1 Choosing her husband's world, O man, this woman lays herself down beside your lifeless body, preserving faithfully the ancient custom. Bestow upon her both wealth and offspring.

2 Rise, come unto the world of life, O woman; come, he is lifeless by whose side you lie. Wifehood with this your husband was your portion, who took your hand and wooed you as a lover.

3 I looked and saw the youthful dame escorted, the living to the dead; I saw them bear her. When she with blinding darkness was enveloped, then did I turn her back and lead her homeward.

4 Knowing the world of living beings, tread the path of the righteous which lies before you. This is your husband: joyfully receive him, and let him mount into the Garden.

7 Here is one light for you, another yonder; enter the third and be therewith united. Uniting with a body be lovely, dear to the righteous in their sublimest mansion.

9 Prepare your body; speed on your journey; let not your limbs, your frame be left behind you. Follow to its repose your resting spirit; go to whatever spot of earth you love.

10 With splendour may the righteous forefathers' memory, with mead and fatness may God anoint me. Lead me on farther to extended vision, and prosper me through life of long duration.

11 May God balm me thoroughly with splendour; may He touch my lips with understanding. May all the angels vouchsafe me riches, and pleasant waters purify and cleanse me.

12 May the Friend and the All-Seeing stand about me. May God anoint my hands with strength and splendour. A long, long life may He vouchsafe me.

15 Kanva, Kakshivan, Purumidha, Agastya, Syavasva, Sobhari, and Archananas; Visvamitra, Jamadagni, Atri, Kasyapa, Vamadeva, may the example of these sages be our help!

16 Vasishtha, Jamadagni, Visvamitra, Gotama, Vamadeva, Bharadvaja! Atri has won your favour with our homage. May God be gracious to us through the example of you praiseworthy forefathers.

17 They, making for themselves a new existence, wash off defilement in the brazen vessel. May we be fragrant in our houses, ever increasing in our children and our riches.

18 They balm him, balm him over, balm him thoroughly; they caress the mighty power and balm it with the mead. They seize the flying steer at the stream's breathing-place; cleansing with gold they grasp the animal herein.

19 Forefathers, be glorious in yourselves, and follow all that is glad in you and meet for mercy. Give ear and listen, swiftly-moving sages, benevolent, remembered in our assembly.

20 Atris, Angirases, Navagvas, givers of liberal gifts, continual sacrificers, devout and pious, granting gifts freely: your example be with us on this holy grass, and be you joyful.

21 As in the days of old our ancient forefathers, speeding the work of sacred worship, sought pure light and devotion, singing praises, they cleft the ground and made red dawns apparent.

22 Doing holy acts, devout, resplendent, smelting like ore their human generation, they came encompassing the stall of cattle, brightening the light and exalting the Mighty.

23 O Strong One! He marked them, and the righteous before them, like herds of cattle in a foodful pasture. There man moaned forth their strong desires, to strengthen even the true, the nearest, the living.

24 We have worked for You, we have toiled and laboured; bright dawns have shed their light upon our worship. All that the righteous regard with love is blessed. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.

25 From eastward may God the Mighty, Lord of the angel hosts, guard me, as in her arms the earth guards the heaven above us! Those who give room, who made the paths, we remember, you righteous, who share the gifts we offer.

26 From southward may God the Sustainer save me, and so on, as in stanza 25.

27 From westward may God the Boundless with His servants save me, and so on.

28 From northward may God the Giver of provision save me, and so on.

29 May the strong, firm Sustainer bear you upright, as the Giver of light bears light above the heaven. Those who give room, who made the paths, we remember, you righteous, who share the gifts we offer.

30 Toward the eastward region I supply you, before you go homeward, with charity, as in her arms the earth bears the heaven above us, and so on, as in stanza 25.

31 Toward the southern region, and so on.

32 Toward the western region, and so on.

33 Toward the northern region, and so on.

34 Toward the steadfast region, and so on.

35 Toward the upmost region I supply you, before you go homeward, with charity, as in her arms the earth bears the heaven above us. Those who give room, who made the paths, we remember, you righteous, who share the gifts we offer.

36 You are the Mighty, Supporter and Upholder,

37 Who purify wind and mead and water.

39 Sit near, sit very near beside our offering; for God I fit the ancient prayer with homage. The praise-song, like a chieftain on his pathway, spreads far and wide. Let all the righteous hear it.

