The Texts of the White Yajurveda, tr. Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1899], at sacred-texts.com
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.
2 Night 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.
3 The 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.
4 Thou 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.
5 Thou 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.
6 Agni 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.
7 Return to me, thou still-returning Agni, with life, with
lustre, progeny, and treasure,
With profit, wisdom, riches, and abundance.
8 A 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.
9 Return again with nourishment; Agni, again with food and
life. Again preserve us from distress.
10 Agni, return with store of wealth. Swell with thine overflowing
stream that feedeth all on every side.
11 I brought thee: thou hast entered in. Stand stedfast and
immovable.
Lot all the people long for thee. Let not thy kingship fall
away.
12 Varuna, 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.
13 High 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.
14 The 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.
15 Knowing 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.
16 Within this Fire-pan with thy light, O Agni, in thy proper seat,
Glowing with warmth, be gracious thou, O Jâtavedas, unto her.
17 Being propitious unto me, O Agni, sit propitiously.
Having made all the regions blest, in thine own dwelling
seat thyself.
18 First Agni sprang to life from out of heaven, the second
time from us came Jâtavedas.
Thirdly the Manly-souled was in the waters. The pious
lauds and kindles him Eternal.
19 Agni, we know thy three powers in three stations, we know
thy forms in many a place divided.
We know what name supreme thou hast in secret: we know
the source from which thou hast proceeded.
20 The Manly-souled lit thee in sea and waters, Man's Viewer
lit thee in the breast of heaven.
There as thou stoodest in the third high region the Bulls
increased thee in the waters’ bosom.
21 Agni roared out, etc. (verse 6 repeated).
22 The spring of glories and support of riches, rouser of
thoughts and guardian of the Soma,
Good Son of Strength, a King amid the waters, in forefront
of the Dawns he shines enkindled.
23 Germ of the world, ensign of all creation, he sprang to life
and filled the earth and heaven.
Even the firm rock he cleft when passing over, when the
Five Tribes brought sacrifice to Agni.
24 So among mortals was immortal Agni stablished as cleansing,
wise, and eager envoy.
He waves the red smoke that he lifts above him, striving
to reach the heaven with radiant lustre.
25 Far hath he shone, etc. (verse 1 repeated).
26 Whoso this day, O God whose flames are lovely, makes thee
a cake, O Agni, mixed with butter,
Lead thou and further him to higher fortune, to bliss bestowed
by Gods, O thou Most Youthful.
27 Endow him, Agni, with a share of glory, at every, song of
praise sung forth enrich him.
Dear let him be to Sûrya, dear to Agni, preëminent with son
and children's children.
28 While, Agni, day by day men pay thee worship they win
themselves all treasures worth the wishing.
Allied with thee, eager and craving riches, they have disclosed
the stable filled with cattle.
29 Agni, man's gracious Friend, the Soma's keeper, Vaisvânara,
hath been lauded by the Rishis.
We will invoke benignant Earth and Heaven: ye Deities,
give us wealth with hero children.
30 Pay service unto Agni with your fuel, rouse your Guest
with oil:
In him present your offerings.
31 May all the Gods, O Agni, bear thee upward with their earnest
thoughts:
Not to be looked on, rich in light, be thou propitious unto us,
32 Agni, go forth resplendent, thou with thine auspicious flames
of fire.
Shining with mighty beams of light harm not my people
with thy form.
33 Agni roared out, etc. (verse 21 repeated.)
34 Far famed is this the Bharata's own Agni: he shineth like
the Sun with lofty splendour.
He who hath vanquished Pûru in the battle, the heavenly
Guest hath shone for us benignly.
35 Receive these ashes, ye celestial Waters, and lay them in a
fair place full of fragrance.
To him bow down the nobly-wedded Matrons! Bear this on
waters as her son a mother.
36 Agni, thy home is in the floods: into the plants thou forcest
way,
And as their child art born anew.
37 Thou art the offspring of the plants, thou art the offspring
of the trees:
The offspring thou of all that is, thou, Agni, art the Waters’
Child,
38 With ashes having reached the womb, the waters, Agni
and the earth,
United with the mothers, thou blazing hast seated thee again.
