Canto 50Trita Aptya · Suktas 1–7

Book 2. Part Two: Other Hymns to Agni

1. High and vast the Fire stood in front of the dawns; issuing

out of the darkness he came with the Light: Fire, a perfect

body of brilliant lustre, filled out at his very birth all the

worlds.

52. Thou art the child born from earth and heaven, the child

beautiful carried in the growths of earth; an infant many-

hued, thou goest forth crying aloud from the mothers

around the nights and the darknesses.

3. Vishnu knowing rightly the supreme plane of this Fire, born

10in his vastness, guards the third (plane); when in his mouth

they have poured the milk (of the cow), conscious they shine

here towards his own home.

4. Hence the mothers who bear that draught come with their

Mandala Ten

15food to thee, and thou growest by the food: to them the

same, but other in their forms, thou comest (returnest)

again, then art thou priest of the call in human beings.

hotAr

EcrTmvry

20y.yy.y

zftm

yED

25d

vyd

m>A

E2yA

30vEnmEtET

jnAnAm

5. The priest of the call of the pilgrim-rite with his many-

hued chariot, in the brilliant ray of intuition of sacrifice on

sacrifice, Fire the guest of man who takes to himself the half

35of each god in might and glory.

vA@yD

40fnAEn

vsAno

aEnnA

45ET yA

azqo

jAt

i0AyA

50p

roEhto

rAjn

yFh

55vAn

6. Putting on robes, putting on forms, Fire in the navel-centre

of the earth is born a ruddy flame, in the seat of Revelation.

O King, as the priest set in front sacrifice to the gods.

60Eh

AvAp

ETvF

65sdA

mAtrA

70ttT

yAVQCofto

yEvSA'TA

shy

75h

vAn

7. Ever, O Fire, thou hast stretched out earth and heaven, as

their son thou hast built up thy father and mother: O ever

80young, journey towards the gods who desire thee; then bring

them to us, O forceful Flame!

SUKTA 2

EpFEh

85vA

;

ufto

yEvS

Ev7A

90;

-t

95pt

100# yA

-Evjt

EBrn

hot

105^

ZAmyAyEjS

1. Satisfy the desire of the gods, O thou ever young, do sacrifice

here, a knower of its order and its times,1 O master of the

order and time of things; with those who are divine priests

1101 In the exoteric sense, r.tu seems to mean the rites of the sacrifice.

Other Hymns to Agni

of the order of the work thou, O Fire, art the strongest for

sacrifice.

115Eq

hom

jnAnA

120mDAtAEs

EvZodA

-tAvA

vAhA

125vy

ZvAmA

hvF

130d

vAn

yjvEnrh

135n

2. Thou comest to men’s invocation, thou comest to the pu-

rification, thou art the thinker, the giver of the riches, the

possessor of the Truth: may we make the offerings with

sv¯ah¯a; may Fire, availing, do the sacrifice, a god to the gods.

140aA

vAnAmEp

pTAmgm

yQC

145vAm

tdn

vo[h

aEnEv

1507As

yjAs

hotA

155avrAs

-t

kSpyAEt

1603. We have come to the path of the gods, may we have power

to tread it, to drive forward along that road. The Fire is the

knower, let him do sacrifice; he verily is the priest of the

call, he makes effective the pilgrim-sacrifices and the order

of our works.

165yd

EmnAm

170tAEn

Evd

175aEvd

rAs

aEnd

vmA

180p

ZAEt

Ev7An

EBd

185vA

;

-t

kSpyAEt

1904. Whatever we may impair of the laws of your workings,

O gods, we in our ignorance maiming your workings who

know, all that may the Fire who is a knower make full by

that order in time with which he makes effective the gods.

195pAkA

mnsA

dFndA

y.y

200mvt

myA

aEn=otA

205Evd

EvjAnn

yEjSo

210;

-t

yjAEt

5. What in the sacrifice mortals in the ignorance of their minds,

215poor in discernment, cannot think out, that the Fire knows,

the priest of the call, the finder of the right-will, strongest

of sacrificants and does the sacrifice to the gods in the order

and times of the truth.

Mandala Ten

220Ev

VvrAZAmnFk

225k

jEntA

jjAn

230s

yjv

vtFrn

235A

pAhA

mtFEv

vjyA

2406. The father brought thee to birth, the force of all pilgrim-

sacrifices, the many-hued ray of intuition; so do thou win for

us by sacrifice in the line of the planes with their godheads,

their desirable and opulent universal forces.

