Hymn to Agni
Rigveda X.85 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.
By that which is, is the earth upheld; by the sun is the heaven borne aloft.
By truth stand the sons of Aditi, and Soma is fixed upon the firmament.
Through Soma is the strength of the sons of Aditi; by truth is the earth made great.
And in the bosom of the starry host, Soma is laid to rest.
To Sūryā, to the gods, to Mitra and to Varuṇa— those who held forethought at the shaping of the world—to them is my lowly bow made in this place.
First to the fore, then behind, these twain do wander through their craft.
Like two merry children they go their hallowed course.
The one, the Sun, beholdeth all that lives; the other, the Moon, is born anew as he marketh out the seasons with his hand.
He is ever fresh in his arising; as lamp of the days he goeth before the dawns.
To the gods he giveth their share as he draweth nigh; and the Moon lengtheneth his tale of days.
Fair with blossoms of the kimśuka tree, framed of śalmali wood, shaped in all forms, golden in hue, well-turning with even wheels—
Mount thou, O Sūryā, the realm of deathlessness.
Make thy bridal way a resting-place for thy spouse.
"Arise from this place, for this woman hath a husband."
With awe and with song I call upon Viśvāvasu:
"Seek thou another maid who sitteth in her father's house, adorned for espousal.
That is thy portion by right—be it known unto thee."
"Rise now, O Viśvāvasu," we entreat with honour.
"Seek thou another blooming maid. Let this wife go hence, to be joined with her lord."
Let the ways be straight and safe for men, whereby the companions go unto their wooing.
Let Aryaman and Bhaga lead us all as one.
Let the joined household be easy to hold fast, O ye gods.
From the bond of Varuṇa I unbind thee, with which the kindly Savitar did fasten thee.
In the womb of truth, in the realm of right-offering, I place thee whole beside thy spouse.
From here I loose thee—not from afar. I have well-bound thee yonder, that, O Indra the giver of rewards, this woman may bear fair sons and be full of blessing.
Let Pūṣan take thee hence, leading thee by the hand.
Let the Aśvins bear thee forth in their car.
Go to the house, to be its lady; with thy strength proclaim the holy portions.
Here may thy heart’s longing be fulfilled through offspring; here in this dwelling keep watch o’er its rule.
With this thy husband join thy flesh. And even in thine aged years, together shall ye declare the holy portion.
She is clad in blood-dark raiment; she becometh spell and snare.
She is smeared with stain. Her kin rejoice, her husband is bound in unseen cords.
Lay down the stained cloth; deal out the gifts to the god-learned.
She walketh as living witchcraft—the wife entereth into her husband.
His flesh dimmeth of its brightness, shining with an unclean glow, when the man taketh on his flesh the garment of the bride.
The plagues that cling to the folk who follow the glimmering bridal march— may the gods of worthy offering send them back to whence they came.
Let no footpad lying in wait fall upon the wedded twain.
Let their steps o'erpass the rough places upon smooth paths.
Let strife flee away from them.
Of good fate is this bride: come ye near, behold her.
Give her your blessing, then scatter ye home.
This thing is harsh, this thing is edged—barbed and bitter, fit not for food.
Let him that would know Sūryā—let the brahmin alone—be found worthy of this dread bridal thing.
Rending, cleaving, sundering—behold the shapes of Sūryā!
Yet the brahmin maketh them clean.
I take thy hand for good lot, that with me for thy husband thou shalt reach thy grey years.
Bhaga, Aryaman, Savitar, and Fulness—all the gods—have given thee unto me, for the rule and care of house and kin.
O Pūṣan, awaken her, most kind of heart—she in whom men sow their seed, she who of her own will openeth her thighs to us, she who will take our flesh into herself.
First was Sūryā brought forth to thee with her bridal train.
O Agni, give her back to her man, with the hope of sons.
Agni hath given the wife back—along with life and light— unto him that shall dwell with her as husband, long-living through a hundred harvests.
Soma had her first; the Gandharva next;
Agni held her third. The fourth was born of men.
Soma gave her unto the Gandharva;
the Gandharva gave her unto Agni.
Agni gave her to me—sons, wealth, and this woman likewise.
Tarry here, ye two; depart not.
Fulfil thy span of days, delighting in thy sons and sons' sons, gladdened in thine own hearth.
Let Prajāpati raise seed for us; let Aryaman anoint thee until old age.
Go forth into thy husband’s world without ill sign.
Be blessing to our two-footed, blessing to our four-footed.
Be thou free from evil eye, not a smiter of thy mate, kindly to kine, right-hearted and bright of face, a bearer of heroes, a friend of gods, restful in body.
