i. 2. 14.
a Put forth thy strength
like a spreading net;
Come like a mighty king with thy retainers;
Hurling thy swift net thou shootest arrows;
Pierce the Raksases with thy keenest (darts).
b Swiftly thy whirling flames descend;
bring upward Follow them, glowing in thy fury;
Thy heat, O Agni, thy winged (flames) with thy tongue,
Unfettered, on all sides spread thy firebrands.
c Send forth thy spies, swiftest in thy motion;
Be an unfailing guardian to this folk,
From him who afar plans evil [1], from him who near;
O Agni let no trouble from thee overwhelm us.
d Arise, O Agni; spread thyself out;
Burn up our foes, O thou of keen dart;
Him who hath wrought evil for us, O blazing one,
Do thou consume utterly like dry stubble.
e Arise; drive from us (our foes);
Reveal thy heavenly strength, O Agni,
Slacken the strung (weapon) of the demon-driven;
Crush our foes, kin or not kin.
f He knows thy [2] loving kindliness, O most youthful one,
Who hath given furtherance to this devotion;
All happy days for him, glory, and wealth
- Opening the doors of the miser - he
hath revealed.'
g Let him, O Agni, be fortunate and munificent,
Who with constant oblation, who with praise,
Seeks to delight thee in his life in his house;
May all days be happy for him; be that the will.
h I praise thy loving kindness; loud sounding (thou singest) a reply;
Let this song of mine, beloved of thee, sing with thee [3]
With good steeds and fair chariots may we adorn thee;
Maintain for us the lordly power as the days go by.
i Here let each serve thee readily,
That shinest in the darkness, as the days go by;
Happy and joyous may we attend thee
That dost surpass the glories of men.'
k He who with good steeds and rich in gold
Approacheth thee, O Agni, with a rich chariot,
His protector thou art, the comrade of him
Who duly offereth thee glad reception.
l The great I overcome [4] through kinship and my songs;
That hath descended to me from Gotama, my sire;
Pay heed to this song of ours,
O Hotr, most youthful, skilful, friend of the house.
m Sleepless, speedy, propitious,
Unwearied, never hostile, unexhausted,
May thy guardians, O Agni, taking their places here united,
Protect us, O wise one.
n In Thy guardians, O Agni, who seeing,
Guarded from ill the blind Mamateya,
He of all wisdom guarded these kindly ones;
The foes that were fain to deceive could not [5] deceive.
o In unison with thee, aided by thee,
Under thy leadership, let us gain strength;
Fulfil both our desires, O truthful one;
Perform it forthwith, O fearless one.
p With this fuel, O Agni, will we serve thee;
Accept the song of praise recited for thee;
Burn those that revile, the Raksases; guard us,
From the foe, the reviler, O rich in friends, from blame.
I touch the steed that slayeth the Raksases;
I go for shelter to the friend most spreading;
May Agni, enkindled with our offerings, sharpening (his dart)
Guard us by day, [6] from harm and by night.
r With great radiance Agni shineth;
All things doth he reveal by his might;
He overcometh godless and malign enchantments
He sharpeneth his horns to pierce the Raksas.
s Let the roarings of Agni rise to the heaven,
Sharp weapons to slay the Raksas;
In the carouse his radiance bursteth forth
The godless assailers cannot restrain him.
|