HYMN 31: Agni dwells in all human beings

Rişhi: Hiraņyastūpa Angirasa

MANTRA (1.31.1): SEERS BORN FROM YOU

O Agni, you are the first of the Angiras,

Seer, god and the auspicious friend of gods;

By your actions were born the seers who act by knowledge,

Maruts of shining arms.

tvam agne prathamo angirā

you, Agni, the first, Angiras,

ŗşhiĥ devo devānām abhavaĥ shivaĥ sakhā;

seer, god, of the gods, becomes, auspicious, friend,

tava vrate kavayo vidmanāpasaĥ ajāyanta

in your, deed, seers, who act by knowledge, were born,

maruto bhrājat ŗşhţayaĥ.

Maruts, shining, spears (arms).

Details:

maruts: special deities, fast in speed, belonging to the life-plane or mid-region. They give a divine motion to the activities of the intelligence illumined by the Light and Strength of Indra. Maruts are not mere gusts of wind, but they are seers who act by knowledge.

angiras: A family of seers who have contributed to both Rig Veda and Atharva Veda. See 1.71.2 in this volume for more information. Vol.6 of CWKS (English) discusses the work of these seers in some detail.

ajāyanta: were born.

MANTRA (1.31.2): YOU DWELL IN MAN IN MANY WAYS

O Agni, you are the first and the most excellent among the Angirasas;

Seer, you adorn the deeds of the gods from all sides.

Manifesting in multiple ways for the world, you are wise,

As you measure the two worlds. In how many ways do you well in man?

tvam agne prathamo angirastamaĥ

you, Agni, first, most Angirasa,

kaviĥ devānām pari bhūşhasi vratam;

seer, gods, all around, adorn, deed,

vibhuĥ vishvasmai bhuvanāya medhiro

variously manifesting, for all, for the world, wise,

dvimātā shayuĥ katidhā chit āyave.

two measures, dwell (in men), in how many ways, ., for man.

Details:

The last line of the verse indicates that the modes of manifestation of Agni in humans are as numerous as the human beings.

mātā: measurer derived from ma, to measure, the same root as in the word māya.

dvi: two, always stands for the two worlds, heaven and earth. Agni establishes in the aspirant a vast knowledge of the dual form of heaven and earth.

MANTRA (1.31.3): ENDURE THE BURDEN

O Agni, you are important for Vāyu;

In the yajňa chosen by the summoner, heaven and earth trembled;

You endure that burden; O wealth, you worship the great ones.

tvam agne prathamo mātarishvana

you, Agni, important, (the God) Vāyu,

āvirbhava sukratūyā vivasvate;

manifest, for good actions, shining one,

arejetām rodasī hotŗvūrye

trembled, heaven and earth, yajňa chosen by the summoner,

asaghnoĥ bhāram ayajo maho vaso.

endure, burden, worshipped, the great Gods, O wealth.

Details:

Vāyu is the God of life who purifies the nervous system of the seeker, who aspires to ascend to the world of Gods, and fills it with life-strength. Manifestation of Agni, the seer will, is necessary before the play of Vāyu in a human can begin. The phrase ‘trembled’ refers to the initial movement in the consciousness of heaven and earth, mind and matter, which are dormant before Agni enters.

mātarishvan: the deity Vāyu. māta is the midregion, the realm of the life - energies, prāņa. There he breathes, shvās.

bhāram: the burden of managing the entire yajňa.

vivasvate: The shining one; the human aspirant shining with the desire for doing good action.

MANTRA (1.31.4): SUPERB DOER OF GOOD

O Agni, you have proclaimed to the thinker that heaven (can be attained).

To the performer of good actions who laments much, you motivate him to do good deeds.

Released by the quick churning of the heaven and earth,

They brought you in front and from behind.

tvam agne manave dyām avāshayaĥ

you, Agni, for Manu the thinker, heaven, proclaimed,

purūravase sukŗte sukŗttaraĥ;

one who laments, doer of good acts, becoming the superb doer of good,

shvātreņa yat pitroĥ muchyase pari ā

by quick churning, when, the parents (heaven and earth), released, on all sides, .,

tvā pūrvam anayan a aparam punaĥ.

you, in front, having brought, brought, behind, again.

