places.

c. Homage to him of braided hair, and to him of plain hair.

d. Homage to him who dwelleth in the cowshed, and to him of the house.

e. Homage to him of the bed, and to him of the dwelling.

f. Homage to him of the hole,’ and to him of the abyss.

g. Homage to him of the lake, and to him of the whirlpool.

h. Homage to him of the dust, and to him of the mist.

i. Homage to him of the dry, and to him of the green.

k. Homage to him of the copse, and to him of the grass [1].

l. Homage to him in the earth, and to him in the gully.

m. Homage to him of the leaf, and to him of the leaf-fall.

n. Homage to him who growleth, and to him who smiteth away.

o. Homage to him who draggeth, and to him who repelleth.

p. Homage to you, sparkling hearts of the gods.

q. Homage to the destroyed.

r. Homage to the intelligent.

s. Homage to the unconquerable.

t. Homage to the destroyers.

iv. 5. 10.

a. O chaser, lord of the Soma plants,
O waster, red and blue,
Frighten not nor injure
(Any) of these people, of these cattle;
Be not one of these injured.

b. That auspicious form of thine, O Rudra,
Auspicious and ever healing,
Auspicious and healing (form of) Rudra,
With that show mercy on us for life.

c. This prayer we offer up to the impetuous Rudra,
With plaited hair, destroyer of men,
That health be for our bipeds and quadrupeds,
And that all in this village be prosperous [1] and free from ill.

d. Be merciful to us, O Rudra, and give us delight;
With honour let us worship thee, destroyer of men;
The health and wealth which father Manu won by sacrifice,
May we attain that, O Rudra, under thy leadership.

e. Neither our great, nor our small,
Our waxing or what has waxed,
Do thou slay, nor father nor mother;
Injure not, O Rudra, our dear bodies [2].

f. Harm us not in our children, our descendants, our life;
Harm us not in our cattle, in our horses;
Smite not in anger our heroes, O Rudra;
With oblations lot us serve thee with honour.

g. From afar to thee, slayer of cows, and slayer of men,
Destroyer of heroes, be goodwill for us;
Guard us and accord us aid
And grant us protection in abundance.

h. Praise [3] the famous youth, mounted on the chariot seat,
Dread and destructive like a fierce wild beast;
Being praised, O Rudra, be merciful to the singer;
Let thy missiles smite down another than us.

i. May the missile of Rudra spare us,
May the wrath of the brilliant evil worker (pass over us);
Unstring for the generous donors (thy) strong (bows);
O bounteous one, be merciful to our children and descendants.

k. O most bounteous, most auspicious,
Be auspicious and favourably inclined to us;
Placing down thy weapon on the highest tree,
Clad in thy skin, come,
And approach us bearing the spear [4].

l. O blood-red scatterer,
Homage to thee, O adorable one;
May thy thousand missiles
Smite down another than us.
m A thousandfold in thousands
Are the missiles in thine arms;
O adorable one, do thou turn away
The points of those which thou dost rule.

iv. 5. 11.

a. The Rudras that are over the earth
In thousands by thousands,
Their bows we unstring
At a thousand leagues.

b. The Bhavas in this great ocean,
The atmosphere–

c. The Çarvas of black necks, and white throats,
Who wander below on the earth–

d. The Rudras who abide in the sky,
Of black necks and white throats–

e. Those who of black necks and ruddy,
Grass green, are in the trees–

f. The overlords of creatures,
Without top-knot, with braided hair–

g. Those that assault men in their food
And in their cups as they drink–

h. Those that guard the paths,
Bearing food, warriors–

i. Those that resort to fords [1],
With spears and quivers–

k. The Rudras that so many and yet more
Occupy the quarters, their bows we unstring
At a thousand leagues.

l. m n Homage to the Rudras on the earth, in the atmosphere, in the sky, whose arrows are food, wind, and rain, to them ten eastwards, ten to the south, ten to the west, ten to the north, ten upwards; to them homage, be they merciful to us, him whom we hate and him who hateth us, I place him within your jaws.

PRAPATHAKA VI
The Preparation of the Fire

iv. 6. 1.

a. The strength resting on the stone, the bill,
On the wind, on Parjanya, on the breath of Varuna,
Brought together from the waters, from the plants, from the trees;
That food and strength do ye, O Maruts, bounteously bestow upon us.

b. In the stone is thy hunger; let thy pain reach N. N., whom we hate.

c. With the wind of the ocean
We envelop thee, O Agni;
Be thou purifying and auspicious to us.

d. With the caul of winter
We envelop thee, O Agni;
Be thou purifying and auspicious to us.

e. Down upon earth [1], upon the reed,
Upon the waters lower (do thou descend);
Thou, O Agni, art the bile of the waters,

f. O female frog, with these come hither;
Do thou make this sacrifice of ours
Pure in hue and auspicious.

g. Pure, with radiance wonderful,
On earth he hath shone as with the light of dawn.

h. Who (cometh) to battle,
Moving with strength as on Etaça’s course,
In the heat unathirst, immortal.

i O Agni, the purifying, with thy light,
O god, with thy pleasant tongue,
Bring hither the gods [2], and sacrifice.

k Do thou, O shining and purifying one,
O Agni, bring hither the gods
To our sacrifice and our oblation.

l. This is the meeting of the waters,
The abode of the ocean;
May thy bolts afflict another than us;
Be thou purifying and auspicious to us.

m. Homage to thy heat, thy blaze
Homage be to thy light;
May thy bolts afflict another than us;
Be thou purifying and auspicious to us.

n. To him that sitteth in man, hail! [3] To him that sitteth in the waters, hail! To him that sitteth in the wood, hail! To him that sitteth on the strew, hail! To him that findeth the heaven, hail!

o. Those gods among gods, worshipful among the worshipful,
Who await their yearly portion,
Who eat not oblations, in this sacrifice
Do ye delight yourselves with honey and ghee.

p. The gods who above the gods attained godhead,
Who lead the way to this holy power,
Without whom no place whatever is pure,
Neither on the heights of sky or earth are they.

