Hear, then, the sacred story as revealed in the verses of the Śukla Yajur Veda. Indra, the mighty and much-invoked, arose in his strength and valor. With his indomitable power, he struck down the formidable and enduring foe, the one who was handless and cunning. Indra, with relentless might, slew Vṛtra, the ever-growing and hostile one, the footless adversary who threatened the world. Thus, the destroyer of obstacles, Indra, became the champion of the gods. O Indra, we call upon you: strike down our enemies and subdue those who rise against us. Whoever seeks to harm us, cast them down and send them into the deepest darkness. Like a fearsome beast roaming the mountains, you have destroyed even those who dwell far away, those beyond our reach. Draw forth your sharp-edged arrow, O Indra, and scatter our foes, laying them low. Let your aid, O Indra, come to us from afar like the radiant Vaiśvānara. And you, Agni, accept our offerings, which we have praised well. Agni, established in heaven and on earth, has entered all the plants. As Vaiśvānara, fixed by strength, may Agni protect us from harm both by day and by night. O Agni, by your help may we attain our heart’s desire. Grant us wealth, abundant riches, and heroic strength. May we win prize after prize and bask in your unfailing glory. Today, with upraised hands and reverent approach, we have fulfilled your desire. With minds full of worship, we offer to the gods through you, Agni, with unwavering and inspired thought. May Agni, Indra, Brahman, Bṛhaspati, and all the mindful gods protect our sacrifice and grant us auspiciousness. You, youngest and radiant one, guard the worshippers, listen to our songs, and protect our offspring and ourselves. Now, Soma is prepared—sweet with sweetness, strong with strength, immortal with immortality, honeyed with honey, together with the life-giving Soma itself. You are Soma; cook for the Aśvins, for Sarasvatī, for mighty Indra. Pour out the pressed Soma, the highest offering, the noble one who flows in the waters, pressed out with stones. Purified by Vāyu’s strainer, Soma flows swiftly westward and eastward, ever a fitting friend of Indra. The daughter of the sun purifies the Soma for you, sending forth her perpetual stream. For you, Brahman and Kshatra are purified; Soma, pressed and prepared, brims with strength and power, bringing intoxication. With its brightness, O deity, nourish the gods; with its essence, place food for the sacrificer. Those who possess barley, and the barley itself, are distributed in due order. Here, prepare the food for those who worship upon the sacred grass with reverent words. The Ashvins, Sarasvatī, Indra, and Sutraman receive these offerings. This is your source—for brilliance, for heroism, for strength. The Ashvins’ brilliance, Sarasvatī’s heroism, Indra’s strength—these are your source, Soma, for joy, delight, and greatness. You are brilliance—instill brilliance in me. You are heroism—instill heroism in me. You are strength—instill strength in me. You are vigor—instill vigor in me. You are resolve—instill resolve in me. You are might—instill might in me. She who protects the tiger, the wolf, the vulture, the eagle, the lion—may she protect us from all harm. Just as a joyful son nourishes his mother, so may I, O Agni, be free from debt to my parents. Unite with me; fill me with goodness. Separate from me; remove evil from me. The gods themselves performed the sacrifice. The Ashvins are the healers; Sarasvatī heals with speech; Indra and the Ashvins grant strength. The form of consecration is grass; the tokens of the journey are shoots; the form of purchase is Soma, whose grains are honey. The form of hospitality is the monthly offering; the naked one is the form of the great hero; the upasad rites are three nights, the offspring of the gods. The purchased Soma is poured out as the flowing Soma; medicine is milked for the Ashvins, for Indra, for Sarasvatī. The form of the seat is for the royal seat; the altar is the vessel for the offering; between the upper altars, the form is the healer’s. The altar is joined to the altar; the sacred grass is joined to the sacred grass of strength; the post is joined to the post; the fire is led by fire. You are the source and navel of sovereignty; may I not harm you, may you not harm me. Varuna, observing the vow of ghee, has settled among the dwellings, establishing sovereignty with good purpose. Protect us from death, protect us from destruction. I sprinkle you with the impulse of the divine Savitar, with the arms of the Ashvins, with the hands of Pushan; with the medicine of the Ashvins for brilliance and Brahmanic radiance; with the medicine of Sarasvatī for heroism and nourishment; with the power of Indra for strength, beauty, and fame. Who are you? Which are you? For whom, for what are you? O one of good praise, auspicious, true king. May my head be glory, my mouth fame, my hair and beard brilliance; my breath is king, immortality; my eye is overlord, my ear radiant. May my tongue be auspicious, my speech great, my mind sovereign, my anger self-controlled, my radiance bright. May joy and delight be mine; may my fingers and limbs be strong; may Mitra be with me; may strength be mine. May my arms possess strength and power; may my hands be capable of action and valor. May my self be endowed with nobility; may my chest be steadfast. May my back be the realm, my abdomen the support, my shoulders and neck firm, my hips stable. May my thighs, knees, and shanks be strong; may all my limbs be protected everywhere. May my navel be the seat of thought and discernment; may my anus be the place of purification. May joy and supreme joy reside in my testicles; may fortune and prosperity be in my generative organ. Through my shanks and feet, I am established in righteousness, as a king among the people. I stand firm in the realm of nobility, in the kingdom, among horses, among cows. I stand firm in every limb, in the self, among breaths, in nobility, in nourishment, in heaven and earth. Three gods, eleven, thirty-three, the beneficent deities, with Bṛhaspati as their priest, in the power of the divine Savitar—may all these gods, together with the others, protect me. The first with the second, the second with the third, the third with truth; truth with truth, sacrifice with sacrifice, yajus with yajus, sama with sama, ṛc with ṛc, with the preliminary chants, with the main chants, with the yājyā hymns, with the vaṣaṭ calls, with the offerings—may all my desires be fulfilled. Earth, svāhā. May my hair be readiness, my skin humility and approach; may my flesh be acquisition of wealth; may my bones and marrow be reverence. If, O gods, we have committed any offense against you, may Agni release me from all such sin and misfortune. Whether by day or by night we have done wrong, may Vāyu release me from all such sin and misfortune. Thus, through prayer, sacrifice, and the invocation of the gods, protection, strength, and fulfillment are sought, and the worshipper stands established in righteousness and glory, upheld by the blessings of the divine.