सरस्वतीं पितरो हवन्ते दक्षिणा यज्ञमभिनक्षमाणाः । आसद्यास्मिन् बर्हिषि मादयध्वमनमीवा इष आ धेह्यस्मे
The fathers call upon Sarasvati, those who, with gifts, attend the sacrifice; having taken their seat on this sacred grass, rejoice; O sinless one, bestow food upon us.
सरस्वति या सरथं ययाथोक्थैः स्वधाभिर्देवि पितृभिर्मदन्ती । सहस्रार्घमिडो अत्र भागं रायस्पोषं यजमानाय धेहि
O Sarasvati, who comes with a chariot, who delights with hymns and with your own powers, together with the fathers; here grant the worshipper a thousandfold share of food and wealth.
उदीरतामवर उत्परास उन् मध्यमाः पितरः सोम्यासः । असुं य ईयुरवृका ऋतज्ञास्ते नोऽवन्तु पितरो हवेषु
May the lower, the higher, and the middle fathers, the Soma-enjoyers, arise; those who went forth with life, sinless, knowing the truth—may those fathers protect us at the offerings.
आहं पितॄन्त्सुविदत्रामवित्सि नपातं च विक्रमणं च विष्णोः । बर्हिषदो ये स्वधया सुतस्य भजन्त पित्वस्त इहागमिष्ठाः
I have learned of the wise fathers, and of the offspring and stride of Vishnu; those seated on the sacred grass, who, with their own power, partake of the pressed Soma—may those fathers come here most willingly.
इदं पितृभ्यो नमो अस्त्वद्य ये पूर्वासो ये अपरास ईयुः । ये पार्थिवे रजस्या निषक्ता ये वा नूनं सुवृजनासु दिक्षु
Homage be today to the fathers—those who are former, those who are later, who have departed; those who are settled in the earthly region, or now in the well-peopled directions.
मातली कव्यैर्यमो अङ्गिरोभिर्बृहस्पतिर्ऋक्वभिर्वावृधानः । यांश्च देवा वावृधुर्ये च देवांस्ते नोऽवन्तु पितरो हवेषु
Mātali with the Kavyas, Yama with the Angirases, Brihaspati grown strong with the Rkvans; those whom the gods have strengthened, and those who are gods—may those fathers protect us at the offerings.
स्वादुष्किलायं मधुमाँ उतायं तीव्रः किलायं रसवाँ उतायम् । उतो न्वस्य पपिवांसमिन्द्रं न कश्चन सहत आहवेषु
This is indeed sweet, this is honeyed, this is indeed strong, this is full of flavor; and truly, no one who has drunk of this, O Indra, can be overcome in battles.
परेयिवांसं प्रवतो महीरिति बहुभ्यः पन्थामनुपस्पशानम् । वैवस्वतं संगमनं जनानां यमं राजानं हविषा सपर्यत
He who has gone far, who has crossed great distances, who has sought out many paths; honor with oblation Yama, the king, the gatherer of peoples, the son of Vivasvat.
यमो नो गातुं प्रथमो विवेद नैषा गव्यूतिरपभर्तवा उ । यत्रा नः पूर्वे पितरः परेता एना जज्ञानाः पथ्या अनु स्वाः
Yama first found the path for us to go; this pasture is not to be taken away; where our forefathers, the departed, have gone, those born of the same law, along the same path.
{५} बर्हिषदः पितर ऊत्यर्वागिमा वो हव्या चकृमा जुषध्वम् । त आ गतावसा शंतमेनाधा नः शं योररपो दधात
O fathers seated on the sacred grass, come near with your aid; we have prepared these offerings for you—accept them. Come here with favor, and bestow upon us health and sinlessness.
आच्या जानु दक्षिणतो निषद्येदं नो हविरभि गृणन्तु विश्वे । मा हिंसिष्ट पितरः केन चिन् नो यद्व आगः पुरुषता कराम
Sitting with the right knee bent, let all the gods accept this our offering; let not the Fathers harm us in any way, for whatever human error we may have committed.
त्वष्टा दुहित्रे वहतुं कृणोति तेनेदं विश्वं भुवनं समेति । यमस्य माता पर्युह्यमाना महो जाया विवस्वतो ननाश
Tvaṣṭṛ makes a husband for his daughter; by this, the whole world is united. The mother of Yama, being embraced, vanished as the wife of Vivasvat in greatness.
प्रेहि प्रेहि पथिभिः पूर्याणैर्येना ते पूर्वे पितरः परेताः । उभा राजानौ स्वधया मदन्तौ यमं पश्यासि वरुणं च देवम्
Go forth, go forth on the ancient paths by which your forefathers have departed. There you will see Yama and Varuṇa, both kings, rejoicing in their own domain.
अपेत वीत वि च सर्पतातोऽस्मा एतं पितरो लोकमक्रन् । अहोभिरद्भिरक्तुभिर्व्यक्तं यमो ददात्यवसानमस्मै
Depart, move away, scatter in all directions; our Fathers have made this world for him. By days, by waters, by nights, clearly Yama grants him his resting place.
उशन्तस्त्वेधीमह्युशन्तः समिधीमहि । उशन्न् उशत आ वह पितॄन् हविषे अत्तवे
With brightness we kindle you, with brightness we set you ablaze. O bright one, bring the Fathers here to the offering, to the sacrificial fire.
