A hymn of prayer and praise to Prithivī or deified Earth

1Truth, high and potent Law, the Consecrating Rite, Fervour, Brahma, and Sacrifice uphold the Earth. May she, the Queen of all that is and is to be, may Prithivī make ample space and room for us.

2Not over awded by the crowd of Manu’s sons, she who hath many heights and floods and level plains; She who bears plants endowed with many varied powers, may Prithivī for us spread wide and favour us.

3In whom the sea, and Sindhu, and the waters, in whom our food and corn-lands had their being, In whom this all that breathes and moves is active, this Earth. assign us foremost rank and station!

4She who is Lady of the earth’s four regions, in whom our food and corn-lands had their being, Nurse in each place of breathing, moving creatures, this Earth. vouchsafe us kine with milk that fails not!

5On whom the men of old before us battled, on whom the Gods attacked the hostile demons, The varied home of bird, and kine and horses, this Prithivī vouchsafe us luck and splendour!

6Firm standing-place, all-bearing, store of treasures, gold-breasted, harbourer of all that moveth. May Earth who bears Agni Vaisvānara, Consort of mighty Indra, give us great possessions

7May Earth, may Prithivī, always protected with ceaseless care by Gods who never slumber, May she pour out for us delicious nectar, may she bedew us with a flood of splendour.

8She who at first was water in the ocean, whom with their wond-rous powers the sages followed, May she whose heart is in the highest heaven, compassed about wit h truth, and everlasting, May she, this Earth, bestow upon us lustre, and grant us power in loftiest dominion.

9On whom the running universal waters flow day and night with never-ceasing motion, May she with many streams pour milk to feed us, may she bedew us with a flood of splendour.

10She whom the Asvins measured out, o’er whom the foot of Vishnu strode, Whom Indra, Lord of Power and Might, freed from all foemen for himself, May Earth pour out her milk for us, a mother unto me her son.

11O Prithivī, auspicious be thy woodlands, auspicious be thy hills and snow-clad mountains. Unslain, unwounded, unsubdued, I have set foot upon the Earth, On earth brown, black, ruddy and every-coloured, on the firm earth that Indra guards from danger.

12O Prithivī, thy centre and thy navel, all forces that have issued from thy body Set us amid those forces; breathe upon us. I am the son of Earth, Earth is my Mother. Parjanya is my Sire; may he promote me.

43Earth on whose surface they enclose the altar, and all-performers spin the thread of worship; In whom the stakes of sacrifice, resplendent, are fixed and raised on high before the oblation, may she, this Earth, prospering, make us prosper.