Prapāṭhaka 9

9.1 Flow forth, O rain-giver; bring us the wave of the waters from heaven. May the abundant nourishments be free of disease.

9.2 Flow forth with that stream by which the cattle have come hither, and the people to our home.

9.3 Flow as clarified butter in a stream, O most desired of the gods in sacrifices. Flow down your rain for us.

9.4 Run through the purifying filter in a stream for our strength and vigor. The gods shall indeed hear him.

9.5 The purifying Soma has flowed forth, has driven away the demons, illuminating the lights of praise as in ancient times.

9.6 For him who is fit to go, who has set out on the path that never retreats, O men.

9.7 Come forth to meet him, the greatest drinker of Soma, with the Soma juices; meet Indra, who bears the Soma dregs, with the pressed drops in the vessels.

9.8 If you adorn yourselves with the pressed drops, the Soma juices, the wise one who knows all things goes boldly forth to him.

9.9 For this one and that one, O Adhvaryu, carry forth the pressed Soma as food. Whether perchance of his noble, vigorous troop, he shall sound forth against the reviler.

9.10 Drive away the dog who lacks generosity; smite the arrogant one as the Bhṛgus did. Sing a hymn to Soma.

9.11 He has clothed himself in the mantle of his kinsmen, like a son in the lap of the two parents. He who flows like a lover to the women, like a suitor taking his seat in the womb — purify with the stones released from the hand the pressed Soma. Flow, O honey-bearers, with honey.

9.12 He is the hero, the accomplisher of might, who has propped apart the two worlds. The tawny one has clothed himself in the purifying filter; like a priest he has taken his seat in the womb. Sit down with reverence; curdle it toward the curd. Set the drop in Indra.

9.13 Flow, O Soma, slayer of enemies, wide-seeing, bringing blessing to the cow, fulfilling desire for the gods.

9.14 You are poured out, O Soma, for Indra to drink, for exhilaration. He is lord of the mind, the very embodiment of mind.

9.15 O purifying Soma, bestow on us wealth with excellent heroes. O drop, unite us with Indra.

9.16 You seek fellowship even in battle; you go to the archer, O Sun.

9.17 You find no wealthy one for friendship; your horses drink eagerly. When you make the river roar and sweep it along, then you are called upon like a father, O new one. He who with the strength of his arms broke ninety-nine forts — and Vṛtrahan also slew the serpent.

9.18 May that Indra, an auspicious friend, bring us what is rich in horses, in cattle, in barley. He is milked like a wide-flowing stream.

9.19 O Indra, let your tawny, long-maned steeds yoked with prayer carry you for the drinking of Soma. He who, wind-impelled, protects the creatures of himself, sustains them manifoldly and reigns far and wide.

9.20 May the two tawny steeds with peacock tails, white-backed, draw you in the golden chariot to drink of the honey-sweet pressing, to imbibe the rousing draught. The most glorious, sublimely borne, the mightiest winner of prizes — the true law of heaven set firm in its foundation — he was born as light, the slayer of enemies, the slayer of Vṛtra, the greatest slayer of Dasyus, the slayer of Asuras, the slayer of rivals.

9.21 Drink of this, O lover of praise, of the pressed juice as one who drinks first. This pressing is adorned and savory; the lovely exhilaration rules it. This is the best and highest light among lights; it is called the great all-conquering, wealth-winning one. All-shining in splendor, the great Sun, visible far and wide, has spread broadly together with indestructible might.

9.22 O much-invoked one, instruct us in this path of him who springs up from the wood, who leaps upward. May we attain the light of life.

9.23 The bull of a thousand streams, yielding milk, dear to the divine birth. He who, born of cosmic order, has grown mightily by cosmic order — the divine king, the great cosmic order. May unknown hostile places and malevolent beings not step down upon us; may the inauspicious not tread us down. With you, O hero, we shall cross over the waters flowing downward forever.

