iv. 1. 1.

Yoking mind first,
Extending his thoughts, Savitr
Discerning the light,
Hath brought Agni from the earth.
Yoking with mind the gods,
Going to the heaven, the sky, with thought,
Those that are to make great light,
Savitr instigates.
With mind well yoked are we
In the instigation of god Savitr,
For strength to go to the heaven.
They yoke their minds, they yoke their thoughts,
The priests of the mighty wise priest,
He alone, who knoweth the way, appointeth their functions
Great is the praise of the god Savitr.
I yoke with honour your ancient prayer;
The praises go like Suras on their way;
All the sons of immortality hear (it),
Who have achieved dwellings divine.
He whose advance others followed,
Gods, of the god praising might,
He who meted out the regions of earth,
He is the brilliant god Savitr in greatness.
O god Savitr, instigate the sacrifice, instigate the lord of the sacrifice to good luck; may the divine Gandharva, who purifieth thoughts purify our thought; may the lord of speech to-day make sweet our utterance.
This sacrifice for us, O god Savitr
Do thou instigate, serving the gods,
Finding comrades, ever victorious,
Winning booty, winning heaven.
By the Rc make the Stoma to prosper,
By the Gayatra the Rathantara,
The Brhat with the Gayatri for its metre.
On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, with the Gayatri metre, I take thee, in the manner of Angiras.
Thou art the spade, thou art the woman , from the abode of the earth I bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras; with the Tristubh metre I grasp thee in the manner of Angiras.
Thou art the bearer, thou art the woman; through thee may we be strong to dig Agni of the dust in his place; with the Jagati metre I grasp thee in the manner of Angiras.
Grasping in thy hand, Savitr,
Bearing the spade of gold,
Therewith digging Agni
Do thou bring for us light unperishing.
With the Anustubh metre I grasp thee in the manner of Angiras.

iv. i. 2.

This bond of order they grasped
At their assemblies in ages gone by, the sages;
Therewith the gods mastered the pressed (juice)--
In the Saman of order proclaiming the stream.
Swiftly run hither, O steed,
Along the most extended space;
In the sky is thy highest birth,
In the atmosphere thy navel, on the earth thy birthplace.
Yoke ye two the ass,
In this course, O ye of mighty wealth,
Which beareth Agni, serving us.
In each need more strong,
In each contest, we invoke,
As friends, Indra to aid us.
Hastening come hither, trampling the enemy,
Come with wondrous skill from the leadership of Rudra;
Fare along the broad atmosphere,
With happy pastures, bestowing security.
With Pusan as fellow, from the abode of the earth do thou approach
Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
We approach Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
We will bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
We bear Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
Agni gazed along the forefront of the dawns,
Along the days first, the all-knower,
And in many ways along the rays of the sun ,
He hath extended along sky and earth.
I The steed coming from the way
Driveth every foe;
He is fain to gaze with his eye
On Agni in his great abode.
Coming to earth, O steed,
Do thou seek Agni with thy radiance;
Turning from earth I tell us
Whence we shall dig him up.
Thy back is the sky, thy abode earth,
Thy breath the atmosphere, thy birthplace the ocean;
Discerning with thine eye,
Do thou overcome the enemy.
Arise for great prosperity
From this abode, giving wealth, O steed;
May we enjoy the loving favour of earth,
That are about to dig fire in her lap.
The strong steed hath stepped forward, giving wealth;
He hath made the place of earth well wrought;
Thence let us dig Agni of fair aspect,
Mounting the heaven on the top of the vault.
The water divine do thou pour, full of sweetness
To avert diseases for men,
From their place let arise
Plants with fair leaves.
I touch Agni with mind, with ghee,
Who lordeth it over all the worlds,
Broad, vast, with pervading vital power,
Most extensive, impetuous, winning, food.
I touch thee with speech, with ghee,
With friendly mind accept it;
With mortal glory, with engaging colour,
Agni, with body full of life may not be touched.
Round the offerings hath Agni gone,
The sage, the lord of strength,
Bestowing jewels on the donor.
May we set thee around us, O Agni,
The sage, O strong one, as a fort,
Of daring due, day by day,
Destroyer of that which may be broken.
Thou, O Agni, with days, fain to shine towards us,
Thou from the waters, thou from the rock,
Thou from the woods, thou from the plants,
Thou, O lord of men, art born pure.

iv. 1. 3.

