Rig Veda 6.16

tvam agne yajñānāṃ hotā viśveṣāṃ hitaḥ devebhir mānuṣe jane

Priest of all sacrifices hast thou been appointed by the Gods, Agni, amid the race of man.

sa no mandrābhir adhvare jihvābhir yajā mahaḥ ā devān vakṣi yakṣi ca

So with thy joyous tongues for us sacrifice nobly in this rite. Bring thou the Gods and worship them.

vetthā hi vedho adhvanaḥ pathaś ca devāñjasā agne yajñeṣu sukrato

For well, O God, Disposer, thou knowest, straight on, the paths and ways, Agni, most wise in sacrifice.

tvām īﾱe adha dvitā bharato vājibhiḥ śunam īje yajñeṣu yajñiyam

Thee, too, hath Bharata of old, with mighty men, implored for bliss. And worshipped thee the worshipful.

tvam imā vāryā puru divodāsāya sunvate bharadvājāya dāśuṣe

Thou givest these abundant boons to Divodasa pouring forth, To Bharadvaja offering gifts.

tvaṃ dūto amartya ā vahā daivyaṃ janam śṛṇvan viprasya suṣṭutim

Do thou, Immortal Messenger, bring hither the Celestial Folk; Hearing the singer's eulogy.

tvām agne svādhyo martāso devavītaye yajñeṣu devam īﾱate

Mortals with pious thought implore thee, Agni, God, at holy rites, To come unto the feast of Gods.

tava pra yakṣi saṃdṛśam uta kratuṃ sudānavaḥ viśve juṣanta kāminaḥ

I glorify thine aspect and the might of thee the Bountilul. All those who love shall joy in thee,

tvaṃ hotā manurhito vahnir āsā viduṣṭaraḥ agne yakṣi divo viśaḥ

Invoker placed by Manus, thou, Agni, art near, the wisest Priest: Pay worship to the Tribes of Heaven.

agna ā yāhi vītaye gṛṇāno havyadātaye ni hotā satsi barhiṣi

Come, Agni, lauded, to the feast; come to the offering of the gifts. As Priest be seated on the grass.

taṃ tvā samidbhir aṅgiro ghṛtena vardhayāmasi bṛhacchocā yaviṣṭhya

So, Angiras, we make thee strong with fuel and with holy oil. Blaze high, thou youngest of the Gods.

sa naḥ pṛthu śravāyyam acchā deva vivāsasi bṛhad agne suvīryam

For us thou winnest, Agni, God, heroic strength exceeding great, Far-spreading and of high renown.

tvām agne puṣkarād adhy atharvā nir amanthata mūrdhno viśvasya vāghataḥ

Agni, Atharvan brought thee forth, by rubbing, from the lotus-flower, The head of Visva, of the Priest.

tam u tvā dadhyaṅṅ ṛṣiḥ putra īdhe atharvaṇaḥ vṛtrahaṇam purandaram

Thee. Vritra's slayer, breaker down of castles, hath Atharvan's son, Dadhyac the Rishi, lighted up.

tam u tvā pāthyo vṛṣā sam īdhe dasyuhantamam dhanañjayaṃ raṇe raṇe

The hero Pathya kindled thee the Dasyus'. most destructive foe, Winner of spoil in every fight.

ehy ū ṣu bravāṇi te 'gna itthetarā giraḥ ebhir vardhāsa indubhiḥ

Come, here, O Agni, will I sing verily other songs to thee, And with these drops shalt thou grow strong.

yatra kva ca te mano dakṣaṃ dadhasa uttaram tatrā sadaḥ kṛṇavase

Where'er tby mind applies itself, vigour preeminent bast thou: There wilt thou gain a dwelling-place.

nahi te pūrtam akṣipad bhuvan nemānāṃ vaso athā duvo vanavase

Not for a moment only lasts thy bounty, good to many a one! Our service therefore shalt thou gain.

āgnir agāmi bhārato vṛtrahā purucetanaḥ divodāsasya satpatiḥ

Agni, the Bharata, hath been sought, the Vritra-slayer, marked of all, Yea, Divodasa's Hero Lord.

sa hi viśvāti pārthivā rayiṃ dāśan mahitvanā vanvann avāto astṛtaḥ

For he gave riches that surpass in greatness all the things of earth, Fighting untroubled, unsubdued.

sa pratnavan navīyasāgne dyumnena saṃyatā bṛhat tatantha bhānunā

Thou, Agni, as in days of old, with recent glory, gathered light, Hast overspread the lofty heaven.

pra vaḥ sakhāyo agnaye stomaṃ yajñaṃ ca dhṛṣṇuyā arca gāya ca vedhase

Bring to your Agni, O my friends, boldly your laud and sacrifice: Give the Disposer praise and song.

sa hi yo mānuṣā yugā sīdaddhotā kavikratuḥ dūtaś ca havyavāhanaḥ

For as sagacious Herald he hath sat through every age of man, Oblation-bearing messenger.

tā rājānā śucivratādityān mārutaṃ gaṇam vaso yakṣīha rodasī

Bring those Two Kings whose ways are pure, Adityas, and the Marut host, Excellent God! and Heaven and Earth.

