HYMN XLIV. Agni: Rig Veda – Book 1 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

अग्ने विवस्वदुषसश्चित्रं राधो अमर्त्य |
आ दाशुषे जातवेदो वहा तवमद्या देवानुषर्बुधः ||

जुष्टो हि दूतो असि हव्यवाहनो.अग्ने रथीरध्वराणाम |
सजूरश्विभ्यामुषसा सुवीर्यमस्मे धेहि शरवो बर्हत ||

अद्या दूतं वर्णीमहे वसुमग्निं पुरुप्रियम |
धूमकेतुं भार्जीकं वयुष्टिषु यज्ञानामध्वरश्रियम ||

शरेष्ठं यविष्ठमतिथिं सवाहुतं जुष्टं जनाय दाशुषे |
देवानछा यातवे जातवेदसमग्निमीळे वयुष्टिषु ||

सतविष्यामि तवामहं विश्वस्याम्र्त भोजन |
अग्ने तरातारमम्र्तं मियेध्य यजिष्ठं हव्यवाहन ||

सुशंसो बोधि गर्णते यविष्ठ्य मधुजिह्वः सवाहुतः |
परस्कण्वस्य परतिरन्नायुर्जीवसे नमस्या दैव्यं जनम ||

होतारं विश्ववेदसं सं हि तवा विश इन्धते |
स आ वह पुरुहूत परचेतसो.अग्ने देवानिह दरवत ||

सवितारमुषसमश्विना भगमग्निं वयुष्टिषु कषपः |
कण्वासस्त्वा सुतसोमास इन्धते हव्यवाहं सवध्वर ||

पतिर हि अध्वराणाम अग्ने दूतो विशाम असि |
उषर्बुध आवह सोमपीतये देवानद्य सवर्द्र्शः ||

अग्ने पूर्वा अनूषसो विभावसो दीदेथ विश्वदर्षतः |
असि गरामेष्वविता पुरोहितो.असि यज्ञेषु मानुषः ||

नि तवा यज्ञस्य साधनमग्ने होतारं रत्विजम |
मनुष्वद देव धीमहि परचेतसं जीरं दूतममर्त्यम ||

यद देवानां मित्रमहः पुरोहितो.अन्तरो यासि दूत्यम |
सिन्धोरिव परस्वनितास ऊर्मयो.अग्नेर्भ्राजन्ते अर्चयः ||

शरुधि शरुत्कर्ण वह्निभिर्देवैरग्ने सयावभिः |
आ सीदन्तु बर्हिषि मित्रो अर्यमा परातर्यावाणो अध्वरम ||

शर्ण्वन्तु सतोमं मरुतः सुदानवो.अग्निजिह्वा रताव्र्धः |
पिबतु सोमं वरुणो धर्तव्रतो.अश्विभ्यामुषसा सजूः ||

aghne vivasvaduṣasaścitraṃ rādho amartya |
ā dāśuṣe jātavedo vahā tvamadyā devānuṣarbudhaḥ ||

juṣṭo hi dūto asi havyavāhano.aghne rathīradhvarāṇām |
sajūraśvibhyāmuṣasā suvīryamasme dhehi śravo bṛhat ||

adyā dūtaṃ vṛṇīmahe vasumaghniṃ purupriyam |
dhūmaketuṃ bhāṛjīkaṃ vyuṣṭiṣu yajñānāmadhvaraśriyam ||

