Canto 12Kata Vaishwamitra · Suktas 17–18
Book 2. Part Two: Other Hymns to Agni
SUKTA 17
1. He is kindled and blazes out according to the first and
supreme laws and is united with the Rays, he in whom
are all desirable things, Fire with his tresses of flame and his
5raiment of light, the purifier, perfect in sacrifice, for sacrifice
to the gods.
2. O Fire, as thou hast accomplished in sacrifice thy priest-
hood for the earth,46 awaking to knowledge, O knower of
the births, as thou hast accomplished it for heaven,47 so
10with this oblation do sacrifice to the gods, carry yet further
beyond the sacrifice with the human being today.
3. Three are thy lives, O knower of all things born, three
are the dawns that are thy births, O Fire;48 by them win
through sacrifice the protection of the gods, thou as the
15knower become for the doer of sacrifice the peace and the
movement.
46 Or, as thou hast offered in sacrifice the oblation of the earth,
47 Or, as thou hast offered the oblation of heaven,
48 Or, that gave thee birth, O Fire;
20Mandala Three
4. We hymn thee by our words, O knower of all things born,
as the Fire perfect in light, perfect in vision, the object of
our prayer and offer to thee our obeisance; thee the gods
made the Messenger, the Traveller, the carrier of offerings,
25the navel-centre of Immortality.
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5. O Fire, he who was before thee and was the priest of the call
and mighty for sacrifice and was dual entity and by the law
50of his nature the creator of the Bliss, by his law of action
carry on the sacrifice, thou who art awake to knowledge,
thou establish our pilgrim-rite in the advent of the gods.
SUKTA 18
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1. O Fire, in our coming to thee become right-minded accom-
plishing our aim as a friend to a friend, as father and mother
to their child; for these worlds of beings born are full of
harm: burn to ashes the hostile forces that come against us.
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2. Wholly consume our inner foes, consume the self-expression
of the enemy who would war against us, O lord of the riches,
consume, conscious in knowledge, the powers of ignorance;
100let them range wide, thy ageless marching fires.
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3. I desire and offer the oblation, O Fire, with the fuel, with