HYMN LXXVIII. The Winds.

1 Ye by your hymns are like high-thoughted singers, skilful, inviting the righteous to worship;

Fair to behold, like kings, with bright adornment, like spotless gallants, leaders of the people.

2 Like fire with flashing flame, breast-bound with chains of gold, like tempest-blasts, self-moving, swift to lend your aid;

As best of all foreknowers, excellent to guide, good to guard the man who follows Law.

3 Shakers of all, like gales of wind they travel, like tongues of burning fires in their effulgence.

Mighty are they as warriors clad in armour, and, like the forefathers' prayers, most bounteous givers.

4 Like spokes of car-wheels in one nave united, ever victorious like heavenly heroes,

Shedding their precious balm like youthful suitors, they raise their voice and chant their psalm as singers.

5 They who are fleet to travel like the noblest steeds, long to obtain the prize like bounteous charioteers,

Like waters speeding on with their precipitous floods, like the many-formed Angirases with their chants.

6 Born from the stream, like press-stones are the princes, for ever like the stones that crush in pieces;

Sons of a beauteous dame, like playful children, like a great host upon the march with splendour.

7 Like rays of dawn, the visitors of worship, they shine with ornaments as eager to be bright.

Like rivers hasting on, glittering with their spears, from far away they measure out the distances.

8 O Lord, send us happiness and make us wealthy, letting us singers prosper.

Bethink You of our praise and of our friendship: You from of old have riches to vouchsafe us.

HYMN LXXIX. The Radiant.

1 I have beheld the might of this great wonder, deathless in the midst of tribes of mortals.

His jaws now open and now shut together: much they devour, insatiately chewing.

2 His eyes are turned away, his head is hidden: unsated with his tongue he eats the fuel.

With hands upraised, with reverence in the houses, for him they quickly bring his food together.

3 Seeking, as 'twere, his mother's secret bosom, he, like a child, creeps on through wide-spread bushes.

One he finds glowing like hot food made ready, and kissing deep within the earth's recesses.

4 This holy Law I tell you, Earth and Heaven: the infant at his birth devours his parents.

No knowledge of the Lord have I, a mortal. Yea, He knoweth best, for He hath wisdom.

5 This man who quickly gives him food, who offers his gifts of oil and butter and supports him,

Him with his thousand eyes he closely looks on: Thou showest him Thy face from all sides.

7 He born in wood hath yoked his horses rushing in all directions, held with reins that glitter.

The well-born friend hath carved his food: in all his limbs he hath increased and prospered.

HYMN LXXX. The Radiant.

1 The Radiant One bestows the fleet prize-winning courser: the hero famed and firm in duty.

He pervades and decks the earth and heaven, and fills the fruitful dame who teems with heroes.

2 Blest be the wood that feeds the active fire: within the two great worlds hath the Light entered.

He impels a single man to battle, and with him rends in pieces many a foeman.

3 The Radiant One rejoiced the car of him who praised him, and from the waters burnt away the foe.

He saved Atri in the fiery cavern, and made Nrmedha rich with troops of children.

4 The Radiant One hath granted wealth that decks the hero, and sent the sage who wins a thousand cattle.

He hath made offerings rise to heaven: to every place are His laws extended.

5 With songs of praise the seers call on the Lord; on Him, heroes worsted in the foray.

Birds flying in the region call on Him: around a thousand cattle He wanders.

6 Races of human birth pay worship to God, men who have sprung from Nahus' line adore Him.

Stablished in holy oil is His pasture, on the path of Law and Order.

7 The craftsmen fabricated prayer for the Lord, and we with mighty hymns have called on Him.

O Ever Young, protect the singer: win us by worship, O Lord, great possessions.

HYMN LXXXI. The All-Maker.

1 He who sate down as priest, the seer, our Father, offering up all things existing,

He, seeking through his wish a great possession, came among men on earth as archetypal.

2 What was the place whereon He took His station? What was it that supported Him? How was it?

Whence the All-Maker, seeing all, producing the earth, with mighty power disclosed the heavens.

3 He who hath eyes on all sides round about Him, a mouth on all sides, arms and feet on all sides,

He, the Sole God, producing earth and heaven, welds them together with the power of His arms as wings.

4 What was the tree, what wood in sooth produced it, from which they fashioned out the earth and heaven?

Ye thoughtful men, inquire within your spirit whereon He stood when He established all things.

5 Nine highest, lowest, worshipful natures, and these Thy mid-most here, O All-Maker,

Teach Thou Thy friends at worship, O Blessed, and come Thyself, exalted, to our worship.

6 Bring Thou Thyself, exalted with offering, O All-Maker, Earth and Heaven to worship.

Let other men around us live in folly here, let us have a rich and liberal patron.

