In the earliest dawns, Agni, the radiant fire, shone forth before all others, illuminating the world day after day as the first Knower of beings. His light spread in countless ways, sending out the rays of the Sun and extending his presence over both heaven and earth. In the heavenly realm, ghee belongs to Agni, and with ghee, Manu kindled him anew today. The divine Daughters of the Sky bring forth ghee for him, and the cows yield their rich essence, all offered to Agni, the sacred flame. Far above, King Varuṇa’s golden, measured abode rests within the waters. From this luminous dwelling, the steadfast king is called upon to release all bonds. “O Varuṇa,” the people pray, “from bond to bond, set us free. When we call to you through the waters, release us.” They plead for Varuṇa, Āditya, to lift away the highest snare, to loosen the lowest, and untie the middle, so that, sinless and pure, they may belong to Aditi under his law. They ask for all snares—above, below, Varuṇa’s own—to be removed, for evil dreams and misfortune to be driven away, and for themselves to be guided to the world of the righteous. Agni, eternal Jātavedas, shines here unassailable and glorious, upholding sovereignty. He is invoked to release all illnesses among men and to protect life today with his blessings. Indra, born with might and strength, the bull among peoples, has driven away hostile and unfriendly folk, making wide space for the gods. Like a fearsome beast roaming the mountains, Indra is called from afar, urged to fit the sharp arrow to the bow, to strike down enemies and scatter all foes. The mighty Tārkṣya, yoked by the gods and swift in battle, overcomer of chariots with unbroken wheel, is summoned for well-being. Indra is ever-invoked: protector, helper, hero. At every call, he is asked to grant well-being with his generosity. Homage is paid to Rudra, who resides in Agni, who is within the waters, who has entered the plants and herbs, and who has shaped all these worlds. To that Rudra, to Agni, reverence is offered. To the enemy and to poison, the command is given: “Depart, for you are an enemy; do not mingle or unite. Depart like a snake, and strike him.” The heavenly waters are sought, and their essence is mingled. May Agni, rich with milk, come forth—let his radiance not be released, but granted. Agni is asked to bestow radiance, offspring, and long life, and the gods and sages are called to witness the lightning of the devotee. The waters are invoked to carry away all that is harmful or impure—all deceit, falsehood, or curses uttered. The offerings are acknowledged: “You are fuel, you are kindling, you are brightness. Place that brightness in me.” As in ancient times, hidden things are cut away like a vow, and the strength of the servant is subdued. What has been gathered is divided with Indra’s wealth, and any shining brilliance is weakened with Varuṇa’s vow. As curses depart and women are freed from misfortune, as the knotted root of the Shankura is loosened, so too are all bonds released and burdens laid down. Indra, wise and self-sufficient, is asked to be gracious and to drive away hatred, granting fearlessness and lordship of heroic strength. May even hatred from within one’s own kin be dispelled, and may all dwell in the good favor and happy mind of the worshipful one. With Indra’s wrath, the hostile are overcome, adversaries struck down without resistance. With steadfast offering, Soma is led so that Indra may unite all peoples in harmony. Two grey, wandering, greedy ones soar like the sky, shining forth from the heart. The devotee rises alone, like two weary cows resting, like two birds calling, or two wolves howling. There is piercing, striking, and joining together, yet the devotee does not approach what is forbidden, whether seized by woman or man. The cows settle in their dwellings, the birds fall into their nests, the mountains stand firm in their place, and the devotee stands in the wolf’s abode. At the sacrifice, the wise Hotar is chosen and invited to come. Indra is called to lead with mind, with cows, with the noble and tawny ones, with well-being, prayer, and the favor of the gods. Agni is asked to bring the eager gods and seat them in his abode, where, having partaken of the sweet offerings, they may bestow their treasures. The gods are welcomed to their seats, bearing their own riches, and are invited to ascend to the warm heaven with wealth. All are directed to the sacrifice, to the lord of sacrifice, and to their own source—svāhā. The sacrifice, spoken with a thousand hymns, is offered for good fortune—svāhā. To those offered with vaṣaṭ and those not, the gods, knowing the path, are urged to follow it. The lord of mind is invoked for the sacrifice among the gods in heaven: svāhā in heaven, on earth, in the midspace, in the wind—svāhā. Let the strewn grass, the offering, and the ghee be united; united with Indra’s wealth, with the Maruts, with all the gods, may the offering reach Indra—svāhā. The altar is carefully prepared, kin and roots are left undisturbed, and the seat of the Hotṛ, green and golden, shines as the ornament in the sacrificer’s world. Evil dreams, sinful dreams, and misfortune are turned away; a barrier is made with sacred utterance, so that the faces of dreams turn aside and become pure. Whatever food is eaten in a dream, which is not found in the morning, may all that be auspicious, for it is not seen by day. Thus flows the prayer and praise, the plea and the offering, weaving the blessings of Agni, the protection of Varuṇa, the might of Indra, and the unity of all the gods into the tapestry of life and sacrifice.