Sukta 2

वैश्वानराय धिषणामृतावृधे घृतं न पूतमग्नये जनामसि। द्विता होतारं मनुषश्च वाघतो धिया रथं न कुलिशः समृण्वति॥

vaiśvānarāya dhiṣaṇāmṛtāvṛdhe ghṛtaṁ na pūtamagnaye janāmasi | dvitā hotāraṁ manuṣaśca vāghato dhiyā rathaṁ na kuliśaḥ samṛṇvati ||

To him, Vaisvanara, who strengthens Holy Law, to Agni we present our praise like oil made pure. With thoughtful insight human priests bring him anear, our Herald from of old, as an axe forms a car.

स रोचयज्जनुषा रोदसी उभे स मात्रोरभवत्पुत्र ईड्यः। हव्यवाळग्निरजरश्चनोहितो दूळभो विशामतिथिर्विभावसुः॥

sa rocayajjanuṣā rodasī ubhe sa mātrorabhavatputra īḍyaḥ | havyavāḻagnirajaraścanohito dūḻabho viśāmatithirvibhāvasuḥ ||

He made the heaven and earth resplendent by his birth: Child of two Mothers he was meet to be implored, Agni, oblation-bearer, gracious, ever-young, infallible, rich in radiant light, the guest of men.

क्रत्वा दक्षस्य तरुषो विधर्मणि देवासो अग्निं जनयन्त चित्तिभिः। रुरुचानं भानुना ज्योतिषा महामत्यं न वाजं सनिष्यन्नुप ब्रुवे॥

kratvā dakṣasya taruṣo vidharmaṇi devāso agniṁ janayanta cittibhiḥ | rurucānaṁ bhānunā jyotiṣā mahāmatyaṁ na vājaṁ saniṣyannupa bruve ||

Within the range of their surpassinq power, by might, the Gods created Agni with inventive thought. I, eager to win strength, address him, like a steed, resplendent with his brilliance, with his ample light.

आ मन्द्रस्य सनिष्यन्तो वरेण्यं वृणीमहे अह्रयं वाजमृग्मियम्। रातिं भृगूणामुशिजं कविक्रतुमग्निं राजन्तं दिव्येन शोचिषा॥

ā mandrasya saniṣyanto vareṇyaṁ vṛṇīmahe ahrayaṁ vājamṛgmiyam | rātiṁ bhṛgūṇāmuśijaṁ kavikratumagniṁ rājantaṁ divyena śociṣā ||

Eager to gain, we crave from him the friendly God strength confident, choiceworthy meet to be extolled: The Bhrgus' bounty, willing, strong with sages' lore, even Agni shining forth with light that comes from heaven.

अग्निं सुम्नाय दधिरे पुरो जना वाजश्रवसमिह वृक्तबर्हिषः। यतस्रुचः सुरुचं विश्वदेव्यं रुद्रं यज्ञानां साधदिष्टिमपसाम्॥

agniṁ sumnāya dadhire puro janā vājaśravasamiha vṛktabarhiṣaḥ | yatasrucaḥ surucaṁ viśvadevyaṁ rudraṁ yajñānāṁ sādhadiṣṭimapasām ||

For happiness, men, having trimmed the sacred grass, set Agni glorious for his strength before them here; Yea, with raised ladles, him bright, dear to all the Gods, perfecting aims of works, Rudra of solemn rites.

पावकशोचे तव हि क्षयं परि होतर्यज्ञेषु वृक्तबर्हिषो नरः। अग्ने दुव इच्छमानास आप्यमुपासते द्रविणं धेहि तेभ्यः॥

pāvakaśoce tava hi kṣayaṁ pari hotaryajñeṣu vṛktabarhiṣo naraḥ | agne duva icchamānāsa āpyamupāsate draviṇaṁ dhehi tebhyaḥ ||

Around thy dwelling-place, O brightly-shining Priest, are men at sacrifice, whose sacred grass is trimmed. Wishing to do thee service, Agni, they are there, desirous of thy friendship grant them store of wealth.

आ रोदसी अपृणदा स्वर्महज्जातं यदेनमपसो अधारयन्। सो अध्वराय परि णीयते कविरत्यो न वाजसातये चनोहितः॥

ā rodasī apṛṇadā svarmahajjātaṁ yadenamapaso adhārayan | so adhvarāya pari ṇīyate kaviratyo na vājasātaye canohitaḥ ||

He hath filled heaven and earth and the great realm of light, when at his birth the skilful held him in their hold. He like a horse is led forth to the sacrifice Sage, graciously inclined, that he may win us strength.

नमस्यत हव्यदातिं स्वध्वरं दुवस्यत दम्यं जातवेदसम्। रथीरृतस्य बृहतो विचर्षणिरग्निर्देवानामभवत्पुरोहितः॥

namasyata havyadātiṁ svadhvaraṁ duvasyata damyaṁ jātavedasam | rathīrṛtasya bṛhato vicarṣaṇiragnirdevānāmabhavatpurohitaḥ ||

Honour the oblation-bearer, him who knows fair rites, serve ye the Household Friend who knows all things that be. He drives the chariot of the lofty ordinance: Agni most active, is the great High Priest of Gods.

