Sukta 43

इमे विप्रस्य वेधसोऽग्नेरस्तृतयज्वनः। गिरः स्तोमास ईरते॥

ime viprasya vedhaso'gnerastṛtayajvanaḥ | giraḥ stomāsa īrate ||

THESE songs of mine go forth as lauds of Agni, the disposing Sage, Whose worshipper is ne'er o'erthrawn.

अस्मै ते प्रतिहर्यते जातवेदो विचर्षणे। अग्ने जनामि सुष्टुतिम्॥

asmai te pratiharyate jātavedo vicarṣaṇe | agne janāmi suṣṭutim ||

Wise Agni Jatavedas, I beget a song of praise for thee. Who willingly receivest it.

आरोका इव घेदह तिग्मा अग्ने तव त्विषः। दद्भिर्वनानि बप्सति॥

ārokā iva ghedaha tigmā agne tava tviṣaḥ | dadbhirvanāni bapsati ||

Thy sharpened flames, O Agni, like the gleams of light that glitter through, Devour the forests with their teeth.

हरयो धूमकेतवो वातजूता उप द्यवि। यतन्ते वृथगग्नयः॥

harayo dhūmaketavo vātajūtā upa dyavi | yatante vṛthagagnayaḥ ||

Gold-coloured, bannered with the smoke, urged by the wind, aloft to heaven Rise, lightly borne, the flames of fire.

एते त्ये वृथगग्नय इद्धासः समदृक्षत। उषसामिव केतवः॥

ete tye vṛthagagnaya iddhāsaḥ samadṛkṣata | uṣasāmiva ketavaḥ ||

These lightly kindled fiery flames are all around made visible, Even as the glearaings of the Dawns.

कृष्णा रजांसि पत्सुतः प्रयाणे जातवेदसः। अग्निर्यद्रोधति क्षमि॥

kṛṣṇā rajāṁsi patsutaḥ prayāṇe jātavedasaḥ | agniryadrodhati kṣami ||

As Jatavedas speeds along, the dust is black beneath his feet, When Agni spreads upon the earth.

धासिं कृण्वान ओषधीर्बप्सदग्निर्न वायति। पुनर्यन्तरुणीरपि॥

dhāsiṁ kṛṇvāna oṣadhīrbapsadagnirna vāyati | punaryantaruṇīrapi ||

Making the plants his nourishment, Agni devours and wearies not, Seeking the tender shrubs again.

जिह्वाभिरह नन्नमदर्चिषा जञ्जणाभवन्। अग्निर्वनेषु रोचते॥

jihvābhiraha nannamadarciṣā jañjaṇābhavan | agnirvaneṣu rocate ||

Bending him down with all his tongues, he flickers with his fiery glow Splendid is Agni in the woods.

अप्स्वग्ने सधिष्टव सौषधीरनु रुध्यसे। गर्भे सञ्जायसे पुनः॥

apsvagne sadhiṣṭava sauṣadhīranu rudhyase | garbhe sañjāyase punaḥ ||

Agni, thine home is in the floods: into the plants thou forcest way, And as their Child art born anew.

उदग्ने तव तद्घृतादर्ची रोचत आहुतम्। निंसानं जुह्वो मुखे॥

udagne tava tadghṛtādarcī rocata āhutam | niṁsānaṁ juhvo mukhe ||

Worshipped with offerings shines thy flame, O Agni, from the sacred oil, With kisses on the ladle's mouth.

उक्षान्नाय वशान्नाय सोमपृष्ठाय वेधसे। स्तोमैर्विधेमाग्नये॥

ukṣānnāya vaśānnāya somapṛṣṭhāya vedhase | stomairvidhemāgnaye ||

Let us serve Agni with our hymns, Disposer, fed on ox and cow, Who bears the Soma on his back.

