1Eastward at first the prayer was generated: Vena disclosed bright flashes from the summit,
Disclosed his deepest, nearest revelations, womb of the non-existent and existent.

2Let this Queen come in front, her Father's daughter, found in the worlds for earliest generation.
For him they set this radiant vault in motion. Let them prepare warm milk for him who first would drink.

3He who was born as his all-knowing kinsman declareth all the deities' generations.
He from the midst of prayer his prayer hath taken. On high, below, spread forth his godlike nature.

4For he, true to the law of Earth and Heaven, established both the mighty worlds securely.
Mighty when born, he propped apart the mighty, the sky, our earthly home, and air's mid-region.

5He from the depth hath been reborn for ever, Brihaspati the world's sole Lord and Ruler.
From light was born the Day with all its lustre: through this let sages live endowed with splendour.

6The sage and poet verily advanceth the statute of that mighty God primeval.
He was born here with many more beside him: they slumbered when the foremost side was opened.

7The man who seeks the friend of Gods, Atharvan the father, and Brihaspati, with worship,
Crying to him, Be thou all things' creator! the wise God, self-dependent, never injures.

1Giver of breath, giver of strength and vigour, he whose commandment all the Gods acknowledge,
He who is Lord of this, of man and cattle: —
What God shall we adore with our oblation ?

2Who by his grandeur hath become sole ruler of all the moving world that breathes and slumbers,
Whose shade is death, whose lustre makes immortal: —
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

3To whom both hosts embattled, look with longing, and Heaven and Earth invoke him in their terror;
Whose is this path that measures out the region: —
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

4Whose is the mighty earth and spacious heaven, and yonder ample firmament between them,
Whose is yon Sun extended in his grandeur: —
What God shall we adore with our oblation ?

5Whose, through his might, are all the Snowy Mountains, and whose, they say is Rasa in the ocean,
The arms of whom are these celestial quarters: —
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

6The deathless Waters, born in Law, receiving, protected all the germ in the beginning, —
Waters divine who had the God above them: —
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

7In the beginning rose Hiranyagarbha, even at his birth sole Lord of all creation.
He fixt and firmly stablished earth and heaven: —
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

8In the beginning, generating offspring, the Waters brought an embryo into being;
And even as it sprang to life it had a covering of gold.

1Three have gone hence and passed away, the man, the tiger, and the wolf.
Down, verily, the rivers flow, down goeth the celestial Tree, down let our foemen bend and bow.

2On distant pathway go the wolf, on pathway most remote the thief!
On a far road speed forth the rope with teeth, and the malicious man!

3We crush and rend to pieces both thine eyes, O Tiger, and thy jaws and all the twenty claws we break.

4We break and rend the tiger first of creatures that are armed with teeth;
The robber then, and then the snake, the sorcerer, and then the wolf.

5The thief who cometh near to-day departeth bruised and crushed to bits.
By nearest way let him be gone. Let Indra slay him with his bolt.

6Let the beast's teeth be broken off, shivered and shattered be his ribs!
Slack be thy bowstring: downward go the wild beast that pursues the hare!

7Open not what thou hast compressed, close not what thou hast not compressed.
Indra's and Soma's child, thou art Atharvan's tiger - crushing a charm.

1We dig thee from the earth, the Plant which strengthens and exalts the nerves,
The Plant which the Gandharva dug for Váruna whose power was lost.

2Let Ushas and let Súrya rise, let this the speech I utter rise.
Let the strong male Prajápati arise with manly energy.

1The Bull who hath a thousand horns, who rises up from out the sea,
By him the strong and mighty one we lull the folk to rest and sleep.

2Over the surface of the earth there breathes no wind, there looks no eye.
Lull all the women, lull the dogs to sleep, with Indra as thy friend!

3The woman sleeping in the court, lying without, or stretched on beds,
The matrons with their odorous sweets — these, one and all, we lull to sleep.

4Each moving thing have I secured, have held and held the eye and breath.
Each limb and member have I seized in the deep darkness of the night.

5The man who sits, the man who walks, whoever stands and clearly sees
Of these we closely shut the eyes, even as we closely shut this house.

6Sleep mother, let the father sleep, sleep dog, and master of the home.
Let all her kinsmen sleep, sleep all the people who are round about.

7With soporific charm, O Sleep, lull thou to slumber all the folk.
Let the rest sleep till break of day, I will remain awake till dawn, like Indra free from scath and harm.

1The Bráhman first was brought to life ten-headed and with faces ten.
First drinker of the Soma, he made poison ineffectual.

2Far as the heavens and earth are spread in compass, far as the Seven Rivers are extended,
So far my spell, the antidote of poison, have I spoken hence,

3The strong-winged Bird Garutmán first of all, O Poison fed on thee:
Thou didst not gripe or make him drunk: aye, thou becamest food for him.

4Whoever with five fingers hath discharged thee from the crooked bow,
I from the shaft have charmed away the poison of the fastening band.

5The poison have I charmed away from shaft, cement, and feathered end;
Yea, from the barb, the neck, the horn, the poison have I charmed away.

6Feeble, O Arrow, is thy shaft, thy poison, too, hath lost its strength.
Made of a worthless tree, thy bow, O feeble one, is impotent.

7The men who brayed it, smeared it on, they who discharged it, sent it forth,
All these are made emasculate, emasculate the poison-hill.

8Thy diggers are emasculate, emasculate, O, Plant art thou.
The rugged mountain that produced this poison is emasculate.

1So may this water guard us on the bank of Varanávati.
Therein hath Amrit been infused: with that I ward thy poison off.

2Weak is the poison of the East, weak is the poison of the North,
So too this poison of the South counts as a cake of curds and meal.

3When he hath made of thee a cake, broad, steaming, swelling up with fat,
And even in hunger eaten thee, then gripe him not, thou hideous one!

