Verses 1, 2
प्र तव्य॑सीं॒ नव्य॑सीं धी॒तिम॒ग्नये॑ वा॒चो म॒तिं सह॑सः सू॒नवे॑ भरे । अ॒पां नपा॒द्यो वसु॑भिः स॒ह प्रि॒यो होता॑ पृथि॒व्यां न्यसी॑ददृ॒त्वियः॑ ॥
prá távyasīm návyasīm dhītímagnáye vācó matím sáhasaḥ sūnáve bhare ǀ apā́m nápādyó vásubhiḥ sahá priyó hótā pṛthivyā́m nyásīdadṛtvíyaḥ ǁ
स जाय॑मानः पर॒मे व्यो॑मन्या॒विर॒ग्निर॑भवन्मात॒रिश्व॑ने । अ॒स्य क्रत्वा॑ समिधा॒नस्य॑ म॒ज्मना॒ प्र द्यावा॑ शो॒चिः पृ॑थि॒वी अ॑रोचयत् ॥
sá jā́yamānaḥ paramé vyómanyāvíragnírabhavanmātaríśvane ǀ asyá krátvā samidhānásya majmánā prá dyā́vā śocíḥ pṛthivī́ arocayat ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi introduces Agni not merely as the physical flame on the altar, but as the cosmic son of strength (sahasas sūnu) who descends from the boundless realms to sit as the beloved priest (hotā) upon the earth. Agni is born in the supreme height of heaven and instantly manifests for Mātariśvan, the cosmic life-breather who brings the hidden fire down to humanity. Through his innate capacity for divine work (kratu) and his overwhelming majesty (majman), this newborn flame illuminates both earth and heaven, bridging the mortal domain with the immortal light of truth.
Verse 1: I bring forth a newer, loftier hymn of praise to Agni, the son of strength, the offspring of the waters, who, cherished by the Vasus, has taken his seat upon the earth as our destined priest.
Verse 2: Being born in the highest vault of heaven, Agni made himself manifest to Mātariśvan; through his own will-power and majesty, his brilliant radiance illuminated both heaven and earth.
The translation adheres closely to Sāyaṇa's ritualistic commentary while retaining Sri Aurobindo's psychological insights, where 'Mātariśvan' represents the breath of life expanding in the vastness of the mental space, and 'Agni' is the divine will.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अग्नये | agnaye | To Agni, the divine fire and priest |
| सहसः सूनवे | sahasaḥ sūnave | To the son of might or strength |
| अपाम् नपात् | apām napāt | Child of the waters (lightning/submarine fire) |
| होता | hotā | The invoking priest |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| जायमानः | jāyamānaḥ | Being born, coming into existence |
| परमे व्योमन् | parame vyoman | In the supreme vault of heaven |
| मातरिश्वने | mātariśvane | To Mātariśvan (the wind/messenger who brought fire) |
| अरोचयत् | arocayat | Caused to shine, illuminated |
Imagine a sudden lightning strike splitting the dark clouds, bringing a spark from the highest heavens directly down to the waiting earth—this is Agni's descent.
