Yajur Veda on The Divine

e The sky, penetrated by ambrosia, the unconquered (thou art); the Adityas are thy guardians, the sun is deposited in this (brick), to it I resort, and may it be my protection and a Let Brhaspati place thee on the ridge of earth, full of light, for every expiration, inspiration; support all the light, Agni is thine overlord. b Let Viçvakarman place thee on the ridge of the atmosphere, full of light, for every expiration, inspiration; support all the light, Vayu is thine overlord. c Let Prajapati place thee on the ridge of the sky, full of light, for every expiration, inspiration; support all the light, the supreme lord is thine overlord. d Thou art the bringer of the east wind; thou art the winner of rain; thou art the winner of lightning [1]; thou art the winner of thunder; thou art the winner of rain. e Thou art the path of Agni; thou art the gods' path of Agni. f Thou art the path of Vayu; thou art the gods' path of Vayu. g Thou art the path of the atmosphere; thou art the gods' path of the atmosphere. h Thou art the atmosphere; to the atmosphere thee! i To the ocean thee, to water thee, to the watery thee, to impulse thee, to the wise thee, to the radiant thee, to the light of the sky thee, to the Adityas thee! k To the Rc thee, to radiance thee, to the shining thee, to the blaze thee, to the light l Thee, giving glory, in glory; thee, giving brilliance, in brilliance; thee, giving milk, in milk; thee, giving radiance, in radiance; thee giving wealth, in wealth I place; with this seer, the holy power, this deity, sit firm in the manner of Angiras. a Thou art the furtherer; thou art the maker of wide room; thou art the eastern; thou art the zenith; thou art the sitter in the atmosphere, sit on the atmosphere. b Thou art the sitter on the waters; thou art the sitter on the hawk thou art the sitter on the vulture; thou art the sitter on the eagle; thou art the sitter on the vault.

'To the pious the winds honey', (with these words) he anoints with curds, mixed with honey; verily he makes him ready; 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. 'May the two great ones, heaven and earth', he says; verily with them he encircles him on both sides. He puts it down to the east,' to attain the world of heaven; he puts it down to the east facing west; therefore [6] to the east facing west the animals attend the sacrifice. If he piles the fire without a navel, (the fire) enters the navel of the sacrificer, and is liable to injure him. He puts down the mortar; this is the navel of the fire; verily he piles the fire with its navel, to avoid injury. (The mortar) is of Udumbara wood; the Udumbara is strength; verily he wins strength; in the middle he puts it down; verily in the middle he bestows strength upon him; therefore in the middle men enjoy strength. So large is it, commensurate with Prajapati, the mouth of the sacrifice. He pounds; verily he makes food; he puts (it) down with (a verse) addressed to Visnu; the sacrifice is Visnu, the trees are connected with Visnu; verily in the sacrifice he establishes the sacrifice. The pan is the concentrated light of these lights; in that he puts down the pan, verily he wins the light from these worlds; in the middle he puts (it) down; verily he bestows upon it light; therefore in the middle we reverence the light; with sand he fills (it); that is the form of Agni Vaiçvanara; verily by his form he wins Vaiçvanara. If he desire of a man, 'May he become hungry', he should put down for one (a pan) deficient in size [1]; if he desire of a man, 'May he eat food that fails not', he should put it down full; verily he eats food that fails not. The man accords a thousand of cattle, the other animals a thousand; in the middle he puts down the head of the man, to give it strength.

For expiration, for cross-breathing, for inspiration; for speech thee; for sight thee; with that deity, in the manner of Angiras, do thou sit firm. By Agni the gods sought to go to the world of heaven, with him they could not fly; they saw these four naturally perforated bricks, they put them down in the quarters, with him with eyes on all sides they went to the world of heaven. In that he puts down four naturally perforated bricks in the quarters, the sacrificer with Agni with eyes on all sides goes to the world of a O Agni, come to enjoy', he says; verily he summons him. b 'Agni we choose as envoy', he says; verily having called he chooses him. c 'By Agni Agni is kindled', he says; verily he kindles him. d 'May Agni slay the foes', he says; verily he confers power on him when kindled. e 'O Agni, we exalt the praise', he says; verily he exalts him. These are the forms of the days [1]; verily each day he piles him, and wins the forms of the days. The theologians say, 'For what reason are other bricks exhausted, the space-filler not?' 'Because it is connected with Indra and Agni and with Brhaspati', he should say, for Indra and Agni and Brhaspati are those among the gods who are not exhausted. It has a follower to avoid monotony. He follows it with an Anustubh; the space filler is the body, the Anustubh the breath; therefore breath comes through all the limbs. 'They of him, streaming with milk' [2], he says; therefore there is sap in every joint; 'the dappled mix the Soma', he says; the dappled (cow) is food; verily he wins food; Agni is praise, food is praise; verily he wins food; 'the clans in the birthplace of the gods, in the three realms of sky', he says; verily he makes these worlds full of light for him. He who knows the support of the bricks finds support. 'With that deity, in the manner of Angiras, do thou sit firm,' he says; this is the support of the bricks; he who knows thus finds support.

If he were to make it by friction, he would divide (the fire), he would produce a foe for him. It must again be kindled (with wood) around; verily he produces it from its own birthplace, he does not produce a foe for him. Darkness seizes on him whose fire in the pan is extinguished, darkness is death; a black garment, a black heifer are the sacrificial fees; verily with darkness [1] he smites away the darkness which is death. Gold he gives, gold is light; verily with the light he smites away the darkness; moreover gold is brilliance; verily he confers brilliance upon himself. b Like heavenly light, the heat; hail! Like heavenly light, the Arka hail! Like heavenly light, the bright; hail! Like heavenly light, the light; hail! Like heavenly light, the sun; hail!' The fire is Arka, the horse sacrifice is yonder sun [2]; in that he offers these libations he unites the lights of the Arka and the horse sacrifice; he indeed is an offerer of the Arka and the horse sacrifice, for whom this is done in the fire. c The waters were first this world, the moving; Prajapati saw this first layer, it he put down, it became this (earth). To him Viçvakarman said, 'Let me come to thee'; 'There is no space here', he answered [3]. He saw this second layer, he put it down, it became the atmosphere. The sacrifice said to Prajapati, 'Let me come to thee'; 'There is no space here', he answered. He said to Viçvakarman, 'Let me come to thee.' 'In what way wilt thou come to me? ' 'By the regional (bricks)', he replied. He came with the regional (bricks), he put them down, they became the regions [4]. The supreme lord said to Prajapati, 'Let me come to thee'; 'There is no space here', he answered. He said to Viçvakarman and the sacrifice, 'Let me come to you two'; 'There is no space here', they answered. He saw this third layer, he put it down, it became yonder (world). Aditya said to Prajapati, 'Let me come to thee' [5]; 'There is no space here', he answered.

He said to Viçvakarman and the sacrifice, 'Let me come to you two'; 'There is no space here', they answered. He said to the supreme lord, 'Let me come to thee.' 'In what way wilt thou come to me?' 'By the space- filler', he replied. He came to him by the space filler; therefore the space-filler is unexhausted, for yonder Aditya is unexhausted [6]. To them the seers said, 'Let us come to you.' 'In what way will ye come?' 'By greatness', they replied. To them they came with two (more) layers; (the fire) became one of five layers. He who knowing thus piles the fire becomes greater, he conquers these worlds, the gods know him; moreover he attains community with these deities. a The fire is a bird; if the piler of the fire were to eat of a bird, he would be eating the fire, he would go to ruin. For a year should he observe the vow, for a vow goes not beyond a year. b The fire is an animal; now an animal destroys him who moves up to it face to face; therefore he should go up to it from behind while it is looking towards the front, to prevent injury to himself. c 'Brilliance art thou, grant me brilliance, restrain earth [1], guard me from the earth. Light art thou, grant me light, restrain the atmosphere, guard me from the atmosphere. Heavenly light art thou, grant me heavenly light, restrain the heavenly light, guard me from the sky', he says; by these are these worlds supported; in that he puts them down, (it is) for the support of these worlds. Having put down the naturally perforated (bricks) he puts down the gold bricks; the naturally perforated are these worlds, gold is light; in that having put down the naturally perforated [2] he puts down the gold bricks; verily he makes these worlds full of light by means of them; verily also by them these worlds shine forth for him. d Those flames of thine, O Agni, which rising in the sun, With rays envelop the sky, With all of them bring us to brilliance, to man.

The first quarter verse is of seven syllables; the Çakvari is of seven syllables, the Çakvari is cattle; verily he wins cattle. The first quarter-verse is defective by one syllable. Therefore men live on what of speech is defective. He offers with a full (verse) to win Prajapati; full as it were is Prajapati. He offers with a defective (verse), for the creation of offspring, for from what is defective Prajapati created offspring. The Rc and the Saman, unwilling to remain with the gods for the sacrifice, taking the form of a black antelope departed and remained away. The (gods) reflected, 'He whom they shall resort to will become all this world.' They called to them, and they depositing their might in day and night came up to them. This is the colour of the Rc, the white of the skin of the black antelope; the black is the colour of the Saman. 'Ye are images of the Rc and Saman', he says; verily he wins the Rc and the Saman [1]. The white of the black antelope skin is the colour of the day, the black of the night. Whatever is imbued in those two, he wins. He consecrates (him) with a black antelope skin. The black antelope skin is the form of the holy power; verily he consecrates him with the holy power. 'O god, this prayer of him who imploreth', he says. That is according to the text. The man who is consecrated is a foetus; the clothing is the caul; be covers. Therefore [2] foetuses are born covered (with the caul). He should not uncover before the purchasing of the Soma. If he were to uncover before the purchasing of the Soma, the foetuses of offspring would be liable to miscarriage. He uncovers when the Soma has been purchased; verily he is born. It is also as when one uncovers to a superior. The Angirases going to the world of heaven divided their strength. What was left over became Çara grass; Çara grass is strength. In that the girdle is of Çara grass [3], he wins strength. He girds it in the middle; verily he gives him strength in the middle.

The Soma Cups a I take thee. Thou art the stone which maketh the sacrifice for the gods; make this sacrifice deep, with thy highest edge, (make) the Soma well pressed for Indra, rich in sweetness, in milk, bringing rain. b To Indra, slayer of Vrtra, thee! To Indra, conqueror of Vrtra, thee! To Indra, slayer of foes, thee! To Indra with the Adityas, thee! To Indra with the all-gods, thee! c Ye are savoury, conquerors of Vrtra, delightful through your gifts, spouses of immortality, Do ye, O goddesses, place this sacrifice among the gods Do ye, invoked, drink the Soma; Invoked by you [1] let Soma drink. d With thy light which is in the sky, on the earth, in the broad atmosphere, do thou for this sacrificer spread wealth broadly; be favour able to the giver. c Ye Dhisanas, that are strong, be strengthened; gather strength, and give me strength; let me not harm you, harm me not. f Forward, backward, upward, downward, let these quarters speed to you; O mother, come forth. g Thy unerring, watchful name, O Soma, to that of thee, O Soma, to Soma, hail! a Be pure for the lord of speech, O strong one; male, purified by the arms with the shoots of the male; thou art the god purifier of gods; to those thee whose portion b Thou art he who is appropriated; make our food full of sweetness for us; to all the powers of sky and earth thee! c May mind enter thee. d Fare along the broad atmosphere. e Hail! Thee, of kindly nature, to the sun! f To the gods that drink the rays thee f g This is thy birthplace; to expiration thee! a Thou art taken with a support. b O bounteous one, restrain (it), protect Soma, guard wealth, win food by sacrifice, I place within thee sky and earth, within thee the broad atmosphere; in unison with the gods, the lower and the higher, O bounteous one, do thou rejoice in the Antaryama (cup). e Thou art he who is appropriated; make our food full of sweetness for us; to all the powers of sky and earth thee! d May mind enter thee.

b Thou art taken with a support; thou art the leader, thou art the good leader; quicken the sacrifice, quicken the lord of the sacrifice; guard the pressings; let Visnu guard thee, do thou guard the folk with thy power; this is thy birthplace; to the All-gods thee! a Three and thirty in troops the Rudras Frequent the sky and earth, the destructive ones, Eleven seated on the waters; May all of them accept the Soma pressed for the pressing. b Thou art taken with a support; thou art the leader, thou art the good leader; quicken the sacrifice, quicken the lord of the sacrifice; guard the pressings; let Visnu guard thee, do thou guard the folk with thy power; this is thy birthplace; to the all-gods thee! a Thou art taken with a support. To Indra thee, to him of the Brhat (Saman), The strong, eager for praise. Thy great strength, O Indra, To that thee! To Visnu thee! This is thy birthplace; to Indra, eager for praise, thee! a The head of the sky, the messenger of earth, Vaiçvanara, born for holy order, Agni, The sage, the king, the guest of men, The gods have produced as a cup for their mouths. b Thou art taken with a support; to Agni Vaiçvanara thee! Thou art secure, of secure foundation, most secure of the secure, with securest foundation of those which are secure. This is thy birthplace; to Agni Vaiçvanara thee! a Thou art Madhu and Madhava; thou art Çukra and Çuci; thou art Nabha and Nabbasya; thou art Isa and Urja; thou art Saha and Sahasya; thou art Tapa and b Thou art taken with a support. c Thou art Samsarpa. d To Anhaspatva thee! a O Indra and Agni, come For our prayers to the pressed drink, the delightful fumes Drink ye of it, impelled by our prayer. b Thou art taken with a support; to Indra and Agni thee! This is thy birthplace; to Indra and Agni thee! a Ye dread ones, guardians of men, O All-gods, come ye, Generous, to the pressed drink of the generous one. b Thou art taken with a support; to the All-gods thee! This is thy birthplace; to the All-gods thee!

