Translations of Rig Veda Suktas 33-121 by M.P. Pandit

HYMN 65

Rishi: PARASHARA Deity: AGNI

1. Joying in thee, the wise bow and, by the footprints, follow thee, hiding in the cavern like a thief with the cow. All the Gods come to thee who takest and carriest our obeisance.

Pashu denotes the cow signifying the inner divine vision.

Like the thief hiding with the stolen cow in the cave, God Agni carrying the inner vision is concealed in the inner cavern. He accepts and keeps with him the obeisance of his worshippers. The wise track Agni by his footprints as they trace a thief. As Agni is discovered all the Gods come and wait upon him.

2. The searching Gods follow the workings of Truth. He envelops the earth and spreads like heaven. The waters labour and nourish him as he is born in their womb in the home of Truth and grows in form.

When all the Gods search and attain to him, Agni glows spreading like the heavens.

3. Delightful as growth, vast as the earth, enjoyable as the hill, pleasant like flowing water, charging like the impelled horse in a battle, rapid as the river – who can stay him?

4. Like brother to sisters, he is kin to the waters; he swallows the growths of earth as the king his foes; when urged by wind he traverses the forests, Agni shears the hairs of the earth.

Such growths as shoot up from Matter like hair and need to be removed are cleared by Agni driven by wind.

5. He breathes like a swan seated amidst the waters; awakened at dawn, he arouses the intelligence among peoples by his seer-will; born of Truth, he is a creator like Soma; he is like a cow with her new-born; extended, his glow is far-reaching.

Sri Aurobindo’s rendering of the hymn:

1. He hides himself like a thief with the cow of vision in the secret cavern, he takes to himself our adoration, and thither he carries it.²

2. The Gods follow after him the law of the workings of Truth. He stands encompassing all as heaven the earth. The Waters make him grow increasing in his bulk by their toil,³

3. He is as if a delightful thriving, he is like the earth our wide dwelling-place. He is enjoyable like a hill and bliss-giving like fast running water. He is like a charger in the battle rushing to the gallop and like a flowing river;⁴

4. He is the close comrade of the Rivers as is a brother of his sisters. He devours the earth’s forests as a king his enemies. When driven by the breath of the wind he ranges around the forests, the Flame tears asunder the hairs of Earth’s body.

5. He breathes in the Waters like a seated swan. Waking in the dawn he has power by the will of his works to give knowledge to the peoples. He is like the God of the Wine, born of the Truth and a creator. He is like a cow with her new-born. He is wide-spreading and his light is seen from afar.