2.1.1

He who desires prosperity should offer a white (beast) for the sake of the Wind; the Wind is the swiftest of the created powers; verily he has recourse to Him with his own share; verily he makes him attain prosperity; he prospers. 'He is an overswift power,' they say, 'he has power to burn him up.' This (beast) he should offer for the sake of the Wind of the team; the team is his support; verily, being supported he attains prosperity to avoid being burnt; he prospers. He who desires a village should offer for the sake of the Wind of the team; the Wind leads these creatures tied by the nose; verily he has recourse to the Wind of the team with his own share; verily he assigns him creatures led by the nose; he becomes possessed of a village. It is offered for the sake of (the Wind) of the team; verily he makes creatures abide steadfast with him. He who desires offspring should offer for the sake of the Wind of the team; the Wind is expiration, the team is inspiration; expiration and inspiration depart from the offspring of him who being fit for offspring yet obtains not offspring. Verily he has recourse to the Wind of the team with his own share; verily he for him begets offspring by means of expiration and inspiration; he obtains offspring. He who has long been ill should offer for the sake of the Wind of the team; the Wind is expiration, the team is inspiration, expiration and inspiration depart from him whose illness is long. Verily he has recourse to the Wind of the team with his own share, he bestows on him expiration and inspiration; even if his life be gone, he yet lives. The Creator was here alone; he willed, 'May I create offspring and cattle'; the hornless goat then came to life; he offered it for His own sake; then did He create offspring and cattle. He who desires offspring and cattle should offer to the Creator a hornless goat. Verily he has recourse to the Creator with his own share; verily He begets for him offspring and cattle. The beard is the characteristic of man, the lack of horns of the horse, having incisors on one side only that of cattle, having sheep-like hooves that of sheep, the goat-nature that of goats; so many are the domesticated animals; verily by their characteristics he wins them. He who desires cattle should offer one of a triplet for the sake of the provision of God and the Nourisher; the she-goat has two teats, two are born separately, the third for strength and growth. Verily he has recourse to the provision and the Nourisher with their own share; verily they produce cattle for him; the provision is the depositor of seed, the Nourisher the producer of cattle; the provision deposits seeds for him, the Nourisher produces cattle. The post is of fig wood; the fig is strength, cattle are strength; verily by strength he wins for him strength and cattle.

