Yajur Veda on Gratitude

Accomplishing (the rite) with Rc, Saman, and Yajus, Let us rejoice in fullness of wealth, in sustenance. a This is thy body, O pure one. This is thy splendour. With it be united. Win brightness. b Thou art the strong, grasped by mind, acceptable to Visnu. c In the impulse of thee, of true impulse, may I win a support for my speech. Hail! d Thou art pure, thou art nectar, thou art the sacrifice for all the gods. e I have mounted the eye of the sun. The pupil of the eye of Agni, When thou goest with thy steeds, Blazing with the wise. f Thou art thought, thou art mind, thou art meditation, thou art the gift (to the [1], thou art of the sacrifice, thou art of kingly power, thou art Aditi, double- g Be thou successful for us in going, successful in returning. h May Mitra bind thee by the foot. i May Pusan guard the ways, k For Indra, the overseer! l May thy mother approve thee, thy father, thy brother sprung of the same womb, thy friend in the herd. m Go, goddess, to the god, to Soma for Indra's sake. n May Rudra guide thee hither in the path of Mitra. o Hail! Return with Soma as thy comrade, with wealth. a Thou art a Vasvi, thou art a Rudra, thou art Aditi, thou art an Aditya, thou art thou art Candra. b May Brhaspati make thee rejoice in happiness. May Rudra with the Vasus be favourable to thee. c I pour thee on the head of the earth, on the place of sacrifice, on the abode of the offering, rich in ghee; hail! d The Raksas is enclosed, the evil spirits are enclosed. Thus I cut the neck of the e Thus I cut the neck of him who hates us and whom we hate [1]. f With us be wealth, with thee be wealth, thine be wealth. g Gaze, O goddess, together with the goddess Urvaçi. h Let me attend on thee, with Tvastr's aid; rich in seed, bearing seed, may I find a hero in thy presence. i May I not be separated from abundance of wealth. a Let thy shoot be joined with shoot, joint with joint, let thy scent further desire, let savour which falls not cause rejoicing.

m Giving life, O Agni, rejoicing in the oblation Be thou faced with ghee, and with birthplace of ghee Having drunk the ghee, the sweet, the delightful product of the cow, As a father his son [4], do thou protect him. n To thee, the eager one, O knower of all, O active one, Agni, I offer this fair praise. o From the sky was Agni first born, From us secondly he who knoweth all, In the waters thirdly the manly; The pious man singeth of him, the undying, as he kindleth him. p Pure, O purifying one, to be lauded, O Agni, mightily thou shinest, To whom offering is made with ghee. q Shining like gold, he hath become widely resplendent, For glory shining with immortal life; Agni became immortal in his strength [5], What time prolific Dyaus begat him. r What time his glory urged the lord to strength, Then (did) Dyaus (let) the pure seed be sprinkled openly; Agni begot the host, the blameless, the youthful, The worshipping, and gave it impulse. s He (flourishes) with keener mind, aided by thee. O giver! give (us wealth) in good offspring; O Agni, may we enjoy wealth richest in heroes; (Wealth) that is excellent, uttering praises to thee.,' t O Agni, bring us strong wealth, By the force of thy glory, That is above [6] all men And openly prevaileth in contests for booty. u O Agni, mighty one, bring to us That wealth which prevaileth in contests; For thou art true, wondrous, The giver of booty of kine. v To Agni let us make service with hymns, Who feedeth on bull and cow, The disposer, backed with Soma. w For thou art, O son, a singer, seated at the feast; Agni made at birth a path and food; Do thou, O giver of strength, bestow strength upon us; Be victorious like a king; thou rulest within without a foe. x O Agni, thou purifiest life [7]; Do thou give food and strength to us; Far away drive ill-fortune. y O Agni, good worker, purify for us Glory in good heroes; Giving increase and wealth to me.

