BOOK THE SEVENTEENTH.
THE food and strength contained in stone and mountain,
drink gathered from the plants and trees and waters,
That food and strength, Maruts! free-givers, grant us.
In the stone is thy hunger. In me is thy food. Let thy
pain reach the man we hate.
2 O Agni, may these bricks be mine own milch kine: one, and
ten, and ten tens, a hundred, and ten hundreds, a thousand,
and ten thousand a myriad, and a hundred thousand,
and a million, and a hundred millions, and an ocean middle
and end, and a hundred thousand millions, and a billion.
May these bricks be mine own milch-kine in yonder world
and in this world.
3 Ye are the Seasons, strengthening Law, fixed in due season,
strengthening Law,
Called Splendid, dropping butter down and honey, yielders
of every wish, imperishable.
4 With the lake's mantling need we robe thee, Agni: to us
he purifying and auspicious.
5 With cold's investing garb we gird thee, Agni: to us be purifying
and auspicious.
6 Descend upon the earth, the reed, the rivers: thou art the
gall, O Agni, of the waters.
With them come hither, female Frog, and render this sacrifice
of ours bright-hued, successful.
7 This is the place where waters meet; here is the gathering
of the flood.
Let thy shaft burn others than us: be thou cleanser, propitious
unto us.
8 O Agni, purifier, God, with splendour and thy pleasant
tongue
Bring hither, and adore, the Gods.
9 So, Agni, purifying, bright, bring hither to our sacrifice,
To our oblation bring the Gods.
10 He who with purifying, eye-attracting form hath shone upon
the earth as with the light of Dawn;
Who speeding on, as in the fleet steed's race, in fight, cometh
untouched by age, as one athirst in heat.
11 Obeisance to thy wrath and glow! Obeisance to thy fiery
flame!
Let thy shot missiles burn others than us: be thou cleanser,
propitious unto us.
12 To him who dwells in man, Hail! To him who dwells in
waters, Hail!
To him who dwells in sacred grass, Hail! To him who dwells
in the wood, Hail! To him who finds the light, Hail!
13 Worshipful Gods of Gods who merit worship, those who sit
down beside their yearly portion,
Let them who eat not sacrificial presents drink in this rite
of honey and of butter.
14 Those Gods who have attained to Godhead over Gods, they
who have led the way in this our holy work,
Without whose aid no body whatsoever moves, not on heaven's
heights are they, nor on the face of earth.
15 Giver of breath, of out-breath, breath diffusive, giver of
lustre, giving room and freedom,
Let thy shot missiles burn others than us: be thou cleanser,
propitious unto us.
16 May Agni with his sharpened blaze cast down each fierce
devouring fiend.
May Agni win us wealth by war.
17 He who sate down as Hotar priest, the Rishi, our Father
offering, up all things existent
He, seeking with his wish a great possession, came among
men on earth as archetypal.
18 What was the place whereon he took his station? What was
it that upheld him? What the manner,
Whence Visvakarman, seeing all, producing the earth, with
mighty power disclosed the heavens?
19 He who hath eyes on all sides round about him, a mouth on
all sides, arms and feet on all sides,
He the sole God, producing earth and heaven, weldeth them
with his arms as wings together.
20 What was the tree, what wood in sooth produced it, from
which they fashioned out the earth and heaven?
Ye thoughtful men, inquire within your spirit whereon he
stood when he established all things.
21 Thine highest, lowest sacrificial natures, and these thy
midmost here, O Visvakarman,
Teach thou thy friends at sacrifice, O Blessèd, and come thy-
self, exalted, to our worship.
22 Bring those, thyself exalted with oblation, O Visvakarman,
Earth and Heaven to worship.
Let enemies around us live in folly: here let us have a rich
and liberal patron.
23, 24. = VIII. 45, 46.
25 The Father of the eye, the Wise in spirit, created both these
worlds submerged in fatness.
Then when the eastern ends were firmly fastened, the heavens
and the earth were far extended.
26 Mighty in mind and power is Visvakarman, Maker, Disposer,
and most lofty Presence.
Their offerings joy in rich juice where they value One, only
One beyond the Seven Rishis.
27 Father who made us, he who, as Disposer, knoweth all races
and all things existing,
Even he alone, the Deities’ name-giver,—him other beings
seek for information.
