null 31

1 Thou, Agni, wast the earliest Angiras, a Seer; thou wast, a God thyself, the Gods' auspicious Friend. 2 O Agni, thou, the best and earliest Angiras, fulfillest as a Sage the holy law of Gods. 3 To Matarisvan first thou, Agni, wast disclosed, and to Vivasvan through thy noble inward power. 4 Agni thou madest heaven to thunder for mankind; thou, yet more pious, for pious Pururavas. 5 Thou, Agni, art a Bull who makes our store increase, to be invoked by him who lifts the ladle up. 6 Agni, thou savest in the synod when pursued e'en him, farseeing One! who walks in evil ways. 7 For glory, Agni, day by day, thou liftest up the mortal man to highest immortality, 8 O Agni, highly lauded, make our singer famous that he may win us store of riches: 9 O blameless Agni lying in thy Parents' lap, a God among the Gods, be watchful for our good. 10 Agni, thou art our Providence, our Father thou − we are thy brethren and thou art our spring of life. in 11 Thee, Agni, have the Gods made the first living One for living man, Lord of the house of Nahusa. 12 Worthy to be revered, O Agni, God, preserve our wealthy patrons with thy succours, and ourselves. 13 Agni, thou art a guard close to the pious man; kindled art thou, four−eyed! for him who is unarmcd. 14 Thou, Agni gainest for the loudly−praising priest the highest wealth, the object of a man's desire. 15 Agni, the man who giveth guerdon to the priests, like well−sewn armour thou guardest on every side. 16 Pardon, we pray, this sin of ours, O Agni, −− the path which we have trodden, widely straying, 17 As erst to Manus, to Yayiti, Angiras, so Angiras! pure Agni! come thou to our hall 18 By this our prayer be thou, O Agni, strengthened, prayer made by us after our power and knowledge.

2 Yea, now ye Gods of one accord speed on our car what time among the folk it seeks an act of might; 3 Or may our Indra here, the Friend of all mankind, coming from heaven, most.wise, girt by the Marut ho 4 Or may this Tvastar, God who rules the world with power, one−minded with the Goddesses speed forth 5 Or, seen alternate, those two blessed Goddesses, Morning and Night who stir all living things to act: 6 Your blessing as a boon for suppliants we desire: the Dragon of the Deep, and Aja−Ekapad, 7 These earnest prayers I pray to you, ye Holy: to pay you honour, living men have formed them,

2 The Son left not his portion to the brother, he made a home to hold him who should gain, it. 3 Agni was born trembling with tongue that flickered, so that the Red's great children should be honoured. 4 Conquering bands upon the Warrior waited: they recognized great light from out the darkness. 5 The sages freed them from their firmbuilt prison: the seven priests drove them forward with their spirit. 6 When Sarama had found the mountain's fissure, that vast and ancient place she plundered thoroughly. 7 Longing for friendship came the noblest singer: the hill poured forth its treasure for the pious. 8 Peer of each noble thing, yea, all excelling, all creatures doth he know, he slayeth Susna. 9 They sate them down with spirit fain for booty, making with hymns a way to life eternal. 10 Drawing the milk of ancient seed prolific, they joyed as they beheld their own possession. 11 Indra drove forth the kine, that Vrtra−slayer, while hymns of praise rose up and gifts were offered. 12 They made a mansion for their Father, deftly provided him a great and glorious dwelling; 13 What time the ample chalice had impelled him, swift waxing, vast, to pierce the earth and heaven,− 14 I crave thy powers, I crave thy mighty friendship: full many a team goes to the Vrtra−slayer. 15 He, having found great, splendid, rich dominion, sent life and motion to his friends and lovers. 16 Vast, the House−Friend, he set the waters flowing, all−lucid, widely spread, that move together. 17 To thee proceed the dark, the treasure−holders, both of them sanctified by Surya's bounty. 18 Be Lord of joyous songs, O Vrtra−slayer, Bull dear to all, who gives the power of living. 19 Like Angiras I honour him with worship, and renovate old song for him the Ancient. 20 Far forth are spread the purifying waters convey thou us across them unto safety.

21 His kine their Lord hath shown, e'en Vrtra's slayer, through the black hosts he passed with red attendan 22 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in this fight where spoil is gathered.

