BOOK THE TWENTY-SECOND.

SPLENDOUR art thou, bright, deathless, life-protector. Protector of my life be thou.

By impulse of God Savitar I take thee with arms of Asvins, with the hands of Pûshan.

2 This girdle, which in their religious meetings sages assumed in earlier time of worship,

Is present with us here at this libation, in the Law's hymn, proclaiming rich abundance.

3 Famous art thou, thou art the world, controller and upholder thou.

Go, consecrate by Svâhâ to Agni Vaiṣvânara widely-famed. 4 For Gods and for Prajâpati I fit thee. For Gods and for Prajapati, O Brahman,

Will I tie up the horse. Thence may I prosper! Binding him for Prajapati and Gods be thou successful.

5 Thee welcome to Prajapati I sprinkle. I sprinkle thee welcome to Iudra-Agni. I sprinkle thee acceptable to Vâyu. Thee welcome to the All-Gods I besprinkle. Thee welcome to all Deities I sprinkle.

With fury Varuņa attacks the man who fain would slay the steed.

Avaunt the man! Avaunt the dog!

Books XXII-XXV. contain the formulas of the Asvamedha or Horsesacrifice, a very ancient and most important ceremony which only a King can perform. Its object is the acquisition of power and glory, acknowledged preeminence over neighbouring princes, and the general prosperity of the kingdom by the fulfilment of the wishes expressed in verse 22 of this Book.

1 The Adhvaryu ties an ornament of gold, perhaps a chain, round the neck of the Sacrificer, and makes him recite the formula. Thou: he addresses the ornament. Deathless as a symbol of the Sun, and identified with light ( IV. 17), or, according to Mahidhara, because gold confers immortality by being presented to the priests. By impulse, etc.: repeated from I. 10. Thee: a rasand, girdle, or girth of Darbha grass, thirteen ells in length, with which the sacrificial horse is to be girded.

2 In the Law's hymn: when the Saman of sacrifice is chanted.

3 He girds and addresses the horse.

41 fit: svagd, an indeclinable sacrificial word, Good-speed! and karomi, I make or prepare, understood.

5 He sprinkles the horse in standing water. With fury etc.: he threatens any man who kilis the horse, and so prevents the sacrifice, with the vengeance of the royal Varuna, and a dog is killed (to indicate the punishment of the sinuer) by a low caste man, the son of a Sûdra by a Vaisya woman.

6 To Agni Hail! To Soma Hail! Hail to the Waters' Joy! Hail to Savitar! Hail to Vâyu! Hail to Vishņu! Hail to Indra! Hail to Brihaspati ! Hail to Mitra! Hail to Varuna!

7 Hail to the sound hin! Hail to the uttered hin! Hail to the neigh! Hail to the down-neigh! Hail to the snort! Hail to the roar! Hail to his smell! Hail to him smelt at! Hail to him seated! Hail to him seated down! Hail to him weary! Hail to him going! Hail to him sitting! Hail to him lying! Hail to him sleeping! Hail to him waking! Hail to him whinnying! Hail to him wakened! Hail to him yawning! Hail to him outstretched! Hail to him drawn together! Hail to him risen! Hail to his going! Hail to his good going! Hail!

8 Hail to him as he goes! Hail to him running! Hail to him running away! Hail to him when he has run away! Hail to the cry Shoo! Hail to him scared with Shoc! Hail to him seated! Hail to him risen! Hail to his speed! Hail to his strength! Hail to him rolling! Hail to him when he has rolled! Hail to him tossing about! Hail to him when he has tossed about! Hail to him listening! Hail to him hearing. Hail to him looking! Hail to him looked at! Hail to him closely looked at! Hail to his closing his eye! Hail to his food! Hail to his drink! Hail to his stale! Hail to him in action! Hail to what he has done!

9 May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the God :
So
may he stimulate our prayers.

10 For our protection I invoke the golden-handed Savitar:
He knoweth, as a God, the place.

11 We specially invoke the grace of Savitar, observant God, The great good-will that gives true boons.

12 We seek the eulogy and gift of Savitar who strengthens grace, Yea, of the God who knows our thoughts.

13 I invocate the heroes' Lord, free-giving Savitar, aud call The Cheerer to the feast of Gods.

6 The horse is led back to the sacrificial fire, and ten oblations of clarified butter are offered, with their respective formulas to the deities mentioned. The Waters' Joy: Soma who delights the waters with which he is sprinkled.

