Yajur Veda on Children

Atri who had faith as his deity and offered sacrifices was not visited by the four strengths, brilliance, power, splendour, food. He saw these four Soma libations with the four Stomas; he grasped them and sacrificed with them. He won brilliance with the first, power with the second, splendour with the third, food with the fourth. He, who knowing thus, grasps the four Soma libations with the four Stomas and sacrifices with them, wins brilliance with the first, power with the second, splendour with the third, food with the fourth. With the success which Atri had, the sacrificer prospers. Jamadagni desiring prosperity, sacrificed with the four-night rite. He prospered therein, and accordingly the two descendants of Jamadagni are not seen as grey- haired. That prosperity is his who knowing thus offers the four-night rite. On the Upasads offerings of the sacrificial cake are made. The sacrificial cake is cattle; verily he wins cattle. The sacrificial cake is food; verily he wins food. An eater of food and owner of cattle he becomes who knowing thus offers the four-day rite. vii. 1. 10. The year was alone in the world. He desired, 'May I create the seasons.' He saw this five-night rite; he grasped it and sacrificed with it. Then indeed he created the seasons. He who- knowing thus offers the five-night rite gains offspring. The seasons being created were not distinguished. They saw this five-night rite. They grasped it and sacrificed with it. Then they were distinguished [1]. He who knowing thus offers the five-night rite is distinguished from the enemy that hates him. Sarvaseni Çauceya desired, 'May I be rich in cattle.' He grasped this five-night rite and sacrificed with it. Then indeed he obtained a thousand cattle. He who knowing thus offers the five-night rite obtains a thousand cattle. Babara Pravahani desired, 'May I be a speaker of speech.' He grasped the five-night rite [2] and sacrificed with it. Then indeed he became a speaker of speech.

He, who knowing thus offers the five-night rite, becomes a speaker of speech, and men call him 'lord of speech'. The four-night rite is incomplete; the six-night rite is redundant, the correct sacrifice is the five-night rite. He who knowing thus sacrifices with the five-night rite sacrifices with the correct sacrifice. The (sacrifices) last five nights; the year consists of five seasons [3]; verily he stands firm in the year with its five seasons. Again the Pankti has five elements, the sacrifice is fivefold; verily he wins the sacrifice. There is an Agnistoma characterized by the Trivrt (Stoma); verily he wins brilliance. There is a Pañcadaça (Stoma); verily he wins power. There is a Saptadaça (Stoma), for the obtainment of food; verily also he gains offspring by reason of it. There is an Agnistoma with the Pañcadaça (Stoma), for the gaining of Prajapati; (it has) the characteristics of the Mahavrata, for the gaining of food. There is a Viçvajit Atiratra, with all the Prstha (Stotras), for the winning of all. The Horse Sacrifice (continued) vii. i. 11. a On the instigation of god Savitr, I take thee with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan. b 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 declaring the stream. c Thou art surrounding; thou art the world; thou art the restrainer; thou art the supporter; do thou go, with the cry of 'Hail!' to Agni Vaiçvanara, the extending. d Thou art the restrainer, the ruler on earth; thou art the restrainer who dost thou art the supporter who dost support. c For ploughing thee! For comfort thee! For wealth thee! For increase thee! f For earth thee! For the atmosphere thee! For sky thee! g For being thee! For not being thee! For the waters thee! For the plants thee! For creatures thee! vii. 1. 12.

I take thee dear to Prajapati. Of thee the earth is the greatness, the plants and trees the form, the fire the splendour; to his greatness, to Prajapati, thee (I offer). Hail! vii. 5. 18. In the priesthood may a Brahmana be born of spiritual glory. In this kingdom may a prince be born, an archer, a hero, and a great car fighter; a milk cow; a draught ox; a swift racer; a prolific woman; a victorious warrior; a youth fit for the assembly. To this sacrificer be a hero born. May Parjanya rain for us whensoever we desire. May our plants ripen with fruit. May union and peace be ours. vii. 5. 19. a The steed hath come to the earth; the strong steed hath made Agni his yoke- fellow. The steed hath come to the atmosphere; the strong steed hath made Vayu his yoke follow. The steed hath come to the sky; the strong steed hath made Surya his yoke-fellow. b Agni is thy yoke-fellow, O steed; I grasp thee; bear me prosperously. Vayu is thy yoke-fellow, O steed; I grasp thee; bear me prosperously [1]. The Aditya is thy yoke-fellow, O steed; I grasp thee; bear me prosperously. Thou art the supporter of expiration; support my expiration. Thou art the supporter of cross-breathing; support my cross-breathing. Thou art the supporter of inspiration; support my inspiration. Thou art the eye; place the eye in me. Thou art the ear; place the ear in me. Thou art life; place life in me. vii. 5. 20. May the seed be living, Parjanya rain, the corn be ripened, the plants rich in leaves, this (earth) easy to walk on, the fire easy of approach, the atmosphere easy to see through, the wind purifying, the sky easy of access, he that burns yonder kindly, the day and night as of old, the half months of fifteen days, the months of thirty days, the seasons in due order, and the year auspicious. vii. 5. 21.

l That mortal, O Agni, whom thou hast helped in the battles, Whom thou hast strengthened in the contest for booty, He winneth I abiding strength. a Thou, O Agni, art Rudra, the Asura of the mighty sky, Thou art the host of the Maruts, thou art lord of food; Thou farest with ruddy winds, blessing the household; Thou, as Pasan dost, protectest thy worshippers with thyself. b Rudra, king of the sacrifice, True offerer, priest of both worlds, Agni before the dreadful thunder,' Of golden colour, win ye for help. c Agni hath set him down as priest, good sacrificer, On the lap of his mother, in the fragrant place, The youthful, the wise, pre-eminent among men [1], righteous, Supporter of the folk in whose midst he is kindled. d Good hath he made our sacrifice this day; The hidden tongue of the sacrifice have we found He hath come, fragrant, clothed in life; He hath made our sacrifice this day to prosper. e 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. In thee, O many-faced sacrificer [2], Morning and evening, the sacrificers place their treasures, In whom, purifying, good things are placed, even as the heaven and earth (support) all beings. q To thee, best of Angirases, All folk with fair dwellings severally, O Agni, have turned to gain their wish. h May we win by thy help, O Agni, our wish, Wealth with fair offspring, O wealthy one: May we win booty, seeking for booty; May we win, O deathless, undying glory. i O Agni, of the Bharatas, youngest, Bear to us excellent, glorious wealth, [3] O bright one, wealth which many desire. k White robed is he, thundering, standing in the firmament. Youngest, with loud-sounding immortal ones, Who, purifying, most manifold, Agni, marcheth devouring many broad (forests). l May he give thee life on every side, Agni here, the desirable. Let thy breath come back to thee; I drive away the disease from thee.

a May Dhatr the giver, may Savitr, rejoice in this, Prajapati, the lord of treasures, and Agni, for our sake; May Tvastr, Visnu, accord generously Wealth with offspring to the sacrificer. b O Indra, unite us in heart, with cattle, O bountiful one, with generous ones, with prosperity; With the holy power that is made by the gods, With loving kindness of the gods to whom sacrifice is made. c With glory, with milk, with ourselves, Are we united, with auspicious hearts; May Tvastr make fortune for us [1]; May he set right whatever is amiss in our bodies. d In that to-day, O Agni, we choose thee As Hotr as our sacrifice proceeded, Prosperously hast thou sacrificed, Prosperously hast thou laboured; Come wise and foreseeing one to the sacrifice. e With Hail! to you, O gods, have we made this seat, Ye who have come hither rejoicing in this as the pressing; When ye have eaten and drunken, Ye all, give to us, wealthy ones, wealth. f The gods whom eager thou didst bring hither, O god, Them [2], O Agni, do thou incite in their own abode; Bearing and bringing oblations, The rich draught, do ye mount the sky. g O sacrifice, go to the sacrifice; go to the lord of the sacrifice; go to thine own birthplace; hail! h This is thy sacrifice, O lord of the sacrifice, with its utterance of hymns and producing noble heroes; hail! i Ye gods that find the way, finding the way, go on the way. k O lord of mind, place this sacrifice, O god, for us among the gods, hail! or speech, hail! or the wind, hail! a King Varuna hath made a broad path For the sun to travel; He hath made him set his feet in the pathless way; He driveth away whatever woundeth the heart. b A hundred remedies are thine, O king, a thousand; Broad and deep be thy loving kindness. Overcome the enmity, the hostility; Remove from us whatever sin hath been committed. c The noose of Varuna is overcome.

