Sukta 43

Mantra 1

इमे विप्रस्य वेधसोऽग्नेरस्तृतयज्वनः । गिरः स्तोमास ईरते ॥

These utterances and hymns rise up for Agni—of the inspired knower, the unfailing sacrificer—kindling the divine Will in us.

Mantra 2

अस्मै ते प्रतिहर्यते जातवेदो विचर्षणे । अग्ने जनामि सुष्टुतिम् ॥

For him who would win you back in response, O Jātavedas, O pervader of men, I beget a well-shaped praise to Agni.

Mantra 3

आरोका इव घेदह तिग्मा अग्ने तव त्विषः । दद्भिर्वनानि बप्सति ॥

Like bright openings of light, indeed, O Agni, your keen intensities blaze; with your ‘teeth’ you bite into the forests—clearing the dense growth within us so the way for the Light may open.

Mantra 4

हरयो धूमकेतवो वातजूता उप द्यवि । यतन्ते वृथगग्नयः ॥

Tawny flames with smoke as their banner, driven by the Wind, strive upward toward the heaven; the many fires labor each in its own way—powers of ascent in the being.

Mantra 5

एते त्ये वृथगग्नय इद्धासः समदृक्षत । उषसामिव केतवः ॥

These many fires, once kindled, are seen together—like the banners/rays of the Dawns: signs of an arriving illumination in consciousness.

Mantra 6

कृष्णा रजांसि पत्सुतः प्रयाणे जातवेदसः । अग्निर्यद्रोधति क्षमि ॥

The blackened spaces are left behind when Jātavedas sets forth on his advance; for when Agni moves and presses on the earth-plane, he holds back and overcomes the obstruction of darkness.

Mantra 7

धासिं कृण्वान ओषधीर्बप्सदग्निर्न वायति । पुनर्यन्तरुणीरपि ॥

Making his portion of nourishment, Agni bites into the plants; he does not weary. Again the young growths return—life renews itself after the purifying blaze.

Mantra 8

जिह्वाभिरह नन्नमदर्चिषा जञ्जणाभवन् । अग्निर्वनेषु रोचते ॥

With his tongues he bends and licks; with his flame he crackles into being—Agni shines in the forests: the many-pointed will of light at work in dense nature.

Mantra 9

अप्स्वग्ने सधिष्टव सौषधीरनु रुध्यसे । गर्भे सञ्जायसे पुनः ॥

In the waters, O Agni, is your seat; there you take hold of the plants. In the womb you are born again—ever re-arising as the hidden fire within life’s depths.

Mantra 10

उदग्ने तव तद्घृतादर्ची रोचत आहुतम् । निंसानं जुह्वो मुखे ॥

Upward, O Agni, from the clarified offering your flame shines—when it is poured in. Settling it in the mouth of the ladle, we place the oblation where your receiving-consciousness can take it.

Mantra 11

उक्षान्नाय वशान्नाय सोमपृष्ठाय वेधसे । स्तोमैर्विधेमाग्नये ॥

To Agni, nourished by the bull and the cow, to the wise arranger who bears Soma on his back, we would give right order with our hymns—establishing the flame of inspired intelligence.

Mantra 12

उत त्वा नमसा वयं होतर्वरेण्यक्रतो । अग्ने समिद्भिरीमहे ॥

And with reverence we seek you, O Hotṛ, O Agni of the choosing will: with kindling-sticks we call you in—so that the inner sacrifice may be rightly led.

Mantra 13

उत त्वा भृगुवच्छुचे मनुष्वदग्न आहुत । अङ्गिरस्वद्धवामहे ॥

And we call you, O bright Agni, invoked as by the Bhṛgus and as by Manu, invoked as by the Aṅgirasas—so that the ancient flame of aspiration may awaken in us in the right way.

Mantra 14

त्वं ह्यग्ने अग्निना विप्रो विप्रेण सन्त्सता । सखा सख्या समिध्यसे ॥

For you, O Agni, are the inspired flame by the inspired flame; being with the true, you are kindled as a friend by friendship—your fire answers to the fire in us.

Mantra 15

स त्वं विप्राय दाशुषे रयिं देहि सहस्रिणम् । अग्ने वीरवतीमिषम् ॥

Therefore give, O Agni, to the inspired giver the plenitude of being—rich in a thousand energies—and the nourishment that bears heroic powers.

Mantra 16

अग्ने भ्रातः सहस्कृत रोहिदश्व शुचिव्रत । इमं स्तोमं जुषस्व मे ॥

O Agni, brother, fashioned of force, with ruddy horses, pure in your law—accept and take delight in this hymn of mine.

