Sukta 60

Mantra 1

अग्न आ याह्यग्निभिर्होतारं त्वा वृणीमहे । आ त्वामनक्तु प्रयता हविष्मती यजिष्ठं बर्हिरासदे ॥

O Agni, come with thy fires; we choose thee as the priest of offering. May the well-prepared offering anoint thee; come, most capable of sacrifice, to take thy seat upon the sacred grass.

Mantra 2

अच्छा हि त्वा सहसः सूनो अङ्गिरः स्रुचश्चरन्त्यध्वरे । ऊर्जो नपातं घृतकेशमीमहेऽग्निं यज्ञेषु पूर्व्यम् ॥

For indeed, O son of force, O Aṅgiras, the ladles move toward thee in the sacrifice. We seek Agni, the offspring of plenitude, with hair of clarified light, the ancient one in the sacrifices.

Mantra 3

अग्ने कविर्वेधा असि होता पावक यक्ष्यः । मन्द्रो यजिष्ठो अध्वरेष्वीड्यो विप्रेभिः शुक्र मन्मभिः ॥

O Agni, thou art the seer and the knower, the invoking priest, the purifier, ready to sacrifice. Joyful, most perfect in the work, adorable in the sacrifices, thou shinest with the bright thoughts of the inspired.

Mantra 4

अद्रोघमा वहोशतो यविष्ठ्य देवाँ अजस्र वीतये । अभि प्रयांसि सुधिता वसो गहि मन्दस्व धीतिभिर्हितः ॥

Bring hither, O youngest, the gods without betrayal, for the desired enjoyment—unceasingly. Come, O Vasu, to the well-ordered offerings; take delight, established by our insights and luminous intentions.

Mantra 5

त्वमित्सप्रथा अस्यग्ने त्रातॠतस्कविः । त्वां विप्रासः समिधान दीदिव आ विवासन्ति वेधसः ॥

Thou indeed art the wide-spreading one, O Agni, the protector and the seer of the Truth (ṛta). The illumined thinkers, kindling thee into a shining blaze, come to thee with their offerings and acts of understanding.

Mantra 6

शोचा शोचिष्ठ दीदिहि विशे मयो रास्व स्तोत्रे महाँ असि । देवानां शर्मन्मम सन्तु सूरयः शत्रूषाहः स्वग्नयः ॥

Flame forth, O most luminous; shine for the people. Give the delight (mayaḥ) to our hymn; for thou art great. May my heroes abide in the shelter of the gods—conquerors of enemies, possessed of the good Fire within.

Mantra 7

यथा चिद्वृद्धमतसमग्ने संजूर्वसि क्षमि । एवा दह मित्रमहो यो अस्मध्रुग्दुर्मन्मा कश्च वेनति ॥

As thou consumest even the overgrown tangle upon the earth, O Agni, so burn utterly, O friend of the mighty, whoever would harm us—any ill-thinker who seeks to prevail.

Mantra 8

मा नो मर्ताय रिपवे रक्षस्विने माघशंसाय रीरधः । अस्रेधद्भिस्तरणिभिर्यविष्ठ्य शिवेभिः पाहि पायुभिः ॥

Give us not over to the mortal foe, nor to the guardian of darkness, nor to the speaker of evil. O youngest flame, protect us with thy unfailing forces of passage and with thy auspicious guardianships.

Mantra 9

पाहि नो अग्न एकया पाह्युत द्वितीयया । पाहि गीर्भिस्तिसृभिरूर्जां पते पाहि चतसृभिर्वसो ॥

Protect us, O Agni, with the one power; protect also with the second. Protect with three utterances of the Word, O lord of plenitude; protect with the fourfold, O Vasu—power of rich substance.

Mantra 10

पाहि विश्वस्माद्रक्षसो अराव्णः प्र स्म वाजेषु नोऽव । त्वामिद्धि नेदिष्ठं देवतातय आपिं नक्षामहे वृधे ॥

Protect us from every devouring darkness-force; and in our plenitudes of force help us forward. For thee indeed, O nearest one, we reach as our sure support for the increase of the divine powers within us.

Mantra 11

आ नो अग्ने वयोवृधं रयिं पावक शंस्यम् । रास्वा च न उपमाते पुरुस्पृहं सुनीती स्वयशस्तरम् ॥

Bring to us, O Agni, the growth-increasing rayi—O purifier—worthy to be affirmed by the soul. And grant us too, O near-measurer, a richness much desired: a good guidance (sunīti) and a more self-manifest glory.

Mantra 12

येन वंसाम पृतनासु शर्धतस्तरन्तो अर्य आदिशः । स त्वं नो वर्ध प्रयसा शचीवसो जिन्वा धियो वसुविदः ॥

By whom we may win in the battles, pressing through the onrushing hosts and the noble directions. Do thou then increase us by thy active force, O master of effective power; quicken our thoughts so that they become finders of the true riches.

Mantra 14

नहि ते अग्ने वृषभ प्रतिधृषे जम्भासो यद्वितिष्ठसे । स त्वं नो होतः सुहुतं हविष्कृधि वंस्वा नो वार्या पुरु ॥

None can withstand thy jaws, O Agni the strong Bull, when thou standest forth in thy might. Therefore, O our Hotṛ, make our offering well-offered; win for us many desirable riches of being.

Mantra 15

शेषे वनेषु मात्रोः सं त्वा मर्तास इन्धते । अतन्द्रो हव्या वहसि हविष्कृत आदिद्देवेषु राजसि ॥

Even in the resting woods of thy two mothers, mortals kindle thee together. Tireless, thou carriest the oblations, O maker of the offering; and then indeed thou reignest among the gods.

Mantra 16

सप्त होतारस्तमिदीळते त्वाग्ने सुत्यजमह्रयम् । भिनत्स्यद्रिं तपसा वि शोचिषा प्राग्ने तिष्ठ जनाँ अति ॥

Seven priest-powers adore you alone, O Agni, the one hard to abandon, the tireless. You cleave the rock by your tapas, and by your wide-shining flame; stand forth in front, O Agni, and lead us beyond the ordinary human limits.

Mantra 17

अग्निमग्निं वो अध्रिगुं हुवेम वृक्तबर्हिषः । अग्निं हितप्रयसः शश्वतीष्वा होतारं चर्षणीनाम् ॥

Agni upon Agni we call for you—steadfast in his force—O you with the strewn sacred seat. Agni we summon, we who set our offerings in right order, the eternal Hotṛ of the peoples.

Mantra 18

केतेन शर्मन्त्सचते सुषामण्यग्ने तुभ्यं चिकित्वना । इषण्यया नः पुरुरूपमा भर वाजं नेदिष्ठमूतये ॥

By what sign and in what shelter do they join to you, O Agni of the good chant, with awakened understanding? By the impelling force bring to us the many-formed plenitude of power, the nearest for our succour.

Mantra 19

अग्ने जरितर्विश्पतिस्तेपानो देव रक्षसः । अप्रोषिवान्गृहपतिर्महाँ असि दिवस्पायुर्दुरोणयुः ॥

O Agni, O singer’s companion, lord of the dwelling, blazing, O god, against the powers of darkness. Unfailing, master of the house, you are great—the protector of the luminous heaven and the one who longs for the true home.

Mantra 20

मा नो रक्ष आ वेशीदाघृणीवसो मा यातुर्यातुमावताम् । परोगव्यूत्यनिरामप क्षुधमग्ने सेध रक्षस्विनः ॥

Let not the dark-force enter us, O wide-shining one; let not the sorcerous violence of the yātu approach. Drive far away the ill-being that blocks our path, and thrust out hunger; O Agni, repel the hostile powers.