Canto 57Vajambhara · Suktas 79–80
Book 2. Part Two: Other Hymns to Agni
thy works, since thou hast become companion in thy being
to the Angiras seers, forward then to the goal of the jour-
neyings of the gods, for thou knowest it! Aspiring, perfect
in ecstasy, sacrifice to the gods, O giver of the treasure.
510. O Tree, knowing the goal of the journeyings of the gods,
bear us to it binding with the radiant cord. May the godhead
fashion the offerings in which he takes pleasure: may heaven
and earth protect our call.
11. O Fire, bring Varuna to our sacrifice, Indra from heaven,
10the Life-Gods from mid-air; may all the lords of sacrifice sit
on our sacred seat, may the immortal gods take rapture in
the sv¯ah¯a.
AGNI SAUCHIKA OR VAISHWANARA
OR SAPTI VAJAMBHARA
15SUKTA 79
1. I have seen the greatness of this great one, the Immortal in
the mortal peoples. The jaws of this abundant eater, sepa-
rate and held apart, are brought close together, devouring,
insatiable.
20Mandala Ten
g
hA
Efro
EnEhtm
25DgF
aEsv3E1
Ej4yA
vnAEn
aA@ym
30#
pEX
B
s
Bry
351AnhtA
nmsAED
Ev
2. His head is in the secrecy, his eyes wide apart, insatiable
he eats up the forest with his tongue of flame. They bring
40together his foods for him with the pacings of their feet,
their hands of obeisance are outstretched in the peoples.
mAt
tr
g
45VEmQCn
k
mAro
n
vFzD
50sp
d
vF
ss
n
55p8vmEvdQC
ct
ErEr4A
s
Erp
60upT
at
3. Desiring the secret place of the mother farther beyond he
crawls like a child over the wide growths of earth. One finds
him shining like ripe corn, licking away the hurts, within in
65her lap.
t7Am
t
rodsF
b
70vFEm
jAymAno
mAtrA
gBo
aE1
75nAh
d
vy
my
E
80ck
tA'EnrH
Evc
tA
s
85c
tA
4. O heaven and earth, I declare to you that Truth of you,
— in his very birth the child of your womb devours his
parents. I am mortal and know not of the godhead; Fire is
90the all-conscious knower and he is the thinker.
yo
amA
a3
t
95vAdDAyA6y
#G
t
#j
hoEt
100p
yEt
tm
#
sh*mEBEv
105c
'n
Ev
vt
yEs
110vm
5. He who sets swiftly for him his food casts on him the out-
pourings of light by which he is nourished, for him he sees
with a thousand eyes: O Fire, thou frontest us on every side.
Ek
115d
v
q
yj
en
120ckTA
'n
p
QCAEm
n
125vAmEv7An
a5F0n
5F0n
hErr1v
'dn
130Ev
pv
f
ckt
gAEmvAEs
1356. What omission or sin hast thou done before the gods, I ask
thee, O Fire, for I know not. In his play unplaying a tawny
lion, eating only to devour, he has cut all asunder limb by
limb, as a knife cuts the cow.
Other Hymns to Agni
140Evq
$
co
a
vAn
145y
y
j
vn
jA
150-jFEtBF
rfnAEBg
BFtAn
cd
Emo
155vs
EB
s
jAt
smAn
160D
pv
EBvA
v
DAn
1657. He who is born in the forests has yoked his horses tending
all ways but caught back by straight-held reins. Mitra, well-
born, has distributed to him the treasures and he has grown
to completeness increasing in every member.
SUKTA 80
170aEn
sEP
vAj
Br
ddAyEnvF
175r
y
km
EnSAm
anF
180rodsF
Ev
crt
sm)j3EnnA
rF
185vFrk
E
p
r
EDm
1901. Fire gives to us the Horse that carries the plenitude, Fire
gives the Hero who has the inspired hearing and stands firm
in the work; Fire ranges through earth and heaven revealing
all things, Fire gives the Woman, the tenant of the city,21
from whose womb is born the hero.
195an
rJns
sEmdt
Bd
A'Enm
200hF
rodsF
aA
Evv
f
205aEnr
k
codyt
smvEnv
AEZ
210dyt
p
!EZ
2. May there be a happy fuel for Fire at his labour, Fire enters
into the great earth and heaven: Fire urges on one who is
215all alone in his battles, Fire cleaves asunder the multitude of
the enemy.
aEnh
y
jrt
220kZ
mAvA'Enrd
yo
Enrdh6j!Tm
aEnrE
225Gm
uzydtrEnn
m
D
jyAs
230jt
sm
3. Fire has protected the ear22 of the worshipper,23 Fire burnt
out the Waster24 from the waters; Fire delivered Atri within
21 Or, the many-thoughted,
23522 Tyam, “that other” ear, the inner ear which listens to inspired knowledge.
23 Sayana takes the two words jaratah. karn.a as if they were one indicating the name of
the Rishi “Jaratkarna”.
24 Sayana renders jar¯utha “a demon”.
Mandala Ten
240the blaze,25 Fire united man’s sacrifice with its progeny.26
aEndA
d
d
EvZ
245vFrp
fA
aEn-
Eq
y
250sh*A
snoEt
aEnEd
Ev
h ymA
255ttAnA'n
DA
mAEn
EvB
tA
260p
zA
4. May Fire in the hero’s shape give us the Treasure, may Fire
give us the sage who wins the thousands; Fire has extended
the offering in heaven, his are the planes upheld separately
265in many spaces.
aEnm
8T
#-
qyo
270Ev
4yt
'En
nro
yAmEn
275bAEDtAs
aEn
vyo
atEr
ptto'En
280sh*A
pEr
yAEt
gonAm
5. Fire the sages with their utterances call to every side, to
285Fire men call who are opposed in their march, to Fire the
Birds flying in mid-air; Fire encircles the thousands of the
Ray-Cows.
aEn
Evf
290I0t
mAn
qFyA
aEn
mn
295qo
nh
qo
Ev
jAtA
300aEngA
DvF
pLyAm
tyA'n
g
305 y
$
EtG
t
aA
310Enq1A
6. Fire the peoples pray who are human, Fire men of different
birth who dwell as neighbours, Fire brings the Gandharvi
to the path of the Truth, the Fire’s path of the Ray-Cows is
settled in the Light.
315any
b
-Bvtt
rEn
mhAmvocAmA
320s
v
E8tm
an
Av
325jErtAr
yEvSA'n
mEh
d
EvZmA
330yjv
7. The divine craftsmen have fashioned the Wisdom-Word for
the Fire, the Fire we have declared as a vast purification. O
ever-youthful Fire, protect thy worshipper; O Fire, win for
him by sacrifice the great Treasure.
33525 Sayana renders “in the hot cauldron in the earth”.
26 Sayana renders “gave progeny to the Rishi Nrimedha”.
Other Hymns to Agni
PAYU BHARADWAJA