28 To him in sacrifice they offered treasures,—Rishis of old, in
numerous troops, as singers,
Who, in the distant, near, and lower region, made ready all
these things that have existence.
29 That which is earlier than this earth and heaven, before the
Asuras and Gods had being,
What was the germ primeval which the waters received where
the first Gods beheld each other?
30 The waters, they received that germ primeval wherein the
Gods were gathered all together.
It rested set upon the Unborn's navel, that One wherein abide
all things existing.
31 Ye will not find him who produced these creatures: another
thing hath risen up among you.
Enwrapt in misty cloud, with lips that stammer, hymn-chanters
wander and are discontented.
32 First was the God engendered, Visvakarman: then the
Gandharva sprang to life as second.
Third in succession was the plants’ begetter: he laid the
waters’ germ in many places.
33 Swift, rapidly striking, like a bull who sharpens his horns,
terrific, stirring up the people,
With eyes that close not, bellowing, Sole Hero, Indra subdued
at once a hundred armies.
34 With him loud-roaring, ever watchful, Victor, bold, hard to
overthrow, Rouser of battle,
Indra the Strong, whose hand bears arrows, conquer, ye
warriors, now, now vanquish in the combat.
35 He rules with those who carry shafts and quivers, Indra who
with his band brings hosts together,
Foe-conquering, strong of arm, the Soma-drinker, with mighty
bow, shooting with well-laid arrows.
36 Brihaspati, fly with thy chariot hither, slayer of demons,
driving off our foemen.
Be thou protector of our cars, destroyer, victor in battle,
breaker-up of armies.
37 Conspicuous by thy strength, firm, foremost fighter, mighty
and fierce, victorious, all-subduing,
The Son of Conquest, passing men and heroes, kine-winner,
mount thy conquering car, O Indra.
38 Cleaver of stalls, kine-winner, armed with thunder, who quells
an army and with might destroys it,
Follow him, brothers! quit yourselves like heroes, and like
this Indra show your zeal and courage.
39 Piercing the cow-stalls with surpassing vigour, Indra, the
pitiless Hero, wild with anger,
Victor in fight, unshaken and resistless,—may he protect our
armies in our battles.
40 Indra guide these: Brihaspati precede them, the guerdon,
and the sacrifice, and Soma;
And let the banded Maruts march in forefront of heavenly
hosts that conquer and demolish.
41 Ours be the potent host of mighty Indra, King Varuna, and
Maruts, and Âdityas.
Uplifted is the shout of Gods who conquer, high-minded Gods
who cause the worlds to tremble.
42 Bristle thou up, O Bounteous Lord, our weapons: excite the
spirits of my warring heroes.
Urge on the strong steeds’ might, O Vritra-slayer, and let the
din of conquering cars go upward.
43 May Indra aid us when our flags are gathered: victorious be
the arrows of our army.
May our brave men of war prevail in battle. Ye Gods protect
us in the shout of onset.
44 Bewildering the senses of our foemen, seize thou their bodies
and depart, O Apvâ.
Attack them, set their hearts on fire and burn them: so let
our foes abide in utter darkness.
45 Loosed from the bowstring fly awry, O Arrow, sharpened by
our prayer.
Go to the foemen, strike them home, and let not one of
them escape.
46 Advance, O heroes, win the day. May Indra be your sure
defence.
Exceeding mighty be your arms, that none may wound or
injure you.
47 That army of our enemies, O Maruts, that comes against
us with its might, contending,
Meet ye and wrap it in unwelcome darkness so that not one
of them may know another.
48 There where the flights of arrows fall like boys whose locks
are yet unshorn,
May Indra, may Brihaspati, may Aditi protect us well, protect
us well through all our days.
49 Thy vital parts I cover with thine armour: with immortality
King Soma clothe thee.
Varuna give thee what is more than ample, and in thy
triumph may the Gods be joyful.
50 Worshipped with butter, Agni, lead this man to high
preeminence.
Vouchsafe him growth of riches and multiply him with
progeny.
51 Indra, lead him to eminence: controller of his foes be he.
Vouchsafe him lustre: let him give their sacred portions to
the Gods.
52 The man within whose house we pay oblation, Indra, prosper
him.
May the Gods bless and comfort him, they and this
Brahmanaspati.
53 May the All-Gods, O Agni, bear and lift thee upward with
their thoughts.
Fair to be looked on, rich in light, he thou propitious unto
us.