Details:

Agni has proclaimed that the divine station has to be attained and can be attained by the thinker.

The person performing the yajňa is called purūravas because he laments much about his efforts to attain the divine station or consciousness. To such a person, Agni is the superb motivator who pushes the sacrificer to greater heights. S introduces the story of the purāņic person, Purūravas, for which there is no need. Purāņās came into existence much later than the Veda.

Agni is released all around by the parents, the forces of consciousness denoted by heaven and earth, by quick churning.

ā + anayan: ānayan, brought.

MANTRA (1.31.5): THE SOLE PERSON

O Agni, you are the one who showers and nourishes;

Become praise-worthy to individuals who have the clarity of thought;

Illumine the one who repeatedly offers with the chant vaşhat,

tvam agne vŗşhabhaĥ puşhţi vardhana

you, Agni, showerer, nourishment, increaser,

udyata sruche bhavasi shravāyyaĥ;

raises, clarity of thought, becomes, fit to be praised,

ya āhutim pari vedā vaşhaţkŗtim

who, the act of offering, on all sides, knows, the act of vaşhaţ,

ekāyuĥ agre visha āvivāsasi.

sole person, in front, other men, makes him shine.

Details:

vaşhaţ: A word used extensively in rituals. In the inner sacrifice, the use of this word while making the offering after the invocation gives the notion of firmness. The hymn says that Agni gives illumination to the person who with vaşhaţ give offerings to the Gods

ekāyuĥ: eka + āyu, The Sole Person. The word āyu is well known in Veda to mean a living being in general and a human in particular. Agni is the collective entity of all humans. Recall the second rik which says, ‘In how many ways do you dwell in man?'

udyatasruche: For the ritualists it is "one who lifts the vessel used to pour ghee.'' In the esoteric sense it signifies the person with luminous clarity of thought.

vŗşhabha: One who showers all the knowledge and power; it is a popular word in the RV occurring with its inflections and variants more than 200 times. It is a common epithet for Indra. The common meaning of the word, the animal bull, is applicable only in a few instances. It is also a common epithet used to describe the might of kings, puruşha vŗşhabha.

MANTRA (1.31.6): AGNI LEADS HIM TO KNOWLEDGE

You direct the person away from the crooked path

In the intense contest for wealth by the brave,

You defeat the opponents, even though they may be superior in strength, to bestow wealth on the inferiors.

tvam agne vŗjina vartanim naram

you, Agni, crooked, the one whose path is, person,

sakman piparşhi vidathe vicharşhaņe;

fit to be united, protect, place of knowledge, all-seer;

yaĥ shūrasātā pari takmye dhane

who, where the valorous resort, on all sides, to be gone, for wealth,

dabhrebiĥ chit samŗtā hamsi bhūyasaĥ.

inferiors, ., in the test, kill or defeat, the superiors (in numbers and strength).

Details:

The purport is that Agni takes the devotee away from the crooked path and leads him to the centre of knowledge, vidatha. Agni's grace on his devotees is such that the devotees always win in the contest with others, even though the opponents may be superior in numbers and strength.

MANTRA (1.31.7): GRANT IMMORTALITY TO THE MORTAL

You establish in the mortal a state of immortality

For hearing the divine inspiration daily, O Agni;

For the wise who thirst for two-fold lives

You create both happiness and pleasure.

tvam tam agne amŗtatva uttame

you, him, Agni, immortality, superior,

martam dadhāsi shravase divedive;

mortal, establish, for the divine hearing, daily,

yaĥ tātŗşhāņa ubhayāya janmane

who, thirsts very much, twofold, birth,

mayaĥ kŗņoşhi praya ā cha sūraye.

happiness, creates, pleasure, ., and, to the wise.