vasvī te agne saṃdṛṣṭir iṣayate martyāya ūrjo napād amṛtasya

For strong and active mortal man, excellent, Agni, is the look Of thee Immortal, Son of Strength

kratvā dā astu śreṣṭho 'dya tvā vanvan surekṇāḥ marta ānāśa suvṛktim

Rich through his wisdom, noblest be the giver serving thee to-day: The man hath brought his hymn of praise.

te te agne tvotā iṣayanto viśvam āyuḥ taranto aryo arātīr vanvanto aryo arātīḥ

These, Agni, these are helped by thee, who strong and active all their lives, O'ercome the malice of the foe, fight down the malice of the foe.

agnis tigmena śociṣā yāsad viśvaṃ ny atriṇam agnir no vanate rayim

May Agni with his pointed blaze cast down each fierce devouring fiend May Agni win us wealth by war.

suvīraṃ rayim ā bhara jātavedo vicarṣaṇe jahi rakṣāṃsi sukrato

O active Jatavedas, bring riches with store of hero sons: Slay thou the demons, O Most Wise.

tvaṃ naḥ pāhy aṃhaso jātavedo aghāyataḥ rakṣā ṇo brahmaṇas kave

Keep us, O Jatavedas, from the troubling of the man of sin: Guard us thou Sage who knowest prayer.

yo no agne dureva ā marto vadhāya dāśati tasmān naḥ pāhy aṃhasaḥ

Whatever sinner, Agni, brings oblations to procure our death, Save us from woe that he would work.

tvaṃ taṃ deva jihvayā pari bādhasva duṣkṛtam marto yo no jighāṃsati

Drive from us with thy tongue, O God, the man who doeth evil deeds, The mortal who would strike us dead.

bharadvājāya saprathaḥ śarma yaccha sahantya agne vareṇyaṃ vasu

Give shelter reaching far and wide to Bharadvaja, conquering Lord! Agni, send wealth most excellent.

agnir vṛtrāṇi jaṅghanad draviṇasyur vipanyayā samiddhaḥ śukra āhutaḥ

May Agni slay the Vritras,-fain for riches, through the lord of song, Served with oblation, kindled, bright.

garbhe mātuḥ pituṣ pitā vididyutāno akṣare sīdann ṛtasya yonim ā

His Father's Father, shining in his Mother's everlasting side, Set on the seat of holy Law.

brahma prajāvad ā bhara jātavedo vicarṣaṇe agne yad dīdayad divi

O active Jatavedas, bring devotion that wins progeny, Agni, that it may shine to heaven.

upa tvā raṇvasaṃdṛśam prayasvantaḥ sahaskṛta agne sasṛjmahe giraḥ

O Child of Strength, to thee whose look is lovely we with dainty food, O Agni, have poured forth our songs.

This verse is not included in this edition.

To thee for shelter are we come, as to the shade from fervent heat Agni, who glitterest like gold.

ya ugra iva śaryahā tigmaśṛṅgo na vaṃsagaḥ agne puro rurojitha

Mighty as one who slays with shafts, or like a bull with sharpened horn, Agni, thou breakest down the forts.

This verse is not included in this edition.

Whom, like an infant newly born, devourer, in their arms they bear, Men's Agni, skilled in holy rites.

pra devaṃ devavītaye bharatā vasuvittamam

Bear to the banquet of the Gods the God best finder-out of wealth, Let him he seated in his place.

ā jātaṃ jātavedasi priyaṃ śiśītātithim syona ā gṛhapatim

In Jatavedas kindle ye the dear guest who hath now appeared In a soft place, the homestead's Lord.

agne yukṣvā hi ye tavāśvāso deva sādhavaḥ araṃ vahanti manyave

Harness, O Agni, O thou God, thy steeds which are most excellent: They bear thee as thy spirit wills.

acchā no yāhy ā vahābhi prayāṃsi vītaye ā devān somapītaye

Come hither, bring the Gods to us to taste the sacrificial feast, To drink the draught of Soma juice.

ud agne bhārata dyumad ajasreṇa davidyutat śocā vi bhāhy ajara

O Agni of the Bharatas, blaze high with everlasting might, Shine forth and gleam, Eternal One.

vītī yo devam marto duvasyed agnim īﾱītādhvare haviṣmān hotāraṃ satyayajaṃ rodasyor uttānahasto namasā vivāset

The mortal man who serves the God with banquet, and, bringing gifts at sacrifice, lauds Agni, May well attract, with prayer and hands uplifted, the Priest of Heaven and Earth, true Sacrificer.

This verse is not included in this edition.

Agni, we bring thee, with our hymn, oblation fashioned in the heart. Let these be oxen unto thee, let these be bulls and kine to thee.

agniṃ devāso agriyam indhate vṛtrahantamam yenā vasūny ābhṛtā tṛﾱhā rakṣāṃsi vājinā

The Gods enkindle Agni, best slayer of Vritra, first in rank, The Mighty, One who brings us wealth and crushes down the Rakshasas.