Rig Veda · Mandala 10 · Sukta 87
Rig Veda 10.87 — Agni
Deity: Agni. Rishi family (Mandala 10): Many seers — generally considered latest in composition. This Sukta contains 25 verses presented below in Devanagari Sanskrit, IAST romanisation, and Ralph T. H. Griffith's English translation. Click any verse to read a fuller explanation.
Verses
Rig Veda 10.87.1
रक्षोहणं वाजिनमा जिघर्मि मित्रं परथिष्ठमुपयामि शर्म | शिशानो अग्निः करतुभिः समिद्धः स नोदिवा स रिषः पातु नक्तम
rakṣohaṇaṃ vājinamā jigharmi mitraṃ prathiṣṭhamupayāmi śarma | śiśāno aghniḥ kratubhiḥ samiddhaḥ sa nodivā sa riṣaḥ pātu naktam
Rig Veda 10.87.2
अयोदंष्ट्रो अर्चिषा यातुधानानुप सप्र्श जातवेदःसमिद्धः | आ जिह्वया मुरदेवान रभस्व करव्यादो वर्क्त्व्यपि धत्स्वासन
ayodaṃṣṭro arciṣā yātudhānānupa spṛśa jātavedaḥsamiddhaḥ | ā jihvayā muradevān rabhasva kravyādo vṛktvyapi dhatsvāsan
O Jātavedas with the teeth of iron, enkindled with thy flame attack the demons. Seize with thy longue the foolish gods' adorers: rend, put within thy mouth the raw-flesh caters.
Rig Veda 10.87.3
उभोभयाविन्नुप धेहि दंष्ट्रा हिंस्रः शिशानो.अवरम्परं च | उतान्तरिक्षे परि याहि राजञ जम्भैः सन्धेह्यभि यातुधानान
ubhobhayāvinnupa dhehi daṃṣṭrā hiṃsraḥ śiśāno.avaramparaṃ ca | utāntarikṣe pari yāhi rājañ jambhaiḥ sandhehyabhi yātudhānān
Apply thy teeth, the upper and the lower, thou who hast both, enkindled and destroying. Roam also in the air, O King, around us, and with thy jaws assail the wicked spirits.
Rig Veda 10.87.4
यज्ञैरिषूः संनममानो अग्ने वाचा शल्यानशनिभिर्दिहानः | ताभिर्विध्य हर्दये यातुधानान परतीचो बाहून्प्रति भंध्येषाम
yajñairiṣūḥ saṃnamamāno aghne vācā śalyānaśanibhirdihānaḥ | tābhirvidhya hṛdaye yātudhānān pratīco bāhūnprati bhaṃdhyeṣām
Bending thy shafts through sacrifices, Agni, whetting their points with song as if with whetstones, Pierce to the heart therewith the Yātudhānas, and break their arms uplifed to attack thee.
Rig Veda 10.87.5
अग्ने तवचं यातुधानस्य भिन्धि हिंस्राशनिर्हरसाहन्त्वेनम | पर पर्वाणि जातवेदः शर्णीहि करव्यात्क्रविष्णुर्वि चिनोतु वर्क्णम
aghne tvacaṃ yātudhānasya bhindhi hiṃsrāśanirharasāhantvenam | pra parvāṇi jātavedaḥ śṛṇīhi kravyātkraviṣṇurvi cinotu vṛkṇam
Pierce through the Yātudhāna's skin, O Agni; let the destroying dart with fire consume him. Rend his joints, Jātavedas, let the cater of flesh, flesh-seeking, track his mangled body.
Rig Veda 10.87.6
यत्रेदानीं पश्यसि जातवेदस्तिष्ठन्तमग्न उत वाचरन्तम | यद वान्तरिक्षे पथिभिः पतन्तं तमस्ताविध्य शर्वा शिशानः
yatredānīṃ paśyasi jātavedastiṣṭhantamaghna uta vācarantam | yad vāntarikṣe pathibhiḥ patantaṃ tamastāvidhya śarvā śiśānaḥ
Where now thou seest Agni Jātavedas, one of these demons standing still or roaming, Or flying on those paths in air's midregion, sharpen the shaft and as an archer pierce him.
