1. DECKING the treasure-house of prayers, O Agni, enkindled, pouring forth sweet-tasted butter, Swift-moving, bearing curd, O Jâtavedas, bear what they love to the Gods’ habitation.
2. Balming the paths that lead to heaven with fatness, let the Steed go unto the Gods well-knowing. Courser, the Quarters of the sky attend thee! Bestow thou food upon this Sacrificer.
3. Thou, Steed, art meet for laud and veneration; swift, fit for sacrifice art thou, O Courser. In concert with the Gods and Vasus Agni Omniscient waft thee a contented bearer!
4. Pleased with much Sacred Grass which we have scattered wide spread upon the earth, a pleasant carpet, Joined with the Gods may Aditi, accordant, bestowing bliss award it happy fortune.
5. May these your Doors divine that wear all colours, auspicious, with uplifted leaves unfolding, Lofty and closely fitted and sonorous, rich in adornment, offer easy passage.
6. Your two Dawns rich in gold and varied colour, travelling on ’twixt Varuna and Mitra, Acquainted with the face of sacrifices, I settle here within the home of Order.
7. Your two chief Hotars have I pleased, bright-coloured, borne on one car, Gods who behold all creatures, Those who prepare your rules and ordinances and make you see the light by their direction.
8. Bhâratî with Âdityas love our worship! Sarasvatî with Rudras be our helper, And Idâ in accord, invoked with Vasus! Goddesses, place our rite among the Immortals.
9. The God-devoted son Tvashtar produces: from Tvashtar springs to life your fleet-foot Courser. Tvashtar gave being to this All about us. Priest, worship here the mighty work’s achiever.
10. Let the Steed seek his home, and balmed with butter go of himself unto the Gods in season. To the Gods’ world Vanaspatî, well-knowing, bear our oblations which the fire has tasted!
11. Thou, waxing by Prajâpati’s strong fervour, born quickly, guardest sacrifice, O Agni. With consecrated offering go, preceding, and let the Sâdhyas, Gods, eat our oblation.
12. What time, first springing into life, thou neighedst, proceeding from the sea or cloudy vapour, Limbs of the deer hadst thou, and eagle pinions. O Steed, thy birth is high and must be lauded.
13. This Steed, bestowed by Yama, Trita harnessed, and Indra was the first to mount and ride him. His bridle the Gandharva grasped. O Vasus, from out the Sun ye fashioned forth the Courser.
14. Yama art thou, O Horse; thou art Âditya; Trita art thou by secret operation. From Soma thou art thoroughly divided. They say there are three bonds in heaven that hold thee.
15. Three bonds, they say, thou hast in heaven to bind thee, three in the waters, three within the ocean. To me thou seemest Varuna, O Courser, there where they say is thy sublimest birthplace.
16. Here, Courser, are the places where they groomed thee; here are the traces of thy hooves as winner. Here have I seen the auspicious reins that guide thee, which those who guard the holy Law keep safely.
17. Thyself from far I recognized in spirit, a Bird that from below flew through the heaven. I saw thy head still soaring, striving upward by paths unsoiled by dust, pleasant to travel.
18 .Here I beheld thy form matchless in beauty, eager to win thee food at the Cow’s station. Whene’er a man brings thee to thine enjoyment, thou swallowest the herbs, most greedy eater.
19. After thee, Courser, come the car, the bridegroom, the kine come after, and the charm of maidens. Full companies have followed for thy friendship: the pattern of thy vigour Gods have followed.
20. His horns are golden and his feet are iron. Less fleet than he, though swift as thought, was Indra. The Gods came only to the oblation-banquet of him who mounted first of all the Courser.
21. Symmetrical in flank, with rounded haunches, mettled like heroes, the celestial Coursers Put forth their strength like swans in lengthened order when they, the Steeds, have reached the heavenly causeway.
22. A body formed for flight hast thou, O Charger; swift as the wind in motion is thy spirit. Thy horns are spread abroad in all directions; they move with restless beat in wildernesses.
23. The strong Steed hath come forward to the slaughter, pondering with a mind directed God-ward. The goat who is his kin is led before him: the sages and the singers follow after.
24. The Steed is come unto the noblest mansion, is come unto his Father and his Mother. This day shall he approach the Gods, most welcome: then he declares good gifts to him who worships.
25. Thou in the house of man this day enkindled worshippest Gods, a God, O Jâtavedas. Wealthy in friends! observant, bring them hither. Thou art a sapient envoy, full of wisdom.
26. Tanûnapât, fair-tongued, with sweet mead balming the paths and ways of Order, make them pleasant. Convey our sacrifice to heaven, exalting with holy thoughts our hymns of praise and worship.
27. With sacrifice to these we with laudations will honour holy Narâsamsa’s greatness— To these the pure, most wise, the thought-inspirers, Gods who enjoy both sorts of our oblations.
28. Invoked, deserving laud and adoration, O Agni, come accordant with the Vasus. Thou art, O vigorous One, the Gods’ Invoker, so, best of Sacrificers, bring them quickly.
29. By rule the Sacred Grass is scattered eastward, a robe to clothe the earth when dawns are breaking. Widely it spreads around and far extended, fair for the Gods and bringing peace and freedom.
30. Let the expansive Doors be widely opened, like wives who deck their beauty for their husbands. Lofty, celestial, all-impelling Portals, admit the Gods and give them easy access.
31. Pouring sweet dews, let holy Night and Morning, each close to each, be seated at their station— Lofty, celestial Dames, with gold to deck them, assuming all their fair and radiant beauty.
32. Come the two chief celestial sweet-voiced Hotars, arranging sacrifice for man to worship, As singers who inspire us in assemblies, showing the eastward light with their direction!
