ऐच्छाम त्वा बहुधा जातवेदः प्रविष्टमग्ने अप्स्वोषधीषु । तं त्वा यमो अचिकेच्चित्रभानो दशान्तरुष्यादतिरोचमानम्
We have seen you, Jātavedas, in many forms, O Agni, entering the waters and the plants; Yama, of wondrous radiance, recognized you, shining forth beyond the ten regions.
होत्रादहं वरुण बिभ्यदायं नेदेव मा युनजन्नत्र देवाः । तस्य मे तन्वो बहुधा निविष्टा एतमर्थं न चिकेताहमग्निः
Fearing Varuṇa, I withdrew from the priesthood; the gods did not unite me there; my forms are established in many places, but I, Agni, did not understand this purpose.
एहि मनुर्देवयुर्यज्ञकामोऽरंकृत्या तमसि क्षेष्यग्ने । सुगान्पथः कृणुहि देवयानान्वह हव्यानि सुमनस्यमानः
Come, O Manu, desiring the sacrifice, lead the godly one, Agni, from the darkness by the right path; make the ways easy for the gods, bring the offerings with a kindly mind.
अग्नेः पूर्वे भ्रातरो अर्थमेतं रथीवाध्वानमन्वावरीवुः । तस्माद्भिया वरुण दूरमायं गौरो न क्षेप्नोरविजे ज्यायाः
The earlier brothers of Agni pursued this purpose, like charioteers following the path; therefore, out of fear, O Varuṇa, I have come far away, like a pale one who is not the swiftest among those who are not victorious.
कुर्मस्त आयुरजरं यदग्ने यथा युक्तो जातवेदो न रिष्याः । अथा वहासि सुमनस्यमानो भागं देवेभ्यो हविषः सुजात
We make your life ageless, O Agni, so that, harnessed, O Knower of all births, you do not perish; then, being well-disposed, you carry the portion of the offering well-born for the gods.
प्रयाजान्मे अनुयाजाँश्च केवलानूर्जस्वन्तं हविषो दत्त भागम् । घृतं चापां पुरुषं चौषधीनामग्नेश्च दीर्घमायुरस्तु देवाः
Grant me the portions of the offerings, both the preliminary and concluding, full of strength; let there be ghee, the essence of waters, the essence of plants, and, O Agni, may the gods grant you long life.
तव प्रयाजा अनुयाजाश्च केवल ऊर्जस्वन्तो हविषः सन्तु भागाः । तवाग्ने यज्ञोऽयमस्तु सर्वस्तुभ्यं नमन्तां प्रदिशश्चतस्रः
May your preliminary and concluding offerings, O Agni, be portions of the oblation, full of strength; may this entire sacrifice be yours, and may all four directions bow to you.
विश्वे देवाः शास्तन मा यथेह होता वृतो मनवै यन्निषद्य । प्र मे ब्रूत भागधेयं यथा वो येन पथा हव्यमा वो वहानि
All the gods, instruct me here, as the chosen Hotar sits for the rite; tell me my rightful share, so that by the path you approve, I may carry your oblation.
अहं होता न्यसीदं यजीयान्विश्वे देवा मरुतो मा जुनन्ति । अहरहरश्विनाध्वर्यवं वां ब्रह्मा समिद्भवति साहुतिर्वाम्
I, the Hotar, have taken my seat for the sacrifice; all the gods and Maruts support me; day by day, O Aśvins, your priest becomes the offerer, and the offering is made to you.
अयं यो होता किरु स यमस्य कमप्यूहे यत्समञ्जन्ति देवाः । अहरहर्जायते मासिमास्यथा देवा दधिरे हव्यवाहम्
This Hotar, whoever he is, is brought to Yama; whatever the gods approve, he ponders; day by day he is born, month by month, as the gods have established the carrier of the oblation.
मां देवा दधिरे हव्यवाहमपम्लुक्तं बहु कृच्छ्रा चरन्तम् । अग्निर्विद्वान्यज्ञं नः कल्पयाति पञ्चयामं त्रिवृतं सप्ततन्तुम्
The gods have established me as the carrier of the oblation, unwearied, moving through many hardships; Agni, the knower, arranges our sacrifice, fivefold, threefold, with seven threads.
आ वो यक्ष्यमृतत्वं सुवीरं यथा वो देवा वरिवः कराणि । आ बाह्वोर्वज्रमिन्द्रस्य धेयामथेमा विश्वाः पृतना जयाति
May I obtain for you immortality and heroic strength, so that, O gods, I may make a wide path for you; may I place Indra’s thunderbolt in your arms, and with it may you win all battles.
त्रीणि शता त्री सहस्राण्यग्निं त्रिंशच्च देवा नव चासपर्यन् । औक्षन्घृतैरस्तृणन्बर्हिरस्मा आदिद्धोतारं न्यसादयन्त
Three hundred and three thousand gods, and thirty-nine more, worshipped Agni; they anointed him with ghee, spread the sacred grass for him, and then seated him as the Hotar.
यमैच्छाम मनसा सोऽयमागाद्यज्ञस्य विद्वान्परुषश्चिकित्वान् । स नो यक्षद्देवताता यजीयान्नि हि षत्सदन्तरः पूर्वो अस्मत्
He whom we desired in our mind, he has come, wise in sacrifice, skilled in the rite; may he, most worthy of worship, grant us divine favor, for he who is present is not distant from us.
अराधि होता निषदा यजीयानभि प्रयांसि सुधितानि हि ख्यत् । यजामहै यज्ञियान्हन्त देवाँ ईळामहा ईड्याँ आज्येन
Let the Hotar, most worthy of worship, take his seat; let the well-prepared offerings be made known; let us worship the worshipful gods—come, O gods, let us praise you with clarified butter.
