iii. 2. 1.

He who sacrifices knowing the 'ascent' verses of the Pavamana (Stotras) mounts on the Pavamanas and is not cut off from the Pavamanas. 'Thou art the hawk, with the Gayatri for thy metre; I grasp thee; bring me over in safety. Thou art the eagle, with the Tristubh for thy metre; I grasp thee; bring me over in safety. Thou art the vulture, with the Jagati for thy metre; I grasp thee; bring me over in safety', he says. These are the ascents of the Pavamanas; he who knowing thus these sacrifices mounts on the Pavamanas, and is not cut off from the Pavamanas. He who knows the continuity of the Pavamana lives all his days; he does not die before his time; be becomes rich in cattle; he obtains offspring. The Pavamana cups are drawn off, but these are not drawn off by him, the wooden vessel, the stirring-vessel, and the vessel which holds the purified Soma. If he were to begin (the Stotra) without drawing them off, he would split the Pavamana , and with its being split the breath of the Adhvaryu would be split. 'Thou art taken with a support; to Prajapati thee!', (with these words) he should rub the wooden vessel; 'to Indra thee!', (with these words) the stirring-vessel; 'to the All-gods thee!', (with these words) the vessel which holds the purified Soma verily he renders continuous the Pavamana, he lives all his days; he does not die before his time; he becomes rich in cattle; he obtains offspring.

iii. 2. 2.

There are three pressings. Now they spoil the third pressing if there are no stalks of the Soma in it. Having offered the silent cup, he puts a shoot in the vessel which holds it, and placing it with the third pressing he should press it out. In that he makes it swell, it has a stalk (of the Soma); in that he presses it out, it has the lees (of the Soma); verily he makes all the pressings have stalks and pure Soma, and be of equal strength.

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 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 . 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.

iii. 2. 3.

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.
For my expiration, be purified, giving splendour, for splendour;
For my inspiration;
For my cross-breathing;
For my speech ;
For my skill and strength;
For my two eyes do ye be purified, giving splendour, for splendour;
For my ear;
For my trunk;
For my members;
I For my life;
For my strength
Of Visnu,
Of Indra,
Of the All-gods thou art the belly, giving splendour to me, be purified for splendour.
Who art thou? (Thou art) who by name. To who (kásmai) thee, to who (káya) thee, thee whom I have delighted with Soma, thee whom I have gladdened with Soma. May I be possessed of fair offspring with offspring, of noble heroes with heroes, of excellent splendour with splendour, of great abundance with abundances.
To all my forms giving splendour , be purified for splendour; of that give me; of that may I share, of that that is thine I procure this.

He who desires to be great should look (on the offerings); Prajapati is here in the vessels, Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he delights him, and he being delighted is purified for him with prosperity. He who desires splendour should look (on the offerings); Prajapati is here in the vessels, Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he delights him, and he being delighted is purified for him with splendour. He who is ill should look (on the offerings); Prajapati is here in the vessels, Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he delights him, and he being delighted is purified for him with life. He who practises witchcraft should look (on the offerings); Prajapati is here in the vessels, Prajapati is the sacrifice; verily he delights him, and he being delighted cuts off him (the enemy) from expiration and inspiration, from speech, from skill and strength, from his eyes, from his ears, from his trunk, from the members, from life; swiftly he comes to ruin.

iii. 2. 4.

The wooden sword is safety, the hammer is safety, the knife, the sacrificial enclosure, the axe is safety; sacrificial ye art, makers of the sacrifice; do ye invite me to this sacrifice.
May sky and earth invite me;
(May) the place of singing, the bowl, Soma, the fire (invite me);
(May) the gods, the sacrifice,
The Hotras call upon me in invitation.
'Homage to Agni, slayer of Makha; may the glory of Makha impel me'--(with these words) he reverences the Ahavaniya. Makha is the sacrifice ; verily he slays the sacrifice; verily paying homage to him he creeps to the Sadas, for his own safety.
'Homage to Rudra, slayer of Makha; for this homage guard me' (with these words he reverences) the place of the Agnidh; verily paying homage to him he creeps to the Sadas, for his own safety.
'Homage to Indra, slayer of Makha; injure not my power and strength'--(with these words he reverences) the place of the Hotr; verily he invokes this blessing, for the preserving of his power and strength .
He who creeps forward knowing the gods who cause ruin at the Sadas is not ruined at the Sadas. 'Homage to Agni, slayer of Makha', he says. These gods cause ruin at the Sadas. He, who knowing them thus creeps forward, is not ruined at the Sadas.

