Adhyāya 22: Aśvamedha — horse sacrifice

Splendour art thou, bright, dsathloss, life-proteetor. Pro- ^ tector of my life be thou. ^ f y By impulss of God Savitar I take thee with arms of Asvins,

/n the Law^s hymn : when the Silman of sacrifice is chanted.

Famous art thou^ thou art the world, controller and up-

For Gods aad for Prajslpati I fit thee. For Gods and for

This girdle, which in their religioua meetings sfl^es assum- ed in earlier time oi worship, Is^ present with us here at this libaticHi, in the Law'ti hymn, proclaiming rich abundance.

The horse is led back to the sacrificial fire, and ten oblations of clarified butter are ofifered, with their respective formulas to the deities mentioned. Tkt WatetB^ Joy : Soma who delights the waters with which he is sprinkl«Kl.

^^^^ hands of Pushac.

^ay we attain that excellent glory of Sayitar the God : So may he stimulate our prayers.

For our protectiou I invoke the golden-hauded Saritar : He knoweth, as a God, the place.

We specially invoke the grace of Savitar, observant God, The great gO(»d-will that gives true boons.

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

1 invocate the heroes' Lord, free-giving Savitar, and cal)[ The Cheerer to the feast of Gods.

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

Wake Agui with thy laud aud set the Immortal Oue aflame,

Oblation-hearer, well-inclined, immortal, eager Messenger, Agiii comes near us with the thought.

Agui, Envoy, 1 place in front, the oblatio»-bearer I address : Here let him ^eat the Deities.

Mighty through thy dam, eminent through thy sire, thou art a horse, thou art a steed, thou art a courser, thou 1(^1 * comfort, thou art a racer, thou art a yoke-horse, ' ' ' thou art a strong steed, thou art a stallion, thou art %^,2 i^^anly-iwinded. Thou art called Yayu, thou art called Sisu. Follow thou the flight of the Adityas.

Oblations are ofiered and homage is paid to various Deities Ka Who 7 Which f: Prajftpati. See I. 6, note. Of the highways: P^shan as* a Sun-God 18 guardian of roads and guide of travellers. Many frntni: of liviwi? beings created by him. NibhUyapa: the origin and meaning of the word

Let every mortal man elect, etc, repeated from IV. 8.

Brahman, let there be born in the kingdom the' Brahman

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

Hail to waters ! Hail to floods ! Hail to water ! Hail to

Hail to wind ! Hail to mist ! Hail to vapour ! Hail to

Hail to Agni ! Hail to Soma ! Hail to Indra ! Hail to Earth!

Hail to the lunar asterisms 1 Hail to those connected with

Hail to Earth ! Hell to Firmnment ! Hail to Sky J Hail to

Hail to breath ! flail to the Vasu ! Hail tio the Mighty !

This ver^e contains nausea of the months ; all of whieh hare occurred in earlier Becks. See Vli 30, note. Am^tuscupati: Lord of Trouble ; the Genius of the intercalary montlu See VII. 30.

May life succeed by sacrifice, Hail ! May breath succeed

Hail to One! Hail to Twoj Hail tp Hundred] Hail to

Hail to Madhu ! Hail to Ma lhava 1 Hail to Sukra] Hail to Suchi ! Hail to Nabhas ! Hail to Nabhasyal Hail to isha! Hail to 0rjaj Hail to Sajias j Hail to Sabasyai Hail to Tapasl Hail to Tapasya ! Hail to Amhasaspati J