HYMN XCI. Agni.
1. LORD of the house, Sage, ever young, high power of life, O Agni, God,
Thou givest to thy worshipper.
2. So with our song that prays and serves, attentive, Lord of spreading light,
Agni, bring hitherward the Gods.
3. For, Ever-Youthful One, with thee, best Furtherer, as our ally,
We overcome, to win the spoil.
4. As Aurva Bhrgu used, as Apnavana used, I call the pure
Agni who clothes him with the sea.
5. 1 call the Sage who sounds like wind, the Might that like Parjanya roars,
Agni who clothes him with the sea.
6. As Savitar’s productive Power, as him who sends down bliss, I call
Agni who clothes him with the sea.
7. Hither, for powerful kirship, I call Agni, him Who prospers you,
Most frequent at our solemn rites
8. That through this famed One’s power, he may stand by us even as Tvastar comes
Unto the forms that must he shaped.
9. This Agni is the Lord supreme above all glories mid the Gods:
May he come nigh to us with strength.
10. Here praise ye him the most renowned of all the ministering Priests,
Agni, the Chief at sacrifice;
11. Piercing, with purifying flame, enkindled in our homes, most high,
Swiftest to hear from far away.
12. Sage, laud the Mighty One who wins the spoil of victory like a steed,
And, Mitra like, unites the folk.
13. Still turning to their aim in thee, the oblation-bearer’s sister hymns
Have come to thee before the wind.
14. The waters find their place in him, for whom the threefold sacred grass
Is spread unbound, unlimited.
15. The station of the Bounteous God hath, through his aid which none impair,
A pleasant aspect like the Sun.
16. Blazing with splendour, Agni, God, through pious gifts of sacred oil,
Bring thou the Gods and worship them.
17. The Gods as mothers brought thee forth, the Immortal Sage, O Afigiras,
The bearer of our gifts to heaven.
18. Wise Agni, Gods established thee, the Seer, noblest messenger,
As bearer of our sacred gifts.
19. No cow have I to call mine own, no axe at hand wherewith to work,
Yet what is here I bring to thee.
20. O Agni, whatsoever be the fuel that we lay for thee,
Be pleased therewith, Most Youthful God
21. That which the white-ant cats away, that over which the emmet crawls-
May all of this be oil to thee.
22. When he enkindles Agni, man should with his heart attend the song:
I with the priests have kindled him.
HYMN XCII. Agni
1. THAT noblest Furtherer hath appeared, to whom men bring their holy works.
Our songs of praise have risen aloft to Agni who was barn to give the Arya strength.
2. Agni of Divodasa turned, as ’twere in majesty, to the Gods.
Onward he sped along the mother earth, and took his station in the height of heaven.
3. Him before whom the people shrink when he performs his glorious deeds,
Him who wins thousands at the worship of the Gods, himself, that Agni, serve with son s.
4. The mortal man whom thou wouldst lead to opulence, O Vasu, he who brings thee gifts.
He, Agni, wins himself a hero singing lauds, yea, one who feeds a thousand men.
5. He with the steed wins spoil even in the fenced fort, and gains imperishable fame.
In thee, O Lord of wealth, continually we lay all precious offerings to the Gods.
6. To him who dealeth out all wealth, who is the cheerful Priest of men,
To him, like the first vessels filled with savoury juice, to Agni go the songs of praise.
7. Votaries, richly-gifted, deck him with their songs, even as the steed who draws the car.
On both, Strong Lord of men! on child and grandson pour the bounties which our nobles give.
8. Sing forth to him, the Holy, most munificent, sublime with his refulgent glow,
To Agni, ye Upastutas.
9. Worshipped with gifts, enkindled, splendid, Maghavan shall win himself heroic fame.
And will not his most newly shown benevolence come to us with abundant strength?
10. Priest, presser of the juice! praise now the dearest Guest of all our friends,
Agni, the driver of the cars.
11. Who, finder-out of treasures open and concealed, bringeth them hither, Holy One;
Whose waves, as in a cataract, are hard to pass, when he, through song, would win him strength.
12. Let not the noble Guest, Agni, be wroth with us: by many a man his praise is sung,
Good Herald, skilled in sacrifice.
13. O Vasu, Agni, let not them be harmed who come in any way with lauds to thee.
Even the lowly, skilled in rites, with offered gifts, seeketh thee for the envoy’s task.
14. Friend of the Maruts, Agni, come with Rudras to the Soma-draught,
To Sobhar’s fair song of praise, and be thou joyful in the light.
VALAKHILYA
APPENDIX: (Book VIII. Hymns 49-59. M. Müller.)
