Canto 5Nodhas Gautama · Suktas 58–60
Book 2. Part Two: Other Hymns to Agni
SUKTA 58
A hymn to Agni of the woodlands, the Flame that feeds on
and enjoys the pleasant things of the earthly being and when
the emotional and vital being is offered to the gods becomes
5a creator of the divine birth and a giver of the supreme bliss
and the immortal rapture.
1. Now again he has become the envoy of the illumined one;
the Immortal born of force tramples on his way and by
most effective paths, the middle world has measured out
10into form. He illumines by the power of the food-offering
in the creation of the gods.
2. The ageless Flame is embracing his own proper food. When
he means to give increase, he stands up swiftly on the fuel.
The back of the burning god shines like a galloping horse.
15He shouts aloud as if making to thunder the peak of heaven.
3. He is the doer of the work with the Rudras and the Vasus,
the vicar of sacrifice and seated offering priest, the Immortal,
the conqueror of treasures. The godhead shining among the
peoples of these living beings is like our chariot and moves
20uninterruptedly to desirable things.
Other Hymns to Agni
Ev
vAtj
$
25to
ats
q
EtSt
v
30TA
j
h
$
EB
35s
@yA
t
EvvEZ
t
40q
ydn
vEnno
v
qAys
45k
Z
t
em
zfd
50$
m
ajr
4. Many-voiced, urged by the breath of the wind, he stands
abroad easily among the trunks with the series of his mouths
55of flame. Black is thy trail, O ageless Flame, when swiftly
thou puttest forth thy male might upon the woodlands, O
wave of lustrous fire.
tp
j
60MBo
vn
aA
vAtcoEdto
y
65$
T
n
sA4A
;
70av
vAEt
v
sg
aEBv
75j3Et
pAjsA
rj
TAt
crT
80Byt
ptEZ
5. He ranges like a conquering bull ranges among the herd.
Impelled by the blast he is blowing like a storm down in
the wood with his burning jaws even while he travels with
85the mass of his might the unwasted middle world. Then the
winged things of heaven are afraid and all that stands and
all that moves.
dD
~A
90B
gvo
mAn
q
vA
95rEy
n
cAz
s
hv
100jn
y
hotArmn
aEtET
vr
105@y
Em
n
f
v
110Ed yAy
jmn
6. The Bhrigus set thee, O Fire, among human beings like a
beautiful treasure, one swift to the call of men, an offering
priest and desirable guest, like a happy friend for the divine
115birth.
hotAr
sP
j
4o
120yEjS
y
vAGto
v
Zt
125avr
q
aEn
Ev
v
130qAmrEt
vs
$
nA
spyA
135Em
ysA
yAEm
r&m
7. The Flame is a priest strong for sacrifice and the seven of-
140fering energies choose him in the rites of the path for the
singer of the word. He is one who wins by battle all riches.
I serve him with my delight and travel to the ecstasy.
Mandala One
aEQCd
145A
s
$
no
shso
150no
a
tot
yo
Emmh
155fm
yQC
an
g
Ztm
160hs
uzyojo
npAt
p
$
165EB
rAysFEB
8. O Son of Force, O friendly greatness, give on this day to
men who hymn thee, the joys of a bliss in which there is no
wound or fissure. O Flame, Child of Might, keep thy singer
170far from evil with thy iron walls.
BvA
v!T
g
Zt
175EvBAvo
BvA
mGvn
mGvd
y
180fm
uzyAn
a
hso
g
185Zt
Atm
$
EDyAvs
j
190gMyAt
9. O wide-lustrous Flame, become an armour to thy singer.
King of Riches, become that bliss to the lords of the riches.
Keep far from evil thy singer, O Fire. At dawn may he
quickly come rich with thought.