Verses 3, 4, 5
अ॒स्य त्वे॒षा अ॒जरा॑ अ॒स्य भा॒नवः॑ सुसं॒दृशः॑ सु॒प्रती॑कस्य सु॒द्युतः॑ । भात्व॑क्षसो॒ अत्य॒क्तुर्न सिंध॑वो॒ऽग्ने रे॑जंते॒ अस॑संतो अ॒जराः॑ ॥
asyá tveṣā́ ajárā asyá bhānávaḥ susaṃdṛ́śaḥ suprátīkasya sudyútaḥ ǀ bhā́tvakṣaso átyaktúrná síndhavo’gné rejante ásasanto ajárāḥ ǁ
यमे॑रि॒रे भृग॑वो वि॒श्ववे॑दसं॒ नाभा॑ पृथि॒व्या भुव॑नस्य म॒ज्मना॑ । अ॒ग्निं तं गी॒र्भिर्हि॑नुहि॒ स्व आ दमे॒ य एको॒ वस्वो॒ वरु॑णो॒ न राज॑ति ॥
yámeriré bhṛ́gavo viśvávedasam nā́bhā pṛthivyā́ bhúvanasya majmánā ǀ agním tám gīrbhírhinuhi svá ā́ dáme yá éko vásvo váruṇo ná rā́jati ǁ
न यो वरा॑य म॒रुता॑मिव स्व॒नः सेने॑व सृ॒ष्टा दि॒व्या यथा॒शनिः॑ । अ॒ग्निर्जंभै॑स्तिगि॒तैर॑त्ति॒ भर्व॑ति यो॒धो न शत्रू॒न्त्स वना॒ न्यृं॑जते ॥
ná yó várāya marútāmiva svanáḥ séneva sṛṣṭā́ divyā́ yáthāśániḥ ǀ agnírjámbhaistigitáiratti bhárvati yodhó ná śátrūntsá vánā nyṛ́ñjate ǁ
Here the Ṛṣi paints a breathtaking picture of Agni's blinding glory. His rays are unaging, fierce, and wonderful to behold, surging forth like relentless rivers overflowing their banks during the monsoon. Brought forth by the ancient Bhrṛgus—the seers of spiritual mastery—Agni dwells in the navel of the earth as the omniscient Lord of all wealth, reigning alone like Varuṇa. When unleashed, his roar resembles the terrifying thunder of the Maruts and a celestial missile hurled in battle; with sharp, gleaming teeth, he devours the forest and destroys all obstructions like a victorious warrior cutting down enemies.
Verse 3: His darting, unaging rays are wonderful to behold, splendid in appearance and brilliant; robust in their glow like surging rivers bursting their bounds, Agni's fires flash endlessly, never growing old.
Verse 4: Him whom the Bhrgus have kindled, the all-knowing fire at the navel of the earth and the majesty of creation—hinuhi him with your songs in his own home, for he alone reigns over wealth like Varuṇa.
Verse 5: Like the roaring of the Maruts, like a divine missile hurled in battle, Agni with his sharpened teeth consumes and devours; like a warrior striking down foes, he completely ravages the forests.
The imagery here bridges the elemental reality of wildfire with cosmic sovereignty. Sāyaṇa emphasizes the sacrificial kindling by the Bhrgus, while spiritual commentators see the destruction of forest as the burning away of ignorance and mental clutter.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अजराः | ajarāḥ | Unaging, immortal |
| भानवः | bhānavaḥ | Rays, beams of light |
| सिन्धवः | sindhavaḥ | Rivers, rushing streams |
| असनसन्तः | asasantaḥ | Ceaseless, unremitting |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| भृगवः | bhṛgavaḥ | The Bhrgus (ancient mythical seers of fire) |
| विश्ववेदसम् | viśvavedasam | All-knowing, possessing all treasures |
| नाभा पृथिव्याः | nābhā pṛthivyāḥ | At the navel/center of the earth |
| वरुणो न राजति | varuṇo na rājati | Reigns supreme like Varuṇa |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मरुतामिव स्वनः | marutāmiva svanaḥ | Like the roar of the Maruts (storm-gods) |
| दिव्या यथा अशनिः | divyā yathā aśaniḥ | Like a celestial thunderbolt |
| जम्भैः तिगितैः | jambhaiḥ tigitaiḥ | With sharp, pointed teeth (flames) |
| योधः न शत्रून् | yodhaḥ na śatrūn | Like a warrior attacking enemies |
Picture a raging forest fire whipped by a violent storm—roaring like thunder, tearing through trees with sharp, gleaming yellow teeth.
