FLOW for Vâchaspati, cleansed by hands from the two offshoots of the Bull.

Flow pure, a Deity thyself, for Deities whose share thou art.

2 Sweeten the freshening draughts we drink.

Soma, whatever name thou hast, unconquerable, giving life,
To that thy Soma, Soma! Hail!

3 Self-made art thou from all the Powers that are in heaven and on the earth.

May the Mind win thee, thee, All-hail! for Sûrya, O thou nobly-born.

Thee for the Deities who sip light-atoms.

Truly fulfilled, O Plant divine, be that for which I pray to thee.

With ruin falling from above may So-and-So be smitten, crash!

Thee for out-breathing, thee for breath diffused!

4 Taken upon a base art thou. Hold in, Rich Lord! be Soma's guard.

Be thou protector of our wealth: win strengthening food by sacrifice.

Formulas for the Grahagrahana or drawing cups or libations of Soma juice. He first presses and draws the Upâmşu Graha or draught, so named from the Upamṣusavana or Low-voiced Press-stone used for the purpose. See VI. 30, note.

1 Flow: 0 Soma. Váchaspati: Lord of Speech; Prâṇa, Breath, the Genius of Life which remains in the human body as long as the power of speech. Hands: of the priests. Offshoots of the Bull: two sprigs of the mighty Soma through which the juice is poured. Flow pure: he draws a second cup.

2 He draws a third cup, still addressing the Soma.

3 Self-made: the Upimṣugraha is said to be Prâna or Breath. The Mind: meaning Prajapati. Thee for the Deities: he wipes off and addresses the Soma that has adhered to the cup. Sip light-atoms: or, according to Mabidhara, guard the motes of light which are distinct from the rays of the Sun. Truly fulfilled: this formula is to be used when the Sacrificer wishes to invoke a curse upon an enemy. Plant: a sprig of the Soma plant. So-and-So: asau; iste: the name of the enemy is to be supplied. Thee: I put thee, the cup, down. Out-breath: prana. Breath diffused: vyâna; another of the five or more vital airs, that which circulates or is diffused through the whole body. He puts down the Upâmṣu press-stone which he addresses.

4 Taken upon a base: a frequently recurring expression for an offering that is supported or held up. The base or support being the cup or the earth on which it is deposited. Here the Antaryâma Graha (a cup to be drawn after sunrise with suppression of voice and breath) is addressed. Hold in: antaryachha; a play upon the word; retain the juice in the vessel, or, withhold from our enemies certain fiendish powers. Rich Lord: Indra is addressed,

5 The heaven and spacious earth I lay within thee, I lay within thee middle air's wide region.

Accordant with the Gods lower and higher, Rich Lord, rejoice thee in the Antaryâma.

7 0 Vâyu, drinker of the pure, be near us: a thousand teams are thine, All-bounteous Giver.

To thee the rapture-giving juice is offered, whose first draught, God, thou takest as thy portion.

8 These, Indra-Vâyu! have been shed; come for our offered dainties' sake:

The drops are yearning for you both.

Taken upon a base art thou. For Vâyu, Indra-Vâyu, thee. This is thy home. Thee for the close-knit friends.

9 This Soma hath been shed for you, Law-strengtheners, Mitra-Varuna!

Here listen ye to this my call.

Taken upon a base art thou. For Mitra thee, for Varuņa. 10 May we, possessing much, delight in riches, Gods in oblation, and the kine in pasture;

And that Milch-cow who shrinks not from the milking, O Indra-Varuņa, give to us daily.

This is thy home. Thee for the righteous Twain.

11 Distilling honey is your whip, Aṣvins, and full of pleasantness Sprinkle therewith the sacrifice.

Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for the Asvins. This is thy home. Thee for the Honey-lovers.

7 Formulas for the Aindra-Vâyava Graha, libation to the dual deity IndraVâyu. This verse is taken from R. V. VII. 92. 1. Of the pure: Soma. First draught: cf. R. V. I. 134. 1; 135. 1; IV. 46. 1; V. 43. 3; VIII. 89. 2.

