Hymns to the Mystic Fire

Trita Aptya

SUKTA 1

अग्रे बृहन्नुषसामूर्ध्वो अस्थान्निर्जगन्वान् तमसो ज्योतिषागात् ।
अग्निर्भानुना रुशता स्वङ्ग आ जातो विश्वा सद्मान्यप्राः ॥१॥

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.

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स जातो गर्भो असि रोदस्योरग्ने चारुर्विभृत ओषधीषु ।
चित्रः शिशुः परि तमांस्यक्तून् प्र मातृभ्यो अधि कनिकदद्गाः ॥२॥

2) 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.

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विष्णुरित्था परममस्य विद्वाञ्जातो बृहन्नभि पाति तृतीयम् ।
आसा यदस्य पयो अकत स्वं सचेतसो अभ्यर्चन्त्यत्र ॥३॥

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

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अत उ त्वा पितुभृतो जनित्रीरन्नावृधं प्रति चरन्त्यन्नैः ।
ता ईं प्रत्येषि पुनरन्यरुपा असि त्वं विक्षु मानुषीषु होता ॥४॥

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

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food 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.

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होतारं चित्ररथमध्वरस्य यज्ञस्ययज्ञस्य केतुं रुशन्तम् ।
प्रत्यर्धिं देवस्यदेवस्य मह्ना श्रिया त्वाग्निमतिथिं जनानाम् ॥५॥

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 of each god in might and glory.

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स तु वस्त्राण्यध पेशनानि वसानो अग्निर्नाभा पृथिव्याः ।
अरुषो जातः पद इळायाः पुरोहितो राजन् यक्षीह देवान् ॥६॥

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.

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आ हि द्यावापृथिवी अग्न उभे सदा पुत्रो न मातरा ततन्थ ।
प्र याह्यच्छोशतो यविष्ठाऽथा वह सहस्येह देवान् ॥७॥

7) Ever, O Fire, thou hast stretched out earth and heaven, as their son thou hast built up thy father and mother: O ever young, journey towards the gods who desire thee; then bring them to us, O forceful Flame!

SUKTA 2

पिप्रीहि देवाँ उशतो यविष्ठ विद्वाँ ऋतूँर्ऋतुपते यजेह ।
ये दैव्या ऋत्विजस्तेभिरग्ने त्वं होतृणामस्यायजिष्ठः ॥१॥

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

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

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वेषि होत्रमुत पोत्रं जनानां मन्धातासि द्रविणोदा ऋतावा ।
स्वाहा वयं कृणवामा हवींषि देवो देवान् यजत्वग्निरर्हन् ॥२॥

2) Thou comest to men's invocation, thou comest to the purification, thou art the thinker, the giver of the riches, the possessor of the Truth: may we make the offerings with svāhā; may Fire, availing, do the sacrifice, a god to the gods.

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आ देवानामपि पन्थामगन्म यच्छक्नवाम तदनु प्रवोळ्हुम् ।
अग्निर्विद्वान्त्स यजात्सेदु होता सो अध्वरान्त्स ऋतून् कल्पयाति ॥३॥

3) 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.

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यद् वो वयं प्रमिनाम व्रतानि विदुषां देवा अविदुष्टरासः ।
अग्निष्टद् विश्वमा पृणाति विद्वान् येभिर्देवाँ ऋतुभिः कल्पयाति ॥४॥

4) 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.

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यत् पाकत्रा मनसा दीनदक्षा न यज्ञस्य मन्वते मर्त्यासः ।
अग्निष्टद्धोता कतुविद् विजानन् यजिष्ठो देवाँ ऋतुशो यजाति ॥५॥

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

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विश्वेषां ह्यध्वराणामनीकं चित्रं केतुं जनिता त्वा जजान ।
स आ यजस्व नृवतीरनु क्षाः स्पार्हा इषः क्षुमतीर्विश्वजन्याः ॥६॥

6) 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.

