7 How, my friends, shall we prepare the laud of the Companion and the Friend, the glorious food of the All-Seeing?

8 I point not out to you a man who strikes the pious, or reviles: only with hymns I call you nigh.

9 Let him not love to speak ill words: but fear the One who holds all four within His hand, until they fall.

HYMN XLII. God the Nourisher (Pusan)

1 Shorten our ways, O Nourisher, move aside obstruction in the path: go close before us, cloud-born God.

2 Drive, O Nourisher, from our road the wolf, the wicked inauspicious wolf, who lies in wait to injure us.

3 Who lurks about the path we take, the robber with a guileful heart: far from the road chase him away.

4 Tread with Thy foot and trample out the firebrand of the wicked one, the double-tongued, whoe'er he be.

5 Wise Nourisher, Wonder-Worker, we claim of Thee now the aid wherewith Thou furtheredst our sires of old.

6 So, Lord of all prosperity, best wielder of the golden sword, make riches easy to be won.

7 Past all pursuers lead us, make pleasant our path and fair to tread: O Nourisher, find Thou power for this.

8 Lead us to meadows rich in grass: send on our way no early heat: O Nourisher, find Thou power for this.

9 Be gracious to us, fill us full, give, feed us, and invigorate: O Nourisher, find Thou power for this.

10 No blame have we for the Nourisher; Him we magnify with songs of praise: we seek the Mighty One for wealth.

HYMN XLIII. God the Healer (Rudra)

1 What shall we sing to the Healer, strong, most bounteous, excellently wise, that shall be dearest to His heart?

2 That the Boundless may grant the grace of the Healer to our folk, our kine, our cattle and our progeny;

3 That the Friend and the All-Seeing, that the Healer may remember us, yea, all the angels with one accord.

4 To the Healer, Lord of devotion, of hymns and balmy medicines, we pray for joy and health and strength.

5 He shines in splendour like the Sun, refulgent as bright gold is He, the good, the best.

6 May He grant health into our steeds, wellbeing to our rams and ewes, to men, to women, and to kine.

7 O God, set Thou upon us the glory of a hundred men, the great renown of mighty chiefs.

8 Let not malignities, nor those who trouble the gift of God, hinder us. O Bright One, give us a share of strength.

9 O Lord, head and central point, love these; know these as serving Thee, children of Thee the Immortal, at the highest place of holy law.

HYMN XLIV. God the Radiant

1 Immortal Knower of all that is born, Thou many-hued fulgent gift of Dawn, O God, this day to him who pays his offerings bring the angels who waken with the morn.

2 For Thou art offering-bearer and loved messenger, the charioteer of devotion: accordant with the twin angels and with Dawn grant us heroic strength and lofty fame.

3 As messenger we choose to-day God the good whom many love, smoke-bannered spreader of the light, at break of day glory of sacred rites.

4 Him noblest and most youthful, richly worshipped guest, dear to the men who offer gifts, Him, the Knower of all that is born, I beseech at dawn that He may bring the angels to us.

5 Thee, O God, will I glorify, deathless nourisher of the world, immortal, offering-bearer, meet for sacred food, preserver, best in devotion.

6 Tell good things to Thy praiser, O most youthful God, as richly worshipped, honey-tongued, and, granting to Praskanva lengthened days of life, show honour to the heavenly host.

7 For the men kindle Thee as all-possessor and as Guide; so, much-invoked, bring hither with all speed the angels, the excellently wise.

8 At dawn of day, at night, the Dawn and the Light-giver, the twin angels, the Bestower, the Light Himself: skilled in fair rites, the Kanvas light Thee, the offering-wafting God.

9 For, O God, Lord of devotion and messenger of men art Thou: bring Thou the angels who wake at dawn, who see the light, this day.

10 Thou shonest forth, O God, after former dawns, all visible, O rich in light. Thou art our help in battle-strife, the Friend of man, the great high priest in devotion.

11 Like Manu, we will establish Thee, O God, performer of the rite, Invoker, ministering Priest, exceeding wise, the swift immortal messenger.

12 When as the High Priest of the angels, by many loved, Thou dost their mission as their nearest Friend, then, like the far-resounding billows of the flood, Thy flames, O God, roar aloud.

