The Special Animal Sacrifices
ii. 1. 1.
He who desires prosperity should offer a white (beast) to Vayu; Vayu is the
swiftest deity; verily he has recourse to him with his own share; verily he
makes him attain prosperity; he prospers. 'He is an overswift deity,' they say,
'he has power to burn him up.' This (beast) he should offer to Vayu of the team;
the team is his support; verily, being supported he attains prosperity to avoid
being burnt; he prospers . He who desires a village should offer to Vayu of
the team; Vayu leads these creatures tied by the nose; verily he has recourse to
Vayu of the team with his own share; verily he assigns him creatures led by the
nose; he becomes possessed of a village. It is offered to (Vayu) of the team;
verily he makes creatures abide steadfast with him. He who desires offspring
should offer to Vayu of the team; Vayu is expiration, the team is inspiration;
expiration and inspiration depart from the offspring of him who being fit
for offspring yet obtains not offspring. Verily he has recourse to Vayu of the
team with his own share; verily he for him begets offspring by means of
expiration and inspiration; he obtains offspring. He who has long been ill
should offer to Vayu of the team; Vayu is expiration, the team is inspiration,
expiration and inspiration depart from him whose illness is long. Verily he has
recourse to Vayu of the team with his own share , he bestows on him
expiration and inspiration; even if his life be gone, he yet lives. Prajapati
was here alone; he desired, 'May I create offspring and cattle'; he took out
from his body the omentum, and placed it in the fire. The hornless goat then
came to life; he offered it to its own deity; then did he create offspring and
cattle. He who desires offspring and cattle should offer to Prajapati a
hornless goat. Verily he has recourse to Prajapati with his own share; verily he
begets for him offspring and cattle. The beard is the characteristic of man, the
lack of horns of the horse, having incisors on one side only that of cattle,
having sheep-like hooves that of sheep, the goat-nature that of goats; so many
are the domesticated animals; verily by their characteristics he wins them .
He who desires cattle should offer one of a triplet to Soma and Pusan; the
she-goat has two teats, two are born separately, the third for strength and
growth. Verily he has recourse to Soma and Pusan with their own share; verily
they produce cattle for him; Soma is the depositor of seed, Pusan the producer
of cattle; Soma deposits seeds for him, Pusan produces cattle. The sacrificial
post is of Udumbara; the Udumbara is strength, cattle are strength; verily by
strength he wins for him strength and cattle.
ii. 1. 2.
Prajapati created offspring; they being created went away from him; they went
to Varuna; he pursued them and asked them back; he would not give them back to
him; he said, 'Choose a boon, and then give them back to me.' He chose a boon
from them, it was the black (beast) with one white foot. He who is seized by
Varuna should offer this black (beast) with one white foot to Varuna. Verily he
has recourse to Varuna with his own share; verily he sets him free from
Varuna's noose. It is a black (beast) with one white hoof, for it has Varuna for
its deity (and serves) for prosperity. Svarbhanu, the Asura, pierced the sun
with darkness; the gods desired an atonement for him; the first darkness of his
they struck off became a black sheep; the second a bright-coloured one; the
third a white one; what they cut from the upper part of the bone became a barren
ewe . The gods said, 'Here has come into being a divine beast; to whom shall
we offer him?' Now then the earth was small, plants were not born, they offered
the barren ewe to the Adityas as desire.' Then the earth became broad, the
plants grew. He who desires, 'May I be extended with cattle, with offspring be
propagated' should offer this barren ewe to the Adityas as desire . Verily he
has recourse to the Adityas as desire with their own share; verily they extend
him with cattle and propagate him with offspring. Yonder sun did not shine; the
gods desired an atonement for him; for him they offered these dewlapped
(beasts), to Agni one with a black neck, to Indra one of different colours, to
Brhaspati a white one; verily by means of them they restored his brilliance, For
him who desires splendour he should offer dewlapped (beasts) , to Agni one
with a black neck, to Indra one of different colours, to Brhaspati a white one.
