Sukta 2

Mantra 1

पिप्रीहि देवाँ उशतो यविष्ठ विद्वाँ ऋतूँॠतुपते यजेह । ये दैव्या ऋत्विजस्तेभिरग्ने त्वं होतॄणामस्यायजिष्ठः ॥

Fill and nourish the gods who desire, O youngest; knowing the seasons, O lord of the right times, sacrifice here. With those divine officiants, O Agni, you are the most apt of the Hotṛs for this offering.

Mantra 2

वेषि होत्रमुत पोत्रं जनानां मन्धातासि द्रविणोदा ऋतावा । स्वाहा वयं कृणवामा हवींषि देवो देवान्यजत्वग्निरर्हन् ॥

You carry the office of Hotṛ and also of Potṛ for the peoples; you are the inspired thinker, the giver of plenitude, the keeper of ṛta. With svāhā we fashion the offerings; may the divine Agni, worthy, sacrifice to the gods.

Mantra 3

आ देवानामपि पन्थामगन्म यच्छक्नवाम तदनु प्रवोळ्हुम् । अग्निर्विद्वान्त्स यजात्सेदु होता सो अध्वरान्त्स ऋतून्कल्पयाति ॥

We have come upon the path of the gods, so far as we are able to follow and carry it forward. Agni, who knows, should sacrifice; he indeed is the Hotṛ—he sets in order the rites and the right seasons.

Mantra 4

यद्वो वयं प्रमिनाम व्रतानि विदुषां देवा अविदुष्टरासः । अग्निष्टद्विश्वमा पृणाति विद्वान्येभिर्देवाँ ऋतुभिः कल्पयाति ॥

If we diminish your laws, O gods—being more ignorant than the knowers—Agni, who knows, fills up all that. By these right seasons he sets the gods in their proper order.

Mantra 5

यत्पाकत्रा मनसा दीनदक्षा न यज्ञस्य मन्वते मर्त्यासः । अग्निष्टद्धोता क्रतुविद्विजानन्यजिष्ठो देवाँ ऋतुशो यजाति ॥

When mortals, childish in mind and weak in capacity, do not truly conceive the sacrifice, Agni as Hotṛ—knower of the intention—understanding it clearly, most able in offering, sacrifices to the gods according to the right order.

Mantra 6

विश्वेषां ह्यध्वराणामनीकं चित्रं केतुं जनिता त्वा जजान । स आ यजस्व नृवतीरनु क्षा स्पार्हा इषः क्षुमतीर्विश्वजन्याः ॥

For of all the rites the begetter has brought you forth as the bright face, the wondrous banner. So sacrifice, following the earths rich in men; win the desirable impulses, the nourishing plenitudes, born for all.

Mantra 7

यं त्वा द्यावापृथिवी यं त्वापस्त्वष्टा यं त्वा सुजनिमा जजान । पन्थामनु प्रविद्वान्पितृयाणं द्युमदग्ने समिधानो वि भाहि ॥

O Agni, whom Heaven and Earth brought forth, whom the Waters and Tvaṣṭṛ fashioned, whom the power of a happy birth has generated—knowing the path that leads along the way of the Fathers, blaze forth, kindled, with luminous radiance within us.