yes, from the flanks of heaven.  For thee the white, bright, rushing Somas, strong in raptures, have rushed to the whirl, they have rushed to the whirl of the waters.  The tired hunter asks luck of thee in the chase; thou shieldest by thy power from every being, yes, thou shieldest by thy power from powerful spirits.  Thou, O Vayu, art worthy as the first before all others to drink these our Somas, thou art worthy to drink these poured-out Somas.  Among the people also who invoke thee and have turned to thee, all the cows pour out the milk, they pour out butter and milk for the Soma.

INDRA AND AGASTYA[7]:  A DIALOGUE

Indra:  There is no such thing to-day, nor will it be so to-morrow.  Who knows what strange thing this is?  We must consult the thought of another, for even what we once knew seems to vanish.

Agastya:  Why dost thou wish to kill us, O Indra? the Maruts are thy brothers; fare kindly with them, and do not strike us in battle.

The Maruts:  O Brother Agastya, why, being a friend, dost thou despise us?  We know quite well what thy mind was.  Dost thou not wish to give to us?

Agastya:  Let them prepare the altar, let them light the fire in front!  Here we two will spread for thee the sacrifice, to be seen by the immortal.

Agastya:  Thou rulest, O lord of treasures; thou, lord of friends, art the most generous.  Indra, speak again with the Maruts, and then consume our offerings at the right season.

[Footnote 7:  Agastya is a worshipper of Indra.]

TO SOMA AND RUDRA

Soma and Rudra, may you maintain your divine dominion, and may the oblations reach you properly.  Bringing the seven treasures to every house, be kind to our children and our cattle.  Soma and Rudra, draw far away in every direction the disease which has entered our house.  Drive far away Nirriti, and may auspicious glories belong to us!  Soma and Rudra, bestow all these remedies on our bodies.  Tear away and remove from us whatever evil we have committed, which clings to our bodies.  Soma and Rudra, wielding sharp weapons and sharp bolts, kind friends, be gracious unto us here!  Deliver us from the snare of Varuna, and guard us, as kind-hearted gods!

TO RUDRA

Offer ye these songs to Rudra whose bow is strong, whose arrows are swift, the self-dependent god, the unconquered conqueror, the intelligent, whose weapons are sharp—­may he hear us!  For, being the lord, he looks after what is born on earth; being the universal ruler, he looks after what is born in heaven.  Protecting us, come to our protecting doors, be without illness among our people, O Rudra!  May that thunderbolt of thine, which, sent from heaven, traverses the earth, pass us by!  A thousand medicines are thine, O thou who art freely accessible; do not hurt us through our kith and kin!  Do not strike us, O Rudra, do not forsake us!  May we not be in thy way when thou rushest forth furiously.  Let us have our altar and a good report among men—­protect us always with your favors!