एतावानस्य महिमातो ज्यायाँश्च पूरुषः । पादोऽस्य विश्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवि
Such is his greatness, yet the Person is greater than this. All beings are but one quarter of him; three quarters, immortal, are in heaven.
त्रिपादूर्ध्व उदैत्पुरुषः पादोऽस्येहाभवत्पुनः । ततो विष्वङ्व्यक्रामत्साशनानशने अभि
Three quarters of the Person rose upward; one quarter was born here again. From that, he spread out in all directions, into what eats and what does not eat.
तस्माद्विराळजायत विराजो अधि पूरुषः । स जातो अत्यरिच्यत पश्चाद्भूमिमथो पुरः
From him was born Virāj, and from Virāj, the Person. When he was born, he spread out beyond the earth, both behind and before.
यत्पुरुषेण हविषा देवा यज्ञमतन्वत । वसन्तो अस्यासीदाज्यं ग्रीष्म इध्मः शरद्धविः
When the gods performed the sacrifice with the Person as the offering, spring was the clarified butter, summer the fuel, autumn the oblation.
तं यज्ञं बर्हिषि प्रौक्षन्पुरुषं जातमग्रतः । तेन देवा अयजन्त साध्या ऋषयश्च ये
They anointed that sacrifice, the Person who was born at the beginning, upon the sacred grass. With it, the gods, the Sādhyas, and the ancient sages sacrificed.
तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुतः सम्भृतं पृषदाज्यम् । पशून् ताँश्चक्रे वायव्यानारण्यान्ग्राम्याश्च ये
From that sacrifice, entirely offered, was gathered the clarified butter mixed with curds. He created the animals of the air, of the forest, and of the village.
तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुत ऋचः सामानि जज्ञिरे । छन्दांसि जज्ञिरे तस्माद्यजुस्तस्मादजायत
From that sacrifice, entirely offered, the Rig and Sāma hymns were born. The meters were born from it; from it, the Yajus came forth.
तस्मादश्वा अजायन्त ये के चोभयादतः । गावो ह जज्ञिरे तस्मात्तस्माज्जाता अजावयः
From it, horses were born, and all animals with two rows of teeth. Cows were born from it; from it, goats and sheep were produced.
यत्पुरुषं व्यदधुः कतिधा व्यकल्पयन् । मुखं किमस्य कौ बाहू का ऊरू पादा उच्येते
When they divided the Person, into how many parts did they arrange him? What was his mouth, what were his arms, what were his thighs, what are called his feet?
ब्राह्मणोऽस्य मुखमासीद्बाहू राजन्यः कृतः । ऊरू तदस्य यद्वैश्यः पद्भ्यां शूद्रो अजायत
The Brahmin was his mouth, the Kshatriya was made from his arms; from his thighs the Vaishya was born, and from his feet the Shudra arose.
चन्द्रमा मनसो जातश्चक्षोः सूर्यो अजायत । मुखादिन्द्रश्चाग्निश्च प्राणाद्वायुरजायत
The moon was born from his mind, the sun arose from his eye; from his mouth came Indra and Agni, and from his breath Vayu was born.
नाभ्या आसीदन्तरिक्षं शीर्ष्णो द्यौः समवर्तत । पद्भ्यां भूमिर्दिशः श्रोत्रात्तथा लोकाँ अकल्पयन्
From his navel came the midspace, from his head the sky was formed; from his feet the earth, from his ears the directions—thus they fashioned the worlds.
सप्तास्यासन्परिधयस्त्रिः सप्त समिधः कृताः । देवा यद्यज्ञं तन्वाना अबध्नन्पुरुषं पशुम्
Seven were his enclosing logs, three times seven the kindling sticks arranged; when the gods, performing the sacrifice, bound the Purusha as the sacrificial beast.
यज्ञेन यज्ञमयजन्त देवास्तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन् । ते ह नाकं महिमानः सचन्त यत्र पूर्वे साध्याः सन्ति देवाः
With sacrifice the gods performed sacrifice; these were the first sacred rites. They attained the heights of heaven, where the ancient Sadhyas, the gods, dwell.
सं जागृवद्भिर्जरमाण इध्यते दमे दमूना इषयन्निळस्पदे । विश्वस्य होता हविषो वरेण्यो विभुर्विभावा सुषखा सखीयते
He is kindled by those who are awake, though he grows old, in the house, inspiring the household, in his own abode; the universal priest, worthy of the offering, all-pervading, radiant, a good friend, he is befriended.
स दर्शतश्रीरतिथिर्गृहेगृहे वनेवने शिश्रिये तक्ववीरिव । जनंजनं जन्यो नाति मन्यते विश आ क्षेति विश्यो विशंविशम्
He, adorned with visible splendor, is a guest in every house, abiding in every forest like a skilled craftsman; he does not disregard any person, but dwells among all peoples, from tribe to tribe.
सुदक्षो दक्षैः क्रतुनासि सुक्रतुरग्ने कविः काव्येनासि विश्ववित् । वसुर्वसूनां क्षयसि त्वमेक इद्द्यावा च यानि पृथिवी च पुष्यतः
O Agni, you are wise with wisdom, skillful with skill, a sage with insight, knowing all things; you alone are the lord of riches, you make heaven and earth flourish.