The Part of the Sacrificer in the New and Full Moon Sacrifices i. 7. 1. Cattle attend the cooked offerings of him who has established a fire. The cooked offering is the Ida; it is placed in the world of the sacrifice between the fore- and the after-offerings. Over it as it is brought up he should say, 'O thou of fair rain colour, come hither'; the cattle are the Ida; verily he summons cattle. The gods milked the sacrifice, the sacrifice milked the Asuras; the Asuras, being milked by the sacrifice, were defeated; he, who knowing the milking of the sacrifice [1] sacrifices, milks another sacrificer. 'May the blessing of this sacrifice be fulfilled for me', he says; this is the milking of the sacrifice; verily with it he milks it. The cow is milked willingly, and willingly the Ida is milked for the sacrificer; these are the teats of Ida, 'Ida is invoked'. Vayu is the calf. When the Hotr summons the Ida, then the sacrificer looking at the Hotr should in mind reflect on Vayu [2]; verily he lets the calf go to the mother. By the whole sacrifice the gods went to the world of heaven; Manu laboured with the cooked offering; the Ida went to Manu; the gods and the Asuras called severally upon her, the gods directly, the Asuras indirectly; she went to the gods; the cattle choose the gods, cattle deserted the Asuras. If he desire of a man, 'May he be without cattle', he should invoke the Ida indirectly for him; verily he becomes without cattle [3]. If he desire of a man, 'May he be rich in cattle', he should invoke the Ida directly for him; verily he becomes rich in cattle. The theologians say, 'He would invoke the Ida indeed who in invoking the Ida should invoke himself in the Ida.' 'To us be she dear, victorious, bountiful', he says; verily in invoking the Ida he invokes himself in the Ida. The Ida is as it were a breach in the sacrifice; half they eat [4], half they wipe; in this regard the sacrifice of the Asuras was broken; the gods united it by the holy power (Brahman).

g 'May speech that goes in front go in front, going straight to the gods, placing glory in me, breath in cattle, offspring in me [2] and in the sacrificer', he says; verily he yokes speech at the beginning of the sacrifice. The place of the sacrifice is made when having drawn off the libations they creep to the Bahispavamana; for they go away, and they praise with verses which go away; he returns, and with a verse addressed to Visnu reverences (the Soma); Visnu is the sacrifice; verily he makes the sacrifice. 'O Visnu, as our nearest, O mighty one, grant us protection; the streams dripping honey milk for thee the unfailing source', he says; verily he makes to swell by it whatever of the Soma has dried up through lying (in the barrels). iii. i. 11. a By Agni may one win wealth And abundance day by day, Glory, full of heroes. b Rich in cattle, in sheep, O Agni, in horses is the sacrifice; With manly companions, ever unalterable; Rich in food is this, O Asura, in offspring, Enduring, wealth, deep based and rich in houses. C Swell up. d Together for thee. e Here Tvastr the first, Of all forms, I call. May he be ours only. f That procreant strength for us do thou, O God Tvastr, graciously lot loose, Whence is born a hero [1] of great deeds, of skill, Who wieldeth the pressing-stone and loveth the gods. g Come hither, O Tvastr, propitious, Pervasive for abundance, and of thy own will, Aid us in every sacrifice., h The hero is born, loving the gods, Of brilliant hue, strong, and full of vigour; Tvastr accord us offspring and descendants; May he go to the place of the gods. i Forth for us, O goddess. k From the sky. l May we milk offspring and food From Sarasvant's breast, Swelling for all to see [2].1 m May we enjoy the favour Of thy waves, O Sarasvant, Which are full of honey and drip ghee. n Let us call for aid on this Sarasvant, Whose ordinance all cattle follow, Whose ordinance the waters obey, And in whose ordinance the lord of increase doth rest.

i Of thee, O god Soma, who hast the Adityas for thy troop, who knowest the heart, who belongest to the third pressing, who hast the Jagati for thy metre, who art drunk by Indra, who art drunk by Naraçansa, who art drunk by the fathers, who hast sweetness, and who art invited, I invited eat. k Swell up, lot thy strength be gathered From all sides, O Soma; Be strong in the gathering of might. l Impel my limbs, O thou with tawny steeds, Do not distress my troops; Propitious do thou honour for me the seven sages; Do not go below my navel [3]. m We have drunk the Soma, we have become immortal, We have seen the light, we have found the gods; What can the enmity, what the treachery, Of mortal man do to us, O immortal? n Whatever fault has been mine, Agni hath put that right, all-knower, he who belongeth to all men; Agni hath given back the eye, Indra and Brhaspati have given it back; Do ye two, O Açvins, Replace my eye within its sockets. o Of thee, O god Soma, over whom the Yajus is spoken, the Stoma sung [4], the Uktha recited, who hast tawny steeds, who art drunk by Indra, who hast sweetness, and who art invited, I invited eat. p Ye are to be filled; fill me With offspring and wealth. q That is thine, O father, and those that are after thee. That is thine, O grandfather, O great-grandfather, and those that are after thee. r Rejoice therein, O fathers, according to your shares. s Homage to your taste, O fathers; homage to your birth, O fathers; homage to your life, O fathers; homage to your [5] custom, O fathers; homage to your anger, O fathers; homage to your terrors, O fathers; O fathers, homage to you. t Ye that are in that world, may they follow you; ye that are in this world, may they u Ye that are in that world, of them be ye the most fortunate; ye that are in this world, of these may I be the most fortunate. v O Prajapati, none other than thou Comprehendeth all these creatures [6].

'Thou art the form, colour by name', he says; verily he wins offspring. 'Thou art holy order, truth by name', he says; verily he wins lordly power. 'Thou art the past, the future by name', he says; the foetus of the waters and the plants is cattle; verily he wins cattle [3]. So much as is around a man, that does he thus win. 'Thee for the realm of holy order', he says; the realm of holy order is this (earth); verily he conquers this (earth). 'Thee for the might of holy order', he says; the might of holy order is the atmosphere; verily he conquers the atmosphere. 'Thee for the circumference of holy order', he says; the circumference of holy order is the sky; verily he conquers the sky. 'Thee for the truth of holy order' [4], he says; the truth of holy order is the quarters; verily he conquers the quarters. 'Thee for the light of holy order', he says; the light of holy order is the world of heaven; verily he conquers the world of heaven. So many are the worlds of the gods; verily he conquers them. They make up ten; the Viraj has ten syllables, the Viraj is food; verily he finds support in the Viraj, the eating of What the gods could not win by the sacrifice, that they won by the Para (Grahas), and that is why the Paras have their name. In that the Paras are drawn, (it serves) to win that which one does not win by the sacrifice. The first he draws, by this he conquers the world; the second (he draws), by this he conquers the atmosphere; the third (he draws), by this he conquers yonder world. In that they are drawn, (they serve) to conquer these worlds [1]. In the latter days they are drawn hitherward from yonder, verily having conquered these worlds they descend again towards this world. In that in the former days they are drawn thitherward from hence, therefore these worlds are thitherward from hence; in that in the latter days they are drawn hitherward from thence, therefore these worlds are hitherward from thence; therefore men depend on the worlds in variation.

b May Prajapati seat thee on the back of earth, capacious, extending; thou art thou art earth, thou art the world, thou art the earth, thou art Aditi all-sustaining, sustainer of all the world; sustain the earth, make firm the earth, harm not the earth, for all expiration, cross-breathing, up-breathing, for support [1], for motion; may Agni protect thee with great prosperity, with most auspicious covering; with that deity, in the manner of Angiras, do thou sit firm. c Arising from every stem, From every joint, Do thou, O Durva, extend us With a thousand, a hundred. d Thou that extendest with a hundred, That arisest with a thousand, To thee, O goddess, O brick, Let us sacrifice with oblation. e Unovercomable art thou, overcoming, overcome our enemies, over come those that practise enmity. f Overcome the foe, overcome the foemen of a thousandfold strength [2] art thou; do thou inspirit me. g To the pious the winds pour honey, The streams honey; Be sweet to us the plants. h Sweet is the night, and sweet At dawn the air of earth, Sweet be the sky, our father. i Sweet to us be the lord of the forest, Sweet the sun, Sweet be the cows to us. k May the two great ones, sky and earth, Mingle for us this sacrifice; May they sustain us with support. l That highest step of Visnu [3] The singers ever gaze upon Like an eye stretched in the sky. m Thou art firm, O earth, Overcome the foemen; Fashioned by the gods hast thou come with ambrosia. n Those beams of thine, O Agni, which rising In the sun with rays envelop the sky, With all of them bring us to brilliance, to men. o Those flames of yours in the sun, O gods, in cattle, in horses, O Indra and Agni, O Brhaspati, With all of these grant us brilliance. p The brilliant [4] bore the light, the shining bore the light, the self-resplendent bore the light. q O Agni, yoke, O god, thy good steeds, The swift that readily bear. r Yoke, like a charioteer, O Agni, The steeds that best invite the gods Sit down as ancient Hotr.

e The zenith of the quarters; the winter and the cool season of the seasons; Brhaspati the deity; radiance the wealth; the twenty-sevenfold the Stoma, and it forming a path of the thirty-threefold; the draught ox the strength; the Abhibhu of throws; the wind all through the wind; Suparna the Rsi. f Fathers, grandfathers, near and far, may they protect us, may they help us, in this holy power, this lordly power, this prayer, this Purohita-ship, this rite, this invocation of the gods. a Firm is thy dwelling, thy place of birth, firm art thou Settle thou duly in thy firm place of birth; Banner of the fire in the pan, May the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here first in the east. b In thine own skill sit thou whose sire is skill, As the great earth bountiful among the gods, Be of kindly approach and come with thy body, Kindly as a father to his son; May the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here. c Nesting, rich in wealth, strength bestowing, Increase for us wealth, abundant, rich in heroes [1], Driving away hostility and enmity, Granting the lord of the sacrifice a share in increase of wealth, Do thou bestow the heaven as increase to the sacrificer; May the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here. d Thou art the dust of Agni, the leader of the gods; May the All-gods favour thee as such; With Stomas for thy back, rich in ghee, sit thou here, And win to us by sacrifice riches with offspring. May the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here! e Thou art the head of sky, the navel of earth, the holder apart of the quarters, the paramount of the worlds [2], the wave, the drop of the waters thou art; Viçvakarman is thy seer; may the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here. f In unison with the seasons, in unison with the ordainers, in unison with the unison with the Rudras, in unison with the Adityas, in unison with the All-gods, in unison with the gods, in unison with the gods establishing strength, to Agni Vaiçvanara, thee; may the two Açvins, the leeches, set thee here.