On the impulse of the god Savitr, with the arms of the Açvins, with the hands of Pusan, in the abode of earth, I dig Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
Full of light, thou, O Agni; of fair aspect,
Shining with unaging radiance,
Auspicious and harmless to offspring,
In the abode of earth, I dig Agni of the dust in the manner of Angiras.
Thou art the back of the waters, expansive, wide,
About to bear Agni, least to be laid aside;
Growing to might as the lotus-flower,
Do thou extend in width with the measure of heaven.
Ye two are protectors and a help,
Unbroken, both expansive;
Do ye expanding be united;
Bear Agni of the dust.
Be ye united, that win the heaven,
In union of heart and self;
Who shall bear within Agni
Full of light and unaging.
Thou art of the dust, all-supporting; Atharvan first pressed out thee, O Agni.
Thee, O Agni, from the lotus
Atharvan pressed out,
From the head of every priest.
Thee the sage, Dadhyañc,
Son of Atharvan, doth kindle,
Slayer of Vrtra, destroyer of foes.
Thee Pathya Vrsan doth kindle,
Best slayer of foes,
Winner of booty in every conflict.
Sit thou, O Hotr, in thine own world, wise,
Place thou the sacrifice in the birthplace of good deeds,
Eager for the gods, do thou sacrifice to them with oblation;
O Agni, bestow great strength on the sacrificer.
The Hotr hath sat him down in the place of the Hoty, wise,
Glittering, shining, skilful,
With vows and foresight undeceived, most wealthy,
Bearing a thousand, pure-tongued Agni.
Sit thou down, thou art great,
Burn best servant of the gods;
O Agni, pure one, send forth the ruddy smoke,
O famous one, that can be seen afar.
Be born noble in the forefront of the days,
Kind to the kindly, red in the woods;
Bestowing seven jewels in every home
Hath Agni sat him down as Hotr.

iv. 1. 4.

May I Vayu, Matariçvan, unite
The broken heart of thee that art outstretched
To him who moveth with the expiration of the gods,
With thee, O goddess, be Vasat.
Wellborn, with light,
Guard and protector, thou hast sat on the heaven;
O Agni, thy garment of many hues,
Put on, O thou that dost abound in light.
Arise, thou of fair sacrifice,
Aid us with thy divine radiance;
Brilliant to behold, with mighty blaze,
Do thou come hither, O Agni, in response to our prayers .
Arise erect to aid us,
Like Savitr, the god;
Erect to win the booty,
When in contest we call on thee with the shining praisers.
Born, thou art the child of the two worlds,
O Agni; a brilliant child distributed among the plants;
A beauteous babe beyond the darkness outspread,
Thou didst come thundering from thy mothers.
Be firm, of strong limbs,
Swift, a mighty steed;
Be broad, of kindly seat,
Thou art the carrier of dust for Agni.
Be auspicious , for offspring
Of men, O Angiras;
Scorch not sky and earth,
Nor the atmosphere, nor the trees.
Let the steed advance, thundering
And resounding, the ass, the flier;
Bearing Agni of the dust
May he fall not before his day.
The ass, well yoked to your chariot,
O ye strong ones, that thundereth,
May he as swift envoy
Bear hence Agni of the dust.
The strong, bearing the strong Agni,
Germ of the waters, him of the ocean,
O Agni, come hither, for enjoyment ,
As holy order and truth.
O plants, do ye accept Agni here
Who cometh auspicious towards you;
Casting aside all hostilities, all evil imaginings,
Sitting down, may he smite away from us misfortune.
O plants, do ye rejoice in him,
O ye that are rich in flowers, and have fair berries;
This germ of yours, of due season,
Hath sat him in his ancient seat.

iv. 1. 5.

