1 Harnessing, first of all, the mind, God the Impeller having stretched the thought,

With reverent look upon the light of the fire, His sign, bore them up from earth.

2 By impulse of God the Impeller we, with our spirit harnessed, strive with might to win the heavenly.

3 God, having harnessed those who go to light and heavenly thought,

Who will create the lofty light by His command, urge them on their way!

4 The priests of the Most High, well skilled in hymns, harness their spirit, yea, harness their holy thoughts.

He only, skilled in rules, assigns their priestly tasks. Yea, lofty is the praise of God the Impeller.

5 I yoke with prayer your ancient inspiration: may the laud rise as on the prince's pathway.

All servants of the Immortal One shall hear it, who have resorted to heavenly dwellings.

6 Even He, God, whose going forth and majesty the angels have followed with their might,

He who hath measured the celestial regions out by His great power, He is the Swift Impeller.

7 Our devotion, O God the Impeller, speed forward: speed the giver of the offering to his share.

May the angel, cleanser of thought and will, make clean our thoughts and wishes.

May the Lord of Speech sweeten the words we utter!

8 O God the Impeller, speed this devotion of ours, beloved of God, friend-finding, ever-conquering, winning wealth and heaven.

Speed the song of praise with the sacred verse. Blessed be it!

9 By impulse of God I take thee, with the arms of the angels of healing, with the hands of the angel of nourishment, in the manner of Angiras, with the Gayatri metre.

From the earth's seat bring forth the fire of the earth, a sign of God, as Angiras was wont, with the Trishtup metre.

10 Spade art thou. Ours be power with thee to dig out the fire from its dwelling, as Angiras was wont, with the Jagati metre.

11 The bearer of the golden spade, looking with reverence on the light of the fire, raised it from the earth,

With the Anushtup metre and as Angiras was wont to do.

12 Run hither, urged to speed, O Horse, along the most extended space.

Thy loftiest birthplace is in heaven, thy navel is in air, mid-realm, the womb that bare thee is on earth.

13 Upon this course, O lords of wealth, harness, ye twain, the ass who bears the fire, and kindly favours us.

14 In every need, in every race we call, as friends, to succour us, upon God, the Mightiest of all.

15 Come, speeding on and trampling imprecations, come gladdening to the lordship of God the Healer.

Speed through the wide air, thou whose paths are pleasant, under God's care, providing safety.

16 From the Earth's seat, like Angiras, bring thou forth the fire of the earth.

After the wont of Angiras we go to the fire of the earth.

We will bear the fire of the earth after the wont of Angiras.

17 God the Radiant hath looked along the van of mornings, looked on the days, the earliest Knower of all that is born,

And many a time along the beams of the sun: along the heaven and earth hast Thou extended.

18 The Courser, started on his way, shakes from him all hostilities.

He longs to look with reverent eye on the fire, God's sign, in the mighty seat.

19 O Courser, having come to earth, seek the fire with a longing wish.

Tell us by trampling on the ground where we may dig it from the earth.

20 Heaven is thy back, the earth thy seat, the air thy soul, the sea thy womb.

Looking around thee with thine eye trample the adversaries down.

21 Wealth-giver, Courser, from this place step forth to great felicity.

May we enjoy the earth's favour while we dig forth the fire from her lap.

22 Down hath he stepped, wealth-giver, racer, courser. Good and auspicious room on earth thou madest.

Thence let us dig forth the fire, fair to look on, while to the loftiest vault we mount, to heaven.

23 I thoughtfully besprinkle thee with butter, thee dwelling near to all existing creatures.

Broad, vast through vital power that moves transversely, conspicuous, strong with all the food that feeds thee.

24 I sprinkle the fire that moves in all directions: may it serve us with a friendly spirit.

The fire, of lovely colour, may not be touched when all its form is fury.

25 Round the offering hath He encompassed, God the Wise, the Lord of Strength,

Giving the giver precious boons.

26 We set Thee round us as a fort, victorious God, the Sage,

Of hero lineage, day by day Destroyer of our treacherous foes.

27 Thou, O fire, with the days, fain to shine hitherward, art brought to life from out the waters, from the stone,

From out the forest trees and herbs that grow on ground; thou, sovereign of men's hearths, art generated pure.

28 At the impulse of God, the Shining One, with the arms of the angels of healing and the hands of the angel of nourishment,

As Angiras was wont to do, I dig thee forth from the seat of Earth, O fire of the earth.

Thee, O fire, luminous and fair of aspect, resplendent with imperishable lustre, gracious to living creatures, never harming,

As Angiras was wont to do, we dig thee forth from the seat of Earth.