If he were to utter speech before the Naksatras appear, he would divide the sacrifice [3]. When the Naksatras have arisen, be utters speech, 'Prepare the fast food.' The consecrated is bound by a vow of sacrifice; verily with regard to the sacrifice does he utter speech. Should he utter speech, he should then repeat a Rc addressed to Visnu. Visnu is the sacrifice; verily he unites the sacrifice with the sacrifice. 'The thought divine we meditate', he says. Thus he makes smooth the sacrifice. 'May it guide us safely according as we will', he says. Verily he wins the dawn [4]. The theologians say, 'Should an offering be made in the house of one who is consecrated, or should an offering not be made?' The man who is consecrated is the oblation, and if he were to sacrifice he would offer a part of the sacrificer; if he were not to sacrifice, then he would omit a joint of the sacrifice. 'The gods, mind born, mind using', he says. The gods, mind born, mind using, are the breaths; verily in them he sacrifices secretly, and the sacrifice is both offered as it were and yet not offered. Now the Raksases are fain to hurt him who is consecrated while he sleeps. Agni [5] indeed is the slayer of the Raksases. 'O Agni, be thou wakeful. Let us be glad', he says; verily having made Agni his guardian, for the smiting away of the Raksases, he sleeps. Now, if a man who is consecrated sleeps, he does something that as it were is contrary to his vow. I Thou, O Agni, art the guardian of vows', he says. Agni indeed is among the gods the guardian of vows; verily he causes him to take up his vow again. 'Among the gods and men', he says for he, being a god [6], is (guardian of vows) among men. 'Thou art to be invoked at our sacrifices', he says; for him they invoke at the sacrifices. Now power and the gods depart from the man who is consecrated when he is asleep. 'All the gods have surrounded me', he says; verily he unites him with both power and the gods.

'O Agni, lord of vows,' (he says). 'One should recover one's former body', they say, 'for who knows if the richer, when his will is accomplished will restore it or not.' The pressing-stones are the troop of thieves of King Soma; him, who knowing thus, places the pressing-stones on the Agnidh's altar, the troop of thieves finds not. Having sacrificed with a verse addressed to Visnu, he approaches the post. The post has Visnu for its deity; verily he approaches it with its own deity. 'I have passed by others, I have not approached others', he says, for he passes by others, and does not approach others. I have found thee nearer than the farther, farther than the near', he says, for he finds it nearer than the farther, farther than the near. 'I welcome thee that art of Visnu, for the sacrifice to the gods' [1], he says, for he welcomes it for the sacrifice to the gods. 'Let the god Savitr anoint thee with honey', he says; verily he anoints it with glory. 'O plant, guard it; O axe, harm it not', he says; the axe is the thunderbolt; (verily it serves) for atonement. The brilliance of the tree which fears the axe falls away with the first chip; the first chip which falls he should take up; verily he takes it up with its brilliance [2]. These worlds are afraid of the falling forward of the tree. 'With thy top graze not the sky, with thy middle harm not the atmosphere', he says; verily he makes it tender for these worlds. 'O tree, grow with a hundred shoots', (with these words) he sacrifices on the stump; therefore many (shoots) spring up from the stump of trees. 'May we grow with a thousand shoots', he says; verily he invokes this blessing. He should cut it so that it will not touch the axle [3]. If he were to cut it so that it would touch the axle, the cattle of the sacrificer would be liable to perish. If he desire of any one, 'May he be without support', he should cut for him a branch; this among trees is not supported; verily he is without support.

The Soma is cattle [4]; if he were to partake of the drops, he would be possessed of cattle, but Varuna would seize him; if he were not to partake, he would have no cattle, but Varuna would not seize him; he should touch them only, he becomes possessed of cattle, Varuna seizes him not. 'The noose of Varuna is loosed', he says; verily is he freed from Varuna's noose. They advance without looking round, for concealment from Varuna. 'Thou art fuel may we prosper', he says; verily with the kindling-stick they approach the fire in reverence. 'Thou art brilliance; grant me brilliance', he says; verily he bestows brilliance upon himself. With the wooden sword he digs up the altar, with the axle of a chariot he measures. He sets up the sacrificial post; verily gathering together a threefold bolt he hurls it at his foe, to lay him low. If he were to set it up within the altar, he would win the world of the gods; if outside the altar, the world of men; he sets it up in the place where the altar and the edge (outside) meet, for the winning of both worlds. He should set (the set) up with the lower parts alike for one who desires the world of the Pitrs, with the girdle part alike for one who desires the world of men, with the top pieces alike for one who desires power, and all alike for one who desires support; the three in the middle alike for one who desires cattle; for through them [1] cattle attend (on him); verily he becomes possessed of cattle. He should interlock the others; verily he interlocks him with offspring and cattle. If he desire of a man, 'May he be liable to die', he should set it up for him in grave fashion, the northern half the higher, then (the southern) the lower; this is the grave fashion; he for whom he sets it up thus swiftly dies. For him who desires the heaven he should set it up with the southern half the higher, then the (northern) half the lower; verily the sacrificer makes it a ladder and a bridge to attain the world of heaven [2].

The wicked horse is sleeping. c O fair one, clad in fair raiment in the world of heaven be ye two covered.... {...several verses omitted from original translation...} 1 When the deer eateth grain, He deemeth not his flock fat. When the Çadra woman is the loved of the Aryan, She seeketh not wealth for prosperity.... {...several verses omitted from original translation...} q Dadhikravan have I sung, The swift strong horse. May he make our mouths fragrant; May he lengthen our days. r Ye waters are healing; Further us to strength, To see great joy. s The most auspicious flavour that is yours Accord to us here Like eager mothers. t To him may we come with satisfaction, To whose dwelling ye quicken us, O waters, and propagate us. vii. 4. 20. a Bhuh! Bhuvah! Svar! b Let the Vasus anoint thee with the Gayatri metre. Let the Rudras anoint thee with Tristubh metre. Let the Adityas anoint thee with the Jagati metre. c As the wind hath gone to the waters, Indra's dear body, By that path, O praiser, Bring back to us the horse. d O thou that hast barley, that hast grain, (bring) renown for me; e For barley, for milk, this food eat, O ye gods; this food eat, O Prajapati. f They yoke the tawny ruddy one, Which goeth round them that stand; The lights shine in the sky. g They yoke his dear steeds On either side of the chariot, Dark, strong, bearing heroes. A Making a banner for that which hath none, Form for the formless, O ye men, Thou wert born with the dawns. vii. 4. 21. To expiration hail! To cross-breathing hail! To inspiration hail! To sinews hail! To ligatures hail! To surrounding ligatures hail! To joints hail! To joinings hail! To bodies hail! To the sacrifice hail! To the sacrificial gifts hail! To heaven hail! To the world hail! To all hail! vii. 4. 22. To the bound hail! To the unbound hail! To the fastened hail! To the unfastened hail! To the yoked hail! To the unyoked hail! To the well-yoked hail! To the unyoked hail! To the one set free hail! To the one lot go hail!

w Thou art broad, and wealthy art thou. x Before the cruel foe slips away, O glorious one, Taking up the earth, with plenteous drops, The earth which they place in the moon by their offerings, Which wise men use to guide them in the sacrifice. a The Raksas is burnt up, the evil spirits are burnt up. b With Agni's keenest flame I burn you. c May I not brush the place of the cattle, I brush thee that art strong and overcomest foes. d Speech, breath, eye, ear, offspring, the organ of generation may I not brush, I brush thee that art strong and overcomest foes. e Beseeching favour, offspring, prosperity, in devotion to Agni, I gird my body for good action. f With fair offspring, with noble husbands, We are come to thee, O Agni, to thee that deceivest the foe, The undeceivable, we that are not deceived. g I loosen this bond of Varuna, Which Savitr the kindly hath bound, And in the birthplace of the creator, in the place of good action, I make it pleasant for me with my husband. h With life, with offspring, O Agni, with splendour again, As wife with my husband I am united. United be my spirit with my body. i Of the great ones thou art the milk, of plants the sap. Of thee that art the imperishable I make the offering. k Thou art the milk of the great ones, of plants the sap; with undeceived eye I gaze on thee for fair offspring. l Thou art brilliance; follow thou brilliance; may Agni not take away the brilliance. m Thou art the tongue of Agni, the good one of the gods. n Be thou (good) for every sacrifice, for the gods, for every prayer. o Thou art the shining, the radiance, the brilliance. p May the god Savitr purify you With a flawless strainer, With the rays of the bright sun. q I grasp thee shining in the shining, for every sacrifice, for the gods, for every r I grasp thee radiance in the radiance, thee resplendent in the resplendence for every sacrifice, for the gods, for every prayer. a Thou I art a black deer, living in the lair, to Agni thee, hail!

e Fare along the broad atmosphere. f Hail! Thee, of kindly nature, to the sun! g To the gods that drink the rays thee! h This is thy birthplace; to inspiration thee! a O Vayu, drinker of the pure, come to us; A thousand are thy teams, O thou that hast all choice boons. For thee this sweet drink hath been drawn, Whereof, O god, thou hast the first drink. b Thou art taken with a support; to Vayu thee! c O Indra and Vayu, these draughts are ready; Come ye for the libations, For the drops desire you. d Thou art taken with a support; to Indra and Vayu thee! This is thy birthplace; to the comrades thee! a This Soma is pressed for you, O Mitra and Varuna, Who prosper holy order; Hearken ye now to my supplication. b Thou art taken with a support; to Mitra and Varuna thee! This is thy birthplace; to the righteous thee! a That I whip of yours which is rich in sweetness And full of mercy, O Açvins, With that touch the sacrifice. b Thou art taken with a support; to the Açvins thee! This is thy birthplace; to the sweet thee! a Ye that yoke early be unloosed O Açvins, come ye hither, To drink this Soma. b Thou art taken with a support; to the Açvins thee! This is thy birthplace; to the Açvins thee! a Vena hath stirred those born of Prçni, He enveloped in light, in the expanse of the Him in the meeting-place of the waters, of the sun, Like a child, the priests tend with their songs. b Thou art taken with a support; to Çanda thee! This is thy birthplace; guard the a Him, as aforetime, as of old, as always, as now, The prince, who hath his seat on the strew and knoweth the heaven, The favouring, the strong, thou milkest with thy speech, The swift who is victor in those among whom thou dost wax. b Thou art taken with a support; to Marka thee! This is thy birth. place; guard offspring. a Ye gods that are eleven in the sky, Eleven on the earth, Who sit mightily in the waters, eleven in number, Do ye accept this saerifice.

o O Agni, whatever is deficient in my body, do thou make that good for me. p O thou of various splendour, in safety may I reach the end of thee. q Kindling thee may we kindle thee for a hundred winters, in radiance, strong the giver of strength, famous the giver of fame, with good heroes, the undeceived, O Agni, the deceiver of foes in the highest firmament. r Thou, O Agni, hast attained the radiance of the sun, the praises of the Rsis, thy beloved abode. s Thou, O Agni, hast the radiance of the sun; grant me life, radiance, and offspring. a I gaze on offspring, Offspring of Ida, connected with Manu; May they all be in our house. b Ye are water; may I share your water. Ye are greatness, may I share your ye are might, may I share your might; ye are strength, may I share your strength. c Ye wealthy ones, stay in this place, this fold, this dwelling, this birthplace; be ye here; go not hence; be many for me [1]. d Thou art composed of every form; enter me with strength, with lordship of kine, with increase of wealth. e May I prosper with your thousandfold prosperity; may your wealth rest in me. f To thee, O Agni, day by day, That shinest in the darkness, with our devotion, We come bearing honour. g Lord of the sacrifices, Guardian of holy order, shining, Waxing in his own horne. h O Agni, be of easy access to us, As a father to his son; Befriend us for prosperity. i O Agni [2] be thou our nearest, Our protector, kindly, a shield; Thee, O shining and most radiant one, We implore for favour, for our friends; Agni, bright, of bright fame, Come hither in thy greatest splendour and give us wealth. k With strength I gaze on you; gaze on me with strength. With increase of wealth I gaze on you; gaze on me with increase of wealth. l Ye are food, making sweetness; kindly enter me, nourishment and drink; may I prosper with your thousandfold prosperity [3], may your wealth rest on me, m That excellent glory of Savitr The god we meditate, That be may stimulate our prayers.

