HYMN XCI. Agni. – Rig Veda – Book 10

सं जाग्र्वद्भिर्जरमाण इध्यते दमे दमूना इषयन्निळस पदे |
विश्वस्य होता हविषो वरेण्यो विभुर्विभावासुषखा सखीयते ||

स दर्शतश्रीरतिथिर्ग्र्हे-गर्हे वने-वने शिश्रियेतक्ववीरिव |
जनं-जनं जन्यो नाति मन्यते विश आक्षेति विश्यो विशं विशम ||

सुदक्षो दक्षैः करतुनासि सुक्रतुरग्ने कविः काव्येनासिविश्ववित |
वसुर्वसूनां कषयसि तवमेक इद दयावा चयानि पर्थिवी च पुष्यतः ||

परजानन्नग्ने तव योनिं रत्वियमिळायास पदे घर्तवन्तमासदः |
आ ते चिकित्र उषसामिवेतयो.अरेपसः सूर्यस्येवरश्मयः ||

तव शरियो वर्ष्यस्येव विद्युतश्चित्राश्चिकित्र उषसांन केतवः |
यदोषधीरभिस्र्ष्टो वनानि च परिस्वयं चिनुषे अन्नमास्ये ||

तमोषधीर्दधिरे गर्भं रत्वियं तमापो अग्निंजनयन्त मातरः |
तमित समानं वनिनश्च वीरुधोऽनतर्वतीश्च सुवते च विश्वहा ||

वातोपधूत इषितो वशाननु तर्षु यदन्ना वेविषद्वितिष्ठसे |
आ ते यतन्ते रथ्यो यथा पर्थक छर्धांस्यग्ने अजराणि धक्षतः ||

मेधाकारं विदथस्य परसाधनमग्निं होतारम्परिभूतमं मतिम |
तमिदर्भे हविष्या समानमित्तमिन महे वर्णते नान्यं तवत ||

तवामिदत्र वर्णते तवायवो होतारमग्ने विदथेषुवेधसः |
यद देवयन्तो दधति परयाण्सि ते हविष्मन्तोमनवो वर्क्तबर्हिषः ||

तवाग्ने होत्रं तव पोत्रं रत्वियं तव नेष्ट्रं तवमग्निद रतायतः |
तव परशास्त्रं तवमध्वरीयसि बरह्माचासि गर्हपतिश्च नो दमे ||

यस्तुभ्यमग्ने अम्र्ताय मर्त्यः समिधा दाशदुत वाहविष्क्र्ति |
तस्य होता भवसि यासि दूत्यमुप बरूषेयजस्यध्वरीयसि ||

इमा अस्मै मतयो वाचो अस्मदान रचो गिरः सुष्टुतयःसमग्मत |
वसूयवो वसवे जातवेदसे वर्द्धासु चिद वर्धनोयासु चाकनत ||

इमां परत्नाय सुष्टुतिं नवीयसीं वोचेयमस्मा उशतेश्र्णोतु नः |
भूया अन्तरा हर्द्यस्य निस्प्र्शे जायेवपत्य उशती सुवासाः ||

यस्मिन्नश्वास रषभास उक्षणो वशा मेषावस्र्ष्टास आहुताः |
कीलालपे सोमप्र्ष्ठाय वेधसेह्र्दा मतिं जनये चारुमग्नये ||

अहाव्यग्ने हविरास्ये ते सरुचीव घर्तं चम्वीव सोमः |
वाजसनिं रयिमस्मे सुवीरं परशस्तं धेहि यशसम्ब्र्हन्तम ||

saṃ jāghṛvadbhirjaramāṇa idhyate dame damūnā iṣayanniḷas pade |
viśvasya hotā haviṣo vareṇyo vibhurvibhāvāsuṣakhā sakhīyate ||

sa darśataśrīratithirghṛhe-ghṛhe vane-vane śiśriyetakvavīriva |
janaṃ-janaṃ janyo nāti manyate viśa ākṣeti viśyo viśaṃ viśam ||

sudakṣo dakṣaiḥ kratunāsi sukraturaghne kaviḥ kāvyenāsiviśvavit |
vasurvasūnāṃ kṣayasi tvameka id dyāvā cayāni pṛthivī ca puṣyataḥ ||

prajānannaghne tava yoniṃ ṛtviyamiḷāyās pade ghṛtavantamāsadaḥ |
ā te cikitra uṣasāmivetayo.arepasaḥ sūryasyevaraśmayaḥ ||

tava śriyo varṣyasyeva vidyutaścitrāścikitra uṣasāṃna ketavaḥ |
yadoṣadhīrabhisṛṣṭo vanāni ca parisvayaṃ cinuṣe annamāsye ||

tamoṣadhīrdadhire gharbhaṃ ṛtviyaṃ tamāpo aghniṃjanayanta mātaraḥ |
tamit samānaṃ vaninaśca vīrudho’ntarvatīśca suvate ca viśvahā ||

