HYMN LII. Gods. – Rig Veda – Book 10

विश्वे देवाः शास्तन मा यथेह होता वर्तो मनवै यन्निषद्य |
पर मे बरूत भागधेयं यथा वो येन पथाहव्यमा वो वहानि ||

अहं होता नयसीदं यजीयान विश्वे देवा मरुतो माजुनन्ति |
अहर-अहरश्विनाध्वर्यवं वां बरह्मा समिद भवतिसाहुतिर्वाम ||

अयं यो होता किरु स यमस्य कमप्यूहे यत समञ्जन्तिदेवाः |
अहर-अहर्जायते मासि-मास्यथा देवा दधिरेहव्यवाहम ||

मां देवा दधिरे हव्यवाहमपम्लुक्तं बहु कर्छ्राचरन्तम |
अग्निर्विद्वान यज्ञं नः कल्पयाति पञ्चयामन्त्रिव्र्तं सप्ततन्तुम ||

आ वो यक्ष्यम्र्तत्वं सुवीरं यथा वो देवा वरिवःकराणि |
आ बाह्वोर्वज्रमिन्द्रस्य धेयामथेमाविश्वाः पर्तना जयाति ||

तरीणि शता तरी सहस्राण्यग्निं तरिंशच्च देवा नवचासपर्यन |
औक्षन घर्तैरस्त्र्णन बर्हिरस्मा आदिद्धोतारं नयसादयन्त ||

viśve devāḥ śāstana mā yatheha hotā vṛto manavai yanniṣadya |
pra me brūta bhāghadheyaṃ yathā vo yena pathāhavyamā vo vahāni ||

ahaṃ hotā nyasīdaṃ yajīyān viśve devā maruto mājunanti |
ahar-aharaśvinādhvaryavaṃ vāṃ brahmā samid bhavatisāhutirvām ||

ayaṃ yo hotā kiru sa yamasya kamapyūhe yat samañjantidevāḥ |
ahar-aharjāyate māsi-māsyathā devā dadhirehavyavāham ||

māṃ devā dadhire havyavāhamapamluktaṃ bahu kṛchrācarantam |
aghnirvidvān yajñaṃ naḥ kalpayāti pañcayāmantrivṛtaṃ saptatantum ||

ā vo yakṣyamṛtatvaṃ suvīraṃ yathā vo devā varivaḥkarāṇi |
ā bāhvorvajramindrasya dheyāmathemāviśvāḥ pṛtanā jayāti ||

trīṇi śatā trī sahasrāṇyaghniṃ triṃśacca devā navacāsaparyan |
aukṣan ghṛtairastṛṇan barhirasmā ādiddhotāraṃ nyasādayanta ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. INSTRUCT me, all ye Gods, how I, elected your Priest, must seat me here, and how address you.
Instruct me how to deal to each his portion, and by what ‘ path to bring you man’s oblation.

2 I sit as Priest most skilled in sacrificing: the Maruts and all Deities impel me.
Aśvins, each day yours is the Adhvaryu’s duty: Brahman and wood are here: ’tis yours to offer.

3 Who is the Priest? Is he the Priest of Yama? On whom is thrust this God-appointed honour?
He springs to life each month, each day that passes; so Gods have made him their oblation-bearer.

4 The Gods have made me bearer of oblations, who slipped away and passed through many troubles.
Wise Agni shall ordain for us the worship, whether five-wayed, threefold, or seven-threaded.

5 So will I win you strength and life for ever. O Gods, that I may give you room and freedom.
To Indra’s arms would I consign the thunder; in all these battles shall he then be victor.

6 The Deities three hundred and thirty-nine, have served and honoured Agni,
Strewn sacred grass, anointed him with butter, and seated him as Priest, the Gods’ Invoker.