13 Hear, O Thou who hast ears to hear, with all Thy train of escort angels; let the Friend and the Companion, seeking betimes our rite, seat them upon the sacred grass.

14 Let those who strengthen Law, who bountifully give, the life-tongued angels of the tempest, hear our praise. May the Law-supporting All-Seeing, with the twin angels and Dawn, be gracious.

HYMN XLV. God the Radiant

1 Worship the Vasus, O God, here, the Healers, the Adityas, all who spring from Manu, those who know fair rites, who pour their blessings down.

2 O God, the angels who understand give ear unto the worshipper: Lord of Red Steeds, who lovest song, bring Thou those Three-and-Thirty.

3 O Knower of all that is born, great in act, hearken Thou to Praskanva's call, as Priyamedha erst was heard, Atri, Virupa, Angiras.

4 The sons of Priyamedha skilled in lofty praise have called for help on God who with fulgent flame is Ruler of all holy rites.

5 Hear Thou, invoked with holy oil, bountiful giver of rewards, these eulogies, whereby the sons of Kanva call Thee to their aid.

6 O God loved by many, Thou of fame most wondrous, in their homes men call on Thee whose hair is flame, to be the bearer of their gifts.

7 Thee, O God, best to find out wealth, most widely famous, quick to hear, singers have established in their rites Herald and ministering Priest.

8 Singers have made Thee, O God, hasten to the feast, great light to the mortal worshipper, what time they bring the sacred gift.

9 Good, bounteous, Son of Strength, this day seat here on sacred grass the angels who come at early morn, the host of heaven.

10 Bring with joint invocations Thou, O God, the celestial host: here stands the gift, bounteous ones; take this expressed ere yesterday.

HYMN XLVI. The Angels of Healing (Asvins)

1 Now Morning with her earliest light shines forth, dear Daughter of the Sky: high, O twin angels, I extol your praise.

2 Sons of the Sea, mighty to save, discoverers of riches, ye with deep thought who find out wealth.

3 Your giant coursers hasten on over the region all in flames, when your car flies with winged steeds.

4 He, liberal, lover of the flood, Lord of the House, the vigilant, O Chiefs, with offerings feeds you full.

5 Ye have regard unto our hymns, thinking of our words: partake boldly of the gift.

6 Vouchsafe to us, O twin angels, such strength as, with attendant light, may through the darkness carry us.

7 Come in the ship of these our hymns to bear you to the hither shore: O twin angels, harness ye the car.

8 The heaven's wide vessel is your own; on the flood's shore your chariot waits; drops, with the hymn, have been prepared.

9 Kanvas, the drops are in the heaven; the wealth is at the waters' place: where will ye manifest your form?

10 Light came to lighten up the branch, the Sun appeared as it were gold: and with its tongue shone forth the dark.

11 The path of devotion was made to travel to the farther goal: the road of heaven was manifest.

12 The singer of their praise awaits whatever grace they give.

13 Ye dwellers with the Radiant come, auspicious, as to Manu erst; come to our offering and our praise.

14 O circumambient angels, Dawn follows the brightness of your way: approve with beams our solemn rites.

15 Partake of our offerings, grant protection, O ye twin angels, with aids which none may interrupt.

HYMN XLVII. The Angels of Healing

1 O twin angels, for you who strengthen Law this sweetest gift hath been shed. Take this expressed ere yesterday and give riches to him who offers it.

2 Come, O ye twain, mounted on your triple car three-seated, beautiful of form: to you in devotion the Kanvas send the prayer: graciously listen to their call.

3 O ye who strengthen Law, take ye this sweetest gift. Borne on your wealth-fraught car come ye this day to him who offers, ye of wondrous deeds.

4 Omniscient ones, on the thrice-heaped grass bedew with sweet juice the devotion. The sons of Kanva, striving heavenward, call on you with offerings outpoured.

5 O ye twain, with those aids wherewith ye guarded Kanva carefully, keep us, O Lords of Splendour, ye strengtheners of holy law.

6 O Mighty Ones, ye gave Sudas abundant food, brought on your treasure-laden car; so now vouchsafe to us the wealth which many crave, either from heaven or from the sea.

7 Whether ye be far away or close to Turvasa, borne on your lightly-rolling chariot come to us, together with the sunbeams come.

