l Thou art the head of the sacrifice.

m Ye are the two feet of the sacrifice.

n May the Vasus fashion thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the earth; may the Healers fashion thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the atmosphere; may the Adityas fashion thee with the Jagati metre in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the sky; may the angels, common to all men, fashion thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the quarters; thou art the fixed quarter; fix in me offspring, increase of wealth, richness in cattle, richness in heroes, (and subject) his fellows to the sacrificer.

o Thou art the girdle of the Boundless One.

p Let the Boundless One seize thy hole with the Pankti metre, in the manner of Angiras.

q Having made the great pan,

Wrought of clay, as a birthplace for the fire,

The Boundless One gave it to her sons,

(Saying), 'Let them cook it.'

4.1.6

a May the Vasus fumigate thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Healers fumigate thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Adityas fumigate thee with the Jagati metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the angels, common to all men, fumigate thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Mighty One fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras; may the All-Pervading fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras; may the All-Seeing fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras.

b May the Boundless One, connected with all the angels, dig thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O trench.

c May the consorts of the angels, connected with all the angels, place thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan.

d May the Dhisanas, connected with all the angels, kindle thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan; may the wives, connected with all the angels, prepare thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan; may the protectors, the women, connected with all the angels, cook thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan.

e O Friend, cook this pan; may it not break.

f This I place around thee, to prevent breaking.

g The Friend, extending, compasses

This sky in greatness,

And the earth with his fame.

h The fame of the Friend, supporter of the people,

Of God, is eternal,

True, and most varied in fame.

i May God the Light-giver dig thee out,

With fair hands, fair fingers,

Fair arms, with his might.

k Breaking not, O earth,

Do thou fill the regions, the quarters;

Arise, become great,

Stand upright, be thou firm.

l May the Vasus fill thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Healers fill thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Adityas fill thee with the Jagati metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the angels, common to all men, fill thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras.

4.1.7

a Let the half-years, the seasons, increase thee, O Radiant One,

The years, the seers, and what truths there are;

Shine with thy heavenly lustre,

Illuminate all the quarters of the earth.

b Be kindled, O Radiant One, and awake him;

Arise for great good fortune;

May he that waits on Thee, O Radiant One, be not harmed;

May Thy priests be famous, not the others.

c These scholars, O Radiant One, choose Thee;

Be Thou propitious, O Radiant One, to us in the sanctuary;

Slaying our rivals, conquering the foes,

Do Thou watch unfailing in Thine own home.

d Here, O Radiant One, do Thou grant wealth;

May not the overcomers, anticipating us, overcome Thee;

May the lordly power be easily wielded by Thee, O Radiant One;

Let him who waits on Thee prosper, unassailed.

e With good life, O Radiant One, unite thee with the lordly power;

O Radiant One, vie with the Friend in friendliness;

Be Thou the midmost of Thine equals;

O Radiant One, shine forth here to be invoked by kings.

f Be Thou over the enemy, the obstructor,

Unwisdom, niggardliness, O Radiant One,

All obstacles do Thou overcome,

And bestow upon us wealth with heroes.

g Unassailable, All-Knower, unoverpowered,

Ruling, O Radiant One, supporting the lordly power, do Thou shine here;

Through all the regions, freeing men from fear,

Do Thou this day guard us for increase with kindliness.

h O Lord of Prayer, instigator, awake him;

The sharp do Thou more thoroughly sharpen;

Increase him to great prosperity;

Let all the angels rejoice in him.

i What time, O Lord of Prayer, Thou didst free

From life yonder, from the enmity of death,

The two Healers removed death from him,

O Radiant One, the physicians of the angels with their powers.

k We from the darkness,

Gazing on the higher light,

The sun, a sign of God among His signs,

Have come to the highest light.

4.1.8

a Uplifted are his kindling-sticks,

Uplifted and pure are the rays of the flame,

Most brilliant are they of the son of fair countenance.

b The son of self, the mighty, all-knower,

God, God among the angels,

Anoints the ways with mead and ghee.

c With mead Thou attainest the sacrifice,

Delighting, as the praise of men, O Radiant One,

The kindly God the Light-giver, with every boon.

d Hither he comes, with might, with ghee,

The priest implored with adoration;

To the Radiant One the ladles move when the rites proceed.

e Worship let him pay to the greatness of Him, the Radiant One;

He indeed is pre-eminent among the delightful,

The wealthy, the wisest, best bestower of wealth.

f The divine doors, all, preserve

The rules of Him, the Radiant One,

Of wide expanse, lording it with dominion.

g May day and night

Like heavenly maidens in his birthplace

Protect this our sacrifice and offering.

h O ye heavenly invoking priests, sing ye

To our uplifted sacrifice, to the tongue of the flame,

Make for us good offering.

i May the three blessings sit on this strew,

Ida, the stream of wisdom, Bharati, the great, being sung.

k O tree, let free,

Bestowing with thyself among the righteous;

Let the Radiant One as queller make ready the oblation.

m O Radiant One, utter 'Hail!', O All-Knower, over the oblation for the Mighty One;

May all the angels rejoice in this offering.

n The golden germ first arose;

Born he was the only lord of creation;

He supports the earth and the sky.

To what God shall we offer with oblation?

o He that alone by his might is king

Of the breathing, the winking world,

Who is lord of these bipeds and quadrupeds;

To what God shall we offer with oblation?

p He who is giver of breath, giver of strength,

Upon whose bidding all, even the angels, wait,

Whose shadow is immortality and death;

To what God shall we offer with oblation?

q He whose are these snowy mountains through his might,

Whose they call the ocean with the river,

Whose two arms are these quarters;

To what God shall we offer with oblation?

r To whom the armies stablished