BOOK THE FIFTEENTH.
DRIVE our born enemies away, O Agni; drive from us foes
unborn, O Jâtavedas.
Graciously-minded, free from anger, bless us: may we enjoy
my firm thrice-guarding shelter.
Drive off with might our foemen born and living: keep off
these yet unborn, O Jâtavedas.
Benevolent in thought and spirit bless us. May we remain
alive: drive off our foemen.
3 The Sixteenfold Stoma, strength and wealth. The Forty-
fourth Stoma, splendour and wealth.
Apsas art thou, the complement of Agni. As such may all
the Gods greet thee with praises.
Enriched with songs of praise, Prishthas, and butter, sit here
and give us wealth with store of children.
4 Course metre. Space metre. Happy metre, Encompassing
metre. Covering metre. Mind metre. Expanse
metre. River metre. Sea metre. Water metre. Kakup
metre. Trikakup metre. Kâvya metre. Ankupa metre
Aksharapankti metre. Padapankti metre. Vishtârapankti
metre. Kshurabhrâja metre.
5 Covering metre. Clothing metre. Collecting metre. Parting
metre. Brihat metre. Rathantara metre, Group
metre. Vivadhra metre. Swallower metre. Bright metre.
Samstup metre. Anushtup metre. Course metre. Space
metre. Vigour metre. Vigour-giving metre. Emulating
metre. Spacious metre, Inaccessible metre. Slow metre.
Ankânka metre.
6 With the ray for truth quicken thou truth. With advance
by duty quicken duty. With following by heaven quicken
heaven. With union by middle air quicken middle air.
With Pratidhi by Earth quicken Earth. With support
by rain quicken rain. With blowing away by day quicken
day. With following by eight quicken night. With
clarified butter by the Vasus quicken the Vasus. With
perception by the Âdityas quicken the Âdityas.
7 With the thread by prosperity quicken prosperity. With
the creeper by revelation quicken revelation. With
refreshment by plants quicken plants. With the best by
bodies quicken bodies. With the invigorating by religious
study quicken religious study. With the victorious by
brilliance quicken brilliance.
8 Thou art Pratipad, for Pratipad thee. Thou art Anupad,
for Anupad thee. Thou art Sampad, for Sampad thee.
Thou art brilliance, for brilliance thee.
9 Trivrit (triple) art thou, thee for Trivrit. Pravrit art thou,
thee for Pravrit. Vivrit art thou, thee for Vivrit. Savrit
art thou, thee for Savrit. Thou art attack, thee for attack.
Thou art concurrence, thee for concurrence. Thou art
ascent, thee for ascent. Thou art upstriding, thee for
upstriding. With Energy as over-lord quicken
food-essence.
10 Thou art the Queen, the Eastern region. The bright Vasus
are thine overlords. Agni is thy warder-off of hostile
weapons. May the Trivrit Stoma assist thee on earth.
The Âjya Uktha fix thee firmly against slipping. The
Rathantara Sâman establish thee in the sky for secure
station. May the first-born Rishis extend thee among the
Gods by the measure and amplitude of heaven. May
this Disposer and the Over-Lord extend thee. May all,
concordant, settle thee on the ridge of heaven in the
world of Svarga.
11 Thou art Far-ruling, the Southern region. The bright
Rudras are thine over-lords. Indra is thy warder-off of
arrows. May the Pañchadasa Stoma support thee on
earth. The Praüga Uktha fix thee firmly against slipping.
The Brihat Sâman establish thee in the sky, etc. (the rest
as in 10).
12 Thou art Universal Ruler, the Western region. The Âdityas
are thine over-lords. Varuna is thy warder-off of missiles.
The Saptadasa Stoma support thee on earth. The Marutvatîya
Uktha fix thee firmly against slipping. The
Vairûpa Sâman establish thee, etc. (as above).
13 Thou art Independent Ruler, the Northern region. (The
rest is identical with 12, with the substitution of Maruts
. . . Soma . . . .Vimsa Stoma . . . Nishkevalya Uktha. . . . Vairâja
Sâman for the corresponding names).