' Her support then hast thou invoked', he replied. Her support is this (earth) [3], this (earth) supports people in distress and succours them as they improve; he who knows thus finds support. 'Her too I have invoked', he said, 'in whose step people drink the ghee they live upon.' 'Does she divide, or does she not divide?' (he asked). 'She does not divide', he said, 'but she propagates.' 'Indeed hast thou invoked the Ida herself ', he replied. The Ida is rain; in the step of rain people drink the ghee they live upon; he who knows thus is propagated with offspring; he becomes an eater of food. Secretly offering is made to one set of gods, openly to another. The gods who receive offering secretly, he thus offers to them in sacrifice; in that he brings the Anvaharya mess--the Brahmans are the gods openly--them he verily delights. This is his sacrificial fee: verily he mends the rent in the sacrifice; whatever in the sacrifice is harsh or is injured, that he makes good (anvaharati) [1] with the Anvaharya mess, and that is why it has its name. Now the priests are the messengers of the gods; in that he brings the Anvaharya mess, he delights the messengers of the gods. Prajapati distributed the sacrifice to the gods; he reflected that he was empty; he per ceived this Anvaharya mess unallotted; he conferred it upon himself. The Anvaharya is connected with Prajapati; he, who knowing thus brings the Anvaharya, assuredly enjoys Prajapati. An unlimited amount should be poured out, Prajapati is unlimited; (verily it serves) to win Prajapati [2]. Whatever the gods did in the sacrifice, the Asuras did; the gods perceived the Anvaharya connected with Prajapati; they seized it - then the gods prospered, the Asuras were defeated; he who knowing thus brings the Anvaharya prospers himself, his foe is defeated. By the sacrifice there is offering, by the cooked food satisfying. He who knowing thus brings the Anvaharya, accomplishes at once sacrifice and satisfaction.

e Or Vayu thee, or Manu thee, The seven and twenty Gandharvas; They first yoked the steed; They placed swiftness in it. f Child of the waters, swift one, the towering onrushing wave most fain to win the prize, with it may he win the prize. g Thou art the stepping of Visnu, thou art the step of Visnu, thou art the stride of h May the two Ankas, the two Nyankas, which are on either side of the chariot, Speeding on with the rushing wind, The far-darting, powerful one, the winged one, The fires which are furtherers, further us. a On the instigation of the god Savitr, through Brhaspati, winner of the prize, may I win the prize. b On the instigation of the god Savitr, through Brhaspati, winner of the prize, may I mount the highest vault. c To Indra utter your voices, make Indra win the prize, Indra hath won the prize. d O whip, strong, having strength for the prizes, Do thou in the contests strengthen the steeds. e The swift art thou, the runner, the strong. f O steeds, hasten for the prize; conquer on the instigation of the Maruts: measure ye the leagues; establish the ways [1]; attain the goal. g For each prize aid us, O ye steeds, For the rewards, O ye wise, immortal, righteous ones; Drink of this mead, rejoice in it; Delighted go by paths on which the gods go. h May the swift coursers, who hear the call, All hearken to our cry. i Strong limbed, winning a thousand, Eager to gain in the gaining of praise, The steeds, which have won in the contests great prizes, May they be propitious to us when we call. k Among the gods, strong limbed, good praisers, Destroying the serpent, the wolf, the Raksases, For ever may they remove from us evil [2]. 1 This steed speedeth his swift course, Bound at the neck, the shoulder, and the mouth; Displaying his strength Dadhikra Springeth along the bends of the ways.

The beard is the characteristic of man, the lack of horns of the horse, having incisors on one side only that of cattle, having sheep-like hooves that of sheep, the goat-nature that of goats; so many are the domesticated animals; verily by their characteristics he wins them [5]. He who desires cattle should offer one of a triplet to Soma and Pusan; the she-goat has two teats, two are born separately, the third for strength and growth. Verily he has recourse to Soma and Pusan with their own share; verily they produce cattle for him; Soma is the depositor of seed, Pusan the producer of cattle; Soma deposits seeds for him, Pusan produces cattle. The sacrificial post is of Udumbara; the Udumbara is strength, cattle are strength; verily by strength he wins for him strength and cattle. Prajapati created offspring; they being created went away from him; they went to Varuna; he pursued them and asked them back; he would not give them back to him; he said, 'Choose a boon, and then give them back to me.' He chose a boon from them, it was the black (beast) with one white foot. He who is seized by Varuna should offer this black (beast) with one white foot to Varuna. Verily he has recourse to Varuna [1] with his own share; verily he sets him free from Varuna's noose. It is a black (beast) with one white hoof, for it has Varuna for its deity (and serves) for prosperity. Svarbhanu, the Asura, pierced the sun with darkness; the gods desired an atonement for him; the first darkness of his they struck off became a black sheep; the second a bright-coloured one; the third a white one; what they cut from the upper part of the bone became a barren ewe [2]. The gods said, 'Here has come into being a divine beast; to whom shall we offer him?' Now then the earth was small, plants were not born, they offered the barren ewe to the Adityas as desire.' Then the earth became broad, the plants grew.

He should offer an oblation to Aryaman who desires, 'May I go prosperously among men'; Aryaman is yonder sun; verily he has recourse to Aryaman with his own share; verily be makes him go whither he is fain to go. Indra was the lowest in rank of the gods, he had recourse to Prajapati; for him he offered this (offering) of the after-shoots of rice to Indra on eleven potsherds [2]; verily he led him to the top of the gods; he made as the Yajya and the Anuvakya (verses) containing the words 'depth' and 'top'; verily from the depths he led him to the top; for the prince who is low in rank he should offer to Indra on eleven potsherds this (offering) of the after-shoots of rice; verily he has recourse to Indra with his own share; verily he leads him to the top of his fellows; the Yajya, and the Anuvakya contain the words 'depth' and 'top'; verily from the depth he leads him to the top [3]; it is of the after-shoots of rice, for it is the deity of him who is low in rank; (verily it serves) for prosperity. For the Brahman who is low in rank he should offer to Brhaspati this oblation of the after-shoots of rice; verily he has recourse to Brhaspati with his own share; verily he leads him to the top of his equals; the Yajya and the Anuvakya contain the words 'depth' and 'top'; verily he leads from the depth to the top; it is of the after-shoots of rice, for it is the deity of him who is low in rank; (verily it serves) for prosperity. Prajapati had thirty-three daughters; he gave them to Soma, the king; of them he associated with Rohini; they returned in anger; then he followed and asked for them back; them he would not return; he said, 'Swear on oath that thou wilt equally associate (with them): then will I return them to you.' He took the oath, and he returned them. He associated with Rohini alone [1].

The theologians say, 'He would indeed offer the new and full moon (sacrifices) who should offer them with Indra.' At the full moon there is the subsequent offering of the enemy-dispelling (oblation), and by it the full moon has Indra. There are curds for Indra at the new moon; verily the new moon has Indra. He who knowing thus offers,' the new and full moon sacrifices, offers them with Indra, and day after day it becomes better for him who has so sacrificed. What the gods did at the sacrifice, the Asuras did. The gods [1] saw this offering, one on eleven potsherds for Agni and Visnu, an oblation for Sarasvati, an oblation for Sarasvant; after performing the full moon (sacrifice) they offered this. Then the gods prospered, the Asuras were defeated. He who has enemies should offer this offering after performing the full moon (sacrifice). With the full moon (sacrifice) he hurls the bolt at his enemy, with (the offering) to Agni and Visnu he appropriates the gods and the sacrifice of his enemy, his pairing cattle with (the offerings) to Sarasvati and Sarasvant. Whatever he has, all that [2] he appropriates. One should sacrifice at the full moon, if one has enemies, not at the new moon; having slain one's enemy one does not cause him to grow again. He who desires cattle should sacrifice with the Sakamprasthayiya. The man to whom they bring (any thing) in small measure is not himself pleased, and does not give to another. But he, to whom they bring in large measure, is himself pleased, and gives to another. One should offer in full and large measure; Indra then being pleased delights him with offspring and cattle. He offers with a wooden vessel, for an earthenware one does not hold the offering. It is of Udumbara wood [3]; the Udumbara is strength, cattle are strength; verily by strength he wins for him strength and cattle. One should not sacrifice to, Mahendra, if one is not prosperous. The prosperous are three; a learned (Brahman), a village headman, and a warrior.

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 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 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 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 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.

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

He puts on one of Çami wood, for atonement. 'Sharpened is my holy power', 'Their arms have I uplifted', (with these words) he makes him speak over the last two Udumbara (sticks) [2]; verily by means of the holy power he quickens the kingly power, and by the kingly power the holy power; therefore a Brahman who has a princely person is superior to another Brahman; therefore a prince who has a Brahman is superior to another prince. Now Agni is death, gold is immortality; he puts a gold plate within; verily he severs immortality from death; it has twenty-one projections, the worlds of the gods are twenty-one, the twelve months, the four seasons, these three worlds, and as twenty-first yonder sun [3]; so many are the worlds of the gods; verily from them he severs his foe. By means of the projections the gods reduced the Asuras to straits (nirbadé); that is the reason why projections (nirbadháh) have their names; it is covered with projections; verily he reduces his foes to straits. He puts (it) on with a verse addressed to Savitr, for instigation. 'Night and the dawn', with (this as) second; verily he raises him with day and night. 'The gods, granters of wealth, support Agni', be says; the gods, granters of wealth, are the breaths; verily having raised him with day and night [4] he supports him with the breaths. Sitting he puts (it) on; therefore offspring are born sitting; the black antelope skin is above; gold is brilliance, the black antelope skin is holy power; verily on both sides he encircles him, with brilliance and with holy power. The sling is of six fathoms in extent; the seasons are six; verily he raises him with the seasons; if it is of twelve fathoms, (he raises him) with the year. It is of Muñja grass; the Muñja is strength; verily he unites him with strength. 'Thou art the bird of fair feathers', (with these words) he gazes; verily he declares his greatness in that form.

'The forty-fourfold Stoma', (with these words he puts down) on the south; the forty-fourfold is splendour; verily he places splendour on the south; therefore the right side is the more resplendent. 'The sixteenfold Stoma', (with these words he puts down) on the north; the sixteenfold is force; verily he places force on the north; therefore [1] he that advances to the north is victorious. The forty-fourfold is a thunderbolt, the sixteenfold is a thunder bolt; in that he puts down these two bricks, he hurls the bolt after the foe born and to be born whom he has repelled, to lay them low. He puts down in the middle (a brick) full of dust, the middle of the body is faeces (púrisa); verily he piles the fire with its own body, and with his own body he is in yonder world who knows thus. These bricks are called the unrivalled; no rival is his for whom they are put down [2]. The fire is an animal; he puts down the Viraj (bricks) in the highest layer; verily be confers upon cattle the highest Viraj; therefore he that is possessed of cattle speaks the highest speech. Ten by ten he puts (them) down, to confer power on them. Transversely he puts (them) down; therefore cattle move their limbs transversely, for support. By those metres which were heavenly, the gods went to the world of heaven; for that the seers toiled [3]; they practised fervour, these they saw by fervour, and from them they fashioned these bricks. 'The course metre; the space metre', (with these words) they put them down; with these they went to the world of heaven; in that he puts down these bricks, the sacrifice goes to the world of heaven with the metres that are heavenly. By the sacrifice Prajapati created creatures; he created them by the Stomabhagas; in that [4] he puts down the Stomabhagas, the sacrificer creates offspring. In the Stomabhagas Brhaspati collected the brilliance of the sacrifice; in that he puts down the Stomabhaga (bricks) he piles the fire with its brilliance.

