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—
इममञ्जस्पामुभये अकृण्वत धर्माणमग्निं विदथस्य साधनम् । अक्तुं न यह्वमुषसः पुरोहितं तनूनपातमरुषस्य निंसते
Both races have made this Agni, steadfast in law, the accomplisher of the assembly, like a strong bull, the priest of the dawns, the son of strength, the tawny one, who sits as the house-priest.
बळस्य नीथा वि पणेश्च मन्महे वया अस्य प्रहुता आसुरत्तवे । यदा घोरासो अमृतत्वमाशतादिज्जनस्य दैव्यस्य चर्किरन्
We seek the guidance of the strong one and the path of the treasure-keeper; by his call, we desire his lordship. When the fierce ones attained immortality, they scattered the people of the divine with their praise.
ऋतस्य हि प्रसितिर्द्यौरुरु व्यचो नमो मह्यरमतिः पनीयसी । इन्द्रो मित्रो वरुणः सं चिकित्रिरेऽथो भगः सविता पूतदक्षसः
For the course of truth is vast, the sky is wide, and reverence, great and abundant, is to be sought. Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa have considered it; so too Bhaga and Savitṛ, pure in insight.
प्र रुद्रेण ययिना यन्ति सिन्धवस्तिरो महीमरमतिं दधन्विरे । येभिः परिज्मा परियन्नुरु ज्रयो वि रोरुवज्जठरे विश्वमुक्षते
With Rudra as their leader, the rivers flow, spreading wide, bearing abundant water. With these, the far-striding one, moving around, brings forth wide offspring; in his womb, all is set free.
क्राणा रुद्रा मरुतो विश्वकृष्टयो दिवः श्येनासो असुरस्य नीळयः । तेभिश्चष्टे वरुणो मित्रो अर्यमेन्द्रो देवेभिरर्वशेभिरर्वशः
The Rudras, Maruts, all the peoples, the celestial eagles, the guardians of the mighty— with these, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman, Indra, and the gods, the swift ones, behold all.
इन्द्रे भुजं शशमानास आशत सूरो दृशीके वृषणश्च पौंस्ये । प्र ये न्वस्यार्हणा ततक्षिरे युजं वज्रं नृषदनेषु कारवः
On Indra's arm, the eager ones have relied; the sun in vision, the mighty in manliness. For whom, indeed, the skilled have fashioned the fitting thunderbolt, yoked in the seat of men.
सूरश्चिदा हरितो अस्य रीरमदिन्द्रादा कश्चिद्भयते तवीयसः । भीमस्य वृष्णो जठरादभिश्वसो दिवेदिवे सहुरि स्तन्नबाधितः
Even the sun, the bright one, delights in his strength; none is feared more than Indra. From the belly of the fearsome bull, the mighty, the thunder roars day by day, repelling the foe.
स्तोमं वो अद्य रुद्राय शिक्वसे क्षयद्वीराय नमसा दिदिष्टन । येभिः शिवः स्ववाँ एवयावभिर्दिवः सिषक्ति स्वयशा निकामभिः
Today offer praise to Rudra, the mighty, the protector of heroes, with reverence. By whom the gracious one, self-praised, with his own bands, rules the heavens with his own glory.
ते हि प्रजाया अभरन्त वि श्रवो बृहस्पतिर्वृषभः सोमजामयः । यज्ञैरथर्वा प्रथमो वि धारयद्देवा दक्षैर्भृगवः सं चिकित्रिरे
For they bore forth wide fame for their offspring— Bṛhaspati, the bull, born of Soma. With sacrifices, Atharvan first upheld the gods; by their skill, the Bhṛgus have considered.
ते हि द्यावापृथिवी भूरिरेतसा नराशंसश्चतुरङ्गो यमोऽदितिः । देवस्त्वष्टा द्रविणोदा ऋभुक्षणः प्र रोदसी मरुतो विष्णुरर्हिरे
For they, Heaven and Earth, rich in seed, Naraśaṃsa, fourfold Yama, Aditi, the god Tvaṣṭṛ, the giver of wealth, the skillful Ṛbhus— the two worlds, the Maruts, Viṣṇu, are invoked.