Verses 1, 2
स प्र॒त्नथा॒ सह॑सा॒ जाय॑मानः स॒द्यः काव्या॑नि॒ बळ॑धत्त॒ विश्वा॑ । आप॑श्च मि॒त्रं धि॒षणा॑ च साधंदे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयंद्रविणो॒दां ॥
sá pratnáthā sáhasā jā́yamānaḥ sadyáḥ kā́vyāni báḷadhatta víśvā ǀ ā́paśca mitrám dhiṣáṇā ca sādhandevā́ agním dhārayandraviṇodā́m ǁ
स पूर्व॑या नि॒विदा॑ क॒व्यता॒योरि॒माः प्र॒जा अ॑जनय॒न्मनू॑नां । वि॒वस्व॑ता॒ चक्ष॑सा॒ द्याम॒पश्च॑ दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयंद्रविणो॒दां ॥
sá pū́rvayā nivídā kavyátāyórimā́ḥ prajā́ ajanayanmánūnām ǀ vivásvatā cákṣasā dyā́mapáśca devā́ agním dhārayandraviṇodā́m ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi reveals Agni not merely as an earthly flame kindled by friction, but as a primordial cosmic power born of old with the very fabric of existence. As Agni takes birth through sacred force, he instantly assumes and encompasses all divine wisdom, holding together the expansive universe. The gods deliberately established this great bestower of wealth, weaving the destiny of human clans through ancient wisdom and illuminating the heavens and waters with the radiant eye of Vivasvat. Here, Agni acts as the divine architect of human civilization, shaping the lineage of Manu from the dawn of creation. The Ṛṣi invites us to witness the birth of order out of chaos, anchored by the eternal fire that connects human striving with celestial illumination.
Verse 1: Being born of old with mighty power, he straightway embraced all cosmic wisdom; the waters, Mitra, and Dhiṣaṇā helped forward his work, while the gods established Agni as the bestower of treasures.
Verse 2: With ancient sacred lore and poetic wisdom, he generated these progeny of men, and the gods, through the radiant gaze of Vivasvat, fixed Agni, the treasurer, in heaven and the waters.
Sāyaṇa interprets the 'ancient lore' (pūrvayā nividā) as the primordial Vedic injunctions guiding creation, whereas Sri Aurobindo sees Agni here as the flame of divine evolution waking up consciousness in mortal creatures.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| प्रत्नथा | pratnathā | in the ancient manner, from of old |
| सहसा | sahasā | by might, by force or vital energy |
| जायमानः | jāyamānaḥ | being born, manifesting |
| द्रविणोदा | draviṇodā | bestower of wealth or riches |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पूर्वया | pūrvayā | ancient, primordial |
| निविदा | nividā | by the sacred formula or invocation |
| मनूनाम् | manūnām | of the Manus, of human beings |
Picture a cosmic blacksmith striking an anvil of pure light at the dawn of time, forging the laws of humanity and sparking the stars into place as Agni takes his eternal seat.