Be blessing to our two-footed, blessing to our four-footed.
O Indra the Giver, make this woman rich in good sons and good hap.
Grant unto her ten sons; let her husband be the eleventh.
Become thou queen o’er thy father-in-law; queen o’er thy mother-in-law; queen o’er thy sister-in-law, and queen o’er thy brothers-in-law.
Let all the gods together, and the waters together, anoint our hearts as one.
Together Mātariśvan, the Shaper, and the Steerer— let them bind us two in one yoke.
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.85
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.
satyenottabhitā bhūmiḥ sūryeṇottabhitā dyauḥ |
ṛtenādityās tiṣṭhanti divi somo adhi śritaḥ || 1 ||
somenādityā balinaḥ somena pṛthivī mahī |
atho nakṣatrāṇām eṣām upasthe soma āhitaḥ || 2 ||
somam manyate papivān yat sampiṁṣanty oṣadhim |
somaṁ yam brahmāṇo vidur na tasyāśnāti kaś cana || 3 ||
ācchadvidhānair gupito bārhataiḥ soma rakṣitaḥ |
grāvṇām ic chṛṇvan tiṣṭhasi na te aśnāti pārthivaḥ || 4 ||
yat tvā deva prapibanti tata ā pyāyase punaḥ |
vāyuḥ somasya rakṣitā samānām māsa ākṛtiḥ || 5 ||
raibhy āsīd anudeyī nārāśaṁsī nyocanī |
sūryāyā bhadram id vāso gāthayaiti pariṣkṛtam || 6 ||
cittir ā upabarhaṇaṁ cakṣur ā abhyañjanam |
dyaur bhūmiḥ kośa āsīd yad ayāt sūryā patim || 7 ||
stomā āsan pratidhayaḥ kurīraṁ chanda opaśaḥ |
sūryāyā aśvinā varāgnir āsīt purogavaḥ || 8 ||
somo vadhūyur abhavad aśvināstām ubhā varā |
sūryāṁ yat patye śaṁsantīm manasā savitādadāt || 9 ||
mano asyā ana āsīd dyaur āsīd uta cchadiḥ |
śukrāv anaḍvāhāv āstāṁ yad ayāt sūryā gṛham || 10 ||
ṛksāmābhyām abhihitau gāvau te sāmanāv itaḥ |
śrotraṁ te cakre āstāṁ divi panthāś carācāraḥ || 11 ||
śucī te cakre yātyā vyāno akṣa āhataḥ |
ano manasmayaṁ sūryārohat prayatī patim || 12 ||
sūryāyā vahatuḥ prāgāt savitā yam avāsṛjat |
aghāsu hanyante gāvo 'rjunyoḥ pary uhyate || 13 ||
yad aśvinā pṛcchamānāv ayātaṁ tricakreṇa vahatuṁ sūryāyāḥ |
viśve devā anu tad vām ajānan putraḥ pitarāv avṛṇīta pūṣā || 14 ||
yad ayātaṁ śubhas patī vareyaṁ sūryām upa |
kvaikaṁ cakraṁ vām āsīt kva deṣṭrāya tasthathuḥ || 15 ||
dve te cakre sūrye brahmāṇa ṛtuthā viduḥ |
athaikaṁ cakraṁ yad guhā tad addhātaya id viduḥ || 16 ||
sūryāyai devebhyo mitrāya varuṇāya ca |
ye bhūtasya pracetasa idaṁ tebhyo 'karaṁ namaḥ || 17 ||
pūrvāparaṁ carato māyayaitau śiśū krīḻantau pari yāto adhvaram |
viśvāny anyo bhuvanābhicaṣṭa ṛtūm̐r anyo vidadhaj jāyate punaḥ || 18 ||
navo-navo bhavati jāyamāno 'hnāṁ ketur uṣasām ety agram |
bhāgaṁ devebhyo vi dadhāty āyan pra candramās tirate dīrgham āyuḥ || 19 ||
sukiṁśukaṁ śalmaliṁ viśvarūpaṁ hiraṇyavarṇaṁ suvṛtaṁ sucakram |
ā roha sūrye amṛtasya lokaṁ syonam patye vahatuṁ kṛṇuṣva || 20 ||
ud īrṣvātaḥ pativatī hy e3ṣā viśvāvasuṁ namasā gīrbhir īḻe |
anyām iccha pitṛṣadaṁ vyaktāṁ sa te bhāgo januṣā tasya viddhi || 21 ||
ud īrṣvāto viśvāvaso namaseḻā mahe tvā |
anyām iccha prapharvya1ṁ saṁ jāyām patyā sṛja || 22 ||