7 He offers an oblation in the Southern fire. Hin: onomatopoetic; the horse's low neigh or whinny: originally, the syllable to be uttered, or the sound to be made in reciting Sâma hymns.

9 Six verses follow constituting the Inviting and Offering Prayers of oblations presented to Savitar. The first verse is the famous Sâvitrî, the Gayatri par excellence, repeated from III. 35, and taken from R. V. III. 62 10. 10 Taken from R. V. I. 22. 5.

14 The judgment of bright Savitar, that cheers the All-Gods'

company,

With prayer we estimate as bliss.

15 Wake Agni with thy laud and set the Immortal One aflame, let him

Bestow our offerings on the Gods.

16 Oblation-bearer, well-inclined, immortal, eager Messenger, Agui comes near us with the thought.

17 Agui, Envoy, I place in front, the oblation-bearer I address: Here let him seat the Deities.

18 Yea, Pavamâna, thou didst generate the Sun and spread the moisture out with power,

Hasting to us with plenty vivified with milk.

19 Mighty through thy dam, eminent through thy sire, thou art a horse, thou art a steed, thou art a courser, thou art a comfort, thou art a racer, thou art a yoke-horse, thou art a strong steed, thou art a stallion, thou art manly-minded. Thou art called Yayu, thou art called Sisu. Follow thou the flight of the Adityas.

Gods, Warders of the Regions, protect for the Gods this
horse besprinkled for sacrifice.

Here is delight. Here take thy pleasure. Here is content.
Here is self-content.

20 Hail to Ka! Hail to Who?! Hail to Which?! Hail to him who has experienced pain! Hail to Prajapati who knows the mind! Hail to him who discerns the thought!

15 Three Inviting Verses to Agni follow. 16 Taken from R. V. III. 11. 2.

or pray to, him.

With the thought: when we think of,

17 Taken from R. V. VIII. 44. 3. Place in front: for adoration. 18 Taken from R. V. IX. 110. 3. Praise and prayer addressed to Soma. 19 The Adhvaryu and the Sacrificer whisper the formula in the horse's right ear. Then the horse (who must be more than twenty four, and less than a hundred years old) is loosed towards the North-east to wander free for a year (or for half a year or a still shorter time according to some authorities), as a sign that his master's paramount sovereignty is acknowledged by all neighbouring princes. The wandering horse is attended by a hundred young men, sons of princes or high Court officials, armed with all sorts of warlike weapons, who are to watch and guard him from all dangers and inconvenience. During the absence of the horse an uninterrupted series of prescribed ceremonies is performed at the Sacrificer's home.

Yayu meaning Goer or Sacrificial. Sisu: or Colt; a euphemism for a horse of somewhat mature age.

20 Oblations are offered and homage is paid to various Deities. Ka... Who? Which?: Prajapati. See I. 6, note. Of the highways: Pûshan as a Sun-God is guardian of roads and guide of travellers. Many forms: of living beings created by him. Nibhûyapa: the origin and meaning of the word are unknown. According to Mahîdhara the title means Preserver by means of his repeated incarnations of the Fish, the Tortoise, etc. Sipivishtu: another title of uncertain me ning. See XVI. 29, note.

Hail to Aditi! Hail to good Aditi! Hail to gracious Aditi! Hail to Sarasvatî! Hail to purifying Sarasvati! Hail to great Sarasvatî ! Hail to Pûshan! Hail to Pûshan of the highways! Hai! to Pushan observer of men! Hail to Tvashṭar! Hail to swift Tvashṭar! Hail to Tvashtar of many forms! Hail to Vishnu! Hail to Vishnu Nibhûyapa! Hail to Vishnu Sipivishța!

21 Let every mortal man elect, etc., repeated from IV. 8. 22 O Brahman, let there be born in the kingdom the Brâhman illustrious for religious knowledge; let there be born the Râjanya, heroic, skilled archer, piercing with shafts, mighty warrior; the cow giving abundant milk; the ox good at carrying; the swift courser; the industrious woman. May Parjanya send rain according to our desire; may our fruit-bearing plants ripen; may acquisition and preservation of property be secured to us.

23 Hail to vital breath! Hail to out-breathing! Hail to diffusive breath! Hail to the eye! Hail to the ear! Hail to Speech! Hail to Mind !

