Verses 1, 2
अ॒ग्निं होता॑रं मन्ये॒ दास्वं॑तं॒ वसुं॑ सू॒नुं सह॑सो जा॒तवे॑दसं॒ विप्रं॒ न जा॒तवे॑दसं । य ऊ॒र्ध्वया॑ स्वध्व॒रो दे॒वो दे॒वाच्या॑ कृ॒पा । घृ॒तस्य॒ विभ्रा॑ष्टि॒मनु॑ वष्टि शो॒चिषा॒जुह्वा॑नस्य स॒र्पिषः॑ ॥
agním hótāram manye dā́svantam vásum sūnúm sáhaso jātávedasam vípram ná jātávedasam ǀ yá ūrdhváyā svadhvaró devó devā́cyā kṛpā́ ǀ ghṛtásya víbhrāṣṭimánu vaṣṭi śocíṣājúhvānasya sarpíṣaḥ ǁ
यजि॑ष्ठं त्वा॒ यज॑माना हुवेम॒ ज्येष्ठ॒मंगि॑रसां विप्र॒ मन्म॑भि॒र्विप्रे॑भिः शुक्र॒ मन्म॑भिः । परि॑ज्मानमिव॒ द्यां होता॑रं चर्षणी॒नां । शो॒चिष्के॑शं॒ वृष॑णं॒ यमि॒मा विशः॒ प्रावं॑तु जू॒तये॒ विशः॑ ॥
yájiṣṭham tvā yájamānā huvema jyéṣṭhamáṅgirasām vipra mánmabhirvíprebhiḥ śukra mánmabhiḥ ǀ párijmānamiva dyā́m hótāram carṣaṇīnā́m ǀ śocíṣkeśam vṛ́ṣaṇam yámimā́ víśaḥ prā́vantu jūtáye víśaḥ ǁ
Welcome, seeker, to the opening movement of Sūkta 127, composed by the seer Parāśara, a scion of the illustrious Vasiṣṭha lineage. Here, Agni is invoked not merely as the flickering hearth fire, but as the supreme Hotṛ—the divine priest who bridges the mortal and the immortal realms. The Ṛṣi perceives Agni as Jātavedas, the knower of all created beings, possessing a radiance born of strength (sahasaḥ sūnum). With imagery of upward-reaching flames that crave the offered clarified butter (ghṛta), Agni is envisioned as the glorious, youthful messenger whose divine brilliance pierces the darkness of ignorance. In the second verse, the sacrificers call upon Agni as yajiṣṭha, the most accomplished sacrificer, and the eldest of the Aṅgirasas, the primordial fire-seers. He is described as pariṣjmānam iva dyām, moving about the sky like the encompassing heavens, and śociḥkeśam, with hair of flame. The human clans (viśaḥ) take refuge in his glowing might, seeking his protection and the spiritual impetus (jūtaye) that propels them toward higher states of consciousness. These opening mantras establish Agni as the dynamic center of all ritualistic and inward aspiration.
Verse 1: I recognize Agni as the giving, all-knowing Hotṛ priest, the son of strength, wise as Jātavedas himself; who, with upright and brilliant flames, desires the flowing stream of melted butter.
Verse 2: May we, the sacrificers, invoke you who are most skilled in sacrifice, the eldest of the Aṅgirasas, through our songs of devotion, like the great sky moving all around.
Sāyaṇa interprets these verses through the lens of ritual sacrifice, where Agni physically carries the oblations to the gods. Esoterically, as Sri Aurobindo notes, Agni represents the divine Will-force and aspiration rising from the human heart toward the supreme light.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अग्निम् | agnim | Agni, the fire-god |
| होतारम् | hotāram | the invoking priest |
| जातवेदसम् | jātavedasam | knower of all generated things |
| घृतस्य | ghṛtasya | of clarified butter |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| यजिष्ठम् | yajiṣṭham | most eager or skilled in sacrificing |
| अङ्गिरसाम् | aṅgirasām | among the Aṅgirasas (ancient fire-seers) |
| शोचिष्केशम् | śociḥkeśam | having flame-hair |
Picture a majestic golden pillar of fire stretching from the earthly hearth directly up into the starry vault of heaven, acting as a living bridge for human prayer.
