HYMN III. Agni: Rig Veda – Book 4 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

आ वो राजानम अध्वरस्य रुद्रं होतारं सत्ययजं रोदस्योः |
अग्निम पुरा तनयित्नोर अचित्ताद धिरण्यरूपम अवसे कर्णुध्वम ||

अयं योनिश चक्र्मा यं वयं ते जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासाः |
अर्वाचीनः परिवीतो नि षीदेमा उ ते सवपाक परतीचीः ||

आश्र्ण्वते अद्र्पिताय मन्म नर्चक्षसे सुम्र्ळीकाय वेधः |
देवाय शस्तिम अम्र्ताय शंस गरावेव सोता मधुषुद यम ईळे ||

तवं चिन नः शम्या अग्ने अस्या रतस्य बोध्य रतचित सवाधीः |
कदा त उक्था सधमाद्यानि कदा भवन्ति सख्या गर्हे ते ||

कथा ह तद वरुणाय तवम अग्ने कथा दिवे गर्हसे कन न आगः |
कथा मित्राय मीळ्हुषे पर्थिव्यै बरवः कद अर्यम्णे कद भगाय ||

कद धिष्ण्यासु वर्धसानो अग्ने कद वाताय परतवसे शुभंये |
परिज्मने नासत्याय कषे बरवः कद अग्ने रुद्राय नर्घ्ने ||

कथा महे पुष्टिम्भराय पूष्णे कद रुद्राय सुमखाय हविर्दे |
कद विष्णव उरुगायाय रेतो बरवः कद अग्ने शरवे बर्हत्यै ||

कथा शर्धाय मरुताम रताय कथा सूरे बर्हते पर्छ्यमानः |
परति बरवो ऽदितये तुराय साधा दिवो जातवेदश चिकित्वान ||

रतेन रतं नियतम ईळ आ गोर आमा सचा मधुमत पक्वम अग्ने |
कर्ष्णा सती रुशता धासिनैषा जामर्येण पयसा पीपाय ||

रतेन हि षमा वर्षभश चिद अक्तः पुमां अग्निः पयसा पर्ष्ठ्य्न |
अस्पन्दमानो अचरद वयोधा वर्षा शुक्रं दुदुहे पर्श्निर ऊधः ||

रतेनाद्रिं वय असन भिदन्तः सम अङगिरसो नवन्त गोभिः |
शुनं नरः परि षदन्न उषासम आविः सवर अभवज जाते अग्नौ ||

रतेन देवीर अम्र्ता अम्र्क्ता अर्णोभिर आपो मधुमद्भिर अग्ने |
वाजी न सर्गेषु परस्तुभानः पर सदम इत सरवितवे दधन्युः ||

मा कस्य यक्षं सदम इद धुरो गा मा वेशस्य परमिनतो मापेः |
मा भरातुर अग्ने अन्र्जोर रणं वेर मा सख्युर दक्षं रिपोर भुजेम ||

रक्षा णो अग्ने तव रक्षणेभी रारक्षाणः सुमख परीणानः |
परति षफुर वि रुज वीड्व अंहो जहि रक्षो महि चिद वाव्र्धानम ||

एभिर भव सुमना अग्ने अर्कैर इमान सप्र्श मन्मभिः शूर वाजान |
उत बरह्माण्य अङगिरो जुषस्व सं ते शस्तिर देववाता जरेत ||

एता विश्वा विदुषे तुभ्यं वेधो नीथान्य अग्ने निण्या वचांसि |
निवचना कवये काव्यान्य अशंसिषम मतिभिर विप्र उक्थैः ||

ā vo rājānam adhvarasya rudraṃ hotāraṃ satyayajaṃ rodasyoḥ |
aghnim purā tanayitnor acittād dhiraṇyarūpam avase kṛṇudhvam ||

ayaṃ yoniś cakṛmā yaṃ vayaṃ te jāyeva patya uśatī suvāsāḥ |
arvācīnaḥ parivīto ni ṣīdemā u te svapāka pratīcīḥ ||

āśṛṇvate adṛpitāya manma nṛcakṣase sumṛḷīkāya vedhaḥ |
devāya śastim amṛtāya śaṃsa ghrāveva sotā madhuṣud yam īḷe ||

tvaṃ cin naḥ śamyā aghne asyā ṛtasya bodhy ṛtacit svādhīḥ |
kadā ta ukthā sadhamādyāni kadā bhavanti sakhyā ghṛhe te ||

kathā ha tad varuṇāya tvam aghne kathā dive gharhase kan na āghaḥ |
kathā mitrāya mīḷhuṣe pṛthivyai bravaḥ kad aryamṇe kad bhaghāya ||

kad dhiṣṇyāsu vṛdhasāno aghne kad vātāya pratavase śubhaṃye |
parijmane nāsatyāya kṣe bravaḥ kad aghne rudrāya nṛghne ||

kathā mahe puṣṭimbharāya pūṣṇe kad rudrāya sumakhāya havirde |
kad viṣṇava urughāyāya reto bravaḥ kad aghne śarave bṛhatyai ||

kathā śardhāya marutām ṛtāya kathā sūre bṛhate pṛchyamānaḥ |
prati bravo ‘ditaye turāya sādhā divo jātavedaś cikitvān ||