4Intoxicater! like a shaft we make thy spirit fly away, Like a pot boiling on the fire, we with our word remove thee hence.

5We set around thee with the spell as 'twere a gathered armament.
Stay quiet like a rooted tree. Dug up with mattocks, gripe not thou.

6For coverings men have bartered thee, for skins of deer and woven cloths.
Thou art a thing of sale, O Plant. Dug up with mattocks, gripe not thou!

7None have attained to those of old, those who wrought holy acts for you.
Let them not harm our heroes here. Therefore I set before you this.

1The Being lays the sap of life in beings: he hath become the sovran Lord of creatures.
Death comes to this man's royal consecration: let him as King own and allow this kingdom.

2Come forward, turn not back in scorn, strong guardian, slayer of the foes.
Approach, O gladdener of thy friends. The Gods have blessed and strengthened thee.

3All waited on him as he came to meet them. He self-resplendent moves endued with glory.
That is the royal hero's lofty nature: he, manifold, hath gained immortal powers.

4Stride forth to heaven's broad regions, thou, a tiger on a tiger's skin.
Let all the people long for thee. Let heavenly floods be rich in milk.

5Heaven's waters joyous in their milk, the waters of middle air, and those that earth containeth -
I with the gathered power and might of all these waters sprinkle thee,

6The heavenly waters rich in milk have sprinkled thee with power and might.
To be the gladdener of thy friends. May Savitar so fashion thee.

7These, compassing the tiger, rouse the lion to great joy and bliss.
As strong floods purify the standing ocean, so men adorn the leopard in the waters.

1Approach! thou art the mountain's eye, the living thing that saveth us;
A gift bestowed by all the Gods, yea, the defence that guardeth life.

2Thou art the safeguard of the men, thou art the safeguard of the kine,
Thou standest ready to protect the horses that are fleet of foot.

3Thou, also, Salve! art a defence that rends and crushes sorcerers.
Thou knowest, too, of Amrit, thou art the delight of all who live, a jaundice-curing balm art thou.

4Whomso thou creepest over, Salve! member by member, joint by joint,
From him, like some strong arbiter of strife, thou banishest decline.

5No imprecation reaches him, no magic, no tormenting fiend,
O Salve, Vishkandha seizes not the man who carries thee about.

6From lying speech, from evil dream, from wicked act and sinfulness,
From hostile and malignant eye, — from these, O Salve, protect us well.

7I, knowing this, O Salve, will speak the very truth and not a lie:
May I obtain both horse and ox, may I obtain thy life, O man.

8Three are the slaves that serve the Salve, Fever, Consumption, and the Snake.
Thy father is the loftiest of mountains, named the Triple-peaked.

9Sprung from the Snowy Mountain's side, this Ointment of the Three-peaked hill.
Crushes and rends all sorcerers and every witch and sorceress.

10If thou art from the Three-peaked hill or hast thy name from Yamuná,
These names are both auspicious: by these two protect thou us, O Salve!

1Child of the wind firmament, sprung from the lightning and the light,
May this the gold-born Shell that bears the pearl preserve us from distress.

2Shell that wast born from out the sea, set at the head of things that shine!
With thee we slay the Rákshasas and overcome voracious fiends.

3We stay disease and indigence, and chase Sadánvás with the Shell.
May the all-healing Shell that bears the pearl preserve us from distress.

4Born in the heaven, sprung from the sea, brought to us hither from the flood.
This gold-born Shell shall be to us an amulet to lengthen life.

5From ocean sprang the Amulet, from Vritra sprang the Lord of Day:
May this protect us round about from shaft of God and Asura.

6Peerless 'mid golden ornaments art thou: from Soma wast thou born.
Thou gleamest on the quiver, thou art beautiful upon the car: may it prolong our days of life!

7Bone of the Good became the pearl's shell-mother endowed with soul it moveth in the waters.
I bind this on thee for life, strength, and vigour, for long life lasting through a hundred autumns.
May the pearl's mother keep and guard thee safely!

1The Bull supports the wide-spread earth and heaven, the Bull supports the spacious air between them.
The Bull supports the sky's six spacious regions: the universal world hath he pervaded.

2The Bull is Indra o'er the beasts he watches. He, Sakra measures out three several pathways.
He, milking out the worlds, the past, the future, discharges all the Gods' eternal duties.

3Being produced among mankind as Indra, the Caldron works heated and brightly glowing.
Let him not, with good sons, pass off in vapour who hath not eaten of the Ox with knowledge.

4The Ox pours milk out in the world of virtue: in earliest time, he, Pavam5na, swells it.
Parjanya is the stream, Maruts his udder, sacrifice is the milk, the meed his milking.

5That which not sacrifice nor sacrificer, not giver nor receiver rules and governs,
All-winning, all-supporting, all-effecting, — which of all quadrupeds, tell us! is the Caldron?

6May we, fame-seekers, reach the world of virtue by service of the Gharma and through fervour,
Whereby the Gods went up to heaven, the centre of life eternal, having left the body.

7Prajápati, supreme and sovran ruler, Indra by form and by his shoulder Agni,
Came to Visvánara, came to all men's Bullock: he firmly fortified and held securely.

8The middle of the Bullock's neck, there where the shoulder-bar is placed,
Extends as far to east of him as that is settled to the west.

9He whosoever knows the seven exhaustless pourings of the Ox,
Wins himself offspring and the world: the great Seven Rishis know this well.

10With feet subduing weariness, with legs extracting freshening draughts,
Through toil the plougher and the Ox approach the honeyed beverage.

11Assigned are these twelve nights, they say, as holy to Prajápati:
Whoever knows their proper prayer performs the service of the Ox.

12At evening he is milked, is milked at early morn, is milked at noon.
We know that streams of milk that flow from him are in-exhaustible.

1Thou art the healer, making whole, the healer of the broken bone:
Make thou this whole, Arundhatī!

