Sukta 23

Mantra 1

ईळिष्वा हि प्रतीव्यं यजस्व जातवेदसम् । चरिष्णुधूममगृभीतशोचिषम् ॥

Offer thy will in adoration, for he is the power that stands facing us and answers; sacrifice to Jātavedas, the knower of all births. He moves with his ascending smoke, and his flame is seized by none—an inextinguishable light within the human vessel.

Mantra 2

दामानं विश्वचर्षणेऽग्निं विश्वमनो गिरा । उत स्तुषे विष्पर्धसो रथानाम् ॥

Agni, the giver of distributions to all peoples, I affirm with the word that carries the whole mind; and I praise also the chariots that contend—those swift formations of force that bear the gods’ powers in the battle for the Light.

Mantra 3

येषामाबाध ऋग्मिय इषः पृक्षश्च निग्रभे । उपविदा वह्निर्विन्दते वसु ॥

Those in whom the inspired chant breaks open the obstruction, and the powers of increase and the nourishing fullness are held in right grasp—by near-knowledge the carrier of the offering finds the true wealth of being.

Mantra 4

उदस्य शोचिरस्थाद्दीदियुषो व्यजरम् । तपुर्जम्भस्य सुद्युतो गणश्रियः ॥

Up rose his flame, shining out, spreading the unaging radiance. The luminous ones, the host in splendor, are the bright glory of the burning force that crushes what resists.

Mantra 5

उदु तिष्ठ स्वध्वर स्तवानो देव्या कृपा । अभिख्या भासा बृहता शुशुक्वनिः ॥

Rise up, O power of the good sacrifice; increase by the divine forming-force. Become manifest with the vast light—resounding, awakening the being with thy clear vibration.

Mantra 6

अग्ने याहि सुशस्तिभिर्हव्या जुह्वान आनुषक् । यथा दूतो बभूथ हव्यवाहनः ॥

O Agni, come with the good affirmations, as we offer the oblations in a continuous movement; for thou hast become the messenger, the bearer of the offering—carrying our aspiring substance to the gods and bringing back their powers into us.

Mantra 7

अग्निं वः पूर्व्यं हुवे होतारं चर्षणीनाम् । तमया वाचा गृणे तमु वः स्तुषे ॥

I call for you the ancient Agni, the priest of the peoples. Him I utter with this inspired speech; him indeed I praise for you—so that the inner priest may take his seat and lead the sacrifice of the soul.

Mantra 8

यज्ञेभिरद्भुतक्रतुं यं कृपा सूदयन्त इत् । मित्रं न जने सुधितमृतावनि ॥

Him of wondrous will whom the forming-grace kindles by sacrifices—like a Friend among men, well-established in the people—he guards the Truth-Order, and makes the human field fit for it.

Mantra 9

ऋतावानमृतायवो यज्ञस्य साधनं गिरा । उपो एनं जुजुषुर्नमसस्पदे ॥

The seekers of the Truth accept him, the possessor of ṛta, by the inspired word as the accomplisher of the sacrifice; they draw near to him, taking their stand on the step of reverence—so the inner act is made effective.

Mantra 10

अच्छा नो अङ्गिरस्तमं यज्ञासो यन्तु संयतः । होता यो अस्ति विक्ष्वा यशस्तमः ॥

Let our sacrifices, well-gathered, move toward the most Angiras-like—toward the priestly fire. He is the Hotṛ among the clans, the most glorious: may he come into our many fields of life and lead them into right order.

Mantra 11

अग्ने तव त्ये अजरेन्धानासो बृहद्भाः । अश्वा इव वृषणस्तविषीयवः ॥

O Agni, those of thine—ever-young, kindling thee—become vast in light; like strong stallions they surge with force, powers of an intensified energy within the being.

Mantra 12

स त्वं न ऊर्जां पते रयिं रास्व सुवीर्यम् । प्राव नस्तोके तनये समत्स्वा ॥

Therefore, O lord of our plenitude, give us the rayi—fullness that bears heroic power; protect us forward in our children and our becomings, in the clashes where the soul must contend.

Mantra 13

यद्वा उ विश्पतिः शितः सुप्रीतो मनुषो विशि । विश्वेदग्निः प्रति रक्षांसि सेधति ॥

Whenever the lord of the people, keen and well-pleased, is established among the human clans, Agni indeed drives back all the hostile powers of distortion and darkness.

Mantra 14

श्रुष्ट्यग्ने नवस्य मे स्तोमस्य वीर विश्पते । नि मायिनस्तपुषा रक्षसो दह ॥

Hear, O Agni, this my new hymn; O hero, lord of the people—burn down with thy heat the rakṣas that work by deception and glamour.

Mantra 15

न तस्य मायया चन रिपुरीशीत मर्त्यः । यो अग्नये ददाश हव्यदातिभिः ॥

No enemy can ever prevail over that mortal by any deception, who gives to Agni with the right offerings—acts of oblation that open the way for the divine exchange.