Details:

janmane ubhayāya: two-fold birth; refers to the human and divine birth, i.e., the birth of Gods in man.

prayas: all things pleasing. Note that the Vedic seers do not espouse asceticism.

S translates shravase as food and ubhayāya as getting bipeds and quadrupeds, meaning sons and animals. S assigns different meanings to shravase in different places.

amŗtatva: The Vedic amŗta, the immortality is a state of consciousness characterized by complete Light and Knowledge. Our ordinary consciousness is mŗta, or mortal. Death, for the vedic mystics, is not a simplistic affair where the human heart stop for, according to them, it is possible to establish ourselves in a state of consciousness of Light and Knowledge, so that we are not controlled by decay or death. Persons who have attained this state of consciousness can give up their bodies as per their wish.

MANTRA (1.31.8): GAIN OF DIVINE WEALTH

O Agni, for the gain of divine wealth,

Let me become a superb chanter by praising you;

May we prosper by new acts;

May heaven and earth with other gods further our worship.

tvam no agne sanaye dhanānām

you, to us, Agni, gain, divine wealth,

yashasam kārum kŗņuhi stavānaĥ;

fame, author of the lauds, do, being lauded,

ŗdhyāma karma apasā navena

may we prosper, our worship, acts, new,

devaiĥ dyāvā pŗthivī prāvatam naĥ.

with (other) Gods, heaven, earth, increase excellently, us.

MANTRA (1.31.9): FASHION OUR DIVINE BODY

O Agni, seated near the parents,

Unsullied, the wakeful and God among the Gods, become active in us.

Provide excellent knowledge to the chanter; fashion our divine body.

O auspicious one, you sow all the wealth in the one who praises.

tvam no agne pitroĥ upastha ā.

you, our, Agni, of the parents, in our proximity, seated,

devo deveşhu anavadya jāgŗviĥ;

God, among the Gods, unsullied, wakeful,

tanūkŗd bodhi pramatiĥ cha kārave

maker of new body, awake, of excellent knowledge, and, for the lauder,

tvam kalyāņa vasu vishvam opişhe.

you, of auspicious form, wealth, all, sow.

Details:

The parents are the Heaven and Earth, signifying divine and earth consciousness. Agni is capable of fashioning a new body for the sacrificer, a body fit for the birth of the Gods and fit for bearing the powers of immortality. Agni is called as a maker of the rişhi in RV (1.31.16), and RV (9.83.1) states that, "if the body is not fit or not baked, atāptatanu, then it may not attain the goal''. Also an adjective for Indra in RV (1.4.1) is, ‘fashioner of perfect forms'.

MANTRA (1.31.10): WE ARE THY RELATIONS

O Agni, you are the possessor of excellent knowledge and our protector.

Bestower of strength, we are your relations.

Riches in hundreds and thousands reach you,

The protector of the divine act, who is endowed with auspicious valour, O unassailable one.

tvam agne pramatiĥ tvam pita asi

you Agni, one of excellent knowledge, you, protector, are,

naĥ tvam vayaskŗt tava jāmayo vayam;

our, you, he who gives strength, your, relations, we,

sam tvā rāyaĥ shatinaĥ sam sahasriņaĥ

well, you, wealth, hundreds, ., thousands,

suvīram yanti vratapām adābhya.

with auspicious valour, attains, protector of the divine act, O unassailable.

MANTRA (1.31.11): THE FIRST MAN

O Agni, the Gods made you the first person among the born and

The king of men;

When my father's son (Agni) was born,

The Gods made him the seeing word, the instructress of man.

tvām agne prathamam āyum āyave devā

you, Agni, first, man, for the man, gods,

akŗņvan nahuşhasya vishpatim;

did, of the man, king,

iļām akŗņvan manuşhasya shāsanīm

seeing word, made, of man, instructress,

pituĥ yat putro mamakasya jāyate.

of father, when, son, of mine, is manifest (in man).

Details:

The purport of this hymn is that the Gods employed in managing the affairs of the world make Agni the first living being endowed with the life-energy, prāņa. Hence he is called the first person. Afterwards, they make Agni the protector of the humans.