54 May the Five Regions guard, divine, our worship, Goddesses
chasing lack of thought and hatred,
Giving the Sacrificer growth of riches. Let sacrifice be based
on growth of riches.
55 Inspirited above enkindled Agni, adorable, winged with
hymns, was it accepted,
When the Gods offered sacrifice with viands, circling the
heated caldron, paving worship.
56 Lord of a hundred draughts. benign, God-serving—to him
divine, establisher, protector,
The Gods approached the sacrifice, encircling. Gods for the
Gods stood fain for sacred service.
57 When the fourth sacrifice reaches the oblation, accepted offering
which hath been made ready, fit for the Inmolator's
sacrificing,
Thence bless us prayers and holy recitations!
58 Savitar, golden-hued, hath lifted eastward, bright with the
sunbeams, his eternal lustre,
He at whose furtherance wise Pûshan marches surveying all
existence like a herdsman.
59 He sits, the measurer, in the midst of heaven, filling the two
world-halves and air's mid-region.
He looks upon the rich far-spreading pastures between the
eastern and the western limit.
60 Steer, Sea, Red Bird with strong wings, he hath entered the
dwelling-place of the Primeval Father.
A gay-hued Stone set in the midst of heaven, he hath gone
forth and guards the air's two limits.
61 All sacred songs have glorified Indra expansive as the sea,
The best of warriors borne on cars, the Lord, the Very Lord
of strength.
62 May God-invoking sacrifice bring the Gods hitherward to us.
May bless-invoking sacrifice bring the Gods hitherward to us.
May Agni, God, make offering and hither bring the Gods to
us.
63 May the abundant growth of wealth with elevation lift me
up,
And with his subjugating power may Indra keep my foemen
down.
64 Upraising and depression and devotion may the Gods increase.
May Indra, too, and Agni drive my foes away to every side.
65 Go ye by Agni to the sky bearing the Ukhya in your hands.
Reaching the heights of sky and heaven stay intermingled
with the Gods.
66 Agni, go forward to the eastern region, well-skilled, be here
the fire in front of Agni.
Illuming all the quarters, shine with splendour: supply with
food our quadrupeds and bipeds.
67 From earth to air's mid-region have I mounted, and from
mid-air ascended up to heaven.
From the high pitch of heaven's cope I came into the world
of light.
68 Mounting the sky they look not round: they rise to heaven
through both the worlds—
Sages who span the sacrifice that pours its stream on every side.
69 Foremost of those who seek the Gods come forward, thou
who art eye of Gods and men, O Agni.
Accordant with the Bhrigus, fain to worship, to heaven in
safety go the Sacrificers.
70 Night and Dawn, different in hue, accordant, etc., as in XII. 2.
71 O Agni, thousand-eyed and hundred-headed, thy breaths are
hundred, thy through-breaths a thousand.
Thou art the Lord of thousandfold possessions. To thee;
for strength, may we present oblation.
72 Thou art the Bird of goodly wing: be seated on the ridge
of earth.
Fill air's mid-region with thy glow, supporting with thy
light the sky, confirm the quarters with thy sheen.
73 Receiving offerings, fair of aspect, eastward be duly seated
in thy place, O Agni.
In this the more exalted habitation be seated All-Gods and
the Sacrificer.
74 That wondrous all-mankind-embracing favour of Savitar,
choice-worthy, I solicit,
Even his which Kanva wont to milk, the mighty, the teeming
Cow who yields a thousand milk-streams.
75 May we adore thee in thy loftiest birth place, Agni! with
praise-songs in thy lower station.
The place whence those hast issued forth I worship. In thee,
well kindled, have they paid oblations
76 Shine thou before us, Agni, well enkindled, with flame, most
youthful God, that never fadeth.
Unceasing unto thee come sacred viands.
77 Agni, this day with lands, etc., as in XV. 44.
78 I dedicate the thought with mind and butter so that the
Gods may come who love oblation, strengthing Law,
To Visvakarman, Lord of all the earth, I offer up day after
day the inviolable sacrifice.
79 Seven fuel logs hast thou, seven tongues, O Agni, seven Rishis
hast thou, seven belovèd mansions.
Seven-priests in sevenfold manner pay thee worship. Fill
full—All-hail to thee!—seven wombs with butter.
