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Prayer to Agni
First of all I worship Agni, the forethoughtful, him of the five peoples, kndled at various places. We pray Agni, who has entered into clans after clans. May he set us free from distress!
O Jatavedas, as envoy of the gods, carrying oblations, and adapting thyself to the sacrifice, bring to us the favour of gods. May we be free from distress!
O Agni, the best conveyour, present at every rite, put to service at every course, I praise thee, thou demon-slayer, sacrifice-increaser, offered to the oblation of ghee. May we be free from distress!
We invoke the well-born Jatavedas, the mighty Agni, conveyor of our oblations, belonging to all people. May we be free from distress!
With whom as ally the sages did shine in strength, with whom they subdued the demons, with whom did Agni and Indra defeat the Panis, may be free us from distress!
By whom the gods became immortal, by whom the herbs were made rich in sap, by whom the gods brought the heaven; may he free us from distress!
He, who is the lord of all that shines, and of that which is born and is to be born, all of it; I rever Agni as suppliant and invoke him. May he free us from distress!
Prayer to Heaven and Earth
My obeisance, to ye, O Heaven and Earth, ye well-nourishing, who in accord did spread out in space. Ye being the foundations of all good things, liberate us from distress!
O ye divine Heaven and Earth, much spread, divine, fortunate ones, foundations of all good things, be gracious to me. Liberate us from distress!
I invoke ye, O Heaven and Earth, well spread out, profound, revered by poets of highest penance. Be gracious to me and liberate us from distress!
O ye Heaven and Earth, who bear the amrita, the oblations, who bear the rivers, human beings, be gracious to me. Liberate us from distress!
O ye Heaven and Earth, who bear red kine, the forest trees, ye within whom are all creatures, be gracious to me. Liberate us from distress!
O ye Heaven and Earth, who yield sweet drink and ghee, without whom man can do nothing whatsoever, be gracious to me. Liberate us from distress!
As suppliant, I call on ye and praise O Heaven and Earth, that I may be saved from that scorches me, or by whomsoever done, from what is human or divine. Do ye liberate us from distress!
A Prayer to Bhava and Sarva
O Bhava, O Sarva, I adore you, take note of that, ye under whose control is all that shines. Ye who lord over all these bipeds and quadrupeds, liberate us from distress!
Ye to whom belongs all that is nearby and all that is afar, ye who are famed as best shooters among bowmen, ye who lord over all these bipeds and quadrupeds, liberate us from distress!
I invoke the twain thousand-eyed Vritra-slayers. I praise the two formidable one whose pastures spread out afar, ye who lord over all these bipeds and quadrupeds, liberate us from distress!
Ye two who did much great work together in the beginning and let loose the portent among the people, ye who lord over all these bipeds and quadrupeds, liberate us from distress!
From whose fatal weapons no one either of gods or men escapes, who lord over all these bipeds and quadrupeds, liberate us from distress!
The sorcerer who makes a charm, or manipulates roots against us, against him, ye formidable one, send down your thunderbolt, ye who lord over all these bipeds and quadrupeds, liberate us from distress!
O formidable gods, bless us in battles, let your thunderbolt visit the Kimidin. I praise Bhava and Sarva, call upon them as suppliant, do ye liberate us from distress!
In Praise of Rice-offerings
The Soma is its head, the Brihat - sama its back, the Vamdeva the stomach of this rice-offering; the metres are its two wings, truth is its mouth. This extensive sacrifice born out of tapas is the highest.
Without bones, purified, cleansed by the purifier, effulgent, they go to the shining world. Agni does not burn away their virile element. There in the heavenly abode much pleasure is theirs.
Those who cook such a food-offering, poverty comes not to them. Such a man stays with Yama, goes to the gods, and enjoys Soma-drink with Gandharvas.
By means of this rice-offering, this extensive oblation, the best sacrifice, he enters heaven, where every kind of lotus grows. May all these streams reach you, in that honeyed and heavenly world. May ponds teeming with lotus await you!
May pools of ghee abound, slopes of honey, streams of milk, water and curds, draughts of wine, flowing in abundance. May all these streams reach you, in that honeyed and heavenly world. May ponds teeming with lotus await you!
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