Hymns to the Mystic Fire

Dirghatamas Auchathya

SUKTA 140

वेदिषदे प्रियधामाय सुद्युते धासिमिव प्र भरा योनिमग्नये ।
वस्त्रेणेव वासया मन्मना शुचिं ज्योतीरथं शुक्रवर्णं तमोहनम् ॥१॥

1) Offer like a secure seat that womb to Agni the utterly bright who sits upon the altar and his abode is bliss; clothe with thought as with a robe the slayer of the darkness who is pure and charioted in light and pure-bright of hue.

अभि द्विजन्मा त्रिवृदन्नमृज्यते संवत्सरे वावृधे जग्धमी पुनः ।
अन्यस्यासा जिह्वया जेन्यो वृषा न्यन्येन वनिनो मृष्ट वारणः ॥२॥

2) The twice-born Agni moves (intense) about his triple food; it is eaten and with the year it has grown again; with the tongue and mouth of the one he is the strong master and enjoyer, with the other he engirdles and crushes in his embrace his delightful things.

कृष्णप्रुतौ वेविजे अस्य सक्षिता उभा तरेते अभि मातरा शिशुम् ।
प्राचाजिह्वं ध्वसयन्तं तृषुच्युतमा साच्यं कुपयं वर्धनं पितुः ॥३॥

3) He gives energy of movement to both his mothers on their dark path, in their common dwelling and both make their way through to their child (or following their child), for his tongue is lifted upward, he destroys and rushes swiftly through and should be chosen, increasing his father.

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मुमुक्ष्वो मनवे मानवस्यते रघुद्रुवः कृष्णसीतास ऊ जुवः ।
असमना अजिरासो रघुष्यदो वातजूता उप युज्यन्त आशवः ॥४॥

4) For the thinker becoming man his swift hastening impulsions dark and bright desire freedom; active, rapid-quivering, they are yoked to their works, swift steeds and driven forward by the Breath of things.

आदस्य ते ध्वसयन्तो वृथेरते कृष्णमभ्वं महि वर्यः करिकतः ।
यत् सीं महीमवनिं प्राभि मर्मृशदभिश्वसनत्स्तनयन्नेति नानदत् ॥५॥

5) They for him destroy and speed lightly on creating his dark being of thickness and his mighty form of light; when reaching forward he touches the Vast of Being, he pants towards it and, thundering, cries aloud.

भूषन् न योऽधि बभ्रूषु नम्नते वृषेव पत्नीरभ्येति रोरुवत् ।
ओजायमानस्तन्वश्च शुम्भते भीमो न शृङ्गा दविधाव दुर्गृभिः ॥६॥

6) He who when he would become in the tawny ones, bends down and goes to them bellowing as the male to its mates,—putting out his forces he gives joy to their bodies and like a fierce beast hard to seize he tosses his horns.

स संस्तिरो विष्टिरः सं गृभायति जानन्नेव जानतीर्नित्य आ शये ।
पुनर्वर्घन्ते अपि यन्ति देव्यमन्यद् वर्पः पित्रोः कृण्वते सचा ॥७॥

7) He whether contracted in being or wide-extended seizes on them utterly; he knowing, they knowing the eternal Agni enjoys them, then again they increase and go to the state divine; uniting, another form they make for the Father and Mother.

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तमग्रुवः केशिनीः सं हि रेभिर ऊर्ध्वास्तस्थुर्मम्रुषीः प्रायवे पुनः ।
तासां जरां प्रमुञ्चन्नेति नानददसुं परं जनयञ्जीवमस्तृतम् ॥८॥

8) Bright with their flowing tresses they take utter delight of him, they who were about to perish, stand upon high once more for his coming; for he loosens from them their decay and goes to them shouting high, he creates supreme force and unconquerable life.

अधीवासं परि मातू रिहन्नह तुविग्रेभिः सत्वभिर्याति वि ज्रयः ।
वयो दधत् पद्वते रेरिहत् सदाऽनु श्येनी सचते वर्तनीरह ॥९॥

9) Tearing about her the robe that conceals the other he moves on utterly to the Delight with the creatures of pure Being who manifest the Force; he establishes the wideness, he breaks through to the goal for this traveller, even though swift-rushing, he cleaves always to the paths.

अस्माकमग्ने मघवत्सु दीदिह्यध श्वसीवान् वृषभो दमूनाः ।
अवास्या शिशुमतीरदीदेर्वर्मेव युत्सु परिजर्भुराणः ॥१०॥

10) Burn bright for us, O Agni, in our fullnesses, henceforth be the strong master and inhabit in us with the sisters; casting away from thee those of them that are infant minds thou shouldst burn bright encompassing us all about like a cuirass in our battles.

इदमग्ने सुधितं दुर्धितादधि प्रियादु चिन्मन्मनः प्रेयो अस्तु ते ।
यत् ते शुकं तन्वो रोचते शुचि तेनास्मभ्यं वनसे रत्नमा त्वम् ॥११॥

11) This, O Agni, is that which is well-established upon the ill-placed; even out of this blissful mentality may there be born to thee that greater bliss. By that which shines bright and pure from thy body, thou winnest for us the delight.

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रथाय नावमुत नो गृहाय नित्यारित्रां पद्वतीं रास्यग्ने ।
अस्माकं वीराँ उत नो मघोनो जनाँश्च या पारयाच्छर्म या च ॥१२॥

12) Thou givest us, O Agni, for chariot and for home a ship travelling with eternal progress of motion that shall carry our strong spirits and our spirits of fullness across the births and cross the peace.

अभी नो अग्न उकथमिज्जुगुर्या द्यावाक्षामा सिन्धवश्च स्वगूर्ताः ।
गव्यं यव्यं यन्तो दीर्धाहेषं वरमरुण्यो वरन्त ॥१३॥

13) Mayst thou, O Agni, about our Word for thy pivot bring to light for us Heaven and Earth and the rivers that are self-revealed; may the Red Ones reach to knowledge and strength and long days of light, may they choose the force and the supreme good.

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