In ancient times, the sages invoked Aryaman, desiring harmony in all unions. Without fatigue or discord, they prayed that the coming together of others would be peaceful, and that the union of this one with others would also be blessed with harmony. The Creator, who established the earth, the sky, and the radiant sun, was beseeched to appoint for her a husband worthy and suitable, just as all things were set in their rightful place. Seeking sweetness and light, the sages turned to the waters and the sun. They called upon all the gods, born of austerity, to grant their power, and upon Savitar to bestow radiance. In their prayers, they spoke of separating earth and sky, setting in motion the seven seasons, and uttering both truth and untruth, the divine speech and the speech of men. They declared themselves as creators of earth and sky, movers of the seven rivers, and friends of Agni and Soma, who are to be invoked. Desiring purification, they invoked Vaiśvānara to cleanse them with his rays, the wind to purify with breath, and the sky to cleanse with its vast spaces. Heaven and Earth, rich in milk and upholding truth, worthy of sacrifice, were asked to purify them with their nourishing essence. They embraced the universal, gracious speech, adorned with abundance, so that, praising together at the shared feast, they might become masters of riches. They sought universal radiance, pure and luminous, and wished to rejoice together, witnessing the sun rise with their own eyes. When the binding cord of Nirṛti, the goddess of misfortune, was fastened upon the neck and not easily loosened, the sages declared their power to release it—for life, radiance, and strength. They urged the one bound to eat nourishing food and be born anew. Offering homage to Nirṛti of sharp radiance, they cast away her iron bonds, and Yama returned the one lost; to Yama and Death, they offered their reverence. To all bonds—iron, wooden, piercing, and those named here, and to the thousand deaths—they prayed that Yama, together with the ancestors, would raise the one released to the highest heaven. Agni, youthful and mighty, kindled among all peoples and at the place of offering, was invoked to bring wealth. The sages called for unity: to come together, speak together, and let minds be united, just as the gods of old, being of one mind, worshipped their share. They prayed for united intention, assembly, and thought, offering oblations with a united offering, so that minds might be joined together. United purpose, united hearts, and oneness of mind were sought, so that all might live together well. Anger and hostility were asked to be cast down, arms yoked with the mind to be lowered, and the strength and force of enemies to be driven away, granting wealth instead. Weapons in the hands of enemies, made powerless by the gods, were cut away, and with offerings, the arms of the foes were severed. Indra, who first made the weapon powerless for the Asuras, was invoked so that allies might win, with steadfast Indra as their support. Enemies whose hands were powerless were to be subdued, those who came against them with armies for battle. Indra was called upon to deliver them to a great slaughter and strike down the doers of evil. Those who stretched, advanced, shot, or ran—may they be made powerless, and Indra, on this day, drive them away. Their limbs would wither, their knowledge scattered in hundreds by Indra’s might. Indra and Pūṣan, who had traversed all paths, were invoked to confuse and scatter the armies of the enemies. The foes, bewildered, would wander like headless horses, and among them, Agni and Indra would strike them down, one by one. The bull’s hide would be bound on them, making them fearful like deer, so that the enemy would turn away and the cow would approach. Savitṛ was called to come with the razor, with heat, wind, and water. The Ādityas, Rudras, and Vasus, being mindful, would shave for King Soma, and the wise ones would do so as well. Aditi would shave the beard, the waters would grant brilliance, and Prajāpati would heal for long life and clear vision. With the razor by which Savitṛ shaves, knowing Soma and Varuṇa, the Brāhmaṇa would shave this one, so that he might be rich in cows, horses, and offspring. Whatever fame resided in the golden mountains, in cows, horses, flowing surā, and the honey of the fermenting drink, the sages desired that to be in themselves. The Aśvins were called to anoint them with essence and honey, so that radiant speech might be uttered among people. Brilliance, fame, and the essence of sacrifice were sought, and Prajāpati was asked to establish them, just as the sky is fixed in heaven. They spoke of the cow’s mind: just as meat, surā, dice, and the virility of a man are destroyed in a woman, so should the cow’s mind be destroyed in the calf. As the elephant joins its foot to the elephantess, and the virility of a man is lost in a woman, so should the cow’s mind be joined to the calf. As the yoke, harness, and navel are joined, and the virility of a man is lost in a woman, so should the cow’s mind be joined to the calf. Whatever food was eaten—of many kinds and forms, gold, horses, cows, goats—whatever was accepted, Agni was called upon to ensure the offering priest made it well-offered. Whatever came, offered or unoffered, given by ancestors and approved by men, as their mind shone forth, Agni was asked to make it well-offered. Whatever food was gathered, whether given or not given by the gods, by the greatness of Vaiśvānara, may the nourishing, sweet food be auspicious. Just as the black one spreads the hair, making forms by the magic of the Asura, so should the fetter of the powerful one make the limb whole with the limb. As the skin grows thick by the wind, as much as the skin grows from another, so may the skin grow as much. As much as the skin of the limb, the foreign, the elephant, the donkey, the horse, and the steed, so may the skin grow as much. Finally, the sages invoked Varuṇa, Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati, and the Vasus to come, along with all the kin of the fierce lord, united in mind, to approach this prosperity, so that abundance and unity would be established in their midst.