Verses 1, 2, 3
वे॒दि॒षदे॑ प्रि॒यधा॑माय सु॒द्युते॑ धा॒सिमि॑व॒ प्र भ॑रा॒ योनि॑म॒ग्नये॑ । वस्त्रे॑णेव वासया॒ मन्म॑ना॒ शुचिं॑ ज्यो॒तीर॑थं शु॒क्रव॑र्णं तमो॒हनं॑ ॥
vediṣáde priyádhāmāya sudyúte dhāsímiva prá bharā yónimagnáye ǀ vástreṇeva vāsayā mánmanā śúcim jyotī́ratham śukrávarṇam tamohánam ǁ
अ॒भि द्वि॒जन्मा॑ त्रि॒वृदन्न॑मृज्यते संवत्स॒रे वा॑वृधे ज॒ग्धमी॒ पुनः॑ । अ॒न्यस्या॒सा जि॒ह्वया॒ जेन्यो॒ वृषा॒ न्य१॒॑न्येन॑ व॒निनो॑ मृष्ट वार॒णः ॥
abhí dvijánmā trivṛ́dánnamṛjyate saṃvatsaré vāvṛdhe jagdhámī púnaḥ ǀ anyásyāsā́ jihváyā jényo vṛ́ṣā nyányéna vaníno mṛṣṭa vāraṇáḥ ǁ
कृ॒ष्ण॒प्रुतौ॑ वेवि॒जे अ॑स्य स॒क्षिता॑ उ॒भा त॑रेते अ॒भि मा॒तरा॒ शिशुं॑ । प्रा॒चाजि॑ह्वं ध्व॒सयं॑तं तृषु॒च्युत॒मा साच्यं॒ कुप॑यं॒ वर्ध॑नं पि॒तुः ॥
kṛṣṇaprútau vevijé asya sakṣítā ubhā́ tarete abhí mātárā śíśum ǀ prācā́jihvam dhvasáyantam tṛṣucyútamā́ sā́cyam kúpayam várdhanam pitúḥ ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi approaches the sacred altar where Agni is to be invoked. Agni is pictured not merely as physical fire, but as a brilliant, divine guest seated upon the sacred grass (vedi), shining with radiant splendor. He is described as the twice-born (one born from the friction of the arani sticks and once from the sacrificial butter), swift, and the destroyer of darkness. The imagery shifts to his fiery tongue and his eager consumption of the offerings, reaching out like a powerful bull across the forest, cleansing and devouring all obstacles in his path. As the hymns build, the seeker understands that this external act of kindling is an internal alignment with the supreme divine will. Agni is the youth who spans both cosmic realms, the carrier of human aspiration into the divine heights. The imagery of the dark-coursing flame and the dual mothers (the two rubbing sticks) emphasizes the dynamic, ceaseless friction required to awaken spiritual consciousness from the slumber of ignorance.
Verse 1: Bring forth Agni onto his sacred seat as you would a precious guest, clothe him with mind and bright devotion; he is the radiant chariot of light, the bright-hued destroyer of darkness.
Verse 2: The twice-born, threefold fire is nourished by offerings, growing year after year, devouring and regenerating; with his tongue he licks the forest like a mighty, roaring bull.
Verse 3: With dark-sweeping steps and trembling might, the two mothers nourish this infant flame, whose tongue shoots forward, shaking the forests as he grows upon his fuel.
Sāyaṇa interprets 'twice-born' through ritualistic origins, while Sri Aurobindo sees Agni's double birth as his terrestrial appearance and his concealed divine origin in the supreme ether. The dark smoke (kṛṣṇa-pruta) is both physical soot and the necessary obscuration through which the inner light must break.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वेदिषद् | vedi-sad | seated on the vedi or sacred grass altar |
| प्रियधामन् | priya-dhāman | having a beloved abode or form |
| ज्योतिरथ | jyotiḥ-ratha | whose chariot is light |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| द्विजन्मन् | dvi-janman | twice-born (from fire-sticks and heaven/earth) |
| त्रिवृत् | tri-vṛt | triple-manifested or threefold |
| वृषन् | vṛṣan | bull, showering down blessings |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| कृष्णप्रुत | kṛṣṇa-pruta | dark-coursing, moving with dark smoke |
| माता | mātā | mother (the two fire-sticks) |
| शिशु | śiśu | child, infant (referring to the newborn flame) |
Picture a newborn divine child made of pure gold and smoke, born from rubbing sticks, roaring like a bull through a dark forest and devouring everything to clear the path of truth.
