May the mighty Indra, Varuṇa, Mitra, and Aryaman grant us glory and vast protection, shielding us on all sides. Let us honor the undeceiving light of Aditi, the upholder of truth, and raise our voices in praise to the radiant Savitar. Long ago, Indra and Varuṇa, recognizing the ancient bond of friendship, set forth toward the east with far-reaching hosts, seeking cattle. They brought their aid to Sudās, standing by him against the Dāsas, the Vṛtras, and even the Aryas, turning the tide of battle in his favor. Where men assembled with banners raised, where nothing was spared in the heat of conflict and even the shining ones trembled, there Indra and Varuṇa spoke up on behalf of their devotees. They had seen the farthest ends of the earth, shrouded in darkness, and their voices thundered up to the sky. Indra and Varuṇa, always responsive, did not allow enemies to stand firm, but drew near to help those who called upon them. With invincible weapons, they broke through the enemy ranks and protected Sudās, listening to the prayers of the priests, whose devotion was true and steadfast, especially among the Tṛtsus. Though the noble were oppressed by hostile powers, Indra and Varuṇa, as rulers of all wealth, protected their faithful from the highest heaven. In the thick of battle, when Sudās was surrounded by ten kings, it was Indra and Varuṇa who came to his aid, upholding the Tṛtsus. Those ten kings, who did not offer sacrifice, could not overcome Sudās, for the true praise and offerings of men reached the gods and brought victory. Beset from all sides, Sudās received strength from Indra and Varuṇa. The wise and devoted Tṛtsus, their helmets gleaming white, triumphed through reverence and right thought. Among these two deities, one struck down adversaries in battle, while the other upheld the sacred vows. The people called upon these mighty ones with splendid praises, seeking their protection. Again, the prayer arose: may Indra, Varuṇa, Mitra, and Aryaman grant us glory and wide protection; may we honor the unobstructed light of Aditi, and offer our praise to the divine radiance of Savitar. Turning to Indra and Varuṇa at the sacred offering, the people approached with reverence. Streams of clarified butter, placed upon their arms, flowed around them, assuming many forms. Their dominion was vast, shining, and enduring—like the sky itself, set with guides and paths. They prayed that Varuṇa’s reproach might pass them by, and that Indra would make their world spacious and free. The people wished for their sacrifice to be beautiful and successful in the assemblies, for their hymns to be well-praised among the noble, and for wealth, accompanied by the gods, to come to them. They sought to cross over life’s challenges with splendid aid. Indra and Varuṇa were invoked to grant all-encompassing, abundant wealth, for the heroic Āditya dispelled falsehood and bestowed treasures. A hymn, eightfold in its praise, was uttered for Indra and Varuṇa, seeking prosperity for offspring and descendants. The people wished to be adorned with noble gifts, reaching divine worship, and to be always protected by the blessings of these deities. With purified thoughts, they offered Soma to Indra and Varuṇa, hoping, like the goddess Dawn adorned in clarified butter, that she would come and bring wide protection. In the place where banners shone and battles raged, those who were invoked by the gods contended. Indra and Varuṇa struck down the enemies, scattering them in all directions. Even the waters, resplendent in their own glory, worshipped Indra and Varuṇa as deities in their abodes. One upheld the peoples and the distinguished, while the other, unconquered, slew adversaries. The wise, truth-knowing priest, with strength and reverence, turned to the Āditya, seeking favor and prosperity through offerings. Again, the eightfold hymn was uttered for Indra and Varuṇa, desiring prosperity for all descendants, noble gifts, and divine protection. By his greatness, the wise one spread out the generations, propping up the vast heavens and earth, lifting the lofty firmament, and spreading the stars across the expanse. With his own form, he spoke together, and a yearning arose: when might one dwell within Varuṇa? What offering would he accept, and when would the merciful, kind-hearted one look upon his devotee? With longing, the seeker approached Varuṇa, eager to inquire, for even the wise said: Varuṇa takes upon himself the sins of men. The devotee asked: “O Varuṇa, what ancient offense causes you to wish harm to your worshipper and friend? Tell me, O easy-to-invoke Lord, for I come to you with reverence.” He prayed for release from ancestral transgressions, and from those committed by his own body. “O King, set me free, as a calf from its tether, as a beast from the snare, from guilt that clings to me.” For, he realized, no one’s skill, steadfastness, wrath, or cleverness suffices; greater and lesser are always near, and even sleep and falsehood arise. Like a servant for his generous master, he performed blameless deeds for the god, eager for abundance. The wise god, though unrecognized, inspired the thoughtful, and bestowed wealth on the singer. Devoted praise, full of heartfelt longing, was directed to Varuṇa, seeking well-being at home and in striving, and the hope of constant protection and blessing. Varuṇa cleared the paths for Sūrya, and the rivers, like the ocean in their flow, moved forward at his command. Like a released flood, he set the swift waters in motion, making the great rivers run for the sake of truth. His breath was the wind, his robe the ever-renewed atmosphere, and his might was like a strong and swift horse. Within earth and heaven, all his beloved abodes were present. Earth and heaven themselves saw the boundaries set by Varuṇa, well-ordered and true. The wise and sacrificial thinkers sought to discern his will. Varuṇa spoke to the thoughtful one, revealing that the cow bears three times seven names. The one who knows the secret of the path keeps it unspoken; the inspired learn for the age to come. Three heavens were set within, three earths above, six in their arrangement; the wise king Varuṇa made a golden swing, shining in the sky. Like the sky, Varuṇa stood above the river; his shining, swift, white beast was powerful as a drop of water. Deep in thought, he surveyed the expanse, ruling excellently over all that exists. He who brings mercy even to the one who has erred—may we be sinless before Varuṇa. Following the laws of Aditi, increasing in strength, the people prayed for constant protection and blessings. Vasiṣṭha, the sage, offered his most excellent hymn to Varuṇa, the generous, nearby, and worthy of worship, thousand-gifted, mighty and great. Having seen his vision, Vasiṣṭha approached the presence of Agni and the mind of Varuṇa, longing to see those who possess the heavenly food and to witness their divine form. There was a time when Varuṇa and Vasiṣṭha boarded a boat together and set out into the middle of the ocean, moving among the waters with their oars, swinging the shining swing. In that moment, Varuṇa made Vasiṣṭha a seer from the boat, by his great powers. He made the singer, the inspired one, blessed with good days, extended by the heavens and the dawns. Thus, through prayer, sacrifice, and heartfelt devotion, the people honored Indra, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman, Aditi, and Savitar, seeking their protection, guidance, and blessings for themselves and their descendants, upheld by truth and inspired by the wisdom of the seers.