Kāṇḍa 6

6.1.1 That was the foremost among the worlds from which was born the Fierce One, blazing with virile might; born forthwith, he shatters enemies; all the helpers exult after him.

6.1.2 Swelling with power, abounding in strength, he places fear in the slave-foe; both the unclad and the clad bow down to thee, the champion, at the gift-offerings in the festal joys.

6.1.3 All helpers mix their will in thee when these come twice and thrice together. Sweeter than the sweet, blend that sweet one together; truly that honey — do thou cleave to it with honey.

6.1.4 For thus, as the winner of riches, the sages extol thee in battle after battle. More mighty, O Bold One, extend thyself firmly; may the ill-intentioned sorcerers not deceive thee.

6.1.5 Through thee we have prevailed in battles, beholding many things worthy of war. With my words I urge thy weapons forward; with sacred speech I strengthen thy pinions.

6.1.6 May I praise him of many forms, the Skilled One, the mightiest, the child of the Āptyas, lord among the Āptyas; with his strength he makes the seven rivers appear, overcoming multitudes of counterparts.

6.1.7 Thou dost establish both the nearer and the farther, him in whose dwelling thou hast protected with thy help; thou dost make the two swift-moving Mothers stand firm, and from there thou accomplishest manifold deeds.

6.1.8 These prayers Bṛhaddiva, the foremost, the sun-seeker, proclaims as might for Indra; the self-sovereign dwells in the great enclosure and has opened wide all his own doors.

6.1.9 Thus did Bṛhaddiva Atharvan, the great one, declare Indra himself to be his own body; the sisterly winds of Mātariśvan, stainless, both urge him on and increase him with strength.

6.2.1 Prospering, of exhilarating origin, radiant in manifestation, with immortal breath, nobly born, growing; with breath undeceived, shining — like a serpent Trita has upheld the three.

6.2.2 He who first settled in the ordinance — from thence he fashions manifold forms; the nourishing one first entered the womb, he who has heeded the unuttered word.

6.2.3 He whose heat poured forth from thy body, dripping gold, pure, following their own nature — here thou dost hold the immortal names; the robes, O master, are set in motion for us.

6.2.4 When these have proclaimed the ancient foremost thing, standing seat by seat on that which ages not — the Sage, as the two Mothers of vitality lick him, has measured the kinsman-bride's form as counterpart.

6.2.5 That great and broad ruling power — the Sage has fashioned it with his wisdom, O Yama, in reverence; when the converging ones press toward the earth, then the great wheel of obstruction has grown.

6.2.6 The seven sages have fashioned the seven bounds; towards one of them the sinful one has gone; yet thou who art immortal in breath, encompassed, advancing, O Asura, attained, goest along by thine own power.

6.2.7 The eldest life sets down its treasures, or the Sage, the giver, is attended by vigour; or when a son urges the kingly power against his parents, calling the eldest bound with blessing.

6.2.8 Look now upon those, O Varuṇa, who have turned back again at thy sacrifice; thou dost fashion forms — thou fillest one half with the other's power, and with half thou increasest thy vigour, O Unwildering.

6.2.9 We have magnified the powerful friend, Varuṇa the vigorous son of Aditi; we have spoken for him the words proclaimed by the Sage, to the two Worlds truthful in speech.

6.3.1 Who drove you forth from behind? Who dug out the paths in front, when you, the Waters urged on by Varuṇa, came hurrying?

6.3.2 Prajāpati released you; he dug out the paths in front; and he in turn released us from behind — released by him, we flow.

6.3.3 The purifying Waters flow in many ways, through all these worlds and through all the regions; may they purify us from sin and blame; may they release us from the lap of death and dissolution.

6.3.4 May the Waters, our mothers, refine us; may the clarified-butter purifiers purify us with ghee; for the divine ones carry away all defilement — from them indeed I come forth pure, cleansed.

6.3.5 The divine Waters, our mothers, intent on refining, dripping with ghee, have mingled together with honey; may those bright ones, the divine ones, bestow on us the whole span of life by night and by day.

6.3.6 Most watery of waters, most wealthy of the wealthy ones — may the Waters purify; may they purify us.

6.3.7 You, O Waters, hold the glory of heroes; you refine the pure ones; your great directions, the sub-regions separate, flow in motion.

