Translator – Arthur Berriedale Keith
KANDA IV
THE PILING OF THE FIRE ALTAR
PRAPATHAKA I
The Placing of the Fire in the Fire-pan
iv. 1. 1.
a. Yoking mind first,
Extending his thoughts, Savitr
Discerning the light,
Hath brought Agni from the earth.
b. Yoking with mind the gods,
Going to the heaven, the sky, with thought,
Those that are to make great light,
Savitr instigates.
c. With mind well yoked are we
In the instigation of god Savitr,
For strength to go to the heaven.
d. They yoke their minds, they yoke their thoughts,
The priests of the mighty wise priest,
He alone, who knoweth the way, appointeth their functions [1]
Great is the praise of the god Savitr.
e. I yoke with honour your ancient prayer;
The praises go like Suras on their way;
All the sons of immortality hear (it),
Who have achieved dwellings divine.
f. He whose advance others followed,
Gods, of the god praising might,
He who meted out the regions of earth,
He is the brilliant god Savitr in greatness.
g. O god Savitr, instigate the sacrifice, instigate the lord of the sacrifice [2] to good luck; may the divine Gandharva, who purifieth thoughts purify our thought; may the lord of speech to-day make sweet our utterance.
h. This sacrifice for us, O god Savitr
Do thou instigate, serving the gods,
Finding comrades, ever victorious,
Winning booty, winning heaven.
i. By the Rc make the Stoma to prosper,
By the Gayatra the Rathantara,
The Brhat with the Gayatri for its metre.
k. On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, with the Gayatri metre, I take thee, in the manner of Angiras.
l. Thou art the spade, thou art the woman [3], from the abode of the earth I bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras; with the Tristubh metre I grasp thee in the manner of Angiras.
m. Thou art the bearer, thou art the woman; through thee may we be strong to dig Agni of the dust in his place; with the Jagati metre I grasp thee in the manner of Angiras.
n. Grasping in thy hand, Savitr,
Bearing the spade of gold,
Therewith digging Agni
Do thou bring for us light unperishing.
With the Anustubh metre I grasp thee in the manner of Angiras.
iv. i. 2.
a. This bond of order they grasped
At their assemblies in ages gone by, the sages;
Therewith the gods mastered the pressed (juice)–
In the Saman of order proclaiming the stream.
b. Swiftly run hither, O steed,
Along the most extended space;
In the sky is thy highest birth,
In the atmosphere thy navel, on the earth thy birthplace.
c. Yoke ye two the ass,
In this course, O ye of mighty wealth,
Which beareth Agni, serving us.
d. In each need more strong,
In each contest, we invoke,
As friends, Indra to aid us.
e. Hastening [1] come hither, trampling the enemy,
Come with wondrous skill from the leadership of Rudra;
Fare along the broad atmosphere,
With happy pastures, bestowing security.
f. With Pusan as fellow, from the abode of the earth do thou approach
Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
g. We approach Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
h. We will bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
i. We bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
k. Agni gazed along the forefront of the dawns,
Along the days first, the all-knower,
And in many ways along the rays of the sun [2],
He hath extended along sky and earth.
I. The steed coming from the way
Driveth every foe;
He is fain to gaze with his eye
On Agni in his great abode.
m. Coming to earth, O steed,
Do thou seek Agni with thy radiance;
Turning from earth I tell us
Whence we shall dig him up.
n. Thy back is the sky, thy abode earth,
Thy breath the atmosphere, thy birthplace the ocean;
Discerning with thine eye,
Do thou overcome [3] the enemy.
o. Arise for great prosperity
From this abode, giving wealth, O steed;
May we enjoy the loving favour of earth,
That are about to dig fire in her lap.
p. The strong steed hath stepped forward, giving wealth;
He hath made the place of earth well wrought;
Thence let us dig Agni of fair aspect,
Mounting the heaven on the top of the vault.
