VII.34

✦ ─── ⟐ ─── ✦

Come unto us all together, O Viśvedevas, all the gods together! Agni the fire, Indra the thunder, Vayu the wind—come ye all! Mitra and Varuṇa, the oath-keepers, come! Aśvins the horsemen, come ye both!

Savitṛ the impeller, whose power doth set all things in motion at the dawn—come! Soma the sacred plant, lord of abundance—come! Rudra the fierce, the destroyer and the healer—come! Viṣṇu the wide-striding one, who holdeth the three worlds—come!

We call upon you, O hosts of heaven! We call upon all the gods, both great and small! The lesser deities do you come also—the guardians of the four directions, the keepers of the waters, the spirits of the mountains and the forests!

Attend unto our sacrifice! Drink of the Soma that we have pressed! Eat of the butter that we have offered! Be pleased with the hymns that we sing! Accept the worship of thy servants!

The earth crieth out unto you. The waters cry out unto you. All living creatures—from the greatest to the least—do call upon your names. Hear the voice of creation! Come unto us and show your power!

Together ye do hold the worlds in place. Together ye do guide the courses of the sun and moon. Together ye do make the seasons turn. Together ye do pour forth the rains that nourish all things.

What can one god accomplish that all gods together cannot accomplish? What realm is there that ye do not rule? What creature is there that ye do not guide? Ye are supreme; ye are eternal; ye are the source of all blessing.

We are as children before you, O mighty ones. We know not the vastness of your power. We cannot comprehend the depths of your wisdom. Yet we do dare to call upon you, hoping that you will hear the small voices of your servants.

Grant us protection from all harm! Shield us from our enemies! Defend us from sickness and plague! Keep us safe from every danger! These are our prayers, O hosts of heaven!

Grant us fertility and abundance! Let the herds grow fat and strong! Let the fields yield their crops! Let the children be born healthy and strong! These are our prayers!

Grant us wisdom that we might walk in righteousness! Grant us courage that we might face our trials with strength! Grant us compassion that we might show mercy unto others! Grant us humility that we might never forget our dependence upon you! These are our prayers!

Come unto us with blessings! Come unto us with grace! Come unto us with the fullness of your divine power! Do not turn away from us; do not withhold your favor! We beg you, O Viśvedevas, come unto us!

We do not ask for more than we need. We ask only for what is right and just. We ask for the strength to do our duties. We ask for the wisdom to make right choices. We ask for the peace that cometh from serving the gods with a clean heart.

Accept this sacrifice! Accept these hymns! Accept the love and devotion that we bring unto you! And may your blessing fall upon us like the gentle rain, nourishing all that is good and beautiful within us!

Let all people know the glory of the Viśvedevas! Let all creatures recognize your power! Let the whole universe sing your praise! For ye are the source of all that is, the sustainers of all that exists, the guides of all that comes to pass!

We shall worship you forever. We shall make offerings unto you for all our days. We shall sing your praises without ceasing. And when we pass from this life to the next, may we be remembered as those who honored the gods with true devotion and sincere hearts.

Accept our worship, O Viśvedevas! Accept it this day and all the days to come! Be merciful unto us! Be gracious unto us! And let your blessings never cease to fall upon your servants!