iv. 2. 3.

a O Lord of food, accord us food,
Uninjurious, impetuous;
Do thou further the donor,
Bestow strength on our bipeds, our quadrupeds.
b May the All-gods thee,
O Agni, bear up with their thoughts;
Be thou to us most propitious,
With kindly face, abounding in light,
c Come forward, O Agni, rich in light,
With auspicious rays;
Shining with great radiance,
Harm not our offspring with thy body.
d With kindling-wood serve Agni,
Awaken the guest with ghee;
In him [1] offer oblations.
e Far-famed is this Agni of Bharata,
Since his great light shineth like the sun;
He who overcame Puru in battle
Hath shone forth, the heavenly guest, propitious for us.
f O ye waters divine, accept these ashes;
Place them on a resting-place, in the fragrant region
To him may the ladies with noble spouses bow;
Like a mother her son, do ye kindly bear him.
g In the waters, O Agni, is thy seat [2],
Thou enterest the plants;
Being in the germ thou art born again.
h Thou art the germ of plants,
The germ of trees,
The germ of all things,
O Agni, thou art the germ of the waters.
i With ashes having satisfied thy birthplace
And the waters, on the earth, O Agni,
In unison with thy mothers,
Full of light hast thou again taken thy seat.
k Having again come to thy seat,
And to the waters, to the earth, O Agni,
Within her thou liest, most auspicious,
As on the lap of a mother.
l Return with strength [3],
Return, O Agni, with food and life;
Again guard us on all sides.
m Return with wealth,
O Agni, fatten with the stream,
All-gaining on every side.
n May the Adityas, the Rudras, the Vasus, kindle thee again;
The Brahmans again with offerings, O bringer of wealth;
With ghee do thou increase our bodies;
May the wishes of the sacrificer become true.
o Hearken to this our call, that is offered, O youngest one,
Of the most generous one, O thou that hast power;
One hateth, one praiseth.
As praiser I praise thy body, O Agni.
p Be thou a bounteous patron,
Giver of riches, lord of riches;
Repel from us the foes.