8 So let your coursers, ornaments of devotion, bring you to our offerings here. Bestowing food on him who acts and gives aright, sit, Chiefs, upon the sacred grass.

9 Come on your car decked with a sunbright canopy, whereon ye ever bring wealth to the worshipper.

10 With lauds and songs of praise we call them down to us, that they, most rich, may succour us; for ye have ever in the Kanvas' well-loved house been welcomed.

HYMN XLVIII. The Dawn, a Sign of God

1 Dawn on us with prosperity, O Dawn, Daughter of the Sky; dawn with great glory, Lady of the Light, dawn with riches, Bounteous One. May God, Lord of the dawn, bless us with it.

2 They, bringing steeds and kine, boon-givers of all wealth, have oft sped forth to lighten us. Waken up for me the sounds of joy: send us the riches of the great.

3 The dawn hath come, and now shall dawn, driver forth of cars, which, as she cometh nigh, have fixed their thought on her, like glory-seekers on the flood.

4 Here Kanva, chief of Kanva's race, sings forth aloud the glories of the heroes' names, the princes who, as the dawn comes near, direct their thoughts to liberal gifts.

5 Like a good matron the dawn comes carefully tending everything: rousing all life she stirs all creatures that have feet, and makes the birds of air fly up.

6 She sends the busy forth, each man to his pursuit: delay she knows not as she springs. O rich in opulence, after thy dawning birds that have flown forth no longer rest.

7 This Dawn hath yoked her steeds afar, beyond the rising of the Sun: borne on a hundred chariots she, auspicious Dawn, advances on her way to men.

8 To meet her glance all living creatures bend them down: excellent One, she makes the light. The Daughter of the Sky, the opulent, shines foes and enmities away.

9 Shine on us with thy radiant light, O Dawn, bringing to us great store of high felicity, and beaming on our solemn rites.

10 For in thee is each living creature's breath and life, when, excellent One, thou dawnest forth. Borne on thy lofty car, O Lady of the Light, hear, thou of wondrous wealth, our call.

11 Win thyself the strength which among men is wonderful. Bring thou thereby the pious unto holy rites, those who as priests sing praise.

12 Bring from the firmament, O Dawn, all that is good, and, being what thou art, vouchsafe us kine and steeds, strength meet for praise and hero might.

13 May the Dawn whose auspicious rays are seen resplendent round about grant us great riches, fair in form, of all good things, wealth which light labour may attain.

14 Mighty One, whom the seers of old time invoked for their protection and their help, graciously answer our songs of praise with bounty and with brilliant light.

15 As thou with light today hast opened the twin doors of heaven, so grant thou us a dwelling wide and free from foes. Give us food with kine.

16 Bring us to wealth abundant, sent in every shape, to plentiful refreshing food, to all-subduing splendour, Mighty One, to strength, thou rich in spoil and wealth.

HYMN XLIX. The Dawn, a Sign of God

1 Even from above the sky's bright realm come, O Dawn, by auspicious ways: let red steeds bear thee to the house of him who pours his gift.

2 The chariot which thou mountest, fair of shape, O Dawn, light to move, therewith, O Daughter of the Sky, aid men of noble fame today.

3 Bright Dawn, when thy times return, all quadrupeds and bipeds stir, and round about flock winged birds from all the boundaries of heaven.

4 Thou dawning with thy beams of light illumest all the radiant realm. Thee, as thou art, the Kanvas, fain for wealth, have called with sacred songs.

HYMN L. The Sun, a Sign of God (Surya)

1 His bright rays bear Him up aloft, the God who knoweth all that lives, the Light-giver, that all may look on Him.

2 The constellations pass away, like thieves, together with their beams, before the all-beholding Sun.

3 His herald rays are seen afar refulgent over the world of men, like flames of fire that burn and blaze.

4 Swift and all beautiful art thou, O Sun, maker of the light, illuming all the radiant realm.

5 Thou goest to the hosts of angels, thou comest hither to mankind, hither all light to be beheld.

6 With that same eye of thine wherewith thou lookest, by the command of the All-Seeing, upon the busy race of men,

7 Traversing sky and wide mid-air, thou metest with thy beams our days, O Sun, seeing all things that have birth.

8 Seven Bay Steeds harnessed to thy car bear thee, O thou far-seeing One, with the radiant hair.

9 The Light-giver hath yoked the pure bright Seven, the daughters of the car; with these, His own dear team, He goeth forth.