Verses 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
मु॒मु॒क्ष्वो॒३॒॑ मन॑वे मानवस्य॒ते र॑घु॒द्रुवः॑ कृ॒ष्णसी॑तास ऊ॒ जुवः॑ । अ॒स॒म॒ना अ॑जि॒रासो॑ रघु॒ष्यदो॒ वात॑जूता॒ उप॑ युज्यंत आ॒शवः॑ ॥
mumukṣvó mánave mānavasyaté raghudrúvaḥ kṛṣṇásītāsa ū júvaḥ ǀ asamanā́ ajirā́so raghuṣyádo vā́tajūtā úpa yujyanta āśávaḥ ǁ
आद॑स्य॒ ते ध्व॒सयं॑तो॒ वृथे॑रते कृ॒ष्णमभ्वं॒ महि॒ वर्पः॒ करि॑क्रतः । यत्सीं॑ म॒हीम॒वनिं॒ प्राभि मर्मृ॑शदभिश्व॒सन्त्स्त॒नय॒न्नेति॒ नान॑दत् ॥
ā́dasya té dhvasáyanto vṛ́therate kṛṣṇámábhvam máhi várpaḥ kárikrataḥ ǀ yátsīm mahī́mavánim prā́bhí mármṛśadabhiśvasántstanáyannéti nā́nadat ǁ
भूष॒न्न योऽधि॑ ब॒भ्रूषु॒ नम्न॑ते॒ वृषे॑व॒ पत्नी॑र॒भ्ये॑ति॒ रोरु॑वत् । ओ॒जा॒यमा॑नस्त॒न्व॑श्च शुंभते भी॒मो न शृंगा॑ दविधाव दु॒र्गृभिः॑ ॥
bhū́ṣanná yó’dhi babhrū́ṣu námnate vṛ́ṣeva pátnīrabhyéti róruvat ǀ ojāyámānastanváśca śumbhate bhīmó ná śṛ́ṅgā davidhāva durgṛ́bhiḥ ǁ
स सं॒स्तिरो॑ वि॒ष्टिरः॒ सं गृ॑भायति जा॒नन्ने॒व जा॑न॒तीर्नित्य॒ आ श॑ये । पुन॑र्वर्धंते॒ अपि॑ यंति दे॒व्य॑म॒न्यद्वर्पः॑ पि॒त्रोः कृ॑ण्वते॒ सचा॑ ॥
sá saṃstíro viṣṭíraḥ sám gṛbhāyati jānánnevá jānatī́rnítya ā́ śaye ǀ púnarvardhante ápi yanti devyámanyádvárpaḥ pitróḥ kṛṇvate sácā ǁ
तम॒ग्रुवः॑ के॒शिनीः॒ सं हि रे॑भि॒र ऊ॒र्ध्वास्त॑स्थुर्म॒म्रुषीः॒ प्रायवे॒ पुनः॑ । तासां॑ ज॒रां प्र॑मुं॒चन्ने॑ति॒ नान॑द॒दसुं॒ परं॑ ज॒नय॑ञ्जी॒वमस्तृ॑तं ॥
támagrúvaḥ keśínīḥ sám hí rebhirá ūrdhvā́stasthurmamrúṣīḥ prā́yáve púnaḥ ǀ tā́sām jarā́m pramuñcánneti nā́nadadásum páram janáyañjīvámástṛtam ǁ
Here the Ṛṣi unleashes a torrent of metaphors comparing Agni's leaping flames to a charging troop of wild horses or divine steeds driven by the wind. They are swift, unbound, and eager to serve humanity's spiritual quest. As the fire spreads, it envelops the earth like a massive, roaring entity shaking the ground, expanding its majestic form. Agni moves through the universe like a bull among herds, magnificent and untamable, yet holding the secrets of regeneration. He lays himself down upon the earth only to rise again, bringing youth to the mortal sacrificer and renewing existence. The 'maidens' with flowing hair—symbolizing the streams of ghee or the flickering tongues of flame—embrace him, renewing his life-force and ensuring that the cosmic cycle of sacrifice continues uninterrupted.