2.1.2

The Creator created offspring; they being created went away from him; they went to the All-Seeing; He pursued them and asked them back; he would not give them back to him; he said, 'Choose a boon, and then give them back to me.' He chose a boon from them, it was the black (beast) with one white foot. He who is seized by distress should offer this black (beast) with one white foot for the sake of the All-Seeing. Verily he has recourse to the All-Seeing with his own share; verily he sets him free from the noose of the All-Seeing. It is a black (beast) with one white hoof, for it is for the sake of the All-Seeing (and serves) for prosperity. Darkness pierced the sun; the righteous desired an atonement for him; the first darkness they struck off became a black sheep; the second a bright-coloured one; the third a white one; what they cut from the upper part of the bone became a barren ewe. The righteous said, 'Here has come into being a beast; for whose sake shall we offer him?' Now then the earth was small, plants were not born, they offered the barren ewe for the sake of the Sustainers as desire.' Then the earth became broad, the plants grew. He who desires, 'May I be extended with cattle, with offspring be propagated' should offer this barren ewe for the sake of the Sustainers as desire. Verily he has recourse to the Sustainers as desire with their own share; verily they extend him with cattle and propagate him with offspring. Yonder sun did not shine; the righteous desired an atonement for him; for him they offered these dewlapped (beasts), for the sake of the Radiant One one with a black neck, for the sake of the Mighty one of different colours, for the sake of the Lord of Prayer a white one; verily by means of them they restored his brilliance. For him who desires splendour he should offer dewlapped (beasts), for the sake of the Radiant One one with a black neck, for the sake of the Mighty one of different colours, for the sake of the Lord of Prayer a white one. Verily he has recourse to these with their own share; verily they bestow splendour upon him; he becomes resplendent. In the spring in the morning should he offer (the beast) with a black neck for the sake of the Radiant One; in the summer at midday (the beast) of different colours for the sake of the Mighty; in the autumn in the afternoon the white (beast) for the sake of the Lord of Prayer. These are the brilliances of the sun, in the spring in the morning, in the summer at midday, in the autumn in the afternoon; verily he wins whatever brilliances there are. They are offered in the course of the year; the year is the giver of splendour; verily the year gives him splendour; he becomes resplendent. They are (beasts) with young; the foetus is power; verily he bestows power upon him. He who being master of uttering speech cannot speak properly should offer a ewe for the sake of the Giver of Speech; the Giver of Speech is speech; verily he has recourse to the Giver of Speech with her own share, she bestows on him speech, and he becomes an utterer of speech. Its teeth are complete; therefore men utter speech whole. He who is long ill should offer (a beast) with black neck for the sake of the Radiant One, and a brown (beast) for the sake of the provision of God; the body of him whose illness is long goes to the Radiant One, the sap to the provision; verily he ransoms from the Radiant One his body, from the provision his sap, and even if his life is gone, yet he lives. He who desires offspring should offer a brown (beast) for the sake of the provision, and one with a black neck for the sake of the Radiant One; the provision is the depositor of seed, the Radiant One the producer of offspring; verily the provision deposits seed for him, the Radiant One produces offspring; he obtains offspring. The scholar who despite study does not win fame should offer (a beast) with a black neck for the sake of the Radiant One, and a brown (one) for the sake of the provision; in that (the beast) is offered for the sake of the Radiant One, thereby he places brilliance in him; in that (the beast) is offered for the sake of the provision, thereby (he places) splendour. The one with a black neck is for the Radiant One; verily he drives away the darkness from him: it is white; verily he bestows brilliance on him. There is a brown one for the provision; verily he bestows splendour and radiance on him. He who has a dispute for a chaplaincy should offer (a beast) with a black neck for the sake of the Radiant One, a brown one for the sake of the provision, and one with a black neck for the sake of the Radiant One; the scholar is connected with the Radiant One, the prince with the provision; on either side of (the beast) for the provision there is one for the Radiant One; verily with brilliance, with the holy power, he seizes on either side the kingdom, and forthwith appropriates it; they choose him as chaplain.

2.1.3

The righteous and the rebellious strove for these worlds; the All-Pervading saw this dwarf, he offered it for His own sake; then he conquered these worlds. One who is engaged in a struggle should offer a dwarf (beast) for the sake of the All-Pervading; then he conquers these worlds. He should offer on an uneven (place), for these worlds are uneven as it were; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who is engaged in a contest should offer (a beast) with a spot on its forehead and horns bent forward for the sake of the Mighty, the angry, the wise. By power, by anger, by wisdom, one wins a contest. Verily he has recourse to the Mighty, the angry, the wise, with his own share; verily he bestows on him power, anger, wisdom; he wins that contest. He who desires a village should offer (a beast) with dappled thighs for the sake of the Mighty with the storm-winds. Verily he has recourse to the Mighty with the storm-winds with his own share; verily he subdues his relatives to him; he becomes possessed of a village. In that it is an ox, it is for the Mighty; in that it is dappled, it is for the storm-winds, for prosperity. It has dappled thighs behind; verily he makes the folk dependent on him. He who desires food should offer a brown (beast) for the sake of the provision of God; food is connected with the provision; verily he has recourse to the provision with his own share; he bestows food on him; verily he becomes an eater of food. It is brown; that is the colour of food; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who being meet for kingship obtains not a kingdom should offer a brown (beast) for the sake of the provision; the kingdom is connected with the provision; verily he has recourse to the provision with his own share; it bestows on him a kingdom; the kingdom comes to him. It is brown, that is the colour of the provision; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He whose prosperity is gone and who desires support should offer (a beast) with a spot on the forehead and horns bent forward for the sake of the Mighty, the conqueror of the adversary; verily he overcomes the evil foe and attains support. He who is seized by evil should offer (a beast) with a spot on the forehead and horns bent forward for the sake of the Mighty, the overcomer of enemies; the enemy is the evil; verily he has recourse to the Mighty, the overcomer of enemies with his own share, and he drives away from him the enemy, the evil. He who being meet for kingship obtains not a kingdom should offer (a beast) with a spot on the forehead and horns bent forward for the sake of the Mighty of the thunderbolt. Verily he has recourse to the Mighty of the thunderbolt with his own share; he bestows his thunderbolt on him, the bolt kindles him for prosperity, the kingdom comes to him. It has a spot on its forehead and horns bent forward, that is the shape of the bolt, (and so it serves) for prosperity.