Agni is called my father's son since he is the portion or son of the divine Father of all, pita.

nahuşha should be regarded as a synonym for man, like āyu and manuşha. nahuşhasya vishpatim means king of men.

S also interprets nahuşha in this sense in RV (1.22.8).

iļā: the instuctress. Iļā is the goddess of vision, the seeing word or pashyanti vāk, referred to by the tāntriks. Agni himself becomes iļā, the instructress of the divine man. iļā is also discussed in RV(1.13.9).

MANTRA (1.31.12): GUARD OUR BODIES

O God Agni, fit to be lauded,

O wealthy one, guard our wealth and our bodies.

You are the protector of knowledge and its successors,

Since your eternal law is to guard them continuously.

tvam no agne tava deva pāyubhiĥ

you, us, Agni, your, God, protections,

maghono rakşha tanvaĥ cha vandya;

possessed of wealth, protect, bodies, and, fit to be lauded,

trātā tokasya tanaye gavām

protector, of progeny, of his son, rays,

asi animeşham rakşhamāņaĥ tava vrate

are, wink-less (continuously), protector, your, eternal laws.

Details:

Progeny, toka, and son, tanaya, refer to the extension of the spiritual knowledge provided by the teacher. Agni guards not only the physical wealth but also the spiritual knowledge. The seers pray for the welfare of everyone, not just their children.

gavām: the meaning of Rays of illumined consciousness or spiritual knowledge fits throughout the RV, whereas the meaning of cows fits in only a few places. Note that S assigns twenty-one widely different meanings for gāvaĥ and its related words.

MANTRA (1.31.13): FOUR-EYED

O Agni, you are the intimate protector of the unattached sacrificer.

Four-eyed, you shine forth.

The giver of the offerings to (you), the gentle nourisher,

Him, you yourself will request in secret to utter the mantra.

tvam agne yajyave pāyuĥ antaro

you, Agni, for the sacrificer, protector, intimate,

anişhangāya chaturakşha idhyase;

unattached, four eyes, (you) shine forth.

yo rātahavyaĥ avŗkāya dhāyase

who, by the giver of offerings, gentle, nourish,

kīreĥ chit mantram manasā vanoşhi tam.

for the lauder, ., mantra-laud, by heart, entreat, to him.

Details:

Agni is said to have four eyes, one in each of the three lower stations of matter, life and mind and one in the fourth station, the svar. Agni is watching the human aspirant from all these stations. The chanting by the seeker is so dear to Agni that, in secret, he encourages the seeker to chant.

avŗkāya: the generic meaning of vŗka in the entire Veda is the one who tears or hurts. The common meaning in classical Sanskrit for vŗka is wolf; however, this meaning is valid only in a few instances in the Veda. avŗka, with the negation particle a, means one who does not hurt; otherwise its literal meaning, non-wolf, conveys no sense.

MANTRA (1.31.14): TYPES OF ASPIRANTS

O Agni, for the intelligent and great chanter,

You grant the supreme desirable wealth;

You bestow on the weak aspirant the necessary knowledge needed (for worship);

All knowing, you instruct the immature in all directions.

tvam agna urushamsāya vāghate

you, Agni, for the great lauder, for the intelligent one,

spārham yat rekņaĥ paramam vanoşhi tat;

desirable, which, wealth, supreme, desires, that,

ādhrasya chit pramatiĥ uchyase pitā

of the weak (aspirant), ., of excellent knowledge, extolled, protector,

pra pākam shāssi pra disho viduşhţaraĥ.

immature, instruct, superbly, all directions, superbly learned.

Details:

Agni helps the three different types of aspirants, namely the intelligent, the weak and the immature in appropriate ways. The weak sacrificer is one who is sincere, but lacks the will-power for sustained action. Agni acts accordingly.

The wealth, rekņaĥ, is the divine wealth and not merely the material one.