q. The water divine do thou pour, full of sweetness
To avert diseases for men,
From their place let arise
Plants with fair leaves.
r. I touch [4] Agni with mind, with ghee,
Who lordeth it over all the worlds,
Broad, vast, with pervading vital power,
Most extensive, impetuous, winning, food.
s. I touch thee with speech, with ghee,
With friendly mind accept it;
With mortal glory, with engaging colour,
Agni, with body full of life may not be touched.
t. Round the offerings hath Agni gone,
The sage, the lord of strength,
Bestowing jewels on the donor.
u. May we set thee around us, O Agni,
The sage, O strong one, as a fort,
Of daring due, day by day,
Destroyer of that which may be broken.
v. Thou, O Agni, with days, fain to shine towards us,
Thou from the waters, thou from the rock,
Thou from the woods, thou from the plants,
Thou, O lord of men, art born pure.
iv. 1. 3.
a. On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, in the abode of earth, I dig Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
b. Full of light, thou, O Agni; of fair aspect,
Shining with unaging radiance,
Auspicious and harmless to offspring,
In the abode of earth, I dig Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
c. Thou art the back of the waters, expansive, wide,
About to bear Agni, least to be laid aside;
Growing to might as the lotus-flower,
Do thou extend in width with the measure of heaven.
d. Ye two are protectors [1] and a help,
Unbroken, both expansive;
Do ye expanding be united;
Bear Agni of the dust.
e. Be ye united, that win the heaven,
In union of heart and self;
Who shall bear within Agni
Full of light and unaging.
f. Thou art of the dust, all-supporting; Atharvan first pressed out thee, O Agni.
g. Thee, O Agni, from the lotus
Atharvan pressed out,
From the head of every priest.
h. Thee the sage, Dadhyañc,
Son [2] of Atharvan, doth kindle,
Slayer of Vrtra, destroyer of foes.
i. Thee Pathya Vrsan doth kindle,
Best slayer of foes,
Winner of booty in every conflict.
k. Sit thou, O Hotr, in thine own world, wise,
Place thou the sacrifice in the birthplace of good deeds,
Eager for the gods, do thou sacrifice to them with oblation;
O Agni, bestow great strength on the sacrificer.
l. The Hotr hath sat him down in the place of the Hoty, wise,
Glittering, shining, skilful,
With vows and foresight undeceived, most wealthy,
Bearing a thousand, pure-tongued Agni.
m. Sit thou down, thou art great,
Burn [3] best servant of the gods;
O Agni, pure one, send forth the ruddy smoke,
O famous one, that can be seen afar.
n. Be born noble in the forefront of the days,
Kind to the kindly, red in the woods;
Bestowing seven jewels in every home
Hath Agni sat him down as Hotr.
iv. 1. 4.
a. May I Vayu, Matariçvan, unite
The broken heart of thee that art outstretched
To him who moveth with the expiration of the gods,
With thee, O goddess, be Vasat.
b. Wellborn, with light,
Guard and protector, thou hast sat on the heaven;
O Agni, thy garment of many hues,
Put on, O thou that dost abound in light.
c. Arise, thou of fair sacrifice,
Aid us with thy divine radiance;
Brilliant to behold, with mighty blaze,
Do thou come hither, O Agni, in response to our prayers [1].
d. Arise erect to aid us,
Like Savitr, the god;
Erect to win the booty,
When in contest we call on thee with the shining praisers.
e. Born, thou art the child of the two worlds,
O Agni; a brilliant child distributed among the plants;
A beauteous babe beyond the darkness outspread,
Thou didst come thundering from thy mothers.
f. Be firm, of strong limbs,
Swift, a mighty steed;
Be broad, of kindly seat,
Thou art the carrier of dust for Agni.
g Be auspicious [2], for offspring
Of men, O Angiras;
Scorch not sky and earth,
Nor the atmosphere, nor the trees.
h Let the steed advance, thundering
And resounding, the ass, the flier;
Bearing Agni of the dust
May he fall not before his day.