Verily he has recourse to these deities with their own share; verily they bestow
splendour upon him; he becomes resplendent. In the spring in the morning should
he offer (the beast) with a black neck to Agni; in the summer at midday (the
beast) of different colours to Indra; in the autumn in the after noon the white
(beast) to Brhaspati. These are the brilliances of the sun, in the spring in the
morning, in the summer at midday, in the autumn in the afternoon; verily he wins
whatever brilliances there are . They are offered in the course of the year;
the year is the giver of splendour; verily the year gives him splendour; he
becomes resplendent. They are (beasts) with young; the foetus is power; verily
he bestows power upon him. He who being master of uttering speech cannot speak
properly should offer a ewe to Sarasvati; Sarasvati is speech; verily he has
recourse to Sarasvati with her own share, she bestows on him speech, and he
becomes an utterer of speech. Its teeth are complete; therefore men utter speech
whole. He who is long ill should offer to Agni (a beast) with black neck, and a
brown (beast) to Soma; the body of him whose illness is long goes to Agni, the
sap to Soma; verily he ransoms from Agni his body, from Soma his sap, and even
if his life is gone, yet he lives. He who desires offspring should offer to Soma
a brown (beast), and to Agni one with a black neck; Soma is the depositor of
seed, Agni the producer of offspring; verily Soma deposits seed for him, Agni
produces offspring; he obtains offspring. The Brahman who despite study does not
win fame should offer to Agni (a beast) with a black neck, and to Soma a brown
(one); in that (the beast) is offered to Agni, thereby he places brilliance in
him; in that (the beast) is offered to Soma, thereby (be places) splendour. The
one with a black neck is for Agni; verily he drives away the darkness from him:
it is white ; verily he bestows brilliance on him. There is a brown one for
Soma; verily he bestows splendour and radiance on him. He who has a dispute for
a Purohitaship should offer (a beast) with a black neck to Agni, a brown one to
Soma, and one with a black neck to Agni; the Brahman is connected with Agni, the
prince with Soma; on either side of (the beast) for Soma there is one for Agni;
verily with brilliance, with the Brahman, he seizes on either side the kingdom,
and forthwith appropriates it; they choose him as Purohita.
ii. 1. 3.
The gods and the Asuras strove for these worlds; Visnu saw this dwarf, he
offered it to its own deity; then he conquered these worlds. One who is engaged
in a struggle should offer a dwarf (beast) to Visnu; then he becomes Visnu and
conquers these worlds. He should offer on an uneven (place), for these worlds
are uneven as it were; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who is engaged in a
contest should offer (a beast) with a spot on its forehead and horns bent
forward to Indra, the angry, the wise . By power (indriyá), by anger,
by wisdom, one wins a contest. Verily he has recourse to Indra, the angry, the
wise, with his own share; verily he bestows on him power, anger, wisdom; he wins
that contest. He who desires a village should offer (a beast) with dappled
thighs to Indra with the Maruts. Verily he has recourse to Indra with the Maruts
with his own share; verily he subdues his relatives to him; he becomes possessed
of a village. In that it is an ox , it is Indra's; in that it is dappled, it
is of the Maruts, for pros perity. It has dappled thighs behind; verily he makes
the folk dependent on him. He who desires food should offer a brown (beast) to
Soma; food is connected with Soma; verily he has recourse to Soma with his own
share; he bestows food on him; verily he becomes an eater of food. It is brown;
that is the colour of food; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who being meet
for kingship obtains not a kingdom should offer a brown (beast) to Soma ; the
kingdom is connected with Soma; verily he has recourse to Soma with his own
share; Soma bestows on him a kingdom; the kingdom comes to him. It is brown,
that is the colour of Soma; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He whose
prosperity is gone and who desires support should offer (a beast) with a spot on
the forehead and horns bent forward to Indra, the conqueror of Vrtra; verily he
overcomes the evil foe and attains support. 'He who is seized by evil should
offer (a beast) with a spot on the forehead and horns bent forward to Indra, the
overcomer of enemies ; the enemy is the evil; verily he has recourse to
Indra, the overcomer of enemies with his own share, and he drives away from him
the enemy, the evil. He who being meet for kingship obtains not a kingdom should
offer (a beast) with a spot on the forehead and horns bent forward to Indra of
the thunderbolt. Verily he has recourse to Indra of the thunderbolt with his own
share; he bestows his thunderbolt on him, the bolt kindles him for prosperity,
the kingdom comes to him. It has a spot on its forehead and horns bent for ward,
that is the shape of the bolt, (and so it serves) for prosperity.
ii. 1. 4.
