Sukta 29

Mantra 1

अस्तीदमधिमन्थनमस्ति प्रजननं कृतम् । एतां विश्पत्नीमा भराग्निं मन्थाम पूर्वथा ॥

Here is the churning-stick; here is the prepared means of generation. Bring the Lady of the house; let us churn out Agni as in the ancient way—bringing forth the hidden fire of the soul.

Mantra 2

अरण्योर्निहितो जातवेदा गर्भ इव सुधितो गर्भिणीषु । दिवेदिव ईड्यो जागृवद्भिर्हविष्मद्भिर्मनुष्येभिरग्निः ॥

Jātavedas is hidden in the two woods like an embryo well-set within the pregnant ones. Day by day Agni is to be sought and adored by wakeful human beings who bear the offering—those who keep the flame of consciousness vigilant.

Mantra 3

उत्तानायामव भरा चिकित्वान्त्सद्यः प्रवीता वृषणं जजान । अरुषस्तूपो रुशदस्य पाज इळायास्पुत्रो वयुनेऽजनिष्ट ॥

On the outstretched (lower) wood, bring it down—O knower—at once the driven churning begets the strong Bull. With ruddy crest his radiance shines; the Son of Iḷā is born by the secret workings of the rite.

Mantra 4

इळायास्त्वा पदे वयं नाभा पृथिव्या अधि । जातवेदो नि धीमह्यग्ने हव्याय वोळ्हवे ॥

At the station of Iḷā, at Earth’s navel, we set you down, O Jātavedas. O Agni, be established to carry our offerings—so the divine exchange may move rightly.

Mantra 5

मन्थता नरः कविमद्वयन्तं प्रचेतसममृतं सुप्रतीकम् । यज्ञस्य केतुं प्रथमं पुरस्तादग्निं नरो जनयता सुशेवम् ॥

O human seekers, churn out and bring to birth Agni—the seer-will that does not waver, wide in conscious power, deathless, with a radiant face; establish him first as the banner of the sacrifice in front, the fire of the journey, the giver of a happy and harmonious good.

Mantra 6

यदी मन्थन्ति बाहुभिर्वि रोचतेऽश्वो न वाज्यरुषो वनेष्वा । चित्रो न यामन्नश्विनोरनिवृतः परि वृणक्त्यश्मनस्तृणा दहन् ॥

When they churn with their arms, he shines out—like a swift red steed of force in the woods; like a brilliant journey of the Aśvins, unobstructed, he ranges around, burning up the stone-hardness and the dry grasses of the being.

Mantra 7

जातो अग्नी रोचते चेकितानो वाजी विप्रः कविशस्तः सुदानुः । यं देवास ईड्यं विश्वविदं हव्यवाहमदधुरध्वरेषु ॥

Born, Agni shines, awake and discerning—winner of plenitude, inspired, praised by seers, rich in right giving; him the gods have set in the works of sacrifice, adorable, all-knowing, the carrier of the offering.

Mantra 8

सीद होतः स्व उ लोके चिकित्वान्त्सादया यज्ञं सुकृतस्य योनौ । देवावीर्देवान्हविषा यजास्यग्ने बृहद्यजमाने वयो धाः ॥

Sit, O Hotṛ, in thy own home, knowing; seat the sacrifice in the womb of the well-done work. As the helper of the gods, sacrifice to the gods with the offering; O Agni, place in the sacrificer the wide life-force and growth.

Mantra 9

कृणोत धूमं वृषणं सखायोऽस्रेधन्त इतन वाजमच्छ । अयमग्निः पृतनाषाट् सुवीरो येन देवासो असहन्त दस्यून् ॥

Make the smoke a mighty bull, O comrades; un-faltering, press on toward plenitude. This is that Agni, victorious in battles, rich in heroic force, by whom the gods overcame the Dasyus—the dark obstructions.

Mantra 10

अयं ते योनिॠत्वियो यतो जातो अरोचथाः । तं जानन्नग्न आ सीदाथा नो वर्धया गिरः ॥

This is thy season-true womb from which, once born, thou shinest; knowing it, O Agni, sit here—then increase for us the inspired utterances that grow the soul.

Mantra 11

तनूनपादुच्यते गर्भ आसुरो नराशंसो भवति यद्विजायते । मातरिश्वा यदमिमीत मातरि वातस्य सर्गो अभवत्सरीमणि ॥

He is called Tanūnapāt, the embryo of the luminous power; he becomes Narāśaṃsa when he is born forth. And when Mātariśvan measured him in the Mother, there came to be the outflowing release of the Wind along the flowing course.

Mantra 12

सुनिर्मथा निर्मथितः सुनिधा निहितः कविः । अग्ने स्वध्वरा कृणु देवान्देवयते यज ॥

Well churned-out, well brought forth; well placed, the seer-flame is set within. O Agni, make the paths of the work beautiful and true; sacrifice to the gods for the one who seeks the divine.

Mantra 13

अजीजनन्नमृतं मर्त्यासोऽस्रेमाणं तरणिं वीळुजम्भम् । दश स्वसारो अग्रुवः समीचीः पुमांसं जातमभि सं रभन्ते ॥

Mortals have brought to birth the deathless—unyielding, a swift deliverer, breaker of strongholds. Ten sisters, straight-moving and united, clasp around the newborn male power.

Mantra 14

प्र सप्तहोता सनकादरोचत मातुरुपस्थे यदशोचदूधनि । न नि मिषति सुरणो दिवेदिवे यदसुरस्य जठरादजायत ॥

Forth shone the Seven-Hotṛ from the primeval origin, when he blazed in the Mother’s lap, in the udder of nourishment. He does not wink, the good-giving one, day by day, since he was born from the belly of the lordly power.

Mantra 15

अमित्रायुधो मरुतामिव प्रयाः प्रथमजा ब्रह्मणो विश्वमिद्विदुः । द्युम्नवद्ब्रह्म कुशिकास एरिर एकएको दमे अग्निं समीधिरे ॥

Armed against the hostile forces, like the Maruts in their forward surge, these first-born movements of the Word know the whole truth of the working. The Kushikas uplifted a luminous, victorious mantra; each one, in his own inner home, kindled Agni perfectly into a single flame of power.

Mantra 16

यदद्य त्वा प्रयति यज्ञे अस्मिन्होतश्चिकित्वोऽवृणीमहीह । ध्रुवमया ध्रुवमुताशमिष्ठाः प्रजानन्विद्वाँ उप याहि सोमम् ॥

Since today, in this advancing sacrifice, we have chosen you here as the discerning Hotar, come by the sure path, come to the sure seat of peace; knowing the births and their meanings, the Wise One, draw near to the Soma within us.