In the ancient days, seekers gathered to invoke the sacred powers, calling upon Jātavedas, the radiant lord of clarified butter who dwells within the body. With reverence, they entreated him to consume the sorcerer of Taulasa and scatter the fiends who threatened their peace. They prayed that all those who hated them—fiends and poisoners alike—be dispersed, and that Agni and Indra, mighty guardians, accept their humble offerings. Agni was asked to lead the way, and Indra, powerful with his thunderbolt, to drive away the enemy. The sorcerers were summoned to step forward and declare themselves openly, so that Jātavedas might reveal his power and expose the fiends before all. With Agni scorching them, the fiends would be compelled to confess their presence. Jātavedas, born for the purpose of protecting the people, was called upon to act as their messenger, scattering the fiends and bringing forth those bound by malice. Agni would gather these fiends, and Indra would strike them down with his thunderbolt, severing their heads and ending their threat. The oblation was then prepared, intended to carry away the Yātudhānas as a river sweeps away its foam. Whoever had shaped this offering—be it woman or man—was included among the praisers. The one who praised arrived and was welcomed, and with mastery gained, Bṛhaspati was invoked to let Agni and Soma strike apart the evil ones. Soma, the drinker, was asked to destroy the offspring of the Yātudhāna and lead them away, casting down the false praiser from the highest to the lowest. Agni, knowing the origins of these fiends hidden among the true ones, was entreated to destroy their hundredfold, growing strong through prayer. Thus, the wealth of the community was entrusted to the Vasus—Indra, Pūṣan, Varuṇa, Mitra, and Agni—along with the Ādityas and all the gods, to uphold it in the highest light. Light was sought in every direction, whether from the Sun, Agni, or gold, so that rivals would be beneath the community and the chosen one raised to the highest heaven. With the nourishment brought to Indra by Jātavedas, and the highest prayer, the people wished to increase their chosen one, placing him foremost among his kin. Sacrifice and radiance, wealth and prosperity, and noble thoughts were granted by Agni. Again, the prayer was raised: let rivals be beneath us, let us ascend to the highest heaven. The lord of the gods, shining forth, was invoked for his sovereign commands, especially those of true Varuṇa the king. Through prayer, favor was sought, and the one chosen was led away from the wrath of the mighty. Salutations were offered to the night, asking that Varuṇa’s wrath be appeased, for the mighty one discerns all wrongdoing. A thousand acts of devotion were offered, seeking that the chosen one live a hundred autumns. If any falsehood or evil had been uttered, release was sought from the king of true law, from Varuṇa. Release was also sought from Vaiśvānara, from the depths, so the mighty one could speak among his kin, declare prayer, and perform for the people. Pūṣan was asked to utter the sacred 'vaṣaṭ' at the pressing, Aryaman to officiate, and the creator to arrange the rites. The righteous-born women moved forth, crossing the stages, pressing onward. The gods gathered the embryo from the four directions of sky and earth, wrapping it for the pressing. The wrapper enclosed the embryo, placed in the womb, and was asked to loosen and release it in fragments. The placenta, neither in flesh nor fat nor marrow, was sent to the dog, to fall away. The urine, womb, and enclosure were split apart, separating mother and child, boy from placenta, so the placenta would fall away. As wind, mind, and birds fly, so too would the ten-month child, together with the placenta, fall away. Then the first-born among those in the womb, the bull, roared with thunder, clothed in wind and cloud, coming with rain. He shattered the straight and crooked, striding in threefold ways, and was asked to grant safety. Honored with offerings, worshipped in every limb, glowing with radiance, the bull was praised for first grasping the joints of the seasons. Release was sought from headache and cough, from harsh pain, that the wind-born, cloud-born, and fever, along with trees and mountains, depart from the afflicted. Peace was wished for every limb and the body as a whole. Homage was then given to lightning, thunder, and the stone by which they strike down. Homage was offered to the offspring of the mountain, whose heat gathers together, seeking grace for their bodies and happiness for their children. The fiery offering was made to the mountain’s offspring, the universal arrow fashioned by the gods, strong for slaying, asking her to be gracious in the assembly as the people praised her. May the fortune of the woman be obtained, as one takes a garland from a tree, and may she, like a mountain rooted deep, long abide among her ancestors. The maiden bride was entrusted to King Yama, to be led to her mother’s, brother’s, or father’s house. The family guardian was invoked, and the maiden entrusted, so she may long abide among her ancestors and peace rest upon her head. With the power of Asita, Kaśyapa, and Gaya, the fortune of the bride was bound to her, as wives are bound within the inner chamber. The rivers were called to flow together, the winds to unite, the birds to assemble, all accepting the sacrifice offered from the sky with united oblation. The invoked ones were called to come with united streams and increase the praise, so that every animal and all wealth remain. The inexhaustible springs of the rivers, flowing together, were invoked to bring wealth. Streams of clarified butter, milk, and water, all united, were called upon to bring forth abundance. Thus, through prayer, offering, and invocation, the people sought protection, prosperity, and unity, honoring the gods and natural powers, and weaving their fate in harmony with the sacred forces that sustain the world.