HYMN V. Agni. – Rig Veda – Book 10 – Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

एकः समुद्रो धरुणो रयीणामस्मद धर्दो भूरिजन्मा विचष्टे |
सिषक्त्यूधर्निण्योरुपस्थ उत्सस्य मध्येनिहितं पदं वेः ||

समानं नीळं वर्षणो वसानाः सं जग्मिरे महिषार्वतीभिः |
रतस्य पदं कवयो नि पान्ति गुहा नामानिदधिरे पराणि ||

रतायिनी मायिनी सं दधाते मित्वा शिशुं जज्ञतुर्वर्धयन्ती |
विश्वस्य नाभिं चरतो धरुवस्य कवेश्चित्तन्तुं मनसा वियन्तः ||

रतस्य हि वर्तनयः सुजातमिषो वाजाय परदिवःसचन्ते |
अधीवासं रोदसी वावसाने घर्तैरन्नैर्वाव्र्धाते मधूनाम ||

सप्त सवसॄररुषीर्वावशानो विद्वान मध्व उज्जभाराद्र्शे कम |
अन्तर्येमे अन्तरिक्षे पुराजा इछन वव्रिमविदत्पूषणस्य ||

सप्त मर्यादाः कवयस्ततक्षुस्तासामेकामिदभ्यंहुरो गात |
आयोर्ह सकम्भ उपमस्य नीळे पथांविसर्गे धरुणेषु तस्थौ ||

असच्च सच्च परमे वयोमन दक्षस्य जन्मन्नदितेरुपस्थे |
अग्निर्ह नः पर थमजा रतस्य पूर्व आयुनि वर्षभश्चधेनुः ||

ekaḥ samudro dharuṇo rayīṇāmasmad dhṛdo bhūrijanmā vicaṣṭe |
siṣaktyūdharniṇyorupastha utsasya madhyenihitaṃ padaṃ veḥ ||

samānaṃ nīḷaṃ vṛṣaṇo vasānāḥ saṃ jaghmire mahiṣāarvatībhiḥ |
ṛtasya padaṃ kavayo ni pānti ghuhā nāmānidadhire parāṇi ||

ṛtāyinī māyinī saṃ dadhāte mitvā śiśuṃ jajñaturvardhayantī |
viśvasya nābhiṃ carato dhruvasya kaveścittantuṃ manasā viyantaḥ ||

ṛtasya hi vartanayaḥ sujātamiṣo vājāya pradivaḥsacante |
adhīvāsaṃ rodasī vāvasāne ghṛtairannairvāvṛdhāte madhūnām ||

sapta svasṝraruṣīrvāvaśāno vidvān madhva ujjabhārādṛśe kam |
antaryeme antarikṣe purājā ichan vavrimavidatpūṣaṇasya ||

sapta maryādāḥ kavayastatakṣustāsāmekāmidabhyaṃhuro ghāt |
āyorha skambha upamasya nīḷe pathāṃvisarghe dharuṇeṣu tasthau ||

asacca sacca parame vyoman dakṣasya janmannaditerupasthe |
aghnirha naḥ pra thamajā ṛtasya pūrva āyuni vṛṣabhaścadhenuḥ ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. HE only is the Sea, holder of treasures: born many a time he views the hearts within us.
He hides him in the secret couple’s bosom. The Bird dwells in the middle of the fountain.

2 Inhabiting one dwelling-place in common, strong Stallions and the Mares have come together.
The sages guard the seat of Holy Order, and keep the highest names concealed within them.

3 The Holy Pair, of wondrous power, have coupled: they formed the Infant, they who bred produced him.
The central point of all that moves and moves not, the while they wove the Sage’s thread with insight

4 For tracks of Order and refreshing viands attend from ancient times the goodly Infant.
Wearing him as a mantle, Earth and Heaven grow strong by food of pleasant drink and fatness.

5 He, calling loudly to the Seven red Sisters, hath, skilled in sweet drink, brought them to be looked on.
He, born of old, in middle air hath halted, and sought and found the covering robe of Pūṣan.

6 Seven are the pathways which the wise have fashioned; to one of these may come the troubled mortal.
He standeth in the dwelling of the Highest, a Pillar, on sure ground where paths are parted.

7 Not Being, Being in the highest heaven, in Aditi’s bosom and in Dakṣa’s birthplace,
Is Agni, our first-born of Holy Order, the Milch-cow and the Bull in life’s beginning.