अग्ने व्रतपते व्रतमुपायं तच्छकेयं तच्छिध्यसमदह्यतमिदमहमनृतात्सत्यमुपैमि
agne vratapate vratamupāyaṃ tacchakeyaṃ tacchidhyasamdahyatamidahamanṛtātsatyamupaimi
Study Guide on Yajurveda Adhyāya 2, Sūkta 20
Act 1
Act I: Entering the Sacred Vow and Seeking Truth
Verses 1, 2
सं प्र जायस्व प्रजया पशुभिर्ब्रह्मवर्चसेन सुब्रह्मा यज्ञः प्रजायतां मह्यम्
saṃ pra jāyasva prajayā paśubhirbrahmavarcasena subrahmā yajñaḥ prajāyatāṁ mahyam
📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context
The journey of sacrifice begins with a deliberate, conscious turning away from falsity and an intentional entry into the divine cosmic order. The sacrificer invokes Agni as Vratapati, the guardian of all sacred resolves. By declaring the movement from anrita (untruth) to satya (truth), the seeker aligns their individual will with the universal divine will. Following the vow comes the invocation for comprehensive manifestation. The seeker asks for offspring, cattle, and brahmavarcasa—the radiant energy derived from spiritual knowledge. Sacrifice is not merely material barter; it is the harmonization of earthly life with divine abundance.
💭 Flowing Translation
Verse 1: Approaching Agni, the Lord of Vows, to transition from falsehood to truth.
📝 Scholar's Reading Note
Literally, these verses pertain to the initiation rites of the sacrificer taking up specific ritual vows. Symbolically, as explained by commentators like Sāyaṇa, they represent the inner purification of the mind, shedding ignorance, and cultivating divine qualities.
📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown
Verse 1
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| व्रतपते | vratapate | O Lord of sacred vows |
| अनृतात् | anṛtāt | from falsehood or untruth |
| सत्यम् | satyam | to truth |
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Memory Hook
Remember this act as the vow taken before Agni to leave falsehood behind and step into the light of truth and abundance.