2.1.4

Yonder sun did not shine; the righteous desired an atonement for him; for him they offered this offering of ten bulls; verily thereby they restored his brilliance. For him who desires splendour he should offer this offering of ten bulls; verily he has recourse to yonder sun with his own share; verily he bestows on him splendour; he becomes resplendent. He should offer in the spring in the morning three with spots on the forehead; in the summer at midday three with white backs; in the autumn in the afternoon three with white tails. Three are the brilliances of the sun, in the spring in the morning; in the summer at midday; in the autumn in the afternoon; verily he wins whatever brilliances there are. They are offered in sets of three; verily in order he bestows brilliance on him. They are offered in the course of the year; the year is the giver of splendour; verily the year gives him splendour; he becomes resplendent. At the end of the year he should offer a reddish brown one for the sake of the Creator; all the righteous are the Creator's; verily he rests on all the righteous. If he fears, 'I shall become diseased in the skin,' he should offer a dark (beast) for the sake of the provision of God and the Nourisher; man has the provision as his sign, cattle have the Nourisher; verily by his own, by cattle, he makes a skin for him; he does not become diseased in the skin. Who has foes should in strife offer a cow for the sake of the All-Pervading and the All-Seeing, a bull for the sake of the Mighty; verily causing his foe to be seized by the All-Seeing, by the All-Pervading, by the offering, he drives him away, he appropriates his power by means of that for the Mighty, he prospers, his foe is defeated. He who is seized by evil should offer (a beast) with a black neck for the sake of the Radiant One, and a bull for the sake of the Mighty; verily the Radiant One, being approached with his own share, burns away his evil, and by (the offering) to the Mighty he bestows power on himself, he is freed from the evil, he prospers. He who is long in exile should offer a cow for the sake of sky and earth; for he is not established in them; verily also he who is long in exile has recourse to sky and earth with their own share; verily they establish them; he is established. It is one which is long in labour, for long in labour as it were is the kingdom of him who is long in exile; (verily it serves) for prosperity. For the sake of the Wind he should offer a calf; the Wind is their calf; these worlds are barren for him, the people are barren; verily also he who is long in exile has recourse to the Wind with his own share; verily the Wind causes these worlds and the people to give to him; these worlds drop milk for him; the people wait upon him in service.

2.1.5

The Mighty opened the hole of the adversary; the topmost cattle he grasped by the back and pulled out; a thousand cattle followed it, it became humpbacked. He who desires cattle should offer this humpbacked (one) for the sake of the Mighty; verily he has recourse to the Mighty with his own share; verily he bestows cattle upon him; he becomes possessed of cattle. It is humpbacked; the humpbacked is fortune a thousandfold; verily by fortune he wins cattle. When he obtains a thousand cattle, he should offer a dwarf (beast) for the sake of the All-Pervading; upon it the thousand rested; therefore the dwarf, stretched out, affords support to cattle when born. 'Who can obtain a thousand cattle?' they say; verily he should make up a thousand days and nights and offer. The days and nights are cattle; verily he gives support to cattle when born. He who desires offspring should offer a barren cow for the sake of the plants, the plants hinder him from offspring who being fit for offspring does not obtain offspring; verily he has recourse to the plants with their own share; verily they from his own self beget him offspring; he obtains offspring. The plants are the waters, man is what is not; verily the waters give him being from non-existence; therefore they say, both he who knows thus and who (knows) not, 'The waters verily give being from non-existence.' He who desires prosperity should offer for the sake of the Mighty (a cow) which is barren after one birth; he is unborn who being fit for prosperity obtains it not; verily he has recourse to the Mighty with his own share; verily he causes him to attain prosperity; he prospers. He should offer for the sake of the Mighty (the calf) through bearing which (the cow) became barren; that indeed is power; verily straightway he obtains power. He whose ancestors and himself for three generations have not drunk of the provision should offer (a bull) which has again been let loose for the sake of the Mighty and the Radiant; the drinking of the provision by a scholar is interrupted if his ancestors and himself for three generations have not drunk of it; verily he has recourse to the Mighty and the Radiant with their own share; verily they bestow on him the drinking of the provision, the drinking of the provision comes to him. In that it is offered for the sake of the Mighty, the provision drink is power; verily he wins power, the provision drink. In that it is offered for the sake of the Radiant One, the scholar is connected with the Radiant One, verily he continues his own. It is let loose again, for his drinking of the provision is as it were let loose again; (verily it serves) for prosperity.

