The Fifth Layer of Bricks (continued)

4.4.1

a Thou art the ray; for dwelling thee! Quicken the dwelling. Thou art advance; for right thee! Quicken right. Thou art following; for sky thee! Quicken the sky. Thou art union; for atmosphere thee! Quicken the atmosphere. Thou art propping; for earth thee! Quicken earth. Thou art a prop; for rain thee! Quicken rain. Thou art blowing forward; for day thee! Quicken day.

b Thou art blowing after; for night thee! Quicken night. Thou art eager; for the Vasus thee! Quicken the Vasus. Thou art intelligence; for the Healers thee! Quicken the Healers. Thou art the brilliant; for the Adityas thee! Quicken the Adityas. Thou art force; for the forefathers thee! Quicken the forefathers. Thou art the thread; for offspring thee! Quicken offspring. Thou dost endure the battle; for cattle thee! Quicken cattle.

c Thou art wealthy; for plants thee! Quicken plants. Thou art the victorious with ready stone; for the Mighty One thee! Quicken the Mighty. Thou art the overlord; for expiration thee! Quicken expiration. Thou art the restrainer; for inspiration thee! Quicken inspiration. Thou art the glider; for the eye thee! Quicken the eye. Thou art the bestower of strength; for the ear thee! Quicken the ear. Thou art threefold.

d Thou art forward-moving, thou art uniting, thou art parting. Thou art the mounter, thou art the descender, thou art the fore-mounter, thou art the after-mounter.

e Thou art the wealthy, thou art the brilliant, thou art the gainer of good.

4.4.2

a Thou art the queen, the eastern quarter; the Vasus, the angels, are thine overlords, the Radiant One stays missiles from thee; may the threefold chant support thee on earth, may the Ajya hymn establish thee in firmness, the Rathantara chant be thy support.

b Thou art the ruling, the southern quarter; the Healers, the angels, are thine overlords, the Mighty One stays missiles from thee; may the fifteenfold chant support thee on earth, may the Praiiga hymn establish thee in firmness, the Brhat chant be thy support.

c Thou art the sovereign, the western quarter; the Adityas, the angels, are thine overlords, the Lord of provision stays missiles from thee; may the seventeenfold chant support thee on earth, the Marutvatiya hymn establish thee in firmness, the Vairupa chant be thy support.

d Thou art the self-ruling, the northern quarter; all the angels are thine overlords, the All-Seeing stays missiles from thee; may the twenty-onefold chant support thee on earth, the Niskevalya hymn establish thee in firmness, the Vairaja chant be thy support.

e Thou art the lady paramount, the great quarter; the Maruts, the angels, are thine overlords, the Lord of Prayer stays missiles from thee; may the twenty-sevenfold and the thirty-threefold chants secure thee on earth, the Vaisvadeva and the Agnimaruta hymns establish thee in firmness, the Sakvara and Raivata chants be thy support.

f For the atmosphere may the seers, firstborn among the righteous, extend thee with the measure, the breadth, of the sky, and be that is disposer and overlord; let all of them in unison establish thee and the sacrificer on the ridge of the vault, on the world of heaven.

4.4.3

a This in the front, with tawny hair, with the sun's rays; its hosts and bands are creatures serving under God's command; its missile is the sorcerers' evil, its weapon the evil spirits.

b This on the right, the all-worker; its hosts are creatures serving under God's command; its missile biting beasts, its weapon the death of men.

c This behind, the all-extending; its hosts are creatures serving under God's command; its missile the serpents, its weapon tigers.

d This on the left, collecting riches; its hosts are creatures serving under God's command; its missile the waters, its weapon the wind.

e This above, bringing riches; its hosts are creatures serving under God's command; its missile the lightning, its weapon the thunder.

f We seek refuge in God from them; be they made gracious to us; him whom we hate and who hates us I place in Thy hands.

g I place thee in the seat of the living, in the shadow of the Helper; glory to the ocean, glory to the splendour of the ocean.

h May the supreme Lord place thee on the ridge of the vault, encompassing, expanding, mighty, powerful, overcoming; support the sky, make firm the sky, harm not the sky; for every expiration, inspiration, cross-breathing, out-breathing, support, movement; let the sun, God's sign, protect thee with great prosperity, with a covering most healing; with that power do thou sit firm in the manner of Angiras.

i Like a horse neighing eager for the pasture,

When he has wandered from the great enclosure,

Then the wind blows after his splendour,

And then thy path becomes black.

