सूक्त २

कुमारं माता युवतिः समुब्धं गुहा बिभर्ति न ददाति पित्रे। अनीकमस्य न मिनज्जनासः पुरः पश्यन्ति निहितमरतौ॥

kumāraṁ mātā yuvatiḥ samubdhaṁ guhā bibharti na dadāti pitre | anīkamasya na minajjanāsaḥ puraḥ paśyanti nihitamaratau ||

THE youthful Mother keeps the Boy in secret pressed to her close, nor yields him to the Father. But, when he lies upon the arm, the people see his unfading countenance before them.

कमेतं त्वं युवते कुमारं पेषी बिभर्षि महिषी जजान। पूर्वीर्हि गर्भः शरदो ववर्धापश्यं जातं यदसूत माता॥

kametaṁ tvaṁ yuvate kumāraṁ peṣī bibharṣi mahiṣī jajāna | pūrvīrhi garbhaḥ śarado vavardhāpaśyaṁ jātaṁ yadasūta mātā ||

What child is this thou carriest as handmaid, O Youthful One? The Consort-Queen hath bome him. The Babe unborn increased through many autumns. I saw him born what time his Mother bare him.

हिरण्यदन्तं शुचिवर्णमारात्क्षेत्रादपश्यमायुधा मिमानम्। ददानो अस्मा अमृतं विपृक्वत्किं मामनिन्द्राः कृणवन्ननुक्थाः॥

hiraṇyadantaṁ śucivarṇamārātkṣetrādapaśyamāyudhā mimānam | dadāno asmā amṛtaṁ vipṛkvatkiṁ māmanindrāḥ kṛṇavannanukthāḥ ||

I saw him from afar gold-toothed, bright-coloured, hurling his weapons from his habitation, What time I gave him Amrta free from mixture. How can the Indraless, the hymnless harm me?

क्षेत्रादपश्यं सनुतश्चरन्तं सुमद्यूथं न पुरु शोभमानम्। न ता अगृभ्रन्नजनिष्ट हि षः पलिक्नीरिद्युवतयो भवन्ति॥

kṣetrādapaśyaṁ sanutaścarantaṁ sumadyūthaṁ na puru śobhamānam | na tā agṛbhrannajaniṣṭa hi ṣaḥ paliknīridyuvatayo bhavanti ||

I saw him moving from the place he dwells in, even as with a herd, brilliantly shining. These seized him not: he had been born already. They who were grey with age again grow youthful.

के मे मर्यकं वि यवन्त गोभिर्न येषां गोपा अरणश्चिदास। य ईं जगृभुरव ते सृजन्त्वाजाति पश्व उप नश्चिकित्वान्॥

ke me maryakaṁ vi yavanta gobhirna yeṣāṁ gopā araṇaścidāsa | ya īṁ jagṛbhurava te sṛjantvājāti paśva upa naścikitvān ||

Who separate my young bull from the cattle, they whose protector was in truth no stranger? Let those whose hands have seized upon them free them. May he, observant, drive the herd to us- ward.

वसां राजानं वसतिं जनानामरातयो नि दधुर्मर्त्येषु। ब्रह्माण्यत्रेरव तं सृजन्तु निन्दितारो निन्द्यासो भवन्तु॥

vasāṁ rājānaṁ vasatiṁ janānāmarātayo ni dadhurmartyeṣu | brahmāṇyatrerava taṁ sṛjantu ninditāro nindyāso bhavantu ||

Mid mortal men godless have secreted the King of all who live, home of the people. So may the prayers of Atri give him freedom. Reproached in turn be those who now reproach him.

शुनश्चिच्छेपं निदितं सहस्राद्यूपादमुञ्चो अशमिष्ट हि षः। एवास्मदग्ने वि मुमुग्धि पाशान्होतश्चिकित्व इह तू निषद्य॥

śunaścicchepaṁ niditaṁ sahasrādyūpādamuñco aśamiṣṭa hi ṣaḥ | evāsmadagne vi mumugdhi pāśānhotaścikitva iha tū niṣadya ||

Thou from the stake didst loose e'en Sunahsepa bound for a thousand; for he prayed with fervour. So, Agni, loose from us the bonds that bind us, when thou art seated here, O Priest who knowest.

हृणीयमानो अप हि मदैयेः प्र मे देवानां व्रतपा उवाच। इन्द्रो विद्वाँ अनु हि त्वा चचक्ष तेनाहमग्ने अनुशिष्ट आगाम्॥

hṛṇīyamāno apa hi madaiyeḥ pra me devānāṁ vratapā uvāca | indro vidvā anu hi tvā cacakṣa tenāhamagne anuśiṣṭa āgām ||

Thou hast sped from me, Agni, in thine anger: this the protector of Gods' Laws hath told me. Indra who knoweth bent his eye upon thee: by him instructed am I come, O Agni.

वि ज्योतिषा बृहता भात्यग्निराविर्विश्वानि कृणुते महित्वा। प्रादेवीर्मायाः सहते दुरेवाः शिशीते शृङ्गे रक्षसे विनिक्षे॥

vi jyotiṣā bṛhatā bhātyagnirāvirviśvāni kṛṇute mahitvā | prādevīrmāyāḥ sahate durevāḥ śiśīte śṛṅge rakṣase vinikṣe ||

Agni shines far and wide with lofty splendour, and by his greatness makes all things apparent. He conquers godless and malign enchantments, and sharpens both his horns to gore the Raksas.

उत स्वानासो दिवि षन्त्वग्नेस्तिग्मायुधा रक्षसे हन्तवा उ। मदे चिदस्य प्र रुजन्ति भामा न वरन्ते परिबाधो अदेवीः॥

uta svānāso divi ṣantvagnestigmāyudhā rakṣase hantavā u | made cidasya pra rujanti bhāmā na varante paribādho adevīḥ ||

Loud in the heaven above be Agni's roarings with keen-edged weapons to destroy the demons. Forth burst his splendours in the Soma's rapture. The godless bands press round but cannot stayhim.

एतं ते स्तोमं तुविजात विप्रो रथं न धीरः स्वपा अतक्षम्। यदीदग्ने प्रति त्वं देव हर्याः स्वर्वतीरप एना जयेम॥

etaṁ te stomaṁ tuvijāta vipro rathaṁ na dhīraḥ svapā atakṣam | yadīdagne prati tvaṁ deva haryāḥ svarvatīrapa enā jayema ||

As a skilled craftsman makes a car, a singer I, Mighty One! this hymn for thee have fashioned. If thou, O Agni, God, accept it gladly, may we obtain thereby the heavenly Waters.

तुविग्रीवो वृषभो वावृधानोऽशत्र्वर्यः समजाति वेदः। इतीममग्निममृता अवोचन्बर्हिष्मते मनवे शर्म यंसद्धविष्मते मनवे शर्म यंसत्॥

tuvigrīvo vṛṣabho vāvṛdhāno'śatrvaryaḥ samajāti vedaḥ | itīmamagnimamṛtā avocanbarhiṣmate manave śarma yaṁsaddhaviṣmate manave śarma yaṁsat ||

May he, the strong-necked Steer, waxing in vigour, gather the foeman's wealth with none to check him. Thus to this Agni have the Immortals spoken. To man who spreads the grass may he grant shelter, grant shelter to the man who brings oblation.