2Whatever bone of thine within thy body hath been wrenched or cracked,
May Dhátar set it properly and join together limb by limb.

3With marrow be the marrow joined, thy limb united with the limb.
Let what hath fallen of thy flesh, and the bone also grow again.

4Let marrow close with marrow, let skin grow united with the skin.
Let blood and bone grow strong in thee, flesh grow together with the flesh.

5Join thou together hair with hair, join thou together skin with skin.
Let blood and bone grow strong in thee. Unite the broken part, O Plant.

6Arise, advance, speed forth; the car hath goodly fellies, naves, and wheels!!
Stand up erect upon thy feet.

7If he be torn and shattered, having fallen into a pit, or a cast stone have struck him,
Let the skilled leech join limb with limb, as 'twere the portions of a car.

1Gods, raise again the man whom ye, O Gods, have humbled and brought low.
Ye Gods, restore to life again, him, Gods! who hath committed sin.

2Here these two winds are blowing far as Sindhu from a distant land.
May one breathe energy to thee, the other blow thy fault away.

3Hither, O Wind, blow healing balm, blow every fault away, thou Wind!
For thou who hast all medicine comest as envoy of the Gods.

4May the Gods keep and save this man, the Maruts' host deliver him.
All things that be deliver him that he be freed from his offence.

5I am come nigh to thee with balms to give thee rest and keep thee safe.
I bring thee mighty strength, I drive thy wasting malady away.

6Felicitous is this my hand, yet more felicitous is this.
This hand contains all healing balms, and this makes whole with gentle touch.

7The tongue that leads the voice precedes. Then with our tenfold-branching hands.
With these two healers of disease, we stroke thee with a soft caress.

1The Goat was verily produced from Agni. Through sorrow he beheld, at first, his father.
Through him at first the Gods attained to godhead, and, meet for sacrifices, were exalted.

2Bearing in hands seethed viands, go with Agni to the cope of heaven.
Reaching the sky that touches heaven, mix with the company of Gods.

3From earth's high ridge to middle air 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.

4Mounting the sky they look not round; they rise to heaven through both the worlds,
Sages who paid the sacrifice that pours its streams on every side.

5First among all the deities, come forward, thou who art eye of Gods and men, O Agni.
Imploring, and accordant with the Bhrigus, to heaven in safety go the sacrificers!

6With milk and butter I anoint the mighty, celestial Goat, strong-winged, and full of juices.
Through him will we attain the world of virtue, ascending to the loftiest cope, to heaven.

7Set the Goat's head toward the eastern region, and turn his right side to the southern quarter.
His hinder part turn to the western quarter, and set his left side to the northern region.

8Set the Goat's backbone upmost in the zenith, and lay his belly downward in the nadir; set his midportion in mid-air between them.

9O'er the dressed Goat lay a dressed skin to robe him prepared, in perfect form, with all his members.
Rise upward to the loftiest vault of heaven: with thy four feet stand firmly in the regions.

1Let all the misty regions fly together, let all the rain-clouds sped by wind, assemble.
Let waters satisfy the earth, the voices of the great mist-enveloped Bull who roareth.

2Let them show forth, the strong, the bounteous Maruts: let plants and shrubs be hung with drops of moisture.
Let floods of rain refresh the ground with gladness and herbs spring various with each form and colour.

3Cause us who sing to see the gathering vapours: out burst in many a place the rush of waters!
Let floods of rain refresh the ground with gladness; and herbs spring various with each form and colour.

4Apart, Parjanya! let the troops of Maruts, roaring, swell the song.
Let pouring torrents of the rain that raineth rain upon the earth.

5Up from the sea lift your dread might, ye Maruts: as light and splendour, send the vapour upward!
Let waters satisfy the earth, the voices of the great mist-enveloped Bull who roareth.

6Roar, thunder, set the sea in agitation, bedew the ground with thy sweet rain, Parjanya!
Send plenteous showers on him who seeketh shelter, and let the owner of lean kine go homeward.

7Let the boon Maruts, let the springs and coiling serpents tend! you well.
Urged by the Maruts let the clouds pour down their rain upon the earth.

8Let lightning flash on every side: from all the regions blow the winds!
Urged by the Maruts let the clouds pour down their rain upon the earth.

9May waters, lightning, cloud, and rain, boon springs and serpents tend you well.
Urged by the Maruts let the clouds pour down their rain upon the earth.

10May he who hath become the plants' high regent, suiting our bodies, Agni of the Waters,
May Játavedas send us rain from heaven, Amrit and vital breath to earthly creatures.

11Sending up waters from the flood and ocean Prajápati move the sea to agitation!
Forth flow the moisture of the vigorous stallion!
With this thy roar of thunder come thou hither.

12Our father, Lord divine pouring the torrents. Let the streams breathe, O Váruna, of the waters.
Pour the floods down: along the brooks and channels let frogs with speckled arms send out their voices.

13They who lay quiet for a year, the Bráhmans who fulfil their vows.
The frogs have lifted up their voice, the voice Parjanya hath inspired.

14Speak forth a welcome, female frog! Do thou O frog, accost the rain.
Stretch thy four feet apart, and swim in the middle of the lake.

15Khanvakhá, ho! Khaimakhá, ho! thou in the middle, Taduri!
Fathers, enjoy the rain from one who strives to win the Marutes heart.

16Lift up the mighty cask and pour down water; let the wind blow, and lightnings flash around us.
Let sacrifice be paid, and, widely scattered, let herbs and plants be full of joy and gladness.

1The mighty Ruler of these worlds beholds as though from close at hand,
The man who thinks he acts by stealth: all this the Gods perceive and know.

2If a man stands or walks or moves in secret, goes to his lying-down or his uprising,
What two men whisper as they sit together, King Váruna knows: he as the third is present.

3This earth, too, is King Váruna's possession, and the high heaven whose ends are far asunder.
The loins of Váruna are both the oceans, and this small drop of water, too, contains him.