śreṣṭhaṃ yaviṣṭhamatithiṃ svāhutaṃ juṣṭaṃ janāya dāśuṣe |
devānachā yātave jātavedasamaghnimīḷe vyuṣṭiṣu ||

staviṣyāmi tvāmahaṃ viśvasyāmṛta bhojana |
aghne trātāramamṛtaṃ miyedhya yajiṣṭhaṃ havyavāhana ||

suśaṃso bodhi ghṛṇate yaviṣṭhya madhujihvaḥ svāhutaḥ |
praskaṇvasya pratirannāyurjīvase namasyā daivyaṃ janam ||

hotāraṃ viśvavedasaṃ saṃ hi tvā viśa indhate |
sa ā vaha puruhūta pracetaso.aghne devāniha dravat ||

savitāramuṣasamaśvinā bhaghamaghniṃ vyuṣṭiṣu kṣapaḥ |
kaṇvāsastvā sutasomāsa indhate havyavāhaṃ svadhvara ||

patir hi adhvarāṇām aghne dūto viśām asi |
uṣarbudha āvaha somapītaye devānadya svardṛśaḥ ||

aghne pūrvā anūṣaso vibhāvaso dīdetha viśvadarṣataḥ |
asi ghrāmeṣvavitā purohito.asi yajñeṣu mānuṣaḥ ||

ni tvā yajñasya sādhanamaghne hotāraṃ ṛtvijam |
manuṣvad deva dhīmahi pracetasaṃ jīraṃ dūtamamartyam ||

yad devānāṃ mitramahaḥ purohito.antaro yāsi dūtyam |
sindhoriva prasvanitāsa ūrmayo.aghnerbhrājante arcayaḥ ||

śrudhi śrutkarṇa vahnibhirdevairaghne sayāvabhiḥ |
ā sīdantu barhiṣi mitro aryamā prātaryāvāṇo adhvaram ||

śṛṇvantu stomaṃ marutaḥ sudānavo.aghnijihvā ṛtāvṛdhaḥ |
pibatu somaṃ varuṇo dhṛtavrato.aśvibhyāmuṣasā sajūḥ ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1 IMMORTAL Jātavedas, thou many-hued fulgent gift of Dawn,
Agni, this day to him who pays oblations bring the Gods who waken with the morn.

2 For thou art offering-bearer and loved messenger, the charioteer of sacrifice:
Accordant with the Aśvins and with Dawn grant us heroic strength and lofty fame.

3 As messenger we choose to-day Agni the good whom many love,
Smoke-bannered spreader of the light, at break of day glory of sacrificial rites.

4 Him noblest and most youthful, richly worshipped guest, dear to the men who offer gifts,
Him, Agni Jātavedas, I beseech at dawn that he may bring the Gods to us.

5 Thee, Agni, will I glorify, deathless nourisher of the world,
Immortal, offering-bearer, meet for sacred food, preserver, best at sacrifice.

6 Tell good things to thy praiser, O most youthful God, as richly worshipped, honey-tongued,
And, granting to Praskaṇva lengthened days of life, show honour to the Heavenly Host.

7 For the men, Agni, kindle thee as all possessor and as Priest;
So Agni, much-invoked, bring hither with all speed the Gods, the excellently wise,

8 At dawn of day, at night, Uṣas and Savitar, the Aśvins, Bhaga, Agni’s self:
Skilled in fair rites, with Soma poured, the Kaṇvas light thee, the oblation-wafting God.

9 For, Agni, Lord of sacrifice and messenger of men art thou:
Bring thou the Gods who wake at dawn who see the light, this day to drink the Soma juice.

10 Thou shonest forth, O Agni, after former dawns, all visible, O rich in light.
Thou art our help in battle-strife, the Friend of man, the great high priest in sacrifice.

11 Like Manu, we will stablish thee, Agni, performer of the rite,
Invoker, ministering Priest, exceeding wise, the swift immortal messenger.

12 When as the Gods’ High Priest, by many loved, thou dost their mission as their nearest Friend,
Then, like the far-resounding billows of the flood, thy flames, O Agni, roar aloud.

13 Hear, Agni, who hast ears to hear, with all thy train of escort Gods;
Let Mitra, Aryaman, seeking betimes our rite, seat them upon the sacred grass.

14 Let those who strengthen Law, who bountifully give, the life-tongued Maruts, hear our praise.
May Law-supporting Varuṇa with the Aśvins twain and Uṣas, drink the Soma juice.