Sukta 2

Mantra 1

वैश्वानराय धिषणामृतावृधे घृतं न पूतमग्नये जनामसि । द्विता होतारं मनुषश्च वाघतो धिया रथं न कुलिशः समृण्वति ॥

For Vaiśvānara, for Agni who increases the inspired discernment in the Truth, we beget a clarified offering like purified ghee. The human worshipper fashions the Hotar anew, as with thought one forges a chariot like a smith with his hammer.

Mantra 2

स रोचयज्जनुषा रोदसी उभे स मात्रोरभवत्पुत्र ईड्यः । हव्यवाळग्निरजरश्चनोहितो दूळभो विशामतिथिर्विभावसुः ॥

He made the two worlds shine by his very birth; from the two Mothers he became the adorable Son. Agni, bearer of the oblation, unaging and set in our delight, hard to attain yet the guest of the peoples, is the radiant one of manifold light.

Mantra 3

क्रत्वा दक्षस्य तरुषो विधर्मणि देवासो अग्निं जनयन्त चित्तिभिः । रुरुचानं भानुना ज्योतिषा महामत्यं न वाजं सनिष्यन्नुप ब्रुवे ॥

By the conscious will (kratu) and the skill of effective power (dakṣa), in the ordered law of right workings (vi-dharmaṇi), the gods bring Agni to birth through luminous perceptions (citti). Him who shines out with beam and light—great like a racing steed of the vastness—I invoke, seeking the vāja: the plenitude of victorious force.

Mantra 4

आ मन्द्रस्य सनिष्यन्तो वरेण्यं वृणीमहे अह्रयं वाजमृग्मियम् । रातिं भृगूणामुशिजं कविक्रतुमग्निं राजन्तं दिव्येन शोचिषा ॥

Seeking the gain of the Delight, we choose the most choice-worthy—Agni, unerring, the plenitude of force that is hymned by the Word; the gift of the Bhṛgus, the eager flame, the seer-will, shining with a divine radiance.

Mantra 5

अग्निं सुम्नाय दधिरे पुरो जना वाजश्रवसमिह वृक्तबर्हिषः । यतस्रुचः सुरुचं विश्वदेव्यं रुद्रं यज्ञानां साधदिष्टिमपसाम् ॥

For the sake of the divine gladness, men have set Agni in the forefront—here, they of the strewn sacred seat; holding the ladles in control, they establish the fair-radiant, the all-godward, the Rudra-power who accomplishes the desired offering of our works.

Mantra 6

पावकशोचे तव हि क्षयं परि होतर्यज्ञेषु वृक्तबर्हिषो नरः । अग्ने दुव इच्छमानास आप्यमुपासते द्रविणं धेहि तेभ्यः ॥

O purifying flame, around thy home the men of the prepared seat gather in the sacrifices, O Hotar. Desiring service and the inmost fulfilment, they sit near thee in adoration; place in them the treasure of the soul.

Mantra 7

आ रोदसी अपृणदा स्वर्महज्जातं यदेनमपसो अधारयन् । सो अध्वराय परि णीयते कविरत्यो न वाजसातये चनोहितः ॥

He filled heaven and earth, and he filled the vast luminous world, when the Powers of work upheld him at his birth. Then the seer is led around for the sacrifice, like a swift steed for the winning of plenitude, set in us for our good.

Mantra 8

नमस्यत हव्यदातिं स्वध्वरं दुवस्यत दम्यं जातवेदसम् । रथीॠतस्य बृहतो विचर्षणिरग्निर्देवानामभवत्पुरोहितः ॥

Bow to the giver of the offering, serve the master of the straight rite, the invincible Jātavedas. Agni, the charioteer of the vast Truth, the wide-seeing, has become the gods’ leader set in front.

Mantra 9

तिस्रो यह्वस्य समिधः परिज्मनोऽग्नेरपुनन्नुशिजो अमृत्यवः । तासामेकामदधुर्मर्त्ये भुजमु लोकमु द्वे उप जामिमीयतुः ॥

Three kindlings of the mighty-moving Agni the eager immortals purified. Of these they placed one for the mortal to enjoy; two went upward towards their own kin-world.

Mantra 10

विशां कविं विश्पतिं मानुषीरिषः सं सीमकृण्वन्त्स्वधितिं न तेजसे । स उद्वतो निवतो याति वेविषत्स गर्भमेषु भुवनेषु दीधरत् ॥

The human energies made him one-pointed—Agni, the seer of the peoples, the lord of the clan—like a whetted blade for brilliance. He moves from the heights and the depths, vibrating with force; he holds the embryo of the divine in these worlds.

Mantra 11

स जिन्वते जठरेषु प्रजज्ञिवान्वृषा चित्रेषु नानदन्न सिंहः । वैश्वानरः पृथुपाजा अमर्त्यो वसु रत्ना दयमानो वि दाशुषे ॥

He is born again and again in the bellies, and as a bull he roars among the luminous forms like a lion. Vaiśvānara, wide in power, immortal, distributing riches and treasures, gives out to the giver.

Mantra 12

वैश्वानरः प्रत्नथा नाकमारुहद्दिवस्पृष्ठं भन्दमानः सुमन्मभिः । स पूर्ववज्जनयञ्जन्तवे धनं समानमज्मं पर्येति जागृविः ॥

Vaiśvānara, as in the ancient way, climbed to the luminous summit, smiling with happy thoughts. Awake, as before, he brings forth for the creature the wealth and moves around on the same path.

Mantra 13

ऋतावानं यज्ञियं विप्रमुक्थ्यमा यं दधे मातरिश्वा दिवि क्षयम् । तं चित्रयामं हरिकेशमीमहे सुदीतिमग्निं सुविताय नव्यसे ॥

We seek and invoke that Agni—possessor of the Truth, fit for sacrifice, the inspired and worthy of the hymn—whom Mātariśvan established as a dwelling in heaven: the many-going, the golden-haired, the well-lit, for a newer and wider progress.

Mantra 14

शुचिं न यामन्निषिरं स्वर्दृशं केतुं दिवो रोचनस्थामुषर्बुधम् । अग्निं मूर्धानं दिवो अप्रतिष्कुतं तमीमहे नमसा वाजिनं बृहत् ॥

We seek with adoration that Agni—pure as the path of movement, keen-edged in power, visioning the supramental Light; the luminous beacon of heaven stationed in the worlds of radiance, awake with the Dawn. We seek the Head and summit of heaven, the irresistible Flame that cannot be thrust aside, the vast Bearer of plenitude of force.

Mantra 15

मन्द्रं होतारं शुचिमद्वयाविनं दमूनसमुक्थ्यं विश्वचर्षणिम् । रथं न चित्रं वपुषाय दर्शतं मनुर्हितं सदमिद्राय ईमहे ॥

We seek for the wealth of being that rapturous Agni, the pure Invoker, moving without division, the lord of the dwelling, worthy of the hymn, universal in his working among the peoples—like a bright and wondrous chariot, beautiful to behold for the soul’s form—set by the human for ever in the seat of the sacrifice.