245vA

AvAp

ETvF

vApvA

250y

jEnmA

jjAn

255pTAmn

Ev7An

Ept

yAZ

mdn

260sEmDAno

BAEh

7. Thou whom heaven and earth, thou whom the waters,

thou whom the form-maker, creator of perfect births, have

265brought into being, O Fire, luminously along the path of the

journey of the Fathers, knowing it beforehand, high-kindled

blaze.

SUKTA 3

ino

270rAj3rEt

sEm=o

rOd

dAy

275s

;

adEf

280EcEkE7

BAEt

BAsA

htA'Es

285Fm

zftFmpAjn

1. He is seen high-kindled, the master ruling all, the traveller,

the terrible, he who creates perfectly right understanding,

290awake to knowledge he shines wide with a vast lustre;

driving the ruddy bright cow he comes to the dark one.

295nFmEB

3006jnyn

yoqA

Ept

305jA

BAn

310$

tBAyn

Edvo

315vs

EBrrEtEv

BAEt

2. When he overspreads with his body the black night and

the dappled dawn bringing to birth the young maiden born

320from the great Father, pillaring the high-lifted light of the

sun, the traveller shines out with the riches2 of heaven.

2 Or, the shining ones

Other Hymns to Agni

325o

scmAn

aAgAt

330vsAr

jAro

a y

335cAt

340EBrEnEv

EtSn

zfEYv

345rEB

rAmmTAt

3. He has come closely companioning her, happy with her

happy, a lover he follows behind his sister; Fire spreading

out with his lights full of conscious knowledge overlays her

350beauty with his ruddy shining hues.

yAmAso

hto

355n

EnDAnA

360sHy

Efvy

365Zo

vAso

BAmAso

370yAm38tvE

cEk

4. His movements flaming send forth as if vast callings of Fire

the beneficent comrade; in the march of this mighty and

adorable flame, the vast and beautiful, his radiances blazing

375have waked to knowledge.

vnA

BAmAs

380pvt

rocmAny

385Edv

EBy

390EjS

5F0

mEYv

395S

EBBA

EBn

400Am

5. His blazings as he shines stream like sounds of bright heaven

in its vastness; with his greatest, most splendid and opulent

lights at play he travels to heaven.

405f

mAso

fAnpv

410hmAny

vnyn

Eny

415EByo

zfEYd

vtmo

420BEYrrEtBA

Ev vA

6. His strengths are those of a thunderbolt seen in the hurling,

they neigh aloud in their teams; he, the traveller, most divine,

425shines wide-pervading with his ancient ruddy chanting fires.

mEh

430n

sEs

Edvp

435ET yorrEty

vyo

aEn

440k

EBr

445v

rBvYF

rBvA

;

450eh

gMyA

7. So carry for us, so take thy seat, the mighty traveller of the

young earth and heaven, Fire the swift and vehement with

his swift and vehement horses, — so mayst thou come to us

455here.

Mandala Ten

SUKTA 4

460t

iyEm

465yTA

470DvE3v

aEs

vmn

iyv

475p

rAjn

4801. To thee I sacrifice, to thee I send forth my thought so that

thou mayst manifest thyself adorable at our call; thou art

like a fountain in the desert to longing men, O ancient king,

O Fire.

485vA

jnAso

aEB

crEt

490gAv

uZEmv

yEvS

495d

vAnAmEs

500myA

nAmtm

;

crEs

505rocn

2. O ever-young flame, towards thee men move, like herds

that go to a warm pen; thou art the messenger of gods

and mortals, thou movest between them vast through the

510luminous world.

Eff

515y

ytF

mAtA

EbBEt

520scnymAnA

DnorED

vtA

yAEs

525E)jgFqs

ErvAvs

3. The mother bears thee like an infant child clinging cherish-

ingly to thee, increasing thee to be a conqueror; headlong

530down over the dry land he goes rejoicing, he is fain to go

like an animal let loose.

535am

540EcEkvo

mEhvmn

vmH

Evs

545vEv

crEt

Ej4yAdn

ErVt

550y

vEt

pEt

5554. O thou who art conscious and free from ignorance, ignorant

are we and we know not thy greatness, thou only knowest.

Covert he lies, he ranges devouring with his tongue of flame,

he licks the young earth and is the master of her creatures.

