Mantrabrahmana 1.6

Hither has come Savitṛ with a razor.

O Vāyu, come with warm water!

May the waters moisten [his head] for life!

You are the tusk of Viṣṇu.

O plant, protect him!

O axe, do not harm him!

Wherewith Pūṣan shaved [the head] of Bṛhaspati, / of Vāyu, and of Indra, / therewith I shave your head with a prayer / for long life, for living, for a long life span, for luster!

The triple life-span of Jamadagni, / the triple life-span of Kaśyapa, / the triple life-span of Agastya, / what is the triple life-span of the gods, / let that triple life-span be yours!

O Agni, lord of sacred observances, I shall perform the sacred observance; / that I announce to you; / may I be able to do that; therewith may I prosper! / Here I enter from untruth into truth. Svāhā!

O Vāyu, lord of sacred observances, I will perform a sacred observance;
that I proclaim to you;
may I be capable of it, may I prosper by it.
Here I go from falsehood to truth. Svāhā!

O Sūrya, lord of sacred observances, I will perform a sacred observance;
that I proclaim to you;
may I be capable of it, may I prosper by it.
Here I go from falsehood to truth. Svāhā!

O Candra, lord of sacred observances, I will perform a sacred observance;
that I proclaim to you;
may I be capable of it, may I prosper by it.
Here I go from falsehood to truth. Svāhā!

O lord of sacred observances among observances, I will perform a sacred observance;
that I proclaim to you;
may I be capable of it, may I prosper by it.
Here I go from falsehood to truth. Svāhā!

We have come together with him who has arrived;
separate him well from mortal [frailty].
May we walk unharmed;
may this one walk in well-being.

Agni has seized your hand;
Savitṛ has seized your hand;
Aryaman has seized your hand.
You are Mitra by your action;
Agni is your teacher.

I have come to studentship; initiate me!

Who are you by name? I am such-and-such by name.

At the impulse of god Savitṛ,
with the arms of the Aśvins, with the hands of Pūṣan,
I take your hand, [such-and-such].

Turn around following the turn of the sun, [such-and-such].

You are the knot of the vital breaths; do not loosen.
O Antaka, to you I entrust this [student] here.

O Ahura, to you I entrust this [student] here.

O Kṛśana, to you I entrust this [student] here.

To Prajāpati I entrust you, [such-and-such].

To god Savitṛ I entrust you, [such-and-such].

You are a Vedic student, [such-and-such].

Put on kindling; sip water;
do work; do not sleep by day.

Warding off harsh speech,
purifying my appearance as a purifier, she has come to me:
bringing strength through inhalation and exhalation,
a goddess, fortunate sister—this girdle.

Guardian of truth, supreme guardian of ascetic heat,
slaying the demon, overcoming enemies:
come completely around me, auspicious one;
as your wearers, O girdle, may we not suffer harm.

That excellent splendor
of god Savitṛ we meditate upon,
who may inspire our thoughts.

Bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ, om.

O Suśravas, make me of good renown.
As you, Suśravas, are of good renown among the gods,
so may I, Suśravas, be of good renown among the brahmins.

I have brought kindling to Agni,
to the lofty Jātavedas.
As you, O Agni, are kindled by kindling,
so may I prosper with long life, intellect, brilliance, offspring, cattle,
brahminical luster, wealth, and food to eat. Svāhā!

May sensory power come back to me,
again long life, again fortune;
may wealth come back to me,
may holy power come back to me.

Again the mind, again the self has come back to me;
again the eye, again the ear has come back to me.
May Vaiśvānara, unbeguiled, protector of the body,
stand within my mind, the banner of immortality. Svāhā!