'Let us pay homage to thee in thy highest birth, O Agni ', (with these words) he takes up (the kindling-stick) of Vikankata wood; verily he wins radiance. 'That various of Savitr, the adorable', (with these words) be takes up (the kindling-stick) of Çami wood, for soothing. The fire milks the piler-up of the fire; the piler-up, milks the fire; 'that [4] various of Savitr, the adorable', he says; this is the milking of the fire. This of it Kanva Çrayasa knew, and with it he was wont to milk it; in that be takes up the kindling- stick with the verse, the piler-up of the fire milks the fire. 'Seven are thy kindling- sticks, O Agni, seven tongues'; verily he delights seven sevens of his. With a full (ladle) he offers, for Prajapati is as it were full, to obtain Prajapati [5]. He offers with a half-filled (ladle), for from the half-filled Prajapati created creatures, for the creation of offspring. Agni departed from the gods; he entered the quarters; he who sacrifices should think in his mind of the quarters; verily from the quarters he wins him; with curds he offers at first, with butter afterwards; verily he bestows upon him brilliance and power in accord. There is (an offering) to Vaiçvanara on twelve potsherds; the year has twelve months, Agni Vaiçvanara is the year; verily straightway [6] he wins Vaiçvanara. If he were to offer the fore- and after- sacrifices, there would be a bursting of the sacrifice; he offers an oblation with a ladle, for the support of the sacrifice. Vaiçvanara is the kingly power, the Maruts the people; having offered the offering to Vaiçvanara, he offers those to the Maruts; verily he attaches the people to the kingly power. He utters aloud (the direction to the Agnidh) for Vaiçvanara, he offers the offerings of the Maruts muttering; therefore the kingly power speaks above the people. (The offerings) are for the Maruts; the people of the gods are the Maruts; verily he wins for him by the people of the gods the people among men.

If he were not to utter that formula (Yajus), so many cattle would be as he might consecrate himself for. 'O Soma, give so much [7] and bear more hither', he says; verily he obtains innumerable cattle. 'Thou art gold; be for my enjoyment', he says; verily he takes each according to its deity. He says, 'To Vayu thee, to Varuna thee!' If he did not so specify them, he would put the gifts out of correspondence with the deities, and would be brought low to the deities. Because he thus specifies them, he puts the gifts in correspondence with the deities, and is not brought low to the deities. 'O divine waters, son of the waters', he says. 'That divine part of yours, which is pure and fit for the sacrifice, may I not step upon', that he says in effect. 'The unbroken web of earth may I follow', he says; verily making a bridge he crosses over. The gods, having fixed up a place of sacrifice, could not distinguish the quarters. They ran up to one another, (saying) 'By thee shall we distinguish them, by thee.' They fixed upon Aditi, (saying, 'By thee shall we distinguish them.' She said, 'Let me choose a guerdon. Let the opening oblation in the sacrifice be mine, and the concluding oblation be mine.' Therefore the opening oblation of the sacrifice belongs to Aditi, and the concluding oblation belongs to Aditi. He offers to five gods; there are five quarters, (and so it serves) for the distinction of the quarters [1]. Now the Pankti is of five elements, the sacrifice is fivefold; verily he wins the sacrifice. They made sacrifice to Pathya Svasti. The eastern quarter they distinguished by her, by Agni the southern, by Soma the western, by Savitr the northern, by Aditi the zenith. He offers to Pathya Svasti; verily he distinguishes the eastern quarter. Having offered to Pathya Svasti, he offers to Agni and Soma. Agni and Soma indeed are the eyes of the sacrificer; verily he sees with them [2].

Kadru defeated Suparni. She said, 'In the third heaven from here is the Soma; fetch it, and by it buy your release.' Kadru is this (earth), Suparni yonder (heaven), the descendants of Suparni the metres. She said, 'For this do parents rear children; "in the third heaven from here is the Soma; fetch it, and by it buy your release" [1], so has Kadru said to me.' The Jagati flew up, of fourteen syllables, but returned without obtaining it; it lost two syllables, but returned with the (sacrificial) animals and consecration. Therefore the Jagati is the richest in cattle of the metres, and consecration waits upon a man who is rich in cattle. The Tristubh flew up, of thirteen syllables, but returned without obtaining it; it lost two syllables, but returned with the (sacrificial) gifts [2] and penance. Therefore in the world of the Tristubh, the midday oblation, the gifts are brought. 'That in truth is penance', they say, 'if a man gives his wealth.' The Gayatri flew up, of four syllables, together with a female goat with light. Then the goat won (Soma) for her, and so the goat has the name. The Gayatri brought back the Soma and the four syllables, and so became of eight syllables. The theologians say [3], 'For what reason is it that the Gayatri, the smallest of the metres, holds the forefront of the sacrifice?' Because it brought down the Soma, it held the forefront of the sacrifice; therefore it is the most glorious (of the metres). By the feet it grasped two of the oblations, and by the mouth one. The one it grasped by the mouth it sucked; therefore two oblations are made of the pure Soma, the morning and midday oblations; therefore at the third oblation they pour out the dregs of the Soma; for they regard it as sucked as it were [4]. He removes any admixture so that it may be pure; verily also he makes ready it (the rjisa). When the Soma was being borne away, the Gandharva Viçvavasu stole it.

It should be sloping east of the Ahavaniya and west of the Garhapatya. That is a place of sacrifice which is distinctly marked, be is distinguished from his evil foe, they doubt not of him for common meal or wedding. On a place of sacrifice which is artificial should he make him sacrifice who desires wealth. Man must be made; verily he prospers. The high altar taking the form of a lioness went away and remained between the two parties. The gods reflected, 'Whichever of the two she joins, they will become this.' They called to her; she said, 'Let me choose a boon; through me shall ye obtain all your desires, but the oblation shall come to me before (it comes to) the fire.' Therefore do they besprinkle the high altar before (they sprinkle) the fire, for that was its chosen boon. He measures (it) round with the yoke-pin [1], that is its measure; verily also by what is fitting he wins what is fitting. 'Thou art the abode of riches (vitta) for me', he says, for being found (vitta) she helped them; thou art the resort of the afflicted for me', he says, for she helped them in affliction; 'protect me when in want', he says, for she protected them when in want; 'protect me when afflicted', he says, for she protected them when afflicted. 'May Agni, named Nabhas, know (thee) [2], O Agni Angiras', (with these words) he thrice strokes with (the wooden sword); verily he wins the fires that are in these worlds. He strokes in silence for the fourth time, verily he wins that which is not indicated. 'Thou art a lioness; thou art a buffalo', he says, for it (the high altar) taking the form of a lioness went away and remained between the two parties. 'Extend wide; let the lord of the sacrifice extend wide for thee', he says; verily he enriches the sacrificer with offspring and cattle. 'Thou art firm' [3], (with these words) he strikes (the earth) together, for firmness.

'Thee that art winner of Brahmans, winner of nobles', he says; that is according to the text. 'With ghee, O sky and earth, be filled', (with these words) he sacrifices on the Udumbara (post); verily with moisture he anoints sky and earth. He makes it run right to the end; verily completely does he anoint the sacrificer with brilliance. 'Thou art of Indra', (with these words) he puts down the covering, for the seat has Indra as its deity. 'The shade of all folk', he says, for the seat is the shade of all folk. (A roof of) nine coverings [5] should he fix for one who desires brilliance, commensurate with the Trivrt Stoma; the Trivrt is brilliance; verily he becomes brilliant; one of eleven coverings (he should fix) for one who desires power; the Tristubh has eleven syllables, the Tristubh is power; verily he becomes powerful. (A roof of) fifteen coverings (he should fix) for one who has foes; the thunderbolt is fifteenfold; (verily it serves) for the overcoming of foes. (A roof of) seventeen coverings (he should fix) for one who desires offspring- Prajapati is sixteenfold. (verily it serves) to gain Prajapati. (A roof of) twenty-one coverings (he should fix) for one who desires support; the Ekavinça is the support of the Stomas; (verily it serves) for support. The Sadas is the stomach, the Udumbara is strength, in the middle he fixes (the post) of Udumbara wood; verily he places strength in the midst of offspring; therefore [6] in the middle they enjoy strength. In the world of the sacrificer are the southern coverings, in that of his foe are the northern; he makes the southern the higher; verily he makes the sacrificer higher than the man who does not sacrifice; therefore the sacrificer is higher than the man who does not sacrifice. He fills up the crevices, for distinction; therefore people depend on the forest. 'May our songs, O lover of song', he says; that is according to the text. 'Thou art the string of Indra;.

The Exposition of the Soma Sacrifice (continued) From the pit he scatters (earth) on the altars; the pit is the birthplace of the sacrifice; (verily it serves) to unite the sacrifice with its birthplace. The gods lost by conquest the sacrifice; they won it again from the Agnidh's altar; the Agnidh's altar is the invincible part of the sacrifice. In that he draws off the altar fires from that of the Agnidh, he renews the sacrifice from the invincible part of it. Conquered as it were they go who creep to the Bahispavamana (Stotra) when the Bahispavamana has been sung [1], he says, 'Agnidh, draw off the fires, spread the strew, make ready the sacrificial cake.' Verily having re-won the sacrifice they keep renewing it. At two pressings he draws off by means of embers, at the third with (flaming) splinters, to give it glory verily he completes it. The altars guarded the Soma in yonder world they took away the Soma from them; they followed it and surrounded it. He who knows thus [2] wins an attendant. They were deprived of the Soma drink; they besought the gods for the Soma drink; the gods said to them, 'Take two names each; then shall ye gain it, or not.' Then the altars became fires (also); therefore a Brahman who has two names is likely to prosper. Those which came nearest gained the Soma drink viz. the Ahavaniya, the Agnidh's altar, the Hotr's, and the Marjaliya; therefore they sacrifice on them. He leaves them out in uttering the cry for sacrifice, for [3] they were deprived of the Soma drink. The gods drove away the Asuras who were in front by the sacrifices which they offered on the eastern side, and the Asuras who were behind by those which they offered on the western side. Soma libations are offered in the east, seated to the west he besprinkles the altars; verily from behind and from in front the sacrificer smites away his enemies; therefore offspring are engendered behind, and are brought forth in front [4].