6.3.8 You are the womb of Mitra and Varuṇa; you are the sweetest milk-cows of Soma; the god Indu takes up his dwelling in you, O divine ones; O Waters, gladden the brahman power and the kṣatra power.

6.3.9 Continually prevailing through these, we go pursuing the appeasers; the Waters are the refiners of all — those which the gods gave to Manu.

6.3.10 When they flow, the Waters purify; when they stand still, they become purely clean; I have found no blame in them, no defilement — from of old they have been mingled together with honey.

6.3.11 Golden-hued, pure, purifying, the Waters have strode forward, having cast away blame; a hundred of you, O divine ones, and a thousand purifying filters purify at the outpourings.

6.3.12 Such as they are, life-bestowing, they refine the brahman whose toes they touch, worthy of praise; those who make everything pure, who do not pass away — like cows, well-born, you stand with milk.

6.3.13 Release us from all defilements, O rivers, from whatever sins we have committed with our bodies; directed by Indra, urged on by Varuṇa, pour in honey, O Waters, into the ocean.

6.4.1 Night is your mother, the Sky your father, Aryamā is your grandfather. Śilācī indeed is your name; you are the sister of the gods.

6.4.2 Whoever drinks you lives; you protect the man. You are the upholder of the eternal ones, and the binder of the eternal ones.

6.4.3 Whatever has been done by a staff, or by an arrow, or by a wound with burning heat — for that you are the healer; Niṣkṛti indeed is your name.

6.4.4 Auspiciously you abide on the plakṣa, on the aśvattha, on the khadira, on the dhava; auspiciously on the nyagrodha tree. Come to us, O Arundhatī!

6.4.5 Tree by tree you climb, like a maiden in her ardour. Victorious, standing firm against all, Saṃjayā indeed is your name.

6.4.6 O golden-hued young one, vigorous, with a hairy flank — O Lākṣā, you are the sister of the waters; the wind has become your very breath.

6.4.7 O golden-armed, blessed one, of the sun's colour, most beautiful in form — the expiation goes where it must go; expiate this man here.

6.4.8 Ghṛtācī by name is the illegitimate child; Ajababhru is your father. You are the blood of that dark horse of Yama — so are you infused.

6.4.9 Fallen together from the blood of the horse, she has clung to the leaf. You are a flowing, winged one; come to us, O Arundhatī!

6.4.10 O Ghṛtācikā, who rides the wind-chariot, whose wings are lightning, O Arundhatī — you go most readily to the afflicted; verily you shall carry him away from pain.

6.4.11 Whatever of you has been consumed by the Piśācas, let that swell up again for you. May Lākṣā, the all-healer, protect you together with the gods.

6.5.1 As Heaven and Earth do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.2 As Wind and the Atmosphere do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.3 As the Sun and the Moon do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.4 As Day and Night do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.5 As the cow and the bull do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.6 As Mitra and Varuṇa do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.7 As the brahman and the kṣatra do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.8 As Indra and his sovereign power do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.9 As the hero and heroic might do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.10 As the in-breath and the out-breath do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.11 As Death and Immortality do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.12 As Truth and Untruth do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.5.13 As what has been and what shall be do not fear and do not perish, even so, O my in-breath, do not fear; O my out-breath, do not fail.

6.6.1 Honey-sweet is my going forth, honey-sweet is my going onward; may I speak with a honey-sweet voice; may my two eyes be honeyed in appearance.

6.6.2 He who stretches out toward me, who has fallen at my feet — and he who has come back again to me — may his two eyes wither with longing.

6.6.3 A barren cow is your mother, O Madhu-substance; a potent bull-ox is your father. You are born from a milch-cow; being a king, you are most laden with sweetness.

6.6.4 The bull-like one possessed of virile power, soma-backed, dwelling in the sky — Indrāṇī brought forward the honey-substance first of all, for the sake of good fortune.

6.6.5 The honey-substance that feeds on food, the one with a dry mouth — for the heart, indeed. May it anoint me with sweetness, so that I may obtain what I desire.

6.6.6 The honey-substance, born of the river, is led among people like a horse. May it anoint me with sweetness, so that I may obtain what I desire.

