Freed like a bird, the inspired Soma, purified and wise, surged forth in a mighty wave, moving at the will of the sage himself. Soma, pure and insightful, coursed between heaven and earth, destined for Indra. Clad in a shining robe, he reached the worshipper, touched the sky, and was set in all the worlds, knowing the sun’s course. He ascended through the clouds, summoning the ancient father from afar. To his devotee—who first recognized his sacred abode—Soma granted great protection. His steps reached the highest heaven, and from there, united, he approached all things. Soma, known as Indu, advanced for Indra’s purification, a steadfast friend who never forsakes, mingling joyfully like a youth among maidens, flowing into the vessel along a hundredfold path. The delightful, wise, and fruitful thoughts of the worshippers entered the gatherings, seeking Soma with intention, singing his praises as cows seek their milk, drawing near the nourishing one. They prayed, “Soma, grant us your abundant, nourishing flow; purify yourself, O Indu, without delay. Bestow upon us, three times daily, your ever-flowing, fertile, sweet, and heroic strength.” Mighty among thoughts, Soma, the discerning, flowed forth, pressed at dawn, shining with the heavenly light. Roaring, he entered the vessels of the rivers, pouring into jars and entering Indra’s heart with inspiration. With the inspired, the ancient sage flowed, roaring around the vessels with men. He created the name of Trita, pouring out sweet mead to strengthen the friendship of Indra and Vāyu. Purified, Soma made the dawns shine and became the maker of space among the rivers. Thrice seven times, he milked the nourishing essence, lovely and exhilarating, purified for the heart. “Purify yourself, Soma, in the divine abodes,” the priests called. “Flow, Indu, into the vessel through the filter. Roaring, sit in Indra’s belly, guided by men; raise up the Sun in the sky.” Pressed with stones, Soma flowed through the filter, entering the bellies of Indra. Discerning among men, he became the wise one who opened the cow-stall for the Angirases. The inspired ones enjoyed Soma, seeking his aid. The splendid-winged one brought him from the sky, adorned with all thoughts. Seven cows, longing for the tawny one, surrounded the purified Soma with their wave-like streams. In the lap of the waters, the pressing stones sought the great sage in the womb of truth. The purified drop passed beyond all hostilities, making good paths for the worshipper. Creating cows, clearing the way, the delightful sage, playful as a horse, flowed around the enclosure. From all sides, a hundred streams poured forth, seeking the radiant one, as waters rush to their channel. Swift ones cleansed him, wrapped in cows, on the third back, upon the shining realm of heaven. These offspring were his, born from the divine seed; Soma was the ruler of all worlds. Thus, the entire universe was under his control; Soma was the first to hold the abode. Soma was the ocean, the all-knowing sage; for him, the five regions were established. He embraced both heaven and earth, and his lights were the sun. Purified in the strainer, Soma was cleansed for the gods, set in the order of the firmament. The first-born seers grasped him, and for him, all the worlds were yoked. The powerful one, roaring, went beyond barriers; the tawny one set his wheel among the woods. Inspired thoughts, longing, followed together; the hymns pressed the child to be purified. Weaving the thread with the sun’s rays, Soma spread it out skillfully in threefold fashion, leading forth the newer commands of truth, and approached the place of purification as lord of beings. The king of rivers was purified, lord of heaven, moving along the paths of truth with a resounding voice. The tawny one, with a thousand streams, was poured around, being purified, generating speech, bringing wealth. “O Purifier, great wave, you rush forth, wondrous as the sun, unfailing in your courses. Cleansed by rays and pressed by men, you flow for strength, prosperity, and wealth.” Soma flowed forth for nourishment and strength; like a falcon to its home, he settled in the vessels. The exhilarating draught, pressed for Indra, was his rapture—lofty, discerning, the pillar of the sky. Seven sisters, with their mothers, bore the newborn, wondrous, wise child—Soma, Gandharva of the waters, divine, visible to men, king of all worlds. Soma mastered the worlds for increase, harnessing the green-winged ones, swift-flowing. May they pour for him honeyed ghee and milk; by his command, may peoples abide. Soma was all-seeing among men; the Purifying Bull rushed everywhere, bringing wealth and gold, granting long life in the worlds. Rich in cows, bringer of wealth, finder of gold, Soma, bearer of the seed, was established among the worlds. Heroic and all-knowing, he was praised by the sages. The wave of honey, adorned with waters, arose; the mighty bull, clothed in waters, roared forth. The king, whose chariot was the filter, mounted strength; with a thousand streams, he won great renown. He lifted up bonds, bestowing offspring, life, and daily bounties upon all. “O Soma, grant us, with Indra, wealth, offspring, horses, and cattle through the sacred chant.” The exhilarating draught, the tawny, active one, at the head of days, awakened with insight, following the bright ones. Moving between peoples, he upheld both the praise of men and the divine law. They adorned themselves, stirring the mind, adorning with honey. With golden hooves, they seized the bull falling in the river’s surge. Sing to the wise, purifying one; like a great stream, Soma flowed forth. Like a serpent shedding its old skin, like a horse delighting, the tawny bull moved onward. Foremost, kingly, mighty, Soma shone; the purifier was set in the realms of days. The tawny one, rich in clarified butter, beautiful, oceanic, with a chariot of light, flowed for wealth and shelter. The pillar was released, raised in the sky; exhilaration pervaded the triple world. Thoughts stirred Soma, flowing, as skilled singers reached the press. The streams of the purified one, swift-flowing, moved forward; the forces of pressed Soma advanced. When, O Indu, you mingled with the cows in the vessel, then, well-pressed Soma, you settled in the jars. “Flow forth, Soma, endowed with insight, worthy of praise; run around the unclouded filter with your beloved sweetness. Strike down all demons and malicious ones; let us speak forth with great strength in the assembly.” Soma ran forth, settled around the vessel, purified with men, rushing toward the prize. Like a swift horse, cleansed, he was led to the sacred grass with reins. Armed with his own power, the god Indu was purified, destroyer of harm, protector of the people, father of the gods, creator, skillful, support of heaven, and foundation of earth. A seer, wise and thoughtful, inspired by poetry, he was the forerunner of peoples. He alone discovered what was hidden—the secret name of the cows. This honeyed Soma for Indra, the bull, flowed around the filter for the mighty, bearing thousands and hundreds, giving much, and establishing the most enduring seat for the prize-winner.