WE have reached this earth’s place of sacrificing, the place wherein all Deities delighted.

Crossing by Rik, by Sâman, and by Yajus, may we rejoice in food and growth of riches.

Gracious to me be these Celestial Waters!

Protect me, Plant. O Knife, forbear to harm him.

2The Mother Floods shall make us bright and shining, cleansers of holy oil, with oil shall cleanse us. For, Goddesses, they bear off all defilement. I rise up from them purified and brightened. The form of Consecration and of Fervour art thou. I put thee on, the kind and blissful, maintaining an agreeable appearance.

3The Great Ones’ milk art thou. Giver of splendour art thou: bestow on me the gift of splendour. Pupil art thou of Vritra’s eye. The giver of eyes art thou. Give me the gift of vision.

4Purify me the Lord of Thought! Purify me the Lord of Speech! Purify me God Savitar with perfect strainer, with the beams of Sûrya! Of thee, Lord of the Strainer! who art by the strainer purified, With what desire I purify myself, may I accomplish it.

5We come to you for precious wealth, O Gods, as sacrifice proceeds. O Gods, we call on you to give blessings that wait on sacrifice.

6Svâhâ! from mind the sacrifice. Svâhâ! from spacious firmament. Svâhâ! from Dyaus and Prithivî. Svâhâ! from Wind I seize. Svâhâ!

7To Resolution, Motive, Agni, Svâhâ! All-hail to Wisdom, and to Mind, and Agni! All-hail to Consecration, Fervour, Agni! Hail to Sarasvatî, Pûshan, and Agni! Ye vast, divine, all-beneficial Waters, ye Heaven and Earth and spacious Air between them, Let us adore Brihaspati with oblation. All-hail!

8May every mortal man elect the friendship of the guiding God. Each one solicits him for wealth: let him seek fame to prosper him.

9Rik’s, Sâman’s counterparts are ye. I touch you. Protect me till the sacrifice be ended. Thou art a place of refuge. Give me refuge. Obeisance unto thee! Forbear to harm me.

10Strength of Angirases art thou. Wool-soft, bestow thou strength on me. Thou art the garment-knot of Soma. Vishnu’s refuge art thou, the Sacrificer’s refuge. Thou art the womb of Indra. Make the crops produce abundant grain. Stand up erect, O Tree. Protect me from harm until this sacrifice be ended.

11Prepare ye vow-food. Agni is the Brahman, Agni is sacrifice, the tree is holy. For aid we meditate divine Intelligence, most merciful, Free-giver, bringing worship May it guide us gently, as we would. Favour us Gods, mind-horn, endowed with mind and intellectual might! All-hail to them! May they be our protectors.

12Waters that we have drunk! become refreshing, become auspicious draughts within our belly. Free from all sin and malady and sickness, may they be pleasant to our taste, divine Ones, immortal, strengtheners of eternal Order.

13This is thy sacrificial form. Not offspring, waters I discharge. Freeing from sin and consecrate by Svâhâ enter ye the earth. Be thou united