He whom men calumniate though he has slain no one should offer a Gayal to Vayu; impure speech comes to him whom men calumniate though he has slain no one; the Gayal is neither a domestic nor a wild animal; he is neither in the village nor the forest whom men calumniate though he has slain no one; Vayu is the purifier of the gods; verily he has recourse to Vayu with his own share; verily he [2] purifies him. The dawn shines away from him and he enters the darkness, the evil, to whom when the litany to the Açvins is being recited the sun becomes not visible; he should offer to Surya (a beast) of many forms; verily he has resort to yonder sun with its own share; verily it drives away the darkness, the evil, from him, the dawn shines upon him, he strikes away the darkness, the evil. a Indra on all sides. b On Indra men. c O Maruts, what time from the sky. d The protection which ye. e In contests we invoke Indra, swift to hear, The divine folk working good, freeing from distress, Agni, Mitra, Varuna, for gain, Bhaga, Sky and earth, the Maruts for welfare. f May the moving one who strikes at morning delight us; May Vata delight us, pourer of waters; Indra and Parvata quicken us; May the All-gods vouchsafe us this. g I hail the dear names [1] of yon impetuous ones, That, O Maruts, calling they may rejoice. h 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, Here found the dear home of the Maruts. i First let Agni with the Vasus aid us; Let Soma with the Rudras protect (us); Let Indra with the Maruts act in due course; Let Varuna with the Adityas quicken us.' k God Agni with the Vasus [2], Soma with the dread forms, Indra with the Maruts, worthy of sacrifice, Varuna with the Adityas hath been in harmony with us. l As the Adityas are united with the Vasus, The Rudras with the Maruts, So, O thou of three names, May the All-gods without anger be of one mind.

This middle layer is as it were unsupported; it is as it were the atmosphere; he puts down a pair on the other layers, but four in the middle one, for support. The seasonal (bricks) are the internal cement of the layers; in that he puts down the seasonal (bricks), (it is) to keep apart the layers. He puts down next an Avaka plant; this is the birthplace of Agni; verily he piles up the fire with its birthplace [1]. Viçvamitra says, 'He shall eat food with holy power, for whom these shall be put down, and he who shall know them thus'. It is the year which repels from support him who having piled up the fire does not find support; there are five layers preceding, and then he piles up the sixth; the year has six seasons; verily in the seasons the year finds support. These are the bricks [2], called the over-ladies; he for whom they are put down becomes the overlord of his equals; he should think of him whom he hates as he puts (them down); verily he cuts him off for those deities; swiftly he goes to ruin. The Angirases, going to the world of heaven, made over to the seers the accomplishment of the sacrifice; it became gold; in that he anoints with fragments of gold, (it is) for the completion of the sacrifice; verily also he makes healing for it [3]; moreover he unites it with its form, and with golden light he goes to the world of heaven. He anoints with that which contains the word 'of a thousand'; Prajapati is of a thousand; (verily it serves) to win Prajapati. 'May these bricks, O Agni, be for me milch cows', he says; verily he makes them milch cows; they, milking desires, wait upon him yonder in yonder world. The fire is Rudra; he is born then when he is completely piled up; just as a calf on birth desires the teat, so he here seeks his portion; if he were not to offer a libation to him, he would suck the Adhvaryu and the sacrificer. He offers the Çatarudriya (oblation); verily he appeases him with his own portion; neither Adhvaryu nor sacrificer goes to ruin.

f In that in strength I seize These plants in my hand, The soul of the disease perisheth, As before one that taketh alive. g When the plants come together Like princes at the assembly, Sage is the physician called, Slayer of Raksases, overpowerer of diseases. h Remover is your mother by name, And ye are helpers; Ye are winged streams [2]; Remove whatever is unwell. i Let one of you aid another, Let one be of assistance to another; All the plants in unison Do ye further this speech of mine. k The strength of the plants hath arisen Like cows from the pasturage, Of them that are fain to win gain, To the self of thee, O man. I Beyond all obstacles, Like the thief the pen, they have strode, The plants have shaken away Every defilement in the body. m Those [3] that have mounted thy self, That have entered every limb, May they repel thy disease, Like a dread intercessor. n O disease, do thou fly forth With the eagle, the blue jay (kikidivi) With the rush of the wind, With the whirlwind do thou disappear. o Rich in steeds, rich in Soma, Full of strength, full of power, I have found all the plants For his safety. p The fruitful, the fruitless, The flowering, the flowerless, Impelled by Brhaspati, May they free us from tribulation. q The [4] plants whose king is Soma, And which have entered the earth, Of them thou art the highest, Impel us to long life. r Falling from the sky The plants said, 'He, whom we reach while in life, Shall not come to ill.' s Those that hear now And those that are gone far away, Coming all together here Give ye him healing. t May the digger of you come to no ill, Nor he for whom I dig you; May all our bipeds and quadrupeds Be free from disease. u The plants hold converse With Soma, the king, 'The man for whom the Brahman prepares (us), We, O king, bring to safety.' a May I be harm us not who is father of earth Or who, of true law, created the sky, And he who created the great bright waters; To what god shall we offer with oblation?

If she were held by the ears, she would belong to Vrtrahan, and the sacrificer would oppress another, or another would oppress him. 'May Mitra bind thee by the foot', he says. Mitra is the auspicious one of the gods; verily with his help he binds her by the foot. 'May Pusan guard the ways', he says. Pusan is this (earth); verily he makes her lady of this (earth), for the gaining thereof. 'For Indra the guardian!' he says; verily he makes Indra her guardian [6]. 'May thy mother approve, thy father', he says; verily he buys with her approved. 'Go, O goddess, to the god', he says; for she is a goddess, and Soma is a god. 'To Indra Soma', he says; for the Soma is borne to Indra. If he were not to say that text, the cow with which the Soma is bought would go away. 'May Rudra guide thee hither', he says. Rudra is the harsh [7] one of the gods; verily he places him below her, for guiding hither. He does as it were a harsh thing when he recites that (text) of Rudra's. 'In the path of Mitra', he says, for soothing. He buys indeed by speech when he buys by the cow with which the Soma is bought. Hail! Return with Soma as thy comrade, with wealth', he says, verily having purchased by means of speech, he restores speech to himself. The speech of him who knows thus is not likely to fail. He follows six steps. Speech does not speak beyond the sixth day. He wins speech in the size in which she is found in the path of the year. He offers in the seventh footprint. The Çakvari has seven feet, the Çakvari is cattle; verily he wins cattle. There are seven domesticated animals, and seven wild; there are seven metres to win both sets of animals. 'Thou art a Vasvi, thou art a Rudra', he says; verily thus by her form he expounds her greatness [1]. 'May Brhaspati make thee rejoice in happiness', he says. Brhaspati is the holy power of the gods; verily by means of the holy power be wins cattle for him. 'May Rudra with the Vasus be favourable to thee', he says, for the sake of protection.

' The Brahmana of the month is that of the year also verily they go finding support in each month. The Horse Sacrifice (continued) vii. 4. 12. a Let the ram aid thee with cooked food, the dark-necked with goats, the cotton- tree with increase, the Parna-tree with the holy power (Brahman), the fig-tree with the sacrifice, the banyan with the beakers, the Udumbara with strength, the Gayatri with the metres, the Trivrt with the Stomas. b Ye are helpers; let the helpers help thee. Deal among dear things, best among things to be sought, treasure lord of treasures, thee we hail, O my radiant one. vii. 4. 13. To (the waters of) wells hail! To those of the pools hail! To those of the clefts hail! To those of holes hail! To those which are dug for hail! To those of lakes hail! To those of morasses hail! To those of ponds hail! To those of tanks hail! To those of marshes hail! To those of rain hail! To those without rain hail! To those of hail hail! To those of rime hail! To those which glide hail! To those which are stagnant hail! To those of the streams hail! To those of the rivers hail! To those of the ocean hail! To all hail! vii. 4. 14. To waters hail! To those that flow hail! To those that flow around hail To those that flow all about hail! To those that flow swiftly hail! To those that flow quickly hail! To those that flow wildly hail! To those that flow terribly hail! To the waters of earth hail! To those of the atmosphere hail! To those of the sky hail! To all hail! vii. 4. 15. a Him who is fain to injure the steed Varuna punisheth. Away the man, away the dog! b I and thou, Vrtra-slayer, Have been united to win spoils; Even the foe, O hero with the bolt, Must think of us; Good are Indra's gifts. c Thou hast surpassed in might, O Indra, on the earth The regions comprehend not thy greatness; For with thine own strength thou didst slay Vrtra; No foe hath found the end of thee in fight. vii. 4. 16. Homage to the king! Homage to Varuna! Homage to the horse!

n Homage to you that art seated, and to you that lie homage! o Homage to you that sleep, and to you that wake homage! P Homage to you that stand, and to you that run homage! q Homage to you assemblies, and to you, lords of assemblies, homage! r Homage to you horses, and to you, lords of horses, homage! a Homage to you that wound, and to you that pierce homage! b Homage to you that are in bands, and to you that are destructive homage! c Homage to you sharpers, and to you, lords of sharpers, homage! d Homage to you hosts, and to you, lord of hosts, homage! e Homage to you troops, and to you, lords of troops, homage f Homage to you of misshapen form, and to you of all forms homage! g Homage to you that are great, and to you that are small homage! h Homage to you that have chariots, and to you that are chariotless homage! i Homage to you chariots [1], and to you, lords of chariots, homage! k Homage to you hosts, and to you, lords of hosts, homage! I Homage to you, doorkeepers, and to you, charioteers, homage! m Homage to you, carpenters, and to you, makers of chariots, homage! n Homage to you, potters, and to you, smiths, homage! o Homage to you, Puñjistas, and to you, Nisadas, homage! p Homage to you, makers of arrows, and to you, makers of bows, homage! q Homage to you, hunters, and to you, dog-leaders, homage! r Homage to you dogs, and to you, lords of dogs, homage! a Homage to Bhava and to Rudra. b Homage to Çarva and to the lord of cattle. c Homage to the blue-necked one, and to the white-throated. d Homage to the wearer of braids, and to him of shaven hair. e Homage to him of a thousand eyes, and to him of a hundred bows. f Homage to him who haunteth the mountains, and to Çipivista. g Homage to the most bountiful, and to the bearer of the arrow. h Homage to the short, and to the dwarf. i Homage to the great, and to the stronger. k Homage to him who hath waxed, and to the waxing. I Homage to the chief, and to the first. m Homage to the swift, and to the active.

r May we not [5], O strong one, in this distress, Be handed over to evil, O lord of the ways; Guard us with true protection; May we be dear to you among the princes. s The Anus have wrought a chariot for thy steed; Tvastr a glorious bolt, O thou invoked of many; The Brahmans magnifying Indra with their praises Have strengthened him for the slaying of the serpent. t What time the strong sang praise to the strong, O Indra, the stones and Aditi in unison, Without steeds or chariots were the fellies Which, sped by Indra, rolled against the Dasyus.

o In unison with thee, aided by thee, Under thy leadership, let us gain strength; Fulfil both our desires, O truthful one; Perform it forthwith, O fearless one. p With this fuel, O Agni, will we serve thee; Accept the song of praise recited for thee; Burn those that revile, the Raksases; guard us, From the foe, the reviler, O rich in friends, from blame. I touch the steed that slayeth the Raksases; I go for shelter to the friend most spreading; May Agni, enkindled with our offerings, sharpening (his dart) Guard us by day, [6] from harm and by night. r With great radiance Agni shineth; All things doth he reveal by his might; He overcometh godless and malign enchantments He sharpeneth his horns to pierce the Raksas. s Let the roarings of Agni rise to the heaven, Sharp weapons to slay the Raksas; In the carouse his radiance bursteth forth The godless assailers cannot restrain him.

m Bright is part of thee, worthy of offering another [2], Like day and night of various hue, like the sky art thou; All magic thou dost further, O powerful one; Propitious here, O Pusan, be thy bounty. n They grew in might with their own power; They mounted the vault, they made a broad seat; When Visnu helped the strong one who causeth gladness, Like birds they sat on the dear strew. o Bear ye variegated praise to the strong singer, The host of the Maruts, which hath strength; Who with might endure might [3], For the jocund ones, O Agni, the earth shakes. p The All-gods. q O All-gods. r May sky and earth this day Place among the gods this sacrifice, Successful, touching the sky. s Bring forward the parents born of old with now songs, In the seat of holy order, Come to us, O sky and earth, with the host divine; Great is your protection. t Awaken Agni with the praise, Kindling the immortal; May he place our oblations among the gods. u Bearing the oblation, immortal, The eager messenger, well-inclined, Agni uniteth with our prayer. v Health be they. w For each prize.