q. Giver of expiration art thou [4], of inspiration, of cross-breathing,
Giver of eyesight, giver of splendour, giver of wide room;
May thy bolts afflict another than us;
Be thou purifying and auspicious to us.

r. May Agni with his piercing blaze
Cast down every foe;
May Agni win for us wealth.

s. With his countenance the kindly one
Will sacrifice to the gods for us, most skilled to win prosperity by sacrifice;
Guardian undeceived and protector of us,
O Agni, shine forth with radiance and with wealth.

iv. 6. 2.

a. He who sat down, offering all these beings,
As Hotr, the seer, our father,
He seeking wealth with prayer,
Hath entered into the boon of the first of coverers.

b. Since Viçvakarman is mighty in mind,
Disposer, ordainer, and highest seer,
Their offerings rejoice in food,
Where say they is one beyond the seven Rsis.

c. He who is our father, our begetter, the ordainer,
Who begot us from being unto being [1],
Who alone assigneth their names to the gods,
Him other beings approach for knowledge.

d. Wealth they won by offering to him
The seers of old like singers in abundance,
They who fashioned these beings illumined and unillumined
In the expanse of space.

e. Ye shall not find him who produced this world;
Another thing shall be betwixt you;
Enveloped in mist and with stammering
The singers of hymns move enjoying life.

f. Beyond the sky, beyond this [2] earth,
Beyond the gods, what is secret from the Asuras,
What germ first did the waters bear,
When all the gods came together?

g. This germ the waters first bore,
When all the gods came together;
On the navel of the unborn is set the one
On which doth rest all this world.

h. Viçvakarman, the god, was born;
Then second the Gandharva;
Third the father, begetter of plants [31
In many a place did he deposit the germ of the waters.

i. Father of the eye, the sage with his mind,
Produced these two worlds rich in ghee,
When the fore ends were made firm,
Then did sky and earth extend.

k. With eyes on every side, with a face on every side,
With hands on every side, with feet on every side,
The one god producing sky and earth
Welds them together with arms, with wings.

l. What was the basis?
Which and what his support?
When producing earth [4] Viçvakarman, all-seeing,
Disclosed the sky with his might.

m. What was the wood, and what the tree,
Whence they formed sky and earth?
O ye wise ones, inquire with your minds
On what he stood as he supported the worlds.

n. Thy highest, lowest,
Midmost abodes here, O Viçvakarman,
In the offering do thou teach thy comrades, O faithful one;
Do thou thyself sacrifice to thyself, rejoicing.

o. The lord of speech, Viçvakarman,
Let us invoke this day to aid us [5], thought yoked for strength,
May he delight in our nearest offerings,
He with all healing, to aid (us), the doer of good deeds.

p. O Viçvakarman, waxing great with the oblation,
Do thou thyself sacrifice to thyself rejoicing;
May the others around, our foes, be confused;
May our patrons here be rich.

q. O Viçvakarman, with the oblation as strengthening,
Thou didst make Indra, the protector, free from scathe,
To him the clans of old bowed in homage,
That he might be dread, to be severally invoked.

r. To the ocean, the moving,
The lord of streams, homage!
To the lord of all the streams
Do ye offer, to Viçvakarman,
Through all the days the immortal offering.

iv. 6. 3.

a. O Agni, to whom ghee is offered,
Do thou lead him forward;
Unite him with increase of wealth,
With offspring and with wealth.

b. O Indra, bring him to the fore,
That he may be lord over his fellows;
Unite him with splendour,
That he may assign their shares to the gods.

c. Him, O Agni, do thou exalt
In whose house we make the offering;
To him may the gods lend aid,
And he the lord of holy power.

d. May the All-gods thee [1],
O Agni, bear up with their thoughts;
Be thou to us most propitious,
With kindly face, abounding in light.

e. May the five regions divine aid the sacrifice,
The goddesses driving away poverty and hostility,
And giving to the lord of the sacrifice increase of wealth.

f. In increase of wealth the sacrifice hath been established,
Waxing great on the kindled fire,
Grasped with hymns as wings, to be adored;
They sacrificed embracing the heated cauldron.

g. When with strength the gods laboured at the sacrifice
For the divine supporter, the enjoyer,
Serving the gods, benign, with a hundred drinks (was it);
The gods kept embracing the sacrifice [2].

h. With the rays of the sun, with tawny hair,
Savitr hath raised before (us) his unending light;
On his instigation fareth Pusan the god,
The guardian, gazing on all things.

i. The gods stand serving as priests for the gods;
Ready (is it) for the immolator, let the immolator sacrifice;
Where the fourth offering goeth to the oblation,
Thence let our pure invocations be accepted.

k. As measurer he standeth in the midst of the sky,
Filling the two worlds and the atmosphere;
The all-reaching [3], the butter-reaching, he discerneth,
Between the eastern and the western mark.

l. Bull, ocean, ruddy bird,
He hath entered the birthplace of his ancient sire;
In the middle of the sky is the dappled stone set down
He hath stepped apart, he guardeth the two ends of space.

m. All songs have caused Indra to wax
To encompass the ocean,
Best charioteer of charioteers,
True lord and lord of strength.

n. Let the sacrifice invite favour, and bring (to us) the gods; let the god, Agni, offer and bring (to us) the gods.

o. With the impulse of strength,
With elevation he hath seized me;
Then Indra hath made my enemies
Humble by depression.

p. The gods have increased my prayer,
Which is elevation and depression;
Then do ye, O Indra and Agni,
Scatter my foes on every side.

iv. 6. 4.

a. Swift, like a bull sharpening his horns, the warrior
Fond of slaughter, disturber of the people,
Bellowing, unwinking, sole hero,
Indra at once conquered a hundred hosts.

b. With the bellowing, unwinking, conquering,
Fighter, hard to overthrow, and daring Indra,
With Indra do ye conquer, do ye withstand
The foe, O heroes, with the strong one who holdeth the arrow in his hands.

