Yajur Veda Book 1

i. 1. 1.

a For food thee, for strength thee!

b Ye are winds, ye are approachers.

c Let the god Savitr impel you to the most excellent offering.

d O invincible ones, swell with the share for the gods, Full of strength, of milk, rich in offspring, free from sickness, from disease.

e Let no thief, no evil worker, have control over you.

f Let Rudra's dart avoid you.

g Abide ye, numerous, with this lord of cattle.

h Do thou protect the cattle of the sacrificer.



i. 1. 2.

a Thou art the substance of the sacriflee.

b The Raksas is burned up, the evil spirits are burned up.

c The Vedi hath come to the sacrificial straw, Made by Manu, fashioned with the Svadha call. The sages fetch it from in front, The delightful straw for the gods to sit on here.

d Thou art impelled by the gods.

e Thou art made to grow by the rains.

f O divine straw, lot me not hit thee either across or along,

g Let me hit thy joints,

h Let me come to no harm in cutting thee.

i O divine straw, rise with a hundred shoots, Let us rise with a thousand shoots.

k Guard from the contact of earth.

l I gather thee with good gathering.

m Thou art the girdle of Aditi, the cord of Indrani.

n Let Pusan tie a knot for thee, that knot shall mount me.

o I hold thee up with the arms of Indra, I seize thee with the head of Brhaspati.

p Fare along the wide atmosphere.

q Thou art going to the gods.



i. 1. 3

a Be ye pure for the divine rite, the sacrifice to the gods.

b Thou art the cauldron of Matariçvan.

c Thou art the heaven, thou art the earth.

d Thou art the all-supporting with the highest support.

e Be firm, waver not.

f Thou art the strainer of the Vasus, of a hundred streams, thou art that of the Vasus, of a thousand streams.

g The spot (stoka) has been offered, the drop has been offered.

h To Agni, to the mighty firmament!

i Hail to sky and earth!

k This is she of all life, this is the all-encompassing, this is the all-doing.

I Be ye united, that follow holy orders, Ye that wave and are fullest of sweetness, Delightful for the gaining of wealth.

m With Soma I curdle thee, curds for Indra.

n O Visnu, guard the offering.



i. 1. 4.

a For the rite you two, for the gods may I be strong.

b Thee for accomplishment!

c The Raksas is burnt up, the evil spirits are burnt up.

d Thou art the yoke.

e Injure him who injures us, injure him whom we injure.

f Thou art of gods the most firmly jointed, the most richly filled, the most agreeable, the best of carriers, the best caller of the gods.

g Thou art the oblation-holder that wavers not.

h Be firm, waver not.

i I gaze on thee with the eye of Mitra.

k Be not afraid, be not troubled, let me harm thee [1] not.

l (Be thou) wide open to the wind.

m On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, I offer thee dear to Agni, to Agni and Soma.

n This of the gods, this of us too.

o For prosperity thee, not for misfortune.

p May I behold the light, the radiance for all men.

q May they that have doors stand firm in heaven and earth.

r Fare along the wide atmosphere.
s I place thee in the lap of Aditi.
t O Agni, guard the offering.



i. 1. 5

a Let the god Savitr purify you, with a filter that has no flaw,
with the rays of the bright sun.

b Ye divine waters, that go in front and first purify, forward lead
this sacrifice, place in front the lord of the sacrifice.

c You Indra chose for the contest with Vrtra, ye chose Indra for the contest with Vrtra.

d Ye are sprinkled.

e I sprinkle you agreeable to Agni, to Agni and Soma.

f Be ye pure for the divine rite, for the sacrifice to the gods.

g The Raksas is shaken off, the evil spirits are shaken off.

h Thou art the skin of Aditi, may the earth' recognize thee [1].

i Thou art the plank' of wood, may the skin of Aditi recognize thee.

k Thou art the body of Agni, loostener of speech.

l I grasp thee for the joy of the gods.

m Thou art the stone of wood.

n Do thou with good labour elaborate this offering for the gods.

o Utter food, utter strength;

p Make ye glorious sounds.

q May we be victorious in contest.

r Thou art increased by the rain.

s May that which is increased by the rain recognize thee.

t The Raksas is cleared away, the evil spirits are cleared away.

u Thou art the share of the Raksases.

v Let the wind separate you.

w Let the god Savitr of golden hands, seize you.



i. 1. 6

a The 7 Raksas is shaken off, the evil spirits are shaken off.