The Piling of the Fire Altar (Continued) a O Agni and Visnu, may these songs gladden you in unison; come ye with radiance and strength. b May for me strength, instigation, influence, inclination, thought, inspiration, speech, fame, renown, reputation, light, heaven, expiration, inspiration [1], cross- breathing, breath, mind, learning, voice, mind, eye, ear, skill, might, force, strength, life, old age, breath, body, protection, guard, limbs, bones, joints, bodies (prosper through the sacrifice). May for me pre-eminence, overlordship, spirit, anger, violence, impetuosity, victorious power, greatness, breadth, extent, greatness, length, growth, growing, truth, faith, world [1], wealth, power, radiance, play, delight, what is born, what is to be born, good words, good deeds, finding, what there is to find, what has been, what will be, easy road, good way, prosperity, prospering, agreement, agreeing, thought, good thought (prosper through the sacrifice). May for me prosperity, comfort, desire, wish, longing, kindliness, good, better, superior, fame, good luck, riches, restrainer, supporter, peace, firmness, all [1], greatness, discovery, knowledge, begetting, procreation, plough, harrow, holy order, immortality, freeness from disease, freedom from illness, life, longevity, freedom from foes, fearlessness, ease of going, lying, fair dawning, and fair day (prosper through the sacrifice). May for me strength, righteousness, milk, sap, ghee, honey, eating and drinking in company, ploughing, rain, conquest, victory, wealth, riches, prosperity, prospering, plenteousness [1], lordship, much, more, fun, fuller, imperishableness, bad crops, food, freedom from hunger, rice, barley, beans, sesame, kidney beans, vetches, wheat, lentils, Millet, Panicum miliaceum, Panicum frumentaceum, and wild rice (prosper through the sacrifice).

b May the two-footed, the four-footed, The three-footed, the six-footed, The metrical, the unmetrical, Pierce thee with needles. c May the Mahanamnis, the Revatis, All the regions that are rich in fruits, The lightnings of the clouds, the voices. Pierce thee with needles. d The silver, the gold, the leaden, Are yoked as workers with the works, On the skin of the strong horse, May they pierce thee with needles. e May the ladies [1], the wives, With skill separate thy hair, The wives of the gods, the quarters, Pierce thee with needles. f What then? As men who have barley Reap the barley in order, removing it, Hither bring the food of those Who have not gone to the reverential cutting of the strew. a Who cutteth thee? Who doth divide thee Who doth pierce thy limbs? Who, too, is thy wise dissector? b May the seasons in due season, The dissectors, divide thy joints, And with the splendour of the year May they pierce thee with needles. c May the divine Adhvaryus cut thee, And divide thee; May the piercers piercing Joint thy limbs. d May the half-months, the months, Cut thy joints, piercing, May the days and nights, the Maruts, Make whole thine injuries [1]. e May the earth with the atmosphere, May Vayu heal thy rent, May the sky with the Naksatras Arrange thy form aright. f Healing to thy higher limbs, Healing to thy lower; Healing to bones, marrow, Healing too to thy body!

g The chant, the Çastra, the response, The libation, the Ida, the prayers, I win, the light. I summon for thee the sacrifices of the wives, O offering, I take thy I offering and sacrificial utterance. h Cattle, the pressed (Soma), the sacrificial cakes, The pressings, the sacrifice, The gods with Indra, I summon for thee, O offering, Lead by Agni, with Soma, and them all. vii. 3. 12. The past, the present, the future, Vasat, hail, reverence! The Rc, the Saman, the Yajus, Vasat, hail, reverence! The Gayatri, the Tristubh, the Jagati, Vasat, hail, reverence! The earth, the atmosphere, the sky, Vasat, hail, reverence! Agni, Vayu, Surya, Vasat, hail, reverence! Expiration, cross-breathing, inspiration, Vasat, hail, reverence! Food, ploughing, rain, Vasat, hail, reverence! Father, son, grandson, Vasat, hail, reverence! Bhuh, Bhuvah, Suvar, Vasat, hail, reverence! vii. 3. 13. a May a house be mine, may offspring be mine; May the strong sacrifice come to me. May the divine and holy waters come to me; May the abundance of a thousandfold (wealth) fail me not. b May the cup be mine; may the Puroruc be mine; May the chant and the Çastra come to me in union. May the Adityas, the Rudras, the Vasus, be present at the rite; May the abundance of a thousandfold (wealth) fail me not. c May the Agnistoma, come to me, and the Ukthya; May the nocturnal Atiratra come to me. May the (draughts) which have stood over night, well offered, come to me; May the abundance of a thousandfold (wealth) fail me not. vii. 3. 14.

i Thine anger, O Varuna, would we avert with reverence, With sacrifices, with oblations Ruling, O wise Asura, O king, Do thou unloose the sins we have committed. k Unloose from us, O Varuna, the highest, The lowest, the midmost knot; Then may we, O Aditya [3], in thy rule, Be guiltless before Aditi. I Of Dadhikravan have I sung, The swift strong horse; May he make our mouths fragrant; May he lengthen our days. m Dadhikra with his glory hath overspread the five peoples, As the sun with his light the waters; May the strong steed, winning a hundred, a thousand, Fill with boney these words of ours. n Agni, the head. o Thou art. p O Maruts, what time seeking your favour We call on you from the sky, Do ye come unto us [4]. q The protections which ye have for the earnest worshipper, Threefold do ye grant them to the generous giver, To us, O Maruts, do ye accord them; O strong ones, give us wealth rich in heroes: r Let Aditi save us, Let Aditi give us protection, Let Aditi guard us from tribulation. s The mighty mother of the righteous, The spouse of holy order, let us invoke to aid us, The powerful, the unageing, the wide Aditi, who giveth good protection and good guidance. t Earth strong to save, sky unrivalled, Aditi who giveth good protection and good guidance, The divine ship with good oars, the blameless, Which leaketh not, let us mount for prosperity. u Happily have I mounted this ship With a hundred oars and a hundred spars, Without leak, able to convey across.

If he were to offer with the milk of domesticated animals [1], he would afflict domestic animals with pain; if (with that) of wild (animals), wild (animals); he should offer with groats of wild sesame or with groats of Gavidhuka grass; he harms neither domesticated nor wild animals. Then they say, 'Wild sesame and Gavidhuka grass are not a proper offering'; he offers with goat's milk, the female goat is connected with Agni; verily he offers with a proper offering; he harms neither domesticated nor wild animals. The Angirases going to the world of heaven [2] spilled the cauldron on the goat; she in pain dropped a feather (like hair), it became the Arka (plant); that is why the Arka has its name. He offers with a leaf of the Arka, to unite it with its birthplace. He offers standing facing north; this is the quarter of Rudra; verily he propitiates him in his own quarter. He offers on the last brick; verily at the end he propitiates Rudra. He offers dividing it into three; these worlds are three; verily he makes these worlds of even strength; at this height he offers [3], then at this, then at this; these worlds are three; verily he appeases him for these worlds. Three further libations he offers; they make up six, the seasons are six; verily with the seasons he appeases him. If he were to offer while wandering round, he would make Rudra come within (the sacrifice). Or rather they say, 'In what quarter is Rudra or in what?' He should offer them while wandering round; verily he appeases him completely [4].

o (The foe who), O Mitra and Varuna, &c. p (The foe who), O Açvins, &c. iii. 2. 11. a He by thy help, O Agni, With good heroes, making strength, is victorious, Whose companionship thou dost favour. b Your ancient lofty praise bear To Agni, the Hotr The creator who beareth as it were the light of songs. c O Agni, three are thy powers, three thy stations, Three are thine ancient tongues, O born of holy order; Three are thy bodies in which the gods find pleasure, With them guard thou our songs unfailing. d With the rite, with food [1] I impel you, O Indra and Visnu, to the end of this work; Rejoice in the sacrifice and bestow wealth, Furthering us with safe ways. e Both are victorious, they are not defeated Neither of them at any time hath been defeated; When, with Indra, O Visnu, ye did strive, Then did ye in three divide the thousand. f Three ages are thine, O All-knower, Three births in the dawns, O Agni; With them, knowing, do thou propitiate the gods, And [2] be for the sacrificer health and wealth. g Agni abideth in three abodes Of three foundations, the sage; May he offer and may he satisfy for us, The three sets of eleven (gods); The wise envoy made ready, Let the others all be rent asunder. h O Indra and Visnu, ye overthrew The nine and ninety strong forts of Çambara; Of Varcin, the Asura, a hundred and a thousand heroes Do ye slay irresistibly. i Then did his mother seek to persuade him, 'O son, these gods are abandoning thee.' Then said Indra, about to slay Vrtra, 'O friend Visnu, step thou more widely.'

The Horse Sacrifice (continued) 'Be 'pure for the winning of strength', this is the Anustubh strophe; three Anustubhs make four Gayatris; in that there are three Anustubhs, therefore the horse when standing stands on three feet; in that there are four Gayatri is, therefore he goes putting down all four feet. The Anustubh is the highest of metres, the fourfold Stoma is the highest of Stomas, the three-night sacrifice the highest of sacrifices, the horse the highest of animals; verily by the highest he makes him go to the highest state. It is the twenty-onefold day [1], on which the horse is slain, there are twelve months, five seasons; these worlds are three; the twenty-onefold (Stoma) is yonder sun; this is Prajapati, the horse is connected with Prajapati; verily he wins it straightway. The Prstha (Stotra) is of Çakvari verses to make the horse complete, there are various metres, different sets of animals are offered, both domesticated and wild; in that the Prstha is of Çakvari verses, (it is) to complete the horse. The Saman of the Brahman is that of Prthuraçmi; by the rein the horse is restrained [2], a horse unrestrained and unsupported is liable to go to the furthest distance; (verily it serves) to restrain and support the horse. The Achavaka's Saman is the Samkrti; the horse sacrifice is an extensive sacrifice; 'who knows', they say, 'if all of it is done or not?' In that the Achavaka's Saman is the Samkrti, (it serves) to make the horse whole, to win it entirely, to prevent interference. The last day is an Atiratra with all the Stomas, to obtain all, to conquer all; verily he obtains all, he conquers all with it.

