Verses 1, 2, 3
र॒यिर्न यः पि॑तृवि॒त्तो व॑यो॒धाः सु॒प्रणी॑तिश्चिकि॒तुषो॒ न शासुः॑ । स्यो॒न॒शीरति॑थि॒र्न प्री॑णा॒नो होते॑व॒ सद्म॑ विध॒तो वि ता॑रीत् ॥
rayírná yáḥ pitṛvittó vayodhā́ḥ supráṇītiścikitúṣo ná śā́suḥ ǀ syonaśī́rátithirná prīṇānó hóteva sádma vidható ví tārīt ǁ
दे॒वो न यः स॑वि॒ता स॒त्यम॑न्मा॒ क्रत्वा॑ नि॒पाति॑ वृ॒जना॑नि॒ विश्वा॑ । पु॒रु॒प्र॒श॒स्तो अ॒मति॒र्न स॒त्य आ॒त्मेव॒ शेवो॑ दिधि॒षाय्यो॑ भूत् ॥
devó ná yáḥ savitā́ satyámanmā krátvā nipā́ti vṛjánāni víśvā ǀ purupraśastó amátirná satyá ātméva śévo didhiṣā́yyo bhūt ǁ
दे॒वो न यः पृ॑थि॒वीं वि॒श्वधा॑या उप॒क्षेति॑ हि॒तमि॑त्रो॒ न राजा॑ । पु॒रः॒सदः॑ शर्म॒सदो॒ न वी॒रा अ॑नव॒द्या पति॑जुष्टेव॒ नारी॑ ॥
devó ná yáḥ pṛthivī́m viśvádhāyā upakṣéti hitámitro ná rā́jā ǀ puraḥsádaḥ śarmasádo ná vīrā́ anavadyā́ pátijuṣṭeva nā́rī ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi introduces us to Agni not merely as physical flame, but as a deeply intimate, ancestral presence within the household of human consciousness. He is compared to the wealth handed down from father to son—a sacred inheritance of spiritual vitality. He acts as a master teacher and a comforting guest who rests easily upon the hearth. Like Savitṛ, he perceives the ultimate truth and preserves all divine settlements through his unwavering inner will and execution of cosmic law. Furthermore, Agni pervades the earth as the universal sustainer, acting like a friendly king who stands by his people. He is steadfast like a pillar at the front of the dwelling, secure like warriors who bring peace and shelter, and blameless like a devoted wife who delights her husband. The imagery weaves the domestic with the cosmic, showing that the fire burning on the altar is the very heartbeat of stability, warmth, and divine order in the universe.
Verse 1: Like ancestral wealth is Agni, the dispenser of vigor, like a wise instructor to the attentive, resting softly like a welcome guest, and like a hotṛ priest entering the sacred abode of the worshipper to bring the ritual to fulfillment.
Verse 2: Like the divine Savitṛ of true mind, he guards all worlds by his intentional power; celebrated widely, he is an unerring consciousness, and like the inner Self, he becomes a precious, deeply cherished delight.
Verse 3: Like the all-sustaining god, he dwells upon the earth like a king with devoted allies; he is like front-sitting heroes granting shelter, and like a flawless wife cherished by her husband.
Sāyaṇa interprets these comparisons through the lens of ritual utility and divine protection, while modern spiritual commentators like Sri Aurobindo view Agni here as the psychological flame of aspiration that connects human consciousness directly to the universal Divine Self (Ātman).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रयिः | rayiḥ | wealth or treasure |
| पितृवित्तः | pitṛ-vittaḥ | obtained or inherited from fathers |
| वयोधः | vayaḥ-dhāḥ | bestower of vital energy or life-force |
| अतिथिः | atithiḥ | guest |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सविता | savitā | the divine stimulator or sun |
| सत्यमन्मा | satya-manmā | one whose thoughts or promptings are true |
| आत्मा | ātmā | the innermost self or spirit |
| शेवः | śevaḥ | dear, tender, or auspicious joy |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| विश्वधायाः | viśva-dhāyāḥ | supporting or nourishing all things |
| हितमित्रः | hita-mitraḥ | having well-disposed friends |
| शर्मसदो | śarma-sadaḥ | dwelling in or granting shelter |
| पतिजुष्टा | pati-juṣṭā | delighted in or loved by her husband |
Picture a glowing hearth fire inside a royal ancestral home: it is the inherited family wealth, the wise teacher by your side, the honored guest, and the protective king all in one.
