HYMN I. Agni: Rig Veda – Book 7 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

अग्निं नरो दीधितिभिररण्योर्हस्तच्युती जनयन्त परशस्तम |
दूरेद्र्शं गर्हपतिमथर्युम ||

तमग्निमस्ते वसवो नय रण्वन सुप्रतिचक्षमवसे कुतश्चित |
दक्षाय्यो यो दम आस नित्यः ||

परेद्धो अग्ने दीदिहि पुरो नो.अजस्रया सूर्म्या यविष्ठ |
तवां शश्वन्त उप यन्ति वाजाः ||

पर ते अग्नयो.अग्निभ्यो वरं निः सुवीरासः शोशुचन्त दयुमन्तः |
यत्रा नरः समासते सुजाताः ||

दा नो अग्ने धिया रयिं सुवीरं सवपत्यं सहस्य परशस्तम |
न यं यावा तरति यातुमावान ||

उप यमेति युवतिः सुदक्षं दोषा वस्तोर्हविष्मती घर्ताची |
उप सवैनमरमतिर्वसूयुः ||

विश्वा अग्ने.अप दहारातीर्येभिस्तपोभिरदहो जरूथम |
पर निस्वरं चातयस्वामीवाम ||

आ यस्ते अग्न इधते अनीकं वसिष्ठ शुक्र दीदिवः पावक |
उतो न एभि सतवथैरिह सयाः ||

वि ये ते अग्ने भेजिरे अनीकं मर्ता नरः पित्र्यासः पुरुत्रा |
उतो न एभिः सुमना इह सयाः ||

इमे नरो वर्त्रहत्येषु शूरा विश्वा अदेवीरभि सन्तु मायाः |
ये मे धियं पनयन्त परशस्ताम ||

मा शूने अग्ने नि षदाम नर्णां माशेषसो.अवीरता परित्वा |
परजावतीषु दुर्यासु दुर्य ||

यमश्वी नित्यमुपयाति यज्ञं परजावन्तं सवपत्यं कषयं नः |
सवजन्मना शेषसा वाव्र्धानम ||

पाहि नो अग्ने रक्षसो अजुष्टात पाहि धूर्तेरररुषो अघायोः |
तवा युजा पर्तनायून्रभि षयाम ||

सेदग्निरग्नीन्रत्यस्त्वन्यान यत्र वाजी तनयो वीळुपाणिः |
सहस्रपाथा अक्षरा समेति ||

सेदग्निर्यो वनुष्यतो निपाति समेद्धारमंहस उरुष्यात |
सुजातासः परि चरन्ति वीराः ||

अयं सो अग्निराहुतः पुरुत्रा यमीशानः समिदिन्धेहविष्मान |
परि यमेत्यध्वरेषु होता ||

तवे अग्न आहवनानि भूरीशानास आ जुहुयाम नित्या |
उभा कर्ण्वन्तो वहतू मियेधे ||

इमो अग्ने वीततमानि हव्याजस्रो वक्षि देवतातिमछ |
परतिन ईं सुरभीणि वयन्तु ||

मा नो अग्ने.अवीरते परा दा दुर्वाससे.अमतये मा नो अस्यै |
मा नः कषुधे मा रक्षस रतावो मा नो दमे मा वन आ जुहूर्थाः ||

नू मे बरह्माण्यग्न उच्छशाधि तवं देव मघवद्भ्यः सुषूदः |
रातौ सयामोभयास आ ते यूयं पात सवस्तिभिः सदा नः ||

तवमग्ने सुहवो रण्वसन्द्र्क सुदीती सूनो सहसो दिदीहि |
मा तवे सचा तनये नित्य आ धं मा वीरो अस्मन नर्यो वि दासीत ||

मा नो अग्ने दुर्भ्र्तये सचैषु देवेद्धेष्वग्निषु पर वोचः |
मा ते अस्मान दुर्मतयो भर्माच्चिद देवस्य सूनो सहसो नशन्त ||

स मर्तो अग्ने सवनीक रेवानमर्त्ये य आजुहोति हव्यम |
सदेवता वसुवनिं दधाति यं सूरिरर्थी पर्छमान एति ||