6.6.7 May sweet Sinīvālī sprinkle me together with sweetness. May she anoint me with sweetness, so that I may obtain what I desire.

6.6.8 Just as the bees anoint honey upon honey, so do I anoint your mind upon this body of mine.

6.6.9 Whatever of your mind has gone away, whatever is bound here or elsewhere — that I turn back to you; within me I bind your mind.

6.7.1 Kaśyapa and Suparṇa both stood in the Marīci; Suparṇa looked about and saw the earth enveloped in the ocean.

6.7.2 That earth which Suparṇa beheld sunken within the great flood — thee, O Sūkara, by thy wizardry thou didst lift up thrice from the ocean.

6.7.3 This earth which thou, O Sūkara, didst bring up from the ocean by thy wizardry — she is the corrupter of poison; let her be the remedy for this one.

6.7.4 She who, unshaken, stands upon the truth, clad in gold — from her, the all-sustaining, I draw forth the poison-destroyer.

6.7.5 She of whom one says: "whose nest is this" — [so is she named by one who knows].

6.7.6 She of whose earth the crickets make a home for themselves — from her, the all-sustaining, I draw forth the poison-destroyer.

6.7.7 He who found thee, O Earth; he who lifted thee up, O Earth — I have seized upon the names of those two, O thou of a thousand streams.

6.7.8 The names which Indra the Vṛtra-slayer made for thee, O Earth — those names of thine, O tawny one, we know them fully; be thou the destroyer of poison!

6.7.9 Those that the Maruts fashioned for thee, those that the seven seers know, that which all the Ādityāḥ know — that Earth is the destroyer of poison.

6.8.1 Overpower the yātudhānas, overpower the yātudhānīs; overpower all the rākṣasas — thou art the overpowering one, O herb.

6.8.2 O overpowering one, O ever-victorious one — vanquishing, I am the superior. Moreover I am the conqueror; I, together with the ever-following ones, have conquered you.

6.8.3 Thou who movest as the overpowering one, like a bull that has conquered — destroyer of sadānvāḥ, destroyer of rākṣasas: thou, O herb, art terrible.

6.8.4 O Khelā with drooping breasts — flee hence, fly away from here! A head with horns like a bull here has not missed thee.

6.8.5 O thou of no pressing, O thou of many sons, O thou with no entrails, O great-bellied one — depart quickly from us along the road, O gravel-devourer, roam on!

6.8.6 Those misers who roam seeking the pressing of the fool — upon them, O Agni of the black track, sharp-horned, go goring!

6.8.7 That piece of wood which floats in the midst of the river, uninhabited by any person — grasp hold of that, O malevolent one, and go yonder beyond.

6.8.8 She whose birth-place the desired ones have traversed — the unseen worms, the scorching insects — to her, the consort of Balāsa, to the kuṣṭha-afflicting one, I make obeisance.

6.8.9 O daughter of Śarva, O wife of Bhava, O sister of the yātu-demons, O ever-following one — feed upon her sons and brothers there where we conduct thee.

6.9.1 This soma-stalk is pressed for the bull; for the bull it is taken up, fierce for the one who beholds men. The divine, manly one has cried aloud — great is the name of the bull, for such is his hump.

6.9.2 Be thou the equinox, O Viṣṇu — thou who art the lord of men for me. Moreover, even as Indra among the gods, let him proclaim himself among the peoples.

6.9.3 Let him proclaim himself among men, in concert with Indra the ally; and may Agni Vaiśvānara, the overcomer, confer upon thee the kingdom.

6.9.4 He whose share — this bull — is led around for Indra: let him smite enemies on the approach, and let him smite them on the departure.

6.9.5 Let him be the slayer of the enemy, the slayer of those who rage; let him be the leader of the clans, going at the fore among those who break forth.

6.9.6 Make this bull of Indra long-lived, full of brilliance, and also the overlord of the clans, the master of this earth.

6.9.7 He who is of fine horns, of fine hump, auspicious — he has seated himself upon the sacrificial grass; with the bull born of farmer-folk we offer worship.

6.9.8 Offering worship with the bull, as if with gentle ghee, we overcome with Indra all scorners and all battle-hosts.

6.9.9 The bull which the gods gave thee as thy exclusive share — with him strike down the Vṛtra-foes and smite the enemies in battle.

