SECOND KHANDA

1. When he recites the Nishkevalya hymn addressed to Indra (Rv. X, 50), pra vo mahe, he inserts a Nivid (between the fourth and fifth verses). Thus he clearly places strength in himself (in the vastra, in the bird, in himself).

2. They are Trishtubhs and Gagatis.

3. There they say: 'Why does he insert a Nivid among mixed Trishtubhs and Gagatis?' But surely one metre would never support the Nivid of this day, nor fill it: therefore he inserts the Nivid among mixed Trishiubhs and Gagatis.

4. Let him know that this day has three Nivids: the Vasa hymn is a Nivid, the Valakhilya are a Nivid, and the Nivid itself is a Nivid. Thus let him know that day as having three Nivids.

5. Then follow the hymns vane na va (Rv. X, 29) and yo gata eva (Rv. II, 12). In the fourth verse of the former hymn occur the words anne samasya yad asan manishah, and they serve for the winning of proper food.

6. Then comes an insertion. As many Trishtubh and Gagati verses, taken from the ten Mandalas

and addressed to Indra, as they insert (between the two above-mentioned hymns), after changing them into Brihatis, so many years do they live beyond the (usual) age (of one hundred years). By this insertion age is obtained.

7. After that he recites the Saganiya hymn, wishing that cattle may always come to his offspring.

8. Then he recites the Tarkshya hymn . Tarkshya is verily welfare, and the hymn leads to welfare. Thus (by reciting the hymn) he fares well.

9. Then he recites the Ekapada (indro visvam vi ragati), wishing, May I be everything at once, and may I thus finish the whole work of metres.

10. In reciting the hymn indram visvi avivridhan (Rv. 1, 11) he intertwines the first seven verses by intertwining their feet. There are seven pranas (openings) in the head, and he thus places seven pranas in the head. The eighth verse (half-verse) he does not intertwine. The eighth is speech, and he thinks, May my speech never be intertwined with the other pranas. Speech therefore, though dwelling in the same abode as the other pranas, is not intertwined with them.

11. He recites the Virag verses. Verily, Virag verses are food, and they thus serve for the gaining of food.

12. He ends with the hymn of Vasishtha wishing, May I be Vasishiha!

13. But let him end with the fifth verse, esha stomo maha ugraya vahe, which, possessing the word mahat, is auspicious.

14. In the second foot of the fifth verse the word dhuri occurs. Verily, dhuh (the place where the horse is fastened to the car) is the end (of the car). This day also is the end (of the sacrifice which lasts a whole year). Thus the verse is fit for the day.

15. In the third foot the word arka is auspicious.

16. The last foot is: 'Make our glory high as heaven over heaven.' Thus wherever Brahmanic speech is uttered, there his glory will be, when he who knows this finishes with that verse. Therefore let a man who knows this, finish (the Nishkevalya) with that verse.