Verses 3, 4, 5
स हि पु॒रू चि॒दोज॑सा वि॒रुक्म॑ता॒ दीद्या॑नो॒ भव॑ति द्रुहंत॒रः प॑र॒शुर्न द्रु॑हंत॒रः । वी॒ळु चि॒द्यस्य॒ समृ॑तौ॒ श्रुव॒द्वने॑व॒ यत्स्थि॒रं । निष्षह॑माणो यमते॒ नाय॑ते धन्वा॒सहा॒ नाय॑ते ॥
sá hí purū́ cidójasā virúkmatā dī́dyāno bhávati druhaṃtaráḥ paraśúrná druhaṃtaráḥ ǀ vīḷú cidyásya sámṛtau śrúvadváneva yátsthirám ǀ niṣṣáhamāṇo yamate nā́yate dhanvāsáhā nā́yate ǁ
दृ॒ळ्हा चि॑दस्मा॒ अनु॑ दु॒र्यथा॑ वि॒दे तेजि॑ष्ठाभिर॒रणि॑भिर्दा॒ष्ट्यव॑से॒ऽग्नये॑ दा॒ष्ट्यव॑से । प्र यः पु॒रूणि॒ गाह॑ते॒ तक्ष॒द्वने॑व शो॒चिषा॑ । स्थि॒रा चि॒दन्ना॒ नि रि॑णा॒त्योज॑सा॒ नि स्थि॒राणि॑ चि॒दोज॑सा ॥
dṛḷhā́ cidasmā ánu duryáthā vidé téjiṣṭhābhiraráṇibhirdāṣṭyávase’gnáye dāṣṭyávase ǀ prá yáḥ purū́ṇi gā́hate tákṣadváneva śocíṣā ǀ sthirā́ cidánnā ní riṇātyójasā ní sthirā́ṇi cidójasā ǁ
तम॑स्य पृ॒क्षमुप॑रासु धीमहि॒ नक्तं॒ यः सु॒दर्श॑तरो॒ दिवा॑तरा॒दप्रा॑युषे॒ दिवा॑तरात् । आद॒स्यायु॒र्ग्रभ॑णवद्वी॒ळु शर्म॒ न सू॒नवे॑ । भ॒क्तमभ॑क्त॒मवो॒ व्यंतो॑ अ॒जरा॑ अ॒ग्नयो॒ व्यंतो॑ अ॒जराः॑ ॥
támasya pṛkṣámúparāsu dhīmahi náktam yáḥ sudárśataro dívātarādáprāyuṣe dívātarāt ǀ ā́dasyā́yurgrábhaṇavadvīḷú śárma ná sūnáve ǀ bhaktámábhaktamávo vyánto ajárā agnáyo vyánto ajárāḥ ǁ
As the Sūkta progresses, the poetry shifts to portray Agni's sheer, irresistible power. In verse three, he is compared to a sharp axe (paraśuḥ) that cuts down deceit (druhaṃtaraḥ), burning through falsehood with blazing might. Nothing is so firm or stubborn in the forest of life that it can resist his impact; like a roaring wind combined with a bow, he sweeps away obstacles. The imagery is fierce, elemental, and uncompromising. Verse four deepens this metallurgical and arboreal metaphor: Agni is kindled by the sharp friction-sticks (araṇi) and enters deep into dense forests, consuming even the most rigid fuels with his blazing tongue. He reduces the hardest obstacles to nothingness. By verse five, the Ṛṣi praises Agni as the visible presence in both night and day, guarding the life span of the sincere seeker (sūnave) and offering a secure, sheltering dwelling (vīḷu śarma) that nurtures spiritual longevity and abundance.
Verse 3: He indeed, shining with fierce energy, is more destructive of deceit than an axe, cutting down even the firmest things in the forest like falling trees.
Verse 4: Kindled by the sharpest friction-sticks, he enters deep into many places, shaping the forest-like obstacles with his flame, melting even solid matter with his power.
Verse 5: We meditate upon his abundant presence in the upper realms during the night; he is more visible by night and day than the daylight itself, granting firm protection to his son.
The comparison of Agni to an axe (paraśu) is a striking metaphor highlighted by Yāska in the Nirukta, illustrating how the divine fire cleaves through the dense thickets of human obstacles and hard egoism.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| परशुः | paraśuḥ | an axe |
| द्रुहन्तरः | druhaṃtaraḥ | overcomer of deceit or malice |
| ओजसा | ojasā | by strength or vital energy |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अरणिभिः | araṇibhiḥ | by the two fire-sticks used for friction |
| तेजिष्ठाभिः | tejiṣṭhābhiḥ | most sharp or efficient |
| शोचिषा | śociṣā | with flame or radiance |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सुदर्शतरः | sudarśataraḥ | more easily seen / extremely radiant |
| शर्म | śarma | shelter, refuge, or peace |
| अजराः | ajarāḥ | ageless, unaging |
Imagine a razor-sharp woodcutter's axe made entirely of white-hot steel, effortlessly slicing through thick, thorny jungles of brushwood.
