HYMN LXXXVII. AGNI.


रक्षोहणंrakṣohaṇaṃ वाजिनमाvājinamā जिघर्मिjigharmi मित्रंmitraṃ परथिष्ठमुपयामिprathiṣṭhamupayāmi शर्मśarma |

शिशानोśiśāno अग्निःaghniḥ करतुभिःkratubhiḥ समिद्धःsamiddhaḥ सsa नोदिवाnodivā सsa रिषःriṣaḥ पातुpātu नक्तमnaktam ||

I BALM with oil the mighty Rakṣas-slayer; to the most famous Friend I come for shelter
Enkindled, sharpened by our rites, may Agni protect us in the day and night from evil.
10.87.1

अयोदंष्ट्रोayodaṃṣṭro अर्चिषाarciṣā यातुधानानुपyātudhānānupa सप्र्शspṛśa जातवेदःसमिद्धःjātavedaḥsamiddhaḥ |

आā जिह्वयाjihvayā मुरदेवानmuradevān रभस्वrabhasva करव्यादोkravyādo वर्क्त्व्यपिvṛktvyapi धत्स्वासनdhatsvāsan ||

O Jātavedas with the teeth of iron, enkindled with thy flame attack the demons.
Seize with thy longue the foolish gods' adorers: rend, put within thy mouth the raw-flesh caters.
10.87.2

उभोभयाविन्नुपubhobhayāvinnupa धेहिdhehi दंष्ट्राdaṃṣṭrā हिंस्रःhiṃsraḥ शिशानो.अवरम्परंśiśāno.avaramparaṃ चca |

उतान्तरिक्षेutāntarikṣe परिpari याहिyāhi राजञrājañ जम्भैःjambhaiḥ सन्धेह्यभिsandhehyabhi यातुधानानyātudhānān ||

Apply thy teeth, the upper and the lower, thou who hast both, enkindled and destroying.
Roam also in the air, O King, around us, and with thy jaws assail the wicked spirits.
10.87.3

यज्ञैरिषूःyajñairiṣūḥ संनममानोsaṃnamamāno अग्नेaghne वाचाvācā शल्यानशनिभिर्दिहानःśalyānaśanibhirdihānaḥ |

ताभिर्विध्यtābhirvidhya हर्दयेhṛdaye यातुधानानyātudhānān परतीचोpratīco बाहून्प्रतिbāhūnprati भंध्येषामbhaṃdhyeṣām ||

Bending thy shafts through sacrifices, Agni, whetting their points with song as if with whetstones,
Pierce to the heart therewith the Yātudhānas, and break their arms uplifed to attack thee.
10.87.4

अग्नेaghne तवचंtvacaṃ यातुधानस्यyātudhānasya भिन्धिbhindhi हिंस्राशनिर्हरसाहन्त्वेनमhiṃsrāśanirharasāhantvenam |

परpra पर्वाणिparvāṇi जातवेदःjātavedaḥ शर्णीहिśṛṇīhi करव्यात्क्रविष्णुर्विkravyātkraviṣṇurvi चिनोतुcinotu वर्क्णमvṛkṇam ||

Pierce through the Yātudhāna's skin, O Agni; let the destroying dart with fire consume him.
Rend his joints, Jātavedas, let the cater of flesh, flesh-seeking, track his mangled body.
10.87.5

यत्रेदानींyatredānīṃ पश्यसिpaśyasi जातवेदस्तिष्ठन्तमग्नjātavedastiṣṭhantamaghna उतuta वाचरन्तमvācarantam |

यदyad वान्तरिक्षेvāntarikṣe पथिभिःpathibhiḥ पतन्तंpatantaṃ तमस्ताविध्यtamastāvidhya शर्वाśarvā शिशानःśiśānaḥ ||

Where now thou seest Agni Jātavedas, one of these demons standing still or roaming,
Or flying on those paths in air's midregion, sharpen the shaft and as an archer pierce him.
10.87.6

