b. By the bow cows, by the bow the contest may we win, By the bow dread battles may we win; The bow doth work displeasure to the foe; By the bow let us win in all the quarters.
c. As if about to speak it approacheth the ear, Embracing its dear comrade, Like a woman this bowstring twangeth stretched over the bow [1], Saving in the battle.
d. They coming together as a maiden to the assembly, As a mother her child, shall bear (the arrow) in their lap; In unison shall they pierce the foes, These two ends springing asunder, the enemies.
e. Father of many (daughters), many his sons, He whizzeth as he goeth to battle, The quiver, slung on the back, yielding its content, Doth conquer every band and army.
f. Standing on the chariot be guideth his steeds before him Wheresoever he desireth, good charioteer; The might of the reins [2] do ye admire; The reins behind obey the mind (of the driver).
g. Shrilly the strong-hooved horses neigh, As with the cars they show their strength; Trampling with their forefeet the enemy They unflinchingly destroy the foe.
h. The chariot-bearer is his oblation by name, Where is deposited his armour and his weapon; Then may we sit on the strong car, All the days, with friendly hearts.
i. The fathers with pleasant seats, granting strength, A support in trouble mighty and profound, With varied hosts, with arrows to strengthen them, free, With real heroes, broad conquerors of hosts.
k. The Brahmans [3], the fathers worthy of the Soma, And sky and earth, unequalled be propitious to us; May Pusan guard us from misfortune, us that prosper holy order Do thou guard; may no foe overpower us. I A feather her garment, a deer her tooth, Tied with cowhide she flieth shot forth; Where men run together and apart, There may the arrows accord us protection.
m. O thou of straight path, avoid us; Be our body as of stone May Soma favour us, And Aditi [4] grant protection!
n. Their backs it smites, Their thighs it belabours; O horse-whip, do ye stimulate The skilled horses in the battles.
o. Like a snake with its coils it encircleth his arm, Fending off the friction of the bowstring, Let the hand-guard, knowing all cunning, Manfully guard the man on all sides.
p. O lord of the forest, be strong of limb, Our comrade, efficacious, of great strength; Thou art tied with cowhide, be thou strong; Let him that mounteth thee conquer what is to be conquered.
q. From sky, from earth [5] is might collected, From trees is strength gathered; The might of the waters surrounded with the kine, Indra's thunderbolt, the chariot, do thou adore with oblation.
r. The thunderbolt of Indra, the face of the Maruts, The embryo of Mitra, the navel of Varuna, Do thou, accepting this our sacrifice, O chariot divine, take to thyself the oblations.
s. Roar to earth and sky; Let the scattered world be ware of thee in many places; Do thou, O drum, in unison with Indra and the gods [6], Drive away the foe further than far.
t. Roar thou! Grant us force and might. Thunder, overthrowing obstacles; Snort away, O drum, misfortune hence; Indra's fist art thou; show thy strength.
u. Drive to us those, and these make to come to us; The drum speaketh aloud for a signal (of battle) Our heroes winged with steeds meet together; Be our chariotmen victorious, O Indra.