Sukta 15

Mantra 1

इममू षु वो अतिथिमुषर्बुधं विश्वासां विशां पतिमृञ्जसे गिरा । वेतीद्दिवो जनुषा कच्चिदा शुचिर्ज्योक्चिदत्ति गर्भो यदच्युतम् ॥

This guest of yours, awakened with the dawn, lord of all the peoples—him you adorn with the word. He knows by his birth from heaven; pure, he comes even now: the hidden germ devours what is unshaken.

Mantra 2

मित्रं न यं सुधितं भृगवो दधुर्वनस्पतावीड्यमूर्ध्वशोचिषम् । स त्वं सुप्रीतो वीतहव्ये अद्भुत प्रशस्तिभिर्महयसे दिवेदिवे ॥

Like a friend whom the Bhṛgus have firmly set, worthy of adoration on the lord of the forest, with flames rising upward—so thou, wondrous Agni, well-pleased in the offering, art magnified day by day by our praises.

Mantra 3

स त्वं दक्षस्यावृको वृधो भूरर्यः परस्यान्तरस्य तरुषः । रायः सूनो सहसो मर्त्येष्वा छर्दिर्यच्छ वीतहव्याय सप्रथो भरद्वाजाय सप्रथः ॥

Thou art the undiminished protector of skill, the increaser; a noble force that overcomes what is beyond and what is within. O Son of Strength, extend among mortals the shelter of plenitude for Vītahavya the wide-spreading, for Bharadvāja the wide-spreading.

Mantra 4

द्युतानं वो अतिथिं स्वर्णरमग्निं होतारं मनुषः स्वध्वरम् । विप्रं न द्युक्षवचसं सुवृक्तिभिर्हव्यवाहमरतिं देवमृञ्जसे ॥

You fashion with luminous hymns Agni, the shining Guest, the bright leader of the journey, the human priest of the true offering—like an inspired seer whose speech is radiant—him who bears the oblation and moves unwearied as a divine power.

Mantra 5

पावकया यश्चितयन्त्या कृपा क्षामन्रुरुच उषसो न भानुना । तूर्वन्न यामन्नेतशस्य नू रण आ यो घृणे न ततृषाणो अजरः ॥

With a purifying flame that awakens perception, he shines through the nights like the radiance of Dawn; pressing forward on the path like the swift steed, he comes into the battle—like ardent splendor never satiated, unaging.

Mantra 6

अग्निमग्निं वः समिधा दुवस्यत प्रियम्प्रियं वो अतिथिं गृणीषणि । उप वो गीर्भिरमृतं विवासत देवो देवेषु वनते हि वार्यं देवो देवेषु वनते हि नो दुवः ॥

Serve Agni again and again with the fuel of your kindling; praise the beloved Guest, ever dear. With your words draw near and make room for the Immortal: the god wins among the gods the desirable boons; the god wins among the gods our act of service and its fulfillment.

Mantra 7

समिद्धमग्निं समिधा गिरा गृणे शुचिं पावकं पुरो अध्वरे ध्रुवम् । विप्रं होतारं पुरुवारमद्रुहं कविं सुम्नैरीमहे जातवेदसम् ॥

I praise with fuel and with the word the kindled Agni—pure, purifying, set in front of the offering, steadfast. The inspired priest, wide in his giving, without harm, the seer; with graces we seek Jātavedas.

Mantra 8

त्वां दूतमग्ने अमृतं युगेयुगे हव्यवाहं दधिरे पायुमीड्यम् । देवासश्च मर्तासश्च जागृविं विभुं विश्पतिं नमसा नि षेदिरे ॥

You, O Agni, the immortal Messenger age after age, the bearer of the offering, the guardian worthy of adoration—both gods and mortals have set you down with reverence, wakeful, all-pervading, lord of the people.

Mantra 9

विभूषन्नग्न उभयाँ अनु व्रता दूतो देवानां रजसी समीयसे । यत्ते धीतिं सुमतिमावृणीमहेऽध स्मा नस्त्रिवरूथः शिवो भव ॥

O Agni, moving in beauty, following both orders, the messenger of the gods, you traverse the two worlds. Since we choose for ourselves your inspired thought and right-mindedness, then become for us a threefold shelter, benign and gracious.

