Verses 1, 2
उप॒ प्र जि॑न्वन्नुश॒तीरु॒शंतं॒ पतिं॒ न नित्यं॒ जन॑यः॒ सनी॑ळाः । स्वसा॑रः॒ श्यावी॒मरु॑षीमजुष्रंचि॒त्रमु॒च्छंती॑मु॒षसं॒ न गावः॑ ॥
úpa prá jinvannuśatī́ruśántam pátim ná nítyam jánayaḥ sánīḷāḥ ǀ svásāraḥ śyā́vīmáruṣīmajuṣrañcitrámucchántīmuṣásam ná gā́vaḥ ǁ
वी॒ळु चि॑द्दृ॒ळ्हा पि॒तरो॑ न उ॒क्थैरद्रिं॑ रुज॒न्नंगि॑रसो॒ रवे॑ण । च॒क्रुर्दि॒वो बृ॑ह॒तो गा॒तुम॒स्मे अहः॒ स्व॑र्विविदुः के॒तुमु॒स्राः ॥
vīḷú ciddṛḷhā́ pitáro na uktháirádrim rujannáṅgiraso ráveṇa ǀ cakrúrdivó bṛható gātúmasmé áhaḥ svárvividuḥ ketúmusrā́ḥ ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi opens a window into the intimate relationship between the yearning human heart and the divine manifestation of Agni. Agni is approached as a dear, familiar lord, longed for by eager minds just as sisters in a shared home rush toward the break of dawn. The imagery shifts effortlessly between the warmth of the earthly hearth and the vast cosmic dawn, where the dark night and the ruddy morning meet in harmonious worship. Moving swiftly from the domestic fire to the primordial cosmic acts, the Ṛṣi invokes the Angirases, the ancient ancestral seers. Through their powerful hymns and resounding chants, these heroic fathers shattered the stubborn, rocky barriers of darkness. Their glorious breakthroughs released the vast light of heaven, opening the hidden paths of truth and revealing the supreme day, the luminous sun (Svaḥ) that awakens consciousness in man.
Verse 1: Eager and longing, the joint wives rush toward Agni as their constant lord, rejoicing in the dark and ruddy dawns like cows running to the light.
Verse 2: With resonant hymns, the Angirases shattered the firm and stubborn rock, opening the vast paths of heaven and winning the supreme light.
Sāyaṇa interprets these verses primarily through the lens of ritual sacrifice and mythological echoes of the Angirases freeing the cows, whereas Sri Aurobindo sees the 'Angirases' as psychological pioneers of light conquering the caves of subconscious darkness.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| उशतीः | uśatīḥ | desiring, yearning |
| पतिम् | patim | lord, husband |
| उषसम् | uṣasam | dawn |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पितरः | pitaraḥ | fathers, ancestors |
| अङ्गिरसः | aṅgirasaḥ | the Angirases (ancient seers) |
| स्वः | svaḥ | the solar heaven, supreme light |
Picture a bustling household at sunrise where sisters rush out to greet the glowing morning light, mirroring how the seers awaken their inner fire.
