Rig Veda 8.60

agna ā yāhy agnibhir hotāraṃ tvā vṛṇīmahe ā tvām anaktu prayatā haviṣmatī yajiṣṭham barhir āsade

Agni, come hither with thy fires; we choose thee as Invoking Priest. Let the extended ladle full of oil balm thee, best Priest, to sit on sacred grass.

acchā hi tvā sahasaḥ sūno aṅgiraḥ srucaś caranty adhvare ūrjo napātaṃ ghṛtakeśam īmahe 'gniṃ yajñeṣu pūrvyam

For unto thee, O Angiras, O Son of Strength, move ladles in the sacrifice. To Agni, Child of Force, whose locks drop oil, we seek, foremost in sacrificial rites.

agne kavir vedhā asi hotā pāvaka yakṣyaḥ mandro yajiṣṭho adhvareṣv īḍyo viprebhiḥ śukra manmabhiḥ

Agni, thou art Disposer, Sage, Herald, bright God! and worshipful, Best offerer, cheerful, to be praised in holy rites, pure Lord! by singers with their hymns.

adrogham ā vahośato yaviṣṭhya devāṁ ajasra vītaye abhi prayāṃsi sudhitā vaso gahi mandasva dhītibhir hitaḥ

Most Youthful and Eternal, bring the longing Gods to me, the guileless, for the feast. Come, Vasu, to the banquet that is well-prepared: rejoice thee, gracious, with our songs.

tvam it saprathā asy agne trātar ṛtas kaviḥ tvāṃ viprāsaḥ samidhāna dīdiva ā vivāsanti vedhasaḥ

Famed art thou, Agni, far and wide, Preserver, righteous, and a Sage. The holy singers, O refulgent kindled God! arrangers, call on thee to come -

śocā śociṣṭha dīdihi viśe mayo rāsva stotre mahāṁ asi devānāṃ śarman mama santu sūrayaḥ śatrūṣāhaḥ svagnayaḥ

Shine, Most Resplendent! blaze, send bliss unto the folk, and to thy worshipper Great art thou. So may my princes, with good fires, subduing foes, rest in the keeping of the Gods.

This verse is not included in this edition.

O Agni, as thou burnest down to earth even high-grown underwood, So, bright as Mitra is, burn him who injures us, him who plots ill against thy friend.

mā no martāya ripave rakṣasvine māghaśaṃsāya rīradhaḥ asredhadbhis taraṇibhir yaviṣṭhya śivebhiḥ pāhi pāyubhiḥ

Give us not as a prey to mortal enemy, nor to the wicked friend of fiends. With conquering guards, auspicious, unassailable, protect us, O Most Youthful God.

pāhi no agna ekayā pāhy uta dvitīyayā pāhi gīrbhis tisṛbhir ūrjām pate pāhi catasṛbhir vaso

Protect us, Agni, through the first, protect us through the second hymn, Protect us through three hymns, O Lord of Power and Might, through four hymns, Vasu, guard thou us.

pāhi viśvasmād rakṣaso arāvṇaḥ pra sma vājeṣu no 'va tvām iddhi nediṣṭhaṃ devatātaya āpiṃ nakṣāmahe vṛdhe

Preserve us from each fiend who brings the Gods no gift, preserve thou us in deeds of strength: For we possess in thee the nearest Friend of all, for service of the Gods and weal.

ā no agne vayovṛdhaṃ rayim pāvaka śaṃsyam rāsvā ca na upamāte puruspṛhaṃ sunītī svayaśastaram

O Holy Agni, give us wealth renowned with men and strengthening life. Bestow on us, O Helper, that which many crave, more glorious still by righteousness;

yena vaṃsāma pṛtanāsu śardhatas taranto arya ādiśaḥ sa tvaṃ no vardha prayasā śacīvaso jinvā dhiyo vasuvidaḥ

Wherewith we may o'ercome our rivals in the war, o'erpowering the foe's designs. So wax thou by our food, O Excellent in strength. Quicken our thoughts that find out wealth.

tigmā asya hanavo na pratidhṛṣe sujambhaḥ sahaso yahuḥ

Agni is even as a bull who whets and brandishes his horns. Well-sharpened are his jaws which may not be withstood: the Child of Strength hath powerful teeth.

nahi te agne vṛṣabha pratidhṛṣe jambhāso yad vitiṣṭhase sa tvaṃ no hotaḥ suhutaṃ haviṣ kṛdhi vaṃsvā no vāryā puru

Not to be stayed, O Bull, O Agni, are thy teeth when thou art spreading far and wide. Make our oblations duly offered up, O Priest, and give us store of precious things.

śeṣe vaneṣu mātroḥ saṃ tvā martāsa indhate atandro havyā vahasi haviṣkṛta ād id deveṣu rājasi

Thou liest in the wood: from both thy Mothers mortals kindle thee. Unweariedly thou bearest up the offerer's gifts, then shinest bright among the Gods.

bhinatsy adriṃ tapasā vi śociṣā prāgne tiṣṭha janāṁ ati

And so the seven priests, O Agni, worship thee, Free-giver, Everlasting One. Thou cleavest through the rock with heat and fervent glow. Agni, rise up above the men.

agnim agniṃ vo adhriguṃ huvema vṛktabarhiṣaḥ agniṃ hitaprayasaḥ śaśvatīṣv ā hotāraṃ carṣaṇīnām

For you let us whose grass is trimmed call Agni, Agni, restless God. Let us whose food is offered call to all the tribes Agni the Invoking Priest of men.

ketena śarman sacate suṣāmaṇy agne tubhyaṃ cikitvanā iṣaṇyayā naḥ pururūpam ā bhara vājaṃ nediṣṭham ūtaye

Agni, with noble psalm that tells his wish he dwells, thinking on thee who guardest him. Speedily bring us strength of many varied sorts to be most near to succour us.

agne jaritar viśpatis tepāno deva rakṣasaḥ aproṣivān gṛhapatir mahāṁ asi divas pāyur duroṇayuḥ

Agni, Praise-singer! Lord of men, God burner-up of Rakshasas, Mighty art thou, the ever-present Household-Lord, Home-friend and Guardian from the sky.

mā no rakṣa ā veśīd āghṛṇīvaso mā yātur yātumāvatām parogavyūty anirām apa kṣudham agne sedha rakṣasvinaḥ

Let no fiend come among us, O thou rich in light, no spell of those who deal in spells. To distant pastures drive faint hunger: far away, O Agni, chase the demons' friends.