80 Purely-Bright, Wonderfully-Bright, Really-Bright,
All-Luminous,
Bright, Law's-Protector, Safe-from-Ill;
81 Such, Other-Looking, Equal, Similar, Measured, Commensurate,
Jointly-Bearing-up.
82 Right, Real, Firm, Strong-to-Support, Bearer, Disposer,
Manager.
83 Winner-of-Right, Winner-of-Truth, Host-Conquering,
Lord-of-Goodly-Host,
Whose-Friends-are-Near-at-Hand, Whose-Banded-Enemies-are-Far-Away:
84 To day in this our sacrifice be present, Such, Looking-Thus,
Same, Similar-in-appearance,
Measured, Commensurate, Joint-Bearers, Maruts!
85 Self-Powerful, Voracious-One, Kin-to-the-Sun, The
House-holder,
Play-Lover, Mighty, Conqueror.
Fierce, Terrible, The Resonant, The Roaring. Victorious,
Assailant, and Dispeller, All-Hail!
86 The Maruts, clans divine, became the followers of Indra; as
The Maruts, clans divine, became the followers of Indra, so
May clans divine and human he the Sacrificer's followers.
87 Drink in the middle of the flood, O Agni, this breast stored
full of sap, teeming with water.
Welcome this fountain redolent of sweetness. O Courser,
enter those thy watery dwelling.
88 Oil hath been mixed: oil is his habitation. In oil he rests:
oil is his proper province.
Come as thy wont is. O thou Steer, rejoice thee. Bear off
the oblation duly consecrated.
89 Forth from the ocean sprang the wave of sweetness: together
with the stalk it turned to Amrit,
That which is holy oil's mysterious title: but the Gods’
tongue is truly Amities centre.
90 Let us Declare aloud the name of Ghrita, and at this sacrifice
held it up with homage.
So let the Brahman hear the praise we utter. This hath the
four-horned Buffalo emitted.
91 Four are his horns, three are the feet that bear him: his
heads are two, his hands are seven in number.
Bound with a triple bond the Bull roars loudly: the mighty
God hath entered into mortals.
92 That oil in triple shape the Gods discovered laid down with-
in the Cow, concealed by Panis.
Indra produced one shape, Sûrya another: by their own
power they formed the third from Vena.
93 From inmost reservoir in countless channels flow down these
rivers which the foe beholds not.
I look upon the streams of oil descending, and lo! the
Golden Reed is there among them.
94 Like rivers our libations flow together, cleansing themselves
in inmost heart and spirit.
The streams of holy oil pour swiftly downward like the wild
beasts that fly before the bowman.
95 As rushing down the rapids of a river, flow swifter than the
wind the vigorous currents,
The streams of oil in swelling fluctuation like a red courser
bursting through the fences.
96 Like women at a gathering fair to look on and gently smiling,
they incline to Agni.
The streams of holy oil attain the fuel, and Jâtavedas joyfully
receives them.
97 As maidens deck themselves with gay adornment to join the
bridal feast, I now behold them.
Where Soma flows and sacrifice is ready, thither the streams
of holy oil are running.
98 Send to our eulogy a herd of cattle: bestow upon us excellent
possessions.
Bear to the Gods the sacrifice we offers the streams of oil flow
pure and full of sweetness.
99 The universe depends upon thy power and might within the
sea, within the heart, within all life.
May we attain that sweetly-flavoured wave of thine, brought,
at this gathering, o’er the surface of the floods.
BOOK THE EIGHTEENTH.
MAY my strength and my gain, and my inclination and my
influence, and my thought and my mental power, and
my praise and my fame, and my renown and my light,
and my heaven prosper by sacrifice.
2 May my breathing and my out-breathing, and my
through-breathing and my vital spirit, and my thought and my
reflection, and my voice and my mind, and my eye and
my ear, and my ability and my strength prosper by
sacrifice.
3 May my energy and my force, and my self and my body,
and my shelter and my shield, and my limbs and my
bones, and my joints and my members, and my life and
my old age prosper by sacrifice.
4 May my preëminence and my overlordship, and my wrath
and my angry passion, and my violence and my impetuosity,
and my victorious power and my greatness, and my
breadth and my width, and my height and my length,
and my increase and my improvement prosper by sacrifice.
5 May my truth and my faith, and my cattle and my wealth,
and my goods and my pleasure, and my play and my
enjoyment, and my children and my future children, and
my hymn and my pious act prosper by sacrifice.