39 Seated again upon thy seat, the waters, Agni! and the earth,
In her, thou, most auspicious One, liest as in a mother's lap
40, 41 Return again, etc. Agni, return, etc. (verses 9 and 10
repeated).
42 Mark this my speech, Divine One, thou Most Youthful,
offered to thee by him who gives most freely:
One hates thee, and another sings thy praises. I thine
adorer laud thy form, O Agni.
43 Be thou for us a liberal Prince, Giver and Lord of precious
things.
Drive those who hate us far away.
To the Omnific One All-hail!
14 Again let the Âdityas, Rudras, Yams, and Brahmans with
their rites light thee, Wealth-bringer!
Increase thy body with presented butter: effectual be the
Sacrificer's wishes.
45 Go hence, depart, creep off in all directions, both ancient
visitors and recent comers:
Yama hath given a place on earth to rest in. This place
for him the Fathers have provided.
46 Knowledge art thou: accomplishment of wishes. In me be
the fulfilment of thy wishes.
Thou art the ashes, thou the mould of Agni. Rankers are
ye, rankers around. Rankers right upward, be ye fixed.
47 This is that Agni where the longing Indra took the pressed
Soma deep within his body.
Winner of spoils in thousands like a courser, with prayer art
thou exalted, Jâtavedas.
48 The splendour which is thine in heaven, O Agni, in earth, O
Holy One, in plants, in waters,
Wherewith thou hast o’erspread mid-air's broad region, that
light is brilliant, billowy, man-surveying.
49 O Agni, to the flood of heaven thou mountest, thou tallest
hither Gods, the thought-inspirers.
The waters, those beyond the light of Sûrya, and those
that are beneath it here, approach thee.
50 May the Purîshya Agnis in accord with those that spring
from floods,
May they, benevolent, accept the sacrifice, full, wholesome
draughts.
51 As holy food, Agni, to thine invoker give wealth in cattle,
lasting, rich in marvels.
To us be born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this
thy gracious will to us-ward.
52 This is thine ordered place of birth whence, sprung to life,
thou shonest forth.
Knowing this, Agni, mount on high and cause our riches to
increase.
53 Ranker art thou: Angiras-like sit steady with that Deity.
Ranker-round art thou: Angiras-like sit steady with that
Deity.
54 Fill up the room, supply the void, then settle steady in thy
place.
Indr-Âgni and Brihaspati have set thee down in this abode.
55 The dappled kine who stream with milk prepare his draught
of Soma juice—
Clans in the birthplace of the Gods, in the three luminous
realms of heaven.
56 All sacred songs have magnified Indra expansive as the sea,
The best of warriors borne on cars, the Lord, the very Lord
of Strength.
57 Combine ye two and harmonize together, dear to each other,
brilliant, friendly-minded,
Abiding in one place for food and vigour.
58 Together have I brought your minds, your ordinances, and
your thoughts.
Be thou our Sovran Lord, Agni Purîshya; give food and
vigour to the Sacrificer.
59 Thou art Purîshya Agni, thou art wealthy, thou art prosperous.
Having made all the regions blest, here seat thee in thine
own abode.
60 Be ye one-minded unto us, both of one thought, free from
deceit.
Harm not the sacrifice, harm not the Patron of the sacrifice.
Be gracious unto us to-day, ye knowers of all things that be.
61 Even as a mother bears her son, Earth, Ukhâ hath borne
within her womb Purîshya Agni.
Maker of all, accordant with the All-Gods and Seasons, may
Prajâpati release her.
62 Seek him who pours not, offers not oblation; follow the
going of the thief and robber.
This is thy way; leave us and seek some other. To thee,
O Goddess Nirriti, be homage.
63 To thee, sharp-pointed Nirriti, full homage! Loose and
detach this iron bond that binds him.
Unanimous with Yama and with Yamî to the sublimest
vault of heaven uplift him.