महो नो अग्ने सुवितस्य विद्वान रयिं सूरिभ्य आ वहा बर्हन्तम |
येन वयं सहसावन मदेमाविक्षितास आयुषा सुवीराः ||
नू मे बरह्माण्यग्न … ||

aghniṃ naro dīdhitibhiraraṇyorhastacyutī janayanta praśastam |
dūredṛśaṃ ghṛhapatimatharyum ||

tamaghnimaste vasavo ny ṛṇvan supraticakṣamavase kutaścit |
dakṣāyyo yo dama āsa nityaḥ ||

preddho aghne dīdihi puro no.ajasrayā sūrmyā yaviṣṭha |
tvāṃ śaśvanta upa yanti vājāḥ ||

pra te aghnayo.aghnibhyo varaṃ niḥ suvīrāsaḥ śośucanta dyumantaḥ |
yatrā naraḥ samāsate sujātāḥ ||

dā no aghne dhiyā rayiṃ suvīraṃ svapatyaṃ sahasya praśastam |
na yaṃ yāvā tarati yātumāvān ||

upa yameti yuvatiḥ sudakṣaṃ doṣā vastorhaviṣmatī ghṛtācī |
upa svainamaramatirvasūyuḥ ||

viśvā aghne.apa dahārātīryebhistapobhiradaho jarūtham |
pra nisvaraṃ cātayasvāmīvām ||

ā yaste aghna idhate anīkaṃ vasiṣṭha śukra dīdivaḥ pāvaka |
uto na ebhi stavathairiha syāḥ ||

vi ye te aghne bhejire anīkaṃ martā naraḥ pitryāsaḥ purutrā |
uto na ebhiḥ sumanā iha syāḥ ||

ime naro vṛtrahatyeṣu śūrā viśvā adevīrabhi santu māyāḥ |
ye me dhiyaṃ panayanta praśastām ||

mā śūne aghne ni ṣadāma nṛṇāṃ māśeṣaso.avīratā paritvā |
prajāvatīṣu duryāsu durya ||

yamaśvī nityamupayāti yajñaṃ prajāvantaṃ svapatyaṃ kṣayaṃ naḥ |
svajanmanā śeṣasā vāvṛdhānam ||

pāhi no aghne rakṣaso ajuṣṭāt pāhi dhūrterararuṣo aghāyoḥ |
tvā yujā pṛtanāyūnrabhi ṣyām ||

sedaghniraghnīnratyastvanyān yatra vājī tanayo vīḷupāṇiḥ |
sahasrapāthā akṣarā sameti ||

sedaghniryo vanuṣyato nipāti sameddhāramaṃhasa uruṣyāt |
sujātāsaḥ pari caranti vīrāḥ ||

ayaṃ so aghnirāhutaḥ purutrā yamīśānaḥ samidindhehaviṣmān |
pari yametyadhvareṣu hotā ||

tve aghna āhavanāni bhūrīśānāsa ā juhuyāma nityā |
ubhā kṛṇvanto vahatū miyedhe ||

imo aghne vītatamāni havyājasro vakṣi devatātimacha |
pratina īṃ surabhīṇi vyantu ||

mā no aghne.avīrate parā dā durvāsase.amataye mā no asyai |
mā naḥ kṣudhe mā rakṣasa ṛtāvo mā no dame mā vana ā juhūrthāḥ ||

nū me brahmāṇyaghna ucchaśādhi tvaṃ deva maghavadbhyaḥ suṣūdaḥ |
rātau syāmobhayāsa ā te yūyaṃ pāta svastibhiḥ sadā naḥ ||

tvamaghne suhavo raṇvasandṛk sudītī sūno sahaso didīhi |
mā tve sacā tanaye nitya ā dhaṃ mā vīro asman naryo vi dāsīt ||

mā no aghne durbhṛtaye sacaiṣu deveddheṣvaghniṣu pra vocaḥ |
mā te asmān durmatayo bhṛmāccid devasya sūno sahaso naśanta ||

sa marto aghne svanīka revānamartye ya ājuhoti havyam |
sadevatā vasuvaniṃ dadhāti yaṃ sūrirarthī pṛchamāna eti ||

maho no aghne suvitasya vidvān rayiṃ sūribhya ā vahā bṛhantam |
yena vayaṃ sahasāvan mademāvikṣitāsa āyuṣā suvīrāḥ ||
nū me brahmāṇyaghna … ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. THE men from fire-sticks, with their hands’ swift movement, have, in deep thought, engendered glorious Agni,
Far-seen, with pointed flame, Lord of the homestead.

