Hymns to the Mystic Fire

Bharga Pragatha

SUKTA 60

अग्न आ याह्यग्निभिर्होतारं त्वा वृणीमहे ।
आ त्वामनक्तु प्रयता हविष्मती यजिष्ठं बर्हिरासदे ॥१॥

1) Come, O Fire, with thy fires, we choose thee as the Priest of the call, may the ladles extended, full of the offering anoint thee, strongest for sacrifice when thou sittest on the sacrificial seat.

अच्छा हि त्वा सहसः सूनो अङगिरः स्त्रुचश्चरन्त्यध्वरे ।
ऊर्जो नपातं घृतकेशमीमहेऽग्निं यज्ञेषु पूर्व्यम् ॥२॥

2) For, towards thee, O Son of force, O Angiras, the ladles move in the rite of the path; we seek the child of Energy with his hair of light, the supreme fire in the sacrifices.

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अग्ने कविर्वेधा असि होता पावक यक्ष्यः ।
मन्द्रो यजिष्ठो अध्वरेष्वीडयो विप्रेभिः शुक मन्मभिः ॥३॥

3) O Fire, thou art the seer and the ordainer, the Priest of the call, the purifier to whom must be given sacrifice, rapturous, strong for sacrifice, one to be prayed in the pilgrim-rites with illumined thoughts, O brilliant Flame!

अद्रोघमा वहोशतो यविष्ठ्य देवाँ अजस्त्र वीतये ।
अभि प्रयांसि सुधिता वसो गहि मन्दस्व धीतिभिर्हितः ॥४॥

4) Bring to me who betray not, O youngest, O unceasing Flame, the gods that desire for the advent; come to our well-founded pleasant things, O shining One, rejoice established by our thinkings.

त्वमित् सप्रथा अस्यग्ने त्रातर्ऋतस्कविः ।
त्वां विप्रासः समिधान दीदिव आ विवासन्ति वेधसः ॥५॥

5) O Fire, O deliverer, thou art very wide, the true, the seer, thou who shinest out, O high-kindled Fire, thee the sages, the ordainers illumine.

शोचा शोचिष्ठ दीदिहि विशे मयो रास्व स्तोत्रे महाँ असि ।
देवानां शर्मन् मम सन्तु सूरयः शत्रूषाहः स्वग्नयः ॥६॥

6) Flame out, O most luminous Flame, shine out for man, give to him who lauds thee the bliss, for thou art great; may my luminous seers abide in the peace of the gods, high in fire may they overcome the foe.

यथा चिद् वृद्धमतसमग्ने संजूर्वसि क्षमि ।
एवा दह मित्रमहो यो अस्मध्रुग् दुर्मन्मा कश्च वेनति ॥७॥

7) As, O Fire, thou consumest old dry wood on the earth so burn, O friendly Light, whosoever comes with evil mind, our hurter.

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मा नो मर्ताय रिपवे रक्षस्विने माघशंसाय रीरधः ।
अस्त्रेधद्भिस्तरणिभिर्यविष्ठ्य शिवेभिः पाहि पायुभिः ॥८॥

8) Deliver us not to the mortal foe, to the demoniac, to him who gives expression to evil; guard us with thy unfailing and benignant, guardian and rescuer fires, O ever-youthful Flame!

पाहि नो अग्न एकया पाहुयुत द्वितीयया ।
पाहि गीर्भिस्तिसृभिरुर्जां पते पाहि चतसृभिर्वसो ॥९॥

9) Guard, O Fire, with the single word, guard with the second, guard with the words that are three, O master of Energies; O shining One, guard with the fourth.

पाहि विश्वस्माद् रक्षसो अराव्णः प्र स्म वाजेषु नोऽव ।
त्वामिद्धि नेदिष्ठं देवतातय आपिं नक्षामहे वृधे ॥१०॥

10) Guard us from every hostile demon, protect us in the plenitudes; for we come to thee as the closest of the gods and our ally for our increase.

