BOOK IX
CHAPTER II
I Agni
1. O Agni, strength and fame are thine: thy fires blaze forth on high, O thou refulgent God!
Sage, passing bright, thou givest to the worshipper with power, the wealth that merits laud.
2. With brilliantg purifying sheen, with perfect sheen thou liftest up thyself in light.
Thou, visiting both thy mothers, aidest them as son; thou joinest close the earth and heaven.
3. O Jatavedas, Son of Strength, rejoice thyself, gracious, in our fair hymns and songs!
In thee have they heaped viands various, many formed; wealthborn, of wondrous help are they.
4. Agni, spread forth, as ruler, over living things: give wealth, to
us, immortal God!
Thou shinest out from beauty fair to look upon: thou leadest us to beauteous Power.
5. I laud the Sage, who orders sacrifice, who hath great riches under his control.
Thou givest blest award of good, and plenteous food, thou givest wealth that wins success.
6. The men have set before them, for his favour, Agni, strong, visible to all, the holy.
Thee, Lord divine, with ears to hear, most famous, mens’ generations magnify with praise-songs.
II Agni
1. Agni, he conquers by thine aid that brings him store of valiant sons and does great deeds,
Whose bond of friendship is thy choice.
2. Thy spark is black and crackling; kindled in due time, O bounteous, it is taken up.
Thou art the dear friend of the mighty Mornings: thou shinest in glimmerings of the night.
III Agni
1. Him, duly coming, as their germ have plants received: this Agni have maternal Waters brought to life.
So, in like manner, do the forest trees and plants bear him within them and produce him evermore.
IV Agni
1. Agni grows bright for Indra: he shines far resplendent in the sky:
He sends forth offspring like a queen.
V Agni
1. The sacred hymns love him who wakes and watches: to him who watches the holy verses.
This Soma saith to him Who wake my dwelling in thy friendship.
VI Agni
1. Agni is watchful, and the Richas love him: Agni is watchful, Sama hymns approach him.
Agni is watchful, to him saith this Soma, I rest and have my dwelling in thy friendship.
VII Gods
1. Praise to the friends who sit in front! to those seated together,praise
I use the hundred-footed speech speech.
2. I use the hundred-footed speech, I sing what hath a thousand paths,
Gayatra, Trishtup, Jagat hymn.
3. Gayatra, Trishtup, Jagat hymn,the forms united and complete,
Have the Gods made familiar friends.
VIII Agni
1. Agni, is light, light is Agni, Indra is light, light is Indra
Surya is light, light is Surya.
2. O Agni, turn again with strength, turn thou again with food and life:
Save us again from grief and woe!
3. O Agni, turn again with wealth sprinkle thou us from everyside.
With thine own all-supporting stream!
IX Indra
1. If I, O Indra, were like thee, the single ruler over wealth.
My worshipper should be rich in kine.
2. I should be fain, O Lord of power, to strengthen and enrich thesage,
Where I the ford of herds of kine.
3. Thy goodness, Indra, is a cow yielding in plenty kine and steeds.
To worshippers who press the juice.
X The Waters
1. Yea, Waters, ye bring health and bliss: so help ye us to energy.
That we may look on great delight!
2. Give us a portion of the dew, the most auspicious that ye have,
Like mothers in their longing love!
3. For you we gladly go to hirn to whose abode ye speed us on,
And, Waters, give us procreant strength!
XI Vata
1. May Vata breathe his balm on us, healthful, delightful to our heart:
May he prolong our days of life!
2. Thou art our father, Vata, yea, thou art our brother and our friend:
So give us strength that we may live!
3. The store of Amrit that laid away yonder, O Vata, in thine home–
Give us strength that we may live!
XII Agni
1. The fleet steed wearing divers forms, the eagle bearing his golden raiment to his birthplace,
Clothed in due season with the light of Surya, red, hath begot the sacrifice in person.
2. Multiform seed he laid in waters, lustre which gathered on the earth and there developed.
In the mid-air establishing his greatness, he cries aloud, seed of the vigorous courser.
3. He hath, enduing thousand robes that suit him, as sacrifice upheld the light of Surya,
Giver of ample gifts in hundreds, thousands, supporter of the heavens, earth’s Lord and ruler.
XIII Vena
1. They gaze on thee with longing in their spirit, as on a strong-winged bird that mounteth sky-ward;
On thee with wings of gold, Varuna’s envoy, the Bird that hasteneth to the home of Yama.
2. Erect, to heaven hath the Gandharva mounted, pointing at us his many-coloured weapons:
Clad in sweet raiment beautiful to look on, for he, as light, produceth forms that please us..
3. When as a spark he cometh ilear the ocean, looking with vulture’s eye as Law commandeth,
His lustre, joying in its own bright splendour, maketh dear glories in the loftiest region.