Yonder sun did not shine; the gods desired an atonement for him; for him they
offered this offering of ten bulls; verily thereby they restored his brilliance.
For him who desires splendour he should offer this offering of ten bulls; verily
he has recourse to yonder sun with his own share; verily he bestows on him
splendour; he becomes resplendent. He should offer in the spring in the morning
three with spots on the forehead; in the summer at midday three with white
backs; in the autumn in the afternoon three with white tails. Three are the
brilliances of the sun, in the spring in the morning; in the summer at midday;
in the autumn in the afternoon; verily he wins whatever brilliances there are.
They are offered in sets of three; verily in order he bestows brilliance on him.
They are offered in the course of the year; the year is the giver of splendour;
verily the year gives him splendour; he becomes resplendent. At the end of the
year he should offer a reddish brown one to Prajapati all the gods are
Prajapati; verily he rests on all the gods. If he fears, 'I shall become
diseased in the skin,' he should offer a dark (beast) to Soma and Pusan; man has
Soma as his deity, cattle have Pusan; verily by his own deity, by cattle, he
makes a skin for him; be does not become diseased in the skin. The gods and Yama
were at strife over this world; Yama appropriated (ayuvata) the power and
strength of the gods; therefore Yama has his name . The gods reflected, 'Yama
here has become what we are.' They had recourse to Prajapati. Prajapati from his
body fashioned out the bull and the cow; the gods offered a cow to Visnu and to
Varuna, a bull to Indra; they caused him to be seized by Varuna and by Visnu,
the sacrifice, they drove him away; his power they appropriated by means of that
for Indra. He who has foes should in strife offer to Visnu and Varuna a cow ,
to Indra a bull; verily causing his foe to be seized by Varuna, by Visnu, the
sacrifice, he drives him away, he appropriates his power by means of that for
Indra, he prospers, his foe is defeated. Indra slew Vrtra; him Vrtra slain bound
with sixteen coils; from the head of Vrtra came out cows, they were (cows) of
Videha; behind them came the bull. It Indra perceived; he reflected, 'He who
shall offer him shall be freed from this evil'; he offered to Agni one with a
black neck, to Indra a bull. Agni, being approached with his own share, burned
into sixteen pieces the coils of Vrtra, and by (the offering) to Indra he
bestowed power on himself. He who is seized by evil should offer (a beast) with
a black neck to Agni, and a bull to Indra; verily Agni, being approached with
his own share , burns away his evil, and by (the offering) to Indra he
bestows power on himself, he is freed from the evil, he prospers. He who is long
in exile should offer a cow to sky and earth; for he is not established in them;
verily also he who is long in exile has recourse to sky and earth with their own
share; verily they establish them; he is established. It is one which is long in
labour, for long in labour as it were is the kingdom of him who is long in
exile; (verily it serves) for prosperity. To Vayu he should offer a calf;
Vayu is their calf; these worlds are barren for him, the people are barren;
verily also he who is long in exile has recourse to Vayu with his own share;
verily Vayu causes these worlds and the people to give to him; these worlds drop
milk for him; the people wait upon him in service.
ii. 1. 5.