8 Taken from R. V. I 2. 4. These: Soma juices. Thou: the Soma. Thee: 'I draw' understood. This: the earth, on which he deposits the cup. Thy: Indra and Vâyu or Indra-Vayu being regarded as one Deity. The close-knit friends: Indra and Vâyu.

9 Formulas for the Maitrâ-Varuņa Graha, libation to Mitra-Varuna. The text is taken from R. V. II. 41, 4,

10 He mixes the Soma with milk symbolizing wealth in cattle. The text is taken from R. V. IV. 42, 10. The added formula is repeated from verse 8. Milch-cow: wealth. The righteous Twain: Mitra and Varuna. Ritayubhyam, dative dual of ritayu, observing the Law, devoted to the Right, is explained in the Satapatha Brahmana (Sacred Books of the East, XXVI. p. 272) as Rita, Right or Truth, that is, Mitra, and Âyu, Life, meaning Varuna.

11 Formulas for the Âṣvina Graha, the cup or libation offered to the Asvins. Whip this Whip is glorified in A. V. IX. 1. It signifies, perhaps,

12 Thou in the first old time, as all were wont, so now drawest from him, light-finder, throned on sacred grass, Preeminence and strength, from him turned hither, swift, roaring, who winneth those whereby thou waxest strong. Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for Sanda.

This is thy home. Protect thou manly power.

Sanda hath been removed, may Deities who drink the pure libation lead thee forward. Invincible art thou.

13 Well stored with heroes and begetting heroes, with growth of wealth surround the Sacrificer.

The Bright, conjoined with Heaven and with Earth, with the brightly-shining one.

Expelled is Sanda. Thou art Sukra's dwelling.

14 May we, O radiant Soma, be the keepers of thine uninjured strength and growth of riches.

This is the first all bounteous Consecration: he the first,
Varuna, Mitra, and Agui.

15 He is the first Brihaspati, the Prudent. Offer ye juice with Svähâ! to that Indra.

Content be priestly offices, those with good sacrifice of meath, those that are pleased when they have gained fair offerings with the solemn Hail!

The Kindler of the Fire hath sacrificed.

16 See, Vena, born in light hath driven hither on chariot of the air the calves of Prisni.

the early stimulating and life-giving morning breeze which accompanies the first appearance of the Asvins, the Lords of Light, who precede and herald Dawn, and represents in the Atharva-veda hymn all creative, vivifying, and sustaining power. But see Prof. Max Müller, Vedic Hymns, Part I. p. 187. The Commentators explain kasd, whip, as a name of Vâk, Voice, or Speech. Honey-lovers: or lovers of sweetness, the Asvins. The text is taken from R. V. I. 22. 3.

12 Formulas for the Sukra Graha, or libation to the Bright One, the Sun. The text, taken with a variation from R. V. V. 44. 1, is hopelessly obscure. Thou: Indra. Him: Soma. Those the sacrificial waters. See the Hymns of the Rigveda, where the verse is differently interpreted. Sanda: an Asura or demon, for whom the cup is drawn, and then offered to a deity. He is said to be Sukra's son. Invincible art thou: the right hip of the high altar, on which the Adhvaryu deposits his cup, is addressed and secured from the attacks of demons.

13 The Sukra cup or libation is addressed by the Adhvaryu. 14 Keepers: givers, according to Mahidhara.

15 Priestly offices: meaning, apparently, the priests themselves. According to Mahidhara the deified sacrificial metres are intended. Kindler of the Fire: the Agnidh, who is the last to sacrifice.

16 He draws the Manthin cup of Soma juice mixt with meal, with the very obscure text from R. V. X. 123. 1. Manthin is said to be the Moon,

Singers with hymns caress him as an infant there where the waters and the sunlight mingle.

Taken upon a base art thou. Thee for Marka.

17 To his oblation, swift as thought ye hurried and welcomed eagerly the prayers he offered.

With arrows in his hand the Very Mighty forced from him all obedience of a servant.

This is thy dwelling-place. Protect the people, Marka bath been removed.

Gods, drinkers of the Manthin, lead thee forward! Invincible art thou.

18 Well stored with people and begetting people, with growth of wealth surround the Sacrificer.

The Manthin joined with Heaven and Earth and with the
Manthin-shining one.

Expelled is Marka, Thou art Manthin's dwelling.

