18 Of all the many plants whose chief is the fairest, plants of hundred forms,

Thou art the plant most excellent, prompt to the wish, sweet to the heart.

19 O all ye various herbs that overspread the earth,

By God's leave combine your virtue in this plant.

20 Unharmed be he who digs you up, unharmed the man for whom I dig:

And let no malady attack biped or quadruped of ours.

21 All plants that hear this speech, and those that have departed far away,

Come all assembled and confer your healing power upon this herb.

22 The plants hold colloquy and say: O King, we save from death the man whose cure a scholar undertakes.

23 Most excellent of all art thou, O plant; thy vassals are the trees. Let him be subject to our power, the man who seeks to injure us.

HYMN XCVIII. The Prayer for Rain.

1 Come, O Lord, to my offering, whether as Friend, as All-Seeing, or as Nourisher; come, O Lord of Prayer:

With the winds and the angels make the rain-cloud pour for Santanu his rain-drops.

2 The messenger, intelligent, the speedy envoy whom Thou hast sent hath come to me, Devapi:

Address Thyself to me and turn Thee hither; within my lips will I put brilliant language.

3 Within my mouth, O Lord of Prayer, deposit speech lucid, vigorous, and free from weakness,

Thereby to win for Santanu the rain-fall. The sweet drop from heaven hath passed within it.

4 Let the sweet drops descend on us, O Mighty One: give us enough to lade a thousand wagons.

Sit to thy priestly task; pay worship duly, and serve the righteous, Devapi, with offering.

5 Knowing God's good-will, Devapi, the seer, the son of Rstisena, sate as priest.

He hath brought down from heaven's most lofty summit the ocean of the rain, celestial waters.

6 Gathered together in that highest ocean, the waters stood obstructed.

They hurried down set free by Arstisena, in gaping clefts, urged onward by Devapi.

7 When as chief priest for Santanu, Devapi, chosen for the priestly duty, prayed beseeching,

Graciously pleased the Lord of Prayer vouchsafed him a voice that reached the righteous and won the waters.

8 O Radiant One whom Devapi Arstisena, the mortal man, hath kindled in his glory,

Joying in Him with all the righteous together, urge on the sender of the rain.

9 All ancient seers with their songs approached Thee, even Thee, O Much-invoked, at worship.

We have provided wagon-loads in thousands: come to the solemn rite, Lord of red horses.

10 The wagon-loads, the ninety-nine thousand, these have been offered for Thee.

Hero, with these increase Thy many gifts, and, stimulated, send us rain from heaven.

11 Give thou these ninety thousand loads to the Mighty, the Bull, to be His portion.

Knowing the paths which the righteous duly travel, set Aulana also among them in heaven.

12 O Lord, drive afar our foes, our troubles; chase malady away and wicked demons.

From this air-ocean, from the lofty heavens, send down on us a mighty flood of waters.

HYMN XCIX. The Mighty.

1 What Splendid One, Loud-voiced, Far-striding, dost Thou, well knowing, urge us to exalt with praises?

What give we Him? When His might dawned, He fashioned the foe-slaying bolt, and sent us waters.

2 He goes to end His work with lightning flashes: wide is the seat His glory gives Him.

With His companions, not without His brother, He quells Saptatha's magic devices.

3 On most auspicious path He goes to battle; He toiled to win heaven's light, full fain to gain it;

He seized the hundred-gated castle's treasure by craft, unchecked, and slew the lustful demons.

4 Fighting for kine, the prize of war, roaming among the herd He brings the young streams hither,

Where, footless, joined, without a car to bear them, with jars for steeds, they pour their flood like butter.

5 Bold, unsolicited for wealth, He came, the Blameless, having left His dwelling,

Came, seized the food of Vamra and his consort, and left the couple weeping and unsheltered.

6 Lord of the dwelling, He subdued the demon who roared aloud, six-eyed and triple-headed.

Trta, made stronger by the might He lent him, struck down the boar with shaft whose point was iron.

7 He raised Himself on high and shot His arrow against the guileful and oppressive foeman.

Strong, glorious, manliest, for us He shattered the forts of Nabus when He slew the enemies.

8 He, like a cloud that rains upon the pasture, hath found for us the way to dwell in safety.

When the hawk comes in body to the offering, armed with his iron claws he slays the enemies.

9 He with His potent friends gave up the mighty, gave Susna up to Kutsa for affliction.

He led the lauded sage, He delivered Atka as prey to him and to his heroes.

10 He, with His faithful servants who love mankind, the Wondrous, giving like the All-Seeing who works with wisdom,

Was known, yet young, as guardian of the seasons; and He quelled Aram, four-footed demon.

11 Through lauds of Him hath Ausija Rjisvan burst, with the Mighty's aid, the stall of Pipru.

When the saint pressed the juice and shone as singer, he seized the forts and with his craft subdued them.