द्युमन्तस्त्वेधीमहि द्युमन्तः समिधीमहि । द्युमान् द्युमत आ वह पितॄन् हविषे अत्तवे
With radiance we kindle you, with radiance we set you ablaze. O radiant one, bring the radiant Fathers here to the offering, to the sacrificial fire.
अङ्गिरसो नः पितरो नवग्वा अथर्वाणो भृगवः सोम्यासः । तेषां वयं सुमतौ यज्ञियानामपि भद्रे सौमनसे स्याम
May the Angirases, our Fathers, the Navagvas, the Atharvans, the Bhṛgus, the Soma-rich ones—may we be in the good favor and gracious mind of these worthy of sacrifice.
अङ्गिरोभिर्यज्ञियैरा गहीह यम वैरूपैरिह मादयस्व । विवस्वन्तं हुवे यः पिता तेऽस्मिन् बर्हिष्या निषद्य
Come here, Yama, with the worthy Angirases, delight here with the multiform ones. I call Vivasvat, your father; sit here on this sacred grass.
इमं यम प्रस्तरमा हि रोहाङ्गिरोभिः पितृभिः संविदानः । आ त्वा मन्त्राः कविशस्ता वहन्त्वेना राजन् हविषो मादयस्व
Do not ascend this sacred grass, O Yama, but join with the Angirases and the Fathers. To you, O king, let the hymns composed by the sages bring you; rejoice in this offering.
इत एत उदारुहन् दिवस्पृष्ठान्वारुहन् । प्र भूर्जयो यथा पथा द्यामङ्गिरसो ययुः
From here they have ascended, they have risen to the heights of heaven. As victorious ones, as on a path, the Angirases have gone to the sky.
18.2 यमाय सोमः पवते यमाय क्रियते हविः । यमं ह यज्ञो गच्छत्यग्निदूतो अरंकृतः
For Yama, Soma is purified; for Yama, the offering is made. To Yama, indeed, the sacrifice goes, sent by Agni as messenger, well prepared.
यमाय मधुमत्तमं जुहोता प्र च तिष्ठत । इदं नम ऋषिभ्यः पूर्वजेभ्यः पूर्वेभ्यः पथिकृद्भ्यः
Offer the sweetest honeyed oblation to Yama, and stand forth. This is homage to the ancient seers, to the forefathers, to those who made the paths before us.
यमाय घृतवत्पयो राज्ञे हविर्जुहोतन । स नो जीवेष्वा यमेद्दीर्घमायुः प्र जीवसे
Offer to Yama, the king, the oblation of ghee and milk. May he grant us long life among the living, for the sake of living on.
मैनमग्ने वि दहो माभि शूशुचो मास्य त्वचं चिक्षिपो मा शरीरम् । शृतं यदा करसि जातवेदोऽथेमेनं प्र हिणुतात्पितॄंरुप
Do not burn him up, O Agni, do not scorch him fiercely, do not consume his skin or his body. When you have cooked him, O Jātavedas, then send him forth to the Fathers.
यदा शृतं कृणवो जातवेदोऽथेममेनं परि दत्तात्पितृभ्यः । यदो गछात्यसुनीतिमेतामथ देवानां वशनीर्भवाति
When you have cooked him, O Jātavedas, then deliver him over to the Fathers. If he goes to the path of unrighteousness, then he becomes subject to the powers of the gods.
त्रिकद्रुकेभिः पवते षडुर्वीरेकमिद्बृहत्। त्रिष्टुब्गायत्री छन्दांसि सर्वा ता यम आर्पिता
With the three Kadrus, Soma is purified; with six broad vessels, this great one. All the meters—Triṣṭubh, Gāyatrī—are offered to Yama.
सूर्यं चक्षुषा गच्छ वातमात्मना दिवं च गच्छ पृथिवीं च धर्मभिः । अपो वा गच्छ यदि तत्र ते हितमोषधीषु प्रति तिष्ठा शरीरैः
Go with your eye to the sun, with your breath to the wind; go to heaven and to earth by righteousness. Or go to the waters if that is your wish; remain among the plants with your body.
अजो भागस्तपसस्तं तपस्व तं ते शोचिस्तपतु तं ते अर्चिः । यास्ते शिवास्तन्वो जातवेदस्ताभिर्वहैनं सुकृतामु लोकम्
The unborn portion is of austerity; practice austerity for that. Let your flame burn for that, let your light shine for that. With those auspicious forms of yours, O Jātavedas, carry him to the world of the righteous.
यास्ते शोचयो रंहयो जातवेदो याभिरापृणासि दिवमन्तरिक्षम् । अजं यन्तमनु ताः समृण्वतामथेतराभिः शिवतमाभिः शृतं कृधि
O Jātavedas, those flames of yours, swift and shining, by which you fill the sky and midspace—let them follow the one who is led forth, and with those other most auspicious flames, make him pure.
अव सृज पुनरग्ने पितृभ्यो यस्त आहुतश्चरति स्वधावान् । आयुर्वसान उप यातु शेषः सं गच्छतां तन्वा सुवर्चाः
Release again, O Agni, to the Fathers, the one who, offered, moves about with oblations; let the remainder, clothed in life, approach, shining in body, and join together.