2.1.6

He who desiring a village desires, 'May I be the back of my equals', should offer for the sake of the Lord of Prayer (a beast) with a white back; verily he has recourse to the Lord of Prayer with his own share; verily he makes him to be the back of his peers; he becomes possessed of a village. It is with a white back, for it is for the sake of the Lord of Prayer; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires food should offer a dark (beast) for the sake of the Nourisher; the Nourisher is food; verily he has recourse to the Nourisher with his own share; verily he gives him food; he becomes an eater of food. It is dark, that is the form of food; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires food should offer a dappled (beast) for the sake of the storm-winds; the storm-winds are food; verily he has recourse to the storm-winds with their own share; verily they give him food; he becomes an eater of food. It is dappled; that is the form of food; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires power should offer a ruddy (beast) for the sake of the Mighty; verily he has recourse to the Mighty with his own; verily he bestows power on him; he becomes possessed of power. It is ruddy and has eyebrows; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires gain should offer for the sake of the Light-giver a spotted (beast); the Light-giver is lord of production; verily he has recourse to the Light-giver with his own share; verily he produces gain for him, his offspring desire gifts. It is spotted, for it is for the sake of the Light-giver; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires food should offer for the sake of all the righteous (a beast) of many forms; food is connected with all the righteous; verily he has recourse to them with their own share; verily they give him food; he becomes an eater of food. It is of many forms; food is of many forms; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires a village should offer for the sake of all the righteous (a beast) of many forms; his relatives are connected with all the righteous; verily he has recourse to them with their own share; verily they subdue his relations to him; he becomes possessed of a village. It is of many forms, for it is connected with many; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who is long ill from an unknown cause should offer for the sake of the Creator (a beast) without horns; man is connected with the Creator; the Creator verily knows of him who is long ill from an unknown cause; verily he has recourse to the Creator with his own share; verily he releases him from this weariness. It is without horns, for it is for the sake of the Creator; (verily it serves) for prosperity.

2.1.7

The cry of praise cleft the head of the Gayatri; the sap thereof fell away. The Lord of Prayer seized it; it became a cow with a white back. The second (sap) which fell the Friend and the All-Seeing seized; it became a cow of two forms. The third (sap) which fell all the righteous seized; it became a cow of many forms. The fourth (sap) which fell entered the earth; the Lord of Prayer seized it, (saying), 'Be this (mine) for enjoyment'; it became a bull and a cow. He who desires splendour should offer for the sake of the Lord of Prayer (a beast) with white back; verily he has recourse to the Lord of Prayer with his own share; verily he bestows splendour upon him; he becomes resplendent. The cow is the sap of the metres; splendour is as it were sap; verily with the sap of the metres he wins the sap which is splendour. He who desires rain should offer for the sake of the Friend and the All-Seeing (a cow) of two forms; the day is connected with the Friend, the night with the All-Seeing; by day and night the rain-giver rains; verily he has recourse to the Friend and the All-Seeing with their own share; verily they by day and night make the rain-giver rain for him. The cow is the sap of the metres, the rain indeed is as it were sap; verily by the sap of the metres he wins the sap which is rain. He who desires offspring should offer for the sake of the Friend and the All-Seeing (a cow) of two forms; the day is connected with the Friend, the night with the All-Seeing; by day and night indeed offspring are born; verily he has recourse to the Friend and the All-Seeing with their own share; verily they by day and night beget offspring for him. The cow is the sap of the metres, offspring indeed are as it were sap; verily with the sap of the metres he wins the sap which is offspring. He who desires food should offer for the sake of all the righteous (a cow) of many forms; food is connected with all the righteous; verily he has recourse to them with their own share; verily they give him food; he becomes an eater of food. The cow is the sap of the metres, food indeed is as it were sap; verily by the sap of the metres he wins the sap that is food. He who desires a village should offer for the sake of all the righteous (a cow) of many forms; his relatives are connected with all the righteous; verily he has recourse to them with their own share; verily they subject his relatives to him; he becomes possessed of a village. The cow is the sap of the metres, relatives indeed are as it were sap; verily with the sap of the metres he wins the sap which is relatives. He who desires splendour should offer for the sake of the Lord of Prayer a bull and a cow; verily he has recourse to the Lord of Prayer with his own share; verily he bestows splendour on him; he becomes resplendent. The bull grazes at will, splendour indeed is as it were will; verily by will he wins will which is splendour.

