Hymn to Agni
Rigveda VIII.83 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 8 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.
Hear us, O ye gods together! Come forth, all ye who dwell in heaven and earth. We call upon thee with voices lifted high. Grant unto us all the gifts that it is in your power to bestow, for we are thy children and thy servants.
Indra, thou strongest of the strong, give unto us thy mighty arm and thy unconquerable courage. When we face our enemies in battle, let us feel thy presence at our side. Make our swords sharp and our hearts resolute. Let thy thunder-bolt be ever ready to protect those who trust in thee.
Agni, thou god of fire, warm our hearths and kindle the sacrificial flame. Let the offering rise up unto the gods on the wings of thy smoke. Burn away our sins and our sorrows. Make our bodies strong and our spirits bright. Be thou a beacon unto us in the darkness, guiding us on the path of righteousness.
Varuṇa, thou all-knowing sovereign, grant unto us thy wisdom and thy discernment. Make us to see clearly the truth of all things. Help us to live in accordance with the law of truth and justice. Let us not fall into deceit or delusion. Strengthen our will to do that which is right, even when it is difficult and costly.
The Aśvins, ye who ride swiftly through the dawn, bring unto us health and healing. Cure us of our sicknesses. Strengthen our bones and our sinews. Restore youth to the aged and vigour to the weak. Ye are the physicians of gods and men; we beseech thee to apply thy healing arts unto us.
Surya, thou shining one, illuminate our paths and warm our faces with thy rays. Let thy light banish the shadows of fear from our hearts. Be thou a witness to our deeds, seeing all that we do, both good and ill. Guide us toward the light of truth and knowledge, that we may not stumble in darkness.
Soma, thou divine draught, bring unto us joy and blessing. Purify our bodies when we drink of thee. Open our minds to wisdom and perception beyond the ordinary. Let us feel the presence of the divine through thy sacred essence. Be thou the bridge between the mortal and the immortal, the earthly and the celestial.
All ye gods together, hear the cry of thy servants! We have gathered here to honour you. We have prepared the sacrifice and the libation. We have sung the sacred chants. Accept our offerings with favour. Look upon us with benevolence. Grant unto each of us the gifts that suit our need and our nature. Guard us from evil. Guide us toward all that is good.
And we shall praise thee forever, O ye gods! Our songs shall resound throughout all the ages. Our devotion shall never fail. We shall teach our children to honour thee as we honour thee. Thus shall thy name be remembered always; thus shall thy glory endure from age unto age without ceasing.
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 VIII.83
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.
devānām id avo mahat tad ā vṛṇīmahe vayam |
vṛṣṇām asmabhyam ūtaye || 1 ||
te naḥ santu yujaḥ sadā varuṇo mitro aryamā |
vṛdhāsaś ca pracetasaḥ || 2 ||
ati no viṣpitā puru naubhir apo na parṣatha |
yūyam ṛtasya rathyaḥ || 3 ||
vāmaṁ no astv aryaman vāmaṁ varuṇa śaṁsyam |
vāmaṁ hy āvṛṇīmahe || 4 ||
vāmasya hi pracetasa īśānāśo riśādasaḥ |
nem ādityā aghasya yat || 5 ||
vayam id vaḥ sudānavaḥ kṣiyanto yānto adhvann ā |
devā vṛdhāya hūmahe || 6 ||
adhi na indraiṣāṁ viṣṇo sajātyānām |
itā maruto aśvinā || 7 ||
pra bhrātṛtvaṁ sudānavo 'dha dvitā samānyā |
mātur garbhe bharāmahe || 8 ||
yūyaṁ hi ṣṭhā sudānava indrajyeṣṭhā abhidyavaḥ |
adhā cid va uta bruve || 9 ||
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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