उतालब्धंutālabdhaṃ सप्र्णुहिspṛṇuhi जातवेदjātaveda आलेभानादālebhānād रष्टिभिर्यातुधानातṛṣṭibhiryātudhānāt |

अग्नेaghne पूर्वोpūrvo निni जहिjahi शोशुचानśośucāna आमादःक्ष्विङकास्तमदन्त्वेनीःāmādaḥkṣviṅkāstamadantvenīḥ ||

Tear from the evil spirit, Jātavedas, what he hath seized and with his spears hath captured.
Blazing before him strike him down, O Agni; let spotted carrion-eating kites devour him.
10.87.7

इहiha परpra बरूहिbrūhi यतमःyatamaḥ सोso अग्नेaghne योyo यातुधानोyātudhāno यya इदंक्र्णोतिidaṃkṛṇoti |

तमाtamā रभस्वrabhasva समिधाsamidhā यविष्ठyaviṣṭha नर्चक्षसश्चक्षुषेnṛcakṣasaścakṣuṣe रन्धयैनमrandhayainam ||

Here tell this forth, O Agni: whosoever is, he himself, or acteth as, a demon,
Him grasp, O thou Most Youthful, with thy fuel. to the Mati-seer's eye give him as booty.
10.87.8

तीक्ष्णेनाग्नेtīkṣṇenāghne चक्षुषाcakṣuṣā रक्षrakṣa यज्ञंyajñaṃ पराञ्चंprāñcaṃ वसुभ्यःप्रvasubhyaḥpra णयṇaya परचेतःpracetaḥ |

हिंस्रंhiṃsraṃ रक्षांस्यभिrakṣāṃsyabhi शोशुचानम्माśośucānammā तवाtvā दभनdabhan यातुधानाyātudhānā नर्चक्षःnṛcakṣaḥ ||

With keen glance guard the sacrifice, O Agni: thou Sage, conduct it onward to the Vasus.
Let not the fiends, O Man-beholder, harm thee burning against the Rākṣasas to slay them.
10.87.9

नर्चक्षाnṛcakṣā रक्षःrakṣaḥ परिpari पश्यpaśya विक्षुvikṣu तस्यtasya तरीणिtrīṇi परतिश्र्णीह्यग्राpratiśṛṇīhyaghrā |

तस्याग्नेtasyāghne पर्ष्टीर्हरसाpṛṣṭīrharasā शर्णीहिśṛṇīhi तरेधामूलंtredhāmūlaṃ यातुधानस्यyātudhānasya वर्श्चvṛśca ||

Look on the fiend mid men, as Man-beholder: rend thou his three extremities in pieces.
Demolish with thy flame his ribs, O Agni, the Yātudhāna's root destroy thou triply.
10.87.10

तरिर्यातुधानःtriryātudhānaḥ परसितिंprasitiṃ तta एत्वetv रतंṛtaṃ योyo अग्नेaghne अन्र्तेनanṛtena हन्तिhanti |

तमर्चिषाtamarciṣā सफूर्जयञsphūrjayañ जातवेदःjātavedaḥ समक्षमेनंsamakṣamenaṃ गर्णतेनिghṛṇateni वरंधिvṛṃdhi ||

Thrice, Agni, let thy noose surround the demon who with his falsehood injures Holy Order.
Loud roaring with thy flame, O Jātavedas, crush him and cast him down before the singer.
10.87.11

तदग्नेtadaghne चक्षुःcakṣuḥ परतिprati धेहिdhehi रेभेrebhe शफारुजंśaphārujaṃ येनपश्यसिyenapaśyasi यातुधानमyātudhānam |

अथर्ववज्ज्योतिषाatharvavajjyotiṣā दैव्येनdaivyena सत्यन्धूर्वन्तमचितंsatyandhūrvantamacitaṃ नयोषnyoṣa ||

