HYMN V. Agni: Rig Veda – Book 4 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

वैश्वानराय मीळ्हुषे सजोषाः कथा दाशेमाग्नये बर्हद भाः |
अनूनेन बर्हता वक्षथेनोप सतभायद उपमिन न रोधः ||

मा निन्दत य इमाम मह्यं रातिं देवो ददौ मर्त्याय सवधावान |
पाकाय गर्त्सो अम्र्तो विचेता वैश्वानरो नर्तमो यह्वो अग्निः ||

साम दविबर्हा महि तिग्मभ्र्ष्टिः सहस्ररेता वर्षभस तुविष्मान |
पदं न गोर अपगूळ्हं विविद्वान अग्निर मह्यम परेद उ वोचन मनीषाम ||

पर तां अग्निर बभसत तिग्मजम्भस तपिष्ठेन शोचिषा यः सुराधाः |
पर ये मिनन्ति वरुणस्य धाम परिया मित्रस्य चेततो धरुवाणि ||

अभ्रातरो न योषणो वयन्तः पतिरिपो न जनयो दुरेवाः |
पापासः सन्तो अन्र्ता असत्या इदम पदम अजनता गभीरम ||

इदम मे अग्ने कियते पावकामिनते गुरुम भारं न मन्म |
बर्हद दधाथ धर्षता गभीरं यह्वम पर्ष्ठम परयसा सप्तधातु ||

तम इन नव एव समना समानम अभि करत्वा पुनती धीतिर अश्याः |
ससस्य चर्मन्न अधि चारु पर्श्नेर अग्रे रुप आरुपितं जबारु ||

परवाच्यं वचसः किम मे अस्य गुहा हितम उप निणिग वदन्ति |
यद उस्रियाणाम अप वार इव वरन पाति परियं रुपो अग्रम पदं वेः ||

इदम उ तयन महि महाम अनीकं यद उस्रिया सचत पूर्व्यं गौः |
रतस्य पदे अधि दीद्यानं गुहा रघुष्यद रघुयद विवेद ||

अध दयुतानः पित्रोः सचासामनुत गुह्यं चारु पर्श्नेः |
मातुष पदे परमे अन्ति षद गोर वर्ष्णः शोचिषः परयतस्य जिह्वा ||

रतं वोचे नमसा पर्छ्यमानस तवाशसा जातवेदो यदीदम |
तवम अस्य कषयसि यद ध विश्वं दिवि यद उ दरविणं यत पर्थिव्याम ||

किं नो अस्य दरविणं कद ध रत्नं वि नो वोचो जातवेदश चिकित्वान |
गुहाध्वनः परमं यन नो अस्य रेकु पदं न निदाना अगन्म ||

का मर्यादा वयुना कद ध वामम अछा गमेम रघवो न वाजम |
कदा नो देवीर अम्र्तस्य पत्नीः सूरो वर्णेन ततनन्न उषासः ||

अनिरेण वचसा फल्ग्वेन परतीत्येन कर्धुनात्र्पासः |
अधा ते अग्ने किम इहा वदन्त्य अनायुधास आसता सचन्ताम ||

अस्य शरिये समिधानस्य वर्ष्णो वसोर अनीकं दम आ रुरोच |
रुशद वसानः सुद्र्शीकरूपः कषितिर न राया पुरुवारो अद्यौत ||

vaiśvānarāya mīḷhuṣe sajoṣāḥ kathā dāśemāghnaye bṛhad bhāḥ |
anūnena bṛhatā vakṣathenopa stabhāyad upamin na rodhaḥ ||

mā nindata ya imām mahyaṃ rātiṃ devo dadau martyāya svadhāvān |
pākāya ghṛtso amṛto vicetā vaiśvānaro nṛtamo yahvo aghniḥ ||

sāma dvibarhā mahi tighmabhṛṣṭiḥ sahasraretā vṛṣabhas tuviṣmān |
padaṃ na ghor apaghūḷhaṃ vividvān aghnir mahyam pred u vocan manīṣām ||

pra tāṃ aghnir babhasat tighmajambhas tapiṣṭhena śociṣā yaḥ surādhāḥ |
pra ye minanti varuṇasya dhāma priyā mitrasya cetato dhruvāṇi ||

abhrātaro na yoṣaṇo vyantaḥ patiripo na janayo durevāḥ |
pāpāsaḥ santo anṛtā asatyā idam padam ajanatā ghabhīram ||

idam me aghne kiyate pāvakāminate ghurum bhāraṃ na manma |
bṛhad dadhātha dhṛṣatā ghabhīraṃ yahvam pṛṣṭham prayasā saptadhātu ||

