He is the one who gives of himself, who imparts strength to all beings, the one whom all worship and whose command even the gods obey. He rules over all that moves on two legs and four, sovereign of bipeds and quadrupeds alike. To transgress against this god—especially by overpowering a learned Brahmin who knows his nature—is to commit a great offense when he is angered. In such moments, the call goes out to the Red One: “Stir! Drive away! Diminish! Release the bonds of the knower of Brahman.” This god moves in wondrous ways. With one foot he strides beyond the realm of bipeds; with two, he approaches the three-footed from behind. With four feet, he circles among the bipeds, observing the lines and standing in the row, ever watchful. Again, to wrong him by harming a Brahmin who knows thus is a grave act. So the Red One is invoked to stir and release the Brahman-knower from all bonds. The white one, born as the calf of black night, rises in the heavens. He ascends the sky, the Red One shining forth, signaling the dawn of a new day. He goes forth as the Impeller, reaching the very summit of heaven, having first spoken below. With his rays, he envelops the sky, and the great Indra comes, veiled in his brilliance. He is the supporter and arranger of all, the wind uplifted in the sky. He is Aryaman, he is Varuṇa, he is Rudra, he is the great god. He is Agni, he is the Sun, he is truly the great Yama. To him, the calves approach—ten yoked together, each with a single head—stretching themselves westward and forward as he rises and shines. This is the host of the Maruts, coming together as a mighty bundle. Mahendra arrives, enveloped and borne aloft by rays in the sky. His power is supported by nine vessels, set in a ninefold manner. He gazes upon all creatures, both those that breathe and those that do not, for within him all power is contained. He is the one, the sole bearer, the only one. In him, all the gods become united; he is their foundation and support. Fame, glory, the waters, the sky, the radiance of Brahman, food and that which is eaten—all these are his. Whoever knows this god, the sole bearer, understands that there is no second, no third, nor fourth; no fifth, sixth, or seventh; no eighth, ninth, or tenth—he alone is everything. He looks out over all, both what breathes and what does not, for his power is all-encompassing. In him, the gods are united as one. Brahman, ascetic heat, fame, glory, waters, sky, Brahmanic radiance, food, and what is eaten—all belong to him. What has been and what will be, faith, delight, heaven, and offering—all are his as well. Whoever knows this god, the sole bearer, knows he is death and immortality, the abyss and the demon. That Rudra is the bestower of wealth, lord of earth, invoked with words of reverence and the sacred exclamation vaṣaṭ. All beings approach him, seeking his guidance, and all the stars and the moon are under his control. He is the source and the born of all: born from the day, and from him, the day was born; born from the night, and from him, the night was born; born from the midspace, and from him, midspace arose; born from the wind, and from him, wind came forth; born from the sky, and from him, the sky above was born; born from the directions, and from him, the directions spread; born from the earth, and from him, earth was born; born from fire, and from him, fire arose; born from the waters, and from him, the waters came to be. Thus, all creation, all elements, all gods and beings, take refuge in this one, the sole bearer, the great Rudra—source, sustainer, and end of all.