Now, as the rites for the departed are performed, the living speak with gentle reverence: “From this moment, you shall no longer see old age or any of the changes that come hereafter. Just as a loving wife wraps her husband in a garment, so too may Mother Earth herself enfold you in her embrace.” Tenderly, they continue, “I wrap you now in the auspicious garment of the Earth, our mother. May good fortune remain among those who live, may sustenance be with the ancestors, and may blessings be with you on your journey.” The sacred fire and Soma, creators of the soul’s path, have prepared a precious abode among the gods. They call upon Pūṣan, swift charioteer of souls, to carry the departed swiftly along the ancient roads to their new home. “Let Pūṣan, the wise and vigilant protector who never loses his flock, guide you forward. He gives offerings to the ancestors, just as Agni carries gifts to the generous gods.” “May the universal life-force protect you from all sides,” the rites continue. “Let Pūṣan guard your journey ahead. Where the righteous ones dwell, where they have gone before, there may the god Savitṛ place you.” Two sacred fires are yoked, leading forth the breath of life; with their power, may you reach the seat of Yama, the lord of the departed, and join the great assembly. A gentle farewell is spoken: “Here is your first garment, now it is time for it to depart—the one you wore in this world. Move on, wise soul, to the reward of your offerings and good deeds, where your gifts will be shared among your kin.” The departed is urged to don the armor of Agni, surrounded by the bounty of cows, and to be covered with fat and marrow, symbols of strength and vitality. “May you, full of vigor, be led swiftly and reach your destined place without delay.” As the staff is taken from the hand of the departed, along with breath, hearing, brilliance, and strength, the living pray: “Together, may we overcome all enemies and adversities, remaining heroic.” The bow is also taken from the hand of the deceased, and with it, power, brilliance, and strength. “Gathering wealth and nourishment, come near—return to the world of the living.” Turning to those left behind, the ritual addresses the widow: “This woman, choosing to remain in the world of her husband, steps forward to you, O departed mortal. In keeping with ancient law, may offspring and wealth be placed here for her.” She is called forth: “Arise, woman, return to the world of the living. Come, join this one whose breath has departed. By the grasp of the hand, you have become as a mother to your husband; you are united with him.” A vision is described: “I saw a young woman being led away, alive, set apart from the dead, enveloped in darkness. But I brought her back by the ancient path.” The sinless woman, knowing the world of the living and following the path of the gods, is told, “Here is your guardian—accept him and ascend to the heavenly world together.” The prayers rise to Agni: “Rise up to the sky, rise to the sacred grass, descend to the rivers. O Agni, we remove all impurity from the waters.” For those whom Agni has consumed, the wish is made: “Extinguish them again; let them rise here with water, with sacred grass, and with sprouting shoots.” The soul is reminded, “This was your first place, and that is your place now. With the third light, enter together. In the resting place, unite with your body, becoming dear to the gods in the highest abode.” The departed is urged: “Rise, go forth, move to your dwelling in the waters; there, united with the Fathers, rejoice with Soma and the offerings.” “Shake off your body, gather yourself together; let not your limbs be scattered, nor your body. Enter with your settled mind and go where you are welcomed on earth.” The living pray for themselves: “May the Fathers who delight in Soma anoint me with radiance, and may the gods bless me with honey and ghee. May they grant me sight and prolong my years, even into toothless old age.” “May Agni endow me with brilliance, may Vishnu grant me intelligence, may all the gods bestow wealth, and may the waters purify me. May Mitra and Varuna protect me, may the Ādityas increase my fame, may Indra grant me radiance, and may Savitar remove old age from my hands.” The first among mortals who died, who journeyed to Yama, the gathering place of souls, is remembered. “To King Yama, offer the oblation. O Fathers, come and go as you please; this sacrifice is prepared for you with honey. Grant us good fortune, wealth, and heroic prosperity.” The great ancestral sages are invoked: “Kanva, Kakshivan, Purumidha, Agastya, Syavashva, Sobhari, Arcanana, Visvamitra, Jamadagni, Atri, Kasyapa, and Vamadeva—may you protect us.” The names of Visvamitra, Jamadagni, Vasishtha, Bharadvaja, Gotama, Vamadeva, and Atri are called, asking for their guidance and favor, so that the well-praised Fathers may be gracious. The prayers continue for strength: “May we, like those whose pure ones cross over the foe, ever-renewed in life, increase with offspring and wealth, and prosper in our homes.” The ritual describes the anointing, adorning, uniting, and stirring of resolve, the anointing with honey, and the golden-hoofed ones seizing the bull leaping at the breath of the river among the cattle. The ancestors are called: “Whatever your Soma-offering and sign, O Fathers, join with that, for you are self-glorious. May you, wise ones, hear us here, invoked at the assembly, bestowers of good guidance.” The Atris, Angirases, Navagvas, sacrificers, givers, and the righteous who stand here are called to rejoice on the sacred grass. The living recall, “Just as our forefathers, the ancient ones, O Agni, who delighted in truth, shone with purity, radiant and praised by hymns, broke through the earth and drove away darkness—so too may we be.” These ancestors, shining and devoted to the gods, strengthened Agni and Indra, and established a wide, cattle-rich gathering. Like a herd in fertile pasture, the mighty one has revealed the divine origins. Even mortals, longing for immortality, strive for increase in the highest abodes. “We have not acted, O self-reliant one, but have entered into truth; the radiant dawns have shone forth. May all that is auspicious, which the gods protect, be ours. May we speak greatly in the assembly, strong with good sons.” Prayers for protection are made in all directions: “May Indra with the Maruts protect me from the east, with the earth upheld as if above the sky. May Dhātṛ protect me from the south, Aditi with the Ādityas from the west, and Soma with all the gods from the north. In every direction, we worship those who made the worlds and the paths and who are present here as recipients of the gods’ offerings.” “May the Upholder sustain you, may Savitṛ lift you upward, your radiance shining above the sky.” Finally, as the ritual draws to a close, the departed is placed in their own portion in the east, the earth supporting them as if above the sky. The living continue to worship those who have created the worlds and the paths, honoring the presence of the ancestors and the gods, and sending the departed onward with love, reverence, and hope for peace.