Yajur Veda on Service

In the pan he puts (it) down; verily he makes it attain support; the head of the man is impure as devoid of breaths; the breaths are immortality [2], gold is immortality; on the (organs of the) breaths he hurls chips of gold; verily he makes it attain support, and unites it with the breaths. He fills (it) with curds mixed with honey, (saying) 'May I be fit to drink honey'; (he fills with curds) to be curdled with hot milk, for purity. The curds are the food of the village, honey of the wild; in that he fills (it) with curds mixed with honey, (it serves) to win both. He puts down the heads of the animals; the heads of the animals are cattle; verily he wins cattle. If he desire of a man, 'May he have no cattle'[3], he should put them down, looking away, for him; verily he makes cattle look away from him; he becomes without cattle. If he desire of a man, 'May he be rich in cattle', he should put (them) down looking with (the man's head); verily he makes the cattle look with him; he becomes rich in cattle. He puts (the head) of the horse in the east looking west, that of the bull in the west looking east; the beasts other than the oxen and the horses are not beasts at all; verily he makes the oxen and the horses look with him. So many are the animals [4], bipeds and quadrupeds; them indeed he puts down in the fire, in that he puts down the heads of the animals. 'I appoint for thee N.N. of the forest', he says; verily from the cattle of the village he sends pain to those of the wild; therefore of animals born at one time the animals of the wild are the smaller, for they are afflicted with pain. He puts down the head of a snake; verily he wins the brilliance that is in the snake [5]. If he were to put it down looking with the heads of the animals, (the snakes) would bite the animals of the village; if turned away, those of the wild; he should speak a Yajus, he wins the brilliance that is in the snake, he injures not the animals of the village, nor those of the wild.

n Homage to the rapid, and to the hasty. o Homage to him of the wave, and to the roaring. p Homage to him of the stream, and to him of the island. a Homage to the oldest, and to the youngest. b Homage to the first born, and to the later born. c Homage to the midmost, and to the immature. d Homage to the hindmost, and to him in the depth. e Homage to Sobhya, and to him of the amulet. f Homage to him who dwelleth with Yama, and to him at peace. g Homage to him of the ploughed field, and to him of the threshing-floor. h Homage to him of fame, and to him at his end. i Homage to him of the wood, and to him of the thicket. k Homage to sound, and to echo [1]. I Homage to him of the swift host, and to him of the swift car. m Homage to the hero, and the destroyer. n Homage to the armoured, and to the corsleted. o Homage to the mailed, and to the cuirassed. p Homage to the famous, and to him of a famous host. a Homage to him of the drum, and to him of the drumstick. b Homage to the bold, and to the cautious. c Homage to the messenger, and to the servant. d Homage to the quiver-bearer, and to the owner of the quiver. e Homage to him of the sharp arrow, and to him of the weapon. f Homage to him of the good weapon, and to him of the good bow. g Homage to him of the stream,' and to him of the way. h Homage to him of the hole,' and to him of the pool. i Homage to him of the ditch, and to him of the lake. k Homage to him of the stream, and to him of the tank 1 Homage to him of the cistern, and to him of the well. m Homage to him of the rain, and to him not of the rain. n Homage to him of the cloud, and to him of the lightning. o Homage to him of the cloudy sky, and to him of the heat. p Homage to him of the wind, and to him of the storm. q Homage to him of the dwelling, and to him who guardeth the dwelling. a Homage to Soma, and to Rudra. b Homage to the dusky one, and to the ruddy one. c Homage to the giver of weal, and to the lord of cattle.

I Be ye united, that follow holy orders, Ye that wave and are fullest of sweetness, Delightful for the gaining of wealth. m With Soma I curdle thee, curds for Indra. n O Visnu, guard the offering. a For the rite you two, for the gods may I be strong. b Thee for accomplishment! c The Raksas is burnt up, the evil spirits are burnt up. d Thou art the yoke. e Injure him who injures us, injure him whom we injure. f Thou art of gods the most firmly jointed, the most richly filled, the most agreeable, the best of carriers, the best caller of the gods. g Thou art the oblation-holder that wavers not. h Be firm, waver not. i I gaze on thee with the eye of Mitra. k Be not afraid, be not troubled, let me harm thee [1] not. l (Be thou) wide open to the wind. m On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, I offer thee dear to Agni, to Agni and Soma. n This of the gods, this of us too. o For prosperity thee, not for misfortune. p May I behold the light, the radiance for all men. q May they that have doors stand firm in heaven and earth. r Fare along the wide atmosphere. s I place thee in the lap of Aditi. t O Agni, guard the offering. a Let the god Savitr purify you, with a filter that has no flaw, with the rays of the bright sun. b Ye divine waters, that go in front and first purify, forward lead this sacrifice, place in front the lord of the sacrifice. c You Indra chose for the contest with Vrtra, ye chose Indra for the contest with Vrtra. d Ye are sprinkled. e I sprinkle you agreeable to Agni, to Agni and Soma. f Be ye pure for the divine rite, for the sacrifice to the gods. g The Raksas is shaken off, the evil spirits are shaken off. h Thou art the skin of Aditi, may the earth' recognize thee [1]. i Thou art the plank' of wood, may the skin of Aditi recognize thee. k Thou art the body of Agni, loostener of speech. l I grasp thee for the joy of the gods. m Thou art the stone of wood.

