In the sacred ordering of the world, every creature and force is woven into a tapestry of divine relationships. The eṇi antelope is linked to the day, while the frog belongs to the night. The mouse is joined to the partridge, and the snake to the twin gods, the Aśvins. The black one is of the night, the bear is given to the jatū, the suṣilīkā bird to other people, and the jahaka bird to Viṣṇu. The anyavāpa bird is connected to the half-months, the ṛśya antelope to the peacock, and the suparṇa bird to the Gandharvas. The otter belongs to the waters, the kaśyapa turtle to the months, the red fish to Kuṇḍṛṇācī, the golattikā bird to the Apsarases, and the asita black bird to Death. The varṣāhū bird is joined to the seasons, the rat to the shrew, and the mānthāla bird to the ancestors. The python belongs to the Vasus, the francolin to the pigeons, the owl to the hare, and the forest ram to Nirṛti and Varuṇa. The śvitra bird is given to the Ādityas, the camel to the shining one, the vulture to Matī, and the sṛmara to the forest. The spotted deer is Rudra’s, the kvayi bird belongs to Kuṭarur, the dātyauha bird to the steeds, and the pika bird to Kāma. The rhinoceros is for the Viśvadevas, the black dog for Karṇa, and the donkey for Tarakṣu. The bear is given to the Rakṣasas, the boar to Indra, the lion to the Maruts, the kṛkalāsa bird to Pippaka, the śakuni bird to the missile, and the spotted antelope to all the gods. Each element of the world is paired with its counterpart: the śādaṃ bird with curds, the avakā plant with the roots of teeth, clay with barley, the tegā plant with tusks, Sarasvatī with the tip of the tongue, the base of the tongue with the uvula, the palate with the jaws, water with the mouth, the virile member with the testicles, the Ādityas with the beard, the path with the eyebrows, Dyāvāpṛthivī with the eyelids, lightning with the eyelashes, white and black to Svāhā, and the eyelids themselves as barriers. Wind is joined with inhalation and exhalation, the nostrils with approach, the lips with goodness and shining, the head with thunder and the brain with lightning. The ears and hearing are paired, the lower throat with water, the dry throat with the mind, the neck with Aditi, the head with Nirṛti and with the loud sound, the breath with the hair, and the heap with the body. Mosquitoes are with the hair, Indra with sleep, Bṛhaspati with the bird’s seat, tortoises with their shells, the step with the thighs, the bear with the calves, francolins with speed, the journey with the arms, arani wood with the jaw, Agni with the forearms, Pūṣan with the arms, the Aśvins with the shoulders, and Rudra with the howling. The world itself is apportioned: the first part to Agni, the second to Vāyu, the third to Indra, the fourth to Soma, the fifth to Aditi, the sixth to Indrāṇī, the seventh to the Maruts, the eighth to Bṛhaspati, the ninth to Aryaman, the tenth to Dhātu, the eleventh to Indra, the twelfth to Varuṇa, and the thirteenth to Yama. Another division gives the first part to Indra and Agni, the second to Sarasvatī, the third to Mitra, the fourth to the Waters, the fifth to Nirṛti, the sixth to Agni and Soma, the seventh to the Serpents, the eighth to Viṣṇu, the ninth to Pūṣan, the tenth to Tvaṣṭṛ, the eleventh to Indra, the twelfth to Varuṇa, and the thirteenth to Yamī. The southern side is for Dyāvā-Pṛthivī, the northern for all the gods. The body, too, is offered: the shoulders to the Maruts, the armpits to the Rudras, the thighs to the Kṛuñcas, the hips to Indra and Bṛhaspati, the knees to Mitra and Varuṇa, the shanks to the Ākramaṇas, the strength to the Sthūras, and the skin to the Kuṣṭhas. Pūṣan is with the anus, the blind with the large intestine, the serpents with the rectum, the wandering ones with the intestines, the Waters with the bladder, the virile with the testicles, the swift with the penis, offspring with the seed, crows with the bile, discharges with the anus, and owls with the excrement. Within, Indra’s lap, Aditi’s strength, the regions’ shoulders, and Aditi’s healing are present. The clouds’ hearts, the midspace with the lungs, the sky with the stomach, chakravāka birds with the kidneys, mountains with the spleen, stones with the pancreas, anthills with the glands, streams with the gall, lakes