HYMN I. Indra.
1. TO you will I sing Indra’s praise who gives good gifts as well we know;
The praise of Maghavan who, rich in treasure, aids his singers with wealth thousandfold.
2. As with a hundred hosts, he rushes boldly on, and for the offerer slays his foes.
As from a mountain flow the water-brooks, thus flow his gifts who feedeth many a one.
3. The drops effused, the gladdening draughts, O Indra, Lover of the Son
As waters seek the lake where they are wont to rest, fill thee, for bounty, Thunderer.
4. The matchless draught that strengthens and gives eloquence, the sweetest of the meath drink thou,
That in thy joy thou maysi scatter thy gifts o’er us, plenteously, even as the dust.
5. Come quickly to our laud, urged on by Soma-pressers like a horse-
Laud, Godlike Indra, which milch-kine make sweet for thee: with Kanva’s sons are gifts for thee.
6. With homage have we sought thee as a Hero, strong, preeminent, with unfailing wealth.
O Thunderer, as a plenteous spring pours forth its stream, so, Indra, flow our songs to thee.
7. If now thou art at sacrifice, or if thou art upon the earth,
Come thence, high-thoughted! to our sacrifice with the Swift, come, Mighty with the Mighty Ones.
8. The active, fleet-foot, tawny Coursers that are thine are swift to victory, like the Wind,
Wherewith thou goest round to visit Manus’ seed, wherewith all heaven is visible.
9. Indra, from thee so great we crave prosperity in wealth of kine,
As, Maghavan, thou favouredst Medhyatithi, and, in the fight, Nipatithi.
10 As, Maghavan, to Kanva, Trasadasyu, and to Paktha and Dasavraja;
As, Indra, to Gosarya and Rjisvan, thou vouchsafedst wealth in kine and gold.
HYMN II. Indra.
1. SAKRA I praise, to win his aid, far-famed, exceeding bountiful,
Who gives, as ’twere in thousands, precious wealth to him who sheds the juice and worships him.
2. Arrows with hundred points, unconquerable, are this Indra’s n-dghty arms in war.
He streams on liberal worshippers like a hill with springs, when juices poured have gladdened him.
3. What time the flowing Soma-drops have gladdened with their taste the Friend,
Like water, gracious Lord! were my libations made, like milch-kine to the worshipper.
4. To him the peerless, who is calling you to give you aid, forth flow the drops of pleasant meath.
The Soloa-drops which call on thee, O gracious Lord, have brought thee to our hymn of praise.
5. He rushes hurrying like a steed to Soma that adorns our rite,
Which hymns make sweet to thee, lover of pleasant food. The call to Paura thou dost love.
6. Praise the strong, grasping Hero, winner of the spoil, ruling supreme oer mighty wealth.
Like a full spring, O Thunderer, from thy store hast thou poured on the worshipper evermore.
7. Now whether thou be far away, or in the heavens, or on the earth,
O Indra, mighty- thoughted, harnessing thy Bays, come Lofty with the Lofty Ones.
8. The Bays who draw thy chariot, Steeds who injure none, surpass the wind’s impetuous strength-
With whom thou silencest the enemy of man, with whon; thou goest round the sky.
9. O gracious Hero, may we learn anew to know thee as thou art:
As in decisive fight thou holpest Etasa, or Vasa ‘gainst Dasavraja,
10 As, Maghavan, to Kanva at the sacred feast, to Dirghanitha thine home-friend,
As to Gosarya thou, Stone-darter, gavest wealth, give me a gold-bright stall of kine.
HYMN III. Indra.
1. As with Manu Samvarani, Indra, thou drankest Soma juice,
And, Maghavan, with Nipatithi, Medbyatithi, with Pustigu and Srustigu,-
2. T’he son of Prsadvana was Praskaniva’s host, who lay decrepit and forlorn.
Aided by thee the Rsi Dasyave-vrka strove to obtain thousands of kine.
3. Call hither with thy newest song Indra who lacks not hymns of praise,
Him who observes and knows, inspirer of the sage, him who seems eager to enjoy.
4. He unto whom they sang the seven-headed hymn, three-parted, in the loftiest place,
He sent his thunder down on all these living things, and so displayed heroic might.
5. We invocate that Indra who bestoweth precious things on us.
Now do we know his newest favour; may we gain a stable that is full of kine.
6. He whom thou aidest, gracious Lord, to give again, obtains great wealth to nourish him.
We with our Soma ready, Lover of the Song! call, Indra Maghavan, on thee.