c. He is mighty with those who have arrows in their hands and quivers,
Indra who joineth hosts with his band,
Conquering in combat, drinker of Soma, with many a band,
With bow uplifted, and shooter with well-drawn arrows.

d. O Brhaspati, fly round with thy chariot [1],
Slaying the foe, driving away the enemy;
Defeating hosts, destroyer, victor in battle,
Be thou protector of our chariots.

e. The cleaver of the cowstalls, finder of the cows, with the thunderbolt on his arm,
Victorious, crushing in might a host,
Be heroes, O my fellows, like him;
O comrades, follow in Indra’s footsteps.

f. Conspicuous by might, strong, heroic,
Enduring, mighty, steadfast, dread,
Surpassing heroes and warriors born of strength,
Do thou, winning kine, mount, O Indra, thy victorious car.

g. In might penetrating the cowstalls,
Impetuous [2], the hero, Indra, with wrath a hundredfold,
Hard to resist, enduring in battle, unovercomable,
May he aid our armies in the battles.

h. Indra (be) their leader, and let Brhaspati,
The sacrificial fee, the sacrifice and Soma go before;
Let the Maruts precede the hosts divine,
That overthrow and conquer.

i. Of Indra, the strong, of Varuna, the king,
Of the Adityas, of the Maruts the mighty host–
The voice hath ascended of the gods
Great-hearted that shake the worlds as they conquer.

k. Ours (be) Indra, when the standards meet;
Ours be the arrows that conquer [3];
Ours be the heroes who are victors,
And us do ye aid, O gods, at our invocations.

l. Exalt our weapons, O bounteous one,
Exalt the might of my warriors;
Exalt the strength of the steed, O slayer of Vrtra,
Let the sound of the conquering chariots arise.

m. Go ye forward, O heroes; conquer;
Be your arms strong;
May Indra accord you protection
That ye may be unassailable.

n. Let loose, fly forward,
O arrow, expelled with holy power;
Go to our foes, and enter [4] them;
Not one of them do thou spare.

o. Thy vital parts I clothe with armour;
May Soma, the king, cover thee with immortality,
Space broader than broad be thine;
May the gods take delight in thy victory.

p. When the arrows fly together
Like boys unshorn,
Then may Indra, slayer of foes,
Accord us protection for ever.

iv. 6. 5.

a. Along the eastern quarter do thou advance, wise one;
Be thou, O Agni, of Agni the harbinger here;
Illumine with thy radiance all the regions;
Confer strength on our bipeds and quadrupeds.

b. Mount ye, with Agni, to the vault,
Bearing him of the pan in your hands;
Having gone to the ridge of the sky, to the heaven,
Do ye eat, mingled with the gods.

c. From earth have I mounted to the atmosphere;
From the atmosphere have I mounted to the sky;
From the ridge of the vault of the sky
Have I attained the heaven, the light [1].

d. Going to the heaven, they look not away;
They mount the sky, the two worlds,
They who extended, wisely,
The sacrifice, streaming on every side.

e. O Agni, advance, first of worshippers,
Eye of gods and mortals;
Pressing on in unison with the Bhrgus,
Let the sacrificers go to heaven, to prosperity.

f. Night and the dawn, one-minded, but of various form,
United suckle one child;
The radiant one shineth between sky and earth;
The gods, granters of wealth, support Agni.

g. O Agni, of a thousand eyes [2], of a hundred heads,
A hundred are thy expirations, a thousand thine inspirations;
Thou art lord of wealth a thousandfold;
To thee as such let us pay homage for strength, hail!

h. Thou art the winged bird, sit on the earth; sit on the ridge of earth; with thy blaze fill the atmosphere, with thy light establish the sky, with thy brilliance make firm the quarters.

i. Receiving offering, fair of face, O Agni;
Sit down in front in thine own birthplace, in due order;
In this higher place,
O All-gods [3], do ye sit with the sacrificer.

k. Enkindled, O Agni, shine before us,
O most youthful, with unfailing beam;
Ever upon thee strength awaiteth.

l. Let us pay homage to thee in thy highest birth, O Agni;
Let us pay homage with praises in thy lower abode;
The place of birth whence thou didst come, to that I offer;
In thee when kindled they offered the oblations.

m. That various lovingkindness given to all men,
Of Savitr the adorable, I choose,
That mighty fat cow of his which Kanva milked,
Streaming with a thousand (draughts) of milk [4].

n. Seven are thy kindling-sticks, O Agni, seven thy tongues,
Seven seers, seven dear abodes;
Seven Hotras sevenfold sacrifice to thee
Seven birthplaces with ghee do thou fill.

o. Such like, other like, thus like, similar, measured, commensurate, harmonious;

p. Of pure radiance, of varied radiance, of true radiance, the radiant, true, protector of holy order, beyond distress [5];

q. Winning holy order, winning truth, host-conquering, having a good host, with foes within, with foes afar, the troop;

r. Holy order, true, secure, supporting, supporter, upholder, upholding;

s. Such like, thus like, do ye come to us, similar and equal.

t. Measured and commensurate, to aid us, harmonious, at this sacrifice, O Maruts.

u. On Indra attend the divine folk, the Maruts; even as the divine folk, the Maruts, attend on Indra, so may the folk divine and human, attend on this sacrificer.