प्रजानन्नग्ने तव योनिमृत्वियमिळायास्पदे घृतवन्तमासदः । आ ते चिकित्र उषसामिवेतयोऽरेपसः सूर्यस्येव रश्मयः
Knowing, O Agni, your origin, the seat of the rite, in the place of offering, rich with ghee, they have sat; to you, the shining ones come like the dawns, pure as the rays of the sun.
तव श्रियो वर्ष्यस्येव विद्युतश्चित्राश्चिकित्र उषसां न केतवः । यदोषधीरभिसृष्टो वनानि च परि स्वयं चिनुषे अन्नमास्ये
Your splendors, O Agni, are like the showers of rain, your bright flames like the signs of dawn; when you, sent forth, reach the plants and the woods, you yourself gather food into your mouth.
तमोषधीर्दधिरे गर्भमृत्वियं तमापो अग्निं जनयन्त मातरः । तमित्समानं वनिनश्च वीरुधोऽन्तर्वतीश्च सुवते च विश्वहा
The plants bore the embryo of the rite, the waters, O Agni, generated you, their son; him, the same one, the trees and the plants, pregnant and bearing, always bring forth everywhere.
वातोपधूत इषितो वशाँ अनु तृषु यदन्ना वेविषद्वितिष्ठसे । आ ते यतन्ते रथ्यो यथा पृथक्छर्धांस्यग्ने अजराणि धक्षतः
Driven by the wind, impelled by the will, you move among the three foods, O Agni, standing alert; the charioteers strive for you as for a prize, your ageless flames, O Agni, burn separately.
मेधाकारं विदथस्य प्रसाधनमग्निं होतारं परिभूतमं मतिम् । तमिदर्भे हविष्या समानमित्तमिन्महे वृणते नान्यं त्वत्
Agni, the maker of wisdom, the adornment of the assembly, the priest, the one who inspires thought, is revered; him, the same one, they choose with offerings, for greatness, and no other but you.
त्वामिदत्र वृणते त्वायवो होतारमग्ने विदथेषु वेधसः । यद्देवयन्तो दधति प्रयांसि ते हविष्मन्तो मनवो वृक्तबर्हिषः
You, indeed, are chosen here, O Agni, as the priest by the wise in the assemblies; when the worshippers place their offerings for you, the Manu-born, with sacred grass, devoted to the gods.
तवाग्ने होत्रं तव पोत्रमृत्वियं तव नेष्ट्रं त्वमग्निदृतायतः । तव प्रशास्त्रं त्वमध्वरीयसि ब्रह्मा चासि गृहपतिश्च नो दमे
Your priesthood, O Agni, your assistantship, your office of the rite, you are the inviter, you are the fire-kindler; your supervision, you are the master of the sacrifice, you are the Brahman, and you are the householder in our home.
यस्तुभ्यमग्ने अमृताय मर्त्यः समिधा दाशदुत वा हविष्कृति । तस्य होता भवसि यासि दूत्यमुप ब्रूषे यजस्यध्वरीयसि
Whoever, O Agni, offers to you, the immortal, with fuel or with offering, you become his priest, you go as messenger, you speak on behalf of the worshipper at the sacrifice.
इमा अस्मै मतयो वाचो अस्मदाँ ऋचो गिरः सुष्टुतयः समग्मत । वसूयवो वसवे जातवेदसे वृद्धासु चिद्वर्धनो यासु चाकनत्
These thoughts, these words of ours, these hymns, these praises, have come together for him; seeking wealth, for the all-knowing Agni, who increases even the grown, and who delights in them.
इमां प्रत्नाय सुष्टुतिं नवीयसीं वोचेयमस्मा उशते शृणोतु नः । भूया अन्तरा हृद्यस्य निस्पृशे जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासाः
This ancient, excellent praise, ever new, let us speak for him, the bountiful one; may he hear us, may he be ever within the heart, like a devoted wife, adorned, in her husband's house.
यस्मिन्नश्वास ऋषभास उक्षणो वशा मेषा अवसृष्टास आहुताः । कीलालपे सोमपृष्ठाय वेधसे हृदा मतिं जनये चारुमग्नये
In whom horses, bulls, oxen, cows, and sheep, released and offered, are placed as oblations— for the wise one who delights in Soma, I generate with my heart a lovely thought for Agni.
अहाव्यग्ने हविरास्ये ते स्रुचीव घृतं चम्वीव सोमः । वाजसनिं रयिमस्मे सुवीरं प्रशस्तं धेहि यशसं बृहन्तम्
O Agni, the offering is for you; may the clarified butter be as a ladle, and the Soma as a vessel. Grant us wealth full of strength, abundant in heroes, renowned, and great in glory.
यज्ञस्य वो रथ्यं विश्पतिं विशां होतारमक्तोरतिथिं विभावसुम् । शोचञ्छुष्कासु हरिणीषु जर्भुरद्वृषा केतुर्यजतो द्यामशायत
To you, the lord of the sacrifice, the charioteer, the chief of the people, the Hotar, the guest of the worshipper, the radiant one— blazing among dry woods, the mighty, the sign of the worshipper, who stretches the sky—