Illumine with thy radiance all the regions;

Confer strength on our bipeds and quadrupeds.

b Mount ye, with the fire, to the vault,

Bearing him of the pan in your hands;

Having gone to the ridge of the sky, to the heaven,

Do ye eat, mingled with the righteous.

c From earth have I mounted to the atmosphere;

From the atmosphere have I mounted to the sky;

From the ridge of the vault of the sky

Have I attained the heaven, the light.

d Going to the heaven, they look not away;

They mount the sky, the two worlds,

They who extended, wisely,

The sacrifice, streaming on every side.

e O Radiant One, advance, first of worshippers,

Eye of angels and mortals;

Pressing on in unison with the Bhrgus,

Let the sacrificers go to heaven, to prosperity.

f Night and the dawn, one-minded, but of various form,

United suckle one child;

The radiant one shines between sky and earth;

The angels, granters of wealth, support the flame.

g O Radiant One, of a thousand eyes, of a hundred heads,

A hundred are Thy expirations, a thousand Thine inspirations;

Thou art lord of wealth a thousandfold;

To Thee as such let us pay homage for strength, hail!

h Thou art the winged bird, sit on the earth; sit on the ridge of earth; with thy blaze fill the atmosphere, with thy light establish the sky, with thy brilliance make firm the quarters.

i Receiving offering, fair of face, O Radiant One;

Sit down in front in Thine own birthplace, in due order;

In this higher place,

O angels, do ye sit with the sacrificer.

k Enkindled, O Radiant One, shine before us,

O most youthful, with unfailing beam;

Ever upon Thee strength awaits.

l Let us pay homage to Thee in Thy highest birth, O Radiant One;

Let us pay homage with praises in Thy lower abode;

The place of birth whence Thou didst come, to that I offer;

In Thee when kindled they offered the oblations.

m That various lovingkindness given to all men,

Of the adorable Light-giver, I choose,

That mighty fat cow of His which Kanva milked,

Streaming with a thousand draughts of milk.

n Seven are Thy kindling-sticks, O Radiant One, seven Thy tongues,

Seven seers, seven dear abodes;

Seven offerings sevenfold sacrifice to Thee

Seven birthplaces with ghee do Thou fill.

o Such like, other like, thus like, similar, measured, commensurate, harmonious;

p Of pure radiance, of varied radiance, of true radiance, the radiant, true, protector of holy order, beyond distress;

q Winning holy order, winning truth, host-conquering, having a good host, with foes within, with foes afar, the troop;

r Holy order, true, secure, supporting, supporter, upholder, upholding;

s Such like, thus like, do ye come to us, similar and equal.

t Measured and commensurate, to aid us, harmonious, at this sacrifice, O Maruts.

u On the Mighty One attend the divine folk, the Maruts; even as the divine folk, the Maruts, attend on the Mighty One, so may the folk divine and human attend on this sacrificer.

The Horse Sacrifice

4.6.6

a As of a thunder-cloud is the face of the warrior

As he advances to the lap of the battles;

Be victorious with unpierced body;

Let the might of thine armour protect thee.

b By the bow cows, by the bow the contest may we win,

By the bow dread battles may we win;

The bow works displeasure to the foe;

By the bow let us win in all the quarters.

c As if about to speak it approaches the ear,

Embracing its dear comrade,

Like a woman this bowstring twangs stretched over the bow,

Saving in the battle.

d They coming together as a maiden to the assembly,

As a mother her child, shall bear the arrow in their lap;

In unison shall they pierce the foes,

These two ends springing asunder, the enemies.

e Father of many daughters, many his sons,

He whizzes as he goes to battle,

The quiver, slung on the back, yielding its content,

Conquers every band and army.

f Standing on the chariot he guides his steeds before him

Wheresoever he desires, good charioteer;

The might of the reins do ye admire;

The reins behind obey the mind of the driver.

g Shrilly the strong-hooved horses neigh,

As with the cars they show their strength;

Trampling with their forefeet the enemy

They unflinchingly destroy the foe.

h The chariot-bearer is his oblation by name,

Where is deposited his armour and his weapon;

Then may we sit on the strong car,

All the days, with friendly hearts.

i The fathers with pleasant seats, granting strength,

A support in trouble mighty and profound,

With varied hosts, with arrows to strengthen them, free,

With real heroes, broad conquerors of hosts.

k The scholars, the fathers worthy of respect,

And sky and earth, unequalled be propitious to us;

May the Nourisher guard us from misfortune, us that prosper holy order

Do Thou guard; may no foe overpower us.

l A feather her garment, a deer her tooth,

Tied with cowhide she flies shot forth;

Where men run together and apart,

There may the arrows accord us protection.

m O thou of straight path, avoid us;

Be our body as of stone;

May the Lord of provision favour us,

And the Boundless One grant protection!

n Their backs it smites,

Their thighs it belabours;

O horse-whip, do ye stimulate

The skilled horses in the battles.

o Like a snake with its coils it encircles his arm,

Fending off the friction of the bowstring,

Let the hand-guard, knowing all cunning,

Manfully guard the man on all sides.

p O lord of the forest, be strong of limb,

Our comrade, efficacious, of great strength;

Thou art tied with cowhide, be thou strong;

Let him that mounts thee conquer what is to be conquered.

q From sky, from earth is might collected,

From trees is strength gathered;

The might of the waters surrounded with the kine,

The chariot, the thunderbolt of the Mighty One, do thou adore with oblation.

r The thunderbolt of the Mighty One, the face of the Maruts,