उत त्वा नमसा वयं होतर्वरेण्यक्रतो। अग्ने समिद्भिरीमहे॥

uta tvā namasā vayaṁ hotarvareṇyakrato | agne samidbhirīmahe ||

Yea, thee, O Agni, do we seek with homage and with fuel, Priest Whose wisdom is most excellent.

उत त्वा भृगुवच्छुचे मनुष्वदग्न आहुत। अङ्गिरस्वद्धवामहे॥

uta tvā bhṛguvacchuce manuṣvadagna āhuta | aṅgirasvaddhavāmahe ||

O worshipped with oblations, pure Agni, we call on thee as erst, Did Bhrgu, Manus, Angiras.

त्वं ह्यग्ने अग्निना विप्रो विप्रेण सन्सता। सखा सख्या समिध्यसे॥

tvaṁ hyagne agninā vipro vipreṇa sansatā | sakhā sakhyā samidhyase ||

For thou, O Agni, by the fire, Sage by the Sage, Good by the Good, Friend by the Friend, art lighted up.

स त्वं विप्राय दाशुषे रयिं देहि सहस्रिणम्। अग्ने वीरवतीमिषम्॥

sa tvaṁ viprāya dāśuṣe rayiṁ dehi sahasriṇam | agne vīravatīmiṣam ||

So wealth in thousands, food with store of heroes give thou to the sage, O Agni, to the worshipper.

अग्ने भ्रातः सहस्कृत रोहिदश्व शुचिव्रत। इमं स्तोमं जुषस्व मे॥

agne bhrātaḥ sahaskṛta rohidaśva śucivrata | imaṁ stomaṁ juṣasva me ||

O Agni, Brother, made by strength, Lord of red steeds and brilliant sway, Take pleasure in this laud of mine.

उत त्वाग्ने मम स्तुतो वाश्राय प्रतिहर्यते। गोष्ठं गाव इवाशत॥

uta tvāgne mama stuto vāśrāya pratiharyate | goṣṭhaṁ gāva ivāśata ||

My praises, Agni, go to thee, as the cows seek the stall to meet, The lowing calf that longs for milk.

तुभ्यं ता अङ्गिरस्तम विश्वाः सुक्षितयः पृथक्। अग्ने कामाय येमिरे॥

tubhyaṁ tā aṅgirastama viśvāḥ sukṣitayaḥ pṛthak | agne kāmāya yemire ||

Agni, best Angiras, to thee all people who have pleasant homes, Apart, have turned as to their wish.

अग्निं धीभिर्मनीषिणो मेधिरासो विपश्चितः। अद्मसद्याय हिन्विरे॥

agniṁ dhībhirmanīṣiṇo medhirāso vipaścitaḥ | admasadyāya hinvire ||

The sages skilled in holy song and thin. kers with their thoughts have urged Agni to share the sacred feast.

तं त्वामज्मेषु वाजिनं तन्वाना अग्ने अध्वरम्। वह्निं होतारमीळते॥

taṁ tvāmajmeṣu vājinaṁ tanvānā agne adhvaram | vahniṁ hotāramīḻate ||

So, Agni, unto thee the Priest, Invoker, strong in forays, pray 'nose who spin out the sacrifice.

पुरुत्रा हि सदृङ्ङसि विशो विश्वा अनु प्रभुः। समत्सु त्वा हवामहे॥

purutrā hi sadṛṅṅasi viśo viśvā anu prabhuḥ | samatsu tvā havāmahe ||

In many a place, the same in look art thou, a Prince o'er all the tribes In battles we invoke thine aid.

तमीळिष्व य आहुतोऽग्निर्विभ्राजते घृतैः। इमं नः शृणवद्धवम्॥

tamīḻiṣva ya āhuto'gnirvibhrājate ghṛtaiḥ | imaṁ naḥ śṛṇavaddhavam ||

Pray thou to Agni, pray to him who blazes served with sacred oil: Let him give ear to this our call.

