In the ancient times, when protection and blessings were sought, the sages invoked the mighty Indra, accompanied by the swift Maruts, to be called upon by the Māghāyavas who approached from a certain direction. Likewise, they invoked Prajāpati, surrounded by his progeny, for those Māghāyavas who came from the fixed direction. When the threat arose from above, Bṛhaspati, together with all the gods, was sought for support. The journey of the divine began as Mitra ascended from the earth. The sage guided the seeker to Mitra’s stronghold, urging them to enter fully so that it might grant both shelter and armor. Vāyu, the lord of the winds, rose through the midspace, and again, the seeker was led to his stronghold for protection. Sūrya, the radiant sun, ascended from the sky; the stronghold he offered was entered with hope for shelter and armor. The Moon, accompanied by the stars, ascended, and the seeker was led to its stronghold, seeking the same gifts. Soma, together with the nourishing plants, ascended, and the seeker was guided to Soma’s stronghold for shelter and armor. Sacrifice, bearing its gifts, ascended, and its stronghold was entered for the same purpose. Even the vast ocean, with its rivers, ascended, and the seeker was led to its stronghold, seeking safety and strength. Then, Brahma, along with the students of sacred knowledge, departed from his fortress. The sage led forth this fortress for the seeker, urging them to enter fully and receive protection and armor. Indra, by his strength, departed from his fortress; the seeker was guided to it, to enter and be protected. The gods, by their immortality, departed from their fortress; the sage led it forth, so the seeker could enter and receive protection and armor. Prajapati, with his creatures, departed from his fortress, and the seeker was guided to it for the same gifts. The powers of destruction wrought by men were removed by the assembly of deities: Indra, Agni, Dhata, Savitar, Bṛhaspati, Soma the king, Varuna, the Ashvins, Yama, and Pushan. The prayer was for their protection against death. Whatever Prajapati, lord of beings, and Matarishva, master of the world, created for all creatures—wherever they dwell in the regions and directions—the sage prayed that all these many armors might belong to the seeker. Whatever resided within the bodies of the gods, rulers of heaven, whatever armor Indra fashioned, the prayer was that it would protect in every way. Heaven and earth were invoked as armor, the dawn as armor, the sun as armor. All the gods contributed to the seeker’s armor, so that hostile forces would not reach them. The sacred meters—Gayatri, Ushnih, Anushtubh, Brihati, Pankti, Trishtubh, and Jagati—were recited, their rhythms forming the foundation of the ritual. Oblations were offered: to the first five sections of the Angiras, to the sixth, to the seventh and eighth, to those with blue nails, to the green ones, to the small ones, to those who move about, to the first, second, and third shells, to the uppermost, the highest, the northern, to the seers, to the crested ones, to the hosts, to the great hosts, to all the Angirases and wise hosts, to the two with a thousand each, and to Brahman. Finally, the powers gathered in Brahman were acknowledged as eldest. Brahman first stretched out the heaven; among beings, Brahman was born first. The question was posed: Who, then, is worthy to contend with Brahman? Thus, the narrative concluded with reverence for the supreme principle, the source of all protection and power.