2.1.8

Yonder sun did not shine; the righteous desired an atonement for him; for him they offered a white cow for the sake of the sun; verily thereby they restored his brilliance. For him who desires splendour, he should offer this white cow for the sake of the sun; verily he has recourse to yonder sun with his own share; verily he bestows splendour upon him; he becomes resplendent. The post is of Bilva wood. Whence yonder sun was born, thence the Bilva arose; verily he wins splendour with its place of origin. He to whom the offering does not come should offer a dwarf (beast) for the sake of the All-Pervading; the offering is of the All-Pervading; verily he has recourse to Him with his own share; verily he gives him the offering, the offering comes to him. It is a dwarf (beast), for it is for the sake of the All-Pervading; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires cattle should offer a horse for the sake of the Fashioner; the Fashioner is the producer of pairings of animals; verily he has recourse to the Fashioner with his own share; verily he produces animals in pairs for him, for in him offspring and cattle have entered; verily also the male horse straightway wins offspring and cattle. He who when a contest is joined desires an agreement should offer for the sake of the Friend a white (beast); verily he has recourse to the Friend with his own share; verily he brings him into harmony with his friend. It is spacious; verily he encourages him. He who desires rain should offer for the sake of the Creator a black (beast), the Creator is the lord of rain; verily he has recourse to the Creator with his own share; verily he makes the rain-giver rain for him. It is black, that is the form of rain; verily by its form he wins rain. It is spotted; verily he produces the lightning and makes rain for him. It has low horns; verily he brings down the rain for him.

2.1.9

Food came not to the All-Seeing when he had pressed. He beheld this black cow which is the All-Seeing's; it he offered for his own sake; then food came to him. He to whom being fit for food food does not come should offer this black cow for the sake of the All-Seeing; verily he has recourse to the All-Seeing with his own form; verily he gives him food; he becomes an eater of food. It is black, for it is for the sake of the All-Seeing; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who desires food should offer a white (beast) for the sake of the Friend and a black for the sake of the All-Seeing at the union of the waters and the plants; the plants are connected with the Friend, and the waters with the All-Seeing; on the sap of the water and of the plants do we live; verily he has recourse to the Friend and the All-Seeing with their own share; verily they give him food; he becomes an eater of food. He should offer at the union of the waters and of the plants, to attain both. The post is bifurcate, for there are two; (verily it serves) for prosperity. He who is long ill should offer a white (beast) for the sake of the Friend, and a black for the sake of the All-Seeing; in that one is offered for the sake of the Friend, by means of the Friend he appeases the All-Seeing for him; in that one is offered for the sake of the All-Seeing, straightway he sets him free from the noose of the All-Seeing; even if his life be gone, he yet lives. The righteous could not find prosperity; they saw it in the pair; they could not agree about it; the two Helpers said, 'Ours is it; do not claim it.' It became the two Helpers' only. He who desires prosperity should offer for the sake of the two Helpers a twin cow; verily he has recourse to the two Helpers with their own share; verily they bestow prosperity upon him; he prospers in offspring and cattle.