This is thy birthplace; to Surya the radiant thee! a Swell, O sweetest Soma, With all thy aids, Be fullest of help for us. a Departed are those mortals who in days gone by behold An earlier dawn of morning; Dawn now hath become visible to us; They come who shall behold her in days to come. a I place thee that hast light. b I place thee that makest light. c I place thee that findest light. d I place thee that shinest. e I place thee that burnest. f I place thee that flashest. g I place thee that art aflame. h I place thee that blazest. i I place thee that art immortal. k I place thee that hast great light. l I place thee that awakenest. m I place thee that art awake. a To energy hail! To effort hail! To distraction hail! To attempt hail! To endeavour hail! To striving hail! To heat hail! To burning hail! To heating hail! To the hot hail! To the slaying of a Brahmin hail! To all hail! a Çitta with the sinew, Bhava with the liver, Rudra with the taniman, Paçupati with the thick heart, Agni with the heart, Rudra with the blood, Çarva with the kidneys, Mahadeva with the intestinal flesh, him that slayest most quickly with the a Mount thy car, O slayer of Vrtra; Thy steeds are yoked by our prayer; May the pressing-stone with its voice Incline thy mind towards us. b Thou art taken with a support; to Indra of the Sodaçin thee! This is thy birthplace; to Indra of the Sodaçin thee! a Indra his two steeds bear, Him of unequalled strength, To the praises of the Rsis and the sacrifice of men. b Thou art taken with a support; to Indra of the Sodaçin thee! This is thy birthplace; to Indra of the Sodaçin thee! a The Soma hath been pressed for thee O Indra; O most strong, O impetuous one, come hither; Let power encompass thee, Even as the sun encompasses the atmosphere with its rays. b Thou art taken with a support; to Indra of the Sodaçin thee! This is thy birthplace; to Indra of the Sodaçin thee!

g Rich art thou, lord of riches, O Agni, rich in radiance; May we enjoy thy loving kindness. h Thou, O Agni, riches-lord of riches, I hail [2], O lord in the sacrifices; Through thee in strife may we be victorious; May we overcome the hostilities of mortal men. i Thee, O Agni, best gainer of booty, The sages nourish, well lauded; Do thou give us wealth of heroes. k May Agni here make room for us; May he go before us cleaving the foe Joyfully may he conquer our foes; May he win booty in the contest for booty. l By Agni is Agni kindled, The wise, the young, the lord of the house, The bearer of the oblation, with ladle in his mouth. m Thou, O Agni, by Agni, The sage by the sage, the good by the good, The comrade by the comrade, art kindled. n O Agni, thy pure. o With radiance.

g O thou in whom joy is taken, may I attain joy from thee; O thou who art invoked, may I obtain invocation [1] from thee. h May the prayer of the sacrificer be fulfilled for me. i With untroubled mind may I have strength for this. k May the sacrifice mount the sky, may the sacrifice reach the sky. l The path that leadeth to the gods, along it may the sacrifice go to the gods. m On us may Indra bestow power; Us may wealth and sacrifices attend Ours be blessings; To us be she dear, victorious, bountiful. n Thou art joy, give joy to us; thou art enjoyed by us [2], may I attain joy from o Mind, light, rejoice in the sacrifice May he unite this scattered sacrifice; May Brhaspati extend this for us. May the All-gods rejoice here. p Swell, O ruddy one. q May (my act) as I give be not destroyed; may (my act) as I work not perish. r Thou art the portion of Prajapati, full of strength and milk. s Protect my expiration and inspiration; protect my breathing together and cross-breathing; protect my out-breathing and cross-breathing. t Thou art imperishable, for imperishableness thee; mayst thou not perish for me, yonder, in yonder world. a By sacrifice to the divine straw, may I be possessed of children. b By sacrifice to the god Naraçansa, may I be possessed of cattle. c By sacrifice to the god Agni Svistakrt, may I attain security through the sacrifice, having long life. d May I be victorious through the victory of Agni. e May I be victorious through the victory of Soma. f May I be victorious through the victory of Agni. g May I be victorious through the victory of Agni and Soma. h May I be victorious through the victory of Indra and Agni. i May I be victorious through the victory of Indra [1]. k May I be victorious through the victory of Mahendra. I May I be victorious through the victory of Agni Svistakrt. m With the impulse of strength, With elevation he hath seized me; then Indra hath made my enemies Humble with depression.