Mantra 10

तं सुप्रतीकं सुदृशं स्वञ्चमविद्वांसो विदुष्टरं सपेम । स यक्षद्विश्वा वयुनानि विद्वान्प्र हव्यमग्निरमृतेषु वोचत् ॥

That one of fair visage, of good seeing, moving straight—we, though not knowing, would follow the more-knowing. May he, knowing, perform all works of discernment; may Agni proclaim the offering forward among the immortals.

Mantra 11

तमग्ने पास्युत तं पिपर्षि यस्त आनट् कवये शूर धीतिम् । यज्ञस्य वा निशितिं वोदितिं वा तमित्पृणक्षि शवसोत राया ॥

That one, O Agni, you guard and you carry across—who has reached to you with inspired thought, O hero-seer. Whether it is the sharpness of the sacrifice or its uplifted rising, him indeed you fill with force and with inner riches.

Mantra 12

त्वमग्ने वनुष्यतो नि पाहि त्वमु नः सहसावन्नवद्यात् । सं त्वा ध्वस्मन्वदभ्येतु पाथः सं रयिः स्पृहयाय्यः सहस्री ॥

You, O Agni, protect the one who strives to serve; you, O mighty, protect us from fault. Let the path come to you with its overcoming power; let the thousandfold rayi, desirable to the soul, gather to us.

Mantra 13

अग्निर्होता गृहपतिः स राजा विश्वा वेद जनिमा जातवेदाः । देवानामुत यो मर्त्यानां यजिष्ठः स प्र यजतामृतावा ॥

Agni is the priest, the lord of the dwelling, the king; Jātavedas knows all births and becomings. He who is the most capable sacrificer for gods and for mortals—may that ṛta-possessor lead the offering forward.

Mantra 14

अग्ने यदद्य विशो अध्वरस्य होतः पावकशोचे वेष्ट्वं हि यज्वा । ऋता यजासि महिना वि यद्भूर्हव्या वह यविष्ठ या ते अद्य ॥

O Agni, when today, O priest of the journey-sacrifice, O flame of pure shining, thou dost encompass the peoples, for thou art the true doer of the offering; thou sacrificest by the truths and by thy greatness becomest wide and manifold. Bear then, O youngest, the oblations that are thine today.

Mantra 15

अभि प्रयांसि सुधितानि हि ख्यो नि त्वा दधीत रोदसी यजध्यै । अवा नो मघवन्वाजसातावग्ने विश्वानि दुरिता तरेम ता तरेम तवावसा तरेम ॥

Toward thee the well-set forward movements turn, for thou art manifest; Heaven and Earth place thee here for the act of offering. O Agni, bountiful in the winning of plenitude, help us downwards with thy protection, that we may cross beyond all evil states—yes, cross them, cross them by thy aid.

Mantra 16

अग्ने विश्वेभिः स्वनीक देवैरूर्णावन्तं प्रथमः सीद योनिम् । कुलायिनं घृतवन्तं सवित्रे यज्ञं नय यजमानाय साधु ॥

O Agni, with all the gods of one radiant face, sit first in the womb-seat, full of warm covering; nest-making, rich in clarified light—lead the sacrifice rightly for Savitṛ, for the sacrificer, in the good and straight way.

Mantra 17

इममु त्यमथर्ववदग्निं मन्थन्ति वेधसः । यमङ्कूयन्तमानयन्नमूरं श्याव्याभ्यः ॥

This very Agni, as Atharvan did, the knowers churn forth; him, as he grows in the churning, they bring forward—unbewildered—out of the dark coverings.

Mantra 18

जनिष्वा देववीतये सर्वताता स्वस्तये । आ देवान्वक्ष्यमृताँ ऋतावृधो यज्ञं देवेषु पिस्पृशः ॥

Be born for the gods’ coming and for the all-accomplishment, for our well-being. Bring hither the immortal gods, O increaser of ṛta; make the sacrifice touch and enter among the gods.

Mantra 19

वयमु त्वा गृहपते जनानामग्ने अकर्म समिधा बृहन्तम् । अस्थूरि नो गार्हपत्यानि सन्तु तिग्मेन नस्तेजसा सं शिशाधि ॥

We have made thee grow great with the kindling, O Agni, lord of the house of men. Let our household fires be firmly set; with thy keen blaze of force, sharpen and set our energy in right intensity.