6 May my religious rite and my immortality, and my freedom
from consumption and my freedom from disease, and my
life and my longevity, and my freedom from enemies
and my freedom from danger, and my happiness and my
lying down, and my fair dawn and my fair day prosper
by sacrifice.
7 May my controller and my supporter, and my security and
my firmness, and my goods and my pleasure, and my
knowledge and my understanding, and my begetting and
my propagation, and my plough and my harrow prosper
by sacrifice.
8 May my welfare and my comfort, and what I hold dear and
what I desire, and my love and my gratification, and my
enjoyment and my substance, and my happiness and my
felicity, and my higher bliss and my fame prosper by
sacrifice.
9 May my vigour and my pleasantness, and my milk and my
sap, and my butter and my honey, and my meal in company
and my drinking in company, and my ploughing
and my husbandry, and my superiority and my preëminence
prosper by sacrifice.
10 May my wealth and my property, and my prosperity and
my growth, and my pervading power and my lordship,
and my abundance and my greater abundance, and my
bad harvest and my unwasted crop, and my food and
my satiety prosper by sacrifice.
11 May my gain and my future gain, and what I have and
what I shall have, and my good road and my good path,
and my success and my succeeding, and my achievement
and my contrivance, and my thought and my good counsel
prosper by sacrifice.
12 May my rice-plants and my barley, and my beans and my
sesamum, and my kidney-beans and my vetches, and my
millet and my Panicum Milliaceum, and my Panicum
Frumentaceum and my wild rice, and my wheat and my
lentils prosper by sacrifice.
13 May my stone and my clay, and my hills and my mountains,
and my pebbles and my trees, and my gold and my bronze,
and my copper and my iron, and my lead and my tin
prosper by sacrifice.
14 May my fire and my water, and my creepers and my plants,
and lily plants with culture-ripened fruit and my plants
with fruit ripened without culture, and my domestic
animals and my wild animals, and my substance and my
future substance, and my belongings and my power be
produced by sacrifice.
15 May my treasure and my dwelling, and my religious service
and my ability to perform it, and my object and my
course, and my way and my going prosper by sacrifice.
16 May my Agni and my Indra, and my Soma and my Indra,
and my Savitar and my Indra, and my Sarasvatî and my
Indra, and my Pûshan and my Indra prosper by sacrifice.
17 May my Mitra and my Indra, and my Varuna and my Indra,
and my Dhâtar and my Indra, and my Maruts and my
Indra, and my All-Gods and my Indra prosper by sacrifice.
18 May my earth and my Indra, and my Air and my Indra,
and my Sky and my Indra, and my Half-months and my
Indra, and my Lunar Mansions and my Indra, and my
Sky-regions and my Indra prosper by sacrifice.
19 May my Amsu and my Rasmi, and my Adhipati and my
Upâmsu, and my Antaryâma and my Aindra-Vâyava, and
my Maitrâ-Varuna, and my Âsvina and my Pratiprasthâna,
and my Sukra and my Manthin proper by sacrifice.
20 May my Âgrayana and my Vaisvadeva, and my Dhruvâ and
my Vaisvânara, and my Aindrâgna and my Mahâvaisvadeva,
and my Marutvatîya and my Nishkevalya, and my Sâvitra
and my Sârasvata, and my Pâtnîvata and my Hâriyojana
prosper by sacrifice.
21 May my ladles and my cups, and my Vâyu, vessels and my
Soma reservoirs, and my pressing-stones and my two press-boards,
and my Pûtabhrit and my Âdhavanîya, and my
altar and altar-grass, and my Avabhritha and my cries of
Good-speed prosper by sacrifice.
22 May my Agni and my charms, and my Arka and my Sûrya,
and my Prâna and my Asvamedha, and my Prithivî and
my Aditi, and my Diti and my Sky, and my fingers, powers,
and sky-regions prosper by sacrifice.
23 May my vow and my seasons, and my austere devotion, and
my day and night, thighs and knees, and two Great
Rathantaras prosper by sacrifice.
24 May me One and my Three, and my Three and my Five,
and my Five and my Seven (and similarly up to thirty-three)
prosper by sacrifice.
25 May my Four and my Eight and my Twelve (and similarly
up to forty-eight) prosper by sacrifice
26 May my eighteen-months steer and my eighteen-months
heifer, and my two-year bull and cow (and similarly up
to four-year) prosper by sacrifice.