Indra opened the hole of Vrtra; the topmost cattle he grasped by the back and
pulled out; a thousand cattle followed it, it became hump backed. He who desires
cattle should offer this humpbacked (one) to Indra; verily he has recourse to
Indra with his own share; verily he bestows cattle upon him; he becomes
possessed of cattle. It is humpbacked ; the hump backed is fortune a
thousandfold; verily by fortune he wins cattle. When he obtains a thousand
cattle, he should offer a dwarf (beast) to Visnu; upon it the thousand rested;
therefore the dwarf, stretched out, affords support to cattle when born. 'Who
can obtain a thousand cattle?' they say; verily he should make up a thousand
days and nights and sacrifice. The days and nights are cattle; verily he
gives support to cattle when born. He who desires offspring should offer a
barren cow to the plants, the plants hinder him from offspring who being fit for
offspring does not obtain offspring; the plants indeed destroy the pregnancy of
that one which becomes barren, verily he has recourse to the plants with their
own share; verily they from his own self beget him offspring; he obtains
offspring . The plants are the waters, man is what is not; verily the waters
give him being from non-existence; therefore they say, both he who knows thus
and who (knows) not, 'The waters verily give being from non-existence.' He who
desires prosperity should offer to Indra (a cow) which is barren after one
birth; he is unborn who being fit for prosperity obtains it not; the (cow)
became barren after bearing Indra, ; verily he has recourse to Indra with his
own share; verily he causes him to attain prosperity; he prospers. He should
offer to Indra (the calf) through bearing which (the cow) became barren; that
indeed is power (indriyá); verily straightway he obtains power. He whose
ancestors and himself for three generations have not drunk Soma should offer (a
bull) which has again been let loose to Indra and Agni; the Soma drinking of a
Brahman is interrupted if his ancestors and himself for three generations have
not drunk Soma ; verily he has recourse to Indra and Agni with their own
share; verily they bestow on him the drinking of Soma, the drinking of Soma
comes to him. In that it is offered to Indra, the Soma drink is power; verily he
wins power, the Soma-drink. In that it is offered to Agni, the Brahman is
connected with Agni, verily he continues his own deity. It is let loose again,
for his drinking of Soma is as it were let loose again ; (verily it serves)
for prosperity. When practising witchcraft, he should offer a hornless (beast)
to Brahmanaspati; verily he has recourse to Brahmanaspati with his own share;
verily he cuts him down to him; swiftly he reaches destruction. It is a hornless
one; prosperity is razor-edged; in that it is hornless, (it serves) for
prosperity. The sacrificial post is shaped like a wooden sword; the wooden sword
is a thunderbolt; verily he hurls a thunderbolt against him; the strew is made
of Çara grass; verily he crushes him; the kindling-wood is of Vibhidaka; verily
he splits him.
Continued...
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ii. 1. 6.
He who desiring a village desires, 'May I be the back of my equals', should
offer to Brhaspati (a beast) with a white back; verily he has recourse to
Brhaspati with his own share; verily he makes him to be the back of his peers;
he becomes possessed of a village. It is with a white back, for it has Brhaspati
as its deity; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires food should
offer a dark (beast) to Pusan; Pusan is food; verily he has recourse to Pusan
with his own share; verily he gives him food; he becomes an eater of food.
It is dark, that is the form of food; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who
desires food should offer a dappled (beast) to the Maruts; the Maruts are food;
verily he has recourse to the Maruts with their own share; verily they give him
food; he becomes an eater of food. It is dappled; that is the form of food;
(verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires power should offer a ruddy
(beast) to Indra; verily he has recourse to Indra with his own; verily he
bestows power on him; he becomes possessed of power. It is ruddy and has
eyebrows; that is the form of Indra; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who
desires gain should offer to Savitr a spotted (beast); Savitr is lord of
production; verily he has recourse to Savitr with his own share; verily he
produces gain for him, his offspring desire gifts. It is spotted, for it has
Savitr as its deity ; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires food
should offer to the All-gods (a beast) of many forms; food is connected with the
All-gods; verily he has recourse to the All-gods with their own share; verily
they give him food; he becomes an eater of food. It is of many forms; food is of
many forms; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires a village should
offer to the All-gods (a beast) of many forms; his relatives are connected with
the All-gods; verily he has recourse to the All-gods with their own share;
verily they subdue his relations to him; he becomes possessed of a village.
It is of many forms, for it is connected with many deities; (verily it serves)
for prosperity. He who is long ill from an unknown cause should offer to
Prajapati (a beast) without horns; man is connected with Prajapati; Prajapati
verily knows of him who is long ill from an unknown cause; verily he has
recourse to Prajapati with his own share; verily he releases him from this
weariness. It is without horns, for it has Prajapati as its deity; (verily it
serves) for prosperity.
ii. 1. 7.