tam in nv eva samanā samānam abhi kratvā punatī dhītir aśyāḥ |
sasasya carmann adhi cāru pṛśner aghre rupa ārupitaṃ jabāru ||

pravācyaṃ vacasaḥ kim me asya ghuhā hitam upa niṇigh vadanti |
yad usriyāṇām apa vār iva vran pāti priyaṃ rupo aghram padaṃ veḥ ||

idam u tyan mahi mahām anīkaṃ yad usriyā sacata pūrvyaṃ ghauḥ |
ṛtasya pade adhi dīdyānaṃ ghuhā raghuṣyad raghuyad viveda ||

adha dyutānaḥ pitroḥ sacāsāmanuta ghuhyaṃ cāru pṛśneḥ |
mātuṣ pade parame anti ṣad ghor vṛṣṇaḥ śociṣaḥ prayatasya jihvā ||

ṛtaṃ voce namasā pṛchyamānas tavāśasā jātavedo yadīdam |
tvam asya kṣayasi yad dha viśvaṃ divi yad u draviṇaṃ yat pṛthivyām ||

kiṃ no asya draviṇaṃ kad dha ratnaṃ vi no voco jātavedaś cikitvān |
ghuhādhvanaḥ paramaṃ yan no asya reku padaṃ na nidānā aghanma ||

kā maryādā vayunā kad dha vāmam achā ghamema raghavo na vājam |
kadā no devīr amṛtasya patnīḥ sūro varṇena tatanann uṣāsaḥ ||

anireṇa vacasā phalghvena pratītyena kṛdhunātṛpāsaḥ |
adhā te aghne kim ihā vadanty anāyudhāsa āsatā sacantām ||

asya śriye samidhānasya vṛṣṇo vasor anīkaṃ dama ā ruroca |
ruśad vasānaḥ sudṛśīkarūpaḥ kṣitir na rāyā puruvāro adyaut ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. How shall we give with one accord oblation to Agni, to Vaiśvānara the Bounteous?
Great light, with full high growth hath he uplifted, and, as a pillar bears the roof, sustains it.

2 Reproach not him who, God and self-reliant, vouchsafed this bounty unto me a mortal,—
Deathless, discerner, wise, to me the simple, Vaiśvānara most manly, youthful Agni.

3 Sharp-pointed, powerful, strong, of boundless vigour, Agni who knows the lofty hymn, kept secret
As the lost milch-cow’s track, the doubly Mighty,—he hath declared to me this hidden knowledge.

4 May he with sharpened teeth, the Bounteous Giver, Agni, consume with flame most fiercely glowing.
Those who regard not Varuṇa’s commandments and the dear stedfast laws of sapient Mitra.

5 Like youthful women without brothers, straying, like dames who hate their lords, of evil conduct,
They who are full of sin, untrue, unfaithful, they have engendered this abysmal station.

6 To me, weak, innocent, thou, luminous Agni, hast boldly given as ’twere a heavy burthen,
This Pṛṣṭha hymn, profound and strong and mighty, of seven elements, and with offered dainties.

7 So may our song that purifies, through wisdom reach in a moment him the Universal,
Established on the height, on earth’s best station, above the beauteous grassy skin of Pṛśni.

8 Of this my speech what shall I utter further? They indicate the milk stored up in secret
When they have thrown as ’twere the cows’ stalls open. The Bird protects earths’ best and well-loved station.

9 This is the Great Ones’ mighty apparition which from of old the radiant Cow hath followed.
This, shining brightly in the place of Order, swift, hasting on in secret, she discovered.

10 He then who shone together with his Parents remembered Pṛśni’s fair and secret treasure,
Which, in the Mother Cow’s most lofty station, the Bull’s tongue, of the flame bent forward, tasted.

11 With reverence I declare the Law, O Agni; what is, comes by thine order, Jātavedas.
Of this, whate’er it be, thou art the Sovran, yea, all the wealth that is in earth or
heaven.

12 What is our wealth therefrom, and what our treasure? Tell us O Jātavedas, for thou
knowest,
What is our best course in this secret passage: we, unreproached, have reached a place far distant.

13 What is the limit, what the rules, the guerdon? Like fleet-foot coursers speed we to the contest.
When will the Goddesses, the Immortal’s Spouses, the Dawns, spread over us the Sun-God’s splendour?

14 Unsatisfied, with speech devoid of vigour, scanty and frivolous and inconclusive,
Wherefore do they address thee here, O Agni? Let these who have no weapons suffer sorrow.

15 The majesty of him the Good, the Mighty, aflame, hath shone for glory in the dwelling.
He, clothed in light, hath shone most fair to look on, wealthy in boons, as a home shines with riches.