Sukta 31

त्वमग्ने प्रथमो अङ्गिरा ऋषिर्देवो देवानामभवः शिवः सखा। तव व्रते कवयो विद्मनापसोऽजायन्त मरुतो भ्राजदृष्टयः॥

tvamagne prathamo aṅgirā ṛṣirdevo devānāmabhavaḥ śivaḥ sakhā | tava vrate kavayo vidmanāpaso'jāyanta maruto bhrājadṛṣṭayaḥ ||

Thou, Agni, wast the earliest Angiras, a Seer; thou wast, a God thyself, the Gods' auspicious Friend. After thy holy ordinance the Maruts, sage, active through wisdom, -with their glittering spears, were born.

त्वमग्ने प्रथमो अङ्गिरस्तमः कविर्देवानां परि भूषसि व्रतम्। विभुर्विश्वस्मै भुवनाय मेधिरो द्विमाता शयुः कतिधा चिदायवे॥

tvamagne prathamo aṅgirastamaḥ kavirdevānāṁ pari bhūṣasi vratam | vibhurviśvasmai bhuvanāya medhiro dvimātā śayuḥ katidhā cidāyave ||

O Agni, thou, the best and earliest Angiras, fulfillest as a Sage the holy law of Gods. Sprung from two mothers, wise, through all existence spread, resting in many a place for sake of living man.

त्वमग्ने प्रथमो मातरिश्वन आविर्भव सुक्रतूया विवस्वते। अरेजेतां रोदसी होतृवूर्येऽसघ्नोर्भारमयजो महो वसो॥

tvamagne prathamo mātariśvana āvirbhava sukratūyā vivasvate | arejetāṁ rodasī hotṛvūrye'saghnorbhāramayajo maho vaso ||

To Matarisvan first thou, Agni, wast disclosed, and to Vivasvan through thy noble inward power. Heaven and Earth, Vasu! shook at the choosing of the Priest: the burthen thou didst bear, didst worship mighty Gods.

त्वमग्ने मनवे द्यामवाशयः पुरूरवसे सुकृते सुकृत्तरः। श्वात्रेण यत्पित्रोर्मुच्यसे पर्या त्वा पूर्वमनयन्नापरं पुनः॥

tvamagne manave dyāmavāśayaḥ purūravase sukṛte sukṛttaraḥ | śvātreṇa yatpitrormucyase paryā tvā pūrvamanayannāparaṁ punaḥ ||

Agni thou madest heaven to thunder for mankind; thou, yet more pious, for pious Pururavas. When thou art rapidly freed from thy parents, first eastward they bear thee round, and, after, to the west.

त्वमग्ने वृषभः पुष्टिवर्धन उद्यतस्रुचे भवसि श्रवाय्यः। य आहुतिं परि वेदा वषट्कृतिमेकायुरग्रे विश आविवाससि॥

tvamagne vṛṣabhaḥ puṣṭivardhana udyatasruce bhavasi śravāyyaḥ | ya āhutiṁ pari vedā vaṣaṭkṛtimekāyuragre viśa āvivāsasi ||

Thou, Agni, art a Bull who makes our store increase, to be invoked by him who lifts the ladle up. Well knowing the oblation with the hallowing word, uniting all who live, thou lightenest first our folk

त्वमग्ने वृजिनवर्तनिं नरं सक्मन्पिपर्षि विदथे विचर्षणे। यः शूरसाता परितक्म्ये धने दभ्रेभिश्चित्समृता हंसि भूयसः॥

tvamagne vṛjinavartaniṁ naraṁ sakmanpiparṣi vidathe vicarṣaṇe | yaḥ śūrasātā paritakmye dhane dabhrebhiścitsamṛtā haṁsi bhūyasaḥ ||

Agni, thou savest in the synod when pursued e'en him, farseeing One! who walks in evil ways. Thou, when the heroes fight for spoil which men rush, round, slayest in war the many by the hands of few.

त्वं तमग्ने अमृतत्व उत्तमे मर्तं दधासि श्रवसे दिवेदिवे। यस्तातृषाण उभयाय जन्मने मयः कृणोषि प्रय आ च सूरये॥

tvaṁ tamagne amṛtatva uttame martaṁ dadhāsi śravase divedive | yastātṛṣāṇa ubhayāya janmane mayaḥ kṛṇoṣi praya ā ca sūraye ||

For glory, Agni, day by day, thou liftest up the mortal man to highest immortality, Even thou who yearning for both races givest them great bliss, and to the prince grantest abundant food.

त्वं नो अग्ने सनये धनानां यशसं कारुं कृणुहि स्तवानः। ऋध्याम कर्मापसा नवेन देवैर्द्यावापृथिवी प्रावतं नः॥

tvaṁ no agne sanaye dhanānāṁ yaśasaṁ kāruṁ kṛṇuhi stavānaḥ | ṛdhyāma karmāpasā navena devairdyāvāpṛthivī prāvataṁ naḥ ||

O Agni, highly lauded, make our singer famous that he may win us store of riches: May we improve the rite with new performance. O Earth and Heaven, with all the Gods, protect us.

त्वं नो अग्ने पित्रोरुपस्थ आ देवो देवेष्वनवद्य जागृविः। तनूकृद्बोधि प्रमतिश्च कारवे त्वं कल्याण वसु विश्वमोपिषे॥

tvaṁ no agne pitrorupastha ā devo deveṣvanavadya jāgṛviḥ | tanūkṛdbodhi pramatiśca kārave tvaṁ kalyāṇa vasu viśvamopiṣe ||

O blameless Agni lying in thy Parents' lap, a God among the Gods, be watchful for our good. Former of bodies, be the singer's Providence: all good things hast thou sown for him, auspicious One!