The Horse Sacrifice

iv. 6. 6.

a. As of a thunder-cloud is the face of the warrior
As he advanceth to the lap of the battles;
Be victorious with unpierced body;
Let the might of thine armour protect thee.

b. By the bow cows, by the bow the contest may we win,
By the bow dread battles may we win;
The bow doth work displeasure to the foe;
By the bow let us win in all the quarters.

c. As if about to speak it approacheth the ear,
Embracing its dear comrade,
Like a woman this bowstring twangeth stretched over the bow [1],
Saving in the battle.

d. They coming together as a maiden to the assembly,
As a mother her child, shall bear (the arrow) in their lap;
In unison shall they pierce the foes,
These two ends springing asunder, the enemies.

e. Father of many (daughters), many his sons,
He whizzeth as he goeth to battle,
The quiver, slung on the back, yielding its content,
Doth conquer every band and army.

f. Standing on the chariot be guideth his steeds before him
Wheresoever he desireth, good charioteer;
The might of the reins [2] do ye admire;
The reins behind obey the mind (of the driver).

g. Shrilly the strong-hooved horses neigh,
As with the cars they show their strength;
Trampling with their forefeet the enemy
They unflinchingly destroy the foe.

h. The chariot-bearer is his oblation by name,
Where is deposited his armour and his weapon;
Then may we sit on the strong car,
All the days, with friendly hearts.

i. The fathers with pleasant seats, granting strength,
A support in trouble mighty and profound,
With varied hosts, with arrows to strengthen them, free,
With real heroes, broad conquerors of hosts.

k. The Brahmans [3], the fathers worthy of the Soma,
And sky and earth, unequalled be propitious to us;
May Pusan guard us from misfortune, us that prosper holy order
Do thou guard; may no foe overpower us.

l. A feather her garment, a deer her tooth,
Tied with cowhide she flieth shot forth;
Where men run together and apart,
There may the arrows accord us protection.

m. O thou of straight path, avoid us;
Be our body as of stone
May Soma favour us,
And Aditi [4] grant protection!

n. Their backs it smites,
Their thighs it belabours;
O horse-whip, do ye stimulate
The skilled horses in the battles.

o. Like a snake with its coils it encircleth his arm,
Fending off the friction of the bowstring,
Let the hand-guard, knowing all cunning,
Manfully guard the man on all sides.

p. O lord of the forest, be strong of limb,
Our comrade, efficacious, of great strength;
Thou art tied with cowhide, be thou strong;
Let him that mounteth thee conquer what is to be conquered.

q. From sky, from earth [5] is might collected,
From trees is strength gathered;
The might of the waters surrounded with the kine,
Indra’s thunderbolt, the chariot, do thou adore with oblation.

r. The thunderbolt of Indra, the face of the Maruts,
The embryo of Mitra, the navel of Varuna,
Do thou, accepting this our sacrifice,
O chariot divine, take to thyself the oblations.

s. Roar to earth and sky;
Let the scattered world be ware of thee in many places;
Do thou, O drum, in unison with Indra and the gods [6],
Drive away the foe further than far.

t. Roar thou! Grant us force and might.
Thunder, overthrowing obstacles;
Snort away, O drum, misfortune hence;
Indra’s fist art thou; show thy strength.

u. Drive to us those, and these make to come to us;
The drum speaketh aloud for a signal (of battle)
Our heroes winged with steeds meet together;
Be our chariotmen victorious, O Indra.

iv. 6. 7.

a. When first thou didst cry on birth,
Arising from the ocean or the dust,
The wings of the eagle, the limbs of the gazelle,
That is thy famed birth, O steed.

b. The steed given by Yama hath Trita yoked,
It Indra first mounted,
The bridle of it the Gandharva grasped;
O Vasus, from the sun ye fashioned the steed.

c. Thou art Yama, O steed, thou art Aditya;
Thou art Trita by secret ordinance;
Thou art entirely separated from Soma [1];
Three, they say, are thy bonds in the sky.

d. Three, they say, are thy bonds in the sky,
Three in the waters, three within the ocean
And like Varuna to me thou appearest, O steed,
Where, say they, is thy highest birthplace.

e. These, O swift one, are thy cleansings,
These the placings down of thy hooves in victory;
Here I have seen thy fair ropes,
Which the guards of holy order guard.

f. The self of thee with my mind I perceived from afar,
Flying with wings from below through the sky [2];
Thy head I saw speeding with wings
On paths fair and dustless.

g. Here I saw thy highest form,
Eager to win food in the footstep of the cow;
When a mortal man pleaseth thy taste,
Then most greedily dost thou consume the plants.

h. Thee follows the chariot, thee the lover, O steed,
Thee the kine, thee the portion of maidens;
Thy friendship the companies have sought;
The gods have imitated thy strength [3].

i. Golden his horns, iron his feet;
Swift as thought, Indra was his inferior;
The gods came to eat his oblation
Who first did master the steed.

k. Full haunched, of slender middle,
The heroic divine steeds,
Vie together like cranes in rows,
When the horses reach the divine coursing-place

l. Thy body is fain to fly, O steed;
Thy thought is like the blowing wind;
Thy horns are scattered in many places,
They wander busy in the woods.

m. To [4] the slaughter the swift steed hath come,
Pondering with pious mind;
The goat, his kin, is led before,
Behind him come the sages to sing.

n. To his highest abode hath the steed come,
To his father and his mother;
To-day do thou go, most welcome, to the gods;
Then boons shall he assign to the generous.

iv. 6. 8.

a. Let not Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman, Ayu,
Indra, Rbhuksan, the Maruts disregard us,
When we shall proclaim before the assembly
The might of the strong god-born steed.

b. When they bear before him, covered with a garment and with wealth
The gift they have seized,
The goat, all-formed, bleating,
Goeth straight to the dear stronghold of Indra and Pusan.

c. This goat is led before the strong steed
As share of Pusan, connected with the All-gods,
When Tvastr impels him as an acceptable sacrifice
Together with the steed for fair renown [1].

d. When men thrice lead round in due season
The steed going to the gods as an acceptable offering
Then first goeth Pusan’s share,
The goat announcing the sacrifice to the gods.

e. Hotr Adhvaryu, atoner, fire kindler,
Holder of the stone, and skilled reciter,
With this well-prepared sacrifice
Well offered do ye fill the channels.

f. The cutters of the stake, the bearers of the stake,
And they that fashion the top piece for the stake for the horse,
And they that collect the cooking-pot for the steed [2],
May their approval quicken us.

g. He hath come forth–efficacious hath been my prayer–
To the regions of the gods, straight backed;
In him the sages, the seers, rejoice,
For the prosperity of the gods a good friend have we made.