14 Thou art Lady-Paramount, the Lofty region. (The rest as
above, Visvedevas. . . Brihaspati . . .Trinava and Trayastrimsa
Stomas . . .Vaisvadeva and Mâruta Ukthas . . . Sâkvara and
Raivata Sâmans being substituted for the corresponding
names.
15 This one in front, golden-tressed, with sunbeams; the leader
of his host and his chieftain are Rathagritsa and Rathaujas,
and Puñjikasthalâ: and Kratusthalâ his Apsarases.
Biting animals are his weapon, homicide his missile weapon;
to them be homage: may they protect us, may
they have mercy upon us. In their jaws we place the
man whom we hate and who hates us.
16 This one on the right, the Omnific; the leader of his host
and his chieftain are Rathasvana and Rathechitra, and
Menakâ and Sahajanyâ his Apsarases. Yâtudhânas are
his weapon, Râkshasas his missile weapon; to them be
homage, etc. (as in 15).
17 This one behind, the All-comprising; the leader of his
host and his chieftain are Rathaprota and Asamaratha,
and Pramlochantî and Anumochlantî are his Apsarases.
Tigers are his weapon, Serpents his missile weapon; to
them be homage, etc.
18 This one on the left, Lord of uninterrupted riches; the
leader of his host and his chieftain are Târkshya and
Arishtanemi, and Visvâchî and Ghritâchi his Apsarases.
Water is his weapon, wind his missile weapon; to them
be homage, etc.
19 This one above, Wealth-giver; the leader of his host and his
chieftain are Senajit and Sushena, and Urvasi and Pûrvachitti
his Apsarases. Thundering is his weapon and lightning
his missile weapon; to them be homage, etc.
20 Agni is head and height of heaven, the Master of the earth
is he. He quickeneth the waters’ seed.
21 This Agni is the Master of spoil thousandfold and
hundredfold, the sapient one, the head of wealth.
22 Agni, Atharvan brought thee forth by rubbing from the
lotus-leaf, the head of Visva, of the Priest.
23 Guide of the rite art thou and of the region to which with
thine auspicious teams thou tendest.
Thy light-bestowing head to heaven thou liftest, making thy
tongue oblation-bearer, Agni.
24 Agni is wakened by the people's fuel to meet the Dawn who
cometh like a milch-cow.
Like young trees shooting up on high their branches his
flames are rising to the vault of heaven.
25 To him adorable, sage, strong and mighty we have sung
forth our song of praise and homage.
Gavishthira hath raised with prayer to Agni this laud
far-reaching as the gold in heaven.
26 Here by ordainers was this God appointed first Invoker, best
at worship, to be praised at rites;
Whom Apnavâna and the Bhrigus caused to shine bright-coloured
in the wood, spreading to every house.
27 The watchful Guardian of the people hath been born, Agni
the very strong, for fresh prosperity.
With oil upon his face, with high heaven-touching flame, he
shineth splendidly, pure for the Bharatas.
28 Agni, Angirases discovered thee what time thou layest hidden,
fleeing back from wood to wood.
Thou by attrition art produced as conquering, might, and
men, O Angiras, call thee the Son of Strength.
29 Offer to Agni, O my friends, your seemly food, your seemly
praise;
To him supremest o’er the folk, the Son of Strength, the
Mighty Lord.
30 Thou, mighty Agni, gatherest up all that is precious for thy
friend:
Bring us all treasure as thou art enkindled in libation's place.
31 O Agni, loved of many, thou of fame most wondrous, in
their homes
Men call on thee whose hair is flame to be the bearer of
their gifts.
32 With this my reverent hymn I call Agni for you, the Son.
of Strength,
Dear, wisest envoy, served with noble sacrifice, immortal
messenger of all.
33 Immortal messenger of all, immortal messenger of all,
His two red steeds, all-cherishing; he harnesseth: let him,
well-worshipped, urge them fast.
34 Let him well-worshipped urge them fast, let him
well-worshipped urge them fast.
Then hath the sacrifice good prayer and happy end, and
heavenly gift of wealth to men.