6.9.10 Smite the enemies, thrust aside the scorners — thou art arisen, endowed with virile power. We lead thee around as Indra's share; let our world be wide, free from adversaries.

6.9.11 O thou grown great with ghee, fed with ghee, of a thousand horns, well praised — O thou invoked with ghee, blaze forth!

6.9.12 Thou who, anointed with ghee, dost stand fierce for victory — do thou carry us through the straits and through the overpowering of battle-hosts.

6.10.1 The karkī cow, blessed and fortunate, wife of the bull, desirous of offspring, obedient, lowing — she who is in-calf and moves in season: a single donor gives her as one among a thousand.

6.10.2 She who bears the embryo and yields milk, she who, as the cow of all the gods (vaiśvadevī), is milked for the agnihotra — may that cow not harm us; she is the spouse of Varuṇa.

6.10.3 Toward the womb of the karkī cow the bulls move in one accord, eager to beget offspring. May she come to us as Aditi of all forms; the worlds cry out to her.

6.10.4 Sent forth by Prajāpati, full of seasonable vigor, the bulls resort to her for offspring. Let the virile bulls, bellowing, press upon her as she lows in desire — the seven-named lowing cow.

6.10.5 She was seen facing the dawn, golden in hue, clothed in the bright garment of Varuṇa, bringing the oblation as the cow of all gods — may the lord of cattle prosper the offspring for your giver.

6.10.6 Self-standing, O lowing cow, you stand firm for the bull, facing Soma, Sūrya, and Agni. Come to me without harm, O lowing one; may the lord of cattle prosper the livestock for your giver.

6.10.7 Prosperous shall the giver be — he who gives the radiant cow as Agni's share; the winning steeds shall stimulate you, O prize-bearing one, in your dear abode, the heart, sweet with Soma.

6.10.8 I render homage while receiving her — to that fire which dwells within the lowing cow, and to the manly greatness and might that has arisen in her. May she be pleasant and gracious to my person.

6.10.9 The lowing cow has come; we receive her — the cow of nourishment together with the troop of males. Bearing strength and yielding ghee, may she bring thousandfold prosperity for my giver.

6.11.2 Those first deeds which you performed without being reached — let them not harm our heroes here. That which is yours I place before you.

6.11.3 Those who were born beyond the ancient measure, possessed of renown, partakers of benevolence — the eyeless, the deaf have stumbled and laughed; the wicked do not cross the path of ṛta.

6.11.4 Toward the thousand-streamed one, the honey-tongued, the unwearied ones sang out together at the vault of heaven. His spies, the vigilant, never close their eyes; at every step let the snare-layers stand as a barrier.

6.11.5 Indeed, run forward all around for the winning of prizes; conquer on all sides the obstacles. You follow that ocean of the sky in its flow — you are called Sanisras, the thirteenth month.

6.11.6 You are Indra's house, you are Indra's shelter, you are Indra's armor, you are Indra's protection. Drive away with this, ward off with this, send away with this that adversary yonder — svāhā!

6.11.7 O Agni and Soma, of sharp weapons, of sharp missiles, most gracious — be kind to us here. Release us, who are seized, from blame; take pleasure in the sacrifice; bestow immortality upon us — svāhā!

6.11.8 You are the snare of the eye, the snare of the mind, the snare of brahman; you are anger-upon-anger. Let those who seek to injure us be without anger toward us — svāhā!

6.11.9 Whoever has assailed us with harmful intent — by eye, by mind, by speech, by design, by thought, by brahman-power — him, O Agni, turn into anger-upon-anger — svāhā!

6.11.10 Raise up life-force, raise up glory, raise up strength; raise up mental power, vital force, and manly might — bestow these upon us — svāhā!

6.12.1 You two are makers of life, you are full of life-force, possessed of svadhā; be my guardians, protect me. Abide in my self, be gracious to my person, do not harm me — svāhā!

6.12.2 You are Indra's house, you are Indra's shelter, you are Indra's armor, you are Indra's protection. Into you I enter — whole in every limb, whole in my entire self, completely uttered, fully a person — together with all that is mine.

