HYMN I. Agni: Rig Veda – Book 6 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

तवं हयग्ने परथमो मनोतास्या धियो अभवो दस्म होता |
तवं सीं वर्षन्नक्र्णोर्दुष्टरीतु सहो विश्वस्मै सहसे सहध्यै ||

अधा होता नयसीदो यजीयानिळस पद इषयन्नीड्यः सन |
तं तवा नरः परथमं देवयन्तो महो राये चितयन्तो अनु गमन ||

वर्तेव यन्तं बहुभिर्वसव्यैस्त्वे रयिं जाग्र्वांसो अनु गमन |
रुशन्तमग्निं दर्शतं बर्हन्तं वपावन्तं विश्वहा दीदिवांसम ||

पदं देवस्य नमसा वयन्तः शरवस्यवः शरव आपन्नम्र्क्तम |
नामानि चिद दधिरे यज्ञियानि भद्रायां ते रणयन्तसन्द्र्ष्टौ ||

तवां वर्धन्ति कषितयः पर्थिव्यां तवां राय उभयासो जनानाम |
तवं तराता तरणे चेत्यो भूः पिता माता सदमिन मानुषाणाम ||

सपर्येण्यः स परियो विक्ष्वग्निर्होता मन्द्रो नि षसादा यजीयान |
तं तवा वयं दम आ दीदिवांसमुप जञुबाधो नमसा सदेम ||

तं तवा वयं सुध्यो नव्यमग्ने-सुम्नायव ईमहे देवयन्तः |
तवं विशो अनयो दीद्यानो दिवो अग्ने बर्हता रोचनेन ||

विशां कविं विश्पतिं शश्वतीनां नितोशनं वर्षभं चर्षणीनाम |
परेतीषणिमिषयन्तं पावकं राजन्तमग्निं यजतं रयीणाम ||

सो अग्न ईजे शशमे च मर्तो यस्त आनट समिधा हव्यदातिम |
य आहुतिं परि वेदा नमोभिर्विश्वेत स वामा दधतेत्वोतः ||

अस्मा उ ते महि महे विधेम नमोभिरग्ने समिधोत हव्यैः |
वेदी सूनो सहसो गीर्भिरुक्थैरा ते भद्रायां सुमतौयतेम ||

आ यस्ततन्थ रोदसी वि भासा शरवोभिश्च शरवस्यस्तरुत्रः |
बर्हद्भिर्वाजै सथविरेभिरस्मे रेवद्भिरग्ने वितरं वि भाहि ||

नर्वद वसो सदमिद धेह्यस्मे भूरि तोकाय तनयाय पश्वः |
पूर्वीरिषो बर्हतीरारेघा अस्मे भद्रा सौश्रवसानि सन्तु ||

पुरूण्यग्ने पुरुधा तवाया वसूनि राजन वसुता ते अश्याम |
पुरूणि हि तवे पुरुवार सन्त्यग्ने वसु विधते राजनि तवे ||

tvaṃ hyaghne prathamo manotāsyā dhiyo abhavo dasma hotā |
tvaṃ sīṃ vṛṣannakṛṇorduṣṭarītu saho viśvasmai sahase sahadhyai ||

adhā hotā nyasīdo yajīyāniḷas pada iṣayannīḍyaḥ san |
taṃ tvā naraḥ prathamaṃ devayanto maho rāye citayanto anu ghman ||

vṛteva yantaṃ bahubhirvasavyaistve rayiṃ jāghṛvāṃso anu ghman |
ruśantamaghniṃ darśataṃ bṛhantaṃ vapāvantaṃ viśvahā dīdivāṃsam ||

padaṃ devasya namasā vyantaḥ śravasyavaḥ śrava āpannamṛktam |
nāmāni cid dadhire yajñiyāni bhadrāyāṃ te raṇayantasandṛṣṭau ||

tvāṃ vardhanti kṣitayaḥ pṛthivyāṃ tvāṃ rāya ubhayāso janānām |
tvaṃ trātā taraṇe cetyo bhūḥ pitā mātā sadamin mānuṣāṇām ||