MANTRA (1.31.15): PLEASE THE GUEST

The giver who gifts properly is linked to you,

And you protect him from all (dangers) like an armour;

The seeker who gives happiness to the guest, Agni, by giving tasty dishes

Carries on the worship of living beings all through her life and is close to heaven.

tvam agne prayata dakşhiņam naram

you, Agni, tied up or linked, gift, person,

varmeva syūtam pari pāsi vishvataĥ;

like an armour, sewn, protect, on all sides,

svādukşhadmā yo vasatau syonakŗt

by giving tasty food, who, in his place, giver of happiness,

jīvayājam yajate saĥ upamā divaĥ.

one who worships all though life, worships, he, becomes neighbour, of heaven.

Details:

Agni is popularly referred to in the Veda as the guest. By treating all the guests in the house with tasty offerings (or the guest in his own body), the seeker worships the God Agni continuously all through his life. Being generous to all persons creates a link to Agni which serves as an armour to ward off dangers.

dakşhiņam: A gift made with discrimination and without expecting returns. It is related to the word dakşha, discrimination.

MANTRA (1.31.16): MAKER OF SEERS

Pardon our offence

O Agni, you are our ally, the protector of the superb knowledge, the

Impeller of Soma - drinking Gods and the transformer of mortals into seers.

this, Agni, injury (offense), pardon,

ours, this, path, which, we have gone, quite far,

ally, protector, of superb knowledge, of Soma drinkers,

mover or impeller, are, maker of seers, mortals.

Having deviated far away from the spiritual path, the path of yajňa, the person recognizes his/her offense and asks Agni’s pardon. Agni is called as the maker of seers because he guides the mortals in all possible ways so that they may advance on the spiritual path and develop the vision also. He impels the Gods and summons them to the yajňa.

āpiĥ: a relative or ally, one who inspires us to attain our goals.

somyānām: Soma-drinkers, a common epithet for Gods. Soma has been explained earlier in hymn (1.4).

ŗşhikŗt: Agni transforms ordinary mortals into seers, rişhis, endowed with visions of the supraphysical. Recall (1.31.9).

O Agni, like Manu, Angiras,

Yayāti and other ancient seers, visit our house.

Bring all the Gods,

Seat the dear ones on the prepared altar and worship them.

manuşhvad agne angirasvad angiro

like Manu, Agni, like the seer Angiras, God Angiras,

yayātivat sadane pūrvavat shuche

like the seer Yayāti, house, like the ancients, luminous;

achchha yāhi āvahā daivyam janamā

in place of, go, bring, born among the Gods, world,

sādayā barhişhi yakşhi cha priyam.

make him sit, on the altar, worship, and, the dear one.

Manu, Yayāti and Angiras are all the seers of mantrās, and the Vedic index ascribes many mantrās of the RV to these seers. Moreover, these three are also regarded as Gods; they have been transformed into Gods. Manu is the thinker, the first among men. Angiraĥis the God with the glory of Agni and Yayāti is the God whose yate, movement, is like that of Vāyu, the God of life-energies. For Angiras, see (1.71.2).

sādane: the home of yajňa, both outer and inner, the subtle body of the aspirant.

O Agni, grow (in us) by the mantra chanted

With our (limited) capability and knowledge;

You lead us to riches and connect us to the

Auspicious intelligence which is full of plenitude.

etena agne brahmaņā vāvŗdhasva

by our, Agni, mantra, increase,

shaktī vā yat te chakŗmā vidā vā;

capability, or, which, your (laud), (we) did, knowledge,

uta praņeşhi abhi vasyo asmān sam naĥ

also, (you) make us attain, facing, riches, we, ., us,

sŗja sumatyā vājavatyā.

connect, auspicious intelligence, full of plenitude.

vāja: In the Veda, it has the meaning of plenitude, fullness or opulence, plenty of everything. Sayana gives to this word several widely different meanings, like food, strength and battle in a single verse (1.4.9). Again this is a popular word occurring more than two hundred times with the meaning plenitude and its variants valid everywhere.

Vāja has been discussed in hymn (1.4).

pra + ņeshi: (you) lead or impel us attain.

sam + sŗja: connect.  

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