Verses 3, 4, 5
दध॑न्नृ॒तं ध॒नय॑न्नस्य धी॒तिमादिद॒र्यो दि॑धि॒ष्वो॒३॒॑ विभृ॑त्राः । अतृ॑ष्यंतीर॒पसो॑ यं॒त्यच्छा॑ दे॒वांजन्म॒ प्रय॑सा व॒र्धयं॑तीः ॥
dádhannṛtám dhanáyannasya dhītímā́dídaryó didhiṣvó víbhṛtrāḥ ǀ átṛṣyantīrapáso yantyácchā devā́ñjánma práyasā vardháyantīḥ ǁ
मथी॒द्यदीं॒ विभृ॑तो मात॒रिश्वा॑ गृ॒हेगृ॑हे श्ये॒तो जेन्यो॒ भूत् । आदीं॒ राज्ञे॒ न सही॑यसे॒ सचा॒ सन्ना दू॒त्यं१॒॑ भृग॑वाणो विवाय ॥
máthīdyádīm víbhṛto mātaríśvā gṛhégṛhe śyetó jényo bhū́t ǀ ā́dīm rā́jñe ná sáhīyase sácā sánnā́ dūtyám bhṛ́gavāṇo vivāya ǁ
म॒हे यत्पि॒त्र ईं॒ रसं॑ दि॒वे करव॑ त्सरत्पृश॒न्य॑श्चिकि॒त्वान् । सृ॒जदस्ता॑ धृष॒ता दि॒द्युम॑स्मै॒ स्वायां॑ दे॒वो दु॑हि॒तरि॒ त्विषिं॑ धात् ॥
mahé yátpitrá īm rásam divé káráva tsaratpṛśanyáścikitvā́n ǀ sṛjádástā dhṛṣatā́ didyúmasmai svā́yām devó duhitári tvíṣim dhāt ǁ
Here we witness the cosmic choreography of Agni's birth and maintenance. The sacred law (Ṛta) is upheld, and the continuous devotion of the priests feeds the flame, which moves unceasingly like tireless workers bringing gifts to the gods. Agni is not merely a physical flame; he is the divine messenger and the guardian of sacred truth operating within every house. Matariśvan, the wind-spirit or cosmic breath, brings down this hidden fire from the realms above into the homes of men, where the bright and victorious flame is established. In verse 5, the poetic intensity reaches its peak: the conscious creator aims his flashing dart of light, establishing a radiant splendour even within his own divine origin.
Verse 3: Upholding the divine order and enriching devotion, the tireless workers approach the gods, forever increasing the birth of Agni with offerings.
Verse 4: Matariśvan brought forth the bright, victorious fire, hidden in every home, serving as a swift messenger to the supreme king.
Verse 5: The knowing creator shot his fiery bolt toward heaven, bestowing brilliant splendour upon his own daughter.
Traditional commentaries focus on Matariśvan fetching Agni from the heavenly sphere like Prometheus. Esoterically, Matariśvan represents the breath of life (Prāṇa) that enkindles the psychic fire within the human subtle body.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऋतम् | ṛtam | cosmic order, truth |
| धीतिम् | dhītim | thought, prayer, devotion |
| देवान् | devān | to the shining ones, gods |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मातरिश्वा | mātariśvā | Matariśvan (bringer of fire/wind) |
| श्येतः | śyetaḥ | white, bright |
| दूत्यम् | dūtyam | messengership, embassy |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| चिकित्वान् | cikitvān | the knowing one, observant |
| दिद्युम् | didyum | missile, lightning bolt, radiance |
| दुहितरि | duhitari | towards the daughter |
Imagine a sudden spark carried down by a fierce gust of wind into a dark room, instantly turning into a roaring hearth fire.
Verses 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
स्व आ यस्तुभ्यं॒ दम॒ आ वि॒भाति॒ नमो॑ वा॒ दाशा॑दुश॒तो अनु॒ द्यून् । वर्धो॑ अग्ने॒ वयो॑ अस्य द्वि॒बर्हा॒ यास॑द्रा॒या स॒रथं॒ यं जु॒नासि॑ ॥
svá ā́ yástúbhyam dáma ā́ vibhā́ti námo vā dā́śāduśató ánu dyū́n ǀ várdho agne váyo asya dvibárhā yā́sadrāyā́ sarátham yám junā́si ǁ
अ॒ग्निं विश्वा॑ अ॒भि पृक्षः॑ सचंते समु॒द्रं न स्र॒वतः॑ स॒प्त य॒ह्वीः । न जा॒मिभि॒र्वि चि॑किते॒ वयो॑ नो वि॒दा दे॒वेषु॒ प्रम॑तिं चिकि॒त्वान् ॥
agním víśvā abhí pṛ́kṣaḥ sacante samudrám ná sravátaḥ saptá yahvī́ḥ ǀ ná jāmíbhirví cikite váyo no vidā́ devéṣu prámatim cikitvā́n ǁ