Verses 4, 5, 6
तं त्वा॒ नरो॒ दम॒ आ नित्य॑मि॒द्धमग्ने॒ सचं॑त क्षि॒तिषु॑ ध्रु॒वासु॑ । अधि॑ द्यु॒म्नं नि द॑धु॒र्भूर्य॑स्मि॒न्भवा॑ वि॒श्वायु॑र्ध॒रुणो॑ रयी॒णां ॥
tám tvā náro dáma ā́ nítyamiddhámágne sácanta kṣitíṣu dhruvā́su ǀ ádhi dyumnám ní dadhurbhū́ryasminbhávā viśvā́yurdharúṇo rayīṇā́m ǁ
वि पृक्षो॑ अग्ने म॒घवा॑नो अश्यु॒र्वि सू॒रयो॒ दद॑तो॒ विश्व॒मायुः॑ । स॒नेम॒ वाजं॑ समि॒थेष्व॒र्यो भा॒गं दे॒वेषु॒ श्रव॑से॒ दधा॑नाः ॥
ví pṛ́kṣo agne maghávāno aśyurví sūráyo dádato víśvamā́yuḥ ǀ sanéma vā́jam samithéṣvaryó bhāgám devéṣu śrávase dádhānāḥ ǁ
ऋ॒तस्य॒ हि धे॒नवो॑ वावशा॒नाः स्मदू॑ध्नीः पी॒पयं॑त॒ द्युभ॑क्ताः । प॒रा॒वतः॑ सुम॒तिं भिक्ष॑माणा॒ वि सिंध॑वः स॒मया॑ सस्रु॒रद्रिं॑ ॥
ṛtásya hí dhenávo vāvaśānā́ḥ smádūdhnīḥ pīpáyanta dyúbhaktāḥ ǀ parāvátaḥ sumatím bhíkṣamāṇā ví síndhavaḥ samáyā sasrurádrim ǁ
Here the Ṛṣi shifts to the immediate environment of the sacrificial enclosure where the wise mortal patrons (naraḥ) tend the perpetually kindled fire within stable dwellings. They place rich divine splendor into Agni, asking him to become the eternal guardian and foundation of all treasures. Agni is the conduit through which the generous patrons and wise sages attain their full span of life, conquering in competitive contests and securing their divine share of vigor. The vision then broadens to cosmic streams. The milch-cows of Ṛta (cosmic order), heavy with milk and blessed by the light of day, pour forth their streams of grace. Seeking the high wisdom and prayerful devotion from afar, these celestial rivers flow across the primal mountains of resistance, symbolizing the descent of divine bounty into the human heart.
Verse 4: O Agni, you whom mortal men constantly kindle within their stable homes, placing rich splendor upon you; be to us an all-sustaining life-force and the foundation of all treasures.
Verse 5: May the generous patrons and wise sages reach every nourishment through Agni, living out their full life; may we win the prize in battles, assigning our share among the gods for high renown.
Verse 6: For the milk-cows of Ṛta, yearning and heavy-uddered, favored by heaven, swell with milk; seeking the high wisdom from afar, the rivers of truth flow across the rocky barrier.
Traditional commentaries identify the 'cows of Ṛta' with either clouds bringing rain or the rays of dawn/cows of the sky; esoteric analysis views them as symbols of higher illuminations and spiritual nourishment flowing from the divine planes.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| नित्यमिद्धम् | nityam-iddham | perpetually kindled or enflamed |
| द्युम्रम् | dyumnam | radiance, brilliance, or wealth |
| विश्वआयुः | viśva-āyuḥ | possessing or granting full life |
| धरुणः | dharuṇaḥ | supporter or bearer |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मघवानः | magha-vānaḥ | bountiful patrons of the sacrifice |
| वाजम् | vājam | prize, vigour, or battle-booty |
| समिथेषु | sam-itheṣu | in clashes, encounters, or battles |
| श्रवसे | śravase | for glory or divine hearing |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| धेनवः | dhenavaḥ | milch cows (symbolizing streams of inspiration) |
| स्मदूध्नीः | smat-ūdhnīḥ | having full, swollen udders |
| सुमतिम् | su-matim | right-mindedness or benevolent grace |
| सिन्धवः | sindhavaḥ | rivers or flowing streams |
Imagine a vibrant altar fire from which golden streams of milk and rivers of light flow over mountain rocks, nourishing the entire community with divine inspiration.