6.12.3 I am he whose name is 'the Unscattered'; I surrender my self to Heaven and Earth. You are invoked for protection.

6.12.4 The divine thirteenth month, offspring of Prajāpati, bears the name 'the Unscattered.' Completely utterred, fully a person — I have gone forward to the divine citadels.

6.12.5 I have gone into the divine citadels — together with the community, for well-being — from the middle of the year, together with all my brothers.

6.12.6 I have gone forward to the divine citadels, being exactly who I am. Whoever assails me, let him reach Prajāpati.

6.12.7 You are stone, a watchful sentinel — guard me from injury, guard me from enmity. Guard me from divine imprecation; guard my person here.

6.12.8 Whoever has assailed us with harmful intent from the eastern quarter — let him meet this; may our armor of stone stand firm.

6.12.9 [Lacunose: parallel verse for the southern quarter — as above, 'Whoever has assailed us with harmful intent from the southern quarter — let him meet this; may our armor of stone stand firm.']

6.12.10 [Lacunose: parallel verse for the western quarter — as above, 'Whoever has assailed us with harmful intent from the western quarter — let him meet this; may our armor of stone stand firm.']

6.13.3 Whoever, bearing evil intent, should assail us from the upward direction — may he meet that; let the armour of stone be ours.

6.13.4 Svāhā to the eastern direction.

6.13.5 Svāhā to the southern direction.

6.13.6 Svāhā to the western direction.

6.13.7 Svāhā to the northern direction.

6.13.8 Svāhā to the fixed (nadir) direction.

6.13.9 Svāhā to the upward direction.

6.13.10 Svāhā to heaven.

6.13.11 Svāhā to the atmosphere.

6.13.12 Svāhā to the earth.

6.13.13 Svāhā to the earth.

6.13.14 Svāhā to the atmosphere.

6.13.15 Svāhā to heaven.

6.14.1 The great-throated one, born of dung, the belly-devourer, the unworshipped one; Oṣṭha, Kokamukha — these and whoever else they are, from here we drive them away.

6.14.2 Rāmadanta, Avadala, Prahāla, Ahināsika; Upavarta, Balāhaka, Khela, Gardabhanādina, the vulture-one, Hastyāyana — these [from here we drive away].

6.14.3 Pramṛśyādina, Abhyama, Bhīmahasta, Marīmṛśa; Trastākṣa, Mṛdvaṅguli, Nakhogra, Dantavīrya — these [from here we drive away].

6.14.4 Paryanya, Abhipāpada, the form-taking one who ever seeks to conquer; and also Śalalya, Śevala — these [from here we drive away].

6.14.5 Taṇḍa, Agretuṇḍika, Aliṃśa, and also Vatsapa; Dāmagranthi, Sanisrasa, the forest-dweller, the skin-dweller — these [from here we drive away].

6.14.6 This Jānukeśava, this demon that roams about — the āsura who seeks what has been sent forth — along with Aṃsū, Pāṃsyu, the hairy ones (Keśyāḥ), the stealers (Arāyāḥ), the dog-squeakers (Śvakiṣkiṇaḥ) — these from here we drive away.

6.14.7 The dāsa, the āsura, who devours the young children of people; Arāya, Keśin, Aghala — the one who strikes down and devours human beings — him from here we drive away.

6.14.8 The house-haunter named Hirākṣa, the slayer of the well-formed named Arāya — him from here we drive away.

6.14.9 Vitūla, Bhasva, Ākhida, Vanakrośa, Roruha; Āmāda, Prayutaiṣaṇa, Paryundāna, Paridrava, the downward-pulling one of the wolf, Gaṅgaṇa — these from here we drive away.

6.15.1 Whatever abundance is yours, whatever increase, whatever vital vigor, whatever essence — those, O Śakra, I take away; they are granted by you, O lord of Śacī.

6.15.2 From field to field I take away all increase, O lord of Śacī; what has been granted by you, O Vṛtrahan, I bring hither to my house.

6.15.3 The portion of the furrow that is in your field, the prosperity and what is scattered there; moreover, the residue that remains in your field — that I have pointed out to myself by the sacred word.

6.15.4 What is on the threshing floor, what is in the granary, what is in the cattle pen, and what is in the treasure hoard; moreover, what lies in the storage jar — of that I take the essence from you.

6.15.5 The vigor of what has been winnowed out for you, the vigor of what has been threshed for you; the vigor of what is being ground for you — the vigor from your ground grain I take.