a He offers to Soma with the Pitrs a cake on six potsherds, to the Pitrs who sit on the straw fried grains, for the Pitrs prepared by Agni he milks a beverage from a cow which has to be won over (to another calf). b This for thee, O father, and for thy line; This for thee, O grandfather, great-grandfather, and for thy line Do ye Pitrs rejoice in your portions. c May we gladden thee, O bountiful one, fair to see; Forth now with full chariot seat Being praised, dost thou fare according to our will; Yoke, O Indra, thy two bay steeds [1]. d They have eaten, they have rejoiced, The dear ones have dispelled (evil), The radiant sages have been praised with newest hymn; Yoke, O Indra, thy two bay steeds. e The Pitrs have eaten, the Pitrs have rejoiced, the Pitrs have been glad, the Pitrs have purified themselves. f Go away, O ye Pitrs, Soma loving, With your majestic ancient paths; Then reach ye the kindly Pitrs Who carouse in company with Yama. h Mind let us summon hither With the praise of Naraçansa And the reverence of the Pitrs. h Let mind return to us [2] For vigour, for insight, for life, And that long we may see the sun.' i May the Pitrs restore mind to us, May the host of the gods; May we belong to the band of the living. k Whatever hurt we have done to atmosphere, to earth, to sky, To mother or to father, May Agni of the house free me from this sin; May he make me blameless In respect of all the ill we have wrought. a For each he offers on one potsherd, and one over. b As many as we are of the house, to them have I made prosperity. c Thou art the protection of cattle, the protection of the sacrifice; give me protection. d Rudra alone yieldeth to no second. e The mole is thy beast, O Rudra; rejoice in it. f This is thy portion, O Rudra, with thy sister Ambika; rejoice in it. g (Give) medicine for ox, for horse, for man, And medicine for us, medicine That it be rich in healing, Good [1] for ram and sheep.

Conceal not from us that form of thine What time thou dost change thy shape in battle [5]. u O Agni, give to the giver Wealth of heroes in abundance; Quicken us to richness in sons. v Give to us, O Agni, a hundred, give a thousandfold; Like doors disclose for us booty for renown; Make with the prayer sky and earth propitious; Like bright heaven the dawns have shone forth. w Agni give wealth that decketh the hero; Agni the Rsi who winneth thousands; Agni hath placed the oblation in the sky; In many a place are the abodes of Agni. x Destroy [6] us not. y Bring to us. z Thy body is faultless, Like ghee purified, like pure gold That of thine shineth like an ornament, O thou powerful one. aa O bright one, in thy mouth thou cookest Both ladles (full) of butter; Do thou make us full For our hymns, O lord of strength; Do thou bear food to the praisers. bb O Vayu, a hundred of bay (steeds) Worthy of nourishment do thou yoke; Or let the chariot of thee that hast a thousand (steeds) Come with might. cc The teams [7] wherewith thou comest to the giver, O Vayu, for seeking in the house, Grant us wealth rich in enjoyment, And a treasure of heroes, of horses, of cows. dd Rich banquets be ours with Indra, With mighty strength, Wherewith fed we may rejoice. ee Rich should he be, the praiser Of a generous and wealthy one like thee; (Famed) be (the praiser) of thee that art famed, O thou with the bays.

