Sukta 44

Mantra 1

समिधाग्निं दुवस्यत घृतैर्बोधयतातिथिम् । आस्मिन्हव्या जुहोतन ॥

With the kindling-force, serve and cherish Agni; awaken the Guest with clarified light (ghṛta). Into this field of our being, offer the oblations of aspiration.

Mantra 2

अग्ने स्तोमं जुषस्व मे वर्धस्वानेन मन्मना । प्रति सूक्तानि हर्य नः ॥

O Agni, accept and relish my hymn; grow by this formed thought of mine. Turn toward our well-spoken utterances and take delight in them.

Mantra 3

अग्निं दूतं पुरो दधे हव्यवाहमुप ब्रुवे । देवाँ आ सादयादिह ॥

I set Agni in front as the Messenger, the carrier of our offerings; to him I speak near. May he seat the gods here within this prepared consciousness.

Mantra 4

उत्ते बृहन्तो अर्चयः समिधानस्य दीदिवः । अग्ने शुक्रास ईरते ॥

Upward rise your vast flaming rays, O Agni, when you are kindled and shining; your bright energies surge and move into action.

Mantra 5

उप त्वा जुह्वो मम घृताचीर्यन्तु हर्यत । अग्ने हव्या जुषस्व नः ॥

Near to you may my offering-ladles, flowing with clarified light, go in joy; O Agni, accept our oblations and take delight in them.

Mantra 6

मन्द्रं होतारमृत्विजं चित्रभानुं विभावसुम् । अग्निमीळे स उ श्रवत् ॥

I aspire to Agni—the gladdening Priest, the season-knower, the many-rayed, the widely-luminous. May he indeed hear and respond to our call.

Mantra 7

प्रत्नं होतारमीड्यं जुष्टमग्निं कविक्रतुम् । अध्वराणामभिश्रियम् ॥

Agni—the ancient invoking Priest, worthy of our seeking, beloved and consenting, the seer-will in action—he is the manifest glory that stands over our sacrifices.

Mantra 8

जुषाणो अङ्गिरस्तमेमा हव्यान्यानुषक् । अग्ने यज्ञं नय ऋतुथा ॥

Consenting, O most Angiras-like, accept these oblations in their due sequence. O Agni, lead the sacrifice according to the right seasons—according to the law of ṛta.

Mantra 9

समिधान उ सन्त्य शुक्रशोच इहा वह । चिकित्वान्दैव्यं जनम् ॥

When you are kindled, O ever-present bright-flamed one, bring here the divine people (the gods). You who know and discern, lead them into this embodied space.

Mantra 10

विप्रं होतारमद्रुहं धूमकेतुं विभावसुम् । यज्ञानां केतुमीमहे ॥

We seek Agni—the inspired invoking Priest, the undeceiving, the smoke-bannered, the widely luminous—him who is the sign and guiding beacon of our sacrifices.

Mantra 11

अग्ने नि पाहि नस्त्वं प्रति ष्म देव रीषतः । भिन्धि द्वेषः सहस्कृत ॥

O Agni, guard us from below and on every side; stand facing the injurer, O divine Power. Break apart the hostility forged by force—shatter the will of enmity.

Mantra 12

अग्निः प्रत्नेन मन्मना शुम्भानस्तन्वं स्वाम् । कविर्विप्रेण वावृधे ॥

Agni, with the ancient inspired intention, adorning his own being, grows as the seer—he increases through the illumined mind of the sage.

Mantra 13

ऊर्जो नपातमा हुवेऽग्निं पावकशोचिषम् । अस्मिन्यज्ञे स्वध्वरे ॥

I call the Son of Energy, Agni of purifying flame, here into this sacrifice—this well-ordered journey of offering.

Mantra 14

स नो मित्रमहस्त्वमग्ने शुक्रेण शोचिषा । देवैरा सत्सि बर्हिषि ॥

Be for us the great-friendship, O Agni; with your bright flame take your seat on the sacred strewn field together with the gods.

Mantra 15

यो अग्निं तन्वो दमे देवं मर्तः सपर्यति । तस्मा इद्दीदयद्वसु ॥

The mortal who serves the divine Agni in the house of his embodied being—upon him indeed Agni causes the true riches to shine.

