Sukta 91

Mantra 1

सं जागृवद्भिर्जरमाण इध्यते दमे दमूना इषयन्निळस्पदे । विश्वस्य होता हविषो वरेण्यो विभुर्विभावा सुषखा सखीयते ॥

Kindled in harmony with the wakeful ones, the ever-growing Fire flames in the home; he presses forward the impulsion in the seat of Ila. The chosen Hotar of all existence, vast and shining, the good friend becomes a friend—Agni awakens in us the right offering and the right companionship with the gods.

Mantra 2

स दर्शतश्रीरतिथिर्गृहेगृहे वनेवने शिश्रिये तक्ववीरिव । जनंजनं जन्यो नाति मन्यते विश आ क्षेति विश्यो विशंविशम् ॥

He, of visible splendor, the Guest, has taken his seat in every home, in every forest, like a swift-winged one. Born for the peoples, he does not hold himself apart from any clan; the fire dwells among the settlements, belonging to all, entering community after community—Agni makes the many into a single field of offering.

Mantra 3

सुदक्षो दक्षैः क्रतुनासि सुक्रतुरग्ने कविः काव्येनासि विश्ववित् । वसुर्वसूनां क्षयसि त्वमेक इद्द्यावा च यानि पृथिवी च पुष्यतः ॥

O Agni, you are perfectly skilled by your powers of skill; by your conscious will you are the good-willed. You are the seer by the inspired word, the knower of all. You alone dwell as the true Treasure among treasures; and it is you who foster and increase all that Heaven and Earth bring to growth.

Mantra 4

प्रजानन्नग्ने तव योनिमृत्वियमिळायास्पदे घृतवन्तमासदः । आ ते चिकित्र उषसामिवेतयोऽरेपसः सूर्यस्येव रश्मयः ॥

Knowing, O Agni, your season-right womb, they have sat down upon the step of Iḷā, rich with clarity and sweetness. Toward you the stainless impulses move—like the goings of the Dawns, like the Sun’s rays—seeking your illumined presence.

Mantra 5

तव श्रियो वर्ष्यस्येव विद्युतश्चित्राश्चिकित्र उषसां न केतवः । यदोषधीरभिसृष्टो वनानि च परि स्वयं चिनुषे अन्नमास्ये ॥

Your splendours are many-coloured, like the lightnings of the rain-cloud, like the signals of the Dawns. When you are released upon the herbs and upon the forests, you yourself gather the food into your mouth—taking into you the essence that will become strength in us.

Mantra 6

तमोषधीर्दधिरे गर्भमृत्वियं तमापो अग्निं जनयन्त मातरः । तमित्समानं वनिनश्च वीरुधोऽन्तर्वतीश्च सुवते च विश्वहा ॥

The herbs held him as a season-right embryo; the Waters, the Mothers, gave birth to that Agni. The same One—ever the same—do the trees and the creepers, the pregnant growths, bring forth and set in motion unceasingly.

Mantra 7

वातोपधूत इषितो वशाँ अनु तृषु यदन्ना वेविषद्वितिष्ठसे । आ ते यतन्ते रथ्यो यथा पृथक्छर्धांस्यग्ने अजराणि धक्षतः ॥

Driven by the wind, urged on, you move along the channels; when the foods quiver, you stand out in your spreading might. Toward you the enduring companies strive, O Agni, as if on converging roads—each in its own way—so that they may be kindled into an unaging flame.

Mantra 8

मेधाकारं विदथस्य प्रसाधनमग्निं होतारं परिभूतमं मतिम् । तमिदर्भे हविष्या समानमित्तमिन्महे वृणते नान्यं त्वत् ॥

Agni, the fashioner of understanding, the accomplisher of the session, the Hotṛ, the most surpassing Intelligence—him indeed, the same One, we choose in the offering, in the small and in the great; none other than you do we take for our vast work.

Mantra 9

त्वामिदत्र वृणते त्वायवो होतारमग्ने विदथेषु वेधसः । यद्देवयन्तो दधति प्रयांसि ते हविष्मन्तो मनवो वृक्तबर्हिषः ॥

Here the seekers of you choose you, O Agni, as the Hotṛ in the sessions, the wise builders; when yearning for the Divine they set in place for you their forward offerings—men of the Manu, rich in oblation, with the strewn sacred grass prepared.

Mantra 10

तवाग्ने होत्रं तव पोत्रमृत्वियं तव नेष्ट्रं त्वमग्निदृतायतः । तव प्रशास्त्रं त्वमध्वरीयसि ब्रह्मा चासि गृहपतिश्च नो दमे ॥

Yours, O Agni, is the Hotṛ-work; yours the Potṛ-work in the right season; yours the leading (Neṣṭṛ) and you are the Agnīdh who sets the rite in truth. Yours is the directing word; you yourself become the Adhvaryu. You are also the Brahman, and the Lord of the house in our dwelling.

Mantra 11

यस्तुभ्यमग्ने अमृताय मर्त्यः समिधा दाशदुत वा हविष्कृति । तस्य होता भवसि यासि दूत्यमुप ब्रूषे यजस्यध्वरीयसि ॥

Whoever, O Agni, a mortal for the sake of the Immortal, offers you kindling or prepares the oblation—of him you become the Hotṛ; you go as messenger, you speak on his behalf; you sacrifice and carry out the work of the rite.

Mantra 12

इमा अस्मै मतयो वाचो अस्मदाँ ऋचो गिरः सुष्टुतयः समग्मत । वसूयवो वसवे जातवेदसे वृद्धासु चिद्वर्धनो यासु चाकनत् ॥

To him these thoughts and words from us have come together—our verses, our chants, our well-shaped praises. Seeking the true wealth, we bring them to the Vasu, to Jātavedas, who increases even the grown powers, in which he takes delight.

Mantra 13

इमां प्रत्नाय सुष्टुतिं नवीयसीं वोचेयमस्मा उशते शृणोतु नः । भूया अन्तरा हृद्यस्य निस्पृशे जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासाः ॥

This newest well-fashioned hymn of praise I would speak to the Ancient One; may he, the one who yearns, hear us. May it enter more and more into the heart’s inmost touch, like a wife, beautifully robed and desiring, drawing near to her lord.

Mantra 14

यस्मिन्नश्वास ऋषभास उक्षणो वशा मेषा अवसृष्टास आहुताः । कीलालपे सोमपृष्ठाय वेधसे हृदा मतिं जनये चारुमग्नये ॥

In whom the powers—steeds, bulls, strong ones; the yielding energies and rams—are released and offered: on that pressed sweetness, on the Soma-backed Wisdom-Worker, I generate with the heart a fair thought for Agni.

Mantra 15

अहाव्यग्ने हविरास्ये ते स्रुचीव घृतं चम्वीव सोमः । वाजसनिं रयिमस्मे सुवीरं प्रशस्तं धेहि यशसं बृहन्तम् ॥

O Agni, at the call, the offering enters your mouth—like ghee in the ladle, like Soma in the bowl. Set in us the wealth that wins plenitude of force, rich in heroic powers, widely acclaimed, vast in its glory.