तं त्वा वयं हवामहे शृण्वन्तं जातवेदसम्। अग्ने घ्नन्तमप द्विषः॥

taṁ tvā vayaṁ havāmahe śṛṇvantaṁ jātavedasam | agne ghnantamapa dviṣaḥ ||

We call on thee as such, as one who hears, as Jatavedas, one, Agni! who beats away our foes.

विशां राजानमद्भुतमध्यक्षं धर्मणामिमम्। अग्निमीळे स उ श्रवत्॥

viśāṁ rājānamadbhutamadhyakṣaṁ dharmaṇāmimam | agnimīḻe sa u śravat ||

I pray to Agni, King of men, the Wonderful, the President Of holy Laws: may he give ear.

अग्निं विश्वायुवेपसं मर्यं न वाजिनं हितम्। सप्तिं न वाजयामसि॥

agniṁ viśvāyuvepasaṁ maryaṁ na vājinaṁ hitam | saptiṁ na vājayāmasi ||

Him like a bridegroom, him who stirs all people, like a noble horse, Like a fleet steed, we instigate.

घ्नन्मृध्राण्यप द्विषो दहन्रक्षांसि विश्वहा। अग्ने तिग्मेन दीदिहि॥

ghnanmṛdhrāṇyapa dviṣo dahanrakṣāṁsi viśvahā | agne tigmena dīdihi ||

Slaying things deadly, burning up foes, Riksasas, on every side, Shine, Agni, with thy sharpened flame.

यं त्वा जनास इन्धते मनुष्वदङ्गिरस्तम। अग्ने स बोधि मे वचः॥

yaṁ tvā janāsa indhate manuṣvadaṅgirastama | agne sa bodhi me vacaḥ ||

Thou whom the people kindle even as Manus did, best Angiras! O Agni, mark thou this my speech.

यदग्ने दिविजा अस्यप्सुजा वा सहस्कृत। तं त्वा गीर्भिर्हवामहे॥

yadagne divijā asyapsujā vā sahaskṛta | taṁ tvā gīrbhirhavāmahe ||

O Agni, made by strength! be thou born in the heavens or born in floods, As such we call on thee with songs.

तुभ्यं घेत्ते जना इमे विश्वाः सुक्षितयः पृथक्। धासिं हिन्वन्त्यत्तवे॥

tubhyaṁ ghette janā ime viśvāḥ sukṣitayaḥ pṛthak | dhāsiṁ hinvantyattave ||

Yea, all the people, all the folk who have good dwellings, each apart, Send food for thee to eat thereof.

ते घेदग्ने स्वाध्योऽहा विश्वा नृचक्षसः। तरन्तः स्याम दुर्गहा॥

te ghedagne svādhyo'hā viśvā nṛcakṣasaḥ | tarantaḥ syāma durgahā ||

O Agni, so may we, devout, gazed at by men, throughout our days, Pass lightly over all distress.

अग्निं मन्द्रं पुरुप्रियं शीरं पावकशोचिषम्। हृद्भिर्मन्द्रेभिरीमहे॥

agniṁ mandraṁ purupriyaṁ śīraṁ pāvakaśociṣam | hṛdbhirmandrebhirīmahe ||

We venerate with cheerful hearts the cheerful Agni, dear to all, Burning, with purifying flame.

स त्वमग्ने विभावसुः सृजन्सूर्यो न रश्मिभिः। शर्धन्तमांसि जिघ्नसे॥

sa tvamagne vibhāvasuḥ sṛjansūryo na raśmibhiḥ | śardhantamāṁsi jighnase ||

So thou, O Agni rich in light, beaming like Surya with thy rays Boldly demolishest the gloom,

तत्ते सहस्व ईमहे दात्रं यन्नोपदस्यति। त्वदग्ने वार्यं वसु॥

tatte sahasva īmahe dātraṁ yannopadasyati | tvadagne vāryaṁ vasu ||

We pray to thee for this thy gift, Victor the gift that faileth not, O Agni, choicest wealth from thee.