सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः ।अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥
sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purovāca prajāpatiḥ |anena prasaviṣyadhvam eṣa vo 'stv iṣṭakāmadhuk ||
- सहयज्ञाः · sahayajñāḥ
- together with sacrifice
- प्रजाः · prajāḥ
- beings, creatures
- सृष्ट्वा · sṛṣṭvā
- having created
- पुरा · purā
- of old, in the beginning
- उवाच · uvāca
- said
- प्रजापतिः · prajāpatiḥ
- Prajapati, the lord of creatures
- अनेन · anena
- by this (sacrifice)
- प्रसविष्यध्वम् · prasaviṣyadhvam
- may you multiply, prosper
- एषः · eṣaḥ
- this
- वः · vaḥ
- to you, for you
- अस्तु · astu
- let it be
- इष्टकामधुक् · iṣṭakāmadhuk
- giver of desired objects, wish-fulfilling cow
“Having created beings together with sacrifice, Prajapati said of old: By this may you prosper; let it be your wish-fulfilling cow.”
— Original plain-language translation
Sacrifice is woven into creation itself, not an afterthought — humans and yajña were born twins. The image of the wish-fulfilling cow promises that generous giving returns abundance. Mutual offering, not hoarding, is the original design of the world.
— Reader's notes (original)