The Vasat cry cleft the head of the Gayatri; the sap thereof fell away.
Brhaspati seized it; it became a cow with a white back. The second (sap) which
fell Mitra and Varuna seized; it became a cow of two forms. The third (sap)
which fell the All-gods seized; it became a cow of many forms. The fourth (sap)
which fell entered the earth; Brhaspati seized it, (saying), 'Be this (mine)
for enjoyment'; it became a bull and a cow. The blood which fell Rudra seized;
it became a fierce red cow. He who desires splendour should offer to Brhaspati
(a beast) with white back; verily he has recourse to Brhaspati with his own
share; verily he bestows splendour upon him; he becomes resplendent. The cow is
the sap of the metres ; splendour is as it were sap; verily with the sap of
the metres he wins the sap which is splendour. He who desires rain should offer
to Mitra and Varuna (a cow) of two forms; the day is connected with Mitra, the
night with Varuna; by day and night Parjanya rains; verily he has recourse to
Mitra and Varuna with their own share; verily they by day and night make
Parjanya rain for him. The cow is the sap of the metres, the rain indeed is as
it were sap; verily by the sap of the metres he wins the sap which is rain.
He who desires offspring should offer to Mitra and Varuna (a cow) of two forms;
the day is connected with Mitra, the night with Varuna; by day and night indeed
offspring are born; verily he has recourse to Mitra and Varuna with their own
share; verily they by day and night beget offspring for him. The cow is the sap
of the metres, offspring indeed are as it were sap; verily with the sap of the
metres he wins the sap which is offspring . He who desires food should offer
to the All-gods (a cow) of many forms; food is connected with the All-gods;
verily he has recourse to the All-gods with their own share; verily they give
him food; he becomes an eater of food. The cow is the sap of the metres, food
indeed is as it were sap; verily by the sap of the metres he wins the sap that
is food. He who desires a village should offer to the All-gods (a cow) of many
forms; his relatives are connected with the All-gods ; verily he has recourse
to the All-gods with their own share; verily they subject his relatives to him;
he becomes possessed of a village. The cow is the sap of the metres, relatives
indeed are as it were sap; verily with the sap of the metres he wins the sap
which is relatives. He who desires splendour should offer to Brhaspati a bull
and a cow; verily he has recourse to Brhaspati with his own share; verily he
bestows splendour on him ; he becomes resplendent. The bull grazes at will,
splendour indeed is as it were will; verily by will he wins will which is
splendour. He who practises witchcraft should offer a red (cow) to Rudra; verily
he has recourse to Rudra with his own share; verily he cuts him down to him;
swiftly he reaches destruction; it is red, for it has Rudra as its deity;
(verily it serves) for prosperity. The sacrificial post is shaped like the
wooden sword, the wooden sword is a thunderbolt; verily he hurls a thunderbolt
against him; the strew is made of Çara grass; verily he crushes him; the
kindling-wood is of Vibhidaka; verily he splits him.
ii. 1. 8.
Yonder sun did not shine; the gods desired an atonement for him; for him they
offered a white cow to Surya; verily thereby they restored his brilliance. For
him who desires splendour, he should offer this white cow to Surya; verily he
has recourse to yonder sun with his own share; verily he bestows splendour upon
him; he becomes resplendent. The sacrificial post is of Bilva wood. Whence
yonder sun was born, thence the Bilva arose; verily he wins splendour with
its place of origin. He who practises witchcraft should offer to Brahmanaspati
(a cow) with brown ears; first he should make to Varuna an offering on ten
potsherds; verily he causes Varuna to seize his foe and lays him low with the
Brahman. It has brown ears; that is the symbol of the Brahman; (verily it
serves) for prosperity. The sacrificial post is shaped like the wooden sword;
the wooden sword is a thunderbolt; verily he hurls a thunderbolt against him;
the strew is made of Çara grass; verily he crushes him; the kindling-wood is
of Vibhidaka; verily he splits him. He to whom the sacrifice does not come
should offer a dwarf (beast) to Visnu; the sacrifice is Visnu; verily he has
recourse to Visnu with his own share; verily he gives him the sacrifice, the
sacrifice comes to him. It is a dwarf (beast), for it has Visnu for its deity;
(verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires cattle should offer to Tvastr
a horse; Tvastr is the producer of pairings of animals ; verily he has
recourse to Tvastr with his own share; verily he produces animals in pairs for
him, for in him offspring and cattle have entered; verily also the male horse
straightway wins offspring and cattle. He who when a contest is joined desires
an agreement should offer to Mitra a white (beast); verily he has recourse to
Mitra with his own share; verily he brings him into harmony with his friend .
