Sukta 23

ईळिष्वा हि प्रतीव्यं यजस्व जातवेदसम्। चरिष्णुधूममगृभीतशोचिषम्॥

īḻiṣvā hi pratīvyaṁ yajasva jātavedasam | cariṣṇudhūmamagṛbhītaśociṣam ||

WORSHIP thou Jatavedas, pray to him who willingly accepts, Whose smoke wanders at will, and none may grasp his flame.

दामानं विश्वचर्षणेऽग्निं विश्वमनो गिरा। उत स्तुषे विष्पर्धसो रथानाम्॥

dāmānaṁ viśvacarṣaṇe'gniṁ viśvamano girā | uta stuṣe viṣpardhaso rathānām ||

Thou, all men's friend, Visvamanas, exaltest Agni with thy song, The Giver, and his flames with which no cars contend.

येषामाबाध ऋग्मिय इषः पृक्षश्च निग्रभे। उपविदा वह्निर्विन्दते वसु॥

yeṣāmābādha ṛgmiya iṣaḥ pṛkṣaśca nigrabhe | upavidā vahnirvindate vasu ||

Whose resolute assault, to win vigour and food, deserves our praise,- Through whose discovering power the priest obtaineth wealth.

उदस्य शोचिरस्थाद्दीदियुषो व्यजरम्। तपुर्जम्भस्य सुद्युतो गणश्रियः॥

udasya śocirasthāddīdiyuṣo vyajaram | tapurjambhasya sudyuto gaṇaśriyaḥ ||

Up springs the imperishable flame, the flame of the Refulgent One Most bright, with glowing jaws and glory in his train.

उदु तिष्ठ स्वध्वर स्तवानो देव्या कृपा। अभिख्या भासा बृहता शुशुक्वनिः॥

udu tiṣṭha svadhvara stavāno devyā kṛpā | abhikhyā bhāsā bṛhatā śuśukvaniḥ ||

Skilled in fair sacrifice, extolled, arise in Godlike loveliness, Shining with lofty splendour, with effulgent light.

अग्ने याहि सुशस्तिभिर्हव्या जुह्वान आनुषक्। यथा दूतो बभूथ हव्यवाहनः॥

agne yāhi suśastibhirhavyā juhvāna ānuṣak | yathā dūto babhūtha havyavāhanaḥ ||

Called straight to our oblations, come, O Agni, through our eulogies, As thou hast been our envoy bearing up our gifts.

अग्निं वः पूर्व्यं हुवे होतारं चर्षणीनाम्। तमया वाचा गृणे तमु वः स्तुषे॥

agniṁ vaḥ pūrvyaṁ huve hotāraṁ carṣaṇīnām | tamayā vācā gṛṇe tamu vaḥ stuṣe ||

I call your Agni, from of old Invoking Priest of living men: Him with this song I laud and magnify for you.

यज्ञेभिरद्भुतक्रतुं यं कृपा सूदयन्त इत्। मित्रं न जने सुधितमृतावनि॥

yajñebhiradbhutakratuṁ yaṁ kṛpā sūdayanta it | mitraṁ na jane sudhitamṛtāvani ||

Whom, wondrous wise, they animate with solemn rites and his fair form, Kind as a friend to men who keep the holy Law.

ऋतावानमृतायवो यज्ञस्य साधनं गिरा। उपो एनं जुजुषुर्नमसस्पदे॥

ṛtāvānamṛtāyavo yajñasya sādhanaṁ girā | upo enaṁ jujuṣurnamasaspade ||

Him, true to Law, who perfecteth the sacrifice,. Law-loving ones! Ye with your song have gratified in the place of prayer.

अच्छा नो अङ्गिरस्तमं यज्ञासो यन्तु संयतः। होता यो अस्ति विक्ष्वा यशस्तमः॥

acchā no aṅgirastamaṁ yajñāso yantu saṁyataḥ | hotā yo asti vikṣvā yaśastamaḥ ||

May all our sacrifices go to him the truest Angiras, Who is among mankind the most illustrious Priest.

