Now may Vachaspati assign to me the strength and powers of those Who, wearing every shape and form, the triple seven, are wandering round. Come thou again, Vāchaspati, come with divine intelligence.

Production of offspring is light. Agni is the light of the gods; the Viraj is the light of the metres. The Viraj of speech ends in Agni; it is produced according to the Viraj. Therefore it is called light. Two Stomas bear the morning pressing, like expiration and inspiration; two the midday pressing, like eye and ear; two the third pressing, like speech and support. This sacrifice is commensurate with man, and is perfect.

He makes a hall with beams pointing east. The gods and men divided the quarters, the gods (obtained) the eastern, the Pitrs the southern, men the western, the Rudras the northern. In that he makes a hall with beams pointing east, the sacrificer approaches the world of the gods. He covers it over, for the world of the gods is hidden from the world of men. 'It is not easy', they say, 'to go from this world; for who knows if he is in yonder world or not.'

He offers the Savitr offerings, for instigation. He offers with (an oblation) ladled up four times, cattle have four feet; verily he wins cattle; the quarters are four; verily he finds support in the quarters. The metres departed from the gods (saying), 'We will not carry your oblation without sharing (in it)'; for them they kept this (oblation) ladled up four times, for the Puronuvakya the Yajya, the deity, the Vasat call; in that he offers what has been ladled up four times, he delights the metres, and they delighted carry to the gods his oblation.

On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, in the abode of earth, I dig Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras. Full of light, thou, O Agni; of fair aspect, Shining with unaging radiance, Auspicious and harmless to offspring, In the abode of earth, I dig Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the back of the waters, expansive, wide, About to bear Agni, least to be laid aside; Growing to might as the lotus-flower, Do thou extend in width with the measure of heaven.

Prajapati desired, 'May I create offspring.' He did penance, he created serpents. He desired, 'May I create offspring.' He did penance a second time, he created birds. He desired, 'May I create offspring.' He did penance a third time, he saw this speech of the consecrated, he spoke it. Then indeed did he create offspring. In that after undergoing penance he speaks the speech of the consecrated, the sacrificer thus creates offspring. If one who is consecrated sees anything impure, the consecration departs from him; his dark colour, his beauty goes away.

He who desires prosperity should offer a white (beast) to Vayu; Vayu is the swiftest deity; verily he has recourse to him with his own share; verily he makes him attain prosperity; he prospers. 'He is an overswift deity,' they say, 'he has power to burn him up.' This (beast) he should offer to Vayu of the team; the team is his support; verily, being supported he attains prosperity to avoid being burnt; he prospers. He who desires a village should offer to Vayu of the team; Vayu leads these creatures tied by the nose; verily he has recourse to Vayu of the team with his own share; verily he assigns him creatures led by the nose; he becomes possessed of a village.

The driving away of the calves. The taking of the strew. The milking. The making of the offering. The preparation of the grain. The pounding. The placing of the potsherds. The cooking of the cake. The altar. The offering of the oblation. The sprinkling and the enclosing-sticks. The libations of butter. The interchange of the ladles.

New and Full Moon sacrifices. Removal of the calves. The milking. Purification of the milk. The Vow of Abstinence. Preparation of the rice. Rice-cake offered to Agni. Rice-cake to Agni-Soma. Bringing forward the sacrificial waters. Purification of the waters. Spreading the black-antelope's skin. Pounding the rice. Putting potsherds on the fire. Placing the nether press-stone on the skin. Division of the dough: one lump for Agni and one for Agni-Soma. Exorcism of the fiend Araru. Drawing of lines on three sides of the altar. Exorcism of evil spirits. Girding the Sacrificer's wife as his associate.

Come, Agni, praised with song, to feast and sacrificial offering: sit As Hotar on the holy grass! O Agni, thou hast been ordained Hotar of every sacrifice, By Gods, among the race of men. Agni we choose as envoy, skilled performer of this holy rite, Hotar, possessor of all wealth.

The Rigveda Samhita is the oldest extant Indic text. It is a collection of 1,028 Vedic Sanskrit hymns and 10,600 verses in all, organized into ten books. The hymns are dedicated to Rigvedic deities.

Soma and Pusan, Parents of all riches, Parents of earth and Parents of high heaven, You Twain, brought forth as the whole world's protectors, the Gods have made centre of life eternal. At birth of these two Gods all Gods are joyful: they have caused darkness, which we hate, to vanish. With these, with Soma and with Pusan, India generates ripe warm milk in the raw milch-cows.

Mitra sustaineth both the earth and heaven. Mitra beholdeth men with eyes that close not. To Mitra bring, with holy oil, oblation. Foremost be he who brings thee food, O Mitra, who strives to keep thy sacred Law, Aditya. He whom thou helpest ne’er is slain or conquered, on him, from near or far, falls no affliction. Joying in sacred food and free from sickness, with knees bent lowly on the earth's broad surface.

Of Savitar the God, the sapient Asura, we crave this great gift which is worthy of our choice, Wherewith he freely grants his worshiper defence. This with his rays the Great God hath vouchsafed to us. Sustainer of the heaven, Lord of the whole world's life, the Sage, he putteth on his golden-coloured mail. Clear-sighted, spreading far, filling the spacious realm, Savitar hath brought forth bliss that deserveth laud.

THE mortal man whom ye, the Twain, Indra and Agni, help in fight, Breaks through e’en strongly-guarded wealth as Tṛta burst his way through reeds. The Twain invincible in war, worthy to be renowned in frays, Lords of the Fivefold. People, these, Indra and Agni, we invoke. Impetuous is their strength, and keen the lightning of the mighty Pair, Which from their arms speeds with the car to Vṛtra's slayer for the kine.

THE warrior's look is like a thunderous rain-cloud's, when, armed with mail, he seeks the lap of battle. Be thou victorious with unwounded body: so let the thickness of thy mail protect thee. With Bow let us win kine, with Bow the battle, with Bow be victors in our hot encounters. The Bow brings grief and sorrow to the foeman: armed with the Bow may we subdue all regions.

SPEAK forth three words, the words which light precedeth, which milk this udder that produceth nectar. Quickly made manifest, the Bull hath bellowed, engendering the germ of plants, the Infant. Giver of growth to plants, the God who ruleth over the waters and all moving creatures, Vouchsafe us triple shelter for our refuge, and threefold light to succour and befriend us.

When, uttering words which no one comprehended, Vak, Queen of Gods, the Gladdener, was seated, The heaven's four regions drew forth drink and vigour: now whither hath her noblest portion vanished? The Deities generated Vak the Goddess, and animals of every figure speak her.

In sweetest and most gladdening stream flow pure, O Soma, on thy way, Pressed out for Indra, for his drink. Fiend-queller, Friend of all men, he hath with the wood attained unto His place, his iron-fashioned home.

High hath the Mighty risen before the dawning, and come to us with light from out the darkness. Fair-shapen Agni with white-shining splendour hath filled at birth all human habitations.