43 Lapped in the bosom of the purple mornings, give riches, O Lord, to the man who brings his offering. Grant to our sons a portion of that treasure, and, present, give them energy.

44 May the righteous forefathers, whom the flames of devotion tasted, be in perfect order, each in his proper place. We give food of charity upon the grass: grant, O Lord, riches with a multitude of hero sons.

45 May God show mercy to the righteous forefathers who deserved it, who loved the offerings of charity. May He be gracious unto us and bless us.

46 Our fathers' fathers and their sires before them, who came, most noble, to the banquet of the pious: with these may God, yearning with mercy, be pleased with our offerings at His pleasure.

47 Lead us, O Lord, to the company of the gracious righteous who dwell in glowing light, the very sages who thirsted among the righteous, who hasten hither, winners of reward, the theme of singers' praises.

48 Lead us, O Lord, with the countless ancient righteous, dwellers in light, primeval, adorers of God, givers and sharers of offerings, truthful, who travel with the angels and the Mighty.

49 Betake yourself to the lap of earth, our mother, of earth far-spreading, very kind and gracious. May she, wool-soft unto the giver of gifts, guard you in front upon the distant pathway.

50 Heave yourself, earth, nor press him downward heavily: afford him easy access, pleasant to approach. Cover him as a mother wraps her skirt about her child, O earth!

51 Now let the heaving earth be free from motion; yea, let a thousand clods remain above him. Be they to him a home distilling fatness; here let them ever be his place of refuge.

52 I stay the earth from you, while over you I place this piece of earth. May I be free from injury. May the righteous firmly fix this pillar here for you, and there let God make you an abiding-place.

53 This cup, which serves the righteous to drink from, whom the angels and they who deserve mercy love: in this let the blessed take their pleasure.

54 The chalice brimming over which erst Atharvan offered to the Mighty, Lord of wealth and treasure: therein the pure provision sets the draught of virtuous action, and ever purifies itself within it.

55 What wound soever the dark bird has inflicted, the emmet, or the serpent, or the jackal, may God the Healer heal it.

56 The plants of earth are rich in milk, and rich in milk is this my milk. With all the milky essence of the waters let them make me clean.

57 Let these unwidowed dames with goodly husbands adorn themselves with fragrant balm and unguent. Decked with fair jewels, tearless, free from trouble, first let the dames go up to where he lies.

58 Meet the righteous, meet the reward of virtuous action in the loftiest heaven. Leave sin and evil, seek anew your dwelling; so bright with glory let him join his body.

59 Our fathers' fathers and their sires before them, they who have entered into air's wide region: for them shall God, self-sufficient, form bodies now according to His pleasure.

60 Let the hoar-frost be sweet to you, sweetly on you the rain descend! O full of coolness, cool plant, full of fresh moisture, freshening herb.

61 May God make us free from fear and peril, good rescuer, quick-pouring, bounteous giver! Many in number be these present heroes! Increase of wealth be mine in kine and horses!

62 In immortality may God set us! Go from us death, come to us life eternal! To good old age may He protect these people; let not their spirits pass away untimely.

63 The Sage of sages, guardian of devotions, who holds you up with might in air's mid-region: praise Him, you who worship, with offering. To lengthened life shall He, God, lead us.

64 Mount and ascend to highest heaven, O sages; be you not afraid. To you who deserve mercy is paid this sacrifice, lover of devotion. We have attained the loftiest light.

65 The Radiant One is shining forth with lofty banner; the Bull is bellowing to earth and heaven. From the sky's limit even has He stretched near us; the Steer has waxen in the waters' bosom.

67 O Mighty One, bring us wisdom as a sire gives wisdom to his sons. Guide us, much-invoked, in this our way; may we still living look upon the sun.

68 Let these which the givers have held for you, the beakers covered over with cake, be full of sacred food for you, distilling fatness, rich in mead.

69 Grains which for you I scatter, mixed with sesame, as holy food: may they be excellent and potent; may God look on them with favour!

72 To these, your righteous forebears who have passed away at first and afterward, let the full brook of God's bounty run, overflowing with a hundred streams.

73 Mount to this life, removing all defilement; here your own kindred shine with lofty splendour. Depart; be not left behind; go forward, first of those here, unto the world of the righteous.