8 Befriend us thou as knowing all. Sage, duly serve the righteous,

And seat thee on this sacred grass.

HYMN VII. God the Radiant.

1 Giver of dwellings, thou most youthful, Bharata, bring us wealth,

Excellent, splendid, much-desired.

2 Let no malignity prevail against us, either of angels' or man's.

Save us from this and enmity.

3 So through thy favour may we force through all our enemies a way,

As 'twere through streaming water-floods.

4 Thou, Purifier, high shinest forth, bright, adorable,

When worshipped with the sacred oil.

5 Ours art thou, Bharata, honoured by us with barren cows,

With bullocks and with kine in calf.

6 Wood-fed, bedewed with sacred oil, ancient, Invoker, excellent,

The Son of Strength, the Wonderful.

HYMN VIII. God the Radiant.

1 Now praise, as one who strives for strength, the harnessing of his car,

The liberal, the most splendid One;

2 Who, guiding worshippers aright, withers, untouched by age, the foe:

When worshipped, fair to look upon;

3 Who for his glory is extolled at eve and morning in our homes,

Whose statute is inviolate;

4 Who shines refulgent like the Sun, with brilliance and with fiery flame,

Decked with imperishable sheen.

5 Him Atri, our songs have strengthened according to his sway:

All glories hath he made his own.

6 May we with the help of the Radiant, the Mighty, the Provider, yea, of all the powers that serve God,

Uninjured dwell together still, and conquer those who fight with us.

HYMN IX. God the Radiant.

1 Accustomed to the Herald's place, the Herald hath seated him, bright, splendid, passing mighty,

Whose foresight keeps the Law from violation, excellent, pure-tongued, bringing thousands.

2 Envoy art thou, protector from the foeman, strong Lord, thou leadest us to higher blessings.

Refulgent, be an ever-heedful keeper for us and for our seed and offspring.

3 May we adore thee in thy loftiest birthplace, and, with our praises, in thy lower station.

The place whence thou issued forth I worship: to thee well kindled have they paid offerings.

4 Best Priest, pay worship with offering; quickly commend the gift to be presented;

For thou art Lord of gathered wealth and treasure, of the bright song of praise thou art inventor.

5 The twofold opulence, O Wonder-Worker, of thee new-born each day never decreases.

Enrich with food the man who lauds thee: make him the lord of wealth with noble offspring.

6 May he, benevolent with this fair aspect, best offerer, bring blessings upon us. Sure guardian, our protector from the foemen, shine with thine affluence and splendour.

HYMN X. God the Radiant.

1 First, loudly calling, like a protector, kindled by man upon the seat of worship.

Clothed in his glory, deathless, keen of insight, must be adorned by all, the Strong, the Famous.

2 May the resplendent hear my calling through all my songs, Immortal, keen of insight.

Dark steeds or ruddy draw his car, or carried in sundry ways he makes them red of colour.

3 On wood supine they got the well-formed Infant: a germ in various-fashioned plants was he;

And in the night, not compassed round by darkness, he dwells exceeding wise, with rays of splendour.

4 With oil and sacred gifts I sprinkle him who makes his home in front of all things living,

Broad, vast, through vital power o'er all expanded, conspicuous, strong with all the food that feeds him.

5 I pour to him who looks in all directions: may he accept it with a friendly spirit.

With bridegroom's grace and lovely colour may he not be touched when all his form is fury.

6 By choice victorious, recognize thy portion: with thee for envoy may we speak like Manu.

Obtaining wealth, I call on the Perfect One who with an eloquent tongue dispenses sweetness.

HYMN XI. God the Mighty.

1 Hear thou my call, O Mighty One; be not heedless: thine may we be for thee to give us treasures;

For these presented viands, seeking riches, increase thy strength like streams of water flowing.

2 Floods great and many, compassed by the Dragon, thou badest swell and settest free, O Hero.

Strengthened by songs of praise thou rentest piecemeal the Dasa, him who deemed himself immortal.

3 For, Hero, in the lauds wherein thou joyedst, in hymns of praise, songs of the Healers,

These streams in which is thy delight approach thee, even as the brilliant ones draw near to the Wind.

4 We who add strength to thine own splendid vigour, laying within thine arms the splendid thunder,

With us mayst thou, waxen splendid, with the Sun overcome the Dasa races.

5 Hero, thou slewest in thy valour the Serpent concealed in depths, mysterious, great enchanter,

Dwelling enveloped deep within the waters, him who checked heaven and stayed the floods from flowing.

6 We laud thy great deeds wrought aforetime, we laud thine exploits later of achievement;

We laud the bolt that in thine arms lies eager; we laud thy two Bay Steeds, heralds of the Sun.

