Sukta 52

विश्वे देवाः शास्तन मा यथेह होता वृतो मनवै यन्निषद्य। प्र मे ब्रूत भागधेयं यथा वो येन पथा हव्यमा वो वहानि॥

viśve devāḥ śāstana mā yatheha hotā vṛto manavai yanniṣadya | pra me brūta bhāgadheyaṁ yathā vo yena pathā havyamā vo vahāni ||

INSTRUCT me, all ye Gods, how I, elected your Priest, must seat me here, and how address you. Instruct me how to deal to each his portion, and by what ' path to bring you man's oblation.

अहं होता न्यसीदं यजीयान्विश्वे देवा मरुतो मा जुनन्ति। अहरहरश्विनाध्वर्यवं वां ब्रह्मा समिद्भवति साहुतिर्वाम्॥

ahaṁ hotā nyasīdaṁ yajīyānviśve devā maruto mā junanti | aharaharaśvinādhvaryavaṁ vāṁ brahmā samidbhavati sāhutirvām ||

I sit as Priest most skilled in sacrificing: the Maruts and all Deities impel me. Asvins, each day yours is the Adhvaryu's duty: Brahman and wood are here: 'tis yours to offer.

अयं यो होता किरु स यमस्य कमप्यूहे यत्समञ्जन्ति देवाः। अहरहर्जायते मासिमास्यथा देवा दधिरे हव्यवाहम्॥

ayaṁ yo hotā kiru sa yamasya kamapyūhe yatsamañjanti devāḥ | aharaharjāyate māsimāsyathā devā dadhire havyavāham ||

Who is the Priest? Is he the Priest of Yama? On whom is thrust this God-appointed honour? He springs to life each month, each day that passes; so Gods have made him their oblation-bearer.

मां देवा दधिरे हव्यवाहमपम्लुक्तं बहु कृच्छ्रा चरन्तम्। अग्निर्विद्वान्यज्ञं नः कल्पयाति पञ्चयामं त्रिवृतं सप्ततन्तुम्॥

māṁ devā dadhire havyavāhamapamluktaṁ bahu kṛcchrā carantam | agnirvidvānyajñaṁ naḥ kalpayāti pañcayāmaṁ trivṛtaṁ saptatantum ||

The Gods have made me bearer of oblations, who slipped away and passed through many troubles. Wise Agni shall ordain for us the worship, whether five-wayed, threefold, or seven-threaded.

आ वो यक्ष्यमृतत्वं सुवीरं यथा वो देवा वरिवः कराणि। आ बाह्वोर्वज्रमिन्द्रस्य धेयामथेमा विश्वाः पृतना जयाति॥

ā vo yakṣyamṛtatvaṁ suvīraṁ yathā vo devā varivaḥ karāṇi | ā bāhvorvajramindrasya dheyāmathemā viśvāḥ pṛtanā jayāti ||

So will I win you strength and life for ever. O Gods, that I may give you room and freedom. To Indra's arms would I consign the thunder; in all these battles shall he then be victor.

त्रीणि शता त्री सहस्राण्यग्निं त्रिंशच्च देवा नव चासपर्यन्। औक्षन्घृतैरस्तृणन्बर्हिरस्मा आदिद्धोतारं न्यसादयन्त॥

trīṇi śatā trī sahasrāṇyagniṁ triṁśacca devā nava cāsaparyan | aukṣanghṛtairastṛṇanbarhirasmā ādiddhotāraṁ nyasādayanta ||

The Deities three hundred and thirty-nine, have served and honoured Agni, Strewn sacred grass, anointed him with butter, and seated him as Priest, the Gods' Invoker.