Sacred Books of the East eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 632 pages of information about Sacred Books of the East.

Sacred Books of the East eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 632 pages of information about Sacred Books of the East.

TO VATA

Now for the greatness of the chariot of Vata.  Its roar goes crashing and thundering.  It moves touching the sky, and creating red sheens, or it goes scattering the dust of the earth.  Afterwards there rise the gusts of Vata, they go towards him, like women to a feast.  The god goes with them on the same chariot, he, the king of the whole of this world.  When he moves on his paths along the sky, he rests not even a single day; the friend of the waters, the first-born, the holy, where was he born, whence did he spring?  The breath of the gods, the germ of the world, that god moves wherever he listeth; his roars indeed are heard, not his form—­let us offer sacrifice to that Vata!

TO VATA

May Vata waft medicine, healthful, delightful to our heart; may he prolong our lives!  Thou, O Vata, art our father, and our brother, and our friend; do thou grant us to live!  O Vata, from that treasure of the immortal which is placed in thy house yonder, give us to live!

I

I magnify Agni, the Purohita, the divine ministrant of the sacrifice, the Hotri priest, the greatest bestower of treasures.  Agni, worthy to be magnified by the ancient Rishis and by the present ones—­may he conduct the gods hither.  May one obtain through Agni wealth and welfare day by day, which may bring glory and high bliss of valiant offspring.  Agni, whatever sacrifice and worship thou encompassest on every side, that indeed goes to the gods.  May Agni the thoughtful Hotri, he who is true and most splendidly renowned, may the god come hither with the gods.  Whatever good thou wilt do to thy worshipper, O Agni, that work verily is thine, O Angiras.  Thee, O Agni, we approach day by day, O god who shinest in the darkness; with our prayer, bringing adoration to thee who art the king of all worship, the guardian of Rita, the shining one, increasing in thy own house.  Thus, O Agni, be easy of access to us, as a father is to his son.  Stay with us for our happiness.

II

We implore with well-spoken words the vigorous Agni who belongs to many people, to the clans that worship the gods, whom other people also magnify.  Men have placed Agni on the altar as the augmenter of strength.  May we worship thee, rich in sacrificial food.  Thus be thou here to-day gracious to us, a helper in our striving for gain, O good one!  We choose thee, the all-possessor, as our messenger and as our Hotri.  The flames of thee, who art great, spread around; thy rays touch the heaven.  The gods, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, kindle thee, the ancient messenger.  The mortal, O Agni, who worships thee, gains through thee every prize.  Thou art the cheerful Hotri and householder, O Agni, the messenger of the clans.  In thee all the firm laws are comprised which the gods

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Sacred Books of the East from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.