4. For the thinker becoming man his swift hastening impulsions dark and bright desire freedom; active, rapid, quivering, they are yoked to their works, swift steeds and driven forward by the Breath of things.

5. They for him destroy and speed lightly on¹ creating his dark being of thickness and his mighty form of light; when reaching forward he touches the Vast of Being, he pants towards it and, thundering, cries aloud.²

6. He who when he would become in the tawny ones, bends down and goes to them bellowing as the male to its mates, — putting out his forces he gives joy to their bodies³ and like a fierce beast hard to seize he tosses his horns.⁴

7. He whether contracted in being or wide-extended seizes on them utterly; he knowing, they knowing the eternal Agni enjoys⁵ them, then again they increase and go to the state

¹ Or, speed and pervade

² Mahīmavanim might mean the vast earth, but avanī and pṛthivī are not used in the Veda invariably, the former not usually, to mean earth, but stray or return to their

original sense — sapta avanayaḥ.

³ Or, he makes blissful the forms of things

⁴ Babhṛūṣu, the cows, aruṇayaḥ of a later verse — knowledge in the mortal mind.

⁵ Or, lies with

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divine; uniting, another form they make for the Father and Mother.

8. Bright with their flowing tresses they take utter delight of him, they who were about to perish, stand upon high once more for his coming;¹ for he loosens from them their decay and goes to them shouting high, he creates supreme force and unconquerable life.

9. Tearing about her the robe that conceals the other he moves on utterly to the Delight with the creatures of pure Being who manifest the Force; he establishes the wideness, he breaks through to the goal for this traveller, even though swift-rushing, he cleaves always to the paths.²

10. Burn bright for us, O Agni, in our fullnesses, henceforth be the strong master and inhabit in us with the sisters; casting away from thee those of them that are infant minds thou shouldst burn bright encompassing us all about like a cuirass in our battles.³

11. This, O Agni, is that which is well-established upon the ill-

¹ Mamruṣīḥ is uncertain. It may be dead or dying. Rebhire = delight, is here perfectly proved.

² Rihan, rerihat are uncertain.

³ Śvasi is the Greek Kasis and an old variant of śvasṛ wife or sister. Therefore it is coupled with vṛṣā like patnī.

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placed; even out of this blissful mentality may there be born to thee that greater bliss. By that which shines bright and pure from thy body, thou winnest for us the delight.

12. Thou givest us, O Agni, for chariot and for home a ship travelling with eternal progress of motion that shall carry our strong spirits and our spirits of fullness across the births and cross the peace.

13. Mayest thou, O Agni, about our Word for thy pivot bring to light for us Heaven and Earth and the rivers that are self-revealed; may the Red Ones reach to knowledge and strength and long days of light, may they choose the force and the supreme good.

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