Yajur Veda on Fear

'That disease of yours, O Indra and Varuna, that is in the two footed cattle, that of yours I appease hereby', he says; so many are the waters, the plants, the trees, offspring and cattle on whom to live; verily does he free them for him from Varuna's noose. a Thou from of old. b The wise contrivings. c Indra on all sides. d Indra men. e Do thou guard us, O Soma, on all sides, O king, from him who plots evil; Lot not the friend of such as thou come to harm. f Thy places in the sky, in the earth, In the mountains, in the plants, in the waters, With all of these, kindly and without anger, Do thou, O king Soma, accept our oblations. g O Agni and Soma, united, With common offering, accept our prayers, Ye were born together among the gods. h Ye [1], O Agni and Soma, with common inspiration, Placed these lights in the sky; Ye freed the streams from the dread imprecation When they were held fast. i O Agni and Soma, hearken kindly, O ye strong ones, to my invocation; Accept gladly our songs, Be a refreshment to the giver. k One from the sky Matariçvan bore, The falcon churned another from the rock; Agni and Soma, waxing great through prayer, Ye made broad room for the sacrifice. l O Agni and Soma, the oblation which is set forth [2], Do ye taste, accept it, rejoice in it, O ye strong ones Of good protection, of good help be ye, And give to the sacrificer health and wealth. n Together thee. o Troop lord of troops we invoke thee, Sage of sages, most famous; Highest king of Brahmans, O lord of prayer, Hearkening to us with help do thou sit on thy place. p He shall win booty and prizes with tribe, With clan, with family, with sons, with men, Who shall seek to win the father of the gods [3], Pious with oblations, the lord of prayer. q He with his fair singing, harmonious troop, Crushed Vala and Phaliga with his cry; Brhaspati drove out the cows, which mix the offerings, Thundering as they lowed. r O Maruts, what time from the sky. s The protections that ye.

The New and Full Moon Sacrifices a Viçvarupa, son of Tvastr, was the domestic priest of the gods, and the sister's son of the Asuras. He had three heads, one which drank Soma, one Sura, and one which ate food. He promised openly the share to the gods, secretly to the Asuras. Men promise openly the share to every one; if they promise any one secretly, his share is indeed promised. Therefore Indra was afraid (thinking), 'Such an one is diverting the sovereignty (from me).' He took his bolt and smote off his heads. (The head) which drank Soma [1] became a hazelcock; (the head) which drank Sura a sparrow; (the head) which ate food a partridge. He seized with his hand the guilt of slaying him, and bore it for a year. Creatures called out upon him, 'Thou art a Brahman slayer.' He appealed to the earth, 'Take a third part of my guilt.' She said, 'Let me choose a boon. I deem that I shall be overcome through digging. Let me not be overcome by that.' He replied, 'Before [2] a year is out it will grow up for thee.' Therefore before the year is out the dug-out portion of earth grows up again, for that was what she chose as a boon. She took a third of his guilt. That became a natural fissure; therefore one who has piled up a fire-altar and whose deity is faith should not choose a natural fissure, for that is the colour of guilt. He appealed to the trees, 'Take a third part of my guilt.' They said, 'Let us choose a boon. We deem that we shall be overcome through pruning [3]. Let us not be overcome by that.' He replied, 'From pruning shall more (shoots) spring up for you.' Therefore from the pruning of trees more (shoots) spring up, for that was what they chose as a boon. They took a third part of his guilt, it became sap; therefore one should not partake of sap, for it is the colour of guilt. Or rather of the sap which is red or which comes from the pruning one should not partake [4], but of other sap at will. He appealed to a concourse of women, 'Take the third of my guilt.

