MANDALA I, HYMN 141.

ASHTAKA II, ADHYAYA 2, VARGA 8-9.

1. Lo, that beautiful splendour of the god, when he was born of strength, has truly come to be a wondrous sight. Though he slinks away , the prayer goes straight to him . They have led forward the flowing streams of Rita.

2. The powerful one , rich in food, the true (friend of men) has entered the wondrous (body) . His second (form of existence) is in the seven kind mothers . The ten young females have brought the third (form) of this bull forth, him the guardian, in order to milk him.

3. When the rulers, the liberal lords brought him forth by their power out of the depth, out of the buffalo's shape , when from of old at the purification of the sweet drink Matarisvan produces the hidden one (i. e. Agni) by attrition--

4. When he is led forward from the highest father , he climbs up the ... , the plants in his (or, in their?) houses. When both (Heaven and Earth or the two Aranis?) promote his birth, then the youngest one became bright by his heat .

5. Then he entered upon the mothers in whom he the bright one grew up far and wide unimpaired . When he has climbed up to the former (mothers) who from of old incite (him) , he runs down in the younger, later (or, nearer) ones.

6 . Then in the strivings for the day they choose him Hotri. As if to swell their good fortune they

strive towards him , when praised by many he moves everywhere with wisdom and power to the gods and to the praise of mortals for (bringing them) refreshing drink.

7. When he has scattered himself, the worshipful one, driven by the wind, like ... , with the sound (which he produces) (?), he whom it is not possible to drive to a place (like cattle): on the flight of the burning one who speeds on his black way, whose birth is bright, who strays everywhere to the atmosphere ... .

8. Like a chariot that goes forward, he goes to Heaven with his ruddy limbs, adorned with his locks of flames . Then his black (clouds of smoke), O burning one (?), the liberal ones (?) (appear) . The birds flee as before the fierceness of a hero .

9. Through thee indeed, O Agni, Varuna whose laws are firm, Mitra and Aryaman, the givers of good rain, are glorious, when thou the mighty one hast been born, everywhere encompassing with wisdom (all beings), as the felly encompasses the spokes of a wheel.

10. Thou, O Agni, youngest (god), furtherest treasures and (the friendship of) the gods for him who performs worship, who presses Soma. May we thus establish thee the young one, O young (son) of strength, possessor of great treasures, like the winner in a race .

11. Make good fortune swell for us like well-employed wealth belonging to the house, and like firm ability --(fortune) which can hold both races like reins: and being full-of good-will in (the sphere of) Rita, (fill our) praise of the gods (with rich reward).