Kāṇḍa 13

13.1.1 Concealed for me is the vast mid-air; concealed for me are the mountains and the fires. Let not this sorcery of theirs succeed — I strike them back with the pratisara amulet.

13.1.2 Tapas and toil I place as a double concealment around me; I set the brahma-sacrifice as a concealment within me. […]

13.1.3 May Agni and Soma become a double concealment for me; I make heaven and earth my armour. […]

13.1.4 Concealed for me is the sāman that has been intoned; concealed for me is Parameṣṭhin Prajāpati. […]

13.1.5 Concealed for me is the queen of serpents together with my heroes; concealed for me is the sacrificial man. […]

13.1.6 Concealed for me are the six broad realms arrayed together; concealed for me are the Sādhyas and the Āptyas. […]

13.1.7 Concealed for me are the wise seers; concealed are the Sun and Mātariśvan. […]

13.1.8 Concealed for me are the flowing rivers; concealed for me are the flowering plants. […]

13.1.9 Concealed for me are the tethered cattle; concealed is every bird that flies. […]

13.1.10 Concealed for me are the arrows of the brāhmaṇas; concealed for me are the forest trees with their roots. […]

13.2.1 Concealed before me are the divine couches; concealed for me is the jagatī among the metres. […]

13.2.2 Concealed for me are the twelve oceans; concealed for me are the stars at dawn. […]

13.2.3 Concealed for me are the dhiṣṇya fires; concealed for me are the seasonal rites of the seasons. […]

13.2.4 Concealed for me are the four cardinal directions; I hold within myself both the past and the future. Let not this sorcery of theirs succeed — I strike them back with the pratisara amulet.

13.2.5 I smite the oblation you have made — you who have wrought this dreadful act against me. Both your arms I bind behind your back; I bind shut your mouth.

13.2.6 I bind your two arms; I bind shut your mouth. With the wrath of the god Agni I have slain the oblation of you who wrought this dreadful act against me.

13.3.1 Having risen, Indra wheels his chariot a hundred yojanas; bearing his sharp-edged arrow, he crushes the serpent broods.

13.3.2 Stiff they lay — the serpents slain, those that creep with their bellies — their tails curling up, as a dog gnaws a lump of meat.

13.3.3 Evil one, evil-formed one, why did you sting my companion? You did not see me coming — me, the true antidote to poison.

13.3.4 We move about as crushers of serpents, with scrota drooping like those of bulls. We strike the embrace of the pīlā plant against the spotted snake; we drive it against the post.

13.3.5 All those who have sat here attending to this, dispersed like the wind from here and there — come now, all of you declare: the serpent's venom is without potency!

13.3.6 Threefold is your resting place, O wicked one; three-tufted is your lair. The wind strikes you without cutting you off; it rains upon you without cutting you off.

13.3.7 With the mongoose remedy we crush the serpents. The small tree named māṃścatur — it has made them devoid of venom.

13.3.8 The venom of the dark serpent is without potency, as is that of the light one and of both together. The festering sores of the roaring one — those we drive away from here.

13.3.9 This is what the Paidva herb was born for; this is its turning and unfolding. This roaring creature's venom goes to destruction.

13.3.10 Let the winds blow in all directions; let the rains rain on all sides. Flow forth your venom in all directions, like a cistern with a hundred streams.

13.4.1 From here Indra wheels forth the chariot garlanded with green; upon it he rides, licking as he crushes the brood of the serpent.

13.4.2 With that whereby thou, O Indra, didst smite the Dasyus, with that whereby thou didst crush Vṛtra — with that, O Śatakratu, do thou devour the offspring of the serpent.

13.4.3 The earth exulted in response, heaven responded, the sun responded, when Paidva, the horse-born one, with his cry swept away the serpents.

13.4.4 When Paidva, the horse-born one, swept away the serpents with his cry, they lay along the earth like ropes with their fangs bitten off, festering.

13.4.5 The waters do not decay, nor does immortality wane, nor did Indrāṇī become a widow — let the poison not cleave to thee, as an arrow to a stone.

13.4.6 Indra and Agni, Mitra and Varuṇa, Tvaṣṭṛ, Aditi, and Bhaga — I invoke the swift Paidva: may this man of mine come to no harm.

13.4.7 Born straightway, he neighed and shook off the caul; by the cry of the victorious horse the serpents were slain one by one.

13.5.1 This hymn of praise to the worthy Jātavedas we fashion together with devotion, as a chariot; for his guidance over us is auspicious. O Agni, may we never suffer harm in thy friendship.