6.15.6 [The vigor] of what has been winnowed out for you, the vigor of what has been threshed for you; the vigor of what is being cooked for you — the vigor from your cooked [food I take].

6.15.7 The vigor of what has been bound up for you, the vigor of what has been churned for you; the vigor of what is being milked for you — the vigor from your milk I take.

6.15.8 I take from you the vigor of your cows; from your sheep I take the vigor; taking the vigor from your goats — from your single-hoofed animals I take it for myself.

6.15.9 The vigor that is in your people, the vigor in your acquired and known wealth; the vigor of all your households — that I bestow upon myself by the sacred word.

6.16.1 Now I will praise the drink, great in ordinance, mighty in strength — he at whose impelling power Trita, with his might, shattered Vṛtra joint from joint.

6.16.2 O sweet food, O honeyed food, we have chosen thee; be thou our protector.

6.16.3 Come to us, O food, auspicious with auspicious aids; be thou a fount of joy, free from enmity, a friend, most gracious — be such for us.

6.16.4 Thy flavors, O food, are spread abroad through the realms, abiding in heaven like the winds.

6.16.5 Thine are those who give, O food; thine are the sweetest, O food — they who are full of the sweetness of thy flavors rush forward like bulls with mighty necks.

6.16.6 In thee, O food, the mind of the great gods is set; by thine ensign a beautiful act was wrought — he smote the serpent in his lair.

6.16.7 When thou, O food, didst travel to yonder luminous realm of the mountains, there too, O honeyed food, do thou come rightly for our partaking.

6.16.8 What of thee, O Soma, mixed with milk of cows, mixed with barley, we partake of — Vātāpa, be thou fat indeed.

6.16.9 Whatever remnant of waters and of herbs we eat of — [Vātāpa, be thou fat indeed].

6.16.10 O karambha-gruel, be a herb; be fat, O belly, freely moving — Vātāpa, be thou fat indeed.

6.16.11 Thee, O food, we have made to flow sweetly with our hymns as cows their oblation — thee for our communal joy, thee for the communal joy of the gods.

6.17.1 Toward that fair sacrifice thou art invoked for its keeping; come, O Agni, with the Maruts.

6.17.2 No god and no mortal surpasses the greatness of thy will — [come, O Agni, with the Maruts].

6.17.3 They who know the great realm of space, all the gods, free from deceit — [come, O Agni, with the Maruts].

6.17.4 They who are bright, of terrible form, of good dominion, devourers of the adversary — [come, O Agni, with the Maruts].

6.17.5 They who, fierce, have chanted the hymn, irresistible in their might — [come, O Agni, with the Maruts].

6.17.6 They who, divine, are seated in the shining vault upon the sky's surface — [come, O Agni, with the Maruts].

6.17.7 They who shake the mountains across the ocean with their might — [come, O Agni, with the Maruts].

6.17.8 They who stretch out with their rays across the billowing ocean — [come, O Agni, with the Maruts].

6.17.9 I release toward thee the Soma-sweet honey for the first drinking — [come, O Agni, with the Maruts].

6.17.10 Let the Maruts come in their troops, praised; let them bestow wealth upon us — [come, O Agni, with the Maruts].

6.17.11 The Kaṇvas have called to thee; they praise, O inspired one, thy thoughts — come, O Agni, with the Maruts.

6.18.1 May the Maruts pour together upon me, may Pūṣan, may Bṛhaspati; may this Agni pour together upon me with progeny and with wealth — may he make for me a long life-span.

6.18.2 May the Ādityas pour together, may the Agnis pour together upon me; may Indra pour together upon us — [with progeny and with wealth, may he make for me a long life-span].

6.18.3 May the ruddy ones pour together, and the hymns and whatsoever sages; may Pūṣan pour together — [with progeny and with wealth, may he make for me a long life-span].

6.18.4 May the Gandharvas and the Apsarasas pour together; may the divinities pour together upon me; may Bhaga pour together — [with progeny and with wealth, may he make for me a long life-span].

6.18.5 May the earths pour together; may those of heaven pour together upon me; may the atmosphere pour together — [with progeny and with wealth, may he make for me a long life-span].

