1. FAR hath he shone abroad like gold to look on, beaming imperishable life for glory. Agni by vital powers became immortal when his prolific Father Dyaus begat him.
2. Night and Dawn, different in hue, accordant, meeting together, suckle one same infant. Golden between the heaven and earth he shineth. The wealth-possessing Gods supported Agni.
3. The Sapient One arrays himself in every form: for quadruped and biped he hath brought forth good. Excellent Savitar hath looked on heaven’s high vault: he shineth after the outgoings of the Dawn.
4. Thou art the goodly-pinioned Bird: thou hast the Trivrit for thy head. Gâyatra is thine eye, thy wings are Brihat and Rathantara. The hymn is self, the metres are his limbs, the formulas his name. The Vâmadevya Sâman is thy form, the Yajñâyajñiya thy tail, the fire-hearths are thy hooves. Thou art the goodly-pinioned Bird: go skyward, soar to heavenly light.
5. Thou art the riyal-slaying stride of Vishnu. Mount the Gâyatra metre: stride along the earth. Thou art the foe-destroying stride of Vishnu. Mount the Trishtup metre: stride along mid-air. Thou art the traitor-slaying stride of Vishnu. Mount the Jagatî metre: stride along the sky. Thou art the foeman-slaying stride of Vishnu. Mount Anushtup metre: stride along the Quarters.
6. Agni roared out like Dyaus what time he thunders: licking full oft the earth round plants he flickered. At once, when born, he looked about, enkindled: he shineth forth between the earth and heaven.
7. Return to me, thou still-returning Agni, with life, with lustre, progeny, and treasure, With profit, wisdom, riches, and abundance.
8. A hundred, Agni Angiras! be thy ways, a thousand thy returns. With increment of increase bring thou back to us what we have lost. Again bring hitherward our wealth.
9. Return again with nourishment; Agni, again with food and life. Again preserve us from distress.
10. Agni, return with store of wealth. Swell with thine overflowing stream that feedeth all on every side.
11. I brought thee: thou hast entered in. Stand stedfast and immovable. Lot all the people long for thee. Let not thy kingship fall away.
12. Varuna, from the upmost bond release us, let down the lowest and remove the midmost. So in thy holy law may we made sinless belong to Aditi, O thou Âditya.
13. High hath the Mighty risen before the Mornings, and come to us with light from out the darkness. Fair-shapen Agni with white-shining splendour hath filled at birth all human habitations.
14. The Hamsa homed in light, the Vasu in mid-air, the Priest beside the altar, Guest within the house, Dweller in noblest place, mid men, in truth, in sky, born of flood, kine, truth, mountain, he is holy Law. The Great.
15. Knowing all holy ordinances, Agni, be seated in the lap of this thy mother. Do not with heat or glowing flame consume her: shine thou within her with refulgent lustre.
16. Within this Fire-pan with thy light, O Agni, in thy proper seat, Glowing with warmth, be gracious thou, O Jâtavedas, unto her.
17. Being propitious unto me, O Agni, sit propitiously. Having made all the regions blest, in thine own dwelling seat thyself.
18. First Agni sprang to life from out of heaven, the second time from us came Jâtavedas. Thirdly the Manly-souled was in the waters. The pious lauds and kindles him Eternal.
19. Agni, we know thy three powers in three stations, we know thy forms in many a place divided. We know what name supreme thou hast in secret: we know the source from which thou hast proceeded.
20. The Manly-souled lit thee in sea and waters, Man’s Viewer lit thee in the breast of heaven. There as thou stoodest in the third high region the Bulls increased thee in the waters’ bosom.
21. Agni roared out, etc. (verse 6 repeated).
22. The spring of glories and support of riches, rouser of thoughts and guardian of the Soma, Good Son of Strength, a King amid the waters, in forefront of the Dawns he shines enkindled.
23. Germ of the world, ensign of all creation, he sprang to life and filled the earth and heaven. Even the firm rock he cleft when passing over, when the Five Tribes brought sacrifice to Agni.
24. So among mortals was immortal Agni stablished as cleansing, wise, and eager envoy. He waves the red smoke that he lifts above him, striving to reach the heaven with radiant lustre.
25. Far hath he shone, etc. (verse 1 repeated).
26. Whoso this day, O God whose flames are lovely, makes thee a cake, O Agni, mixed with butter, Lead thou and further him to higher fortune, to bliss bestowed by Gods, O thou Most Youthful.
27. Endow him, Agni, with a share of glory, at every, song of praise sung forth enrich him. Dear let him be to Sûrya, dear to Agni, preëminent with son and children’s children.
28. While, Agni, day by day men pay thee worship they win themselves all treasures worth the wishing. Allied with thee, eager and craving riches, they have disclosed the stable filled with cattle.
