Let me tell you the sacred story as revealed in these venerable verses of the Atharva Veda. The ritual began with a prayer for safe return. The worshipper invoked the deities, seeking their company as he brought the cattle back home. He prayed that the woman, accompanied by the gods, would return unharmed, untouched by hostile paths or sorcery, and would reign over her field, free from sickness. With truth as his foundation and a well-wishing mind, the carpenter set up the altar for the sacrificial porridge at the forefront. The woman, pure and sacred, was called to place the shoulder-piece and prepare the offering for the gods. The ladle, known as the second hand of Aditi, had been fashioned by the Seven Sages, those creators of beings. It was to know the limbs of the porridge, and the spoon would arrange the food in the center of the altar. As the oblation was cooked, the worshipper invited the gods to approach and partake. The offering, having been poured from Agni, was to settle in the stomachs of the Brahmans, purified by Soma, so that the descendants of seers, the eaters, would remain unharmed. King Soma was invoked to bestow understanding upon all present, drawing near with favor. The seers and their descendants, born of austerity, were called as gracious guests to the sacrificial meal. The women, pure and worthy, were set apart in the hands of the Brahmans. The worshipper anointed them for his desires, praying that Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, would grant his wishes. The offering was seen as light, immortality, gold, the wish-yielding cow, and wealth. All this was placed among the Brahmans, and a path to the ancestors, which is heavenly, was established. The husks and chaff were cast into Agni, Jātavedas, to be taken far away. Thus, the share of the house-lord was understood, and the portion assigned to Nirṛti was recognized. The worshipper acknowledged the path to heaven for the weary, the cook, and the offerer, praying that they be raised up to the highest, supreme heaven. The Adhvaryu was called to cleanse the mouth of the ram, making it fit for the ghee, anointing all its limbs. Again, the path to the ancestors, which is heavenly, was affirmed. The ram was asked to drive away demons, and the well-spoken one was invited to come near with favor. The first and ancient ones, the ancestors, were invoked, and the descendants of seers were protected. The porridge was placed among the descendants of seers, with Agni, the Maruts, and all the gods called to guard the cooked food. The sacrifice was described as ever-yielding, ever-fattened, like a bull and cow, the seat of riches. Offspring, immortality, long life, and abundant wealth were all wished for those present. The offering was likened to a heavenly bull, sent to the seers in the world of the righteous, where it was to settle. All were urged to gather and proceed in order, with Agni preparing the path of the gods. By these good deeds, the worshippers hoped to follow the sacrifice to the heaven where the seven-rayed one abides. By the same path the gods once took—ascending to heaven with light, having cooked the sacrificial porridge—the worshippers prayed that they too might reach the world of the righteous, the highest heaven. Then, turning to Bhava and Sarva, the worshippers pleaded for grace and the absence of harm. They honored the Lords of beings and cattle, asking that no missile be released, and that neither two-footed nor four-footed creatures be injured. They begged that the bodies of dogs, jackals, outcastes, vultures, and black, flesh-eating birds not be harmed, recognizing even the flies as birds of the Lord of Cattle, and prayed that devourers not find them. To the cry, breath, and planted roots of Rudra, the thousand-eyed, immortal one, they bowed, offering salutations in every direction—east, north, below, above, to the sky and midspace. Reverence was made to every aspect of the Lord of Beings: his mouth, eyes, skin, form, vision, and western aspect; his limbs, belly, tongue, teeth, and fragrance. The worshippers prayed not to contend with the weapon of the blue-crested, thousand-eyed, swift Rudra, the half-striker. They asked that Bhava surround and protect them on all sides like water or fire, and not attack them. Again and again, they bowed to Bhava, the Lord of Beings, recognizing the five creatures he divides: cows, horses, men, goats. All directions, the earth, heaven, and fierce midspace belonged to him, as did all that breathes upon the earth. The earth itself was his broad vessel, containing all worlds. The worshippers asked for his grace and protection, keeping distant all howlers, barkers, and fierce-haired ones. They acknowledged his green bow, golden and mighty, striking thousands, slaying hundreds, crested and divine. They bowed to his arrow and the direction in which it was aimed. Those who sought to harm Rudra were to be struck from behind, like the track of a wounded one. Bhava and Rudra, united and fierce, were honored, as was the direction of their weapon. Salutations were offered to Rudra in every posture and movement—advancing, withdrawing, standing, sitting—and at every time—morning, evening, night, and day. The thousand-eyed, all-seeing Rudra stood in front, wise in many ways; the worshipper prayed that his tongue would not offend him. To the dark horse, the black, the unyielding, the terrible chariot, the hairy one trampling, and to the ancient and western aspects, they bowed. They prayed that the divine weapon would not strike them, nor Rudra’s anger fall upon them, asking him to move his heavenly branch elsewhere. They pleaded for kindness, not harm, and asked that they not contend with him. They prayed not to be coveted among cattle, men, goats, or sheep, and asked the fierce one to turn elsewhere, even to destroy the offspring of those dear to him, if necessary. To the one whose fever, coughing, and weapon cried out like a stallion’s neigh, driving out harm, they offered homage. To the one who stood in midspace, firmly established, destroying the offerings of the non-sacrificer and the drinker of the gods, they offered tenfold praise. To him belonged the wild animals of the forest, the beasts in the woods, swans, eagles, birds, and all flying creatures. His mysterious power, the divine waters, poured forth within the waters for his increase. Thus, with reverence, humility, and devotion, the worshippers honored the gods, the ancestors, and above all, Bhava and Rudra, seeking protection, prosperity, and the path to the highest heaven.