The gods spoke to Aila, saying, “As you are, you are kin to death. Yet your offspring offer oblations to the gods, and you, too, shall rejoice in heaven.” Thus, the divine order and the cycle of life and offering were affirmed. Then, in the sacred assembly, praise was proclaimed for the mighty one. For him, the delight of the eager and the joy of the strong were sought. Hymns, adorned and beautiful as clarified butter poured by the Haris, were sent forth to reach the golden form of the deity. It was Hari whom the worshippers invoked, pouring forth their offerings as in the heavenly abode. They filled him with the Haris, as cows are filled with milk, and offered praise to Indra, the strong one, accompanied by the Haris. Indra’s weapon was the tawny, iron thunderbolt; Hari, unconstrained, was in his hands. Glorious and fair-cheeked, Indra raged with the fury of Hari, and in him, the forms of the Haris were fashioned. In the sky, the sign of the tawny one was set like a beacon; the thunderbolt shone forth in its tawny brilliance. Indra struck down the serpent, the iron-jawed one with a thousand points, and bore the strength of Hari. Indra of tawny hair was praised as of old by former worshippers. All his might was tawny, his favor was tawny-born and most delightful. Two tawny steeds, yoked to his chariot, bore Indra—the thunderer, the joyous, the praiseworthy—to the pressing of Soma. For him, many tawny libations were prepared; the tawny ones poured out the Soma for Indra. For desire, the tawny ones poured out; for the steadfast, the tawny steeds were harnessed, swift and eager. He who was pleased with the tawny horses, with the steeds, attained his desire, full of tawny delight. With tawny beard and tawny hair, iron-clad, Indra grew strong in the protection of the tawny one. Pleased with the steeds, the mighty leader of hosts overcame all evils with the tawny ones. Like two ladles, his tawny ones were set apart; the swift ones, for the prize, were divided. When, for the sake of the offering, the tawny ones were cleansed in the vessel, they drank the exhilarating, delightful Soma. In the house of the exhilarating one, the stallion neighed for the prize, like a racer. The great, nourishing, exhilarating one established mighty power among the exhilarating. Across heaven and earth, Indra was exalted in greatness; ever anew, he delighted in the hymns offered. The lord was called upon to reveal the exhilarating dwelling of the cow for the worshipper, for the sun. The horses of the people, yoked, were invited to bring Indra, the one with the tawny mane, to the chariot. He was urged to drink as he desired of the offered mead, to accept the sacrifice with the ten priests in the assembly. Of the earlier pressed Somas, and now, this pressing was done solely for him. Indra was invited to drink the honeyed Soma with strength, to let the mighty one pour it into his belly all at once. Then, attention turned to the plants—those that were born long ago, three ages before the gods. Their hundreds and their seven abodes were declared. A hundred were their abodes, and a thousand were their forms. Therefore, these hundred-powered mothers were invoked to make the devotee free from disease. The plants were called to rejoice, rich in flowers and bearing fruit. Like swift horses, may the healing herbs carry humanity across the waters of affliction. The plants were addressed as goddesses, as mothers: may they grant horses, cows, clothing, and spirit to humankind. Their seat was under the ashvattha tree, their dwelling in the leaf. It was said they were born from the cow when they brought forth a man. Where the plants gathered, like kings in assembly, the sage was called the healer, the guardian who drives away disease. All the plants, possessing horses and Soma, bestowing strength and vigor, were summoned for complete protection. The potent energy of the plants was kept, like cows in a pen; they granted wealth to those who sought it, and spirit to humankind. Iṣkṛtir was named as their mother, and they were the Iṣkṛtis—sinews, winged ones, driving away disease. The plants passed over all obstacles, as a thief leaps over a pen; they shook off whatever defilement was upon the body. When, desiring strength, a person took these plants in hand, the spirit of sickness departed, as the snare of life was loosened. Wherever the plants spread, limb by limb, joint by joint, from there they drove away disease, fierce and relentless. Disease was commanded to depart, together with the screeching owl, to leave with the wind’s blast, to perish with the departing darkness. The plants were asked to follow each other in unity, granting the devotee their utterance. Those that bore fruit and those that did not, those without flowers and those with blossoms, all born of Brihaspati, were invoked to release humanity from affliction. The plants were asked to free people from curses, from Varuna’s wrath, from Yama’s fetters, and from every divine transgression. The herbs that fell and those that did not, upon the earth and in the sky—whomever was fed with them, that person did not perish. Those herbs, ruled by Soma, abundant and wise in hundreds, were called the highest; they were asked to grant favorable desire and joy to the heart. Those herbs, ruled by Soma, established upon the earth, born of Brihaspati, were asked to give their strength. The plants were urged not to be harmed by the digging, for whom they were dug; for all bipeds and quadrupeds, may all be free from illness. Those that heard nearby, and those that had gone far away—all the herbs, gathering together, were called to give their strength. The herbs spoke together with Soma the king, and for whom the Brahman performed the rite, the herbs delivered him. The herbs were acknowledged as the highest; their roots were the foundation, and that foundation was sought as protection against all who assailed. Then Brihaspati was invoked: “Come to me with divinity—whether you are Mitra, Varuna, or Pushan, or with the Adityas, Vasus, Maruts; let Parjanya bring blessing for the offspring.” The swift, wise divine messenger was called from the gods; he was asked to turn favorably, to be offered radiant speech as a seat. Radiant speech was to be placed within, free from disease and nourishing, by which rain might be obtained for the offspring, just as the honeyed drop from heaven enters the earth. Thus, the cycle of praise, offering, healing, and divine blessing was woven together, uniting gods, plants, and humankind in a tapestry of life, strength, and sacred connection.