iv. 5. 6.
a. Homage to the oldest, and to the youngest.
b. Homage to the first born, and to the later born.
c. Homage to the midmost, and to the immature.
d. Homage to the hindmost, and to him in the depth.
e. Homage to Sobhya, and to him of the amulet.
f. Homage to him who dwelleth with Yama, and to him at peace.
g. Homage to him of the ploughed field, and to him of the threshing-floor.
h. Homage to him of fame, and to him at his end.
i. Homage to him of the wood, and to him of the thicket.
k. Homage to sound, and to echo [1].
I. Homage to him of the swift host, and to him of the swift car.
m. Homage to the hero, and the destroyer.
n. Homage to the armoured, and to the corsleted.
o. Homage to the mailed, and to the cuirassed.
p. Homage to the famous, and to him of a famous host.
iv. 5. 7.
a. Homage to him of the drum, and to him of the drumstick.
b. Homage to the bold, and to the cautious.
c. Homage to the messenger, and to the servant.
d. Homage to the quiver-bearer, and to the owner of the quiver.
e. Homage to him of the sharp arrow, and to him of the weapon.
f. Homage to him of the good weapon, and to him of the good bow.
g. Homage to him of the stream,’ and to him of the way.
h Homage to him of the hole,’ and to him of the pool.
i. Homage to him of the ditch, and to him of the lake.
k. Homage to him of the stream, and to him of the tank
l. Homage to him of the cistern, and to him of the well.
m. Homage to him of the rain, and to him not of the rain.
n. Homage to him of the cloud, and to him of the lightning.
o. Homage to him of the cloudy sky, and to him of the heat.
p. Homage to him of the wind, and to him of the storm.
q. Homage to him of the dwelling, and to him who guardeth the dwelling.
iv. 5. 8.
a. Homage to Soma, and to Rudra.
b. Homage to the dusky one, and to the ruddy one.
c. Homage to the giver of weal, and to the lord of cattle.
d. Homage to the dread, and to the terrible.
e. Homage to him who slayeth in front, and to him who slayeth at a distance.
f. Homage to the slayer, and to the special slayer.
g. Homage to the trees with green tresses.
h. Homage to the deliverer.
i. Homage to the source of health, and to the source of delight.
k. Homage to the maker of health, and to the maker of delight.
I. Homage to the auspicious, and to the more auspicious.
m. Homage to him of the ford, and to him of the bank.
n. Homage to him beyond, and to him on this side.
o. Homage to him who crosseth over, and to him who crosseth back.
p. Homage to him of the crossing, and to him of the ocean.
q. Homage to him in the tender grass, and to him in foam.
r. Homage to him in the sand, and to him in the stream.
iv. 5. 9.
a. Homage to him in the cleft, and to him in the distance.
b. Homage to him dwelling in the stony and to him in habitable places.
c. Homage to him of braided hair, and to him of plain hair.
d. Homage to him who dwelleth in the cowshed, and to him of the house.
e. Homage to him of the bed, and to him of the dwelling.
f. Homage to him of the hole,’ and to him of the abyss.
g. Homage to him of the lake, and to him of the whirlpool.
h. Homage to him of the dust, and to him of the mist.
i. Homage to him of the dry, and to him of the green.
k. Homage to him of the copse, and to him of the grass [1].
l. Homage to him in the earth, and to him in the gully.
m. Homage to him of the leaf, and to him of the leaf-fall.
n. Homage to him who growleth, and to him who smiteth away.
o. Homage to him who draggeth, and to him who repelleth.
p. Homage to you, sparkling hearts of the gods.
q. Homage to the destroyed.
r. Homage to the intelligent.
s. Homage to the unconquerable.
t. Homage to the destroyers.
iv. 5. 10.
a. O chaser, lord of the Soma plants,
O waster, red and blue,
Frighten not nor injure
(Any) of these people, of these cattle;
Be not one of these injured.
b. That auspicious form of thine, O Rudra,
Auspicious and ever healing,
Auspicious and healing (form of) Rudra,
With that show mercy on us for life.
c. This prayer we offer up to the impetuous Rudra,
With plaited hair, destroyer of men,
That health be for our bipeds and quadrupeds,
And that all in this village be prosperous [1] and free from ill.
d. Be merciful to us, O Rudra, and give us delight;
With honour let us worship thee, destroyer of men;
The health and wealth which father Manu won by sacrifice,
May we attain that, O Rudra, under thy leadership.
e. Neither our great, nor our small,
Our waxing or what has waxed,
Do thou slay, nor father nor mother;
Injure not, O Rudra, our dear bodies [2].
f. Harm us not in our children, our descendants, our life;
Harm us not in our cattle, in our horses;
Smite not in anger our heroes, O Rudra;
With oblations lot us serve thee with honour.
g. From afar to thee, slayer of cows, and slayer of men,
Destroyer of heroes, be goodwill for us;
Guard us and accord us aid
And grant us protection in abundance.
h. Praise [3] the famous youth, mounted on the chariot seat,
Dread and destructive like a fierce wild beast;
Being praised, O Rudra, be merciful to the singer;
Let thy missiles smite down another than us.
i. May the missile of Rudra spare us,
May the wrath of the brilliant evil worker (pass over us);
Unstring for the generous donors (thy) strong (bows);
O bounteous one, be merciful to our children and descendants.
k. O most bounteous, most auspicious,
Be auspicious and favourably inclined to us;
Placing down thy weapon on the highest tree,
Clad in thy skin, come,
And approach us bearing the spear [4].
l. O blood-red scatterer,
Homage to thee, O adorable one;
May thy thousand missiles
Smite down another than us.
m A thousandfold in thousands
Are the missiles in thine arms;
O adorable one, do thou turn away
The points of those which thou dost rule.
iv. 5. 11.
a. The Rudras that are over the earth
In thousands by thousands,
Their bows we unstring
At a thousand leagues.
b. The Bhavas in this great ocean,
The atmosphere–
c. The Çarvas of black necks, and white throats,
Who wander below on the earth–
d. The Rudras who abide in the sky,
Of black necks and white throats–
e. Those who of black necks and ruddy,
Grass green, are in the trees–
f. The overlords of creatures,
Without top-knot, with braided hair–
g. Those that assault men in their food
And in their cups as they drink–
h. Those that guard the paths,
Bearing food, warriors–
i. Those that resort to fords [1],
With spears and quivers–
k. The Rudras that so many and yet more
Occupy the quarters, their bows we unstring
At a thousand leagues.
l. m n Homage to the Rudras on the earth, in the atmosphere, in the sky, whose arrows are food, wind, and rain, to them ten eastwards, ten to the south, ten to the west, ten to the north, ten upwards; to them homage, be they merciful to us, him whom we hate and him who hateth us, I place him within your jaws.