Radiant with extending blaze,
Do thou repel the enemy, the Raksas's hostility;
May I enjoy the protection of the great protector,
May I enjoy the leadership of Agni, easy to invoke.
Ye, waters, are healing;
Further us to strength,
To see great joy.
The most auspicious flavour that is yours,
Accord to us here,
Like eager mothers.
To him may we come with satisfaction,
To whose dwelling ye quicken us,
O waters, and propagate us.
Mitra , having united the earth
And the ground with light,
Agni well-born, all-knower,
Common to all men, the wide extending.
For health I unite thee, for offspring; may the All-gods, common to all men, unite thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras.
The Rudras, having gathered together the earth,
Kindled a great light;
Their ray undying
Shineth clear among the gods.
United by the Vasus, the cunning Rudras,
The mud fit for the rite,
Making it smooth with her hands,
May Sinivali fashion this (pan).
Sinivali, of fair braids,
Of fair head-dress, with fair locks,
May she, O Aditi, O great one,
Place within thy hands the pan.
Let Aditi fashion the pan with might,
With her arms , with wisdom,
Let her bear Agni in her womb
As a mother a child in her lap.
I Thou art the head of Makha.
Ye are the two feet of the sacrifice.
May the Vasus fashion thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the earth; may the Rudras fashion thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the atmosphere ; may the Adityas fashion thee with the Jagati metre in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the sky; may the All-gods, common to all men, fashion thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras. Thou art the quarters; thou art the fixed (quarter); fix in me offspring, increase of wealth, richness in cattle, richness in heroes, (subject) his fellows to the sacrificer.
Thou art the girdle of Aditi.
Let Aditi seize thy hole with the Pankti metre, in the manner of Angiras.
Having made the great pan,
Wrought of clay, as a birthplace for Agni,
Aditi gave it to her sons,
(Saying), 'Let them cook it.'

iv. 1. 6.

May the Vasus fumigate thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Rudras fumigate thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Adityas fumigate thee with the Jagati metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the All-gods, common to all men, fumigate thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may Indra fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras; may Visnu fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras; may Varuna fumigate thee in the manner of Angiras.
May Aditi, connected with the All-gods, the goddess, dig thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O trench.
May the wives of the gods , the goddesses, connected with the All-gods, place thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan.
May the Dhisanas, the goddesses connected with the All-gods, kindle thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan; may the wives, the goddesses, connected with the All-gods, prepare thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan; may the protectors, the women, the goddesses, connected with the All-gods, cook thee on the abode of earth, in the manner of Angiras, O pan.
O Mitra, cook this pan; may it not break.
This I place around thee, to prevent breaking.
Mitra, extending, compasseth
This sky in greatness ,
And the earth with his fame.
The fame of Mitra, supporter of the people,
Of the god is eternal,
True, and most varied in fame.
May the god Savitr dig thee out,
With fair hands, fair fingers,
Fair arms, with his might.
Breaking not, O earth,
Do thou fill the regions, the quarters;
Arise, become great,
Stand upright, be thou firm.
May the Vasus fill thee with the Gayatri metre, in the manner of Angiras: may the Rudras fill thee with the Tristubh metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the Adityas fill thee with the Jagati metre, in the manner of Angiras; may the All-gods, common to all men, fill thee with the Anustubh metre, in the manner of Angiras.

Continued...

iv. 1. 7.

Let the half-years, the seasons, increase thee, O Agni,
The years, the Rsis, and what truths there are;
Shine with thy heavenly lustre,
Illuminate all the quarters of the earth.
Be kindled, O Agni, and awake him;
Arise for great good fortune;
May he that waiteth on thee, O Agni, be not harmed;
May thy priests be famous, not the others.
These Brahmans, O Agni, choose thee;
Be thou propitious, O Agni , to us in the sanctuary;
Slaying our rivals, conquering the foes,
Do thou watch unfailing in thine own home.
Here, O Agni, do thou grant wealth;
May not the overcomers, anticipating (us); overcome thee;
May the lordly power be easily wielded by thee, O Agni
Let him who waiteth on thee prosper, unassailed.
With good life, O Agni, unite thee with the lordly power;
O Agni, vie with Mitra in friendlihood;
Be thou the midmost of thine equals;
O Agni, shine forth here to be invoked by kings.
(Be thou) over the enemy, the obstructor,
Unwisdom, niggardliness, O Agni,
All obstacles do thou overcome,
And bestow upon us wealth with heroes.
Unassailable, all-knower, unoverpowered,
Ruling, O Agni, supporting the lordly power, do thou shine here;
Through all the regions, freeing men from fear,
Do thou this day guard us for increase with kindliness.
O Brhaspati, instigator, awake him;
The sharp do thou more thoroughly sharpen;
Increase him to great prosperity
Let the All-gods rejoice in him.
What time, O Brhaspati, thou didst free
From life yonder, from Yama's enmity,
The Açvins removed death from him,
O Agni, the physicians of the gods with their powers.
We from the darkness,
Gazing on the higher light,
Surya a god among the gods,
Have come to the highest light.

iv. 1. 8.