9.24 The bright one kindled and offered — O lord of the good, protect all our singers both by day and by night.

9.25 The father of the father, flashing in the womb of the mother, in the imperishable syllable, taking his seat in the lap of cosmic order — the crusher, the hero, the generous one, mighty in gifts, mingled together for vigor. Both your arms, O hundred-powered one, the bulls that have released the thunderbolt downward.

9.26 Bring a prayer bearing offspring, O Jātavedas, wide-seeing, O Agni, that which shone in heaven.

9.27 The pressed one roaring goes around the purifying filter, like a friend to the dwelling. We call upon Sarasvan, the Hotṛ who possesses cattle.

9.28 Clothed in auspicious common garments, the great sage proclaiming utterances of praise — flow back into the two bowls as you are purified, wide-seeing, awake in the divine feast.

9.29 The beloved one is also wiped clean on the woolen filter, the most glorious, dwelling among the glorious, among us. Sound forth, flowing through the straining cloth as you are purified. Do you always protect us with blessings.

9.30 May Sarasvatī cherish him who has grown great with pure praises, who has pure blessings; may she be worthy of hymns.

9.31 O pure Indra, come to us; pure, with pure aids. Being pure, hold wealth firm; being pure, rejoice in the Soma, O Soma-drinker.

9.32 O Indra, being pure you grant us wealth; pure, you bestow jewels on the worshiper. Being pure you smite the obstacles; being pure you will win the prize.

9.33 May he who is the guardian of divine wealth inspire our prayers.

9.34 May Agni, the priest who is among men, find pleasure in our songs; may he worship the divine folk. O Lord of prayer, make the sound of the soma-pressings resound — he who is Kakṣīvant, son of Uśij.

9.35 You, O Agni, are widely famed, the beloved, the most excellent priest. Through you they spread out the sacrifice. O Agni, as you purify, pour forth life-force, strength and refreshment for us; drive away misfortune far from us.

9.36 Clothed in forests, like Varuṇa over the rivers, the dispenser of treasures distributes desirable gifts; great indeed is his sovereign power among the gods.

9.37 O hero of the host, possessing all champions, forceful conqueror — flow pure, winner of wealth. Sharp-weaponed, swift-bowed, unassailable in battles, vanquishing foes in combats — those who rival truth with truth seize vigour and keen power; the two guileless gods grow strong.

9.38 Creating wide pastures free from fear, the two accordant ones — flow pure together in full wisdom. Seeking the waters, the dawns, and the heavenly light, roar aloud great prizes for us. The rain-heavens, lords of the flowing, gift-laden waters, seize upon the lofty chariot-seat.

9.39 You slay the obstructing foes without opposition; alone you drive back the enemy, sustaining all people — the shining lights gleam in heaven.

9.40 Now we implore you, O Asura of great wisdom, for wealth and a share of bounty. Like a great hide, your protection, O Indra — may your favours reach us. They yoke his two beloved tawny steeds, bright-winged, to the chariot, ruddy, bold, and man-bearing.

9.41 Making a signal for the signalless, a form for the formless — O manly one, you were born together with the dawns.

9.42 You of excellent will for this sacrifice — that which you have made, you have chosen; you have selected the drop, the soma for joy and for the yoke.

9.43 The child of waters, auspicious, brightly blazing, Agni of the finest flame — may he worship for us the grace of Mitra and Varuṇa in the heavens. He is harnessed like a great chariot, abundant-seated, to win many goods; then all human creatures born, seeking the light, have aspired upward toward the forest.

9.44 Vigorous, like the Marut host, flow pure, unreviled, like the divine folk of heaven. Swift as the waters, may your favour be upon us — O soma of a thousand forms, like a sacrifice that overcomes armies.

9.45 He is the bringer of perpetual refreshments from the gods to the human folk.

9.46 None goes around his power; no one of any kind can. His prize is worthy of acclaim. With your joyful tongues worship the great one at the rite; carry the gods here and worship them.