By thee, O Soma Pavamana, our ancient fathers Wisely ordained the offerings; Conquering, untroubled, do thou open the barriers; Be generous to us in heroes and horses [1]. d Thou, O Soma, in accord with the fathers, Hast stretched over sky and earth; To thee, O drop, let us make sacrifice with offering; Let us be lords of wealth. e O fathers, made ready by Agni, come hither; With good leadership sit ye on each seat; Eat ye the offerings set out on the strew; And give us wealth with many heroes. f O fathers that sit on the sacrificial strew, come hither with your aid; We have made these offerings for you; accept them, And then come to us with your most healing aid, Give us [2] health, wealth, and safety! g I have found the kindly fathers, The scion and the step of Visnu; They that sit on the sacrificial strew and enjoy the drink That is pressed for them with the Svadha call are most eager to come h Invoked are the fathers who love the Soma To their dear homes on the sacrificial strew; May they come hither; may they hear us here May they speak for us; and may they aid us. i Let them arise, the lower and the higher And the middle fathers who love the Soma; They who lived their lives [3] in goodness and without sin; May these fathers help us when we call. k Be this homage to-day to the fathers, Who went before and who went after; Who are seated in the earthly region Or who are now in abodes with fair dwellings. l As our fathers before, Of old, O Agni, furthering right, Sought the pure, the devotion, singing hymns Cleaving the earth they disclosed the red ones. m When, O Agni [4], bearer of oblations, Thou sacrificest to the righteous fathers, Thou shalt bear the oblations To the gods and to the fathers. n Thou, O Agni, praised, all-knower, Didst carry the offerings making them fragrant; Thou didst give them to the fathers who ate them at the Svadha call; Eat thou, O god, the offerings set before thee.

r In the all-knower cause to rest The dear guest on birth, In a pleasant place, the lord of the house. s By Agni is Agni kindled, The wise, the young, the lord of the house, The bearer of the oblation, with ladle in his mouth. t Thou, O Agni, by Agni, The sage by the sage, the good by the good, The comrade by the comrade, art kindled. u Him they make bright, the wise, Victorious in the contests, Strong in his abodes. v By the sacrifice the gods sacrificed the sacrifice; These were the first ordinances; These mighty powers frequent the vault Where are the ancient Sadhya gods. THE PILING OF THE FIRE ALTAR

m Bright is part of thee, worthy of offering another [2], Like day and night of various hue, like the sky art thou; All magic thou dost further, O powerful one; Propitious here, O Pusan, be thy bounty. n They grew in might with their own power; They mounted the vault, they made a broad seat; When Visnu helped the strong one who causeth gladness, Like birds they sat on the dear strew. o Bear ye variegated praise to the strong singer, The host of the Maruts, which hath strength; Who with might endure might [3], For the jocund ones, O Agni, the earth shakes. p The All-gods. q O All-gods. r May sky and earth this day Place among the gods this sacrifice, Successful, touching the sky. s Bring forward the parents born of old with now songs, In the seat of holy order, Come to us, O sky and earth, with the host divine; Great is your protection. t Awaken Agni with the praise, Kindling the immortal; May he place our oblations among the gods. u Bearing the oblation, immortal, The eager messenger, well-inclined, Agni uniteth with our prayer. v Health be they. w For each prize.

i Give him portion, O Agni, in praises; Give him portion in every hymn that is sung, Dear shall he be before Surya, dear before Agni With what is born, what is to be born shall he be victorious. k Thee, O Agni, the sacrificers through the days Bear as many riches desirable; With thee desiring wealth, Eagerly they revealed the stall rich in kine. l Shining like gold, he hath become widely resplendent, For glory shining with immortal life; Agni became immortal in his strength, What time prolific Dyaus begat him. a O Lord of food, accord us food, Uninjurious, impetuous; Do thou further the donor, Bestow strength on our bipeds, our quadrupeds. b May the All-gods thee, O Agni, bear up with their thoughts; Be thou to us most propitious, With kindly face, abounding in light, c Come forward, O Agni, rich in light, With auspicious rays; Shining with great radiance, Harm not our offspring with thy body. d With kindling-wood serve Agni, Awaken the guest with ghee; In him [1] offer oblations. e Far-famed is this Agni of Bharata, Since his great light shineth like the sun; He who overcame Puru in battle Hath shone forth, the heavenly guest, propitious for us. f O ye waters divine, accept these ashes; Place them on a resting-place, in the fragrant region To him may the ladies with noble spouses bow; Like a mother her son, do ye kindly bear him. g In the waters, O Agni, is thy seat [2], Thou enterest the plants; Being in the germ thou art born again. h Thou art the germ of plants, The germ of trees, The germ of all things, O Agni, thou art the germ of the waters. i With ashes having satisfied thy birthplace And the waters, on the earth, O Agni, In unison with thy mothers, Full of light hast thou again taken thy seat. k Having again come to thy seat, And to the waters, to the earth, O Agni, Within her thou liest, most auspicious, As on the lap of a mother. l Return with strength [3], Return, O Agni, with food and life; Again guard us on all sides.

