The storm-swift one is sent surging, gift-cow beside him, to take his seat in this holy place.
Watchful, he hunts out falsehood, and wardeth off the fiend.
The tawny one adorneth his brow—clouds and milk his underlay in the twin cups, and sacred spell his robe.

Like a smiter of tribes, he bursteth forth, roaring full loud and oft.
He poureth down his kingly hue,
Sheddeth his cloak, and goeth to his tryst with the Father.
What floateth nigh, he taketh full—milk as his fresh array.

Pressed ‘twixt the stones, he maketh himself pure between the twin hands.
With cloud he playeth the bull, he quaketh in mind with godly fire.
He delighteth in the song, he meeteth it, he gaineth his end thereby.
He batheth in the waters, and in his wholeness he doth his own rite.

On every side they scatter him, the heaven-ruling son of strength and honey, grown stout on the mount, breaker of the stronghold, on whose crown the cows do ready their foremost milk, in wide streams, for him who eateth the fair offering—Indra.

The ten sisters on the twin hands have shaped him like a wain, here in the bosom of Aditi.

As he fareth, he draweth nigh the hidden path of the cow, which the wise in thought have brought forth for him.

As a falcon to her nest, so hasteneth the god to sit on the golden stool wrought by insight.
They let the loved one pour upon the sacred grass with song.
As a horse to its stall, the one meet for the rite cometh unto the gods.

Afar gleameth the ruddy poet of the heavens, all decked and bright.
The three-backed bull hath lowed to the kine.
The steward of a thousand ways—Soma—doth shine forth, like the hoarse-throated singer, o’er many dawns as they fade.

He shapeth for himself a gleaming hue—his own bright mark.
When he lieth in the clash of stones, he beateth back all wrong.
Winning the waters, he driveth of his own will unto the deathless folk.
He is joined to the lovely chant, to that which is cow-blest.

As a bull among herds he belloweth, circling in pride.
He hath donned the golden gleams of the sun.
The sky-faring eagle casteth his eye upon the earth.
Soma beholdeth all beings, and guideth them as he will.