Mantra 16

व्यश्वस्त्वा वसुविदमुक्षण्युरप्रीणादृषिः । महो राये तमु त्वा समिधीमहि ॥

Vyaśva the seer, desiring increase, has gladdened thee as the finder of plenitude; for the great richness we kindle thee wholly—yes, thee—within our being.

Mantra 17

उशना काव्यस्त्वा नि होतारमसादयत् । आयजिं त्वा मनवे जातवेदसम् ॥

Uśanā Kāvya set thee down as the invoking priest; he made thee the true sacrificer for Manu, O Jātavedas—knower of all births—so that the human may be led rightly in the offering.

Mantra 18

विश्वे हि त्वा सजोषसो देवासो दूतमक्रत । श्रुष्टी देव प्रथमो यज्ञियो भुवः ॥

For all the gods in one accord made thee their messenger. Hear, O god: become the first, the truly sacrificial, the foremost power in our offering and our ascent.

Mantra 19

इमं घा वीरो अमृतं दूतं कृण्वीत मर्त्यः । पावकं कृष्णवर्तनिं विहायसम् ॥

Let the mortal hero make this immortal one his messenger—Agni the purifier, who moves on the dark track and yet ranges the wide sky: a guide through obscurity into the open vast.

Mantra 20

तं हुवेम यतस्रुचः सुभासं शुक्रशोचिषम् । विशामग्निमजरं प्रत्नमीड्यम् ॥

Him we call—holding the ladles rightly—Agni of fair radiance and bright flame: the unaging Fire of the peoples, the ancient and ever-to-be-adored, who restores the primal order within us.

Mantra 21

यो अस्मै हव्यदातिभिराहुतिं मर्तोऽविधत् । भूरि पोषं स धत्ते वीरवद्यशः ॥

Whoever among mortals offers to him the oblation with gifts fit for the offering, he gathers to himself abundant increase—an increase that becomes heroic power and luminous renown.

Mantra 22

प्रथमं जातवेदसमग्निं यज्ञेषु पूर्व्यम् । प्रति स्रुगेति नमसा हविष्मती ॥

First, toward Agni Jātavedas, the Ancient One present in the sacrifices, the offering-ladle moves in reverence, carrying the oblation—so the inner act approaches the knower-of-births with consecrated substance.

Mantra 23

आभिर्विधेमाग्नये ज्येष्ठाभिर्व्यश्ववत् । मंहिष्ठाभिर्मतिभिः शुक्रशोचिषे ॥

With these, let us fashion our service to Agni—with the eldest and most potent thoughts, rich in the plenitude of force—toward him whose flame is a bright radiance.

Mantra 24

नूनमर्च विहायसे स्तोमेभिः स्थूरयूपवत् । ऋषे वैयश्व दम्यायाग्नये ॥

Now sing to Agni the wide-ranging one with hymns firm as a massive sacrificial post; O seer Vaiyaśva, to Agni who is masterful in the house of the being.

Mantra 25

अतिथिं मानुषाणां सूनुं वनस्पतीनाम् । विप्रा अग्निमवसे प्रत्नमीळते ॥

The seers adore Agni for protection and aid—Agni, the guest of human beings, the child of the lords of the wood—ancient in his power of guidance.

Mantra 26

महो विश्वाँ अभि षतोऽभि हव्यानि मानुषा । अग्ने नि षत्सि नमसाधि बर्हिषि ॥

O Agni, great one, encompassing all, encompassing the human offerings—sit down here in reverence upon the sacred seat, so the inner sacrifice may be rightly received.

Mantra 27

वंस्वा नो वार्या पुरु वंस्व रायः पुरुस्पृहः । सुवीर्यस्य प्रजावतो यशस्वतः ॥

Bestow on us many desirable powers; bestow riches that are much-longed-for—riches of heroic energy, fruitful in progeny, crowned with luminous fame.

Mantra 28

त्वं वरो सुषाम्णेऽग्ने जनाय चोदय । सदा वसो रातिं यविष्ठ शश्वते ॥

You are the chosen boon for the good ordering of strength, O Agni; impel the people. O radiant one, O youngest, set ever anew the gift for the enduring seeker.

Mantra 29

त्वं हि सुप्रतूरसि त्वं नो गोमतीरिषः । महो रायः सातिमग्ने अपा वृधि ॥

For you are the excellent overcomer; you bring to us the impulsions rich in light. O Agni, increase for us the winning of the great plenitude of being.

Mantra 30

अग्ने त्वं यशा अस्या मित्रावरुणा वह । ऋतावाना सम्राजा पूतदक्षसा ॥

O Agni, you are the glory of this work; bring here Mitra and Varuṇa—the two kings who are filled with Ṛta, whose powers are purified in action—so that the law of truth may govern our inner offering.