Sukta 12

Mantra 1

यस्त्वामग्न इनधते यतस्रुक्त्रिस्ते अन्नं कृणवत्सस्मिन्नहन् । स सु द्युम्नैरभ्यस्तु प्रसक्षत्तव क्रत्वा जातवेदश्चिकित्वान् ॥

He who kindles thee, O Agni, with ordered offering-ladle, and three times in that day makes thy food—let him be encompassed by thy luminous powers and prevail mightily by thy effective will, O Jātavedas, the conscious knower.

Mantra 2

इध्मं यस्ते जभरच्छश्रमाणो महो अग्ने अनीकमा सपर्यन् । स इधानः प्रति दोषामुषासं पुष्यन्रयिं सचते घ्नन्नमित्रान् ॥

He who brings thee fuel with labor and serves thy mighty front, O Agni—he, kindling thee, meets both Night and Dawn; fostering the plenitude (rayi) he moves with it, striking down the hostile powers.

Mantra 3

अग्निरीशे बृहतः क्षत्रियस्याग्निर्वाजस्य परमस्य रायः । दधाति रत्नं विधते यविष्ठो व्यानुषङ्मर्त्याय स्वधावान् ॥

Agni is lord of the vast heroic power; Agni is lord of the supreme plenitude of force and the highest wealth. The youngest, the self-sustaining one, places the jewel for the worshipper—spreading it out for the mortal in continuous succession.

Mantra 4

यच्चिद्धि ते पुरुषत्रा यविष्ठाचित्तिभिश्चकृमा कच्चिदागः । कृधी ष्वस्माँ अदितेरनागान्व्येनांसि शिश्रथो विष्वगग्ने ॥

Whatever offence we may have done against thee, O youngest, who art strong for man, by our unawakened understandings—make us indeed guiltless in the wideness of Aditi; loosen away our bonds of error on every side, O Agni.

Mantra 5

महश्चिदग्न एनसो अभीक ऊर्वाद्देवानामुत मर्त्यानाम् । मा ते सखायः सदमिद्रिषाम यच्छा तोकाय तनयाय शं योः ॥

Even from the great nearness of sin, O Agni—from the wide field where gods and mortals move—let us not, though companions of thee, suffer harm. Bestow for our child and our offspring peace and a glad well-being.

Mantra 6

यथा ह त्यद्वसवो गौर्यं चित्पदि षिताममुञ्चता यजत्राः । एवो ष्वस्मन्मुञ्चता व्यंहः प्र तार्यग्ने प्रतरं न आयुः ॥

As once, O Vasus worthy of worship, you released even the ‘Gaurī’ bound in the snare, so now release us from the constriction. Lead us forward, O Agni, to a farther crossing, to a more victorious fullness of life.