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

निर्मथितः सुधित आ सधस्थे युवा कविरध्वरस्य परणेता |
जूर्यत्स्वग्निरजरो वनेष्वत्रा दधे अम्र्तं जातवेदाः ||

अमन्थिष्टां भारता रेवदग्निं देवश्रवा देववातः सुदक्षम |
अग्ने वि पश्य बर्हताभि रायेषां नो नेता भवतादनु दयून ||

दश कषिपः पूर्व्यं सीमजीजनन सुजातं मात्र्षु परियम |
अग्निं सतुहि दैववातं देवश्रवो यो जनानामसद वशी ||

नि तवा दधे वर आ पर्थिव्या इळायास पदे सुदिनत्वे अह्नाम |
दर्षद्वत्यां मानुष आपयायां सरस्वत्यां रेवदग्नेदिदीहि ||
इळामग्ने … ||

nirmathitaḥ sudhita ā sadhasthe yuvā kaviradhvarasya praṇetā |
jūryatsvaghnirajaro vaneṣvatrā dadhe amṛtaṃ jātavedāḥ ||

amanthiṣṭāṃ bhāratā revadaghniṃ devaśravā devavātaḥ sudakṣam |
aghne vi paśya bṛhatābhi rāyeṣāṃ no netā bhavatādanu dyūn ||

daśa kṣipaḥ pūrvyaṃ sīmajījanan sujātaṃ mātṛṣu priyam |
aghniṃ stuhi daivavātaṃ devaśravo yo janānāmasad vaśī ||

ni tvā dadhe vara ā pṛthivyā iḷāyās pade sudinatve ahnām |
dṛṣadvatyāṃ mānuṣa āpayāyāṃ sarasvatyāṃ revadaghnedidīhi ||
iḷāmaghne … ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. RUBBED into life, well stablished in the dwelling, Leader of sacrifice, the Sage, the youthful,
Here in the wasting fuel Jātavedas, eternal, hath assumed immortal being.

2 Both Bharatas, Devaśravas, Devāvata, have strongly rubbed to life effectual Agni.
O Agni, look thou forth with ample riches: be, every day, bearer of food to feed us.

3 Him nobly born of old the fingers ten produced, him whom his Mothers counted dear.
Praise Devāvata’s Agni, thou Devaśravas, him who shall be the people’s Lord.

4 He set thee in the earth’s most lovely station, in Iḷā’s place, in days of fair bright weather.
On man, on Āpayā, Agni! on the rivers Dṛṣadvati, Sarasvatī, shine richly.

5 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