Sukta 38

Mantra 1

वाजिनीवान् ऋषभः। उद्भिन्दतीं संजयन्तीमप्सरां साधुदेविनीम्। ग्लहे कृतानि कृण्वानामप्सरां तामिह हुवे

The Bull, victorious in onset: the Apsaras, the kindly goddess, who bursteth through and maketh men to conquer—her, who in the wager fashioneth the ‘made’ successes, her do I invoke hither.

Mantra 2

विचिन्वतीमाकिरन्तीमप्सरां साधुदेविनीम्। ग्लहे कृतानि गृह्णानामप्सरां तामिह हुवे

The Apsaras, the kindly goddess, who sifteth and scattereth, who in the wager taketh up the ‘made’ successes—her do I invoke hither.

Mantra 3

यायैः परिनृत्यत्याददाना कृतं ग्लहात्। सा नः कृतानि सीषती प्रहामाप्नोतु मायया । सा नः पयस्वत्यैतु मा नो जैषुरिदं धनम्

She by whose arts she danceth round, and, taking, beareth off the ‘made’ success from out the wager—let her, seeking for our ‘made’ successes, by magic win the prize. Let her, rich in milk, come unto us: let them not conquer us of this our wealth.

Mantra 4

या अक्षेषु प्रमोदन्ते शुचं क्रोधं च बिभ्रती । आनन्दिनीं प्रमोदिनीमप्सरां तामिह हुवे

She who amid the dice rejoiceth, bearing grief and anger too—her, the gladdening, the pleasure-giving Apsaras, her do I invoke hither.

Mantra 5

सूर्यस्य रश्मीननु याः सञ्चरन्ति मरीचीर्वा या अनुसञ्चरन्ति । यासामृषभो दूरतो वाजिनीवान्त्सद्यः सर्वाँन् लोकान् पर्यैति रक्षन्। स न ऐतु होममिमं जुषाणो३ऽन्तरिक्षेण सह वाजिनीवान्

They who along the Sun’s rays roam, or as his gleams attendant roam; whose Bull, victorious from afar, straightway encompasseth all worlds, guarding—let him come to us, accepting this oblation, the victorious one, together with the mid-air’s path.

Mantra 6

अन्तरिक्षेन सह वाजिनीवन् कर्कीं वत्सामिह रक्ष वाजिन्। इमे ते स्तोका बहुला एह्यर्वाङियं ते कर्कीह ते मनोऽस्तु

With mid-air’s aid, O strong and fleet, guard here the Karkī-cow, guard here the calf, O vigorous one. These are thy drops, abundant: come thou hitherward; this Karkī is thine—here let her mind abide.

Mantra 7

अन्तरिक्षेण सह वाजिनीवन् कर्कीं वत्सामिह रक्ष वाजिन्। अयं घासो अयं व्रज इह वत्सां नि बध्नीमः । यथानाम व ईश्महे स्वाहा

With mid-air’s aid, O strong and fleet, guard here the Karkī-cow, guard here the calf, O vigorous one. Here is the fodder, here the pen: here do we bind the calf fast down, that verily we may have mastery over you—svāhā!