h. The bond of the strong one, the tie of the steed,
The head stall, the rope of him,
And the grass placed in his mouth,
May all these of thine be with the gods.

i. Whatever of the horse’s raw flesh [3] the fly eateth,
Whatever on the chip or the axe hath stuck,
Whatever is on the hands, the nails of the slayer,
May all these of thine be with the gods.

k. The refuse that bloweth forth from the belly,
The smell of raw flesh,
Let the slayers see that in order
Let them cook the fat to a turn.

l. Whatever flieth away from thy limb
As it is cooked by the fire when thou art spitted,
Let it fall not on earth, nor on the grass;
Be that given to the eager gods.

iv. 6. 9.

a. Those who watch for the cooking of the strong one,
And call out, ‘It is fragrant; take it out,’
And who wait to beg for the meat of the steed,
May their approval quicken us.

b. The trial spoon of the meat-cooking pot,
The vessels to hold the juice,
The coverings of the dishes for warming,
The hooks, the crates, attend the steed.

c. The starting-place, the sitting down, the turning,
The hobbles of the steed,
What it hath drunk, what it hath eaten as fodder [1],
May all these of thine be with the gods.

d. May Agni, smoke smelling, not make thee crackle;
May not the radiant pot be broken, smelling;
Offered, delighted in, approved, offered with the Vasat cry,
The gods accept the horse.

e. The garment they spread for the horse,
The upper garment, the golden (trappings),
The bond of the steed, the hobble,
As dear to the gods they offer.

f. If one hath smitten thee, riding thee driven with force,
With heel or with whip [2],
As with the ladle the parts of the oblation in the sacrifice,
So with holy power all these of thine I put in order.

g. The four and thirty ribs of the strong steed,
Kin of the gods, the axe meeteth;
Skilfully do ye make the joints faultless;
Declaring each part, do ye cut it asunder.

h. One carver is there of the steed of Tvastr
Two restrainers are there, so is the use;
Those parts of thy limbs that I place in order,
Those in balls I offer in the fire.

i. Let not thy dear self distress thee [3] as thou comest;
Let not the axe stay in thy body;
May no greedy skilless carver,
Missing the joints, mangle thy limbs with the knife.

k. Thou dost not die, indeed, thou art not injured,
On easy paths thou goest to the gods;
The bays, the dappled ones, have become thy yoke-fellows;
The steed bath stood under the yoke of the ass.

l. Wealth of kine for us, may the strong one (grant), wealth in horses,
Men and sons, and every form of prosperity;
May Aditi confer on us sinlessness;
Kingship for us may the horse rich in offering gain.

PRAPATHAKA VII
The Piling of the Fire Altar (Continued)

iv. 7. 1.

a. O Agni and Visnu, may these songs gladden you in unison; come ye with radiance and strength.

b. May for me strength, instigation, influence, inclination, thought, inspiration, speech, fame, renown, reputation, light, heaven, expiration, inspiration [1], cross-breathing, breath, mind, learning, voice, mind, eye, ear, skill, might, force, strength, life, old age, breath, body, protection, guard, limbs, bones, joints, bodies (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 2.

May for me pre-eminence, overlordship, spirit, anger, violence, impetuosity, victorious power, greatness, breadth, extent, greatness, length, growth, growing, truth, faith, world [1], wealth, power, radiance, play, delight, what is born, what is to be born, good words, good deeds, finding, what there is to find, what has been, what will be, easy road, good way, prosperity, prospering, agreement, agreeing, thought, good thought (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 3.

May for me prosperity, comfort, desire, wish, longing, kindliness, good, better, superior, fame, good luck, riches, restrainer, supporter, peace, firmness, all [1], greatness, discovery, knowledge, begetting, procreation, plough, harrow, holy order, immortality, freeness from disease, freedom from illness, life, longevity, freedom from foes, fearlessness, ease of going, lying, fair dawning, and fair day (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 4.

May for me strength, righteousness, milk, sap, ghee, honey, eating and drinking in company, ploughing, rain, conquest, victory, wealth, riches, prosperity, prospering, plenteousness [1], lordship, much, more, fun, fuller, imperishableness, bad crops, food, freedom from hunger, rice, barley, beans, sesame, kidney beans, vetches, wheat, lentils, Millet, Panicum miliaceum, Panicum frumentaceum, and wild rice (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 5.

May I for me the stone, clay, hills, mountains, sand, trees, gold, bronze, lead, tin, iron, copper, fire, water, roots, plants, what grows on ploughed land, what grows on unploughed land, tame and wild cattle prosper through the sacrifice; may for me wealth and gaining wealth, attainment and attaining, riches, dwelling, act, power, aim, strength, moving and going (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 6.

May Agni for me and Indra, may Soma and Indra, may Savitr and Indra, may Sarasvati and Indra, may Pusan and Indra, may Brhaspati and Indra, may Mitra and Indra, may Varuna and Indra, may Tvastr [1] and Indra, may Dhatr and Indra, may Visnu and Indra, may the Açvins and Indra, may the Maruts and Indra, may the All-gods and Indra, may earth and Indra, may the atmosphere and Indra, may sky and Indra, may the quarters and Indra, may the head and Indra, may Prajapati and Indra (be auspicious for me through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 7.

May the Amçu cup for me, the Raçmi, the Adabhya, the overlord (cup), the Upançu, the Antaryama, the (cup) for Indra and Vayu, the (cup) for Mitra and Varuna, the (cup) for the Açvins, the Pratiprasthana (cup) the Çukra, the Manthin, the Agrayana, the (cup) for the All-gods, the Dhruva, the (cup) for Vaiçvanara, the season cups [1], the Atigrahyas, the (cup) for Indra and Agni, the (cup) for the All-gods, the (cups) for the Maruts, the (cup) for Mahendra, the (cup) for Aditya, the (cup) for Savitr the (cup) for Sarasvati, the (cup) for Pusan, the (cup) for (Tvastr) with the wives (of the gods), the Hariyojana (cup) (prosper for me through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 8.