7 Let us invoke to-day, to aid our labour, the Lord of Speech, the thought-swift All-Maker.

May He hear kindly all our invocations who gives all bliss for aid, whose works are righteous.

HYMN LXXXII. The All-Maker.

1 The Father of the eye, the Wise in spirit, created both these worlds submerged in fatness.

Then when the eastern ends were firmly fastened, the heavens and the earth were far extended.

2 Mighty in mind and power is the All-Maker, Maker, Disposer, and most lofty Presence.

Their offerings joy in rich juice where they value One, only One, beyond the seven seers.

3 Father who made us, He who, as Disposer, knoweth all races and all things existing,

Even He alone, the name-giver of the angels, Him other beings seek for information.

4 To Him in worship they offered treasures, seers of old, in numerous troops, as singers,

Who, in the distant, near, and lower region, made ready all these things that have existence.

5 That which is earlier than this earth and heaven, before the angels and the rebellious had being,

What was the germ primeval which the waters received where all were seen together?

6 The waters, they received that germ primeval wherein the righteous were gathered all together.

It rested set upon the Unborn's command, that One wherein abide all things existing.

7 Ye will not find Him who produced these creatures: another thing hath risen up among you.

Enwrapt in misty cloud, with lips that stammer, hymn-chanters wander and are discontented.

HYMN LXXXIII. Wrath.

1 He who hath reverenced Thee, O Wrath, destructive bolt, breeds for himself forthwith all-conquering energy.

We will conquer our foes with Thine aid, with Thee the Conqueror, with conquest conquest-sped.

3 Come hither, mightier than the mighty; chase, with Thy fervour for ally, our foemen.

Slayer of foes, bring Thou to us all kinds of wealth and treasure.

4 For Thou art of surpassing vigour, fierce, queller of the foe, and self-existent,

Shared by all men, victorious, subduer: vouchsafe to us superior strength in battles.

5 I have departed, still without a portion, wise Lord, according to Thy will, the Mighty.

I, feeble man, was wroth with Thee: I am myself; come Thou to give me vigour.

6 Come hither. I am all Thine own; advancing turn Thou to me, Victorious, All-supporter!

Bethink Thee of Thy servant, and give victory over the wrongdoers.

7 Approach, and on my right hand hold Thy station: so shall we overcome a multitude of foemen.

The best of sweetness I offer to support Thee: may we be first to drink thereof in quiet.

HYMN LXXXIV. Wrath.

1 Borne on with Thee, let our brave men, impetuous, bursting forward,

March on, like flames of fire in form, exulting, with pointed arrows, sharpening their weapons.

2 Flashing like fire, be Thou, O conquering Lord, invoked, O Victor, as our army's leader.

Slay Thou our foes, distribute their possessions: show forth Thy vigour, scatter those who hate us.

3 Overcome Thou our assailant, breaking, slaying, crushing down the foemen.

They have not hindered Thine impetuous vigour: Mighty, Sole-born! Thou makest them Thy subjects.

4 Alone or many Thou art worshipped: sharpen the spirit of each clan for battle.

With Thee to aid, O Thou of perfect splendour, we will uplift the glorious shout for conquest.

5 Unyielding, bringing victory, be Thou here our Sovereign Ruler.

To Thy dear name, O Victor, we sing praises: we know the spring from which Thou art come hither.

6 Twin-born with power, destructive bolt of thunder, the highest conquering might is Thine, Subduer!

Be friendly to us in Thy spirit, O Much-invoked, in shock of mighty battle.

7 For spoil let the All-Seeing give us the wealth of both sides gathered and collected;

And let our enemies with stricken spirits, o'erwhelmed with terror, slink away defeated.

HYMN LXXXV. The Wedding Hymn.

1 Truth is the base that bears the earth; by the sun are the heavens sustained.

By Law the sustaining powers stand secure, and the moon holds its place in heaven.

2 By the nourishing sap are the powers strong, by it mighty is the earth.

Thus the moon in the midst of all these constellations hath its place.

3 One thinks, when they have brayed the plant, that he hath drunk the juice;

Of that which the learned truly know as the moon no one ever tastes.

18 By their own power these two in close succession move;

They go as playing children round the place of worship.

One of the pair beholdeth all existing things; the other ordereth seasons and is born again.

19 Born afresh, it is new and new for ever, ensign of days it goes before the mornings.

Coming, it orders for the righteous their portion. The moon prolongs the days of our existence.

23 Straight in direction be the paths, and thornless, whereon our fellows travel to the wedding.

Let the Friend and the Giver of portions lead us: perfect, O Lord, the union of the wife and husband.

24 Now from the noose of fear I free thee, wherewith the Light-giver hath bound thee.

In Law's seat, to the world of virtuous action, I give thee up uninjured with thy consort.

25 Hence, and not thence, I send these free. I make thee softly fettered there.