HYMN LXXIX. Agni. – Rig Veda – Book 10
अपश्यमस्य महतो महित्वममर्त्यस्य मर्त्यासु विक्षु |
नाना हनू विभ्र्ते सं भरेते असिन्वती बप्सती भूर्यत्तः ||
गुहा शिरो निहितं रधगक्षी असिन्वन्नत्ति जिह्वयावनानि |
अत्राण्यस्मै पड्भिः सं भरन्त्युत्तानहस्तानमसाधि विक्षु ||
पर मातुः परतरं गुह्यमिछन कुमारो न वीरुधःसर्पदुर्वीः |
ससं न पक्वमविदच्छुचन्तंरिरिह्वांसं रिप उपस्थे अन्तः ||
तद वां रतं रोदसी पर बरवीमि जायमानो मातरा गर्भोत्ति |
नाहं देवस्य मर्त्यश्चिकेताग्निरङग विचेताः सप्रचेताः ||
यो अस्मा अन्नं तर्ष्वादधात्याज्यैर्घ्र्तैर्जुहोतिपुष्यति |
तस्मै सहस्रमक्षभिर्वि चक्षे.अग्ने विश्वतःप्रत्यंं असि तवम ||
किं देवेषु तयज एनश्चकर्थाग्ने पर्छामि नु तवामविद्वान |
अक्रीळन करीळन हरिरत्तवे.अदन वि पर्वशश्चकर्त गामिवासिः ||
विषूचो अश्वान युयुजे वनेजा रजीतिभी रशनाभिर्ग्र्भीतान |
चक्षदे मित्रो वसुभिः सुजातः समान्र्धेपर्वभिर्वाव्र्धानः ||
apaśyamasya mahato mahitvamamartyasya martyāsu vikṣu |
nānā hanū vibhṛte saṃ bharete asinvatī bapsatī bhūryattaḥ ||
ghuhā śiro nihitaṃ ṛdhaghakṣī asinvannatti jihvayāvanāni |
atrāṇyasmai paḍbhiḥ saṃ bharantyuttānahastānamasādhi vikṣu ||
pra mātuḥ prataraṃ ghuhyamichan kumāro na vīrudhaḥsarpadurvīḥ |
sasaṃ na pakvamavidacchucantaṃririhvāṃsaṃ ripa upasthe antaḥ ||
tad vāṃ ṛtaṃ rodasī pra bravīmi jāyamāno mātarā gharbhoatti |
nāhaṃ devasya martyaściketāghniraṅgha vicetāḥ sapracetāḥ ||
yo asmā annaṃ tṛṣvādadhātyājyairghṛtairjuhotipuṣyati |
tasmai sahasramakṣabhirvi cakṣe.aghne viśvataḥpratyaṃṃ asi tvam ||
kiṃ deveṣu tyaja enaścakarthāghne pṛchāmi nu tvāmavidvān |
akrīḷan krīḷan harirattave.adan vi parvaśaścakarta ghāmivāsiḥ ||
viṣūco aśvān yuyuje vanejā ṛjītibhī raśanābhirghṛbhītān |
cakṣade mitro vasubhiḥ sujātaḥ samānṛdheparvabhirvāvṛdhānaḥ ||
English Translation
Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
1. I HAVE beheld the might of this Great Being. Immortal in the midst of tribes of mortals.
His jaws now open and now shut together: much they devour, insatiately chewing.
2 His eyes are turned away, his head is hidden: unsated with his tongue he eats the fuel.
With hands upraised, with reverence in the houses, for him they quickly bring his food together.
3 Seeking, as ’twere, his Mother’s secret bosom, he, like a child, creeps on through wide-spread bushes.
One he finds glowing like hot food made ready, and kissing deep within the earth’s recmes.
4 This holy Law I tell you, Earth and Heaven: the Infant at his birth dovours his Parents.
No knowledge of the God have I, a mortal. Yea, Agni knoweth best, for he hath wisdom.
5 This man who quickly gives him food, who offers his gifts of oil and butter and supports him, –
Him with his thousand eyes he closely looks on: thou showest him thy face from all sides, Agni.
6 Agni, hast thou committed sin or treason among the Gods? In ignorance I ask thee.
Playing, not playing, he gold-hued and toothless, hath cut his food up as the knife a victim.
7 He born in wood hath yoked his horses rushing in all directions, held with reins that glitter.
The well-born friend hath carved his food with Vasus: in all his limbs he hath increased and prospered.