Stay here with me—do not depart, but flourish in every form. I will come to you with good fortune, and together may we grow greater. With the heat of austerity, we perform our penance, O Agni; may we become dear to the wise, long-lived, and full of understanding. We practice austerity, listening to the teachings, so that we may gain wisdom and long life. Agni, the true lord, ever-strong, stands like a victorious charioteer and priest, set in the navel of the earth. He flashes without thunder, and those who strive should make a firm foundation for him. We invoke Agni, the conqueror in battle, enduring and steadfast, with hymns of praise from the highest seat. May he lead us through all difficulties, carrying us beyond misfortune. If the black bird flies out or falls down, may the waters protect us from all misfortune and evil. If the black bird cries out, O goddess of destruction, may Agni, the household fire, release us from that offense. For you, apāmārga, who bears fruit facing backward, have grown up—drive away from here all who walk the path of harm. Whatever wrong, impurity, or evil we have committed, with you, apāmārga, who faces all directions, we wipe it all away. Whatever we have shared with the dark-toothed, ill-nailed, or the outcast, with you, apāmārga, we wipe all that away. Whether it was in the mid-air, in the wind, in the trees, or in the hollows—whatever the cattle heard rising up, may that Brāhmaṇa return to us again. May my strength return, may my spirit, my wealth, and my Brāhmaṇa return; may the sacred fires, set in their proper places, be established here again. O Sarasvatī, in your divine vows and heavenly abodes, accept the offering that has been presented; grant us offspring. This is your offering, Sarasvatī, rich in ghee; this is the oblation for the Fathers, food for their mouths. These are your most auspicious gifts—by them, may we become full of sweetness. May the wind blow well for us, may the sun warm us kindly; may our days and nights be auspicious, and may the dawn shine well for us. Whatever one offers with mind, speech, sacrifices, oblation, or the yajus, may Nirṛti, in accord with Death, destroy that offering before it reaches the truth. May the Yātudhānas and Nirṛti, taking hold, strike him with untruth and destroy his truth; may the gods, urged by Indra, crush his sacrifice—may what he offers not reach its mark. Like two swift kings or two eagles swooping down, may the ghee, struck from the vessel, destroy whoever has harmed us. I bind both your arms behind you, I bind your mouth; with the wrath of Agni, I have struck down your oblation. With the fierce wrath of Agni, I bind your arms and mouth and strike down your offering. Around you, O Agni, we move—wise and mighty one, of steadfast form, destroyer of the breaker—day by day. Rise up, officiant, let us see Indra's portion; whether the cooked oblation has been offered or not, declare it. If the offering is cooked, O Indra, come forth; the sun has traveled along the middle path. Your companions surround you with treasures, as householders surround the lord of the clan as he moves. I consider the offering cooked in the vessel, cooked in the fire, well-cooked, and that is the newer truth. At the midday pressing of soma, drink, O Indra, wielder of the bolt, rejoicing in many gifts. The kindled Agni, the two strong charioteers of heaven, the heated sacrificial drink is milked for you as honey. For you, O Aśvins, we singers call in the assemblies. The kindled Agni, O Aśvins, the heated sacrificial drink—come here. Now the cows are milked for you, O mighty ones; the skilled ones rejoice, O creators. The sacrifice made with svāhā, pure among the gods, the cup of the Aśvins, fit for the gods to drink—this the immortals, rejoicing, taste in turn from Gandharva. The ghee and milk offered among the cows—this, O Aśvins, is your portion; O true lords of the assembly, drink the heated sacrificial drink of heaven. Let the heated offering be poured for you; let the self-offerer not fail you; let the Adhvaryu, rich in milk, move forward for you. O Aśvins, drink the sweet milk drawn from the honeyed cow, drink the milk of the tawny cow. Approach with milk to the lowing of the cow; pour the milk of the tawny cow into the heated vessel. Savitar, the worthy, has revealed the sky and shines forth following the path of the dawns. I call upon this well-yielding cow, with good hands, to be milked by the milker. May Savitar bring us the best strength; let the heated vessel, unopposed, declare this for us. Lowing, the mistress of riches, desiring her calf in her mind, she comes near. Let us milk this uninjured cow for the Aśvins; may she grow for great good fortune. Favored, house-lord, guest in the home, come to this our sacrifice, O wise one. O Agni, having overcome all adversaries, bring us the foods, let them be for the defeat of enemies. O Agni, strive for great good fortune; may your highest glories be ours. Unite our households in harmony; stand firm against the great ones who are our foes. May she be blessed with good pasture; then may we too be blessed. Eat the grass, O uninjured one, giver of all; drink the pure water as you go. We have heard that the black one is called the mother of the reddish ones. By the root of the divine sage, I pierce them all. I pierce the first, I pierce the middle one, and this last I cut off, as one cuts a tuft of hair. With the speech of Tvaṣṭṛ, I have dispelled your jealousy. Whatever anger is in you, we calm it for you. By the vow, O lord of vows, you are adorned; shine here always with a good mind. You whom we, O Jātavedas, all approach together, kindled and full of offspring. May the waters, rich in offspring, bright, pure, drinkable with good hands, not be seized by thief or evil-wisher; may the weapon of Rudra keep far from you.