35 O Agni, thou who art the Lord of wealth in kine, the Son
of Strength,
Vouchsafe to us, O Jâtavedas, high renown.
36 He, Agni, kindled, good and wise, must be exalted in our
song:
Shine, thou of many forms, shine radiantly on us.
37 O Agni, shining of thyself by night and when the morning
breaks,
Burn, thou whose teeth are sharp, against the Râkshasas.
38 May Agni, worshipped, bring us bliss, may the gift, Blessed
One! and sacrifice bring bliss,
Yea, may our praises bring us bliss.
39 Yea, may our praises bring us bliss. Show forth the mind
that brings success in war with fiends, wherewith thou
conquerest in fights:
40 Wherewith thou conquerest in fights. Bring down the many
firm hopes of our enemies, and let us vanquish with thine
aid.
41 I value Agni, that good Lord, the home to which the kind
return;
Whom fleet-foot coursers seek as home, and strong enduring
steeds as home. Bring food to those who sing thy praise.
42 ’Tis Agni whom we laud as good, to whom the milch-kine
come in herds,
To whom the coursers swift of foot, to whom our well-born
princes come. Bring food to those who sing thy praise.
43 Thou, brilliant God, within thy mouth warmest both ladles
of the oil.
So fill us also in our hymns abundantly, O Lord of Strength.
Bring food to those who sing thy praise.
44 Agni, with lauds this day may we bring thee that which
thou lovest,
Right judgment, like a horse, with our devotions.
45 For thou hast ever been the car-driver, Agni, of noble
Strength, lofty sacrifice, and rightful judgment.
46 Through these our praises come thou to meet us, bright as
the sunlight,
O Agni, well-disposed, with all thine aspects.
47 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 sacred oil,
the offered fatness, longeth for it with his glow.
48 O Agni, be our nearest Friend, be thou a kind deliverer and
a gracious Friend.
Come as good Agni, come as excellent and give us wealth
most splendidly renowned.
To thee then, O most bright, O radiant God, we come with
prayer for happiness for our friends.
49 With what devotion, winning light, the Rishis came, kindling
Agni, to the Holy session,
Even with that in heaven I stablish Agni whom men call
him whose sacred grass is scattered.
50 Gods, let us follow him with wives beside us, with sons, with
brothers, with our gold adornments,
Grasping the sky up in the world of virtue, on the third
height, the luminous realm of heaven.
51 This Agni mounted up to Speech's Centre, Lord of the
Brave, observant, ever-active.
Laid on the back of Earth, may he, resplendent, cast under
foot those who would fight against us.
52 May this most manly Agni, strength-bestower, giver of thousands,
shine with care that fails not.
Resplendent in the middle of the water, make thine approach
to the celestial mansions.
53 Make him go forth from all sides: meet, Approach ye. O
Agni, make the paths for Godward travel.
Making the Parents young with life's renewal, the out spun
thread in thee have they extended.
54 Wake up, O Agni, thou, and keep him watchful. Wish and
fruition, meet, and he, together.
In this and in the loftier habitation be seated, All-Gods!
and the Sacrificer.
55 Convey our sacrifice to heaven that it may reach the God
with that
Whereby thou, Agni, bearest wealth in thousands and all
precious things.
6 56 This is thine ordered place of birth whence sprung to life
thou shonest forth.
Knowing this, Agni, rise thou up and cause our riches to
increase.
57 Tapa, Tapasya, pair of Dewy Seasons: thou art, etc. (as
in XIII. 25).
58 On the sky's back may Parameshthin lay thee, etc. (as in
XIV. 14).
Thy Lord is Sûrya, etc. (as in XIV. 14).
59 Repeated from XII. 54.
60 Repeated from XII. 55.
61 Repeated from XII. 56.
62 Like a horse neighing, eager for the pasture, when he hath
stepped forth from the great enclosure:
Then the wind following blows upon his splendour, and,
straight, the path is black which thou hast travelled.
63 In Âyu's seat I set thee, in the shadow of the protector in
the heart of Ocean,
Thee luminous, bright with eyes, thee who illumest the sky,
the earth, and air's broad realm between them.