साध्वीमकर्देववीतिं नो अद्य यज्ञस्य जिह्वामविदाम गुह्याम् । स आयुरागात्सुरभिर्वसानो भद्रामकर्देवहूतिं नो अद्य
Today you have made our invocation successful, O gods; we have found the tongue of the sacrifice, the hidden one; he has come, bearing life, clothed in fragrance; today you have made our invocation auspicious, O gods.
तदद्य वाचः प्रथमं मसीय येनासुराँ अभि देवा असाम । ऊर्जाद उत यज्ञियासः पञ्च जना मम होत्रं जुषध्वम्
Today let me utter the first word, by which the gods overcame the Asuras; nourished by strength, the worshipful ones, the five peoples, accept my offering.
पञ्च जना मम होत्रं जुषन्तां गोजाता उत ये यज्ञियासः । पृथिवी नः पार्थिवात्पात्वंहसोऽन्तरिक्षं दिव्यात्पात्वस्मान्
Let the five peoples accept my offering, those born of cows and those who are worshipful; may the earth protect us from earthly harm, and the midspace and heaven from what is above.
तन्तुं तन्वन्रजसो भानुमन्विहि ज्योतिष्मतः पथो रक्ष धिया कृतान् । अनुल्बणं वयत जोगुवामपो मनुर्भव जनया दैव्यं जनम्
Weave the thread, following the radiance of the sky; guard the luminous paths made by thought; spin without breaking, O waters, protect us; be like Manu, generate the divine race.
अक्षानहो नह्यतनोत सोम्या इष्कृणुध्वं रशना ओत पिंशत । अष्टावन्धुरं वहताभितो रथं येन देवासो अनयन्नभि प्रियम्
Unhitch the yoke, O Soma-rich ones, loosen the straps, untie the reins and smooth them out; carry the eight-wheeled chariot all around, by which the gods brought their beloved near.
अश्मन्वती रीयते सं रभध्वमुत्तिष्ठत प्र तरता सखायः । अत्रा जहाम ये असन्नशेवाः शिवान्वयमुत्तरेमाभि वाजान्
The stony one moves forward—join together, arise, cross over, O friends; here let us leave behind those who were not helpful, and with the auspicious ones let us cross to greater prizes.
त्वष्टा माया वेदपसामपस्तमो बिभ्रत्पात्रा देवपानानि शंतमा । शिशीते नूनं परशुं स्वायसं येन वृश्चादेतशो ब्रह्मणस्पतिः
Tvaṣṭar, knowing the arts and the deepest wisdom, bears vessels for the gods’ drink, most auspicious. He sharpens surely the iron axe, by which Brahmanaspati cleaves the obstacles.
सतो नूनं कवयः सं शिशीत वाशीभिर्याभिरमृताय तक्षथ । विद्वांसः पदा गुह्यानि कर्तन येन देवासो अमृतत्वमानशुः
Indeed, the wise join together with axes, with which you fashioned immortality. Knowing the secret steps, you create, by which the gods attained to deathlessness.
गर्भे योषामदधुर्वत्समासन्यपीच्येन मनसोत जिह्वया । स विश्वाहा सुमना योग्या अभि सिषासनिर्वनते कार इज्जितिम्
They placed the calf within the womb of the cow, with subtle mind and tongue. He, ever benevolent, approaches all fitting things, the singer striving for victory.
तां सु ते कीर्तिं मघवन्महित्वा यत्त्वा भीते रोदसी अह्वयेताम् । प्रावो देवाँ आतिरो दासमोजः प्रजायै त्वस्यै यदशिक्ष इन्द्र
That fame of yours, O Maghavan, in greatness, when the trembling earth and sky called upon you— you led the gods, you surpassed the strength of the Dasa, for the offspring of that one when you aided, O Indra.
यदचरस्तन्वा वावृधानो बलानीन्द्र प्रब्रुवाणो जनेषु । मायेत्सा ते यानि युद्धान्याहुर्नाद्य शत्रुं ननु पुरा विवित्से
When you acted, growing in body and strength, O Indra, declaring your power among people— let not those battles be called your illusions; today, the enemy is not as before, to be tested.
क उ नु ते महिमनः समस्यास्मत्पूर्व ऋषयोऽन्तमापुः । यन्मातरं च पितरं च साकमजनयथास्तन्वः स्वायाः
Who then has reached the limit of your greatness? Which of our forebears, O Indra? When you created both mother and father together, from your own body.
चत्वारि ते असुर्याणि नामादाभ्यानि महिषस्य सन्ति । त्वमङ्ग तानि विश्वानि वित्से येभिः कर्माणि मघवञ्चकर्थ
Four names of your lordship, mighty one, are found in the buffalo. You, indeed, know all these, by which deeds, O Maghavan, you accomplished.
त्वं विश्वा दधिषे केवलानि यान्याविर्या च गुहा वसूनि । काममिन्मे मघवन्मा वि तारीस्त्वमाज्ञाता त्वमिन्द्रासि दाता
You hold all things, visible and hidden treasures. Do not cross my desire, O Maghavan. You are the knower, you are Indra, the giver.
यो अदधाज्ज्योतिषि ज्योतिरन्तर्यो असृजन्मधुना सं मधूनि । अध प्रियं शूषमिन्द्राय मन्म ब्रह्मकृतो बृहदुक्थादवाचि
He who placed light within light, who produced sweetness with honey— then, my dear praise for Indra, my song, made with sacred utterance, I have spoken aloud.