Verses 6, 7, 8
कु॒विन्नो॑ अ॒ग्निरु॒चथ॑स्य॒ वीरस॒द्वसु॑ष्कु॒विद्वसु॑भिः॒ काम॑मा॒वर॑त् । चो॒दः कु॒वित्तु॑तु॒ज्यात्सा॒तये॒ धियः॒ शुचि॑प्रतीकं॒ तम॒या धि॒या गृ॑णे ॥
kuvínno agnírucáthasya vī́rásadvásuṣkuvídvásubhiḥ kā́mamāvárat ǀ codáḥ kuvíttutujyā́tsātáye dhíyaḥ śúcipratīkam támayā́ dhiyā́ gṛṇe ǁ
घृ॒तप्र॑तीकं व ऋ॒तस्य॑ धू॒र्षद॑म॒ग्निं मि॒त्रं न स॑मिधा॒न ऋं॑जते । इंधा॑नो अ॒क्रो वि॒दथे॑षु॒ दीद्य॑च्छु॒क्रव॑र्णा॒मुदु॑ नो यंसते॒ धियं॑ ॥
ghṛtápratīkam va ṛtásya dhūrṣádamagním mitrám ná samidhāná ṛñjate ǀ índhāno akró vidátheṣu dī́dyacchukrávarṇāmúdu no yaṃsate dhíyam ǁ
अप्र॑युच्छ॒न्नप्र॑युच्छद्भिरग्ने शि॒वेभि॑र्नः पा॒युभिः॑ पाहि श॒ग्मैः । अद॑ब्धेभि॒रदृ॑पितेभिरि॒ष्टेऽनि॑मिषद्भिः॒ परि॑ पाहि नो॒ जाः ॥
áprayucchannáprayucchadbhiragne śivébhirnaḥ pāyúbhiḥ pāhi śagmáiḥ ǀ ádabdhebhirádṛpitebhiriṣṭé’nimiṣadbhiḥ pári pāhi no jā́ḥ ǁ
In these final verses, the Ṛṣi turns from awe of Agni's power to personal and communal supplication. He prays that Agni may prove to be a true hero of sacred speech, fulfilling desires together with the Vasus, and urging our minds toward victory and spiritual attainment. Agni is praised as one whose face drips with clarified butter, sitting at the seat of Ṛta ( cosmic truth ), akin to Mitra. Kindled brightly in sacred gatherings, Agni is asked to uplift our devotion and surround us with his sleepless, unwearied guardians of divine grace.
Verse 6: May Agni truly prove to be the hero of our song, and may he grant our desires along with the Vasus. May he urge our thoughts forward to attain victory, and with this prayer I praise him of the bright countenance.
Verse 7: With butter-bright face, seated at the seat of truth, you are cherished like Mitra when kindled. Shining brilliantly in gatherings, O Agni, raise up our radiant thought toward the heights.
Verse 8: O Agni, never slackening, protect us all around with your unslumbering, benevolent, and soothing guardians—indestructible, un-intoxicated, watchful, and ever alert.
The translation reflects the traditional prayer for protection (pāhi), while spiritual commentary views the 'unblinking guardians' (animiṣadbhiḥ pāyubhiḥ) as the ever-vigilant divine faculties awakened within the purified seeker's consciousness.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| उचथस्य वीरः | ucathasya vīraḥ | The hero/champion of the hymn |
| वसुष्मान् | vasuḥ | Possessing wealth/goodness |
| सातये धियः | sātaye dhiyaḥ | For the winning/attaining of thoughts/rewards |
| शुचिप्रतीकम् | śucipratīkam | Of bright/pure appearance |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| घृतप्रतीकम् | ghṛtapratīkam | Having a face shining with ghee |
| ऋतस्य धूःसद् | ṛtasya dhūrṣad | Seated at the chariot-pole/forefront of cosmic order (Ṛta) |
| मित्रम् न | mitram na | Like Mitra (the friend/god of harmony) |
| शुक्रवर्णाम् | śukravarṇām | White/bright-hued thought |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अप्रयुच्छन् | aprayucchan | Heedless, unremitting, vigilant |
| शिवेभिः पायुभिः | śivebhiḥ pāyubhiḥ | With auspicious, benevolent protectors |
| अदब्धेभिः | adabdhebhiḥ | Unhurt, uninjured, unfailing |
| अनिमिषत्भिः | animiṣatbhiḥ | Unblinking, sleepless, watchful |
Visualize a circle of sleepless sentinels holding bright torches around a camp at night, keeping watch while the seeker rests in utter peace.