6.18.6 May the intermediate quarters pour together; may the directions pour together upon me; may the expanse pour together — [with progeny and with wealth, may he make for me a long life-span].

6.18.7 May the rivers pour together; may the sindhu-streams pour together upon me; may the ocean pour together — [with progeny and with wealth, may he make for me a long life-span].

6.18.8 May the ploughed fields pour together; may the herbs pour together upon me; may Soma pour together — [with progeny and with wealth, may he make for me a long life-span].

6.18.9 May the waters pour together upon me; may the rains pour together upon me; may Sarasvatī pour together upon us with progeny and with wealth — may she make for me a long life-span.

6.19.1 May Bhaga pour lustre upon me, O Agni; may Viṣṇu pour nourishment. May Kṣatra drench us with progeny and wealth — may he make me long-lived.

6.19.2 May Virāj pour lustre upon me, O Agni; may Deṣṭrī pour nourishment. May Iḍā drench us with progeny and wealth — may she make me long-lived.

6.19.3 May Dhātā pour lustre upon me, O Agni; may Sikti pour nourishment. May the god Aryamā drench us with progeny and wealth — may he make me long-lived.

6.19.4 May Aṃśa pour lustre upon me, O Agni; may Vāyu pour nourishment. May Vāta drench us with progeny and wealth — may he make me long-lived.

6.19.5 May the assembly-hall (Sabhā) pour lustre upon me, O Agni; may Surā pour nourishment. May Sūryā drench us with progeny and wealth — may she make me long-lived.

6.19.6 May Savitā pour lustre upon me, O Agni; may Sūrya pour nourishment. May the Moon (Candra) drench us with progeny and wealth — may he make me long-lived.

6.19.7 May the cattle pour lustre upon me, O Agni; may sacrifice pour nourishment. May the sacrificial fee (Dakṣiṇā) drench us with progeny and wealth — may she make me long-lived.

6.19.8 May wealth drench me; may vital power drench me. May radiance (tejas) drench us with progeny and wealth — may it make me long-lived.

6.19.9 May the lustres drench me; may the powers of being drench me. May Truth (Satya) drench us with progeny and wealth — may it make me long-lived.

6.20.1 O Night, the earthly dust has been filled by the father's abodes. O vast one, thou art spread across the seats of heaven; the thick darkness rolls on.

6.20.2 Of her whose farther shore is never seen, nor any who departs — all that stirs enters into her. Unharmed, O Night wide and dark, may we reach thy farther shore; O auspicious one, may we reach thy farther shore.

6.20.3 Those watchmen of thine, O Night, who look upon men — ninety and nine they are; eighty-eight, and further thy seventy-seven.

6.20.4 Sixty-six, O bountiful one; fifty-five, O gracious one; four and forty; and three and thirty, O vigorous one.

6.20.5 Two and twenty are thine, O Night; the lowest eleven — with these guardians of thine protect us today, O daughter of heaven.

6.20.6 Protect us! Let no evil-proclaimer hold sway over us; let no ill-intentioned one hold sway over us.

6.20.7 Let no thief of cattle hold sway over us today; let no wolf among the sheep hold sway. Let no robber of horses, O auspicious one, nor sorcerers among men hold sway.

6.20.8 Let the thief, the robber, run away by the farthest paths. Let the toothless rope flow beyond; let the evil-liver stream away beyond.

6.20.9 Make the serpent blind, O Night, stationary like smoke, and headless. Crush the jaws of the wolf; strike down the thief in a stumble.

6.20.10 In thee, O Night, we dwell; we shall sleep — keep watch! Grant us shelter for our cattle, for our horses, for our men.

6.21.1 And what we wear, and what thou encirclest within — all that we surrender to thee.

6.21.2 O Night, O mother, deliver us over to Dawn. May Dawn deliver us over to the Day; O Day, deliver thyself to her, O bright-shining Night.

6.21.3 Whatever flies here, whatever crawls here, whatever walks on feet or has a mouth — from that do thou, O Night, protect us.

6.21.4 She protects from behind; she protects from before; and from above and below. Guard us, O bright-shining one — we are thy praisers here.

6.21.5 Those who attend upon the Night and who keep vigil among living beings, who guard all the cattle — may they keep vigil in our own selves; may they keep vigil over our cattle.

