HYMN XV. Agni.
1. RESPLENDENT with thy wide-extending lustre, dispel the terrors of the fiends who hate us
May lofty Agni be my guide and shelter, the easily-invoked, the good Protector.
2. Be thou To us, while now the morn is breaking, be thou a guardian when the Sun hath mounted..
Accept, as men accept a true-born infant, my laud, O Agni nobly born in body.
3. Bull, who beholdest men, through many mornings, among the dark ones shine forth red, O Agni.
Lead us, good Lord, and bear us over trouble: Help us who long, Most Youthful God, to riches.
4. Shine forth, a Bull invincible, O Agni, winning by conquest all the forts and treasures,
Thou Jatavedas who art skilled in guiding, the chief high saving sacrifice’s Leader.
5. Lighting Gods hither, Agni, wisest Singer, bring thou to us many and flawless shelters.
Bring vigour, like a car that gathers booty: bring us, O Agni, beauteous.Rarth and Heaven.
6. Swell, O thou Bull and give those powers an impulse, e’en Earth and Heaven who yield their milk in plenty,
Shining, O God, with Gods in clear effulgence. Let not a mortal’s evil will obstruct us.
7. Agni, as holy food to thine invoker, give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.
To us be born a son and spreading ofrspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to us-ward.
HYMN XVI. Agni.
1. THIS Agni is the Lord of great felicity and hero Strength;
Lord of wealth in herds of kine; Lord of the battles with the foe.
2. Wait, Maruts, Heroes, upon him the Prosperer in whom is bliss-increasing wealth;
Who in fights ever conquer evil-hearted men, who overcome the enemy.
3. As such, O Agni, deal us wealth and hero might, O Bounteous One!
Most lofty, very glorious, rich in progeny, free from disease and full of power.
4. He who made all that lives, who passes all in might, who orders service to the Gods,
He works among the Gods, he works in hero strength, yea, also in the praise of men.
5. Give us not up to indigence, Agni, nor want of hero sons,
Nor, Son of Strength, to lack of cattle, nor to blame. Drive. thou our enemies away.
6. Help us to strength, blest Agni! rich in progeny, abundant, in our sacrifice.
Flood us with riches yet more plenteous, bringing weal, with high renown, most Glorious One!
HYMN XVII. Agni.
1. DULY enkindled after ancient customs, bringing all treasures, he is balmed with unguents,-
Flame-haired, oil-clad, the purifying Agni, skilled in fair rites, to bring the Gods for worship.
2. As thou, O Agni, skilful Jatavedas, hast sacrificed as Priest of Earth, of Heaven,
So with this offering bring the Gods, and prosper this sacrifice today as erst for Manu.
3. Three are thy times of life, O Jatavedas, and the three mornings are thy births, O Agni.
With these, well-knowing, grant the Gods’ kind favour, and help in stir aiid stress the man who worships.
4. Agni most bright and fair with song we honour, yea, the adorable, O Jatavedas.
Thee, envoy, messenger, oblation-bearer, the Gods have made centre of life eternal.
5. That Priest before thee, yet more skilled in worship, stablished of old, healthgiver by his nature,-
After his custom offer, thou who knowest, and lay our sacrifice where Gods may taste it.
HYMN XVIII. Agni.
1. AGNI, be kind to us when we approach thee good as a friend to friend, as sire and mother.
The races of mankind are great oppressors burn up malignity that strives against us.
2. Agni, burn up the unfriendly who are near us, burn thou the foeman’s curse who pays no worship.
Burn, Vasu, thou who markest well, the foolish: let thine eternal nimble beams surround thee.
3. With fuel, Agni, and with oil, desirous, mine offering I present for strength and conquest,
With prayer, so far as I have power, adoring-this hymn divine to gain a hundred treasures.
4. Give with thy glow, thou Son of Strength, when lauded, great vital power to those who toil to serve thee.
Give richly, Agni, to the Visvamitras in rest and stir. Oft have we decked thy body.
5. Give us, O liberal Lord, great gtore of riches, for, Agni, such art thou when duly kindled.
Thou in the happy singer’s home bestowest, amply with arms extended, things of beauty.
HYMN XIX. Agni.
1. Aow, quick, sage, infallible, all-knowing, I choose to be our Priest at this oblation.
In our Gods’ service he, best skilled, shall worship: may he obtain us boons for strength and riches.
2. Agni, to thee I lift the oil-fed ladle, bright, with an offering, bearing our oblation.
From the right hand, choosing the Gods’ attendance, he with rich presents hath arranged the worship.
3. Of keenest spirit is the man thou aidest give us good offspring, thou who givest freely.
In power of wealth most rich in men. O Agni, of thee, the Good, may we sing forth fair praises.
4. Men as they worship thee the God, O Agni, have set on thee full many a brilliant, aspect.
So bring Most Youthful One, the Gods’ asserrigly, the Heavenly Host which thou to-day shalt honour.
5. When Gods anoint thee Priest at their oblation, and seat thee for thy task as Sacrificer,
O Agni, be thou here our kind defender, and to ourselves vouchsafe the gift of glory.
HYMN XX Agni.
1. WITH lauds at break of morn the priest invoketh Agni, Dawn, Dadhikras, and both the Asvins.
With one consent the Gods whose light is splendid, longing to taste our sacrifice, shall hear us.
2. Three are thy powers, O Agni, three thy stations, three are thy tongues, yea, many, Child of Order!
Three bodies hast thou which the Gods delight in: with these protect our hymns with care unceasing.
3. O Agni, many are the names thou bearest, immortal, God, Divine, and Jatavedas.
And many charms of charmers, All-Inspirer! have they laid in thee, Lord of true attendants!
4. Agni, like Bhaga, leads the godly people, he who is true to Law and guards the seasons.
Ancient, all-knowing, he the Vrtra-slayer shall bear the singer safe through every trouble.
5. I call on Savitar the God, on Morning, Brhaspati, and Dadhikras, and Agni,
On Varuna and Mitra, on the Asvins, Bhaga, the Vasus, Rudras and Adityas.
HYMN XXI. Agni.
1. SET this our sacrifice among the Immortals: be pleased with these our presents, Jatavedas.
O Priest, O Agni, sit thee down before us, and first enjoy the drops of oil and fatness.
2. For thee, O Purifier, flow the drops of fatness rich in oil.
After thy wont vouchsafe to us the choicest boon that Gods may feast.
3. Agni, Most Excellent! for thee the Sage are drops that drip with oil.
Thou art enkindled as the best of Seers. Help thou the sacrifice.
4. To thee, O Agni, mighty and resistless, to thee stream forth the drops of oil and fatness.
With great light art thou come, O praised by poets! Accept our offering, O thou Sage.
5. Fatness exceeding rich, extracted from the midst,-this as our gift we offer thee.
Excellent God, the drops run down upon thy skin. Deal them to each among the Gods.