4.4.4

a The Radiant One is the head of the sky, the height,

Lord of the earth here,

He quickens the seed of the waters.

b Thee, O Radiant One, from the lotus

Atharvan pressed out

From the head of every priest.

c This Radiant One is lord of a thousandfold,

A hundredfold, strength;

The sage, the head of wealth.

d Leader of the sacrifice and the region art Thou,

Where with steeds auspicious Thou dost resort;

Thou placest in the sky Thy head winning light,

Thou makest, O Radiant One, Thy tongue to bear the oblation.

e The Radiant One has been awakened by the kindling-stick of men

To meet the dawn that comes on like a cow;

Like young ones rising up to a branch,

The rays rise towards the vault.

f We have uttered to the sage, the worshipful,

Our voice of praise, to the strong bull;

Gavisthira with his homage has raised this laud,

Wide extending like brilliance in the sky.

g He has been born as guardian of men, wakeful,

The Radiant One, skilful, for fresh prosperity;

Ghee-faced, with mighty sky-reaching blaze

He shines gloriously, pure for the Bharatas.

h Thee, O Radiant One, the Angirases found

When hidden in secret, resting in every wood;

Thou when rubbed art born as mighty strength;

Son of strength they call Thee, O Angiras.

i Banner of the sacrifice, first domestic priest,

The Radiant One men kindle in the three stations;

With the Mighty One and the angels conjoined on the strew

Let him sit, as invoking priest, well skilled for sacrificing.

k Thee of most resplendent fame

Men invoke in their dwellings,

With flaming hair, O dear to many,

O Radiant One, to bear the oblation.

l O friends, together offer fit

Food and praise to the Radiant One,

Highest over the folk,

The son of strength, the mighty.

m Thou gatherest, O strong One,

O Radiant One, all that belongs to the niggard;

Thou art kindled in the place of offering;

Do Thou bear us good things.

n With this homage to the Radiant One,

Son of strength, I invoke,

Dear, most effectual messenger, the good sacrificer,

The envoy of all, immortal.

o He, the ruddy, shall yoke his steeds all cherishing,

He shall hasten when well adored;

The sacrifice has good prayer and strong effort,

Of the Vasus, the divine gift of men.

p The radiance of the bounteous offerer

Has mounted on high,

The ruddy smoke rises touching the sky;

Men in unison kindle the fire.

q O Radiant One, lording it over strength rich in kine,

Youthful son of strength,

Bestow upon us, O all-knower, great fame.

r Being kindled, bright, sage,

The Radiant One, to be praised with song,

Do Thou shine with wealth for us, O Thou of many faces.

s O Radiant One, lord of the night,

And of the morning, and of the dawn,

Do Thou burn against the evil spirits with sharp jaws.

t May we kindle Thee, O Radiant One,

Radiant, O God, and unaging;

When this most desirable

Kindling-stick makes radiance for Thee in the sky,

Do Thou bear food to Thy praisers.

u With the song, O Radiant One, the oblation,

O lord of brilliant light,

Bright shining, wonderworker, lord of the people,

O bearer of the oblation, is offered to Thee;

Do Thou bear food to Thy praisers.

v O bright One, in Thy mouth Thou cookest

Both ladles full of butter;

Do Thou make us full,

For our hymns, O lord of strength;

Do Thou bear food to Thy praisers.

w O Radiant One, today, let us make to prosper by praises,

By devotions, for Thee this sacrifice like a good steed,

Like a noble resolve which touches the heart.

x O Radiant One, Thou hast become master

Of noble resolve, of true inspiration,

Of mighty holy order.

y With these songs singing to Thee, O Radiant One,

This day let us pay worship;