vātopadhūta iṣito vaśānanu tṛṣu yadannā veviṣadvitiṣṭhase |
ā te yatante rathyo yathā pṛthak chardhāṃsyaghne ajarāṇi dhakṣataḥ ||

medhākāraṃ vidathasya prasādhanamaghniṃ hotāramparibhūtamaṃ matim |
tamidarbhe haviṣyā samānamittamin mahe vṛṇate nānyaṃ tvat ||

tvāmidatra vṛṇate tvāyavo hotāramaghne vidatheṣuvedhasaḥ |
yad devayanto dadhati prayāṇsi te haviṣmantomanavo vṛktabarhiṣaḥ ||

tavāghne hotraṃ tava potraṃ ṛtviyaṃ tava neṣṭraṃ tvamaghnid ṛtāyataḥ |
tava praśāstraṃ tvamadhvarīyasi brahmācāsi ghṛhapatiśca no dame ||

yastubhyamaghne amṛtāya martyaḥ samidhā dāśaduta vāhaviṣkṛti |
tasya hotā bhavasi yāsi dūtyamupa brūṣeyajasyadhvarīyasi ||

imā asmai matayo vāco asmadān ṛco ghiraḥ suṣṭutayaḥsamaghmata |
vasūyavo vasave jātavedase vṛddhāsu cid vardhanoyāsu cākanat ||

imāṃ pratnāya suṣṭutiṃ navīyasīṃ voceyamasmā uśateśṛṇotu naḥ |
bhūyā antarā hṛdyasya nispṛśe jāyevapatya uśatī suvāsāḥ ||

yasminnaśvāsa ṛṣabhāsa ukṣaṇo vaśā meṣāavasṛṣṭāsa āhutāḥ |
kīlālape somapṛṣṭhāya vedhasehṛdā matiṃ janaye cārumaghnaye ||

ahāvyaghne havirāsye te srucīva ghṛtaṃ camvīva somaḥ |
vājasaniṃ rayimasme suvīraṃ praśastaṃ dhehi yaśasambṛhantam ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. BRISK, at the place of Iḷā, hymned by men who wake, our own familiar Friend is kindled in the house;
Hotar of all oblation, worthy of our choice, Lord, beaming, trusty friend to one who loveth him.

2 He, excellent in glory, guest in every house, finds like a swift-winged bird a home in every tree.
Benevolent to men, he scorns no living man: Friend to the tribes of men he dwells with every tribe.

3 Most sage with insight, passing skilful with thy powers art thou, O Agni, wise with wisdom, knowing all.
As Vasu, thou alone art Lord of all good things, of all the treasures that the heavens and earth produce.

4 Foreknowing well, O Agni, thou in Iḷā’s place hast occupied thy regular station balmed with oil.
Marked are thy comings like the comings of the Dawns, the rays of him who shineth spotless as the Sun.

5 Thy glories are, as lightnings from the rainy cloud, marked, many-hued, like heralds of the Dawns’ approach,
When, loosed to wander over plants and forest trees, thou crammest by thyself thy food into thy mouth.

6 Him, duly coming as their germ, have plants received: this Agni have maternal Waters brought to life.
So in like manner do the forest trees and plants bear him within them and produce him evermore.

7 When, sped and urged by wind, thou spreadest thee abroad, swift piercing through thy food according to thy will,
Thy never-ceasing blazes, longing to consume, like men on chariots, Agni, strive on every side.

8 Agni, the Hotar-priest who fills the assembly full, Waker of knowledge, chief Controller of the thought,—
Him, yea, none other than thyself, doth man elect at sacrificial offerings great and small alike.

9 Here, Agni, the arrangers, those attached to thee, elect thee as their Priest in sacred gatherings,
When men with strewn clipt grass and sacrificial gifts offer thee entertainment, piously inclined.

10 Thine is the Herald’s task and Cleanser’s duly timed; Leader art thou, and Kindler for the pious man.
Thou art Director, thou the ministering Priest: thou art the Brahman, Lord and Master in our home.

11 When mortal man presents to thee Immortal God, Agni, his fuel or his sacrificial gift,
Then thou art his Adhvaryu, Hotar, messenger, callest the Gods and orderest the sacrifice.

12 From us these hymns in concert have gone forth to him, these. holy words, these Ṛcas, songs and eulogies,
Eager for wealth, to Jātavedas fain for wealth: when they have waxen strong they please their Strengthener.

13 This newest eulogy will I speak forth to him, the Ancient One who loves it. May he hear our voice.
May it come near his heart and make it stir with love, as a fond well-dressed matron clings about her lord.

14 He in whom horses, bulls, oxen, and barren cows, and rams, when duly set apart, are offered up,—
To Agni, Soma-sprinkled, drinker of sweet juice, Disposer, with my heart I bring a fair hymn forth.

15 Into thy mouth is poured the offering, Agni, as Soma into cup, oil into ladle.
Vouchsafe us wealth. strength-winning, blest with heroes, wealth lofty, praised by men, and full of splendour.