ask the golden-colored and exalted Maruts for glorious wealth.  The Dasagvas carried on the sacrifice first; may they rouse us at the break of dawn.  Like the dawn, they uncover the dark nights with the red rays, the strong ones, with their brilliant light, as with a sea of milk.  With the morning clouds, as if with glittering red ornaments, these Maruts have grown great in the sacred places.  Streaming down with rushing splendor, they have assumed their bright and brilliant color.  Approaching them for their great protection to help us, we invoke them with this worship, they whom Trita may bring near, like the five Hotri priests for victory, descending on their chariot to help.  May that grace of yours by which you help the wretched across all anguish, and by which you deliver the worshipper from the reviler, come hither, O Maruts; may your favor approach us like a cow going to her calf!

VII

I come to you with this adoration, with a hymn I implore the favor of the quick Maruts.  O Maruts, you have rejoiced in it clearly, put down then all anger and unharness your horses!  This reverent praise of yours, O Maruts, fashioned in the heart, has been offered by the mind, O gods!  Come to it, pleased in your mind, for you give increase to our worship.  May the Maruts when they have been praised be gracious to us, and likewise Indra, the best giver of happiness, when he has been praised.  May our lances through our valor stand always erect, O Maruts!  I am afraid of this powerful one, and trembling in fear of Indra.  For you the offerings were prepared—­we have now put them away, forgive us!  Thou through whom the Manas see the mornings, whenever the eternal dawns flash forth with power, O Indra, O strong hero, grant thou glory to us with the Maruts, terrible with the terrible ones, strong and a giver of victory.  O Indra, protect thou these bravest of men, let thy anger be turned away from the Maruts, for thou hast become victorious together with those brilliant heroes.  May we have an invigorating autumn, with quickening rain!

VIII

O Maruts, that man in whose dwelling you drink the Soma, ye mighty sons of heaven, he indeed has the best guardians.  You who are propitiated either by sacrifices or from the prayers of the sage, hear the call, O Maruts!  Aye, the powerful man to whom you have granted a sage, he will live in a stable rich in cattle.  On the altar of this strong man Soma is poured out in daily sacrifices; praise and joy are sung.  To him let the mighty Maruts listen, to him who surpasses all men, as the flowing rain-clouds pass over the sun.  For we, O Maruts, have sacrificed at many harvests, through the mercies of the storm-gods.  May that mortal be blessed, O chasing Maruts, whose offerings you carry off.  You take notice either of the sweat of him who praises you, ye men of true strength, or of the desire of the suppliant.  O ye of true strength, make this manifest with might! strike the fiend with your lightning!  Hide the hideous darkness, destroy every tusky fiend.  Make the light which we long for!