Mandala 8

Sukta 38: Indra and Agni, priests of the yajna

Rishi: श्यावाश्व आत्रेयः · Devata: इन्द्राग्नी · Metre: गायत्री

10 verses · 38 of 103

What happens in this chapter

Indra and Agni, priests of the yajna

Shyavashva Atreya addresses Indra and Agni together in gayatri. They are the two officiants of the yajna, winners in the contest for strength, chariot-riders, Vritra-slayers never defeated. Men have milked the gladdening Soma for them with pressing stones. The rishi asks them to accept the pressings and his praise that moves in the gayatri track, to come with the gods who travel at dawn, and to hear the call of the Atris. He chooses the help of Indra and Agni, who are joined with Sarasvati and for whom the gayatri is sung.

38.1

य॒ज्ञस्य॒ हि स्थ ऋ॒त्विजा॒ सस्नी॒ वाजे॑षु॒ कर्म॑सु ।
इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ तस्य॑ बोधतम्

yajñasya hi stha ṛtvijā sasnī vājeṣu karmasu |
indrāgnī tasya bodhatam

38.2

तो॒शासा॑ रथ॒यावा॑ना वृत्र॒हणाप॑राजिता ।
इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ तस्य॑ बोधतम्

tośāsā rathayāvānā vṛtrahaṇāparājitā |
indrāgnī tasya bodhatam

38.3

इ॒दं वां॑ मदि॒रं मध्वधु॑क्ष॒न्नद्रि॑भि॒र्नर॑ः ।
इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ तस्य॑ बोधतम्

idaṃ vāṃ madiraṃ madhvadhukṣannadribhirnaraḥ |
indrāgnī tasya bodhatam

38.4

जु॒षेथां॑ य॒ज्ञमि॒ष्टये॑ सु॒तं सोमं॑ सधस्तुती ।
इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ आ ग॑तं नरा

juṣethāṃ yajñamiṣṭaye sutaṃ somaṃ sadhastutī |
indrāgnī ā gataṃ narā