Uplifted are his kindling-sticks,
Uplifted and pure are the rays of Agni,
Most brilliant (are they) of the son of fair countenance.
The son of self, the Asura, all-knower,
God, god among gods,
Anointeth the ways with mead and ghee.
With mead thou attainest the sacrifice,
Delighting, as Naraçansa, O Agni,
The kindly god Savitr, with every boon.
Hither he cometh, with might, with ghee,
The priest implored with adoration;
To Agni the ladles (move) when the rites proceed.
Worship let him pay to the greatness of him, of Agni;
He indeed is pre-eminent among the delightful,
The wealthy, the wisest, best bestower of wealth.
The divine doors--all--preserve
The rules of him, of Agni,
Of wide expanse, lording it with dominion.
May day and night
Like heavenly maidens in his birthplace
Protect this our sacrifice and offering.
O ye divine Hotrs, sing ye
To our uplifted sacrifice, to Agni's tongue,
Make for us good offering.
May the three goddesses sit on this strew,
Ida, Sarasvati , Bharati, the great, being sung.
That seminal fluid of ours, wondrous,
Abundant, may Tvastr release
As increase of wealth with good heroes, as offspring to us.
O tree, let free,
Bestowing with thyself among the gods;
Let Agni as queller make ready the oblation.
O Agni, utter 'Hail!' O all-knower, over the oblation for Indra;
May all the gods rejoice in this offering.
The golden germ first arose;
Born he was the only lord of creation;
He supporteth the earth and the sky
To what god shall we offer with oblation?
He that alone by his might is king
Of the breathing, the winking world,
Who is lord of these bipeds and quadrupeds;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?
He who is giver of breath, giver of strength,
Upon whose bidding all, even the gods, wait,
Whose shadow is immortality and death;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?
He whose are these snowy mountains through his might,
Whose they call the ocean with the Rasa ,
Whose two arms are these quarters;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?
To whom the armies stablished
Through his aid gazed with minds disturbed,
Over whom on the rising of the sun it goeth;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?
He by whom the dread earth and the sky were made firm,
By whom the heaven was established, by whom the vault,
Who is the measure of the region in the atmosphere;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?
When the waters, the great ones, went
Bearing all strength, begetting Agni,
Then one breath of the gods arose;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?
He who in his might beheld the waters
Bearing strength, begetting Agni,
Who was the god alone over the gods;
To what god shall we offer with oblation?

iv. 1. 9.

Purpose, Agni, impulse, hail! Mind, intellect, Agni, impulse, hail! Thought, knowledge, Agni, impulse, hail! Discrimination of speech, Agni, impulse, hail! To Manu, lord of creatures, hail! To Agni Vaiçvanara hail!
Let every man choose the companionship
Of the god who leadeth;
Every man prayeth for wealth;
Let him choose glory that he may prosper; hail!
Be not broken, nor come to harm;
Be firm and enduring;
O mother, daringly show thy heroism ;
With Agni wilt thou do this deed.
Be firm, O goddess earth, for prosperity;
Thou art the wile of the Asura, made with power;
Let this oblation be pleasing to the gods;
Do thou emerge uninjured at this our sacrifice.
O Mitra, heat this pan; may it not break.
This I place around thee, to prevent breaking.
Feeding on wood, sipping clarified butter,
The ancient desirable Hotr,
Son of strength, the wondrous.
From a far region
Come hither to these lower ones
Favour those in the region where I am.
From a far distance
Do thou of ruddy steeds come hither;
Of the dust, dear to many,
O Agni, do thou overcome obstructions.
Do thou sit down in the lap of this mother,
O Agni, knowing all the ways;
Consume her not with light nor with heat,
Within her shine with pure radiance.
O Agni, with glow
Within thine own seat of the pan,
Heating with her blaze,
Be thou, O all-knower, auspicious.
Becoming auspicious to me, O Agni,
Do thou sit down auspicious;
Having made all the quarters auspicious
Sit here on thine own birthplace.

iv. 1. 10.

