FAR hath he shone abroad like gold to look on, beaming imperishable life for glory.

Agni by vital powers became immortal when his prolific

Father Dyaus begat him.

2Night and Dawn, different in hue, accordant, meeting together, suckle one same infant. Golden between the heaven and earth he shineth. The wealth-possessing Gods supported Agni.

3The Sapient One arrays himself in every form: for quadruped and biped he hath brought forth good. Excellent Savitar hath looked on heaven’s high vault: he shineth after the outgoings of the Dawn.

4Thou art the goodly-pinioned Bird: thou hast the Trivrit for thy head. Gâyatra is thine eye, thy wings are Brihat and Rathantara. The hymn is self, the metres are his limbs, the formulas his name. The Vâmadevya Sâman is thy form, the Yajñâyajñiya thy tail, the fire-hearths are thy hooves. Thou art the goodly-pinioned Bird: go skyward, soar to heavenly light.

5Thou art the riyal-slaying stride of Vishnu. Mount the Gâyatra metre: stride along the earth. Thou art the foe-destroying stride of Vishnu. Mount the Trishtup metre: stride along mid-air. Thou art the traitor-slaying stride of Vishnu. Mount the Jagatî metre: stride along the sky. Thou art the foeman-slaying stride of Vishnu. Mount Anushtup metre: stride along the Quarters.

6Agni roared out like Dyaus what time he thunders: licking full oft the earth round plants he flickered. At once, when born, he looked about, enkindled: he shineth forth between the earth and heaven.

7Return to me, thou still-returning Agni, with life, with lustre, progeny, and treasure, With profit, wisdom, riches, and abundance.

8A hundred, Agni Angiras! be thy ways, a thousand thy returns. With increment of increase bring thou back to us what we have lost. Again bring hitherward our wealth.

9Return again with nourishment; Agni, again with food and life. Again preserve us from distress.

10Agni, return with store of wealth. Swell with thine overflowing stream that feedeth all on every side.

11I brought thee: thou hast entered in. Stand stedfast and immovable. Lot all the people long for thee. Let not thy kingship fall away.

12Varuna, from the upmost bond release us, let down the lowest and remove the midmost. So in thy holy law may we made sinless belong to Aditi, O thou Âditya.

13High hath the Mighty risen before the Mornings, and come to us with light from out the darkness. Fair-shapen Agni with white-shining splendour hath filled at birth all human habitations.

14The Hamsa homed in light, the Vasu in mid-air, the Priest beside the altar, Guest within the house, Dweller in noblest place, mid men, in truth, in sky, born of flood, kine, truth, mountain, he is holy Law. The Great.

15Knowing all holy ordinances, Agni, be seated in the lap of this thy mother. Do not with heat or glowing flame consume her: shine thou within her with refulgent lustre.

16Within this Fire-pan with thy light, O Agni, in thy proper