HYMN CXXVIII. Agni: Rig Veda – Book 1 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

अयं जायत मनुषो धरीमणि होता यजिष्ठ उशिजामनुव्रतमग्निः सवमनु वरतम | विश्वश्रुष्टिः सखीयते रयिरिव शरवस्यते |
अदब्धो होता नि षददिळस पदे परिवीत इळस पदे ||

तं यज्ञसाधमपि वातयामस्य रतस्य पथा नमसा हविष्मता देवताता हविष्मता | स न ऊर्जामुपाभ्र्त्यया कर्पा न जूर्यति |
यं मातरिश्वा मनवे परावतो देवं भाः परावतः ||

एवेन सद्यः पर्येति पार्थिवं मुहुर्गी रेतो वर्षभः कनिक्रदद दधद रेतह कनिक्रदत | शतं चक्षाणो अक्षभिर्देवो वनेषु तुर्वणिः |
सदो दधान उपरेषु सानुष्वग्निः परेषु सानुषु ||

स सुक्रतुः पुरोहितो दमे दमे.अग्निर्यज्ञस्याध्वरस्य चेतति करत्वा यज्ञस्य चेतति | करत्वा वेधा इषूयते विश्वा जातानि पस्पशे |
यतो घर्तश्रीरतिथिरजायत वह्निर्वेधा अजायत ||

करत्वा यदस्य तविषीषु पर्ञ्चते.अग्नेरवेण मरुतां न भोज्येषिराय न भोज्या | स हि षमा दानमिन्वति वसूनां च मज्मना |
स नस्त्रासते दुरितादभिह्रुतः शंसादघादभिह्रुतः ||

विश्वो विहाया अरतिर्वसुर्दधे हस्ते दक्षिणे तरणिर्नशिश्रथच्छ्रवस्यया न शिश्रथत | विश्वस्मा इदिषुध्यते देवत्रा हव्यमोहिषे |
विश्वस्मा इत सुक्र्ते वारं रण्वत्यग्निर्द्वारा वय रण्वति ||

स मानुषे वर्जने शन्तमो हितो.अग्निर्यज्ञेषु जेन्यो न विश्पतिः परियो यज्ञेषु विश्पतिः | स हव्या मानुषाणामिळा कर्तानि पत्यते |
स नस्त्रासते वरुणस्य धूर्तेर्महोदेवस्य धूर्तेः ||

अग्निं होतारमीळते वसुधितिं परियं चेतिष्ठमरतिं नयेरिरे हव्यवाहं नयेरिरे | विश्वायुं विश्ववेदसं होतारं यजतं कविम |
देवासो रण्वमवसे वसूयवो गीर्भीरण्वं वसूयवः ||

ayaṃ jāyata manuṣo dharīmaṇi hotā yajiṣṭha uśijāmanuvratamaghniḥ svamanu vratam | viśvaśruṣṭiḥ sakhīyate rayiriva śravasyate |
adabdho hotā ni ṣadadiḷas pade parivīta iḷas pade ||

taṃ yajñasādhamapi vātayāmasy ṛtasya pathā namasā haviṣmatā devatātā haviṣmatā | sa na ūrjāmupābhṛtyayā kṛpā na jūryati |
yaṃ mātariśvā manave parāvato devaṃ bhāḥ parāvataḥ ||

evena sadyaḥ paryeti pārthivaṃ muhurghī reto vṛṣabhaḥ kanikradad dadhad retah kanikradat | śataṃ cakṣāṇo akṣabhirdevo vaneṣu turvaṇiḥ |
sado dadhāna upareṣu sānuṣvaghniḥ pareṣu sānuṣu ||

sa sukratuḥ purohito dame dame.aghniryajñasyādhvarasya cetati kratvā yajñasya cetati | kratvā vedhā iṣūyate viśvā jātāni paspaśe |
yato ghṛtaśrīratithirajāyata vahnirvedhā ajāyata ||

kratvā yadasya taviṣīṣu pṛñcate.aghneraveṇa marutāṃ na bhojyeṣirāya na bhojyā | sa hi ṣmā dānaminvati vasūnāṃ ca majmanā |
sa nastrāsate duritādabhihrutaḥ śaṃsādaghādabhihrutaḥ ||

viśvo vihāyā aratirvasurdadhe haste dakṣiṇe taraṇirnaśiśrathacchravasyayā na śiśrathat | viśvasmā idiṣudhyate devatrā havyamohiṣe |
viśvasmā it sukṛte vāraṃ ṛṇvatyaghnirdvārā vy ṛṇvati ||

sa mānuṣe vṛjane śantamo hito.aghniryajñeṣu jenyo na viśpatiḥ priyo yajñeṣu viśpatiḥ | sa havyā mānuṣāṇāmiḷā kṛtāni patyate |
sa nastrāsate varuṇasya dhūrtermahodevasya dhūrteḥ ||

aghniṃ hotāramīḷate vasudhitiṃ priyaṃ cetiṣṭhamaratiṃ nyerire havyavāhaṃ nyerire | viśvāyuṃ viśvavedasaṃ hotāraṃ yajataṃ kavim |
devāso raṇvamavase vasūyavo ghīrbhīraṇvaṃ vasūyavaḥ ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. By Manu’s law was born this Agni, Priest most skilled, born for the holy work of those who yearn therefore, yea, born for his own holy work.
All ear to him who seeks his love and wealth to him who strives for fame,
Priest ne’er deceived, he sits in Iḷā’s holy place, girt round in Iḷā’s holy place.

2 We call that perfecter of worship by the path or sacrifice; with reverence rich in offerings, with worship rich in offerings.
Through presentation of our food he grows not old in this his from;
The God whom Mātariśvan brought from far away, for Manu brought from far away.

3 In ordered course forthwith he traverses the earth, swift-swallowing, bellowing Steer, bearing the genial seed, bearing the seed and bellowing.
Observant with a hundred eyes the God is conqueror in the wood:
Agni, who hath his seat in broad plains here below, and in the high lands far away.

4 That Agni, wise High-Priest, in every house takes thought for sacrifice and holy service, yea, takes thought, with mental power, for sacrifice.
Disposer, he with mental power shows all things unto him who strives;
Whence he was born a guest enriched with holy oil, born as Ordainer and as Priest.

5 When through his power and in his strong prevailing flames the Maruts’ gladdening boons mingle with Agni’s roar, boons gladdening for the active One,
Then he accelerates the gift, and by the greatness of his wealth,
Shall rescue us from overwhelming misery, from curse and overwhelming woe.

6 Vast, universal, good he was made messenger; the speeder with his right hand hath not loosed his hold, through love of fame not loosed his hold.
He bears oblations to the Gods for whosoever supplicates.
Agni bestows a blessing on each pious man, and opens wide the doors for him.

7 That Agni hath been set most kind in camp of men, in sacrifice like a Lord victorious, like a dear Lord in sacred rites.
His are the oblations of mankind when offered up at Iḷā’s place.
He shall preserve us from Varuṇa’s chastisement, yea, from the great God’s chastisement.

8 Agni the Priest they supplicate to grant them wealth: him, dear, most thoughtful, have they made their messenger, him, offering-bearer have they made,
Beloved of all, who knoweth all, the Priest, the Holy one, the Sage—
Him, Friend, for help, the Gods when they are fain for wealth, him, Friend, with hymns, when fain for wealth.