English translation of Rig Veda Suktas 33-121 (Riks only) - based on Siddhanjana. The renderings by M. P. Pandit are more free than literal.
English translations by M. P. Pandit of only Riks from Rig Veda Samhita, Mandala I, Suktas 33 - 121. Though based on the Siddhānjana, the renderings are more free than literal. The translations are only of the Riks with brief notes (from the Commentary) added wherever found necessary.
Rishi: KANVA Deity: AGNI
The Rishi addresses those who aspire for the Gods.
Men hold Agni, increaser of strength. With oblations we approach thee. Generous with plenty, be pleased and increase thou for us here this day.
We seek thee ardently, the summoner, all-knower, messenger of the Gods, of thee, great and constant, the flames range wide here, thy rays touch the heavens.
O Agni, Gods Varuna, Mitra and Aryaman kindle thee utterly, the ancient envoy. The mortal who has offered to thee wins all wealth through thee.
Agni, thou art the giver of light, summoner, guardian of the homes of people, messenger; in thee meet all established decrees of the Gods.
All regulated actions of the Gods - Indra and others - are lodged in Agni. Through his mouth are they accomplished.
Youthful Agni, auspicious, in thee alone all oblation is offered; such, be thou well disposed to us and convey it to the Gods today and everyday after.
Bowing, they resort to thee who art self-luminous; overcoming the foes, the mortals kindle thee, O Agni, with words of invocation.
By the invoker’s words of praise Agni in the heart is lighted up.
In the inner sacrifice these are the seven speeches corresponding to seven principles.
On the death of Vritra, the Heaven, Earth and Waters are shorn of their covering and released. Thereby they become fit for the dwelling of Gods and God-aspiring Rishis.
With the removal of darkness following the elimination of Vritra, the Waters are released, the Cows are obtained. It is by the force of life-energy that the host of rays of consciousness (Cows) can be secured. That is why Agni is spoken of as Ashva (Horse).
Be well-seated, O Agni, thou art mighty. Avid of the Gods, shine bright. Adorable and excellent, emit the ruddy haze beautiful to behold.
O thou bearer of offerings, most strong for sacrifice, whom the Gods ordained here for Manu’s sake, whom Kanva of worthy guests made the source of wealth, whom Indra ordained, whom now some other sacrificer has ordained, (be well-seated.)
Manu: the original Man or the Mantra as Purusha.
Kanva: the Rishi-Yajamana who is the ideal of the wise.
Medhyatithi: he whose guests are worthy or son of Kanva.
Agni who was brought from the Truth high above and kindled here by Kanva of worthy guests, his impelling flames blaze forth. Him do these our shining words increase, him do we greaten.
O Agni, nourisher, make our wealth entire for thou hast kinship with the Gods. Thou art the lord of the famed strength. Make us happy for thou art great.
Svadhavah: riches endowed with all-nourishing nature.
O Agni, high-uplifted stand for our increase like God Savitr. Towering, bestow the prosperity; with revealing hymns of praise we invoke thee variously.
Erect, protect us from evils with thy glance. Burn him out who would eat all. Raise us aloft for movement and living on high. Convey our labours to the Gods.
O Agni, resplendent and youthful, protect us from the injurer who gives not, protect from the relentless harmer, from him who would kill.
Protect from the human or non-human.
Agni of burning weapons, destroy entirely as with a club, our foes who give not. Lei not our hostile enemy nor any man who reduces us with nether weapons, prevail against us.
Agni is sought with his heroic might. He has conferred prosperity on Kanva. So has he protected our friends as well as Medhyatithi, protected the worshipper for riches.
We invoke, along with Agni, Turvasha, Yadu, Ugradeva from far. May Agni bring Navavastu, Brihadratha, Turviti to subdue the robber Dasyu.
They are high personalities or special Powers, ancients, who have attained to divinity, with meaningful appellations, with prowess according to the derivative significances.
Turvasha: of conquering speed.
Yadu is mentioned elsewhere also along with Turvasha, as having received Indra’s favour.
Ugradeva: whose God is terrible.
