यत्ते गात्रादग्निना पच्यमानादभि शूलं निहतस्यावधावति । मा तद्भूम्यामा श्रिषन्मा तृणेषु देवेभ्यस्तदुशद्भ्यो रातमस्तु
Whatever from your body, being cooked by fire, drips down from the spit after being struck, let that not fall on the earth or on the grass; let it be given to the gods and to the worthy.
ये वाजिनं परिपश्यन्ति पक्वं य ईमाहुः सुरभिर्निर्हरेति । ये चार्वतो मांसभिक्षामुपासत उतो तेषामभिगूर्तिर्न इन्वतु
Those who look upon the cooked steed, those who say, 'Let the fragrant one be brought forth,' and those who seek a portion of the horse's flesh—may their praise reach us.
यन्नीक्षणं माँस्पचन्या उखाया या पात्राणि यूष्ण आसेचनानि । ऊष्मण्यापिधाना चरूणामङ्काः सूनाः परि भूषन्त्यश्वम्
Whatever is the dripping from the cooking pan, whatever are the vessels, the strainers for the broth, the covers of the pots, the hooks, the butchers—let all these surround the horse.
निक्रमणं निषदनं विवर्तनं यच्च पड्बीशमर्वतः । यच्च पपौ यच्च घासिं जघास सर्वा ता ते अपि देवेष्वस्तु
Whatever the horse's stepping, sitting, turning, and whatever its four feet accomplished; whatever it drank, whatever it ate and consumed—all these, may they be among the gods for you.
मा त्वाग्निर्ध्वनयीद्धूमगन्धिर्मोखा भ्राजन्त्यभि विक्त जघ्रिः । इष्टं वीतमभिगूर्तं वषट्कृतं तं देवासः प्रति गृभ्णन्त्यश्वम्
Let not fire, smoky-scented and roaring, consume you; let not the shining blade strike you. The offering, prepared, purified, and marked with the vaṣaṭ-call, the gods accept as the horse.
यदश्वाय वास उपस्तृणन्त्यधीवासं या हिरण्यान्यस्मै । संदानमर्वन्तं पड्बीशं प्रिया देवेष्वा यामयन्ति
When they spread coverings for the horse, and place garments and gold for it, they send the beloved, swift-footed, four-footed one to the gods.
यत्ते सादे महसा शूकृतस्य पार्ष्ण्या वा कशया वा तुतोद । स्रुचेव ता हविषो अध्वरेषु सर्वा ता ते ब्रह्मणा सूदयामि
Whatever struck you, horse, with force—by spur or by whip; as the ladle touches the offering at the rituals, so by sacred utterance I release all these for you.
चतुस्त्रिंशद्वाजिनो देवबन्धोर्वङ्क्रीरश्वस्य स्वधितिः समेति । अच्छिद्रा गात्रा वयुना कृणोत परुष्परुरनुघुष्या वि शस्त
Thirty-four ribs, divine bonds, the horse's curved blade approaches; make the limbs unbroken with skill, let the joints be loosened, let the cut be clean.
एकस्त्वष्टुरश्वस्या विशस्ता द्वा यन्तारा भवतस्तथ ऋतुः । या ते गात्राणामृतुथा कृणोमि ताता पिण्डानां प्र जुहोम्यग्नौ
One is the horse's cutting by Tvaṣṭṛ, two are the guides, and so is the season; what I prepare of your limbs according to the season, those portions I offer into the fire.
मा त्वा तपत्प्रिय आत्मापियन्तं मा स्वधितिस्तन्व आ तिष्ठिपत्ते । मा ते गृध्नुरविशस्तातिहाय छिद्रा गात्राण्यसिना मिथू कः
Let not the dear heat burn you as you are united with your self; let not the blade rest upon your body; let not the greedy, careless cutter harm you, nor let the knife break your limbs, nor strike them together.
न वा उ एतन्म्रियसे न रिष्यसि देवाँ इदेषि पथिभिः सुगेभिः । हरी ते युञ्जा पृषती अभूतामुपास्थाद्वाजी धुरि रासभस्य
You do not die, nor are you harmed; you go to the gods by good paths. The bay mares, the spotted ones, are yoked for you; the steed stands at the yoke of the ass.
सुगव्यं नो वाजी स्वश्व्यं पुंसः पुत्राँ उत विश्वापुषं रयिम् । अनागास्त्वं नो अदितिः कृणोतु क्षत्रं नो अश्वो वनतां हविष्मान्
May the steed bring us good cattle, good horses, sons, and all-nourishing wealth. May Aditi grant us innocence; may the horse, bearing offerings, win us sovereignty.
यदक्रन्दः प्रथमं जायमान उद्यन्समुद्रादुत वा पुरीषात् । श्येनस्य पक्षा हरिणस्य बाहू उपस्तुत्यं महि जातं ते अर्वन्
When the first cry arose at birth, rising from the sea or from the waters, the wings of the eagle, the arms of the deer—your praise-worthy greatness was born, O steed.
यमेन दत्तं त्रित एनमायुनगिन्द्र एणं प्रथमो अध्यतिष्ठत् । गन्धर्वो अस्य रशनामगृभ्णात्सूरादश्वं वसवो निरतष्ट
Given by Yama, strengthened by Trita, Indra was the first to mount it; the Gandharva took its reins, the Sun fashioned the horse, and the Vasus released it.