10 Looking upon the loftier light above the darkness we have come to the Light-giver, God among the gods, the light that is most excellent.

13 With all His conquering vigour this Aditya hath gone up on high, giving my foe into my hand: let me not be my foeman's prey.

HYMN LI. God the Mighty (Indra)

1 Make glad with songs the Ram whom many men invoke, worthy of songs of praise, the Mighty One, the sea of wealth; whose gracious deeds for men spread like the heavens abroad: sing praise to Him the Sage, most liberal for our good.

2 As aids the skilful craftsmen yearned to the Mighty One, strong to save, who fills mid-air, encompassed round with might, rushing in rapture; and over the Lord of a hundred powers came the gladdening shout that urged Him on to victory.

3 Thou hast disclosed the kine's stall for the Angirases, and made a way for Atri by a hundred doors. On Vimada Thou hast bestowed both food and wealth, making Thy bolt dance in the offerer's fight.

4 Thou hast unclosed the prisons of the waters; Thou hast in the mountain seized the treasure rich in gifts. When Thou hadst slain with might the dragon Vrtra, Thou, O Mighty One, didst raise the Sun in heaven for all to see.

5 With wondrous might Thou blewest enchanter fiends away, with powers celestial those who called on Thee in jest. Thou, hero-hearted, hast broken down Pipru's forts, and helped Rjisvan when the Dasyus were struck dead.

6 Thou savedst Kutsa when Susna was smitten down; to Atithigva gavest Sambara for a prey. Even mighty Arbuda Thou troddest under foot: Thou from of old wast born to strike the Dasyus dead.

7 All power and might is closely gathered up in Thee; Thy bounteous spirit joys in giving. Known is the thunderbolt that lies within Thine arms: rend off therewith all manly prowess of our foe.

8 Discern Thou well the noble and the Dasyus; punishing the lawless give them up to him whose grass is strewn. Be Thou the offerer's strong encourager: all these Thy deeds are my delight at festivals.

9 The Mighty One gives up the lawless to the pious man, destroying by the Strong Ones those who have no strength. Vamra when glorified destroyed the gathered piles of the still waxing great one who would reach the heaven.

10 The might which Usana hath formed for Thee with might rends in its greatness and with strength both worlds apart. O Hero-souled, the steeds of the wind, yoked by thought, have carried Thee to fame while Thou art filled with power.

11 When the Mighty One hath rejoiced with Kavya Usana, He mounts His steeds who swerve wider and wider yet. The Strong hath loosed His bolt with the swift rush of rain, and He hath rent in pieces Susna's firm-built forts.

12 Thou mountest on Thy car amid strong draughts: Saryata brought Thee those in which Thou hast delight. O Mighty One, when Thou art pleased with men who give, Thou risest to unchallenged glory in the sky.

13 To old Kaksivin, skilled in song, O Mighty One, Thou didst give the youthful Vrcaya. Thou, very wise, wast Mena, Vrsanaiva's child: those deeds of Thine must all be told at festivals.

14 The good man's refuge in his need is the Mighty One, firm as a doorpost, praised among the Pajras. The Mighty One alone is Lord of wealth, the Giver, lover of riches, chariots, kine, and horses.

15 To Him the Mighty One, the self-resplendent, verily strong and great, this praise is uttered. May we and all the heroes, with the princes, be, in this fray, O Mighty One, in Thy keeping.

HYMN LII. God the Mighty (Indra)

1 I glorify the Ram who finds the light of heaven, whose hundred nobly-natured ones go forth with Him. With hymns may I turn hither the Mighty One to mine aid, the Car which like a strong steed hasteth to the call.

2 Like as a mountain on firm basis, unremoved, He, thousandfold protector, waxed in mighty strength, when the Mighty One, joying in the draughts, forced the clouds, slaying Vrtra, stayer of their flow.

3 For He stays even the stayers, spread over the laden cloud, rooted in light, strengthened in rapture by the wise. The Mighty One with thought, with skilled activity, I call, most liberal giver.