In the ancient and sacred time, there arose mighty ascents and risings—powers that filled the sky and the vast atmosphere, nourished by the sacred word and the offering of milk. These luminous forces awakened in the realm of the Red One, Rohita, whose presence is both mysterious and profound. From the primal heat, your clans arose, following the Gāyatrī as a calf follows its mother. They have now come here, seeking to enter you in peace of mind. The Red One, like a well-born calf, approaches you, bringing serenity and fulfillment. The Red One stands upright in the heavens, ever youthful and wise, generating all forms. With his sharp, fiery brilliance, he radiates light, and in the third region of the world, he creates all that is dear and cherished. He is the thousand-horned Bull, the knower of all births, offered in sacrifice with ghee, supported by Soma, mighty and strong. I pray, may I never be left unprotected by you, nor ever abandon you. Bless me with the nourishment of cattle and the strength of heroes. The Red One is the progenitor and the mouth of the sacrifice. To him I offer my words, my hearing, and my mind. The gods approach the Red One with hearts full of joy; may he raise me up, that I may chant his praises. The Red One established the sacrifice for the All-Crafter, Prajāpati, and from him all energies have flowed to me. I would declare your navel, the very center, upon the seat of the world. To you, O radiant Jātavedas, have ascended the poetic meters—the Bṛhatī, the Paṅkti, and the Uṣṇih—the sacred syllable ‘vaṣaṭ’, and the Red One himself together with the seed of creation. This one holds the embryo of the earth, this one upholds the sky, this one sustains the midspace. In the seat of Bradhna, he has spread out the heavenly realms. O Lord of Speech, may the earth be pleasant for us, may our womb and our bed be auspicious. May breath remain here in friendship with us; may the supreme Lord encircle you with life and brilliance. O Lord of Speech, the five seasons have arisen for us through the All-Crafter and come together; may breath remain here in friendship with us, and may the supreme Lord encircle you, O Red One, with life and brilliance. O Lord of Speech, grant us joyful minds and thoughts. In the cattle pen, generate cows for us, and offspring in the wombs. May breath remain here in friendship with us; may the supreme Lord encircle you with unbroken life and brilliance. Divine Savitar surrounds you, Agni with his brilliance, and Mitra and Varuṇa support you. May all hostilities depart; come, establish this realm, endowed with good speech. You, O Red One, whom the spotted one draws in the chariot, travel splendidly, driving away the waters. Rohiṇī, faithful to the Red One, is radiant, golden, great, and splendid. With her, may we win all forms of wealth and overcome all battles. This is the seat of Rohiṇī, the path of the Red One, by which the spotted one travels. The Gandharvas and Kaśyapas lead her forth, and the sages guard her from error. The horses of the sun, bearing banners, always draw the immortal, pleasant chariot. The Red One, shining and offered clarified butter, entered the spotted one in the sky as a god. The Red One, the bull with sharp horns, became both fire and the sun. He supports the earth and the sky; from him, the gods create their creations. The Red One ascended to the sky from the great ocean; he has entirely risen, his ascent complete. Measure out the nourishing, clarified butter-bearing cow of the gods, untouched and pure. May Indra drink Soma, may there be security; may Agni praise and drive away our foes. Agni is kindled, kindled with fuel, grown and offered with clarified butter. May Agni, all-conquering, destroy my rivals and all who oppose me. May he slay them, may he burn the enemy who contends against us. With flesh-eating Agni, we burn up our rivals. Strike down those who face downward, Indra, with your thunderbolt, O strong-armed one. Then, with Agni’s energies, drive away my rivals. Agni, press down our foes beneath us; cause pain to those of our own kind who are hostile, O Bṛhaspati. May Indra and Agni, Mitra and Varuṇa, tread down those who bear ill will, making them powerless. O god Sūrya, rise up and strike down my rivals for me. Strike them down with a stone; let them descend to the lowest darkness. The calf, radiant and the bull among thoughts, has mounted the shining-backed midspace. With ghee, they worship the sun-calf; being Brahman, they nurture him with Brahman. Ascend to the sky, ascend to the earth, ascend to the kingdom, ascend to wealth. Ascend to offspring, ascend to immortality; touch your body with the Red One. The gods who uphold the kingdom move about the sun; with those, may Rohita, in harmony, establish the kingdom with goodwill. To you, sacrifices purified by Brahman are brought; the coursers carry you on your path. You shine across the ocean, across the sea. On Rohita are established heaven and earth, victory in wealth, victory in cattle, and victory in gathering. Of him are a thousand births and seven; I would declare your navel at the center of the world. With glory you go to all directions and quarters, with glory among cattle and peoples. With glory in the lap of earth, O Aditi, may I be, beautiful as Sāvitrī. Though you are there, here you know; you see the gatherings. From here, they see the shining, wise Sūrya in the sky. As a god, you honor the gods and move within the ocean. They kindle the same Agni; the wise on the other side know him. The cow, bearing the calf, stood with one foot beyond, one foot below. That tawny one went away with some part; where she gives birth, it is not among this herd. She became one-footed, two-footed, four-footed, eight-footed, nine-footed—the thousand-syllabled line of the world. From her, the oceans flow forth. Immortal, you have ascended to heaven; my speech has gone forth. To you, the sacrifices purified by Brahman are brought; the coursers carry you on your path. The immortal knows your stride in heaven, your seat in the highest sky. Sūrya sees the sky, Sūrya the earth, Sūrya the waters. Sūrya, the one eye of existence, has mounted the sky and the earth. The broad enclosures were set, the altar ground was prepared. There, Agni placed the snow and the frost, and Rohita. Having placed the snow and the frost, having made the posts like mountains, Agni was kindled with ghee and honey by those who know the light of Rohita. By the Brahman of Rohita, Agni is kindled, the knower of the light. From him came the frost, from him the snow, and from him the sacrifice was born. Thus, the tale of the Red One unfolds—he who is fire and sun, sacrifice and support of the worlds, the radiant thread running through all creation, honored by gods and sages, source of light, strength, and abundance.