HYMN XXIII. Agni – Rig Veda – Book 8

ईळिष्वा हि परतीव्यं यजस्व जातवेदसम |
चरिष्णुधूममग्र्भीतशोचिषम ||

दामानं विश्वचर्षणे.अग्निं विश्वमनो गिरा |
उत सतुषे विष्पर्धसो रथानाम ||

येषामाबाध रग्मिय इषः पर्क्षश्च निग्रभे |
उपविदावह्निर्विन्दते वसु ||

उदस्य शोचिरस्थाद दीदियुषो वयजरम |
तपुर्जम्भस्य सुद्युतो गणश्रियः ||

उदु तिष्ठ सवध्वर सतवानो देव्या कर्पा |
अभिख्या भासा बर्हता शुशुक्वनिः ||

अग्ने याहि सुशस्तिभिर्हव्या जुह्वान आनुषक |
यथा दूतो बभूथ हव्यवाहनः ||

अग्निं वः पूर्व्यं हुवे होतारं चर्षणीनाम |
तमया वाचा गर्णे तमु व सतुषे ||

यज्ञेभिरद्भुतक्रतुं यं कर्पा सूदयन्त इत |
मित्रं न जने सुधितं रतावनि ||

रतावानं रतायवो यज्ञस्य साधनं गिरा |
उपो एनं जुजुषुर्नमसस पदे ||

अछा नो अङगिरस्तमं यज्ञासो यन्तु संयतः |
होता यो अस्ति विक्ष्वा यशस्तमः ||

अग्ने तव तये अजरेन्धानासो बर्हद भाः |
अश्वा इव वर्षणस्तविषीयवः ||

स तवं न ऊर्जां पते रयिं रास्व सुवीर्यम |
पराव नस्तोके तनये समत्स्वा ||

यद वा उ विश्पतिः शितः सुप्रीतो मनुषो विसि |
विश्वेदग्निः परति रक्षांसि सेधति ||

शरुष्ट्यग्ने नवस्य मे सतोमस्य वीर विश्पते |
नि मायिनस्तपुष रक्षसो दह ||

न तस्य मायया चन रिपुरीशीत मर्त्यः |
यो अग्नये ददाश हव्यदातिभिः ||

वयश्वस्त्वा वसुविदमुक्षण्युरप्रीणाद रषिः |
महो रयेतमु तवा समिधीमहि ||

उशना कव्यस्त्वा नि होतारमसादयत |
आयजिं तवा मनवेजातवेदसम ||

विश्वे हि तवा सजोषसो देवासो दूतमक्रत |
शरुष्टी देव परथमो यज्ञियो भुवः ||

इमं घा वीरो अम्र्तं दूतं कर्ण्वीत मर्त्यः |
पावकंक्र्ष्णवर्तनिं विहायसम ||

तं हुवेम यतस्रुचः सुभासं शुक्रशोचिषम |
विशामग्निमजरं परत्नमीड्यम ||

यो अस्मै हव्यदातिभिराहुतिं मर्तो.अविधत |
भूरि पोषंस धत्ते वीरवद यशः ||

परथमं जातवेदसमग्निं यज्ञेषु पूर्व्यम |
परति सरुगेति नमसा हविष्मती ||

आभिर्विधेमाग्नये जयेष्ठाभिर्व्यश्ववत |
मंहिष्ठाभिर्मतिभिः शुक्रशोचिषे ||

नूनमर्च विहायसे सतोमेभिः सथूरयूपवत |
रषे वैयश्वदम्यायाग्नये ||

अतिथिं मानुषाणां सूनुं वनस्पतीनाम |
विप्रा अग्निमवसे परत्नमीळते ||

महो विश्वानभि षतो.अभि हव्यानि मानुषा |
अग्ने नि षत्सि नमसाधि बर्हिषि ||

वंस्वा नो वार्या पुरु वंस्व रायः पुरुस्प्र्हः |
सुवीर्यस्य परजावतो यशस्वतः ||

तवं वरो सुषाम्णे.अग्ने जनाय चोदय |
सदा वसो रातिं यविष्ठ शश्वते ||

तवं हि सुप्रतूरसि तवं नो गोमतीरिषः |
महो रायः सातिमग्ने अपा वर्धि ||

अग्ने तवं यशा अस्या मित्रावरुणा वह |
रतावाना सम्राजा पूतदक्षसा ||

 