Verses 6, 7, 8
स हि शर्धो॒ न मारु॑तं तुवि॒ष्वणि॒रप्न॑स्वतीषू॒र्वरा॑स्वि॒ष्टनि॒रार्त॑नास्वि॒ष्टनिः॑ । आद॑द्ध॒व्यान्या॑द॒दिर्य॒ज्ञस्य॑ के॒तुर॒र्हणा॑ । अध॑ स्मास्य॒ हर्ष॑तो॒ हृषी॑वतो॒ विश्वे॑ जुषंत॒ पंथां॒ नरः॑ शु॒भे न पंथां॑ ॥
sá hí śárdho ná mā́rutam tuviṣváṇirápnasvatīṣūrvárāsviṣṭánirā́rtanāsviṣṭániḥ ǀ ā́daddhavyā́nyādadíryajñásya ketúrarháṇā ǀ ádha smāsya hárṣato hṛ́ṣīvato víśve juṣanta pánthām náraḥ śubhé na panthām ǁ
द्वि॒ता यदीं॑ की॒स्तासो॑ अ॒भिद्य॑वो नम॒स्यंत॑ उप॒वोचं॑त॒ भृग॑वो म॒थ्नंतो॑ दा॒शा भृग॑वः । अ॒ग्निरी॑शे॒ वसू॑नां॒ शुचि॒र्यो ध॒र्णिरे॑षां । प्रि॒याँ अ॑पि॒धीँर्व॑निषीष्ट॒ मेधि॑र॒ आ व॑निषीष्ट॒ मेधि॑रः ॥
dvitā́ yádīm kīstā́so abhídyavo namasyánta upavócanta bhṛ́gavo mathnánto dāśā́ bhṛ́gavaḥ ǀ agnírīśe vásūnām śúciryó dharṇíreṣām ǀ priyā́m̐ apidhī́m̐rvaniṣīṣṭa médhira ā́ vaniṣīṣṭa médhiraḥ ǁ
विश्वा॑सां त्वा वि॒शां पतिं॑ हवामहे॒ सर्वा॑सां समा॒नं दंप॑तिं भु॒जे स॒त्यगि॑र्वाहसं भु॒जे । अति॑थिं॒ मानु॑षाणां पि॒तुर्न यस्या॑स॒या । अ॒मी च॒ विश्वे॑ अ॒मृता॑स॒ आ वयो॑ ह॒व्या दे॒वेष्वा वयः॑ ॥
víśvāsām tvā viśā́m pátim havāmahe sárvāsām samānám dámpatim bhujé satyágirvāhasam bhujé ǀ átithim mā́nuṣāṇām pitúrná yásyāsayā́ ǀ amī́ ca víśve amṛ́tāsa ā́ váyo havyā́ devéṣvā́ váyaḥ ǁ
In this central triad, Agni is likened to the storm-troop of the Maruts—noisy, impetuous, and overflowing with fertility across the fields. He is the standard-bearer and gatherer of the sacrifice (ketur arhaṇā), receiving all oblations. The nobles and patrons rejoice in his path, stepping forward as if for a grand celebration. Verse seven invokes the ancient mythic lineage of the Bhṛgus, who first churned or discovered Agni (mathnanto bhṛgavaḥ). Through their sacred hymns and devotion, Agni takes charge of all treasures (vasūnām) as the pure, sustaining foundation of the universe. In verse eight, he is addressed as the lord of all clans, the universal master of the house (dampatim), and the divine guest (atithim) of humankind, eagerly welcomed so that the immortal gods may partake of the human offerings.
Verse 6: He indeed is like the storm-troop of the Maruts, roaring across fertile fields; he is the banner of the sacrifice who accepts all rightful oblations.
Verse 7: When the ancient Bhṛgus, striving and churning, praised him with reverence—Agni is the lord of treasures, the pure and steadfast sustainer of them all.
Verse 8: We invoke you as the lord of all human clans, the common master of the house, the true carrier of prayers, and the honoured guest of mortals.
The reference to the Bhṛgus churning fire is a historical and mythological anchor in the Ṛgveda, pointing to the prehistoric discovery of fire-making techniques which the sages elevated into spiritual alchemy.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मारुतम् | mārutam | pertaining to the Maruts (storm-gods) |
| यज्ञस्य | yajñasya | of the sacrifice |
| केतुः | ketuḥ | banner, sign, or perceptive guide |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| भृगवः | bhṛgavaḥ | the Bhṛgus (ancient sage family) |
| मथ्नन्तः | mathnantaḥ | churning (to produce fire) |
| मेधिरः | medhiraḥ | wise, intelligent |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| दम्पतिम् | dampatim | lord of the house |
| अतिथिम् | atithim | guest |
| मानुषाणाम् | mānuṣāṇām | of human beings |
Envision an honored, glowing royal guest arriving at a grand household, welcomed by all family members who lay out their finest treasures before him.