Verse 4: Eager for release, swift as the wind, the dark-flanked steeds of Agni are harnessed for mortal man, restless, flying forward like driven lightning.
Verse 5: Then your sweeping winds rush forth wildly, magnifying your huge and dark form as you touch the vast earth, breathing heavily, roaring, and thundering as you go.
Verse 6: Adorning himself among the brownwoods, roaring like a bull toward his cows, he shines in his own body, formidable and untamable like the horns of a wild beast.
Verse 7: Spreading wide and folding together, he seizes everything, lying intimately upon the wood as one who knows. They grow young again and take on a new divine form together with their parents.
Verse 8: The flowing-haired maidens embrace him, standing upright, rising to give new life to the mortal; stripping away old age, he goes forth roaring, generating a supreme, unbroken life.
Commentators see the 'maidens' (agruvaḥ keśinīḥ) as either the streams of melted butter poured onto the fire or personified rays of light. Aurobindo reads this metaphorically as the dynamic energies of nature surrendering to the supreme divine will to renew mortal existence.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रघुद्रुव् | raghu-druv | swift-running |
| वातजूत | vāta-jūta | impelled by the wind |
| आशु | āśu | swift, horse |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अभ्व | abhva | immense, prodigious form or monster |
| स्तनयत् | stanayat | thundering |
| नानदत् | nānadat | roaring loudly |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| बभ्रू | babhrū | brown or tawny ones (the logs) |
| ओजायमान | ojāyamāna | showing great power, exerting vigor |
| शृङ्ग | śṛṅga | horns (peak of the flame) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| संहस्तिर | saṃ-stira | spreading together |
| विस्तिर | vi-stira | scattering wide |
| वर्पस् | varpas | form, manifestation |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अग्रुव् | agruv | maidens, unmarried youthful flames/streams |
| केशिनी | keśinī | long-haired (flames or smoke trails) |
| असु | asu | life-spirit, vital breath |
Imagine a stampede of black horses with manes of fire, galloping across the earth, breathing thunder and lightning, transforming decay into vibrant life.
Verses 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
अ॒धी॒वा॒सं परि॑ मा॒तू रि॒हन्नह॑ तुवि॒ग्रेभिः॒ सत्व॑भिर्याति॒ वि ज्रयः॑ । वयो॒ दध॑त्प॒द्वते॒ रेरि॑ह॒त्सदानु॒ श्येनी॑ सचते वर्त॒नीरह॑ ॥
adhīvāsám pári mātū́ rihánnáha tuvigrébhiḥ sátvabhiryāti ví jráyaḥ ǀ váyo dádhatpadváte rérihatsádā́nu śyénī sacate vartanī́ráha ǁ
अ॒स्माक॑मग्ने म॒घव॑त्सु दीदि॒ह्यध॒ श्वसी॑वान्वृष॒भो दमू॑नाः । अ॒वास्या॒ शिशु॑मतीरदीदे॒र्वर्मे॑व यु॒त्सु प॑रि॒जर्भु॑राणः ॥
asmā́kamagne maghávatsu dīdihyádha śvásīvānvṛṣabhó dámūnāḥ ǀ avā́syā śíśumatīradīdervármeva yutsú parijárbhurāṇaḥ ǁ
इ॒दम॑ग्ने॒ सुधि॑तं॒ दुर्धि॑ता॒दधि॑ प्रि॒यादु॑ चि॒न्मन्म॑नः॒ प्रेयो॑ अस्तु ते । यत्ते॑ शु॒क्रं त॒न्वो॒३॒॑ रोच॑ते॒ शुचि॒ तेना॒स्मभ्यं॑ वनसे॒ रत्न॒मा त्वं ॥
idámagne súdhitam dúrdhitādádhi priyā́du cinmánmanaḥ préyo astu te ǀ yátte śukrám tanvó rócate śúci ténāsmábhyam vanase rátnamā́ tvám ǁ
रथा॑य॒ नाव॑मु॒त नो॑ गृ॒हाय॒ नित्या॑रित्रां प॒द्वतीं॑ रास्यग्ने । अ॒स्माकं॑ वी॒राँ उ॒त नो॑ म॒घोनो॒ जनां॑श्च॒ या पा॒रया॒च्छर्म॒ या च॑ ॥
ráthāya nā́vamutá no gṛhā́ya nítyāritrām padvátīm rāsyagne ǀ asmā́kam vīrā́m̐ utá no maghóno jánāṃśca yā́ pāráyācchárma yā́ ca ǁ