7 Thy Bay Steeds showing forth their vigour have sent a loud cry out that droppeth fatness.

The earth hath spread herself in all her fulness: the cloud that was about to move hath rested.

8 Down, never ceasing, hath the rain-cloud settled: bellowing, it hath wandered with the Mothers.

Swelling the roar in the far distant limits, they have spread wide the blast sent forth by the Mighty One.

9 He hath hurled down the magician Vrtra who lay beleaguering the mighty river.

Then both the heaven and earth trembled in terror at the strong Hero's thunder when he bellowed.

10 Loud roared the mighty Hero's bolt of thunder, when he, the Friend of man, burnt up the monster,

And baffled the guileful Danava's devices.

12 Singers have we become with thee: may we serve duly and prepare devotion.

Seeking thy help we meditate thy praises: may we at once enjoy thy gift of riches.

13 May we be thine, such by thy help, as swell thy vigour while they seek thy favour.

Give us, thou Lord, the riches that we long for, most powerful, with store of noble children.

14 Give us a friend, give us an habitation; give us the company of the Maruts,

And those whose minds accord with theirs, the Winds, who receive the first of the gifts.

15 Let those enjoy in whom thou art delighted. Accept our gifts for thy strength and gladness.

Thou hast exalted us to heaven, Preserver, in battles, through the lofty hymns that praise thee.

16 Great, verily, are they, O thou Protector, who by their songs of praise have won the blessing.

They who strew sacred grass to be thy dwelling, helped by thee have got them strength.

18 Hero, assume the might wherewith thou clavest Vrtra piecemeal, the Danava Aurnavabha.

Thou hast disclosed the light to light the faithful: on thy left hand sank the Dasyu.

19 May we gain wealth, subduing with thy succour and with the faithful, all our foes, the Dasyus.

Our gain was that to Trta of our party thou gavest up the son of the Fashioner, Visvarupa.

20 He cast down Arbuda what time his vigour was strengthened by the gifts poured by Trta.

He sent forth his whirling wheel like the Sun, and aided by the Angirases rent Vala.

21 Now let that wealthy Cow of thine yield in return a boon to him who lauds thee.

Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with brave men, in the assembly.

HYMN XII. God the Mighty.

1 He who, just born, chief of lofty spirit by power and might became the protector of the righteous,

Before whose breath through greatness of his valour the two worlds trembled, He, O men, is the Mighty (Indra).

2 He who fixed fast and firm the earth that staggered, and set at rest the agitated mountains,

Who measured out the air's wide middle region and gave the heaven support, He, men, is the Mighty.

3 Who slew the Dragon, freed the Seven Rivers, and drove the kine forth from the cave of Vala,

Begat the fire between two stones, the spoiler in warriors' battle, He, O men, is the Mighty.

4 By whom this universe was made to tremble, who chased away the humbled brood of demons,

Who, like a gambler gathering his winnings, seized the foe's riches, He, O men, is the Mighty.

5 Of whom, the Terrible, they ask, Where is He? or verily they say of him, He is not.

He sweeps away, like birds, the foe's possessions. Have faith in him, for He, O men, is the Mighty.

6 Stirrer to action of the poor and lowly, of priest, of suppliant who sings his praises;

Who, fair-faced, favours him who gives his gifts, He, O men, is the Mighty.

7 He under whose supreme control are horses, all chariots, and the villages, and cattle;

He who gave being to the Sun and Morning, who leads the waters, He, O men, is the Mighty.

8 To whom two armies cry in close encounter, both enemies, the stronger and the weaker;

Whom two invoke upon one chariot mounted, each for himself, He, O ye men, is the Mighty.

9 Without whose help our people never conquer; whom, battling, they invoke to give them succour;

He of whom all this world is but the sign, who shakes things moveless, He, O men, is the Mighty.

10 He who hath smitten, ere they knew their danger, with his hurled weapon many grievous sinners;

Who pardons not his boldness who provokes him, who slays the Dasyu, He, O men, is the Mighty.

11 He who discovered in the fortieth autumn Sambara as he dwelt among the mountains;

Who slew the Dragon putting forth his vigour, the demon lying there, He, men, is the Mighty.

12 Who with seven guiding reins, the Bull, the Mighty, set free the Seven great Floods to flow at pleasure;

Who, thunder-armed, rent Rauhina in pieces when scaling heaven, He, O ye men, is the Mighty.

13 Even the Heaven and Earth bow down before him, before his very breath the mountains tremble.

He who wields the bolt, He, O ye men, is the Mighty.

14 Who aids with favour him who gives his gifts, and him who toils, the devotee, the singer.