Verses 1, 2
नू चि॑त्सहो॒जा अ॒मृतो॒ नि तुं॑दते॒ होता॒ यद्दू॒तो अभ॑वद्वि॒वस्व॑तः । वि साधि॑ष्ठेभिः प॒थिभी॒ रजो॑ मम॒ आ दे॒वता॑ता ह॒विषा॑ विवासति ॥
nū́ citsahojā́ amṛ́to ní tundate hótā yáddūtó ábhavadvivásvataḥ ǀ ví sā́dhiṣṭhebhiḥ pathíbhī rájo mama ā́ devátātā havíṣā vivāsati ǁ
आ स्वमद्म॑ यु॒वमा॑नो अ॒जर॑स्तृ॒ष्व॑वि॒ष्यन्न॑त॒सेषु॑ तिष्ठति । अत्यो॒ न पृ॒ष्ठं प्रु॑षि॒तस्य॑ रोचते दि॒वो न सानु॑ स्त॒नय॑न्नचिक्रदत् ॥
ā́ svámádma yuvámāno ajárastṛṣváviṣyánnataséṣu tiṣṭhati ǀ átyo ná pṛṣṭhám pruṣitásya rocate divó ná sā́nu stanáyannacikradat ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi introduces us to Agni in his cosmic dimensions. Born of strength (sahajāḥ) and immortal (amṛtaḥ), Agni becomes the celestial messenger (dūtaḥ) of Vivasvat, bridging the earthly realm with the divine. He traverses the vast spaces (rajas) upon the straightest paths, offering oblations in the divine sacrifices. Moving with untamed vigor, Agni is described like a restless horse that pauses not in the brushwood (ataseṣu). His radiant back shines like a galloping stallion, and his roaring crackle resembles the loud rumbling of thunder from the clouds. The imagery captures both the terrifying majesty and the relentless energy of fire as it leaps through the forest.
Verse 1: Now the immortal one, born of might, presses forward as the messenger of Vivasvat; on the straightest paths he measures out the atmosphere and approaches the divine worship with oblation.
Verse 2: Ever young, he takes his own food and stays eagerly amidst the thickets; his back shines like a galloping steed, and he roars like the thundering height of heaven.
Sāyaṇa interprets these verses literally as the physical fire moving through wood and wind, while Sri Aurobindo and esoteric commentators view Agni as the inner divine aspiration moving swiftly through the psychological wilderness toward the supreme light.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अमृतः | amṛtaḥ | immortal, deathless |
| सहःजाः | sahaḥ-jāḥ | born of might or power |
| होता | hotā | the invoking priest, oblation-giver |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अजरः | ajaraḥ | ageless, unaging |
| अत्यः | atyaḥ | steed, horse |
| स्तनयन् | stanayan | thundering, roaring |
Picture a wild, golden stallion charging fiercely through a dry forest, leaving thunderous echoes and blazing trails in its wake.