' he says; verily he makes it for the gods; so many are the gods; verily he makes it descend for them all. Before the utterance of speech [1] he begins the morning litany; verily he wins all that there is of speech. 'The waters' is the first thing he utters; the waters are the sacrifice verily over the sacrifice he utters speech. He recites all (kinds of) metres the metres are cattle; verily he wins cattle. For one who desires brilliance he should conclude with a Gayatri verse, for one who desires power with a Tristubh verse, for one who desires cattle with a Jagati verse, for one who desires support with an Anustubh verse, for one who desires the sacrifice with a Pankti verse, for one who desires food with a Viraj verse. 'Let Agni (kindled) with the kindling-stick hear my appeal', he says [2]; verily, instigated by Savitr, having made proclamation to the gods, he goes for the waters. 'O Hotr, give directions for the waters', he says; for an action which is directed is done. 'O bowl priest of the Maitravaruna, run hither'. he says; Mitra and Varuna are the leaders of the waters; verily with them he goes for them. 'O ye divine waters, child of the water', he says; verily by the oblation requiting them he seizes them: then he takes of them made into an oblation and covered with ghee [3]. 'Thou art the dragger', he says; verily he removes dirt from them. 'I draw you for the sustenance of the ocean', he says; therefore the waters though eaten and drunk do not waste away. The pit is the birthplace of the sacrifice, the Vasairivaris are the sacrifice; bringing the bowls of the Hotr and the Maitravaruna into contact he pours in the Vasativaris reciprocally, so that the sacrifice may have its birthplace; verily he produces it from its own birthplace. 'O Adhvaryu, didst thou seek the waters?' he says; 'they came to me; look upon them', in effect he says.

q The sacrifice hath become, it hath [3] 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. r Rich in cattle, in sheep, O Agni, in horses, is the sacrifice, With manly companions, ever unalterable; Rich in food is this, O Asura, rich in offspring, Enduring wealth, deep based and rich in houses. Even as the Soma (sacrifices) come together in competition, so the new and full moon (sacrifices) are sacrifices which come together in competition. Whose sacrifice then do the gods approach and whose not? He, who among many sacrificers first appropriates the gods, sacrifices to them when the next day comes. The Ahavaniya is the abode of the gods, between the fires of cattle, the Garhapatya of men, the Anvaharya pacana of the fathers. He takes the fire; verily he appropriates [1] the gods in their own abode; to them he sacrifices when the next day comes. By means of a vow is Agni, lord of vows, pure, the Brahman is a supporter of vows. When about to undertake a vow he should say, 'O Agni, lord of vows, I shall perform the vow.' Agni is the lord of vows among the gods; verily after announcement to him he undertakes the vow. At the full moon be undertakes his vow with the (strewing of the) straw, with the (driving away of the) calves at new moon; for that is their abode. 'The fires, both in the front and at the back, must be bestrewed', they say; men [2] indeed desire what is bestrewed, and, how much more the gods whose is a new dwelling. With him, when sacrifice is to be made on the next day, do the gods dwell, who knowing this bestrews the fire. 'The sacrificer should win both beasts of the wild and of the village', they say; in that he refrains from those of the village, thereby be wins them; in that he eats of the wild, thereby he wins them of the wild.

f These have become all the hosts of Varuna, Mitra in his course hath overcome hostility; The worshipful ones have taken order according to sacred law: Trita hath taken possession of our old age. g Thou art the stepping of Visnu, thou art the step of Visnu, thou art the stride of a Ye are active, thou art the lord of the waters, thou art the male wave, thou art the male host, ye are the pen-dwellers, ye are the strength of the Maruts, ye have the radiance of the sun, ye have the brightness of the sun, ye are delightful, ye are ye are powerful, ye are all supporters, ye are supporters of men, ye have the brilliance of Agni, ye are the sap of the waters, of the plants. b They have taken the waters, divine, Rich in sweetness, full of strength, caring for the royal consecration; Whereby they anointed Mitra and Varuna, Whereby they led Indra beyond his foes. c Ye are givers of the kingdom; give ye the kingdom, hail! Ye are givers of the kingdom; give N. N. the kingdom. a. O ye divine waters, be ye unitedFull of sweetness with the sweet, Winning great radiance for the Ksatriya. b Unsurpassed, sit ye down, full of strength, Bestowing great radiance upon the Ksatriya. c Friend of speech, born of heat, thou art undefeated; thou art the share of Soma. d The pure I purify you with the pure, the bright with the bright, the immortal with ambrosia, hail! caring for the royal consecration. e Clothed in these (waters), sharing joy, glorious in strength, Undefeated and busy, In the waters hath Varuna made his abode, The child [1] of the waters in those most motherly. f Thou art the caul of kingly power, thou art the womb of kingly power. g Notified is Agni, lord of the house; notified is Indra, of ancient fame; notified is Pusan, all-knower; notified are Mitra and Varuna, increasing holy order; notified are sky and earth, of sure vows; notified is the goddess Aditi, of all forms; notified is he, N. N., descendant of N. N.

He who desires food should offer a dappled (beast) to the Maruts; the Maruts are food; verily he has recourse to the Maruts with their own share; verily they give him food; he becomes an eater of food. It is dappled; that is the form of food; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires power should offer a ruddy (beast) to Indra; verily he has recourse to Indra [2] with his own; verily he bestows power on him; he becomes possessed of power. It is ruddy and has eyebrows; that is the form of Indra; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires gain should offer to Savitr a spotted (beast); Savitr is lord of production; verily he has recourse to Savitr with his own share; verily he produces gain for him, his offspring desire gifts. It is spotted, for it has Savitr as its deity [3]; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires food should offer to the All-gods (a beast) of many forms; food is connected with the All-gods; verily he has recourse to the All-gods with their own share; verily they give him food; he becomes an eater of food. It is of many forms; food is of many forms; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires a village should offer to the All-gods (a beast) of many forms; his relatives are connected with the All-gods; verily he has recourse to the All-gods with their own share; verily they subdue his [4] relations to him; he becomes possessed of a village. It is of many forms, for it is connected with many deities; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who is long ill from an unknown cause should offer to Prajapati (a beast) without horns; man is connected with Prajapati; Prajapati verily knows of him who is long ill from an unknown cause; verily he has recourse to Prajapati with his own share; verily he releases him from this weariness. It is without horns, for it has Prajapati as its deity; (verily it serves) for prosperity. The Vasat cry cleft the head of the Gayatri; the sap thereof fell away.

It is black, for it has Varuna as its deity; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires food should offer a white (beast) to Mitra and a black to Varuna at the union of the waters and the plants; the plants are connected with Mitra, and the waters with Varuna; on the sap of the water and of the plants do we live; verily lie has recourse to Mitra and Varuna with their own share; verily they give him food; he becomes an eater of food [2]. He should offer at the union of the waters and of the plants, to attain both. The sacrificial post is bifurcate, for there are two deities; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who is long ill should offer a white (beast) to Mitra, and a black to Varuna; in that one is offered to Mitra, by means of Mitra he appeases Varuna for him; in that one is offered to Varuna, straightway he sets him free from Varuna's noose; even if his life be gone, he yet lives. The gods could not find prosperity [3]; they saw it in the pair; they could not agree about it; the Açvins said, 'Ours is it; do not claim it.' It became the Açvins' only. He who desires prosperity should offer to the Açvins a twin cow; verily he has recourse to the Açvins with their own share; verily they bestow prosperity upon him; he prospers in offspring and cattle. He who being a bad Brahman desires to drink Soma should offer to the Açvins a dusky (beast) with spots on the forehead; the Açvins were among the gods those who did not drink Soma; they later acquired the drinking of Sonia; the Açvins are the gods of the bad Brahman who desires to drink Soma; verily he has recourse to the Açvins with their own share; verily they give to him the drinking of Soma; the drinking of Soma comes to him. In that it is dusky, verily he drives away the darkness from him. In that it has spots on the forehead [1], verily at the beginning he bestows brilliance on him.

When a son is born he should offer on twelve potsherds to Vaiçvanara; in that there is (an offering) on eight potsherds, he purifies him with the Gayatri, with splendour; in that there is (an offering) on nine potsherds, he bestows brilliance upon him with the Trivrt (Stoma); in that there is (an offering) on ten potsherds, he bestows proper food upon him with the Viraj; in that there is (an offering) on eleven potsherds, he bestows power upon him with the Tristubh; in that there is (an offering) on twelve potsherds, he bestows cattle upon him with the Jagati; he upon whose birth he offers this sacrifice becomes pure [3], brilliant, an eater of food, powerful, possessed of cattle. He is cut off from the world of heaven who, being a sacrificer at new and full moon, the sacrifice either at the new or the full moon omits, for the new and full moon offerings are made for the world of heaven; if he has omitted the sacrifice either at the new or the full moon, he should offer to Vaiçvanara on twelve potsherds; Agni Vaiçvanara is the year; verily he delights the year; verily also he brings up the year for him for the winning of the world of heaven [4]; verily also grasping the deities he goes to the world of heaven. He who removes the fire is the slayer of the hero among the gods; formerly righteous Brahmans did not eat his food; he should offer to Agni on eight potsherds, to Vaiçvanara on twelve potsherds, when he is about to remove the fire; in that there is (an offering) on eight potsherds, the Gayatri has eight syllables, Agni is connected with the Gayatri; to Agni in his full extent he shows hospitality; verily also that is as when one makes preparation for a man about to go to (another) people [5]. (The offering) to Vaiçvanara is on twelve potsherds; the year has twelve months; the birthplace of Agni is the year; verily he makes him go to his own birth place; his food becomes fit to eat.

