The Secret of the Veda

The Thirteenth Hymn to Agni

A Hymn of Affirmation of the Divine Will

[The Rishi declares the power of the Word affirming the Divine Will who attains to the touch of heaven for man. That Will affirmed in us by the word becomes the priest of our sacrifice and the winner in us of the divine riches and of the energy that conquers. This godhead contains all the others in its being as the nave of a wheel contains the spokes and therefore brings us all the varied wealth of the spiritual felicity.]

अर्चन्तस्त्वा हवामहेऽर्चन्तः समिधीमहि ।
अग्ने अर्चन्त ऊतये ॥१॥

1) Chanting the word that illumines we call to thee, chanting the word that illumines we kindle thee, O Will, chanting the word that illumines for our increase.

अग्नेः स्तोमं मनामहे सिध्रमद्य दिविस्पृशः ।
देवस्य द्रविणस्यवः ॥२॥

2) Today we seize with the mind the affirmation all-effective, the hymn of the Will, of the godhead that seeks for us our divine substance,¹ of him who touches the heavens.

अग्निर्जुषत नो गिरो होता यो मानुषेष्वा ।
स यक्षद् दैव्यं जनम् ॥३॥

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3) May the Will accept with love our words, he who is here as the priest in men; may he offer the sacrifice to the divine people.

त्वमग्ने सप्रथा असि जुष्टो होता वरेण्यः ।
त्वया यज्ञं वि तन्वते ॥४॥

4) Very wide and vast art thou, O Will, the priest of our offering desirable and beloved; by thee men extend wide the form of their sacrifice.

त्वामग्ने वाजसातमं विप्रा वर्धन्ति सुष्टुतम् ।
स नो रास्व सुवीर्यम् ॥५॥

5) Thee, once rightly affirmed, the illumined increase, O Will, so that thou conquerest utterly the plenitude; therefore do thou lavish on us a complete hero-energy.

अग्ने नेमिरराँ इव देवाँस्त्वं परिभूरसि ।
आ राधश्चित्रमृञ्जसे ॥६॥

6) O Will, as the nave of a wheel contains the spokes, so thou containest in thy being all the gods; thou shalt bring to us a varied joy of those riches.

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