Thy strengths thunder forth as from the sky.

z At these our hymns of praise do Thou be propitious,

Like the light of heaven,

O Radiant One, propitious with all Thy faces.

aa The Radiant One I deem the invoking priest, the generous wealth-giver,

The son of strength, the all-knower,

Who knows all as a sage,

bb Who offers sacrifice well,

With beauty soaring aloft towards the angels, the God,

Following the flames of the ghee,

Of the butter of brilliant radiance when offered up.

cc O Radiant One, be Thou our nearest,

Our protector, kindly, a shield;

dd Thee, O shining and most radiant One,

We implore for favour, for our friends.

ee O Radiant One, bright, of bright fame,

Come hither in Thy greatest splendour and give us wealth.

4.4.5

a I yoke thee in bonds of fellowship with the Mighty One and the Radiant One, with the ghee sprinklings, with brilliance, with radiance, with the hymns, with the chants, with the metres, for the increase of wealth, for pre-eminence among thy fellows; I yoke thee in bonds of fellowship with me.

b Amba, Duhi, Nitatni, Abhrayanti, Meghayanti, Varsayanti, Cupunika, art thou by name, with the Creator, with our every prayer, I deposit thee.

c The earth penetrated by food, a reservoir of water art thou, men are thy guardians, the fire is placed in this brick, to it I resort, and may it be my protection and my refuge.

d The over-sky penetrated by holy power, the atmosphere art thou; the Maruts are thy guardians, the wind is placed in this brick, to it I resort, and may it be my protection and my refuge.

e The sky, penetrated by ambrosia, the unconquered art thou; the Adityas are thy guardians, the sun is deposited in this brick, to it I resort, and may it be my protection and my refuge.

4.4.6

a Let the Lord of Prayer place thee on the ridge of earth, full of light, for every expiration, inspiration; support all the light, the Radiant One is thine overlord.

b Let the Maker of all place thee on the ridge of the atmosphere, full of light, for every expiration, inspiration; support all the light, the Wind is thine overlord.

c Let the Creator place thee on the ridge of the sky, full of light, for every expiration, inspiration; support all the light, the supreme Lord is thine overlord.

d Thou art the bringer of the east wind; thou art the winner of rain; thou art the winner of lightning; thou art the winner of thunder; thou art the winner of rain.

e Thou art the path of the fire; thou art the angels' path of the fire.

f Thou art the path of the wind; thou art the angels' path of the wind.

g Thou art the path of the atmosphere; thou art the angels' path of the atmosphere.

h Thou art the atmosphere; to the atmosphere thee!

i To the ocean thee, to water thee, to the watery thee, to impulse thee, to the wise thee, to the radiant thee, to the light of the sky thee, to the Adityas thee!

k To the verse thee, to radiance thee, to the shining thee, to the blaze thee, to the light thee!

l Thee, giving glory, in glory; thee, giving brilliance, in brilliance; thee, giving milk, in milk; thee, giving radiance, in radiance; thee, giving wealth, in wealth I place; with this seer, the holy power, this power, sit firm in the manner of Angiras.

4.4.7

a Thou art the furtherer; thou art the maker of wide room; thou art the eastern; thou art the zenith; thou art the sitter in the atmosphere, sit on the atmosphere.

b Thou art the sitter on the waters; thou art the sitter on the hawk; thou art the sitter on the vulture; thou art the sitter on the eagle; thou art the sitter on the vault.

c In the wealth of earth I place thee; in the wealth of the atmosphere I place thee; in the wealth of the sky I place thee; in the wealth of the quarters I place thee; giver of wealth I place thee in wealth.

d Protect my expiration; protect my inspiration; protect my cross-breathing; protect my life; protect all my life; protect the whole of my life.

e O Radiant One, Thy highest name, the heart,

Come let us join together, Be Thou, O Radiant One, among those of the five races.

f Thou art the Yavas, the Ayavas, the courses, the helpers, the Sabda, the ocean, the firm one.