त्वमग्ने प्रमतिस्त्वं पितासि नस्त्वं वयस्कृत्तव जामयो वयम्। सं त्वा रायः शतिनः सं सहस्रिणः सुवीरं यन्ति व्रतपामदाभ्य॥

tvamagne pramatistvaṁ pitāsi nastvaṁ vayaskṛttava jāmayo vayam | saṁ tvā rāyaḥ śatinaḥ saṁ sahasriṇaḥ suvīraṁ yanti vratapāmadābhya ||

Agni, thou art our Providence, our Father thou - we are thy brethren and thou art our spring of life. in thee, rich in good heroes, guard of high decrees, meet hundred, thousand treasures, O infallible!

त्वामग्ने प्रथममायुमायवे देवा अकृण्वन्नहुषस्य विश्पतिम्। इळामकृण्वन्मनुषस्य शासनीं पितुर्यत्पुत्रो ममकस्य जायते॥

tvāmagne prathamamāyumāyave devā akṛṇvannahuṣasya viśpatim | iḻāmakṛṇvanmanuṣasya śāsanīṁ pituryatputro mamakasya jāyate ||

Thee, Agni, have the Gods made the first living One for living man, Lord of the house of Nahusa. Ila they made the teacher of the sons of men, what time a Son was born to the father of my race.

त्वं नो अग्ने तव देव पायुभिर्मघोनो रक्ष तन्वश्च वन्द्य। त्राता तोकस्य तनये गवामस्यनिमेषं रक्षमाणस्तव व्रते॥

tvaṁ no agne tava deva pāyubhirmaghono rakṣa tanvaśca vandya | trātā tokasya tanaye gavāmasyanimeṣaṁ rakṣamāṇastava vrate ||

Worthy to be revered, O Agni, God, preserve our wealthy patrons with thy succours, and ourselves. Guard of our seed art thou, aiding our cows to bear, incessantly protecting in thy holy way.

त्वमग्ने यज्यवे पायुरन्तरोऽनिषङ्गाय चतुरक्ष इध्यसे। यो रातहव्योऽवृकाय धायसे कीरेश्चिन्मन्त्रं मनसा वनोषि तम्॥

tvamagne yajyave pāyurantaro'niṣaṅgāya caturakṣa idhyase | yo rātahavyo'vṛkāya dhāyase kīreścinmantraṁ manasā vanoṣi tam ||

Agni, thou art a guard close to the pious man; kindled art thou, four-eyed! for him who is unarmcd. With fond heart thou acceptest e'en the poor man's prayer, when he hath brought his gift to gain security.

त्वमग्न उरुशंसाय वाघते स्पार्हं यद्रेक्णः परमं वनोषि तत्। आध्रस्य चित्प्रमतिरुच्यसे पिता प्र पाकं शास्सि प्र दिशो विदुष्टरः॥

tvamagna uruśaṁsāya vāghate spārhaṁ yadrekṇaḥ paramaṁ vanoṣi tat | ādhrasya citpramatirucyase pitā pra pākaṁ śāssi pra diśo viduṣṭaraḥ ||

Thou, Agni gainest for the loudly-praising priest the highest wealth, the object of a man's desire. Thou art called Father, caring even for the weak, and wisest, to the simple one thou teachest lore.

त्वमग्ने प्रयतदक्षिणं नरं वर्मेव स्यूतं परि पासि विश्वतः। स्वादुक्षद्मा यो वसतौ स्योनकृज्जीवयाजं यजते सोपमा दिवः॥

tvamagne prayatadakṣiṇaṁ naraṁ varmeva syūtaṁ pari pāsi viśvataḥ | svādukṣadmā yo vasatau syonakṛjjīvayājaṁ yajate sopamā divaḥ ||

Agni, the man who giveth guerdon to the priests, like well-sewn armour thou guardest on every side. He who with grateful food shows kindness in his house, an offerer to the living, is the type of heaven.

इमामग्ने शरणिं मीमृषो न इममध्वानं यमगाम दूरात्। आपिः पिता प्रमतिः सोम्यानां भृमिरस्यृषिकृन्मर्त्यानाम्॥

imāmagne śaraṇiṁ mīmṛṣo na imamadhvānaṁ yamagāma dūrāt | āpiḥ pitā pramatiḥ somyānāṁ bhṛmirasyṛṣikṛnmartyānām ||

Pardon, we pray, this sin of ours, O Agni, -- the path which we have trodden, widely straying, Dear Friend and Father, caring for the pious, who speedest nigh and who inspirest mortals.

मनुष्वदग्ने अङ्गिरस्वदङ्गिरो ययातिवत्सदने पूर्ववच्छुचे। अच्छ याह्या वहा दैव्यं जनमा सादय बर्हिषि यक्षि च प्रियम्॥

manuṣvadagne aṅgirasvadaṅgiro yayātivatsadane pūrvavacchuce | accha yāhyā vahā daivyaṁ janamā sādaya barhiṣi yakṣi ca priyam ||

As erst to Manus, to Yayiti, Angiras, so Angiras! pure Agni! come thou to our hall Bring hither the celestial host and seat them here upon the sacred grass, and offer what they love.

एतेनाग्ने ब्रह्मणा वावृधस्व शक्ती वा यत्ते चकृमा विदा वा। उत प्र णेष्यभि वस्यो अस्मान्सं नः सृज सुमत्या वाजवत्या॥

etenāgne brahmaṇā vāvṛdhasva śaktī vā yatte cakṛmā vidā vā | uta pra ṇeṣyabhi vasyo asmānsaṁ naḥ sṛja sumatyā vājavatyā ||

By this our prayer be thou, O Agni, strengthened, prayer made by us after our power and knowledge. Lead thou us, therefore, to increasing riches; endow us with thy strength-bestowing favour.