4If one should flee afar beyond the heaven, King Váruna would still be round about him.
Proceeding hither from the sky his envoys look, thousand-eyed, over the earth beneath them.

5All this the royal Váruna beholdeth, all between heaven and earth and all beyond them.
The twinklings of men's eyelids hath he counted. As one who plays throws dice he settles all things.

6Those fatal snares of thine which stand extended, threefold, O Váruna, seven by seven,
May they all catch the man who tells a falsehood, and pass unharmed the man whose words are truthful.

7Váruna, snare him with a hundred nooses! Man's watcher! let not him who lies escape thee.
There let the villain sit with hanging belly and bandaged like a cask whose hoops are broken.

8Váruna sends, and drives away, diseases: Váruna is both native and a stranger,
Váruna is celestial and is human.

9I bind and hold thee fast with all these nooses, thou son of such a man and such a mother.
All these do I assign thee as thy portion.

1We seize and hold thee, Conquering One! the queen of medicines that heal.
O Plant, I have endowed thee with a hundred powers for every man.

2Still conquering, banishing the curse, mighty, with thy reverted bloom.
Thee and all Plants have I invoked: Hence let it save us! was my prayer.

3She who hath cursed us with a curse, or hath conceived a murderous sin,
Or seized our son to take his blood, may she devour the child she bare.

4What magic they have wrought for thee in dish unbaked or burnt dark-red,
What they have wrought in flesh undressed, — conquer the sorcerers therewith.

5Ill dream and wretchedness of life, Rákshasa, monster, stingy hags,
All the she-fiends of evil name and voice, we drive away from us.

6Death caused by famine, caused by thirst, failure of children, loss of kine,
With thee, O Apámárga, all this ill we cleanse and wipe away.

7Death caused by thirst, death caused by stress of hunger, loss at play with dice,
All this, O Apámárga with thine aid we cleanse and wipe away.

8The Apámárga is alone the sovran of all Plants that grow.
With this we wipe away whate'er hath fallen on thee: go in health!

1The moonlight equalleth the sun, night is the rival of the day.
I make effectual power my help: let magic arts be impotent.

2Gods! if one make and bring a spell on some man's house who knows it not,
Close as the calf that sucks the cow may it revert and cling to him.

3When one puts poison in a dish of unbaked clay to kill a man,
It cracks when set upon the fire with the sharp sound of many stones.

4Endowed with thousand powers! adjure the bald and those with necks awry.
Back to its author turn the spell like a dear damsel to her friend!

5I with this Plant have ruined all malignant powers of witchery.
The spell which they have laid upon thy field, thy cattle, or thy men.

6No power had he who wrought the spell: he hurt his foot, he broke his toe.
His act hath brought us happiness and pain and sorrow to him self.

7Let Apámárga sweep away chronic disease and every curse,
Sweep sorceresses clean away, and all malignant stingy hags.

8Sweep thou away the sorcerers, all stingy fiendish hags away.
All this, O Apámárga, with thine aid we wipe away from us.

1Thou breakest ties of kith and kin, thou causest, too, relationship:
So bruise the sorcerer's offspring, like a reed that groweth in the Rains.

2Thou hast been blessed with blessing by the Bráhman, Kanva Nárshada.
Thou fliest like a flashing dart: there is no fear or danger, Plant! within the limit of thy range.

3Illumining, as 'twere, with light, thou movest at the head of plants.
The saviour of the simple man art thou, and slayer of the fiends.

4As once when time began the Gods with thee expelled the Asuras,
Even thence, O Plant, wast thou produced as one who wipes and sweeps away.

5Thy father's name was Cleaver. Thou with thousand branches cleavest all.
Do thou, turned backward, cleave and rend the man who treateth us as foes.

6The evil sprang from earth; it mounts to heaven and spreads to vast extent.
Reverted, shaking him with might, thence on its maker let it fall.

7For thou hast grown reverted, and turned backward also is thy fruit.
Remove all curses far from me, keep most remote the stroke of death.

8Preserve me with a hundred, yea, protect me with a thousand aids.
May mighty Indra, Lord of Plants! give store of strength and power to thee.

1It sees in front, it sees behind, it sees afar away, it sees
The sky, the firmament, and earth: all this, O Goddess, it beholds.

2Through thee, O god-like Plant, may I behold all creatures that exist,
Three several heavens, three several earths, and these six regions one by one.

3The pupil, verily, art thou of that celestial Engle's eye.
On earth hast thou alighted as a weary woman seeks her couch.

4The God who hath a thousand eyes give me this Plant in my right hand!
I look on every one therewith, each Súdra and each áryan man.

5Make manifest the forms of things; hide not their essences from sight.
And, thou who hast a thousand eyes, look the Kimídins in the face.

6Make me see Yátudhánas, make thou Yátudhánis visible.
Make me see all Pisáchas With this prayer, O Plant, I hold thee fast.

7Thou art the sight of Kasyapa and of the hound who hath four eyes.
Make the Pisácha manifest as Súrya when he rides at noon.

8Kimidin, Yátudhána from their hiding-places have I dragged.
I look on every one with this, Súdra and Aryan man alike.

9Make that Pisácha visible, the fiend who flies in middle air,
The fiend who glides across the sky, and him who deems the earth his help.

1The kine have come and brought good fortune: let them rest in the cow-pen and be happy near us.
Here let them stay prolific, many-coloured, and yield through many morns their milk for Indra.

2Indra aids him who offers sacrifice and praise: he takes not what is his, and gives him more thereto.
Increasing ever more and ever more his wealth, he makes the pious dwell within unbroken bounds.

3These are ne'er lost, no robber ever injures them: no evil-minded foe attempts to harass them.
The master of the kine lives a long life with these, the Cows whereby he pours his gifts and serves the Gods.

4The charger with his dusty brow o'ertakes them not, and never to the shambles do they take their way.
These Cows, the cattle of the pious worshipper, roam over wide-spread pasture where no danger is.