They grasped him about, and illness seized him. 'Illness has seized the king'; that (saying) is the origin of the 'king's evil '. In that he became worse, that is (the origin) of the 'bad illness'; because he got it from his wives, that is (the origin) of the 'wife's disease' (Jayenya), him who knows thus the origin of these illnesses, these illnesses do not visit. He ran up to these two in reverence; they said, 'Let us choose a boon; let us be the appointers of portions for the gods [5]; from us let the gods be sacrificed to.' Therefore of the series of nights it is on the new and the full moon night that the gods are sacrificed to; for they are the appointers of portions for the gods. Men appoint portions to him who knows thus. Creatures slew hunger, man at once, the gods at the half-month, the Pitrs in a month, trees in a year. Therefore day by day men desire food, at the half-month the gods are sacrificed to, every month offering is made to the Pitrs, in a year trees produce fruit. He who knows thus slays the enemy, hunger. The Part of the Hotr at the New and Full Moon Sacrifices The gods could not rest on the Rc or the Yajus. On the Saman only could they rest. He makes the noise 'Him'; verily he makes the Saman. He makes the noise 'Him'; where the gods rested, there he sets them in motion. He makes the noise 'Him'; this is the yoking of speech. He makes the noise 'Him'; thus the sacrificers produce offspring. He repeats the first (verse) thrice, the last thrice; verily he ties the end of the sacrifice [1] so that it may not slip. He repeats (it) continuously, for the continuity of the breaths and of food, and for the smiting away of the Raksases. The first he repeats is connected with the Rathantara (Saman), this world is connected with the Rathantara; verily he conquers this world. He divides it thrice; these worlds are three; verily he conquers these worlds.

He should repeat all the metres for one who makes many sacrifices, for all the metres are won by him who makes many sacrifices. He should repeat indefinitely to win that which is not definite. The thread is worn around the neck for men, over the right shoulder for the Pitrs, over the left for the gods. He puts it over the left shoulder; verily he makes the mark of the gods. He repeats standing, for standing he speaks more audibly. He repeats standing, to conquer the world of heaven. He sacrifices sitting; verily he finds support in this world. In that he repeats in the Krauñca, note, that is connected with the Asuras, in the low note, that is connected with men, in the intermediate note, that is connected with the gods. One should repeat in the intermediate note, to secure the gods. Clever indeed [1] were the Hotrs of old; there fore the ways were held apart, and the paths did not conflict. One foot should be within the sacrificial altar, the other outside; then he repeats, to hold the ways apart and to avoid conflict of the paths. Then does he win the past and the future, the measured and the unmeasured does he win, domestic and wild cattle both does he win [2]; verily also the world of the gods and the world of men he conquers. The gods having repeated the Samidhenis could not see the sacrifice. Prajapati in silence performed the sprinkling of the butter. Then indeed did the gods see the sacrifice. In that he silently sprinkles, (it serves) to light up the sacrifice. Verily also he anoints the kindling-sticks. He who knows thus becomes soft. Verily also he delights them. He delights in offspring and cattle [3] who knows thus. If he were to sprinkle with one (verse), he would delight one; if with two, (he would delight) two; if with three, he would make (the offering) go beyond (all others). He sprinkles (repeating the verse) in the mind, for what is imperfect is made perfect by mind. He sprinkles across so as not to make a failure.

The former offerings are cattle, Agni is Rudra here; if he were to pour over the former offerings, he would give Rudra cattle, and the sacrificer would be without cattle. He offers leaving the former oblations aside, to protect the cattle. The Part of the Hotr in the New and Full Moon Sacrifice Manu desired what of earth was sacrificial. He found the poured out ghee. He said, 'Who is able to produce this also at the sacrifice?' Mitra and Varuna said, 'We are able to produce the cow.' Then they set the cow in motion. Wherever she stepped, there ghee was pressed out; therefore she is called ghee-footed; that is her origin. 'The Rathantara is invoked with the earth', he says [1]. The Rathantara is this (earth); verily he invokes her with food. 'The Vamadevya is invoked with the atmosphere', he says. The Vamadevya, is cattle; verily he invokes cattle with the atmosphere. 'The Brhat is invoked with the sky', he says. The Brhat is connected with food; verily he invokes food with the sky. ' The seven Hotras are invoked', he says; verily he invokes the Hotras. 'The cow is invoked with the bull', he says [2]; verily he invokes a pair. 'The friend food is invoked', he says; verily he invokes the Soma drink. 'It is invoked; ho!' he says; verily he invokes the self, for the self is the best of those invoked. He invokes food, food is cattle; verily he invokes cattle. He invokes four, for cattle are four-footed. 'Offspring of Manu', he says, for Manu first saw her [3]. 'Ghee-footed', he says. Because ghee was pressed out of her foot, therefore be says thus. 'Of Mitra and Varuna', he says, for Mitra and Varuna set her in motion. 'The Brahman, god made, is invoked', he says; verily he invokes the Brahman. 'The divine Adhvaryus are invoked, the human are invoked', he says; verily he invokes the gods and men. 'Who shall help this sacrifice and make the lord of the sacrifice prosper', he says [4]; verily he invokes a blessing for the sacrifice and the sacrificer.

'We have won the utterance of prayer and homage', he says; 'we have won this', he says in effect. 'It resteth on sky and earth', he says, for the sacrifice rests on the sky and earth. 'Helpful for thee in this sacrifice, O sacrificer, be sky and earth' [5], he says; verily he invokes this blessing. If he were to say, 'easy of access and easy to dwell on', the sacrificer would be likely to perish, for when he perishes he has recourse to this (earth). 'Easy of approach, and easy to move on', he should say; verily he invokes for him a wider sphere, and he is not likely to perish. 'In the knowledge of these two Agni hath rejoiced in this offering', he says; 'the gods we have sacrificed to [6], we have made them to prosper', he says in effect. If he were not to indicate (the sacrificer), the blessing of the sacrifice would go to his neighbour. 'This sacrificer imploreth (a blessing) N. N.', he says; verily by indicating him he makes him attain the world of heaven. 'He imploreth length of days, he imploreth a noble offspring, he says; verily he invokes this blessing. 'He imploreth superiority over his equals', he says; his equals are the breaths; verily he does not obstruct his breaths [7]. 'Agni shall win, god, from the gods, we men from Agni', he says, 'Agni wins from the gods, we from men', he says in effect. 'Here is the path of favour, and this our homage to the gods', he says; to both the gods whom he sacrifices to and those to whom he does not sacrifice, he pays homage, for his own security. The gods could not find any one to utter the call Svaga at the sacrifice. They spoke to Çamyu Barhaspatya, 'Perform the Svaga call at this sacrifice for us.' He said, 'Let me choose a boon; if a faithless man sacrifice, or a man sacrifices without prescription, let the blessing of such a sacrificer be mine.' Therefore if a faithless man sacrifices, or a man sacrifices without prescription, the blessing of such a sacrifice goes to Çamyu Barhaspatya.

As the Rbhus bend the felly (of the chariot) [I] f To him, the heavenly, Now with constant voice, O Virupa, To the strong one urge the hymn of praise. g What Pani shall we lay low among the kine With the missile of this Agni Who seeth from afar? h May not the clans of the gods forsake us, Like the dawns entering the waters, As cows a poor man. i Let not the assault Of any ill-minded foe smite us, As a wave a ship. k Homage to thee, O Agni, for might, The people sing, O god; With strength [2] trouble thou the foe. l Wilt thou not, O Agni, Bring us wealth for our quest for cattle? O room maker, make room for us. m Cast us not aside in this great contest, Like a bearer his burden; Gather wealth and conquer it. n May this terror, this misfortune, O Agni, fasten on another than us; Increase our impetuous strength. o The reverent or generous man In whose offering he hath delighted, Agni aideth indeed with furtherance. p From a far [3] region Come hither to these lower ones, Favour those in the region where I am. q Since we have known of old Of thy help, O Agni, as a father's, Now we seek thy favour. r Thou, who art like a mighty man who slayeth with the dart Or a sharp-horned bull, O Agni, hast rent the forts. s O friends, together (offer) fit Food and praise to Agni, Highest over the folk, The son of strength, the mighty. t Thou gatherest, O strong one, All that belongeth, O Agni, to the niggard; Thou art kindled in the place of offering; Do thou bear us good things. u O Prajapati. v He knoweth. w O Soma and Pusan. x These gods. a Eagerly we hail thee, Eagerly would we kindle thee; Eager bring the eager, The fathers, to eat the offering. b Thou, O Soma, art pre-eminent in wisdom; Thou movest along the straightest path; Through thy guidance, O drop, our fathers wisely divided The treasure among the gods.

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 By the sacrifice leave misfortune on his way.

The Preparation of the Ground for the Fire 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 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. 1 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 Born of the waters, born of the cows, born of holy order, born of the mountain, the great holy order. 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].

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. cc 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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

He should support (the fire) with twenty-one (pieces of gravel) for one who desires cattle [2]; there are seven breaths in the head, cattle are the breaths; verily he wins cattle for him by the breaths. With twenty-seven (should he support it) for one who has foes; thus making the threefold bolt he hurls it at his foe, to lay him low. He should support (it) with unnumbered ones, to win what is unnumbered. If he desire of a man, 'May he be without cattle', then without piling the gravel in support, he should separate the sand; verily he pours forth for him the seed on all sides in (a place) not encircled; verily he becomes without cattle [3]. If he desire of a man, 'May he be rich in cattle,' he should separate the sand, after piling the gravel; verily he pours forth for him the seed in one direction in an encircled (place), and he becomes rich in cattle. With (a verse) addressed to Soma he separates (the sand); Soma is impregnator of seed; verily he impregnates seed; with a Gayatri for a Brahman, for the Brahman is connected with the Gayatri, with a Tristubh for a Rajanya, for the Rajanya is connected with the Tristubh. To Çamyu, son of Brhaspati, the sacrifice did not resort; it entered the fire [4]; it departed from the fire in the form of a black antelope, it entered the horse, it became the intermediate hoof of the horse; in that he makes the horse advance, he wins the sacrifice which has entered the horse. 'By Prajapati must the fire be piled', they say; the horse is connected with Prajapati; in that he makes the horse advance, by Prajapati he piles the fire. He puts down a lotus leaf; the lotus leaf is the birthplace of the fire; verily he piles the fire with its own birthplace. 'Thou art the back of the waters', (with these words) he puts (it) down; the lotus leaf is the back of the waters; verily with its form he puts it down. 'The holy power born', (with these words) he puts down the gold disk.

