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

HYMN 94

Rishi : KUTSA Deity: AGNI

1. Like a car, we frame with our mind this hymn to the adorable Jatavedas (knower of all things born). Happy is our understanding in the presence of Agni.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

2. He for whom, O Agni, thou sacrificest, accomplishes unobstructed; he abides and gains heroic might; he waxes. Evil does not touch him.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

3. O Agni, may we be able to kindle thee. Perfect our thoughts. In thee the Gods eat the oblations offered. Bring hither the sons of Aditi, for we long for them.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

4. May we, O Agni, collect the fuel; may we prepare the oblations, reminding ourselves of the successive steps. Perfect our thought to prolong our life.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

5. Guardians of all men, his rays spread out and protect both the two-stationed and four-stationed. O Agni, thou art greater than Ushas for thine is the ray of many hues.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

Two-stationed: he who has his stations in both Heaven and Earth:

Four-stationed: with stations in all the four Vyahritis.

Agni shines all the time, the Dawn only in the morning.

6. Thou art the Priest and the chief Invoker, Director, Purifier, Vicar. Knowing all the priestly functions, O Sage, thou perfectest.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

7. Graceful of form, O Agni, thou art alike on every side. Though for thou shinest as if night. O God, thou seest beyond even the darkness of the night.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

Agni shines same both in the states of inner illumination and of obscurity of the Yajamana.

8. O Gods, foremost be his car who pours libation. Let our word of curse overwhelm the evil-minded. Attend to this our speech and promote it.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

9. O Agni, smite with thy fatal (weapons) the infamous and evil-thoughted demons, whether near or far. Then to the singer make the path easy for sacrifice.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

10. O Agni, when thou yokest the bright-red steeds, wind-swift, thy roar is like the bull’s. Then dost thou cover the trees with thy banner of smoke.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

The burning of earth-born trees signifies the destruction of all that is to be rejected from the matter-formed physical body.

11. Then at thy roar, the very birds are terrified. When thy flames eating up the grass, pervade (the forest), it becomes easy for thee and thy car to pass.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

In the inner journey, the obscurities of the Inconscient in the physical obstruct the movement of the subtler bodies. When they are destroyed by the flames of Agni, the path gets cleared and the physical body is purified.

Birds signify the mental powers charged with pranic erergies.

12. He (devoted to Agni) is capable of sustaining Mitra and Varuna. Famous is the fury of the Maruts descending. Make us felicitous, may their mind be tranquil a ain.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

The protection of Mitra and Varuna is sought in the face of the wrath of the Maruts.

13. God among Gods, O Agni, thou art a great friend. Handsome, thou confirmest riches in the sacrifice. Under thy most wide protection may we dwell.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

14. Well-kindlea in thy own home, propitiated by Somalibation, thou art lauded. Thine is that happy good. Much delighting, thou grantest joy and riches to the giver.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

15. Whom thou quickenest with happy, bright vigour, blessed is he to whom thou grantest, in all actions, sinlessness, thou who art clegant of wealth, infinite and without blemish.

May we be enriched with thy progenyfilled wealth. May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

16. Do thou, O God Agni, who knowest all good fortune, prolong our life. May Mitra, Varuna, Aditi, Waters, Earth and Heaven cherish it.

May we not, O Agni, suffer separation in thy friendship.

Sri Aurobindo’s rendering of this hymn:

1. This is the omniscient who knows the law of our being and is sufficient to his works; let us build the song of his truth by our thought and make it as if a chariot on which he shall mount. When he dwells with us, then a happy wisdom becomes ours. With him for friend we cannot come to harm.

2. Whosoever makes him his priest of the sacrifice, reaches the perfection that is the fruit of his striving, a home on a height of being where there is no warring and no enemies; he confirms in himself an ample energy; he is safe in his strength, evil cannot lay its hand upon him.

3. This is the Fire of our sacrifice! May we have strength to kindle it to its height, may it perfect our thoughts. In this all that we give must be thrown that it may become a food for the gods; this shall bring to us the godheads of the infinite consciousness who are our desire.

4. Let us gather fuel for it, let us prepare for it offerings, let us make ourselves conscious of the jointings of its times and its seasons. It shall so perfect our thoughts that they shall extend our being and create for us a larger life.

5. This is the guardian of the world and its peoples, the shepherd of all these herds; all that is born moves by his rays and is compelled by his flame, both the two-footed and the four-footed creatures. This is the rich and great thought-awakening of the Dawn within

6. This is the priest who guides the march of the sacrifice, the first and ancient who calls to the gods and gives the offerings; his is the command and his the purification; from his birth he stands in front the vicar of our sacrifice. He knows all the works of this divine priesthood, for he is the Thinker who increases in us.

7. The faces of this God are everywhere and he fronts all things perfectly; he has the eye and the vision: when we see him from afar, yet he seems near to us, so brilliantly he shines across the gulfs. He sees beyond the darkness of our night, for his vision is divine.

8. O you godheads, let our chariot be always in front, let our clear and strong word overcome all that thinks the falsehood. O you godheads, know for us, know in us that Truth, increase the speech that finds and utters it.

9. With blows that slay cast from our path, O thou Flame, the powers that stammer in the speech and stumble in the thought, the devourers of our power and our knowledge who leap at us from near and shoot at us from afar. Make the path of the sacrifice a clear and happy journeying.

10. Thou hast bright red horses for thy chariot, O Will divine, who are driven by the storm-wind of thy passion; thou roarest like a bull, thou rushest upon the forest of life, on its pleasant trees that encumber thy path, with the smoke of thy passion in which there is the thought and the sight.

11. At the noise of thy coming even they that wing in the skies are afraid, when thy eaters of the pasture go abroad in their haste. So thou makest clear thy path to thy kingdom that thy chariots may run towards it easily.

12. This dread and tumult of thee, is it not the wonderful and exceeding wrath of the gods of the Life rushing down on us to found here the purity of the Infinite, the harmony of the Lover? Be gracious, O thou fierce Fire, let their minds be again sweet to us and pleasant.

13. God art thou of the gods, for thou art the lover and friend; richest art thou of the masters of the Treasures, the founders of the home, for thou art very bright and pleasant in the pilgrimage and the sacrifice. Very wide and far-extending is the peace of thy beatitude; may that be the home of our abiding!

14. That is the bliss of him and the happiness; for then is this Will very gracious and joy-giving when in its own divine house, lit into its high and perfect flame, it is adored by our thoughts and satisfied with the wine of our delight. Then it lavishes its deliciousness, then it returns in treasure and substance all that we have given into its hands.

15. O thou infinite and indivisible Being, it is thou ever that formest the sinless universalities of the spirit by our sacrifice; thou compellest and inspirest thy favourites by thy happy and luminous forcefulness, by the fruitful riches of thy joy. Among them may we be numbered.

16. Thou art the knower of felicity and the increaser here of our life and advancer of our being! Thou art the godhead!...