i. The ass, well yoked to your chariot,
O ye strong ones, that thundereth,
May he as swift envoy
Bear hence Agni of the dust.
k. The strong, bearing the strong Agni,
Germ of the waters, him of the ocean,
O Agni, come hither, for enjoyment [3],
As holy order and truth.
l. O plants, do ye accept Agni here
Who cometh auspicious towards you;
Casting aside all hostilities, all evil imaginings,
Sitting down, may he smite away from us misfortune.
m. O plants, do ye rejoice in him,
O ye that are rich in flowers, and have fair berries;
This germ of yours, of due season,
Hath sat him in his ancient seat.
iv. 1. 5.
a. Radiant with extending blaze,
Do thou repel the enemy, the Raksas’s hostility;
May I enjoy the protection of the great protector,
May I enjoy the leadership of Agni, easy to invoke.
b. Ye, waters, are healing;
Further us to strength,
To see great joy.
c. The most auspicious flavour that is yours,
Accord to us here,
Like eager mothers.
d. To him may we come with satisfaction,
To whose dwelling ye quicken us,
O waters, and propagate us.
e. Mitra [1], having united the earth
And the ground with light,
Agni well-born, all-knower,
Common to all men, the wide extending.
f. For health I unite thee, for offspring; may the All-gods, common to all men, unite thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras.
g. The Rudras, having gathered together the earth,
Kindled a great light;
Their ray undying
Shineth clear among the gods.
h. United by the Vasus, the cunning Rudras,
The mud fit for the rite,
Making it smooth with her hands,
May Sinivali fashion [2] this (pan).
i. Sinivali, of fair braids,
Of fair head-dress, with fair locks,
May she, O Aditi, O great one,
Place within thy hands the pan.
k. Let Aditi fashion the pan with might,
With her arms , with wisdom,
Let her bear Agni in her womb
As a mother a child in her lap.
I. Thou art the head of Makha.
m Ye are the two feet of the sacrifice.
n. May the Vasus fashion thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the earth; may the Rudras fashion thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the atmosphere [3]; may the Adityas fashion thee with the Jagati metre in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the sky; may the All-gods, common to all men, fashion thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the quarters; thou art the fixed (quarter); fix in me offspring, increase of wealth, richness in cattle, richness in heroes, (subject) his fellows to the sacrificer.
o. Thou art the girdle of Aditi.
p. Let Aditi seize thy hole with the Pankti metre, in the manner of Angiras.
q. Having made the great pan,
Wrought of clay, as a birthplace for Agni,
Aditi gave it to her sons,
(Saying), ‘Let them cook it.’
iv. 1. 6.
a. May the Vasus fumigate thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Rudras fumigate thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Adityas fumigate thee with the Jagati metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the All-gods, common to all men, fumigate thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may Indra fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras; may Visnu fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras; may Varuna fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras.
b. May Aditi, connected with the All-gods, the goddess, dig thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O trench.
c. May the wives of the gods [1], the goddesses, connected with the All-gods, place thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan.
d. May the Dhisanas, the goddesses connected with the All-gods, kindle thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan; may the wives, the goddesses, connected with the All-gods, prepare thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan; may the protectors, the women, the goddesses, connected with the All-gods, cook thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan.
e. O Mitra, cook this pan; may it not break.
f. This I place around thee, to prevent breaking.
g. Mitra, extending, compasseth
This sky in greatness [2],
And the earth with his fame.
h. The fame of Mitra, supporter of the people,
Of the god is eternal,
True, and most varied in fame.
i. May the god Savitr dig thee out,
With fair hands, fair fingers,
Fair arms, with his might.
k. Breaking not, O earth,
Do thou fill the regions, the quarters;
Arise, become great,
Stand upright, be thou firm.
l. May the Vasus fill thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras: may the Rudras fill thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Adityas fill thee with the Jagati metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the All-gods, common to all men, fill thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras.