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यं त्वा द्यावापृथिवी यं त्वापस्त्वष्टा यं त्वा सुजनिमा जजान ।
पन्थामनु प्रविद्वान् पितृयाणं द्युमदग्ने समिधानो वि भाहि ॥७॥

7) Thou whom heaven and earth, thou whom the waters, thou whom the form-maker, creator of perfect births, have brought into being; O Fire, luminously along the path of the journey of the Fathers, knowing it beforehand, high-kindled blaze.

SUKTA 3

इनो राजन्नरतिः समिद्धो रौद्रो दक्षाय सुषुमाँ अदर्शि ।
चिकिद्वि भाति भासा बृहताऽसिक्नीमेति रुशतीमपाजन् ॥१॥

1) He is seen high-kindled, the master ruling all, the traveller, the terrible, he who creates perfectly right understanding, awake to knowledge he shines wide with a vast lustre; driving the ruddy bright cow he comes to the dark one.

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कृष्णां यदेनीमभि वर्पसा भूज्जनयन् योषां बृहतः पितुर्जाम् ।
ऊर्ध्वं भानुं सूर्यस्य स्तभायन् दिवो वसुभिररतिर्वि भाति ॥२॥

2) When he overspread with his body the black night and the dappled dawn bringing to birth the young maiden born from the great Father, pillaring the high-lifted light of the sun, the traveller shines out with the riches² of heaven.

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भद्रो भद्रया सचमान आगात् स्वसारं जारो अभ्येति पश्चात् ।
सुप्रकेतैर्द्युभिरग्निर्वितिष्ठन् रुशद्भिर्वर्णैरभि राममस्थात् ॥३॥

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 beauty with his ruddy shining hues.

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अस्य यामासो बृहतो न वग्नूनिन्धाना अग्नेः सख्युः शिवस्य ।
ईड्यस्य वृष्णो बृहतः स्वासो भामासो यामन्नक्तवश्चिकित्रे ॥४॥

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 have waked to knowledge.

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स्वना न यस्य भामासः पवन्ते रोचमानस्य बृहतः सुदिवः ।
ज्येष्ठेभिर्यस्तेजिष्ठैः कीळुमद्भिर्वर्षिष्ठेभिर्भानुभिर्नक्षति द्याम् ॥५॥

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.

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अस्य शुष्मासो ददृशानपवेर्जेहमानस्य स्वनयन् नियुद्भिः ।
प्रत्नेभिर्यो रुशद्भिर्देवतमो वि रेभद्भिररतिर्भाति विभ्वा ॥६॥

6) His strengths are those of a thunderbolt seen in the hurling, they neigh aloud in their teams; he, the traveller, most divine, shines wide-pervading with his ancient ruddy chanting fires.

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स आ वक्षि महि न आ च सत्सि दिवस्पृथिव्योररतिर्युवत्योः ।
अग्निः सुतुकः सुतुकेभिरश्वै रभस्वद्भी रभस्वाँ एह गम्याः ॥७॥

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 here.

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SUKTA 4

प्र ते यक्षि प्र त इयर्मि मन्म भुवो यथा वन्द्यो नो हवेषु ।
धन्वन्निव प्रपा असि त्वमग्न इयक्षवे पूरवे प्रत्न राजन् ॥१॥

1) 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.

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यं त्वा जनासो अभि संचरन्ति गाव उष्णमिव व्रजं यविष्ठ ।
दूतो देवानामसि मर्त्यानामन्तर्महाँश्चरसि रोचनेन ॥२॥

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 luminous world.

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शिशुं न त्वा जेन्यं वर्धयन्ती माता बिभर्ति सचनस्यमाना ।
धनोरधि प्रवता यासि हर्यञ्जिगीषसे पशुरिवावसृष्टः ॥३॥

3) The mother bears thee like an infant child clinging cherishingly to thee, increasing thee to be a conqueror; headlong down over the dry land he goes rejoicing, he is fain to go like an animal let loose.

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मूरा अमूर न वयं चिकित्वो महित्वमग्ने त्वमङ्ग वित्से ।
शये वव्रिश्चरति जिह्वयादन् रेरिह्यते युवतिं विश्पतिः सन् ॥४॥

4) 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.

