O Agni, revered guardian of sacred vows, I approach you as one whose body and purpose are intertwined with yours. As we walk the path of vows together, may you, the lord of consecration, recognize my consecration, and may the lord of austerity acknowledge my austerity. May the divine Soma, that well-dropped and heavenly elixir, flourish for Indra, the one who holds all wealth. May Indra grow through you, and you through Indra, and may both of you grant us and our companions wisdom and well-being. O Soma, may your sweetness flow in the pressing, and may the wealth we desire be sent forth for sharing among the truthful and the fortunate. Homage to Heaven and Earth. O Agni, you dwell in many forms: in iron, in the atmosphere, in gold—each the greatest and deepest. From all these abodes, may harsh and piercing speech be driven away. Svāhā. You are heated and known, O Agni; protect me from abandonment and distress. Agni knows the name Nabhas; O descendant of Aṅgiras, come with the name Āyu. Wherever you reside—on this earth, on the second earth, or the third—whatever unconquered, sacrificial name you bear, with that name I establish you, seeking the favor of the gods. You are a lioness, O sacred one, subduer of rivals—fit, pure, and shining for the gods. May Indra’s voice with the Vasus guard you in front; may Pracetas and the Rudras protect you behind; Manojava with the Fathers shield you on the right, and Viśvakarman with the Ādityas on the left. I pour out this heated water, removing it from the sacrifice. You are a lioness. Svāhā. You are the protection of the Ādityas, of Brahman and Kṣatra, the bringer of good offspring, the guardian of wealth and prosperity. Bring the gods to the sacrificer. Svāhā. I appoint you for all beings. You are firm—make the earth firm. You are steadfast—make the atmosphere steadfast. You are unshaken—make the heavens unshaken. You are the moisture of Agni. The wise, the great, the all-knowing, yoke their minds and thoughts. I appoint the two Hotṛs who know the rites, and I recite this great praise of Savitṛ. Svāhā. Viṣṇu has measured out this world and established the threefold step; his dust pervades all. Svāhā. May she, the earth, be rich in refreshment, in cows, in good things, granting favor to Manu. Viṣṇu, with his rays, supports the two worlds and holds the earth all around. Svāhā. Let the divine voices resound, preparing the sacrifice to the east and leading the offering upward. O divine ones, speak of your abode even in the difficult place; do not cut off our life or offspring. May you dwell here upon the earth. Now I proclaim the mighty deeds of Viṣṇu, who measured out the earthly regions and established the upper abode, striding widely three times for the mighty. O Viṣṇu, whether from the sky, the earth, or the vastness between, fill both hands with riches and grant them from all directions. For Viṣṇu, I dedicate you. Viṣṇu is praised for his strength, like a fierce wild beast roaming the mountains, in whose three wide strides all worlds dwell. You are the delight, the offspring, the bond, and the steadfastness of Viṣṇu. You are his, and I dedicate you to him. By the impulse of Savitar, with the arms of the Ashvins and the hands of Pushan, I place you. You are a woman; here I cut the necks of demons. You are great, swift; speak a mighty word for Indra. Breaker of obstacles, destroyer of demons of Viṣṇu—every obstacle, whether placed by enemy, rival, equal, unequal, kin, stranger, born or unborn, I cast away. I also cast away sorcery. You are lord of heaven, slayer of rivals; lord of the sacrifice, destroyer of adversaries; lord of people, destroyer of demons; lord of all, slayer of enemies. I sprinkle, lead down, spread out, place, and carry you around—destroyer of demons, breaker of obstacles, belonging to Viṣṇu. You are Viṣṇu’s. Again, by Savitar’s impulse, Ashvins’ arms, Pushan’s hands, I place you. You are a woman; here I cut off the necks of demons. You are barley; drive away hatred and enemies. For sky, atmosphere, and earth, I dedicate you. May the worlds and ancestral seats be purified; you are the ancestral seat. Raise up the sky, fill the atmosphere, strengthen the earth. May the shining Maruts measure you, may Mitra and Varuna with steadfast law. I carry you for the Brahman, for the Kṣatra, for wealth and nourishment. Strengthen them all: Brahman, Kṣatra, life, and progeny. You are steadfast, and so is this sacrificer in his abode; may he flourish with offspring and cattle. May heaven and earth overflow with ghee. You are Indra’s shelter, the shade for all people. May these songs surround you, O singer, from all sides. May the elders follow the elder, the favored follow the favored. You are Indra’s bond, steadfastness, and belong to all the gods. You are Vibhū, the flowing one; fire, the carrier of offerings; swift and wise, praised and all-knowing. You are inspired, poetic, swift-footed, strong; helper and giver of good; purifier, cat-like; sovereign, thin-flamed; to be surrounded and purifying; the sky, the spreader; cleansed, destroyer of offerings; abode of truth, light of heaven. You are the all-pervading ocean, the unborn, single-footed, the deep serpent. You are speech, Indra’s, the seat. You are the two doors of truth—let me not be afflicted. O lord of paths, lead me safely on this divine way. May you look upon me with the eye of Mitra. O fires, you are with the ocean, with Rudra, with Anika. Protect, preserve, and guard me. I salute you—do not harm me. You are the light of all forms, assembled among the gods. Soma, you are our protector from harm, the wide shield. Svāhā. May the one who accepts the clarified butter be pleased. Svāhā. O Agni, lead us by the good path to prosperity, knowing all ways; remove from us the crooked sin we have committed. To you we offer abundant homage. May this Agni create a wide passage for us, breaking through enemies, winning riches for the seeker, conquering foes in joy. Svāhā. Stride widely, O Viṣṇu, make room for our dwelling; O you born of ghee, drink the ghee; lead forth the lord of sacrifice. Svāhā. O god Savitar, this Soma is for you; protect it from harm. O Soma, god among gods, I offer this for the increase of wealth. Svāhā. I am released from the bonds of Varuṇa. O Agni, guardian of vows, may your vow-body be in me, and mine in you. As lord of vows, accept our vows; as lord of consecration, accept my consecration; as lord of austerity, accept my austerity. Stride widely, O Viṣṇu, make room for our dwelling; O you born of ghee, drink the ghee; lead forth the lord of sacrifice. Svāhā. I have not sought another, nor approached another; I have found you nearer than all, yet farther than the farthest. We choose you, O god, O lord of the forest, for the divine sacrifice; may the gods accept you for Viṣṇu. O plant, protect us; O sacrificial post, do not harm him. Do not injure the sky or the midspace; be united with the earth. For you, O sacrificial post, the sharpened blade leads forth for great fortune. Therefore, O god, lord of the forest, with a hundred branches, grow; with a thousand branches, may we grow. By the impulse of Savitar, the arms of the Aśvins, the hands of Pūṣan, I place you. You are a woman; with this I cut off the necks of demons. You are barley; drive away hatred and foes. For the sky, midspace, and earth, I place you. May the worlds and the abodes of ancestors be purified. You are the abode of the ancestors. You are the leader, the best of lifters; from this wealth you will stand forth. May god Savitar anoint you with honey. You are among the most excellent plants. With your tip you touch the sky, with your middle you reach the midspace, and with your top you support the earth.