Sukta 3

Mantra 1

आ वो राजानमध्वरस्य रुद्रं होतारं सत्ययजं रोदस्योः । अग्निं पुरा तनयित्नोरचित्ताद्धिरण्यरूपमवसे कृणुध्वम् ॥

Bring forward for you the King of the offering, the Rudra-force as the true sacrificing Priest of the two worlds. Make Agni—ancient, born of the fostering energies—golden in form, a power of help for us, awakening even what lies unperceived.

Mantra 2

अयं योनिश्चकृमा यं वयं ते जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासाः । अर्वाचीनः परिवीतो नि षीदेमा उ ते स्वपाक प्रतीचीः ॥

This is the womb-seat we have made for you; as a wife for her lord, longing and well-robed, we prepare it. Turn hither, clothed all around, and sit down; these offerings of ours come back to you, O well-cooking one, as responsive powers.

Mantra 3

आशृण्वते अदृपिताय मन्म नृचक्षसे सुमृळीकाय वेधः । देवाय शस्तिममृताय शंस ग्रावेव सोता मधुषुद्यमीळे ॥

To him who listens, who is not intoxicated, to the seer of men, the kindly-gracious, O wise one, utter the inspired thought. Proclaim the praise to the god, to the immortal; like a pressing-stone the presser, pouring sweetness, I adore him whom I call.

Mantra 4

त्वं चिन्नः शम्या अग्ने अस्या ऋतस्य बोध्यृतचित्स्वाधीः । कदा त उक्था सधमाद्यानि कदा भवन्ति सख्या गृहे ते ॥

Even from the kindling-stick, O Agni, become aware for us of this Order; O knower of the Truth, well-disposed in understanding. When will your inspired utterances and your common joyings come to be, when will friendships be born in your home?

Mantra 5

कथा ह तद्वरुणाय त्वमग्ने कथा दिवे गर्हसे कन्न आगः । कथा मित्राय मीळ्हुषे पृथिव्यै ब्रवः कदर्यम्णे कद्भगाय ॥

How is it, O Agni, that you must answer to Varuṇa; how do you become reproached before Heaven—what is our fault? How will you speak to Mitra the gracious, to Earth; what will you say to Aryaman, what to Bhaga?

Mantra 6

कद्धिष्ण्यासु वृधसानो अग्ने कद्वाताय प्रतवसे शुभंये । परिज्मने नासत्याय क्षे ब्रवः कदग्ने रुद्राय नृघ्ने ॥

What word will you speak, O Agni, growing in the sacred seats—what to Vāta, the forward-driving, the beneficent? What to the far-ranging Nāsatyas—what will you say for our dwelling? What, O Agni, to Rudra the slayer of the hostile?

Mantra 7

कथा महे पुष्टिम्भराय पूष्णे कद्रुद्राय सुमखाय हविर्दे । कद्विष्णव उरुगायाय रेतो ब्रवः कदग्ने शरवे बृहत्यै ॥

How will you speak to the Great Pūṣan who bears plenitude, and what to Rudra of good sacrifice, giver of the oblation? What seed-word will you speak to Viṣṇu of wide steps; what, O Agni, to the far-flying Arrow, to the Vast?

Mantra 8

कथा शर्धाय मरुतामृताय कथा सूरे बृहते पृच्छ्यमानः । प्रति ब्रवोऽदितये तुराय साधा दिवो जातवेदश्चिकित्वान् ॥

How will you answer the troop of the Maruts in their rightness; how the great Sun when questioned? Speak back to Aditi, the swift, and accomplish it, O Jātavedas, the knower—make firm the heavenward fulfillment.

Mantra 9

ऋतेन ऋतं नियतमीळ आ गोरामा सचा मधुमत्पक्वमग्ने । कृष्णा सती रुशता धासिनैषा जामर्येण पयसा पीपाय ॥

By the Truth I adore the Truth that is firmly guided; with the cow’s raw and ripened sweetness together, O Agni. This dark one, becoming luminous by the shining receptacle, has been made to swell with the milk of the fostering companion.

Mantra 10

ऋतेन हि ष्मा वृषभश्चिदक्तः पुमाँ अग्निः पयसा पृष्ठ्येन । अस्पन्दमानो अचरद्वयोधा वृषा शुक्रं दुदुहे पृश्निरूधः ॥

For by the Truth indeed even the Bull is anointed: Agni the male, with the milk upon his back. Unshaking he moves, the giver of plenitudes; the Bull has milked out the bright, and the dappled one her udder.

Mantra 11

ऋतेनाद्रिं व्यसन्भिदन्तः समङ्गिरसो नवन्त गोभिः । शुनं नरः परि षदन्नुषासमाविः स्वरभवज्जाते अग्नौ ॥

By the power of Ṛta they cleft the rock asunder; the Angirases together pressed forward with the rays of Light. The strong ones sat around the Dawn in a happy wideness; and the luminous Heaven (Svar) became manifest when Agni was born within.

Mantra 12

ऋतेन देवीरमृता अमृक्ता अर्णोभिरापो मधुमद्भिरग्ने । वाजी न सर्गेषु प्रस्तुभानः प्र सदमित्स्रवितवे दधन्युः ॥

By Ṛta the divine Waters—immortal and unmingled—move with their streams of sweetness, O Agni. Like a warrior-horse in the onrushes, sounding forth, they press ever forward to flow out in a constant outpouring.

Mantra 13

मा कस्य यक्षं सदमिद्धुरो गा मा वेशस्य प्रमिनतो मापेः । मा भ्रातुरग्ने अनृजोॠणं वेर्मा सख्युर्दक्षं रिपोर्भुजेम ॥

Let us not go, even for a moment, into the spell of any hostile power; let us not fall under the diminishing force of the clan’s disorder. O Agni, let us not incur the debt of a brother without right; let us not become enjoyers of the enemy’s skill, nor misuse the friend’s capacity.

Mantra 14

रक्षा णो अग्ने तव रक्षणेभी रारक्षाणः सुमख प्रीणानः । प्रति ष्फुर वि रुज वीड्वंहो जहि रक्षो महि चिद्वावृधानम् ॥

Guard us, O Agni, with thy powers of guarding—guarding us, O fair-faced, rejoicing. Smite back, break apart the dense evil; slay the Rakṣas even if it has grown vast and strong.

Mantra 15

एभिर्भव सुमना अग्ने अर्कैरिमान्त्स्पृश मन्मभिः शूर वाजान् । उत ब्रह्माण्यङ्गिरो जुषस्व सं ते शस्तिर्देववाता जरेत ॥

With these hymns be of a happy mind, O Agni; touch these plenitudes with our thoughts, O hero. And accept, O Angiras, the sacred formulations; so may thy inspired praise, driven by the Gods, grow ripe in thee.

Mantra 16

एता विश्वा विदुषे तुभ्यं वेधो नीथान्यग्ने निण्या वचांसि । निवचना कवये काव्यान्यशंसिषं मतिभिर्विप्र उक्थैः ॥

All these guiding leadings and hidden words I have fashioned for thee, O Agni, who knowest—O disposer. Secret utterances and poetic truths for the seer; with thoughts and inspired hymns I have proclaimed them.