Verses 3, 4, 5
तमी॑ळत प्रथ॒मं य॑ज्ञ॒साधं॒ विश॒ आरी॒राहु॑तमृंजसा॒नं । ऊ॒र्जः पु॒त्रं भ॑र॒तं सृ॒प्रदा॑नुं दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयंद्रविणो॒दां ॥
támīḷata prathamám yajñasā́dham víśa ā́rīrā́hutamṛñjasānám ǀ ūrjáḥ putrám bharatám sṛprádānum devā́ agním dhārayandraviṇodā́m ǁ
स मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑ पुरु॒वार॑पुष्टिर्वि॒दद्गा॒तुं तन॑याय स्व॒र्वित् । वि॒शां गो॒पा ज॑नि॒ता रोद॑स्योर्दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयंद्रविणो॒दां ॥
sá mātaríśvā puruvā́rapuṣṭirvidádgātúm tánayāya svarvít ǀ viśā́m gopā́ janitā́ ródasyordevā́ agním dhārayandraviṇodā́m ǁ
नक्तो॒षासा॒ वर्ण॑मा॒मेम्या॑ने धा॒पये॑ते॒ शिशु॒मेकं॑ समी॒ची । द्यावा॒क्षामा॑ रु॒क्मो अं॒तर्वि भा॑ति दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयंद्रविणो॒दां ॥
náktoṣā́sā várṇamāmémyāne dhāpáyete śíśumékam samīcī́ ǀ dyā́vākṣā́mā rukmó antárví bhāti devā́ agním dhārayandraviṇodā́m ǁ
The Ṛṣi deepens our intimacy with Agni by portraying him as the beloved first priest, the accomplisher of sacrifice whom human settlements eagerly invoke. He is the son of energy, the bearer of offerings, and the generous giver who stretches out his bounties. Mātariśvan brings him forth, and Agni becomes the wise guardian of all clans, the finder of the spiritual path and heavenly light for our offspring. In verse five, a stunning cosmic tableau unfolds: Night and Dawn, like two loving mothers, nurse the single divine infant—Agni—while the golden sun-disk shines brightly between heaven and earth. Agni is the uniting bond of the dual worlds, holding together the rhythm of day and night as the golden core of existence.
Verse 3: Him do the tribes invoke as the first accomplisher of sacrifice, well-infused with oblations, the son of energy, Bharata, flowing with gifts, whom the gods established as the bestower of wealth.
Verse 4: Mātariśvan brought forth him who multiplies all desirable boons, who finds the path for posterity and knows the solar heaven; the herdsman of the peoples and creator of heaven and earth.
Verse 5: Night and Dawn, moving harmoniously, nourish that single infant in their varied colors; a golden disk shines brightly within between heaven and earth.
The imagery of Night and Dawn nursing the infant Agni is explained by commentators as the alternation of dark and light periods during which ritual fires are continuously maintained or metaphorically sustained in the spiritual heart.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| यज्ञसाधम् | yajñasādham | accomplisher or perfectionist of the sacrifice |
| ऊर्जः पुत्रम् | ūrjaḥ putram | son of energy or strength |
| सृप्रदानुम् | sṛpradānum | fluent or sweeping in gifts |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मातरिश्वा | mātariśvā | wind or the divine messenger who brings fire |
| स्वर्वित् | svarvit | knower or finder of Svar (heaven/light) |
| रोदस्योः | rodasyoḥ | of heaven and earth |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| नक्तोषसा | naktoṣasā | Night and Dawn |
| शिशुम् | śiśum | the infant (Agni) |
| रुक्मः | rukmaḥ | golden ornament or radiant disk |
Visualize a glowing infant cradled gently in the alternating arms of twilight (Night) and sunrise (Dawn), while a golden sun-pendant glitters upon his chest.