13.5.2 He for whom thou dost procure by sacrifice prospers; unhindered he dwells, acquiring excellent manly strength; he hastens onward — no affliction reaches him. O Agni…

13.5.3 We bring fuel; we prepare oblations for thee, attending upon thee season by season. O Agni, guide our thoughts further along the way of living…

13.5.4 May we be able to kindle thee; may we direct our thoughts aright — in thee the gods eat the oblation poured out. Do thou bring hither the Ādityas, for thou art their heat, O Agni…

13.5.5 Thou art the Adhvaryu and the ancient Hotṛ; the Praśāstṛ, the Potṛ; by birth the Purohita. Wise one, knowing all priestly offices, thou dost fulfill them, O Agni…

13.5.6 As guardian of the quarters the creatures move about — both the bipeds and the quadrupeds — through the nights. Thou art the brilliant intelligence of the Dawn, the great one, O Agni…

13.5.7 Thou who art of fair aspect on all sides and of like appearance, even when far away thou blazest forth like lightning. Even through the darkness of night dost thou see, O divine Agni…

13.5.8 May the chariot of the one who presses soma be foremost among the gods; may our praise be hard to overcome. Know this, and cherish our words, O Agni…

13.5.9 With thy weapons smite away those of evil speech, hard to overcome; whosoever are devourers, whether far or near. Then make an easy path for the sacrificer who sings thy praise, O Agni…

13.5.10 When thou dost yoke the ruddy red steeds to thy chariot, wind-driven — thy roar is like that of a bull; then thou dost impel the forests with thy smoke-banner, O Agni…

13.6.1 Even birds were afraid at thy roar, when thy sparks that feed on grass scattered abroad. Let there be an easy road for thy chariots, O Agni…

13.6.2 Thou dost sustain the will of Mitra and Varuṇa; the wrath of the Maruts — wondrous — is turned away. Be gracious to us; may their mind return in favor, O Agni…

13.6.3 Thou art the divine Mitra of the gods, wondrous; the dear Vasu of the Vasus at the sacrifice. May we dwell in thy most wide-spreading protection, O Agni…

13.6.4 That is thy good gift: kindled in thine own house, fed with soma, most gracious to old age — thou dost bestow treasure and wealth upon the pious offerer. O Agni, may we never suffer harm in thy friendship.

13.6.5 He to whom thou hast given rich wealth, O giver of goodly goods — sinless thou, O Aditi, in thy wholeness — him whom thou dost urge on with thy auspicious might: may we be possessed of offspring and of thy bounty.

13.6.6 Do thou, O Agni, knowing the way of good fortune, extend here the life of us, O divine one. May Mitra and Varuṇa grant us that, and Aditi, Sindhu, Earth, and Heaven.

13.7.1 What is the garment of Indra, what of Agni, what the raiment of Viṣṇu, of Tvaṣṭṛ, of Varuṇa? What of Bṛhaspati and of King Soma — clad in what shall the Maruts let the rain fall?

13.7.2 What are the elements of Rudra? What is the great garment of Vāyu, of the swift ones? What do Pūṣan, Brahmaṇaspati, and all the gods bear and sustain?

13.7.3 What is the common garment of the gods, wherein their harmony was established? Where does Night settle to rest, and where does Day — where does this cloud that gathers and disperses come to be?

13.7.4 By what means do the waters bear up the sky? Who is the guide that leads with equal rising? Of the wind, of the lightnings, of the thunderer — I ask of thee the paths of the waters and of Agni.

13.7.5 I ask thee of Pṛṣatī and of Rohiṇī; I ask thee of the calf together with its mother. I ask thee directly of Indra, and of the lord of assemblies among the assemblies.

13.7.6 Who assigned the names of birds, who of cattle, who of serpents among those who were the divine folk? Who bestowed the name upon this living creature — declare that to us.

13.7.7 How many ascents cause one to mount to the light, by which the Rohita mounted to heaven — bearers of kingship, bearers of dominion, bearers of riches, givers of riches, those for whom grain is wealth?

13.7.8 Who strides forth fourfold in his greatness? Whom do the seers guard with unwearied vigilance? I ask thee directly of the Puruṣa — how many are the limbs of Death? Dost thou know them?

13.7.9 That thunderbolt which the bull of all peoples, Indra, fashioned, rivalling the serpents — wherewith the bounteous one crushed Vṛtra — declare that to us, if indeed thou knowest it.

13.7.10 Who assigned the names of mountains, who bestowed the names of forest lords and plants? I ask thee of the navel of the world; I ask thee of the cow — which ones directly?

13.8.1 The divine couches, the divine treasuries — where are they here? Declare them to us if thou knowest them. I ask thee how many are the altars of oblation, from which Agni, the immortal, knowing it, carries the offering poured by mortals on behalf of mortals.

13.8.2 He who in dream comes alone with darkness, seizing the limbs and the eye of a man — he departs at dawn with the darkness again; he goes toward the light — where, tell me, does he settle?

13.8.3 The lord of vows, the overlord, the maker of sweetness, the lord of honey — I ask thee of all the gods; and those who feed on the unoffered oblation — how many are they?

13.8.4 Who gazes round upon this from the mid-air, from whom at first vital power arose? That great one — from whom did he fear, becoming fearless? From the corner of whose mouth, when yoked, did blood flow forth? Where indeed is that?

13.8.5 Thus some go forth, and thus some others — southward, westward, northward, eastward some advance. The meeting point of all of them here together — he, having become one, moves about knowing all.

13.9.1 A mote of light there was; it came together out of the mind. It spread abroad; it held an embryo. That embryo grew; grown, it said: "Wife!" To her Prajāpati offered oblation, saying "Thou who art firmly established" and "Thou who movest firmly." Prajāpati fashioned two bowls: "Part asunder; do not scorch me — looking upon the great world" — and from them he was born. Of that one born, Heaven-and-Earth were the two flanks, the two oceans were the two hollows, Sun-and-Moon were the two eyes, the Virāj was the head. From that one thus born all evils flee; all evils flee from him who knows this.