Mantra 17

उत त्वाग्ने मम स्तुतो वाश्राय प्रतिहर्यते । गोष्ठं गाव इवाशत ॥

And you, O Agni, praised by me, are drawn toward the cry of longing—as cows press toward the byre; so your power moves to the home of our being.

Mantra 18

तुभ्यं ता अङ्गिरस्तम विश्वाः सुक्षितयः पृथक् । अग्ने कामाय येमिरे ॥

To you, O Agni most Aṅgiras-like, all the well-founded habitations, each in its own way, have joined themselves for the fulfillment of desire—seeking your flame as the secret satisfier.

Mantra 19

अग्निं धीभिर्मनीषिणो मेधिरासो विपश्चितः । अद्मसद्याय हिन्विरे ॥

The thinkers, wise in intention, discerning in vision, drive forward Agni with their insights—Agni who sits at once in the home of the being, ready for the offering.

Mantra 20

तं त्वामज्मेषु वाजिनं तन्वाना अग्ने अध्वरम् । वह्निं होतारमीळते ॥

You, the forceful one in the rush of movements, O Agni—spreading the sacrifice—are adored as the bearer and as the priest of offering.

Mantra 21

पुरुत्रा हि सदृङ्ङसि विशो विश्वा अनु प्रभुः । समत्सु त्वा हवामहे ॥

For you are alike in many places; you follow and uphold all the peoples as their lord. In the battles we call you—O Agni—so that the light may prevail over confusion.

Mantra 22

तमीळिष्व य आहुतोऽग्निर्विभ्राजते घृतैः । इमं नः शृणवद्धवम् ॥

Adore him—Agni—who, when invoked, shines forth with the clarified energies; may he hear this call of ours and answer by awakening the luminous work within.

Mantra 24

विशां राजानमद्भुतमध्यक्षं धर्मणामिमम् । अग्निमीळे स उ श्रवत् ॥

I aspire to this Agni—king of the peoples, the wondrous One, the overseer of the laws of right working. May he indeed hear (and respond).

Mantra 25

अग्निं विश्वायुवेपसं मर्यं न वाजिनं हितम् । सप्तिं न वाजयामसि ॥

Agni—stirring with all life-breaths, set for our good—is like a youthful champion, like a giver of plenitude of force; we urge him on like a racing steed toward victory.

Mantra 26

घ्नन्मृध्राण्यप द्विषो दहन्रक्षांसि विश्वहा । अग्ने तिग्मेन दीदिहि ॥

Striking down the hostile crooked forces, burning the rākṣasa powers everywhere—O Agni, blaze with your sharp (luminous) intensity.

Mantra 27

यं त्वा जनास इन्धते मनुष्वदङ्गिरस्तम । अग्ने स बोधि मे वचः ॥

You whom the peoples kindle as men do, O most Angiras-like—O Agni, awaken to my word (and make it effective).

Mantra 28

यदग्ने दिविजा अस्यप्सुजा वा सहस्कृत । तं त्वा गीर्भिर्हवामहे ॥

Whether, O Agni, you are born in heaven or born in the waters—O power fashioned by might—we call you with our inspired songs.

Mantra 29

तुभ्यं घेत्ते जना इमे विश्वाः सुक्षितयः पृथक् । धासिं हिन्वन्त्यत्तवे ॥

To you indeed these peoples—all the well-settled powers, each in its own place—send forward the portion of nourishment for your consuming, O Agni.

Mantra 30

ते घेदग्ने स्वाध्योऽहा विश्वा नृचक्षसः । तरन्तः स्याम दुर्गहा ॥

Then indeed, O Agni, may we—seeing as men should see—become masters of all our days; and crossing over, may we pass beyond what is hard to traverse.

Mantra 31

अग्निं मन्द्रं पुरुप्रियं शीरं पावकशोचिषम् । हृद्भिर्मन्द्रेभिरीमहे ॥

We seek Agni—the rapturous, the much-beloved, the strong and luminous with purifying flame—by our rapturous hearts.

Mantra 32

स त्वमग्ने विभावसुः सृजन्त्सूर्यो न रश्मिभिः । शर्धन्तमांसि जिघ्नसे ॥

You, O Agni, are the radiant wealth of light; like the Sun sending forth his rays, you shatter the masses of darkness and strike them down.

Mantra 33

तत्ते सहस्व ईमहे दात्रं यन्नोपदस्यति । त्वदग्ने वार्यं वसु ॥

That gift of yours, O mighty one, we seek—the giving that does not fail or fall away; from you, O Agni, comes the choice wealth (the true riches).