Verses 9, 10, 11
त्वम॑ग्ने॒ सह॑सा॒ सहं॑तमः शु॒ष्मिंत॑मो जायसे दे॒वता॑तये र॒यिर्न दे॒वता॑तये । शु॒ष्मिंत॑मो॒ हि ते॒ मदो॑ द्यु॒म्निंत॑म उ॒त क्रतुः॑ । अध॑ स्मा ते॒ परि॑ चरंत्यजर श्रुष्टी॒वानो॒ नाज॑र ॥
tvámagne sáhasā sáhantamaḥ śuṣmíntamo jāyase devátātaye rayírná devátātaye ǀ śuṣmíntamo hí te mádo dyumníntama utá krátuḥ ǀ ádha smā te pári carantyajara śruṣṭīvā́no nā́jara ǁ
प्र वो॑ म॒हे सह॑सा॒ सह॑स्वत उष॒र्बुधे॑ पशु॒षे नाग्नये॒ स्तोमो॑ बभूत्व॒ग्नये॑ । प्रति॒ यदीं॑ ह॒विष्मा॒न्विश्वा॑सु॒ क्षासु॒ जोगु॑वे । अग्रे॑ रे॒भो न ज॑रत ऋषू॒णां जूर्णि॒र्होत॑ ऋषू॒णां ॥
prá vo mahé sáhasā sáhasvata uṣarbúdhe paśuṣé nā́gnáye stómo babhūtvagnáye ǀ práti yádīm havíṣmānvíśvāsu kṣā́su jóguve ǀ ágre rebhó ná jarata ṛṣūṇā́m jū́rṇirhóta ṛṣūṇā́m ǁ
स नो॒ नेदि॑ष्ठं॒ ददृ॑शान॒ आ भ॒राग्ने॑ दे॒वेभिः॒ सच॑नाः सुचे॒तुना॑ म॒हो रा॒यः सु॑चे॒तुना॑ । महि॑ शविष्ठ नस्कृधि सं॒चक्षे॑ भु॒जे अ॒स्यै । महि॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॑ मघवन्त्सु॒वीर्यं॒ मथी॑रु॒ग्रो न शव॑सा ॥
sá no nédiṣṭham dádṛśāna ā́ bharā́gne devébhiḥ sácanāḥ sucetúnā mahó rāyáḥ sucetúnā ǀ máhi śaviṣṭha naskṛdhi saṃcákṣe bhujé asyái ǀ máhi stotṛ́bhyo maghavantsuvī́ryam máthīrugró ná śávasā ǁ
The Sūkta culminates in a majestic crescendo of praise. Agni is celebrated as the most powerful conqueror born for divine worship (devatātaye), vibrating with intense vigor and brilliant inspirations. His exhilaration is unmatched, and devoted worshippers constantly attend upon him with reverence, keeping the flame of awareness eternally bright. In verse ten, the hymn swells into a public proclamation: let the lauds go forth to the mighty, dawn-awakening, wealth-bestowing Agni, who is invoked across all lands by those holding ritual offerings. Finally, in the eleventh verse, the Ṛṣi utters a heartfelt petition: 'O Agni, radiant with the gods, bring us the closest, most sublime riches! Grant us great hero-strength and abundant vigor so that we may behold and enjoy your divine gifts.'
Verse 9: O Agni, you are born as the most powerful conqueror through might, for the sake of divine worship; your exhilaration and your inspired will are intensely dynamic.
Verse 10: Let this song of praise rise up to the great, powerful, dawn-awakening Agni, whom the offerer invokes with devotion across all lands.
Verse 11: O Agni, bring near to us the greatest and most luminous wealth together with the gods! Grant us mighty heroic vigor, O bountiful one, for our enjoyment and sight.
Sāyaṇa interprets 'rayiḥ' as physical cattle, gold, and progeny, whereas psychological commentators like Sri Aurobindo view these riches as states of spiritual illumination, divine joy, and inner plenitude.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सहसन्तम् | sahantamaḥ | most powerful / most victorious |
| देवतातये | devatātaye | for the divine gathering or worship |
| अजर | ajara | unaging, immortal |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| उषर्बुधे | uṣarbudhe | awakening at dawn |
| स्तोमः | stomaḥ | hymn of praise |
| हविष्मान् | haviṣmān | one who has oblations ready |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शविष्ठ | śaviṣṭha | most mighty, strongest |
| रायः | rāyaḥ | wealth, treasures |
| सुवीर्यम् | suvīryam | heroic energy, noble vitality |
Picture a radiant king distributing overflowing chests of jewels and golden wheat to his grateful citizens gathered at sunrise.