It is spacious; verily he encourages him. He who desires rain should offer to
Prajapati a black (beast), Prajapati is the lord of rain; verily he has recourse
to Prajapati with his own share; verily he makes Parjanya rain for him. It is
black, that is the form of rain; verily by its form he wins rain. It is spotted;
verily he produces the lightning and makes rain for him. It has low horns;
verily he brings down the rain for him.
ii. 1. 9.
Food came not to Varuna when he had pressed. He beheld this black cow which
is Varuna's; it he offered to its own deity; then food came to him. He to whom
being fit for food food does not come should offer to Varuna this black cow;
verily he has recourse to Varuna with his own form; verily he gives him food; he
becomes an eater of food . It is black, for it has Varuna as its deity;
(verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires food should offer a white
(beast) to Mitra and a black to Varuna at the union of the waters and the
plants; the plants are connected with Mitra, and the waters with Varuna; on the
sap of the water and of the plants do we live; verily lie has recourse to Mitra
and Varuna with their own share; verily they give him food; he becomes an eater
of food . He should offer at the union of the waters and of the plants, to
attain both. The sacrificial post is bifurcate, for there are two deities;
(verily it serves) for prosperity. He who is long ill should offer a white
(beast) to Mitra, and a black to Varuna; in that one is offered to Mitra, by
means of Mitra he appeases Varuna for him; in that one is offered to Varuna,
straightway he sets him free from Varuna's noose; even if his life be gone, he
yet lives. The gods could not find prosperity ; they saw it in the pair; they
could not agree about it; the Açvins said, 'Ours is it; do not claim it.' It
became the Açvins' only. He who desires prosperity should offer to the Açvins a
twin cow; verily he has recourse to the Açvins with their own share; verily they
bestow prosperity upon him; he prospers in offspring and cattle.
ii. i. 10.
He who being a bad Brahman desires to drink Soma should offer to the Açvins a
dusky (beast) with spots on the forehead; the Açvins were among the gods those
who did not drink Soma; they later acquired the drinking of Sonia; the Açvins
are the gods of the bad Brahman who desires to drink Soma; verily he has
recourse to the Açvins with their own share; verily they give to him the
drinking of Soma; the drinking of Soma comes to him. In that it is dusky, verily
he drives away the darkness from him. In that it has spots on the forehead ,
verily at the beginning he bestows brilliance on him. 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 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.
ii. 1. 11.
Indra on all sides. On Indra men. O Maruts, what time from the
sky. The protection which ye. 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. 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. I hail the dear names of yon impetuous ones, That, O Maruts,
calling they may rejoice. 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. 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.' God Agni with the Vasus , Soma
with the dread forms, Indra with the Maruts, worthy of sacrifice, Varuna
with the Adityas hath been in harmony with us. 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. He in whose
presence wheresoever Men rejoice in the dwellings of men, Whom in honour
they kindle, Whom together they produce. When we offer food, The
oblations of men, He by the might of his glory , Graspeth the reins of
sacred law. 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. 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. Ye Adityas support the world, Gods, guardians of all the
universe, Far-seeing, guarding the holy, Righteous, enacting
debts. 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. Let us make
supplication To those heroes, the Adityas, The tender, for help. Nor
right is visible, nor left; Nor the east, O Adityas, nor the west; Despite
my feeble mind, O Vasus , Led by you, may I attain the light without
fear. 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. Hear my cry, O
Varuna, And be merciful this day; Seeking for help I call on thee. 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.
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