Verses 3, 4, 5
क्रा॒णा रु॒द्रेभि॒र्वसु॑भिः पु॒रोहि॑तो॒ होता॒ निष॑त्तो रयि॒षाळम॑र्त्यः । रथो॒ न वि॒क्ष्वृं॑जसा॒न आ॒युषु॒ व्या॑नु॒षग्वार्या॑ दे॒व ऋ॑ण्वति ॥
krāṇā́ rudrébhirvásubhiḥ puróhito hótā níṣatto rayiṣā́ḷámartyaḥ ǀ rátho ná vikṣvṛ́ñjasāná āyúṣu vyā́nuṣágvā́ryā devá ṛṇvati ǁ
वि वात॑जूतो अत॒सेषु॑ तिष्ठते॒ वृथा॑ जु॒हूभिः॒ सृण्या॑ तुवि॒ष्वणिः॑ । तृ॒षु यद॑ग्ने व॒निनो॑ वृषा॒यसे॑ कृ॒ष्णं त॒ एम॒ रुश॑दूर्मे अजर ॥
ví vā́tajūto ataséṣu tiṣṭhate vṛ́thā juhū́bhiḥ sṛ́ṇyā tuviṣváṇiḥ ǀ tṛṣú yádagne vaníno vṛṣāyáse kṛṣṇám ta éma rúśadūrme ajara ǁ
तपु॑र्जंभो॒ वन॒ आ वात॑चोदितो यू॒थे न सा॒ह्वाँ अव॑ वाति॒ वंस॑गः । अ॒भि॒व्रज॒न्नक्षि॑तं॒ पाज॑सा॒ रजः॑ स्था॒तुश्च॒रथं॑ भयते पत॒त्रिणः॑ ॥
tápurjambho vána ā́ vā́tacodito yūthé ná sāhvā́m̐ áva vāti váṃsagaḥ ǀ abhivrájannákṣitam pā́jasā rájaḥ sthātúścarátham bhayate patatríṇaḥ ǁ
Here, Agni is firmly established as the Purohita—the supreme priest chosen by the gods, surrounded by the Rudras and Vasus. He is the repository of boundless wealth (rayiṣāṭ) and the immortal guest among mortals. Like a swift chariot moving among the clans, he distributes desirable boons to human lives. Spurred by the wind, Agni spreads across the dry brush, roaring loudly, brandishing his flames like a scythe. When he desires the forest trees with his intense heat, his dark smoke path contrasts sharply with his bright, curling waves. As the 'tapujambha' (one with scorching teeth) urged by the wind, he is like a fierce bull roaming a herd, striking fear into all stationary and flying creatures.
Verse 3: Accompanied by the Rudras and Vasus, appointed as the purohita, seated as the hotṛ priest, he is the immortal holder of wealth; like a chariot among the clans, the divine one constantly reaches out to bestow boons upon living beings.
Verse 4: Urged by the wind, he settles freely in the thickets with his tongues and his scythe-like flames, roaring loudly; when you, O Agni, desire the forest trees with your vigor, dark is your path, but your waves are bright, O unaging one.
Verse 5: With scorching jaws, urged by the wind in the forest, he blows like a mighty bull leading his herd. Advancing across the boundless space with his splendor, every creature that stands or flies trembles before him.
These verses emphasize Agni's destructive yet purifying aspect in nature. Traditional commentaries focus on ritual fire rituals, while psychological readings see this as the divine fire burning away ignorance and impurities within the human soul.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पुरोहितः | puraḥ-hitaḥ | placed in front, the domestic priest |
| रयिषाट् | rayiṣāṭ | conquering or winning wealth |
| अमर्त्यः | amartyaḥ | immortal |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वातजूतः | vāta-jūtaḥ | impelled or urged by the wind |
| तुविस्वनिः | tuvi-svaniḥ | loud-sounding, roaring mightily |
| रुशदूर्मे | ruśat-ūrme | having bright, white, or shining waves |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| तपुर्जम्भः | tapuḥ-jambhaḥ | having scorching jaws or teeth |
| वंसगः | vaṃsagaḥ | a vigorous bull |
| पाजसा | pājasā | with vigor, splendor, or might |
Imagine a majestic bull with flaming horns charging through a forest, making the entire animal kingdom bow in awe and terror.
