As the mighty eagle soars high and sweeps its wings down upon the earth, so too do I reach out and strike your mind, drawing it to me with the same irresistible force. Just as women long for me, and as my own mind never strays from itself, so I bind your thoughts to me. As the heavens and earth, and the swift-moving sun, circle all things with their embrace, so do I encompass your mind, never letting it wander, just as those who desire me are ever drawn, as my own mind remains steadfast. May her very body yearn for me: her feet, her eyes, her thighs—may every part of her crave my presence. Let even the hair of the passionate one wither in longing for me, so deep is her desire. I place you within my thoughts at dusk, and in my heart through the night, so that, O desiring one, you may come toward my intention, drawn to the center of my mind. Those whose navel is the place of rising, whose heart is the seat of union—may the cows, givers of ghee, bring that union together for me. To the earth, for hearing; to the plants; to Agni, the fire; to the lord—svāhā, we offer. To the breath, for the space between; to the ages; to Vāyu, the wind; to the lord—svāhā. To the sky, for sight; to the stars; to Sūrya, the sun; to the lord—svāhā. On the śamī and aśvattha trees the sacred puṃsuvana rite is set; this is the knowledge of the son, which we place among women. In the man, the seed arises and is then poured into the woman—this, Prajāpati declared, is the knowledge of the son. Prajāpati, Anumati, and Sinīvālī arranged this order, placing the feminine elsewhere and the masculine here. Like the sun encircling the sky, I have reached the origin of serpents; by day and night, whatever is destroyed, by that power I ward off poison from you. What was known by the Brāhmaṇas, the Ṛṣis, and the gods in ancient times—what was, what will be, and what exists—by that, too, I ward off poison from you. With honey I fill the rivers, the mountains, and the hills; honey for Paruṣṇī and Śīpālā—may there be peace for us, peace for the heart. Homage to those who slay gods, to those who slay kings, and to those who are slayers among the people; to you, Death, I offer homage. Homage to you, lord of speech, to you, lord of distant speech; to your good mind, Death, homage, and to your evil mind, I offer this homage. Homage to the yātudhānas, to the medicines; homage to you, Death, at the roots, and to the Brāhmaṇas, this homage. Let the diseases that waste bone and flesh, heart-disease, and all balāsa be destroyed from the limbs and joints. I drive out balāsa from the sufferer, as one removes a root; I cut its bindings and its root, as one uproots a plant. Let the balāsa fly away from here like a young bird, and as one departs, let it flee, this destroyer of strength. The highest of your herbs, the support of your trees—may that support be ours, to protect us from any who attack. Whether with kin or without, whoever rises against us—among them, may I stand highest, as the trees among the forest. As Soma is the highest among plants and made the best of offerings, so may I become the highest among trees, like the tala and asha trees. The juices that harm and those that do not, the strong juices—these are yours, and with them we prepare your porridge. Your father is called Vihahla, your mother Madavati. You are the one who harms yourself, your own enemy. Tauvilika, Velaya, Ayamailaba, Ailayit, Babhru, and Babhrukarna—depart, vanish! In the east you are Alasala, in the north Silanjala, and Nilagalasala. Just as this great earth has taken in the embryo of beings, may your embryo be held firm, to be brought forth at the right time. As the earth supports the trees, the mountains and hills, and all the settled world, so may your embryo be held firm, to be brought forth at the right time. The first and foremost band of jealousy, and the one that follows after—the fire of heart-burning grief—we extinguish that for you. Just as the earth, with a dead mind, covers the dead, so may my mind, dead to envy, cover over the feeling of jealousy. That which is lodged in your heart, the restless mind—from that I release you from jealousy, as heat is released from a burning thing. May the divine beings purify me; may men purify me with their thought; may all creatures purify me; may the purifying one cleanse me. May the purifying one cleanse me for resolve, for skill, for life, and for unharmed well-being. With both, O god Savitar, with the purifier and with the pressing, purify us for clear sight. He burns like fire, comes with force, and, like a drunkard, he departs wailing. Let the lawless one seek another; to the one who first harmed, let homage be. Homage to Rudra, to the first harmer, to King Varuna the radiant; homage to the sky, to the earth, to the plants. To the one who scorches and makes all forms green, to him, the ruddy, the tawny, I offer homage—to the wild one, to the first harmer.