Ye two are firm, loose; united guard me from trouble.
May the sun, the god, guard me from trouble from the sky, Vayu from the atmosphere , Agni from earth, Yama from the fathers, Sarasvati from men.
O ye divine doors, oppress me not.
Homage to the Sadas, homage to the lord of the Sadas, homage to the eye of the friends who go before, homage to sky, homage to earth.
Ho! son of a second marriage, get thee hence; sit on the seat of another more foolish than we are.
From the low, from the high may I go.
O sky and earth protect me from this day to-day.

When he creeps forward to the seat , the fathers creep along after him; they have power to injure him; having crept to the seat he should look along the south side (saying), 'Come, O ye fathers; through you may I possess the fathers; may ye have good offspring in me'; verily paying reverence to them he creeps to the Sadas, for his own safety.

iii. 2. 5.

Food come hither, enter me for long life, for health, for increase of wealth, for splendour, for good offspring. Come hither, O Vasu, preceded by wealth; thou art dear to my heart.
May I grasp thee with the arms of the Açvins.
With clear sight may I gaze' upon thee, O god Soma, who regardest men.
Gentle control, banner of the sacrifices, may speech accept and delight in the Soma; I may Aditi, gentle, propitious, with head inviolable, as speech, accept and delight in the Soma.
Come hither, O thou who art of all men , with healing and favour; with safety come to me, O tawny-coloured, for skill, for strength, for increase of wealth, for good heroes.
Terrify me not, O king, pierce not my heart with thy radiance, for manly strength, for life, for splendour.
Of thee, O god Soma, who hast the Vasus for thy troop, who knowest the mind, who belongest to the first pressing, who hast the Gayatri as 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.
Of thee, O god Soma, who hast the Rudras for thy troop, who knowest the mind, who belongest to the midday pressing, who hast the Tristubh 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.
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.
Swell up, lot thy strength be gathered
From all sides, O Soma;
Be strong in the gathering of might.
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 .
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?
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.
Of thee, O god Soma, over whom the Yajus is spoken, the Stoma sung , the Uktha recited, who hast tawny steeds, who art drunk by Indra, who hast sweetness, and who art invited, I invited eat.
Ye are to be filled; fill me
With offspring and wealth.
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.
Rejoice therein, O fathers, according to your shares.
Homage to your taste, O fathers; homage to your birth, O fathers; homage to your life, O fathers; homage to your custom, O fathers; homage to your anger, O fathers; homage to your terrors, O fathers; O fathers, homage to you.
Ye that are in that world, may they follow you; ye that are in this world, may they follow me.
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.
O Prajapati, none other than thou
Comprehendeth all these creatures .
What we seek when we sacrifice to thee, let that be ours;
May we be lords of riches.
Thou art the expiation of sin committed by the gods, thou art the expiation of sin committed by men, thou art the expiation of sin committed by the fathers.
Of thee, O god Soma, that art purified in the waters, that art pressed by men, over whom the Yajus is spoken, the Stoma sung, the Çastra recited, who art made by the fathers into food to win horses and cows, and who art invited, I invited eat.

iii. 2. 6.

Thou art the milk of the great ones, the body of the All-gods; may I to-day accomplish the cup of the speckled ones; thou art the cup of the speckled ones; thou art the heart of Visnu, once hath Visnu stepped apart along thee, O vigorous one; with curds and ghee may prosperity be increased; may wealth come to me from this which is offered and enjoyed thou art the light for all men, milked from the dappled one.

As great as are sky and earth in mightiness,
As great as the expense of the seven rivers,
So great is the cup of thee, O Indra ,
Which unvanquished I draw off with strength.

If a black bird touch the speckled butter, his slaves would be likely to die; if a dog touch it, his fourfooted cattle would be likely to die; if it were to be spilt, the sacrificer would be likely to die. The speckled butter is the cattle; his cattle fall, if his speckled butter falls; in that he takes again the speckled butter, he takes again cattle for him. The speckled butter is the breath; his breath falls, if his speckled butter falls; in that he takes again the speckled butter, he takes again breath for him. He takes it after placing gold (in the ladle), gold is immortality, the speckled butter is the breath; verily he places immortality in his breath. It is of a hundred measures, man has a hundred years of life, a hundred powers; verily on life and power he rests. He makes a horse sniff it, the horse is connected with Prajapati; verily from his own place of origin he fashions offspring for him. His sacrifice is broken whose speckled butter is spilt. He takes it again with a Rc addressed to Visnu; Visnu is the sacrifice; verily he unites the sacrifice by the sacrifice.

Continued...

iii. 2. 7.