saparyeṇyaḥ sa priyo vikṣvaghnirhotā mandro ni ṣasādā yajīyān |
taṃ tvā vayaṃ dama ā dīdivāṃsamupa jñubādho namasā sadema ||

taṃ tvā vayaṃ sudhyo navyamaghne-sumnāyava īmahe devayantaḥ |
tvaṃ viśo anayo dīdyāno divo aghne bṛhatā rocanena ||

viśāṃ kaviṃ viśpatiṃ śaśvatīnāṃ nitośanaṃ vṛṣabhaṃ carṣaṇīnām |
pretīṣaṇimiṣayantaṃ pāvakaṃ rājantamaghniṃ yajataṃ rayīṇām ||

so aghna īje śaśame ca marto yasta ānaṭ samidhā havyadātim |
ya āhutiṃ pari vedā namobhirviśvet sa vāmā dadhatetvotaḥ ||

asmā u te mahi mahe vidhema namobhiraghne samidhota havyaiḥ |
vedī sūno sahaso ghīrbhirukthairā te bhadrāyāṃ sumatauyatema ||

ā yastatantha rodasī vi bhāsā śravobhiśca śravasyastarutraḥ |
bṛhadbhirvājai sthavirebhirasme revadbhiraghne vitaraṃ vi bhāhi ||

nṛvad vaso sadamid dhehyasme bhūri tokāya tanayāya paśvaḥ |
pūrvīriṣo bṛhatīrāreaghā asme bhadrā sauśravasāni santu ||

purūṇyaghne purudhā tvāyā vasūni rājan vasutā te aśyām |
purūṇi hi tve puruvāra santyaghne vasu vidhate rājani tve ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. THOU, first inventor of this prayer, O Agni, Worker of Marvels, hast become our Herald.
Thou, Bull, hast made us strength which none may conquer, strength that shall overcome all other prowess.

2 As Priest thou sattest at the seat of worship, furthering us, best Offerer, meet for honour.
So first to thee have pious men resorted, turning thy mind to thoughts of ample riches.

3 In thee, still watching, they have followed riches, who goest with much wealth as with an army,
The radiant Agni, lofty, fair to look on, worshipped with marrow, evermore resplendent.

4 They who approached the God’s abode with homage, eager for glory, won them perfect glory:
Yea, they gained even sacrificial titles, and found delight in thine auspicious aspect.

5 On earth the people magnify thee greatly, thee their celestial and terrestrial riches.
Thou, Helper, must be known as our Preserver, Father and Mother of mankind for ever.

6 Dear priest among mankind, adorable Agni hath seated him, joy-giver, skilled in worship.
Let us approach thee shining in thy dwelling, kneeling upon our knees, with adoration.

7 Longing for bliss, pure-minded, God-devoted, Agni, we seek thee, such, meet to be lauded.
Thou, Agni, leddest forth our men to battle, refulgent with the heaven’s exalted splendour.

8 Sage of mankind, all peoples’ Lord and Master, the Bull of men, the sender down of blessings,
Still pressing on, promoting, purifying, Agni the Holy One, the Lord of riches.

9 Agni, the mortal who hath toiled and worshipped, brought thee oblations with his kindled fuel,
And well knows sacrifice with adoration, gains every joy with thee to guard and help him.

10 Mightily let us worship thee the Mighty, with reverence, Agni! fuel and oblations,
With songs, O Son of Strength, with hymns, with altar: so may we strive for thine auspicious favour.

11 Thou who hast covered heaven and earth with splendour and with thy glories, glorious and triumphant.
Continue thou to shine on us, O Agni, with strength abundant, rich, and long enduring.

12 Vouchsafe us ever, as man needs, O Vasu, abundant wealth of kine for son and offspring.
Food noble, plenteous, far from sin and evil, he with us, and fair fame to make us happy.

13 May I obtain much wealth in many places by love of thee and through thy grace, King Agni;
For in thee Bounteous One, in thee the Sovran, Agni, are many boons for him who serves thee.