Hymn to Agni
Rigveda X.69 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.
Auspicious is the flame of Vadhryaśva's line; his leading is of worth, and reverent nearness bringeth delight.
When the well-bound tribes, in good fellowship, awaken him at the outset, and pour him full with ghee, he riseth, flashing time and again.
Ghee upholdeth the fire of Vadhryaśva; ghee is his meat, ghee his strength.
With ghee he is poured, and spreads abroad.
He shineth like the sun, and his draught is the golden butter.
That face of thine which Manu kindled, which thy true friend did stir— behold, it is this that burneth afresh.
Shine forth with wealth; take joy in song.
Break forth the boon and sow renown in this land.
Thou whom Vadhryaśva called forth in awe in elder days, now look with grace on this face newly lit.
Be thou our ward, both for our folk and our flesh.
Watch o’er the gift—whatever thou holdest for us.
Grow in brightness, O child of Vadhryaśva, be thou our herdsman true.
Let not the wrath of outland tribes o’ertake thee.
Arouser art thou, like a stout-hearted lord; a sure ally— I now proclaim thy name, O son of Vadhryaśva.
The wealth of field and height, the hindrances of Dāsa and Ārya— thou hast o’erthrown them all.
A stirrer of hosts, like a dauntless champion— thou, O Agni, shouldst lord o’er the battle-seekers.
This fire hath a long-drawn thread and oxen of lofty might; the craftsman possesseth a thousand dry cows and a hundred thoughts.
Bright among the bright ones, groomed by men, thou shalt gleam in the midst of god-seekers bound by good troth.
O Jātavedas, in thee is the milk-cow ever flowing, whose draught is sweet, whose stream is never failing, like the twain that never wither—Heaven and Earth.
Thou art lit by hands that bring the priest’s due, by friends who seek the dwelling of gods.
Even the deathless proclaimed thy highness, O Jātavedas, child of Vadhryaśva’s house.
When the sons of Manu's clans sought to deal their dealings, thou didst prevail by those whose strength is thee.
As a father upholdeth his son upon his knee, so did Vadhryaśva bear thee, O Agni, in service true.
And thou, delighting in his flame, O youngest-born, didst vanquish those of old, puffed up with pride.
Oft hath the fire of Vadhryaśva overcome his foes, by aid of those who pour the soma-pressèd draught.
Thou burn’dst even the host entire, bright-shafted one; as strength-giver, thou struck’st down the mighty vaunter.
Behold the fire of Vadhryaśva here, breaker of Vr̥tra, lit since time long past, to be approached with awe.
Subdue, O son of Vadhryaśva, whoso standeth against us— be he kin or far-flung stranger.
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.69
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.
bhadrā agner vadhryaśvasya saṁdṛśo vāmī praṇītiḥ suraṇā upetayaḥ |
yad īṁ sumitrā viśo agra indhate ghṛtenāhuto jarate davidyutat || 1 ||
ghṛtam agner vadhryaśvasya vardhanaṁ ghṛtam annaṁ ghṛtam v asya medanam |
ghṛtenāhuta urviyā vi paprathe sūrya iva rocate sarpirāsutiḥ || 2 ||
yat te manur yad anīkaṁ sumitraḥ samīdhe agne tad idaṁ navīyaḥ |
sa revac choca sa giro juṣasva sa vājaṁ darṣi sa iha śravo dhāḥ || 3 ||
yaṁ tvā pūrvam īḻito vadhryaśvaḥ samīdhe agne sa idaṁ juṣasva |
sa naḥ stipā uta bhavā tanūpā dātraṁ rakṣasva yad idaṁ te asme || 4 ||
bhavā dyumnī vādhryaśvota gopā mā tvā tārīd abhimātir janānām |
śūra iva dhṛṣṇuś cyavanaḥ sumitraḥ pra nu vocaṁ vādhryaśvasya nāma || 5 ||
sam ajryā parvatyā3 vasūni dāsā vṛtrāṇy āryā jigetha |
śūra iva dhṛṣṇuś cyavano janānāṁ tvam agne pṛtanāyūm̐r abhi ṣyāḥ || 6 ||
dīrghatantur bṛhadukṣāyam agniḥ sahasrastarīḥ śatanītha ṛbhvā |
dyumān dyumatsu nṛbhir mṛjyamānaḥ sumitreṣu dīdayo devayatsu || 7 ||
tve dhenuḥ sudughā jātavedo 'saścateva samanā sabardhuk |
tvaṁ nṛbhir dakṣiṇāvadbhir agne sumitrebhir idhyase devayadbhiḥ || 8 ||
devāś cit te amṛtā jātavedo mahimānaṁ vādhryaśva pra vocan |
yat sampṛccham mānuṣīr viśa āyan tvaṁ nṛbhir ajayas tvāvṛdhebhiḥ || 9 ||
piteva putram abibhar upasthe tvām agne vadhryaśvaḥ saparyan |
juṣāṇo asya samidhaṁ yaviṣṭhota pūrvām̐ avanor vrādhataś cit || 10 ||
śaśvad agnir vadhryaśvasya śatrūn nṛbhir jigāya sutasomavadbhiḥ |
samanaṁ cid adahaś citrabhāno 'va vrādhantam abhinad vṛdhaś cit || 11 ||
ayam agnir vadhryaśvasya vṛtrahā sanakāt preddho namasopavākyaḥ |
sa no ajāmīm̐r uta vā vijāmīn abhi tiṣṭha śardhato vādhryaśva || 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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