The Secret of the Veda

The Seventh Hymn to Agni

The Divine Will, Desirer, Enjoyer, Progressive from the Animal to Bliss and Knowledge

[Agni is hymned as the divine Force that brings the bliss and the ray of the truth into the human being and light into the night of our darkness. He leads men in their labour to his own infinite levels; he enjoys and tears up the objects of earthly enjoyment, but all his multitude of desires are for the building of an universality, an all-embracing enjoyment in the divine home of the human being. He is the animal moving as the enjoyer by the progressive movement of Nature, as with an axe through the forest, to the achievement and the bliss. This passionate, emotional, animal being of man is given by him to be purified into the peace and bliss; in it he establishes a divine light and know-ledge and the awakened state of the soul.]

1) O comrades, in you an absolute force of impulsion and an utter affirming for the Strength that lavishes all his abundance on the worlds of our dwelling,¹ for the master of Force, for the son of Energy.

2) Wheresoever man's soul comes to the utter meeting with him, it becomes full of delight in its dwelling-place. Even they who are adepts in the strength continue to kindle the flame of him and all creatures born work to bring him to perfect birth.

3) When wholly we possess and enjoy our strengths of impulsion, wholly all that men offer as a sacrifice, then I receive the ray of the Truth in its illumination and shining energy.²

4) Verily he creates the light of perception even for one who sits far off in the night, when himself undecaying the purifier

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compresses the lords³ of the woodland of delight.

5) When in his circling men cast the sweat⁴ of their toil as an offering on the paths, then they ascend to him where he sits self-joyous⁵ like climbers who arrive upon large levels.⁶

6) Him shall mortal man come to know as the godhead who has this multitude of his desires that he may establish in us the all; for he reaches forward to the sweet taste of all foods and he builds a home⁷ for this human being.

7) Yea, he teareth to pieces this desert⁸ in which we dwell as the Animal that teareth its food; the beard of this Beast is of the golden light, his fang is a purity and the force in him is not afflicted by his heats.

8) Pure indeed is he for whom as for the eater of things there is the flowing progression by Nature⁹ as by an axe, and with a happy travail she, his Mother, brought him forth that he may accomplish her works and taste of the enjoyment.¹⁰

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9) O strength, O presser out on us of the running richness, when thou findest one who is a glad peace¹¹ for the establishing of thy works, in such mortals illumination establish and inspired knowledge and the conscious soul.

10) For to this end I born in the material existence receive as thy gift the emotional mind and the animal being.¹² Yea, O Will, may the eater of things overpower the Dividers¹³ who minister not to his fullness; these souls that rush upon him with their impulsions may he overcome.

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