null 27

1 WITH worship will I glorify thee, Agni, like a long−tailed steed, 2 May the far−striding Son of Strength, bringer of great felicity, 3 Lord of all life, from near; from far, do thou, O Agni evermore 4 O Agni, graciously announce this our oblation to the Gods, 5 Give us a share of strength most high, a share of strength that is below, 6 Thou dealest gifts, resplendent One; nigh, as with waves of Sindhu, thou 7 That man is lord of endless strength whom thou protectest in the fight, 8 Him, whosoever he may be, no man may vanquish, mighty One: 9 May he who dwells with all mankind bear us with war−steeds through the fight, 10 Help, thou who knowest lauds, this work, this eulogy to Rudra, him 11 May this our God, great, limitless, smoke−bannered excellently bright, 12 Like some rich Lord of men may he, Agni the banner of the Gods, 13 Glory to Gods, the mighty and the lesser glory to Gods the younger and the elder! 1 THERE where the broad−based stone raised on high to press the juices out, 2 Where, like broad hips, to hold the juice the platters of the press are laid, 3 There where the woman marks and leans the pestle's constant rise and fall, 4 Where, as with reins to guide a horse, they bind the churning−staff with cords, 5 If of a truth in every house, O Mortar thou art set for work, 6 O Sovran of the Forest, as the wind blows soft in front of thee, 7 Best strength−givers, ye stretch wide jaws, O Sacrificial Implements, 8 Ye Sovrans of the Forest, both swift, with swift pressers press to−day 9 Take up in beakers what remains: the Soma on the filter pour,

2 With one accord may Aryaman and Mitra and Varuna this day accept this praise−song− 3 These Gods, Adityas, vast, profound, and faithful, with many eyes, fain to deceive the wicked, 4 Upholding that which moves and that which moves not, Adityas, Gods, protectors of all being, 5 May I, Adityas, share m this your favour which, Aryaman, brings profit e'en in danger. 6 Smooth is your path, O Aryaman and Mitra; excellent is it, Varuna, and thornless. 7 Mother of Kings, may Aditi transport us, by fair paths Aryaman, beyond all hatred. 8 With their support they stay three earths, three heavens; three are their functions in the Gods' assembly. 9 Golden and splendid, pure like streams of water, they hold aloft the three bright heavenly regions. 10 Thou over all, O Varuna, art Sovran, be they Gods, Asura! or be they mortals. 11 Neither the right nor left do I distinguish, neither the cast nor yet the west, Adityas. 12 He who bears gifts unto the Kings, true Leaders, he whom their everlasting blessings prosper, 13 Pure, faithful, very strong, with heroes round him, he dwells beside the waters rich with pasture. 14 Aditi, Mitra, Varuna, forgive us however we have erred and sinned against you. 15 For him the Twain united pour their fulness, the rain from heaven: he thrives most highly favoured. 16 Your guiles, ye Holy Ones, to quell oppressors, your snares spread out against the foe, Adityas, 17 May1 not live, O Varuna, to witness my wealthy, liberal, dear friend's destitution.

2 Agni I laud, the Sage inspired, crowner of sacrifice through song, 3 O Agni, if we might obtain control of thee the potent God, 4 Kindled at sacrifices he is Agni, hallower, meet for praise, 5 Immortal Agni, shining far, enrobed with oil, well worshipped, bears 6 The priests with ladles lifted up, worshipping here with holy thought, 7 Immortal, Sacrificer, God, with wondrous power he leads the way, 8 Strong, he is set on deeds ofstrength. In sacrifices led in front, 9 Excellent, he was made by thought. The Germ of beings have I gained, 10 Thee have I stablished, Excellent, O strengthened by the sage's prayer, 11 Agni, the swift and active One, singers, at time of sacrifice, 12 Agni the Son of Strength who shines up to the heaven in solemn rites, 13 Meet to be lauded and adored, showing in beauty through the dark, 14 Agni is kindled as a bull, like a horsebearer of the Gods: 15 Thee will we kindle as a bull, we who are Bulls ourselves, O Bull.

2 Not at his own free pleasure did he bear me: he conquered with his strength and manly courage. 3 When with loud cry from heaven down sped the Falcon, thence hasting like the wind he bore the Bold 4 The Falcon bore him from heaven's lofty summit as the swift car of Indra's Friend bore Bhujyu. 5 And now let Maghavan accept the beaker, white, filled with milk, filled with the shining liquid;

2 Protect Tryaruna, as thou art waxing strong and art highly praised, Vaisvanara Agni! 3 So Trasadasyu served thee, God Most Youthful, craving thy favour for the ninth time, Agni; 4 He who declares his wish to me, to Asvamedha, to the Prince, 5 From whom a hundred oxen, all of speckled hue, delight my heart, 6 To Asvamedha who bestows a hundred gifts grant hero power,

