HYMN XIX. Agni: Rig Veda – Book 3 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

अग्निं होतारं पर वर्णे मियेधे गर्त्सं कविं विश्वविदममूरम |
स नो यक्षद देवताता यजीयान राये वाजाय वनतेमघानि ||

पर ते अग्ने हविष्मतीमियर्म्यछा सुद्युम्नां रातिनीं घर्ताचीम |
परदक्षिणिद देवतातिमुराणः सं रातिभिर्वसुभिर्यज्ञमश्रेत ||

स तेजीयसा मनसा तवोत उत शिक्ष सवपत्यस्य शिक्षोः |
अग्ने रायो नर्तमस्य परभूतौ भूयाम ते सुष्टुतयश्च वस्वः ||

भूरीणि हि तवे दधिरे अनीकाग्ने देवस्य यज्यवो जनासः |
स आ वह देवतातिं यविष्ठ शर्धो यदद्य दिव्यंयजासि ||

यत तवा होतारमनजन मियेधे निषादयन्तो यजथाय देवाः |
स तवं नो अग्ने.अवितेह बोध्यधि शरवांसि धेहि नस्तनूषु ||

aghniṃ hotāraṃ pra vṛṇe miyedhe ghṛtsaṃ kaviṃ viśvavidamamūram |
sa no yakṣad devatātā yajīyān rāye vājāya vanatemaghāni ||

pra te aghne haviṣmatīmiyarmyachā sudyumnāṃ rātinīṃ ghṛtācīm |
pradakṣiṇid devatātimurāṇaḥ saṃ rātibhirvasubhiryajñamaśret ||

sa tejīyasā manasā tvota uta śikṣa svapatyasya śikṣoḥ |
aghne rāyo nṛtamasya prabhūtau bhūyāma te suṣṭutayaśca vasvaḥ ||

bhūrīṇi hi tve dadhire anīkāghne devasya yajyavo janāsaḥ |
sa ā vaha devatātiṃ yaviṣṭha śardho yadadya divyaṃyajāsi ||

yat tvā hotāramanajan miyedhe niṣādayanto yajathāya devāḥ |
sa tvaṃ no aghne.aviteha bodhyadhi śravāṃsi dhehi nastanūṣu ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. AGNI, quick, sage, infallible, all-knowing, I choose to be our Priest at this oblation.
In our Gods’ service he, best skilled, shall worship: may he obtain us boons for strength and riches.

2 Agni, to thee I lift the oil-fed ladle, bright, with an offering, bearing our oblation.
From the right hand, choosing the Gods’ attendance, he with rich presents hath arranged the worship.

3 Of keenest spirit is the man thou aidest give us good offspring, thou who givest freely.
In power of wealth most rich in men. O Agni, of thee, the Good, may we sing forth fair praises.

4 Men as they worship thee the God, O Agni, have set on thee full many a brilliant, aspect.
So bring Most Youthful One, the Gods’ assembly, the Heavenly Host which thou to-day shalt honour.

5 When Gods anoint thee Priest at their oblation, and seat thee for thy task as Sacrificer,
O Agni, be thou here our kind defender, and to ourselves vouchsafe the gift of glory.