HYMN LX. Agni.
1. O AGNI, with thy mighty wealth guard us from all malignity,
Yea, from all hate of mortal man.
2. For over thee, O Friend from birih, the wrath of man hath no control:
Nay, Guardian of the earth art thou.
3. As such, with all the Gods, O Son of Strength, auspicious in thy flame.
Give us wealth bringing all things good.
4. Malignities stay not from wealth the mortal man whom, Agni, thou
Protectest while he offers gifts.
5. Sage Agni, be whom thou dost urge, in worship of the Gods, to wealth,
With thine assistance winneth kine.
6. Riches with many heroes thou hast for the man who offers gifts:
Lead thou us on to higher bliss.
7. Save us, O Jatavedas, nor abandon us to him who sins,
Unto the evil-hearted man.
8. O Agni, let no godless man avert thy bounty as a God:
Over all treasures thou art Lord.
9. So, Son of Strength, tbou aidest us to what is great and excellent.
Those, Vasu! Friend! who sing thy praise.
10. Let our songs come anear to him beauteous and bright with piercing flame
Our offerings, with our homage, to the
Lord of wealth, to him whom many praise, for help:
11. To Agni Jatavedas, to the Son of Strength, that he may give us precious gifts,
Immortal, from of old Priest among mortal men, the most delightful in the house.
12. Agni, made yours by sacrifice, Agni, while holy rites advance;
Agni, the first in songs, first with the warrior steed; Agril to win the land for us.
13. May Agni who is Lord of wealth vouchsafe us food for friendship sake.
Agni we ever seek for seed and progeny, the Vasu who protects our lives.
14. Solicit with your chants, for help, Agni the God with piercing flame,
For riches famous Agni, Purumilha and ye men! Agni to light our dwelling well.
15. Agni we laud that he may keep our foes afar, Agni to give us health and strength.
Let him as Guardian be invoked in all the tribes, the lighter-up of glowing brands.
HYMN LXI. Agni.
1. PREPARE oblation: let him come; and let the minister serve again
Who knows the ordering thereof,
2. Rejoicing in his friendship, let the priest be seated over man,
Beside the shoot of active power.
3. Him, glowing bright beyond all thought, they seek among the race of man;
With him for tougue they seize the food.
4. He hath inflamed the twofold plain: lifegiving, he hath climbed the wood,
And with his tongue hath struck the rock.
5. Wandering here the radiant Calf finds none to fetter him, and seeks
The Mother to declare his praise.
6. And now that great and mighty team, the team of horses that are his,
And traces of his car, are seen.
7. The seven milk a single cow; the two set other five to work,
On the stream’s loud-resounding bank.
8. Entreated by Vivasvan’s ten, Indra cast down the water-jar
With threefold hammer from the sky.
9. Three times the newIy-kindled flame proceeds around the sacrifice:
The priests anoint it with the meath.
10. With reverence they drain the fount that circles with its wheel above,
Exhaustless, with the mouth below.
11. The pressing-stones are set at work: the meath is poured into the tank,
At the out-shedding of the fount.
12. Ye cows, protect the fount: the two Mighty Ones bless the sacrifice.
The handles twain are wrought of gold.
13. Pour on the juice the ornament which reaches both the heaven and earth
Supply the liquid to the Bull.
14. These know their own abiding-place: like calves beside the mother cows
They meet together with their kin.
15. Devouring in their greedy jaws, they make sustaining food in heaven,
To Indra, Agni light and prayer.
16. The Pious One milked out rich food, sustenance dealt in portions seven,
Together with the Sun’s seven rays.
17. I took some Soma when the Sun rose up, O Mitra, Varuna.
That is the sick man’s medicine.
18. From where oblations must be laid, which is the Well-beloved’s home,
He with his tongue hath compassed heaven.
HYMN LXII. Asvins.
1. ROUSE ye for him who keeps the Law, yoke your steeds, Aiyins, to your car
Let your protecting help be near.
2. Come, Asvins, with your car more swift than is the twinkling of an eye
Let your protecting help be near.
3. Asvins, ye overlaid with cold the fiery pit for Atri’s sake:
Let your protecting help be near.
4. Where are ye? whither are ye gone? whither, like falcons, have ye flown?
Let your protecting help be near.
5. If ye at any time this day are listening to this my call,
Let your protecting help be near.
6. The Asvins, fust to hear our prayer, for closest kinship I approach:
Let your protecting help be near.
7. For Atri ye, O Asvins, made a dwellingplace to shield him well,
Let your protecting help be near.
8. Ye warded off the fervent heat for Atri when he sweetly spake:
Let your protecting help be near.
9. Erst Saptavadbri by his prayer obtained the trenchant edge of fire:
Let your protecting help be near.
10. Come hither, O ye Lords of wealth, and listen to this call of mine:
Let your protecting help be near.
11. What is this praise told forth of you as Elders in the ancient way?
Let your protecting help be near.
12. One common brotherhood is yours, Asvins your kindred is the same:
Let your protecting help be near.
13. This is your chariot, Asvins, which speeds through the regions, earth and heaven
Let your protecting aid be near.
14. Approach ye hitherward to us with thousands both of steeds and kine:
Let your protecting help be near.
15. Pass us not by, remember us with thousands both of kine aud steeds:
Let your protecting help be near.
16 The purple-tinted Dawn hath risen, and true to Law hath made the light
Let your protecting help be near.
17. He looked upon the Asvins, as an axearmed man upon a tree:
Let your protecting help be near.
18. By the black band encompassed round, break it down, bold one, like a fort.
Let your protecting help be near.
HYMN LXIII. Agni.
1. EXERTING all our strength with thoughts of power we glorify in speech
Agni your dear familiar Friend, the darling Guest in every home.
2. Whom, served with sacrificial oil like Mitra, men presenting gifts
Eulogize with their songs of praise
3. Much-lauded Jatavedas, him who bears oblations up to heaven
Prepared in service of the Gods.
4. To noblest Agni, Friend of man, best Vrtra-slayer, are we come,
Him in whose presence Rksa’s son, mighty Srutarvan, waxes great;
5. To deathless Jatavedas, meet for praise, adored, with sacred oil,
Visible through the gloom o:f night
6. Even Agni whom these priestly men worship with sacrificial gifts,
With lifted ladles offering them.
7. O Agni, this our newest hymn hath been addressed from us to thee,
O cheerful Guest, well-born, most wise, worker of wonders, ne’er deceived.
8. Agni, may it be dear to thee, most grateful, and exceeding sweet:
Grow mightier, eulogized therewith.
9. Splendid with splendours may it be, and in the battle with the foe
Add loftier glory to thy fame.
10. Steed, cow, a lord of heroes, bright like Indra, who shall fill the car.
Whose high renown ye celebrate, and people praise each glorious deed.
11. Thou whom Gopavana made glad with song, O Agni Angiras,
Hear this my call, thou Holy One.
12. Thou whom the priestly folk implore to aid the gathering of the spoil,
Such be thou in the fight with foes.
13. I, called to him who reels with joy, Srutarvan, Rksa’s son, shall stroke
The heads of four presented steeds, like the long wool of fleecy rams.
14. Four coursers with a splendid car, Savistha’s horses, fleet of foot,
Shall bring me to the sacred feast, as flying steeds brought Tugra’s son.
15. The very truth do I declare to thee, Parusni, mighty flood.
Waters! no man is there who gives more horses than Savistha gives.