64 On the sky's back may Parameshthin set thee, etc. (as in
XIV. 12, substituting sky for air and Sûrya for Vâyu).
65 Thou art the measure of a thousand. Thou art the representative
of a thousand. Thou art the equivalent of a thousand. Thou art
worth a thousand. Thee for a thousand.
BOOK THE SIXTEENTH.
HOMAGE be paid unto thy wrath, O Rudra, homage to thy
shaft: to thy two arms be homage paid.
2 With that auspicious form of thine, mild, Rudra! pleasant
to behold,
Even with that most blessèd form, look, Mountain-haunter!
here on us.
3 The shaft which, Mountain-haunter, thou art holding in
thy hand to shoot,
Make that auspicious, Mountain-Lord! Injure not man nor
moving thing.
4 O Dweller on the Mountain, we salute thee with auspicious
hymn;
That all, yea, all our people may be healthy and well-satisfied.
5 The Advocate, the first divine Physician, hath defended us.
Crushing all serpents, drive away all Yâtudhânis down below.
6 That most auspicious One whose hue is coppery and red
and brown,
And those, the Rudras who maintain their station in the
regions, who surround him in a thousand bands, of these
we deprecate the wrath.
7 May he who glides away, whose neck is azure, and whose
hue is red,
He whom the herdsmen, whom the girls who carry water
have beheld, may he when seen be kind to us.
8 Homage to him the Azure-nested, the thousand-eyed, the
bountiful,
Yea, and his spirit ministers—to them I offer reverence.
9 Loosen thy bowstring, loosen it from thy bow's two
extremities,
And cast away, O Lord Divine, the arrows that are in thy
hand.
10 Now stringless be Kapardin's bow, his quiver hold no pointed
shaft.
The shafts he had have perished and the sheath that held
his sword is bare.
11 Thy weapon, O Most Bountiful, the bow that resteth in thy
hand,—
With that, deprived of power to harm, protect thou us on
every side.
12 So may the arrow of thy bow, in all directions, pass us by,
And in a place remote from us lay thou the quiver that thou
hast.
13 Having unbent thy how O thou hundred-eyed, hundred-quivered
One!
And dulled thy pointed arrows' heads, be kind and gracious
unto us.
14 To thy fierce weapon, now unstrung, be reverent obeisance
paid.
Homage be paid to both thine arms, and to thy bow be
reverence!
15 Do thou no injury to great or small of us, harm not the
growing boy, harm not the full grown man.
Slay not a sire among us, slay no mother here, and to our
own dear bodies, Rudra! do no harm.
16 Harm us not in our seed or in our progeny, harm us not in
our life or in our cows or steeds.
Slay not our heroes in the fury of their wrath. We with
oblations ever call on only thee.
17 Homage to the golden-armed leader of hosts, lord of the
1 regions, to the trees with their green tresses, to the Lord
of beasts be homage; homage to him whose sheen is like
green grass, homage to the radiant Lord of paths, homage
to the golden-haired wearer of the sacrificial cord, homage
to the Lord of the well-endowed.
18 Homage to the brown-hued piercer, to the Lord of food be
homage. Homage to Bhava's weapon, homage to the
Lord of moving things! homage to Rudra whose bow is
bent to slay, to the Lord of fields homage, homage to the
charioteer who injures, none, to the Lord of forests be
homage.
19 Homage to the red architect, to the Lord of trees homage!
Homage to him who stretched out the earth, to him who
gives relief be homage. Homage to the Lord of Plants,
homage to the prudent merchant! Homage to the Lord
of bushes, to the shouting Lord of foot-soldiers who
makes foes weep be homage.
20 Homage to the runner at full stretch, to the Lord of
ministering spirits, homage! Homage to the conquering,
piercing Lord of assailing bands, homage to the towering
sword-bearer, to the Lord of thieves homage! Homage to
the gliding robber, to the roamer, to the Lord of forests
homage!
21 Homage to the cheat, to the arch-deceiver, to the Lord of
stealers homage! Homage to the wearer of sword and
quiver, to the Lord of robbers homage! Homage to the
boltarmed homicides, to the Lord of pilferers homage!