b Thou art the skin of Aditi, may the earth recognize thee.

c Thou art the supporter of the sky, may the skin of Aditi recognize thee.

d Thou art a bowl of rock, may the supporter of the sky recognize thee.

e Thou art a bowl made of the rock, may the rock recognize thee.

f On the impulse of the god Savity, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Prisan, I pour thee out.

g Thou art stimulating, stimulate the gods.

h For expiration thee, for inspiration thee, for through-breathing thee (I pound).

i May I extend for long the life (of the sacrificer).

k Let the god Savitr, of golden hands, seize you.



i. 1. 7

a Bold art thou, support our prayer.

b O Agni, drive off the fire that eats raw flesh, send away the corpse-eating one, bring hither the fire that sacrifices to the gods.

c The Raksas is burnt, the evil spirits are burnt.

d Thou art firm; make firm the earth, make life firm, make offspring firm, make his follows subordinate to this sacrificer.

e Thou art a supporter, make firm the atmosphere, make expiration firm, make inspiration firm, make his fellows subordinate to this sacrificer.

f Thou are supporting, make the heaven firm, make the eye [1] firm, make the ear firm, make his fellows, &c.

g Thou art a support, make the quarters firm, make the organ firm, make offspring firm, make his fellows, &c.

h Ye are gatherers, bring offspring to this sacrificer, wealth to him, make his fellows, &c.

i Be ye heated with the heat of the Bhrgus and the Angirases.

k The potsherds which wise men collect for the cauldron, these are in Pusan's guardianship. Lot Indra and Vayu set them free.



i. 1. 8

a I pour together.

b The waters have joined with the waters, the plants with sap.

c Join ye rich ones with the moving ones, sweet ones with the sweet.

d From the waters ye are born, be united with the waters.

e For generation I unite thee.

f For Agni thee, for Agni and Soma.

g Thou art the head of Makha.

h Thou art the cauldron that contains all life.

i Be extended wide, let the lord of the sacrifice be extended wide.

k Grasp the skin.

I The Raksas is obstructed, the evil spirits are obstructed.

m Let the god Savitr make thee ready on the highest firmament.

n May Agni burn not too much thy body.

o O Agni, guard the offering.

p Be united with our prayer.

q Hail to Ekata, hail to Dvita, hail to Trita.



i. 1. 9

a I grasp (thee).

b Thou art Indra's right arm with a thousand spikes, a hundred edges.

c Thou art the wind of sharp edge.

d O earth whereon sacrifice is offered to the gods, let me harm not the root of thy plant.

e Araru is smitten away from the earth.

f Go to the fold where the cattle are.

g May heaven rain for thee.

h O god Savitr, bind thou in the furthest distance with a hundred fetters him who hateth us and whom we hate, thence let him not free.

i Araru is smitten away from the earth, the place of sacrifice.

k Go to the fold [1] where the cattle are.

l May heaven rain for thee.

m O god Savitr &c.

n Araru is smitten away from the earth, he that sacrifices not to the gods.

o Go to the fold where the cattle are.

p May heaven rain for thee.

q O god Savitr, &c. [2]

r Let not Araru mount the sky for thee.

s Let the Vasus grasp thee with the Gayatri metre, let the Rudras grasp thee with the Tristubb. metre, let the Adityas grasp thee with the Jagati metre.

t On the impulse of the god Savitr wise ones perform the rite.

u Thou art the right, thou art the seat of right, thou art the glory of right.

v Thou art the holder, thou art the self-holder.

w Thou art broad, and wealthy art thou.



i. 1. 10

a The Raksas is burnt up, the evil spirits are burnt up.

b With Agni's keenest flame I burn you.

c May I not brush the place of the cattle, I brush thee that art strong and overcomest foes.

d Speech, breath, eye, ear, offspring, the organ of generation may I not brush, I brush thee that art strong and overcomest foes.

e Beseeching favour, offspring, prosperity, in devotion to Agni,

I gird my body for good action.

f With fair offspring, with noble husbands, We are come to thee,

O Agni, to thee that deceivest the foe, The undeceivable, we that are not deceived.

g I loosen this bond of Varuna, Which Savitr the kindly hath bound, And in the birthplace of the creator, in the place of good action,

I make it pleasant for me with my husband.

h With life, with offspring,

O Agni, with splendour again, As wife with my husband I am united. United be my spirit with my body.

i Of the great ones thou art the milk, of plants the sap. Of thee that art the imperishable I make the offering.