5To me the Cows seem Bhaga, they seem Indra, they seem a portion of the first poured Soma.
These present Cows, they, O ye men, are Indra. I long for Indra with my heart and spirit.

6O Cows, ye fatten e'en the worn and wasted, and make the unlovely beautiful to look on.
Prosper my home, ye with auspicious voices! Your power is magnified in our assemblies.

7In goodly pasturage, bright-hued, prolific, drinking pure water at fair drinking-places,
Never be thief or sinful man your master, and may the dart of Rudra still avoid you!

1Exalt and strengthen this my Prince, O Indra, Make him sole lord and leader of the people.
Scatter his foes, deliver all his rivals into his hand in struggles for precedence.

2Give him a share in village, kine, and horses, and leave his enemy without a portion.
Let him as King be head and chief of Princes, Give up to him, O Indra, every foeman.

3Let him be treasure-lord of goodly treasures, let him as King be master of the people.
Grant unto him great power and might, O Indra, and strip his enemy of strength and vigour.

4Like milch-kine yielding milk for warm libations, pour, Heaven and Earth! on him full many a blessing.
May he as King be Indra's well-beloved, the darling of the kine, the plants, the cattle.

5I join in league with thee victorious Indra, with whom men conquer and are ne'er defeated.
He shall make thee the folk's sole lord and leader, shall make thee highest of all human rulers.

6Supreme art thou, beneath thee are thy rivals, and all, O King, who were thine adversaries.
Sole lord and leader and allied with Indra, bring, conqueror, thy foemen's goods and treasures.

7Consume, with lion aspect, all their hamlets, with tiger aspect, drive away thy foemen.
Sole lord and leader and allied with Indra, seize, conqueror, thine enemies' possessions.

1I fix my heart on wise and ancient Agni, the Five Tribes' Lord, in many a place enkindled.
We seek him who hath entered all our houses. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

2As thou conveyest offerings, Játavedas! and fashionest the sacrifice with knowledge,
So bear thou to the Gods the prayer we utter. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

3I pray to Agni in each act successful, employed in every sacrifice, the strongest,
Fiend-slayer, served with fatness, strengthening worship. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

4We invoke the oblation-bearer, well-born Agni Játavedas,
Him, Vaisvánara, almighty. May he set us free from trouble.

5With whom as friend the Rishis gave their power new splendour, with whom they kept aloof the Asuras' devices,
Agni, with whom Indra subdued the Panis. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

6Through whom the Gods discovered life eternal, through whom they stored the plants with pleasant juices,
Through whom they brought to men the light of heaven. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

7I, suppliant, praise and ever call on Agni, sole Lord of all this world, of all that shineth,
Of what exists and shall exist hereafter. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

1I think of Indra, only him for ever, fiend-slayer, May these lauds of mine come near him.
He cometh to the pious offerer's calling. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

2Who with strong arms o'ercame his strong opponents, who broke and crushed the power of the demons,
Who won the rivers and the kine in battle. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

3Ruler of men, finder of light, the hero: the pressing-stones declare his valour, master.
Of sweetest sacrifice with seven Hotars. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

4The lord of barren cows and bulls and oxen, finder of light for whom the posts are planted,
For whom the bright juice flows cleansed by devotion. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

5Whose favour those desire who offer Soma, whom, arrow-bearer, men invoke in battle,
On whom the hymn depends, in whom is power, May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

6Who was born, first, for active operation, whose valour as the first hath been awakened,
Who raised his bolt when he encountered Ahi. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

7Strong Lord, who leadeth hosts to meet for battle, who sendeth riches both of earth and heaven,
I, suppliant, praise and ever call on Indra. May he deliver us from grief and trouble.

1I think on Váyu's and Savitar's holy rites, ye twain who penetrate and guard the living world:
Ye who have come to be this All's pervaders, deliver us, ye two from grief and trouble.

2Ye who have counted up the earth's expanses, and in the sky smoothed out the air's mid-region,
Whose going-forth hath ne'er been reached by any, deliver us, ye two, from grief and trouble.

3Beauteously bright! men rest in thy dominion when thou hast risen up and hastened onward.
Ye, Váyu, Savitar, preserve all creatures. Deliver us, ye, twain, from grief and trouble.

4Hence, Váyu, Savitar drive evil action, chase Simidá away, drive off the demons.
Ye give us store of energy and power. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

5Of their own selves let Savitar and Váyu send favourable strength and wealth and plenty.
Here give us perfect freedom from consumption. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

6Ye, Savitar and Váyu, to assist us, enjoy the hymn and the delightful cheerer.
Come hither downward from the stream of blessing. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

7Like noblest benisons they have stayed in the God loving man's abode.
I glorify bright Savitar and Váyu. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

1O Heaven and Earth, I think on you, wise, givers of abundant gifts, ye who through measureless expanses have spread forth.
For ye are seats and homes of goodly treasures. Deliver us, ye twain from grief and trouble.

2Yea, seats and homes are ye of goodly treasures, grown strong, divine, blessed, and far-extending,
To me, O Heaven and Earth, be ye auspicious. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

3I call on you who warn and cause no sorrow, deep, spacious, meet to be adored by poets.
To me, O Heaven and Earth, be ye auspicious. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

4Ye who maintain Amrit and sacrifices, ye who support rivers and human beings,
To me, O Heaven and Earth, be ye auspicious, Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

5Ye by whom cows and forest trees are cherished within whose range all creatures are included,
To me, O Heaven and Earth, be ye auspicious. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

6Ye who delight in nectar and in fatness, ye without whom men have no strength or power,
To me, O Heaven and Earth, be ye auspicious. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

7The grief that pains me here, whoever caused it, not sent by fate, hath sprung from human action.
I, suppliant, praise Heaven, Earth, and oft invoke them. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

1I think upon the Maruts: may they bless me, may they assist me to this wealth in battle.
I call them like swift well-trained steeds to help us. May they deliver us from grief and trouble.