560$

Ec6jAyt

snyAs

n yo

565tTO

pElto

570t

aAtApo

qBo

575v

tso

580Zyt

mtA

5. Anywhere he is born new in eternal wombs; he stands in the

Other Hymns to Agni

forest hoary-old with smoke for his banner: a bull unbathed

585he journeys to the waters and mortals who are conscious

lead him on his way.

590v

tkrA

vng

rfnAEBd

595fEBr yDFtAm

n ysF

600mnFqA

LvA

605f

cyEYrH

6. Two robbers abandoning their bodies, rangers of the forest,

have planted him in his place with ten cords. This is thy new

610thinking, O Fire, yoke thyself to it with thy illumining limbs

like a chariot.

615jAtv

620c

sdEmd

625B

630an

tnyAEn

tokA

rot

ntvo

635ay

QCn

7. Thine is this wisdom-word, O knower of all things born,

and this prostration, this utterance is thine; may it have ever

the power to make thee grow. Guard all that are offspring

640of our begetting, guard undeviatingly our bodies.

SUKTA 5

645o

DzZo

ryFZAmm=

650$

ErjmA

Esq8y

655$

DEn

@yozpT

usy

660EnEht

1. One sole ocean holding all the riches, born in manifold

births from our heart it sees all; there cleaves to the teat in the

665lap of the two secret ones in the midst of the fountain-source

the hidden seat of the being.

smAn

nF0

670qZo

vsAnA

jEmr

mEhqA

675av

tFEB

-ty

kvyo

680En

pAEt

nAmAEn

685dEDr

prAEZ

2. The stallions inhabiting a common abode, the great stallions

have met with the mares. The seers guard the seat of the

Truth, they hold in the secrecy the supreme Names.

690Mandala Ten

-tAEynF

mAEynF

dDAt

695EmvA

Eff

j.t

700ytF

nAEB

crto

705D

710tt

mnsA

Evyt

3. The two mothers in whom is the Truth, in whom is the

mage-wisdom, formed him and brought to birth like an

715infant child, they have put him firm in his place and make

him grow. Men found in him the navel-centre of all that is

moving and stable and they weave by the mind the weft of

the seer.

-ty

720Eh

jAtEmqo

725vAjAy

Edv

sct

aDFvAs

rodsF

730vAvsAn

#r3

#vA

735v

DAt

nAm

7404. Him well-born the routes of the Truth and its ancient impul-

sions close companion for the plenitude. Heaven and earth

give lodging to him whose dwelling is above them,3 they

make him grow by the lights and foods of their sweetnesses.

745vs

rzqFvA

vfAno

Ev7An

750mv

u6jBArA

755aty

atEr

rAjA

760iQCn

vEv

mEvdt

765qZy

5. Desiring the seven shining sisters, the knower bore on high

their sweetnesses that he might have vision; he who was born

from of old laboured within in the mid-world, he wished for

and found the covering of the all-fostering sun.

770sP

myA

kvytt

tAsAm

775kAEmd y

gAt

aAyoh

780kMB

upmy

nF0

pTA

Evsg

785DzZ

tTO

6. The seers fashioned the seven goals,4 towards one of them

alone goes the narrow and difficult road. A pillar of the

790supreme being in its abode, he stands at the starting-out of

the ways, in the upholding laws.

3 Or, as their inhabitant,

4 Or, the seven frontiers,

Other Hymns to Agni

795asQc

sQc

prm

yomn

800jm3Edt

zpT

aEnh

TmjA

805-ty

aAy

810En

815n

7. He is the being and non-being in the supreme ether, in

the birth of the Understanding in the lap of the indivisible

mother. Fire comes to us as the first-born of the Truth, he is

the Bull and milch-Cow in the original existence.

820SUKTA 6

8253voEBrn

jErtAEBO

830S

EByo

BAn

EB-

835$

pErvFto

840EvBAvA

1. This is he in whose peace,5 and in his approach to it, grows

by his guardings the worshipper of the Fire, who encom-

passes all and is spread everywhere luminous with the largest

lights of the wise.6

845yo

BAn

EBEv

BAvA

EvBAyEnd

850v

EB-

tAvAj*

855EvvAy

sHyA

sEK yo'pEr4

ayo

860n

sEP

2. Fire, who shines perpetual, possessor of the Truth, luminous

with divine lights, he who follows out the works of a com-

rade for his comrades like a courser running straight to his

865goal.

vyA

870d

vvFt

rFf

vAy

875zqso

yEmn

880mnA

hvF

ynAvErrT

k|AEt

885$

3. He who has power for every advent of godhead, who has

power for the outbreak of the dawn and is the life of all,

890Fire in whom our thinkings are cast as offerings, his chariot

goes unhurt and he supports all by his strengths.