m Return with wealth, O Agni, fatten with the stream, All-gaining on every side. n May the Adityas, the Rudras, the Vasus, kindle thee again; The Brahmans again with offerings, O bringer of wealth; With ghee do thou increase our bodies; May the wishes of the sacrificer become true. o Hearken to this our call, that is offered, O youngest one, Of the most generous one, O thou that hast power; One hateth, one praiseth. As praiser I praise thy body, O Agni. p Be thou a bounteous patron, Giver of riches, lord of riches; Repel from us the foes. a Go hence depart, creep away, hence, Ye that are here of old and ye that are new, Yama hath given this resting-place of earth, The Pitrs have made this world for him. b Thou art the ash of Agni, thou art the dust of Agni. c Thou art accord, fulfilling love; in me be the fulfilling of thy love. d Be united your dear bodies, Be united your dear hearts, Be your breath united [1], United my body. e This is that Agni in whom as a belly Indra placed the pressed Soma eagerly; Thou art praised, O all-knower, for winning Booty a thousandfold, like a swift steed. f O Agni, thou comest to the wave of the sky, To the gods thou speakest, those of the altar; The waters above in the realm of the sun, And those below wait (on thee). g O Agni, thy radiance in the sky, the earth, The plants [2], or the waters, O holy one, That whereby thou didst outspread the broad atmosphere, Glittering is thy gleam, moving and men espying. h May the Agnis of the dust In unison with those of the floods Accept the oblation offered, The rich healthful viands. i As food, O Agni, accord to the sacrificer The gain of a cow, wondrous enduring; Be to us a son, a scion, full of life; This, O Agni, be thy lovingkindness towards us. k This is thy due place of birth, Whence born thou didst shine, Mount it, O Agni, knowing it [3], And make our wealth increase. l Thou art a piler; in the manner of Angiras be firm with that deity.

b Turn towards (us), O earth, With the sacrifice, with milk; Over thy caul let Agni, aroused, creep. c O Agni, that of thee which is pure, which is bright, Which is cleansed, which is fit for offering, That we bear to the gods. d Food and strength do I take hence [1], From the abode of holy order, from the birthplace of immortality. May it enter us, in cattle and in plants; I abandon decline, lack of food, and ill-health. e O Agni, strength and fame are thine, Thy rays shine mightily, O rich in light; O thou of broad radiance, with thy might, strength worthy of laud, Thou bestowest on the worshipper, O sage. f Do thou extend over men, O Agni, Ruling over wealth for us, O immortal one; Thou art the master of a glorious form, Thou fillest glorious wealth. g O son of strength, O all-knower, Rejoice in our fair praises [2], being adored in our prayers; In thee have they placed food, rich in seed, Of wondrous aid, of prosperous birth. h With pure radiance, with bright radiance, With undiminished radiance, thou comest forth with thy light; Visiting thy parents thou aidest them; Thou fillest both worlds. i The righteous, the bull, common to all men, Agni, men place before them for favour, Thee with their speech, that art ready to hear and most extending, The divine, the generations of men. k Preparer of the sacrifice, the wise, Who ruleth for great gain, The giver of the Bhrgus, the eager, skilled in the sacrifice Thou fillest glorious wealth. l Ye are pilers, ye are pilers around, do ye pile upwards as a support, with that deity, sit ye firm in the manner of Angiras. m Swell up, let thy strength be gathered From all sides, O Soma. Be strong in the gathering of might.

