HYMN I. God the Radiant.

1 Thou, shining in thy glory through the days, art brought to life from out the waters, from the stone;

From out the forest trees and herbs that grow on ground, thou, Sovereign Lord of men, art generated pure.

2 Thine is the Herald's task and Cleanser's duly timed; Leader art thou, and Kindler for the pious man.

Thou art Director, thou the ministering Priest: thou art the Lord and Master in our home.

3 Hero of Heroes! Thou art the Mighty, thou art the All-Pervading of the Mighty Stride, adorable:

Thou, Lord of Prayer, finding wealth for the devout: thou, O Sustainer, with thy wisdom tendest us.

4 Thou art King, the All-Seeing, whose laws stand fast; as the Friend, Wonder-Worker, thou must be implored.

Guardian of Covenants, heroes' Lord, art thou, enriching all, and liberal Apportioner in the gathering, O thou Lord.

5 Thou givest strength, as the Fashioner, to the worshipper: thou hast kinship with the Friend and with the dames.

Thou, urging thy fleet coursers, givest noble steeds: a host of heroes art thou with great store of wealth.

6 Healer art thou, the Lord of mighty heaven: thou art the Maruts' host, thou art the Lord of food,

Thou goest with red winds: bliss hast thou in thine home. As the Nourisher thou thyself protectest worshippers.

7 Giver of wealth art thou to him who honours thee; thou art the Light-giver, granter of precious things.

As Giver of Fortune, Lord of men! thou rulest over wealth, and guardest in his house him who hath served thee well.

8 To thee, the people's Lord within the house, the folk press forward to their King most graciously inclined.

Lord of the lovely look, all things belong to thee: ten, hundred, yea, a thousand are outweighed by thee.

9 Men seek thee as a protector with their prayers, win thee, bright-formed, to brotherhood with holy act.

Thou art a trusty Friend, and guardest from attack him who duly worships thee.

10 Skilled art thou, near to be adored; thou art the Sovereign Lord of foodful spoil and wealth.

Thou shinest brightly forth, thou burnest to bestow: pervading devotion, thou lendest us thine help.

11 Thou, Lord, art the Boundless One to him who offers gifts: thou, Invoker, art strengthened by the song.

Thou art the hundred-wintered giver of strength, Lord of Wealth! slayer of Vrtra and Lord of the flowing streams.

12 Thou, cherished well, art highest vital power; in thy delightful hue are glories visible.

Thou art the lofty might that furthers each design: thou art wealth manifold, diffused on every side.

16 The princely worshippers who send to those who sing thy praise guerdon graced with kine and steeds,

Lead thou both these and us forward to higher bliss. With brave men in the assembly may we speak aloud.

HYMN II. God the Radiant.

1 With devotion exalt the Lord who knows all life; worship him with gifts and the song of praise,

Well kindled, nobly fed; heaven's Lord, Celestial Priest, who labours at the pole where deeds of might are done.

2 At night and morning have they called to thee, like milch-kine in their stalls lowing to meet their young.

As messenger of heaven thou lightest all night long the families of men. Thou Lord of precious boons.

3 Him have the righteous established at the region's base, doer of wondrous deeds, Herald of heaven and earth,

Like a most famous car, the purely bright, like a Friend to be glorified among the folk.

4 Him have they set in his own dwelling, in the vault, like the Moon waxing, fulgent, in the realm of air.

Bird of the firmament, observant with his eyes, guard of the place as 'twere, looking to angels and men.

5 May he as Priest encompass all the devotion, men throng to him with offerings and with hymns of praise.

Raging with jaws of gold among the growing plants, like heaven with all the stars, he quickens earth and sky.

6 Such as thou art, brilliantly kindled for our weal, a liberal giver, send us riches in thy shine,

For our advantage, Lord, bring Heaven and Earth hither that they may receive the gift brought by man.

7 Give us great wealth, give riches thousandfold, unclose to us, like doors, strength that shall bring renown.

Make Heaven and Earth propitious through the power of prayer, and like the sky's bright sheen let mornings beam on us.

8 Enkindled night by night at every morning's dawn, may he shine forth with red flame like the realm of light,

Adored in beauteous rites with lauds of men, fair guest of living man and King of all our folk.

9 Song chanted by us men, O Ancient One, has swelled unto the heights of lofty heaven,

A milch-cow yielding to the singer in the rites wealth manifold, in hundreds, even as he wills.

10 May we show forth our valour with the steed or with the power of prayer beyond all other men;

And over the Five Races let our glory shine high like the realm of light and unsurpassable.

11 Such, Conqueror! be to us, be worthy of our praise, thou for whom princes nobly born exert themselves;

Whose devotion the strong seek, when it shines for never-failing offspring in thine own abode.

12 Knower of all that lives, may we both, singers of praise and chiefs, be in thy keeping still.

Help us to wealth exceeding good and glorious, abundant, rich in children and their progeny.

13 The princely worshippers who send to those who sing thy praise guerdon, graced with kine and steeds,

Lead thou both these and us forward to higher bliss. With brave men in the assembly may we speak aloud.

HYMN III. The Invocations.