Navavastva: who is established in a new dwelling. Brihadratha: mentioned elsewhere also along with Nava. vastva; could be adjectival to Navavastva. Turviti: fast-gaited, of conquering brightness. Navavastva: whose dwelling is new i.e. whose body is newmade. Verse 10.49.6 of Vaikuntha mentions how Indra liſted up this Rishi, carried him across the shining world of light and established him on the other side. The distress caused while being carried is purificatory.
Manu has established thee, a light, O Agni, for men of all times. Truth-born, oblation-sprinkled, thou hast blazed for Kanva, thou to whom bow the industrious.
The flames of Agni, powerful, terrible, cannot be withstood. Always burn out the Yatudhanas with the prowess of the Rakshasas, yea, every devourer.
Sri Aurobindo’s Rendering of this Hymn.
The master of many peoples who labour towards the godhead, we seek for you with words of perfect expression, Agni whom others also everywhere desire.
Men hold Agni in them as the increase of strength. With offerings we dispose the sacrifice for thee, do thou then become today to us perfect minded and our keeper here in our havings, O thou who art of the truth of being.
Thee we choose out for our messenger, the priest of offering who hast universal knowledge; when thou art greatened in thy being thy flames range wide, thy lustres touch the heavens.
The gods even Varuna and Mitra and Aryaman light thee utterly, the ancient messenger; all wealth that mortal conquers by thee, O Agni, who to thee has given.
Thou art the rapturous priest of the sacrifice and master of this house and the envoy of creatures; in thee are met together all the steadfast laws of action which the gods have made.
It is in thee, O Agni, young and mighty, because thou art rich in joy that every offering is cast, therefore do thou today and hereafter, perfect of mind, offer to the gods perfected energies.
He it is, whom as the self-ruler men have attained submission adore; by the greatness of the oblation men light entirely Agni when they have broken through their opposers.
They smite Vritra the coverer and pass beyond the two firmaments, and they make the wide kingdom their home. May the mighty One become in Kanwa a luminous energy fed with the offerings, the Steed of Life neighing in the pastures (stations) of the kine.
Take thy established seat; wide art thou, shine in thy purity revealing utterly the godhead; pour forth, O thou of the sacrifice, thy red active smoke of passion, thou-wide-manifested, that full of vision.
Even thou whom the gods have set here for man most strong for the sacrifice, O bearer of the offering, whom Kanwa Medhyatithi has established as a seizer for him of his desired wealth, whom the mighty Indra and all who established him by the song of praise
Even that Agni whom Medhyatithi Kanwa has kindled high upon the Truth, may his impulses blaze forth, him may these fulfilling Words, him, even Agni, may we increase.
Complete our felicities, O thou who hast the self-fixity; for with thee, O Agni, is effectivity in the gods; thou rulest over the wealth of inspired knowledge. Show thou then favour to us, great art thou.
Utterly high uplifted stand for our growth, like the god Savitr; it is these heights that thou becomest the saviour of our store when we call on thee...
High-raised protect us from the evil by the perceiving mind, burn utterly every eater of our being; raise us too on high for action, for life; distribute among the gods our activity.
Protect us, O’ Agni, from the Rakshasa, protect us from the harm of the undelighting, protect us from him who assails and him who would slay us, O vast of lustres, O mighty and young.
As with thick falling blows scatter utterly (or scatter like clouds to every side) all the powers of undelight, O devourer of their force (or destroyer of affliction), and him who would do us harm; whatsoever mortal being exceeds us by the keepess of his actions, may he not as our enemy have mastery over us.
Agni has won perfected energy for Kanwa and has won perfected enjoyment; Agni protects for him all friendly things, Agni keeps ever in safe being Medhyatithi who has confirmed him by he song of praise.
By Agni we call Turvasha and Yadu from the upper kingdom; Agni has led to a new dwelling Brihadratha and Turviti (or Turviti of wide delight), a power against the foe.
Man establisheth thee within, O Agni, as a light for the eternal birth; mayest thou burn brightly in Kanwa manifested in the Truth and increased in being, thou to whom the doers of action bow down.
Impetuous, O Agni, and forceful are thy flames, terrible and not to be approached; always thou do burn utterly the powers who detain and the powers who are vessels of suffering, yea, every devourer.
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