आ यदि॒षे नृ॒पतिं॒ तेज॒ आन॒ट्छुचि॒ रेतो॒ निषि॑क्तं॒ द्यौर॒भीके॑ । अ॒ग्निः शर्ध॑मनव॒द्यं युवा॑नं स्वा॒ध्यं॑ जनयत्सू॒दय॑च्च ॥
ā́ yádiṣé nṛpátim téja ā́naṭchúci réto níṣiktam dyáurabhī́ke ǀ agníḥ śárdhamanavadyám yúvānam svādhyám janayatsūdáyacca ǁ
मनो॒ न योऽध्व॑नः स॒द्य एत्येकः॑ स॒त्रा सूरो॒ वस्व॑ ईशे । राजा॑ना मि॒त्रावरु॑णा सुपा॒णी गोषु॑ प्रि॒यम॒मृतं॒ रक्ष॑माणा ॥
máno ná yó’dhvanaḥ sadyá étyékaḥ satrā́ sū́ro vásva īśe ǀ rā́jānā mitrā́váruṇā supāṇī́ góṣu priyámamṛ́tam rákṣamāṇā ǁ
मा नो॑ अग्ने स॒ख्या पित्र्या॑णि॒ प्र म॑र्षिष्ठा अ॒भि वि॒दुष्क॒विः सन् । नभो॒ न रू॒पं ज॑रि॒मा मि॑नाति पु॒रा तस्या॑ अ॒भिश॑स्ते॒रधी॑हि ॥
mā́ no agne sakhyā́ pítryāṇi prá marṣiṣṭhā abhí vidúṣkavíḥ sán ǀ nábho ná rūpám jarimā́ mināti purā́ tásyā abhíśasterádhīhi ǁ
The final movement of the Sūkta consolidates the fruits of inner illumination. Agni shines brightly in his own home—the human heart—drawing reverence day by day. He expands the seeker's vitality and rides in the same chariot with boundless wealth. Like the seven great flowing rivers rushing toward the ocean, all universal energies converge upon Agni. The Ṛṣi concludes with a deeply personal plea. Addressing Agni as an old and trusted friend, he begs that the ancient friendship forged by their fathers should never be forgotten. Even as time wears down the human form like fading clouds, Agni is implored to shield the worshipper from all hostile diminution and spiritual decay.
Verse 6: O Agni, who shines in your own home day after day, increase the vitality of the worshipper and drive forth with boundless wealth.
Verse 7: All strengths cling to Agni as the seven mighty, flowing rivers cling to the ocean. May you find for us the supreme grace among the gods.
Verse 8: Pure and immaculate, the youthful Agni—endowed with profound thought—has been generated by Dyaus to fulfill our deepest aspirations.
Verse 9: He moves swiftly like the mind across paths, alone ruling over all wealth, guarding the sweet immortality alongside Mitra and Varuṇa.
Verse 10: O Agni, knowing all as a true seer, do not forget our ancestral friendship. As age wears down the body like a cloud, protect us from all harm.
Commentators note the touching human vulnerability in the final verse. The Ṛṣi appeals to Agni not merely as an elemental deity, but as an intimate family elder (Pitrya) whose covenant with humanity transcends mortal generations.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| दमे | dame | in the house, home |
| अग्ने | agne | O Agni |
| वयः | vayaḥ | vital energy, vigor |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| समुद्रम् | samudram | ocean, gathering place of waters |
| सप्त | sapta | seven |
| प्रमतिम् | pramatim | forethought, grace, guiding wisdom |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शुचि | śuci | pure, bright |
| युवानम् | yuvānam | youthful, ever-vigorous |
| सुआध्यम् | suādhyam | well-meditated, full of good thoughts |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मनः | manaḥ | mind |
| मित्रावरुणा | mitrāvaruṇā | Mitra and Varuṇa |
| अमृतम् | amṛtam | immortality, ambrosia |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सख्या | sakhyā | friendships, companionship |
| जरिमा | jarimā | old age, decay |
| अभिशस्तेः | abhiśasteḥ | from curse, reproach, or hostility |
Think of an old, loyal friend standing beside you through the changing seasons of life, protecting your home against the wear and tear of time.