27 May my six-year bull and my six-year cow, and my bull and
my barren cow, and my young bull and my calf-slipping
cow, and my ox and my milch-cow prosper by sacrifice.
28 To strength, Hail! To Gain, Hail! To After-born, Hail! To
Power, Hail! To Vasu, Hail! To the Lord of Days, Hail!
To the Failing Day, Hail! To the Failing Sprung from
the Transitory, Hail! To the Transitory sprung from the
Final, Hail! To the Final Mundane, Hail! To the Lord
of the World, Hail! To the Sovran Lord, Hail! To Prajâpati,
Hail! This is thy kingdom. Thou art a guiding controller
for the friend. Thee for vigour, thee for rain,
thee for the sovran lordship of creatures.
29 May life succeed through sacrifice. May life-breath thrive
by sacrifice. May the eye thrive by sacrifice. May the
ear thrive by sacrifice. May the voice thrive by sacrifice.
May the mind thrive by sacrifice. May the self thrive by
sacrifice. May Brahma thrive by sacrifice. May light
succeed by sacrifice. May heaven succeed by sacrifice.
May the hymn thrive by sacrifice. May sacrifice thrive
by sacrifice; And laud and sacrificial text, and verse of
praise and Sâma chant, The Brihat and Rathantara.
Gods, we have gone to light. We have become the children
of Prajâpati. We have become immortal.
30 In gain of wealth we celebrate, etc: = IX. 5.
31 This day come all the Maruts, all to aid us! Let all the fires
be thoroughly enkindled.
May the All-Gods come hither with protection. May we
possess all property and riches.
32 May our strength fill the regions seven, fill the four distant
places full.
Here may our riches guard us with the All-Gods in the gain
of wealth.
33 May strength to-day procure for us donations strength
range the Gods together with the Seasons.
Yea, strength hath made me rich in store of heroes. As
lord of strength may I gain all the regions.
34 Strength be before us, in the midst among us. May strength
exalt the Gods with our oblation.
Yea, strength hath made me rich in store of heroes. As
lord of strength may I gain all the regions.
35 With milk of Prithivî do I unite me, unite myself with
waters and with plants.
As such may I gain strength, O Agni.
36 Store milk in earth and milk in plants, milk in the sky and
milk in air.
Teeming with milk for me he all the regions.
37 Thee by the radiant Savitar's impulsion, with arms of Asvins,
with the hands of Pûshan,
Controlled by Vâk Sarasvatî's Controller, with Agni's sole
dominion I besprinkle.
38 Maintainer of Law, true by nature, Agni is the Gandharva.
The plants are his Apsarases, namely Delights. May he
protect this our Priesthood and Nobility. To him All-hail!
Ave! To those All-hail!
39 The Conjoined, Visvasâman, Sûrya is the Gandharva. His
motes are his Apsarases, Swift-moving. May he protect,
etc., as in 38.
40 The Highly-Blessed, the Moon whose rays are like the Sun's,
is the Gandharva. The Asterisms are his Apsarases, Luminous.
May he protect, etc.
41 The Quick, All-reaching, Wind is the Gandharva. The
Waters are his Apsarases, named Energies. May he
protect, etc.
42 The Protecting, Strong-winged, Sacrifice is the Gandharva.
Guerdons are his Apsarases, called Praisers. May he
protect, etc.
43 The Lord of Creatures, Omnific, Mind is the Gandharva.
Richas and Sâmans are his Apsarases, called Wishings.
May he protect, etc.
44 Lord of the World, Prajâpati, whose are the homes above
and here,
Give great protection unto these, the Priesthood and Nobility.
45 Thou art the vapoury sea that giveth moisture. Blow on
me, thou, healthful and blessing-laden.
Thou art the Maruts’ own, the band of Maruts. Blow on
me, etc.
Seeker of aid art thou, receiving worship. Blow on me, etc.
46 Thy lights, O Agni, in the Sun, etc., as in XIII. 22.
47 Lights of yours in the Sun, O Gods, etc., as in XIII. 23.
48 Give lustre to our holy priests, set lustre in our ruling chiefs
Lustre to Vaisyas, Sûdras: give, through lustre; lustre unto
me.
49 I ask this of thee with my prayer, adoring: thy worshipper
asks this with his oblations.
Varuna, stay thou here and be not angry: steal not our life
from us, O thou Wide-Ruler.