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!

He pays reverence [3]; that is his bond. He pays reverence; that is his appeal. He pays reverence; that is as if an inferior brings (something) to a superior and pays him honour. 'Thou art giver of life, O Agni; give me life', he says, for he is a giver of life. 'Thou art giver of radiance, O Agni; give me radiance', he says, for he is a giver of radiance. I Thou art guardian of the body, O Agni; guard my body', he says [4], for he is a guardian of the body. 'O Agni, whatever is deficient in my body, do thou make that good for me', he says; 'whatever is deficient in my offspring and cattle, do thou make that good for me', be says in effect. 'O thou of various splendour, in safety may I reach the end of thee', he says; that of various splendour is the night. The Brahmans aforetime feared its not dawning; verily he wins the dawn. 'Kindling thee for a hundred winters' [5], he says; man lives a hundred years and has a hundred powers; verily he rests on life and power. This is a pipe with projections; by it the gods made piercings of hundreds of the Asuras; in that he takes up the kindling-stick with this verse, the sacrificer hurls the hundred-slaying (verse) as a bolt against his enemy to lay (him) low without fail. 'Thou, O Agni, hast attained the radiance of the sun', he says; 'that thou art, thus may I be', he says in effect. 'Thou, O Agni, hast the radiance of the sun', he says; verily he invokes this blessing. 'I gaze on offspring', he says; verily he wins all the domesticated animals. 'Ye are water; may I share your water', he says, for they are water. 'Ye are greatness; may I share your greatness', he says, for they are greatness. 'Ye are might; may I share your might', he says, for they are might. 'Ye are strength; may I share your strength', he says [1], for they are strength. 'Ye wealthy ones, stay', he says; the wealthy ones are cattle; verily he makes cattle stay with himself.

m He in whose presence wheresoever Men rejoice in the dwellings of men, Whom in honour they kindle, Whom together they produce. n When we offer food, The oblations of men, He by the might of his glory [3], Graspeth the reins of sacred law. o The sacrifice seeketh the goodwill of the gods; Be kindly, O ye Adityas; Make your loving kindness turn (to us), Which shall more plenteously deliver us from distress. p Pure he dwelleth, undeceived, Among waters rich in grass, waxing old with noble sons; None slayeth him from near or from afar, Who is in the guidance of the Adityas. q Ye Adityas support the world, Gods, guardians of all the universe, Far-seeing, guarding [4] the holy, Righteous, enacting debts. r Three earths they support, and three skies; Three rules are in their ordinance; Through sacred law great is your mightiness, O Adityas; Sweet is that, O Aryaman, O Mitra, O Varuna. s Let us make supplication To those heroes, the Adityas, The tender, for help. t Nor right is visible, nor left; Nor the east, O Adityas, nor the west; Despite my feeble mind, O Vasus [5], Led by you, may I attain the light without fear. u With the most recent help of the Adityas, With their most present succour, may we be united; May the mighty ones, hearkening, establish this sacrifice For release from sin, for freedom. v Hear my cry, O Varuna, And be merciful this day; Seeking for help I call on thee. w I implore this of thee, praising thee with my hymn; The sacrificer seeketh this with his offerings; Be here, not angry, O Varuna; O wide ruler, strike not away our life.

Conceal not from us that form of thine What time thou dost change thy shape in battle [5]. u O Agni, give to the giver Wealth of heroes in abundance; Quicken us to richness in sons. v Give to us, O Agni, a hundred, give a thousandfold; Like doors disclose for us booty for renown; Make with the prayer sky and earth propitious; Like bright heaven the dawns have shone forth. w Agni give wealth that decketh the hero; Agni the Rsi who winneth thousands; Agni hath placed the oblation in the sky; In many a place are the abodes of Agni. x Destroy [6] us not. y Bring to us. z Thy body is faultless, Like ghee purified, like pure gold That of thine shineth like an ornament, O thou powerful one. aa O bright one, in thy mouth thou cookest Both ladles (full) of butter; Do thou make us full For our hymns, O lord of strength; Do thou bear food to the praisers. bb O Vayu, a hundred of bay (steeds) Worthy of nourishment do thou yoke; Or let the chariot of thee that hast a thousand (steeds) Come with might. cc The teams [7] wherewith thou comest to the giver, O Vayu, for seeking in the house, Grant us wealth rich in enjoyment, And a treasure of heroes, of horses, of cows. dd Rich banquets be ours with Indra, With mighty strength, Wherewith fed we may rejoice. ee Rich should he be, the praiser Of a generous and wealthy one like thee; (Famed) be (the praiser) of thee that art famed, O thou with the bays.