अग्ने तव त्ये अजरेन्धानासो बृहद्भाः। अश्वा इव वृषणस्तविषीयवः॥

agne tava tye ajarendhānāso bṛhadbhāḥ | aśvā iva vṛṣaṇastaviṣīyavaḥ ||

Imperishable Agni, thine are all these high enkindled lights, Like horses and like stallions showing forth their strength.

स त्वं न ऊर्जां पते रयिं रास्व सुवीर्यम्। प्राव नस्तोके तनये समत्स्वा॥

sa tvaṁ na ūrjāṁ pate rayiṁ rāsva suvīryam | prāva nastoke tanaye samatsvā ||

So give us, Lord of Power and Might, riches combined with hero strength, And guard us with our sons and grand. sons in our frays.

यद्वा उ विश्पतिः शितः सुप्रीतो मनुषो विशि। विश्वेदग्निः प्रति रक्षांसि सेधति॥

yadvā u viśpatiḥ śitaḥ suprīto manuṣo viśi | viśvedagniḥ prati rakṣāṁsi sedhati ||

Soon as the eager Lord of men is friendly unto Manti's race, Agni averteth from us all the demon host.

श्रुष्ट्यग्ने नवस्य मे स्तोमस्य वीर विश्पते। नि मायिनस्तपुषा रक्षसो दह॥

śruṣṭyagne navasya me stomasya vīra viśpate | ni māyinastapuṣā rakṣaso daha ||

O Hero Agni, Lord of men, on hearing this new laud of mine, Burn down the Raksasas, enchanters, with thy flame.

न तस्य मायया चन रिपुरीशीत मर्त्यः। यो अग्नये ददाश हव्यदातिभिः॥

na tasya māyayā cana ripurīśīta martyaḥ | yo agnaye dadāśa havyadātibhiḥ ||

No mortal foe can e'er prevail by arts of magic over him Who serveth Agni well with sacrificial gifts.

व्यश्वस्त्वा वसुविदमुक्षण्युरप्रीणादृषिः। महो राये तमु त्वा समिधीमहि॥

vyaśvastvā vasuvidamukṣaṇyuraprīṇādṛṣiḥ | maho rāye tamu tvā samidhīmahi ||

Vyasva the sage, who sought the Bull, hath won thee, finder of good things: As such may we enkindle thee for ample wealth.

उशना काव्यस्त्वा नि होतारमसादयत्। आयजिं त्वा मनवे जातवेदसम्॥

uśanā kāvyastvā ni hotāramasādayat | āyajiṁ tvā manave jātavedasam ||

Usana Kavya stablished thee, O Agni, as Invoking Priest: Thee, Jatavedas, Sacrificing Priest for man.

विश्वे हि त्वा सजोषसो देवासो दूतमक्रत। श्रुष्टी देव प्रथमो यज्ञियो भुवः॥

viśve hi tvā sajoṣaso devāso dūtamakrata | śruṣṭī deva prathamo yajñiyo bhuvaḥ ||

All Deities of one accord appointed thee their messenger: Thou, God, through hearing, hadst first claim to sacrifice.

इमं घा वीरो अमृतं दूतं कृण्वीत मर्त्यः। पावकं कृष्णवर्तनिं विहायसम्॥

imaṁ ghā vīro amṛtaṁ dūtaṁ kṛṇvīta martyaḥ | pāvakaṁ kṛṣṇavartaniṁ vihāyasam ||

Him may the mortal hero make his own immortal messenger. Far-spreading, Purifier, him whose path is black.

तं हुवेम यतस्रुचः सुभासं शुक्रशोचिषम्। विशामग्निमजरं प्रत्नमीड्यम्॥

taṁ huvema yatasrucaḥ subhāsaṁ śukraśociṣam | viśāmagnimajaraṁ pratnamīḍyam ||

With lifted ladles let us call him splendid with his brilliant flame, Men's ancient Agni, wasting not, adorable.