असि यमो अस्यादित्यो अर्वन्नसि त्रितो गुह्येन व्रतेन । असि सोमेन समया विपृक्त आहुस्ते त्रीणि दिवि बन्धनानि
You are Yama, you are Aditya, O steed; you are Trita by secret vow. You are united with Soma, set apart; they say you have three bonds in heaven.
त्रीणि त आहुर्दिवि बन्धनानि त्रीण्यप्सु त्रीण्यन्तः समुद्रे । उतेव मे वरुणश्छन्त्स्यर्वन्यत्रा त आहुः परमं जनित्रम्
Three bonds they say you have in heaven, three in the waters, three within the ocean. Varuṇa, I hope, will grant you favor, O steed, where they say is your highest origin.
इमा ते वाजिन्नवमार्जनानीमा शफानां सनितुर्निधाना । अत्रा ते भद्रा रशना अपश्यमृतस्य या अभिरक्षन्ति गोपाः
These are your nine cleansings, O steed; these are the marks of your hooves, the places of your strength. Here I saw your good reins, which the guardians of immortality protect.
आत्मानं ते मनसारादजानामवो दिवा पतयन्तं पतंगम् । शिरो अपश्यं पथिभिः सुगेभिररेणुभिर्जेहमानं पतत्रि
With my mind I approached your essence, seeing you as a bird flying by day. I saw your head on good paths, moving with dust, as a winged one.
अत्रा ते रूपमुत्तममपश्यं जिगीषमाणमिष आ पदे गोः । यदा ते मर्तो अनु भोगमानळादिद्ग्रसिष्ठ ओषधीरजीगः
Here I saw your highest form, striving for nourishment at the cow's foot. When a mortal, following your enjoyment, first grasps the herbs, he seeks you.
अनु त्वा रथो अनु मर्यो अर्वन्ननु गावोऽनु भगः कनीनाम् । अनु व्रातासस्तव सख्यमीयुरनु देवा ममिरे वीर्यं ते
The chariot follows you, the young man, O steed, follows you; the cows, the lord of the maidens, follow you. The hosts follow your friendship; the gods have measured your strength.
हिरण्यशृङ्गोऽयो अस्य पादा मनोजवा अवर इन्द्र आसीत् । देवा इदस्य हविरद्यमायन्यो अर्वन्तं प्रथमो अध्यतिष्ठत्
Golden-horned, swift-footed, its feet, mind-moving, Indra was below. The gods, desiring the offering, mounted it; the steed was first to be harnessed.
ईर्मान्तासः सिलिकमध्यमासः सं शूरणासो दिव्यासो अत्याः । हंसा इव श्रेणिशो यतन्ते यदाक्षिषुर्दिव्यमज्ममश्वाः
They are swift, with slender waists, and strong, heroic, celestial steeds; like swans in a line, they strive together when the divine horses set out.
तव शरीरं पतयिष्ण्वर्वन्तव चित्तं वात इव ध्रजीमान् । तव शृङ्गाणि विष्ठिता पुरुत्रारण्येषु जर्भुराणा चरन्ति
Your body is eager to fly, your mind moves like the wind along its path; your horns are spread out in many places, wandering vigorously in the forests.
उप प्रागाच्छसनं वाज्यर्वा देवद्रीचा मनसा दीध्यानः । अजः पुरो नीयते नाभिरस्यानु पश्चात्कवयो यन्ति रेभाः
The noble horse approaches the feeding place, shining with divine radiance in thought; the goat leads in front as its navel, and the wise follow behind, singing.
उप प्रागात्परमं यत्सधस्थमर्वाँ अच्छा पितरं मातरं च । अद्या देवाञ्जुष्टतमो हि गम्या अथा शास्ते दाशुषे वार्याणि
He approaches the highest seat, the horse, to his father and mother; today, most pleasing to the gods is the path, then he commands rewards for the worshipper.
अस्य वामस्य पलितस्य होतुस्तस्य भ्राता मध्यमो अस्त्यश्नः । तृतीयो भ्राता घृतपृष्ठो अस्यात्रापश्यं विश्पतिं सप्तपुत्रम्
Of this beautiful, grey-haired Hotar, there is a middle brother who eats; the third brother is ghee-backed—here I saw the lord of the clan with seven sons.
सप्त युञ्जन्ति रथमेकचक्रमेको अश्वो वहति सप्तनामा । त्रिनाभि चक्रमजरमनर्वं यत्रेमा विश्वा भुवनाधि तस्थुः
Seven harness the chariot with one wheel; one horse, called by seven names, draws it; the wheel has three hubs, is unaging and unbroken, upon which all worlds stand.
इमं रथमधि ये सप्त तस्थुः सप्तचक्रं सप्त वहन्त्यश्वाः । सप्त स्वसारो अभि सं नवन्ते यत्र गवां निहिता सप्त नाम
Upon this chariot, seven stand; seven wheels, seven horses carry it; seven sisters join together, where the seven names of cows are placed.
को ददर्श प्रथमं जायमानमस्थन्वन्तं यदनस्था बिभर्ति । भूम्या असुरसृगात्मा क्व स्वित्को विद्वांसमुप गात्प्रष्टुमेतत्
Who saw the first being born, the boneless one who bears bones? The soul of earth, the maker of gods—where is he? Who, knowing, approached to ask this?
पाकः पृच्छामि मनसाविजानन्देवानामेना निहिता पदानि । वत्से बष्कयेऽधि सप्त तन्तून्वि तत्निरे कवय ओतवा उ
I ask, not knowing, with my mind, where the footprints of the gods are placed; on the calf, on the bull, the wise spun seven threads, weaving them.