2 The Vasus set that Agni in the dwelling, fair to behold, for help from every quarter:
Who, in the home for ever, must be honoured.

3 Shine thou before us, Agni, well-enkindled, with flame, Most Youthful God, that never fadeth.
To thee come all our sacrificial viands.

4 Among all fires these fires have shone most brightly, splendid with light, begirt by noble heroes,
Where men of lofty birth sit down together.

5 Victorious Agni, grant us wealth with wisdom, wealth with brave sons, famous and independent,
Which not a foe who deals in magic conquers.

6 To whom, the Strong, at morn and eve comes, maid-like, the ladle dropping oil, with its oblation.
Wealth-seeking comes to him his own devotion.

7 Burn up all malice with those flames, O Agni, wherewith of old thou burntest up Jarutha,
And drive away in silence pain and sickness.

8 With him who lighteth up thy splendour, Agni, excellent, pure, refulgent, Purifier,
Be present, and with us through these our praises.

9 Agni, the patriarchal men, the mortals who have in many places spread thy lustre,—
Be gracious to us here for their sake also.

10 Let these men, heroes in the fight with foemen, prevail against all godless arts of 4magic,—
These who ipprove the noble song I sing thee.

11 Let us not sit in want of men, O Agni, without descendants, heroleu, about thee:
But, O House-Friend, in houses full of children.

12 By sacrifice which the Steeds’ Lord ever visits, there make our dwelling rich in seed and offspring,
Increasing still with lineal successors.

13 Guard us, O Agni, from the hated demon, guard us from malice of the churlish sinner:
Allied with thee may I subdue assailants.

14 May this same fire of mine surpass all others, this fire where offspring, vigorous and firm-handed,
Wins, on a thousand paths, what ne’er shall perish.

15 This is that Agni, saviour from the foeman, who guards the kindler of the flame from sorrow:
Heroes of noble lineage serve and tend him.

16 This is that Agni, served in many places, whom the rich lord who brings oblation kindles,
And round him goes the priest at sacrifices.

17 Agni, may we with riches in possession bring thee continual ofierings in abundance,
Using both means to draw thee to our worship.

18 Agni, bear thou, Eternal, these most welcome oblations to the Deities’ assembly:
Let them enjoy our very fragrant presents.

19 Give us not up, Agni, to want of heroes, to wretched clothes, to need, to destitution.
Yield us not, Holy One, to fiend or hunger; injure us not at home or in the forest.

20 Give strength and power to these my prayers, O Agni; O God, pour blessings on our chiefs and nobles.
Grant that both we and they may share thy bounty. Ye Gods, protect us evermore with blessings.

21 Thou Agni, swift to hear, art fair of aspect: beam forth, O Son of Strength, in full effulgence.
Let me not want, with thee, a son for ever: let not a manly hero ever fail us.

22 Condemn us not to indigence, O Agni, beside these flaming fires which Gods have kindled;
Nor, even after fault, let thy displeasure, thine as a God, O Son of Strength, o’ertake us.

23 O Agni, fair of face, the wealthy mortal who to the Immortal offers his oblation.
Hath him who wins him treasure by his Godhead, to whom the prince, in need, goes supplicating.

24 Knowing our chief felicity, O Agni, bring hither ample riches to our nobles,
Wherewith we may enjoy ourselves, O Victor, with undiminished life and hero children.

25 Give strength and power to these my prayers, O Agni; O God, pour blessings on bur chiefs and nobles.
Grant that both we and they may share thy bounty. Ye Gods, protect us evermore with blessings.