19 O ye eleven Gods whose home is heaven, O ye eleven who make earth your dwelling.

Ye who with might, eleven, live in waters, accept this sacrifice, Ye Gods, with pleasure.

20 Taken upon a base art thou. Thou art Âgrayana, good first

libation.

Be thou the guard of sacrifice: protect the sacrifice's lord.
Vishņu with might protect thee. Guard thou Vishnu.
Guard on all sides the Soma sacrifices.

21 Soma flows pure, Soma flows pure for this Priesthood, for the Nobility, pure for the worshipper who presses out the juice, flows pure for food and energy, for waters and for plants; flows pure for general prosperity. Thee for the Universal Gods. This is thy home. Thee for the Universal Gods.

as Sukra is the Sun. Vena: the loving Sun; apparently the Sun rising in the mist of morning. Prișni: the Speckled Cow, the variegated cloud. Her calves are the masses of mist which the Sun dispels. Marka: son of Şukra, and Purohita or tribal priest of the Asuras.

17 The text as it stands, taken from R. V. X. 61. 3, seems unintelligible and is probably corrupt. See The Hymns of the Rigveda, new ed. Vol. II. 465. The following formula is, mutatis mutandis, identical with that in verse 12. Manthin: Soma juice mixed and stirred up with meal.

18 The Pratiprasthatar or assistant priest, on the north side of the Sacrificial Stake, addresses a chip of the Stake which he has sprinkled, and throws it on the Ahavaniya fire. Cf. verse 13.

19 The formula for the Agrayana Graha, a libation offered to the AllGods, with the text taken from R. V. I. 139. 11. Waters: of air.

20 Vishnu: the Sacrifice.

21 Thee he deposits the cup.

22 Taken upon a base art thou. For Indra Lord of the Brihat, strong with vital vigour, I take thee lover of the invocation.

Indra, what mighty vigour thou possessest, for that do
I take thee, take thee for Vishņu.

This is thy home. Thee for the recitations.

For the Gods take I thee, the Gods' protector; yea, for the sacrifice's life I take thee.

23 For Mitra-Varuna thee, the Gods protector, yea, for the sacrifice's life I take thee.

For Indra, thee, etc. For Indra-Agni, thee, etc. For Indra-
Varuna, thee, etc. For Indra-Brihaspati thee, etc. For

Indra-Vishnu thee, etc.

24 Him, messenger of earth and head of heaven, Agni Vaiṣvanara, born in holy Order,

The Sage, the King, the Guest of men, a vessel fit for their mouths, the Gods have generated.

25 Taken upon a base art thou. Firm, firmly resting, the firmest of the firm, the most securely grounded of those who never have been shaken.

This is thy home. Thee for Vaiṣvânara.

I pour forth with firm mind, with voice, firm Soma. So now may Indra verily make our people all of one heart and mind and free from foemen.

26 Whatever drop of thine leaps forth, whatever stalk from the bowls' lap, shaken by the press-stone,

From the Adhvaryu's hand or from the filter, that, consecrated in my mind with Vashat I offer unto thee with cry of Svâhâ!

Thou art the way by which the Gods ascended.

22 Formula for the Ukthya Graha. Brihat: the Great (Psalm); one of the most important Sâma hymns, Sâmaveda II. ii. i. 12, taken from R. V. VI. 46. 1, 2 Recitations: Ukthas or hymns of praise.

23 For Mitra-Varuna: he gives a portion of the draught to the Maitrâvaruna priest. For Indra: to the Brahmaṇâchhamsi. For Indra-Agni : to the Achhâvaka.

24 Formula for the Dhruva Graha, or Firm Libation; probably so called because, drawn in the morning, it remains unoffered till the evening. The text is taken from R. V. VI. 7. 1.

25 Firm: dhruva.

26 Formula for the Viprud-Homa or Drop-Oblation, to expiate any dropping of Soma during the ceremony of pressing and drawing the juice. Vashat the sacrificial exclamation, May he (Agni) carry (it to the Gods). The text is taken, with two variations, from R. V. X. 17. 12. Thou: the Châtvâla or pit, into or towards which the Adhvaryu throws one of two blades of grass taken from the altar. Ascended: through sacrifice to heaven.