7. Ne’er art thou fruitless, Indra ne’er dost thou desert the worshipper
But now, O Maghavan, thy bounty as a God is poured forth ever more and more.
8. He who hath. overtaken Krvi with his might, and silenced Susna with deathbolts,-
When he supported yonder heaven and spread it out, then first the son of earth was born.
9. Good Lord of wealth is he to whom all Aryas, Dasas here belong.
Directly unto thee, the pious Rusama Paviru, is that wealth brought nigh.
10. In zealous haste the singers have sung forth a song distilling oil and rich in sweets.
Riches have spread among us and heroic strength, with us are flowing Soma-drops.
HYMN IV. Indra.
1. As, Sakra, thou with Manu called Vivasvan drankest Soma juice,
As, Indra, thou didst love the hymn by Trita’s side, so dost thou joy with Ayu now.
2. As thou with Matarisvan, Medhya, Prsadhra, hast cheered thee Indra, with pressed juice,
Drunk Soma with Rjunas, Syumarasmi, by Dasonya’s Dasasipra’s side.
3. ‘Tis he who made the lauds his own and boldly drank the Soma juice,
He to whom Visnu came striding his three wide steps, as Mitra’s statutes ordered it.
4. In whose laud thou didst joy, Indra, at the great deed, O Satakratu, Mighty One!
Seeking renown we call thee as the milkers call the cow who yields abundant milk.
5. He is our Sire who gives to us, Great, Mighty, ruling as he wills.
Unsought, may he the Strong, Rich, Lord of ample wealth, give us of horses and of kine.
6. He to whom thou, Good Lord, givest that he may give increases wealth that nourishes.
Eager for wealth we call on Indra, Lord of wealth, on Satakratu with our lauds.
7. Never art thou neglectful: thou guardest both races with thy care.
The call on Indra, fourth Aditya! is thine own. Amrta is stablished in the heavens.
8. The offercr whom thou, Indra, Lover of the Song, liberal Maghavan, favourest,-
As at the call of Kanva so, O gracious Lord, hear, thou our songs and eulogy.
9. Sung is the song of ancient time: to Indra have ye said the prayer.
They have sung many a Brhati of sacrifice, poured forth the worshipper’s many thoughts.
10. Indra hath tossed together mighty stores of wealth, and both the worlds, yea, and the Sun.
Pure, brightly-shining, mingled with the milk, the draughts of Soma have made Indra glad.
HYMN V. Indra.
1. As highest of the Maghavans, preeminent among the Bulls,
Best breaker-down of forts, kine-winner, Lord of wealth, we seek thee, Indra Maghavan.
2. Thou who subduedst Ayu, Kutsa, Atithigva, waxing daily in thy might,
As such, rousing thy power, we invocate thee now, thee Satakratu, Lord of Bays.
3. The pressing-stones shall pour for us the essence of the meath of all,
Drops that have been pressed out afar among the folk, and those that have been pressed near us.
4. Repel all enmities and keep thern far away: let all win treasure for their own.
Even among Sistas are the stalks that make thee glad, where thou with Soma satest thee.
5. Come, Indra, very near to us with aids of firmly-based resolve;
Come, most auspicious, with thy most auspicious help, good Kinsman, with good kinsmen, come!
6. Bless thou with progeny the chief of men, the lord of heroes, victor in the fray.
Aid with thy powers the men who sing thee lauds and keep their spirits ever pure and bright.
7. May we be such in battle as are surest to obtain thy grace:
With holy offerings and invocations of the Gods, we mean, that we may win the spoil.
8. Thine, Lord of Bays, am I. Prayer longeth for the spoil. Still with thy help I seek the fight.
So, at the raiders’ head, I, craving steeds and kine, unite myself with thee alone.
HYMN VI. Indra.
1. INDRA, the poets with. their hymns extol this hero might of thine:
They strengthened, loud in song, thy power that droppeth oil. With hymns the Pauras came to thee.
2. Through piety they came to Indra for his aid, they whose libations give theejoy.
As thou with, Krsa and Samvarta hast rejoiced, so, Indra, be thou glad with us.
3. Agreeing in your spirit, all ye Deities, come nigh to us.
Vasus and Rudras shall come near to give us aid, and Maruts listen to our call.
4. May Pusan, Visnu, and Sarasvati befriend, and the Seven Streams, this call of mine:
May Waters, Wind, the Mountains, and the Forest-Lord, and Earth give ear unto my cry.
5. Indra, with thine own bounteous gift, most liberal of the Mighty Ones,
Be our boon benefactor, Vrtra-slayer, be our feast-companion for our weal.