Two oceans are there extended, unperishing; They revolve in turns like the waves in the bosom of the sea; Seeing they pass over one of them, Seeing not [1] they pass over the other with a bridge. Two garments continuous one weareth; With locks, knowing all the worlds; He goeth in secret clad in the dark; He putteth on his bright robe abandoning that of the worn-out one. Whatever the gods did at the sacrifice the Asuras did. The gods saw this great sacrifice, they extended it, they performed the Agnihotra as the vow; therefore one should perform the vow twice, for twice they offer the Agnihotra. They performed the full moon rite, as the animal sacrifice to Agni and Soma [2]. They performed the new moon rite, as the animal sacrifice to Agni. They performed the sacrifice to the All-gods as the morning pressing. They performed the Varunapraghasas, as the midday pressing. They performed the Sakamedhas, the sacrifice to the fathers, and the offering to Tryambaka, as the third pressing. The Asuras sought to follow their sacrifice, but could not get on its tracks. They said, 'These gods have become inviolable (adhvartavyah). That is why the sacrifice (adhvara) is inviolable. Then the gods prospered, the Asuras were defeated. He who knowing thus offers the Soma, prospers himself, the enemy is defeated. a Surrounding Agni, surrounding Indra, surrounding the All-gods, surrounding me with splendour, be purified for us, with healing for cattle, healing for men, healing for the horses, healing, O king, for the plants; may we possess the abundance of wealth that is thine who art unbroken and of heroic power, O lord of wealth; of that give me, of that may I share, of that that is thine I procure this.

b Turn towards (us), O earth, With the sacrifice, with milk; Over thy caul let Agni, aroused, creep. c O Agni, that of thee which is pure, which is bright, Which is cleansed, which is fit for offering, That we bear to the gods. d Food and strength do I take hence [1], From the abode of holy order, from the birthplace of immortality. May it enter us, in cattle and in plants; I abandon decline, lack of food, and ill-health. e O Agni, strength and fame are thine, Thy rays shine mightily, O rich in light; O thou of broad radiance, with thy might, strength worthy of laud, Thou bestowest on the worshipper, O sage. f Do thou extend over men, O Agni, Ruling over wealth for us, O immortal one; Thou art the master of a glorious form, Thou fillest glorious wealth. g O son of strength, O all-knower, Rejoice in our fair praises [2], being adored in our prayers; In thee have they placed food, rich in seed, Of wondrous aid, of prosperous birth. h With pure radiance, with bright radiance, With undiminished radiance, thou comest forth with thy light; Visiting thy parents thou aidest them; Thou fillest both worlds. i The righteous, the bull, common to all men, Agni, men place before them for favour, Thee with their speech, that art ready to hear and most extending, The divine, the generations of men. k Preparer of the sacrifice, the wise, Who ruleth for great gain, The giver of the Bhrgus, the eager, skilled in the sacrifice Thou fillest glorious wealth. l Ye are pilers, ye are pilers around, do ye pile upwards as a support, with that deity, sit ye firm in the manner of Angiras. m Swell up, let thy strength be gathered From all sides, O Soma. Be strong in the gathering of might.

a (Thou art) Krttikas, the Naksatra, Agni, the deity; ye are the radiances of Agni, of Prajapati, of the creator, of Soma; to the Re thee, to radiance thee, to the shining thee, to the blaze thee, to the light thee b (Thou art) Rohini the Naksatra, Prajapati the deity; Mrgaçirsa the Naksatra, Soma the deity; Ardra the Naksatra, Rudra the deity; the two Punarvasus the Naksatra, Aditi the deity; Tisya the Naksatra, Brhaspati the deity; the Açresas the Naksatra, the serpents the deity; the Maghas the Naksatra, the fathers the deity; the two Phalgunis the Naksatra [1], Aryaman the deity; the two Phalgunis the Naksatra, Bhaga the deity; Hasta the Naksatra, Savitr the deity; Citra the Naksatra, Indra the deity; Svati the Naksatra, Vayu the deity; the two Viçakhas the Naksatra, Indra and Agni the deity; Anruradha the Naksatra, Mitra the deity; Rohini the Naksatra, Indra the deity; the two Viçrts the Naksatra; the fathers the deity; the Asadhas the Naksatra, the waters the deity; the Asadhas the Naksatra, the All-gods the deity; Çrona the Naksatra, Visnu the deity; Çravistha the Naksatra, the Vasus [2] the, deity; Çatabhisaj the Naksatra, Indra the deity; Prosthapadas the Naksatra, the goat of one foot the deity; the Prosthapadas the Naksatra, the serpent of the deep the deity; Revati the Naksatra, Pusan the deity; the two Açvayujs the Naksatra, the Açvins the deity; the Apabharanis the Naksatra, Yama the deity. c Full on the west; what the gods placed. a (Ye are) Madha and Madhava, the months of spring. b (Ye are) Çukra and Çuci, the months of summer. c (Ye are) Nabha and Nabhasya, the months of rain. d (Ye are) Isa and Urja, the months of autumn. e (Ye are) Saha and Sahasya, the months of winter. f (Ye are) Tapa and Tapasya, the months of the cool season.

k What time ye came to the wedding of Surya, Choosing a seat together on the three-wheeled (chariot), I praise you, Açvins, gods, invoke seeking aid, May ye relieve us from sin. l Of the Maruts I reckon; may they aid us; May they all help this every prayer (of ours); The swift, easily controlled (ones) I call to help, May they relieve us from evil. m The sharp weapon, strong and mighty, The divine host [4] keen in the battles, I praise the gods, the Maruts; I invoke seeking aid, May they relieve us from evil. n Of the gods I reckon; may they aid us; May they all help this every prayer; The swift, easily controlled (ones) I call to help, That they may relieve us from evil. o That which now consumeth me From deed of men or gods, I praise the All-gods; I invoke seeking aid, May they free us from evil. p Us to-day Anumati. q O Anumati, thou [5]. r Vaiçvanara for aid to us. s Present in sky. t Those that expanded with unmeasured might, Those that became the supports of wealth, I praise sky and earth; I invoke seeking aid, May ye relieve us from tribulation. u O ye broad firmaments, make room for us; O rulers of the field, aid us; I praise sky and earth; I invoke seeking aid, May ye relieve us from tribulation. v Whatever sin we commit against thee, As men are wont in ignorance, O most young [6], Make us blameless before Aditi, Remove our evil deeds on all sides, O Agni. w Even as ye did set free, O bright ones, O ye that are worthy of offering, the buffalo cow bound by the foot, So do thou remove from us tribulation; Be our life prolonged further, O Agni. THE EXPLANATION OF THE PILING OF THE FIRE ALTAR

The pan when enkindled is connected with Varuna; he approaches it with (a verse) addressed to Mitra, for atonement. 'May the god Savitr dig thee out', he says; verily, instigated by Savitr, he digs it out with holy power and with the deities. 'Breaking not, O earth, fill the regions, the quarters' [3], he says; therefore Agni shines along all the quarters. 'Arise, become great, stand upright, be thou firm', he says, for support. A bowl that is not poured upon is connected with the Asuras; he pours upon it; verily he makes it to be with the gods; with goats' milk he pours upon it; the milk of the goat is the highest form of draught; verily he pours upon it with the highest draught; (he pours) with a Yajus, for discrimination. He pours with the metres; with the metres it is made; verily with the metres he pours upon the metres. With twenty-one beans he approaches the head of the man; beans are impure, the man's head is impure; verily by the impure he redeems its impurity and making it pure takes it. There are twenty-one; man is composed of twenty-one parts; (verily they serve) to obtain man. The man's head is impure as bereft of the breaths; he deposits (it near) an ant-heap pierced in seven places; the breaths in the head are seven; verily he unites it with the breaths, to make it pure. Of all those [1] that were comrades of death Yama holds the overlordship; he sings the verses of Yama; verily from Yama he redeems it; with three he sings; three are these worlds; verily from these worlds he redeems it; therefore one should not give to one who sings, for the Gatha appropriates it. To the fires he offers animals; the fires are desires; verily he wins his desires.

1n the Stomabhagas Brhaspati saw the support of the sacrifice; in that he puts down the Stomabhagas, (it is) for the support of the sacrifice. Seven by seven he puts down, to confer strength, three in the middle, for support. (With the words) 'ray', he created Aditya; with 'advance', right; with 'following', the sky; with 'union', the atmosphere; with 'propping', the earth; with 'prop', the rain; with blowing forward', the day; with 'blowing after', the night; with eager', the Vasus; with 'intelligence', the Rudras; with 'brilliant', the Adityas; with 'force', the Pitrs; with 'thread', offspring; with 'enduring the battle', cattle; with 'wealthy', plants. 'Thou art the victorious, with ready stone [1]; for Indra thee Quicken Indra', (with these words) he fastened the thunderbolt on his right side, for victory. He created offspring without expiration; on them he bestowed expiration (with the words) 'Thou art the overlord'; inspiration (with the word) 'Restrainer'; the eye (with) 'the gliding'; the ear (with) 'the bestower of strength'. Now these offspring, though having expiration and inspiration, hearing and seeing, did not couple; upon them he bestowed copulation (with the words) 'Thou art the Trivrt'. These offspring though coupling [2] were not propagated; he made them propagate (with the words) 'Thou art the mounter, thou art the descender'. These offspring being propagated did not find support; he made them find support in these worlds (with the words) 'Thou art the wealthy, thou art the brilliant, thou art the gainer of good', verily he makes offspring when propagated find support in these worlds, he with his body mounts the atmosphere, with his expiration he finds support in yonder world, of expiration and inspiration he is not liable to be deprived who knows thus. By the 'sitters on the vault' the gods went to the world of heaven; that is why the 'sitters on the vault' have their name.

The Raksases, following along by the path, seek to injure the sacrifice; the Prastotr follows along with the Saman, the slayer of Raksases, is the Saman; (verily it serves) for the smiting away of the Raksases. Thrice he performs the finale; these worlds are three; verily from these worlds [1] he smites away the Raksases. Each one performs the finale; for each one is infested by the Raksases, for the smiting away of the Raksases. 'King Varuna hath made a broad (path)', he says, for support. 'A hundred remedies are thine, O king, a thousand', he says; verily he makes medicine for him. 'The noose of Varuna is overcome', he says verily he overcomes the noose of Varuna. He makes offering over the strew, for the support of the oblations; verily also he offers in what has fire. He offers the fore-offerings omitting that to the strew [2]; the strew is offspring; verily he frees offspring from Varuna's noose. He offers the two portions of butter; verily he does not obstruct the two eyes of the sacrifice. He sacrifices to Varuna; verily he frees him from Varuna's noose. He sacrifices to Agni and Varuna; verily straightway he frees him from Varuna's noose. He offers two after-offerings, omitting that to the strew; the strew is offspring; verily he frees offspring from Varuna's noose. He offers four fore-offerings and two after- offerings; they make up six, the seasons are six [3]; verily he finds support in the seasons. 'O bath, O flood', he says; verily he propitiates by this utterance Varuna. In the sea is thy heart, within the waters', he says, for Varuna is in the sea. 'Let the plants and the waters enter thee" he says; verily he unites him with the waters and the plants. 'Ye divine waters, this is thy foetus', he says; that is according to the text.

h O Mitra and Varuna, Bedew our pasturage with ghee With mead the regions, O ye wise ones. i Do ye unloose your arms for us to live; Do ye bedew our pasturage with ghee; Make us famous among the folk, O ye young ones; Hearken, O Mitra and Varuna, to these my supplications. k Agni for you I honour in song, The god first of the bright ones; Honouring him who prospereth the fields Like a much loved friend. l Swiftly (goeth) the chariot of the worshipper [3] Like a hero in every contest; He who by sacrifice is fain to win the mind of the gods Shall prevail over those who sacrifice not. m Thou art not harmed, O sacrificer, Nor thou, O pourer, nor thou, O pious one; There shall be wealth of heroes, And plenteousness of swift steeds; No one shall in act approach him, No one shall anticipate him nor stay him. n Streams, health-bringing, like milch cows, Pour up to the man who hath sacrificed and shall sacrifice; Him who filleth and satiateth [4], bringing fame, Streams of ghee approach on all sides. o O Soma and Rudra, do ye drive away The evil spirit that hath entered our abode; Far away from us smite misfortune; Whatever sin we have done remove from us. p O Soma and Rudra, do ye give to us, In our bodies, all these medicines; Loosen and remove the evil we have done That is bound within our bodies. q O Soma and Pusan, begetters of wealth, Begetters, of sky, begetters of earth, Born as protectors of the whole world, The gods have made (you) the navel of immortality. r In the birth of these gods they rejoiced; They concealed the hateful darkness; Through these two, Soma and Pusan, The Indra made the cooked (milk) among the raw cows. Sacred-Texts Index Hinduism Index Yajur Veda Index Previous Next

i may Dhatr give us wealth, Life in days to come and unfailing; May we obtain the favour Of the god whose gifts are true. k May Dhatr give wealth to the giver, Desiring offspring, generous in his home; Let all the immortal gods roll themselves up for him, The All-gods and Aditi in unison. l For us to-day may Anumati Among the gods favour our sacrifice, And be she and Agni, bearer of the oblation, A joy to the giver. m Accord thy favour, O Anumati [3], And grant us wealth; For inspiration, for insight impel us, Lengthen our days for us. n May she favouring, favour (us) With wealth, undecaying, rich in offspring; In her disfavour may we not fall; May the goddess easy to invoke grant us protection. o Anumati men reverence in the quarter Wherein is that which shineth; May she in whose lap is the broad atmosphere, The goddess, easy to invoke, grant us protection [4]. p Raka, easy to invoke, I invoke with fair praise; May the fortunate one hear us and be aware of us With needle that breaks not may she sew her task; May she give a hero, whose wergild is a hundred, worthy of song. q The fair thoughts of thine, O Raka, Whereby thou art wont to give wealth to the giver, With them to-day come to us in kindliness, Granting, O fortunate one, a thousandfold prosperity. r O Sinivali, s The fairhanded. t I invoke at the sacrifice Kuhn the fortunate, Who accomplisheth her work, the easy to invoke; May she give us the fame of our fathers; To thee, O goddess, let us offer with oblation. u Kuhn, lady of the gods and of immortality, Worthy of invocation, may she be aware of the oblation To the giver may she assign much good fortune, To the wise may she grant increase of wealth.