आ नो अग्ने वयोवृधं रयिं पावक शंस्यम् ।
रास्वा च न उपमाते पुरुस्पृहं सुनीती स्वयशस्तरम् ॥११॥

11) O purifying Fire, bring to us and give a wealth that increases our growth, the wealth that has to be expressed in us, O measurer of our formations, by thy right leading a wealth full of many longed-for things and very great in its self-glory,—

येन वंसाम पृतनासु शर्धतस्तरन्तो अर्य आदिशः ।
स त्वं नो वर्ध प्रयसा शचीवसो जिन्वा धियो वसुविदः ॥१२॥

12) By which we may conquer those who challenge us in our battles, breaking through the designs of the foe; so do thou increase us with thy delight, O luminous in might, speed on their way the thoughts that find the treasure.

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शिशानो वृषभो यथाऽग्निः शृङ्गे दविध्वत् ।
तिग्मा अस्य हनवो न प्रतिधृषे सुजम्भः सहसो यहुः ॥१३॥

13) Fire is like a bull that sharpens its horns and tosses its head, his flaming jaws are too bright and keen to gaze at; strong-tusked is the Son of force.

नहि ते अग्ने वृषभ प्रतिधृषे जम्भासो यद् वितिष्ठसे ।
स त्वं नो होतः सुहुतं हविष्कृधि वंस्वा नो वार्या पुरु ॥१४॥

14) O Fire, O Bull, thy tusks of flame cannot be challenged by the gaze when thou rangest abroad; so do thou, O Priest of the call, make that our offering is well cast, conquer for us many desirable things.

शेषे वनेषु मात्रोः सं त्वा मर्तास इन्धते ।
अतन्द्रो हव्या वहसि हविष्कृत आदिद् देवेषु राजसि ॥१५॥

15) In the forest thou sleepest in the two mothers, mortals kindle thee into a blaze; then sleepless thou carriest the offerings of the giver of the oblation and now thou shinest in the gods.

सप्त होतारस्तमिदीळते त्वाऽग्ने सुत्यजमह्रयम् ।
भिनत्स्यद्रिं तपसा वि शोचिषा प्राग्ने तिष्ठ जनाँ अति ॥१६॥

16) Thee pray the seven priests of the call, thee the unhesitant, shooting well thy shafts; thou breakest asunder the hill with thy heat and thy light: O Fire, go forth beyond men.

अग्निमग्निं वो अध्रिगुं हुवेम वृक्तबर्हिषः ।
अग्निं हितप्रयसः शश्वतीष्वा होतारं चर्षणीनाम् ॥१७॥

17) The Fire, the fire, let us call for you having placed the sacred grass and placed the gifts of our pleasure, on day after day, Fire of the unseizable ray, Priest of the call of seeing men.

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केतेन शर्मन्त्सचते सुषामण्यग्ने तुभ्यं चिकित्वना ।
इषण्यया नः पुरुरुपमा भर वाजं नेदिष्ठमूतये ॥१८॥

18) O Fire, to thee constant in the peace of a deep calm I come with the intuition that awakes to knowledge; by our impulsion bring to us for our protection wealth of many forms that is most close.

अग्ने जरितर्विश्पतिस्तेपानो देव रक्षसः ।
अप्रोषिवान् गृहपतिर्महाँ असि दिवस्पायुर्दुरोणयुः ॥१९॥

19) O Fire, O god, for thy adorer thou art the lord of creatures, thou art the master of his house who departs not from him, afflicting the demons; great art thou, the guardian of heaven who comes to his gated home.

मा नो रक्ष आ वेशीदाघृणीवसो मा यातुर्यातुमावताम् ।
परोगव्यूत्यनिरामय क्षुधमग्ने सेध रक्षस्विनः ॥२०॥

20) O blazing light, let not the demon enter into us; let not the witchcraft of the goblin sorcerers take possession; O Fire, push calamity and hunger far beyond the pastures of our herds, ward the demon-possessed away from us.