If he is going to accept another, he should offer in supplement an offering to Surya, on one potsherd; verily he makes yonder sun to rise. He goes to the waters as the final bath, Varuna is in the waters; verily straightway he appeases Varuna. After his return he should offer an oblation to Apam Napat; the horse has its birthplace in the waters; verily he makes him go to his own birthplace; appeased he attends on him. a That body of yours, to be striven for, 'O Indra and Varuna, with that do ye free this one from tribulation; that strong, protecting, brilliant body of yours, with that do ye free him from tribulation. b That disease of yours, O Indra and Varuna, that is in the fire, that of yours I appease hereby; that disease of yours, O Indra and Varuna, that is in the two-footed cattle, the four-footed, the cattle-yard, the houses, the waters, the plants, the trees, that of yours I appease hereby. Indra departs with his [1] power, Varuna seizes him with Varuna's noose, who is seized by evil; for him who is seized by evil, he should offer this (offering of) clotted milk to Indra and Varuna; verily Indra bestows power upon him, Varuna frees him from Varuna's noose. (The offering) is of clotted milk, for milk departs from him; verily he is seized with evil; in that it is of clotted milk, thereby he bestows milk upon him. In the clotted milk [2] he puts down the cake; verily he makes him possessed of a body, and also possessed of an abode. He separates it into four pieces; verily he finds supports in the quarters; he unites (the fires) again; verily he procures healing for him from the quarters; having united (them) he cuts off (portions); that is as when one cuts up what has been pierced. (That disease of yours, O Indra and Varuna, that is in the fire, that of yours I appease hereby', he says; verily he protects him from error in sacrifice.

By thee, O Soma Pavamana, our ancient fathers Wisely ordained the offerings; Conquering, untroubled, do thou open the barriers; Be generous to us in heroes and horses [1]. d Thou, O Soma, in accord with the fathers, Hast stretched over sky and earth; To thee, O drop, let us make sacrifice with offering; Let us be lords of wealth. e O fathers, made ready by Agni, come hither; With good leadership sit ye on each seat; Eat ye the offerings set out on the strew; And give us wealth with many heroes. f O fathers that sit on the sacrificial strew, come hither with your aid; We have made these offerings for you; accept them, And then come to us with your most healing aid, Give us [2] health, wealth, and safety! g I have found the kindly fathers, The scion and the step of Visnu; They that sit on the sacrificial strew and enjoy the drink That is pressed for them with the Svadha call are most eager to come h Invoked are the fathers who love the Soma To their dear homes on the sacrificial strew; May they come hither; may they hear us here May they speak for us; and may they aid us. i Let them arise, the lower and the higher And the middle fathers who love the Soma; They who lived their lives [3] in goodness and without sin; May these fathers help us when we call. k Be this homage to-day to the fathers, Who went before and who went after; Who are seated in the earthly region Or who are now in abodes with fair dwellings. l As our fathers before, Of old, O Agni, furthering right, Sought the pure, the devotion, singing hymns Cleaving the earth they disclosed the red ones. m When, O Agni [4], bearer of oblations, Thou sacrificest to the righteous fathers, Thou shalt bear the oblations To the gods and to the fathers. n Thou, O Agni, praised, all-knower, Didst carry the offerings making them fragrant; Thou didst give them to the fathers who ate them at the Svadha call; Eat thou, O god, the offerings set before thee.