īḷiṣvā hi pratīvyaṃ yajasva jātavedasam |
cariṣṇudhūmamaghṛbhītaśociṣam ||

dāmānaṃ viśvacarṣaṇe.aghniṃ viśvamano ghirā |
uta stuṣe viṣpardhaso rathānām ||

yeṣāmābādha ṛghmiya iṣaḥ pṛkṣaśca nighrabhe |
upavidāvahnirvindate vasu ||

udasya śocirasthād dīdiyuṣo vyajaram |
tapurjambhasya sudyuto ghaṇaśriyaḥ ||

udu tiṣṭha svadhvara stavāno devyā kṛpā |
abhikhyā bhāsā bṛhatā śuśukvaniḥ ||

aghne yāhi suśastibhirhavyā juhvāna ānuṣak |
yathā dūto babhūtha havyavāhanaḥ ||

aghniṃ vaḥ pūrvyaṃ huve hotāraṃ carṣaṇīnām |
tamayā vācā ghṛṇe tamu va stuṣe ||

yajñebhiradbhutakratuṃ yaṃ kṛpā sūdayanta it |
mitraṃ na jane sudhitaṃ ṛtāvani ||

ṛtāvānaṃ ṛtāyavo yajñasya sādhanaṃ ghirā |
upo enaṃ jujuṣurnamasas pade ||

achā no aṅghirastamaṃ yajñāso yantu saṃyataḥ |
hotā yo asti vikṣvā yaśastamaḥ ||

aghne tava tye ajarendhānāso bṛhad bhāḥ |
aśvā iva vṛṣaṇastaviṣīyavaḥ ||

sa tvaṃ na ūrjāṃ pate rayiṃ rāsva suvīryam |
prāva nastoke tanaye samatsvā ||

yad vā u viśpatiḥ śitaḥ suprīto manuṣo visi |
viśvedaghniḥ prati rakṣāṃsi sedhati ||

śruṣṭyaghne navasya me stomasya vīra viśpate |
ni māyinastapuṣa rakṣaso daha ||

na tasya māyayā cana ripurīśīta martyaḥ |
yo aghnaye dadāśa havyadātibhiḥ ||

vyaśvastvā vasuvidamukṣaṇyuraprīṇād ṛṣiḥ |
maho rayetamu tvā samidhīmahi ||

uśanā kavyastvā ni hotāramasādayat |
āyajiṃ tvā manavejātavedasam ||

viśve hi tvā sajoṣaso devāso dūtamakrata |
śruṣṭī deva prathamo yajñiyo bhuvaḥ ||

imaṃ ghā vīro amṛtaṃ dūtaṃ kṛṇvīta martyaḥ |
pāvakaṃkṛṣṇavartaniṃ vihāyasam ||

taṃ huvema yatasrucaḥ subhāsaṃ śukraśociṣam |
viśāmaghnimajaraṃ pratnamīḍyam ||

yo asmai havyadātibhirāhutiṃ marto.avidhat |
bhūri poṣaṃsa dhatte vīravad yaśaḥ ||

prathamaṃ jātavedasamaghniṃ yajñeṣu pūrvyam |
prati srugheti namasā haviṣmatī ||

ābhirvidhemāghnaye jyeṣṭhābhirvyaśvavat |
maṃhiṣṭhābhirmatibhiḥ śukraśociṣe ||

nūnamarca vihāyase stomebhiḥ sthūrayūpavat |
ṛṣe vaiyaśvadamyāyāghnaye ||

atithiṃ mānuṣāṇāṃ sūnuṃ vanaspatīnām |
viprā aghnimavase pratnamīḷate ||

maho viśvānabhi ṣato.abhi havyāni mānuṣā |
aghne ni ṣatsi namasādhi barhiṣi ||

vaṃsvā no vāryā puru vaṃsva rāyaḥ puruspṛhaḥ |
suvīryasya prajāvato yaśasvataḥ ||

