Sukta 3

अग्निं वो देवमग्निभिः सजोषा यजिष्ठं दूतमध्वरे कृणुध्वम्। यो मर्त्येषु निध्रुविरृतावा तपुर्मूर्धा घृतान्नः पावकः॥

agniṁ vo devamagnibhiḥ sajoṣā yajiṣṭhaṁ dūtamadhvare kṛṇudhvam | yo martyeṣu nidhruvirṛtāvā tapurmūrdhā ghṛtānnaḥ pāvakaḥ ||

ASSOCIATE with fires, make your God Agni envoy at sacrifice, best skilled in worship, Established firm among mankind, the Holy, flame-crowned and fed with oil, the Purifier.

प्रोथदश्वो न यवसेऽविष्यन्यदा महः संवरणाद्व्यस्थात्। आदस्य वातो अनु वाति शोचिरध स्म ते व्रजनं कृष्णमस्ति॥

prothadaśvo na yavase'viṣyanyadā mahaḥ saṁvaraṇādvyasthāt | ādasya vāto anu vāti śociradha sma te vrajanaṁ kṛṣṇamasti ||

Like a steed neighing eager for the pasture, when he hath stepped forth from the great enclosure: Then the wind following blows upon his splendour, and, straight, the path is black which thou hast travelled.

उद्यस्य ते नवजातस्य वृष्णोऽग्ने चरन्त्यजरा इधानाः। अच्छा द्यामरुषो धूम एति सं दूतो अग्न ईयसे हि देवान्॥

udyasya te navajātasya vṛṣṇo'gne carantyajarā idhānāḥ | acchā dyāmaruṣo dhūma eti saṁ dūto agna īyase hi devān ||

From thee a Bull but newly born, O Agni, the kindled everlasting flames rise upward. Aloft to heaven thy ruddy smoke ascendeth: Agni, thou speedest to the Gods as envoy.

वि यस्य ते पृथिव्यां पाजो अश्रेत्तृषु यदन्ना समवृक्त जम्भैः। सेनेव सृष्टा प्रसितिष्ट एति यवं न दस्म जुह्वा विवेक्षि॥

vi yasya te pṛthivyāṁ pājo aśrettṛṣu yadannā samavṛkta jambhaiḥ | seneva sṛṣṭā prasitiṣṭa eti yavaṁ na dasma juhvā vivekṣi ||

Thou whose fresh lustre o'er the earth advanceth when greedily with thy jaws thy food thou eatest. Like a host hurried onward comes thy lasso: fierce, with thy tongue thou piercest, as 'twere barley.

तमिद्दोषा तमुषसि यविष्ठमग्निमत्यं न मर्जयन्त नरः। निशिशाना अतिथिमस्य योनौ दीदाय शोचिराहुतस्य वृष्णः॥

tamiddoṣā tamuṣasi yaviṣṭhamagnimatyaṁ na marjayanta naraḥ | niśiśānā atithimasya yonau dīdāya śocirāhutasya vṛṣṇaḥ ||

The men have decked him both at eve and morning, Most Youthful Agni, as they tend a courser. They kindle him, a guest within his dwelling: bright shines the splendour of the worshipped Hero.

सुसंदृक्ते स्वनीक प्रतीकं वि यद्रुक्मो न रोचस उपाके। दिवो न ते तन्यतुरेति शुष्मश्चित्रो न सूरः प्रति चक्षि भानुम्॥

susaṁdṛkte svanīka pratīkaṁ vi yadrukmo na rocasa upāke | divo na te tanyatureti śuṣmaścitro na sūraḥ prati cakṣi bhānum ||

O fair of face, beautiful is thine aspect when, very near at hand, like gold thou gleamest, Like Heaven's thundering roar thy might approaches, and like the wondrous Sun thy light thou showest.

यथा वः स्वाहाग्नये दाशेम परीळाभिर्घृतवद्भिश्च हव्यैः। तेभिर्नो अग्ने अमितैर्महोभिः शतं पूर्भिरायसीभिर्नि पाहि॥

yathā vaḥ svāhāgnaye dāśema parīḻābhirghṛtavadbhiśca havyaiḥ | tebhirno agne amitairmahobhiḥ śataṁ pūrbhirāyasībhirni pāhi ||

That we may worship, with your Hail to Agni! with sacrificial cakes and fat oblations, Guard us, O Agni, with those boundless glories as with a hundred fortresses of iron.

या वा ते सन्ति दाशुषे अधृष्टा गिरो वा याभिर्नृवतीरुरुष्याः। ताभिर्नः सूनो सहसो नि पाहि स्मत्सूरीञ्जरितॄञ्जातवेदः॥

yā vā te santi dāśuṣe adhṛṣṭā giro vā yābhirnṛvatīruruṣyāḥ | tābhirnaḥ sūno sahaso ni pāhi smatsūrīñjaritṝñjātavedaḥ ||

Thine are resistless songs for him who offers, and hero-giving hymns wherewith thou savest; With these, O Son of Strength, O Jatavedas, guard us, preserve these princes and the singers.

निर्यत्पूतेव स्वधितिः शुचिर्गात्स्वया कृपा तन्वा रोचमानः। आ यो मात्रोरुशेन्यो जनिष्ट देवयज्याय सुक्रतुः पावकः॥

niryatpūteva svadhitiḥ śucirgātsvayā kṛpā tanvā rocamānaḥ | ā yo mātroruśenyo janiṣṭa devayajyāya sukratuḥ pāvakaḥ ||

When forth he cometh, like an axe new-sharpened, pure in his form, resplendent in his body, Sprung, sought with eager longing, from his Parents, for the Gods' worship, Sage and Purifier:

एता नो अग्ने सौभगा दिदीह्यपि क्रतुं सुचेतसं वतेम। विश्वा स्तोतृभ्यो गृणते च सन्तु यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः॥

etā no agne saubhagā didīhyapi kratuṁ sucetasaṁ vatema | viśvā stotṛbhyo gṛṇate ca santu yūyaṁ pāta svastibhiḥ sadā naḥ ||

Shine this felicity on us, O Agni: may we attain to perfect understanding. All happiness be theirs who sing and praise thee. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.