Or rather should it be put down; in that he puts down, thereby he wins the brilliance that is in the serpent; in that he utters a Yajus, thereby is it appeased. The First Layer of Bricks The fire is an animal, now the birthplace of the animal is changed in that before the putting up of the bricks the Yajus is performed. The water bricks are seed; be puts down the water bricks; verily he places seed in the womb. Five he puts down (on the east) cattle are fivefold; verily he produces cattle for him; five on the south, the water bricks are the thunderbolt; verily with the thunderbolt he smites away the Raksases from the south of the sacrifice; five he puts down on the west [1], pointing east; seed is impregnated in front from behind; verily from behind he deposits seed for him in front. Five he puts down on the east, pointing west; five on the west pointing east; therefore seed is impregnated in front, offspring are born at the back. On the north he puts down five metre bricks; the metre bricks are cattle; verily he brings cattle on birth to his own dwelling. This (earth) was afraid of excessive burning by the fire; she saw these [2] water bricks, she put them down, then (the fire) did not burn her excessively; in that he puts down the water bricks, (it is) to avoid excessive burning. She said, 'He shall eat food with holy power, for whom these shall be put down, and he who shall know them thus.' He puts down the breath-supporting (bricks); verily he places the breaths in the seed; therefore an animal is born with speech, breath, sight, and bearing. 'This one in front [3], the existent'; (with these words) he puts down on the east; verily with these he supports breath. 'This one on the right, the all-worker', (with these words he puts down) on the south; verily with these he supports mind. 'This one behind, the all-extending', (with these words he puts down) on the west; verily with these he supports sight.

'He shuts himself away from death, and away from eating food', they say; one he puts on, the other not; verily he shuts himself away [4] from death and wins the eating of food. 'Honour to thy heat, thy blaze', he says, for paying honour they wait on a richer man; 'may thy bolts afflict another than us', he says; verily him whom he hates he afflicts with its pain; 'be thou purifying and auspicious to us', he says; the purifying (one) is food; verily he wins food. With two (verses) he strides over (it), for support; (with two) containing (the word) 'water', for soothing. 'To him that sits in man hail!' (with these words) he pours butter on; verily with the Pankti and the offering he takes hold of the beginning of the sacrifice. He pours on butter transversely; therefore animals move their limbs transversely, for support. If he were to utter the Vasat cry, his Vasat cry would be exhausted; if he were not to utter the Vasat cry, the Raksases would destroy the sacrifice; Vat he says; verily, mysteriously he utters the Vasat cry; his Vasat, cry is not exhausted, the Raksases do not destroy the sacrifice. Some of the gods eat the offerings [1], others do not; verily he delights both sets by piling up the fire. 'Those gods among gods', (with these words) he anoints (it) with curds mixed with honey; verily the sacrificer delights the gods who eat and those who do not eat the offerings; they delight the sacrificer. He delights those who eat the offerings with curds, and those who do not with honey; curds is a food of the village, honey of the wild; in that he anoints with curds mixed with honey, (it serves) to win both. He anoints with a large handful (of grass); the large handful is connected with Prajapati [2]; (verily it serves) to unite it with its birthplace; with two (verses) he anoints, for support. He anoints going round in order; verily he delights them completely. Now he is deprived of the breaths, of offspring, of cattle who piling the fire steps upon it.

h 'Father Matariçvan, bestow flawless abodes; the flawless abodes the Uçijs have made; let Soma, all knowing, the leader, be leader; let Brhaspati recite hymns and rejoicing,' he says; that is Agni's hymn, and with it he recites after him. a That fire which is kept in the pan is consecrated of fires; if he were to put it down their embryos would be liable to abortion, and that would be like descending after consecration. He sets it on a throne, to support and prevent the falling of embryos, and he makes thus a consecration. b (The fire) in the pan is an embryo, the sling is the womb; if he were to remove the pan from the sling, he would strike the embryo from the womb; the sling has six ropes; man is sixfold [1], the body, the head, four limbs; verily in himself he bears it. c The fire is Prajapati, his breasts are the pan and the mortar; his offspring live on them; in that he puts down the pan and the mortar, with them the sacrificer milks the fire in yonder world. d The fire is the year, its bricks are arranged threefold, those of Prajapati, of Visnu [2], of Viçvakarman; the Prajapati (bricks) are the days and nights; in that he keeps (the fire) in the pan, he puts down the Prajapati (bricks); in that he takes up the kindling-sticks, and the trees are Visnu's, verily he puts down the Visnu (bricks); in that he piles the fire with bricks, and Viçvakarman is this (earth), verily he puts down the Viçvakarman (bricks). Therefore they say, 'Threefold is Agni.' e This thus should the sacrificer himself pile; if another pile his fire, if he should not prosper him with sacrificial gifts, he would appropriate his fire; him who piles his fire he should prosper with sacrificial gifts; verily thus he preserves his fire. Prajapati piled the fire as the year by the seasons; by the spring he piled its front half, by the summer its right wing, by the rains its tail, by the autumn its left wing, by the winter its middle.

He should give four cows; verily with them the sacrificer in yonder world milks the fire. a 'To thought I offer with mind, with ghee', he says; the oblation to Viçvakarman is called the undeceivable; the foe cannot deceive him who has piled; verily also he wins the gods. b 'O Agni, to-day', (with these words) he offers with a Pankti verse, and by the Pankti and the libation he grasps the beginning of the sacrifice. C 'Seven are thy kindling-sticks, O Agni; seven thy tongues', he says; verily he wins the Hotr's offices. Agni went away from the gods, desiring a portion [1]; to him they assigned this as a portion; that is the Agnihotra, of Agni; then is he born indeed he is completely piled. Verily to him on birth he gives food; he delighted delights he becomes richer. d The theologians say, 'Since it is as the Garhapatya that (the fire) is piled, then is its Ahavaniya?' 'Yonder sun', he should reply, for in it they offer to all the gods He who knowing thus piles the fire straightway makes pleased the gods. e O Agni, the glorious, lead him to glory; Bring hither the fame that is Indra's; May he be head, overlord, resplendent, Most famed of his equals. With look auspicious first they underwent Fervour and consecration, the seers who found the heavenly light; Thence was born the kingly power, might and force; May the gods in unison accord that to us. Disposer, ordainer, and highest [3] onlooker, Prajapati, supreme lord, the ruler; The Stomas, the metres, the Nivids, mine they call; To him may we secure the kingdom. Turn towards me, come to me; May he be your ruler, your overlord; On his discernment do ye depend; Upon him henceforth do ye all serve. He puts down these supporters of the realm; this is the realm supporting piling of the fire; verily with it he bestows on him the kingly power, he becomes the kingly power, the kingly power does not fall away from him. a Just as a son born dies, so dies he whose fire in the pan is extinguished.

With each (finger) separately [4] he measures; verily he measures it with each fresh in turn; therefore the fingers have various strengths. He presses down the thumb on them all; therefore it has equal strength with the other fingers; therefore all it accompanies. If he were to measure with all (the fingers), the fingers would grow united; with each separately he measures; therefore they grow separate. He measures five times with the Yajus. The Pankti has five syllables, the sacrifice is fivefold; verily he wins the sacrifice. (He measures) five times in silence [5]. They make up ten. The Viraj has ten syllables, the Viraj is food; verily by the Viraj he wins proper food. In that he measures with the Yajus, he wins the past; in that he measures in silence, the future. Now if there were only so much Soma as that which he measures, there would be enough for the sacrificer only, and not also for the priests in the Sadas. With the words, 'For offspring thee!' he draws (the cloth for the Soma) together; verily he makes the priests in the Sadas share in it; with a garment he ties it up; the garment is connected with all the gods [6]; verily he unites it with all the gods, the Soma is cattle; (with the words) 'For expiration thee', he ties it; verily he confers expiration upon cattle. (With the words) 'For cross- breathing thee', he looses it; verily he confers cross-breathing upon cattle; therefore the vital breaths do not desert a sleeper. If he were to barter (it) in response (to the words), 'Let me buy with one-sixteenth (of the cow) from thee, with one-eighth', he would make the Soma not worth a cow, the sacrificer not worth a cow, the Adhvaryu not, worth a cow, but he would not depreciate the mightiness of the cow. 'With a cow let me buy from thee', verily he should say; verily he makes the Soma worth a cow, the sacrificer worth a cow, the Adhvaryu worth a cow, yet still he does not depreciate the mightiness of the cow.

He puts (it) up to the east (of the fire), for before the sacrifice it is proclaimed, for what is not proclaimed is that of which when it is passed men say, 'This should have been done.' The Sadhya gods despised the sacrifice; the sacrifice touched them not; what was superabundant in the sacrifice touched them. The superabundant part of the sacrifice is the producing of fire and casting it on the fire; the superabundant part [8] of the post is the part above the top; that is their share; verily by it he delights them. The gods when the Soma sacrifice was complete cast the offering-spoons (into the fire) and the post; they reflected, 'Here we are making a disturbance of the sacrifice', they saw a ransom in the bunch of grass for the offering-spoons, in the chip for the post. When the Soma sacrifice is complete he casts (in the fire) the bunch of grass, he offers the chip, to avoid disturbing the sacrifice. The Sadhya gods were in this world and nothing else living. They offered Agni as a sacrifice to Agni, for they found nothing else to offer; thence indeed these creatures were born; in that he casts the fire on the fire after producing it, (it serves for) the propagation of offspring. Now the fire is Rudra, the beast the sacrificer; if he were to produce the fire after offering the beast, he would place the sacrificer in the power of Rudra [1], and he would be liable to die. Or rather they say, 'All the gods are the fire, the beast the offering'. In that he produces the fire after offering the beast, he brings forth all the gods for the offering which is made ready. The fire should be produced, after bringing up (the beast). The offering is then neither finished nor not begun. 'Thou art the birthplace of Agni', he says, for that is the birthplace of Agni. 'Ye are the two male ones', he says, for they are the two male ones [2]. 'Thou art Urvaçi, thou art Ayu', he says, to make a pair.