Lead thou the worshipper that eye, O Agni, wherewith thou lookest on the hoof-armed demon.
With light celestial in Atharvan's manner burn up the foot who ruins truth with falsehood.
10.87.12

यदग्नेyadaghne अद्यadya मिथुनाmithunā शपातोśapāto यदyad वाचस्त्र्ष्टंvācastṛṣṭaṃ जनयन्तरेभाःjanayantarebhāḥ |

मन्योर्मनसःmanyormanasaḥ शरव्याśaravyā जायतेjāyate याyā तयाtayā विध्यह्र्दयेvidhyahṛdaye यातुधानानyātudhānān ||

Agni, what curse the pair this day have uttered, what heated word the worshippers have spoken,
Each arrowy taunt sped from the angry spirit,—pierce to the heart therewith the Yātudhānas.
10.87.13

पराparā शर्णीहिśṛṇīhi तपसाtapasā यातुधानानyātudhānān पराग्नेparāghne रक्षोrakṣo हरसाश्र्णीहिharasāśṛṇīhi |

परार्चिषाparārciṣā मूरदेवाञ्छ्र्णीहिmūradevāñchṛṇīhi परासुत्र्पोparāsutṛpo अभिशोशुचानःabhiśośucānaḥ ||

With fervent heat exterminate the demons; destroy the fiends with burning flame, O Agni.
Destroy with fire the foolish gods' adorers; blaze and destrepy the insatiable monsters.
10.87.14

पराद्यparādya देवाdevā वर्जिनंvṛjinaṃ शर्णन्तुśṛṇantu परत्यगेनंpratyaghenaṃ शपथाśapathā यन्तुत्र्ष्टाःyantutṛṣṭāḥ |

वाचास्तेनंvācāstenaṃ शरवśarava रछन्तुṛchantu मर्मनmarman विश्वस्यैतुप्रसितिंviśvasyaituprasitiṃ यातुधानःyātudhānaḥ ||

May Gods destroy this day the evil-doer may each hot curse of his return and blast him.
Let arrows pierce the liar in his vitals, and Visva's net enclose the Yātudhāna.
10.87.15

यःyaḥ पौरुषेयेणpauruṣeyeṇa करविषाkraviṣā समङकतेsamaṅkte योyo अश्वेयेनaśveyena पशुनायातुधानःpaśunāyātudhānaḥ |

योyo अघ्न्यायाaghnyāyā भरतिbharati कषीरमग्नेkṣīramaghne तेषांशीर्षाणिteṣāṃśīrṣāṇi हरसापिharasāpi वर्श्चvṛśca ||

The fiend who smears himself with flesh of cattle, with flesh of horses and of human bodies,
Who steals the milch-cow's milk away, O Agni,—tear off the heads of such with fiery fury.
10.87.16

संवत्सरीणंsaṃvatsarīṇaṃ पयpaya उस्रियायास्तस्यusriyāyāstasya माशीदmāśīd यातुधानोन्र्चक्षःyātudhānonṛcakṣaḥ |

पीयूषमग्नेpīyūṣamaghne यतमस्तित्र्प्सातyatamastitṛpsāt तंtaṃ परत्यञ्चमर्चिषाpratyañcamarciṣā विध्यvidhya मर्मनmarman ||

The cow gives milk each year, O Man-regarder: let not the Yātudhāna ever taste it.
If one would glut him with the biesting, Agni, pierce with thy flame his vitals as he meets thee.
10.87.17

विषंviṣaṃ गवांghavāṃ यातुधानाःyātudhānāḥ पिबन्त्वाpibantvā वर्श्च्यन्तामदितयेदुरेवाःvṛścyantāmaditayedurevāḥ |

परैनानparainān देवःdevaḥ सविताsavitā ददातुdadātu पराparā भागमोषधीनांbhāghamoṣadhīnāṃ जयन्तामjayantām ||