6.21.6 I know thy name, O Night — Ghṛtācī is indeed thy name. Bharadvāja knows thee by that name; as such, watch over us, keep vigil in our possessions.

6.22.1 Brahman is its head, the Bṛhat-sāman its back, Vāmadevya is the belly of the odana-rice; the metres are its wings, truth is its face — the viṣṭārin oblation is born from austerity, a far-spreading sacrifice.

6.22.2 Boneless, pure, cleansed by the wind, radiant — they pass on to radiant worlds. Those who cook the viṣṭārin odana: Jātavedas shall not scorch their organ of generation.

6.22.3 Jātavedas shall not scorch their organ of generation; in the heavenly world abundant womanly pleasures shall be theirs. Yama shall not rob them of their seed.

6.22.4 He sits with Yama, he approaches the gods, he rejoices together with the Soma-intoxicated Gandharvas. Those who cook the viṣṭārin odana — adversity shall not cling to them from any quarter.

6.22.5 Becoming a charioteer, he travels onward in a chariot; becoming a bird, he ascends even to the sky. This sacrifice, spread wide, the most carrying of all — the viṣṭārin, once cooked, has reached heaven.

6.22.6 He gives four jars fourfold, filled with milk, with water, with curds. May these channels flow toward you from every side, swelling with libation in the heavenly world.

6.22.7 Lakes of ghee, banks of honey, of good water, filled with milk, with water, with curds — may these channels flow to you forever, gladdening you with libation in the heavenly world.

6.22.8 The white lotus, the kumuda water-lily, the lotus-fibre, the śālūka water-root, the śaphaka and the mulālī — may the brimming lotus-pools, swelling with libation in the heavenly world, stand ready about me.

6.22.9 The odana I cook with faith — the viṣṭārin, the heaven-winning, the world-conquering — let it not be exhausted for me as it is ever being eaten; may it be for me an all-form wish-milking cow.

6.22.10 Being a bull, together with the sweet truth, milking immortality in the heavenly world — may those who are my sons and my fathers, all of them, sit near you, O viṣṭārin.

6.22.11 He who has spread out these sacrifices, for whose sake these worlds are anointed with libation — milk out immortalities for them, O viṣṭārin: my grandsons and my grandfathers.

6.22.12 Whether you have spread over the earth, or over the atmosphere, or over the sky, or over the divine realm — may my great-grandsons and my great-great-grandfathers recognize you here, O viṣṭārin.

6.22.13 In the heavenly world the Apsarases lie beside them, having become their wives — those who cook the viṣṭārin odana in this world, adorned with the sacrificial gift.

6.23.1 Drive her out, thrust her forth, beyond falling among her own kinsfolk. We make a falling-away for her — let that woman be sundered from her home.

6.23.2 Turn the husband away westward; lead the woman downward and away. Let her pass beyond ten mountains, let her pass beyond ten navigable rivers.

6.23.3 Toward the downward, the southward, toward the inauspicious direction — we make a falling-away for her; with that we burn her away.

6.23.4 Drive her out, drive her from the hole; from the hole make her enter the forest; from the forest make her a stranger among strangers. Set her chasing after wild beasts; make the wind the forelock of her hair.

6.23.5 Her heart and mind we blow into the fore-rush of the wind, into the snot. We make a falling-away for her — a scattering from her clinging to the household.

6.23.6 Let her float about following everything between both heaven and earth, as one unrestrained might wander, like a lock of rain-cloud cotton drifting overhead.

6.23.7 Let the wind blow ill upon her, let the sun scorch her with ill. And whatever food she eats, let that be more poisonous than poison to her.

6.23.8 "Let a lion be before your eyes" — thus the single verse.

6.23.9 This fire between you two — let it throw you both asunder, so that you shall not dwell together even in the furthest span of life.

6.23.10 Make them fly up asunder, O śimidā-plant; make them fly apart asunder, O śimidā — cleave these two householders apart as with a knife through cooked flesh.

6.23.11 Let her not delight in this husband of hers, nor in this her own marriage-bed. Let her abandon her own dwelling as a serpent abandons its worn-out skin.

6.23.12 As the dead and the living are without a common dwelling in this world, so let these two — husband and wife — be without a common dwelling in this world.