Sukta 20

Mantra 1

अग्निमुषसमश्विना दधिक्रां व्युष्टिषु हवते वह्निरुक्थैः । सुज्योतिषो नः शृण्वन्तु देवाः सजोषसो अध्वरं वावशानाः ॥

At the breakings of dawn the carrier invokes with hymns Agni, Ushas, the Ashvins, and Dadhikrāvan. May the gods of good light hear us, consenting together, eager for the journey of sacrifice and its forward movement.

Mantra 2

अग्ने त्री ते वाजिना त्री षधस्था तिस्रस्ते जिह्वा ऋतजात पूर्वीः । तिस्र उ ते तन्वो देववातास्ताभिर्नः पाहि गिरो अप्रयुच्छन् ॥

O Agni, three are your powers of plenitude, three your seats of establishment; three are your tongues, born of the Truth, ancient in their working. Three too are your bodies moved by the gods’ breath; by these protect us—so that our words may not fail or fall away from the path.

Mantra 3

अग्ने भूरीणि तव जातवेदो देव स्वधावोऽमृतस्य नाम । याश्च माया मायिनां विश्वमिन्व त्वे पूर्वीः संदधुः पृष्टबन्धो ॥

O Agni Jātavedas, divine and self-powered, many are your names of immortality. And the manifold powers of formation—those of the formers who drive the whole—have from of old been harmonized in you, O knower who binds the worlds together.

Mantra 4

अग्निर्नेता भग इव क्षितीनां दैवीनां देव ऋतुपा ऋतावा । स वृत्रहा सनयो विश्ववेदाः पर्षद्विश्वाति दुरिता गृणन्तम् ॥

Agni is the leader, like Bhaga, of the divine peoples; a god guarding the seasons, founded in the Truth. He, the slayer of the coverer, the winner, the all-knower—may he carry across the one who chants, beyond all difficulties and wrong passages.

Mantra 5

दधिक्रामग्निमुषसं च देवीं बृहस्पतिं सवितारं च देवम् । अश्विना मित्रावरुणा भगं च वसून्रुद्राँ आदित्याँ इह हुवे ॥

I call here Dadhikrāvan, and Agni, and the divine Dawn; I call Bṛhaspati and Savitṛ the god. I call the Aśvins, Mitra-Varuṇa, and Bhaga; and I call here the Vasus, the Rudras, and the Ādityas—powers to establish the right movement within us.