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The Texts of the White Yajurveda, tr. Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1899], at sacred-texts.com
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.