f In that in strength I seize These plants in my hand, The soul of the disease perisheth, As before one that taketh alive. g When the plants come together Like princes at the assembly, Sage is the physician called, Slayer of Raksases, overpowerer of diseases. h Remover is your mother by name, And ye are helpers; Ye are winged streams [2]; Remove whatever is unwell. i Let one of you aid another, Let one be of assistance to another; All the plants in unison Do ye further this speech of mine. k The strength of the plants hath arisen Like cows from the pasturage, Of them that are fain to win gain, To the self of thee, O man. I Beyond all obstacles, Like the thief the pen, they have strode, The plants have shaken away Every defilement in the body. m Those [3] that have mounted thy self, That have entered every limb, May they repel thy disease, Like a dread intercessor. n O disease, do thou fly forth With the eagle, the blue jay (kikidivi) With the rush of the wind, With the whirlwind do thou disappear. o Rich in steeds, rich in Soma, Full of strength, full of power, I have found all the plants For his safety. p The fruitful, the fruitless, The flowering, the flowerless, Impelled by Brhaspati, May they free us from tribulation. q The [4] plants whose king is Soma, And which have entered the earth, Of them thou art the highest, Impel us to long life. r Falling from the sky The plants said, 'He, whom we reach while in life, Shall not come to ill.' s Those that hear now And those that are gone far away, Coming all together here Give ye him healing. t May the digger of you come to no ill, Nor he for whom I dig you; May all our bipeds and quadrupeds Be free from disease. u The plants hold converse With Soma, the king, 'The man for whom the Brahman prepares (us), We, O king, bring to safety.' a May I be harm us not who is father of earth Or who, of true law, created the sky, And he who created the great bright waters; To what god shall we offer with oblation?

I Be ye united, that follow holy orders, Ye that wave and are fullest of sweetness, Delightful for the gaining of wealth. m With Soma I curdle thee, curds for Indra. n O Visnu, guard the offering. a For the rite you two, for the gods may I be strong. b Thee for accomplishment! c The Raksas is burnt up, the evil spirits are burnt up. d Thou art the yoke. e Injure him who injures us, injure him whom we injure. f Thou art of gods the most firmly jointed, the most richly filled, the most agreeable, the best of carriers, the best caller of the gods. g Thou art the oblation-holder that wavers not. h Be firm, waver not. i I gaze on thee with the eye of Mitra. k Be not afraid, be not troubled, let me harm thee [1] not. l (Be thou) wide open to the wind. m On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, I offer thee dear to Agni, to Agni and Soma. n This of the gods, this of us too. o For prosperity thee, not for misfortune. p May I behold the light, the radiance for all men. q May they that have doors stand firm in heaven and earth. r Fare along the wide atmosphere. s I place thee in the lap of Aditi. t O Agni, guard the offering. a Let the god Savitr purify you, with a filter that has no flaw, with the rays of the bright sun. b Ye divine waters, that go in front and first purify, forward lead this sacrifice, place in front the lord of the sacrifice. c You Indra chose for the contest with Vrtra, ye chose Indra for the contest with Vrtra. d Ye are sprinkled. e I sprinkle you agreeable to Agni, to Agni and Soma. f Be ye pure for the divine rite, for the sacrifice to the gods. g The Raksas is shaken off, the evil spirits are shaken off. h Thou art the skin of Aditi, may the earth' recognize thee [1]. i Thou art the plank' of wood, may the skin of Aditi recognize thee. k Thou art the body of Agni, loostener of speech. l I grasp thee for the joy of the gods. m Thou art the stone of wood.

k I bestrew those which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of l I pour the libation over those which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu. m I lay down the two Which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are n I surround the two which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of o I bestrew the two which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu. p The two which slay the Raksas, which slay the spell, and which are of Visnu. q Thou art great, with a great pressing stone; call forth to Indra with a great a Thou I art the expanding, the carrier. b Thou art the bearer which carrieth the offering. c Thou art the savoury, the wise. d Thou art Tutha, the all-knower. e Thou art Uçij, the wise. f Thou art Anghari, Bamhhari. g Thou art the seeker of aid, the worshipper. h Thou art the bright, the Marjaliya. i Thou art the king, Kyçanu. k Thou art the purifying, around which men must sit. 1 Thou art the impetuous, the cloudy. m Thou art the untouched, the preparer of the offering. n Thou art be whose home is right, whose light is the heaven. o Thou art be whose light is the Brahman, whose home is the heaven. p Thou art the goat with one foot. q Thou art the dragon of the deep. r With thy dread countenance guard me, Agni; content me; hurt me not. a Thou, O Soma, art the giver of wide protection from hostility, brought about by ourselves or by others; hail! b May the active one gladly partake of the ghee. c May Agni here make room for us; May he go before us cleaving the foe; Joyously may he conquer our foes; May he win booty in the contest for booty. d Step widely, O Visnu; Give us broad space for dwelling in; Drink the ghee, thou whose birthplace is in the ghee; Lengthen (the years) of the lord of the sacrifice. e Soma goeth, who knoweth the way; He approacheth the place of the gods, To sit on the birthplace of Order. f Thou art the seat of Aditi. g Do thou sit on the seat of Aditi.

