________________
IX. PRAYERS AND IMPRECATIONS FOR BRAHMANS. 187
14. May this sturdy press-stone, with broad bottom, purified by the purifiers, beat away the Rakshas ! Settle upon the skin, afford firm protection; may man and wife not come to grief in their children!
15. The (pestle of) wood has come to us together with the gods : it drives away the Rakshas and Pisakas. Up it shall rise, shall let its voice resound: through it let us conquer all the worlds !
16. The cattle clothed itself in sevenfold strength, those among them that are sleek and those that are poor. The thirty-three gods attend them : mayest thou, (O cattle), guide us to the heavenly world!
17. To the bright world of heaven thou shalt lead us; (there) let us be united with wife and children ! I take her hand, may she follow me there ; neither Nirriti (destruction), nor Arâti (grudge), shall gain mastery over us!
18. May we get past the evil Gråhi (seizure)! Casting aside darkness do thou, (O pestle), let thy lovely voice resound; do not, O wooden tool, when raised, do injury; do not mutilate the grain devoted to the gods!
19. All-embracing, about to be covered with ghee, enter, (O pot), as a co-dweller this space!—Take hold of the winnowing-basket, that has been grown by the rain : the spelt and the chaff it shall sift out!
20. Three regions are constructed after the pattern of the Brahmana: yonder heaven, the earth, and the atmosphere.—Take the (soma-) shoots, and hold one another, (O man and wife)! They (the shoots) shall swell (with moisture), and again go back into the winnowing-basket!
21. Of manifold variegated colours are the
Digitized by
Digjized by Google