64 Thou, Awful One, thou in whose mouth I offer for the unloosing
of these binding fetters,
Whom people hail as Earth with their glad voices, as Nirriti
in every place I know thee.
65 The binding noose which Nirriti the Goddess hath fastened
on thy neck that none may loose it,
I loose for thee as from the midst of Âyus. Sped forward
now, eat thou the food we offer:
To Fortune, her who hath done this, be homage.
66 Establisher, the gatherer of treasures, he looks with might
on every form and figure.
Like Savitar the God whose laws are constant, like Indra,
he hath stood where meet the pathways.
67 Wise, through desire of bliss with Gods, the skilful bind the
traces fast, and lay the yokes on either side.
68 Lay on the yokes and fasten well the traces; formed is the
furrow sow the seed within it.
Through song may we find hearing fraught with plenty:
near to the ripened grain approach the sickle.
69 Happily let the shares turn up the ploughland, happily go
the ploughers with the oxen!
Suna and Sîra, pleased with our oblation, cause ye our
plants to bear abundant fruitage.
70 Approved by Visvedevas and by Maruts, balmed be the
furrow with sweet-flavoured fatness.
Succulent, teeming with thy milky treasure, turn hitherward
to us with milk, O Furrow.
71 The keen-shared plough that bringeth bliss, good for the
Soma-drinker's need,
Shear out for me a cow, a sheep, a rapid drawer of the car,
a blooming woman, plump and strong!
72 Milk out their wish, O Wishing-Cow, to Mitra and to Varuna,
To Indra, to the Asvins, to Pûshan, to people and to plants.
73 Be loosed, inviolable, Godward-farers! We have attained
the limit of this darkness: we have won the light.
71 The year together with the darksome fortnights; Dawn with
the ruddy-coloured cows about her; the Asvins with
their wonderful achievements; the Sun together with his
dappled Courser; Vaisvânara with Idâ and with butter.
Svâhâ!
75 Herbs that sprang up in time of old, three ages earlier than
the Gods,—
Of these, whose hue is brown, will I declare the hundred
powers and seven.
76 Ye, Mothers, have a hundred homes, yea, and a thousand are
your growths.
Do ye who have a thousand powers free this my patient from
disease.
77 Be glad and joyful in the Plants, both blossoming and bearing
fruit,
Plants that will lead us to success like mares who conquer in
the race.
78 Plants, by this name I speak to you, Mothers, to you the
Goddesses:
Steed, cow, and garment may I win, win back thy very self,
O man.
79 The Holy Fig tree is your home, your mansion is the Parna
tree:
Winners of cattle shall ye be if ye regain for me this man.
80 He who hath store of Herbs at hand like Kings amid a crowd
of men,—
Physician is that sage's name, fiend-slayer, chaser of disease.
81 Herbs rich in Soma, rich in steeds, in nourishment in strengthening
power,
All these have I provided here, that this man may be whole
again.
82 The healing virtues of the Plants stream forth like cattle
from the stall,—
Plants that shall win me store of wealth, and save thy vital
breath, O man.
83 Reliever is your mother's name, and hence Restorers are ye
called.
Rivers are ye with wings that fly: keep far whatever brings
disease.
84 Over all fences have they passed, as steals a thief into the fold.
The Plants have driven from the frame whatever malady was
there.
85 When, bringing back the vanished strength, I hold these herbs
within my hand,
The spirit of disease departs ere he can seize upon the life.
86 He through whose frame, O Plants, ye creep member by
member, joint by joint,
From him ye drive away disease like some strong arbiter of
strife.
87 Fly, Spirit of Disease, begone, with the blue jay and kingfisher.
Fly, with the wind's impetuous speed, vanish together with
the storm.
88 Help every one the other, lend assistance each of you to
each,
All of you be accordant, give furtherance to this speech of
mine.
89 Let fruitful Plants, and fruitless, those that blossom, and
the blossomless,
Urged onward by Brihaspati, release us from our pain and
grief;
90 Release me from the curse's plague and woe that comes from
Varuna;
Free me from Yama's fetter, from sin and offence against the
Gods.
