We offer our reverence to Night, who is honored as the counterpart of the year. We pray to her, asking that she grant us offspring blessed with long life, and that she unite us with prosperity and nourishment. This Night, the mother of nine, is she who first stirs among the dawns, entering into them with her great powers. As a bride she has triumphed, and as a mother she brings forth her children. Within the forest, stones resound as they prepare the sacred offering for the year. On the eighth night, may we become lords of wealth, blessed with good and strong children. To the abode of Iḍā, rich in ghee, we invite Jātavedas to accept our offerings. Among the seven kinds of domestic animals, may their joy be found in us. In the abundance and increase of life, we seek Night’s favor and the favor of the gods. May nourishment leap forth from the full ladle, and again from the well-filled vessel. Having delighted in all the sacrifices, may she bring us food and strength. The year arrives, presiding over the eighth night—may it grant us long-lived offspring, and unite us with both wealth and sustenance. With devotion, we worship the seasons and their lords, the periods of the year, the months and the years themselves, all in honor of the lord of beings. To the seasons, their periods, the months, and the years, to the supporter, the arranger, the prosperous one, we offer our worship for the lord of beings. With Iḍā and offerings of ghee, we honor the gods. May we enter homes that are free from greed, homes rich in cattle. It was on the eighth night, heated by austerity, that the great embryo, Indra, was produced. With him, the gods overcame their enemies, and he became the slayer of the Dasyus, the lord of power. To the daughter of Prajāpati, born of Indra and Soma, we pray: fulfill our desires and accept our offering. Turning to healing, we release you with offerings for life, freeing you from both common and royal disease. If a seizure has taken hold, may Indra and Agni release you. Whether your life is rooted in the earth, or has departed, or stands near death itself, I draw you away from the lap of destruction, untouched, to live a hundred autumns. With the thousand-eyed, hundred-powered, hundred-lived offering, I draw you forth, as Indra leads you through the autumns, beyond all misfortune. Live a hundred autumns, growing strong—a hundred winters, a hundred springs. May Indra, Agni, Savitṛ, and Bṛhaspati, with the hundred-lived offering, draw you forth. Let the breaths return, as oxen return to their stall; let other deaths, those called the hundred others, depart. Remain here, O breaths; do not leave. Carry back the limbs and body of this one to youth. I place you in old age, I set you down in old age. May auspicious old age lead you; let other deaths depart. Old age has bound you as a cow is bound with a rope. The death that approached at birth with tight bonds, Bṛhaspati has released with the hands of truth. Here we establish a firm house, standing secure, pouring forth ghee. In this house, may all heroes, noble and unharmed, dwell together. Remain firm, O house, with horses, cattle, pleasant speech, strength, ghee, and milk; rise up for great good fortune. You are established, O house, with broad shelter and pure grain. May the calf and the boy come to you; may the cows return to you in the evening. May Savitṛ, Vāyu, Indra, and Bṛhaspati wisely establish this house. May the Maruts sprinkle it with ghee, and Bhaga, our king, extend our cultivation. Gentle goddess, wife of the mind, shelter created by the gods, wearing grass, kindly and without malice, grant us wealth with strong sons. O bamboo pillar, climb with truth, shining, drive away enemies. May those who approach not harm you; may we live a hundred autumns in this house, all heroes. Here the young boy and the calf come with the living; here the flowing jar, the vessel of curds, is brought with the pots. Woman of the house, bring forth this full jar, a stream of ghee mixed with nectar. May fulfilled sacrifice and offering protect this one. I bring these waters, free from sickness, destroyers of disease. I enter the houses with nectar and with Agni. When the rivers moved together, sounding unharmed, they were called streams. When sent by Varuṇa, they rushed swiftly, and Indra attained them; thus, the waters began to flow onward. Flowing without desire, they did not stop, for their delight is in this. Indra set boundaries for the goddesses, so they are known as waters. One god alone stood over the flowing ones, according to his will, lifting them up, saying, “Great is she”—thus, they are called water. O auspicious waters, like clarified butter, bearing Agni and Soma, your sharp essence mingled with honey—may it come to me with breath and brilliance. Through you I see and hear; your sound reaches me, O speech of the waters. I think you are the distributors of immortality, golden-hued, never sated. This, O waters, is your heart, O calves, keepers of truth; here, O Shakvaris, I arrange this for you. May you be united with the cattle-pen, with good dwelling, with wealth and prosperity. By the name of the newborn day, with that we unite you. May Aryaman, Pushan, and Brihaspati unite you; may Indra, winner of wealth, prosper our riches. Gathered together, fearless, in this cattle-pen, O cows, bearing the sweet drink of Soma, come near. Here, O cows, thrive like the Shari-shaka plant; here be born, and may understanding dwell among us. May your cattle-pen be auspicious, thriving like the Shari-shaka plant; here be born, and with you I unite. Thus, with reverence, the cycle of night and year, the blessings of health, the sanctity of home, the flowing of waters, and the prosperity of cattle are all invoked, so that life may be full, secure, and abundant, guided by the favor of the gods and the order of the cosmos.