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कूचिज्जायते सनयासु नव्यो वने तस्थौ पलितो धूमकेतुः ।
अस्नातापो वृषभो न प्र वेति सचेतसो यं प्रणयन्त मर्ताः ॥५॥

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

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forest hoary-old with smoke for his banner: a bull unbathed he journeys to the waters and mortals who are conscious lead him on his way.

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तनुत्यजेव तस्करा वनर्गू रशनाभिर्दशभिरभ्यधीताम् ।
इयं ते अग्ने नव्यसी मनीषा युक्ष्वा रथं न शुचयद्भिरङ्गैः ॥६॥

6) Two robbers abandoning their bodies, rangers of the forest, have planted him in his place with ten cords. This is thy new thinking, O Fire, yoke thyself to it with thy illumining limbs like a chariot.

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ब्रह्म च ते जातवेदो नमश्चेयं च गीः सदमिद् वर्धनी भूत् ।
रक्षा णो अग्ने तनयानि तोका रक्षोत नस्तन्वो अप्रयुच्छन् ॥७॥

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 of our begetting, guard undeviatingly our bodies.

SUKTA 5

एकः समुद्रो धरुणो रयीणामस्मद्धृदो भूरिजन्मा वि चष्टे ।
सिषक्त्यूधर्निण्योरुपस्थ उत्सस्य मध्ये निहितं पदं वेः ॥१॥

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 lap of the two secret ones in the midst of the fountain-source the hidden seat of the being.

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समानं नीळं वृषणो वसानाः सं जग्मिरे महिषा अर्वतीभिः ।
ऋतस्य पदं कवयो नि पान्ति गुहा नामानि दधिरे पराणि ॥२॥

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.

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ऋतायिनी मायिनी सं दधाते मित्वा शिशुं जज्ञतुर्वर्धयन्ती ।
विश्वस्य नाभिं चरतो ध्रुवस्य कवेश्चित् तन्तुं मनसा वियन्तः ॥३॥

3) The two mothers in whom is the Truth, in whom is the mage-wisdom, formed him and brought to birth like an infant 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.

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ऋतस्य हि वर्तनयः सुजातमिषो वाजाय प्रदिवः सचन्ते ।
अधीवासं रोदसी वावसाने घृतैरन्नैर्वावृधाते मधूनाम् ॥४॥

4) Him well-born the routes of the Truth and its ancient impulsions 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.

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सप्त स्वसृररुषीर्वावशानो विद्वान् मध्व उज्जभारा दृशे कम् ।
अन्तर्येमे अन्तरिक्षे पुराजा इच्छन् वव्रिमविदत् पूषणस्य ॥५॥

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.

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सप्त मर्यादाः कवयस्ततक्षुस्तासामेकामिदभ्यंहुरो गात् ।
आयोर्ह स्कम्भ उपमस्य नीळे पथां विसर्गे धरुणेषु तस्थौ ॥६॥

6) The seers fashioned the seven goals,⁴ towards one of them alone goes the narrow and difficult road. A pillar of the supreme being in its abode, he stands at the starting-out of the ways, in the upholding laws.

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असच्च सच्च परमे व्योमन् दक्षस्य जन्मन्नदितेरुपस्थे ।
अग्निर्ह नः प्रथमजा ऋतस्य पूर्व आयुनि वृषभश्च धेनुः ॥७॥

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.

SUKTA 6

अयं स यस्य शर्मन्नवोभिरग्नेरेधते जरिताभिष्टौ ।
ज्येष्ठेभिर्यो भानुभिर्ऋषूणां पर्येति परिवीतो विभावा ॥१॥

1) This is he in whose peace,⁵ and in his approach to it grows by his guardings the worshipper of the Fire, who encompasses all and is spread everywhere luminous with the largest lights of the wise.⁶

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यो भानुभिर्विभावा विभात्यग्निर्देवेभिर्ऋतावाजस्त्रः ।
आ यो विवाय सख्या सखिभ्योऽपरिहवृतो अत्यो न सप्तिः ॥२॥

2) Fire, who shines perpetual, possessor of the Truth, luminous with divine lights, he who follows out the works of a comrade for his comrades like a courser running straight to his goal.