2.1.10

He who being a bad scholar desires to drink of the provision should offer for the sake of the two Helpers a dusky (beast) with spots on the forehead; the two Helpers were among the righteous those who did not drink of the provision; they later acquired the drinking of it; the two Helpers are the helpers of the bad scholar who desires to drink; verily he has recourse to the two Helpers with their own share; verily they give to him the drinking; the drinking comes to him. In that it is dusky, verily he drives away the darkness from him. In that it has spots on the forehead, verily at the beginning he bestows brilliance on him. He whom men calumniate though he has slain no one should offer a Gayal for the sake of the Wind; impure speech comes to him whom men calumniate though he has slain no one; the Gayal is neither a domestic nor a wild animal; he is neither in the village nor the forest whom men calumniate though he has slain no one; the Wind is the purifier; verily he has recourse to the Wind with his own share; verily he purifies him. The dawn shines away from him and he enters the darkness, the evil, to whom when the litany to the two Helpers is being recited the sun becomes not visible; he should offer for the sake of the sun (a beast) of many forms; verily he has resort to yonder sun with its own share; verily it drives away the darkness, the evil, from him, the dawn shines upon him, he strikes away the darkness, the evil.

2.1.11

a The Mighty on all sides.

b On the Mighty men.

c O storm-winds, what time from the sky.

d The protection which ye.

e In contests we invoke the Mighty, swift to hear,

The folk working good, freeing from distress,

The Radiant One, the Friend, the All-Seeing, for gain, the Giver of Shares,

Sky and earth, the storm-winds for welfare.

f May the moving one who strikes at morning delight us;

May the wind delight us, pourer of waters;

May the Mighty and the mountain quicken us;

May all the righteous vouchsafe us this.

g I hail the dear names of yon impetuous ones,

That, O storm-winds, calling they may rejoice.

h For glory they are wreathed in flames,

In the rays (of the sun), adorned with rings they (are accompanied) with singers;

They wearing daggers, impetuous, fearless,

Here found the dear home of the storm-winds.

i First let the Radiant One with the Bountiful aid us;

Let the provision of God with the Healers protect (us);

Let the Mighty with the storm-winds act in due course;

Let the All-Seeing with the Sustainers quicken us.

k God the Radiant One with the Bountiful,

The provision with the dread forms,

The Mighty with the storm-winds, worthy of worship,

The All-Seeing with the Sustainers hath been in harmony with us.

l As the Sustainers are united with the Bountiful,

The Healers with the storm-winds,

So, O thou of three names,

May all the righteous without anger be of one mind.

m He in whose presence wheresoever

Men rejoice in the dwellings of men,

Whom in honour they kindle,

Whom together they produce.

n When we offer food,

The oblations of men,

He by the might of his glory,

Graspeth the reins of sacred law.

o The offering seeketh the goodwill of the righteous;

Be kindly, O ye Sustainers;

Make your loving kindness turn (to us),

Which shall more plenteously deliver us from distress.

p Pure he dwelleth, undeceived,

Among waters rich in grass, waxing old with noble sons;

None slayeth him from near or from afar,

Who is in the guidance of the Sustainers.

q Ye Sustainers support the world,

Guardians of all the universe,

Far-seeing, guarding the holy,

Righteous, enacting debts.

r Three earths they support, and three skies;

Three rules are in their ordinance;

Through sacred law great is your mightiness, O Sustainers;

Sweet is that, O Upholder of Covenants, O Friend, O All-Seeing.

s Let us make supplication

To those heroes, the Sustainers,

The tender, for help.

t Nor right is visible, nor left;

Nor the east, O Sustainers, nor the west;

Despite my feeble mind, O Bountiful,

Led by you, may I attain the light without fear.

u With the most recent help of the Sustainers,

With their most present succour, may we be united;

May the mighty ones, hearkening, establish this offering

For release from sin, for freedom.

v Hear my cry, O All-Seeing,

And be merciful this day;

Seeking for help I call on thee.

w I implore this of thee, praising thee with my hymn;

The giver seeketh this with his offerings;

Be here, not angry, O All-Seeing;

O wide ruler, strike not away our life.