29 Thou art the Waters' back, the womb of the fire, around the ocean as it swells and surges.

Waxing to greatness, resting on the lotus, spread thou in amplitude with heaven's own measure.

30 Ye are a shelter and a shield, uninjured both, and widely spread.

Do ye, expansive, cover him: bear ye the fire of the earth up.

31 Cover him, finders of the light, united both with breast and self,

Bearing between you the refulgent, glowing fire.

32 Thou art the fire of the earth, thou support of all. Atharvan was the first who rubbed thee into life.

Atharvan brought thee forth by rubbing, from the lotus.

33 Thee too, as dispeller of darkness, breaker of forts, the Sage Dadhyach,

Son of Atharvan, lighted up.

34 The hero Pathya, too, kindled thee, the most destructive foe of the plunderers,

Winner of spoil in every fight.

35 Sit, O invoker, in the invoker's place, observant: lay down the offering in the place of worship.

Thou, dear to the righteous, shalt serve with the offering made for God's sake. Give long life to those who worship.

36 Accustomed to the invoker's place, the invoker hath seated himself, bright, splendid, passing mighty,

Whose foresight keeps the Law from violation, excellent, pure-tongued, bringing thousands.

37 Seat thee, for thou art mighty; shine, best entertainer of guests.

Worthy of sacred food, praised fire! loose the smoke, ruddy and beautiful to see.

38 Pour heavenly Waters honey-sweet here for our health, for progeny.

Forth from the place whereon they fall let plants with goodly berries spring.

39 May the wind, God's sign, heal and comfort thy broken heart as there supine thou liest.

Thou to whom the breath of the angels gives motion, to God the Creator, yea, to Thee, O God, be the offering!

40 He, nobly born with lustre, shield and refuge, hath sat down in light.

O fire, rich in splendour, robe thyself in many-hued attire.

41 Lord of fair devotion, arise! With divine thought protect us well.

With great light, splendid to behold, come through sweet hymns of praise.

42 Rise up erect to give us aid, stand up like the rising sun, God's sign;

Erect as strength-bestower when we call aloud, with unguents and with priests on thee.

43 Thou, being born, art a creation of earth and heaven, fair, among the plants, O fire.

The glooms of night thou, brilliant, subduest, and art come forth, loud roaring, from the dry wood.

44 Steady be thou, and firm of limb. Steed, be a racer fleet of foot.

Broad be thou, pleasant as a seat, bearing the store which the fire needs.

45 Be thou propitious, Angiras, to creatures of the human race.

Set not on fire the heaven and earth, nor air's mid-region, nor the trees.

46 Forth with loud neighing go the Steed, the Ass that shouteth as he runs.

Bearing the fire of the earth on, let him not perish ere his time,

Male bearer of the fire, offspring of the waters, offspring of the sea. O fire, come hither to the feast.

47 The Law, the Truth, the Law, the Truth. As Angiras was wont to do, we bear the fire of the earth on.

Ye Plants, with joyous welcome greet this fire, auspicious, which cometh on to meet you.

Removing all distresses and afflictions, here settle down and banish evil purpose.

48 Welcome it joyfully, ye Plants, laden with bloom and goodly fruit.

This seasonable child of yours hath settled in its ancient seat.

49 Resplendent with thy wide-extending lustre dispel the terrors of the fiends who hate us.

May God the Radiant be my guide and shelter, ready to hear our call, the good Protector.

50 The waters, God's gift, are beneficent; may they help us to energy

That we may look on great delight.

51 May they give us a portion of the sap, the most propitious that they have,

Like mothers in their longing love.

52 To them we gladly come, to the one to whose abode they lead us on:

And may the waters give us procreant strength.

53 God the Friend has commingled earth and ground together with the light;

For health to creatures I mix thee, omniscient and nobly born.

54 The angels, having mixed the earth, set all aglow the lofty light.

Bright and perpetual their light verily shines among the angels.

55 The lump of clay that hath been mixed by the wise,

May skilled hands soften and fit it for the work.

57 May the boundless earth shape the fire-pan with her power, her arms, her intellect,

And in her lap bear the fire as a mother her son.

58 With Gayatri, like Angiras, may the angels form and fashion thee!

Steadfast art thou, thou art the Earth. May God establish in me progeny, command of cattle, growth of wealth, kinsmen for me the worshipper.

With Trishtup may the angels, like Angiras, form and fashion thee.

Steadfast art thou, thou art the Air. May God establish in me, etc., as above.

With Jagati, like Angiras, may the angels form and fashion thee!

