In the sacred hour, the faithful gathered and raised their voices in song, inviting the twin deities, the Aśvins, to delight in their hymns and rituals. They called upon the divine pair to come swiftly to the offerings, accompanied by Dawn and the radiant Sun, and to bestow their favor upon the assembly. The Aśvins, ever wondrous, were invoked with vivid imagery: like golden-plumed birds, they soared through the forest; like powerful buffaloes, they came eagerly to the pressed Soma. Again and again, the people welcomed them—like graceful swans in flight, like travelers on a well-trodden path, like eagles descending for the offering, their presence was eagerly awaited at the sacred press. Each time, the refrain echoed: “Together with Dawn and with the Sun, O Aśvins, come thrice turning.” The people entreated the Aśvins to drink and be satisfied, to grant them offspring, wealth, and strength. They asked the divine twins to win and protect what was praised, to strike down enemies and extend friendship, and to grant prosperity in all forms. The Aśvins were called to come with Mitra and Varuṇa, with righteousness and the Maruts, answering the singer’s call. They were invoked alongside the Angirases, Viṣṇu, and the Maruts, and again with the Ṛbhus, strong and full of vigor, always accompanied by the Dawn, the Sun, and the Ādityas. The worshippers pleaded for inspiration of prayer and thought, for the defeat of demons and the driving away of misfortune. They sought the Aśvins’ blessings for power, for the flourishing of men and cattle, and for the well-being of the people. The memory of ancient praise was invoked, recalling how the Aśvins had listened to Atri and now to the exhilarating songs of Śyāvāśva as Soma was pressed, asking that their well-praised gifts flow like streams and their rays direct blessings to the ritual. With reverence, the worshippers invited the Aśvins to guide their chariot forward and drink the honeyed Soma, calling them to grant treasures to the devotee. With words of homage, they welcomed the divine pair to rejoice in the offering, to approach and bestow their gifts upon those who called for help. As the ritual progressed, Indra, wielder of a hundred powers, was invoked as the protector of the one who presses Soma and spreads the sacred grass. The people invited Indra to drink the Soma, the portion set aside for him by all the hosts of warriors, strong in battle, and praised him as lord of the good, victorious with the Maruts. The singer brought Indra forward anew, and the gods, with strength and aid, joined in the invocation. Indra was honored as the creator of heaven and earth, of horses and cows, and was called to be magnified for the praise of the Atris. The people remembered how Indra had listened to the pressing of Śyāvāśva and the deeds of Atri, and how he alone had protected Trasadasyu, subduing men and exalting the hymns. In battle against Vritra, Indra was the champion, and the hymn was raised to him, inviting him to come with all his aids to the one who presses Soma. Indra, slayer of Vritra, was asked to drink the midday Soma, to stand firm against hosts of foes, to rule the moving world, to drive away enemies, and to grant safety and victory. The people recalled how Indra had aided them in times of need, responding to the hymns of Śyāvāśva and the rites of Atri, ever exalting the powers and protecting the righteous. Indra and Agni, the priests of the sacrifice and ever-victorious in contests, were addressed together. Swift as thought, riding in their chariot, slayers of Vritra, unconquered, they were called to be aware of the offerings. The sweet, honey-rich draught pressed by the faithful was presented to them, and the people prayed that Indra and Agni accept the sacrifice, the libations, and the Gayatri-versed hymns. With hope and devotion, the assembly invited Indra and Agni to come forth in the morning with their chariots, together with all the gods, to partake in the drinking of Soma and to bestow wealth and blessings upon the worshippers. Thus, the sacred story unfolds—a tapestry of praise, invocation, and yearning, where gods and mortals meet in the light of Dawn, in the presence of the Sun, and in the eternal flow of the ritual.