स चेतयन्मनुषो यज्ञबन्धुः प्र तं मह्या रशनया नयन्ति । स क्षेत्यस्य दुर्यासु साधन्देवो मर्तस्य सधनित्वमाप
He, awakening, the ally of men in sacrifice, they lead forth with my reins; he moves among the difficult places, accomplishing, the god has attained companionship with mortals.
स तू नो अग्निर्नयतु प्रजानन्नच्छा रत्नं देवभक्तं यदस्य । धिया यद्विश्वे अमृता अकृण्वन्द्यौष्पिता जनिता सत्यमुक्षन्
May this Agni, knowing, lead us to the treasure, the god-given gift that is his; by thought, as all the immortals have made, Heaven and Earth, the true creators, have let it rain.
स जायत प्रथमः पस्त्यासु महो बुध्ने रजसो अस्य योनौ । अपादशीर्षा गुहमानो अन्तायोयुवानो वृषभस्य नीळे
He was born first in the dwellings, in the great depth of the atmosphere, in his womb; footless, headless, hidden, at the end, the young ones in the bull's lair.
प्र शर्ध आर्त प्रथमं विपन्यँ ऋतस्य योना वृषभस्य नीळे । स्पार्हो युवा वपुष्यो विभावा सप्त प्रियासोऽजनयन्त वृष्णे
The host arose, the first to perceive, in the womb of truth, in the bull's lair; precious, young, wondrous, shining, seven beloved ones were born for the mighty one.
अस्माकमत्र पितरो मनुष्या अभि प्र सेदुरृतमाशुषाणाः । अश्मव्रजाः सुदुघा वव्रे अन्तरुदुस्रा आजन्नुषसो हुवानाः
Here, our human forefathers, longing for truth, pressed forward; breaking through stone barriers, they found the rich, milk-yielding treasures hidden within, calling forth the radiant dawns.
ते मर्मृजत ददृवांसो अद्रिं तदेषामन्ये अभितो वि वोचन् । पश्वयन्त्रासो अभि कारमर्चन्विदन्त ज्योतिश्चकृपन्त धीभिः
They, seeing, broke open the rock; others all around spoke of this deed. Those who bound the cattle, in pursuit of the work, discovered the light and fashioned it with their thoughts.
ते गव्यता मनसा दृध्रमुब्धं गा येमानं परि षन्तमद्रिम् । दृळ्हं नरो वचसा दैव्येन व्रजं गोमन्तमुशिजो वि वव्रुः
With desire for cows in their minds, they shattered the firm, enclosing rock, releasing the cattle that circled within; with divine speech, the men broke open the stronghold rich in cows.
ते मन्वत प्रथमं नाम धेनोस्त्रिः सप्त मातुः परमाणि विन्दन् । तज्जानतीरभ्यनूषत व्रा आविर्भुवदरुणीर्यशसा गोः
They discerned the first name of the cow, finding the three and seven supreme treasures of the mother; knowing this, the groups hastened together, and the red, glorious forms of the cow became manifest.
नेशत्तमो दुधितं रोचत द्यौरुद्देव्या उषसो भानुरर्त । आ सूर्यो बृहतस्तिष्ठदज्राँ ऋजु मर्तेषु वृजिना च पश्यन्
The darkness vanished; the milk was bright; the sky shone; the sun’s radiance was set in motion by the divine dawns. The great sun stood in the unyoked space, straight among mortals, observing both the righteous and the unrighteous.
आदित्पश्चा बुबुधाना व्यख्यन्नादिद्रत्नं धारयन्त द्युभक्तम् । विश्वे विश्वासु दुर्यासु देवा मित्र धिये वरुण सत्यमस्तु
Awake from the beginning and the end, they revealed the paths; from the beginning, they bore the heaven-allotted treasure. May all the gods, O Mitra and Varuṇa, grant truth in every dwelling.
अच्छा वोचेय शुशुचानमग्निं होतारं विश्वभरसं यजिष्ठम् । शुच्यूधो अतृणन्न गवामन्धो न पूतं परिषिक्तमंशोः
I would call upon the shining Agni, the priest who bears all offerings, most worthy of worship; pure of udder, he does not fail in the sacrifice, like a calf, purified and anointed with ghee.
विश्वेषामदितिर्यज्ञियानां विश्वेषामतिथिर्मानुषाणाम् । अग्निर्देवानामव आवृणानः सुमृळीको भवतु जातवेदाः
Agni is the most worshipful among all the worthy of sacrifice, the guest of all humankind; may Jātavedas, choosing the gods, be gracious and bring us happiness.
यो मर्त्येष्वमृत ऋतावा देवो देवेष्वरतिर्निधायि । होता यजिष्ठो मह्ना शुचध्यै हव्यैरग्निर्मनुष ईरयध्यै
He who, among mortals, is immortal and upholds the order, the god established among the gods, Agni, the priest, most fit for sacrifice by his greatness and purity, is to be kindled by men with offerings.
इह त्वं सूनो सहसो नो अद्य जातो जाताँ उभयाँ अन्तरग्ने । दूत ईयसे युयुजान ऋष्व ऋजुमुष्कान्वृषणः शुक्राँश्च
Here today, O son of strength, you are born among us, born among both kinds, O Agni; as a messenger you go forth, yoked with the swift, upright, and shining stallions.
अत्या वृधस्नू रोहिता घृतस्नू ऋतस्य मन्ये मनसा जविष्ठा । अन्तरीयसे अरुषा युजानो युष्माँश्च देवान्विश आ च मर्तान्
The red, fattened, ghee-anointed horses, I consider, are the swiftest in thought for the order; you journey between them, harnessed to the red ones, bringing the gods and mortals together.