91 What time, descending from the sky, the Plants flew earthward,
thus they spake:
No evil shall befall the man whom while he liveth we
pervade.
92 Of all the many Plants whose King is Soma, Plants of hundred
forms,
Thou art the Plant most excellent, prompt to the wish, sweet
to the heart.
93 O all ye various Herbs whose King is Soma, that o’erspread
the earth,
Urged onward by Brihaspati, combine your virtue in this
Plant.
94 All Plants that hear this speech, and those that have
departed far away,
Come all assembled and confer your healing power upon
this Herb.
95 Unharmed be he who digs you up, unharmed the man for
whom I dig:
And let no malady attack biped or quadruped of ours.
96 With Soma as their Sovran Lord the Plants hold colloquy
and say:
O King, we save from death the man whose cure a Brâhman
undertakes.
97 Most excellent of all art thou, O Plant: thy vassals are the
trees.
Let him be subject to our power, the man who seeks to
injure us.
98 Banisher of catarrh art thou, of tumours and of hemorrhoids;
Thou banished Pâkâru and Consumption in a hundred
forms.
99 Thee did Gandharvas dig from earth, thee Indra and
Brihaspati.
King Soma, knowing thee, O Plant, from his Consumption
was made free.
100 Conquer mine enemies, the men who challenge me do thou
subdue.
Conquer thou all unhappiness: victorious art thou, O Plant.
101 Long-lived be he who digs thee, Plant, and he for whom I
dig thee up.
So mayst thou also, grown long-lived, rise upward with a
hundred shoots.
102 Most excellent of all art thou, O Plant; thy vassals are the
trees.
Let him be subject to our power, the man who seeks to
injure us.
103 May he not harm me who is earth's begetter, nor he whose
laws are faithful, sky's pervades;
Nor he who first begot the lucid waters. To Ka the God
let us present oblation.
104 Turn thyself hitherward, O Earth, to us with sacrifice and
milk.
Thy covering skin Agni, urged forth, hath mounted.
105 All, Agni, that in thee is bright, pure, cleansed, and meet
for sacrifice,
That do we bring unto the Gods.
106 I from this place have fed on strength and vigour, the
womb of holy Law, stream of the mighty.
In cows let it possess me and in bodies. I quit decline and
lack of food, and sickness.
107 Agni, life-power and fame are thine: thy fires blaze mightily,
thou rich in wealth of beams!
Sage, passing bright, thou givest to the worshipper, with
strength, the food that merits laud.
108 With brilliant, purifying sheen, with perfect sheen thou
liftest up thyself in light.
Thou, visiting both thy Mothers, aidest them as Son: thou
joinest close the earth and heaven.
109 O Jâtavedas, Son of Strength, rejoice thyself, gracious, in
our fair hymns and songs.
In thee are treasured various forms of strengthening food,
born nobly and of wondrous help.
110 Agni, spread forth, as Ruler, over living things: give wealth
to us, Immortal God.
Thou shinest out from beauty fair to look upon: thou
leadest us to conquering power.
111 To him, the wise, who orders sacrifice, who hath great riches
under his control,
Thou givest blest award of good, and plenteous food, givest
him wealth that conquers all.
112 The men have set before them for their welfare Agni, strong,
visible to all, the Holy.
Thee, Godlike One, with ears to hear, most famous, men's
generations magnify with praise-songs.
113 Soma, wax great. From every side may vigorous powers
unite in thee.
Be in the gathering-place of strength.
114 In thee be juicy nutriments united, and power and mighty
foe-subduing vigour.
Waxing to immortality, O Soma, win highest glory for
thyself in heaven.
115 Wax, O most gladdening Soma, great through all thy
filaments, and be
A friend of most illustrious fame to prosper us.
116 May Vatsa draw thy mind away, even from thy loftiest
dwelling-place,
Agni, with song that yearns for thee.
117 Agni, best Angiras, to thee all people who have pleasant
homes
Apart have turned to gain their wish.
118 In dear homes, Agni, the desire of all that is and is to be,
Shines forth the One Imperial Lord.