c Thou art the sovereign, the western quarter [1]; the Adityas, the deities, are thine overlords, Soma stayeth missiles from thee; may the seventeenfold Stoma support thee on earth, the Marutvatiya hymn establish thee in firmness, the Vairupa Saman be thy support. d Thou art the self-ruling, the northern quarter; the All-gods are thine overlords, Varuna stayeth missiles from thee; may the twenty-onefold Stoma support thee on earth, the Niskevalya Uktha establish thee, in firmness, the Vairaja Samana be thy support. e Thou art the lady paramount, the great quarter; the Maruts, the deities, are thine overlords [2], Brhaspati stayeth missiles from thee; may the twenty-sevenfold and the-thirty- threefold Stomas secure thee on earth, the Vaiçvadeva and the Agnimaruta hymns establish thee in firmness, the Çakvara and Raivata Samans be thy support. f For the atmosphere may the Rsis firstborn among the gods extend thee with the measure, the breadth, of the sky, and be that is disposer and overlord; let all of them in unison establish thee and the sacrificer on the ridge of the vault, on the world of heaven. a This in the front, with tawny hair, with the sun's rays; the leaders of his host and bands are Rathagrtsa and Rathaujas, and Puñjikasthala and Krtasthala his Apsarases, his missile wizards, his weapon the Raksases. b This on the right, all worker; the leaders of his host and bands are Rathasvana and Rathecitra, and Menaka and Sahajanya his Apsarases, his missile biting beasts, his weapon the death of men. c This behind, all extending; the leaders of his host and bands are Ratheprota and Asamaratha, and Pramlocanti [1] and Anumlocanti his Apsarases, his missile the serpents, his weapon tigers. d This on the left, collecting riches; the leaders of his host and bands are Senajit and Susena, and Viçvaci and Ghrtaci his Apsarases, his missile the waters, his weapon the wind.

If he were not to offer the animals, then he would not obtain animals [2]; if he were to let them go after circumambulation with fire, he would disturb the sacrifice; if he were to keep them until the conclusion, the heads would be exhausted; in that he offers the animals, he wins thereby animals; in that he lets them go after circumambulation with fire, (it serves) to prevent the exhaustion of the heads; he concludes (the rite) with (an animal) for Prajapati; Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he concludes the sacrifice in the sacrifice. Prajapati created offspring, he thought himself empty, he saw these April (verses), with them from the head [3] he satisfied himself. In that there are these April verses, and Prajapati is the sacrifice, he satisfies the sacrifice from the beginning with them. They are of unlimited metres; Prajapati is unlimited; (verily they serve) to obtain Prajapati. The pairs are deficient and redundant, for propagation; hairy by name is that metre of Prajapati, animals are hairy; verily he wins animals. There are all forms in these; all forms are made when Agni has to be piled up, therefore these appertain to Agni, to be piled [4]. Twenty-one kindling-(verses) be repeats; the twenty-onefold (Stoma) is light; verily he attains light, and a support besides, for the twenty-one fold (Stoma) is support. Twenty-four (verses) he recites; the year has twenty-four half-months, Agni Vaiçvanara is the year; verily straightway he wins Vaiçvanara. He recites them straight on, for the world of heaven is as it were going straight away. 'Let the half-years, the seasons, increase thee, O Agni ', he says; verily with the half-years he causes Agni to increase [5], with the seasons the year. 'Illuminate all the quarters of the earth', he says; therefore Agni illuminates all the quarters. 'The Açvins removed death from him', he says; verily from him he repels death.

If he desire of a man, 'May he possess cattle', he should put down for him the water (bricks) and then put down the strengthening (bricks); verily he makes concord for him with cattle and he becomes possessed of cattle. He puts down four in front; therefore the eye has four forms, two white, two black [4]. The (verses) contain the word 'head'; therefore the head (of the fire) is in front. Five he puts down in the right hip, five in the left; therefore the animal is broader behind and receding in front; 'The goat in strength', (with these words he puts down) on the right shoulder; (with) 'The ram in strength', on the left; verily he puts together the shoulders (of the fire). 'The tiger in strength', (with these words) he puts down in the right wing, (with) 'The lion in strength' on the left; verily he gives strength to the wings. (With) 'The man in strength' (he puts down) in the middle; therefore man is overlord of animals. 'O Indra and Agni, (the brick) that quaketh not', (with these words) he puts down the naturally perforated (brick); these worlds are separated by Indra and Agni; (verily it serves) to separate these worlds. Now the middle layer is, as it were, insecure, it is as it were the atmosphere; 'Indra and Agni', he says; Indra and Agni are the supporters of force among the gods; verily he piles it with force in the atmosphere, for support. He puts down the naturally perforated (brick); the naturally perforated (brick) is the atmosphere; verily he puts down the atmosphere [1]. He makes the horse sniff it; verily he puts breath in it; now the horse is connected with Prajapati; verily by Prajapati he piles the fire. It is a naturally perforated (brick), to allow the passage of the breaths, and also for the lighting up of the world of heaven.

The Çaka, is for earth; the field-rat, the Kaça, the flying fox, these are for the fathers; the pole-cat for the seasons; the quail to the year; the pigeon, the owl, the hare, these are for Nirrti; the cock for Savitr. The deer for Rudra; the chameleon, the bird, the Pippaka, these are (to be offered) to the arrow shot; the gazelle for the Maruts; the Çarga to the Brahman; the hyena, the black (deer), the dog of four eyes, the ass, these are for other men; to Agni the The Alaja is for the atmosphere; the otter, the diver, the swimmer, these for the waters; to Aditi the Hansasaci; to Indrani the Kirça; the vulture, the white-breasted, the Vardhranasa, these are for the sky; the hedgehog is for sky and earth. The eagle for Parjanya; the swan, the wolf, the cat, these are for Indra; the otter for the waters; the jackal is (to be offered) to Aryaman; the lion, the ichneumon, the tiger, these are (to be offered) to great Indra; the rhinoceros to desire. For Agni the black-necked; for Sarasvati the ewe; the brown one for Soma; the dark for Pusan; the white-backed for Brhaspati; the variegated for the All-gods; the ruddy one for Indra; the speckled one for the Maruts; the mixed one for Indra and Agni; the one spotted below for Savitr; the ram for Varuna. The horse, the hornless one, the Gayal, these are for Prajapati; for Agni the two with black necks; for Tvastr the two with hairy thighs; the two white-backed for Brhaspati; to Dhatr the speckled bellied one; for the sun the white ram. To Agni of the front the red-limbed ox; the two spotted below for Savitr; the two rednavelled for Pusan; the two hornless tawny ones for the All-gods; the speckled for the Maruts; the black goat for Agni the ewe for Sarasvati; the black ram with one white foot for Varuna.

They surrounded themselves with them; no harm whatever befell them; then the gods prospered, the Asuras were defeated. He who has enemies should sacrifice with (the rite) of ten nights; verily he surrounds himself with the divine citadels; no harm whatever befalls him; he prospers and his enemy is defeated. Stoma serves Stoma; verily he makes his enemy his servant. In that they perform the lesser Stoma after per forming the greater there is uniformity [4]; to break the uniformity the Agnistoma Samans are before and after (the greater Stoma). There is an Agnistoma, with the Trivrt (Stoma), in praise of Agni, with verses addressed to Agni; verily he wins brilliance. There is an Ukthya, with the Pañcadaça (Stoma), and verses addressed to Indra; verily he wins power. There is an Agnistoma, with the Trivrt (Stoma), and verses addressed to the All-gods; verily he wins prosperity. There is an Agni stoma, with the Saptadaça (Stoma), and verses addressed to Prajapati, in which the Soma offering is bitter, to win food; verily also by it he is propagated [5]. There is an Ukthya with the Ekavinça (Stoma), and verses addressed to the sun, for support; verily he places radiance in himself. There is an Agnistoma, with the Saptadaça (Stoma), and verses addressed to Prajapati, (called) the added oblation; verily he is invited by all. There are two Agnistomas, with the Trinava (Stoma) on either side (of the Ukthya), with verses addressed to Indra, for conquest. There is an Ukthya, with the Trayastrinça (Stoma) with verses addressed to the All-gods, for rest. There is an Atiratra Viçvajit with all the Prsthas, for The seasons, desirous of offspring, could not procure offspring. They desired, 'May we create offspring, may we win offspring, may we procure offspring, may we possess offspring.' They saw this (rite) of eleven nights; they grasped it, and sacrificed with it. Then indeed did they create offspring, win offspring, procure offspring, and possess offspring.

To all hail! vii. 2. 13. To two hail! To four hail! To six hail! To eight hail! To ton hail! To twelve hail! To fourteen hail! To sixteen hail! To eighteen hail! To twenty hail! To ninety-eight hail! To a hundred hail! To all hail! vii. 2. 14. To three hail! To five hail! To seven hail! (Then as in 12 down to) To all hail! vii. 2. 15. To four hail! To eight hail! To twelve hail! To sixteen hail! To twenty hail! To ninety-six hail! To a hundred hail! To all hail! vii. 2. 16. To' five hail! To ten hail! To fifteen hail! To twenty hail! To ninety-five hail! To a hundred hail! To all hail! vii. 2. 17. To ten hail! To twenty hail! To thirty hail! To forty hail! To fifty hail! To sixty hail! To seventy hail! To eighty hail! To ninety hail! To a hundred hail! To all hail! vii. 2. 18. To twenty hail! To forty hail! To sixty hail! To eighty hail! To a hundred hail! To all hail! vii. 2. 19. To fifty hail! To a hundred hail! To two hundred hail! To three hundred hail! To four hundred hail! To five hundred hail! To six hundred hail! To seven hundred hail! To eight hundred hail! To nine hundred hail! To a thousand hail! To all hail! vii. 2. 20. To a hundred hail! To a thousand hail! To ten thousand hail! To a hundred thousand hail! To ten hundred thousand hail! To ten million hail! To a hundred million hail! To a thousand million hail! To ten thousand million hail! To a hundred thousand million hail! To ten hundred thousand million hail! To dawn hail! To the dawning hail! To him that will rise hail! To the rising hail! To the risen hail! To heaven hail! To the world hail! To all hail!