अर्यमणं वरुणं मित्रमेषामिन्द्राविष्णू मरुतो अश्विनोत । स्वश्वो अग्ने सुरथः सुराधा एदु वह सुहविषे जनाय
Bring Aryaman, Varuṇa, Mitra, Indra, Viṣṇu, the Maruts, and the Aśvins; O Agni, of good horses, of good chariots, of good gifts, bring them here for the well-invoked worshipper.
गोमाँ अग्नेऽविमाँ अश्वी यज्ञो नृवत्सखा सदमिदप्रमृष्यः । इळावाँ एषो असुर प्रजावान्दीर्घो रयिः पृथुबुध्नः सभावान्
O Agni, the sacrifice is rich in cows, sheep, and horses, a friend of men, ever unassailable; this, O lord, is full of food, progeny, and long-lasting wealth, broad-based and abundant.
यस्त इध्मं जभरत्सिष्विदानो मूर्धानं वा ततपते त्वाया । भुवस्तस्य स्वतवाँः पायुरग्ने विश्वस्मात्सीमघायत उरुष्य
Whoever brings you kindling, O Agni, with devotion, or heats your head with fuel, for him, O possessor of wealth, be a guardian; drive away all harm from him, make him spacious.
यस्ते भरादन्नियते चिदन्नं निशिषन्मन्द्रमतिथिमुदीरत् । आ देवयुरिनधते दुरोणे तस्मिन्रयिर्ध्रुवो अस्तु दास्वान्
Whoever brings you food, even if it be little, and praises you as a delightful guest, for him, O god, may the gods establish a home; may firm wealth belong to the generous giver.
यस्त्वा दोषा य उषसि प्रशंसात्प्रियं वा त्वा कृणवते हविष्मान् । अश्वो न स्वे दम आ हेम्यावान्तमंहसः पीपरो दाश्वांसम्
Whoever, at dusk or dawn, praises you, or makes you dear with offerings, like a horse returning to its own stable, carry the worshipper safely across all sin, O Agni.
यस्तुभ्यमग्ने अमृताय दाशद्दुवस्त्वे कृणवते यतस्रुक् । न स राया शशमानो वि योषन्नैनमंहः परि वरदघायोः
Whoever serves you, O Agni, as the immortal, or makes you his friend with offerings, let not his wealth be diminished; may sin and harm pass him by.
यस्य त्वमग्ने अध्वरं जुजोषो देवो मर्तस्य सुधितं रराणः । प्रीतेदसद्धोत्रा सा यविष्ठासाम यस्य विधतो वृधासः
For whom, O Agni, you, god, have accepted the sacrifice, well-placed by the mortal, may his offerings be pleasing; may the hymns of the wise bring him increase.
चित्तिमचित्तिं चिनवद्वि विद्वान्पृष्ठेव वीता वृजिना च मर्तान् । राये च नः स्वपत्याय देव दितिं च रास्वादितिमुरुष्य
The wise one, discerning, gathers thought upon thought, as one who places things behind, separating the righteous from the unrighteous among mortals. O god, grant us wealth and lordship; bestow upon us both the finite and the infinite, O mighty one.
कविं शशासुः कवयोऽदब्धा निधारयन्तो दुर्यास्वायोः । अतस्त्वं दृश्याँ अग्न एतान्पड्भिः पश्येरद्भुताँ अर्य एवैः
The faultless poets have instructed the sage, upholding the two difficult paths. Therefore, O Agni, you see these wonders with your eyes, as a noble one sees with his own.
त्वमग्ने वाघते सुप्रणीतिः सुतसोमाय विधते यविष्ठ । रत्नं भर शशमानाय घृष्वे पृथु श्चन्द्रमवसे चर्षणिप्राः
You, Agni, are the best guide for the worshipper, for the one who has pressed Soma, O youngest one. Bring wealth to the eager, to the diligent, O protector of people, bring wide and shining aid.
अधा ह यद्वयमग्ने त्वाया पड्भिर्हस्तेभिश्चकृमा तनूभिः । रथं न क्रन्तो अपसा भुरिजोरृतं येमुः सुध्य आशुषाणाः
Thus, whatever we have done for you, Agni, with our feet, hands, and bodies—like those who mount a chariot, avoiding obstacles—those who strive swiftly have reached the right path.
अधा मातुरुषसः सप्त विप्रा जायेमहि प्रथमा वेधसो नॄन् । दिवस्पुत्रा अङ्गिरसो भवेमाद्रिं रुजेम धनिनं शुचन्तः
Then may we, seven inspired ones, be born as the first men of wisdom, O dawn's child. May we become Angirases, sons of heaven, shining, breaking the wealthy mountain.
अधा यथा नः पितरः परासः प्रत्नासो अग्न ऋतमाशुषाणाः । शुचीदयन्दीधितिमुक्थशासः क्षामा भिन्दन्तो अरुणीरप व्रन्
Then, as our ancient fathers, O Agni, striving for truth, have done before us—making their light pure, chanting hymns, breaking through the dark earth, driving away the dusky ones.
सुकर्माणः सुरुचो देवयन्तोऽयो न देवा जनिमा धमन्तः । शुचन्तो अग्निं ववृधन्त इन्द्रमूर्वं गव्यं परिषदन्तो अग्मन्
Those of good deeds, shining, godly, as the gods at their birth, performed their rites. Pure, they strengthened Agni and Indra, seeking the wide wealth of cattle, they gathered around.
आ यूथेव क्षुमति पश्वो अख्यद्देवानां यज्जनिमान्त्युग्र । मर्तानां चिदुर्वशीरकृप्रन्वृधे चिदर्य उपरस्यायोः
Like cattle in a herd, the strong one has proclaimed the generations of the gods, when their births were mighty. Even among mortals, the wide-ruling one has shown favor, and the noble one has increased for the higher and the lower.