Sukta 36

Mantra 1

प्र वो यह्वं पुरूणां विशां देवयतीनाम् । अग्निं सूक्तेभिर्वचोभिरीमहे यं सीमिदन्य ईळते ॥

Forward to you we bring the mighty Agni for the many peoples who seek the Divine; with well-woven hymns and words we aspire to him, whom indeed the others too adore.

Mantra 2

जनासो अग्निं दधिरे सहोवृधं हविष्मन्तो विधेम ते । स त्वं नो अद्य सुमना इहाविता भवा वाजेषु सन्त्य ॥

Men have set Agni in place, the increaser of power, bringing offerings; to you we would do the work of worship. So be today for us of a happy mind, here our helper, O Agni, in the plenitudes of force that are to be won.

Mantra 3

प्र त्वा दूतं वृणीमहे होतारं विश्ववेदसम् । महस्ते सतो वि चरन्त्यर्चयो दिवि स्पृशन्ति भानवः ॥

We choose you forward as the messenger, the priest of offering, the knower of all. Vast is your being: your flames move abroad; your radiances touch heaven.

Mantra 4

देवासस्त्वा वरुणो मित्रो अर्यमा सं दूतं प्रत्नमिन्धते । विश्वं सो अग्ने जयति त्वया धनं यस्ते ददाश मर्त्यः ॥

The gods—Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman—kindle you together as the ancient messenger. With you, O Agni, that mortal who gives to you wins entirely the wealth: the fullness of being and power.

Mantra 5

मन्द्रो होता गृहपतिरग्ने दूतो विशामसि । त्वे विश्वा संगतानि व्रता ध्रुवा यानि देवा अकृण्वत ॥

Joyful-powerful as the priest, master of the home, O Agni, you are the messenger of the peoples. In you all the firm laws that the gods have made are gathered together.

Mantra 6

त्वे इदग्ने सुभगे यविष्ठ्य विश्वमा हूयते हविः । स त्वं नो अद्य सुमना उतापरं यक्षि देवान्त्सुवीर्या ॥

In you indeed, O fortunate Agni, youngest in the divine line, the whole offering is called. So today be for us gracious in mind, and sacrifice for us the gods, bringing a greater and heroic force of being.

Mantra 7

तं घेमित्था नमस्विन उप स्वराजमासते । होत्राभिरग्निं मनुषः समिन्धते तितिर्वांसो अति स्रिधः ॥

Thus indeed the worshippers sit near him, the self-ruling one. With their priestly workings men kindle Agni, overcoming the hindrances that obstruct the way.

Mantra 8

घ्नन्तो वृत्रमतरन्रोदसी अप उरु क्षयाय चक्रिरे । भुवत्कण्वे वृषा द्युम्न्याहुतः क्रन्ददश्वो गविष्टिषु ॥

Smiting the Coverer, they have crossed beyond the two worlds; they have made the waters wide for a spacious dwelling. May he become for the Kaṇva a bull of luminous power when offered; like a neighing steed he rushes in the quests for the rays (cows of light).

Mantra 9

सं सीदस्व महाँ असि शोचस्व देववीतमः । वि धूममग्ने अरुषं मियेध्य सृज प्रशस्त दर्शतम् ॥

Sit down in union (in your seat), for you are vast; blaze forth, most welcome to the gods. O Agni, pure for the offering, send out your ruddy smoke, visible and praised—so the divine powers may come and the inner work be accomplished.

Mantra 10

यं त्वा देवासो मनवे दधुरिह यजिष्ठं हव्यवाहन । यं कण्वो मेध्यातिथिर्धनस्पृतं यं वृषा यमुपस्तुतः ॥

O Agni, bearer of the offering, you whom the Gods established here for Manu as the most puissant in sacrifice—whom Kaṇva Medhyātithi set in front as the winner of the riches of being, whom the strong one extols—may that Flame be our conscious leader in the work.