a Let the Vasus press thee with the Gayatri metre; go thou to the dear place of b Lot the Rudras press thee with the Tristubh metre; go thou to the dear place of c Let the Adityas press thee with the Jagati metre; go thou to the dear place of the d The pure for thee, O pure one, I stir in the gladdening (water); e In the joyous (ones); f In the Kotanas; g In the new (ones); h In the Regis; i In the Mesis; k In the roaring (ones); l In the all-supporting (ones); m In the sweet (ones); n In the lofty (ones); o In the strong (ones) [1]; p In the pure ones, I stir the pure for thee, O pure. q The pure for thee I take with the pure form of day, with the rays of the sun. r Herein the dread (ones) have moved themselves, The streams of the sky have consorted. s The lofty form of the bull shineth on high; Soma precedeth Soma, The pure precedeth the pure. t That undeceived, watchful, name of thine, O Soma, to that of thine, O Soma, to u Gladly do thou, O god Soma, go to the dear place of Agni [2] with the Gayatri v Willingly do thou, O god Soma, go to the dear place of Indra with the Tristubh W Our friend, do thou, O god Soma, go to the dear place of the All-gods with the Jagati metre. x Come breath to us from afar, From the atmosphere, from the sky, Life from the earth; Thou art ambrosia; for breath thee! y May Indra and Agni confer radiance upon me, Radiance (may) Soma and Brhaspati (confer); Radiance on me the All-gods, Radiance confer on me, O ye Açvins. z When one doth hasten after him, Or uttereth prayers, he doth accept it All knowledge doth he embrace, Even as the felly the wheel. The stirrings are the secret name of the waters; 'The pure for thee, O pure one, I stir in the gladdening (waters)', he says; verily with the secret name of the waters he wins the rain from the sky. 'The pure for thee I take with the pure', he says; the night is of the form of the day, the rays of the sun, he makes the rain to fall from the sky.

d Homage to the dread, and to the terrible. e Homage to him who slayeth in front, and to him who slayeth at a distance. f Homage to the slayer, and to the special slayer. g Homage to the trees with green tresses. h Homage to the deliverer. i Homage to the source of health, and to the source of delight. k Homage to the maker of health, and to the maker of delight. I Homage to the auspicious, and to the more auspicious. m Homage to him of the ford, and to him of the bank. n Homage to him beyond, and to him on this side. o Homage to him who crosseth over, and to him who crosseth back. p Homage to him of the crossing, and to him of the ocean. q Homage to him in the tender grass, and to him in foam. r Homage to him in the sand, and to him in the stream. a Homage to him in the cleft, and to him in the distance. b Homage to him dwelling in the stony and to him in habitable places. c Homage to him of braided hair, and to him of plain hair. d Homage to him who dwelleth in the cowshed, and to him of the house. e Homage to him of the bed, and to him of the dwelling. f Homage to him of the hole,' and to him of the abyss. g Homage to him of the lake, and to him of the whirlpool. h Homage to him of the dust, and to him of the mist. i Homage to him of the dry, and to him of the green. k Homage to him of the copse, and to him of the grass [1]. l Homage to him in the earth, and to him in the gully. M Homage to him of the leaf, and to him of the leaf- fall. n Homage to him who growleth, and to him who smiteth away. o Homage to him who draggeth, and to him who repelleth. p Homage to you, sparkling hearts of the gods. q Homage to the destroyed. r Homage to the intelligent. s Homage to the unconquerable. t Homage to the destroyers. a O chaser, lord of the Soma plants, O waster, red and blue, Frighten not nor injure (Any) of these people, of these cattle; Be not one of these injured.

o In unison with thee, aided by thee, Under thy leadership, let us gain strength; Fulfil both our desires, O truthful one; Perform it forthwith, O fearless one. p With this fuel, O Agni, will we serve thee; Accept the song of praise recited for thee; Burn those that revile, the Raksases; guard us, From the foe, the reviler, O rich in friends, from blame. I touch the steed that slayeth the Raksases; I go for shelter to the friend most spreading; May Agni, enkindled with our offerings, sharpening (his dart) Guard us by day, [6] from harm and by night. r With great radiance Agni shineth; All things doth he reveal by his might; He overcometh godless and malign enchantments He sharpeneth his horns to pierce the Raksas. s Let the roarings of Agni rise to the heaven, Sharp weapons to slay the Raksas; In the carouse his radiance bursteth forth The godless assailers cannot restrain him.