6. Leader of heroes, Lord of battle, lead thou us to combat, thou Most Sapient One.
High fame is theirs who win by invocations, feasts and entertainment of the Gods.
7. Our hopes rest on the Faithful One: in Indra is the people’s life.
O Maghavan, come nigh that thou mayst give us aid: make plenteous food stream forth for us.
8. Thee would we worship, Indra, with our songs of praise: O Satakratu, be thou ours.
Pour down upon Praskanva bounty vast and firm, exuberant, that shall never fail.
HYMN VII. Praskanva’s Gift.
1. GREAT, verily, is Indra’s might. I have beheld, and hither comes
Thy bounty, Dasyave-vrka!
2. A hundred oxen white of hue are shining like the stars in heaven,
So tall, they seem to prop the sky.
3. Bamboos a hundred, a hundred dogs, a hundred skins of beasts well-tanned,
A hundred tufts of Balbaja, four hundred red-hued mares are mine.
4. Blest by the Gods, Kinvayanas! be ye who spread through life on life:
Like horses have ye stridden forth.
5. Then men extolled the team of seven not yet full-grown, its fame is great.
The dark mares rushed along the paths, so that no eye could follow them.
HYMN VIII Praskanva’s Go.
1. THY bounty, Dasyave-vrka, exhaustless hath displayed itself:
Its fulness is as broad as heaven.
2. Ten thousand Dasyave-vrka, the son of Putakrata, hath
From his own wealth bestowed on me.
3. A hundred asses hath he given, a hundred head of fleecy sheep,
A hundred slaves, and wreaths besides.
4. There also was a mare led forth, picked out for Putakrata’s sake,
Not of the horses of the herd.
5. Observant Agni hath appeared, oblation-bearer with his car.
Agni with his resplendent flame hath shone on high as shines the Sun, hath shone like Surya in theheavens.
HYMN IX. Asvins.
1. ENDOWED, O Gods, with your primeval wisdom, come quickly with your chariot, O ye Holy.
Come with your mighty powers, O ye Nasatyas; come hither, drink ye this the third libation.
2. The truthful Deities, the Three-and-Thirty, saw you approach before the Ever-Truthful.
Accepting this our worship and libation, O Asvins bright with fire, drink ye the Soma.
3. Asvins, that work of yours deserves our wonder,-the Bull of heaven and earth and air’s mid region;
Yea, and your thousand promises in battle, -to all of these come near and drink beside us.
4. Here is your portion laid for you, ye Holy: come to these songs of ours, O ye Nasatyas.
Drink among us the Soma full of sweetness, and with your powers assist the man who worships.
HYMN X. Visvedevas.
1. HE whom the priests in sundry ways arranging the sacrifice, of one accord, bring hither,
Who was appointed as a learned Brahman, -what is the sacrificer’s knowledge of him?
2. Kindled in many a spot, still One is Agni; Silrya is One though high o’er all he shineth.
Illumining this All, still One is usas. That which is One hath into All developed.
3. The chariot bright and radiant, treasure-laden, three-wheeled, with easy seat, and lightly rolling,
Which She of Wondrous Wealth was born to harness,-this car of yours I call. Drink what remaineth.
HYMN XI. Indra-Varuna.
1. IN offerings poured to you, O Indra-Varuna, these shares of yours stream forth to glorify your state.
Ye haste to the libations at each sacrifice when ye assist the worshipper who sheds the juice.
2. The waters and the plants, O Indra-Varuna, had efficacious vigour, and attained to might:
Ye who have gone beyond the path of middle air,-no godless man is worthy to be called your foe.
3. True is your Krsa’s word, Indra and Varuna: The seven holy voices pour a wave of meath.
For their sake, Lords of splendour! aid the pious man who, unbewildered, keeps you ever in his thoughts.
4. Dropping oil, sweet with Soma, pouring forth their stream, are the Seven Sisters in the seat of sacrifice.
These, dropping oil, are yours, O Indra-Varuna: with these enrich with gifts and help the worshipper.
5. To our great happiness have we ascribed to these Two Bright Ones truthfulness, great strength, and majesty.
O Lords of splendour, aid us through the Three-times-Seven, as we pour holy oil, O Indra-Varuna.
6. What ye in time of old Indra and Varuna, gave Rsis revelation, thought, and power of song,
And places which the wise made, weaving sacrifice,-these through my spirit’s fervid glow have I beheld.,
7. O Indra-Varuna, grant to the worshippers cheerfulness void of pride, and wealth to nourish them.
Vouchsafe us food, prosperity, and progeny, and lengthen out our days that we may see long life.