In the ancient times, sages invoked the subtle forces of the world with deep understanding and reverence. They observed the bonds of nature and sought to guide them with sacred words. Just as meat, strong drink, and the fortunes of dice are consumed and lost in a woman, and as a man’s virility is spent in her, so too did the priests wish that the mind of the cow would be wholly absorbed in her calf, nurturing it with complete devotion. They saw the elephant pair, their feet joined in union, and prayed that the cow’s heart would be so bound to her young. As the yoke binds the harness and the navel to the yoke, and as a man’s strength is drawn into his beloved, so let the cow’s every thought be for her calf. Turning to the sacred fire, the sages offered their gratitude for all that had come to them—food of many forms, gold, horses, cows, goats—whatever gifts had been received. They prayed to Agni, the divine priest, that every offering be made pure and well-received. Whether the gifts had been offered or not, whether given by ancestors or approved by men, they asked Agni to bless all, for their minds shone with the light of awareness. Whatever food entered their lives, whether sent by the gods or gathered by their own hands, they invoked the greatness of Vaiśvānara, that all nourishment might be sweet and auspicious. They witnessed the mysteries of growth and healing. Just as the black one, by the magic of the Asura, spreads her hair and creates forms, so they called upon the powerful force of wholeness to bind limb to limb. As the wind thickens the skin, and as new skin grows from another, so they prayed for healing—that the skin might grow as abundantly as that of a limb, of an elephant, a donkey, a horse, or a steed. May health and wholeness flourish. To bless prosperity and harmony, the sages invited Varuṇa, Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati, and the Vasus, along with all the kin of the fierce lord, to unite in mind and approach their home. They offered ghee and prayers to appease any discord in the hearts and intentions of their kin, longing that all might delight in unity. They implored their kinship to remain, not to depart, and asked Pūṣan to make a path for them beyond, while the lord of the dwelling would call them back—may the bonds of family and friendship be joyful and strong. Seeking deeper unity, they prayed for the union of bodies, minds, and vows. May Bhaga, the Lord of Speech, bind all together. Let there be agreement in thoughts and hearts, and may any weariness be soothed, drawing all into harmony. Just as the mighty Adityas, the Vasus, and the fierce Maruts were never divided, so too may the people here remain undivided, of one mind and heart. When rivalry threatened peace, the sages called upon Indra. May the rival be driven far from the dwelling, may he depart with the offering of non-obstruction. Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, was asked to send the adversary to the farthest distance, where he would not return for as many ages as the sun endures. Let him be sent to three distant realms, among five peoples, beyond three regions of light—never to return. For those who threatened or surrounded them with ill intent, the priests invoked the kindled Agni to enter the hearts of such foes with his fiery tongues. They took hold of Agni’s sacred place, seeking long life, knowing that the smoke seen rising was a sign of his presence. Those who did not honor the fire in its proper place, who failed to establish it at the navel, were destined for death. But those who moved with knowledge and invoked Agni’s name would not be harmed, nor fall into misfortune—the wise Kshatriya would gain long life. The sages saw the one who stood upon the sky, the earth, and the whole world; mountains stood firm, and horses were set in their places. They called upon the knower of the upward path, of departure and return, the true protector. To Jatavedas, they prayed: “Turn back—may a hundred, may a thousand blessings return to you; by these, restore us again.” In the home, they prayed for abundance and harmony. May the being and the offering be filled again; may the wife brought into the home be increased with essence and grow in nourishment and prosperity. May both husband and wife, blessed with wealth and radiant fortune, remain unharmed. Tvaṣṭṛ, the divine craftsman, created the wife and made the husband for her—may he grant them a thousand years together and long life. They sought protection from discord and prayed to the Lord of the Cloud, the mighty one, to guard their homes. May he sustain their strength and bring abundance and wealth. To the god of a thousand prosperities, ruler of all, they prayed for a share in his blessings, that they might be devoted to him. To the divine one who flies through the midspace, proclaiming all beings, they offered oblation for his great power. They called upon the three dark ones who dwell in the sky like gods, asking for their aid and protection. They recognized the divine one’s birth in the waters, his seat in the sky, his greatness in the ocean and upon the earth, and offered their worship for his might. The restraining hand was invoked—the hand that holds back demons, that guards offspring and wealth. May this hand hold firm the womb for bearing children, placing the son within the boundary and bringing him forth again and again. This restraining hand, which Aditi bore in her longing for a son, was fastened to her by Tvaṣṭṛ, binding the child to be born. As new members approached, the sages welcomed them, accepting their names and seeking the favor of Indra, the mighty slayer of Vṛtra, the wielder of a hundred powers. They prayed to travel the path by which Sāvitrī led the Sun, and the Aśvins led the way—by that path, Bhaga spoke, “Carry off a wife.” With Indra’s golden goad, the bestower of wealth, they asked for a wife to be granted, that she might be theirs by the lord of strength. Thus, through prayer and ritual, the sages wove together the bonds of nature, family, and divinity, seeking harmony, abundance, and the blessings of long life for all.