9.47 May he, the all-pervading one, be the winner of the prize with his steeds, the conqueror; may he be the winner of wealth through the wise. For you know the paths and roads to the gods directly. O Agni, of good will at sacrifices.

9.48 The tawny one ran around, born of the sun's trough; like a swift prize-horse he has delighted in the assemblies, urging them on.

9.49 Crying out like an infant among its mothers, the bull of many gifts has rushed with the waters. Like a young man going to meet a maiden duly adorned, he flows together with the cows into the jar. The prizewinner is set in place at the prize-contests, led forward at the rites — the inspired one, the accomplisher of the sacrifice.

9.50 The udder of the inviolable cow swells out; the drop, of good wisdom, moves along with the streams. The cows anoint his head with milk in the bowls, as if with gleaming treasures. By prayer the excellent one fashions, takes into himself the embryo of beings — through his lineage, the father of skill.

9.51 Be our companion in the shared rejoicing, for our growth; may your thoughts protect us. May we be in your good favour, O prize-lord — let us not be overcome by the hostile one who would crush us. Shield us with brilliant aids; lead us into your blessings.

9.52 May the river Rasā receive the bull.

9.53 They know their own dwelling place; like calves to their mothers they come together, pressing close to one another as kinsmen.

9.54 As they graze at the sides of the jaws, they make their support in heaven. Homage and the heavenly light rest in Indra and Agni.

9.55 He fashioned four other beautiful worlds for adornment; when he grew strong through the cosmic laws, being just now born he at once crushes down his foes — he whom all the helper-powers rejoice in.

9.56 Tasting the beautiful ambrosia, he has with poetic wisdom parted both heaven and earth. The most fiery waters have wrapped him in their bounty, when they have known the seat of the god by his glory. Growing in might, of manifold strength, he strikes fear into the enemy, the Dāsa; both what is closed and what is open have won — they pour themselves into your inebriant offerings.

9.57 May those be his banners — immortal, undeceivable — through both births. By them they purify both human power and the divine; from the first they have seized the king with their thoughts. In you all the worlds wrap their will; twice do these appear, thrice do the helpers come. Sweeter than the sweet, release together with the sweet the exhilarating drink; with sweetness meet the honey.

9.58 Flowing toward the thought-born hero who stands in the chariot, toward Indra the bull with the thunderbolt-arm — he has exhilarated him to do great deeds, the vast and wide. The true drop follows the god; the true drop follows the true Indra.

9.59 Flow toward the garments of fine clothing, toward the well-milking cows, being purified; flow toward the shining gold to bring to us, toward the horses and chariots, O divine Soma. Born together with sacred will, you have grown with might together, grown strong with heroic deeds, you all-perceiving victor of enemies. O wise one, giver of excellent wealth to the one who praises, you give the desirable good. The true drop follows the god; the true drop follows the true Indra.

9.60 Flow to us, being purified, toward the divine goods, toward all the earthly goods; flow toward that by which we may attain wealth, toward the heroic like Jamadagni for us. Then the splendid, vigorous one in battle overcame the active one; he filled both worlds; by his greatness he has grown great. He placed another in his belly, having released before — awaken! The true drop follows the god; the true drop follows the true Indra.

9.61 By that you spread out the earth; by that you propped up heaven as well.

9.62 From that your sacrifice was born; from that also the hymn and the shout of praise. By that you are the all-encompassing one over all that is born and all that shall be born.

9.63 You have stirred the ripe within the unripe; you have made the sun ascend in the sky. Glowing like heat, the sāma-hymn — with perfect praises, cherished, great, for the praise-lover.

9.64 O bull, your drop is a bull, a prizewinner, the best winner of a thousandfold.

9.65 May the exhilarating, bull-like, excellent rapture come to us; O Indra, forceful, winning, victorious in battles, immortal.

9.66 For you are a hero, a winner; you urge forward the chariot of man. Forceful, you burn the lawless Dasyu like a vessel with your blazing flame.