Rig Veda 10.87.7
उतालब्धं सप्र्णुहि जातवेद आलेभानाद रष्टिभिर्यातुधानात | अग्ने पूर्वो नि जहि शोशुचान आमादःक्ष्विङकास्तमदन्त्वेनीः
utālabdhaṃ spṛṇuhi jātaveda ālebhānād ṛṣṭibhiryātudhānāt | aghne pūrvo ni jahi śośucāna āmādaḥkṣviṅkāstamadantvenīḥ
Tear from the evil spirit, Jātavedas, what he hath seized and with his spears hath captured. Blazing before him strike him down, O Agni; let spotted carrion-eating kites devour him.
Rig Veda 10.87.8
इह पर बरूहि यतमः सो अग्ने यो यातुधानो य इदंक्र्णोति | तमा रभस्व समिधा यविष्ठ नर्चक्षसश्चक्षुषे रन्धयैनम
iha pra brūhi yatamaḥ so aghne yo yātudhāno ya idaṃkṛṇoti | tamā rabhasva samidhā yaviṣṭha nṛcakṣasaścakṣuṣe randhayainam
Here tell this forth, O Agni: whosoever is, he himself, or acteth as, a demon, Him grasp, O thou Most Youthful, with thy fuel. to the Mati-seer's eye give him as booty.
Rig Veda 10.87.9
तीक्ष्णेनाग्ने चक्षुषा रक्ष यज्ञं पराञ्चं वसुभ्यःप्र णय परचेतः | हिंस्रं रक्षांस्यभि शोशुचानम्मा तवा दभन यातुधाना नर्चक्षः
tīkṣṇenāghne cakṣuṣā rakṣa yajñaṃ prāñcaṃ vasubhyaḥpra ṇaya pracetaḥ | hiṃsraṃ rakṣāṃsyabhi śośucānammā tvā dabhan yātudhānā nṛcakṣaḥ
With keen glance guard the sacrifice, O Agni: thou Sage, conduct it onward to the Vasus. Let not the fiends, O Man-beholder, harm thee burning against the Rākṣasas to slay them.
Rig Veda 10.87.10
नर्चक्षा रक्षः परि पश्य विक्षु तस्य तरीणि परतिश्र्णीह्यग्रा | तस्याग्ने पर्ष्टीर्हरसा शर्णीहि तरेधामूलं यातुधानस्य वर्श्च
nṛcakṣā rakṣaḥ pari paśya vikṣu tasya trīṇi pratiśṛṇīhyaghrā | tasyāghne pṛṣṭīrharasā śṛṇīhi tredhāmūlaṃ yātudhānasya vṛśca
Look on the fiend mid men, as Man-beholder: rend thou his three extremities in pieces. Demolish with thy flame his ribs, O Agni, the Yātudhāna's root destroy thou triply.
Rig Veda 10.87.11
तरिर्यातुधानः परसितिं त एत्व रतं यो अग्ने अन्र्तेन हन्ति | तमर्चिषा सफूर्जयञ जातवेदः समक्षमेनं गर्णतेनि वरंधि
triryātudhānaḥ prasitiṃ ta etv ṛtaṃ yo aghne anṛtena hanti | tamarciṣā sphūrjayañ jātavedaḥ samakṣamenaṃ ghṛṇateni vṛṃdhi
Thrice, Agni, let thy noose surround the demon who with his falsehood injures Holy Order. Loud roaring with thy flame, O Jātavedas, crush him and cast him down before the singer.
Rig Veda 10.87.12
तदग्ने चक्षुः परति धेहि रेभे शफारुजं येनपश्यसि यातुधानम | अथर्ववज्ज्योतिषा दैव्येन सत्यन्धूर्वन्तमचितं नयोष
tadaghne cakṣuḥ prati dhehi rebhe śaphārujaṃ yenapaśyasi yātudhānam | atharvavajjyotiṣā daivyena satyandhūrvantamacitaṃ nyoṣa
Lead thou the worshipper that eye, O Agni, wherewith thou lookest on the hoof-armed demon. With light celestial in Atharvan's manner burn up the foot who ruins truth with falsehood.
