Sukta 142

Mantra 1

समिद्धो अग्न आ वह देवाँ अद्य यतस्रुचे । तन्तुं तनुष्व पूर्व्यं सुतसोमाय दाशुषे ॥

Kindled, O Agni, bring the gods today, O you whose ladle is set in right movement. Stretch the ancient thread of the work for the Soma that is pressed, for the giver who offers himself.

Mantra 2

घृतवन्तमुप मासि मधुमन्तं तनूनपात् । यज्ञं विप्रस्य मावतः शशमानस्य दाशुषः ॥

O Tanūnapāt, draw near to this offering made rich with clarified light and sweet delight; confirm and uplift the sacrifice of the illumined seer, of the one who gives and grows quiet in self-mastery, so that the giving becomes a settled power in us.

Mantra 3

शुचिः पावको अद्भुतो मध्वा यज्ञं मिमिक्षति । नराशंसस्त्रिरा दिवो देवो देवेषु यज्ञियः ॥

Pure and purifying, wondrous in his working, he blends the sacrifice with sweetness of delight; Narāśaṃsa, the god who comes threefold from the heaven, becomes worthy of the gods and makes the offering fit for the divine powers within us.

Mantra 4

ईळितो अग्न आ वहेन्द्रं चित्रमिह प्रियम् । इयं हि त्वा मतिर्ममाच्छा सुजिह्व वच्यते ॥

O Agni, praised and awakened, bring here Indra, the luminous and beloved power; for this my thought-force calls to you—O fair-tongued—so that the Word may be rightly uttered and the will-to-victory may arrive within.

Mantra 5

स्तृणानासो यतस्रुचो बर्हिर्यज्ञे स्वध्वरे । वृञ्जे देवव्यचस्तममिन्द्राय शर्म सप्रथः ॥

Spreading the sacred seat and holding the ladles in right control, in the well-ordered journey of the sacrifice, we arrange the widest divine-utterance for Indra—an ample peace and protection in which the being can expand.

Mantra 6

वि श्रयन्तामृतावृधः प्रयै देवेभ्यो महीः । पावकासः पुरुस्पृहो द्वारो देवीरसश्चतः ॥

Let the great divine doors, purifying and full of manifold longing, open wide—strengthened by the Truth—so that the path forward may be made for the gods; may they not cling back, but release the passage for the descending powers.

Mantra 7

आ भन्दमाने उपाके नक्तोषासा सुपेशसा । यह्वी ऋतस्य मातरा सीदतां बर्हिरा सुमत् ॥

Let Night and Dawn, beautifully formed, come near in their meeting-place, shining together; those two mighty Mothers of the Truth—let them sit upon the sacred seat with a happy and right-minded favour, establishing rhythm and renewal in us.

Mantra 8

मन्द्रजिह्वा जुगुर्वणी होतारा दैव्या कवी । यज्ञं नो यक्षतामिमं सिध्रमद्य दिविस्पृशम् ॥

Let the two divine Hotṛs, the seer-powers with gladdening tongues and strong hymning, sacrifice for us this offering—effective today, touching heaven—so that our work may rise into the higher mind and draw down its response.

Mantra 9

शुचिर्देवेष्वर्पिता होत्रा मरुत्सु भारती । इळा सरस्वती मही बर्हिः सीदन्तु यज्ञियाः ॥

Let the pure offering-Word set among the gods—Bhāratī amid the Maruts—together with Iḷā and Sarasvatī, the great ones, take their seat upon the sacred wideness; may these powers worthy of the yajña establish in us inspired speech, right nourishment, and the rivering flow of knowledge.

Mantra 10

तन्नस्तुरीपमद्भुतं पुरु वारं पुरु त्मना । त्वष्टा पोषाय वि ष्यतु राये नाभा नो अस्मयुः ॥

May that wondrous, swift-helping power become for us a manifold shelter, abundant by its own being; may Tvaṣṭṛ spread it out for our increase, and by this navel of plenitude bind us to the spiritual riches, not turning away from us.

Mantra 11

अवसृजन्नुप त्मना देवान्यक्षि वनस्पते । अग्निर्हव्या सुषूदति देवो देवेषु मेधिरः ॥

Releasing and setting forth by your own being, O Lord of the Wood, offer to the gods; for Agni, the god wise among the gods, prepares and perfects the oblations, cooking them into a fit substance for the higher powers within us.

Mantra 12

पूषण्वते मरुत्वते विश्वदेवाय वायवे । स्वाहा गायत्रवेपसे हव्यमिन्द्राय कर्तन ॥

Offer the oblation in the upward call to Pūṣan the Nourisher, to the Marut-force, to the All-gods, and to Vāyu the Life-breath. With the consecrating cry “svāhā”, shape the offering for Indra, the lord of luminous power, through the vibrating Gayatrī-impulse.

Mantra 13

स्वाहाकृतान्या गह्युप हव्यानि वीतये । इन्द्रा गहि श्रुधी हवं त्वां हवन्ते अध्वरे ॥

Come near to the offerings made ready by svāhā, to enjoy and take delight in them. O Indra, come; hear the call—men invoke you in the sacrifice as the power that fulfils the upward will.