They make up twelve; the year has twelve [2] months; verily he delights the year, verily also he endows him with the year, for the gaining of the world of heaven. The libation of ghee is the head of the sacrifice, the fire is all the gods; in that he performs the libation of ghee, verily the sacrificer at the beginning of the sacrifice wins all the gods. The libation of ghee is the head of the sacrifice, the beast is the body; having performed the libation of ghee he anoints the beast; verily on the body of the sacrifice [3] he places the head. 'Let thy breath be united with the wind', he says; the breath has the wind for its deity; verily he offers its breath in the wind. 'Thy limbs with the sacrificers, the lord of the sacrifice with his prayer', he says; verily he causes the lord of the sacrifice to obtain its blessing. Viçvarupa, Tvastr's son, vomited over the beast from above; therefore they do not cut off (portions) from the beast above; in that he anoints the beast from above, verily he makes it pure [4]. He chooses the priests, verily he chooses the metres, he chooses seven; there are seven tame animals, seven wild; there are seven metres, (and so it serves) to win both. He offers eleven fore-sacrifices; ten are the vital airs of the beast, the body is the eleventh; verily his fore-offerings are of the same size as the beast. One (of them) lies around the omentum; verily the body lies around the body. The axe is a thunderbolt, the splinter of the sacrificial post is a thunderbolt, the gods by making a thunderbolt of the ghee smote Soma. 'Anointed with ghee, do ye guard the beast', he says; verily, overpowering it by means of the thunderbolt, he offers it. He encircles (it) with fire; verily he makes it completely offered, that nothing may be lost, for that which falls of the oblation is (thus) not lost. He encircles (it) with fire thrice, for the sacrifice is thrice repeated; also (it serves) to smite away the Raksases.

The theologians say, 'Should the beast be grasped hold of, or not?' Now the beast is led to death; if he were to grasp hold of it, the sacrificer would be likely to die. Or rather they say, 'The beast is led to the world of heaven' [1]; if he were not to grasp hold of it, the sacrificer would be bereft of the world of heaven. He grasps hold (of it) by means of the omentum-forks; that is as it were neither grasped nor yet not grasped. 'Give directions, O Hotr, for making ready the oblations to the gods', he says, for an act that is directed is carried out. 'Ye wealthy ones, do ye kindly resort to the lord of the sacrifice', he says; that is according to the text. With the fire he goes in front, to smite away the Raksases. 'Guard from contact with earth', (with these words) he casts down the strew [2], that nothing may be lost, for that which falls on the strew is not lost; verily also he places it on the strew. The Adhvaryu turns away from the beast as it is slaughtered; verily he conceals himself from cattle, that he may not be cut off. He attains fortune, and obtains cattle who knows thus. The wife is led forward from the back place; 'Homage to thee, O extended one', he says; the extended are the rays of the sun [3]; verily he pays homage to them. 'Come forward, irresistible', he says; the resisting is the foe; (verily it serves) to beat away the foe. 'Along the stream of ghee, with offspring, with increase of wealth', he says; verily he invokes this blessing. 'O ye waters, goddesses, purifying', he says; that is according to the text. When the beast is offered in sacrifice, pain seizes its vital airs. 'Let thy speech swell, let thy breath swell' he says; verily he removes the pain from the vital airs. From the vital airs the pain enters the earth; (with the words) 'Hail to the and night!' he pours it down; verily he removes the pain of the earth by day and night.

' 'It is the vessel of misfortune', he should say; if it were to go there, the Adhvaryu would be blind, he would be ruined; therefore it does not go there. Whatever the gods did at the sacrifice the Asuras did. The gods saw the cups with the Agrayana at their head; they drew them; then indeed did they reach the top; he for whom knowing thus the cups are drawn with the Agrayana at their head reaches the top of his equals. With a verse containing the word 'destructive' he should draw for him who has a rival; verily having destroyed his rival he reaches the top of his equals. 'Ye gods that are eleven in the sky', he says [1]; so many are the deities; verily he draws it for all of them. 'This is thy birthplace; to the All-gods thee!' he says, for it has the All-gods for its deity. Speech departed from the gods, not being willing to remain for the sacrifice; when speech had departed the gods silently drew the cups; speech reflected, 'They are excluding me'; it went into the Agrayana; that is why the Agrayana has its name [2]. Therefore in the Agrayana speech is uttered. In that the former cups are drawn in silence, that is as when the hunter lets go (his arrow), (thinking), 'So far off is my mark at so far I shall not miss.' The Adhvaryu taking the Agrayana, commencing the sacrifice, utters his speech; thrice he utters 'Him'; verily thus he chooses the Udgatrs; the Agrayana is Prajapati; in that he utters 'Him' after taking the Agrayana, verily thus Prajapati sniffs offspring [3]; therefore the cow sniffs the calf on birth. The Agrayana is the self of the sacrifice; at each pressing he draws it; verily he continues the sacrifice in itself. He brings (it) up from above verily thus he impregnates seed; he takes (it) from below verily he generates it. The theologians say, 'For what reason does the Gayatri, the least of the metres, support the pressings?' 'The Agrayana is the calf of the Gayatri; verily turning back towards it it supports all the pressings.

Fifteen indeed are the nights of the half-month, the year is made up of half-months, cattle are born throughout the year; therefore (these nights) are full of cattle. These (nights) are heavenly. Fifteen indeed are the nights of the half-month, the year is made up of half-months, the world of heaven is the year; verily (these nights) are heavenly. There are the three days, Jyotis, Ayus, and Go. The Jyotis is this (earth), the Go the atmosphere [2], the Ayus yonder (sky); verily they mount upon these worlds. If the Prsthas were on one side, there would be a lack of balance; the Prsthas are in the middle, for balance. The Prsthas are force and strength; verily they place force and strength in the middle. They proceed with the Brhat and the Rathantara (Samans). The Rathantara is this (earth), the Brhat yonder (sky); verily with them do they proceed; verily also in them they find support. These indeed are the quick paths of the sacrifice; verily by them do they proceed to the world of heaven [3]. They mount the world of heaven turning away (from earth), who perform the Prsthas in succession. The Tryaha is reversed, for the return (from heaven), and for support. Having prospered in either world they cease (the rite). These (nights) are fifteen. As for ten of them, the Viraj is ten-syllabled, the Viraj is food; verily by the Viraj they win food. As for five, the quarters are five; verily they find support in the quarters. There are Atiratras on either side, for securing power, strength, offspring, and cattle. Prajapati desired, 'May I be an eater of food.' He saw this (rite of) seventeen nights; he grasped it, and sacrificed with it. Then indeed he became an eater of food. Those, who knowing thus perform (the rite) of seventeen nights, become eaters of food. There is a period of five days; the seasons are five in the year; verily in the seasons and the year they find sup port. Again the Pankti is of five elements, the sacrifice is fivefold; verily they win the sacrifice.

In that the Prsthas are reversed they descend to this world with them; verily also they find support in this world, for sanity. Indra was unsettled. He ran up to Prajapati; he gave him this (rite) of twenty-one nights; he grasped it, and sacrificed with it. Then indeed he became settled. Those, who sacrifice much and are unsettled [41, should perform (the rite) of twenty-one nights. There are twelve months, five seasons, three worlds here, and yonder sun as the twenty-first. So many are the worlds of the gods; verily in them in order they find support. Yonder sun did not shine. He ran up to Prajapati; he gave him this (rite) of twenty-one nights; he grasped it, and sacrificed with it. Then in deed did he shine. Those, who knowing thus perform (the rite) of twenty one nights, shine also. (The rite) is of twenty-one nights, the Ekavinça (Stoma) is radiance; verily they attain radiance, and support also, for the Ekavinça is support. There are Atiratras on either side, for securing splendour. The Horse Sacrifice (continued) vii. 3. 11. a Let the sacrifice come forward From yonder over to me, The sacrifice which the Rsis have brought forward. b May the fault in the sacrifice settle on him who hateth us, Making his body godless, strengthless, Distorted and inert; May it rest with him who hateth us. c O sacrifice, come to me With the brilliance of the sacrifice. I summon the Brahmans, the priests, the gods, With the brilliance of thee, the sacrifice, O offering. d With the sacrifice I summon the cooked food [1] to thee, O offering. I gather for thee good deeds, offspring, and cattle. e The Praisas, the kindling-(verses), the butter sprinklings, the shares of the ghee, The call, the reply, I prepare for thee, The fore- and after-sacrifices, the Svisakrt, the Ida. The prayers, I win, the light. f By Agni, by Indra, by Soma, By Sarasvati, by Visnu, by the gods, By the Yajya and the Anuvakya, I summon for thee, O offering. I take for thee the sacrifice with the Vasat cry.