तिस्रो यह्वस्य समिधः परिज्मनोऽग्नेरपुनन्नुशिजो अमृत्यवः। तासामेकामदधुर्मर्त्ये भुजमु लोकमु द्वे उप जामिमीयतुः॥

tisro yahvasya samidhaḥ parijmano'gnerapunannuśijo amṛtyavaḥ | tāsāmekāmadadhurmartye bhujamu lokamu dve upa jāmimīyatuḥ ||

They who are free from death, fain for him, purified three splendours of the mighty Agni, circling all. To man, for his enjoyment, one of these they gave: the other two have passed into the sister sphere.

विशां कविं विश्पतिं मानुषीरिषः सं सीमकृण्वन्स्वधितिं न तेजसे। स उद्वतो निवतो याति वेविषत्स गर्भमेषु भुवनेषु दीधरत्॥

viśāṁ kaviṁ viśpatiṁ mānuṣīriṣaḥ saṁ sīmakṛṇvansvadhitiṁ na tejase | sa udvato nivato yāti veviṣatsa garbhameṣu bhuvaneṣu dīdharat ||

Man's sacrificial food hath sharpened like an axe, for brightness, him the Sage of men, the people's Lord, Busied with sacred rites he mounts and he descends. He hath laid down his vital germ within these worlds.

स जिन्वते जठरेषु प्रजज्ञिवान्वृषा चित्रेषु नानदन्न सिंहः। वैश्वानरः पृथुपाजा अमर्त्यो वसु रत्ना दयमानो वि दाशुषे॥

sa jinvate jaṭhareṣu prajajñivānvṛṣā citreṣu nānadanna siṁhaḥ | vaiśvānaraḥ pṛthupājā amartyo vasu ratnā dayamāno vi dāśuṣe ||

He stirs with life in wombs dissimilar in kind, born as a Lion or a loudly-bellowing Bull: Vaisvanara immortal with wide-reaching might, bestowing goods and wealth on him who offiers gifts.

वैश्वानरः प्रत्नथा नाकमारुहद्दिवस्पृष्ठं भन्दमानः सुमन्मभिः। स पूर्ववज्जनयञ्जन्तवे धनं समानमज्मं पर्येति जागृविः॥

vaiśvānaraḥ pratnathā nākamāruhaddivaspṛṣṭhaṁ bhandamānaḥ sumanmabhiḥ | sa pūrvavajjanayañjantave dhanaṁ samānamajmaṁ paryeti jāgṛviḥ ||

Vaisvanara, as of old, mounted the cope of heaven, heaven's ridge, well greeted, by those skilled in noble songs. He, as of old, producing riches for the folk, still watchful, traversesthe common way again.

ऋतावानं यज्ञियं विप्रमुक्थ्यमा यं दधे मातरिश्वा दिवि क्षयम्। तं चित्रयामं हरिकेशमीमहे सुदीतिमग्निं सुविताय नव्यसे॥

ṛtāvānaṁ yajñiyaṁ vipramukthyamā yaṁ dadhe mātariśvā divi kṣayam | taṁ citrayāmaṁ harikeśamīmahe sudītimagniṁ suvitāya navyase ||

For new prosperity we seek to Agni, him whose course is splendid, gold-haired, excellently bright, Whom Matarisvan stablished, dweller in the heaven, meet for high praise and holy, sage and true to Law.

शुचिं न यामन्निषिरं स्वर्दृशं केतुं दिवो रोचनस्थामुषर्बुधम्। अग्निं मूर्धानं दिवो अप्रतिष्कुतं तमीमहे नमसा वाजिनं बृहत्॥

śuciṁ na yāmanniṣiraṁ svardṛśaṁ ketuṁ divo rocanasthāmuṣarbudham | agniṁ mūrdhānaṁ divo apratiṣkutaṁ tamīmahe namasā vājinaṁ bṛhat ||

As pure and swift of course, beholder of the light, who stands in heaven's bright sphere a sign, who wakes at dawn, Agni, the head of heaven, whom none may turn aside-to him the Powerful with mighty prayer we seek.

मन्द्रं होतारं शुचिमद्वयाविनं दमूनसमुक्थ्यं विश्वचर्षणिम्। रथं न चित्रं वपुषाय दर्शतं मनुर्हितं सदमिद्राय ईमहे॥

mandraṁ hotāraṁ śucimadvayāvinaṁ damūnasamukthyaṁ viśvacarṣaṇim | rathaṁ na citraṁ vapuṣāya darśataṁ manurhitaṁ sadamidrāya īmahe ||

The cheerful Priest, the pure, in whom no guile is found, Friend of the House, praise-worthy, dear to all mankind, Fair to behold for beauty like a splendid car,- Agni the Friend of men we ever seek for wealth.