Agni with one syllable won speech; the Açvins with two syllables won expiration and inspiration; Visnu with three syllables won the three worlds; Soma with four syllables won four-footed cattle; Pusan with five syllables won the Parkti; Dhatr with six syllables won the six seasons; the Maruts with seven syllables won the seven-footed Çakvari; Brhaspati with eight syllables won the Gayatri; Mitra with nine syllables won the threefold Stoma [1]; Varuna with ten syllables won the Viraj; Indra with eleven syllables won the Tristubh; the All-gods with twelve syllables won the Jagati; the Vasus with thirteen syllables won the thirteenfold Stoma; the Rudras with fourteen syllables won the fourteenfold Stoma; the Adityas with fifteen syllables won the fifteenfold Stoma; Aditi with sixteen syllables won the sixteen fold Stoma; Prajapati with seventeen syllables won the seventeenfold a Thou art taken with a support; thee that sittest among men, that sittest in the wood, that sittest in the world, I take acceptable to Indra this is thy birthplace; to Indra thee! b Thou art taken with a support; thee that sittest in the waters, that sittest in the ghee, that sittest in the sky, I take acceptable to Indra; this is thy birthplace; to Indra thee! c Thou art taken with a support; thee that sittest on the earth, that sittest on the atmosphere, that sittest on the vault, I take acceptable to Indra; this is thy birthplace; to Indra thee! d The cups of the five folk, Of which three are of highest birth, (And for which) the divine cask [1] has been forced out Of these that have no handles The food and strength have I seized; This is thy birthplace; to Indra thee! e The sap of the waters, the vigorous, The ray of the sun that has been gathered, The sap of the sap of the waters, That of you I take which is the best; This is thy birthplace; to Indra thee!

Should he not attain (them), he should knock in seven pegs of Açvattha wood in the middle shaft, (saying), 'Here do I bind the Adityas to attain the people N. N. from N. N.'; verily the Adityas, their heroes bound, make him attain the people. Should he not attain (them), he should offer this oblation to the Adityas and attach pegs to the kindling-wood; verily he attains what cannot be taken away. (The pegs) are of Açvattha wood; the Açvattha is the might of the Maruts; verily with might he attains the people; seven are they, the Maruts are in seven troops; verily in troops he attains the people. The gods were afraid of death; they had recourse to Prajapati for them he offered this (offering) to Prajapati of a hundred Krsnalas in weight verily by it he bestowed upon them immortality; for him who fears death he should offer to Prajapati this (offering) of a hundred Krsnalas: verily he has recourse to Prajapati with his own share; verily he bestows life upon him; he lives all his days. It is of a hundred Krsnalas in weight; man has a hundred (years of) life, and a hundred powers; verily in life, in power [1] he finds support. (The offering) is in ghee; ghee is life, gold is immortality; verily he unites him with life and immortality; four Krsnalas weight on each occasion he cuts off to obtain the four cuttings-off; one by one he brings to the Brahman priest, and one by one he bestows life upon the sacrificer. Yonder sun did not shine, the gods sought an atonement for it, for it they offered this oblation to Surya; verily thereby they bestowed upon it [2] radiance. For him who desires splendour he should offer this oblation to Surya; verily he has recourse to yonder sun with his own share; verily he bestows upon him splendour; he becomes resplendent. On both sides are ornaments (of gold); verily on both sides he bestows radiance upon him.

'Let free the rain from heaven; with waters fill the ocean', he says; verily these and yonder waters he unites; then with these he approaches yonder (waters). 'Thou art born of waters, first-born; thou art the might of the ocean', he says; that is according to the text. 'Flood the earth', (with these words) he offers in a Boerhavia procumbens; this of plants is that which wins rain, and thereby he causes rain to fall. 'The gods whose portion is in the sky', (with these words) he shakes the black antelope skin; verily to him these worlds become dear and desired. 'All' the metres are to be recited in this sacrifice', they say; the Kakubh is the strength of the Tristubh, the Usnih of the Jagati; in that he repeats the Usnih and the Kakubh, thereby he wins all the metres. The Usnih is the Gayatri; the four syllables over are fourfooted cattle; just as cake is over cake, so it is with the syllables which are over the verse; if he were to close with a Jagati [1], he would end the sacrifice; he closes with a Tristubh, the Tristubh is power and strength; verily he establishes the sacrifice on power and strength, he does not end it. 'O Agni, three are thy strengths, three thy abodes', with this (verse) containing the word 'three' he closes, for similarity of form: that which has three constituents is the whole of the sacrifice; for every desire it is employed, for the sacrifice is employed for all desires. He who is practising witchcraft should sacrifice with that of three constituents; that which has three constituents is the whole of the sacrifice [2]; verily with the whole of the sacrifice he bewitches him, and lays him low. With the same (offering) should he sacrifice who is practised against, that which has three constituents is the whole of the sacrifice; verily he sacrifices with the whole of the sacrifice, and he who practises witchcraft does not lay him low.

b We have come, O noble ones, Mitra and Varuna, To the share of the nights that is yours, Grasping the firmament, in the place of good deeds, On the third ridge above the light of the sky. c The gods, destroyers of the sacrifice, stealers of the sacrifice, That sit in the atmosphere, From them may Vayu guard me; May we go to those that do good deeds. d The nights of thine, O Savitr [1], that go, traversed by gods, Between sky and earth, With all your houses and offspring, Do ye first mounting the light traverse the regions. e The gods, destroyers of the sacrifice, stealers of the sacrifice, That sit in the sky, From them may Surya guard me; May we go to those that do good deeds. f That highest oblation wherewith, O All-knower, Thou didst collect milk for Indra, Therewith, O Agni, do thou make him grow; Bestow on him lordship over his fellows. The gods are destroyers of the sacrifice, stealers of the sacrifice [2]; they sit these worlds taking and destroying from him who gives and sacrifices. 'The gods, destroyers of the sacrifice, that sit on the earth, that (sit) in the atmosphere, that sit in the sky', he says; verily traversing the worlds, he goes to the world of heaven with his household, with his cattle. From him who has sacrificed with the Soma (sacrifice), the deities and the sacrifice depart; he should offer to Agni on five potsherds as the final act; all the deities are Agni [3], the sacrifice is fivefold; verily he wins the deities and the sacrifice. Now Agni is connected with the Gayatri and has the Gayatri as his metre; he severs him from his metre, if he offers on five potsherds; it should be made on eight potsherds; the Gayatri has eight syllables, Agni is connected with the Gayatri and has the Gayatri for his metre; verily he unites him with his own metre.

Many are the foes of the man who waxes great, he waxes great as it were who piles the fire, the steed has a thunderbolt; 'hastening come hither, trampling the enemy', he says; verily he tramples with the thunderbolt on the evil foe; 'from the lordship of Rudra', he says; cattle are connected with Rudra; verily having begged from Rudra [3] cattle he acts for his own interest. 'With Pusan as fellow', he says; Pusan is the leader together of roads; (verily it serves) for attainment. The fire has dust for its abode; the Angirases brought it together before the deities; 'from the abode of earth do thou approach Agni of the dust in the mode of Angiras', he says; verily he brings it together in one abode with the deities. 'We approach Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras', he says; verily he appropriates the strength of him whom he meets [4]. 'The fire should be brought together after announcing it to Prajapati', they say; Prajapati is this earth, the ant-heap is its ear; 'we will bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras', (with these words) he pays reverence to the mound of an ant-heap; verily after announcing it to Prajapati face to face, he brings together the fire. 'We bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras', he says; verily he appropriates the strength of him whom he meets. 'Agni hath gazed along the forefront of the dawns' [5], he says, to light up (the heaven). 'The steed coming, from the way', 'Coming to earth, O steed', he says; verily he wishes for it with the first and obtains it with the second; with two (verses) he makes it come, for support; (with two) of the same form, therefore cattle are born of the same form. 'Thy back is the sky, thy abode earth', he says; Prajapati quickened him from these worlds; verily he proclaims its greatness in this form.

As the beginning of the sacrifice is performed the Raksases are fain to destroy the sacrifice; now then is this (place) the beginning of the sacrifice when the libation comes upon it; he draws a line around, to smite away the Raksases; with three (verses) he draws a line around, Agni is threefold; verily from the whole extent of Agni he smites away the Raksases [4]; with a Gayatri verse he draws a line around, the Gayatri is brilliance; verily with brilliance, he encircles him; with a Tristubh verse he draws a line around, the Tristubh is power; verily he encircles him with power; with an Anustubh verse he draws a line around, the Anustubh, envelops all the metres, (verily it serves) for complete attainment; with the Anustubh in the middle (he draws), the Anustubh is speech, therefore from the middle we speak with speech; with the Gayatri first he draws, then with the Anustubh, then with the Tristubh; the Gayatri is brilliance, the Anustubh the sacrifice, the Tristubh power; verily he encircles the sacrifice, with brilliance and power, on both sides. 'On the instigation of the god Savitr thee', (with these words) he digs, for instigation. Then with it he produces smoke; 'Full of light, thee, O Agni, of fair aspect', he says, and thereby he produces light. Agni on birth afflicted creatures with pain, him the gods appeased by the half-verse; 'auspicious and harmless to offspring', he says; verily he makes him appeased for offspring. He digs with two (verses), for support. 'Thou art the back of the waters', (with these words) he takes the lotus leaf [1]; the lotus leaf is the back of the waters; verily with its own form he takes it. He gathers with a lotus leaf; the lotus leaf is the birthplace of Agni; verily he gathers Agni with his own birthplace. He gathers with a black antelope skin; the black antelope skin is the sacrifice; verily he gathers the sacrifice with the sacrifice.

By the Brahman class he piled its front half, by the lordly class its right wing, by cattle its tail, by the people its left wing, by hope its middle. He who knowing thus piles the fire piles it with the seasons; verily he wins all [1]; they hearken to him who has piled the fire, he eats food, he is resplendent. The first layer is this (earth), the mortar the plants and trees; the second is the atmosphere, the mortar the birds; the third is yonder (sky), the mortar the Naksatras; the fourth the sacrifice, the mortar the sacrificial fee; the fifth the sacrificer, the mortar offspring; if he were to pile it with three layers, he would obstruct the sacrifice, the fee, the self, offspring; therefore should it be piled with five layers; verily he preserves all. In that there [2] are three layers, (it is) since Agni is threefold; in that there are two (more), the sacrificer has two feet, (it is) for support; there are five layers, man is five fold; verily he preserves himself. There are five layers, he covers (them) with five (sets of) mortar, these make up ten, man has ten elements; he preserves man in his full extent. Again the Viraj has ten elements, the Viraj is food; verily he finds support in the Viraj and the eating of food. The sixth layer is the year, mortar is the seasons; there are six layers, six (sets of) mortar, they make up twelve, the year has twelve months; verily he finds support in the year. The Horse Sacrifice (continued) The red, the dark red, the jujube red, these are for Prajapati; the brown, the reddish- brown, the parrot brown, these are for Rudra. The white, the white-eyed, the white- necked, these have the fathers as their deities. Three black barren cows are for Varuna, three white barren cows for the Sun; the dusky-spotted hornless ones are for Mitra and Brhaspati.

He throws down (the remnants) on the high altar; the high altar is cattle, (the grains) for the yoker of bays are cattle verily they make cattle find support in cattle. Offspring and cattle are born through the cups, goats and sheep through the Upançu and Antaryama, men through the Çukra and Manthin, whole-hooved animals through the season-cups, kine through the Aditya cup. The Aditya cup is drawn with the largest number of Rcs; therefore kine axe the most numerous of cattle; in that he thrice draws apart with his hand the Upançu (cup), therefore the female goat gives birth to two or three, but sheep are more numerous. The Agrayana is the father, the tub is the son; if the Agrayana is exhausted, he should draw from the tub; that is as when a father [1] in destitution has recourse to his son. If the tub is exhausted, he should draw from the Agrayana; that is as when a son in destitution has recourse to his father. The Agrayana is the self of the sacrifice; if the cup or the tub should be exhausted, he should draw from the Agrayana; verily from the self he develops the sacrifice. The Agrayana is drawn (with a verse) in which there is no discriminating mark; he draws with a pot, he offers with (the vessel) for Vayu; therefore [2] (a man) is a slayer of a Brahman (through slaying) an embryo which has not been discriminated. They go to the final bath; they deposit the pots, but lift up (the vessels) for Vayu; therefore they deposit a daughter on birth, a son they lift up. In that be utters the Puroruc, it is as when one brings (something) to a superior; in that he draws the cup, it is as when having brought (something) to a superior one proclaims (it); in that he puts it down, it is as when having deposited something with a superior one goes away.