Rig Veda

RIG VEDA – BOOK ONE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
dweller on the bank of Sindhu;
For he, unconquered King, desiring glory, hath furnished me a
thousand sacrifices.
2 A hundred necklets from the King, beseeching, a hundred
gift-steeds I at once accepted;
Of the lord's cows a thousand, I Kaksivan. His deathless glory
hath he spread to heaven.
3 Horses of dusky colour stood beside me, ten chariots,
Svanaya's gift, with mares to draw them.
Kine numbering sixty thousand followed after. Kaksivan
gained them when the days were closing.
4 Forty bay horses of the ten cars' master before a thousand
lead the long procession.
Reeling in joy Kaksivan's sons and Pajra's have grounded the
coursers decked with pearly trappings.
5 An earlier gift for you have I accepted eight cows, good
milkers, and tree harnessed horses,
Pajras, who with your wains with your great kinsman, like
troops of subjects, have been fain for glory.
HYMN CXXVII Agni.
1. AGNI I hold as herald, the munificent, the gracious, Son of
Strength, who knoweth all that live, as holy Singer, knowing
all,
Lord of fair rites, a God with form erected turning to the Gods,
He, when the flame hath sprung forth from the holy oil, the
offered fatness, longeth for it with his glow.
2 We, sacrificing, call on thee best worshipper, the eldest of
Angirases, Singer, with hymns, thee, brilliant One! with
singers' hymns;
Thee, wandering round as 't were the sky, who art the invoking
Priest of men,
Whom, Bull with hair of flame the people must observe, the
people that he speed them on.
3 He with his shining glory blazing far and wide, he verily it is
who slayeth demon foes, slayeth the demons like an axe:
At whose close touch things solid shake, and what is stable
yields like trees.
Subduing all, he keeps his ground and flinches not, from the
skilled archer flinches not.
4 To him, as one who knows, even things solid yield: unrough
fire-sticks heated hot he gives his gifts to aid. Men offer Agni
gifts for aid.
He deeply piercing many a thing hews it like wood with
fervent glow.
Even hard and solid food he crunches with his might, yea, hard
and solid food with might.
5 Here near we place the sacrificial food for him who shines
forth fairer in the night than in the day, with life then stronger
than by day.
His life gives sure and firm defence as that one giveth to a son.
The during fires enjoy things given and things not given, the
during fires enjoy as food.
6 He, roaring very loudly like the Maruts' host, in fertile
cultivated fields adorable, in desert spots adorable,
Accepts and eats our offered gifts, ensign of sacrifice by
desert;
47
So let all, joying, love his path when he is glad, as men pursue
a path for bliss.
7 Even as they who sarig forth hymns, addressed to heaven,
the Blirgus with their prayer and praise invited him, the Bhrgus
rubbing, offering gifts.
For radiant Agni, Lord of all these treasures, is exceeding
strong.
May he, the wise, accept the grateful coverings, the wise
accept the coverings.
8 Thee we invoke, the Lord of all our settled homes, common
to all, the household's guardian, to enjoy, bearer of true hymns,
to enjoy.
Thee we invoke, the guest of men, by whose mouth, even as a
sire's,
All these Immortals come to gain their food of life, oblations
come to Gods as food.
9 Thou, Agni, most victorious with thy conquering strength,
most Mighty One, art born for service of the Gods, like wealth
for service of the Gods.
Most mighty is thine ecstasy, most splendid is thy mental
power.
Therefore men wait upon thee, undecaying One, like vassals,
undecaying One.
10 To him the mighty, conquering with victorious strength, to
Agni walking with the dawn, who sendeth kine, be sung your
laud, to Agni sung;
As he who with oblation comes calls him aloud in every place.
Before the brands of fire he shouteth singerlike, the herald,
kindler of the brands.
11 Agni, beheld by us in nearest neighbourhood, accordant
with the Gods, bring us, with gracious love, great riches with
thy gracious love.
Give us O Mightiest, what is great, to see and to enjoy the
earth.
As one of awful power, stir up heroic might for those who
praise thee, Bounteous Lord!
HYMN CXXVIII. Agni.
1. By Manu's law was born this Agni, Priest most skilled, born
for the holy work of those who yearn therefore, yea, born for
his own holy work.
All ear to him who seeks his love and wealth to him who
strives for fame,
Priest ne'er deceived, he sits in Ila's holy place, girt round in
Ila's holy place.
2 We call that perfecter of worship by the path or sacrifice;
with reverence rich in offerings, with worship rich in offerings.
Through presentation of our food he grows not old in this his
from;
The God whom Matarisvan brought from far away, for Manu
brought from far away.
3 In ordered course forthwith he traverses the earth, swiftswallowing,
bellowing Steer, bearing the genial seed, bearing
the seed and bellowing.
Observant with a hundred eyes the God is conqueror in the
wood:
Agni, who hath his seat in broad plains here below, and in the