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

वि पाजसा पर्थुना शोशुचानो बाधस्व दविषो रक्षसो अमीवाः |
सुशर्मणो बर्हतः शर्मणि सयामग्नेरहं सुहवस्य परणीतौ ||

तवं नो अस्या उषसो वयुष्टौ तवं सूर उदिते बोधि गोपाः |
जन्मेव नित्यं तनयं जुषस्व सतोमं मे अग्ने तन्वा सुजात ||

तवं नर्चक्षा वर्षभानु पूर्वीः कर्ष्णास्वग्ने अरुषो विभाहि |
वसो नेषि च पर्षि चात्यंहः कर्धी नो राय उशिजो यविष्ठ ||

अषाळ्हो अग्ने वर्षभो दिदीहि पुरो विश्वाः सौभगा संजिगीवान |
यज्ञस्य नेता परथमस्य पायोर्जातवेदो बर्हतः सुप्रणीते ||

अछिद्रा शर्म जरितः पुरूणि देवानछा दीद्यानः सुमेधाः |
रथो न सस्निरभि वक्षि वाजमगने तवं रोदसीनः सुमेके ||

पर पीपय वर्षभ जिन्व वाजानग्ने तवं रोदसी नः सुदोघे |
देवेभिर्देव सुरुचा रुचानो मा नो मर्तस्य दुर्मतिः परि षठात ||
इळामग्ने … ||

vi pājasā pṛthunā śośucāno bādhasva dviṣo rakṣaso amīvāḥ |
suśarmaṇo bṛhataḥ śarmaṇi syāmaghnerahaṃ suhavasya praṇītau ||

tvaṃ no asyā uṣaso vyuṣṭau tvaṃ sūra udite bodhi ghopāḥ |
janmeva nityaṃ tanayaṃ juṣasva stomaṃ me aghne tanvā sujāta ||

tvaṃ nṛcakṣā vṛṣabhānu pūrvīḥ kṛṣṇāsvaghne aruṣo vibhāhi |
vaso neṣi ca parṣi cātyaṃhaḥ kṛdhī no rāya uśijo yaviṣṭha ||

aṣāḷho aghne vṛṣabho didīhi puro viśvāḥ saubhaghā saṃjighīvān |
yajñasya netā prathamasya pāyorjātavedo bṛhataḥ supraṇīte ||

achidrā śarma jaritaḥ purūṇi devānachā dīdyānaḥ sumedhāḥ |
ratho na sasnirabhi vakṣi vājamaghne tvaṃ rodasīnaḥ sumeke ||

pra pīpaya vṛṣabha jinva vājānaghne tvaṃ rodasī naḥ sudoghe |
devebhirdeva surucā rucāno mā no martasya durmatiḥ pari ṣṭhāt ||
iḷāmaghne … ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. RESPLENDENT with thy wide-extending lustre, dispel the terrors of the fiends who hate us
May lofty Agni be my guide and shelter, the easily-invoked, the good Protector.

2 Be thou To us, while now the morn is breaking, be thou a guardian when the Sun hath mounted..
Accept, as men accept a true-born infant, my laud, O Agni nobly born in body.

3 Bull, who beholdest men, through many mornings, among the dark ones shine forth red, O Agni.
Lead us, good Lord, and bear us over trouble: Help us who long, Most Youthful God, to riches.

4 Shine forth, a Bull invincible, O Agni, winning by conquest all the forts and treasures,
Thou Jātavedas who art skilled in guiding, the chief high saving sacrifice’s Leader.

5 Lighting Gods hither, Agni, wisest Singer, bring thou to us many and flawless shelters.
Bring vigour, like a car that gathers booty: bring us, O Agni, beauteous Earth and Heaven.

6 Swell, O thou Bull and give those powers an impulse, e’en Earth and Heaven who yield their milk in plenty,
Shining, O God, with Gods in clear effulgence. Let not a mortal’s evil will obstruct us.

7 Agni, as holy food to thine invoker, give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.
To us be born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to us-ward.