Rig Veda 10.87.13
यदग्ने अद्य मिथुना शपातो यद वाचस्त्र्ष्टं जनयन्तरेभाः | मन्योर्मनसः शरव्या जायते या तया विध्यह्र्दये यातुधानान
yadaghne adya mithunā śapāto yad vācastṛṣṭaṃ janayantarebhāḥ | manyormanasaḥ śaravyā jāyate yā tayā vidhyahṛdaye yātudhānān
Agni, what curse the pair this day have uttered, what heated word the worshippers have spoken, Each arrowy taunt sped from the angry spirit,—pierce to the heart therewith the Yātudhānas.
Rig Veda 10.87.14
परा शर्णीहि तपसा यातुधानान पराग्ने रक्षो हरसाश्र्णीहि | परार्चिषा मूरदेवाञ्छ्र्णीहि परासुत्र्पो अभिशोशुचानः
parā śṛṇīhi tapasā yātudhānān parāghne rakṣo harasāśṛṇīhi | parārciṣā mūradevāñchṛṇīhi parāsutṛpo abhiśośucānaḥ
With fervent heat exterminate the demons; destroy the fiends with burning flame, O Agni. Destroy with fire the foolish gods' adorers; blaze and destrepy the insatiable monsters.
Rig Veda 10.87.15
पराद्य देवा वर्जिनं शर्णन्तु परत्यगेनं शपथा यन्तुत्र्ष्टाः | वाचास्तेनं शरव रछन्तु मर्मन विश्वस्यैतुप्रसितिं यातुधानः
parādya devā vṛjinaṃ śṛṇantu pratyaghenaṃ śapathā yantutṛṣṭāḥ | vācāstenaṃ śarava ṛchantu marman viśvasyaituprasitiṃ yātudhānaḥ
May Gods destroy this day the evil-doer may each hot curse of his return and blast him. Let arrows pierce the liar in his vitals, and Visva's net enclose the Yātudhāna.
Rig Veda 10.87.16
यः पौरुषेयेण करविषा समङकते यो अश्वेयेन पशुनायातुधानः | यो अघ्न्याया भरति कषीरमग्ने तेषांशीर्षाणि हरसापि वर्श्च
yaḥ pauruṣeyeṇa kraviṣā samaṅkte yo aśveyena paśunāyātudhānaḥ | yo aghnyāyā bharati kṣīramaghne teṣāṃśīrṣāṇi harasāpi vṛśca
The fiend who smears himself with flesh of cattle, with flesh of horses and of human bodies, Who steals the milch-cow's milk away, O Agni,—tear off the heads of such with fiery fury.
Rig Veda 10.87.17
संवत्सरीणं पय उस्रियायास्तस्य माशीद यातुधानोन्र्चक्षः | पीयूषमग्ने यतमस्तित्र्प्सात तं परत्यञ्चमर्चिषा विध्य मर्मन
saṃvatsarīṇaṃ paya usriyāyāstasya māśīd yātudhānonṛcakṣaḥ | pīyūṣamaghne yatamastitṛpsāt taṃ pratyañcamarciṣā vidhya marman
The cow gives milk each year, O Man-regarder: let not the Yātudhāna ever taste it. If one would glut him with the biesting, Agni, pierce with thy flame his vitals as he meets thee.
Rig Veda 10.87.18
विषं गवां यातुधानाः पिबन्त्वा वर्श्च्यन्तामदितयेदुरेवाः | परैनान देवः सविता ददातु परा भागमोषधीनां जयन्ताम
viṣaṃ ghavāṃ yātudhānāḥ pibantvā vṛścyantāmaditayedurevāḥ | parainān devaḥ savitā dadātu parā bhāghamoṣadhīnāṃ jayantām
Let the fiends drink the poison of the cattle; may Aditi cast off the evildoers. May the God Savitar give them up to ruin, and be their share of plants and herbs denied them.