2 What genuine and most liberal draught will spirit thee with juice to burst 3 Do thou who art Protector of us thy friends who praise thee 4 Like as a courser's circling wheel, so turn thee hitherward to us, 5 Thou seekest as it were thine own stations with swift descent of powers: 6 What time thy courage and his wheels together, Indra, run their course 7 So even, Lord of Power and Might, the people call thee Maghavan, 8 And verily to him who toils and presses Soma juice for thee 9 No, not a hundred hinderers can check thy gracious bounty's flow, 10 May thine assistance keep us safe, thy hundred and thy thousand aids: 11 Do thou elect us this place for friendship and prosperity, 12 Favour us, Indra, evermore with overflowing store of wealth: 13 With new protections, Indra, like an archer, open thou forus 14 Our chariot, Indra, boldly moves endued with splendour, ne'er repulsed, 15 O Surya, make our fame to be most excellent among the Gods,

3 When out of strength arose the strength that conquers, Indra displayed all powers that he possesses. 5 When heroes sang their laud to thee the Hero, Indra! and stones and Aditi accordant, 6 I will declare thine exploits wrought aforetime, and, Maghavan, thy deeds of late achievement, 7 This is thy deed, e'en this, Wonderful! Singer! that, slaying Ahi, here thy strength thou showedst, 8 Thou, Indra, on the farther bank forYadu and Turvaga didst stay the gushing waters. 9 Let the steeds bring you both, Indra and Kutsa, borne on the chariot within hearing−distance. 10 Even this sage hath come looking for succour even to Vata's docile harnessed horses. 11 When night was near its close he carried forward e'en the Sun's chariot backward in its running. 12 This Indra, O ye men, hath come to see you, seeking a friend who hath expressed the Soma. 13 Let mortals who were happy still be happy; let them not come to sorrow, O Immortal.

2 To him the Bounteous say the laud, and let us glorify, as men May do, the Giver of true gifts. 3 O Indra, Lord of boundless might, for us thou winnest strength and kine, 4 Faithful to thee we loudly sing, heroic Indra, songs to thee: Mark, O Good Lord, this act of ours. 5 Give us not up to man's reproach, to foeman's hateful calumny: In thee alone is all my strength. 6 Thou art mine ample coat of mail, my Champion, Vrtra−Slayer, thou: 7 Yea, great art thou whose conquering might two independent Powers confess. 8 So let the voice surround thee, which attends the Maruts on their way, 9 Let the ascending drops attain to thee, the Wondrous God, in heaven: 10 Bring to the Wise, the Great, who waxeth mighty, your offerings, and make ready your devotion; 11 For Indra, the sublime, the far−pervading, have singers generated prayer and praises: 12 The choirs have stablished Indra King for ever, for victory, him whose anger is resistless:

2 Sakra protects from woe the man who gives him sacrificial cake. 3 His chariot shall be glorious, sped by Gods, and mighty shall he be, 4 Each day that passes, in his house flows his libation, rich in milk, 5 O Gods, with constant draught of milk, husband and wife with one accord 6 They gain sufficient food: they come united to the sacred grass, 7 Never do they deny or seek to hide the favour of the Gods: 8 With sons and daughters by their side they reach their full extent of life, 9 Serving the Immortal One with gifts of sacrificial meal and wealth, 10 We claim protection from the Hills, we claim protection of the Floods, 11 May Pusan come, and Bhaga, Lord of wealth, All−bounteous, for our weal 12 Aramati, and, free from foes, Visva with spirit of a God, 13 Seeing that Mitra, Aryaman, and Varuna are guarding us, 14 I glorify with song, for wealth, Agni the God, the first of you. 15 As in all frays the hero, so swift moves his car whom Gods attend. 16 Ne'er are ye injured, worshipper, presser of juice, or pious man. 17 None in his action equals him, none holds him far or keeps him off. 18 Such strength of heroes shall be his, such mastery of fleet−foot steeds.

2 O Indu, high o'er heaven and earth be thou, increaser of our might: 3 The winds are gracious in their love to thee, the rivers flow to thee 4 Soma, wax great. From every side may vigorous powers unite in thee: 5 For thee, brown−hued! the kine have poured imperishable oil and milk. 6 Friendship, O Indu, we desire with thee who bearest noble arms,

2 A man should think on wealth and strive to win it by adoration on the path of Order, 3 The hymn is formed, poured are the allotted portions: as to a ford friends come unto the Wondrous. 4 Pleased be the Eternal Lord who loves the household with this man whom God Savitar created. 5 Like the Dawns' dwelling−place be this assembly, where in their might men rich in food have gathered. 6 This Bull's most gracious far−extended favour existed first of all in full abundance. 7 What was the tree, what wood, in sooth, produced it, from which they fashioned forth the Earth and 8 Not only here is this: more is beyond us. He is the Bull, the Heaven's and Earth's supporter. 9 He passes o'er the broad earth like a Stega: he penetrates the world as Wind the mist−cloud. 10 When suddenly called the cow that erst was barren, she, self−protected, ended all her troubles. 11 To Nrsad's son they gave the name of Kainva, and he the brown−hued courser won the treasure.