with the liver, the ocean with the belly, and Vaiśvānara with the ashes—all are connected. Support resides in the navel, firmness in the sap, the Waters in the warmth, rays in the drops, mist in the heat, cold in the fat, dew in the tears, the roaring ones in the humors, tendons in the protections, the variegated in the limbs, the stars in the form, and the earth in the skin. All is offered in reverence to Jumbaka. At the beginning, the Golden Embryo arose, the one lord of all that is born. He established earth and sky—unto which god should we offer our oblation? He alone is king of all that breathes and blinks, ruler of the world—unto which god should we offer our oblation? His greatness is proclaimed by the snowy mountains and the ocean with its rivers, all directions and arms are his—unto which god should we offer our oblation? He who gives soul and strength, whom all the gods worship as lord, whose shadow is immortality and whose shadow is death—unto which god should we offer our oblation? May auspicious thoughts come to us from every side, ever new and unimpeded, and may the gods protect and increase us day by day. May their gracious favor and generosity be with us, may we approach their friendship, and may they grant us long life. With ancient invocation, we call upon Bhaga, Mitra, Aditi, Dakṣa, Aryaman, Varuṇa, Soma, the Aśvins, and Sarasvatī to bring us happiness. May Vāta bring healing, may Mother Earth and Father Sky do the same, may the pressing stones, children of Soma, bring us joy, and may the mighty Aśvins listen to us. We call for help upon the Lord, ruler of all, inspirer of thought; may Pūṣan, knower of the paths, guard and protect us unfailingly. May Indra, Pūṣan, Tārkṣya, and Bṛhaspati bring us well-being. The Maruts, with their dappled horses, born of Pṛśni, shining in their assemblies, and the Men with tongues of fire and the Sun as their eye—may all the gods come to our aid. May we hear and see what is auspicious, O gods, and with firm bodies sing your praise, living out the life you have allotted. May the gods grant us a hundred autumns of life, where age does not weary us and our lineage continues unbroken. Aditi is sky, atmosphere, mother, father, son; all the gods, all peoples, all that is born and creation itself are Aditi. May Mitra, Varuṇa, Aryaman, Indra, the Ṛbhus, and the Maruts not diminish our life. As we recount the swift-born gods’ deeds, let us declare their heroic acts in the assembly. When the prize is led forth from the covered one’s mouth by the guiding line, the well-guided goat, bearing all forms, approaches the beloved path of Indra and Pūṣan. This goat, led with the swift horse, is Pūṣan’s portion, carried for all the gods; as the beloved sacrificial cake is brought by the horse, Tvaṣṭṛ quickens it for Sauśravas. At the proper time, when the offering for the gods is thrice led around the horse, Pūṣan’s first portion goes forth, and the goat announces the sacrifice to the gods. The priests—the Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, the kindler of Agni, the stone-holder, and the wise reciter—through this well-ordered sacrifice, fill the containers with nourishment. Those who prepare, carry, and shape the yūpa posts, and those who gather the horse’s cooking, may their praise not go unanswered. May our prayer proceed well, may the hope of the gods be fulfilled, and may it reach the woven seat. The sages rejoice in him, and we have made him a strong friend in the abundance of the gods. Whatever is the horse’s harness, its binding, the head-rope, the rein, or the grass in its mouth—let all belong to the gods. Whatever of its flesh is touched by flies, scraped by axe or knife, or is in the hands of the preparer or its hooves—let all belong to the gods. Waste removed from the belly, the scent of its flesh, let the skilled preparers handle and cook the sacrificial meat well. Whatever pain remains from the fire’s cooking or wound from being struck, let it not rest on earth or grass, but be given to the gods and the sacrificial flames. Those who observe the cooked horse, who praise its fragrance, who seek its meat—may their praise not go unanswered. Thus, in this sacred order, all beings, all things, and all acts are offered and connected, woven into the fabric of the divine.