m Abode and collector of riches, Every form she discerneth with might [4], Like the god Savitr of true laws, Like Indra, she standeth at the meeting of the ways. n Make firm the straps, Fasten the buckets; We shall drain the well full of water, That never is exhausted, never faileth. o The well with buckets fastened, With strong straps, that yieldeth abundantly, Full of water, unexhausted, I drain. p The sages yoke the ploughs; They stretch apart the yokes, Wise with goodwill among the gods. q Yoke the ploughs, stretch apart the yokes, Here sow in the womb made ready the seed [5] Through our song be there audience with profit for us; May the ripe (grain) be brought low by the sickle. r The plough, of keen share, Propitious, with well-polished handle, Plougheth up a cow, a sheep, And a fat blooming maid, A chariot support with a platform. s With prosperity may our ploughs cleave the ground, With prosperity may the ploughers go round the yokes; Prosperity (may) Parjanya (give) with honey and milk, And do ye, O Çuna and Sira, accord prosperity to us. t Wishes, O milker of wishes, do thou milk To Mitra and Varuna; To Indra, to Agni, to Pusan, To the plants, and to offspring. u The furrow anointed with ghee, with honey, Approved by the All-gods, the Maruts, Full of strength, swelling with milk, Do thou, O furrow, turn towards us with milk. a The plants born Three generations before the gods, Of the brown ones I celebrate The seven and a hundred abodes. b A hundred, O mother, are your abodes, A thousand too your shoots, Therefore do ye, with a hundred powers, Make him whole for me. c With flowers, with shoots, Fruit-bearing and without fruit, Like steeds victorious The plants are strong to help. d 'Plants', O ye mothers, I hail you, O goddesses; Go bearing away defilement, Defilement [1] destroying. e In the Açvattha is your seat, In the Parna is your dwelling made; Cows shall in truth be your share If ye shall gain this man.

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.

v O bright one, in thy mouth thou cookest Both ladles (full) of butter; Do thou make us full [6], For our hymns, O lord of strength; Do thou bear food to thy praisers. w O Agni to-day, let us make to prosper by praises, By devotions, for thee this (sacrifice) like a (good) steed, Like a noble resolve which toucheth the heart. x O Agni, thou hast become master Of noble resolve, of true inspiration, Of mighty holy order. y With these songs singing to thee, O Agni, This day let us pay worship; Thy strengths thunder forth as from the sky. z At these our hymns of praise do thou be propitious [7], Like the light of heaven, O Agni, propitious with all thy faces. aa Agni I deem the Hotr, the generous wealth-giver, The son of strength, the all-knower, Who knoweth all as a sage, bb Who offereth sacrifice well, With beauty soaring aloft towards the gods, the god, Following the flames of the ghee, Of the butter of brilliant radiance when offered up. cc O Agni, be thou our nearest, Our protector, kindly, a shield; dd Thee, O shining and most radiant one, We implore for favour, for our friends. ee Agni, bright, of bright fame, Come hither in thy greatest splendour and give us wealth. a I yoke thee in bonds of fellowship with Indra and Agni, with the ghee sprinklings, with brilliance, with radiance, with the hymns, with the Stomas, with the metres, for the increase of wealth, for pro-eminence among thy fellows; I yoke thee in bonds of fellowship with me. b Amba, Duhi, Nitatni, Abhrayanti, Meghayanti, Varsayanti, Cupunika, art thou by name, with Prajapati, with our every prayer, I deposit thee. c The earth penetrated by food, a reservoir of water (thou art), men are thy guardians, Agni is placed in this (brick), to it I resort, and may it [1] be my protection and my refuge. d The over-sky penetrated by holy power, the atmosphere (thou art); the Maruts are thy guardians, Vayu is placed in this (brick), to it I resort, and may it be my protection and my refuge.

k With eyes on every side, with a face on every side, With hands on every side, with feet on every side, The one god producing sky and earth Welds them together with arms, with wings. l What was the basis? Which and what his support? When producing earth [4] Viçvakarman, all-seeing, Disclosed the sky with his might. m What was the wood, and what the tree, Whence they formed sky and earth? O ye wise ones, inquire with your minds On what he stood as he supported the worlds. n Thy highest, lowest, Midmost abodes here, O Viçvakarman, In the offering do thou teach thy comrades, O faithful one; Do thou thyself sacrifice to thyself, rejoicing. o The lord of speech, Viçvakarman, Let us invoke this day to aid us [5], thought yoked for strength, May he delight in our nearest offerings, He with all healing, to aid (us), the doer of good deeds. p O Viçvakarman, waxing great with the oblation, Do thou thyself sacrifice to thyself rejoicing; May the others around, our foes, be confused; May our patrons here be rich. q O Viçvakarman, with the oblation as strengthening, Thou didst make Indra, the protector, free from scathe, To him the clans of old bowed in homage, That he might be dread, to be severally invoked. r To the ocean, the moving, The lord of streams, homage! To the lord of all the streams Do ye offer, to Viçvakarman, Through all the days the immortal offering. a O Agni, to whom ghee is offered, Do thou lead him forward; Unite him with increase of wealth, With offspring and with wealth. b O Indra, bring him to the fore, That he may be lord over his fellows; Unite him with splendour, That he may assign their shares to the gods. c Him, O Agni, do thou exalt In whose house we make the offering; To him may the gods lend aid, And he the lord of holy power. d May the All-gods thee [1], O Agni, bear up with their thoughts; Be thou to us most propitious, With kindly face, abounding in light.

' 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!