24 Hail to the Eastern Region! Hail to the hitherward Region! Hail to the Southern Region! Hail to the hitherward Region! Hail to the Western Region! Hail to the hitherward Region! Hail to the Northern Region! Hail to the hitherward Region! Hail to the Upward Region! Hail to the hither ward Region! Hail to the Downward Region! Hail to the hitherward Region !

25 Hail to waters! Hail to floods! Hail to water! Hail to standing waters! Hail to flowing waters! Hail to trick ling waters! Hail to well waters! Hail to spring waters! Hail to the foaming sea! Hail to the ocean! Hail to the deep! 26 Hail to wind! Hail to mist! Hail to vapour! Hail to cloud! Hail to cloud lightening! Hail to cloud thundering! Hail to it bursting! Hail to it raining! Hail to it pouring! Hail to it violently raining! Hail to it swiftly raining! Hail to it holding up! Hail to it when it has held up! Hail to it sprinkling! Hail to it drizzling! Hail to its drops! Hail to thunderbolts! Hail to hoar frosts! 27 Hail to Agui! Hail to Soma! Hail to Indra! Hail to Earth! Hail to Firmament! Hail to Sky! Hail to Regions? Hail to Quarters! Hail to the Upward Region! Hail to the Downward Region !

22 The Adhvaryu whispers to the Brahman priest the blessings which the King hopes the sacrifice will secure to his kingdom.

23 The remaining verses of this Book contain formulas af homage to various Gods and natural and terrestrial objects, accompanying the presentation of oblations made of various materials.

28 Hail to the lunar asterisms! Hail to those connected with the lunar asterisms! Hail to Day and Night! Hail to the half-months! Hail to the months! Hail to the Seasons! Hail to the Season-groups! Hail to the Year! Hail to Heaven and Earth! Hail to the Moon! Hail to the Sun Hail to his rays! Hail to the Vasus! Hail to the Rudras! Hail to the Adityas! Hail to the Maruts ! Hail to the All-Gods! Hail to roots! Hail to branches! Hail to forest trees! Hail to flowers! Hail to fruits! Hail to herbs!

29 Hail to Earth! Hail to Firmament! Hail to Sky! Hail to Sun! Hail to Moon! Hail to lunar asterisms! Hail to waters! Hail to herbs! Hail to forest trees! Hail to creatures that swim! Hail to things moving and stationary ! Hail to things that creep and crawl!

30 Hail to breath! Hail to the Vasu! Hail to the Mighty! Hail to Vivasvân! Hail to the trooping oue! Hail to the Troop's Lord! Hail to the Superior! Hail to the Overlord! Hail to Strength! Hail to Samsarpa! Hail to the Moon! Hail to light! Hail to Malimlucha! Hail to him who flies by day!

31 Hail to Madhu! Hail to Mâdhava! Hail to Sukra! Hail to Suchi! Hail to Nabhas! Hail to Nabhasya! Hail to Isha! Hail to Ûrja! Hail to Sahas! Hail to Šahasya! Hail to Tapas! Hail to Tapasya! Hail to Amhasaspati ! 32 Hail to Strength! Hail to impulse! Hail to After-born! Hail to will! Heaven, Hail! Hail to the head! Hail to Vyasnuvin! To the final, Hail! Hail to the mundane final! Hail to the Lord of the world! Hail to the Overlord! Hail to the Lord of Creatures!

33 May life succeed by sacrifice, Hail! May breath succeed by sacrifice, Hail! May downward breath, diffusive breath, upward breath, digestive breath, vision, hearing, speech, mind, self, devotion, light, heaven, hymn-arrange ment, sacrifice succeed by sacrifice. All-bail!

34 Hail to One! Hail to Two! Hail to Hundred! Hail to Hundred-and-One! Hail to Daybreak! Hail to Heaven!

30 Vivasvan: the Bright One; the Sun. The trooping one: the company of Maruts. The Troop's Lord: Indra. Samsarpa: an intercalary month. Malimlucha: another name of the intercalary month.

31 This verse contains names of the months; all of which have occurred in earlier Books. See VII. 30, note. Amhasaspati: Lord of Trouble; the Genius of the intercalary month. See VII. 30.

32 After-born: the intercalary month. Cp. R. V. I. 25. 8. Vyaṣnuvin : a Genius of food, according to Malidhara. For the rest of the verse, cp. IX. 20. 33 Cf. IX. 21.

34 He salutes the Genii of Numbers.