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

HYMN 72

Rishi : PARASHARA Deity: AGNI

1. Holding in his hands the many godly strengths of the eternal creator, he forms within us the seer-wisdoms. May Agni, lord of the riches, ever fashion all immortal things.²⁵

2. All the immortals, wise, desiring the infant Agni all around found him not in us. Worn weary, following his footprints with attention, they stood in the highest station, they reached the beautiful form²⁶

3. When the pure ones worshipped thee, pure, for three years with happy light, O Agni, then did they obtain the Names worship-worthy. Their bodies came to perfect birth and they sped them.

It is only after the confirmed birth of Agni in the Yajamana, that the other Gods come to be by his power.

The sacrificial Name denotes their convergence on Agni.

Three years: three refers to the three worlds; year stands for the period for full maturity.

4. The masters of sacrifice discovered the vast Heaven and Earth. Then did the mortal come to know; bearing the upper Half, he found Agni standing in his supreme station.

Nema: denotes half; here it refers to the higher hemisphere (Parardha).

5. Knowing (Agni) well, they with their consorts arrived and kneeling worshipped the adorable. Emptying themselves, they formed their bodies, protected in his game, friend in the gaze of friend.

Before the new body is ready, the old has to be emptied.

Each of the Gods is friend of Agni, each is guarded in his gaze.

6. When the Gods have come to know of the thrice-seven secrets placed in thee, with one mind they guard thee, immortal, with the thrice-seven steps, Guard thou the Herds, moving and unmoving.

Thrice-seven: the seven planes of existence in triple.

7. O Agni, thou knowest what we know. Ordain unbroken strengths for the existence of the peoples. Thou knowest from within the routes of the Gods, Carrier of our offerings, thou art an unwearied envoy.

8. Knowers of Truth, far-seeing, they knew the seven rivers flowing from Heaven, the doors of treasure. Sarama discovered the strong wide place of the Herds. By that the human being enjoys happiness.

9. The earth stood spread out great because of the Gods with their following laying the path to Immortality. Mother Aditi with her sons came to uphold her.

10. When the immortals fashioned the two eyes of Heaven they laid radiance and beauty in him (Agni). Now they flow like rivers set in motion; bright red they ran downwards, they knew thee. O Agni.

Radiance and beauty are the two eyes set in Agni by the Gods.

Bright red: red denotes surcharge of life-force; it applies to powers of enjoyment and action.

Sri Aurobindo’s rendering of this hymn:

1. He forms within us the seer-wisdoms of the eternal Creator holding in his hand many powers²⁷

2. All the immortals, the wise ones, desired but found not in us the Child who is all around; turning to toil on his track, upholding the Thought, they stood in the supreme plane, they reached the beauty of the Flame.

3. When for three years, O Fire, they worshipped the thee, the pure ones thee the pure, with the clarity of the light, they held too the sacrificial Names, their bodies came to perfect birth and they sped them on the way.

4. The master of sacrifice discovered and in their impetuous might bore the Vast Earth and Heaven, then the mortal knew them and by his holding of the upper²⁹

5. Utterly knowing him they with their wives came and knelt before him and adored with obeisance the adorable. They made themselves empty and formed their own bodies guarded in his gaze, friend in the gaze of friend.

6. When the masters of sacrifice have found hidden in thee the thrice seven secret planes, by them they guard with one mind of acceptance Immortality. Protect the Herds, those that stand and that which is mobile.

7. O Fire, thou art the knower of our knowledge, ordain for the people an unbroken succession of strengths that they may live. The knower within of the paths of the journey of the gods, thou hast become a sleepless messenger and the carrier of the offerings.

8. The seven mighty Rivers from Heaven, deep-thinking, knowers of the Truth; knew the doors of the treasure; Sarama discovered the mass of the Ray-Cow, the strong place, the wideness, and now by that the human creature enjoys bliss.

9. These are they who set their steps on all things that have fair issue, making a path towards immortality. Earth stood wide in greatness by the Great Ones, the Mother infinite with her sons came to uphold her.

10. When the immortals made the two eyes of Heaven, they set in him the splendour and the beauty. Then there flow as if rivers loosed to their course; downward they ran, his ruddy mares, and knew, O Fire.