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ईशे यो विश्वस्या देववीतेरीशे विश्वायुरुषसो व्युष्टौ ।
आ यस्मिन् मना हवींष्यग्नावरिष्टरथः स्कभ्नाति शूषैः ॥३॥

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, Fire in whom our thinkings are cast as offerings, his chariot goes unhurt and he supports all his strengths.

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शूषेभिर्वृधो जुषाणो अर्कैर्देवाँ अच्छा रघुपत्वा जिगाति ।
मन्द्रो होता स जुह्वा यजिष्ठः संमिश्लो अग्निरा जिघर्ति देवान् ॥४॥

4) 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.

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तमुस्त्रामिन्द्रं न रेजमानमग्निं गीर्भिर्नमोभिरा कृणुध्वम् ।
आ यं विप्रासो मतिभिर्गृणन्ति जातवेदसं जुह्वं सहानाम् ॥५॥

5) Him fashion for you with your words and your obeisances as if Indra quivering at the dawn-ray, him whom illumined sages voice with their thoughts, the knower of all things born, the overpowering Flame.

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सं यस्मिन् विश्वा वसूनि जग्मुर्वाजे नाश्वाः सप्तीवन्त एवैः ।
अस्मे ऊतीरिन्द्रवाततमा अर्वाचीना अग्न आ कृणुष्व ॥६॥

6) Thou in whom all the Riches meet together in the plenitude like horses by their gallopings in their speed towards the goal, the protections most desired by Indra to us make close, O Fire.

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अधा ह्यग्ने मह्ना निषद्या सद्यो जज्ञानो हव्यो बभूथ ।
तं ते देवासो अनु केतमायन्नधावर्धन्त प्रथमास ऊमाः ॥७॥

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 and were the first and supreme helpers.

SUKTA 7

स्वस्ति नो दिवो अग्ने पृथिव्या विश्वायुर्धेहि यजथाय देव ।
सचेमहि तव दस्म प्रकेतैरुरुष्या ण उरुभिर्देव शंसैः ॥१॥

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

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that 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.

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इमा अग्ने मतयस्तुभ्यं जाता गोभिरश्वैरभि मृणन्ति राधः ।
यदा ते मर्तो अनु भोगमानड् वसो दधानो मतिभिः सुजात ॥२॥

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

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अग्निं मन्ये पितरमग्निमापिमग्निं भ्रातरं सदमित् सखायम् ।
अग्नेरनीकं बृहतः सपर्यं दिवि शुकं यजतं सूर्यस्य ॥३॥

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 worshipped force of the Sun in heaven.

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सिध्रा अग्ने धियो अस्मे सनुत्रीर्यं त्रायसे दम आ नित्यहोता ।
ऋतावा स रोहिदश्वः पुरुक्षुर्द्युभिरस्मा अहभिर्वाममस्तु ॥४॥

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, may happiness be his through the shining days.

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द्युभिर्हितं मित्रमिव प्रयोगं प्रत्नमृत्विजमध्वरस्य जारम् ।
बाहुभ्यामग्निमायवोऽजनन्त विक्षु होतारं न्यसादयन्त ॥५॥

5) The Fire founded by the heavens⁷ as our friend and the means for our works, the ancient Priest of the pilgrim-rites, the lover men brought into being by the strength of their two arms and seated within as the Priest of the call in beings.

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स्वयं यजस्व दिवि देव देवान् किं ते पाकः कृणवदप्रचेताः ।
यथायज ऋतुभिर्देव देवानेवा यजस्व तन्वं सुजात ॥६॥

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

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भवा नो अग्नेऽवितोत गोपा भवा वयस्कृदुत नो वयोधाः ।
रास्वा च नः सुमहो हव्यदातिं त्रास्वोत नस्तन्वो अप्रयुच्छन् ॥७॥

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