1 The Radiant is set upon the earth well kindled; he standeth in the presence of all beings.

Wise, ancient, the Priest and Purifier, let him serve the righteous, for he is worthy.

2 May he who is praised, lighting up the chambers, bright in his majesty through threefold heaven,

Steeping the gift with oil, diffusing purpose, bedew the righteous at chiefest time of worship.

3 Adored in heart, as is thy right, serve the righteous first to-day before the mortal.

Bring thou the Marut host. Ye men do worship to the Mighty One, seated on the grass, eternal.

4 O Grass divine, increasing, rich in heroes, strewn for wealth's sake, well laid upon this altar,

On this bedewed with oil sit ye, ye Holy.

5 Wide be the Doors, thrown open, easy to pass, invoked, through adorations,

Let them unfold, expansive, everlasting, that sanctify the class famed, rich in heroes.

6 Good work for us, the glorious Night and Morning, like female weavers, waxen from aforetime,

Yielders of rich milk, interweave in concert the long-extended thread, the web of worship.

7 Let the two heavenly Heralds, first, most wise, most fair, present the offering duly with the sacred verse,

Worshipping God at ordered seasons, decking them at three high places at the centre of the earth.

8 Sarasvati who perfects our devotion, Ila divine, Bharati all-surpassing,

Three, with power inherent, seated, protect this holy Grass, our flawless refuge!

9 Born is the pious hero swift of hearing, like gold in hue, well formed, and full of vigour.

May the Fashioner lengthen our line and kindred, and may they reach the place which the righteous inhabit.

10 The Lord of the forest shall stand anear and start us, and the Radiant with his arts prepare the offering.

Let the skilled heavenly Immolator forward unto the righteous the offering thrice anointed.

11 Oil has been mixed: oil is his habitation. In oil he rests: oil is his proper province.

Come as thy wont is: O thou Steer, rejoice thee; bear off the offering duly consecrated.

HYMN IV. God the Radiant.

1 For you I call the glorious refulgent Light, the guest of men, rich in offerings,

Whom all must strive to win even as a lover, the Knower of all that lives.

2 Bhrgus who served him in the home of waters set him of old in houses of the living.

Over all worlds let him be the Sovereign, the messenger with rapid coursers.

3 Among the tribes of men the righteous placed him as a dear Friend when they would dwell among them.

Against the longing nights may he shine brightly, and show the giver in the house his vigour.

4 Sweet is his growth as of one's own possessions; his look when rushing fain to burn is lovely.

He darts his tongue forth, like a harnessed courser who shakes his flowing tail, among the bushes.

5 Since they who honour me have praised my greatness, he gave, as 'twere, his hue to those who love him.

Known is he by his bright delightful splendour, and waxing old renews his youth for ever.

6 Like one athirst, he lighteth up the forests; like water down the chariot ways he roareth.

On his black path he shines in burning beauty, marked as it were the heaven that smiles through vapour.

7 Around, consuming the broad earth, he wanders, free roaming like an ox without a herdsman,

Refulgent, burning up the bushes, with blackened lines, as though the earth he seasoned.

8 I, in remembrance of thine ancient favour, have sung my hymn in this our third assembly.

Give us wealth with store of heroes and mighty strength in food and noble offspring.

9 May the Grtsamadas, serving in secret, through thee overcome their neighbours,

Rich in good heroes and subduing foemen. That vital power give thou to chiefs and singers.

HYMN V. God the Radiant.

1 Herald and teacher was he born, a guardian for our patrons' help, earner by rites of noble wealth. That Strong One may we grasp and guide;

2 In whom, Leader of devotion, the seven reins, far extended, meet; who furthers, man-like, eighth in place, as Cleanser, all the work divine.

3 When swift he follows this behest, bird-like he chants the holy prayers. He holds all knowledge in his grasp even as the felly rounds the wheel.

4 Together with pure mental power, pure, as Director, was he born. Skilled in his own unchanging laws he waxes like the growing boughs.

5 Clothing them in his hues, the kine of him the Leader wait on him. Is he not better than the Three, the Sisters who have come to us?

6 When, laden with the holy oil, the Sister by the Mother stands, the Priest delights in their approach, as corn at coming of the rain.

7 For his support let him perform as ministrant his priestly task; yea, song of praise and devotion: we have bestowed, let us obtain.

8 That so this man, well skilled, may pay worship to all the Holy Ones. And this our devotion which we have here prepared, to thee.

HYMN VI. God the Radiant.

1 Accept this flaming brand, this waiting with my prayer on thee:

Hear graciously these songs of praise.

2 With this hymn let us honour thee, seeker of horses, Son of Strength,

With this fair hymn, thou nobly born.

3 As such, lover of song, with songs, wealth-lover, giver of our wealth!

With reverence let us worship thee.

4 Be thou for us a liberal Prince, giver and Lord of precious things.

Drive those who hate us far away.

5 Such as thou art, give rain from heaven, give strength which no man may resist:

Give food exceeding plentiful.

6 To him who lauds thee, craving help, most youthful envoy! through our song,

Most holy Herald! come thou nigh.

7 Between both races, Sage, well skilled thou passest to and fro,

As envoy friendly to mankind.