May the kindling-wood for me, the strew, the altar, the lesser altars, the offering-spoons, the cups, the pressing-stones, the chips (of the post), the sounding-holes, the two pressing-boards, the wooden tub, the Vayu cups, the (bowl) for the purified Soma, the mixing (bowl), the Agnidh’s altar, the oblation-holder, the house, the Sadas, the cakes, the cooked (offerings), the final bath, the cry of ‘Godspeed’ (prosper for me through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 9.

May the fire for me, the cauldron, the beam, the sun, breath, the horse sacrifice, earth, Aditi, Diti, sky, the Çakvari verses, the fingers, the quarters prosper through the sacrifice; may the Re, the Saman, the hymn tune, the Yajus, consecration, penance, the season, the vow (prosper) through the rain of day and night, the Brhat and Rathantara prosper for me through the sacrifice.

iv. 7. 10.

May the embryo for me, the calves, the one-and-a-half-year-old male and female, the two-year-old male and female, the two-and-a-half-year-old male and female, the three-year-old male and female, the four-year-old male and female, the draught ox and the draught cow, the bull and the cow that is barren, the steer [1] and the cow that miscarries, the bullock and the cow (prosper through the sacrifice); may life prosper through the sacrifice, may expiration prosper through the sacrifice, may inspiration prosper through the sacrifice, may cross-breathing prosper through the sacrifice, may the eye prosper through the sacrifice, may the ear prosper through the sacrifice, may mind prosper through the sacrifice, may speech prosper through the sacrifice, may the self prosper through the sacrifice, may the sacrifice prosper through the sacrifice.

iv. 7. 11.

a. May one for me, three, five, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen, fifteen, seventeen, nineteen, twenty-one, twenty-three, twenty-five, twenty-seven, twenty-nine, thirty-one, thirty-three [1];

b. four, eight, twelve, sixteen, twenty, twenty-four, twenty-eight, thirty-two, thirty-six, forty, forty-four, forty-eight;

c. strength, instigation, the later born, inspiration, heaven, the head, the Vyaçniya, the offspring of the last, the last, the offspring of being, being, the overlord (prosper with the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 12.

a. May strength aid us through the seven quarters,
The four distances,
Strength aid us here with the All-gods
For the gaining of wealth.

b. May all the Maruts to-day be present, all, to aid us,
Be the fires all enkindled present;
May the All-gods come to us with aid;
All wealth, and strength, be ours.

c. O gods, come in your cars of gold
For the instigation of strength,
Agni, Indra, Brhaspati
And the Maruts to drink the Soma.

d. For each prize, aid us, O ye steeds,
For the rewards [1], O ye wise, immortal, righteous ones;
Drink of this mead, rejoice in it;
Delighted go by paths on which the gods go.

e. Strength is in front, in the midst of us;
Strength shall assort the gods in due season
The instigation of strength is propitious;
In all the quarters may I become a lord of strength.

f. Milk may I place on earth, milk on the plants,
Milk in the sky, in the atmosphere milk,
Be the quarters rich in milk for me.

g. I unite myself with milk, with ghee,
I united myself. with waters [2] and plants;
Strength may I win, O Agni.

h. Night and the dawn, one-minded, but of various form
United suckle one child;
The radiant one shineth between sky and earth;
The gods, granters of wealth, support Agni.

i. Thou art the ocean, full of mist, granting moisture, blow over me with healing, with wonder-working; hail! Thou art of the Maruts, the horde of the Maruts, blow over me with healing, with wonder-working; hail! Thou art the helper, the worshipper, blow over me with healing, with wonder-working; hail!

PRAPATHAKA VII
The Piling of the Fire Altar (Continued)

iv. 7. 1.

a. O Agni and Visnu, may these songs gladden you in unison; come ye with radiance and strength.

b. May for me strength, instigation, influence, inclination, thought, inspiration, speech, fame, renown, reputation, light, heaven, expiration, inspiration [1], cross-breathing, breath, mind, learning, voice, mind, eye, ear, skill, might, force, strength, life, old age, breath, body, protection, guard, limbs, bones, joints, bodies (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 2.

May for me pre-eminence, overlordship, spirit, anger, violence, impetuosity, victorious power, greatness, breadth, extent, greatness, length, growth, growing, truth, faith, world [1], wealth, power, radiance, play, delight, what is born, what is to be born, good words, good deeds, finding, what there is to find, what has been, what will be, easy road, good way, prosperity, prospering, agreement, agreeing, thought, good thought (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 3.

May for me prosperity, comfort, desire, wish, longing, kindliness, good, better, superior, fame, good luck, riches, restrainer, supporter, peace, firmness, all [1], greatness, discovery, knowledge, begetting, procreation, plough, harrow, holy order, immortality, freeness from disease, freedom from illness, life, longevity, freedom from foes, fearlessness, ease of going, lying, fair dawning, and fair day (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 4.

May for me strength, righteousness, milk, sap, ghee, honey, eating and drinking in company, ploughing, rain, conquest, victory, wealth, riches, prosperity, prospering, plenteousness [1], lordship, much, more, fun, fuller, imperishableness, bad crops, food, freedom from hunger, rice, barley, beans, sesame, kidney beans, vetches, wheat, lentils, Millet, Panicum miliaceum, Panicum frumentaceum, and wild rice (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 5.

May I for me the stone, clay, hills, mountains, sand, trees, gold, bronze, lead, tin, iron, copper, fire, water, roots, plants, what grows on ploughed land, what grows on unploughed land, tame and wild cattle prosper through the sacrifice; may for me wealth and gaining wealth, attainment and attaining, riches, dwelling, act, power, aim, strength, moving and going (prosper through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 6.