Homage to the sword-bearers, to those who roam at night,
to the Lord of plunderers homage!
22 To the turban-wearing haunter of mountains, Lord of
land-grabbers homage! Homage to you who bear arrows
and to you who carry bows. Homage to you with bent
bows, and to you who adjust your arrows, to you who
draw the bow and to you who shoot be homage!
23 Homage to you who let fly and to you who pierce, homage
to you who sleep and to you who wake, homage to you
who lie and to you who sit, homage to you who stand
and to you who run.
24 Homage to assemblies and to you lords of assemblies,
homage to horses and to you masters of horses, homage to
you hosts that wound and pierce, to you destructive
armies with excellent bands be homage.
25 Homage to the troops and to you lords of troops be homage.
Homage to the companies and to you lords of companies, homage.
Homage to sharpers and to you lords of sharpers, homage.
Homage to you the deformed, and to you who wear all forms, homage!
26 Homage to armies and to you the leaders of armies, homage.
Homage to you car-borne and to you who are carless, homage.
Homage to the charioteers and to you drivers of horses, homage.
Homage to you the great and to you the small, homage.
27 Homage to you carpenters, and to you chariot-makers homage.
Homage to you potters and to you blacksmiths, homage.
Homage to you Nishâdas and to you Puñjishthas, homage.
Homage to you dog-leaders, and to you hunters, homage.
28 Homage to dogs, and to you masters of dogs, homage.
Homage to Bhava, and to Rudra homage, homage to Sarva
and to Pasupati, and to Nîlagrîva and Sitikantha, homage.
29 Homage to him with braided hair and to him with shaven
hair, homage! homage to the thousand-eyed and to him
with a hundred bows, homage!
To the mountain-haunter and to Sipivishta, homage!
To the most bountiful, armed with arrows, homage!
30 Homage to the short, and to the dwarf, homage, homage to
the great and to the adult, homage! Homage to the full-grown
and to the growing, to the foremost and to the first
be homage.
31 Homage to the swift, and to the active be homage, and to
the hasty and to the rapid mover be homage! Homage to
him who dwells in waves, and in still waters, to him who
dwells in rivers and on islands.
32 Homage to the eldest and to the youngest, to the first-born
and to the last-born, homage! Homage to the middle-most
and to the immature, to the lowest and to him who
is in the depth, be homage!
33 Homage to Sobhya and to the dweller in the magic amulet,
homage! Homage to him who is allied to Yama, to him
who prospers be homage! Homage to the famous and to
the endmost, to him of the sown corn-land and to him of
the threshing-floor be homage.
31 Homage to him in woods and to him in bushes, homage!
Homage to him as sound and to him as echo, homage!
Homage to him with swift armies and to him with swift
chariots, homage! Homage to the hero, and to him who
rends asunder be homage.
35 Homage to him who wears a helmet, and to him who wears
a cuirass, homage! To him who wears mail and defensive
armour, homage! To the renowned one and to him whose
army is renowned be homage, to him who is in drums and
to him who makes himself known by beating them.
36 Homage to the bold one and to the prudent, homage to him
who carries sword and quiver, homage to him who hath
keen arrows and is armed with weapons, homage to him
who hath good weapons and a good bow.
37 Homage to him who dwells on paths and roads, homage to
him who dwells in rugged spots and on the skirts of mountains,
homage to him who dwells in water courses and
lakes, homage to him who dwells in rivers and mores.
38 Homage to him who dwells in wells and pits, homage to him
who dwells in bright sky and sunlight. Homage to him
who dwells in cloud and lightning, homage to him who
dwells in rain and to him who dwells in fair weather.
39 Homage to him who dwells in wind and to him who dwells
in tempest, homage to the dweller in houses and to the
house-protector. Homage to Soma and to Rudra, homage
to the copper-coloured and to the ruddy One.
40 Homage to the giver of weal, and to Pasupati, homage to
the fierce and to the terrific. Homage to him who slays
in front and to him who slays at a distance, homage to
the slayer and to the frequent slayer, homage to the
green-tressed trees, homage to the deliverer.