50 Heaven-like is Warmth, Hail! Heaven-like is Arka, Hail!
Heaven-like is the Bright One, Hail! Heaven-like is Light,
Hail! Heaven-like is Sûrya, Hail!
51 I yoke with power and flowing butter Agni, divine, strong-
pinioned, great with vital vigour.
Through him may we approach the Bright One's station,
ascending to the loftiest sky, to heaven.
52 With these thy two ne’er-wasting feathered pinions wherewith
thou drivest fiends away, O Agni,
Let us fly to the regions of the pious whither have gone the
first-born ancient Rishis.
53 The Drop, the powerful, the falcon, righteous, impetuous
bird borne on his golden pinions,
Great, stedfast, settled in the habitation—to thee be reverence!
Forbear to harm thee!
54 Centre of earth, heaven's head art thou, essence of waters
and of plants.
Eternal, far spread refuge. Homage to the Path!
55 Attached thou standest at the head of all the world. Thy
heart is in the sea, thy life is in the floods. Give water:
cleave the reservoir.
Help us with rain sent from the sky, Parjanya, firmament,
or earth.
56 By Bhrigus and by Vasus hath prayer-granting sacrifice
been paid.
Come, Wealth, into the house of him our dear, our well-beloved
one.
57 May Agni, served with sacrifice and gifts, protect our offered
food:
This homage be Good-speed to Gods!
58 That which hath flowed from purpose or from judgment, or
gathered from the wind or from the vision,
Follow ye to the region of the pious whither have gone the
first-born ancient Rishis.
59 To thee I trust this man. Celestial Dwelling! treasure which
Jâtavedas shall bring hither.
After you will the Sacrificer follow. Here recognize him in
the highest heaven.
60 Acknowledge him, ye Gods, in highest heaven. Ye who are
present, know the shape he weareth.
When he approacheth by the God-ward pathways, reveal to
him the meed of pious actions.
61 Wake up, O Agni, etc., as in XV. 54.
62 Convey our sacrifice to heaven, etc., as in XV. 55,
63 With Darbha-bunch, with fencing-wood, with spoon, with
altar, holy grass,
With laud, lead this our sacrifice to go to heaven among
the Gods.
64 Our gifts, our charitable grants, our pious works, our fees to
priests,
May the Omnific's Agni set all this among the Gods in heaven.
65 There where all never-failing streams of honey and of butter
flow,
May Agni, Visvakarman's own, place us in heaven among
the Gods.
66 Agni am who know by birth all creatures. Mine eye is
butter, in my mouth is nectar.
I am the triple light, the region's meter: exhaustless heat
am I, named burnt oblation.
67 Praise-verses, sacrificial texts, and chanted hymns am I in name.
Thou art the best of all the Fires among the fivefold race
of man
That burn upon this earth of ours. Speed thou us on to
lengthened life.
68 O Indra, for the strength that slays Vritra and conquers in
the fight
We torn thee hitherward to us.
69 Thou, Indra, much-invoked, didst crush to pieces, Kunâru,
handless fiend who dwelt with Dânus.
Thou with might, Indra, smotest dead the scorner, the footless
Vritra as he waxed in vigour.
70 O Indra, beat our foes away, etc. as in VIII. 44.
71 Like some dread wild beast roaming on the mountain thou
hast approached us from the farthest distance.
Whetting thy bolt and thy sharp blade, O Indra, crush thou
the foes and scatter those who hate us.
72 To aid us let Vaisvânara come from the distance far away:
Come Agni, to our eulogies!
73 Sought in the sky, sought on the earth, sought after, all
plants that grow on ground hath Agni entered.
May Agni, may Vaisvânara with vigour, sought for, by day
and night from harm preserve us.
74 Help its that we may gain this wish, O Agni, gain riches,
Wealthy One! with store of heroes.
Desiring strength from thee may we be strengthened, and
win, Eternal! thine eternal glory.
75 Approaching with raised hands and adoration, we have this
day fulfilled for thee thy longing.
Worship the Gods with most devoted spirit as Priest with
no unfriendly thought. O Agni.
76 Home-hider Agni, Indra, and Brahma, and bright Brihaspati—
May the All Gods, one-minded, guard our sacrifice in happy
place.
77 Guard thou the Sacrificer's men, O Youthfullest, etc., as in
XIII. 52.
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