5 Or, house of refuge,

6 Or, with his largest lights for the wise.

Mandala Ten

895f

EBv

900j

qAZo

905vA

;

aQCA

pvA

910EjgAEt

hotA

915j

yEjS

920lo

aEnrA

EjGEt

vAn

9254. Increasing by his strengths, rejoicing in his illuminations he

goes a swift galloper towards the gods; he is the rapturous

priest of the call strong to sacrifice with his tongue of flame;

inseparable from the gods the Fire sheds on them his light.

930*AEmd

jmAnmEn

gFEB

935n

moEBrA

940aA

EvAso

mEtEBg

ZEt

945jAtv

shAnAm

5. Him fashion for you with your words and your obeisances

950as if Indra quivering at the dawn-ray, him whom illumined

sages voice with their thoughts, the knower of all things

born, the overpowering Flame.

yEmn

955Ev

960jm

965sPFvt

UtFErd

970vAttmA

avA

cFnA

975k

6. Thou in whom all the Riches meet together in the plenitude

like horses by their gallopings in their speed towards the

980goal, the protections most desired by Indra to us make close,

O Fire.

aDA

m>A

985EnqA

j.Ano

h yo

990$

995vAso

tmAy3DAvD

1000TmAs

UmA

7. Now, indeed, taking thy seat in thy greatness, O Fire, in thy

very birth thou hast become the one to whom we must call;

the gods walked by the ray of thy intuition, then they grew

1005and were the first and supreme helpers.

SUKTA 7

vEt

Edvo

1010an

ET yA

vAy

1015D

yjTAy

1020sc

mEh

1025t

#zzyA

uzEBd

1030f

1. Found for us felicity of earth and heaven and universal life

Other Hymns to Agni

1035that we may worship thee with sacrifice, O god; O doer of

works, may we keep close to thy perceptions of knowledge;

guard us, O god, with thy wide utterances.

imA

1040mtyt

jAtA

goEBr

1045#rEB

ZEt

rAD

ydA

1050t

mto

BogmAnX

vso

1055dDAno

mEtEB

jAt

2. For thee these thoughts are born, O Fire, towards thee they

1060voice our achievement of riches with its horses of power

and herds of light when the mortal upheld by his thoughts

following thee attains to thy enjoyment, O Fire, perfectly

born, O shining One.

aEn

1065my

EptrmEnmAEpmEn

Atr

sdEmt

1070sKAym

rnFk

1075spy

EdEv

yjt

1080$

3. I think of the Fire as my father, my ally, my brother, ever

my comrade; I serve the force of vast Fire, his bright and

1085worshipped force of the Sun in heaven.

EsD

EDyo

1090am

Ays

1095aA

EnyhotA

-tAvA

roEhd

1100v

EBrmA

ahEBvA

1105mmt

4. O Fire, effective in us are thy thoughts and conquerors of

our aims: he whom thou deliverest, thou the eternal priest

of the call in the house, who art that driver of the red horses,

possessed of the Truth, possessor of the much store of riches,

1110may happiness be his through the shining days.

EBEh

EmEmv

yog

1115&m

Evjmvry

jArm

bAh

yAmEnmAyvo'jnt

1120Ev

hotAr

ysAdyt

5. The Fire founded by the heavens7 as our friend and the

means for our works, the ancient priest of the pilgrim-rites,

1125the lover men brought into being by the strength of their two

arms and seated within as the priest of the call in beings.

7 Or, with his lights

Mandala Ten

6. Thyself sacrifice in heaven to the gods, for what shall man

1130immature in thought and unconscious of the knowledge do

of thy work? Even as thou didst sacrifice in the order and

times of the Truth, a god to the gods, O perfectly born Fire,

so sacrifice to thy body.

7. O Fire, become our guardian and protector, become the

1135creator of our growth and of our growth the upholder, O

mighty One, give to us what we shall give as offerings to the

gods, and unfailing our bodies deliver.

TRISHIRAS TWASHTRA