ṛtena ṛtaṃ niyatam īḷa ā ghor āmā sacā madhumat pakvam aghne |
kṛṣṇā satī ruśatā dhāsinaiṣā jāmaryeṇa payasā pīpāya ||

ṛtena hi ṣmā vṛṣabhaś cid aktaḥ pumāṃ aghniḥ payasā pṛṣṭhyna |
aspandamāno acarad vayodhā vṛṣā śukraṃ duduhe pṛśnir ūdhaḥ ||

ṛtenādriṃ vy asan bhidantaḥ sam aṅghiraso navanta ghobhiḥ |
śunaṃ naraḥ pari ṣadann uṣāsam āviḥ svar abhavaj jāte aghnau ||

ṛtena devīr amṛtā amṛktā arṇobhir āpo madhumadbhir aghne |
vājī na sargheṣu prastubhānaḥ pra sadam it sravitave dadhanyuḥ ||

mā kasya yakṣaṃ sadam id dhuro ghā mā veśasya praminato māpeḥ |
mā bhrātur aghne anṛjor ṛṇaṃ ver mā sakhyur dakṣaṃ ripor bhujema ||

rakṣā ṇo aghne tava rakṣaṇebhī rārakṣāṇaḥ sumakha prīṇānaḥ |
prati ṣphura vi ruja vīḍv aṃho jahi rakṣo mahi cid vāvṛdhānam ||

ebhir bhava sumanā aghne arkair imān spṛśa manmabhiḥ śūra vājān |
uta brahmāṇy aṅghiro juṣasva saṃ te śastir devavātā jareta ||

etā viśvā viduṣe tubhyaṃ vedho nīthāny aghne niṇyā vacāṃsi |
nivacanā kavaye kāvyāny aśaṃsiṣam matibhir vipra ukthaiḥ ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. WIN, to assist you, Rudra, Lord of worship, Priest of both worlds, effectual
Sacrificer,
Agni, invested with his golden colours, before the thunder strike and lay you senseless.

2 This shrine have we made ready for thy coming, as the fond dame attires her for her husband.
Performer of good work, sit down before us, invested while these flames incline to meet thee.

3 A hymn, O Priest, to him who hears, the gentle, to him who looks on men, exceeding gracious,
A song of praise sing to the God Immortal, whom the stone, presser of the sweet juice, worships.

4 Even as true knower of the Law, O Agni, to this our solemn rite he thou attentive.
When shall thy songs of festival be sung thee? When is thy friendship shown within our dwelling?

5 Why this complaint to Varuṇa, O Agni? And why to Heaven? for what is our transgression?
How wilt thou speak to Earth and bounteous Mitra? What wilt thou say to Aryaman and Bhaga?

6 What, when thou blazest on the lesser altars, what to the mighty Wind who comes to bless us,
True, circumambient? what to Earth, O Agni, what wilt thou say to man-destroying Rudra?

7 How to great Pūṣan who promotes our welfare,—to honoured Rudra what, who gives oblations?
What sin of ours to the far-striding Viṣṇu, what, Agni, wilt thou tell the Lofty Arrow.

8 What wilt thou tell the truthful band of Maruts, how answer the great Sun when thou art questioned?
Before the Free, before the Swift, defend us: fulfil heaven’s work, all-knowing Jātavedas.

9 I crave the cow’s true gift arranged by Order: though raw, she hath the sweet ripe juice, O Agni.
Though she is black of hue with milk she teemeth, nutritious, brightly shining, all-sustaining.

10 Agni the Bull, the manly, hath been sprinkled with oil upon his back, by Law eternal.
He who gives vital power goes on unswerving. Pṛśni the Bull hath milked the pure wiiite udder.

11 By Law the Aṅgirases cleft the rock asunder, and sang their hymns together with the cattle.
Bringing great bliss the men encompassed Morning: light was apparent at the birth of Agni.

12 By Law the Immortal Goddesses the Waters, with meath-rich waves, O Agni, and uninjured,
Like a strong courser lauded in his running, sped to flow onward swiftly and for ever.

13 Go never to the feast of one who harms us, the treacherous neighbour or unworthy kinsman.
Punish us not for a false brother’s trespass. Let us not feel the might of friend or foeman.

14 O Agni, keep us safe with thy protection, loving us, honoured God! and ever guarding.
Beat thou away, destroy severe affliction slay e’en the demon when he waxes mighty.

15 Through these our songs of praise be gracious, Agni; moved by our prayers, O Hero, touch our viands.
Accept, O Aṅgiras, these our devotions, and let the praise which Gods desire address thee.

16 To thee who knowest, Agni, thou Disposer, all these wise secret speeches have I uttered,
Sung to thee, Sage, the charming words of wisdom, to thee, O Singer, with. my thoughts and Praises.