2Those who surround the never-failing fountain for ever, and bedew the plants with moisture,
The Maruts, Prini's sons, I chiefly honour. May they deliver us from grief and trouble.

3Bards, who invigorate the milk of milch-kine, the sap of growing plants, the speed of coursers
To us may the strong Maruts be auspicious. May they deliver us from grief and trouble.

4They who raised water from the sea to heaven and send it from the sky to earth in showers,
The Maruts who move mighty with their waters, may they deliver us from grief and trouble.

5They who delight in nectar and in fatness, they who bestow upon us health and vigour.
The Maruts who rain mighty with their waters, may they deliver us from grief and trouble.

6Whether with stormy might the Maruts established this All, or Gods with their celestial power,
Ye, kindly Gods, are able to restore it. May they deliver us from grief and trouble.

7Potent in battles is the Maruts' army, impetuous train, well-known, exceeding mighty.
I, suppliant, praise and oft invoke the Maruts. May they deliver us from grief and trouble.

1I Reverence you — mark this — Bhava and Sarva, ye under whose control is this that shineth.
Lords of this world both quadruped and biped. Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

2Lords of all near and even of what is distant, famed as the best and skilfullest of archers,
Lords of this world both quadruped and biped, Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

3Thousand-eyed foe-destroyers, I invoke you, still praising you, the strong, of wide dominion:
Lords of this world both quadruped and biped, Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

4Ye who of old wrought many a deed in concert, and showed among mankind unhappy omens;
Lords of this world both quadruped and biped, Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

5Ye from the stroke of whose destroying weapon not one among the Gods or men escapeth,
Lords of this world both quadruped and biped, Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

6Hurl your bolt, strong Gods, at the Yátudhána, him who makes ready roots and deals in magic:
Lords of this world both quadruped and biped, Deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

7Comfort and aid us, ye strong Gods, in battles, at each Kimidin send your bolt of thunder.
I, suppliant, praise and ever call on Bhava and Sarva. Set us free from grief and trouble.

1You twain, O Mitra, Váruna, I honour, Lawstrengtheners, wise, who drive away oppressors.
Ye who protect the truthful in his battles, deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

2Ye the wise Gods who drive away oppressors, ye who protect the truthful in his battles,
Who come, men's guards, to juice pressed forth by Babhru, deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

3Mitra and Váruna who help Agasti, Atri, and Angiras, and Jamadagni,
Ye who help Kasyapa, who help Vasishtha, deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

4Mitra and Váruna, who help Syávásva, Atri, and Purumilha, and Vadhryasva,
Ye who help Vimada and Saptavadhri, deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

5Ye, Váruna, Mitra, who give aid to Kutsa, Gavishthira, Bharadvája, Visvámitra,
Who help Kakshiván and give aid to Kanva, deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

6Ye, Mitra, Váruna, who help Trisoka, Medhátithi, and Usaná son of Kavi,
Ye, Gotama's and Mudgala's protectors, deliver us, ye twain, from grief and trouble.

7Whose straight-reined car that keeps the track of goodness assails and ruins him who walks perversely
I, suppliant, praise with constant invocation Mitra and Váruna.
Save us from affliction.

1I travel with the Rudras and the Vasus, with the Ádityas and All-Gods I wander.
I hold aloft both Váruna and Mitra, I hold aloft Indra and both the Asvins.

2I am the Queen, the gatherer-up of treasures, most thoughtful, first of those who merit worship.
The Gods, making me enter many places, in diverse spots have set mine habitation.

3I, verily, myself announce and utter the word that Gods, and men alike shall welcome.
I make the man I love exceeding mighty, make him a sage, a Rishi, and a Bráhman.

4Through me alone all eat the food that feeds them, each man who sees, breathes, hears, the word out-spoken.
They know it not, but yet they dwell beside me. Hear, one and all, the truth as I declare it.

5I bend the bow for Rudra that his arrow may strike and slay the hater of devotion.
I rouse and order battle for the people, and I have penetrated Earth and Heaven.

6I cherish and sustain high-swelling Soma, and Tvashtar I support, Púshan, and Bhaga.
I load with wealth the zealous sacrificer who pours the juice and offers his oblation.

7On the world's summit I bring forth the Father: my home is in the waters, in the ocean.
Thence I extend o'er all existing creatures, and touch even yonder heaven with my forehead.

8I breathe a strong breath like the wind and tempest, the while I hold together all existence.
Beyond this wide earth and beyond the heavens I have become so mighty in my grandeur.

1Borne on with thee, O Manyu girt by Maruts, let our brave men, impetuous, bursting forward,
March on, like flames of fire in form, exulting, with pointed arrows, sharpening their weapons.

2Flashing like fire, be thou, O conquering Manyu, invoked, O victor, as our army's leader.
Slay thou our foes, distribute their possession: show forth thy vigour, scatter those who hate us.

3O Manyu, overcome those who assail us. On! breaking, slaying, crushing down the foemen.
They have not hindered thine impetuous vigour: mighty! sole born! reduce them to subjection.

4Alone of many thou art worshipped, Manyu: sharpen the spirit of each clan for combat.
With thee to aid, O thou of perfect splendour, we raise the glorious battle-shout for conquest.

5Unyielding, bringing victory like Indra, O Manyu be thou here our sovran ruler.
To thy dear name. O victor, we sing praises: we know the spring from which thou art come hither.

6Twin-borne with power, destructive bolt of thunder the highest conquering might is thine, subduer!
Be friendly to us in thy spirit, Manyu! O much-invoked, in shock of mighty battle!

7For spoil let Váruna and Manyu give us the wealth of both sides gathered and collected;
And let our enemies with stricken spirits, o'er-whelmed with terror, sling away defeated.