Whatever logs we place
In thee, O Agni,
Be that ghee for thee;
Accept it, O youngest one.
What the insect eateth,
What the ant climbeth over,
All that be ghee for thee;
Accept it, O youngest one.
Mighty by night, unfailingly bearing (food)
For him as fodder to a stalled horse,
May we, O Agni, thy neighbours, be not harmed,
Rejoicing in increase of wealth, in food.
Kindled on earth's navel , Agni
We invoke for great increase of wealth,
Delighting in drink, recipient of great praise, worthy of offering,
The victor, Agni, sustainer in battles.
The hosts that attack,
That pierce, the trooping,
The thieves and the robbers,
Them, O Agni, do I place in thy mouth.
With thy tusks the burglars,
With thy teeth the robbers,
With thy jaws the thieves, O blessed one,
Do thou chew, well chewed.
The burglars among men,
The thieves and robbers in the forest,
The mischief-workers in the thickets,
Them I place within thy jaws.
The man who is hostile to us,
And him who hateth us,
Him who revileth us, and him who seeketh to hurt,
Every one of them do thou crush to atoms.
Sharpened is my holy power,
Sharpened the strength and might,
Sharpened the conquering lordly power of him
Whose domestic priest I am.
Their arms have I uplifted,
Their radiance, their might;
With holy power I waste the foes,
I support my own.
I Shining like gold, he hath become widely resplendent,
For glory shining with immortal life;
Agni became immortal in his strength
What time prolific Dyaus begat him.
The sage showeth all forms;
He hath produced bliss for biped and quadruped;
Savitr, the desirable, hath discerned the vault;
After the moving forward of the dawn he shineth.
Night and the dawn, one-minded but of various form,
United suckle one child;
The radiant one shineth between sky and earth
The gods, granters of wealth, support Agni.
Thou art the bird of fair feathers; thy head the Trivrt (Stoma), thy eye the Gayatra, thy breath the Stoma, thy body the Vamadevya Saman, thy wings the Brhat and the Rathantara, thy tail the Yajñayajñiya, thy limbs the metres, thy hoofs the altars, thy name the Yajus formulae.
Thou art the bird of fair feathers; go to the sky, fly to the heaven.

iv. 1. 11.

O Agni, that sacrifice, that offering,
Which on all sides thou dost encircle,
It of a truth goeth to the gods.
O Soma, the wondrous aids
That there are of thine for the generous man,
With these be thou our helper.
Agni the, head.
Be.
Thou, O Soma.
These abodes of thine.
That excellent glory of Savitr,
The god, we meditate,
That he may stimulate our prayers.
What we have done in thoughtlessness against the host divine,
With feeble insight, with violence as is man's way ,
Among gods and men, do thou, O Savitr,
There instigate us to sinlessness.
Impeller of righteousness,
Instigator of devotions,
Sarasvati hath established the sacrifice.
May the maiden of the lightning, the one of varied life,
Sarasvati, wife of a hero, inspire our devotion;
In accord with the ladies, may she accord to the singer
Protection uninjured, and guardianship unsurpassable.
I May Pusan follow the cows for us,
May he guard our horses;
May Pusan win booty for us.
Bright is part of thee, worthy of offering another ,
Like day and night of various hue, like the sky art thou;
All magic thou dost further, O powerful one;
Propitious here, O Pusan, be thy bounty.
They grew in might with their own power;
They mounted the vault, they made a broad seat;
When Visnu helped the strong one who causeth gladness,
Like birds they sat on the dear strew.
Bear ye variegated praise to the strong singer,
The host of the Maruts, which hath strength;
Who with might endure might ,
For the jocund ones, O Agni, the earth shakes.
The All-gods.
O All-gods.
May sky and earth this day
Place among the gods this sacrifice,
Successful, touching the sky.
Bring forward the parents born of old with now songs,
In the seat of holy order,
Come to us, O sky and earth, with the host divine;
Great is your protection.
Awaken Agni with the praise,
Kindling the immortal;
May he place our oblations among the gods.
Bearing the oblation, immortal,
The eager messenger, well-inclined,
Agni uniteth with our prayer.
Health be they.
For each prize.

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