2.1 Thou art a black-buck dwelling in the covert. I sprinkle thee, pleasing to God the Radiant.

Thou art the altar. Thee, welcome to the sacred grass, I sprinkle.

Thou art the sacred covering-grass. I sprinkle thee, grateful to the sacrificial ladles.

2.2 Thou art what giveth the earth her moisture. Thou art the hair-tuft on the head of the sacrifice. I spread thee, wool-soft, good to sit upon.

Hail to the Lord of the Earth! Hail to the Lord of the Worlds! Hail to the Lord of all Beings!

2.3 For the safety of this all let the angel Visvavasu lay thee round as a protection. Thou art the guard of the one who offers, thou, O Radiant One, lauded and worthy to receive laudation.

Strong right arm art thou. For safety, laudation.

For the safety of this All, with firm law, northward let God the Friend and All-Seeing lay thee round as keeper. Thou art the guard of the one who offers: laudation.

2.4 Thee, O Sage, who bearest the offering, we will enkindle till thou shinest brightly, thee mighty in the sacrifice, O God the Radiant.

2.5 Thou art a kindler. From the east let the sun, a sign of God, keep thee secure from every curse.

You are the arms of the Light-giver. I spread thee as soft as wool, good to sit upon. On thee be seated the Vasus, the Rudras, and the Adityas!

2.6 Thou who art called Juhu art rich in fatness. On this dear seat with the dear home, be seated.

Thou, Upabhrit by name, art rich in fatness. On this, be seated.

Thou who art called Dhruva, art rich in fatness. On this, be seated.

In the lap of the Law they have sat down in safety.

Guard these. Guard thou the sacrifice, O All-Pervading God. Keep the lord of the sacrifice in safety.

2.7 O Radiant One, winner of the spoil, I cleanse thee, thee who wilt hasten to the spoil, winner of the spoil.

Glory to God! Be both of you easy for me to handle.

2.8 May I to-day offer unspilt butter for God's sake. Let me not with my foot offend thee, O sacrifice.

O God the Radiant, may I approach Thy shelter, abounding in store of riches. Thou art the abode of the sacrifice.

Hence God the Mighty wrought His deed of power. The sacrifice stood firmly elevated.

2.9 O God the Radiant, undertake the invoker's office, take on thyself the duty of an envoy.

Heaven and Earth guard thee! Guard thou earth and heaven.

May God the Mighty accept this presented butter and make our offering fair. Hail! Let light combine with light.

2.10 O Mighty God, bestow on me that power! May wealth in full abundance gather round us. Let blessings wait on us, yea, real blessings.

The earth has been invited hither. May the earth in return invite us. By my kindling I bring forth the flame. Hail!

2.11 Heaven has been invited hither. May heaven in return invite us.

By the impulse of God the Light-giver I receive thee with the arms of the angels, with the hands of the Nourisher. I partake of thee with the mouth of the flame.

2.12 O God the Light-giver, this sacrifice of Thine they have proclaimed unto Brihaspati, the Brahman priest.

Therefore protect the sacrifice, protect the lord of the sacrifice, protect thou me.

2.13 May the butter's rapid flow delight his spirit! May Brihaspati extend this act of worship. May he restore the sacrifice uninjured. Here let all rejoice. Om! Step thou forward.

2.14 This is the stick for kindling thee, O God the Radiant. By means of this grow strong and swell to greatness. May we too grow in strength and swell to greatness.

O Radiant One, thou who winnest food, I cleanse thee, thee who hast hastened to the food, food-winner.

2.15 After the victory of God the Radiant and Bountiful may I obtain the victory.

By impulse of sacrificial food I speed me onward.

May God drive off the enemy of truth. By impulse of sacrificial food away I drive him.

After the victory of God the Mighty and Radiant may I obtain the victory.

By impulse of sacrificial food I speed me forward.

May God the Mighty and Radiant drive off the enemy of truth. By impulse of sacrificial food away I drive him.

2.16 For the Vasus thee. For the Rudras thee. Thee for the Adityas.

Be, Heaven and Earth, accordant with each other. With rain may God the Friend and All-Seeing assist thee.

May the birds go, licking what is anointed. Go to the speckled mares of the Maruts. Go, having become a speckled cow thyself, to heaven, and from that place bring the rain for us hither.

Thou art the eye's guard: guard mine eye, O God the Radiant.

2.17 The stick which was laid round the fire what time the niggardly kept it hidden, this do I bring to thee for thine enjoyment. May it remain with thee and ne'er be fruitless.

Approach, ye two, the place which the Radiant One loves.

2.18 Let the residue be your portion, mighty by food, ye who are stationed on the grass-bunch, and to be laid as fences.

All ye, approving this my speech, be seated on this grass-bunch and there be joyful. Hail! Vat!

2.19 Rich in oil are ye. Guard the two yoke-fellows. Ye two are full of grace, to grace conduct me.

Glory be to God, and increase! Stand firm in my auspicious, righteous worship.

2.20 O God of unweakened strength, far-reaching, protect me from the lightning-flash, protect me from bondage, from defect in sacrificing; from food injurious to health protect me.

Make thou the food that feeds us free from poison, in the home good to sit in. Hail! Vat!

Hail to God, Lord of loving union! Hail to eloquence, enriched with glory!

2.21 Knowledge art thou, whereby, O noble Knowledge, thou hast become for the angels their knowledge: thereby mayst thou become for me a knowledge.

O angels, ye knowers of the Pathway, walk on the pathway, having known the Pathway.

O God, Lord of the Spirit, hail! Bestow upon the wind this sacrifice.

2.22 Blest be the Grass with sacred food and butter. Let God the Mighty be gracious, with the Adityas, the Vasus, the Maruts, and all the angels. Let offerings rise to the heavenly ether.

2.23 Who liberates thee from the yoke? He frees thee. For whom? For him He looses thee. For plenty.

2.24 We have combined with lustre, vigour, bodies; we have united with the blessed spirit. May God the Fashioner, bounteous giver, grant us riches, and clear each fault and blemish from the body.

2.25 By the Jagati metre the dominion of God the All-Pervading extended through the sky. Therefrom is excluded the man who is hostile to the truth.

By the Trishtup metre His dominion extended through the air. Therefrom is excluded the man who is hostile to the truth.

By the Gayatri metre His dominion extended upon the earth. Therefrom is excluded the man who is hostile to the truth.

From this food. From this resting-place excluded.

We have reached heaven. We have combined with lustre.

2.26 Thou art the noblest ray of light, a sign of God. Giver of splendour art thou. Give me splendour.

I move along the path that the sun travels.

2.27 O God, Master of the home, may I become a good householder through Thee. May I be an excellent master of my house, O God.

Through a hundred winters may our household matters, not like a one-ox car, be smoothly managed.

I move along the path that the sun travels.

2.28 I have performed the vow, O Lord of Vows! Full power was mine, and it has proved successful.

Now am I a man, as I truly am, no other.

2.29 Hail to God the Radiant, who bears the gifts due to the wise! Hail to the Bountiful!

Expelled are the rebels and fiends who sat upon the covering grass.

2.30 The rebels, attracted by oblation, who roam at will assuming varied figures, from this our world may God drive them, whether they clothe themselves in large or little bodies.

2.33 O God, bestow on me a child, a boy garlanded with lotuses, so that there may be here a man.