1He who hath reverenced thee, Manyu, destructive bolt! breeds for himself forthwith all conquering energy.
Arya and Dása will we conquer with thine aid, with thee the conqueror, with conquest conquest-sped.

2Manyu was Indra, yea, the God was Manyu; Manyu was Hotar, Váruna, Játavedas.
The tribes of human lineage worship Manyu. Accordant, with thy fervour, Manyu! guard us.

3Come hither, Manyu, mightier than the mighty: smite, with thy fervour, for ally, our foemen.
Slayer of foes, of Vritra, and of Dasyu, bring thou to us all kinds of wealth and treasure.

4For thou art, Manyu, of surpassing vigour, fierce, queller of the foe, and self-existent,
Shared by all men, victorious, subduer: vouchsafe to us superior strength in battles.

5I have departed still without a portion, wise God! according to thy will, the mighty.
I, feeble man, was wroth with thee, O Manyu. Come in thy proper form and give us vigour.

6Come hither, I am all thine own: advancing, turn thou to me, victorious, all-bestowing.
Come to me, Manyu, wielder of the thunder: bethink thee of thy friend, and slay the Dasyus.

7Approach, and on our right hand hold thy station, then let us slay a multitude of foemen.
The best of meath I offer to support thee: may we be first to drink thereof in quiet.

1Chasing our pain with splendid light, O Agni, shine thou wealth on us.
His lustre flash our pain away.

2For goodly fields, for pleasant homes, for wealth we sacrifice to thee.
His lustre flash our pain away!

3Best praiser of all these be he, and foremost be our noble chiefs.
His lustre flash our pain away!

4So that thy worshipper and we, thine, Agni! in our sons may live.
His lustre flash our pain away!

5As ever conquering Agni's beams of splendour go to every side,
His lustre flash our pain away.

6To every side thy face is turned, thou art triumphant everywhere.
His lustre flash our pain away!

7O thou whose face looks every way, bear off our foes as in a ship.
His lustre flash our pain away!

8As in a ship across the flood, transport us to felicity.
His lustre flash our pain away.

1The head of this is prayer, its back the Brihat, Odanas's belly is the Vámadevya;
Its face reality, its sides the metre, Vishtári sacrifice produced from fervour.

2Boneless, cleansed, purified by him who cleanseth, they go resplendent to the world of splendour.
Fire burneth not their organ of enjoyment: much pleasure have they in the world of Svarga.

3Never doth want or evil fortune visit those who prepare oblation called Vishtári.
He goes unto the Gods, he dwells with Yama, he joys among Gandharvas meet for Soma.

4Yama robs not of generative vigour the men who dress oblation called Vishtári.
Borne on his car, a charioteer, he travels: endowed with wings he soars beyond the heavens.

5Strongest is this, performed, of sacrifices: he hath reached heaven who hath prepared Vishtári.
The oval-fruited lotus spreads his fibre: there bloom the nelophar and water-lilies.
Abundant with their overflow of sweetness, these streams shall reach thee in the world of Svarga, whole lakes with lotus-blossom shall approach thee.

6Full lakes of butter with their banks of honey, flowing with wine, and milk and curds and water
Abundant with their overflow of sweetness, these streams shall reach thee in the world of Svarga, whole lakes with lotus-blossom shall approach thee.

7I give four pitchers, in four several places, filled to the brim with milk and curds and water.
Abundant with their overflow of sweetness, these streams shall reach thee in the world of Svarga, whole lakes with lotus-blossom shall approach thee.

8I part this Odana among the Bráhmans, Vishtári, conquering worlds and reaching heaven.
Let me not lose it: swelling by its nature, be it my perfect Cow to grant all wishes!

1Odana which Prajápati, the first-born of Order, dressed with fervour for the Bráhman, which guards the worlds from breaking at the centre, — I with this Odana will conquer Mrityu.

2Whereby the World-Creators vanquished Mrityu, that which they found by fervour, toil and trouble,
That which prayer first made ready for the Bráhman, — I with this Odana will conquer Mrityu.

3That which upholds the Earth, the all-sustainer, that which hath filled air's middle realm with moisture,
Which, raised on high in grandeur, stablished heaven, — I with this Odana will conquer Mrityu.

4From which the months with thirty spokes were moulded, from which the twelve-spoked year was formed and fashioned.
Which circling day and night have ne'er o'ertaken, — I with this Odana will conquer Mrityu.

5Which hath become breath-giver, life-bestower; to which the worlds flow full of oil and fatness,
To whom belong all the refulgent regions, — I with this Odana will conquer Mrityu.

6From which, matured, sprang Amrit into being, which hath become Gáyatris lord and ruler,
In which the perfect Vedas have been treasured, — I with this Odana will conquer Mrityu,

7I drive away the hostile God-despiser: far off be those who are mine adversaries,
I dress Brahmaudana that winneth all things. May the Gods hear me who believe and trust them.

1Endowed with true strength, let the Bull, Agni Vaisvánara, burn them up.
Him who would pain and injure us, him who would treat us as a foe.

2Him who, unharmed, would injure us, and him who, harmed, would do us harm,
I lay between the doubled fangs of Agni, of Vaisvánara.

3Those who, what time the moon is dark, hunt with loud cry and answering shout,
Flesh-eaters, others who would harm, — all these I overcome with might.

4I conquer the Pisáchas with my power, and take their wealth away.
All who would injure us I slay. Let mine intention have success.

5With Gods who flee with him, and match their rapid motion with the Sun,
I with those animals who dwell in rivers and on hills am found.

6I trouble the Pisáchas as the tiger plagues men rich in kine.
They, even as dogs when they have seen a lion, find no hiding-place.

7Naught with Pisáchas can I do, with thieves, with roamers of the wood.
Pisáchas flee and vanish from each village as I enter it.

8Into whatever village this mine awful power penetrates,
Thence the Pisáchas flee away, and plot no further mischief there.