12 So, swiftly, for exaltation, hath the great Vamraka come nigh to the Mighty.

He will, when supplicated, bring him blessing: He hath brought all, food, strength, a happy dwelling.

HYMN C. All the Powers.

1 Be, like Thyself, O Mighty One, strong for our delight: here lauded, aid us, Bountiful One.

May the Light-giver with the righteous protect us: hear ye twain. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

2 Bring swift, for offering, the gift that suits the time, to the Pure One, roaring as He goes,

To Him who hath approached the draught of shining milk. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

3 May the Light-giver send us full life, to each who worships, lives aright and gives of his store,

That we with simple hearts may wait upon the righteous. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

4 May the Mighty evermore be gracious unto us, and may the Sovereign meditate our happiness,

Even as men secure the comfort of a friend. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

5 The Mighty hath given the body with its song and strength: Thou, O Lord of Prayer, art the lengthener of life.

Worship is our guide, Providence, our Sire. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

6 The Mighty possesseth might celestial nobly formed: the singer in the house is the prudent Sage,

He is the worship in synod, fair, most near. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

7 Not often have we sinned against you secretly, nor, O bountiful ones, have we openly provoked the righteous.

Not one of us, ye righteous, hath worn an alien shape. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

8 May the Light-giver remove from us our malady, and may the mountains keep it far away from where

The press-stone as it sheds the sweet juice rings loudly forth. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

9 Ye bountiful ones, let the stone, the presser, stand erect: avert all enmities and keep them far remote.

Our guard to be adored is the Light-giver. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

10 Eat strength and fatness in the pasture, kine, who are balmed at the reservoir and at the seat of Law.

So let your body be our body's medicine. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

11 The singer fills the spirit: all men's love hath he. The Mighty takes kindly care of those who pour the juice.

For His libation is the heavenly udder full. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.

12 Wondrous Thy spirit-filling light, triumphant; Thy hosts save from decay and are resistless.

The pious votary by straightest pathway speeds to possess the best of all the cattle.

HYMN CI. All the Powers.

1 Wake with one mind, my friends, and kindle the light, ye who are many and who dwell together.

The Radiant, the swift steed, and the Dawn, God's sign, you, O righteous, with the Mighty I call down to help us.

2 Make pleasant hymns, spin out your songs and praises: build ye a ship equipped with oars for transport.

Prepare the implements, make all things ready, and let the worship, my friends, go forward.

3 Lay on the yokes, and fasten well the traces: formed is the furrow, sow the seed within it.

Through song may we find bearing fraught with plenty: near to the ripened grain approach the sickle.

4 Wise, through desire of bliss from the Lord, the skilful bind the traces fast, and lay the yokes on either side.

5 Arrange the buckets in their place, securely fasten on the straps.

We will pour forth the well that hath a copious stream, fair-flowing well that never fails.

6 I pour the water from the well with pails prepared and goodly straps,

Unfailing, full, with plenteous stream.

7 Refresh the horses, win the prize before you: equip a chariot fraught with happy fortune.

Pour forth the well with stone wheel, wooden buckets, the drink of heroes, with the trough for armour.

8 Prepare the cow-stall, for there drink your heroes: stitch ye the coats of armour, wide and many.

Make iron forts, secure from all assailants; let not your pitcher leak: stay it securely.

9 Hither, for help, I turn the holy heavenly mind of you the righteous, that longs for worship.

May it pour milk for us, even as a stately cow who, having sought the pasture, yields a thousand streams.

10 Pour golden juice within the wooden vessel: with stone-made axes fashion ye and form it.

Embrace and compass it with tenfold girdle, and to both chariot-poles attach the car-horse.

11 Between both poles the car-horse goes pressed closely, as in his dwelling moves the doubly-wedded.

Lay in the wood the sovereign of the forest, and sink the well although ye do not dig it.

12 The Mighty is He, O men, who gives us happiness: sport, urge the giver of delight to win us strength.

Bring quickly down, O priests, hither to give us aid, to drink the offering, the Mighty One, son of Nistigri.

HYMN CII. The Mighty.

1 For Thee may the Mighty boldly speed the car that works on either side. Favour us, Much-invoked, in this most glorious fight against the raiders of our wealth.

2 Loose in the wind the woman's robe was streaming what time she won a car-load worth a thousand.

The charioteer in fight was Mudgalani: she, the Mighty One's dart, heaped up the prize of battle.

3 O Mighty One, cast Thy bolt among assailants who would slaughter us:

The weapon both of the enemy foe and of the kinsman keep far away, O Bountiful.

4 The bull in joy had drunk a lake of water. His shattering horn encountered an opponent.

Swiftly, in vigorous strength, eager for glory, he stretched his forefeet, fain to win and triumph.

5 They came anear the bull; they made him thunder, made him pour rain down ere the fight was ended.

And Mudgala thereby won in the contest well-pastured kine in hundreds and in thousands.

6 In hope of victory that bull was harnessed: Kesi the driver urged him on with shouting.