1 AGNI, come hither with thy fires; we choose thee as Invoking Priest. Let the extended ladle full of oil balm thee, best Priest, to sit on sacred grass.
2 For unto thee, O Aṅgiras, O Son of Strength, move ladles in the sacrifice. To Agni, Child of Force, whose locks drop oil, we seek, foremost in sacrificial rites.
3 Agni, thou art Disposer, Sage, Herald, bright God! and worshipful, Best offerer, cheerful, to be praised in holy rites, pure Lord! by singers with their hymns.
4 Most Youthful and Eternal, bring the longing Gods to me, the guileless, for the feast. Come, Vasu, to the banquet that is well-prepared: rejoice thee, gracious, with our songs.
5 Famed art thou, Agni, far and wide, Preserver, righteous, and a Sage. The holy singers, O refulgent kindled God! arrangers, call on thee to come.
śócā śociṣṭha dīdihí viśé máyo rā́sva stotré mahā́m̐ asi | devā́nāṃ śárman máma santu sūráyaḥ śatrūṣā́haḥ suagnáyaḥ ||
6 Shine, Most Resplendent! blaze, send bliss unto the folk, and to thy worshipper Great art thou. So may my princes, with good fires, subduing foes, rest in the keeping of the Gods.
yáthā cid vr̥ddhám atasám ágne saṃjū́rvasi kṣámi | evā́ daha mitramaho yó asmadhrúg durmánmā káś ca vénati ||
7 O Agni, as thou burnest down to earth even high-grown underwood, So, bright as Mitra is, burn him who injures us, him who plots ill against thy friend.
8 Give us not as a prey to mortal enemy, nor to the wicked friend of fiends. With conquering guards, auspicious, unassailable, protect us, O Most Youthful God.
9 Protect us, Agni, through the first, protect us through the second hymn, Protect us through three hymns, O Lord of Power and Might, through four hymns, Vasu, guard thou us.
pāhí víśvasmād rakṣáso árāvaṇaḥ prá sma vā́jeṣu no ava | tuvā́m íd dhí nédiṣṭhaṃ devátātaya āpíṃ nákṣāmahe vr̥dhé ||
10 Preserve us from each fiend who brings the Gods no gift, preserve thou us in deeds of strength: For we possess in thee the nearest Friend of all, for service of the Gods and weal.
ā́ no agne vayovŕ̥dhaṃ rayím pavāka+ śáṃsiyam | rā́svā ca na upamāte puruspŕ̥haṃ súnītī sváyaśastaram ||
11 O Holy Agni, give us wealth renowned with men and strengthening life. Bestow on us, O Helper, that which many crave, more glorious still by righteousness;
yéna váṃsāma pŕ̥tanāsu śárdhatas táranto aryá ādíśaḥ | sá tváṃ no vardha práyasā śacīvaso jínvā dhíyo vasuvídaḥ ||
12 Wherewith we may o’ercome our rivals in the war, o’erpowering the foe's designs. So wax thou by our food, O Excellent in strength. Quicken our thoughts that find out wealth.
śíśāno vr̥ṣabhó yathā agníḥ śŕ̥ṅge dávidhuvat | tigmā́ asya hánavo ná pratidhŕ̥ṣe sujámbhaḥ sáhaso yahúḥ ||
13 Agni is even as a bull who whets and brandishes his horns. Well-sharpened are his jaws which may not be withstood: the Child of Strength hath powerful teeth.
nahí te agne vr̥ṣabha pratidhŕ̥ṣe jámbhāso yád vitíṣṭhase | sá tváṃ no hotaḥ súhutaṃ havíṣ kr̥dhi váṃsvā no vā́riyā purú ||
14 Not to be stayed, O Bull, O Agni, are thy teeth when thou art spreading far and wide. Make our oblations duly offered up, O Priest, and give us store of precious things.
15 Thou liest in the wood: from both thy Mothers mortals kindle thee. Unweariedly thou bearest up the offerer's gifts, then shinest bright among the Gods.
16 And so the seven priests, O Agni, worship thee, Free-giver, Everlasting One. Thou cleavest through the rock with heat and fervent glow. Agni, rise up above the men.
17 For you let us whose grass is trimmed call Agni, Agni, restless God. Let us whose food is offered call to all the tribes Agni the Invoking Priest of men.
18 Agni, with noble psalm that tells his wish he dwells, thinking on thee who guardest him. Speedily bring us strength of many varied sorts to be most near to succour us.
ágne járitar viśpátis tepānó deva rakṣásaḥ | áproṣivān gr̥hápatir mahā́m̐ asi divás pāyúr duroṇayúḥ ||
19 Agni, Praise-singer! Lord of men, God burner-up of Rākṣasas, Mighty art thou, the ever-present Household-Lord, Home-friend and Guardian from the sky.
20 Let no fiend come among us, O thou rich in light, no spell of those who deal in spells. To distant pastures drive faint hunger: far away, O Agni, chase the demons’ friends.
Complete text
Maṇḍala I