O God Savitr, he hath declared that to thee; that do thou impel and offer.
The Brahman is Brhaspati.
Depart not from the life-giving Rc, from the Saman which protecteth the body.
Let your wishes be accomplished, let your purposes (be accomplished).
Speak right and truth.
Praise ye on the impulse of the god Savitr.
The praised of the praised art thou, may the praised milk strength for me, may the praised of the praised come to me.
Thou art the Çastra of the Çastra , may the Çastra milk strength for me, may the Çastra of the Çastra come to me.
With power may we conquer,
May we milk offspring and food.
May my wish be accomplished among the gods.
May splendour come to me.
The sacrifice hath become, it hath come into being,
It hath been born, it hath waxed great;
It hath become the overlord of the gods,
May it make us overlords,
May we be lords of wealth.

Either the sacrifice milks the lord of the sacrifice, or the lord of the sacrifice milks the sacrifice. Him, who sacrifices not knowing the milking of the Stotra and the Çastra, the sacrifice milks, he after sacrificing becomes worse; he, who knowing the milking of these two sacrifices, milks the sacrifice; he after sacrificing becomes better. 'The praised of the praised art thou, may the praised milk strength for me, may the praised of the praised come to me. The Çastra, of the Çastra thou art, may the Çastra milk strength for me, may the Çastra of the Çastra come to me', he says; this is the milking of the Stotra and the Çastra; he who sacrifices knowing thus milks the sacrifice, and by sacrificing becomes better.

iii. 2. 8.

To the flying eagle hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To the support, the law, hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To the enclosing-stick which extendeth men hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To the strength of the Hotras hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To the milk of the Hotras hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. To Prajapati, to Manu, hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage. Right, guardian of right, heaven-bearing, hail! Vat! To him who approveth himself homage.
Let the Hotras delight in the sweet ghee.
To the lord of the sacrifice the Rsis said,
'By thy sin creatures are famishing and troubled';
He did not secure the two drops of honey;
May Viçvakarman unite us with them.
Dread are the Rsis; homage be to them,
In the union with their eye and mind;
To Brhaspati great, real, and glorious reverence;
Homage to Viçvakarman; may he guard us.
Deeming that the Soma-drinkers are his own,
Knowing the breath like a valiant man in battle,--
He hath committed a great sin and is bound by them--
Him set free, O Viçvakarman , for safety.
Those who eating deserved not riches,
Whom the fires of the hearths did trouble,
That is their offering to expiate the ill sacrifice
A good sacrifice for us may Viçvakarman make it.
Homage to the Pitrs, who have watched around us,
Making the sacrifice, loving the sacrifice, the benignant deities;
We have not brought you the offering without desires;
Trouble us not for this sin.

All those who are in the Sadas must have presents; he who did not give them a present would fall a victim to them; in that he offers the libations to Viçvakarman, he thus delights those who are in the Sadas.

Ye gods, have regard to this wonder,
The good thing which the husband and wife win with the milk admixture;
A male child is born, be findeth riches,
And all the house prospereth unhurt.
May the husband and wife who give the milk admixture win good;
May wealth unharmed attend them dwelling in harmony;
May he, who poureth that which hath been milked together with the pot (of Soma),
By the sacrifice leave misfortune on his way.
Butter-necked , fat is his wife;
Fat his sons and not meagre,
Who with his wife eager to offer a good sacrifice
Hath given to Indra the milk admixture together with the pot (of Soma).,
May the milk admixture place in me strength and good offspring
And food, wealth and fair fame,
(Me that am) conquering the fields with might, O Indra,
And casting down my rivals.
Thou art being, place me in being; thou art the mouth, may I be
the mouth.
From sky and earth I take thee.
May the All-gods, belonging to all men , move thee forward.
In the sky make firm the gods, in the atmosphere the birds, on earth the creatures of earth.
With the firm offering the firm
Soma, we transfer,
That the whole world may be for us
Free of sickness and of kindly intent;
That Indra may make
All the clans for us of one mind,
That all the quarters
May be ours alone.

iii. 2. 9.

