Sukta 53

Mantra 1

दीर्घायुः। अमुत्रभूयादधि यद् यमस्य बृहस्पतेरभिशस्तेरमुञ्चः । प्रत्यौहतामश्विना मृत्युमस्मद् देवानामग्ने भिषजा शचीभिः

Long life!—Let him not be yonder’s own, though Yama had laid hold: from Bṛhaspati’s ban, from the imprecation, thou hast loosed him. Let the Aśvins thrust Death backward from us; O Agni, physician of the Gods, with thy potent arts.

Mantra 2

सं क्रामतं मा जहीतं शरीरं प्राणापानौ ते सयुजाविह स्ताम्। शतं जीव शरदो वर्धमानोऽग्निष्टे गोपा अधिपा वसिष्ठः

Step ye together; forsake not the body: let thy in-breath and out-breath, yoked in one, abide here. Live thou a hundred autumns, waxing ever; Agni shall be thy guardian and thy lord, most excellent Vasiṣṭha.

Mantra 3

आयुर्यत् ते अतिहितं पराचैरपानः प्राणः पुनरा ताविताम्। अग्निष्टदाहार्निरृतेरुपस्थात् तदात्मनि पुनरा वेशयामि ते

What life of thine is overlaid afar away, let out-breath and in-breath bring it back again hither. Agni hath fetched it from Nirṛti’s lap; that same I set again within thy self, and cause it to enter thee.

Mantra 4

मेमं प्राणो हासीन्मो अपानोऽवहाय परा गात्। सप्तर्षिभ्य एनं परि ददामि त एनं स्वस्ति जरसे वहन्तु

Let not the in-breath abandon this man; let not the out-breath, bearing him away, depart afar. To the Seven Seers I commit him round about: may they convey him in safe-conduct unto old age.

Mantra 5

प्र विशतं प्राणापानावनड्वाहाविव व्रजम्। अयं जरिम्णः शेवधिररिष्ट इह वर्धताम्

Enter ye forth, O In-breath and Out-breath, as two draught-oxen enter the stall. Here may this treasure against wasting, unharmed, wax and prosper.

Mantra 6

आ ते प्राणं सुवामसि परा यक्ष्मं सुवामि ते । आयुर्नो विश्वतो दधदयमग्निर्वरेण्यः

Hither we drive thy breath; away I drive thy wasting sickness. Establishing life for us from every side is this Agni, most choice-worthy.

Mantra 7

उद् वयं तमसस्परि रोहन्तो नाकमुत्तमम्। देवं देवत्रा सूर्यमगन्म ज्योतिरुत्तमम्

Up have we climbed, beyond the darkness, unto the highest heaven. God-ward we have attained the god, the Sun—the highest Light.