4.4.8

Thou art all-overcoming through the flame; self-ruling through the sun; lord of strength through might; creator with the bull; bountiful through the sacrifice; heavenly through the sacrificial gift; slayer of enemies through rage; supporter of the body through kindliness; wealth through food; through the earth he has won; thou art eater of food with verses; increased by the Vasat cry; protector of the body through the chant; full of light with the Viraj; drinker of the pressed juice through the holy power; with cows he supports the sacrifice; with lordly power men; with horse and car bearer of the bolt; lord with the seasons; enclosing with the year; unassailable through penance; the sun with bodies.

4.4.9

Thou art the Creator in mind, when come to the pressed juice; the maker in the consecration; the Light-giver in the bearing; the Nourisher in the cow for the purchase of the juice; the All-Seeing when bound in the cloth; the mighty when being bought; the Friend when purchased; the Sipivista when put in place; delighter of men when being drawn forward; the overlord on arrival; the Creator being led on; the Radiant One at the fire-priest's altar; the Lord of Prayer on being led from the fire-priest's altar; the Mighty One at the oblation-holder; the Boundless One when put in place; the All-Pervading when being taken down; Atharvan when made wet; the appointed term when pressed out; drinker of unpurified juice when being cleansed; the Wind when purifying; the Friend as mixed with milk; the Manthin when mixed with groats; that of all the angels when taken out; the Healer when offered; the Wind when covered up; the gazer on men when revealed; the food when it comes; the famed of the fathers; life when taken; the river when going to the final bath; the ocean when gone; the water when dipped; the heaven when arrived at completion.

4.4.10

a Thou art the Krttikas, the asterism, the Radiant One the attribute; ye are the radiances of the Radiant One, of the Creator, of the maker, of the Lord of provision; to the verse thee, to radiance thee, to the shining thee, to the blaze thee, to the light thee.

b Thou art Rohini the asterism, the Creator the attribute; Mrgasirsa the asterism, the Lord of provision the attribute; Ardra the asterism, the Healer the attribute; the two Punarvasus the asterism, the Boundless One the attribute; Tisya the asterism, the Lord of Prayer the attribute; the Aslesas the asterism, the serpents the attribute; the Maghas the asterism, the fathers the attribute; the two Phalgunis the asterism, the Sustainer the attribute; the two Phalgunis the asterism, the Bestower the attribute; Hasta the asterism, the Light-giver the attribute; Citra the asterism, the Mighty One the attribute; Svati the asterism, the Wind the attribute; the two Visakhas the asterism, the Mighty and the Radiant the attribute; Anuradha the asterism, the Friend the attribute; Rohini the asterism, the Mighty One the attribute; the two Vicrts the asterism, the fathers the attribute; the Asadhas the asterism, the waters the attribute; the Asadhas the asterism, all the angels the attribute; Srona the asterism, the All-Pervading the attribute; Sravistha the asterism, the Vasus the attribute; Satabhisaj the asterism, the Mighty One the attribute; the Prosthapadas the asterism, the goat of one foot the attribute; the Prosthapadas the asterism, the serpent of the deep the attribute; Revati the asterism, the Nourisher the attribute; the two Asvayujs the asterism, the two Healers the attribute; the Apabharanis the asterism, the appointed term the attribute.

c Full on the west; what the angels placed.

4.4.11

a Ye are Madha and Madhava, the months of spring.

b Ye are Sukra and Suci, the months of summer.

c Ye are Nabha and Nabhasya, the months of rain.

d Ye are Isa and Urja, the months of autumn.

e Ye are Saha and Sahasya, the months of winter.

f Ye are Tapa and Tapasya, the months of the cool season.

g Thou art the internal bond of the fire,

Be sky and earth in place,

Be waters and plants in place,

Be the fires severally in place

In unison for my greatness.