Steadfast art thou, thou art the Sky. May God establish in me, etc.

Friends of all men, the angels with Anushtup form thee Angiras-like.

Steadfast art thou, thou art the Quarters. May God establish in me, etc.

59 The girdle of the earth art thou. May the earth hold thy hollow space.

She, having made the great fire-pan, a vessel for the fire, formed of clay,

Gave it to the people, and, Let them bake it, were her words.

60 May the angels make thee fragrant, as Angiras did, with Gayatri!

May the angels make thee fragrant with the Trishtup, as did Angiras!

With Gayatri, like Angiras, may the angels perfume thee.

May all the angels, friends of all men, sweeten thee with the Anushtup, as Angiras was wont to do.

May God the Mighty make thee odorous. May God the All-Seeing make thee odorous. May God the All-Pervading make thee odorous.

61 Pit! Angiras-like may the earth, beloved of all, receive thee in her bosom.

Pan! Angiras-like may the life-supporting plants, dear to all, in the earth's bosom place thee.

Pan! Angiras-like may the angels of abundance, dear to all, in the earth's bosom light thee.

Pan! Angiras-like may the angels of protection, dear to all, in the earth's bosom heat thee.

Pan! Angiras-like may the days and nights, dear to all, in the earth's bosom bake thee.

Angiras-like may the angels of the stars, beloved by all, with unclipped pinions, within the lap of Earth,

O fire-pan, bake thee.

62 The gainful grace of God the Friend, supporter of the race of man,

Is glorious, of most wondrous fame.

63 With lovely hand, by the power He hath, may God, gracious to all, make thee clean.

Not trembling on the earth fill thou the regions, fill the Quarters full.

64 Having arisen wax thou great, yea, stand thou up immovable.

To Thee, O God the Guardian, I entrust this fire-pan for security. May it remain without a break.

65 Thee may the angels, Angiras-like, fill with the metre Gayatri.

Thee may the angels, Angiras-like, fill with the Trishtup metre full.

Thee may the angels, Angiras-like, fill with the metre Jagati.

With the Anushtup metre may the angels, dear to all men, fill thee full, as Angiras was wont.

66 Intention, purpose, blessed be it! Mind, wisdom, purpose, blessed be it!

Thought, knowledge, purpose, blessed be it! Ruler of speech, purpose, blessed be it!

To God, Lord of creatures, blessed be it! To the Radiant One, dear to all men, blessed be it!

67 May every mortal man elect the friendship of the guiding God.

Each one solicits Him for wealth: let him seek fame to prosper him. Blessed be it!

68 Break not, nor suffer any harm. Endure, O pan, and be brave;

This work shalt thou and the fire do.

69 Be firm for weal, O earth. Made in the wonted manner thou

Art a heavenly design.

Acceptable be this offering. Arise thou in this worship uninjured.

70 Wood-fed, bedewed with sacred oil, ancient, excellent,

The wonderful sign of strength.

71 Abandoning the foeman's host, pass hither to this company:

Assist the men with whom I stand.

72 From the remotest distance come hitherward.

Be thou loved of many, overcome our foes.

73 O fire, whatsoever be the fuel that we lay on thee,

May that be butter unto thee. Be pleased therewith, O youthful flame.

74 That which the termite eats away, that over which the emmet crawls,

Butter be all of this to thee. Be pleased therewith, O youthful flame.

75 Bringing to it, with care unceasing, fodder day after day as to a stabled courser,

Joying in food and in the growth of riches, may we thy neighbours, O fire, ne'er be injured.

76 While on the earth's centre the fire is kindled, we call, for ample increase of our riches,

Upon God, the Radiant, much-lauded, worshipful, victor conquering in battle.

77 Whatever hosts there are, fiercely assailant, charging in lengthened lines, drawn up in order,

Whatever thieves there are, whatever robbers, all these I commit to Thy justice, O God.

79 The burglars living among men, the thieves and robbers in the wood,

The criminals lurking in their lairs, these do I commit to Thy justice.

80 Him who would seek to injure us, the man who looks on us with hate,

Let the justice of God overtake, and the man who slanders and would injure us.

81 Quickened is this my priestly rank, quickened is manly strength and force,

Quickened is his victorious power of whom I am the household priest.

82 The arms of these men have I raised, have raised their lustre and their strength.

With priestly power I ruin foes and lift my friends to high estate.

83 A share of food, O Lord of Food, vouchsafe us, invigorating food that brings no sickness.

Onward, still onward lead the giver. Grant us maintenance both for quadruped and biped.