k Thou art the milk of the great ones, of plants the sap; with undeceived eye I gaze on thee for fair offspring.

l Thou art brilliance; follow thou brilliance; may Agni not take away the brilliance.

m Thou art the tongue of Agni, the good one of the gods.

n Be thou (good) for every sacrifice, for the gods, for every prayer.

o Thou art the shining, the radiance, the brilliance.

p May the god Savitr purify you With a flawless strainer, With the rays of the bright sun.

q I grasp thee shining in the shining, for every sacrifice, for the gods, for every prayer.

r I grasp thee radiance in the radiance, thee resplendent in the resplendence for every sacrifice, for the gods, for every prayer.



i. 1. 11

a Thou I art a black deer, living in the lair, to Agni thee, hail!

b Thou art the altar, to the strew thee, hail!

c Thou art the strew,' to the ladles thee, hail

d To the sky thee, to the atmosphere thee, to the earth thee!

e Be thou refreshment to the fathers, strength to those that sit on the strew.

f With strength go ye to the earth.

g Thou art the hair-knot of Visnu.

h Soft as wool I strew thee, offering a good seat to the gods.

i Thou art the Gandharva, Viçvavasu (possessing all wealth), the fence of the sacrificer from every attacker, praised and to be praised.

k Thou art the right arm of Indra, the fence of the sacrificer, praised and to be praised.

l May Mitra and Varuna lay thee around in the north with firm law, thou art the fence of the sacrificer, praised and to be praised.

m May the sun in the east protect thee from all evil.

n May we kindle thee, O wise one,

That dost invite to the sacrifice, the radiant one,

O Agni, thee that art mighty at the sacrifice.

o Ye two are the props of the people.

p Sit on the seat of the Vasus, Rudras, Adityas.

q Thou art named juhu, upabhrt, dhruva, loving the ghee, sit on thy dear seat with thy dear name.

r These have sat down in the world of good action.

s Protect them, O Visnu.

t Protect the sacrifice, protect the lord of the sacrifice, protect me that conduct the sacrifice.



i. 1. 12

a Thou art the world, be extended.

b O Agni, sacrificer, this reverence.

c O juhu, come hither, Agni summons thee for the sacrifice to the gods.

d O upabhrt, come hither, the god Savitr summons thee for the sacrifice to the gods.

e O Agni and Visnu, let me not step down upon you.

f Be ye parted, consume me not.

g Make ye a place for me, ye place-makers.

h Thou art the abode of Visnu.

i Hence Indra wrought mighty deeds.'

k Great, grasping the sky, imperishable.

1 The sacrifice of the lord of the sacrifice is undisturbed.

m Offered to Indra, hail!

n Great light.

o Guard me, O Agni, from misfortune, place me in good fortune.

p Thou art the head of Makha, be light united with light.



i. 1. 13

a With the impulse of strength, With elevation he hath lifted me up; Then Indra hath made my enemies Humble by depression.

b The gods have increased my prayer. What is elevation and depression; Then do ye, O Indra and Agni, Scatter my foes on every side.

c To the Vasus thee, to the Rudras thee, to the Adityas thee!

d Licking the anointed lot the birds go asunder.

e May I not brush offispring and the organ.

f Swell, ye waters and plants.

g Ye are the spotted steeds of the Maruts.

h Fare to the sky [1], thence bring us rain.

i Guardian of life art thou, O Agni, guard my life.

k Guardian of the eye art thou, O Agni, guard my eye.

I Thou art the secure one.

m The fence which thou didst put round thee When thou wast beset by the Panis, O god Agni, That do I bring here to thee that thou mayst rejoice in it, That it be not removed from thee.

n Go ye two to the place of the gods.

o Ye are sharers in the remains (of the oblation), well nourished, mighty Ye gods that are on the prastara and sit on the strew [2]. Accepting this supplication, do ye all, Seated on this strew enjoy yourselves.

p I set thee in the seat of Agni whose abode is secure.

q For goodwill, O ye two with goodwill, place me in goodwill.

r Guard ye the yoke-horses at the yoke.

s O Agni, with life unhurt, with not-cool body, guard me this day from the sky, guard from bondage, guard from error in sacrifice, guard from evil food, guard from ill deed.

t Make our food free from poison, the lap pleasant to sit in; hail!

u O ye gods that know the way, knowing the way, go ye the way.

v O lord of mind, this sacrifice for us place among the gods, O god, hail! in speech, hail! in the wind, hail!