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

अहश्च कर्ष्णमहरर्जुनं च वि वर्तेते रजसी वेद्याभिः |
वैश्वानरो जायमानो न राजावातिरज्ज्योतिषाग्निस्तमांसि ||

नाहं तन्तुं न वि जानाम्योतुं न यं वयन्ति समरेऽतमानाः |
कस्य सवित पुत्र इह वक्त्वानि परो वदात्यवरेण पित्रा ||

स इत तन्तुं स वि जानात्योतुं स वक्त्वान्य रतुथा वदाति |
य ईं चिकेतदम्र्तस्य गोपा अवश्चरन परो अन्येन पश्यन ||

अयं होता परथमः पश्यतेममिदं जयोतिरम्र्तं मर्त्येषु |
अयं स जज्ञे धरुव आ निषत्तो.अमर्त्यस्तन्वा वर्धमानः ||

धरुवं जयोतिर्निहितं दर्शये कं मनो जविष्ठं पतयत्स्वन्तः |
विश्वे देवाः समनसः सकेता एकं करतुमभिवि यन्ति साधु ||

वि मे कर्णा पतयतो वि चक्षुर्वीदं जयोतिर्ह्र्दय आहितं यत |
वि मे मनश्चरति दूराधीः किं सविद वक्ष्यामिकिमु नू मनिष्ये ||

विश्वे देवा अनमस्यन भियानास्त्वामग्ने तमसि तस्थिवांसम |
वैश्वानरो.अवतूतये नो.अमर्त्यो.अवतूतये नः ||

ahaśca kṛṣṇamahararjunaṃ ca vi vartete rajasī vedyābhiḥ |
vaiśvānaro jāyamāno na rājāvātirajjyotiṣāghnistamāṃsi ||

nāhaṃ tantuṃ na vi jānāmyotuṃ na yaṃ vayanti samare’tamānāḥ |
kasya svit putra iha vaktvāni paro vadātyavareṇa pitrā ||

sa it tantuṃ sa vi jānātyotuṃ sa vaktvāny ṛtuthā vadāti |
ya īṃ ciketadamṛtasya ghopā avaścaran paro anyena paśyan ||

ayaṃ hotā prathamaḥ paśyatemamidaṃ jyotiramṛtaṃ martyeṣu |
ayaṃ sa jajñe dhruva ā niṣatto.amartyastanvā vardhamānaḥ ||

dhruvaṃ jyotirnihitaṃ dṛśaye kaṃ mano javiṣṭhaṃ patayatsvantaḥ |
viśve devāḥ samanasaḥ saketā ekaṃ kratumabhivi yanti sādhu ||

vi me karṇā patayato vi cakṣurvīdaṃ jyotirhṛdaya āhitaṃ yat |
vi me manaścarati dūraādhīḥ kiṃ svid vakṣyāmikimu nū maniṣye ||

viśve devā anamasyan bhiyānāstvāmaghne tamasi tasthivāṃsam |
vaiśvānaro.avatūtaye no.amartyo.avatūtaye naḥ ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. ONE half of day is dark, and bright the other: both atmospheres move on by sage devices.
Agni Vaiśvānara, when born as Sovran, hath with his lustre overcome the darkness.

2 I know not either warp or woof, I know not the web they weave when moving to the contest.
Whose son shall here speak words that must be spoken without assistance from the Father near him?

3 For both the warp and woof he understandeth, and in due time shall speak what should be spoken,
Who knoweth as the immortal world’s Protector, descending, seeing with no aid from other.

4 He is the Priest, the first of all: behold him. Mid mortal men he is the light immortal.
Here was he born, firm-seated in his station Immortal, ever waxing in his body.

5 A firm light hath been set for men to look on: among all things that fly the mind is swiftest.
All Gods of one accord, with one intention, move unobstructed to a single purpose.

6 Mine ears unclose to hear, mine eye to see him; the light that harbours in my spirit broadens.
Far roams my mind whose thoughts are in the distance. What shall I speak, what shall I now imagine?

7 All the Gods bowed them down in fear before thee, Agni, when thou wast dwelling in the darkness.
Vaiśvānara be gracious to assist us, may the Immortal favour us and help us.