Verses 1, 2
तं पृ॑च्छता॒ स ज॑गामा॒ स वे॑द॒ स चि॑कि॒त्वाँ ई॑यते॒ सा न्वी॑यते । तस्मि॑न्त्संति प्र॒शिष॒स्तस्मि॑न्नि॒ष्टयः॒ स वाज॑स्य॒ शव॑सः शु॒ष्मिण॒स्पतिः॑ ॥
tám pṛcchatā sá jagāmā sá veda sá cikitvā́m̐ īyate sā́ nvī́yate ǀ tásmintsanti praśíṣastásminniṣṭáyaḥ sá vā́jasya śávasaḥ śuṣmíṇaspátiḥ ǁ
तमित्पृ॑च्छंति॒ न सि॒मो वि पृ॑च्छति॒ स्वेने॑व॒ धीरो॒ मन॑सा॒ यदग्र॑भीत् । न मृ॑ष्यते प्रथ॒मं नाप॑रं॒ वचो॒ऽस्य क्रत्वा॑ सचते॒ अप्र॑दृपितः ॥
támítpṛcchanti ná simó ví pṛcchati svéneva dhī́ro mánasā yádágrabhīt ǀ ná mṛṣyate prathamám nā́param váco’syá krátvā sacate ápradṛpitaḥ ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi directs the seeker toward Agni, not merely as a physical flame on the altar, but as the supreme, all-knowing cosmic intelligence. When humanity faces the labyrinth of existence, the sage advises: 'Ask of Him!' For Agni has gone everywhere, knows everything, and moves about as the conscious witness of the universe. Within Him reside all divine instructions and spiritual yearnings. He is the sovereign lord of dynamic energy, vitality, and fierce power. Furthermore, true seekers approach Him directly, unlike the foolish who wander aimlessly. The wise sage grasps Agni with a focused, steady mind, holding fast to His ancient and future words. Unshaken and undeluded by worldly illusions, the seeker aligns directly with Agni's divine will and discerning power.
Verse 1: Go and question Him; He has traversed everywhere, He knows all, conscious and ever-moving, He walks forth. In Him rest all supreme instructions and yearnings; He is the master of dynamic force, vigor, and fiery might.
Verse 2: They truly question Him, not wandering blindly, when the steadfast sage has grasped Him with the mind. He forgets neither past nor future word, but walks in harmony with His unwavering divine will.
Sāyaṇa interprets 'simaḥ' as an ordinary or wandering person, contrasting the focused seeker with the distracted mind. Sri Aurobindo highlights Agni here not just as ritual fire, but as jātavedas—the universal consciousness present in all created things.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| तं पृच्छत | taṃ pṛcchata | Ask Him, inquire of Him |
| स जगाम | sa jagāma | He has gone, traversed |
| स वेद | sa veda | He knows |
| वाजस्य शवसः शुष्मिणः पतिः | vājasya śavasaḥ śuṣmiṇaḥ patiḥ | Lord of vital energy, power, and passionate might |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| तम् इत् पृच्छन्ति | tam it pṛcchanti | Him indeed they question |
| धीरो मनसा | dhīro manasā | The steadfast one with the mind |
| अप्रदृपितः | apradṛpitaḥ | Unarrogant, undeluded, sober |
Picture a traveler lost in a dark forest who finds an unfailing guide carrying a torch — that torch is Agni, the universal Knower whom all wise seekers consult.
Verses 3, 5
तमिद्ग॑च्छंति जु॒ह्व१॒॑स्तमर्व॑ती॒र्विश्वा॒न्येकः॑ शृणव॒द्वचां॑सि मे । पु॒रु॒प्रै॒षस्ततु॑रिर्यज्ञ॒साध॒नोऽच्छि॑द्रोतिः॒ शिशु॒राद॑त्त॒ सं रभः॑ ॥
támídgacchanti juhvástámárvatīrvíśvānyékaḥ śṛṇavadvácāṃsi me ǀ purupraiṣástáturiryajñasā́dhanó’cchidrotiḥ śíśurā́datta sám rábhaḥ ǁ
स ईं॑ मृ॒गो अप्यो॑ वन॒र्गुरुप॑ त्व॒च्यु॑प॒मस्यां॒ नि धा॑यि । व्य॑ब्रवीद्व॒युना॒ मर्त्ये॑भ्यो॒ऽग्निर्वि॒द्वाँ ऋ॑त॒चिद्धि स॒त्यः ॥
sá īm mṛgó ápyo vanargúrúpa tvacyúpamásyām ní dhāyi ǀ vyábravīdvayúnā mártyebhyo’gnírvidvā́m̐ ṛtacíddhí satyáḥ ǁ
The dialogue deepens as the Ṛṣi describes how both the sacrificial ladles (juhvaḥ) and the fleet-footed horses (arvatīḥ)—representing human aspirations and dynamic energies—rush toward Agni. He alone hears these invocations. He is the swift fulfiller of the sacrifice, the protector of the rite, and wonderfully, a divine Child (śiśuḥ) who forcefully seizes dynamic energy. Concluding this movement, the Ṛṣi unveils Agni's cosmic disguise: He is the wild beast of the waters, the wanderer of the forests, hidden mysteriously within the secret womb or 'skin' of earthly things. Yet, as the Knower of Truth (ṛtacit) and the embodiment of absolute reality (satya), He breaks forth to articulate the divine laws of existence for mortal beings.
Verse 3: To Him rush the sacrificial ladles and the speeding steeds; He alone hears my utterances. Full of divine commands, swift, accomplisher of sacrifice, with unbroken protection, the Child seizes the mighty power.
Verse 5: He is the aquatic beast, the forest wanderer, laid down mysteriously within the secret envelope. Agni declared the cosmic truths to mortals, for He is the Knower of the supreme Order, true and steadfast.
Traditional commentaries connect 'mṛgaḥ apyaḥ' to lightning hidden in the rain-clouds or fire residing in waters (Apām Napāt). Aurobindo views the 'Child' as the newborn divine consciousness emerging from the obscure physical nature.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| जुह्वः | juhvaḥ | Sacrificial ladles (representing offerings) |
| अर्वतीः | arvatīḥ | Steeds, swift runners (energies) |
| शिशुः | śiśuḥ | The divine Child |
| यज्ञसाधनः | yajña-sādhanaḥ | Accomplisher of the sacrifice |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मृगः अप्यः | mṛgaḥ apyaḥ | Aquatic beast or wild animal of the waters |
| वनर्गूः | vanarguḥ | Forest wanderer |
| ऋतचित् | ṛta-cit | Conscious of the cosmic truth/order |
| सत्यः | satyaḥ | True, real, absolute |
Imagine a brilliant infant sleeping quietly in the woods who suddenly stands up and roars like a lion of truth — representing Agni hidden in wood and water, bursting forth as universal wisdom.