With reverence and care, the sage approached the gathered kin, seeking harmony among them. He addressed their hearts and minds, offering libations and ghee to appease whatever strength and intention resided within. “May your kinship delight in me,” he prayed, longing for unity and goodwill. He urged them, “Remain here, do not depart. Let Pūṣan guide you on paths beyond, and let the lord of the dwelling call you back after. May your kinship delight in me.” He invoked blessings for steadfastness, for the bonds of family to remain strong. Turning to the assembly, he invoked a deeper union: “May your bodies, your minds, and your vows unite as one. Let the Lord of Speech, Bhaga, bring you together.” He wished for their minds and hearts to be in agreement, even soothing any weariness that Bhaga, the bestower of blessings, might feel, so that concord would prevail. He remembered the Adityas, mighty with the Vasus and the fierce Maruts, who stood united, never divided. “So may you all here be of one mind, never divided,” he prayed, drawing on the example of the gods. Yet, he was mindful of rivalry and discord. He called upon Indra: “Drive away the rival from your dwelling, the one who contends against you. With the offering of non-obstruction, O Indra, may he depart far away.” He prayed that Indra, the slayer of Vritra, would send the rival to the farthest distance, to places from which there is no return for countless ages. “Let him go to three distant places, among five peoples, beyond three regions of light, from where he does not return, for as many ages as the sun exists in the sky.” For those who surrounded and set themselves against the one he protected, he invoked Agni, the kindled fire: “Let Agni, with his tongues of flame, enter their hearts.” He grasped the place of Agni’s burning, seeking long life, and honored the smoke that rose, visible to all. He taught that whoever understands the kindling of this fire, established with the Kshatriya, and does not neglect its true place, is preserved from death. “Those who move around do not harm him, nor does he fall into misfortune; the Kshatriya who knows and takes the name of Agni gains long life.” The sage recalled the cosmic order: “He stood upon the sky, upon the earth, upon the whole world. The mountains stood firm, and I set the standing horses in their place.” He called upon the one who knows the upward path, the way of departure and return, the protector of all. “O Jatavedas, turn back; may a hundred return to you, may a thousand return to you. By these, restore us again.” He blessed the household: “With that being, with that offering, may you be filled again. May the wife we have brought home be increased with essence, may she grow with nourishment and prosperity. May this couple, endowed with wealth and radiance, remain unharmed.” He recalled Tvashtar, the divine artisan, who created the wife and made her husband, and prayed, “May Tvashtar grant you both a thousand years, and long life.” He invoked the Lord of the Cloud, the mighty one, to protect and guard the home from discord. “Sustain strength in our homes, bring us abundance and wealth,” he prayed. “O god of resounding might, lord of a thousand prosperities, you are the ruler—grant us a share of that, bestow it upon us, and may we be devoted to you.” He honored the divine one who flies through the midspace, proclaiming all beings, and offered oblation for that great power. He called upon the three dark ones, stationed in the sky like gods, to aid and protect without harm. “Your birth is in the waters, your seat is in the sky, your greatness is within the ocean and upon the earth; to you, O divine one, for that great power, we offer this oblation.” He invoked the restraining hand, the divine force that holds back demons and preserves offspring and wealth. “O restraining hand, hold firm the womb for bearing children; place the son within the boundary, and bring him forth again and again.” He remembered that Aditi herself bore this restraining hand, desiring a son, and Tvaṣṭṛ fastened it upon her, binding the son to be born. He welcomed the one who approached, seeking the favor of Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, the mighty Vāsava. He recalled the path by which Sāvitrī led the Sun and the Aśvins led the way, and how Bhaga spoke to him: “Carry off a wife.” He prayed to Indra, “With your great and golden goad, bestower of wealth, may a wife be obtained; grant her to me, O lord of strength.” He prayed for healing: “Let disease fall away, cast off like a bird from its nest. May the Sun bring healing, may the Moon draw out your affliction.” He named the various afflictions—pale, dark, red, and roan—and called upon them to depart. “The woman in labor, the afflicted, will cast off disease; the one with a swollen throat, and the one with a goiter, will be healed.” He offered oblation with focused mind, invoking svāhā. For those in bondage or fear, he offered to Earth, known to others as Nirṛti, seeking release from sin. “Become possessed of oblation among beings; this is your share—release these from sin, svāhā.” He prayed, “O Nirṛti, be free from sin for us; break apart the iron bonds. Yama gives you back to me again—to that Yama, to Death, be homage.” He invoked release for all, whether bound by iron or wood, pierced or marked by death, that they may ascend with Yama and the ancestors to the highest heaven. He turned to the Varana tree, the divine lord of the forest, seeking its protection. “Whatever illness has entered, the gods have driven it away.” By the command of Indra, Mitra, Varuna, and the word of all the gods, he declared: “We ward off illness from you.” Thus, with prayer and offering, the sage wove blessings of unity, protection, abundance, healing, and release, invoking the gods and cosmic powers to preserve the household, the kin, and all beings in peace and harmony.