Mantra 16

अग्निर्मूर्धा दिवः ककुत्पतिः पृथिव्या अयम् । अपां रेतांसि जिन्वति ॥

Agni is the head of heaven, the summit and lord of the earth; he stirs the seeds of the waters—he quickens the hidden potential into manifestation.

Mantra 17

उदग्ने शुचयस्तव शुक्रा भ्राजन्त ईरते । तव ज्योतींष्यर्चयः ॥

Upward, O Agni, your pure and bright flames surge and blaze; they set in motion your lights—your rays that bring the offering of illumination.

Mantra 18

ईशिषे वार्यस्य हि दात्रस्याग्ने स्वर्पतिः । स्तोता स्यां तव शर्मणि ॥

You rule over the choice boons, for you are the giver, O Agni, lord of the luminous world. May I be your singer, dwelling in your sheltering peace.

Mantra 19

त्वामग्ने मनीषिणस्त्वां हिन्वन्ति चित्तिभिः । त्वां वर्धन्तु नो गिरः ॥

You, O Agni, the thinkers of vision impel with their awakenings; may our words, too, increase you—may speech build the fire of consciousness.

Mantra 20

अदब्धस्य स्वधावतो दूतस्य रेभतः सदा । अग्नेः सख्यं वृणीमहे ॥

We choose the friendship of Agni always—of the unbetrayable messenger, rich in his own law of power, the inspired one who carries our offering to the heights.

Mantra 21

अग्निः शुचिव्रततमः शुचिर्विप्रः शुचिः कविः । शुची रोचत आहुतः ॥

Agni, most perfect in the law of purity, pure in vision, pure as the illumined thinker, pure as the seer-poet—when invoked and offered to, he shines forth in the consciousness.

Mantra 22

उत त्वा धीतयो मम गिरो वर्धन्तु विश्वहा । अग्ने सख्यस्य बोधि नः ॥

And may my meditations and my words increase you always; O Agni, become awake to our friendship—recognize and fulfill it within us.

Mantra 23

यदग्ने स्यामहं त्वं त्वं वा घा स्या अहम् । स्युष्टे सत्या इहाशिषः ॥

If, O Agni, I could become you—or you could become me—then your true boons would be here fulfilled for us in this embodied life.

Mantra 24

वसुर्वसुपतिर्हि कमस्यग्ने विभावसुः । स्याम ते सुमतावपि ॥

For you are truly the good wealth and the lord of plenitudes, O Agni of wide shining; may we abide within your right and gracious understanding.

Mantra 25

अग्ने धृतव्रताय ते समुद्रायेव सिन्धवः । गिरो वाश्रास ईरते ॥

O Agni steadfast in the held law, to you—like rivers running to the ocean—our words, crying out, surge and move.

Mantra 26

युवानं विश्पतिं कविं विश्वादं पुरुवेपसम् । अग्निं शुम्भामि मन्मभिः ॥

The youthful Agni, lord of the people, the seer, the all-devouring, of many intensities of movement—I adorn and build him up with my soul-thoughts.

Mantra 27

यज्ञानां रथ्ये वयं तिग्मजम्भाय वीळवे । स्तोमैरिषेमाग्नये ॥

On the path of the sacrifices we would press forward with hymns toward Agni, strong and firm, whose biting force is keen—so that our aspiration may be fulfilled.

Mantra 28

अयमग्ने त्वे अपि जरिता भूतु सन्त्य । तस्मै पावक मृळय ॥

May this singer too belong to you, O Agni, in true sincerity; therefore, O Purifier, be gracious and heal him.

Mantra 29

धीरो ह्यस्यद्मसद्विप्रो न जागृविः सदा । अग्ने दीदयसि द्यवि ॥

For you are the steadfast one, seated in the home, like an inspired watcher ever awake; O Agni, you blaze forth in the heaven of the mind.

Mantra 30

पुराग्ने दुरितेभ्यः पुरा मृध्रेभ्यः कवे । प्र ण आयुर्वसो तिर ॥

O Agni, before the evil can reach us—before the hostile powers—O seer, carry forward our life and our plenitude beyond them.