Religion
Rig Veda 8.11: THOU Agni, God mid mortal men, art guard of sacred rites, thou art
Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith (1896) · From The Hymns of the Rigveda (1896)
THOU Agni, God mid mortal men, art guard of sacred rites, thou art
To be adored at sacrifice.
O Mighty Agni, thou must be glorified at our festivals,
Bearing our offerings to the Gods.
O Jatavedas Agni, fight and drive our foes afar from us,
Them and their godless enmities.
Thou, Jatavedas, seekest not the worship of a hostile man,
However nigh itbe to thee.
We sages, mortals as we are, adore the mighty name of thee,
Immortal Jatavedas' name.
Sages, we call the Sage to help, mortals, we call the God to aid:
We call on Agni with our songs.
May Vatsa draw- thy mind away even from thy loftiest dwelling-place,
Agni, with song that yearns for thee.
Thou art the same in many a place: mid all the people thou art Lord.
In fray and fight we call on thee.
When we are seeking strength we call Agni to help us in the strife,
The giver of rich gifts in war.
Ancient, adorable at sacrifices, Priest from of old, meet for our praise, thou sittest.
Fill full and satisfy thy body, Agni, and win us happiness by offering worship.
Cite this poem
MLA
Veda, The Rishis of the Rig. “Rig Veda 8.11: THOU Agni, God mid mortal men, art guard of sacred rites, thou art.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rigveda-rishis/629/.
Chicago
Veda, The Rishis of the Rig. “Rig Veda 8.11: THOU Agni, God mid mortal men, art guard of sacred rites, thou art.” Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rigveda-rishis/629/.
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