Rig Veda 10.87.19
सनादग्ने मर्णसि यातुधानान न तवा रक्षांसि पर्तनासुजिग्युः | अनु दह सहमूरान करव्यादो मा ते हेत्या मुक्षतदैव्यायाः
sanādaghne mṛṇasi yātudhānān na tvā rakṣāṃsi pṛtanāsujighyuḥ | anu daha sahamūrān kravyādo mā te hetyā mukṣatadaivyāyāḥ
Agni, from days of old thou slayest demons: never shall Rākṣasas in fight o’ercome thee. Burn up the foolish ones, the flesh-devourers: let none of them escape thine heavenly arrow.
Rig Veda 10.87.20
तवं नो अग्ने अधरादुदक्तात तवं पश्चादुत रक्षापुरस्तात | परति ते ते अजरासस्तपिष्ठा अघशंसंशोशुचतो दहन्तु
tvaṃ no aghne adharādudaktāt tvaṃ paścāduta rakṣāpurastāt | prati te te ajarāsastapiṣṭhā aghaśaṃsaṃśośucato dahantu
Guard us, O Agni, from above and under, protect us fl-om behind us and before us; And may thy flames, most fierce and never wasting, glowing with fervent heat, consume the sinner.
Rig Veda 10.87.21
पश्चात पुरस्तादधरादुदक्तात कविः काव्येन परि पाहिराजन | सखे सखायमजरो जरिम्णे.अग्ने मर्तानमर्त्यस्त्वं नः
paścāt purastādadharādudaktāt kaviḥ kāvyena pari pāhirājan | sakhe sakhāyamajaro jarimṇe.aghne martānamartyastvaṃ naḥ
From rear, from front, from under, from above us, O King, protect us as a Sage with wisdom. Guard to old age thy friend, O Friend, Eternal: O Agni, as Immortal, guard us mortals.
Rig Veda 10.87.22
परि तवाग्ने पुरं वयं विप्रं सहस्य धीमहि | धर्षद्वर्णं दिवे-दिवे हन्तारं भङगुरावताम
pari tvāghne puraṃ vayaṃ vipraṃ sahasya dhīmahi | dhṛṣadvarṇaṃ dive-dive hantāraṃ bhaṅghurāvatām
We set thee round us as a fort, victorious Agni, thee a Sage, Of hero lineage, day by day, destroyer of our treacherous foes.
Rig Veda 10.87.23
विषेण भङगुरावतः परति षम रक्षसो दह | अग्नेतिग्मेन शोचिषा तपुरग्राभिरषटिभिः
viṣeṇa bhaṅghurāvataḥ prati ṣma rakṣaso daha | aghnetighmena śociṣā tapuraghrābhirṣṭibhiḥ
Burn with thy poison turned against the treacherous brood of Rākṣasas, O Agni, with thy sharpened glow, with lances armed with points of flame.
Rig Veda 10.87.24
परत्यग्ने मिथुन दह यातुधाना किमीदिना | सं तवाशिशामि जाब्र्ह्यदब्धं विप्र मन्मभिः
pratyaghne mithuna daha yātudhānā kimīdinā | saṃ tvāśiśāmi jābṛhyadabdhaṃ vipra manmabhiḥ
Burn thou the paired Kimīdins, brun, Agni, the Yātudhāna pairs. I sharpen thee, Infallible, with hymns. O Sage, be vigilant.
Rig Veda 10.87.25
परत्यग्ने हरसा हरः शर्णीहि विश्वतः परति | यातुधानस्य रक्षसो बलं वि रुज वीर्यम
pratyaghne harasā haraḥ śṛṇīhi viśvataḥ prati | yātudhānasya rakṣaso balaṃ vi ruja vīryam
Shoot forth, O Agni, with thy flame demolish them on every side. Break thou the Yātudhāna's strength, the vigour of the Rākṣasa.
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