In the sacred assembly, the priest prepares to worship the divine, shining doors—golden portals guided by truth, radiant and bestowing strength. With reverence, he invokes Indra, the priestly lord, and gathers the Paṅkti meter, the Indriya, the four-year-old cow, and the strength to seek clarified butter for the offering. The priest, steadfast in his role, honors these divine thresholds. Next, he turns to the well-adorned, beautifully formed Night and Dawn, great ones unseen yet all-pervading, and again to Indra, the bestower of strength. With the Triṣṭubh meter, the Indriya, the six-year-old cow, and strength, he seeks ghee, continuing the worship. The Hotar, wise and learned, invokes the gods, seeking their highest glory. The divine poets unite to bring Indra, bearer of strength, to the sacrifice. Using the Jagati meter, the sense-power, and the unyoked cow, the Hotar places the matured offering of ghee and performs the sacred rites. He then calls upon three radiant goddesses—golden Bharati, Bṛhati, and Mahī—and Indra, lord and bearer of strength. With the Virāj meter, sense-power, and milch cow, the Hotar places the matured ghee and continues the sacrifice. Tvaṣṭar, noble and nourishing, bearing many forms and prosperity, is invoked along with Indra. With the Dvipadā meter, sense-power, and the bull as a milch animal, the Hotar offers matured ghee in sacrifice. The lord of the forest, the pacifier, mighty Indra with golden leaves and girdle, is summoned. With the Kakubh meter, sense-power, and draught cow, the Hotar places the offering and performs the rites. The forms of Svāhā, Agni the householder, Varuṇa the healer, sage and ruler, and Indra are invoked. Using the Aticchandas meter, sense-power, and the great bull, the Hotar offers matured ghee. The divine Barhis, bearer of strength, increases Indra’s might. With the Gāyatrī meter, sense-power, and the eye, Indra receives strength. The bestower of wealth grants offerings, and the sacrifice proceeds. The divine doors, bearers of strength, purify and increase Indra. With the Uṣṇih meter, sense-power, and the breath, Indra is strengthened; wealth is bestowed and the sacrifice performed. Divine dawns and nights, together with Indra, the god, increase each other. With the Anuṣṭubh meter, sense-power, and vigor, Indra receives strength and wealth. The divine milker, bestower of wealth, and Indra, bearer of strength, increase one another. With the Bṛhati meter, sense-power, and hearing, Indra is empowered and wealth granted. The offering of nourishment, milking the well-yielding cow, increases Indra. With the Paṅkti meter, sense-power, and seed, Indra receives strength and wealth. Divine Hotars and gods, with Indra, increase his strength. With the Triṣṭubh meter, sense-power, and radiance, Indra is strengthened and wealth bestowed. Three goddesses, bearers of strength, increase Indra. With the Jagati meter, sense-power, and dryness, Indra is empowered and wealth granted. Narāśaṃsa and Indra, bearer of strength, increase each other. With the Virāj meter, sense-power, and form, Indra receives strength and wealth. The lord of the forest and Indra, bearer of strength, increase one another. With the Dvipadā meter, sense-power, and fortune, Indra is strengthened and wealth bestowed. The divine Barhis of the waters and Indra, bearer of strength, increase each other. With the Kakubh meter, sense-power, and glory, Indra receives strength and wealth. Agni, maker of auspicious offerings, and Indra, bearer of strength, increase one another. With the Aticchandas meter, sense-power, and rule, Indra is strengthened and wealth granted. On this day, the sacrificer chooses Agni as Hotar, who cooks the offerings and prepares the sacrificial cake, binding the goat for Indra, bearer of strength. The lord of the forest becomes the offering for Indra, with the goat. Fat is taken from the flesh, cooked, and enriched with the sacrificial cake. The sacrificer, descended from seers, chooses the bull for the assembled gods, invoking divine wealth. The gods who have bestowed gifts are called and praised. The Hotar is sent for auspicious speech and human praise, to recite the hymn. Kindled, Agni becomes the ornament of thoughts, rich in ghee and sweetness. Bearing the prize, Jātavedas brings the beloved seat of the gods. The paths to the gods are anointed with ghee; the swift, knowing steed approaches the gods. May the seven directions accompany Agni, establishing the offering for the worshipper. Agni, swift and pure, worthy of praise and worship, possessing strength and fit for sacrifice, together with the Vasus and gods, carries the beloved fire. The sacred grass, broad and well-arranged, is gladly accepted, first established upon the wide earth. Aditi, united with the gods, places it as a pleasant seat in the assembly. The auspicious, all-formed doors—adorned with wings and uplifted thresholds—are lofty, shining, and splendid. May these divine doors become excellent passages. Moving between Mitra and Varuṇa, Agni approaches the face of the sacrifices in assembly. The Dawns, richly golden and skillful, are seated in the womb of truth. Two golden charioteers, gods who see all worlds, come forth. Inspired by their urging, the priests measure out the light and distribute it to all directions. Bhāratī, with the Ādityas, blesses the sacrifice; Sarasvatī, with the Rudras, protects. Invoked by Iḍā and united with the Vasus, the goddesses place the sacrifice among the immortals. Tvaṣṭṛ begets a heroic son desired by the gods; from him is born the swift horse. Tvaṣṭṛ creates the entire world; the Hotṛ worships the maker of all. The horse, anointed with ghee, comes to the gods in due season. The tree, knowing the divine realm, carries the well-offered oblations with Agni. Agni, grown strong through Prajāpati’s austerity and newly born, takes up the sacrifice. He leads with the offering made with svāhā; the Sādhyas and gods partake of the oblation. When the first cry arose at birth—whether from the ocean or the flood—the wings of the falcon, the arms of the bay steed, marked the horse’s great birth, worthy of praise. Given by Yama, Trita lengthened its life; Indra was the first to mount the horse. The Gandharva grasped its rein, and the Vasus led the horse out from the sun. The horse is Yama, Āditya, and Trita with hidden vow; united with Soma, set apart. It is said to have three bonds in heaven. Three bonds in heaven, three in the waters, three within the ocean—may Varuṇa release the horse where its highest birthplace lies. Here are the cleansing places, swift one; here the resting places of your hooves. Here are your auspicious reins, protected by the guardians of truth. With my mind, I recognize your self, as a bird soaring by day. I see your head, O winged one, moving along easy paths, striving among the dust. Here I see your highest form, striving for the prize at the cow’s foot. When a mortal enjoys your bounty, you consume the plants, O horse. After you goes the chariot, after you the warrior; after you the cows, after you the fortune of princes. After you, hosts seek friendship; after you, the gods measure your strength. The one with golden horns, swift as the mind, was followed by Indra. The gods came to his offering, for he was the first to mount the steed. Divine coursers, rich in milk, with soft hair in the middle and strong manes, strive together like swans in formation, setting out on the heavenly path. Thus, through ritual, invocation, and offering, the gods are honored, strength is bestowed, and the sacred horse, emblem of divine creation and sacrifice, journeys along the celestial way, carrying the prayers and offerings of mortals to the highest realms.