Verses 6, 7, 8, 9
द॒धुष्ट्वा॒ भृग॑वो॒ मानु॑षे॒ष्वा र॒यिं न चारुं॑ सु॒हवं॒ जने॑भ्यः । होता॑रमग्ने॒ अति॑थिं॒ वरे॑ण्यं मि॒त्रं न शेवं॑ दि॒व्याय॒ जन्म॑ने ॥
dadhúṣṭvā bhṛ́gavo mā́nuṣeṣvā́ rayím ná cā́rum suhávam jánebhyaḥ ǀ hótāramagne átithim váreṇyam mitrám ná śévam divyā́ya jánmane ǁ
होता॑रं स॒प्त जु॒ह्वो॒३॒॑ यजि॑ष्ठं॒ यं वा॒घतो॑ वृ॒णते॑ अध्व॒रेषु॑ । अ॒ग्निं विश्वे॑षामर॒तिं वसू॑नां सप॒र्यामि॒ प्रय॑सा॒ यामि॒ रत्नं॑ ॥
hótāram saptá juhvó yájiṣṭham yám vāgháto vṛṇáte adhvaréṣu ǀ agním víśveṣāmaratím vásūnām saparyā́mi práyasā yā́mi rátnam ǁ
अच्छि॑द्रा सूनो सहसो नो अ॒द्य स्तो॒तृभ्यो॑ मित्रमहः॒ शर्म॑ यच्छ । अग्ने॑ गृ॒णंत॒मंह॑स उरु॒ष्योर्जो॑ नपात्पू॒र्भिराय॑सीभिः ॥
ácchidrā sūno sahaso no adyá stotṛ́bhyo mitramahaḥ śárma yaccha ǀ ágne gṛṇántamáṃhasa uruṣyórjo napātpūrbhírā́yasībhiḥ ǁ
भवा॒ वरू॑थं गृण॒ते वि॑भावो॒ भवा॑ मघवन्म॒घव॑द्भ्यः॒ शर्म॑ । उ॒रु॒ष्याग्ने॒ अंह॑सो गृ॒णंतं॑ प्रा॒तर्म॒क्षू धि॒याव॑सुर्जगम्यात् ॥
bhávā várūtham gṛṇaté vibhāvo bhávā maghavanmaghávadbhyaḥ śárma ǀ uruṣyā́gne áṃhaso gṛṇántam prātármakṣū́ dhiyā́vasurjagamyāt ǁ
In the final act, the Ṛṣi recalls how the Bhrgus enshrined Agni among mortals as a precious, easily invoked treasure—a beloved guest and a friendly protector for divine births. He is the supreme hotṛ, most skilled in sacrifice (yajiṣṭha), whom invokers choose at every ritual. The Sūkta concludes with fervent prayers for protection and grace. The Ṛṣi asks Agni, the son of strength and friend of humanity, to grant unbroken, flawless shelter (śarma) to those who praise him, protecting them from distress with invincible iron fortresses. The hymn ends with a plea for divine radiance and swift bounty.
Verse 6: The Bhrgus have established you among mortals as a precious treasure, easily invoked by the people—as the hotṛ priest, a desirable guest, and like a friendly Mitra to the divine birth.
Verse 7: The hotṛ with seven tongues, most skilled in sacrifice, whom the invokers choose in their rites; Agni, the arati of all treasures, I worship with offerings and seek from him precious wealth.
Verse 8: O son of strength, grant us today flawless protection for your praisers, O friend of man. Protect the worshipper from distress, O descendant of energy, with iron fortresses.
Verse 9: Be a shelter, O radiant one, to the singer; be a refuge to the bountiful patrons. Protect the praiser from evil, O Agni; may the bearer of wealth come swiftly to us at dawn.
Sāyaṇa explains the 'iron fortresses' (āyasībhiḥ pūrbhiḥ) as divine barriers protecting worshippers from enemies, while spiritual interpreters see them as the unshakeable inner resilience and armor of spiritual purity provided by Agni.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| भृगवः | bhṛgavaḥ | the Bhrgus (ancient seers/fire-bringers) |
| अतिथिम् | atithim | guest |
| शेवम् | śevam | dear, kind, auspicious |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| यजिष्ठम् | yajiṣṭham | most sacrificial, best at worshipping |
| अरतिम् | aratim | lord, governor, or promoter |
| रत्नम् | ratnam | jewel, precious gift, wealth |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अच्छिद्रा | acchidrā | unbroken, flawless, without holes |
| शर्म | śarma | shelter, protection, joy |
| आयसीभिः | āyasībhiḥ | made of iron or metal |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वरूथम् | varūtham | shelter, defense |
| विभावः | vibhāvaḥ | radiant, shining |
| धियावसुः | dhiyāvasuḥ | rich in thought/prayer, bestowing wealth through devotion |
Visualize a glowing hearth inside a sturdy fortress of iron, keeping the home warm, safe, and blessed with eternal light.