Mantra 11

यमग्निं मेध्यातिथिः कण्व ईध ऋतादधि । तस्य प्रेषो दीदियुस्तमिमा ऋचस्तमग्निं वर्धयामसि ॥

That Agni whom Medhyātithi Kaṇva kindles from the foundation of Ṛta—his impulsion shines out; by these utterances we increase that Flame, we strengthen the divine Will in us.

Mantra 12

रायस्पूर्धि स्वधावोऽस्ति हि तेऽग्ने देवेष्वाप्यम् । त्वं वाजस्य श्रुत्यस्य राजसि स नो मृळ महाँ असि ॥

Fill us with the plenitude of being, O self-powered Agni, for yours is an intimate access among the gods. You rule over the vāja that is to be heard and affirmed—so be gracious to us; you are the Great.

Mantra 13

ऊर्ध्व ऊ षु ण ऊतये तिष्ठा देवो न सविता । ऊर्ध्वो वाजस्य सनिता यदञ्जिभिर्वाघद्भिर्विह्वयामहे ॥

Stand upright for our succour, like Savitṛ the god who uplifts; stand upright as the giver of the plenitude of force, whenever with our eager hands and our chanting we call you forth.

Mantra 14

ऊर्ध्वो नः पाह्यंहसो नि केतुना विश्वं समत्रिणं दह । कृधी न ऊर्ध्वाञ्चरथाय जीवसे विदा देवेषु नो दुवः ॥

Rising upward, protect us from the narrowing wrong; by your light-sign burn away all that is hostile and devouring. Make for us an ascending movement of our going for life, and win for us the power of offering among the gods.

Mantra 15

पाहि नो अग्ने रक्षसः पाहि धूर्तेरराव्णः । पाहि रीषत उत वा जिघांसतो बृहद्भानो यविष्ठ्य ॥

Protect us, O Agni, from the devourers of the dark; protect us from the deceiver, the hostile will. Protect us from the one who injures and from the one who would slay—O wide-radiant, O youngest and ever-renewed flame.

Mantra 16

घनेव विष्वग्वि जह्यराव्णस्तपुर्जम्भ यो अस्मध्रुक् । यो मर्त्यः शिशीते अत्यक्तुभिर्मा नः स रिपुरीशत ॥

Like a smiting mace, strike down on every side the hostile one, O burning-jawed; whoever betrays us, whoever among mortals sharpens himself beyond measure in the nights—let not that enemy have mastery over us.

Mantra 17

अग्निर्वव्ने सुवीर्यमग्निः कण्वाय सौभगम् । अग्निः प्रावन्मित्रोत मेध्यातिथिमग्निः साता उपस्तुतम् ॥

Agni has won the plenitude of heroic force; Agni has won good fortune for Kaṇva. Agni has fostered Mitra and Medhyātithi; Agni, in the gaining, has upheld the praised one.

Mantra 18

अग्निना तुर्वशं यदुं परावत उग्रादेवं हवामहे । अग्निर्नयन्नववास्त्वं बृहद्रथं तुर्वीतिं दस्यवे सहः ॥

By Agni we call from afar Turvaśa and Yadu, the mighty god-power. Agni, leading, brought Navavāstva and Bṛhadratha and Turvīti—strength against the dark adversary.

Mantra 19

नि त्वामग्ने मनुर्दधे ज्योतिर्जनाय शश्वते । दीदेथ कण्व ऋतजात उक्षितो यं नमस्यन्ति कृष्टयः ॥

Manu set you down, O Agni, as a light for the people for ever. You blaze forth, O Kaṇva, born of Ṛta and made strong—whom the human communities bow to in adoration.

Mantra 20

त्वेषासो अग्नेरमवन्तो अर्चयो भीमासो न प्रतीतये । रक्षस्विनः सदमिद्यातुमावतो विश्वं समत्रिणं दह ॥

O Agni, thy blazing flames, filled with force, rise up—terrible to all that would oppose. Burn utterly the whole devouring darkness: the Rakṣasa forces, the sorcerous distorters, all that moves by crooked will.