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a To thee, O Agni, the bull, the wise,
I have come, generating thee ever new;
Be our household rites not halting;
With thy keen holy power sharpen us.
The bricks are cattle, in each layer he puts down a bull (brick); verily in
his sacrifice he makes a pairing for propagation; therefore in every herd there
is a bull.
b The image of the year
Which men revere in thee, O night,
Making his offspring rich in heroes,
May he obtain all life.
He puts down this Prajapati (brick) [1]; the sole eighth day is this
(earth); in that food is made on the sole eighth day, he wins it thereby; this
is the wish cow of Prajapati; verily by it the sacrificer in yonder world milks
the fire.
c With the light wherewith the gods went upward,
Wherewith the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras,
Wherewith the Angirases attained greatness,
With that let the sacrificer go in prosperity.
The fire is piled for the world of heaven [2]; (with the words) With the
light wherewith the gods went upwards', he lights the fire in the pan; verily
he puts down the bricks connected with the trees, to win the world of heaven.
d (Homage) to the hundred-weaponed, him of a
hundred powers,
Him of a hundred aids, the overcomer of hostility,
To Indra who shall lead us over all obstacles
Through autumns without fail.
e The four paths going to the gods
Which stretch between sky and earth,
To him, O gods, do ye all accord us
Who brought to them unfailing power and untirelessness [3].
f Summer, winter, and spring for us,
Autumn, the rains be favourable for us;
May we enjoy the favour and protection
Of these seasons through a hundred autumns.
g To the Idu year, the complete year, the year
Pay ye honour great;
In their lovingkindness that are worthy of sacrifice
May we long be unfailing, unsmitten.
h Better than good have the gods brought together;
With thee as aid may we win thee;
Do thou, wonder-working, O drop [4], enter us,
Be propitious and kindly to our children, our descendants.
i He puts down these unfailing (bricks), they are the gods unconquered;
verily he enters them; he is not conquered.
k The theologians say, 'Since the months, the half-months, the seasons, the
years cook the plants, then why is the offering of first-fruits made to other
deities?' The gods conquered these (plants); if he were to offer to the
seasons, he would cause strife with the gods; having offered the offering of
first-fruits, he offers these libations; verily he delights the half-months,
the months, the seasons, the year; he does not cause strife with the gods.
'Better than good have the gods brought together', he says, for the eating of
the offering, to prevent the defeat of the sacrificer.
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