Sukta 144

Mantra 1

एति प्र होता व्रतमस्य माययोर्ध्वां दधानः शुचिपेशसं धियम् । अभि स्रुचः क्रमते दक्षिणावृतो या अस्य धाम प्रथमं ह निंसते ॥

Forward moves the inner Priest, by his power of shaping (māyā), holding aloft a luminous and perfectly formed thought. He advances toward the ladles of offering, turning to the right—toward those first seats of his own being where he is established.

Mantra 2

अभीमृतस्य दोहना अनूषत योनौ देवस्य सदने परीवृताः । अपामुपस्थे विभृतो यदावसदध स्वधा अधयद्याभिरीयते ॥

Around him the milkings of Ṛta sounded forth, enclosed in the womb, in the seat of the God. When, upheld in the lap of the waters, he came to rest, then he made the self-law (svadhā) to flow—by which powers he journeys onward.

Mantra 3

युयूषतः सवयसा तदिद्वपुः समानमर्थं वितरित्रता मिथः । आदीं भगो न हव्यः समस्मदा वोळ्हुर्न रश्मीन्त्समयंस्त सारथिः ॥

Two of equal age separate in form, yet they carry one common purpose, moving in mutual alternation. Then, like a gracious giver receiving the offering, he draws them toward us; like a charioteer he gathers the reins and brings the powers into one control.

Mantra 4

यमीं द्वा सवयसा सपर्यतः समाने योना मिथुना समोकसा । दिवा न नक्तं पलितो युवाजनि पुरू चरन्नजरो मानुषा युगा ॥

Him two equal powers serve, born together from one womb, a paired couple dwelling in one home. Like Day and Night, he is at once ancient and ever-young; moving through many paths, he is ageless across the human ages.

Mantra 5

तमीं हिन्वन्ति धीतयो दश व्रिशो देवं मर्तास ऊतये हवामहे । धनोरधि प्रवत आ स ऋण्वत्यभिव्रजद्भिर्वयुना नवाधित ॥

The ten inspired powers urge him on; mortals call the God for help. From the bow of the sloping descent he sends forth his force; with new discernments, with those that move outward and break the encirclement, he reaches the goal.

Mantra 6

त्वं ह्यग्ने दिव्यस्य राजसि त्वं पार्थिवस्य पशुपा इव त्मना । एनी त एते बृहती अभिश्रिया हिरण्ययी वक्वरी बर्हिराशाते ॥

You, O Agni, rule in the luminous world; you also in the earthly, by your own self-nature, are like a guardian of the herds. These two—vast and radiant, golden and richly woven—sit for you as the sacred seat of offering (barhis).

Mantra 7

अग्ने जुषस्व प्रति हर्य तद्वचो मन्द्र स्वधाव ऋतजात सुक्रतो । यो विश्वतः प्रत्यङ्ङसि दर्शतो रण्वः संदृष्टौ पितुमाँ इव क्षयः ॥

O Agni, accept and delight in this word; turn toward it, O rapturous one, rich in your own power, born of Ṛta, of luminous will. You who face us from every side, visible and joyous—like a dwelling full of nourishment in the meeting of our sight.