Let the fiends drink the poison of the cattle; may Aditi cast off the evildoers.
May the God Savitar give them up to ruin, and be their share of plants and herbs denied them.
10.87.18

सनादग्नेsanādaghne मर्णसिmṛṇasi यातुधानानyātudhānān नna तवाtvā रक्षांसिrakṣāṃsi पर्तनासुजिग्युःpṛtanāsujighyuḥ |

अनुanu दहdaha सहमूरानsahamūrān करव्यादोkravyādo माmā तेte हेत्याhetyā मुक्षतदैव्यायाःmukṣatadaivyāyāḥ ||

Agni, from days of old thou slayest demons: never shall Rākṣasas in fight o’ercome thee.
Burn up the foolish ones, the flesh-devourers: let none of them escape thine heavenly arrow.
10.87.19

तवंtvaṃ नोno अग्नेaghne अधरादुदक्तातadharādudaktāt तवंtvaṃ पश्चादुतpaścāduta रक्षापुरस्तातrakṣāpurastāt |

परतिprati तेte तेte अजरासस्तपिष्ठाajarāsastapiṣṭhā अघशंसंशोशुचतोaghaśaṃsaṃśośucato दहन्तुdahantu ||

Guard us, O Agni, from above and under, protect us fl-om behind us and before us;
And may thy flames, most fierce and never wasting, glowing with fervent heat, consume the sinner.
10.87.20

पश्चातpaścāt पुरस्तादधरादुदक्तातpurastādadharādudaktāt कविःkaviḥ काव्येनkāvyena परिpari पाहिराजनpāhirājan |

सखेsakhe सखायमजरोsakhāyamajaro जरिम्णे.अग्नेjarimṇe.aghne मर्तानमर्त्यस्त्वंmartānamartyastvaṃ नःnaḥ ||

From rear, from front, from under, from above us, O King, protect us as a Sage with wisdom.
Guard to old age thy friend, O Friend, Eternal: O Agni, as Immortal, guard us mortals.
10.87.21

परिpari तवाग्नेtvāghne पुरंpuraṃ वयंvayaṃ विप्रंvipraṃ सहस्यsahasya धीमहिdhīmahi |

धर्षद्वर्णंdhṛṣadvarṇaṃ दिवे-दिवेdive-dive हन्तारंhantāraṃ भङगुरावतामbhaṅghurāvatām ||

We set thee round us as a fort, victorious Agni, thee a Sage,
Of hero lineage, day by day, destroyer of our treacherous foes.
10.87.22

विषेणviṣeṇa भङगुरावतःbhaṅghurāvataḥ परतिprati षमṣma रक्षसोrakṣaso दहdaha |

अग्नेतिग्मेनaghnetighmena शोचिषाśociṣā तपुरग्राभिरषटिभिःtapuraghrābhirṣṭibhiḥ ||

Burn with thy poison turned against the treacherous brood of Rākṣasas,
O Agni, with thy sharpened glow, with lances armed with points of flame.
10.87.23

परत्यग्नेpratyaghne मिथुनmithuna दहdaha यातुधानाyātudhānā किमीदिनाkimīdinā |

संsaṃ तवाशिशामिtvāśiśāmi जाब्र्ह्यदब्धंjābṛhyadabdhaṃ विप्रvipra मन्मभिःmanmabhiḥ ||

Burn thou the paired Kimīdins, brun, Agni, the Yātudhāna pairs.
I sharpen thee, Infallible, with hymns. O Sage, be vigilant.
10.87.24

परत्यग्नेpratyaghne हरसाharasā हरःharaḥ शर्णीहिśṛṇīhi विश्वतःviśvataḥ परतिprati |

यातुधानस्यyātudhānasya रक्षसोrakṣaso बलंbalaṃ विvi रुजruja वीर्यमvīryam ||

Shoot forth, O Agni, with thy flame demolish them on every side.
Break thou the Yātudhāna's strength, the vigour of the Rākṣasa.
10.87.25