अ॒भी नो॑ अग्न उ॒क्थमिज्जु॑गुर्या॒ द्यावा॒क्षामा॒ सिंध॑वश्च॒ स्वगू॑र्ताः । गव्यं॒ यव्यं॒ यंतो॑ दी॒र्घाहेषं॒ वर॑मरु॒ण्यो॑ वरंत ॥
abhī́ no agna ukthámíjjuguryā dyā́vākṣā́mā síndhavaśca svágūrtāḥ ǀ gávyam yávyam yánto dīrghā́héṣam váramaruṇyó varanta ǁ
In the concluding act, Agni is addressed as the household lord (damūnāḥ) and the protective armor in battle. Licking the garments of his mother (the wood or the earth), he travels swiftly with his troop of radiant companions, providing sustenance to all moving creatures. The Ṛṣi prays that Agni shine brightly among the generous patrons of the sacrifice, enveloping them like a defensive coat of mail in conflicts. The Sūkta closes with a deeply personal plea. The Ṛṣi offers his prayer as a refined masterpiece, asking Agni to accept it and grant in return the ultimate treasures: a sturdy boat with reliable oars to cross life's troubled waters, safe passage for heroes and friends, and the continuous flow of divine grace accompanied by the bounty of rivers, heavens, and earth.
Verse 9: Licking the garment of his mother, he travels across wide spaces with his mighty companions, bestowing nourishment upon all that move, forever following the track of the shining hawk.
Verse 10: O Agni, shine brightly among our patrons! Be our breathing, bull-like lord of the house, protecting the mother-flames like armor in the midst of battle.
Verse 11: O Agni, may this well-framed prayer of ours be dearer to you than any other thought; with that bright and pure body of yours which pleases you, bestow upon us the divine treasure.
Verse 12: Bestow upon us, O Agni, a boat equipped with steady oars for our journey and our home, to carry our heroes, our patrons, and our people safely across to peace and shelter.
Verse 13: May you accept our spoken praise, O Agni, along with heaven, earth, and the rivers. Guiding us to the wealth of cattle and grain, may the dawn-red sisters grant us sustenance through endless days.
The plea for a boat with permanent oars (nityāritrām nāvam) is both a literal request for maritime or river safety and a profound Upanishadic foreshadowing of crossing the ocean of saṃsāra using divine wisdom as the vessel.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अधीवास | adhīvāsa | outer garment, wrapper |
| तुविग्रभ् | tuvi-grabha | having mighty hosts or fierce grips |
| श्येनी | śyenī | female hawk (symbolizing swift motion through the sky) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मघवन् | maghavan | bountiful patron, liberal giver |
| दमूनास् | damūnās | lord of the house, intimately attached to the home |
| वर्मन् | varman | armor, protective coat |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सुधित | su-dhita | well-placed, well-arranged |
| मन्मन् | manman | thought, hymn, prayer |
| रत्न | ratna | jewel, supreme treasure or gift |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| नाव् | nāv | boat, ship (to cross worldly existence) |
| नित्यअरित्र | nitya-aritra | having permanent or unfailing oars |
| शर्मन् | śarman | shelter, protection, bliss |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| जुगुर्यास् | juguryās | may you welcome, accept with praise |
| द्यावाक्षामा | dyāvākṣāmā | heaven and earth |
| अरुणी | aruṇī | reddish ones, dawns or dawn-like flames |
Picture a golden boat with sturdy oars resting safely on a peaceful shore, shielded by a glowing shield of armor while rivers and skies sing hymns of protection.