Rig Veda

Book 1, Hymn CLXXXVIII. Āprīs

1. WINNER of thousands, kindled, thou shinest a God with Gods to-day.
Bear out oblations, envoy, Sage.

2 Child of Thyself the sacrifice is for the righteous blent with meath,
Presenting viands thousandfold.

3 Invoked and worthy of our praise bring Gods whose due is sacrifice:
Thou, Agni, givest countless gifts.

4 To seat a thousand Heroes they eastward have strewn the grass with might,
Whereon, Ādityas, ye shine forth.

5 The sovran all-imperial Doors, wide, good, many and manifold,
Have poured their streams of holy oil.

6 With gay adornment, fair to see, in glorious beauty shine they forth:
Let Night and Morning rest them here.

7 Let these two Sages first of all, heralds divine and eloquent,
Perform for us this sacrifice.

8 You I address, Sarasvatī, and Bhāratī, and Iḷā, all:
Urge ye us on to glorious fame.

9 Tvaṣṭar the Lord hath made all forms and all the cattle of the field
Cause them to multiply for us.

10 Send to the Gods, Vanaspati, thyself, the sacrificial draught:
Let Agni make the oblations sweet.

11 Agni, preceder of the Gods, is honoured with the sacred song:
He glows at offerings blest with Hail!