May the fires which of one mind

Are between sky and earth,

Taking place according to the months of the cool season,

Attend on them, as the angels on the Mighty One.

h Thou art the uniter and forethinker of the Radiant One, the Lord of provision, the Sun.

i Thou art the dread, the terrible, of the fathers, of the appointed term, of the Mighty One.

k Thou art the firm quarter and the earth of God the Light-giver, the Maruts, the All-Seeing.

l Thou art the support, the upholder, of the Friend and the All-Seeing, the Friend, the Ordainer.

m Thou art the eastern, the western quarter of the Vasus, the Healers, the Adityas.

n These are thine overlords, we seek the favour of God; be they gracious to us, him whom we hate and who hates us I place in Thy hands.

o Thou art the measure of a thousand, thou art the image of a thousand, thou art the size of a thousand, thou art the replica of a thousand, thou art of a thousand, for a thousand thee!

p May these bricks, O Radiant One, be milch cows for me, one, and a hundred, and a thousand, and ten thousand, and a hundred thousand, and a million, and ten million, and a hundred million, and a thousand million, and ten thousand million, and a hundred thousand million; may these bricks, O Radiant One, be for me milch cows, sixty, a thousand, ten thousand unperishing; ye are standing on holy order, increasing holy order, dripping ghee, dripping honey, full of strength, full of power; may these bricks, O Radiant One, be for me milkers of desires named the glorious yonder in yon world.

The Horse Sacrifice

4.4.12

a May the kindling-stick of the quarters, that wins the heaven, guard us

According to our hopes; from the month of spring may the month of Madhava protect us;

The Radiant One, the God, hard to overcome, the undeceivable,

May He guard our kingly power, may He protect us.

b May the Rathantara with the chants protect us,

The Gayatri with every form of metres,

The threefold chant with the order of the days,

The ocean, the wind, make full this strength.

c May the dread among the quarters, the overpowering, giver of strength,

Pure, full of might on a bright day, protect us;

O Mighty One, as overlord, make full,

And for us on all sides do Thou preserve this great kingly power.

d May the Brhat chant, which supports kingly power, with vast strength,

The force made beautiful by the Tristubh, that of fierce strength, protect us;

O Mighty One, with the fifteenfold chant

Do Thou guard this in the midst with the wind, with the ocean.

e May the eastern among the quarters, famous and renowned,

O ye angels, heavenly with the rain of the days, protect us;

Let this kingly power be unassailable,

Force unoverpowerable, a thousandfold and mighty.

f Here in the Vairupa chant may we have strength for this;

With the Jagati we place him in the people;

O ye angels, through the seventeenfold chant this radiance,

This kingly power with the ocean wind be dread.

g The supporter among the quarters supports this lordly power,

The stay of the regions; may force rich in friends be ours;

O Friend and All-Seeing, ye wise ones with the autumn of the days,

Do ye accord great protection to this kingdom.

h In the Vairaja chant is my devotion;

By the Anustubh be manly strength collected;

This kingly power rich in friends, with dripping wet,

Do Ye, O Friend and All-Seeing, guard through Your overlordship.

i May the victorious among quarters, with the chant, the strong one,

The season winter in order make us full;

May the great ones, the Sakvari verses, with favouring winds

Aid this sacrifice, full of ghee.

k May the heavenly of the quarters, the easily milked, the rich in milk,

Aid us, full of ghee;

Thou art the protector, who goest in front and behind;

O Lord of Prayer, yoke a voice in the south.

l May the upright of the quarters, the bounteous region of the plants,

And the Light-giver with the year of the days aid us;

The Revat chant, and the Atichandas metre;

Without a foe, be kindly to us.

m O thou of the three-and-thirtyfold chant, lady of the world,

Breathed on by the Radiant Sun, do thou be gracious to us;

Rich in ghee, O Light-giver, through Thy overlordship,

Be the bounteous region rich in milk, for us.

n The firm among the quarters, mild,

Ruling over this strength, the desirable,

The Lord of Prayer, the breath of the wind,

The winds blowing together be gracious to us.

o Prop of the sky, supporter of the earth,

Ruling this world,

All-extending, seeking food, with prosperity,

May the Boundless One be auspicious to us in her life.

p The Radiant One, common to all men, to our help.

q Present in the sky.

r Us today the Bestower of favour.

s O Bestower of favour, thou.

t With what to us radiant shall he be?

u Who today yokes?