Three have gone hence and passed away, the man, the tiger,
and the wolf.
Down, verily, the rivers flow, down-goeth the celestial Tree,.
down let our foemen bend and bow.
On distant pathway go the wolf, on pathway most remote the
thief!
On a far road speed forth the rope with teeth, and the malicious
man!
We crush and rend to pieces both thine eyes, O Tiger, and thy
jaws and all the twenty claws we break.
We break and rend the tiger first of creatures that are armed.
with teeth;
The robber then, and then the snake, the sorcerer, and then the
wolf.
The thief who cometh near to-day departeth bruised and crush-
ed to bits.
By nearest way let him be gone. Let Indra slay him with his
bolt.
Let the beast's teeth be broken off, shivered and shattered be
his ribs!
Slack be thy bowstring: downward go the wild beast that
pursues the hare!
Open not what thou hast compressed, close not what thou hast
not compressed.
Indra's and Soma's child, thou art Atharvan's tiger-crushing
charm.