9Those who enrage me with their prate, as flies torment an elephant,
I deem unhappy creatures, like small insects troublesome to man.

10Destruction seize upon the man, as with a cord they hold a horse.
The fool who is enraged with me! He is not rescued from the noose.

1With thee, O Plant, in olden time Atharvans smote and slew the fiends.
Kasyapa smote with thee, with thee did Kanava and Agastya smite.

2With thee we scare and drive away Gandharvas and Apsarases.
O Ajasringi, chase the fiends. Cause all to vanish with thy smell.

3Let the Apsarases, puffed away, go to the river, to the ford, —
Guggulū, Pīlá, Naladi, Aukshagandhi, Pramandini.
Ye have become attentive since the Apsarases have past away.

4Where great trees are, Asvatthas and Nyagrodhas with their leafy crests,
There where your swings are green and bright, and lutes and cymbals sound in tune,
Ye have become attentive since the Apsarases have past away.

5Hither hath come this one, the most effectual of herbs and plants.

6Let Ajasringi penetrate, Aráaki with sharpened horn.

7From the Gandharva, dancing near, the lord of the Apsarases,
Wearing the tuft of hair, I take all manhood and virility.

8With those dread hundred iron spears, the darts of Indra, let it pierce.
The Blyxa-fed Gandharvas, those who bring no sacrificial gift.

9With those dread hundred golden spears, the darts of Indra, let it pierce.
The Blyxa-fed Gandharvas, those who bring no sacrificial gift.

10O Plant, be thou victorious, crush the Pisáchas, one and all,
Blyxa-fed, shining in the floods, illumining the selfish ones.

11Youthful, completely decked with hair, one monkey-like, one like a dog, —
So the Gandharva, putting on a lovely look, pursues a dame.
Him with an efficacious charm we scare and cause to vanish hence.

12Your wives are the Apsarases, and ye, Gandharvas, are their lords.
Run ye, immortal ones, away: forbear to interfere with men!

1Hither I call the Apsaras, victorious, who plays with skill,
Her who comes freely for to view, who wins the stakes in games of dice.

2Hither I call that Apsaras who scatters and who gathers up.
The Apsaras who plays with skill and takes her winnings in the game.

3Dancing around us with the dice, winning the wager by her play.
May she obtain the stake for us and gain the victory with skill.
May she approach us full of strength: let them not win this wealth of ours.

4Hither I call that Apsaras, the joyous, the delightful one —
Those nymphs who revel in the dice, who suffer grief and yield to wrath.

5Who follow in their course the rays of Súrya, or as a particle of light attend him.
Whose leader from afar, with store of riches, compasses quickly all the worlds and guards them.
Pleased, may he come to this our burnt oblation, together with the Air, enriched with treasure.

6Together with the Air, O rich in treasure, guard here the white cow and the calf, O mighty!
Here are abundant drops for thee, come hither! Here is thy white calf, let thy mind be with us.

7Together with the Air, O rich in treasure, keep the white calf in safety here, O mighty!
Here is the grass, here is the stall, here do we bind the calf. We are your masters, name by name. All Hail!

1Agni no earth hath had mine homage. May he bless me.
As I have bowed me down to Agni on the earth, so let the
Favouring Graces bow them down to me.

2Earth is the Cow, her calf is Agni. May she with her calf Agni yield me food, strength, all my wish, life first of all, and off-spring, plenty, wealth. All Hail!

3Váyu in air hath had mine homage. May he bless me.
As I have bowed me down to Váyu in the air, so let the Favouring Graces bow them down to me.

4Air is the Cow, her calf is Váyu. May she with her calf Váyu yield me food, strength, all my wish, life first of all, and off-spring, plenty, wealth. All Hail!

5The Sun in heaven hath had my homage. May he bless me.
As I have bowed me down unto the Sun in heaven, so let the
Favouring Graces bow them down to me.

6Heaven is the Cow, her calf Áditya. May she yield with her calf the Sun food, strength, and all my wish, life first of all, and off-spring, plenty, wealth. All Hail!

7To Chandra in the quarters have I bowed me. May he bless me.
As unto Chandra in the quarters I have bent, so let the Favouring Graces bow them down to me.

8The quarters are the Cows, their calf is Chandra. May they yield with their calf the Moon food, strength and all my wish, life first of all, and offspring, plenty, wealth. All Hail!

9Agni moves having entered into Agni, the Rishis' son, who guards from imprecations,
I offer unto thee with reverent worship. Let me not mar the Gods' appointed service.

10Skilled in all ways, O God, O Játavedas, I offer what is cleansed by heart and spirit.
To all thy seven mouths, O Játavedas. Do thou accept with pleasure my libation.

1O Játavedas, eastward sacrificers, as foes assail us from the eastern quarter.
May they, turned back, be pained for harming Agni. I drive them backward with mine incantation.

2O Játavedas, southward sacrificers as foes assail us from the southern quarter.
May they, turned back, be pained for harming Yama. I smite them backward with mine incantation.

3O Játavedas, westward sacrificers as foes assail us from the western quarter.
For harming Váruna be they turned and troubled! I smite them backward with mine incantation.

4Játavedas, northward sacrificers as foes assail us from the northern quarter.
For harming Soma be they turned and troubled! I smite them backward with mine incantation.

5O Játavedas, nether sacrificers, as foes assail us from the steadfast quarter.
For harming Earth let them be turned and troubled. I smite them backward with mine incantation.

6Those who pay sacrifice, O Játavedas, from air assail us from the midway quarter.
For harming Váyu be they turned and troubled! I smite them backward with mine incantation.

7The sacrificers from above assail us, O Játavedas, from the lofty quarter.
For wronging Súrya be they turned and troubled! I smite them backward with mine incantation.

8Those from all points assail us, Játavedas, who sacrifice from intermediate regions.
For wronging Prayer let them be turned and troubled, I smite them backward with mine incantation.