195SUKTA 59
A hymn to Agni Vaisvanara, the universal Force in all the
worlds and in all beings who conducts the action of the uni-
verse and getting rid of the powers of darkness manifests to
men the supreme heavenly world of light and truth and true
200being.
vyA
idn
anyt
ay
205v
Ev
v
am
tA
210mAdyt
v
#
vAnr
nAEBrEs
215EtFnA
T
$
Z
v
220jnA
;
upEmd
yyT
1. Other flames are only branches of thy stock, O Fire. All
225the immortals take in thee their rapturous joy. O universal
Godhead, thou art the navel-knot of the earths and their in-
habitants; all who are born, thou controllest and supportest
like a pillar.
m
230$
DA
Edvo
nAEBrEn
p
235ET yA
aTABvdrtF
rodyo
t
vA
240d
vAso'jnyt
d
v
v
245#
vAnr
6yoEtErdAyA
y
2. The Flame is the head of heaven and the navel of the earth
250Other Hymns to Agni
and the power that moves at work in the two worlds. O
Vaisvanara, the gods brought thee to birth a god to be a
light to Aryan man.
aA
255s
$
y
n
r
260myo
D
vAso
v
#
265vAnr
dEDr
'nA
vs
$
270En
yA
pv
t
voqDFvJs
275yA
mAn
q
vEs
ty
280rAjA
3. As firm rays sit steadfast in the Sun, all treasures have been
placed in the universal godhead and flame. King art thou of
all the riches that are in the growths of the earth and the
hills and the waters and all the riches that are in men.
285b
htF
iv
s
$
290nv
rodsF
Egro
hotA
mn
295yo
n
d
vv
t
300syf
mAy
p
$
vF
305v
#
vAnrAy
n
tmAy
310y4F
4. Heaven and earth grow as if vaster worlds to the Son. Then
the offering priest sings the sacred words even as might a
man of discerning skill. To Vaisvanara, for this most strong
god who brings with him the light of the sun-world the
315many mighty waters because his strength is of the truth.
EdvE
ct
t
b
320hto
jAtv
do
v
#
325vAnr
ErErc
mEhvm
rAjA
k
330FnAmEs
mAn
qFZA
y
DA
335d
v
yo
vErv
ckT
3405. O universal godhead, O knower of all things born, thy ex-
cess of greatness overflows even the Great Heaven. Thou
art king of the toiling human peoples and by battle makest
the supreme good for the gods.
n
345$
mEhv
v
qBy
voc
350y
p
$
rvo
v
355hZ
sct
v
#
vAnro
360dy
mEnj
GvA
;
aD
365$
not
kASA
av
fMbr
370B
t
6. I have spoken the greatness of the Bull to whom the Purus
cling and he slays for us the covering Vritras. The universal
Godhead and Flame has slain the Destroyers and hastened
375the waters on the way and broken down Shambara.
Mandala One
v
#
vAnro
380mEh<A
Ev
vk
EB
r7Aj
385q
yjto
EvBAvA
fAtvn
y
390fEtnFEBrEn
p
zZFT
jrt
s
395$
n
tAvAn
7. This is the universal godhead who by his greatness labours
in all the peoples, the lustrous master of sacrifice, the Flame
400with the hundredfold treasures is uttering the hymn of ado-
ration among the Bharadwajas in Purunitha son of Shata-
vana. This is he who has the word of Truth.
SUKTA 60
vE>
405yfs
EvdTy
k
t
s
410A y
d
$
t
soaT
415m
E7jmAn
rEyEmv
ft
rAEt
420Brd
B
gv
mAtEr
vA
4251. The Lord of Life who breathes in the Mother brought to the
Bhrigu like a treasure expressed by the word, a lavish felicity,
a twice-born god, a glorious upholder, a thought-vision of
the knowledge, a messenger who makes good advance and
comes in a moment to the object of his journey.
430ay
fAs
zByAs
sct
hEvmt
435uEfjo
y
c
mtA
EdvE
440ct
p
$
vo
ysAEd
445hotA''p
QC
yo
Ev
pEtEv
450v
DA
2. Two are the races who cling to this teacher; the gods who
desire in heaven and men who are mortals bring him the
food-offering. One who was before heaven has sat down as
455the priest of sacrifice, one to be questioned, a lord of the
peoples among the peoples, a creator.
t
n ysF
}d
460aA
jAymAnmmt
s
kFEt
m
465D
Ej4m
yA
ym
Evjo
470v
jn
mAn
qAs
yvt
475aAyvo
jFjnt
3. Our new glory-song of him enjoys the honey-tongued god in
his birth from the heart of man, whom human living beings
beget in the strength, delight for their offering, sacrificers in
480the seasons.