So with the offering of Soma I make for you, O 1ndra and Agni, a new hymn of praise; c O Indra and Agni, ninety forts Of which the Dasas were lords ye overtbrew Together in one deed. d This pure new-born hymn of praise this day, O Indra and Agni, slayers of Vrtra, accept with joy [1]. For on you both I call that are ready to listen, You that are ever readiest to give strength to the eager. e We thee, O lord of the path, As a chariot to win the prize, Have yoked for our prayer, O Pusan. f Lord of each way with eloquence; Driven by love he went to Arka; May he give us the comfort of gold, May Pusan further our every prayer. g By the lord of the field As by a friend may we win What nourishes our kine and horses; May he be [2] favourable to such as we are. h O lord of the field, the honey-bearing wave, As a cow milk, so for us milk; May the lords of right graciously accord us That which drops honey and is well purified like ghee. i O Agni, lead us by a fair path to wealth, O god, knowing all the ways; Keep away from us the sin that makes us wander; We will accord to thee most abundant honour. k We have come to the path of the gods To accomplish that which we have power to do; Let wise Agni sacrifice [3], let him be Hotr Let him arrange the offerings him the seasons. l What carrieth best is for Agni; Sing aloud, O thou of brilliant radiance. From thee wealth, like a cow, From thee strength riseth forth. m O Agni, once more lead us With thy favour over every trouble. Be a broad, thick, wide fortress for us, Health and wealth for our children and descendants. Thou, O Agni, art the guardian of law, Among the gods and mortals; Thou art to be invoked at the sacrifices. o If laws of you wise ones, O gods, In our ignorance we transgress, May Agni make good all that, He that knoweth the seasons wherein he may satisfy the gods.

a Move I forward, O lord of the world, To all thy stations. Let no opponent find thee, Let not robbers find thee; Let not the evil-working wolves (find) thee; Nor the Gandharva, Viçvavasu, injure thee. b Become an eagle and fly away to the place in the house of the sacrificer which have prepared with the gods (for thee). Thou art the good luck of the sacrificer. c We have reached the path Which leadeth to bliss, without a foe, Whereby a man defeateth all his foes and winneth wealth. d Honour to the radiance of Mitra and Varuna. This worship, this reverence offer to the god; To the far seeing, god-born, the banner, The son of the sky, the sun, do ye sing. c Thou art the pillar of Varuna. f Thou art the prop of Varuna's pillar. g Varuna's noose is loosened. a Thou art the hospitality of Agni. For Visnu thee! Thou art the hospitality of For Visnu thee! Thou art the hospitality of the stranger. For Visnu thee! For Agni giver of wealth, for Visnu thee; for the eagle, bringer of the Soma, thee, for Visnu b Thy powers which they honour with oblation, May they all envelop the sacrifice! Giver of wealth, impeller, rich in heroes, Slaying not heroes, O Soma, enter the dwellings. c Thou art the seat of Aditi; sit on the seat of Aditi [1]. d Thou art Varuna who guardeth law; thou art of Varuna. e Be prosperity ours from our friendship with the gods. May we be not severed from our service of the gods. f For him who rushes on I seize thee; for him who rushes around I seize thee; for Tanunapat I seize thee; for the mighty I seize thee; for the mightiest in strength I seize thee. g Thou art unapproached, the unapproachable might of the gods, guarding from imprecations, impervious to imprecations. h May the lord of consecration approve my consecration, the lord of penance my penance. Speedily may I attain truth. Place me in good fortune. a May thy every shoot, O god Soma, swell, For Indra who gaineth the chiefest wealth; May Indra swell for thee; Do thou swell for Indra.

b Make thy comrades to swell with wealth and skill; with good fortune may I accomplish thy pressing, O god Soma. c Desired are riches exceedingly for food, for prosperity. Be right to the proclaimers of right. Honour to the sky, honour to the earth! d Agni, lord of vows, thou art the vow-lord of vows; this body of mine be in thee that body of thine be in me. Together, O lord of vows, be the vows of us two that e Thy dread form, O Agni, with that protect us; hail to that form of thine! f That form of thine, O Agni, which rests in iron, which rests in silver, which rests in gold, the highest, that dwells in the cleft, g (By it) I have driven away harsh speech, (by it) I have driven away angry speech. a Thou I art the abode of riches for me; thou art the resort of the afflicted for me; protect me when in want; protect me when afflicted. b May Agni, named Nabhas, know (thee). c Agni Angiras, thou who art in this earth, come with the name of Ayus. Whatsoever unapproached, holy name is thine, [1] therewith I take thee up. d Agni Angiras, thou who art in the second (the third) earth, come with the name of Ayus. Whatever inviolate, holy name is thine, therewith I take thee up. e Thou art a lioness; thou art a buffalo. f Extend wide; let the lord of the sacrifice extend wide for thee. g Thou art firm. h Be pure for the gods; be bright for the gods. i May the cry of Indra guard thee in front with the Vasus; may the swift of mind guard thee on the right with the Pitrs; may the wise one guard thee behind with the Rudras; may Viçvakarman guard thee on the left with the Adityas. k Thou art a lioness, overcoming rivals; hail! Thou art a lioness, bestowing fair offspring; hail! Thou art a lioness, [2] bestowing increase of wealth; hail! Thou art a lioness, winning (the favour of) the Adityas hail! Thou art a lioness; bring the gods to the pious sacrificer; hail! l To beings thee!

g O thou in whom joy is taken, may I attain joy from thee; O thou who art invoked, may I obtain invocation [1] from thee. h May the prayer of the sacrificer be fulfilled for me. i With untroubled mind may I have strength for this. k May the sacrifice mount the sky, may the sacrifice reach the sky. l The path that leadeth to the gods, along it may the sacrifice go to the gods. m On us may Indra bestow power; Us may wealth and sacrifices attend Ours be blessings; To us be she dear, victorious, bountiful. n Thou art joy, give joy to us; thou art enjoyed by us [2], may I attain joy from o Mind, light, rejoice in the sacrifice May he unite this scattered sacrifice; May Brhaspati extend this for us. May the All-gods rejoice here. p Swell, O ruddy one. q May (my act) as I give be not destroyed; may (my act) as I work not perish. r Thou art the portion of Prajapati, full of strength and milk. s Protect my expiration and inspiration; protect my breathing together and cross-breathing; protect my out-breathing and cross-breathing. t Thou art imperishable, for imperishableness thee; mayst thou not perish for me, yonder, in yonder world. a By sacrifice to the divine straw, may I be possessed of children. b By sacrifice to the god Naraçansa, may I be possessed of cattle. c By sacrifice to the god Agni Svistakrt, may I attain security through the sacrifice, having long life. d May I be victorious through the victory of Agni. e May I be victorious through the victory of Soma. f May I be victorious through the victory of Agni. g May I be victorious through the victory of Agni and Soma. h May I be victorious through the victory of Indra and Agni. i May I be victorious through the victory of Indra [1]. k May I be victorious through the victory of Mahendra. I May I be victorious through the victory of Agni Svistakrt. m With the impulse of strength, With elevation he hath seized me; then Indra hath made my enemies Humble with depression.

n The gods have increased my prayer Which is elevation and depression; Then do ye, O Indra and Agni, Scatter my foes on every side. o Hither these blessings have come, fain for milking, Possessing Indra [2], may we win, May we milk offspring and food. p With the red steed may Agni convey thee to the god; with the tawny ones may convey thee to the god; with Etaça may Sarya convey thee to the god. q I unyoke thy head ropes, thy reins, Thy yokings, thy harness; Bestow upon us wealth and what is good; Proclaim us sharers among the gods. r By sacrifice to the god Visnu, by the sacrifice, may I attain health and wealth, and s By sacrifice to the god Soma [3], possessing good seed, may I impregnate seed. t By sacrifice to the god Tvastr, may I prosper the form of cattle. u The wives of the gods, Agni lord of the house, are the pair of the sacrifice; by sacrifice to these deities, may I be propagated with a pair. v Thou art the bundle, thou art gain, may I gain. w Thou art action, thou art making, may I make. x Thou art winning, thou art the winner, may I win. y May the bundle bestow increase of wealth, Rich in ghee, rich in houses, A thousandfold, strong. a Let the Dhruva swell with ghee, For each sacrifice for the worshippers; In the udder of the sun maiden, in the lap of Aditi, Broad streamed be the earth at this sacrifice. b Prajapati's is the world called Vibhan. In it I place thee along with the sacrificer. c Thou art real, be real for me; thou art all, be all for me; thou art full, be full for me; thou art imperishable, perish not for me. d In the eastern quarter may the gods, the priests, make (me) bright; in the southern [1] quarter may the months, the fathers, make (me) bright; in the western quarter may the houses, the cattle, make (me) bright; in the northern quarter may the waters, the plants, the trees make (me) bright; in the zenith may the sacrifice, the year, the lord of the sacrifice make (me) bright.

d To thee hath been assigned for mighty power, For ever, in the slaying of Vrtra, All lordship, and all strength, O thou that art worthy of sacrifice In the overcoming of man, by the gods, O Indra [1]. c In whom the seven Vasavas rest As it were firm rooted, The Rsi of farthest hearing, The glowing pot is the guest of Indra. f In the raw thou didst produce the cooked, And madest the sun to mount in the sky; Like the glowing pot heat ye the Saman With good prayers, delightful to the lover of song. g Indra the singers aloud, Indra with praises the praisers, Indra the songs have praised. h The singers sing thee [2]; The praisers hymn thy praise; The Brahmans raise thee, 0 Çatakratu, like a pole. i Let us offer our praise to him who delivereth from trouble, Swiftest to give, celebrating his loving kindness; O Indra, accept this oblation; May the desires of the sacrificer be fulfilled. k That to which Dhisana impelled me have I produced; I shall praise Indra before the decisive day; Him that goeth as with a ship Both parties invoke that there he may rescue us. l First lord of sacrifices [3], Freeing from trouble, the best of those worthy of offering, Son of the waters, the impeller, O ye Açvins; Do ye confer power and strength on this one. m Smite away our foes, O Indra; Cast down the warriors; Make him low Who is hostile to us. n O Indra, thou wast born for rule, for prosperous strength Of the people, O strong one; Thou didst smite away the unfriendly folk, And madest wide room for the gods. o Like a dread beast, evil, roaming the mountains, He hath come from the furthest place [4]; Sharpening thy lance, thy sharp edge, O Indra, Smite the foes, drive away the enemy. p Drive away the foe, the enemy, Smash the jaws of Vrtra; In rage do thou avert the anger Of him who is hostile to us. q The guardian Indra, the helper Indra, The hero ready to hear at every call, Indra, I invoke the strong one, invoked of many, Indra; May Indra in his bounty bestow on us prosperity.

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.' 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.

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.