HYMN LVIII. Agni: Rig Veda – Book 1 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator
नू चित सहोजा अम्र्तो नि तुन्दते होता यद दूतो अभवद विवस्वतः |
वि साधिष्ठेभिः पथिभी रजो मम आ देवताताहविषा विवासति ||
आ सवमद्म युवमानो अजरस्त्र्ष्वविष्यन्नतसेषु तिष्ठति |
अत्यो न पर्ष्ठं परुषितस्य रोचते दिवो न सानु सतनयन्नचिक्रदत ||
कराणा रुद्रेभिर्वसुभिः पुरोहितो होता निषत्तो रयिषाळमर्त्यः |
रथो न विक्ष्व रञ्जसान आयुषु वयानुषग वार्या देव रण्वति ||
वि वातजूतो अतसेषु तिष्ठते वर्था जुहूभिः सर्ण्या तुविष्वणिः |
तर्षु यदग्ने वनिनो वर्षायसे कर्ष्णं त एम रुशदूर्मे अजर ||
तपुर्जम्भो वन आ वातचोदितो यूथे न साह्वानव वाति वंसगः |
अभिव्रजन्नक्षितं पाजसा रजः सथातुश्चरथं भयते पतत्रिणः ||
दधुष टवा भर्गवो मानुषेष्वा रयिं न चारुं सुहवं जनेभ्यः |
होतारमग्ने अतिथिं वरेण्यं मित्रं न शेवं दिव्याय जन्मने ||
होतारं सप्त जुह्वो यजिष्ठं यं वाघतो वर्णते अध्वरेषु |
अग्निं विश्वेषामरतिं वसूनां सपर्यामि परयसा यामि रत्नम ||
अछिद्रा सूनो सहसो नो अद्य सतोत्र्भ्यो मित्रमहः शर्म यछ |
अग्ने गर्णन्तमंहस उरुष्योर्जो नपात पूर्भिरायसीभिः ||
भवा वरूथं गर्णते विभावो भवा मघवन मघवद्भ्यःशर्म |
उरुष्याग्ने अंहसो गर्णन्तं परातर्मक्षू धियावसुर्जगम्यात ||
nū cit sahojā amṛto ni tundate hotā yad dūto abhavad vivasvataḥ |
vi sādhiṣṭhebhiḥ pathibhī rajo mama ā devatātāhaviṣā vivāsati ||
ā svamadma yuvamāno ajarastṛṣvaviṣyannataseṣu tiṣṭhati |
atyo na pṛṣṭhaṃ pruṣitasya rocate divo na sānu stanayannacikradat ||
krāṇā rudrebhirvasubhiḥ purohito hotā niṣatto rayiṣāḷamartyaḥ |
ratho na vikṣv ṛñjasāna āyuṣu vyānuṣagh vāryā deva ṛṇvati ||
vi vātajūto ataseṣu tiṣṭhate vṛthā juhūbhiḥ sṛṇyā tuviṣvaṇiḥ |
tṛṣu yadaghne vanino vṛṣāyase kṛṣṇaṃ ta ema ruśadūrme ajara ||
tapurjambho vana ā vātacodito yūthe na sāhvānava vāti vaṃsaghaḥ |
abhivrajannakṣitaṃ pājasā rajaḥ sthātuścarathaṃ bhayate patatriṇaḥ ||
dadhuṣ ṭvā bhṛghavo mānuṣeṣvā rayiṃ na cāruṃ suhavaṃ janebhyaḥ |
hotāramaghne atithiṃ vareṇyaṃ mitraṃ na śevaṃ divyāya janmane ||
hotāraṃ sapta juhvo yajiṣṭhaṃ yaṃ vāghato vṛṇate adhvareṣu |
aghniṃ viśveṣāmaratiṃ vasūnāṃ saparyāmi prayasā yāmi ratnam ||
achidrā sūno sahaso no adya stotṛbhyo mitramahaḥ śarma yacha |
aghne ghṛṇantamaṃhasa uruṣyorjo napāt pūrbhirāyasībhiḥ ||
bhavā varūthaṃ ghṛṇate vibhāvo bhavā maghavan maghavadbhyaḥśarma |
uruṣyāghne aṃhaso ghṛṇantaṃ prātarmakṣū dhiyāvasurjaghamyāt ||
English Translation
Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
1 NE’ER waxeth faint the Immortal, Son of Strength, since he, the Herald, hath become Vivasvān’s messenger.
On paths most excellent he measured out mid-air: he with oblation calls to service of the Gods.
2 Never decaying, seizing his appropriate food, rapidly, eagerly through the dry wood he spreads.
His back, as he is sprinkled, glistens like a horse: loud hath he roared and shouted like the heights of heaven?
3 Set high in place o’er all that Vasus, Rudras do, immortal, Lord of riches, seated as High Priest;
Hastening like a car to men, to those who live, the God without delay gives boons to be desired.
4 Urged by the wind be spreads through dry wood as he lists, armed with his tongues for sickles, with a mighty roar.
Black is thy path, Agni, changeless, with glittering waves! when like a bull thou rushest eager to the trees.
5 With teeth of flame, wind-driven, through the wood he speeds, triumphant like a bull among the herd of cows,
With bright strength roaming to the everlasting air: things fixed, things moving quake before him as he flies.
6 The Bhṛgus established thee among mankind for men, like as a treasure, beauteous, easy to invoke;
Thee, Agni, as a herald and choice-worthy guest, as an auspicious Friend to the Celestial Race.
7 Agni, the seven tongues’ deftest Sacrificer, him whom the priests elect at solemn worship,
The Herald, messenger of all the Vasus, I serve with dainty food, I ask for riches.
8 Grant, Son of Strength, thou rich in friends, a refuge without a flaw this day to us thy praisers.
O Agni, Son of Strength, with forts of iron preserve thou from distress the man who lauds thee.
9 Be thou a refuge, Bright One, to the singer, a shelter, Bounteous Lord, to those who worship.
Preserve the singer from distress, O Agni. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.