May Agni for me and Indra, may Soma and Indra, may Savitr and Indra, may Sarasvati and Indra, may Pusan and Indra, may Brhaspati and Indra, may Mitra and Indra, may Varuna and Indra, may Tvastr [1] and Indra, may Dhatr and Indra, may Visnu and Indra, may the Açvins and Indra, may the Maruts and Indra, may the All-gods and Indra, may earth and Indra, may the atmosphere and Indra, may sky and Indra, may the quarters and Indra, may the head and Indra, may Prajapati and Indra (be auspicious for me through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 7.

May the Amçu cup for me, the Raçmi, the Adabhya, the overlord (cup), the Upançu, the Antaryama, the (cup) for Indra and Vayu, the (cup) for Mitra and Varuna, the (cup) for the Açvins, the Pratiprasthana (cup) the Çukra, the Manthin, the Agrayana, the (cup) for the All-gods, the Dhruva, the (cup) for Vaiçvanara, the season cups [1], the Atigrahyas, the (cup) for Indra and Agni, the (cup) for the All-gods, the (cups) for the Maruts, the (cup) for Mahendra, the (cup) for Aditya, the (cup) for Savitr the (cup) for Sarasvati, the (cup) for Pusan, the (cup) for (Tvastr) with the wives (of the gods), the Hariyojana (cup) (prosper for me through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 8.

May the kindling-wood for me, the strew, the altar, the lesser altars, the offering-spoons, the cups, the pressing-stones, the chips (of the post), the sounding-holes, the two pressing-boards, the wooden tub, the Vayu cups, the (bowl) for the purified Soma, the mixing (bowl), the Agnidh’s altar, the oblation-holder, the house, the Sadas, the cakes, the cooked (offerings), the final bath, the cry of ‘Godspeed’ (prosper for me through the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 9.

May the fire for me, the cauldron, the beam, the sun, breath, the horse sacrifice, earth, Aditi, Diti, sky, the Çakvari verses, the fingers, the quarters prosper through the sacrifice; may the Re, the Saman, the hymn tune, the Yajus, consecration, penance, the season, the vow (prosper) through the rain of day and night, the Brhat and Rathantara prosper for me through the sacrifice.

iv. 7. 10.

May the embryo for me, the calves, the one-and-a-half-year-old male and female, the two-year-old male and female, the two-and-a-half-year-old male and female, the three-year-old male and female, the four-year-old male and female, the draught ox and the draught cow, the bull and the cow that is barren, the steer [1] and the cow that miscarries, the bullock and the cow (prosper through the sacrifice); may life prosper through the sacrifice, may expiration prosper through the sacrifice, may inspiration prosper through the sacrifice, may cross-breathing prosper through the sacrifice, may the eye prosper through the sacrifice, may the ear prosper through the sacrifice, may mind prosper through the sacrifice, may speech prosper through the sacrifice, may the self prosper through the sacrifice, may the sacrifice prosper through the sacrifice.

iv. 7. 11.

a. May one for me, three, five, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen, fifteen, seventeen, nineteen, twenty-one, twenty-three, twenty-five, twenty-seven, twenty-nine, thirty-one, thirty-three [1];

b. four, eight, twelve, sixteen, twenty, twenty-four, twenty-eight, thirty-two, thirty-six, forty, forty-four, forty-eight;

c. strength, instigation, the later born, inspiration, heaven, the head, the Vyaçniya, the offspring of the last, the last, the offspring of being, being, the overlord (prosper with the sacrifice).

iv. 7. 12.

a. May strength aid us through the seven quarters,
The four distances,
Strength aid us here with the All-gods
For the gaining of wealth.

b. May all the Maruts to-day be present, all, to aid us,
Be the fires all enkindled present;
May the All-gods come to us with aid;
All wealth, and strength, be ours.

c. O gods, come in your cars of gold
For the instigation of strength,
Agni, Indra, Brhaspati
And the Maruts to drink the Soma.

d. For each prize, aid us, O ye steeds,
For the rewards [1], O ye wise, immortal, righteous ones;
Drink of this mead, rejoice in it;
Delighted go by paths on which the gods go.

e. Strength is in front, in the midst of us;
Strength shall assort the gods in due season
The instigation of strength is propitious;
In all the quarters may I become a lord of strength.

f. Milk may I place on earth, milk on the plants,
Milk in the sky, in the atmosphere milk,
Be the quarters rich in milk for me.

g. I unite myself with milk, with ghee,
I united myself. with waters [2] and plants;
Strength may I win, O Agni.

h. Night and the dawn, one-minded, but of various form
United suckle one child;
The radiant one shineth between sky and earth;
The gods, granters of wealth, support Agni.

i. Thou art the ocean, full of mist, granting moisture, blow over me with healing, with wonder-working; hail! Thou art of the Maruts, the horde of the Maruts, blow over me with healing, with wonder-working; hail! Thou art the helper, the worshipper, blow over me with healing, with wonder-working; hail!

iv. 7.13.

a. Agni I yoke with glory, with ghee,
The bird divine mighty in strength;
Therewith may we fly to the expanse of the ruddy one,
Mounting the heaven above the highest vault.

b. These are wings unaging of thee, the winged,
Wherewith thou dost smite away the Raksases, O Agni;
With these may we fly to the world of good men,
Where are the seers, the first-born, those of yore.

c. Thou art piling, born of the ocean, the drop,
The skilled one, the eagle, the righteous,
The golden-winged busy bird, mighty,
That hath sat down firmly in its place [1].

d. Homage be to thee; harm me not,
Thou dost stand resting on the head of all;
Within the ocean is thy heart, thy life;
Sky and earth are placed on the worlds.

e. Give of the water, cleave the holder of the water; from the sky, from Parjanya, from the atmosphere, from the earth, thence do ye help us with rain; thou art the head of the sky, the navel of earth, the strength of waters and plants, protection of all life, extending; homage to the way!

f. With that devotion wherewith the seers performed the session of sacrifice [2],
Kindling Agni, bearing aloft the heaven,
I set on this vault that Agni
Whom men call him for whom the spread is strewed.

g. Him with our wives let us pursue, O gods,
With our sons, our brothers, or by gold,
Seizing the vault in the world of good action,
Above the third firmament, in the light of the sky.