यो अस्मै हव्यदातिभिराहुतिं मर्तोऽविधत्। भूरि पोषं स धत्ते वीरवद्यशः॥

yo asmai havyadātibhirāhutiṁ marto'vidhat | bhūri poṣaṁ sa dhatte vīravadyaśaḥ ||

The man who pays the worship due to him with sacrificial gifts Obtains both plenteous nourishment and hero fame.

प्रथमं जातवेदसमग्निं यज्ञेषु पूर्व्यम्। प्रति स्रुगेति नमसा हविष्मती॥

prathamaṁ jātavedasamagniṁ yajñeṣu pūrvyam | prati srugeti namasā haviṣmatī ||

To Jatavedas Agni, chief in sacrifices, first of all With homage goes the ladle rich with sacred gifts.

आभिर्विधेमाग्नये ज्येष्ठाभिर्व्यश्ववत्। मंहिष्ठाभिर्मतिभिः शुक्रशोचिषे॥

ābhirvidhemāgnaye jyeṣṭhābhirvyaśvavat | maṁhiṣṭhābhirmatibhiḥ śukraśociṣe ||

Even as Vyatya did, may we with these most high and liberal hymns Pay worship unto Agni of the splendid flame.

नूनमर्च विहायसे स्तोमेभिः स्थूरयूपवत्। ऋषे वैयश्व दम्यायाग्नये॥

nūnamarca vihāyase stomebhiḥ sthūrayūpavat | ṛṣe vaiyaśva damyāyāgnaye ||

Now sing, as Sthurayupa sang, with lands to him who spreadeth far, To Agni of the home, O Rsi, Vyasva's son.

अतिथिं मानुषाणां सूनुं वनस्पतीनाम्। विप्रा अग्निमवसे प्रत्नमीळते॥

atithiṁ mānuṣāṇāṁ sūnuṁ vanaspatīnām | viprā agnimavase pratnamīḻate ||

As welcome guest of human kind, as offspring of the forest kings, The sages worship ancient Agni for his aid.

महो विश्वाँ अभि षतोऽभि हव्यानि मानुषा। अग्ने नि षत्सि नमसाधि बर्हिषि॥

maho viśvā abhi ṣato'bhi havyāni mānuṣā | agne ni ṣatsi namasādhi barhiṣi ||

For men's oblations brought to him who is the mighty Lord of all, Sit, Agni, mid our homage, on the sacred grass.

वंस्वा नो वार्या पुरु वंस्व रायः पुरुस्पृहः। सुवीर्यस्य प्रजावतो यशस्वतः॥

vaṁsvā no vāryā puru vaṁsva rāyaḥ puruspṛhaḥ | suvīryasya prajāvato yaśasvataḥ ||

Grant us abundant. treasures, grant the opulence which many crave, With store of heroes, progeny, and high renown.

त्वं वरो सुषाम्णेऽग्ने जनाय चोदय। सदा वसो रातिं यविष्ठ शश्वते॥

tvaṁ varo suṣāmṇe'gne janāya codaya | sadā vaso rātiṁ yaviṣṭha śaśvate ||

Agni, Most Youthful of the Gods, send evermore the gift of wealth Unto Varosusaman and to all his folk.

त्वं हि सुप्रतूरसि त्वं नो गोमतीरिषः। महो रायः सातिमग्ने अपा वृधि॥

tvaṁ hi supratūrasi tvaṁ no gomatīriṣaḥ | maho rāyaḥ sātimagne apā vṛdhi ||

A mighty Conqueror art thou, O Agni, so disclose to us Food in our herds of kine and gain of ample wealth.

अग्ने त्वं यशा अस्या मित्रावरुणा वह। ऋतावाना सम्राजा पूतदक्षसा॥

agne tvaṁ yaśā asyā mitrāvaruṇā vaha | ṛtāvānā samrājā pūtadakṣasā ||

Thou, Agni, art a glorious God: bring hither Mitra, Varuna, Imperial Sovrans, holy-minded, true to Law.