tvaṃ varo suṣāmṇe.aghne janāya codaya |
sadā vaso rātiṃ yaviṣṭha śaśvate ||

tvaṃ hi supratūrasi tvaṃ no ghomatīriṣaḥ |
maho rāyaḥ sātimaghne apā vṛdhi ||

aghne tvaṃ yaśā asyā mitrāvaruṇā vaha |
ṛtāvānā samrājā pūtadakṣasā ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. WORSHIP thou Jātavedas, pray to him who willingly accepts,
Whose smoke wanders at will, and none may grasp his flame.

2 Thou, all men’s friend, Visvamanas, exaltest Agni with thy song,
The Giver, and his flames with which no cars contend.

3 Whose resolute assault, to win vigour and food, deserves our praise,—
Through whose discovering power the priest obtaineth wealth.

4 Up springs the imperishable flame, the flame of the Refulgent One
Most bright, with glowing jaws and glory in his train.

5 Skilled in fair sacrifice, extolled, arise in Godlike loveliness,
Shining with lofty splendour, with effulgent light.

6 Called straight to our oblations, come, O Agni, through our eulogies,
As thou hast been our envoy bearing up our gifts.

7 I call your Agni, from of old Invoking Priest of living men:
Him with this song I laud and magnify for you.

8 Whom, wondrous wise, they animate with solemn rites and his fair form,
Kind as a friend to men who keep the holy Law.

9 Him, true to Law, who perfecteth the sacrifice,. Law-loving ones!
Ye with your song have gratified in the place of prayer.

10 May all our sacrifices go to him the truest Aṅgiras,
Who is among mankind the most illustrious Priest.

11 Imperishable Agni, thine are all these high enkindled lights,
Like horses and like stallions showing forth their strength.

12 So give us, Lord of Power and Might, riches combined with hero strength,
And guard us with our sons and grand. sons in our frays.

13 Soon as the eager Lord of men is friendly unto Manti’s race,
Agni averteth from us all the demon host.

14 O Hero Agni, Lord of men, on hearing this new laud of mine,
Burn down the Rākṣasas, enchanters, with thy flame.

15 No mortal foe can e’er prevail by arts of magic over him
Who serveth Agni well with sacrificial gifts.

16 Vyaśva the sage, who sought the Bull, hath won thee, finder of good things:
As such may we enkindle thee for ample wealth.

17 Uśanā Kāvya stablished thee, O Agni, as Invoking Priest:
Thee, Jātavedas, Sacrificing Priest for man.

18 All Deities of one accord appointed thee their messenger:
Thou, God, through hearing, hadst first claim to sacrifice.

19 Him may the mortal hero make his own immortal messenger.
Far-spreading, Purifier, him whose path is black.

20 With lifted ladles let us call him splendid with his brilliant flame,
Men’s ancient Agni, wasting not, adorable.

21 The man who pays the worship due to him with sacrificial gifts
Obtains both plenteous nourishment and hero fame.

22 To Jātavedas Agni, chief in sacrifices, first of all
With homage goes the ladle rich with sacred gifts.

23 Even as Vyatya did, may we with these most high and liberal hymns
Pay worship unto Agni of the splendid flame.

24 Now sing, as Sthurayupa sang, with lands to him who spreadeth far,
To Agni of the home, O Ṛṣi, Vyaśva’s son.

25 As welcome guest of human kind, as offspring of the forest kings,
The sages worship ancient Agni for his aid.

26 For men’s oblations brought to him who is the mighty Lord of all,
Sit, Agni, mid our homage, on the sacred grass.

27 Grant us abundant. treasures, grant the opulence which many crave,
With store of heroes, progeny, and high renown.

28 Agni, Most Youthful of the Gods, send evermore the gift of wealth
Unto Varosusaman and to all his folk.

29 A mighty Conqueror art thou, O Agni, so disclose to us
Food in our herds of kine and gain of ample wealth.

30 Thou, Agni, art a glorious God: bring hither Mitra, Varuṇa,
Imperial Sovrans, holy-minded, true to Law.