h. To the middle of speech hath the busy one arisen,
Agni here, lord of the good, the wise;
Established on the back of the earth, the radiant one,
He casteth beneath his feet [3] the combatants.

i. Let Agni here, the most manly, strength-bestowing,
Of a thousand shapes, shine unwearying,
Radiant in the midst of the ocean;
Do ye approach the abodes divine.

k. Move ye forward, go ye long together;
Make ye the paths gods travelled, O Agni;
In this highest abode
O All-gods, sit ye with the sacrificer.

l. That by which thou bearest a thousand,
Thou, O Agni, all wealth,
With that highest (path) for the gods to travel,
Do thou bear this sacrifice for us.

m. Awake, O Agni; be roused for him;
With this one do thou create sacrifice and donation;
Making thee, his father, young again
He hath stretched over thee this covering.

n. This is thy due place of birth,
Whence born thou didst shine,
Mount it, O Agni, knowing it,
And make our wealth increase.

iv. 7. 14.

a. May radiance be mine, O Agni, in rival invocations,
May we, kindling thee, make ourselves to prosper;
To me let the four quarters bow;
With thee as overseer may we conquer the fighters.

b. Let all the gods be at my invocation,
The Maruts with Indra, Visnu, Agni;
May the broad atmosphere be my guardian;
May the wind blow for me unto this desire.

c. May the gods bestow wealth upon me through sacrifice;
May blessing be mine, and mine divine invocation;
The divine sacrificers of old shall win for us [1];
Unharmed may we be in ourselves, rich in heroes.

d. For me let them sacrifice whatever sacrifices are mine
Fulfilled be the intent of my mind;
No sin whatever may I commit;
May the All-gods befriend me.

e. O ye six spaces divine, for us make broad room;
O ye All-gods, here show your prowess;
May we not lose offspring nor ourselves;
May we not fall victims to our foe, O king Soma.

f. Agni, driving away wrath in front [2],
As guardian unfailing, do thou guard us on all sides;
Let thy foes turn away again
And be their plotting at home ruined through thy foresight.

g. The creator of creators, lord of the world,
The god Savitr overcoming enmity,
This sacrifice may the two Açvins and Brhaspati,
The gods (guard) and protect the sacrificer from misfortune.

h. May the bull, wide extending, afford us protection rich in food,
He much invoked in this invocation;
O thou of the bay steeds, be gracious unto our progeny;
Harm us not [3], abandon not us.

i. May our rivals depart;
With Indra and Agni we overthrow them;
The Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas have made me
A dread corrector and overlord, sky reaching.

k. Hitherward do we summon Indra from thence,
Him who is winner of cows, of booty, and winner too of horses;
Do thou accept this sacrifice at our invocation;
Ally of it we make thee, O lord of the bays.

The Horse Sacrifice

iv. 7. 15.

a. Of Agni first I reckon, the wise ones,
Him of the five folk whom many kindle;
Him who hath entered into every concourse do we implore,
May he relieve us from tribulation.

b. Him whose is that which breatheth, which winketh, which moveth,
Whose alone is that which has been born and is being born,
Agni I praise; I invoke seeking aid,
May he relieve us from tribulation.

c. Of Indra first I reckon, the wise one;
Praise of the slayer of Vrtra hath come to me,
He who cometh at the call of the generous doer of good deeds [1],
May he relieve us from tribulation.

d. Him who in might leadeth forth the host for battle,
Who commingleth the three possessions;
Indra I praise; I invoke seeking aid,
May he relieve us from tribulation.

e. Of you, O Mitra and Varuna, I reckon
Take heed of him, O ye of true strength, strong ones, whom ye afflict;
Ye who go in might against the king in his chariot,
May ye relieve us from sin.

f. You whose chariot with straight reins, of true path,
Approacheth to spoil him who acteth falsely,
Mitra and Varuna I praise [2]; I invoke seeking aid,
May ye relieve us from sin.

g. We venerate the ordinances of Vayu and of Savitr,
Who support that which hath life and guard it,
Who surround all things;
May ye relieve us from sin.

h. The best blessings have come to us
In the realm of the two gods;
I praise Vayu and Savitr; I invoke seeking aid,
May ye relieve us from sin.

i. Best charioteers of carmen, I hail for aid,
That go most smoothly with well-guided steeds;
Ye [3] whose might among the gods, O gods, is unextinguished,
May ye relieve us from sin.

k. What time ye came to the wedding of Surya,
Choosing a seat together on the three-wheeled (chariot),
I praise you, Açvins, gods, invoke seeking aid,
May ye relieve us from sin.

l. Of the Maruts I reckon; may they aid us;
May they all help this every prayer (of ours);
The swift, easily controlled (ones) I call to help,
May they relieve us from evil.

m. The sharp weapon, strong and mighty,
The divine host [4] keen in the battles,
I praise the gods, the Maruts; I invoke seeking aid,
May they relieve us from evil.

n. Of the gods I reckon; may they aid us;
May they all help this every prayer;
The swift, easily controlled (ones) I call to help,
That they may relieve us from evil.

o. That which now consumeth me
From deed of men or gods,
I praise the All-gods; I invoke seeking aid,
May they free us from evil.

p. Us to-day Anumati.

q. O Anumati, thou [5].

r. Vaiçvanara for aid to us.

s. Present in sky.

t. Those that expanded with unmeasured might,
Those that became the supports of wealth,
I praise sky and earth; I invoke seeking aid,
May ye relieve us from tribulation.

u. O ye broad firmaments, make room for us;
O rulers of the field, aid us;
I praise sky and earth; I invoke seeking aid,
May ye relieve us from tribulation.

v. Whatever sin we commit against thee,
As men are wont in ignorance, O most young [6],
Make us blameless before Aditi,
Remove our evil deeds on all sides, O Agni.

w. Even as ye did set free, O bright ones,
O ye that are worthy of offering, the buffalo cow bound by the foot,
So do thou remove from us tribulation;
Be our life prolonged further, O Agni.