Hymns to the Mystic Fire

Gopavana Atreya

SUKTA 74

विशोविशो वो अतिथिं वाजयन्तः पुरुप्रियम् ।
अग्निं वो दुर्यं वचः स्तुषे शूषस्य मन्मभिः ॥१॥

1) All kinds of beings replenish the guest domiciled in your house in whom are the many pleasant things; I laud him with my thoughts with the word of bliss.

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यं जनासो हविष्मन्तो मित्रं न सर्पिरासुतिम् ।
प्रशंसन्ति प्रशस्तिभिः ॥२॥

2) He to whom men bringing the offering pour the stream of the libation and by their words that give expression to him proclaim as the friend,—

पन्यांसं जातवेदसं यो देवतात्युद्यता ।
हव्यान्यैरयद् दिवि ॥३॥

3) The wonderful,¹ the knower of all things born, who in the formation of the godheads sends up the offerings uplifted in heaven,—

आगन्म वृत्रहन्तमं ज्येष्ठमग्निमानवम् ।
यस्य श्रुतर्वा बृहन्नार्क्षो अनीक एधते ॥४॥

4) We have come to the Fire, strongest to slay the Coverers, eldest and ever new in whose force of flame Shrutarvana, son of Riksha, grows to vastness.

अमृतं जातवेदसं तिरस्तमांसि दर्शतम् ।
घृताहवनमीड्यम् ॥५॥

5) The immortal, the knower of all things born who is seen² across the darkness, one to be prayed to, one to whom are offered the clarities.

सबाधो यं जना इमेऽग्निं हव्येभिरीळते ।
जुह्वानासो यतस्त्रुचः ॥६॥

6) The Fire whom men here oppressed pray with their offerings casting their libations with the ladles at work.³

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इयं ते नव्यसी मतिरग्ने अधाय्यस्मदा ।
मन्द्र सुजात सुकतोऽमूर दस्मातिथे ॥७॥

7) Thine, O Fire, is the new thought founded in us, O rapturous and well-born guest, strong of will, wise and powerful for action.

सा ते अग्ने शंतमा चनिष्ठा भवतु प्रिया ।
तया वर्धस्व सुष्टुतः ॥८॥

8) May that thought, O Fire, become pleasant and full of peace and gladness; grow by it, well-affirmed by our lauds.

सा द्युम्नैर्द्युम्निनी बृहदुपोप श्रवसि श्रवः ।
दधीत वृत्रतूर्ये ॥९॥

9) May it be luminous with many lights, and uphold in its inspiration a vast inspired knowledge in the piercing of the Coverers.

अश्वमिद् गां रथप्रां त्वेषमिन्द्रं न सत्पतिम् ।
यस्य श्रवांसि तूर्वथ पन्यंपन्यं च कृष्टयः ॥१०॥

10) He is the Horse of power and the Cow of light, it is he who fills our chariots, he is brilliant and like Indra the lord of beings; you shall cross through his inspiration, O men! and find each wonderful.

यं त्वा गोपवनो गिरा चनिष्ठदग्ने अङगिरः ।
स पावक श्रुधी हवम् ॥११॥

11) Thou whom Gopavana gladdens with his word, O Fire, O Angiras, O purifying Flame, hear his call.

यं त्वा जनास ईळते सबाधो वाजसातये ।
स बोधि वृत्रतूर्ये ॥१२॥

12) Thou whom men oppressed pray for the winning of the plenitudes, awake in the piercing of the Coverers.

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अहं हुवान आर्क्षे श्रुतर्वणि मदच्युति ।
शर्धांसीव स्तुकाविनां मृक्षा शीर्षा चतुर्णाम् ॥१३॥

13) As if calling armed forces in Shrutarvan, son of Riksha, from whom drips the rapturous inspiration, I comb the shaggy-maned head of the four.

मां चत्वार आशवः शविष्ठस्य द्रवित्नवः ।
सुरथासो अभि प्रयो वक्षन् वयो न तुग्रयम् ॥१४॥

14) Me the swift and galloping four of that most strong one, well-charioted, bore⁴ towards the delight as if birds flying to water.⁵

सत्यमित् त्वा महेनदि परुष्ण्यव देदिशम् ।
नेमापो अश्वदातरः शविष्ठादस्ति मर्त्यः ॥१५॥

15) O great river Parushni, I have marked out (with them) thy true course. O waters, than this most strong one no mortal man is a greater giver of the Horses of power.⁶