v O bright one, in thy mouth thou cookest Both ladles (full) of butter; Do thou make us full [6], For our hymns, O lord of strength; Do thou bear food to thy praisers. w O Agni to-day, let us make to prosper by praises, By devotions, for thee this (sacrifice) like a (good) steed, Like a noble resolve which toucheth the heart. x O Agni, thou hast become master Of noble resolve, of true inspiration, Of mighty holy order. y With these songs singing to thee, O Agni, This day let us pay worship; Thy strengths thunder forth as from the sky. z At these our hymns of praise do thou be propitious [7], Like the light of heaven, O Agni, propitious with all thy faces. aa Agni I deem the Hotr, the generous wealth-giver, The son of strength, the all-knower, Who knoweth all as a sage, bb Who offereth sacrifice well, With beauty soaring aloft towards the gods, the god, Following the flames of the ghee, Of the butter of brilliant radiance when offered up. cc O Agni, be thou our nearest, Our protector, kindly, a shield; dd Thee, O shining and most radiant one, We implore for favour, for our friends. ee Agni, bright, of bright fame, Come hither in thy greatest splendour and give us wealth. a I yoke thee in bonds of fellowship with Indra and Agni, with the ghee sprinklings, with brilliance, with radiance, with the hymns, with the Stomas, with the metres, for the increase of wealth, for pro-eminence among thy fellows; I yoke thee in bonds of fellowship with me. b Amba, Duhi, Nitatni, Abhrayanti, Meghayanti, Varsayanti, Cupunika, art thou by name, with Prajapati, with our every prayer, I deposit thee. c The earth penetrated by food, a reservoir of water (thou art), men are thy guardians, Agni is placed in this (brick), to it I resort, and may it [1] be my protection and my refuge. d The over-sky penetrated by holy power, the atmosphere (thou art); the Maruts are thy guardians, Vayu is placed in this (brick), to it I resort, and may it be my protection and my refuge.

The Piling of the Fire Altar (Continued) a O Agni and Visnu, may these songs gladden you in unison; come ye with radiance and strength. b May for me strength, instigation, influence, inclination, thought, inspiration, speech, fame, renown, reputation, light, heaven, expiration, inspiration [1], cross- breathing, breath, mind, learning, voice, mind, eye, ear, skill, might, force, strength, life, old age, breath, body, protection, guard, limbs, bones, joints, bodies (prosper through the sacrifice). May for me pre-eminence, overlordship, spirit, anger, violence, impetuosity, victorious power, greatness, breadth, extent, greatness, length, growth, growing, truth, faith, world [1], wealth, power, radiance, play, delight, what is born, what is to be born, good words, good deeds, finding, what there is to find, what has been, what will be, easy road, good way, prosperity, prospering, agreement, agreeing, thought, good thought (prosper through the sacrifice). May for me prosperity, comfort, desire, wish, longing, kindliness, good, better, superior, fame, good luck, riches, restrainer, supporter, peace, firmness, all [1], greatness, discovery, knowledge, begetting, procreation, plough, harrow, holy order, immortality, freeness from disease, freedom from illness, life, longevity, freedom from foes, fearlessness, ease of going, lying, fair dawning, and fair day (prosper through the sacrifice). May for me strength, righteousness, milk, sap, ghee, honey, eating and drinking in company, ploughing, rain, conquest, victory, wealth, riches, prosperity, prospering, plenteousness [1], lordship, much, more, fun, fuller, imperishableness, bad crops, food, freedom from hunger, rice, barley, beans, sesame, kidney beans, vetches, wheat, lentils, Millet, Panicum miliaceum, Panicum frumentaceum, and wild rice (prosper through the sacrifice).