As dawn breaks and the sacred ritual begins, the mighty companions gather around the altar, making smoke without deceit and bringing forth speech in reverence. At the heart of their assembly is Agni, the heroic fire, destroyer of armies, by whom the gods triumphed over the demons. Agni, born for great strength and for cooking the Brahma-porridge, is the knower of births. The seven sages, creators of beings, generated him, and now they invoke Agni to grant wealth—rich, heroic, and enduring—to the woman at the center of the rite. Kindled with fresh fuel, Agni is entreated to bring the worshipful gods to the offering. As Jātavedas, he pours the sacred oblation, lifting the sacrificer to the highest heaven. The shares set out for gods, ancestors, and mortals are carefully divided; Agni is called to carry each portion to its rightful recipient. Mighty and victorious, Agni is asked to press down and humble any enemies or rivals, making those who oppose the offering powerless. With nourishment, strength, and unity, the ritual rises upward, seeking the heavenly world. The earth goddess is invoked to kindly receive the skin, ensuring that the ritual is well-disposed and that the participants may reach the world of the righteous. Stones are yoked together for the skin, threads pierced for the sacrificer, and those who oppose or try to elevate themselves are struck down and cast away. Heroic hands take up the stones, and the gods have secured the sacrifice. Three boons are chosen, and their prosperity is promised to the sacrificer. The origin and intent of the ritual are affirmed, and Aditi, son of heroes, is called to receive the offering. Those who oppose are purified away, and wealth, filled with heroes, is granted. All are invited to sit for the stable and firm, separating with worshipful praises. Surpassing all in beauty, the enemy is placed in a lowly position. The woman is sent forth, urged to return quickly, for the cow-pen has been entered for bearing. The striving ones are taken by the worshipful, and the wise leave the divided behind. Young women, shining, rise up and seize strength. As good wives, with offspring and progeny, they are led by the sacrifice to the vessel, urged to grasp it. The portion of nourishment, set by the wise and seers, is brought forth. The sacrifice becomes a path-finder and protector, rich in offspring, cattle, and heroes. Agni, pleasing and worshipful, enters pure and heated, warming the offering. Seers and gods gather to heat the portion with the seasons. Pure, cleansed women, worshipful, pour pure waters upon the pleasing offering, seeking abundant offspring and cattle and the world of the righteous through cooked food. Purified by Brahman and ghee, the worshipful grains become portions of Soma. The offering enters the waters, received by the earth, and, having cooked, the participants hope to attain the world of the righteous. The vast earth spreads wide, thousand-backed, in the world of the righteous, and grandfathers, fathers, and offspring are honored with fifteen cooked offerings. These offerings are thousand-backed, hundred-streamed, undiminished, Brahman-cooked, divine, and heavenly. They are placed with offspring, so that the ancestors may rejoice and be gracious. The altar is increased with offspring, demons driven away, and the crossing set. Surpassing all in beauty, the enemy is again placed in a lowly position. The woman is called to return with the cattle and the deities, accompanied by the gods, free from hostile paths and sorcery, reigning without sickness in her field. The altar of the sacrificial porridge is established at the forefront by the carpenter and the well-wisher, with truth and mind. The pure, sacred shoulder-piece is placed, and the porridge for the gods is prepared. The ladle, the second hand of Aditi, fashioned by the Seven Sages, knows the limbs of the porridge, and the spoon arranges it in the middle of the altar. The gods approach the cooked oblation, poured from Agni, and settle again. Purified by Soma, the offering finds its place in the stomachs of the Brahmans, and the descendants of seers, the eaters, are protected from harm. King Soma is invoked to bestow understanding, coming near with favor. The seers, born of austerity, are called to the sacrificial porridge as gracious guests. Pure, purified, worthy women are set apart in the hands of the Brahmans, anointed for desired blessings, and Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, is asked to grant these wishes. The offering is light, immortality, gold, cooked food, and the wish-yielding cow from the field. This wealth is placed among the Brahmans, making the path to the ancestors, which is heavenly. Husks are cast into Agni, Jātavedas, and the outer chaff removed. The share of the house-lord is heard, and the portion assigned to Nirṛti is known. The path to heaven is sought for the weary, the cook, and the offerer, raising them to the heavenly way. By the ascent that leads to the highest heaven, the supreme firmament is reached. The Adhvaryu cleanses the mouth of the ram, making it fit for ghee, and anoints all its limbs, again making the path to the ancestors. The ram is called to drive away the demon, and favor is sought. The ancient ancestors and the descendants of seers are protected from harm. Among the descendants of seers, the porridge is placed, with Agni, the Maruts, and all the gods guarding the cooked food. The sacrifice is ever-yielding, ever-fattened, the bull, the cow, and the seat of riches. Offspring, immortality, long life, and abundant wealth are wished for. The bull, heavenly, is sent to the seers, settling the prepared offering in the world of the righteous. The participants gather and proceed in order, as Agni prepares the path of the gods. With good deeds, they follow the sacrifice to the heaven where the seven-rayed one abides. By the same means the gods ascended to heaven with light, having cooked the sacrificial porridge, to the world of the righteous; so too may the sacrificers ascend, reaching the highest heaven. Turning to Bhava and Sarva, the ritualists seek their grace, asking them not to approach with harm. Lords of beings and cattle are honored, and the missile, once aimed, is asked not to be released, sparing both two-footed and four-footed creatures. No harm is wished upon dogs, jackals, outcastes, vultures, or black, flesh-eating birds. Lord of cattle, whose birds are flies, is asked to keep the devourers away. To Rudra’s cry, breath, and planted roots, reverence is offered. Salutations are made to Rudra, thousand-eyed and immortal. From every direction—east, north, below, above, sky, and midspace—the ritualists bow to him, offering their salutations and completing the sacred rite with universal reverence.