anṛkṣarā ṛjavaḥ santu panthā yebhiḥ sakhāyo yanti no vareyam |
sam aryamā sam bhago no ninīyāt saṁ jāspatyaṁ suyamam astu devāḥ || 23 ||
pra tvā muñcāmi varuṇasya pāśād yena tvābadhnāt savitā suśevaḥ |
ṛtasya yonau sukṛtasya loke 'riṣṭāṁ tvā saha patyā dadhāmi || 24 ||
preto muñcāmi nāmutaḥ subaddhām amutas karam |
yatheyam indra mīḍhvaḥ suputrā subhagāsati || 25 ||
pūṣā tveto nayatu hastagṛhyāśvinā tvā pra vahatāṁ rathena |
gṛhān gaccha gṛhapatnī yathāso vaśinī tvaṁ vidatham ā vadāsi || 26 ||
iha priyam prajayā te sam ṛdhyatām asmin gṛhe gārhapatyāya jāgṛhi |
enā patyā tanva1ṁ saṁ sṛjasvādhā jivrī vidatham ā vadāthaḥ || 27 ||
nīlalohitam bhavati kṛtyāsaktir vy ajyate |
edhante asyā jñātayaḥ patir bandheṣu badhyate || 28 ||
parā dehi śāmulyam brahmabhyo vi bhajā vasu |
kṛtyaiṣā padvatī bhūtvy ā jāyā viśate patim || 29 ||
aśrīrā tanūr bhavati ruśatī pāpayāmuyā |
patir yad vadhvo3 vāsasā svam aṅgam abhidhitsate || 30 ||
ye vadhvaś candraṁ vahatuṁ yakṣmā yanti janād anu |
punas tān yajñiyā devā nayantu yata āgatāḥ || 31 ||
mā vidan paripanthino ya āsīdanti dampatī |
sugebhir durgam atītām apa drāntv arātayaḥ || 32 ||
sumaṅgalīr iyaṁ vadhūr imāṁ sameta paśyata |
saubhāgyam asyai dattvāyāthāstaṁ vi paretana || 33 ||
tṛṣṭam etat kaṭukam etad apāṣṭhavad viṣavan naitad attave |
sūryāṁ yo brahmā vidyāt sa id vādhūyam arhati || 34 ||
āśasanaṁ viśasanam atho adhivikartanam |
sūryāyāḥ paśya rūpāṇi tāni brahmā tu śundhati || 35 ||
gṛbhṇāmi te saubhagatvāya hastam mayā patyā jaradaṣṭir yathāsaḥ |
bhago aryamā savitā puraṁdhir mahyaṁ tvādur gārhapatyāya devāḥ || 36 ||
tām pūṣañ chivatamām erayasva yasyām bījam manuṣyā3 vapanti |
yā na ūrū uśatī viśrayāte yasyām uśantaḥ praharāma śepam || 37 ||
tubhyam agre pary avahan sūryāṁ vahatunā saha |
punaḥ patibhyo jāyāṁ dā agne prajayā saha || 38 ||
punaḥ patnīm agnir adād āyuṣā saha varcasā |
dīrghāyur asyā yaḥ patir jīvāti śaradaḥ śatam || 39 ||
somaḥ prathamo vivide gandharvo vivida uttaraḥ |
tṛtīyo agniṣ ṭe patis turīyas te manuṣyajāḥ || 40 ||
somo dadad gandharvāya gandharvo dadad agnaye |
rayiṁ ca putrām̐ś cādād agnir mahyam atho imām || 41 ||
ihaiva stam mā vi yauṣṭaṁ viśvam āyur vy aśnutam |
krīḻantau putrair naptṛbhir modamānau sve gṛhe || 42 ||
ā naḥ prajāṁ janayatu prajāpatir ājarasāya sam anaktv aryamā |
adurmaṅgalīḥ patilokam ā viśa śaṁ no bhava dvipade śaṁ catuṣpade || 43 ||
aghoracakṣur apatighny edhi śivā paśubhyaḥ sumanāḥ suvarcāḥ |
vīrasūr devakāmā syonā śaṁ no bhava dvipade śaṁ catuṣpade || 44 ||
imāṁ tvam indra mīḍhvaḥ suputrāṁ subhagāṁ kṛṇu |
daśāsyām putrān ā dhehi patim ekādaśaṁ kṛdhi || 45 ||
samrājñī śvaśure bhava samrājñī śvaśrvām bhava |
nanāndari samrājñī bhava samrājñī adhi devṛṣu || 46 ||
sam añjantu viśve devāḥ sam āpo hṛdayāni nau |
sam mātariśvā saṁ dhātā sam u deṣṭrī dadhātu nau || 47 ||
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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