1 WHAT deed hath Indra done in the wild transport, in quaffing or in friendship with, the Soma? 2 In its wild joy Indra hath proved him faithful, faithful in quaffing, faithful in its friendship. 3 All thy vast power, O Maghavan, we know not, know not the riches of thy full abundance. 4 This one great power of thine our eyes have witnessed, wherewith thou slewest Varasikha's children, 5 In aid of Abhyavartin Cayamana, Indra destroyed the seed of Varasikha. 6 Three thousand, mailed, in quest of fame, together, on the Yavyavati, O much−sought Indra, 7 He, whose two red Steers, seeking goodly pasture, plying their tongues move on 'twixt earth and heaven

2 Grant, Indra Maghavan, invoked of many, to these my friends the strength which thou possessest. 3 King of the living world, of men, is Indra, of all in varied form that earth containeth. 4 Maghavan Indra, when we all invoke him, bountiful ever sendeth strength to aid us: 5 Quick, Indra, give us room and way to riches, and let us bring thy mind to grant us treasures,

2 I sing to cattle and to Earth, to trees, to Dawns, to Night, to plants. 3 Forth go, with Agni, to the Gods our sacrifice of ancient use, 4 Lords of all wealth, may they be strengtheners of man, destroyers of his enemies. 5 Come to us with one mind to−day, come to us all with one accord, 6 Send us delightful things, ye Maruts, on your steeds: come ye, O Mitra, to our gifts. 7 We who have trimmed the grass for you, and set the banquet in array, 8 O Maruts, Visinu, Asvins, Pusan, haste away with minds turned hitherward to Me. 9 Ye Guileless Gods, bestow on us a refuge strong on every side, 10 Kinship have I with you, and close alliance O ye Gods, destroyers of our foes. 11 For now have I sent forth to you, that I may win a fair reward, 12 Excellent Savitar hath mounted up on high for you, ye sure and careful Guides. 13 Singing their praise with God−like thought let us invoke each God for grace, 14 For of one spirit are the Gods with mortal man, co−sharers all of gracious gifts. 15 I laud you, O ye Guileless Gods, here where we meet to render praise. 16 He makes his house endure, he gathers plenteous food who pays obedience to your will. 17 E'en without war he gathers wealth, and goes hisway on pleasant paths, 18 E'en on the plain for him ye make a sloping path, an easy way where road is none: 19 If ye appoint the rite to−day, kind Rulers, when the Sun ascends, 20 Or, Asuras, when ye have sheltered the worshipper who goes to sacrifice, at eve 21 If ye to−day at sunrise, or at noon, or in the gloom of eve, 22 Then we, imperial Rulers, claim of you this boon, your wide protection, as a son.

2 As giving power and winning light, for Indra and for Vayu he 3 The men conduct him, Soma, Steer, Omniscient, and the Head of Heaven, 4 Longing for kine, longing for gold hath Indu Pavamana lowed, 5 This Pavamana, gladdening draught, drops on the filtering cloth, and then 6 To Indra in the firmament this mighty tawny Steer hath flowed,

2 Then Will I, when I lead my friends to battle against the radiant persons of the godless, 3 I know not him who sayeth and declareth that he hath slain the godless in the battle. 4 While yet my deeds of might were unrecorded, all passed for Maghavans though I existed. 5 None hinder me in mine heroic exploits, no, not the mountains when I will and purpose. 6 To see the Indraless oblation−drinkers, mean offerers, o'ertaken by destruction! 7 Thou wast, thou grewest to full vital vigour: an earlier saw, a later one shall see thee. 8 The freed kine eat the barley of the pious. 1 saw them as they wandered with the herdsman. 9 When we who cat the grass of men are gathered I am with barley−eaters in the corn−land. 10 There wilt thou hold as true my spoken purpose, to bring together quadrupeds. and bipeds. 11 When a man's daughter hath been ever eyeless, who, knowing, will be wroth with her for blindness? 12 How many a maid is pleasing to the suitor who fain would marry for her splendid riches? 13 His feet have grasped: he eats the man who meets him. Around his head he sets the head for shelter. 14 High, leafless, shadowless, and swift is Heaven: the Mother stands, the Youngling, loosed, is feeding. 15 Seven heroes from the nether part ascended, and from the upper part came eight together. 16 One of the ten, the tawny, shared in common, they send to execute their final purpose. 17 The Heroes dressed with fire the fatted wether: the dice were thrown by way of sport and gaming. 18 Crying aloud they ran in all directions: One half of them will cook, and not the other. 19 I saw a troop advancing from the distance moved, not by wheels but their own God−like nature. 20 These my two Bulls, even Pramara's, are harnessed: drive them not far; here let them often linger. 21 This is the thunderbolt which often whirleth down from the lofty misty realm of Surya.

22 Bound fast to,every tree the cow is lowing, and thence the man−consuming birds are flying, 23 In the Gods' mansion stood the first−created, and from their separation came the later. 24 This is thy life: and do thou mark and know it. As such, hide not thyself in time of battle.