In that the Hotr addresses the Adhvaryu, he makes the thunder bolt advance towards him; 'O reciter of hymns', he says in response at the morning pressing; the syllables herein are three, the Gayatri has three Padas, the morning pressing is connected with the Gayatri; verily with the Gayatri he places the thunderbolt within the morning pressing. 'The hymn hath been uttered', he says in response at the midday pressing; the syllables herein are four, the Tristubh has four Padas, the midday pressing is connected with the Tristubh; verily with the Tristubh he places the thunderbolt within the midday pressing . 'The hymn hath been uttered to Indra', he says in response at the third pressing; the syllables herein are seven, the Çakvari has seven Padas, the thunder bolt is connected with the Çakvari; verily with the thunderbolt he places the thunderbolt within the third pressing. The theologians say, 'He indeed would be an Adhvaryu who should produce the metres in the responses according to the pressings; he would bestow brilliance upon himself at the morning pressing, power at the midday pressing, and cattle at the third pressing.' 'O reciter of hymns', he says in response at the morning pressing; the syllables herein are three, , the Gayatri has three Padas, the morning pressing is connected with the Gayatri; verily at the morning pressing he produces the metres in the response; now the Gayatri is brilliance, the morning pressing is brilliance; verily at the morning pressing he bestows brilliance upon himself. 'The hymn hath been uttered', he says in response at the midday pressing; the syllables herein are four, the Tristubh has four Padas, the midday pressing is connected with the Tristubh; verily at the midday pressing he produces the metres in the response; now the Tristubh is power, the midday pressing is power ; verily at the midday pressing he bestows power upon himself. 'The hymn hath been uttered to Indra', he says in response at the third pressing; the syllables herein are seven, the Çakvari has seven Padas, cattle are connected with the Çakvari, the third pressing is connected with the Jagati; verily at the third pressing he produces the metres in the response; now the Jagati is cattle, the third pressing is cattle; verily at the third pressing he bestows cattle upon himself that the Hotr addresses the Adhvaryu, he puts fear in him; if be were not to smite it off , they would have fear in his house before the year (was over). 'Recite, let us two rejoice',' he responds, and thereby he smites it off. Just as one looks for the exact interval, so the Adhvaryu looks for the response. If he were to respond in advance, that would be as when one goes to meets the exact interval. If the (response) were to be omitted after the half-verse, that would be as when one is left behind those that are running. The Udgithas are similar for the priests, the Udgitha for the Udgatrs, , the Rces and the Pranavas for the singers of hymns, the response for the Adhvaryus. He, who knowing thus responds, becomes an eater of food, a strong one is born among his offspring. The Hotr is this (earth), the Adhvaryu yonder (sky); in that he recites sitting, so the Hotr goes not away from the (earth), for this (earth) is seated as it were; verily thereby the sacrifice milks this (earth). In that he responds standing, so the Adhvaryu goes not away from yonder (sky) , for yonder (sky) stands as it were; verily thereby the sacrificer milks yonder (sky). In that he recites sitting, therefore the gods live on that which is given hence; in that he responds standing, therefore men live on what is given thence. In that he recites seated towards the east, and he responds standing towards the west, therefore seed is impregnated in front, offspring are born behind. In that the Hotr addresses the Adhvaryu, he makes the thunderbolt advance towards him; he turns towards the West; verily he overcomes the thunderbolt.

iii. 2. 10.

Thou art taken with a support; thou art seated in speech for the guardians of speech, for the guardians of insight, for the overseers of this established sacrifice do I take thee.
Thou art taken with a support; thou art seated in holy order; for the guardians of sight, &c., do I take thee.
Thou art taken with a support; thou art seated in holy lore; for the guardians of the ear, &c., do I take thee.
For the gods thee!
For the All-gods thee!
For all the gods thee!
O Visnu, wide striding, this is thy Soma; guard it let not the evil-eyed one espy this of thine.
In me is the Vasu, whom wealth precedeth, who guardeth the voice; guard my voice.
In me is the Vasu, who winneth wealth, who guardeth the eye; guard my eye.
In me is the Vasu, who keepeth wealth together, who guardeth the ear; guard my ear.
Thou art Bhuh, best of rays, guardian of expiration; guard my expiration.
Thou art Dhuh, best of rays, guardian of inspiration; guard my inspiration.
The foe who, O Indra and Vayu, is hostile to us,
Who seeketh to assail us, O lords of splendour,
May I here burl him below my feet,
So that, O Indra, I may shine as the highest.
(The foe who), O Mitra and Varuna, &c.
(The foe who), O Açvins, &c.

iii. 2. 11.

He by thy help, O Agni,
With good heroes, making strength, is victorious,
Whose companionship thou dost favour.
Your ancient lofty praise bear
To Agni, the Hotr
The creator who beareth as it were the light of songs.
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.
With the rite, with food 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.
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.
Three ages are thine, O All-knower,
Three births in the dawns, O Agni;
With them, knowing, do thou propitiate the gods,
And be for the sacrificer health and wealth.
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.
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.
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.'

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