HYMN XXV. Agni: Rig Veda – Book 5 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

अछा वो अग्निम अवसे देवं गासि स नो वसुः |
रासत पुत्र रषूणाम रतावा पर्षति दविषः ||

स हि सत्यो यम पूर्वे चिद देवासश चिद यम ईधिरे |
होतारम मन्द्रजिह्वम इत सुदीतिभिर विभावसुम ||

स नो धीती वरिष्ठया शरेष्ठया च सुमत्या |
अग्ने रायो दिदीहि नः सुव्र्क्तिभिर वरेण्य ||

अग्निर देवेषु राजत्य अग्निर मर्तेष्व आविशन |
अग्निर नो हव्यवाहनो ऽगनिं धीभिः सपर्यत ||

अग्निस तुविश्रवस्तमं तुविब्रह्माणम उत्तमम |
अतूर्तं शरावयत्पतिम पुत्रं ददाति दाशुषे ||

अग्निर ददाति सत्पतिं सासाह यो युधा नर्भिः |
अग्निर अत्यं रघुष्यदं जेतारम अपराजितम ||

यद वाहिष्ठं तद अग्नये बर्हद अर्च विभावसो |
महिषीव तवद रयिस तवद वाजा उद ईरते ||

तव दयुमन्तो अर्चयो गरावेवोच्यते बर्हत |
उतो ते तन्यतुर यथा सवानो अर्त तमना दिवः ||

एवां अग्निं वसूयवः सहसानं ववन्दिम |
स नो विश्वा अति दविषः पर्षन नावेव सुक्रतुः ||

achā vo aghnim avase devaṃ ghāsi sa no vasuḥ |
rāsat putra ṛṣūṇām ṛtāvā parṣati dviṣaḥ ||

sa hi satyo yam pūrve cid devāsaś cid yam īdhire |
hotāram mandrajihvam it sudītibhir vibhāvasum ||

sa no dhītī variṣṭhayā śreṣṭhayā ca sumatyā |
aghne rāyo didīhi naḥ suvṛktibhir vareṇya ||

aghnir deveṣu rājaty aghnir marteṣv āviśan |
aghnir no havyavāhano ‘ghniṃ dhībhiḥ saparyata ||

aghnis tuviśravastamaṃ tuvibrahmāṇam uttamam |
atūrtaṃ śrāvayatpatim putraṃ dadāti dāśuṣe ||

aghnir dadāti satpatiṃ sāsāha yo yudhā nṛbhiḥ |
aghnir atyaṃ raghuṣyadaṃ jetāram aparājitam ||

yad vāhiṣṭhaṃ tad aghnaye bṛhad arca vibhāvaso |
mahiṣīva tvad rayis tvad vājā ud īrate ||

tava dyumanto arcayo ghrāvevocyate bṛhat |
uto te tanyatur yathā svāno arta tmanā divaḥ ||

evāṃ aghniṃ vasūyavaḥ sahasānaṃ vavandima |
sa no viśvā ati dviṣaḥ parṣan nāveva sukratuḥ ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. I WILL sing near, for grace, your God Agni, for he is good to us.
Son of the Brands, may he give gifts, and, righteous, save us from the foe.

2 For he is true, whom men of old enkindled, and the Gods themselves,
The Priest with the delicious tongue, rich with the light of glorious beams.

3 With wisdom that surpasseth all, with gracious will most excellent,
O Agni, worthy of our choice, shine wealth on us through hymns of praise.

4 Agni is King, for he extends to mortals and to Gods alike.
Agni is bearer of our gifts. Worship ye Agni with your thoughts.

5 Agni gives to the worshipper a son, the best, of mightiest fame,
Of deep devotion, ne’er subdued, bringer of glory to his sire.

6 Agni bestows the hero-lord who conquers with the men in fight.
Agni bestows the fleet-foot steed, the victor never overcome.

7 The mightiest song is Agni’s: shine on high, thou who art rich in light.
Like the Chief Consort of a King, riches and strength proceed from thee.

8 Resplendent are thy rays of light: loud is thy voice like pressing-stones.
Yea, of itself thy thunder goes forth like the roaring of the heaven.

9 Thus, seeking riches, have we paid homage to Agni Conqueror.
May he, most wise, as with a ship, carry us over all our foes.