Sukta 1

Mantra 1

अग्निं नरो दीधितिभिररण्योर्हस्तच्युती जनयन्त प्रशस्तम् । दूरेदृशं गृहपतिमथर्युम् ॥

Men, by their kindling thoughts, bring to birth Agni from the two fire-sticks, the praised one—seen from afar—lord of the dwelling, the Atharvan-priest within the house of the being.

Mantra 2

तमग्निमस्ते वसवो न्यृण्वन्त्सुप्रतिचक्षमवसे कुतश्चित् । दक्षाय्यो यो दम आस नित्यः ॥

That Agni the Vasus establish here—clear to behold—for help from whatever quarter; he is the one to be chosen for skill, who abides in the home for ever.

Mantra 3

प्रेद्धो अग्ने दीदिहि पुरो नोऽजस्रया सूर्म्या यविष्ठ । त्वां शश्वन्त उप यन्ति वाजाः ॥

Kindled, O Agni, blaze in front of us with an unfailing and puissant flame, O youngest; to you the plenitudes of force come ever approaching.

Mantra 4

प्र ते अग्नयोऽग्निभ्यो वरं निः सुवीरासः शोशुचन्त द्युमन्तः । यत्रा नरः समासते सुजाताः ॥

Forth from you the fires stream out among the fires—radiant, full of hero-force—where the well-born seekers gather together in harmony.

Mantra 5

दा नो अग्ने धिया रयिं सुवीरं स्वपत्यं सहस्य प्रशस्तम् । न यं यावा तरति यातुमावान् ॥

Give us, O Agni, by the awakened thought, the rayi—full of heroic force—good lordship and a praised abundance; whom no sorcerous mover can overpass or cross.

Mantra 6

उप यमेति युवतिः सुदक्षं दोषा वस्तोर्हविष्मती घृताची । उप स्वैनमरमतिर्वसूयुः ॥

To him comes near the young bride—Night and Dawn—bearing the offering, moving with ghee-like sweetness, approaching the skillful one; and near him comes Aramati, our own seeking of the riches of the spirit.

Mantra 7

विश्वा अग्नेऽप दहारातीर्येभिस्तपोभिरदहो जरूथम् । प्र निस्वरं चातयस्वामीवाम् ॥

Burn away, O Agni, all the hostile powers—by those fires of tapas with which you once burned the old decay; drive out, with a clear cry, the sickness that assails.

Mantra 8

आ यस्ते अग्न इधते अनीकं वसिष्ठ शुक्र दीदिवः पावक । उतो न एभिः स्तवथैरिह स्याः ॥

O Agni, when one kindles for you the front of your shining power—O most-steadfast, bright, ever-luminous Purifier—then by these our affirmations of praise be present here with us: enter the field of our becoming and work in us.

Mantra 9

वि ये ते अग्ने भेजिरे अनीकं मर्ता नरः पित्र्यासः पुरुत्रा । उतो न एभिः सुमना इह स्याः ॥

Those mortal men, heirs of the fathers in many places, who have taken their share in your manifest power—O Agni—by these means be here with us in a glad and harmonious mind: consent to our progress.

Mantra 10

इमे नरो वृत्रहत्येषु शूरा विश्वा अदेवीरभि सन्तु मायाः । ये मे धियं पनयन्त प्रशस्ताम् ॥

May these strong men be heroes in the slaying of the Coverer; may all the undivine powers and deceits be driven back—those that bargain away and steal my rightly praised insight.

Mantra 11

मा शूने अग्ने नि षदाम नृणां माशेषसोऽवीरता परि त्वा । प्रजावतीषु दुर्यासु दुर्य ॥

O Agni, let us not sit down in the emptiness of men; let not the state of being without heroes encompass you around us. In homes rich with progeny and right continuance, be our abiding protector.

Mantra 12

यमश्वी नित्यमुपयाति यज्ञं प्रजावन्तं स्वपत्यं क्षयं नः । स्वजन्मना शेषसा वावृधानम् ॥

He whom the two Horsemen (Aśvins) ever approach in the sacrifice—may he become for us a dwelling rich in inner offspring and true mastery; self-born, increasing by his own remainder of power, he grows into fullness.

Mantra 13

पाहि नो अग्ने रक्षसो अजुष्टात्पाहि धूर्तेरररुषो अघायोः । त्वा युजा पृतनायूँरभि ष्याम् ॥

Guard us, O Agni, from the Rakṣasas who do not consent to the Truth; guard us from the deceiver, from the raging doer of harm. With you as our yoke-fellow, may we overcome the assailants in the battle.

