Yajur Sama Atharvan Vedas

THE YAJUR VEDA
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sixth; the year has six seasons; verily in the seasons the year finds support. These are the bricks [2],
called the over-ladies; he for whom they are put down becomes the overlord of his equals; he should
think of him whom he hates as he puts (them down); verily he cuts him off for those deities; swiftly
he goes to ruin. The Angirases, going to the world of heaven, made over to the seers the
accomplishment of the sacrifice; it became gold; in that he anoints with fragments of gold, (it is) for
the completion of the sacrifice; verily also he makes healing for it [3]; moreover he unites it with its
form, and with golden light he goes to the world of heaven. He anoints with that which contains the
word 'of a thousand'; Prajapati is of a thousand; (verily it serves) to win Prajapati. 'May these bricks,
O Agni, be for me milch cows', he says; verily he makes them milch cows; they, milking desires, wait
upon him yonder in yonder world.
v. 4. 3.
The fire is Rudra; he is born then when he is completely piled up; just as a calf on birth desires the
teat, so he here seeks his portion; if he were not to offer a libation to him, he would suck the
Adhvaryu and the sacrificer. He offers the Çatarudriya (oblation); verily he appeases him with his
own portion; neither Adhvaryu nor sacrificer goes to ruin. If he were to offer with the milk of
domesticated animals [1], he would afflict domestic animals with pain; if (with that) of wild
(animals), wild (animals); he should offer with groats of wild sesame or with groats of Gavidhuka
grass; he harms neither domesticated nor wild animals. Then they say, 'Wild sesame and Gavidhuka
grass are not a proper offering'; he offers with goat's milk, the female goat is connected with Agni;
verily he offers with a proper offering; he harms neither domesticated nor wild animals. The
Angirases going to the world of heaven [2] spilled the cauldron on the goat; she in pain dropped a
feather (like hair), it became the Arka (plant); that is why the Arka has its name. He offers with a leaf
of the Arka, to unite it with its birthplace. He offers standing facing north; this is the quarter of
Rudra; verily he propitiates him in his own quarter. He offers on the last brick; verily at the end he
propitiates Rudra. He offers dividing it into three; these worlds are three; verily he makes these
worlds of even strength; at this height he offers [3], then at this, then at this; these worlds are three;
verily he appeases him for these worlds. Three further libations he offers; they make up six, the
seasons are six; verily with the seasons he appeases him. If he were to offer while wandering round,
he would make Rudra come within (the sacrifice). Or rather they say, 'In what quarter is Rudra or in
what?' He should offer them while wandering round; verily he appeases him completely [4]. The
highest (bricks) are the heavenly deities; over them he makes the sacrificer speak; verily by them he
makes him attain the world of heaven; he should throw (the leaf) down in the path of the cattle of him
whom he hates; the first beast that steps upon it goes to ruin.
v. 4. 4.
'The strength on the stone', (with these words) he moistens (the fire), and so purifies it; verily also he
delights it; it delighted attends him, causing him neither hunger nor pain in yonder world; he rejoices
in offspring, in cattle who knows thus. 'That food and strength, do ye, O Maruts, bounteously bestow
on us', he says; strength is food, the Maruts are food; verily he wins food. 'In the stone is thy hunger;
let thy pain reach N.N. [1], whom we hate', he says; verily he afflicts him whom he hates with its
hunger and pain. He goes round thrice, moistening; the fire is threefold; verily he calms the pain of
the whole extent of the fire. Thrice again he goes round; they make up six, the seasons are six; verily
with the seasons he calms its pain. The reed is the flower of the waters, the Avaka is the cream of the
waters [2]; he draws over (it) with a branch of reeds and with Avaka plants; the waters are appeased;
verily with them appeased he calms his pain. The beast that first steps over the fire when piled, it is
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