Verses 6, 7, 8, 9
रा॒यो बु॒ध्नः सं॒गम॑नो॒ वसू॑नां य॒ज्ञस्य॑ के॒तुर्म॑न्म॒साध॑नो॒ वेः । अ॒मृ॒त॒त्वं रक्ष॑माणास एनं दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयंद्रविणो॒दां ॥
rāyó budhnáḥ saṃgámano vásūnām yajñásya ketúrmanmasā́dhano véḥ ǀ amṛtatvám rákṣamāṇāsa enam devā́ agním dhārayandraviṇodā́m ǁ
नू च॑ पु॒रा च॒ सद॑नं रयी॒णां जा॒तस्य॑ च॒ जाय॑मानस्य च॒ क्षां । स॒तश्च॑ गो॒पां भव॑तश्च॒ भूरे॑र्दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयंद्रविणो॒दां ॥
nū́ ca purā́ ca sádanam rayīṇā́m jātásya ca jā́yamānasya ca kṣā́m ǀ satáśca gopā́m bhávataśca bhū́rerdevā́ agním dhārayandraviṇodā́m ǁ
द्र॒वि॒णो॒दा द्रवि॑णसस्तु॒रस्य॑ द्रविणो॒दाः सन॑रस्य॒ प्र यं॑सत् । द्र॒वि॒णो॒दा वी॒रव॑ती॒मिषं॑ नो द्रविणो॒दा रा॑सते दी॒र्घमायुः॑ ॥
draviṇodā́ dráviṇasasturásya draviṇodā́ḥ sánarasya prá yaṃsat ǀ draviṇodā́ vīrávatīmíṣam no draviṇodā́ rāsate dīrghámā́yuḥ ǁ
ए॒वा नो॑ अग्ने स॒मिधा॑ वृधा॒नो रे॒वत्पा॑वक॒ श्रव॑से॒ वि भा॑हि । तन्नो॑ मि॒त्रो वरु॑णो मामहंता॒मदि॑तिः॒ सिंधुः॑ पृथि॒वी उ॒त द्यौः ॥
evā́ no agne samídhā vṛdhānó revátpāvaka śrávase ví bhāhi ǀ tánno mitró váruṇo māmahantāmáditiḥ síndhuḥ pṛthivī́ utá dyáuḥ ǁ
In this final movement, Agni is crowned as the root of all riches and the gathering place of treasures. He is the banner of sacrifice and the master weaver of our prayers, guarding immortality itself. Whether in the past, present, or future, Agni remains the eternal abode of wealth and the unwavering protector of all beings that exist or are yet to be born. The Ṛṣi breaks into a litany of abundance, repeatedly invoking Agni as *Draviṇodās*—the giver of boons—asking for heroic vigor, refreshing sustenance, and a long life span. Finally, the Sūkta culminates in a grand universal benediction where Agni, growing bright through the fuel of our devotion, is joined by Mitra, Varuṇa, Aditi, Sindhu, Earth, and Heaven in blessing the seeker with glorious renown.
Verse 6: The root of riches, the gathering place of treasures, the banner of sacrifice, and fulfiller of prayers is he; guarding immortality, the gods established this Agni as the bestower of wealth.
Verse 7: Now and of old, the dwelling place of treasures, the support of things born and to be born, the guardian of the existent and of vast creation, the gods established Agni.
Verse 8: May the giver of wealth grant riches to the zealous hero; may the giver of wealth bestow hero-laden sustenance upon us, and grant us long life.
Verse 9: Thus, O Agni, growing through our fuel, shine forth brilliantly for glory, O purifying one; and may Mitra, Varuṇa, Aditi, Sindhu, Earth, and Heaven magnify this prayer for us.
Sāyaṇa notes that the repetition of 'Draviṇodās' in verse 8 acts as an intense chant for multi-layered material and spiritual prosperity, while the pantheon invoked in verse 9 represents the totality of cosmic forces harmonizing with the illuminated soul.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रायोधबुध्नः | rāyo budhnaḥ | the root or foundation of wealth |
| केतुः | ketuḥ | banner, sign, or perceptive guide |
| अमृतत्वम् | amṛtatvam | immortality |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सदनम् | sadanam | abode, seat, dwelling place |
| गोपाम् | gopām | shepherd, guardian, protector |
| भूरेः | bhūreḥ | of the vast, of the many |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| द्रविणोदाः | draviṇodāḥ | bestower of wealth/treasures |
| वीरवतीम् | vīravatīm | rich in heroes or vital spiritual strengths |
| आयुर | āyuḥ | life, life-span |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| समिधा | samidhā | by the fuel, by the kindling stick |
| पावक | pāvaka | purifying, radiant |
| ममहन्ताम् | mamahantām | let them magnify, honor, or fulfill |
Imagine an eternal treasury chest locked with fire, surrounded by the greatest elemental gods of heaven and earth standing guard and showering down golden light upon humanity.