Verses 7, 8, 9, 10
त्वे अ॑ग्ने सुम॒तिं भिक्ष॑माणा दि॒वि श्रवो॑ दधिरे य॒ज्ञिया॑सः । नक्ता॑ च च॒क्रुरु॒षसा॒ विरू॑पे कृ॒ष्णं च॒ वर्ण॑मरु॒णं च॒ सं धुः॑ ॥
tvé agne sumatím bhíkṣamāṇā diví śrávo dadhire yajñíyāsaḥ ǀ náktā ca cakrúruṣásā vírūpe kṛṣṇám ca várṇamaruṇám ca sám dhuḥ ǁ
यान्रा॒ये मर्ता॒न्त्सुषू॑दो अग्ने॒ ते स्या॑म म॒घवा॑नो व॒यं च॑ । छा॒येव॒ विश्वं॒ भुव॑नं सिसक्ष्यापप्रि॒वान्रोद॑सी अं॒तरि॑क्षं ॥
yā́nrāyé mártāntsúṣūdo agne té syāma maghávāno vayám ca ǀ chāyéva víśvam bhúvanam sisakṣyāpaprivā́nródasī antárikṣam ǁ
अर्व॑द्भिरग्ने॒ अर्व॑तो॒ नृभि॒र्नॄन्वी॒रैर्वी॒रान्व॑नुयामा॒ त्वोताः॑ । ई॒शा॒नासः॑ पितृवि॒त्तस्य॑ रा॒यो वि सू॒रयः॑ श॒तहि॑मा नो अश्युः ॥
árvadbhiragne árvato nṛ́bhirnṝ́nvīráirvīrā́nvanuyāmā tvótāḥ ǀ īśānā́saḥ pitṛvittásya rāyó ví sūráyaḥ śatáhimā no aśyuḥ ǁ
ए॒ता ते॑ अग्न उ॒चथा॑नि वेधो॒ जुष्टा॑नि संतु॒ मन॑से हृ॒दे च॑ । श॒केम॑ रा॒यः सु॒धुरो॒ यमं॒ तेऽधि॒ श्रवो॑ दे॒वभ॑क्तं॒ दधा॑नाः ॥
etā́ te agna ucáthāni vedho júṣṭāni santu mánase hṛdé ca ǀ śakéma rāyáḥ sudhúro yámam té’dhi śrávo devábhaktam dádhānāḥ ǁ
The final movement of the hymn captures the profound cosmic cooperation of the divine forces. Seeking Agni's benevolent wisdom, the ritualists of old established their glorious praise in the heavens. Remarkably, Night and Dawn are fashioned as contrasting yet harmonious sisters, blending dark and ruddy colors together to weave the tapestry of time. The Ṛṣi prays that he and his generous patrons may become the mortals whom Agni graciously guides toward supreme wealth. Agni stretches out like a sheltering shade across all worlds, filling heaven, earth, and mid-space. By his grace, the worshippers vanquish their opponents chariot with chariot, hero with hero. They claim the ancient ancestral wealth, becoming masters of splendor for a hundred winters. The hymn closes with a heartfelt dedication: may these words of praise be sweet to Agni's heart and mind, enabling the poets to hold fast to the divine chariot paths of eternal glory.
Verse 7: Seeking your benevolent grace, O Agni, the divine ones have established their high glory in heaven; they made Night and Dawn of diverse forms, blending together the dark and the ruddy colors.
Verse 8: May we and our patrons be those mortals whom you, O Agni, successfully guide to wealth. Like a protective shadow you pervade every realm of existence, filling earth, sky, and atmosphere.
Verse 9: Driven by your grace, may we conquer chariot with chariot and hero with hero. May our wise patrons, masters of ancestral wealth, attain you for a hundred autumns.
Verse 10: May these hymns of praise, O master-weaver Agni, be pleasing to your mind and heart; holding fast to the divine-granted glory, may we have power over the well-steered paths of wealth.
Sāyaṇa explains the blending of Night and Dawn as the cosmic regulation of time operated by divine forces, while Yāska and later commentators see it as an emblem of the harmonious balance of dualities in creation under the watchful eye of Agni.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| यज्ञियासः | yajñiyāsaḥ | worthy of sacrifice, the divine powers |
| विरूपे | vi-rūpe | of different forms or appearances |
| कृष्णम् | kṛṣṇam | the dark color (Night) |
| अरुणम् | aruṇam | the ruddy color (Dawn) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सुसूदः | su-sūdaḥ | one who steers or guides well |
| छाया | chāyā | shadow or sheltering canopy |
| सिसक्षि | sisakṣi | you accompany, pervade, or bestow |
| आपप्रिवान् | āpapri-vān | filling completely |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अर्वद्भिः | arvat-bhiḥ | with steeds or chariots |
| वनुयाम | vanuyāma | may we win or overcome |
| पितृवित्तस्य | pitṛ-vittasya | inherited from the fathers |
| शतहिमाः | śata-himāḥ | lasting a hundred winters (years) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| उचथानि | ucathāni | hymns of praise or chant-utterances |
| वेधः | vedhaḥ | dispenser, arranger, or wise creator |
| जुष्टानि | juṣṭāni | welcome, enjoyed, or delighted in |
| सुधुरः | su-dhuraḥ | having good yokes or steering well |
Picture the vast expanse of the sky where Night and Dawn embrace like sisters under the sheltering canopy of Agni's protective shade, guarding the family lineage for a hundred winters.