41 Homage to the source of happiness and to the source of
delight, homage to the causer of happiness and to the causer
of delight, homage to the auspicious, homage to the most
auspicious.
42 Homage to him who is beyond and to him who is on this
side, homage to him who crosses over and to him who
crosses back. Homage to him who is in fords and on
river banks, homage to him who is in tender grass and in
foam.
43 Homage to him who is in sand and to him who is in running
water, homage to him who is on pebbly ground and to
him who is where still water stands. Homage to him
who wears braided hair and to him whose hair is smooth.
Homage to him who is in deserts and to him who is on
broad roads.
44 Homage to him who is in herds of cattle and to him who
is in cow-pens, homage to him who is on beds and to
him who is in houses. Homage to him who is in hearts,
and to him who is in whirlpools, homage to him who is in
wells and to him who is in abysses.
45 Homage to him who is in dry things and to him who is in
green things. Homage to him who is in dust and to him
who is in vapour. Homage to him who is in inaccessible
places, homage to him who is in creeping plants, homage
to him who is in the earth and to him who is in good soil.
46 Homage to him who is in leaves and to him who is in the
falling of leaves. Homage to him with the threatening
voice and to him who slays, homage to him who troubles
and to him who afflicts. Homage to you arrow-makers
and to you bow-makers, homage to you sprinklers, to the
hearts of the Gods. Homage to the discerners, homage
to the destroyers; homage to the indestructible.
47 Pursuer, Lord of Soma juice, thou cleaver, coloured blue
and red,
Cleave not, destroy not one of these our children, nor of
these our beasts, let nothing that is ours be sick.
48 To the strong Rudra bring we these our songs of praise, to
him the Lord of Heroes, with the braided hair,
That it be well with all our cattle and our men, that in this
village all be healthy and well-fed.
49 Rudra, with that auspicious form of thine which healeth
every day,
Auspicious, healer of disease, be kind to us that we may live.
50 May Rudra's missile turn aside and spare us, the great
wrath of the impetuous One avoid us.
Turn, Bounteous God, thy strong bow from our princes, and
be thou gracious to our seed and offspring.
I Most bounteous, most auspicious, be auspicious, well inclined
to us.
On some remotest tree lay down thy weapon. and clad in
robe of skin approach, bearing thy bow come hitherward.
52 O Wound averter, purple-hued, to thee be homage, holy Lord!
May all those thousand darts of thine strike dead another
one than us.
53 Thousands of thousands are the shafts, the missiles ready
in thy hands:
Thou holy Lord, who hast the power, turn thou their
points away from us.
54 Innumerable thousands are the Rudras on the face of earth:
Of all these Rudras we unbend the bows a thousand leagues
away.
55 Bhavas there are above us in this mighty billowy sea of air,
Of all of these do we unbend, etc.
56 Rudras are dwelling in the sky, whose necks are blue, whose
throats are white:
Of these do we unbend the bows a thousand leagues away
from us.
57 Sarvas haunt realms beneath the earth—their necks are blue,
their throats are white:
Of these, etc.
58 These, green like young grass, in the trees, with azure necks
and purple hue,
Of those, etc.
59 Those, ministering spirits’ lords, with no hair-tufts, with
braided locks,
Of these, etc.
60 Those, the protectors of the paths, bringers of food, who
fight for life. Of these, etc.
61 Those who with arrows in their hand, and armed with
words, frequent the fords, Of these, etc.
62 Those who, inhabiting the food, vex men while drinking from
their cups, etc.
63 Rudras so many and still more, lodged in the quarters of
the sky, etc.
64 Homage to Rudras, those whose home is sky, whose arrows
floods of rain.
To them ten eastward, southward ten, ten to the south, ten
to the north, ten to the region uppermost!
To them be homage! May they spare and guard us. Within
their jaws we lay the man who hates us and whom we
abhor.
65 Homage to Rudras, those whose home is air, whose arrows
is the rain. To them, etc.
66 Homage to Rudras, those whose home is earth, whose arrows
is men's food.
To them be homage, etc.
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