Mantra 14

सेदग्निरग्नीँरत्यस्त्वन्यान्यत्र वाजी तनयो वीळुपाणिः । सहस्रपाथा अक्षरा समेति ॥

May this Agni surpass the other fires—there where the plenitude of force is born, the strong-handed offspring. A thousand paths he possesses; he comes together with the imperishable Word/stream of power.

Mantra 15

सेदग्निर्यो वनुष्यतो निपाति समेद्धारमंहस उरुष्यात् । सुजातासः परि चरन्ति वीराः ॥

This Agni—when one seeks to serve—descends upon the well-kindler and widens him out from distress. Around him move the well-born heroes: the right powers circulate and guard.

Mantra 16

अयं सो अग्निराहुतः पुरुत्रा यमीशानः समिदिन्धे हविष्मान् । परि यमेत्यध्वरेषु होता ॥

This is that Agni, offered in many ways—whom the master of the sacrifice kindles fully with the oblation. As Hotṛ he moves around through the works of offering, ordering them from within.

Mantra 17

त्वे अग्न आहवनानि भूरीशानास आ जुहुयाम नित्या । उभा कृण्वन्तो वहतू मियेधे ॥

In you, O Agni, are many calls and summonings; as masters of our energies we would ever offer. Making both sides of the carrying—human and divine—may we move in the mingled field and fulfill the work.

Mantra 18

इमो अग्ने वीततमानि हव्याजस्रो वक्षि देवतातिमच्छ । प्रति न ईं सुरभीणि व्यन्तु ॥

O Agni, these offerings, most fit to be enjoyed, bring them unceasingly; seek and lead to us the host of the divine Powers. In response, may the fragrant (joy-giving) currents breathe out towards us.

Mantra 19

मा नो अग्नेऽवीरते परा दा दुर्वाससेऽमतये मा नो अस्यै । मा नः क्षुधे मा रक्षस ऋतावो मा नो दमे मा वन आ जुहूर्थाः ॥

O Agni, do not cast us away into the state of loss of inner hero-force; do not hand us over to ill-habitation and to the unripe mortality. Do not give us to hunger, nor to the devouring darkness; O guardians of Ṛta, do not drive us out—neither from the home of the soul nor into the wilds of confusion.

Mantra 20

नू मे ब्रह्माण्यग्न उच्छशाधि त्वं देव मघवद्भ्यः सुषूदः । रातौ स्यामोभयास आ ते यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥

Now, O Agni, lift up and set in motion my mantras; you, O God, who press forward the giving ones, make them well-impelled. May we be secure on both sides in the movement of giving; may you protect us always with states of well-being.

Mantra 21

त्वमग्ने सुहवो रण्वसंदृक्सुदीती सूनो सहसो दिदीहि । मा त्वे सचा तनये नित्य आ धङ्मा वीरो अस्मन्नर्यो वि दासीत् ॥

You, O Agni, are easy to call, delight-seeing, and of bright flame; O Son of Force, blaze forth. Do not burn away the constant offspring that cleaves to you; let not the heroic power, the human strength in us, be cut off and scattered.

Mantra 22

मा नो अग्ने दुर्भृतये सचैषु देवेद्धेष्वग्निषु प्र वोचः । मा ते अस्मान्दुर्मतयो भृमाच्चिद्देवस्य सूनो सहसो नशन्त ॥

O Agni, do not attach us to a wrong bearing of the rite; among these fires kindled for the gods, do not proclaim us as faulty. Let not evil thoughts destroy us, even by a wandering error—O Son of the God, O Son of Force.

Mantra 23

स मर्तो अग्ने स्वनीक रेवानमर्त्ये य आजुहोति हव्यम् । स देवता वसुवनिं दधाति यं सूरिरर्थी पृच्छमान एति ॥

That mortal, O Agni, radiant in his own front of light, becomes rich in plenitude, who offers the oblation to you the Immortal. He establishes the divine powers and wins the gaining of true wealth—him the seeking patron approaches with inquiry.

Mantra 24

महो नो अग्ने सुवितस्य विद्वान्रयिं सूरिभ्य आ वहा बृहन्तम् । येन वयं सहसावन्मदेमाविक्षितास आयुषा सुवीराः ॥

O Agni, knowing the vastness of the true good path, bring to us and to our seekers a great plenitude (rayi). By that may we rejoice in the forceful delight, unharmed and unbroken, living out our life with heroic powers.

Mantra 25

नू मे ब्रह्माण्यग्न उच्छशाधि त्वं देव मघवद्भ्यः सुषूदः । रातौ स्यामोभयास आ ते यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥

Now, O Agni, lift up and set in motion my mantras; you, O God, make the bountiful ones well-impelled. May we be secure on both sides in the act of giving; may you protect us always with well-being.