Hymn to Agni
Rigveda X.45 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 10 of the Rigveda, one of the 1,028 hymns organized within the ten books of the oldest Veda. The Rigveda was composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in Vedic Sanskrit and preserved through oral transmission across millennia.
This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
From heaven was Agni first begotten; from our midst was he born again, as Jātavedas.
A third birth he took in the waters, the unwithering one— he whom men of steadfast mind awaken, kindling him in care, and singing his praise.
Thy triple triads we know, O Agni, thy dwellings spread abroad in many lands.
Thy highest name we know, though hidden, and the deep spring whence thou art come.
In the sea, in the waters did the manly-souled awaken thee; in the breast of heaven, the keen-eyed set thee aflame.
The strong buffaloes did strengthen thee, as thou stood in the third realm, cradled in the lap of the waters.
Then Agni roared as the thunder of the heights, ever licking at the bounds of sky and soil, anointing the herbs with fire’s bright touch.
No sooner was he born than he beheld all things— and cast his gleaming beam betwixt the twin world-halves.
He that stirreth up all beauty, upholdeth wealth, and driveth forth the breath of thought, with Soma as his herdsman—he, the goodly one, child of might, king amid the waves, shines forth, aflame at the fore of the dawns.
The beacon of all that is, the seed of fire, filled both the world-halves even in his birth.
I made Mr̥gaya bow to Śrutarvan, when he yielded in the rite, its measures rightly set.
For Āyu I made the vassal meek, and Paḍgr̥bhi I gave to Savya’s hand.
I am he who aided Navavāstva of the high-wheeled cars— I, who shatter Vr̥tras and foes alike.
When he upheld me with the ways of sacrifice, I flung open the shining realms, yonder at the far edge of the air.
I ride with the fleet ones yoked to the Sun, borne in my strength by the swift Etaśas.
When the soma-crushing of Manu calleth to me—saying it is my robe— then shall I thrust aside the stout Dāsa, though he be skilled.
I am breaker of the seven, more than Nahus in might.
Through me, Turvaśa and Yadu are made renowned.
One I struck down, matching his strength with mine; the ninety and nine I made bold and proud.
I, the bull, held fast the seven streams that sped across the earth.
With steady heart I crossed the floods,
and through strife, I found the path for Manu’s quest.
That which the god Tvaṣṭar held not, I held:
the shining sweetness in the udders and bellies of kine— milk longed for, honey of honeys, soma swelling, and the mingled draught.
Thus did Indra draw both god and man to him; by his stirring hand he moved them—he, the giver true.
All these thy deeds, O lord of tawny steeds, are sung by the mighty— thy strength thy own, thy glory sung aloud.
Colophon
This hymn is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, translated independently from the Sanskrit. Reference translations consulted during original translation are to be documented during audit.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: ṛgveda X.45
Sanskrit source text from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
divas pari prathamaṁ jajñe agnir asmad dvitīyam pari jātavedāḥ |
tṛtīyam apsu nṛmaṇā ajasram indhāna enaṁ jarate svādhīḥ || 1 ||
vidmā te agne tredhā trayāṇi vidmā te dhāma vibhṛtā purutrā |
vidmā te nāma paramaṁ guhā yad vidmā tam utsaṁ yata ājagantha || 2 ||
samudre tvā nṛmaṇā apsv a1ntar nṛcakṣā īdhe divo agna ūdhan |
tṛtīye tvā rajasi tasthivāṁsam apām upasthe mahiṣā avardhan || 3 ||
akrandad agniḥ stanayann iva dyauḥ kṣāmā rerihad vīrudhaḥ samañjan |
sadyo jajñāno vi hīm iddho akhyad ā rodasī bhānunā bhāty antaḥ || 4 ||
śrīṇām udāro dharuṇo rayīṇām manīṣāṇām prārpaṇaḥ somagopāḥ |
vasuḥ sūnuḥ sahaso apsu rājā vi bhāty agra uṣasām idhānaḥ || 5 ||
viśvasya ketur bhuvanasya garbha ā rodasī apṛṇāj jāyamānaḥ |
vīḻuṁ cid adrim abhinat parāyañ janā yad agnim ayajanta pañca || 6 ||
uśik pāvako aratiḥ sumedhā marteṣv agnir amṛto ni dhāyi |
iyarti dhūmam aruṣam bharibhrad uc chukreṇa śociṣā dyām inakṣan || 7 ||
dṛśāno rukma urviyā vy adyaud durmarṣam āyuḥ śriye rucānaḥ |
agnir amṛto abhavad vayobhir yad enaṁ dyaur janayat suretāḥ || 8 ||
yas te adya kṛṇavad bhadraśoce 'pūpaṁ deva ghṛtavantam agne |
pra taṁ naya prataraṁ vasyo acchābhi sumnaṁ devabhaktaṁ yaviṣṭha || 9 ||
ā tam bhaja sauśravaseṣv agna uktha-uktha ā bhaja śasyamāne |
priyaḥ sūrye priyo agnā bhavāty uj jātena bhinadad uj janitvaiḥ || 10 ||
tvām agne yajamānā anu dyūn viśvā vasu dadhire vāryāṇi |
tvayā saha draviṇam icchamānā vrajaṁ gomantam uśijo vi vavruḥ || 11 ||
astāvy agnir narāṁ suśevo vaiśvānara ṛṣibhiḥ somagopāḥ |
adveṣe dyāvāpṛthivī huvema devā dhatta rayim asme suvīram || 12 ||
Source Colophon
Sanskrit text of the Rigveda, Śākala recension. The standard scholarly edition is the Bombay Oriental (Vishva Bandhu, 5 vols., 1963–66). IAST transliteration available from GRETIL (Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) and Vedaweb (University of Cologne). Both sources are open access. IAST transliteration from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
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